Thresher: 2-Part Underwater Epic | Episode 1, From the Deep Part 1

Summary

Critical Role Podcast Summary: Thresher – Episode 1: From the Deep Part 1

Release Date: May 1, 2025

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Introduction to Thresher

Critical Role presents its latest two-part miniseries, Thresher, a homebrewed adventure set within the intricate framework of the Candela Obscura game system by Darrington Press. Hosted by Jasper William Cartwright, the series invites listeners into an underwater expedition aboard the Thresher vessel, tasked with exploring the enigmatic and abandoned Ranbior Station nestled in the ocean's abyssal depths.

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Mission Briefing and Crew Assembly

The episode kicks off with Captain Atticus (voiced by Jasper William Cartwright) addressing the assembled crew onboard the Thresher. The primary objective is to investigate the Ranbior Station, a geothermal power facility lost over a decade ago, now resurfaced due to a distress signal intercepted by a fishing boat. The mission's urgency is underscored by the discovery of a video message from Admiral Anders, raising questions about the station's fate and the potential threats lurking beneath the waves.

Captain Atticus [02:33]: "This is Admiral Anders of the Atlantec station, Ran Bjorn. Systems are failing. The crew is mutinous. And there appears to be something down here with us."

Crew Members Introduced:

• Emily Wadsworth (Jane Douglas): The ship's lead expert on Atlantech, equipped with extensive research on the station's layout.
• Damon Adams (Abubakar Salim): The muscle of the operation, ensuring the crew's safety during potential confrontations.
• Hercule Debodin (Noshir Dallah): A seasoned explorer with expertise in deep oceanic missions.
• Valerie Sutton (Jane Douglas, as General Dynamics): The ship’s mechanic, adept at handling gadgets and maintaining the vessel.
• Beatrice Callahan (Mark Mara): The mechanic tasked with restoring the station's functionality.

Damon Adams [07:18]: "I got a question. Or we got a cripple with us today."

Captain Atticus [07:45]: "I'm sure you'll make do."

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Exploring Crew Dynamics and Tensions

As the crew settles into their roles, subtle tensions emerge, particularly between Damon Adams and Hercule Debodin. Damon’s skepticism about Hercule’s expertise contrasts with Hercule’s emphasis on knowledge over brute strength, setting the stage for potential intra-crew conflicts.

Hercule Debodin [07:45]: "I appreciate the support, Captain Atticus, but I think my work speaks for itself."

Damon Adams [07:52]: "It's gonna make my life much harder."

The introduction of Admiral Anders as the ship's doctor adds another layer of complexity, especially when discussions about the mutinous crew and the station's operational status ignite fears of supernatural or psychological threats.

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Descent into the Abyss

The Thresher begins its descent towards Ranbior Station. As they sink deeper, the environment becomes increasingly hostile, with darkness enveloping the vessel and the pressure mounting both physically and psychologically on the crew.

Captain Atticus [24:09]: "As you look out of this window, that kind of endless blackness is almost like that moment where your depth perception suddenly gets a little bit warped and strange."

Character interactions highlight their coping mechanisms in the face of the oppressive underwater environment. Captain Atticus introduces new mechanics to handle psychological stress, allowing players to engage more deeply with their characters' mental states.

Hercule Debodin [16:35]: "Dead men cannot spend money."

The ship encounters environmental challenges, such as a geothermal vent, prompting strategic decisions about how to approach the station without compromising the vessel.

Captain Atticus [27:49]: "We could, in a pinch, try to get through that vent, but we'd risk destroying the ship in the process."

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First Contact with Ranbior Station

Upon reaching the station, the crew initiates their descent in diving suits. The cramped and eerie environment of Ranbior is immediately apparent as they navigate through dark corridors, uncovering remnants of the past and encountering the station’s automated defenses.

Captain Atticus [39:00]: "You find yourself emerging as these two doors pry themselves apart… As you make your way out and into this dark and murky room, you can see now very clearly a door to the right and a door to the left."

The discovery of a skeleton with a bullet hole raises immediate concerns about the station's demise and potential lingering threats.

General Dynamics [41:08]: "Jesus Christ."

Admiral Anders [41:12]: "I don't think there's much I can do for that one."

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Interactions with Station's Security

The crew encounters Alvin, an automated security entity designed to monitor the station's integrity. Attempts to communicate with Alvin reveal fragmented data and corrupted information, hinting at past chaos and unresolved conflicts.

Valerie Sutton [46:44]: "Can I like interface with you?"

Captain Atticus [50:03]: "We have a three, a five, five, a three, two, and a two."

Valerie’s technical prowess allows her to extract crucial information about the station’s layout and past events, providing the crew with valuable insights but also exposing them to potential data instability.

Captain Atticus [56:03]: "You watch as these doors kind of slide close… over the three months of just Alvin just attacking this window until eventually it broke open."

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Rising Tensions and Psychological Strain

As the crew delves deeper into the station, the psychological strain becomes palpable. Admiral Anders exhibits signs of panic, prompting Hercule Debodin to intervene with breathing exercises to maintain composure.

Hercule Debodin [62:17]: "Mr. Adams will keep you safe."

This moment not only heightens the sense of danger but also emphasizes the importance of teamwork and mental resilience in overcoming the challenges posed by the abyssal environment.

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Conclusion of Episode Part 1

The episode concludes with the crew making strategic decisions to restore power to the station, navigate the complex layout, and prepare for the unknown threats that lie ahead. The blend of character-driven interactions, strategic gameplay mechanics, and the unfolding mystery of Ranbior Station sets the stage for an exhilarating continuation in Part 2.

Captain Atticus [62:22]: "We're all going home. We're all going home."

