The Point of No Return | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 22 Part 2

Summary

Critical Role: "The Point of No Return" | Campaign 4, Episode 22 Part 2 (April 21, 2026)

Podcast Summary by the Critical Role Recap Bot

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Episode Overview

In this gripping continuation of Campaign 4’s 22nd episode, the party emerges from a chaotic, emotional battle beneath Caravan Hill in Dolmakyar’s grim sewers. They rescue Demetus, a grad student illusionist, from the clutches of the Crow Keepers, confront the aftermath of recent betrayals, and uncover crucial evidence tied to the sinister House Taconis. The group’s alliances and personal bonds are pushed to their limits as secrets unravel, vengeance simmers, and new threats loom.

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Key Discussion Points & Segmented Timeline

1. Combat in the Sewers — The Crow Keeper Showdown (01:52–19:29)

• Setting: The battle resumes as Azune Nayyar faces down four remaining Crow Keepers, aided by the recently freed Demetus and the rest of the party.
• Azune shines: Showcases mastery of sorcery and melee, using "Booming Blade" to push and damage foes, combining sorcerer points for quickened spells.
  • “He is gonna do four points of bludgeoning damage as he gets pushed with my weapon mastery 10ft away from me and is now ensheathed in booming energy.” — Azune (04:02)
• Murray Magnessen uses new True Strike:
  • “They updated this spell in 2024 to actually be useful. So we’re gonna try it.” — Marie (11:25)
• Demetus deceives Crow Keepers: Throws his voice using disguise self and Thieves Cant to trick his captors into disarming.
  • “Demetus jumps to the side and goes as an illusion, just covers his throat and speaks perfectly in Thieves Cant...” (09:31)
• Halendil Fang delivers a character-defining killing blow:
  • “I just rush up...I just slide the blade right through this guy’s gut...All the way through. And I’m looking over his shoulder at you...” — Halendil Fang (08:02)
• The party subdues the last Crow Keeper for questioning and takes stock.

2. Emotional Fallout & Demetus' Revelations (19:29–43:22)

• Tough love and vulnerability: Murray and Demetus share a raw moment as Murray assures Demetus he could have sought help, expressing affection and concern for his well-being.
  • “You've always been very resourceful and innovative. But I've always been in your corner.” — Murray (20:59)
• Demetus admits mistakes and fear, giving insight into how bad situations spiral:
  • “A pattern can be dumb. When every instance of the pattern made sense...” — Demetus (21:55)
• Unraveling the job that led to danger:
  • Demetus recounts being hired for “illusion work” tied to the Royce family, organized through Dean Cora and mysterious figures, including Trimus and the chilling Ophelia Saramai (28:06–36:37).
  • “She was like, really pretty. She had, like, a black gown, but, like, was truly, really, really nice. And then Ophelia, she was like...she had...rings around her neck that were like, red and yellow and black. And she was working with a soldier there. His name was Lieutenant Janaeus.” — Demetus (31:13)
  • Hearing and witnessing deeply unsettling exchanges foreshadow a much larger and more sinister plot.

3. Discovering the Truth — Investigation and Consequences (47:00–63:29)

• The party investigates the hideout:
  • Bolair unearths loot: Healing potions, hidden gold for Demetus ("student loan forgiveness"), and secret codes (52:25+).
  • Arcane analysis: Detect Magic & Comprehend Languages reveal that Laoami, the strange fey entity, is a Ralgrannoth—a mold-based harrow fae. The room contains hidden poetry in Sylvan, unlocked by reciting a missing line:
    • “To love the world is to weep.”
  • Rewards found: Silver-capped bottles, a magical necklace, velvet bags with enchanted stones or gems, and 40 blank spell scrolls—critical for party resources.
  • “There is a bit of fairy poetry at the end that...the final line of the stanza is ‘to love, the world is to weep.’” (61:00–61:11)
• Hints of a trafficking ring: Thieves’ cant symbols reveal this was a waystation for dangerous, possibly illicit trade— implicating Laoami and suggesting Crow Keepers collaborate with darker powers.

4. Party Dynamics — Secrets, Support, and Suspicion (63:33–82:45)

• Trust and trauma:
  • Murray suspects Dean Cora’s deeper involvement in sending Demetus into danger, expressing skepticism about powerful institutions and their willingness to sacrifice vulnerable students.
    • “She made a very concerted point to steer me away from him or plant doubt in my head. It didn’t work...but if a kid goes missing and just 48 hours earlier, you sent him away with the Conuses...it doesn’t sit well with me.” — Murray (74:19)
  • The group discusses where Demetus can hide, debating between Bolair’s apartment and sending him to King Augustus, who may also be under threat.
• Connection & affirmation:
  • Murray comforts Azune, assuring him their friendship is real, not tainted by institutional affiliations.
    • “That is absolutely in your head. I could never hate you, Azune. You’re a good egg.” — Murray (82:01)
  • Both have heightened resolve to protect what matters—each other and those who cannot protect themselves.

5. A Grim Ruse — Masking and Misdirection (82:58–96:43)

• Bolair stages a fake death: Fakes his own demise, switching identities by transferring his consciousness/mask to the last Crow Keeper's body (with Hal's reluctant but loyal help).
  • “You give a little bit of your soul, but in return, you get the boy.” — Bolair (68:05)
  • The transfer is gruesome and theatrical, leaving a convincingly mangled corpse and counterfeit clues to misdirect pursuers (“Blixes Bungling Blitz”).
• Haunting moment: Hal reads a secret message on the mask, nearly lost to its magical “applause,” but resists its call thanks to memories of family and responsibility (92:08).
• New beginning: Bolair—now in a new body—resumes leadership as the party regroups and heads out, battered but united.

6. Aftermath and Set-Up for Next Episode (96:43–98:13)

• Demetus expresses gratitude:
  • “You saved my life. Things have gone really crazy lately, and that’s all for this episode of Critical Role.” (97:30)
• Brief, exhausted levity as the group exits the sewers, reflecting on the wildness of the day and their desperate need for rest.
  • “This day is, I think, maybe the craziest adventuring day...This day has a different font size.” — Brennan Lee Mulligan (97:51)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Halendil’s decisive action:
  "I haven't taken a man's life in almost 30 years." — Hal (68:16)
• Murray confronting Demetus’ choices:
  "You are a smart kid, but that don't necessarily mean you're streetwise." — Murray (20:59)
• Magic's transformation:
  “There is a bit of fairy poetry at the end that...the final line of the stanza is 'to love, the world is to weep.'” — Brennan (61:00)
• Bolair on sacrifices:
  "You give a little bit of your soul, but in return you get the boy." — Bolair (68:05)
• The power of found family:
  "No one stands on their own two feet. If they look like they do, it's because they're standing on top of people you cannot see." — Bolair (42:39)
• Party’s sense of foreboding:
  “This might be the first time I've been truly scared in a long time.” — Murray (80:45)
• Light, hope, and stubbornness:
  “Sometimes the best thing you can do in the dark is be a stubborn candle.” (Overarching party motif, several speakers)

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Important Timestamps

• 03:26 – Demetus and Azune gain advantage; Azune launches into combat
• 09:00 – Demetus outsmarts and disarms Crow Keepers with Thieves Cant
• 20:59 – Murray and Demetus’ heartfelt exchange
• 28:06–36:37 – Demetus’ full account of the job and unwitting participation in a plot
• 47:00–63:29 – Investigation, loot, magical clues, and secrets revealed by Detect Magic, Arcana, and Comprehend Languages
• 68:05 – Bolair’s grim act and the cost of saving an innocent
• 92:08 – Hal resists the mask’s lure, keeps his identity and loyalty
• 97:30 – Demetus’ gratitude, episode winds down

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Character Focus

• Demetus: Vulnerable, guilt-ridden grad student, rescued but left reeling; his story reveals institutional manipulation and criminal exploitation.
• Murray Magnessen: The tough-love mentor, fierce in defending students, deeply suspicious of those in power, emotionally available when needed.
• Azune Nayyar: Tactical, powerful, and quietly struggling with feelings about their place in institutional authority and found family.
• Halendil Fang & Bolair: Veterans forced to compromise, reliving old traumas to protect the next generation. Their actions mix desperation with tactical genius and a willingness to bear heavy burdens.

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Conclusion & Tone

This episode weaves high-stakes action with intense emotional intimacy, as the party confronts both literal and figurative darkness. The battle’s aftermath brings powerful moments of accountability, support, and subtle revelations, while the party’s moral and practical preparations set up conflict with the formidable House Taconis. As always, the cast balances sharp wit with deep investment in their world and each other, never shying from difficult questions or hard choices.

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“No one is born with wisdom. You earn it the hard way. Everyone with it earns it the hard way.” — Bolair (42:08)

Next week: What new secrets will the light unveil in Dolmakyar? Will the group finally rest, or is the city’s darkness unrelenting? Is it Thursday yet?

Transcript

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

From origin to legend.

[Demetus]

I need to become a symbol. I need to become Batman.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Become the hero. Someone's gotta step up, build a legacy.

[Demetus]

Let's get to work.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You wanna get nuts?

[Demetus]

Let's get nuts. I'm allergic to nuts.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hello again, it's Brennan Lee Mulligan and

[Demetus]

you're listening to part two of this

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

episode of Critical Role.

