The Point of No Return | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 22 Part 1

Summary

Critical Role – Campaign 4, Episode 22, Part 1: “The Point of No Return”

Date: April 16, 2026

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Main Theme / Purpose

This episode of Critical Role plunges the party deep into the treacherous underbelly of Dolmakiara, as they race to rescue the missing illusionist Demidus Blix from the clutches of a destabilized thieves’ guild and an even darker threat lurking in the sewers. Through tactical deception, raw force, and some unexpected magical mayhem, we see the group navigate desperate situations and shape the fate of an entire underworld—all while past trauma and new alliances surface amidst chaos.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Flashback: The Golden Orchard (00:32–23:10)

• Brief Lore Dive: The episode begins with a vivid flashback/historical interlude to the “Golden Orchard,” a luminous fae-touched demiplane. Here, we observe the child versions of future main characters (Octus Taconis, Thimble Royce, and siblings) during a tense peace after the Falconer’s Rebellion.
• Family Dynamics: Octus, uncomfortable and marginalized within his powerful family, encounters bullying from his brother. He befriends Thimble Royce and her brother Twig, gaining insight into political alliances and rivalries between the great houses.
• First Seeds of Power: The children witness the trial of Thiazi Fang, setting up threads of political and personal stakes that resonate into the main storyline, including the motif that magic can be gained in many ways.
• Notable Quote:
  • “There’s a lot of ways to get magic.” – Thiazi (21:07)
• Memorable Moment: The trio’s misadventures to sneak a peek at the trial, outwitting adults, and witnessing the shifting tides of power in youth.
  (Timestamps: 04:57–22:53)

2. Return to Present: Schemer’s Table, Dolmakiara Sewers (34:06–130:20)

• Underground Pursuits: The party, now seasoned adventurers, are navigating the sewers to track down Demidus Blix, a grad student illusionist mixed up in deadly political cover-ups.

• Party Tasks Recap:

  • Hal: Connects with informants, steers the group.
  • Murray: Uses tremor sense to map out threats.
  • Azune & Bolair: Tactical approach, creative magic, and stealth.
  • Bolaire: Illusions and confusion to mislead enemies.

• Key Encounter:

  • The party executes a tense, almost surgical takedown of a Crow Keeper guard—Bolair silencing him, Azune delivering a fatal hammer blow, both catching the body silently (51:02).
  • “Time to go, kid.”—Hal, reviving Demidus (98:19)

• Escalating Chaos:

  • Massive use of illusions (Phantasmal Force) and diversions funnel enemies away.
  • An unknown, sludge-based sewer monster (Lao Me) interrupts, killing Crow Keepers with horrifying putrescence.
  • Party must improvise a daring extraction of Demidus amidst magical and physical threats, culminating in a pulse-pounding escape through collapsing sewers.

• Resourcefulness and Triage:

  • “Deal with darkness, die by it.” – Hal, casting Shatter (115:47)
  • Murray delivers quick magical and physical support, grabbing Demidus while Bolair sows terror amongst monstrous enemies (Dissonant Whispers, 127:32).

• Party Cohesion:

  • Use of Bardic Inspiration, healing, illusions, and turns saved for coordinated tactics highlight teamwork and the burden of violence.

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Bolair’s intimidation of the sewer monster Lao Me:
  “Creature of refuse and filth. How else would you find your face than to be buried in the sewers forever where you belong?” (128:05)

• Octus’ uncertainty and isolation as a child:
  “I can’t do anything. I… I don’t have any magic right now.” (16:56)

• Brutal description of a silent kill:
  “Blunt force trauma through the rib cage into the heart. Dead.” (51:18)

• Comic Relief: Demidus’ Uncontrollable Magic:
  “I’m almost dead… Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” (100:07)

  • Followed by fireworks as his Mage Armor blows their cover.

• Dark Humor in Desperation:

  • “If you have black mold in your house, it’s important to maintain that air purifier. Look what can happen.” – Table banter as a PC is nearly dissolved by the monster (85:29)

• End Sequence:

  • As the party flees with a blinded pair of Crow Keepers behind, Bolair’s intimidation (Nat 20!) sends the sewer monster “flushing” itself away, and Demidus’ over-the-top illusion magic almost botches their undetected escape.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:32–04:57] – Intro to Golden Orchard, setting the historical scene.
• [05:35–23:10] – Young Octus and the children’s mischief, Thiazi’s trial setup.
• [34:06–53:05] – Party prep and initial infiltration of the Crow Keepers’ lair.
• [51:02–52:25] – Silent assassination and successful stealth check.
• [56:59–60:17] – Sewer monster introduction, first casualties.
• [84:54–86:17] – Monster attacks, party deals with violence and strategizes escape.
• [100:08–101:12] – Demidus’ wild Mage Armor, fireworks, and chaos.
• [115:47–118:49] – Hal’s “Shatter” spell collapses part of the sewer; group escapes up ladder.
• [127:32–130:20] – Bolair’s intimidation, monster flees, party escapes — cliffhanger ending.

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Tone & Language

The episode remains true to Critical Role’s blend of earnest fantasy epic, vivid and sometimes gruesome descriptions, improvisational character humor, and moments of heartfelt connection. Speakers often mix modern irreverence, running meta-gags, and high-fantasy language.

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Section Summary Table

| Segment | Timestamp | Highlights | |----------------------------|-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | Golden Orchard Flashback | 00:32–23:10 | Childhood origins, fae magic, House intrigue, Thiazi’s trial | | Sewers & Infiltration | 34:06–53:05 | Party plans, stealth kills, spectral subterfuge | | Monster Erupts | 56:59–60:17 | Sewer fiend kills Crow Keepers, party scrambles | | Extracting Demidus | 84:54–101:12| Deadly combat, rescue, wild magic mishap, group regathers | | Escape & Final Gambit |115:47–130:20| Collapse, illusion, intimidation, escape as monster flees |

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Final Notes & Takeaways

• Character Growth: The episode juxtaposes youthful uncertainty (flashback) with present-day resolve, showing hard-won maturity and scars.
• Tactical Brilliance: Resourcefulness in using the environment, illusions, and coordination, especially bolstered by high-stakes rolls and spell choices.
• Worldbuilding: Breadcrumbs are dropped connecting past uprisings, family alliances, and magical laws, layering intrigue for future conflicts.
• Cliffhanger: The party escapes for now, but not cleanly—Demidus’ flare of magic risks exposing them; the monster is gone but not destroyed; questions and danger remain.

Next Episode: The story (part 2) continues Tuesday, where fallout from the sewer conflict and political machinations will surely spiral further.

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[Listen to Part 2 for the thrilling conclusion of this arc!]

Transcript

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[A]

Why hello there. I'm Brennan Lee Mulligan and welcome to Campaign 4 of Critical Role. Thank you for joining us on this

[B]

journey as we explore Ahriman, a world of fractured kingdoms, tumultuous rebellion and sorcery that rises from the graveyard of the gods. You're listening to part one of this adventure, with Part two arriving at this upcoming Tuesday.

[A]

Our episodes typically arrive on the Critical Role podcast network a week after our

[B]

initial Thursday night streams on Beacon, YouTube and Twitch. But if you'd rather listen to a

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full podcast episode of Campaign 4 Right When it airs without any ads, consider

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You'll receive access to exclusive content discounts at all our online Critical Role shops, pre sales for live events and so much more. Start your seven day free trial today at Beacon tv. Now, without further ado, let's begin this

[B]

episode of Critical Role. Golden light cascades from towering trees that stretch towards a sky gleaming with a light not of the world of Ahriman. Glittering white towers, banners flapping in the wind.

[A]

We hear trumpets blaring calling home the

[B]

banners of House Royce flying in the wind, the tree and key the sigil of their House. What a glorious day here in the world between worlds. The Golden Orchard.

[A]

Dozens of trees taller than castle walls,

[B]

whose leaves reflect added light such that shadow dapples with a luminous glow as flittering butterflies made of magic itself arise from the foliage. Rich jasmine and moss. The smell of flowers as horses thunder down the main thoroughfare towards the open courtyard of a castle.

[A]

We see a massive eagle flying overhead as the envoy of House Einfassen arrives. We see the horses of House Royce and Davinos and the various vassals of this place.

[B]

And a carriage with iron bars as a prisoner of war comes to face trial. We see a carriage black as midnight and the quanking of plate armor as House Taconis approaches. It is the year 59, some 12 years before our story begins. The banners have been called home, for the falconer's rebellion has ended and the Houses of nobility emerge victorious from this failed revolution. Alex. Where on the grounds of House Royce is a 8 year old octus. Taconis, I presume. Hiding.

[F]

I think Octis is off to the side as much as he can get away from the rest of his family, in that he's never really comfortable or welcomed. So I think he's just off investigating some of the trees. He's never seen trees like this. This is his first time anywhere like the Golden Orchard and it is blowing his mind. He is so engrossed in just the light and the. The feeling of magic that's here that's so different from home.

[B]

Looking around as your father, Primus Taconis, exits, speaking to his children. You see Petra and Raya, your older siblings, are quite nearby. This matter will begin shortly. I know Royce is going to make some endeavor to saved the life of this Thiazi Fang, but we have, I think, a legal case that may in fact, you see doors of gold open as a very young Erinessa Royce commands. A magic that she will no longer have as our main story begins. For indeed, the gates of Faerie are still open. Lord Primus, my father wishes to speak with you. Primus turns around, looking at those of his children who are here, and says, stay close. Look in order, you see? His eyes alight. Over to you, Octys. Why don't you use this opportunity in this demiplane to see if your connection to the tenebral reaches might be be aided by the abundant magic of this place.

[F]

Yes, father.

[B]

I'll do recitations perhaps.

[F]

Yeah, okay.

[B]

Time is of the essence, young octys. And you see that he moves away. Many of your siblings had already begun to manifest Some powers by this time. You look around from the courtyard. White gravel, stone, enormous trees. As the Taconis begin emerging, you see that two of the trees shake and faces appear.

[A]

Welcome to the Golden Orchard.

[B]

You see that one of the trees looks down at you off from the main gate. These two eyes open and a seam of bark opens along the mouth. Hello, little boy. Hi. Are you entering inside the castle walls?

[F]

I think I'm. I think they want me to stay out here.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

Would you like an apple?

[F]

Sure. Yeah.

[B]

A golden apple that you see even through the wax of its skin, smells sweet. It's like you can smell fresh cut apples just holding this thing. Everything here is alive and rich and filled with energy.

[F]

I can eat this?

[B]

Yes, of course.

[F]

Takes a huge bite of the apple.

[B]

Looking next to the courtyard, you see that there is an enormous shimmering lake that has these huge 15 foot long, beautiful goldfish swim through it. You look down and see that the fish are flying over a separate wing of the castle which is under the lake. You see that there appears to be people walking those parapets down there, and they don't appear to be wet. It's like something, maybe this lake is some special kind of water. You can't tell, but it just looks

[A]

like you're looking through the surface of

[B]

a pond and seeing another castle down there. At this moment, you hear behind you a sort of scuff. And you are pelted for one point

[A]

of bludgeoning damage as your older brother

[B]

Etherind throws a rock at your head.

[F]

Etherend.

[B]

What?

[F]

It hurt?

[B]

Oh, it hurt. Well, you should be focusing. You should already be able to manifest some lights or something. You're gonna embarrass everybody.

[C]

I'm trying. Please.

[A]

You see that?

[B]

Oli turns around at this moment. Are there any other creatures nearby

[A]

witnessing this act of aggression as a little kid throws a rock at his brother's head.

[G]

Yeah, I'm up in the tree sitting with my brother, and we're both snickering.

[B]

Next to you, you see, wearing that

[A]

Royce Green little needle sword at his

[B]

side, looking also very childlike. What does Thimble look like in this memory?

[G]

She is. She looks about 10 years old

[B]

and

[G]

she's wearing these little green overalls that are a little bit rugged. They look like they might have been nice at some point, but she rolls in the dirt a lot and they're just kind of messy. Her hair's a little bit longer and into little pigtails.

[B]

Thimble, your brother Twig is near you. He's taking an enormous bite of a Blueberry. That's holding up most of his hands. He looks down and says, poor kid. What are these? Are they the Taconis family?