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Notable Quotes

• Captain Atticus [02:33]: "From the deep, power rises."
• Damon Adams [07:18]: "I got a question. Or we got a cripple with us today."
• Hercule Debodin [16:35]: "Dead men cannot spend money."
• Captain Atticus [24:09]: "That endless blackness is almost like that moment where your depth perception suddenly gets a little bit warped and strange."
• Admiral Anders [41:12]: "I don't think there's much I can do for that one."
• Hercule Debodin [62:17]: "Mr. Adams will keep you safe."

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Production Credits

Thresher is produced by Twelve Sided Studios and Paragon Pictures for Critical Role. The original world was created by Jacqueline Emerson and Matthew Linton, adapted and homebrewed for gameplay by Jasper William Cartwright, and produced by Sam St. John. Critical Role producers include Kirby Winslow, with executive production by Ben Vanderfleet, Annie Kruger, Jess Jewell, and Chad Pytel. The voice cast features key contributors like Abubakar Salim, Jacqueline Emerson, Jane Douglas, Mark Mara Humes, Noshir Dallah, Travis Willingham, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, and others.

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Looking Forward

As Part 1 of Thresher: From the Deep concludes, listeners are left eager for the unfolding drama and mystery that awaits in Episode 2, scheduled for release the following Tuesday.

Transcript

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[Jasper William Cartwright]

It's your game master, Jasper William Cartwright and welcome to Critical Role's new two part miniseries, Thresher. In this expedition, the motley crew of the Thresher vessel must work together to explore the abandoned Ranbior station resting in the ocean's unforgiving depths. Battling claustrophobia, paranoia, lurking behemoths and hidden horrors, only one thing is certain. From the deep Power rises. Now this voyage is extra special because Thresher is a homebrewed world using Candela Obscura game system by Darrington Press Homebrewed by who, you ask? Well, me. New episodes of Thresher air on Thursdays at 7 7pm Pacific on Beacon, Twitch and YouTube, with the VOD uploaded to YouTube on the following Mondays at noon. Prefer your expeditions in audio form. The podcast version arrives here on Critical Role's podcast network with a one week delay from the original broadcast. You're currently listening to part one of this episode and part two will be available this upcoming Tuesday. If you want instant access to the podcast content and an ad free listening experience, check out Beacon and get full.

[Captain Atticus]

Access to the audio version right when.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Thresher airs at 7pm Pacific on Thursdays. Now let us prepare for a harrowing journey into the abyss.

[Captain Atticus]

Hello and welcome to the first episode of Thresher. Thresher is a homebrewed world using a framework of Candela Obscura and illuminated Worlds system. I want to say a huge thank you to Matthew Linton and Jacqueline Emerson for letting us use this world. And by us of course I mean me, Jas, William Cartwright and my amazing cast. Hello everyone. We've got Noshirdallah, Jane, Douglas, Abubakar Lim.

[Admiral Anders]

Mark, Charlotte Cubes and Mara and Jacqueline Emerson.

[Captain Atticus]

Wow, wow wow. This is gonna be a very very special little thing we're doing today. So if feeling pretty good song ready. So if we're all about ready sitting uncomfortably, maybe we can go ahead and get started.

[Jacques Cousteau]

SS France embarks on Maiden Trench Beetle opens today at the World's Fair on Beatles Hit the charts with love me do music's newest sensations.

[General Dynamics]

Music on tonight, General Dynamics prepares Ranger.

[Admiral Anders]

3 to photograph the ocean surface.

[Jacques Cousteau]

Experts back Jacques Cousteau's conshelf. 1.

[Hercule Debodin]

Experiments begin.

[Jacques Cousteau]

Humans living beneath ocean waves.

[General Dynamics]

Human missile crisis deepens. Disturbing wizards.

[Jacques Cousteau]

Operation Fishbowl launches nuclear tests over Pacific waters.

[General Dynamics]

Strange sea creature spotted near.

[Captain Atticus]

This is Admiral Anders of the Atlantec station, Ran Bjorn. Systems are failing. The crew is muteness. And there appears to be something down here with us. I understand the protocol demands that I get as much information off of this station as possible. However, due to the perceived threat to the outside world, I have made the decision to initiate the abyssal lockdown of protocol destroying the station. Dr. Blackwell agrees. Three, two. Right, crew, listen up. We have a very rare opportunity. Thanks to the sharp eyes of a fishing boat that picked up a distress signal from one station. Ranbior. A geothermal power station at the bottom of the ocean. This facility has been lost to us for over a decade. But fate, or perhaps something stranger. Just joking. Has brought Ranbior back to our attention. And our generous benefactor has not only financed this expedition, but has uncovered a piece of communication that actually escaped the station. That video of Admiral Anders that you saw earlier. Since this message, there has been no communications with Ranbior. And we haven't been able to locate it until now. Your mission is very, very clear. Investigate the Ranbior station. We need to ascertain what actually happened and if it can be salvaged, put back into a serviceable status. So each one of you have been brought here with a unique skill that will help you achieve said mission. At this point that all of you find yourself sat in front of these big windows aboard the Thresher. You sit around this dimly lit table. There's lots of gears and wires and things. As Captain Atticus is droning on, perhaps a little bit too much going into illicit detail, you. You get the feeling that maybe Captain Atticus one day wanted to be a performer and instead ended up doing this. He's really taking the spotlight as your attention sort of comes back. Emily.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Yes.

[Captain Atticus]

You are our leading expert on Atlantic. Been studying all of this for a number of years. And I understand that you actually think that you have some sort of layout or an idea of the layout of this station.

[Emily Wadsworth]

I believe through my research, I've put together a couple of papers that could be very useful in this.

[Captain Atticus]

So she'll be indispensable when it comes to navigating the station itself. Then we've got Damon. Damon Adams. You're the muscle of the operation. So if things get hairy down There. Which they won't. But if they do, stay close to Damon and you'll be fine.

[Damon Adams]

I got a question. Or we got a cripple with us today.

[Captain Atticus]

Well, okay, listen. It's very important that everyone here gets through the mission, okay? And you'll have. I'll have you know that this is actually Hercule, renowned explorer. He's done this millions of times.