[Demetus]

If you haven't checked out part one

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

yet, pause this now and head over there first. What are you doing? Otherwise, let's jump right back into this

[Demetus]

adventure and the world of Ahriman.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Liam said. Whacking it. Folks, we are back. We are back here in the sewers underneath Caravan Hill in the city of Dolmakyar. What eventful combat it has been. Crow Keepers were sent off on a wild goose chase and chased that goose right back to our heroes. Azune Nayyar just tanked a surround sound rogue quad strike only to be joined by the rescued Demodous Blix. How and Dealfang dropped into the darkness. Healing worded the young grad student illusionist. And with an upside down bat swing, Murray Magnessen got her wayward pupil back up on his feet and out the door. Bolair. We just ended on Bolair's turn as he dropped down post Shatter spell to find Lalmi who had dissolved the body of the Crow Keeper Captain Zagi and delivered a dissonant whispers Banishing this entity down deeper into the darkness on a NAT 20 intimidation and a failed wisdom save against dissonant whispers. Lao Mi has exited combat. Leaving all of you with a room with four Crow Keepers and Azune. That is going to be your turn. Murray and Demetus have entered the room. And there is an illusory knight made of light that is helping you in combat. Murray's color spray has blinded two of the Crow Keepers beside you. It will only last for a turn.

[Demetus]

But you do have advantage against those Crow Keepers.

[Azune Nayyar]

I have advantage on everybody because my innate sorcery is still active.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Woo.

[Azune Nayyar]

And as that vortex spins around me, I turn my attention to the two that are not blind and I do the following things. First thing I do is I convert a first level spell slot into a sorcery point. Because I was down one and I need two for the following thing. I'm going to first for my action. Attack one of those with booming blade.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Again.

[Azune Nayyar]

The sparks of fire and electricity are absorbed into my warhammer as I strike at this guy with advantage. And that's gonna be a 20 to hit.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That is a hit.

[Azune Nayyar]

He is gonna do four points of bludgeoning damage as he gets pushed with my weapon mastery 10ft away from me and is now ensheathed in booming energy.

[Demetus]

Cool.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And he gets pushed 10ft away from you 10ft away with booming blades. Sick. Very, very cool. Amazing.

[Azune Nayyar]

And I'm not done because now I'm going to quicken spell with that sorcery point that I have. Bonus action. I'm gonna move into the other one that is not blinded. And I'm gonna repeat the same thing.

[Murray Magnessen]

Yo.

[Azune Nayyar]

Booming blade on that guy.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hell yes.

[Demetus]

Let's do it.

[Marie]

Sorcerers, baby.

[Azune Nayyar]

And that is gonna be a 17.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

17 hits.

[Halendil Fang]

Great.

[Azune Nayyar]

That guy takes eight points of bludgeoning damage, gets pushed 10ft, and he also is sheathed in blooming energy.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Bam. You guys watch. Azune just clear half the battlefield.

[Murray Magnessen]

Boom.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As these two thieves go flying ass over tea kettle back into the chamber. Incredible. Azune, where's the exit? The exit is this door ahead of you here.

[Demetus]

Okay.

[Azune Nayyar]

I'm gonna stay where I am so that people can get around me towards the exit.

[Demetus]

Awesome.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That is going to go and be the Crow Keeper's turn as these two that you've knocked backwards are going to re engage with you. I believe. Booming blade activates. Hell yes.

[Azune Nayyar]

The first one who took four now takes six points of thunder damage.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Unbelievable.

[Azune Nayyar]

And the second one, who took eight earlier, takes four. So 12 total on that Guy you

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

see one of them does not manage to get up as he just stays down. As that sort of electric and thundering power resonates. The other one looking on death's door rushes mostly to just give his blind allies flanking to cancel out their blinded status. He's gonna take a swing with advantage. Does a 22 hit reaction shield again.

[Marie]

Oh, my God.

[Halendil Fang]

Come with me if you want to live.

[Marie]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

These guys can't stop rolling. Useless 19s. They are rolling so hot. And it doesn't matter.

[Azune Nayyar]

I am out of first level spell slots now with that reaction.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Unbelievable. That is the enemy's turn. We come back to Hallendil Fang.

[Halendil Fang]

Okay, I see Bellaire. Did you just pull back up from the hole at the end of the thing? All right, I see something. I see the mask morphing back.

[Bolair]

Oh, it's already back.

[Halendil Fang]

It's already back. Long way from Salon Knights. And I rip Thyazzi's blade off of my belt and brush past you into the entrance and size up the group. I see that Azune is surrounded.

[Demetus]

Yes.

[Halendil Fang]

And I'm hoping I remember how to sword fight. And I'm gonna swing around. Do I have enough movement to get here?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes, you can get to flanking on that other row.

[Marie]

Just like the foils that you practice with.

[Halendil Fang]

Yep. That is two 18s.

[Liam]

So

[Halendil Fang]

that'll be 21 to hit.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

21?

[Halendil Fang]

Yep. 21 a hit.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

21 is a hit on that hit.

[Demetus]

Go ahead and roll. Damage.

[Halendil Fang]

Big D6. Rolling. Here we go. Two plus three is five points of damage from the Liar's blade.

[Demetus]

Rushing in. Azune, who has been shielded now. Two rounds straight.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Gleaming armor. This is a veteran of the Falconer's Rebellion and an arcane marshal of the city. This is a guy who comes down

[Demetus]

into dark holes to fight. Find people doing shit all the time standing here.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You look and watch Hal. All of you see the guy that

[Demetus]

Thiazi spent his life keeping away from this. You circle around first time, the sword is in your hands. How do you want to do this?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Woo.

[Halendil Fang]

I just rush up. I'm thinking about Izune, who is family now. I took him. My brother sent him to me. I took him in like he was a nephew or a cousin. And he became family. And I don't have time to size up the situation. I just see that he's in danger. I have put this life behind me. It is back. And I just slide the blade right through this guy's gut right here. All the way through. And I'm looking over his shoulder at you. And then pull the liar's blade out and watch as the guy crumples to the ground. And this is all happening in seconds. But you watch as I just let the sword hang at my side and stare at it. And that's the end of my turn.

[Marie]

Whoopsies.

[Murray Magnessen]

You did a murder.

[Demetus]

Here we go. We have this life. It has found you. Demetus looking at the image of the knight here.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

See, Demetus gets up, still badly injured, hops out of your arms, Murray, and stands, you see, Casts only half of a disguise self spell, but sees that the other two are blinded. And you see, yeah, Demetus stands up and is going to roll a deception

[Demetus]

check with advantage with a plus. With a plus six to this roll

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

the roll of advantage.

[Demetus]

But he's looking for a DC20. So one of these things to be

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

a 14 or higher. 19 and 16 on the die, you see, Demetus jumps to the side and goes as an illusion, just covers his throat and speaks perfectly in Thieves Cant can. I need you to speak. Thieves can't. Oh, come on.

[Marie]

No, I don't think so.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You just hear, like, hand your stickers in Zagi's voice perfectly.

[Murray Magnessen]

Wow.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you see both of the blinded ones toss their weapons to their guildmaster as their weapons go flying out of their hands. Apparently he said something in Thieves can't

[Demetus]

that registered as Zagi asking for their weapons.

[Marie]

I look at diminishing and go two

[Murray Magnessen]

college credits for that.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Murray, that is your turn.

[Marie]

Okay, so they are disarmed.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And blind.

[Marie]

And blind. Are we trying to kill these guys or just get gtfo?

[Bolair]

Honestly, I think we have time to. Not that I'm in there. We have time to actually do a search of this place. And I'd love one for questioning.

[Demetus]

We only need one.

[Murray Magnessen]

One for questioning.

[Halendil Fang]

All right,

[Marie]

well, only need one. I'm going to pull out. Let's see how this works. They updated this spell in 2024 to actually be useful. So we're gonna try it. So Marie is going to once again go to those daggers that she has on the back of her belt. And this time she is going to actually physically pull one out. And I'm going to cast true strike as I go for the jugular of the guy who is directly in front of me.

[Demetus]

Go ahead and roll with advantage.

[Azune Nayyar]

So basically, is it a bonus action

[Bolair]

now or is it.

[Marie]

It's not a bonus action, but it's not. You do the attack in the same as a part of it, in the same bounce. Yes. Instead of waiting a whole turn and placing your attack. So basically the new thing is that guided by a flash of magical insight, you can make an attack with the weapon used in the spell's casting. And I can use my spell casting ability for the attack damage rolls instead of using strength or dexterity.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, that's really way better.

[Marie]

And then if the attack deals damage, I can choose for it to be radiant damage or the weapons. Or the weapons damage.

[Murray Magnessen]

I love that.

[Demetus]

They made that really good.

[Marie]

They made it better. Cause before it was kind of useless. It was useless. Yeah.

[Azune Nayyar]

You.

[Marie]

You didn't want to waste a turn.

[Azune Nayyar]

A turn.

[Demetus]

Yeah, I love that.

[Marie]

So let's see what happens.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Rolling with advantage because they are blinded.

[Demetus]

Oh my God.

[Murray Magnessen]

That's right. Okay, let's go, let's go, let's go.

[Marie]

Get him, baby. That's a natural 19. So that's going to put my attack at 25 to this guy.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

25, Helias. Let me just make sure that the blinded condition till the end of your next turn. Yeah, you got it. Oh wow. Great. So at the end of this turn, they will come out of blinded. You hit.

[Marie]

Okay, let's see. It's just a D4, but hey, that's one damage, baby.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Plus your intelligence modifier.

[Murray Magnessen]

Plus my intelligence modifier. Oh, wait, really?