[F]

Right.

[G]

Yeah, they're shitheads. Although, I don't know. He doesn't seem too bad, but Taconuses in general, Absolute dog shit.

[B]

Really?

[G]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Were you fighting these guys out there?

[G]

Yeah, we were fighting them all the time. You wouldn't believe it. They're weak as fuck, but they do have some pretty cool magic.

[B]

Oh, that's pretty good.

[A]

Inside, you hear trumpets blaring. And you see that there's a shout from one of the Einfassen saying, the pixie companion of the captive has escaped.

[G]

Listen. So they're putting Thaz on trial today. Don't worry.

[A]

Nothing bad's gonna happen. What? On trial? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[G]

I think the Taconeses are trying to get him killed or something. But we don't have anything to worry about.

[B]

Oh, well, Lord Royce is not gonna

[A]

let anything like that happen.

[C]

He's still married to lady her nestle.

[G]

I know.

[B]

All right, should we go stab this older kid?

[C]

Sure.

[A]

You see, Etherne sort of menaces Octus some more.

[B]

And Thimble, what do you do in this moment?

[G]

I'm gonna fly down and pick up a rock and throw it at Ethernet.

[B]

Go ahead and give me an attack.

[H]

Okay.

[C]

Oh, geez. Oh, geez. I was rolling all these dice. Let's see.

[G]

Oh, cool. Three.

[A]

Three. The rock whizzes by. See? Etherne goes, ah, stupid fairies.

[G]

Get out of here. You're not welcome in our orchard.

[A]

Uh, yeah, I am. Our families are allied. The Taconis are a proud family. And we're allies with House Royce. Yeah.

[G]

All right, then get inside and get out of my orchard.

[B]

What are you gonna do?

[G]

I'm gonna hang out here.

[B]

He says, oh, no, I meant, like, what do you.

[A]

Okay. And you see that twig looks over

[B]

and goes, hey, you should listen to my sister.

[A]

She's killed, I think, dozens of your family in bannermen.

[G]

Yeah, pretty much.

[B]

You see, Etherne goes, that's not true, is it?

[G]

Yes, it is. Yes, it is. I've been in ban. I'm a hardened warrior. A warrior.

[A]

Etherin, go ahead and give me. Intimidate. Roll with advantage. The energy is absolutely perplexed.

[C]

Oh, 19.

[A]

19. Etherne goes, Father. And rushes inside.

[B]

And Octys, you are there looking at two pixies hovering in the air, believing

[A]

the exact same thing that Etherne believes. He's just.

[G]

You should duck next time someone throws a rock at your head.

[F]

I Didn't see him throw it.

[G]

I looked down at the apple. You know, if you let it ferment, it'll get you real fucked up.

[F]

I don't know what that means.

[B]

Drunk.

[F]

Oh. Oh, okay. I've never been drunk.

[C]

Really?

[F]

I'm just a kid.

[B]

We're kids forever.

[A]

And we get drunk all the time.

[F]

What? Um. Sorry, I. My name's Octus. Hi. Who are you?

[G]

Hello. I'm Thimble. This is my brother, Twig.

[B]

Hi.

[H]

Hi.

[F]

Thimble. Twig.

[H]

Hi.

[F]

Nice to meet you. Are you gonna throw rocks at me too?

[G]

No. Unless you, you are like the rest

[B]

of your family, hearing the barking of dogs from inside. You see that? Twig says you better go hide.

[A]

I'll go hold him off as he

[B]

darts into the castle.

[G]

We should go hide.

[F]

Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[G]

Although, here, come with me. And I'm gonna lead him to where there's a window that we can peek in and watch the trial and make sure nothing super bad happens to that dog. Don't worry. Thaz is not gonna get hurt today, okay?

[F]

Okay.

[C]

He's just on trial.

[G]

It's no big deal.

[F]

Right? Seems like a big deal.

[B]

Go ahead and give me stealth checks, both of you.

[A]

Reminder, right now. Thimble, you're first level and I'm a child. You're a child. You have child stats. I got child stats.

[F]

We all know child stats.

[A]

Oh, no, no, that's a 19. Oh, good.

[C]

I rolled a two.

[A]

A 19 and a two on a group stealth check. Octus. You see that? Fimble begins to.

[G]

Just shy of crits both ways.

[A]

Shy of crits, both ways.

[B]

You see that?

[A]

Thimble darts forward towards a window.

[B]

You are pretty sure that that window is magically guarded. Although you don't feel anything in the pit of your stomach telling you that. You know, that your family would be able to sense it innately.

[F]

But wait, please don't go through the

[B]

Thimble. You hold up and stop real quick, looking into the window, into the room. And you do see that around the edge of the window, as Octa stops you, there is some humming entity. And you realize this is one of many arcane protected windows.

[A]

If you were.

[G]

That was never there before.

[B]

Looking at it from an angle, you see that? Yes, this window shows you inside the castle. But if you were to fly through it or touch it, you see an endless stretch of black leafless trees stretching into Harrow, the home of the Dark Fae on the other side of the Golden Orchard.

[G]

I think they put, um, some extra protections up today. Cause

[F]

because of You?

[G]

No, not because of me. Because of you. Because of your family. Because you guys are here and they don't know what you're gonna do.

[F]

Yeah, that makes sense.

[G]

What are you gonna do? What are you doing? By the way, why were you outside when the rest of your family was inside?

[F]

I can't do anything. Aw, Beta, they. I don't. I don't have any magic right now. At least, so I have a spot. It hasn't happened yet.

[G]

I'm gonna fly and look in your ear. That sucks for you.

[F]

Yeah. So they don't really care what I do or when I'm where. They just leave me alone.

[C]

That's lonely.

[F]

Yeah, it is.

[G]

I got lots of brothers and sisters. They're all pretty cool.

[F]

I have lots of brothers and sisters.

[G]

Not pretty cool.

[F]

No. They're really powerful, though. Yeah.

[G]

Yeah, I know. No, I really did fight them.

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah, that's cool.

[F]

Um, do you think Thiazi is the criminal, right?

[G]

He's not a criminal, but yeah, he was fighting your family, taking us and Erinessa's family, which is a little messed up.

[F]

Why?

[G]

Well, because he's married to Erinessa.

[F]

Oh, whoa.

[G]

I know.

[F]

Why would he. That's complicated.

[G]

Yeah. I don't think she liked it very much. In fact,

[B]

you look inside and see

[A]

in the defendant's area that a manacled

[B]

Thiazi fang is standing there.

[A]

You see his arms are crossed and manacled behind him.

[B]

And you see the. That he stares out despondently. Erinessa, you can see, is looking across the chamber,

[A]

heartbroken that he's not making

[B]

eye contact with her. And you can see that the Einfas and the Cormoray are here. And you see that Eriness's father is speaking. You see that Lord Otto Einfaasn is speaking and saying, the burden of proof will be on you, Lord Taconis, that he is a mercenary. This all of his fighting was contracted work. The laws of our land are clear. If we were to execute him, think about what would happen to all of the mercenary. No one would take a contract again. We ourselves would not be able to hire. This rule is in place. And you see as he's speaking. Bertha, give me a perception check. Oh, God.

[F]

10.

[B]

15. 15. You see that Fiazi scratches the side of his head. And I think as you see him do that, it just sort of looks like he's sort of standing there swaying, scratches his head.

[A]

About 30 seconds later, scratches his head again. And as he does, you realize that

[B]

he's slipping his hand out from his manacles to do that and come back.

[A]

And you recognize that he's doing the

[B]

exact same motion on loop over and over again. And a moment afterwards, you hear a voice behind you invisibly go, thimble, how's it going? And you see that Fiazzi appears behind you. We only have a few minutes. They're gonna notice. Listen, we should get back to my old room because there's a couple things that I left up there. Do you want.

[G]

This is Octis. He's Octus.

[B]

Taconus.

[G]

Yeah, but don't worry. His brother threw a rock at his head. I don't think they like him very much.

[B]

Yeah, you got a rock thrown at your head by your brother. That's not nice.

[F]

Yeah, well, they don't like me that much.

[B]

Oh. Why are you left out here? Everybody else, they.

[F]

My dad thought that maybe this place would stoke my abilities and make me have magic that I don't have.

[G]

He's powerless. It's sad.

[B]

Thimble, don't say things are sad so loud.

[C]

Sorry.

[B]

He looks and says, kid, there's a lot of ways to get magic.

[F]

Really?

[B]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I'm not supposed to have magic. I grew up, you know, a few minutes outside the Tanners in Dolnakyar.

[G]

Yeah. And then he started snorting pixie dust up his butt. And suddenly.

[A]

Yeah, I snorted it up my butt. Yeah. I used my lungs to snort it up my butt. That's a great thing.

[G]

He's really strong.

[A]

Look, we gotta rob myself.

[B]

My old things are upstairs.

[I]

Do you.

[B]

You're interested in magic, right?

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

Fimble, why don't you take our young friend here and head up? Oh, because you're a Taconus. And you're welcome here, technically. Technically is how a lot of very clever things work. I'm gonna head over to the stables. You head upstairs to my room.

[H]

Okay.

[G]

Hey. Erinessa was looking at you in there longingly.

[B]

I don't. I don't know if longingly is what the look is, but I don't know. You got it, Thimble.

[A]

I'll have none of that.

[B]

Octus. Nice to meet you.

[F]

Nice to meet you, Thimble.

[G]

I'll go get your shit.

[B]

All right, good. You see, he turns off to head away. Octys. You look out and see Thimble next to you, smiling as the azzy leaves and turns invisible again. What do you do in this moment?

[F]

So we. That was the Aussie?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Isn't he great?

[F]

He seems cool. He has magic, and he didn't he's got magic. Didn't always have magic.

[A]

Come on.

[F]

Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

You take up off the stairs. Running up each stair alights with a small glow of multicolored energy as notes of music play.

[A]

Ascending the stairs, staircase.

[B]

And you begin your first. I'll say misadventure together.

[A]

And that's all for this vision of what once was in the golden origin.

[C]

Oh, man.

[A]

We'll continue our story with our schemers

[B]

in Dolmakiara on tonight's episode of Critical Role.

[D]

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[J]

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A little bit closer.

[K]

Yeah.

[C]

Caleb, my darling, you know I was

[J]

a little bit closer. You really gotta get closer to the vertical drama.

[F]

You guys.

[C]

You know I would if only we could afford a stylish wedding ring.

[A]

But that's just it.

[I]

Look, I made you this ring.

[J]

Oh, you know what, Liam, you gotta hold the ring in frame. This is a vertical drama. I can't. I can't stress that enough.

[I]

But look, I made you this ring.

[C]

Wow. That ring is so unique and stylish. We would.

[J]

Even closer. Even closer together if you can.

[I]

I went to nyu.

[C]

We should create a company. Perfect. That makes unique and stylish rings for everyone.

[A]

It will never happen. Now that I've stolen your prototype. We cannot see you. We cannot see you.

[J]

You have to get into frame.

[A]

This is a center. Center up. Even closer now. You can never get married.

[I]

I'm sorry, Sam. This is really awkward and has really hit my Goony ears.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Honestly, one of us smells like gorgonzola.

[A]

I think that's you.

[K]

Actually, it's melting my mustache off.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And cut.

[F]

Wow.

[J]

That was amazing. Good job, you guys. Good acting.

[F]

Really nice.

[J]

With over 10,000 5 star reviews from free silicone activity bands and walnut wood ring boxes, free shipping and a lifetime warranty or warrant, as it says in the prompter.

[H]

Oh, you get em, get em, arrest em.

[J]

Wear your story with Thorum. Whether you need a wedding ring, anniversary ring, or just want a ring that looks awesome, head over to thorum.com and use code criticalrole. Matt, back to you.

[D]

Thank you, Sam. Liam, you have an announcement, I believe.

[L]

Oh, gee.

[I]

We're excited to share that. Daggerheart. Daggerheart is now available on Fantasy Grad.

[A]

Woo.

[I]

This virtual tabletop provides tools for campaign management, maps, rules integration, so you can jump into a campaign online and focus on telling great stories without worrying about managing the mechanics.

[B]

Am I right?