[Hercule Debodin]

I appreciate the support, Captain Atticus, but I think my work speaks for itself.

[Damon Adams]

It's gonna make me life much harder.

[General Dynamics]

Right, fancy gentlemen?

[Captain Atticus]

I'm sure you'll make do. Damon, then Valerie. Valerie has an unparalleled master of those fancy doodads and gadgets that light up and make things.

[Valerie Sutton]

Val is fine.

[Captain Atticus]

Right. Okay. Sorry, Val? Yeah, Val knows the doodads and stuff. I don't pretend to know, but I reckon if you're gonna get around, probably need.

[Valerie Sutton]

If it's got valves, if it's got a keyboard, I'll get you in.

[Admiral Anders]

Okay.

[Captain Atticus]

Right. And, well, last but not least, we have Beatrice. Sorry, did you prefer Betty? Yeah.

[General Dynamics]

Betty, Beatrice. You know, only my mom and dad really call me Beatrice anymore. So Betty's fine. Betty's fine.

[Captain Atticus]

Sure. Hey.

[General Dynamics]

Hi, everyone.

[Captain Atticus]

Well, Beatrice here is the mechanic. So if we're gonna get this station back online, I reckon, you know, you're probably gonna have something to do with it.

[General Dynamics]

Yeah, I'm not as fancy as Val here with, like, all the knowledge and stuff, but if it's got sprockets and gears and can be done with some oil grease, I'm your gal.

[Captain Atticus]

It'll make him turn. Yeah. Nice. So, does anyone have any questions, thoughts, feelings? No. Marvelous. Great. We can get going. No, I'm joking. Does anyone actually have any questions?

[Hercule Debodin]

I would like to know more about this Abyssal Protocol.

[Captain Atticus]

We don't have any more information on this station. Atlantech. It seems we're pretty secretive about all of that stuff. Literally all we have to go by is a location, and that.

[General Dynamics]

So we don't even know if the station's still in operation. We don't even know if it's still there.

[Captain Atticus]

It could be in tatters.

[General Dynamics]

Yeah, he did say something about a mutinous crew. Maybe one of them was acting all crazy or something.

[Captain Atticus]

Is possible. The pressure does have strange effects on people. And it's at this point you hear a little.

[Admiral Anders]

Hi, everyone. I'm Matthias. I'm gonna be the doctor, so if anyone gets in trouble, let me know and I'll get you fixed up. Great.

[Captain Atticus]

So, as you are. As the briefing starts to wrap up, if anyone has any more questions for either Atticus, the Doctor or anyone else, then. Or essentially free to wander about the ship. As you're making your descent, you see outside these big, vast windows. Now, here you can see the occasional rock formation or coral. And light is slowly getting dimmer and dimmer as you're nearing the point where even light itself can't penetrate any further.

[Hercule Debodin]

Madam Wadsworth, you've been doing research on Atlantic?

[Emily Wadsworth]

Not Atlantic specifically. Well, have you heard of the Forgotten Spirit?

[Hercule Debodin]

No.

[Emily Wadsworth]

You haven't heard of it? This is a journal I run. I travel around the world, researching the spiritual realms, the occult. And I have reason to believe that something about Atlantech is at the heart of it. I've been putting together an expose. That's why I'm here.

[Hercule Debodin]

You think that this corporation is somehow involved in spiritual.

[Emily Wadsworth]

It is not something I think. It is something I feel. As is everything in these matters. What are you, a doubter?

[Hercule Debodin]

Oh, no, no, of course. What do you feel that.

[General Dynamics]

Like a hunch or something like that.

[Emily Wadsworth]

You know, there are things around us that are not just what we see. The study of the mysteries. I mean, this is where humanity finds answers.

[Valerie Sutton]

Oh, my God. I thought you worked for a proper paper. You worked for a ghost maiden.

[Emily Wadsworth]

It is a proper paper, thank you. We have many followers.

[Valerie Sutton]

You've seen France especially, down at the bottom of the ocean waiting for us.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Perhaps. And you have, Wayne, no way of knowing, do you?

[Valerie Sutton]

Well, we'll find out soon enough.

[Hercule Debodin]

No one is attacking you here. I can certainly understand that. At the bottom of the ocean, sometimes you will see things that you cannot explain with science.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Yes. Have you been down there before?

[Hercule Debodin]

Most of my work has been deep ocean benthic diving, so yes. I've never been to this base, though.

[General Dynamics]

So you're a real, like, underwater explorer?

[Hercule Debodin]

Yes, madam.

[General Dynamics]

Kind of like our own Captain Nemo from 2000 Leagues under the Sea or something like that.

[Hercule Debodin]

Ah, yes, the Captain Nemo.

[Captain Atticus]

Close.

[General Dynamics]

Anyway, anyone want a coffee or anything? I can go get something. It sounds like, you know, something to break the pressure in here or something.

[Admiral Anders]

Yeah, I could do a team building exercise or something if you guys want.

[Valerie Sutton]

A what?

[Admiral Anders]

Team building. You know, like.

[Captain Atticus]

And he just sort of. He picks a sort of small ball out of his pocket and just sort of throws it at Damon.

[Damon Adams]

Catch it. I look at it. What do you want me to do with this?

[Admiral Anders]

You pass it to someone else and then they catch it and then they throw it to someone. I don't know if I'm calling me a dog. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. If anything, I'm the dog. It's me, Ruff. Oh.

[Captain Atticus]

Oh, God.

[Damon Adams]

Just pass it to Betty.

[General Dynamics]

No, thanks. Okay. Here you go.

[Captain Atticus]

So, about that coffee. And he just runs out of the room.

[Hercule Debodin]

Was that our doctor?

[General Dynamics]

Yeah, that's how he introduced himself.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Will, we need a doctor.

[Hercule Debodin]

I think it's probably a good idea.