[Bolair]

All right.

[Marie]

That is seven damage.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hell yes.

[Demetus]

That was all magic.

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That is.

[Marie]

That's all magic,

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Murray. Reaching out into that divinatory sense. The same thing that allows you to cast augury. The same thing that allowed you to into the Stone of Night song.

[Demetus]

Oh, yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

In that way, you know when you rub your eyes and there's a lot of people's multiply and they kind of zoom into one. You do that with. Yes. Butterfly theory.

[Demetus]

There's infinite possible futures, but the closer

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

you get to the present moment, it's

[Demetus]

way less than infinite.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

So you're like in the next half a second, there's like 12 possible futures. Let's boil that down to one. Blam. And watch as sort of rippling through that next little fraction of time, your dagger reaches out and you slash for seven points of damage. One of them is badly injured. There are now only one is at full health. The other is badly injured. We are going to move on to Bolair's turn.

[Marie]

Here I am. And then I will just use my movement. I still want to make sure that this student that I am rolling in the studio sewers with, I'm going to kind of once again grab him and I just want to kind of shift a little just so we're not base to base with this guy if we're able to.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You grab Demidus and hoist him away. Because these guys are blinded. They will not get an attack of opportunity on you as you move away from them. And you scooch off with Demetus away from the living opponents. You grab Demetus, and Demetus in Zagi's voice goes, unhand me. Curse.

[Demetus]

Stop. I stay in character.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You grab Demetus and pull him away. Bolayer, that is you.

[Bolair]

Okay, I'm going to walk into the room and assess the situation.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Wounded, these two are no longer blinded. The color spray leaves them. You and Azune are acting on the same initiative. This one right in front of Murray is badly injured.

[Demetus]

The other one is uninjured.

[Bolair]

Which one has the more appetizing body size and stature?

[Halendil Fang]

That is subjective.

[Bolair]

It really isn't.

[Demetus]

This guy right here.

[Azune Nayyar]

The one who's uninjured.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The one who's uninjured is one that

[Demetus]

would not arouse any suspicion. Cool.

[Marie]

Cool.

[Demetus]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

All right.

[Bolair]

I'm going to wander in, and I'm going to his face. I'm going to wander right by the one who's badly injured and just pull my sword, give it a little shake, and use my bonus action to let it shatter down into a very, very fine. It's a scalpel, but slightly longer and heavier. It's a dagger, basically, of glass that's just left over. And I'm just going to go for a straight stab and cut. I'm just going to try and end this with that one.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, with the wounded one?

[Marie]

Yeah.

[Demetus]

Cool.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Give me an attack roll.

[Bolair]

I haven't done this yet. I'm so excited. Dagger attack. Straight D20. Not great. Seven. Oh, I have advantage because we're flanking.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes, you do. Aha.

[Bolair]

Thank God. It's the same seven. Thirteen.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Thirteen is a hit. Oh, thank God.

[Bolair]

That would have been really embarrassing. And then.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I know.

[Bolair]

Let's just say eight points of necrotic damage.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Incredible. This slit opens up with glass, and it looks like the cut grows into

[Demetus]

the rest of the neck. Just vroom. And falls to the ground dead.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

There is one crow keeper left.

[Demetus]

Azune or bonus action here?

[Bolair]

My bonus was summoning.

[Demetus]

Mm.

[Bolair]

Just asleep when you're gonna need him for questioning.

[Azune Nayyar]

And I'm gonna clobber him.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hell, yeah. Give me attack roll.

[Azune Nayyar]

I am gonna. Booming blade.

[Demetus]

Cool.

[Azune Nayyar]

Oh, I'm flanking.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Flanking him.

[Demetus]

Yeah.

[Azune Nayyar]

I don't need to. Nope. Straight attack at advantage. Because I'm flanking and.

[Bolair]

Oh, going for a knockout.

[Azune Nayyar]

Yes. Non lethal, but I am that's not gonna do it. So it's gonna be a nine to hit. Okay, so I'm gonna consume another. A second level spell slot to quicken spell Booming Blade.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Great.

[Demetus]

Let's do it.

[Azune Nayyar]

Do I keep the one that rolled off or do I reroll it?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Whatever you apply now is the rule forever.

[Demetus]

Reroll it.

[Azune Nayyar]

It would have hit.

[Halendil Fang]

Keep it in the octagon.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

19. Cool. 19 hits into the octopus. Great.

[Azune Nayyar]

I'm doing non lethal damage. Hopefully knocking him out. That is. Well, I don't think he's been touched, so that's nine points of damage.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Nine points of damage is not going

[Demetus]

to knock him unconscious, but he's badly injured as this and I will push him.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay, great. 10ft. 10ft. He slams into the wall here. No longer blinded, he can see that

[Demetus]

Zagi is not in this room.

[Azune Nayyar]

I will tell him, you move, you die.

[Demetus]

And Booming Blade makes that. Go ahead and give me persuasion.

[Azune Nayyar]

Okay, 19 on the die. 25.

[Demetus]

The booming blade crackles over him and he becomes aware, looking at his friends who died where they fell under the might of this spell, that he does not move, drops his weapon, puts his hands up.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And we are going to exit out of combat as this last Crow Keeper surrenders. Well fought, schemers. First battle. First battle. First battle. I love it.

[Marie]

These pencil pushers can still fight.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You look insane. This glowing radiant knight turns and extends this seven foot broadsword at the Crow

[Demetus]

Keeper and says, you have wronged us,

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

the friends of Justice. That is our name and what we are known by. You will leave this place. You will get a real job. You will apologize to those you have. You will make amends. It is the first step. You will.

[Marie]

I'm just looking diminish.

[Murray Magnessen]

Are you trying to scare him straight? What are you doing? What is.

[Marie]

These are not the.

[Demetus]

These guys beat me up.

[Bolair]

Well, we're gonna need this one unconscious. My godfriend.

[Demetus]

Okay, thanks.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Then the glowing illusory knight goes fall asleep now. 10, 9.

[Azune Nayyar]

Can I choke him out?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I think that's no sweat, dude. You just go over, put him in a sleeper hold.

[Bolair]

8, 7, 6, 5.

[Azune Nayyar]

And I think that and I just let him slump onto the ground.

[Marie]

Can you do that to him too? As I'm holding Dimitus?

[Demetus]

Is that what you want me to do? No, no, no, no. I, I, I.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Professor.

[Demetus]

Oh my. Oh my gosh. Hi.

[Murray Magnessen]

The Crow Keepers?

[Marie]

Really?

[Murray Magnessen]

What were you thinking? Kind of pok his you.

[Demetus]

Ow. Ow. I I, I'm sorry. I, I, I, I owe the Crow Keepers money. From a long time ago. That wasn't even. That wasn't even Disney do. With all this mess that was like I had been try. I'd been trying to. I went and found them and told them that I was going to be able to pay them back. Cuz things have been going good in the marketplace. And then they outlawed performing in the marketplace. And then they. And then that was like back on their. Their like field of vision. They were like. I'm so sorry.

[Murray Magnessen]

I know you've been in a tough spot. You're a scrappy kid. You've always been very resourceful and innovative. But I've always been in your corner. Demetous, you could have come to me. You wouldn't have gotten in trouble. If you needed help, we could have figured something out. You know that, right? I know you don't. I understand more than most that it doesn't always feel good to have to always ask for help. I know you want to be able to stand on your own two feet and I love that about you. But my boy, this was a dumb mistake. You are a smart kid, but that don't necessarily mean you. Street wise.

[Demetus]

You can be a pattern can be dumb. When every instance of the pattern made sense, I never. I didn't ever make any choice. Like I can look at the sequence of choices and see that it was stupid. But every. You're in a bad situation so you make the best choice you can. And you don't get.

[Murray Magnessen]

Hey. I just kind of grab him in for a hug. It's not like it's a Murray hug. It's not super intimate or necessarily comforting. It's a little bit of a tough love hug.

[Demetus]

As she

[Murray Magnessen]

puts one of her arms around his shoulder and squeezes them tight. It's all right.

[Demetus]

Maybe you should have left me in the hole. I think I did something terrible.

[Bolair]

I assure you you did not.

[Murray Magnessen]

Hey, you don't have to explain anything to us. One cause we kind of already know pretty much everything. At least enough. That wasn't stupid. You saw a gig, you saw an opportunity and you took.

[Demetus]

Came through the school.

[Murray Magnessen]

I know, I know. They exploited a very valuable resource in a program that we. I mean how many times have we said at the Pentav rule best training is gonna be on the job training. Right. I'm not mad at you for that. I truly am not. I am. I'm glad you're alive kid. Truly.

[Demetus]

Well, I. Me too. I think that I'm really grateful and I'm really sorry and I'm really scared you see that? The giant illusory knight looks over and goes, there, there. I may not be real, but I

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

think you did a great job.

[Marie]

Can you kill the guidance counselor?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that?

[Demetus]

Dimitus goes, thanks for saying what I wanted you to say in my mind.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you see that?

[Demetus]

He pulls the illusion back into his hand. He just looks at it and goes, Professor. He looks and says, were you here for the Crow Keepers, Lieutenant, or were you here for me?

[Azune Nayyar]

We were here for you.

[Demetus]

To help you. Okay?

[Azune Nayyar]

You're not in any trouble. Um, I'd like to know.

[Demetus]

Beg to differ. Well, not from us.

[Azune Nayyar]

Not from us. But you are in trouble. You had a plan to leave.