[I]

Fantasy Grounds is totally free to start, so you can bring your table together for adventures anywhere, anytime, map misinfancygraphs.com Daggerheart to learn more maps.

[K]

I miss our vertical drama right now.

[B]

All right.

[D]

Well then, Travis, I believe you have a little thing to talk about, don't you?

[A]

Oh, yeah. Hey guys, in case you missed it, season four of the Legend of Vox Machina will premiere on June 3rd.

[H]

It is the beginning of another incredible

[M]

season and we guarantee you that Vox Machina will fuck shit up.

[A]

Plus Wayne Brady as Taryon Darrington. Many more updates to come and art and trailers, so please keep your eyes peeled on our socials and newsletters and

[M]

all the good stuff so you don't miss a beat.

[I]

Brilliant.

[J]

It's gonna be good.

[D]

Thank y'.

[A]

All.

[D]

And last up, Darien Impress. Newest game, A Familiar Find, is now available in the Critical Role shops and at the Darrington Press Guild store. Now, Familiar Find is a light hearted card game where you play as an animal companion, racing across all corners of exandria to gather magical ingredients. But you're not alone. Rival familiars that lurk nearby, attempting to set traps and sabotage your plans at every turn. Oh, your friends will hate each other

[K]

by the end of it.

[F]

It's great.

[K]

That's not true.

[D]

It's wonderful. The game is sized to travel anywhere you go and includes 10 familiar characters to play, each with their own unique abilities, including beloved beasts such as trinket, Mr. And pate.

[A]

My boys. I think it's Pat.

[D]

A Familiar Find was designed by Ian Zhang with art by John Ramsey and Svetlana Kucherjevenko. And if you grab your copy from your local Darington Press Guild store, you'll also have a chance to receive unique location promo cards with your purchase. So grab yours today and learn [e-mail] afamiliarfine I want to see.

[I]

I want to see.

[D]

Go for it Risha.

[F]

You.

[C]

You got some announcements you guys. Our Beacon show Daggerheart Azzurum, featuring the talented cast from Viva La Dirt League, just wrapped up on the Beast Feast campaign frame and has now jumped into a brand new storyline. Hammer Time.

[A]

Hammer Time.

[H]

Is it about that song?

[C]

No, we can't afford it. Please. No we can't. For anyone who has been waiting to dive into the world of Daggerheart Azzurum, now is the best time to start watching you. Each distinct campaign arc, while part of the larger ongoing series, is designed to function as a wonderful yet self contained story. So if you're not already a Beacon member, you can start a free seven day trial and check it out right now at Beacon tv. Join Maps MC Hammer Always ever works.

[D]

Got it. Boom Boom.

[J]

Rest in peace.

[D]

I think that concludes our announcements. So with that, let's go ahead and jump back into Ahriman.

[A]

Woohoo. Oh oh.

[D]

What do I do with my hands?

[J]

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[A]

Hello and welcome to another episode of Critical Role. We return here to the world. You're wondering if I'm gonna narc on you. Well, I'm afraid this. Liam said always be masturbating. There was context.

[K]

There was context.

[A]

Honestly.

[C]

Almost makes it more weird.

[K]

I tried to help.

[A]

I'm new we return to the Schemer's Table here in Dolmachia, deep in the sewers under Caravan Hill, where our brave

[B]

adventurers have gone underground.

[A]

One adventurer becoming an adventurer fully this night. Indeed. How Andiel Fang, waiting at the gate,

[B]

looking down and realizing that the journey

[A]

of a thousand miles begins with a

[B]

single and the road goes ever on.

[A]

This road led down into some nasty sewers because you've been hot on the trail of Demidus Blix, the Illusionist grad student of the Pentevral who went missing after you discovered he helped the House

[B]

of Taconis, perhaps unbeknownst to him, cover up the massacre at the Palazzo Divinos,

[A]

having sprung Misha Undragor from prison. You guys had an eventful night at the time. Same Sevenstar's Tavern. Hal connected with Romina Rountree with all of the intel she had from working at the Stahlkeep the manse here in

[B]

Dolmanachiar of House Einfassen

[A]

Bolaire played a hand of cards with a horrifying merchant named Druspin Fortunata, a traveling wizard named Arnesia Vanessa, having taken the seat of Gnomish smuggler Pimley Morne, and played a

[B]

hand of cards with King Augustus Valian,

[A]

who has come and absconded from the Seven Stars as hound of the King.

[B]

Ser Martin came and found his liege and got him the hell out of

[A]

this bar to get back to the business at hand. Staying with Mr. Bowsprit, a merchant that

[B]

you have some familiarity with.

[A]

Murray pinned down Pimlee and found out that he had indeed, having recognized the blue flame of the candlelight, had indeed

[B]

been part at first of trying to get Demidus Blix out of town after whatever task he accomplished for the Taconis. Seemed that he must have gotten the hell out of Dashers from seeing the

[A]

writing on the wall. And Pam Lee realized that this was

[B]

a little too hot for him and dumped the desperate Demidus, who was depending on him for help, into the clutches of the Crow Keepers, to whom Demetus owed some money.

[A]

Following the Crow Keepers after Murray made

[B]

contact with an ally in Caravan Hill, the soothsayer Tamelo

[A]

T gave you a

[B]

reading of your cards, speaking surreptitiously of the eye she had been keeping on the guard tower, the old tavern frequented by the leadership of the Crow Keepers.

[A]

Crow Keepers, you were told, were in disarray, their guildmaster Solomon having been killed several days ago by the Elven warrior Vaelys, who then left town after the world's first known revenant was created. You see that they. They seemed to be in disarray and took Demetus into their own custody.

[B]

After paying Pimle Morne handsomely for doing so. You went deep underground, where you discovered this hiding place of the Crow Keepers and them speaking to something inhuman in the chamber beyond. A careful illusion was cast and created

[A]

for you to look out and essentially, essentially draw some of the Crow Keepers away. This city thief is affected by a

[B]

phantasmal force and heard an illusion from Hal and a rock hurled into the Muck, water beyond. And many of them are about to peel out. However, we must resolve at the top of initiative, one of them who spotted a strange sight of a mask peering around the corner here. We enter Initiative. But before we enter Initiative, we must first produce your heroes.

[A]

Yes. Murray Magnassen. Look at her. Alan d' El Fain. Oh, wow. Bolaire Lasalle.

[K]

Oh, my man. Look at him.

[A]

He's so pretty. And azune. Naya.

[B]

Yeah. Gimme, gimme, gimme.

[C]

So cool.

[J]

Wow.

[B]

Holy.

[A]

I will let you guys. Now that you can see the extended version of the map with the pathway you guys have taken down here, kindly place your minis where you would in this area here.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Balir, you were like, up and had picked up, peeked around the corner.

[K]

So I'm gonna be in the far corner there.

[B]

Great.

[C]

Far corner where?

[K]

Like in the corner over there here

[C]

where the crates are.

[K]

So.

[A]

Yeah, like you just.

[B]

So you're like here amongst the crates, essentially, right?

[H]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay, gotcha. Yeah. Dipped around the corner, dipped back.

[K]

I might have even tried to go a little deeper, but yeah, that'll do.

[C]

Murray's gonna stay towards the. Towards the back.

[F]

Cool.

[C]

I want to be up a little

[A]

bit, but not Murray. By the way, you remember that you did your tremor sense to get a

[B]

lay of the land beyond and see a vision of all of this and communicate it to your partners.

[A]

You also know that there is a way to go back up the staircase and find your way down these ladders.

[B]

Essentially.

[K]

Throw me in the far. I think I would have been back to wall back there because I know

[B]

I got tagged so bad like here.

[I]

But it was Bolaire's mask that popped out for a second.

[A]

Yes, correct.

[I]

Alerting one of those two.

[A]

Yes, one of them. There was a lot of noise and ruckus. And this one is shouting, guards, guards, guards. You know that it's this sort of hulking, bruiser looking guy right there. That is the one who made you.

[K]

Yeah, I want him to get in there.

[A]

But again, I think it's important to say in this moment with a lot of chaos happening.

[B]

Made is a relative term.

[A]

Right. In other words, he saw something down that passageway, but it's not that he didn't hear the splash or the illusion or anything else. It's not that he's not hearing his companions say they're going that way, but he knows he saw something.

[B]

He saw something.

[K]

And I'm. Yeah.

[H]

And what we've seen is you peek out, do something, and then just kind of back up.

[K]

And I backed out into the corner.

[H]

Okay. I think I would be maybe right next to. How on is that. Is that a place that I can stand on that kind of platform?

[A]

Sure, yeah, right there, man.

[B]

Hell yeah.

[I]

And dm.

[B]

Yeah.

[I]

Can you remind me? One of the two people guarding that sewer entrance has the whammy on them from Belair.

[A]

Whammy right here. In fact, let me get a token

[B]

on there just for us to be super clear.

[F]

Great.

[I]

And that's a temporary whammy, that is.

[K]

Hold on, I can give you the

[D]

whole rigamarole for that.

[I]

And the other one is in his right mind, best we know. I mean, we can't see him. But you narrated that. He spotted a weird horror movie mask peeking around the corner. Okay. And there's a group of other folks going.

[K]

Got him.

[I]

As they run after the illusion that

[A]

we see that running has not started. This one is. We're sort of doing the immediate moments after that illusion. So this one is shouting into the room, alerting the people of what's going on.

[K]

I can. Yeah, he's affected by. It's a concentration spell, so he thinks he saw. And I can drop the concentration spell and he'll stop seeing it or be aware of it, which I have to do because it's just far enough back there where once he hits it, I don't think I can move. A phantasmal force.

[A]

No, I don't.

[H]

Both.

[I]

But what he believes is that enemies ran off down the hall, we mixed some things together and they heard someone else.

[K]

And I'm debating whether or not to let him die so that they clearly something bad is up there or not.

[B]

I don't know. I don't know.

[K]

So, yeah, once he gets into my target, I can have him take 2d8 psychic damage. But he would have to actually pay attention and make an attempt to. He would have to do an investigation, check to see if it's not real. But also, if I drop it, he still will think it's real. It's just he won't see it anymore.

[A]

So we can't do that.

[C]

We can't do that.

[K]

So, yeah, he. He's fine. He would have to see. Someone would have to prove to him that there was nothing there.

[I]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So are you all placed?

[J]

I think so.

[A]

The first thing we are going to resolve is what happens as this Crow Keeper, as this one turns to shout into the chamber about what he's seen. This other one, not seeing any of this, is going to rush around the side. Side here. Rushing around the side. I'm Going to roll. Okay, moving around the corner,

[B]

enters here.

[A]

Do you guys have visible sources of light on you for trapping?

[H]

I extinguished my torch.

[B]

Extinguish your torch.

[K]

Is there no light?

[H]

I mean, that was our only light source. And what we were relying on was the torches that were being lit from the area itself.

[A]

Great. So in that case, with that torchlight extinguished, this human rogue rounds the corner, stepping forward. I'm going to need everybody here to make one final group stealth at the top of this. Because you have extinguished the torch, you may do so with advantage.

[H]

I think that makes it a. A straight roll for me. My stealth checks are at disadvantage because of my armor. Yep,

[C]

that's true.

[H]

Yep.

[K]

It could be worse.

[A]

What do we get?

[K]

14.

[B]

14. Okay,

[K]

don't make that face.

[C]

Could be worse.

[A]

What do we get, Hal?

[H]

A seven.

[K]

Oh, no.

[B]

Could be that seven. Great.

[A]

Fourteen.

[B]

Seven.

[C]

Twelve.

[A]

Twelve. Twelve. Okay.

[C]

Detangling.

[A]

Oh, boy. This figure rushes around, like, rushes down, rushes around the corner, Stops right here in the dark. So you can see him kind of silhouetted. Cause torchlight's being cast from here and flickering on this back wall. So it's so dark in here, you can't see his face at all.

[B]

It's just his silhouette framed against dappled, weak torchlight on stone and water behind him.

[A]

And as he stands looking in the doorway, he goes, hey. And reaches down to a bag to grab torch for him. Bolair and Azune, you share an 11 initiative. You are going to be the only ones able to act before this guy

[B]

pulls the torch out. Exciting. Okay.

[A]

And you go first.

[D]

I go first.

[K]

So I'm going to.