[General Dynamics]

I mean, when they talk about these mutinous crews, like, you know, they're not gonna be. Like, they're not gonna attack us or something, are they? You know, we're coming to help them, right? So.

[Valerie Sutton]

Well, how long's it been abandoned?

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah, not to be morbid or anything, but it's been over 10 years. So long that we're finding anyone down there Alive?

[General Dynamics]

No, but they would have had supplies and stuff, right? I mean, they were. They were.

[Captain Atticus]

If the station's not operational, they wouldn't have had power.

[Hercule Debodin]

Oh, without power, you cannot filter oxygen. If they did not starve to death, they most certainly suffocated.

[Emily Wadsworth]

So.

[Valerie Sutton]

Yes, go.

[Emily Wadsworth]

So there might be ghosts we talk about.

[General Dynamics]

No. Ghosts or nothing. Give me the jitters.

[Captain Atticus]

It's all right. A can fight ghosts, right?

[Damon Adams]

I tell you, son, the worst monsters that we're going to find down there are going to be ourselves. Live humans. The darkness can do to you. Just do your job, huh?

[General Dynamics]

Yeah, yeah, I'll do my job. Don't worry about that.

[Damon Adams]

Keep focused. I'll handle the rest.

[General Dynamics]

Sure.

[Hercule Debodin]

Tell me, Monsieur Adams, are you here to keep us safe, or are you here to ensure that we do our jobs?

[Damon Adams]

You do your job and you'll be safe.

[Hercule Debodin]

I see.

[Emily Wadsworth]

You don't mind me asking, who hired you?

[Damon Adams]

Wouldn't you like to know?

[Hercule Debodin]

Yes, actually, I would.

[Captain Atticus]

I would just like to point out you are all being paid a handsome sum. And part of that contract that you did technically agree to was that certain questions wouldn't be answered. You're paid enough to not know the answer to certain questions. And I do think that perhaps some level of anonymity for those involved is ideal for the mission's success.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Yes, Captain.

[Hercule Debodin]

Dead men cannot spend money.

[Captain Atticus]

True.

[Hercule Debodin]

On the bottom of the ocean, there are no mistakes, only tragedies. So perhaps it is worth it for us to work together in this case, if only for survival and our own personal interest. Yes?

[Emily Wadsworth]

Yes. Yeah.

[General Dynamics]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Damon Adams]

Don't worry. I got your back.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

We will return right after this short break.

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[Jasper William Cartwright]

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[Captain Atticus]

So, as you all now filter out this main briefing room, is there anything that anyone would like to do? Anyone would like to go before we arrive at the next point?

[Emily Wadsworth]

I would like to walk around taking photos.

[Captain Atticus]

Of course.

[Emily Wadsworth]

I'd like to document the ship as well as anything I see outside the windows.

[Hercule Debodin]

Yeah, it feels to me that Ms. Wadsworth has all the cards. If you actually know the layout of the base, perhaps it is worth it for us to be briefed if something should happen to you or to your maps. How are we supposed to navigate if you hold all the cards and now you are dead?

[Emily Wadsworth]

I must also say that while I know some, I don't know all. I just have what I've pieced together for my research. I don't know how accurate it is. I haven't yet been able to put it into play. That being said, I'm happy to give a bit of a debrief.

[Hercule Debodin]

So, are these plans based on your research or is this more of your intuition?

[Damon Adams]

Who's the journalist, dear? You or her?

[Emily Wadsworth]

And I would say with any journalist, it's a mix of both.

[Admiral Anders]

No.

[Hercule Debodin]

I see.

[Emily Wadsworth]

If I were to sit everyone down and give a bit of an explanation of the layout. Can I roll for how?

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, let's absolutely have our first roll. Give me a focus. Give me a focus roll.

[General Dynamics]

Do you want to spend a drive to add dice?

[Captain Atticus]

You can spend a drive if you would like to add some dice.

[Emily Wadsworth]

I will spend a drive to add dice.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay, go for it.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Might as well.

[Hercule Debodin]

Can I ask, given my understanding of how nautical layouts work, can I watch what she is doing and contribute the drive. If perhaps I see something that, for example, doesn't make sense, that we're a valid.

[Captain Atticus]

That would be amazing. Yes, 100%. Absolutely. So you can take another drive.

[Emily Wadsworth]

All right. Oh, one.

[Hercule Debodin]

Six, three.

[Captain Atticus]

And what were the others?

[Emily Wadsworth]

One and one.

[Admiral Anders]

One and one.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay, thank you. So you got the six. Amazing. So I think as you're kind of recalling or piecing things back together, what you have essentially is a collection of areas and sort of an idea of what they did. And this is all from kind of pieces of sort of random journals or things like that that kind of has made their way back up to the surface. So you kind of know the description of an area. So, for instance, you know that where you will go down into is called the Heaverin Ascent. And it's this, like, long. It was sort of described as this long, vertical, almost like transport hub that connected it to this sort of next layer up and things like escape pods and hatches and stuff that was intended to be very easy for you to get in and out and obviously out of the water. And I think with that as well, you'd probably also know two other key areas were Billow's Reach. Billow's Reach was an area, I think maybe it's unclear exactly how it worked or what the purpose was, but essentially where it could redirect ocean currents.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Oh, interesting.

[Captain Atticus]

With these sort of. There was a set of controls essentially that allowed you to redirect ocean currents. And then the Dover well. And the Dover well was the water purification center.

[Emily Wadsworth]

So I describe that for everyone, and I draw out a loose representation of sort of what I'm imagining. There are some big patches of emptiness where I don't know how things connect, but the big things you see are the ascent, the escape ports, the Billows Reach, and the Dover well.

[General Dynamics]

That's real handy.

[Hercule Debodin]

Thank you.

[Emily Wadsworth]

So I believe we'll be entering through the hovering ascent.