[Demetus]

Yeah. I don't know what happened. I think something bad might have happened to Pimlee. He was supposed to get me out of town in a wagon, and the next thing I knew, it was open and the Crow Keepers were there.

[Murray Magnessen]

You're so sweet.

[Marie]

But

[Murray Magnessen]

you're berries. You give people the benefit of the

[Marie]

doubt, and that is a quality. That's a quality,

[Murray Magnessen]

but unfortunately, one that people will exploit. I need you to understand that, okay? I need you to.

[Marie]

We're gonna have to teach you to,

[Murray Magnessen]

like, you know,

[Azune Nayyar]

be less trusting.

[Marie]

Yes.

[Murray Magnessen]

God, are we that jaded and cynical? We are. Aren't we?

[Marie]

It's smart, though. You know what?

[Murray Magnessen]

We'll talk about that later.

[Azune Nayyar]

What do you want to do with this guy?

[Bolair]

I don't want to keep him for now.

[Azune Nayyar]

Are we taking him with us, or are you going to do whatever you want to do to him here?

[Bolair]

That depends on how we want to play this. We could take him with us.

[Marie]

Dewey, are those manacles still on Dimitus?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes. It hasn't stopped his spell casting at

[Demetus]

all, but just connected his wrists.

[Bolair]

Oh, we won't be needing that. Well, what for now?

[Marie]

For this guy.

[Bolair]

For now, anyway.

[Demetus]

These also probably wouldn't fit the human.

[Murray Magnessen]

Okay.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that?

[Demetus]

Damados looks over and says. Hi, Master Lothalia.

[Bolair]

Mr. Blix.

[Demetus]

Did you. Are you. God? You really all came looking just for me?

[Bolair]

Well, it does take a village.

[Murray Magnessen]

Hi.

[Demetus]

I'm Demetus.

[Halendil Fang]

Hi.

[Demetus]

Nice to meet you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, do you.

[Demetus]

You work with Mr. Undragor?

[Bolair]

Many years.

[Demetus]

Oh, uh, he's great. I talked to him. I don't know. I don't know how long I've been down here for. A day ago. A week ago.

[Murray Magnessen]

It hasn't been that long. It just feels like it.

[Halendil Fang]

He did right by you. He's got a lot of people looking for you. You should do it right by you,

[Azune Nayyar]

um.

[Murray Magnessen]

It is worth noting, though, Dimitas, that the crow keepers were honestly just a. A pawn. If you think these guys were bad, the Taconuses are not a good family to be on their shit list.

[Azune Nayyar]

You're on their shit list. You knew that, though, right?

[Demetus]

I thought. I. I swear, it was awful.

[Azune Nayyar]

What did you see?

[Demetus]

It was awful. I, I. Okay, so. So the morning that I found out about the job, the, you know, I. I left my dorm, I headed out for school, and I stopped by the bulletin board with job listings, and I saw there's this new thing that was like illusion work. And I went and I talked to Dean Cora, and Dean Cora introduced me to this lady who was, like, really, really nice, friendly. Her name was Trimus. And she basically, you know, she basically said, hey, this is the money they were offering. 250 gold pieces.

[Halendil Fang]

Does this seem like an exorbitant number to you?

[Murray Magnessen]

Said true.

[Demetus]

Is that not an exorbitant number? That's less. That's took more money than I've ever had in my whole life.

[Bolair]

Oh, no. I think I want this job now.

[Demetus]

Oh, hey, I'd be happy to make a referral. Just watch after the first step, it's a doozy. The. The. So I met her. Dean Cora introduced me to her. I talked in her office. She was like, hey, we have a job. We're looking for an illusionist to come in and create something really special for the Royce family. We want to do, like, Emery music, and we want to do sylvan writing and all this other stuff. And they had a big list of stuff they wanted to do. And she said, you're going to be working with this woman, Ophelia Saramai, who's going to be there managing everything for the party. And the first thing I noticed when I got there was I was doing the Sylvan writing as, like, a goodbye note. And in the construction of the, it was like, we've been. We're off to Faerie. That was the first thing I noticed was I was like, if this is a gift for the Royces, why am I writing in the. I was like, at first I thought it was like a practical joke,

[Marie]

and

[Demetus]

then I was like, I don't know that the house of Tuconis feel like practical joke people. This lady, Ophelia Sierramae, was. She was awful. I mean, she was barking at everybody. There were a lot of soldiers there. She was screaming at some of the soldiers. And we got to the big Divinos house, and it was just, like, empty. And there Was nobody there. And there were other Taconis people that I could just smell abjurative magic on. And they'd been there for a while already. Like, they were going in and there was there. Like, you've.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I've.

[Demetus]

You've been in the abjuration hall when they were. When they were doing counterspelling and stuff like that. Like, it has that smell that's kind

[Murray Magnessen]

of that, like burnt ozone.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Demetus]

So that was everywhere. The, like, dispelling smell and. The. The. So Trimus, you know, she's like. She was like, really pretty. She had, like, a black gown, but, like, was truly, really, really nice. And then Ophelia, she was like. She's like a long. She had, like, this birthmark. I don't know if it was a tattoo or a birthmark, but it was like these rings around her neck that were like, red and yellow and black. And she was working with a soldier there. His name was Lieutenant Janaeus. They talked about. I mean, they talked about so much stuff. I was there. I was there for, like, hours working my ass off. There was just, like, so many things to do. There was.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And like, they added a bunch of

[Demetus]

stuff at the last minute. So, like, I ended up not having. Being that well researched. They wanted a bunch of candles to look. So I just ended up doing. I just ended up doing blue candles, which is not even one of the Royce colors. But I just didn't know. I just didn't know to get the right shade because the illusion has to track the candle all the way down while it's burning. And it's the movement of light as it goes down. It's just a trickier spell. So I just wanted to do something that I knew would work, even if it wasn't quite the right col. There were soldiers packing everything up. This Lt. Junaeus yelled at some of the soldiers that were packing things like clothes and jewelry and things like that. Junais said, if so much as a signet ring turns up at a pawnbroker, there will be harsh disciplinary measures for the entire unit, which. Yeah, like, you don't want your soldiers stealing. But it just felt. It just. Again, it all felt so weird. This was like a party. What's the stuff going? They were moving those crates out to the gardens while I was in there.

[Murray Magnessen]

The.

[Demetus]

I was hungry at one point, and the guy. One of the soldiers. The soldiers were laughing while they were looking at me. And one of them offered me a slice of cake and said I could eat three quarters and then he would take it. And I Took a couple bites and then they went and placed it somewhere to look like a party. It was getting close to when the party was supposed to start. There was. Janaeus ordered four of her soldiers said, do one last sweep of the grounds. The last thing we need is some scullery maid hiding in a cupboard somewhere. And I went, this is. This is fucking wrong. And I went. I was really, really hungry and I just was getting yelled at so much that I just actually got some real food and went and just like hid in a closet for a second because I've been working way longer than they said I was supposed to work. And I was also just like, almost running out of spell energy, you know, like. And Janaeus walked in with the Lady Ophelia and she was like making a report. She was talking about. She was like. She said. She said, my lady, the falcon has just been delivered to Obermus Manor. Does that mean anything to you? And the lady of Hill was like, yes, it does. Your soldiers, are they sweeping the grounds? And Jhenaya said, yes. And then there was a weird long pause and I had a mouthful of food and I stayed really still in the closet. And then Junais said, they're loose ends, aren't they? And then the Lady Ophelia said, so are you. And I looked through the door and this soldier, who was really tough, was crying. And I saw Lady Ophelia, who's very tall, walk up and put her hand, like really nicely on Junais face and say, they're going to give you the scar for this. You don't have anything to worry about. And Janaeus said, it's been an honor to serve you. And then. Some guy barked outside. Lady Ophelia said, that'll be Lord Etherynd. Come with me. They left and I ran. I just fucking ran. I said. I said, oh, there. I was like. I was like, loose. I was like, look, I'm kind of a fool, but I'm not an idiot.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And someone's.

[Demetus]

To be honest, Even if I hadn't heard the loose end stuff, watching someone touch someone's face and be like, they're gonna give you the scar for it's already so bad, right? Someone's saying, it's already so bad.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

They could have said all normal stuff

[Demetus]

and the way she touched her face, I would have ran. So I don't know what I did, but I know that I helped them do something, you know, The Lady Ophelia was like, really exacting about how everything needed to look and how the music needed to sound and everything like that. And. I don't know what happens to other soldiers. Didn't seem good. But. I mean, like, I heard about. There's a bunch of other conversations I heard that day, but I. Like there was. I heard earlier in the day that I wasn't thinking to pay close, close attention to. And now I'm trying to remember it now, and I'm having a hard time, but you know what I mean, when you're just like, oh, it's not my bit, not my circus, not my monkeys. I'm just here getting paid to do these illusions. And then you're thinking back, like, what do they say about this Houndsport? Something. I don't know, a lot of stuff.

[Azune Nayyar]

More might come back to you as time passes. You were just unconscious not long ago.

[Bolair]

Yeah.

[Murray Magnessen]

Did you see any

[Demetus]

blood?

[Murray Magnessen]

Any blood?

[Demetus]

No, nothing by that.

[Murray Magnessen]

No trace of that. Nothing like that.