[A]

But I'll point it out that with no light here, you also are going

[B]

to need to make a.

[A]

You will get disadvantage on any attack rolls against him.

[C]

That's fine.

[K]

Okay, I'm going to try and deftly circle around him so that he can't leave.

[A]

Okay.

[K]

Actually, it's probably better that you do that.

[B]

Great.

[K]

I'm going to get right behind him.

[A]

Great.

[K]

And I'm just going to whisper in his ear.

[B]

Silence.

[A]

Okay.

[K]

And I'm going to be casting. I'm casting command.

[A]

Okay, great.

[K]

That is a save against a wisdom of 14.

[B]

Save against a wisdom of 14. He fails, remains perfectly silent.

[A]

Oh, good. Great. That is your action. Any bonus actions from you?

[K]

I don't even know if I can. Let me see.

[C]

I did do mage armor on myself.

[A]

You have mage armor?

[K]

Yeah. No, I got nothing.

[A]

Azune, that is you.

[F]

Okay.

[B]

Oh, I have no bonus action.

[H]

Seeing Bolair move in, I Am going to follow suit.

[A]

If I can reach step thing.

[B]

Get me?

[A]

Yeah, Please. My arms are not long enough.

[B]

I'm just gonna close in. That's weird.

[A]

Okay.

[H]

Right there.

[F]

Great.

[C]

That's very weird.

[H]

And you good?

[K]

Yeah, I just see a thing I'm gonna make a note of because I don't know why it's on my thing.

[H]

Okay.

[A]

There's a lot of cool stuff that

[H]

I could do, but it's all loud or very bright. And I'm not going to do any of those things. I'm instead going to just straight up attack this guy.

[F]

Cool.

[H]

I'm flanking him, which would give advantage, but I'm also at disadvantage because of the darkness. So I'm going to have to roll. Please hit, please hit, please hit.

[C]

Olay. Are you out in the open now?

[H]

Look what I did.

[K]

What you doing?

[C]

You stay in. You stay in it.

[A]

All right.

[H]

Oh, the things I wish I could do right now with the walls so loud and bright.

[I]

Always been masturbating.

[A]

I know, right?

[B]

Yeah, that's good advice.

[K]

Thankfully, it's dark, but I definitely know I'm a little visible there.

[A]

I do want to confirm for you, Bolair, that I think you only used 15ft of movement to get there. If anyone else comes down the hall, you will be visible in that spot.

[K]

Okay. So there.

[D]

Do I have.

[K]

Do I still have space to move or is that.

[A]

You do still have space left. You do still have space left.

[K]

Okay, I will definitely do that then.

[H]

Okay. Is that happening in tandem or will I need to.

[A]

I think you both have an 11. We're on the same number. I'm fine with you guys acting in tandas. Cool. I love back over here.

[H]

Cool. So much.

[B]

Great.

[A]

Okay, so Azune. Yeah. You crit?

[H]

I do. How do we crit? Is it full damage?

[A]

No roll. Double your dice. Double dice. Double dice. That's correct.

[H]

And he's gonna take no. 7 and a 1. Oh, so it's not, you know, could be worse. Take 12 points of damage.

[B]

Bludgeoning.

[A]

12 points. Bludgeoning. Wait, can you. Can you describe your weapon for us and what opens up when you attack?

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[K]

1D.

[H]

Yes, I'm 1D8, so I already had my shield in my hand.

[C]

Hang on, wait for clarification. Do you mean double the dice, as in he gets to roll two D8s or roll one D8 and double it?

[A]

I believe. Unless they changed it in 2024. I believe it's double dice. Yeah, that's a typical.

[C]

So two dice. It'll roll two dice. Okay.

[H]

Yeah. My normal weapon attack is 1D8.

[C]

So you're rolling two.

[H]

So I rolled two. Yes.

[K]

2D8. And then plus the four.

[H]

Plus my four. Yes. All right, so seven plus one plus four is 12.

[A]

12 damage.

[H]

So a shield was already in my hand and a part of the attack. I draw my warhammer, which is. It's made of steel, it's slender. It's got leather wraps around the handle. And it's a very. It's seen. You can tell that this has done some hammering. It's got some worn bits of it. And I just lay right into his chest.

[A]

For Hal and Murray, I don't know. Hal has been in war as a young kid. He was in the war of accident decades ago. Decades ago. Murray, I don't know if you have been in war or not or in pitched combat. So, Azune, you step forward.

[B]

This crow keeper goes, hey.

[A]

Barking out.

[B]

Cause all he saw was a bit of a mask.

[A]

It's almost like a weird, creepy thing to see. Can't be sure, but he heard the splash. His friend is shouting, guards, Guards.

[B]

He goes for the torch.

[A]

Bolair, see, slinks behind him and goes.

[B]

Silence. He goes.

[A]

And as he whips around, horrified by this mask.

[B]

All you need, Azuneh, you don't need to see his features.

[A]

The silhouette is enough. And your hammer connects with a thud into his chest such that you can feel the blunt head of the hammer cuts through cloth.

[B]

It hits his chest so hard, just bam.

[A]

Ribs crack. And a heart is stopped instantaneously. Blunt force trauma through the rib cage into the heart. Dead. Love that, belair, you have 15ft of movement. And Azune, this guy is about to drop and make a heavy thud on the ground.

[H]

I'm gonna try to catch him. At least interpose myself so that he lands on me instead of if.

[B]

If I am.

[K]

Stay within. I meant to actually stay within range there. Can I assist on this? If there's just two of us there to pick them up?

[A]

Yes. I'll go ahead and say that each of you guys can make a Dexterity saving throw. DC10 and try to catch the body as it falls.

[H]

1917.

[A]

Hell yes, Belair. Silence. A hammer, as you say, silence. The susurrus of it. Thankfully, Azune hitting this guy max force in the chest with a hammer, which already through fabric would have made a softer thud anyway. Sails sonically under the noise of running water. His body would have made a loud bang. But a hammer blow to the heart.

[J]

Boom.

[A]

And each of you gets under one of his shoulders. And with 15ft of movement you can flatten against the darkness of the wall as you hear footsteps begin to thunder down the hallway past you.

[B]

We are going.

[H]

I have my hand on his chest. I want to feel the lack of his heartbeat.

[A]

Okay?

[H]

As we sit there silently,

[A]

You can

[B]

feel autonomic twitches in his extremity even as his heart has stopped.

[H]

One I say under my breath.

[N]

Hotels.com is the place you go to book hundreds of thousands of hotels. It's exactly what it sounds like. Just like Save your way from hotels.com is exactly what it sounds like. Choose to save now with an instant discount or bank that discount as rewards for later. It's all up to you. Want to stretch your budget and get the lowest price instantly? Choose Save now. Want to collect more rewards and spend them on a few future getaway? Choose bank for later. Either way you save and earn rewards on every stay. Save your way [e-mail] it's all in

[L]

the name hey hey Liam here folks. I am a professional working nerd on the go. I usually have zero time to play when it comes to locking down lunch. My meals tend to be quick and easy as possible. But you know, sometimes I do want to slow down a tick and make something nice to eat for a change. And I've been able to use HelloFresh to do that.

[I]

They've actually helped me whip up some

[L]

home meals that feel like they were made by a chef who who knows what they're doing, because I don't. With HelloFresh, savoring new flavors from around the world isn't just delicious, it's simple and it's wholesome. Choose from more than 80 global recipes every month, including Vietnamese, Moroccan, Caribbean, and more. Nothing beats home cooking, both in the doing and the eating. I've been on a bit of a salad kick lately, and with the stuff HelloFresh has sent me, I have made stuff above and beyond the standard mix green usual. Do you know you can put steak in salad?

[B]

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[L]

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[A]

ZipRecruiter, pulling him to the side. You then hear the voice of a

[B]

commander of the crow keepers.

[A]

Go after them. Find out if there's a captain, if it's just guards slit their throats and dump them in the water. And you see phantasmal force here. Grabs three others. One,

[B]

two, three.

[A]

And on their turn they're going to

[B]

take a double move

[A]

and they sprint all the way and get probably to the water's edge here. As you see, one of them calls out and says we are. And you see that the one with the phantasmal forest goes. They're right ahead. Follow me. With a level of confidence that strikes the other three as deeply confusing. Though they all did hear a shout

[B]

of a guard a moment ago.

[K]

And there is still. Because we tossed it, there is still some ripple in the water.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[K]

And I drop phantasmal.

[H]

Okay.

[A]

That is their turn. You see, one of them is going to rush here, looking out of the hallway.

[B]

Jeez.

[A]

So another. You hear another footstep there. The commander calls out and says, run them down.

[B]

Listen, allow me. We don't have time.

[A]

We are going to move.

[B]

And I think here.

[A]

D. On one second.

[B]

5, 10, 15, 20.

[I]

What's that?

[K]

Is that the Big. What the. That's. That's a big. What the fuck?

[B]

Big. What the fuck?

[A]

What is it?

[H]

Okay, Looks friendly.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Oh boy.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Flinging an effect down the hallway, you

[B]

hear a voice go. They must not survive to gnaw this place.

[A]

Something under the water erupts and all of you narrowly missing these crow keepers who flush to the wall and hitting the area that each of you were standing in but a half a second before an eruption of stinking muck moves around. All you can see here on these wooden barricades that are up is that they are standing there. There is a momentary eruption of jet black filth and sludge that gushers forth like a tidal wave.

[B]

And as it collapses to the ground in a stinking heap where these were,

[A]

there is a few seconds of a handful of them dripping black sludge before

[B]

they dissolve and are gone.

[C]

Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool.

[B]

We are going to remain in initiative.

[A]

However, you do not know if you are made or not or if your

[B]

presence is known here in this moment.

[A]

You just see something, hear a horrifying voice and see something, some enormous eruption of magic occur in that moment. Hal, it is your turn.

[B]

Wow. Wow.

[I]

One clarifying question before I start talking further here. The group that went chasing the illusory noise, are they still.

[A]

They are still where you see them on the map. Okay. So in other words, to allow them to clear, you would have to potentially either give another round for them to Move further on or take some other course of action. But that's 60ft of movement from them, essentially.

[I]

But their attention is not on us.

[A]

It's not on you guys. Whatever your 12 perception was was enough

[B]

at least to bypass the passive perception of these crow keepers.

[I]

Okay, so headspace wise, Hal is kind of. He just watched Bolaire. Good friend, but yet living mask and his warden friend just seal team 6 a guy in 6 seconds flat. He is feeling totally out of body in this moment. He cannot believe that events have reached this point. He's a little bit paralyzed and I think all he's going to do is look over his shoulder at Murray and say, you watch my ass and I'll watch yours. And intention and genuine need ripples out from his voice and hits your spine, prickles up the back of your neck. And you take bardic inspiration. And Hal doesn't know what the fuck to do right now. So I think he's just literally going to creep up to the edge to watch as this group runs. Also scared of what looks like corrosive slime or sewage or something sticking in

[C]

the shadow on your bardic inspiration round.

[I]

New class. Who this? It is D6. Yes.

[B]

Murray, that is going to be your turn

[C]

up the stairs. Then we're going.

[H]

I just give you a nod.

[C]

I just kind of look at everybody

[O]

and be like,

[C]

and I'm gonna go up and around to this staircase, start, make my way to that stair. That ladder in this way.

[B]

Hell yes.

[C]

Up and around.

[A]

So action and movement 60ft, right?

[C]

I believe so. I believe so.

[I]

Well, there was the one pl.

[H]

I mean, there's a second floor that takes us to ladders that go down.

[K]

Done and done.

[B]

Cool.

[K]

That's right.

[A]

Great.

[C]

Yes.

[I]

I'm playing shell shocked, but that's the smart thing to do.

[A]

Killer. Okay, awesome.

[K]

Thank you for the refresh.

[B]

Okay, bada boom. Okay, great.

[A]

You guys are going to move through

[B]

in that case to.

[A]

So the whole squad is heading up. Is the plan for the whole squad to head up staircase together?

[F]

I think.

[C]

I think so, yeah.

[H]

Okay.

[I]

Hal doesn't have a plan, but if that's what everybody does, he follows.

[K]

Just gonna put our hand on your shoulder and. Very great.

[A]

Okay, then we are going to fast track through.