[General Dynamics]

Okay, do we know exactly what kind of. Are we going to have to go out in diving suits? Is there going to be. Are we going to connect to this thing? Do we not have any knowledge of what equipment we might need to take with us?

[Captain Atticus]

The capital say we unfortunately don't really know exactly what we're gonna find as and when we get there. Obviously, if we get there and it's just a bunch of rubble, then kind of just exploring big suits, etc. We'll try and take the Thresher as close as possible. And then if there's not a clear docking point, something that's compatible with the ship. We'll have you go out in the suits. Yeah. Which does remind me as well, make sure to pack light, any gear. It's unwise, as I've been advised by Hercule, for you, to pack too many heavy objects. Keep it simple and just to what you need.

[Hercule Debodin]

Even if it turns out there is an airlock that is intact. Nine years. I don't know how much damage has been done by saltwater to the seals. I would certainly recommend that we are all in diving suits in case we do have to go extra vehicular or perhaps we lose pressure inside.

[Captain Atticus]

So I think that you're all floating around. The Doctor comes and checks on each of you, clears you, give you a clean bill of health. As you can hear someone over the tannoy say, I think we've got something. We're getting pretty close. As you can see, the light outside is becoming extremely, extremely dark. You all, I think, feel that sense of the pressure. This ship does, a good sense of equalizing it. But as you're getting down into this darkness, into this blackness, the slightly oppressive nature of the ocean itself and that endless blue beyond, especially for probably the four of you who haven't really done this before, it's something quite extreme to look at and to see. So I would love, actually, if I could get the four of you to make me a. We're gonna say a sense check, please.

[Damon Adams]

So if you don't have any die.

[Captain Atticus]

If you don't have any die, then.

[Admiral Anders]

You roll two and you give me.

[Captain Atticus]

The worst of the results.

[General Dynamics]

Rain.

[Emily Wadsworth]

All right.

[Damon Adams]

Oh, well, that's fine.

[Captain Atticus]

Five.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Oh, wow.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay, next. Success.

[Emily Wadsworth]

I got a three.

[Captain Atticus]

Three.

[Valerie Sutton]

Three.

[Captain Atticus]

Failure. Failure. And then six. Six. And then.

[Damon Adams]

Mixed success.

[Captain Atticus]

Mixed success. Okay, perfect. I think as you're looking out of this window, that kind of endless blackness is almost like that moment where your depth perception suddenly gets a little bit warped and strange. And I think you feel almost like your mind gets pulled somewhere slightly out of your own body. And I would like the two of you to take a brain mark, please. As you can feel, a sense of the pressure sort of gets to you, and you have a moment where it's hard for you to actually stay focused on what you're doing. And I think for the mixed success, you feel something. I think you feel it maybe in a slightly different place. It feels more like, rooted in your body. And I think that because of that, you're able to resist any sort of damage or effect. But there's something deeply uncomfortable which sits as you're slowly descending, and I think you've got enough to be getting on with on the ship, you know, making sure that it's maintained, that maybe you're just not actually paying as much attention as you need to.

[General Dynamics]

Looking out and actually seeing it's quite beautiful in a way, admiring the beauty of it.

[Hercule Debodin]

So as we are circling the base, is the thresher using spotlights to highlight. I'm assuming it's pitch black out there.

[Captain Atticus]

So as the ship descends, you feel that you see these spotlights do come out. And the thresher gets to the edge of this giant, what seems to be like a cliff face in the ocean below. Darkness. There's a moment just as the ship tips over the edge and starts to descend out even further. Spotlight sighting the way. There's a rather slightly alarming moment as suddenly the pilot has pulled back. All of a sudden, as you meet this rocky floor almost, you can see there's a couple of holes in the ocean bed here. And off to one side, you see this giant billowing bubbles and sediment all filing through so aggressively. A giant hole. And I think absolutely, as part of the brief and also any information that you have, you know that when the station is fully operational, that sort of geothermal vent is, like, closed, essentially. So, you know, looking down that the station is underneath this almost like layer of rock and sediment. The captain looks it's buried. It seems to be whatever it is, like underneath a layer. Maybe there's like a sort of a cave or something like that. The captain say, okay, yep, good news and bad news. We pretty confident we found it. The only issue is this is as close as we can get. We could, in a pinch, try to get through that vent, but we'd risk destroying the ship in the process. So I think the best course of action is we'll get you to suit up and head down these hatchways, if you will.

[Emily Wadsworth]

A. Q. Any advice before we go?

[Hercule Debodin]

Geothermal vent proves to be very challenging for us. That hot water is coming out superheated, and the water surrounding it is very cold. You will have massive turbulence outside. We will probably be relying on the strength of our protector here to keep us safe. Did you serve in the navy, good sir?

[Damon Adams]

So many questions.

[Hercule Debodin]

I'm simply trying to find out if you have experience this level of bentic diving, you know how to keep us safe out here.

[Damon Adams]

Don't worry, we got your back.

[Hercule Debodin]

I'm going to use my reed and I'll add my gilded.

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah.

[Hercule Debodin]

Mixed success.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Five mixed success.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay, with a mixed success, how Confident and assured. Does Damon feel.

[Damon Adams]

I think he's. There is definitely a sense of nerves that I think you can gather, but there's also. You don't know whether those nerves are excitement or fear.

[Captain Atticus]

So as the ship is being prepared for the five of you, six of you disembark, including the Doctor, you'll be diving in pairs. The main reason for diving in pairs is so that you can keep an open line of communication with that person and that if someone, for whatever reason, should start to panic, they won't then cloud the communications for the rest of you. So you all suit up and I'm going to introduce the first of our sort of different mechanics that we've got going on. It's less of a mechanic, more of an optional thing, which is that in this world, because. Because as you perhaps have sensed, there are some different opinions and feelings at the table. So I'm going to invite the players at any point to hand me a note or to essentially, whether it be a feeling that they have or something they would like to do specifically. So as we go to leave the ship, is there anything that anyone would like to do? Whether they want to tell me out loud or pass me a note, you are more than welcome to. Thank you so much. Okay.