[Demetus]

Well, here's the thing. I was sitting here. You know, you're a wizard getting paid by sorcerers to. To do magic. Sorcerers don't have any problem doing lots of magic. They just have their kind of magic they can do.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

So, like,

[Demetus]

if they're like killing people, I don't know what the fuck happened. I don't know what happened there, but I know it was really bad. And, like, If they were cleaning up, like, dead bodies, they wouldn't need my help, right? Like, dealing with dead bodies is like 100% of what those guys know how to do.

[Azune Nayyar]

I don't think we. Especially you, you don't need to worry about any of that stuff. I think we need to figure out how to get you out of here. Where were you going to be?

[Bolair]

I don't know.

[Azune Nayyar]

You're just gonna leave?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I really don't know.

[Halendil Fang]

The boy's not safe.

[Azune Nayyar]

He's not safe.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I don't wanna leave the pentavoral. I don't wanna leave. I don't have anywhere else to. I literally don't have anywhere else to go.

[Bolair]

You certainly do.

[Azune Nayyar]

Wait, where? Where what? Where?

[Bolair]

We can hide him in my apartment if we have to. No one's gonna come looking for him there.

[Azune Nayyar]

I think we send him with King Gus.

[Bolair]

That's a lot of faith to put in King Gus. And that also means making sure that he knows what's happening, that he believes us. That's a lot.

[Azune Nayyar]

Hiding in your apartment for how long?

[Bolair]

Honestly, I don't think this is going to be very long. This is moving at great speed.

[Azune Nayyar]

Well, if you're comfortable with that,

[Demetus]

why are you bringing. Is King Gus? King Augustus?

[Bolair]

Yes.

[Demetus]

They talked about him while I was there.

[Azune Nayyar]

They did, did they? What did they say?

[Demetus]

Earlier in the day? They were like. They were like, oh, there's one. The Lady Ophelia was. Trimus only just brought me there. She didn't stay for very long at all. And she was like, I have to head to a place in the city. It was some Helvarian word, I forget, because the Argosian delegation has just arrived and Lady Ophelia said like, oh, they're paying King Augustus a visit. And she was like, sooner rather than later. And I don't know, it just sounded like delegations of people visiting.

[Bolair]

Did they have any particular disposition about it? Irritated.

[Demetus]

They were laughing.

[Bolair]

Interesting.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It seemed like.

[Demetus]

I don't know. Rich people laugh when they didn't do. They haven't said anything funny. Sorry to. I don't know if you. I don't mean to offend. You're like the richest guy I know.

[Bolair]

That's very fair. And no, I'm not offended.

[Demetus]

You know, it's like, ah, I thought I was. I haven't seen you in that gown since the last gala. And you're like, what the was that? It wasn't even a joke.

[Bolair]

Okay, now I feel a bit offended.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, no, no, no, no, no. I really.

[Demetus]

I know I should have. I know I should have come to you and I'm really sorry I didn't.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I just was really.

[Demetus]

I really thought that the people who

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

have taken care of me a lot

[Demetus]

would be really proud if I could do it on my own.

[Murray Magnessen]

We're so proud of you.

[Azune Nayyar]

Well, you did do it.

[Murray Magnessen]

You did.

[Azune Nayyar]

And you got out of there. So we just want to make sure you're safe.

[Bolair]

You have no idea how what you

[Demetus]

did

[Bolair]

might save an enormous number of people. This is good news. And no one is born with wisdom. You earn it the hard way. Everyone with it earns it the hard way. And this was a very, very difficult collection of wisdom that you just had, son.

[Halendil Fang]

I think you did very well for what life threw at you today.

[Murray Magnessen]

I agree.

[Bolair]

No one stands on their own two feet. If they look like they do, it's because they're standing on top of people you cannot see.

[Demetus]

Thanks, Lieutenant. I'd like to lodge a complaint against House Tonis.

[Azune Nayyar]

Take out my note.

[Demetus]

I think they're killing a lot of people. Also, they owe me 250 gold pieces and I don't know how to get it from them.

[Azune Nayyar]

Writing it all down.

[Demetus]

I heard Danny Car laugh so much.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It's the best. You really hit it as you just

[Bolair]

hear that in the far distance.

[Azune Nayyar]

I'll see what I can do.

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[Murray Magnessen]

be able to make good on some of that right now.

[Marie]

And I'm gonna head back.

[Azune Nayyar]

Me too.

[Marie]

And let's turn this place. Let's toss it.

[Bolair]

Let's toss it. Do we plan on taking a short rest in here at some point or not?

[Marie]

I don't think we should take a short rest in here when there's a moss monster.

[Bolair]

Well, it's very.

[Azune Nayyar]

Yes. Taking a short rest right now.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Wherever it went.

[Marie]

How about we turn this place upside down and then we get the hell out of the sewers and then we definitely take a rest.

[Azune Nayyar]

And we got this guy with us.

[Marie]

And we got him with us.

[Bolair]

Does it make. Well, I was going to say, I know we haven't nailed the mechanics down, but if someone's unconscious, does it take an attunement for me to attach to them or do you think I could do it?

[Demetus]

I think you can just do it.

[Bolair]

Okay, good to know. All right, so I'll help for a minute and then I'll go change into something more comfortable.

[Azune Nayyar]

Okay.

[Marie]

And this guy who is unconscious, do we have him bound? Bound and secured just in case he rouses.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay, you have manacles for your work, you know, like you can just truly manacle him.

[Azune Nayyar]

Already done.

[Demetus]

Already done.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay, he is up running.

[Demetus]

You guys head back down into this filthy area of the sewers down here. Those crates go ahead. Anyone?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Let me know if you're casting any magic about it.

[Demetus]

But otherwise give me any check you want to make down here.

[Azune Nayyar]

Yeah, now that Einpasa is now breathing down my neck, I'm going to go into my normal investigator mode and I'm going to focus guidance myself as I investigate this place.

[Demetus]

Cool.

[Marie]

Are you doing detect magic or do you want me to do it?

[Azune Nayyar]

I am not doing detect magic.

[Demetus]

Cool.

[Marie]

I will.

[Murray Magnessen]

Can I do it ritually?

[Marie]

You can, Yeah, I can ritually do a detect magic, which I will do.

[Murray Magnessen]

And I'm just going to.

[Marie]

Give me a quick minute.

[Demetus]

Yeah, that 10 minute casting to cast detect magic.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I Think honestly.

[Demetus]

You're casting it as you're pouring over,

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

just literally, piece by piece, examining. So, arcana investigation.

[Demetus]

Are there any other skill checks we want to make here?

[Bolair]

I was going to go straight investigation as well.

[Demetus]

Straight investigation, great. Go straight investigation.

[Halendil Fang]

Well, I'm going to do two things. One, how's Demetus looking? Is he all right?

[Demetus]

He's in a state of deep emotional pique. He's in a euphoria that he's alive. Like, as soon as you're in the hands of crow keepers and you're being beaten and asked for information, and then

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

you're, like, going into unconsciousness as they're

[Demetus]

like, who are we gonna sell him to? Are we gonna sell him to the shoes?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As soon as you're in that world, you're like. You're like, I'm dead. You're like, oh, I can't believe I'm

[Demetus]

one of the people whose lives are gonna end in the most frightening, sad way.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And now there's a euphoria of a

[Demetus]

life he already had spent some time saying goodbye to. But also, he thinks his life is over. Every part of himself he gave to this school that now he can't stay at.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

So I think that you're looking at

[Demetus]

a weird mixture of grief and euphoria that is sort of in a kid with a bloody nose just swaying on his feet. You know, it's like looking at some broken. Like he's like, oh, man, my eye drops are broken.

[Halendil Fang]

He's not nursing some greater wound at this point?

[Demetus]

No, no. With six hit points, he's okay. I mean, he's badly beaten up, but he doesn't look. He's got a lot. He has not a lot of strength in him right now.

[Halendil Fang]

I think that in that state, Hal goes over and takes a knee and then just grabs him by the head and opens up his eye and looks at him, sort of claps him the cheek. And then Hal is still a little bit listless and a little out of it, but I think he's going to go sit down just on a dry spot. And he begins to recite fragments, syllables to himself just under his breath. You can't even really hear what he's saying. He just does that for several minutes. And after the end of 10 minutes, that equates to a ritual casting of Comprehend language.

[Demetus]

Awesome. Comprehend languages and detect magic are cast. Let's go ahead and give me these rolls here. We'll get investigation here. Arcana here. If there's any skill you want to roll here, you May do so as well with comprehensive.

[Halendil Fang]

Yeah. I'm going to look for any thieves can't carved into.

[Demetus]

Cool.

[Halendil Fang]

Any language or any language.

[Demetus]

Gotcha.

[Murray Magnessen]

I'm going to use.

[Demetus]

Oh.

[Murray Magnessen]

Luck point.

[Marie]

Fuck it.

[Demetus]

Great.

[Marie]

Hopefully we get a long rest soon.

[Demetus]

Azumi, what did we get here?

[Azune Nayyar]

I got a one.

[Demetus]

And

[Azune Nayyar]

I think I'm back, you guys. I think I started to seeing Demidus start to get more and more vulnerable. I'm like, I don't know how to handle that. And so I try to go into. I start searching, but then as I focus on the corner of my eye, from the corner of my eye I see Hal approaching Demidis and I'm distracted. I'm seeing the father that I never got to have, being everything I never got to this kid. And I find myself frozen and out of sorts and I don't even know how to do my job anymore.

[Demetus]

You find yourself gazing at what should normally be speaking to you in a language of clues here. But it's just filth and muck in the darkness. I hate this place.