[C]

Do you want this little cork cork, buddy?

[A]

No, no, I got you right here.

[B]

You got one.

[K]

Not his own pork buddy.

[A]

We're going to fast track through this bada boom and we will

[B]

re enter

[A]

this round of combat. So Hal, Murray, you move up into position. Running up the stairs on the upper Level. You see another area of the sewer up here. The ladder comes up and continues also up, up past you to another level above. But you look down and can hear the voices once again. Down here. Going back to the top. You hear as you're moving, the Zagi,

[B]

the captain of the Crow Keepers, turning around and going, lao me.

[A]

We have to bring the Draconis. We can buy favor with him.

[B]

They've found us already. This cannot be given away idly. It must be bargained for. They are searching for her as well.

[A]

And you see that back to the top of initiative. Azune and Bolair, you guys are going to follow Marie up to the top here. With that, these Crow Keepers vanish off the map. You have successfully, with a very expensive series of illusions and a phantasmal force, you have bought four enemies with trickery off the battlefield. Love it.

[C]

Wait, did you move?

[I]

I squandered my movement because I'm.

[H]

He's.

[I]

I'll catch up. I have a way to catch up,

[H]

but there's no way in hell I would leave Hal behind. I would ready my move and wait for him.

[B]

But I'm happy to copy that.

[K]

Yeah, I think the two of us would have just kind of brought you along.

[A]

Cool. In that case, as Murray goes to investigate the way, because Murray is the only one with tremor sense that saw where the entrance was, you guys wait for Hal.

[B]

As Hal, you look around this thing here, you get a glimmer with your darkvision. It is not striding. Its corpus seems to inch forward as though guts or intestines made of ropes of filth and mold were spilling from a torso in coiling heaps in front of it. Two dim yellow eyes, some bioluminescent, a sickly maggot firefly in the eyes of this hateful, hidden mold spirit. As it turns around, tendrils grasping off of it.

[A]

And you can feel its presence, Marie. Because much like a fungus, its visible

[B]

component is but the smallest of itself. His network is in the walls here in this space.

[A]

Turning around, Hal, you get one last

[B]

look as he attempts to summon something back. I'm going to roll in front of the board. You don't want a five or a six?

[A]

Okay.

[F]

Two

[B]

tendrils seep into the stone. But before this creature can drink deeply of the darkness, whips around and says, zargi, you lack vision and is going to proceed back to this table and begin to ascend up the staircase.

[A]

You hear the voice of Zagi. Go. Hands off the merchandise.

[B]

And the spirit here in the dark stops Hal.

[A]

That's going to be your turn.

[B]

And you can move into position with

[A]

the rest of her.

[I]

Yeah. So body still ears going coursing with adrenaline. In fact, I will use the orc trait adrenaline, adrenaline rush as a bonus action, which gives me the dash action and I gain two temporary hit points.

[B]

Hell yeah.

[I]

So I will just use dash and movement will get me 60ft.

[A]

Yes.

[I]

I don't know if that gets me to the group. If I need it, I can then use my action to go further.

[A]

I think you'll need to use your action to get all gray in.

[B]

Great, great.

[A]

You guys rush up behind. You have your readied actions. As you rush forward, the four of

[B]

you are hearing underneath this sort of continuation of Zaghi speaking to the figure that she referred to as Lao Merry.

[A]

That is going to be your turn. The four of you are up here. But while we are very much in initiative, because time is of the essence, you do not know if you are made yet.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

And just out of curiosity, no worries. If not, my tremor sense lasts for 10 minutes. Has it been that long?

[A]

It has definitely been under 10 minutes.

[I]

For sure.

[B]

It has.

[C]

So can I get an idea of or can I see pretty well of what's happening in here and what we're working with?

[A]

With that tremor sense, Lao Me is

[B]

moving across the wooden walkway towards Demidus, and it seems that Zagi just stopped him saying, don't touch the merchandise. Okay,

[C]

maybe we could cause a little bit of issues. Infighting continue to take some people off the table here.

[B]

We'll have to lure them out somehow.

[C]

Is Lao Me looking at Zagi?

[B]

Give me an insight check, and I'll allow you to do so with advantage here.

[C]

Okay. Okay, that is gonna be. Yeah. Thank goodness. Insight. You said this is gonna be 16 on a 16.

[A]

Your tremor sense comes back in thinking

[B]

about the ability to like, you're thinking

[A]

about what you might be able to

[B]

do in terms of trickery or infighting.

[A]

And I think on that insight, you

[B]

can feel tremors through the ground of a The other Crow Keepers running that way.

[A]

And it occurs to you that with the spell dropped and with them following,

[B]

there are no guards for them to find.

[A]

They may come back sooner rather than later. And on top of that, I think

[B]

you also can just hear the panic in the voice of Zagi down here

[A]

with the surprise of the guards, which was a good ruse, but no one is going to hear themselves get discovered

[B]

by guards and and decide to continue with a slow paced negotiation.

[A]

Whatever's happening down there is going to

[B]

resolve in the next few seconds.

[A]

Yeah, we got it.

[C]

I mean, ideally, I don't think we can really. This guy feels far above our pay grade. I think the ultimate goal is to get Demetus and get the fuck out.

[B]

Can we see Demodus from where we are?

[C]

I know where Demodis is, and he's right.

[B]

Demetus is right.

[C]

And I have another guard guarding this thing. This.

[A]

Yes, there's one right down the ladder from you guys.

[C]

Okay, I'm gonna try. We're gonna see. We're gonna see.

[K]

What can we see right now?

[A]

Right now? With your naked eye, Murray is able to communicate everyone's positionality based on tremor sense. But a line of sight. Just the guard down for me.

[K]

Okay, I have to wait then.

[C]

So I'm gonna kind of get down if I can. I don't need to see everything. I just need to see a little bit.

[A]

Can I?

[C]

With my mage hand, it looks like there's some little tools or something on this little table or whatever I can use. Kind of coming from the direction of Zaki. It looks like there's a little dagger or even if it's a fucking rock. I know the map's always just an approximation. Can I take my mage hand and take that dagger and fling it at Lao me as if Zagi is attacking us?

[I]

Ooh, sick.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Through your tremor sense.

[K]

Damn.

[A]

Through your tremor sense, I will allow this. What we are going to do here is we are going to use your proficiency in Arcana.

[B]

But because this is an act of

[A]

deception, I'm going to ask that we make a. I'll allow you.

[B]

Actually, dealer's choice.

[A]

You can make a charisma Arcana check or an intelligence deception check, because it's a combination of your spellcasting ability and you doing this persuasively to make it truly seem like Zagi has thrown this knife.

[C]

So adding my int modifier to your

[A]

deception skill with Deception or your charisma modifier to your Arcana.

[C]

Ooh, they're hilariously. They're kind of close with the modifiers, but I will try. I've got a little bit more of an advantage with Charisma and arcana.

[A]

Cool. So do you have expertise in Arcana or just proficiency? I believe it's just proficiency.

[B]

Right.

[C]

Expertise is when it's.

[A]

You double your proficiency. When it's a double circle.

[C]

The double circle. I have expertise.

[A]

Great. So you'll be adding your charisma modifier

[B]

plus four to this roll.

[C]

Plus four? Cause I have an eight in Arcana. A plus eight in Arcana.

[A]

Yes. Because you're adding your intelligence. Normally this will be your charisma. So it's a little bit worse. Right. Cause you're doing something that's a little tricky here. It's not pure arcanist.

[C]

I see what you're saying. I see what you're saying.

[A]

You'll add a plus seven to this plus seven.

[C]

And then the other would be

[B]

what

[A]

do you have a deception?

[C]

Deception would be plus one, plus my int, which is also plus seven. So it's all the same.

[A]

Okay.

[I]

And you have a bardic inspiration.

[C]

And I have a bardic inspiration. Okay, let's see, let's see. Let's do this one.

[F]

Those dice.

[C]

So plus this. Plus seven. And I can choose to do this post roll.

[F]

Yes.

[C]

I'm trying to make sure 2020's 2024. Who dis?

[K]

Creature Games.

[I]

When the creature fails, you can roll and add it. Yes, if you fail.

[H]

So you need.

[A]

When you learn the result.

[K]

I keep forgetting that we've updated spells.

[H]

Yeah.

[C]

Wanna add it? Add it?

[B]

Nope.

[C]

Okay. Okay, okay. 15 total.

[B]

15 total. Ooh.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

We are going to roll in front of the board.

[A]

The insight. The insight check. The insight check of Lao me.

[I]

Sludge innards.

[H]

Monster.

[C]

Insight check for sludge.

[A]

Monster might be high on a 13 or higher.

[I]

Oh, gosh.

[B]

On a 13 or higher. Oh, boy.

[A]

This will not necessarily give away your location or anything, but it will just be seen as like that flew off

[B]

the table for no reason. Right.

[A]

So you're looking for a 12 or

[I]

lower on this killer idea.

[A]

That is a four. Oh my God, I'm so, so, so Lao me as Murray, describe this spell. What do your companions see of you up at the top of this hole? This like ladder hole shooting down into the darkness?

[C]

Okay, so I think they would see. Cause I'm kind of. Kind of try and get advantage. So Maria, she's a dwarf. She's already a little. But she's kind of like doing one of these. And she kind of starts tracing her fingers in the very back of her pants. Something that I don't think anyone has seen yet. But she has a couple of daggers tucked behind her cloak. And she's almost in her head, tracing the weight, the feeling as if she were the one throwing this dagger. Something that she's maybe done on a weekend or two after a few beers with Azune. And he's taught her a few pointers. So as she traces the outline of the dagger, you see, it's almost as if she draws it herself. And then she just but she just obviously isn't grabbing it and flings it, pantomiming, as if she was the one doing it.

[A]

All of you above the station, looking down the hole as Murray moves her hand. All of you hear a whistle in the air as though a dagger just

[B]

left Murray's hand below. You hear?

[A]

You forget yourself. And

[I]

by the way, that was the most Appalachia wizard shit I ever saw.

[A]

Throw a knife at him.

[C]

You want to have a few beers and throw knives? Got some moonshine my cousin Harold just made.

[A]

Okay, we are going to roll now for the. The. The leader of the. The crow keepers sees this nonsense happen and holds up her hands and goes, lao me. I don't know what that was. I didn't. And begins to back away. She's going to make a. She's going to make a persuasion check

[B]

with disadvantage here in this moment. One second.

[A]

That is an eight on the die. She spends her action backing up and going, lao me. Listen, I don't know what that was.

[B]

He goes, what I cannot buy, I will merely take for myself.

[A]

And that is the. You hear the captain, draw a weapon. You hear Zaidu?

[B]

Draw a weapon.

[A]

We are going to go. Azune, that is your turn.

[H]

Oh, my gosh.

[C]

Remember, we got a guard directly below us.

[H]

We do.

[A]

I.

[H]

I can't jump in there.

[B]

I'm going to stay up here and hope this escalates.

[H]

What are all the sources of fire? I see that there's torches on those pillars.

[K]

Yeah.

[H]

Is that it? Is there anything on the ground?

[A]

Oh, there are torches on the pillars. Yes. That's casting light. In terms of other sources of light other than the torches.

[B]

No.

[A]

There's a dim, sputtering light in here. But, you know, I think you would actually know that that will give people disadvantage on perception checks. Like dim light is not. It's easier to sneak around in this

[B]

quality of light for sure.

[H]

Okay.

[I]

Okay.

[A]

But I will say at the top of our round two, let me roll a D4,

[B]

please. Go ahead and roll a D20 for me.

[H]

Okay. How about right here in front of everybody?

[J]

12.

[A]

12.

[B]

Okay, great.

[A]

This is our top of the round luck check to see if our other companions give up.

[I]

Okay.

[H]

Seeing that, I'll turn to you.

[B]

I hope you have a plan for

[H]

the buddy down below. I'm going to cast control flames on the torch that's closest to the one that's below us.

[K]

Oh, we're going there, are we?

[H]

I am going to dim it. It's one of the things that I can do. So now the Bright light that it casts is halved, obscuring things around it. Hopefully.

[A]

Hopefully a little bit better.

[F]

Great idea.

[H]

And that's what I'll do.