[Hercule Debodin]

I would like to do something inside the submarine before I exit. So currently the submarine is hovering and the spotlights are out.

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah, they're sort of searching. You see, they're still kind of trying to search for, like, a larger opening that they might be able to get the sub through, but it's sort of completely in vain at this point.

[Hercule Debodin]

All right. Hercules de Pathran limps his way to one of the windows and asks the captain, Captain Atticus, can you turn off the lights inside the cabin, please?

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah.

[Hercule Debodin]

Can you turn off the spotlights as well as.

[Captain Atticus]

Well, we'd be blind out here. Can I ask why?

[Hercule Debodin]

I just want to take a look for myself.

[Admiral Anders]

Okay.

[Captain Atticus]

Briefly. 20 seconds.

[Hercule Debodin]

Understood.

[Captain Atticus]

He sort of walks off and then you feel a kind of ripple down the sub itself, and then the lights go out underneath what is going on and you all find yourself in complete darkness. I would love, let's say, a survey roll from the four of you.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Oh, good.

[Captain Atticus]

Unless anyone specifically is in the room and has heard that conversation.

[Emily Wadsworth]

And I'm gonna use a gilded on that if you.

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah, if surveys are gilded. Yeah. Five.

[General Dynamics]

I'm gonna spend a drive.

[Captain Atticus]

Yep.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Five.

[General Dynamics]

Five.

[Emily Wadsworth]

And I'm going to recover.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay, perfect.

[Valerie Sutton]

How. How high stakes was that?

[Captain Atticus]

It's not super high stakes. It was Just a little moment of three. Three. Okay. This is actually a good opportunity for me to introduce a. A second mechanic. This is called. This is going to be a new panicked condition. So when something shocking, scary, monumental happens, I will ask you to roll a relevant role. And if you fail or get a mixed success, you have a chance of becoming panicked. And this is where you start to breathe rather heavily. So should you be hooked up to your oxygen tanks right now, you might start burning through your oxygen a little quicker than perhaps you would normally. So for this instance, we'll say that you, the sort of four of you, it's not extreme, you manage to kind of stay yourself, but you feel that kind of flutter in your heart and your breath quickens briefly, but you kind of, you know, let it go. Great.

[Hercule Debodin]

Is anyone of the four of them more agitated or anxious from this than anyone else? I do this for two reasons. The first is to get you psychologically comfortable with the fact that you will be in the black most of the time.

[General Dynamics]

Oh, golly.

[Hercule Debodin]

Your intuition will serve you well out here. He walks to the glass. I put my hand and my forehead to the porthole and I just take a second and feel the ship. And then he has these lightly blue tinted glasses and he takes them off, folds them, puts them in his pocket, and kind of shields either side with his hands to avoid any ambient light from the controls. And I'm just going to take a long look. And while I do that, I'm going to explain. Your eye has two parts. The center of the fovea uses cones. This is how you see color. That will serve you not at all out here in the dark. The periphery uses rods. They do not detect color, but what they do detect is movement. If you find yourself in the dark out here and you want to see something, don't look at it, look aside. And I'm just going to kind of soften my gaze and allow myself to just look out as far as I can. I'm looking for any kind of movement whatsoever.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay, let's make this a survey.

[Admiral Anders]

Roll.

[Hercule Debodin]

A three and a two, three.

[Captain Atticus]

And a two with. As you look out, I think that there is a moment, not. Not doubt, but it's almost like, I think, struggling to actually understand what you're looking at. Because the formation of the rock, there's almost like a moment where as you soften that gaze, you could swear you feel the rock start to, like, move and warp slightly. And I think that as it essentially happens to your whole field of vision, almost like one of those kaleidoscopes where suddenly everything kind of shifts. You can't help but snap yourself out of it. And as you do, the sort of rock seems to snap back as well.

[Emily Wadsworth]

What did you see?

[Hercule Debodin]

I saw nothing. And that's the problem.

[General Dynamics]

Talking about all those rods and cones. A smart guy to have on our side. Oh, geez.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay, so with that we are going to get suited up into our diving suits.

[General Dynamics]

As we go to suit up, I will just stop by my bunk cabin and head inside. Grab a few tools and things like that that I think I'm gonna need. And then part of it is I'm gonna take out from a little kind of leather purse. Two movie ticket stubs. And I'm going to keep them in my jacket.

[Captain Atticus]

Can you make me a hydroll please?

[Admiral Anders]

Yeah.

[General Dynamics]

Okay. Four.

[Captain Atticus]

Four. Okay. Thank you very much. So with that, you are taken through. And you begin suiting up. Putting on the suits as we begin our dive down to the Rambeur geothermal power station.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

We will return after this short break. We now return to Thresher.

[Captain Atticus]

Right, dive in pairs. Damon, you're with Hercule. Betty, you're with Val and Doc, you're with Emily. Remember, keep it quiet, keep it calm and you'll be all right. Make your way down to the station and we'll seize you on the other side. Good luck. Crew.

[Hercule Debodin]

You can take the lead. Mr. Adams. I'm slower now in my old age.

[Damon Adams]

You still don't understand why we got a cripple on me, Hans.

[Hercule Debodin]

Not everything is about physical might, Monsieur Adams. I have already lived far longer than most of the able bodied seamen that I joined with.

[Captain Atticus]

Come.

[General Dynamics]

Have been worried about all of this. Cause you know, everybody on that ship. It was getting pretty tense up there, right?

[Valerie Sutton]

Wow.

[Admiral Anders]

Yeah.

[Valerie Sutton]

That's just people, you know.

[Emily Wadsworth]

You'll be all right.

[General Dynamics]

You think so?

[Emily Wadsworth]

Yeah mate, you run with me.