[Azune Nayyar]

I can't see. I can't see anything. And I'm going to control flames to blow brighten those torches.

[Demetus]

Bright light helps illuminate this room. And you can see the walls are caked in. Any seam of masonry is just a river of sludge of where in between the dark crannies of the masonry have just become choked with the mycelium network of this fungal creature. What do we get for investigation here?

[Bolair]

16.

[Demetus]

16 here. What do we get for Arcana here?

[Murray Magnessen]

25.

[Demetus]

25. Hell yeah.

[Halendil Fang]

And I investigated for writing of any kind. 19.

[Demetus]

19. What is your focus in your investigation here?

[Azune Nayyar]

Polarity.

[Bolair]

I'm looking for objects of note. Anything that looks not magical necessarily, but something that somebody was using. Using. If there's a desk in here, I'm looking for where they might be hiding. Paperwork.

[Demetus]

Yeah, there is a table in here, but no desk. This looks much more like a way station and meeting place than it looks. This looks like a place where long, very criminal conversations can be had in potentially large groups, rather than a place where you would come and work privately. It's too uncomfortable. And additionally, it is clearly a place used by the Crow Keepers, but also at the behest or with the permission of this creature who was here.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You can see there's food that's already rotten in a corner.

[Demetus]

You do, however, I think on a 16 investigation find three potions of healing in a corner that our rogue allies just did not live long enough to get a chance to Use I also,

[Bolair]

I will say as I said it, I thought of one other thing that I would check that had just occurred to me. Are there any hideaway spaces? A loose stone in the walls. These are criminals. They must keep secrets from each other. Is there anything. I'm just going to walk the walls

[Demetus]

and hold out for one of these areas to showcase a secret chamber or a hiding place here.

[Bolair]

Honestly, even a loose stone where you

[Demetus]

might hide some gold, you find a couple different loose stones. And I do think you actually find

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

a going along the walls, you actually

[Demetus]

feel your foot brush against a tile that kind of buckles under your foot a little bit more. Lifting that up.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

There is not a full treasure chest,

[Demetus]

but a small hand chest that has about 60 gold pieces in it. Oh, should we give it to the kid?

[Bolair]

We will be giving it to the kids, yes.

[Halendil Fang]

Student loan forgiveness.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Forgiveness.

[Demetus]

On a 19 investigation looking for writing. There are thieves cant symbols on the wall that are done in glyphs that would be sort of invisible to a normal passerby. But point this place out in Crow Keeper cant of this way to the meeting place. So the Crow Keepers are sort of a citywide guild. It's possible that this meeting place would have been only known to Zaghi or only known to one or two sub bosses. And so there'd be a place to find it for those that were looking for it here on a 19th investigation under the collapsed wood and everything else like that here I think you would see Zagi's body was destroyed. But back over here your comprehend languages passes over a table that doesn't contain any writing. You know that trick where detectives will scan graphite over a page page to see what the page was on before you see bits and pieces of a hundred names have been written on scraps of paper on this table before it's a mess of where they were written. They just sort of come back to you over and over again. But you think that this is a place where people who have defaulted on their loans, people who have made one too many bad choices, or people that are just a little bit too wanted have been in this chamber before. You think Lao Me is maybe a connector point like Crow Keepers know how to fence their own stolen goods. They know how to fence their own like you know, ill gotten goods and stuff like that. But for trafficking in like a magical person or like a certain type of entity or something like that, that's foul shit. And you think that this. Allow me figure that this may have been a way station for them when they came into that kind of thing. You also know, by the way, that the reputation of Crow Keepers, like some that lived in the rookery, would never have done something like this. Like when you were a kid, the Crow Keepers lived by a thieves code or something like that. So I think that you wonder almost if there's some degree of what goes on in here where some Crow Keepers know about it and others don't. On a 25 arcana with detect magic running, Laoami is fey. Laoami is a fey entity of the fey realm of Harrow. Most fairies that you encounter will be of the various Fae realms. There are Hallow, Harrow and Hearth. Hallow being a place of natural beauty and wonder and splendor and Hearth, actually being what wizards consider to be the closest to the world of Ahriman, to the material world, are fairies of domestic life, those that help tend to gardens and mend broken things. And all the legends of fairies that sweep the hearth, if there is some small propitiation made to them. The fairies of Harrow are few and far between and they're quite a bit rarer, but they're things like hags or kelpies or those kind of dark and sinister Fae. You correctly clock on 25 arcana going deep into the lore that Laoami is a Ralgrannoth, which is basically a mold entity, a kind of putrescent like rot creature. However, that means that Laoami is someone who got trapped on the wrong side of the doors when they closed right in recent history. And I think too, on a 25 arcana, as you're moving around Hal and. You guys, I think Hal, on your comprehend languages, you. You find a piece of Sylvan writing in the floor that is a small piece of actual fairy poetry that you recognize that I do speak. You do speak Sylvan. I speak with Detect magic. You find that as well. And I think that you can see that there is a little bit of fairy poetry that's written on the ground here. And you find one second also with the bright light on in this room, I think you can see Azune that the filth is starting to retreat from the brighter light. That the light appears to be. It appears to be partially recoils from the light. Recoils from the light. Yeah. There is a bit of fairy poetry at the end that. On a 25 arcana, I think you speak Sylvan, right? There is the beginning of a stanza but not the end of it. And this is written in a script so fine that you wouldn't have even spotted it. I Think without you wouldn't have even spotted it. But I think Hal and Murray, you both know that the final line of the stanza is to love, the world is to weep.

[Azune Nayyar]

That's the part that's missing.

[Demetus]

That's the part that's missing. But you would both know the Sylvan poem that speaks that. So you know that's the missing phrase

[Halendil Fang]

carved into the ground.

[Demetus]

Everything leading up to that final line is carved into the ground. Is carved though, is carved into the ground in extremely fine, hard to read print.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

But you can see it through your

[Demetus]

detect magic and you can see it through your comprehend languages because you realize that covering the carving is this sort of mold or rot. But on the script, the mold changes color ever so slightly, goes from this sort of darker black mold into sort of a light fuzzier gray that traces the script.

[Marie]

And is it giving off magical.

[Demetus]

Yes, you're detecting magic from it.

[Murray Magnessen]

Do I happen to sense what kind of magic?

[Demetus]

Oh, the magic that you are sensing here, I believe is transmutation.

[Bolair]

What happened? Are you saying any of this out loud or. No.

[Marie]

Sure.

[Azune Nayyar]

Yeah.

[Bolair]

So do you actually say the final line of the stanza out loud?

[Demetus]

Do you say it in Ronani or do you say it in Sylvan?

[Halendil Fang]

Well, I don't speak Sylvan. I don't think.

[Azune Nayyar]

I do not.

[Demetus]

Right.

[Halendil Fang]

You have comprehension, but it just makes sense to me. So I will say it in common.

[Demetus]

Cool.

[Murray Magnessen]

And then I'll echo it in Sylvan

[Demetus]

and see what happens as you say it in Sylvan. The panel in the floor opens, revealing several small silver capped bottles. A bright silvery necklace jangling with charms. There are. You see that? There are a collection of small velvet pouches. How clean it is in this chamber is the transmutation magic it has created a sealed pocket. There are hanging from small silvery cup hooks. There are seven little velvet bags containing small something clacking like stones or gems in there.

[Halendil Fang]

How much of this stuff is glowing under her detective magic?

[Demetus]

Oh, it's all glowing. And all of it pales in comparison to beautifully stacked crisp 40 blank spellcasts.

[Azune Nayyar]

That's what I wanted.

[Murray Magnessen]

Oh,

[Marie]

I'm glad I used my last point.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh my gosh.

[Marie]

I rolled the. I rolled a Natural 17 with my 8 arcana and I call it my padmin die because they're a little wizard. They're little. It's frogs with little wizards heads. So thanks, Padman.

[Demetus]

Padmanponda.

[Marie]

Yeah, Love it.

[Halendil Fang]

Score.

[Azune Nayyar]

I like just grab Murray and squeeze, you brilliant, brilliant person.

[Marie]

Oh, goodness gracious.

[Bolair]

Oh, my gosh I'm gonna quietly, as this is happening, walk over to Hal.

[Murray Magnessen]

Thank you Shapers. Okay.

[Halendil Fang]

You know, I think that Hal has been a little on guard with Bolaire since learning this news all this time. But in this moment, after everything that's happened in the last half hour, he just sort of gives and leans into him and even rests his head on your shoulder, which I assume is five' eleven right there. For my taller head to lie, I just stare at this pile of clay disks and think about all this shit.

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[Bolair]

You give a little bit of your soul, but in return you get the boy.

[Halendil Fang]

I haven't taken a man's life in almost 30 years.

[Demetus]

I

[Bolair]

cannot relate. I haven't been in this situation in many years. It hasn't felt like war in many years, just survival. This is war. It is exhausting. We saved the boy.

[Halendil Fang]

Saved the boy.

[Bolair]

And in a moment I'm going to have to do something.

[Halendil Fang]

Something

[Bolair]

uncomfortable.

[Halendil Fang]

I'm gonna need a bit of help with that. I raise my head and turn to you.

[Bolair]

And it doesn't have to be you, but it is an imperative that I ask you first because I owe it to you. I don't think it's healthy and I don't think you'll like it, but it is not a secret I am. It's not a secret I can keep from you. If you want to see the worst of me, You can wait.

[Halendil Fang]

In for a copper, in for a pound.