[A]

Great.

[H]

Oh, yes. That'll be my turn.

[A]

Incredible. The light flickers as it does. I think that you sense that that act of magic in the escalating tension of what's happening downstairs. Everyone has seen weird magic shit happening in this room before. And it's possible that no one attributes that to each of the sides of this negotiation. May be attributing that to the other

[B]

side in this moment.

[A]

Ozmi, that's your turn. Belair, that is your turn.

[K]

I suppose it's time to do some damage. I'm gonna do a thing that will

[C]

leave them get the guard right below us.

[K]

That's who I'm gonna do damage to. And I think as long as they're line of sight, I don't have to go anywhere. And I don't think this is spell will be visible. I'm gonna be using. I'm gonna try using mind sliver.

[B]

Hell yeah.

[K]

Which I don't think it. I don't think it will be a visible thing. It's psychic damage.

[A]

Cool. Yeah.

[K]

So the other thing just to put in mind is that they will have a negative D4 in their next saving throw. Okay, that's an intelligent save of 14. So I very, very.

[A]

That is a failed save.

[K]

So let's see, where's my. There we are. I'm going to use this one. I should get the weird ones out.

[H]

Yes.

[K]

Very gently, as I'm looking down, I reach into my mouth and I pull out a long sliver of glass like a splinter. And then I crack it. And you can almost see one go in one ear, out the other and snap in their head.

[B]

That is awesome.

[K]

Six points of psychic damage.

[A]

Hell yes. Person down there. As the lights dim, screams. Go ahead. If you would give me a deception check with advantage.

[B]

Happily.

[C]

Yeah. Maybe he is sewer monster.

[K]

Shit's going weird, man. Oh, thank God. There's advantage. That would have been real bad. That's 17.

[A]

Seeing the scream from over there, you hear Zagi say kill him. Pointing to Laumi and I back out next. Great Bellair. After your turn, the other Crow keepers are going to rush. Laoami sprinting forward up the ladder. Right here. This one running from over here. Oh, rushing over. These thieves rush over to this monstrosity and are gonna take their swings. Da da da. That, amazingly, is okay. One of them does manage to hit.

[B]

And that's gonna be.

[K]

I may not have to use Bane. This is going.

[H]

I think I'm just gonna.

[C]

We can just get. If we can get them and go.

[A]

I know it's gonna be hard to do.

[K]

Find out now that this changes things. I'm gonna look at some shit.

[A]

Swiping at this monstrosity with their blades. You see, one of them does connect into the filth. And you hear a sickening wet snap of a tendon within this monstrosity as one of them manages to score a hit and a sneak attack on the monster monstrosity. The monstrosity is going to go. The monstrosity is going to. Allow me.

[B]

He's gonna roll again.

[H]

Okay.

[A]

He's six, you see, he sucks up a bunch of spores and filth into himself and is going to. You reach out. He reaches out to this one in front of him and thunders a wet, slimy arm that is composed of writhing tendrils into the open mouth of that thief whose skull cavity form fills with rot and blasts out of his eyes. Wow. Of bacterial putrescence. Falls off to the ground dead. That is going to be Hal's turn.

[I]

Oh, man.

[C]

You saw dude's face explode. You're up.

[A]

Right, sorry, one second. Also, the one back here who scored that sneak attack hit on this monstrosity gets his wrist too close to the body and the tendrils wrap around and begin to pull him into the back

[B]

of the creature behind him.

[A]

What?

[C]

Guys, if you have black mold in your house.

[A]

Oh, man.

[C]

It's important to maintain that air purifier. Look what can happen.

[A]

It gets so bad. Gangit. Hal, that is your turn, my friend.

[I]

Okay, so I think in this moment where insanity is erupting down there, how old does Demetus look to the eye?

[A]

Demidus is about, what, 20? Or he's a grad student. He'd be like 22.

[C]

Yeah.

[I]

The chaos of the last 20 or 30 seconds are bringing Hal back to running through war when he was barely more than a boy himself, blade in hand, seeing people skewered, decapitated, stabbed, dying around him. And this is just a kid. Just like so many men and women he saw fall when he was a young man. And he knows that that is somebody's son. And he just starts to descend the ladder.

[B]

Awesome.

[A]

You descend the ladder, you can use your movement to get to the bottom. Here it is dim light, but that doesn't make you invisible, Right? So you'll need a stealth check here to attempt to. And that'll be an action. Unless you have cunning action to do

[B]

it as A bonus action.

[A]

So stealth would be an action here.

[I]

Let's say instead that I will use my second and last adrenaline rush to bonus action. Dash down.

[H]

Cool.

[I]

Love it. So now I can use my action for the stealth attempt here.

[A]

Absolutely. And you have your movement left as well.

[I]

And I'll leave me with movement after this.

[B]

Yep.

[I]

That's not terrible. It's a 15.

[A]

15

[B]

on a 15 on a 15. You cannot be certain in the chaos happening down here if you have been spotted or not.

[I]

Right.

[A]

But no one reacts to your appearance

[B]

here, here in the chamber.

[I]

And I know that we are on borrowed time here, so I don't stop and I use my movement to creep up to the side of those crates and get to where I can lay a hand on Demetus. Ankle, yes. Or wrist to check for a pulse. And that's for the end of my time.

[A]

Great. Bonus action down cross action to stealth. I'll allow you to make a free medicine check as you get to the bottom.

[I]

That is a 22.

[A]

Reaching down. Demetus is stable at zero on a 22. You know exactly what his condition is.

[I]

So he's fucked up.

[C]

Oh, he's unconscious.

[A]

He is shallow breathing is.

[B]

He's unconscious.

[H]

He's not making death saves.

[A]

He's not making death saves. He is stable. But they have. You look at this poor young man.

[B]

He's been beaten to hell.

[C]

Okay, that's good to know. That changes things.

[B]

Fucked him, like.

[K]

Yeah, that makes things. Yeah, that makes things

[B]

difficult. Okay, Hal, that is your turn.

[I]

Feeling like Bilbo Baggins next to the dragon.

[A]

Unbelievable. Murray, that's gonna be you.

[C]

Okay, this is this new information.

[K]

Hmm.

[C]

Okay, question. What I was gonna ask was, do we see if dimitus is. Is he hands tied, feet tied?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Manacled.

[A]

Manacled. But because he's unconscious, he's not tied up. He's not tied around a post or anything.

[I]

And I will say at the end of Hal's all of that happening, he whips his head back to you guys at this, you know, at the hole in the. And gives a very worried but brisk nod to try to indicate that he's alive.

[K]

I think some of this is going to be holding until they notice 100%. So make sure there's room.

[H]

Okay.

[C]

Okay. Do I. So, manacled. So chains on both hands and feet.

[A]

You see? Give me a perception check.

[F]

Okay.

[C]

Bad. Very bad.

[B]

4.

[A]

Without being down there to get a better look, you just know that you can see the manacles on his hands. He might have them on his feet. He might have other bindings or anything else like that. There are the arcane marshals have manacles that separate your fingers. They have gags that go in your

[B]

mouth and hold your tongue still. They have ways of dealing with arcane casters.

[A]

The Crow Keepers have a much older

[B]

model of handling arcanists, which is to beat them into unconsciousness.

[C]

Sure, sure.

[F]

It's a classic.

[C]

It is. Okay. I don't think it makes sense for me to jump down there in the fray. I am going to hold my action. I have to declare which spell I want to hold, don't I?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I am going to hold.

[I]

Yes, wizard, yes.

[B]

Yes, wizard, yes.

[C]

I'm going to hold a chromatic orb in case I need to sling a spell and give Hal back up. But at this point in time.

[N]

Time.

[C]

I'm gonna stay the fuck out of the way and just watch and wait.

[B]

Hell yeah.

[C]

Catch your back.

[B]

Hell yeah.

[K]

You should also. I'm gonna Bane. So you can. I can also. You can go right after me for that. For that. We'll do a double whammy.

[B]

It'll do a double whammy.

[C]

I'm only gonna. I'm only gonna sling it if I.

[I]

Some things never change.

[K]

Were you born in darkness?

[B]

Fuck.

[F]

Hmm.

[K]

This is great.

[I]

I love Turints and Minis and combat.

[A]

Minis and combat. Seeing one of her Crow Keepers being sucked into this body, Other one literally having the inner flesh of his skull putrefied so much that it blasts out of the orifices of his head. Zaghi effortlessly leaps to the table, leaps to the catwalk, and lays into Laoami here with a scimitar, scoring two hits across the shoulders

[B]

in front of you

[A]

all and partially obscuring you.

[B]

Hal, who she clearly does not see in this moment.

[A]

That is going to be.

[B]

That is her turn.

[A]

Which brings us back to the top with Azune.

[B]

Does that person exist?

[A]

This little guy right here? Yes. He's jumped up here in the mix as well.

[H]

Oh, boy. Okay.

[K]

Do you want to hold turn as well?

[H]

Oh, I'm holding. Yeah, yeah, yeah. If I'm holding my action to cast a spell, I'm just trying to remember this rule. It's only the action. If I'm holding my turn, I don't get a full action and bonus action. Yeah.

[B]

Oh, I do.

[A]

But if you're holding your turn, you can just delay an initiative. If you want to hold on to the whole action and bonus action.

[H]

Yes, I would like to do that to the end of this. Like to go kind of in tandem with the two.

[K]

I think the difference is holding initiative means that you have to decide somebody will get a turn before you can do anything.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

I will allow you to delay just because there's no real advantage to just not going.

[B]

Right.

[A]

So if you want to just send your turn down the initiative order, the only thing I will say is when you want to go again, you go after whoever is gone.

[H]

This is now my new order Moving

[A]

forward, you fully send your initiative down and when you want to go again, you can't interrupt someone else's turn. Great. Right.

[H]

I am going to go after Buller.

[B]

Alright. Okay.

[A]

Boller. Your turn.

[K]

I'm going to figure out the best. I'm going to get on not even hands and knees. I'm going to get on just almost ready to pounce and I'm going to get low and I'm going to find the best angle where I can see the three most irritating pieces people in this group.

[A]

Great. You'll have to scoot down where the ceiling opens up around the ladder so you will be visible. You'll have to make a stealth check and you'll have to use an action

[B]

to make that stealth check.

[K]

Oh, that'll blow my spell.

[A]

Potentially will blow your spell. Unless you have cunning action or something like that that would allow you to

[K]

make do not, let's say so you can see, see what's you're holding a spell right now.

[C]

I'm holding a spell but I'm just basically crouched. I can't see the whole room.

[K]

In that case, I'm going to hold my turn. I'm going to push turn two because that way I can get movement and the spell.

[A]

Cool.

[O]

Ariel.

[C]

Just kind of holding.

[H]

I'm actually, yeah.

[A]

Holding after Hal.

[H]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay, cool.

[K]

I'm just going to hold, hold, hold until something happens.

[A]

All of you are sending your turn down in initiative. Da da da. That is going to be to be another

[F]

seven.

[B]

That's gonna be another 11.

[A]

One of these rogues strikes out, hits Laoami again. Laoami is not bloodied but has taken a lot of hits and is going to allow everybody to get a swipe on him as he moves back over here. When you to retreat, everyone's getting an attack of opportunity. All of our Crow keepers miss. Perhaps Zagi will be more lucky. Zagi exactly. Hits dealing another mighty blow. And you can see Hal. You guys cannot see this, but I think tremor sent so Murray and Hal can both sense now. Da da da.

[B]

That's going to be.

[A]

Lao.

[B]

Mega bloodied status, Hal.

[A]

I think Hal and Lahmi's taken a tremendous amount of damage, but moves into bloodied, looks out at Zagi and goes.

[B]

You came into the dark. I have waited for time immemorial. Let's end your short sweet summer life.

[A]

And is going to throw that same filth bomb up. We're going to center it here,

[B]

which.

[A]

Jesus Christ.

[B]

Mrs. Damadis head by inches. Boom.

[J]

Boom.

[B]

Okay.

[K]

So insane.

[A]

Even if they save for half all of these rogues are destroyed. Wow. And Zagi needs to make a constitution saving throw on which she crits.

[C]

All the other crow keepers are going

[A]

to come back and be like, what happened? The fuck? The fuck happened here?