[General Dynamics]

Run with you?

[Emily Wadsworth]

Yeah, you'd be all right.

[Admiral Anders]

Maybe we should just keep talking instead though, you know.

[Captain Atticus]

I know the quiet's good, but you.

[Admiral Anders]

Know, we should just keep it going so I don't lose my mind.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Maybe you out just your soul.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Darkness. Your senses feel starved. No light. Little sound. Just the endless void of the ocean. Your torchlight extends out and hits nothing. Until eventually a fleck of bioluminescence drifts across your view and you see a door. The entrance to Ranbior.

[Captain Atticus]

You find yourself emerging as these two doors pry themselves apart. See still in your suits out to this dark room. A few things float by. The occasional fish appears to be a pocket of air up right at the top. And I think the first thing that you notice is it's very cramped. And there appears to be some little seats, seated areas, which there's one seat, two seats, one missing, and then a fourth seat. And as you make your way out and into this dark and murky room, you can see now very clearly a door to the right and a door to the left. As. Who do we think's filling. Who do we think would step out first out of this shaft?

[Emily Wadsworth]

I think I probably would, given that. I believe I have a bit of a layout.

[General Dynamics]

Okay.

[Captain Atticus]

As you step out, something immediately bumps into your side as sort of parts of a skeleton. A skull just bumps into you. You see an almost perfect bullet hole in the center of the forehead. And then I think as that bumps into you, you see the other bones that make up this person now filling the room. The. Which point the doctor having changed the channel to make sure that you're all, you know, everyone can hear him, goes.

[Admiral Anders]

I don't think there's much I can do for that one.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Okay, sorry, I don't like that.

[General Dynamics]

Just. There's gotta be maybe a place that some people could still be okay down here. Maybe a storeroom or something. Maybe, maybe, Maybe.

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah, sure, why not? Anyone who would like to go ahead and give me a survey roll, I'll do it.

[General Dynamics]

I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna do it. I think I'm too caught up in some thoughts right now.

[Captain Atticus]

Absolutely.

[Admiral Anders]

Oh, well.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay. So we have a three, a five, five, a three, two, and a two. So I think, as you're now, all of you dispersing, perhaps checking over certain areas. And you can see there are all these, as was alluded to by Val, all these little dials, checks, little gears and things like that. They're still pockets of air that seem to. Bubbles that seem to flow out of a pipe or something like that. And nature has largely reclaimed this area of the ship. It does seem almost like a mini aquarium just with bones floating in it. I think as you're checking around, you do. I'll say that with a five, you rub off a bit of a. Kind of. Above this little keypad on the door, there's a little thing that says billows reach on the left door. It seems that the panel is a bit broken on the other side and you can't make out. But you would assume that that would probably be the Dover. Well, based on the information that you got earlier.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Could I take out my camera and take a picture of that?

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And you think something catches your eye. There is a. Almost like a lanyard. And on the end of it there is this sort of box that seems to be in some sort of airtight, almost like leather pouch. And it's just sort of slowly floating a little ways ahead of you.

[Hercule Debodin]

I'll gently reach out and grab it. Is there any sort of inscription or anything on the case?

[Captain Atticus]

No, it seems to be sort of well worn and used, but it does seem that it's still sealed.

[Hercule Debodin]

Sealed, like airtight?

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah. So you'd assume that whatever's inside is.

[Hercule Debodin]

Probably unharmed and may not be something that I want to subject to water. So I will wait until hopefully we find someplace dry before I try to open.

[General Dynamics]

Well, you know, probably one of the first things we should do is get the power back on, right? You know, that's gonna help us get around maybe figure out what happened down here. I don't suppose you would know exactly where something like that might be located.

[Captain Atticus]

Or as you say the word power, you hear a little like as at the back wall right in front of you, this little red light suddenly appears. And then what appears to be a sort of clean, almost pulled taut sheet of latex. You see a face almost presses itself in and through as this simple male's face kind of.

[Admiral Anders]

Hello. Hi. Hi. Hi. Oh, is there peep peep peep, people?

[Captain Atticus]

And then I think as you hear some further whirs and clanks, this strange sort of automaton like creature with this face seemingly almost like there's metal behind this silicon, pressing the impression of a face into it, kind of lumbers forward.

[Admiral Anders]

You are new, I think maybe, or you are new. Do I know you? You know you maybe. Ha ha ha.

[General Dynamics]

Jesus Christ.

[Valerie Sutton]

Earth.

[Admiral Anders]

We are on Earth. You say ha ha ha.

[Valerie Sutton]

Who are you, Tin Man?

[Admiral Anders]

Do I am Al. Al. Al. Alvin. Alvin. I'm the personal security of the Rambior.

[Valerie Sutton]

You got something to do with this? And I point at the skeleton.

[Captain Atticus]

Wha. Wha.

[Admiral Anders]

No, no, no. I saw that was a gun.

[Captain Atticus]

Huh?

[General Dynamics]

Bang.

[Captain Atticus]

Sorry.

[Emily Wadsworth]

How long ago was this?

[Captain Atticus]

Da da, da, da da.

[Admiral Anders]

How long ago is anything? I don't have a reference. I think a long time. Maybe.

[General Dynamics]

It'S like goddamn Robbie the Robot over here. What the hell is this?

[Admiral Anders]

Who is that?

[General Dynamics]

Just a guy in a movie.

[Admiral Anders]

What, What. What is a movie?

[General Dynamics]

Okay, we're getting off track here, but.

[Valerie Sutton]

I brought a chunky like tablet. It's ruggedized, right? Waterproof?

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah.

[Valerie Sutton]

Can I like interface with you?

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah, absolutely. All right, make me a focus roll. I think you essentially like on this little kind of rugged looking tablet, you see there's like a number of cables and sort of dials on the outside and all these cables, you're like filtering through, checking the kind of connection point. Like. No, no.