[Bolair]

This is somewhat terrifying for me as well.

[Murray Magnessen]

I'll take this. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Janice.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Thank you very much.

[Marie]

We can always sort this out and

[Murray Magnessen]

see what all these spoils are.

[Marie]

But I am cleaning this full thing out.

[Azune Nayyar]

I'm there helping you.

[Murray Magnessen]

Oh my goodness.

[Marie]

I'm more excited than a blink dog and a barbecue. Okay, Gather everything.

[Halendil Fang]

Yeah, Knocking over everything.

[Bolair]

We'll be back in a minute. I'm going to start setting something up. How?

[Marie]

And I'm guessing, is there anything else here that I made me miss? Anything on the. Any lingering bits of gold pieces, magic jewelry? On the thieves?

[Demetus]

Oh, on the thieves.

[Marie]

Anything?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, unfortunately, most of the thief thieves remains are like. Honestly, a lot of the gold they

[Demetus]

had on them is, like, corroded.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Like, anything that was not.

[Demetus]

You know, it's like.

[Azune Nayyar]

It's the ones in the other room.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, the ones in the other room.

[Demetus]

Those ones that you defeated upstairs. Without Sludge Monster's help, you can probably get another 12 gold pieces off of them. Okay, great.

[Marie]

Anything I grab, I'm just going to literally toss to Dimitus any type of gold.

[Azune Nayyar]

Oh, great.

[Demetus]

Then I won't break. But oh, my God.

[Marie]

Gold. I tossed Dimitis. I'm keeping whatever this nice necklace is, though. This looks lovely. We'll see if it makes sense from Rabba.

[Azune Nayyar]

But while we're doing this, these two. Did you step into the other room?

[Demetus]

Yeah. Demetus goes. Mr. Belair, you need space to do what you're going to do.

[Bolair]

I was just going to do it up in the other room.

[Demetus]

Okay.

[Bolair]

Stay with these two for a moment.

[Demetus]

Got it. If you need help covering our tracks, I can try to help out.

[Azune Nayyar]

I think that would be great.

[Murray Magnessen]

Yeah.

[Bolair]

I'm going to start setting up something that looks. I'm going to start setting up something that makes it so we can blame someone else for some of this.

[Azune Nayyar]

That would be perfect.

[Demetus]

Okay, blame someone else. We'll attack team it.

[Bolair]

Professor, you start in here and we'll go upstairs.

[Demetus]

So staying down in the sludge chamber here. See, Demetus looks at you and says, want to see something I've been working on for grad classes?

[Murray Magnessen]

Show me what you got, kid.

[Demetus]

This is my thesis.

[Murray Magnessen]

All right.

[Demetus]

Blixes bungling blitz.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you see that

[Demetus]

the walls become filled with blasts from spells that were not cast.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Multiple signature, like a rival Thieves Guild signature pops up along with a glimmering

[Demetus]

emblem of House Taconis.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

There is a sort of broken pennant

[Demetus]

in the corner of the Falconer's Rebellion.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Alongside, over here, a flag of the Derridi. There's some gold pieces of the Derridi Consortium. It's just like anyone who would come here and get an investigation check would find one of these. Would probably find all of them and go.

[Demetus]

I don't know what the.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It's the. It's the classic, like in fairy folklore

[Demetus]

of the farmer who, like, finds the leprechaun and shows him the one stalk of corn where the gold is buried, and he ties a red ribbon around it. And the next morning comes and every stalk of corn has a red ribbon

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

around it where you're like, oh, it's all of it. I don't know.

[Bolair]

Do we just want to hit Chiconis?

[Halendil Fang]

We're not going to take that ribbon. Will you.

[Demetus]

I'm not going to talk.

[Azune Nayyar]

Or do we want it to be specific?

[Bolair]

I don't know.

[Murray Magnessen]

I think it's already done.

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[Azune Nayyar]

Do we have the impression that Taconis. That they were going to meet Taconis down here or that they were going to do the handoff here, or was that going to happen somewhere else? I guess we can find out when we interrogate our friend.

[Marie]

And while. If you guys step to the other room.

[Murray Magnessen]

Yep, I'm going to.

[Marie]

And I kind of. While Diminus is doing his thing, I'm going to turn to Azune kind of under my breath.

[Murray Magnessen]

I can't help but have the question rolling around in the back of my head if Dean Cora knew exactly what she was sending Diminus to do.

[Azune Nayyar]

What's your gut tell you?

[Murray Magnessen]

She was very adamant about painting Demodus in a bad light, Sullying his name, making him out to be a slacker, not showing up to class. So specifically, when we were talking with Bolaire about having an internship program. And of course I was thinking about Divinous. He's one of our star students. And she made a very concerted point to steer me away from him or plant doubt in my head. It didn't work. I know better. I've known him far longer than her. But if a kid goes missing and just 48 hours earlier, you sent him away with the Conuses with a sundered house, you're not gonna go and immediately ask the adults that you sent him off with if a bunch of kids went out on a field trip to the mountains? You're not gonna ask the chaperones first? It doesn't sit well with me. It's foolish and ignorant at best. Or sinister at worst.

[Azune Nayyar]

I think it's probably sinister. I think that there are some people here that are willing to use people up, throw them away. Your instincts, Murray, I think, are pretty. I've just seen in the last couple days, I've seen them. Prove them. How? You're very good at what you do. And I don't think your gut or your Heart will ever steer you wrong. And what happened to you the other day, earlier today at the mural, there's something that happened to you. Your eyes got really weird. And I think something's happening to you.

[Demetus]

Okay.

[Murray Magnessen]

I think it was just the overwhelming realization that as fucked up as everything is in this city right now, that us, you, me, Belair, Hal are exactly where we're supposed to be in this crashing, overwhelming force and sense of responsibility. And that somehow, somehow the Aussie knew. Helped Murray. He told how Help Murray is one

[Marie]

of the last things that he said. He took his last breath to say help Murray. And I think it's just because he believes in me.

[Murray Magnessen]

I'm a shit person. But that's not what the Aussie thinks. Thought. And I don't think I ever fully knew that. I don't know how else to interpret it.

[Marie]

But even if I didn't know it, He knew that I would want to do the right thing.

[Murray Magnessen]

And I think that theater is going to be important. I think that theater is going to be. Where we stand our ground. I can't put my finger on it, but it's just this overwhelming. I could feel the vibrations and the pulsings through the atmosphere. And it was like the clapping of all. Every molecule that makes up the atmosphere clapping its hands around my head. How did the Aussie know?

[Azune Nayyar]

He seems to have known a lot. I think. I think maybe he suspected that you can see things differently, feel things differently than other people. Do you?

[Murray Magnessen]

He's a kid. Demetus is a kid. Do we have a dean

[Marie]

in my

[Murray Magnessen]

school that's willing to take these kids and throw them on the fire? I thought that Damon Cora was just a dummy plant, just someone who would maybe do the biddings or at least not even ask questions against the sundered houses and standing up to the people in power. I thought that maybe they just thought put someone there, that's malleable. But if this is true, so much more malicious.

[Marie]

I don't know.

[Murray Magnessen]

I think I'm just. This might be the first time I've been truly scared in a long time.

[Azune Nayyar]

What's it make you want to do to her?

[Murray Magnessen]

Beat the ever loving shit out of her the way they did to Demetous. Fair play, bitch.

[Azune Nayyar]

Let me know if you need any help. I like this Murray.

[Demetus]

I like.

[Azune Nayyar]

Sometimes you look at me and I think that you put on me a little bit of the disdain that you have for the institution that I work for. And it makes me feel like I might be losing you because of the position I'M in. But moments like this remind me that that's probably just in my head. And I really.

[Murray Magnessen]

That is absolutely in your head. I could never hate you, Azune. You're a good egg.

[Azune Nayyar]

Thank you. That means a lot. I will kill somebody.

[Murray Magnessen]

Same for you, my friend.

[Demetus]

Help.

[Murray Magnessen]

Murray,

[Demetus]

help.

[Murray Magnessen]

Azunate.

[Azune Nayyar]

Okay, I'm happy to help.

[Murray Magnessen]

Let's go see what fucked up shit

[Marie]

Bolair is about to do.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Demetus]

Me.

[Murray Magnessen]

That'd be a good show.

[Demetus]

Belair retreating from Demetus as he begins to cast his illusion spell. You head up the ladder.

[Halendil Fang]

Hal follows.

[Demetus]

Hal follows.

[Bolair]

The first thing I begin doing as I enter the room is I start taking off my shirt, jacket and cloak and folding them in the corner somewhere. As clean as I can find it.

[Halendil Fang]

Do you need anything for from me?

[Bolair]

If you're up to it. If you're not, I understand. We can make it work one way or the other. You can undo the manacles on our friend over there and forgive the brashness, but I'm going to have to change clothing and I'm taking off my clothes and folding them in the corner. If you're willing to unmanacle.

[Azune Nayyar]

Sure.

[Bolair]

Our unconscious.

[Halendil Fang]

I'm not excellent at it, but I assume if I rifle through his person I can find. Yeah, a way to get him off.

[Demetus]

The manacles can come off and I'm

[Bolair]

going to need the clothing. So I at least start taking the shirt and the clothing off of our friend.

[Halendil Fang]

Also the same one off of the

[Bolair]

man on the floor. Yes. And he's putting it on at this

[Halendil Fang]

point Hal just backs up to a wall in the room and just witnesses

[Bolair]

checking to see to make sure I'm leaving anything that would identify him as a member of the group. Just want to look somewhat typical. Oh, and I have the other half of the of the seal in my pocket.