[K]

Oh boy.

[B]

Okay, okay, okay, okay.

[A]

However, Zagi takes a still hefty amount of damage as. As she leaps out of the way of this blast of sludge that begins to melt the wood around her. Hal, that is going to be your turn.

[I]

Okay. I am going to lift this young man up over my shoulder. Fireman carry.

[H]

Yeah.

[I]

And I'm going to try to quietly make my way to the base of the ladder.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I'm going to need a stealth check with disadvantage.

[F]

Okay.

[I]

One's a natural 20.

[H]

Nice.

[I]

The other one is good. 17.

[A]

17.

[B]

Demetus is not large. He's a small gnome.

[A]

He goes up in your hands pretty quick. Incredible. You have your movement and bonus action.

[I]

Does he slow movement at all?

[A]

No, he does not. Does not go past your incumbents.

[I]

Okay, so that was my

[H]

action.

[I]

Was to lift him.

[A]

Was to lift him.

[B]

And stealth.

[I]

And stealth.

[F]

All right.

[I]

So then I creep back to the base of the stairs. Maybe I can even get one or two feet up the ladder.

[A]

Yes.

[I]

And bonus action. I will quietly whisper into this kid's ear. Time to go, kid. And that reverberates through his sleeping mind. And I will cast its bonus action healing word.

[B]

Hell yes.

[C]

Good idea.

[I]

Six hit points.

[A]

Six hit points for our friend.

[B]

He's at full worried.

[C]

The word.

[A]

Yeah, pretty much.

[I]

Anybody hits this kid or throws goop at us, he's a dead dead hit.

[C]

Points of a kitten, this one.

[A]

Ta ta, ta.

[I]

Just hope it doesn't freak out.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You see in this moment, Demidus, now that you actually gone and picked him up. Demetus has gotten beat to hell by these rogues.

[A]

His shirt's in tatters.

[B]

You see, he's got a sort of flop of hair, big swollen black eye. He comes to, he's got his little pentaveral vest that has some badges and other school pride things on it.

[A]

He's got a chest binder that has

[B]

a deep Rich blue with wizard stars

[A]

over it that wraps around his chest.

[B]

And he looks up and goes, yeah, I'm dead.

[F]

No.

[B]

Oh, I'm almost dead.

[A]

And he is going to. He is going to cast mage armor on you. Cast major armor on you. Your AC becomes 13 plus dex mod.

[H]

Okay.

[I]

Okay.

[A]

And I think you begin to ascend up the ladder. At this point, I'm going to roll. One quick stealth check for Demetus to cast this spell unseen.

[B]

Demetus has a

[A]

plus two to stealth rolling in front of the board.

[B]

That's a natural one E.

[A]

Violence. Violence. He looks. He looks and goes, I'm almost dead.

[B]

Don't worry. I'll take care of you.

[A]

And his mage armor goes. And fireworks shoot. And you are covered in gleaming, beautiful armor that shines with starlight because this kid only knows how to do things loud. Oh, my God.

[I]

Just enough time to turn towards the fray and go, um.

[A]

And that's it. Oh, my God.

[C]

Wait, that wasn't like a wild magic roll. It's just to see if.

[A]

No, it's just. He just sucks.

[C]

He just is bad. He's just.

[I]

Shit's bad.

[A]

He's an illusionist. He's an illusionist. His mage armor is mage. People pay a lot for mage armor that looks this good. Okay, so. Oh, boy. Okay. And he says, oh. And whips around. Murray, that is your turn. You see, Hal's, like, four feet up the ladder, like, literally clinging to the wall, turning around with Demetus in his arm. As Demetus swifts around, blood coming out of his nose, and goes, hi. As he looked around as Lao, me and Zaghi both turn around to see that the daring escape is happening. Okay, Murray, it's your turn.

[C]

Okay, so I know. I just look at Dividas and just kind of shake my head. You nitwit. I'm going to. Who do I slam? I'm gonna slam.

[K]

Does this require a save on their end, or is this just an attack?

[C]

The chromatic orb that I was holding is just an attack.

[K]

Okay.

[A]

Oh, you held and lost the action that round. Right. It just went all the way.

[C]

Held and lost it. Okay, so I don't have to do Chromatic Orb if I don't want to.

[A]

And you guys are sending your initiative down the line. So you guys can go right after Murray if you want to go after Murray.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Right. But if Murray, if you're looking, like, down the hatch, Here we go. Then you may do that.

[C]

No, you know.

[K]

Cause we can double up then. Cause we can if we're holding ours. Then we can just.

[A]

Yeah, you guys could basically all act at once, Right?

[C]

The main goal is to get the fuck out of here. I am going to.

[K]

Too far away for me to do that.

[C]

I'm going to turn to Izune and be like, hold my feet. And I'm going to go down and grab Dimitus.

[A]

Cool.

[C]

And try and lift him up the ladder the rest of the way.

[A]

Go ahead and just give me athletics, we'll call it. He's a very small guy. Give me DC10 athletics.

[C]

And I'm just a wizard, but here we go.

[A]

Don't fuck this up.

[C]

That's good enough. Thirteen.

[A]

Thirteen of down the hole. You grab this kid and yoink him back up out of the hole. Demetus is up on the upper level with you.

[B]

Bam.

[C]

Fantastic. That was my action.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Am I able to kind of grab him and start moving in a direction that resembles out of here?

[A]

Yes, you can grab him and start moving in a direction that resembles out of here.

[C]

Okay. Yeah, that's what we do. Even if it's 10ft. Just want to start getting them out.

[H]

Hell yeah.

[A]

Awesome. That is going to be Azune and Bolair. I will remind Azune and Bolair. Oh, sorry. No, it's going to be Zagi. Zagi is going to.

[K]

Oh, I would.

[A]

Can I. Oh, no. Yes. You guys go.

[K]

I want to get in before Zagi. This will be fun.

[H]

They've all turned their heads towards us, right?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, we appreciate it.

[K]

I'm just gonna. I'm just gonna. I'm gonna hop down just far enough to cast command. Cause command's so great. And I got another one. This is my.

[C]

Is this your last one?

[K]

No, this is what I do.

[B]

Okay.

[K]

Thankfully. And I'm just going to say. What am I going to. I'm just gonna tell him to

[B]

drop. Drop it.

[K]

And next turn, apparently he has to drop whatever he's holding. Then it ends. His turn.

[A]

This is to Zagi. Yeah. Okay, gotcha.

[K]

And then I'm running right back up with a little. And I'm back up.

[A]

All right, Great Mask pops down. Drop. Bam. And that is to Zagi. Correct?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So this is a wisdom saving throw a fortune.

[F]

14.

[A]

14.

[K]

And then you're up.

[A]

Great.

[B]

Zagi fails the save.

[K]

So on his turn, he will be dropping anything in his hands and going, what the fuck just happened?

[H]

Okay.

[A]

Amazing.

[K]

And

[A]

she. So she will drop her weapon.

[C]

It is dark down here. Cool.

[A]

Azomi, at the top of your turn, please roll that D20 for me. About the other Croaking

[K]

oh, my glar.

[L]

That's a one.

[H]

That's a one.

[I]

There they come.

[H]

That's a one.

[A]

Murray. As you begin to rush down the hallway up here, you hear footsteps coming in your direction going, they're this way.

[C]

I just look at the others and go, dang. Time to go. Hey, we're gonna die spot. Damn, that movie's worth a rewatch again. Spin a minute.

[K]

That's.

[C]

You tell everybody. Time to go.

[H]

Time to go.

[B]

No time for that.

[A]

No, no.

[K]

It might just be. Don't do anything. This round here's also might just be run.

[C]

Hopefully the guards get back, see carnage, and immediately start attacking the sludge monster.

[A]

Right.

[H]

Do we hear. Did we hear them coming from where we are? Like, if we run that way, did

[A]

we have guards there? So here's the thing on AIM NAT1.

[B]

I have to fuck you guys.

[J]

Yes.

[K]

Yep.

[A]

Yes. So they are coming from the only direction that you know to make your way back. There are the hallway does go a different direction, deeper into the dark where you don't know

[I]

if we get out the way we first entered. We run towards their voices.

[A]

Yes. Okay.

[C]

Okay.

[H]

And let's run into less. I am putting all this together as soon as you give me that directive. Azune shifts. He kind of gets his center of gravity, gets a little bit lower into the ground, and I whip into the direction where I think those guards are. And bonus action. I'm activating innate sorcery. The ground around me starts to spiral around me like a mini vortex. There's sparks gathering. Little small bits of fire gathering around me. As my eyes start to glow, the water part of my iris, the blue part of my iris starts to look liquid. The sunset part starts to emanate light. And I'm brushing towards where those guards are. The first one I see. Hell yeah. I will do stuff too.

[A]

Look at this. You are able to rush forward to this other passage. I'm going to elevate this one ever

[B]

so slightly,

[A]

making it up on the fly. This is what we do.

[B]

Here we go.

[C]

This is what we do here.

[A]

This is what we're doing. I love it. Okay, here we go.

[I]

The circus must go on.

[A]

The circus must go on. Okay.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So rushing into this other chamber, Azune. Da, da, da.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

Here we go. Nice and precarious. This is what we like to see.

[B]

Yep, There we go.

[A]

Okay. Azune rushing forward into this chamber. Boom. You behold the other four crow keepers rushing in towards following up this passageway here. Your guess is they doubled back when one of Them noticed that their companion was not with them, right? So you rush into this room. They are before you. You use innate sorcery. It is your turn.

[H]

Okay. I look upon them and there's just something about the scum of these Crow Keepers that reminds me of that first mercenary group that I was with. And I know that we've tangled with them before. I'm going for that one. Not the one that's closest. Actually, the one that is too my

[A]

left

[H]

where the tongue is showing. I'm moving into that one. And I have my warhammer. Hell yeah. And the sparks and the fire that's gathering around me, it gets absorbed into my warhammer as I cast booming blade on him. Pop.

[A]

Yeah. Hell yeah. Go for it. Give me your attack roll.

[H]

And it's at advantage with an eight Sorcery.

[C]

So wait.

[B]

Holy crap.

[H]

It's not a great roll. It is a 10 to hit.

[A]

10 is a miss. Swing pass. That is a miss. And eight sorceries your bonus action.

[H]

And I'm positioned right next to them, so those two are adjacent to me.

[A]

Okay. That's okay. Bolair and Azune have been both acted in this moment. Zagi drops the weapon, drops to the ground, looking at you, Hal, frozen there to the wall as Demetus is yoinked out of your hands. She stares at you, dropping her weapon in the sludge the bones of her guild members around her, as this thing in the dark calls filth to itself, raising up higher and higher, becoming 8, 9, 10ft tall. She looks at you, frozen with Bolaire's

[B]

command, and goes, middler, playwright.

[A]

And looks down to the sword on

[B]

your belt and goes, you picked up his sword? Well, you'll die like he did. And that is the end of her turn.

[A]

Top of the round. Having sent your initiatives down, it is

[B]

going to be Crow Keepers.

[A]

Azuna, you're in the one situation that in the Brethren hall they tell you

[B]

never to get in.

[A]

Which is is surrounded by rogues.

[H]

That's okay.

[A]

No, that is okay.

[K]

No, Is it though?

[B]

Uh huh.

[A]

I'll say. By the way, this doorway is right at the edge of this block here. So you guys are like 30ft from the madness, right?

[C]

So like around a corner, I'm guessing.

[A]

No, literally directly, like they're on top of you. Azumi, your Armor class is 20, correct? They are getting advantage because they're flanking.

[B]

So that's going to be a hit with sneak attack.

[A]

Oh, sorry. No, no, no, I'm incorrect. They only have a plus 3 to hit, so a 16 does not hit with the advantage. That is a miss. But when they hit, it will be with sneak attack. Okay.

[H]

I'll need to know if they hit, because I have something.

[F]

I hate it.

[A]

That is a hit on a natural 19 on the die reaction.

[H]

I cast sh.

[A]

Your armor is 25. My armor is 25 now.

[H]

And it almost looks like a figure steps in front of me and just crosses its arms and becomes almost like a spectral barricade for me.