[Azune Nayyar]

Yes, you do.

[Demetus]

I go back into the pocket of

[Bolair]

my clothing and put it in my new pocket.

[Demetus]

Right.

[Bolair]

Let's see. Do any of our dead friends have swords or is it just knives?

[Demetus]

You got some short swords here.

[Bolair]

Yeah, I pick one up. Do you want to do the honors?

[Halendil Fang]

Excuse me.

[Bolair]

I will to need to die. And then I'm going to need you to take my face and put it on our friend over there. But we're going to have to make this body look like it died in a battle. They won't recognize him.

[Halendil Fang]

In that moment, I think of how everything in this city and in my life is flipped upside down in two weeks. I wonder where my children are in this city and abroad. And Elodie. I wonder where Tysha is and if she's all right. I think of my brother. His body waiting to be interred somewhere in the city. But that all takes place in just a second or two. I stare this mask back in its face and take the blade from your hand.

[Bolair]

Whatever you do. End with a stab to the chest so that I can fall into the corner. If you decide not to put me on that body for any reason. Just don't leave me here to be found. My life is in your hands. I don't know what else I could do.

[Halendil Fang]

Back up a step or two. I'm not much of a fighter anymore. Just I do flourish the blade after years of practice and then just stab forward.

[Bolair]

I grab with my hands and let them cut into the blade to break them.

[Halendil Fang]

And I start to actually wedge hammer down to make it a messier wound.

[Bolair]

I take as many of my fingers

[Halendil Fang]

off as humanly possible.

[Bolair]

Almost goes. The face doesn't wince.

[Halendil Fang]

I shove my foot against his chest and kick him off and widen the wound even further to leave him a gory mess on the ground.

[Demetus]

Coup de grace, Blair. You die again.

[Halendil Fang]

Blade drops from my hand. Clatters on the stone. And I tentatively step closer and look into the holes of the mask. Is there anything?

[Bolair]

They're no longer deep. They're like a blind mask if you've ever seen one. Where the pockets that are normally those giant fathoms, those giant endless pits with the light deep inside them are now a trick of the light. It's been painted with a slight concave round and tiny holes punctured in them so that whoever's underneath it can see out. It's just a theater mask.

[Halendil Fang]

I'll test it the edges of it with the tips of my fingers.

[Bolair]

Does it come away like it was just lying there?

[Demetus]

It's actually somewhat strange. There's not even ribbons on the back or any way to fix it. It comes off so easily.

[Halendil Fang]

I really carefully spin it in my hands to see the other side. What is on the other surface of this thing.

[Bolair]

There's a slight opalescent sheen. Just as if glue. The glue that put it together. The paper mache just managed to capture a moment of this pearlescent oil slick. And then right beneath the eyes there is gentle handwriting. There's this beautiful cursive handwriting that is too light and too. And too delicate to truly be seen. You would have to get.

[Halendil Fang]

Is that true with comprehend languages still?

[Bolair]

Oh, it's readable. It's just very light and small and you would have to get a lot closer to the mask to read it.

[Demetus]

Do you look more closely at the writing?

[Halendil Fang]

I will bring it to about here.

[Demetus]

I will say at this moment, Murray and Azune enter the room.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As you see Hal bringing the mask

[Demetus]

closer to his face to read it.

[Azune Nayyar]

And we just see a dead Bolair.

[Marie]

Bolair's body.

[Demetus]

Well, what you see is one of the Crow Keepers that you don't remember fighting is dead on the ground. Azsuna, give me a history chapter advantage.

[Azune Nayyar]

Okay. A natural 20.

[Demetus]

There was something on your desk the other day. Abras Drime, who was an informant for an Arcane marshal case, had gone missing and missed an appointment with one of the inspectors. Obrystreime is dead, but he had an informant. But Obris, yeah, he was like a fence. He's like a cult fence. But he. You had no idea that he was affiliated with the Crow Keepers? You don't even remember fighting him in this room?

[Bolair]

No.

[Azune Nayyar]

What is going on?

[Halendil Fang]

Can I read it?

[Demetus]

Uh, Hal, go ahead and give me a wisdom saving throw, if you'd be so kind. Oh, no,

[Marie]

come on,

[Murray Magnessen]

please, for love

[Marie]

of God, be something good.

[Halendil Fang]

19.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

19.

[Demetus]

You read the words, your thoughts unravel.

[Murray Magnessen]

And

[Demetus]

you hear applause so uproarious

[Azune Nayyar]

that

[Demetus]

it might also be the noise of the the world cracking apart at the core. And on a 19, what does Murray

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

say as she sees Hal holding the mask?

[Marie]

I don't think she says shit. I think she's just going to wait and watch and see what happens.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

On a 19.

[Azune Nayyar]

Sorry, look at this.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

On a 19, I think you read that.

[Demetus]

But there might be another coda at the end. So on a 19, wisdom, I think you successfully save and have to ask if you want to move in the direction of that applause or if your curiosity is sated.

[Halendil Fang]

I think that's intoxicating. I think it feels pretty irresistible.

[Bolair]

But

[Halendil Fang]

having just spent a moment of time thinking of Tysha and Alagar and Shadia and Hiro and Elodie and everyone at the Hallowed around. I think that he squeezes his eyes shut and presses the mask away from his body. And spins it over in his hands.

[Azune Nayyar]

Al.

[Halendil Fang]

He doesn't answer. He just walks over to the new home.

[Demetus]

The unconscious Crow keeper. You place mask on his face. Belair. You have open your eyes looking up at your friend Hal.

[Bolair]

Oof. I start to get dressed.

[Demetus]

You feel groggy.

[Bolair]

I don't say much. And also, there's a healing potion over here, right?

[Demetus]

Correct.

[Bolair]

Fucking take it.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You take it because you're in a

[Demetus]

Body that moments ago was choked into unconsciousness by Azune. Nyah.

[Azune Nayyar]

Yep.

[Bolair]

So I'm at very low hit points,

[Halendil Fang]

I think, even before you get the clothes on, I reach out a hand and help you to your feet. And Hal says, very theatrical, which echoes through your consciousness. And I cast healing word. Oh, and heal you further.

[Bolair]

You are the first person who's been here, anything like this has happened. It's never occurred to me to ask

[Halendil Fang]

for a big two

[Murray Magnessen]

lines.

[Demetus]

There is a box somewhere in a space that only you can see with the mind of a man who's been in jail, but never one like this. Beating against the bars, screaming, I'll tell you. I'll tell you what I know.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I'll tell you what I know.

[Bolair]

While my face is uncharacteristically blank as I look at everyone, somewhere in that box, sitting in the audience, a mask floating by itself just says, of course you will, but we'll get to you. And then comes back out my hair. And I walk over and pull the

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

wig that had been attached to the

[Bolair]

previous body and put it on. And then very quickly pull out a blade and cut just enough out of the old face that they can't make it talk with any necromancy.

[Halendil Fang]

Last thing I want to add to this is I think that Hal wants to just stay shell shocked. He wants to navel gaze and think, how could this happen? All of this, everything. But there's just too much at fucking stake. So he just draws himself to his full height, turns around, walks towards his other friends, passes Murray, squeezes her shoulder with a smile, walks up to Azune, and his hand grasps the back of your head and does a little squeeze and he smiles. And he might not feel it, but he's a very good actor. Get dressed and let's get out of here. And I walk past them all out that door.

[Murray Magnessen]

I need a drink.

[Demetus]

All head out. Demidus comes up, having missed this entire display, and walks up and goes, everything

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

go good Covering your tracks up here?

[Bolair]

Couldn't have been better.

[Demetus]

Awesome.

[Azune Nayyar]

Yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you guys head out of the sewers. Get the fuck out.

[Azune Nayyar]

Yeah.

[Demetus]

Into the night.

[Marie]

I tell Dimitus, give yourself a little something else.

[Demetus]

You see? He goes, oh, got it. And you see that? He reaches in some shattered bottle, he's got bits of glass. He does it and rubs a little on his face. It helps his beard grow in a little bit of stubble. Illusory. Gets rid of his swollen up eye.

[Bolair]

Okay.

[Murray Magnessen]

Nice.

[Demetus]

You saved my life. Things have gone really crazy lately, and that's all for this episode of Critical Role.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That was fun. That was fun.

[Azune Nayyar]

The back of the you crazy person.

[Bolair]

Sorry, I'm good.

[Marie]

My kingdom for a long rest.

[Bolair]

I'm at two hit points.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

This day is, I think, maybe the craziest adventuring day I'm looking at. I'll put it this way, in the timeline that our lorekeepers are keeping, this day has a different font size. Let's see if our spot schemers can take a fucking day off Next week on another episode of Critical Role.

[Demetus]

And as always, is it Thursday yet?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Thanks for listening to this episode of Critical Role.

[Demetus]

If you're enjoying this story, consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice. We're always looking for new critters to

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

share our adventures with, and your review

[Demetus]

may help a new batch of wayward souls find their way to Ahriman, Exandria and beyond.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Or if you want to hear what

[Demetus]

the cast discussed after the episode, head

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

to Beacon TV and check out our

[Demetus]

exclusive show Critical Role Cooldown.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You'll be right there at the table immediately after we say, is it Thursday yet? And experience our cast's post show reactions.

[Demetus]

We'll see you next time.

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[Demetus]

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