[A]

I think Murray and Baler look through and see Azune, who is ever, you know, like seeing Shamad and he's other Arcane marshals. Azune, your

[B]

friend who speaks with a voice of understanding and knowing this city and loving this city has transformed into a beautiful nightmare in the room beyond you.

[A]

These guys don't know they're in a game of D and D, but on an intuitive level, they know what it means to miss on a 19.

[B]

Meaning?

[A]

Meaning to hit this guy, it takes a fucking miracle. Right? I can only hit on a crit. Oh my God. Their attack bonus is not high enough for a 25 armor class to be anything other than the stuff of legends. Right? So I've been waiting for this moment. Just clank, clank, clank, clang. Hitting the armor.

[J]

Boom.

[A]

Shield up, Warhammer up. They all take swings with advantage and have nothing to write home about. Incredible. And that is going to be raw.

[B]

Gronoth. We're going to roll this D6. Oh no,

[K]

not one.

[A]

That's a two. That is a two. Which means that Lao, me, our Ralgronith, which is the name of the type of being they are, is going to. Laoami goes 5, 10, 15, 20. And looking at you hau. But not wanting to waste an action of double moving, Laomi again moving by spilling these writhing putrid innards from out of a torso, moves up. Laoami cannot move. And you see that all Laoami does

[B]

is not even raise his hands, but just moves into Zagi's square that his body envelops her.

[A]

And you watch sludge covered bones fall

[B]

out of his body as Zagi's remains just clatter to the ground.

[A]

As Laoami looks at you, Hal, and goes.

[B]

First time in the sewers.

[C]

Oh, shit, Hal.

[I]

His guts just go.

[A]

That's Lamy's turn. Hal, that's your turn.

[I]

So Zagy's off the map.

[A]

Off the map. Two hits at average. Damage clears.

[I]

I allow Hal two seconds just to gape stupidly at what he's just seen. And then he will pull up some reserve of strength. He didn't know he had. And he shouts in a very loud voice, deal with darkness, die by it. And his voice echoes through the entire chamber here. And that is the casting of the second level spell shatter, which I will aim for the not. Actually. It's got a 10 foot radius. So I focus it on the wooden platform that Raumi is standing on. So both Raumi and the platform are. Are going to get thunder damage?

[A]

Hell yes.

[I]

Hal's magic is all smoke and mirror's trickery.

[H]

Except for this.

[I]

Except for the things that aren't.

[A]

That's a good one. Go ahead. Roll damage. And I believe it does double damage against those kinds of structures.

[B]

Its crystalline.

[I]

Its construct has disadvantage on the save. Okay. Loud noise erupts from the point of your choice. Within range, each creature in a 10 foot radius sphere centered there makes a constitution. Save 3D 8. Thunder damage on a failed save. Half as much on a successful.

[A]

Okay, go ahead and roll 3D8. I'm going to make the con. Save for Lao Me. That is a failure for the con. Save for Lao Me here,

[I]

a single one. But the other ones were high. So that is 16 points of damage.

[B]

16 points of damage.

[A]

Okay, I want you, Hal,

[B]

to also give me a. Either give me Arcana or investigation in this moment.

[A]

I'll call this a DC20.

[I]

Okay, I'll make it Arcana.

[B]

Cool.

[I]

Even though they're the same. DC20.

[B]

DC20.

[H]

Not enough.

[I]

17.

[B]

17.

[A]

The shatter spell goes off. The wooden bridge collapses, falling away into sludge and nothingness. As Laoami falls as well. And you hear a collapse, it also, because it's a sphere, it hits the stones above it. It hits the stones below it. This is a, let's be very clear,

[B]

dangerous spell to cast in a honeycomb of interconnected waterways.

[C]

Ooh.

[A]

Like that. And Lao Me. As your voice carries out booming throughout this space, announcing yourself as a spellcaster

[B]

for the first time in the darkness

[I]

here, and with my movement, I'll say, that's all, folks.

[A]

And I will scurry up the ladder and you scramble up the ladder to join Murray and Bolaire up here. Incredible. Hal, that's your turn, Demidus.

[B]

What is Demetus going to do? You see, That doesn't look good.

[A]

My situation.

[H]

Yeah, I'm okay,

[A]

Murray.

[K]

You can handle it.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I'm all right.

[C]

I think it was Zuna.

[A]

You can handle it. That's fine.

[K]

All right.

[I]

That's real bad. That's real bad.

[F]

Is it?

[B]

You're okay? Are you sure?

[H]

Okay? I mean, you can. People are welcome to help.

[K]

I'VE got a. I've got a. I've got another plan.

[H]

You got other stuff.

[I]

I got this guy that is.

[K]

I think I can really.

[I]

Presumably. Rogues all at advantage.

[A]

Yep, definitely.

[H]

I'm okay for two more rounds. Okay.

[A]

Demidus looking looks at you, Murray, and goes. Or looks at Hal, turning me through

[B]

and goes, Professor Magnussen.

[A]

Oh, you showed up. Oh, Belair, you showed up. Oh, sorry, sorry. I don't know who you are. I don't know. And you see that. Shut up. Demetus goes monster or these guys and starts to summon some magic into his fingers.

[C]

Those guys.

[A]

We gotta get the fuck out of here. Azune, as these rogues surround you, looking at their inability to harm you in any meaningful way, you gleam with light. And you see Demetus looks over and goes, wow, beautiful. And behind you, you see a 12 foot tall knight made of light erupt and says, brother, I have arrived to aid you. I am also a handsome knight and 100% real. Oh my goodness.

[C]

I just look at diminish and go, we're gonna have to talk about reading the room.

[A]

I'm helping. Stop helping.

[D]

Don't help.

[A]

And Murray, that is your turn.

[I]

Acting is about doing less.

[A]

Yeah, don't show your work. You say doing less and he goes. He goes, got it. And a bunch of magical bottle rockets fire out him in all directions.

[J]

I have so much fun under every

[A]

other circumstance but this, but this, right

[C]

now, just for flavor, I do up my own lighter illusion and I go like flashing red light. Your time's up. And I want to get a cane with the fork at the end and I want to yoink him as if you hear the Oscar music playing him

[A]

off stage with the hook, he goes, dig deep, folks. And Murray, that is your turn.

[C]

Can I. Can I just literally grab him him by the collar, scoop him up under my own arm and we just keep heading out.

[A]

Are you heading out into the room that is the way out with Azune, or are you heading deeper into unknown darkness?

[C]

I think it's.

[H]

I'm busy and I'm looking.

[I]

Have you been taking any damage? Are you hurt?

[H]

Uh, okay. They didn't touch me.

[I]

Okay.

[C]

I think in this instance, it's almost better to go to where Azune is and go past and go the way that we know.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Go the most direct route. I don't just go down a hit a dead end.

[A]

So you're gonna grab Demidus?

[F]

Uh huh.

[A]

You're gonna go 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. If you move them this way, this guy's gonna get an attack of opportunity on you.

[C]

Shit.

[A]

Right. This crowded room in the sewers for you trying to get out through your exit here. Just give me one second.

[C]

Is that my move and my action considering I'm.

[A]

You have an action if you wanna use an activity.

[C]

I do still have an action. Okay. You,

[H]

Um.

[C]

Fuck it. Shit balls. Okay. I am going to. Man, he's surrounded.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And that one was rough. But the. But looking out here you can see if you attempt to run around like I think your options as such right now are they're going to get some swings on you if you try to run around them and hope that they

[B]

stay pinned on Azune.

[A]

Yeah, you can like using your action like at a certain. Like you can also use your action to fight them or to try to blow your way past them. Which might also help get Azune out of here sooner at the cost of you. It's basically your weighing is the ultimate priority. Beating feet. Even if they get swings on me. Versus are we fucked and need to fight our way out.

[C]

How's your constitution?

[B]

Pretty good.

[C]

All right, we're gonna do a little color spray. Let's do a little color spray.

[A]

Hell yeah.

[C]

You best better save, bitch.

[H]

I hope so.

[C]

It's a 15 foot cone.

[A]

Great.

[C]

Let me see if I could see and then I'll see which way if I'm going to try and hit all of them with azune or if I pick a lane.

[K]

Great color spray.

[A]

15 foot cone right here.

[C]

Love that.

[A]

15 foot cone. I think 15 foot cone. You can get these three right here

[B]

in one cone with that and hit azunae.

[A]

Or potentially if you wanted to avoid azunae entirely, you could sidestep and just

[B]

get two of them in a line.

[C]

Just the two not hit you probably. Because if you're feeling good, let's do that. Let's sidestep. I'm going to try and position myself to only get those two.

[H]

Hell yeah.

[C]

So it's a constitution saving throw. Because also if you fail, I don't want you to be blinded. That would be real bad.

[A]

Oh yeah. That would suck.

[H]

Okay.

[F]

Mm.

[A]

Two fails.

[I]

Wow.

[C]

Okay, so yeah.

[A]

What does your color spray look like and what effect does it have on them?

[C]

This is gonna be so stupid. Can I do it? This is gonna be dumb. Okay, so yeah. For any mystic and consumer or blunt or blinded condition until the end of your next turn. So can I like. Because I'm holding Dimitus like a sack of potatoes and he's the illusion guy. Can I take him in his glittery magic that's already swirling around him and, like, use him like a shotgun. Yeah, like.

[A]

Like holding up a skunk and just being like.

[C]

And I'm gonna take it and just whatever sparkly magic. Yeah. He already has going on because it's an illusion spell. I'm gonna take what he has and just amplify it.

[A]

He's your fate. You reach into. You reach into one of his pockets. In his shirt, there's a bunch of broken spell components from when he was getting beat up. And you just grab the thing and.

[C]

Full of glitter.

[A]

Both Crow keepers reel back, blinded, as glitter just dances over their face. And you can see almost like their faces become mirrored glass of iridescent light. Blah. Creeping into their eyes as they are blinded. That is your turn.

[C]

That's my turn?

[A]

Hell yes.

[C]

So they're both blinded.

[A]

That is going to be Azune and Bolaire. Bolair and Hal are still standing over the hole covering, hearing the growling hiss of the entity down below. And Hal and then Azune, you are in the room now with Murray and Demetus.

[H]

Would you like to go first this time or do you want me to?

[K]

I just want to have a little fun.

[A]

Have all the fun.

[K]

I'm going to pop down the ladder just a bit, actually. And out of curiosity, how well built is this ladder?

[B]

Quite well built. Okay.

[A]

Yeah.

[K]

Sturdy.

[I]

Let's go through.

[K]

Good to know. And I'm going to cast on our little mud friend over here. I'm going to cast. Dissonant whispers.

[A]

Hell yes. What is the save on dissonant whispers?

[K]

14 wisdom.

[A]

That is a failure.

[K]

Okay, so I crawl down just a bit and look directly at this creature.

[A]

Eyes look lock.

[K]

And it almost seems like the mask itself becomes concave and reflective. And there's this twisted version of its own face that's suddenly looking at it. And it hears a quiet roll in its head. Creature of refuse and filth. How else would you find your face

[B]

than to be buried in the sewers forever where you belong?

[K]

And let's do some damage. That's.

[C]

Come on, come on.

[B]

11.

[G]

12.

[K]

That's 12 points of psychic damage. And he has to run away from me. He must immediately use its reaction, if available, to move as far away from me as it can on a successful.

[B]

I am going to ask you for an intimidation check. And I am going to. I'm gonna ask for intimidation check in this moment, if it'd be so kind.

[K]

Yeah, no problem.

[B]

Natural 20.

[K]

So that gives me, just for fun, a 26. This is what I was born for

[A]

being mean and correct. Now that none of your friends can see you, you decide to prove that this guy's not the freakiest thing in this dark pit. And moving down the ladder, you not only move Lao Me to a quarter of his hit points total, but with that reaction being banished to flee, Laumi

[B]

looks and goes, I am so sorry.

[A]

And zooms in the as the water seeps through the cracks of Hal's shatter spell in the floor, he flushes himself down into a deeper darkness, vanishing at the horror of your dissonant whispers. Lao Me exits combat in this moment, and we will come back after the. Oh, fuck you.

[B]

And that's where we'll leave our story for now.

[A]

Part two of this episode of Campaign 4 drops this Tuesday.

[B]

Thanks for listening and we'll see you soon for more critical role.