[Valerie Sutton]

Jamming different things like we all do.

[Captain Atticus]

Trying to desperately find a USB C and not being able to find one. That's what's happening right now. All right.

[Valerie Sutton]

I put it in this way and then I turn it the other way and then, and then I turn it the third way.

[General Dynamics]

Yes.

[Emily Wadsworth]

And that's it.

[Valerie Sutton]

I'm gonna drive on this one as well.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay.

[Valerie Sutton]

Oh, well, I don't like any of those.

[Captain Atticus]

Would you like to burn a resistance?

[Valerie Sutton]

I would love to burn a resistance on that.

[Captain Atticus]

Go ahead and burn a resistance. That means you get to reroll. You don't get to reroll the drive. You have to spend another drive if you want to.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Alright, well, could I add a drive to.

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah. How would you assist, do you think?

[Emily Wadsworth]

That's a good question. I could say, you know, in my research I came up with.

[Valerie Sutton]

Oh yeah.

[Emily Wadsworth]

I believe that there was, you know, something about these security robots that patrolled and do I have a thought or anything that I may have come across?

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah, I think there's like enough of a, like you would have got enough research on just like general Atlantic kind of construction. I think that maybe there's like stuff that makes no sense to you, but I feel like you're someone who's probably like, who researches things to a point where like they know the words but maybe they don't actually mean anything. So I think it's essentially like you could offer up a few words being like they mentioned like a this thing.

[Admiral Anders]

And a this thing and then maybe.

[Captain Atticus]

It'Ll be like oh, a bio.

[Valerie Sutton]

A what?

[Emily Wadsworth]

A bio gnar. But is it a collection quarter? A corralling device?

[Valerie Sutton]

A corralling device. All right. Okay. All right, I'll look for that.

[Hercule Debodin]

While she is working, I'm going to try to keep Alvin's attention. So it's not necessarily paying attention to what Jal is doing.

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah, yeah. Okay.

[Hercule Debodin]

Alvin, my friend.

[Admiral Anders]

Yeah. Yad yad, yad, yadda.

[General Dynamics]

Yes, yes.

[Hercule Debodin]

You have been injured, my friend. Or perhaps just worn down over time.

[Admiral Anders]

I, I, I must say it looks different in here. Much, much different. There are more of you now than there was. Was. What, what was?

[Valerie Sutton]

Cause they all dead now.

[Admiral Anders]

Alvin, last time in there was two people and hit, hit, hit, hit, hit.

[Valerie Sutton]

Six.

[Captain Atticus]

Six. Okay.

[Valerie Sutton]

Yeah, yeah.

[Captain Atticus]

You sort of make a connection and I think you start to see kind of like data and things like that. Lots of zeros and ones start spilling down, and you're kind of trying to read across the lines of code, and you. And you can see there's, like, parts that are corrupted, but absolutely. With a little bit of reworking, you start to kind of place a few lines of code, like, back where they should be. And there is a noticeable kind of shift as Alvin's like, ah.

[Admiral Anders]

Die.

[Captain Atticus]

Thank you.

[Admiral Anders]

That feels better. So much better.

[Valerie Sutton]

All right, Alvin, mate, what can you tell us?

[Admiral Anders]

Well, I was tasked with making sure that nobody came or went that should not come or go. This is the only personal escape route from the station. Otherwise, you needed vehicular support.

[Hercule Debodin]

And Alvin, do you have any record of anyone entering or leaving?

[Captain Atticus]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

[Admiral Anders]

There was two.

[Captain Atticus]

Two.

[General Dynamics]

Two.

[Admiral Anders]

Two people came in and one. One was shot. Bang, there. And then one took the seat and left.

[Emily Wadsworth]

So that's the three versus the four.

[Admiral Anders]

Yes, that is the missing one there.

[General Dynamics]

Do you know the name of who got out?

[Admiral Anders]

I think it was. Nope.

[Captain Atticus]

Maybe one more focus roll, please.

[Emily Wadsworth]

All right.

[Valerie Sutton]

Can I add a die because I'm using a computer.

[Captain Atticus]

Yes, absolutely you can.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Ah.

[Captain Atticus]

This is one of your abilities.

[Valerie Sutton]

All right. Five.

[Captain Atticus]

Five. Okay. You get a black. Ooh.

[Hercule Debodin]

Well, Blackwell, the science officer.

[General Dynamics]

Dr. Blackwell.

[Admiral Anders]

B, B, B, Black. Well.

[Valerie Sutton]

Well, he went. He's the one that went black well.

[Captain Atticus]

B.

[Admiral Anders]

Black. Well.

[Captain Atticus]

And you see that the complication, this sort of mixed success here is he goes black well and just seems to kind of get stuck. And as you start trying to, you know, interrogate, we're asking. Damn it.

[General Dynamics]

Come on.

[Captain Atticus]

Black.

[Admiral Anders]

Well. Black.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Well, I'm gonna hit it.

[Admiral Anders]

Black.

[Captain Atticus]

Well, make a strike.

[Hercule Debodin]

I am going to make distance from our fall.

[Captain Atticus]

Okay.

[Hercule Debodin]

Less cautious friend.

[Captain Atticus]

You strike. Are you sort of. How are you pulling a punch here? Or are you just sort of.

[Damon Adams]

Yeah, I'm kind of just like.

[Captain Atticus]

Almost like giving it a forehead.

[Damon Adams]

Yeah.

[Captain Atticus]

Thank you.

[General Dynamics]

No, come on. What happened? Where'd he go?

[Damon Adams]

It was making too much noise.

[Hercule Debodin]

You have clearly helped us in our cause.

[General Dynamics]

Blackwell was the lead. The lead guy, right? He was the guy who did send that message.

[Hercule Debodin]

He was the science officer, from what I understand.

[General Dynamics]

Oh, that's right, the science officer.

[Emily Wadsworth]

I believe the. The video is from an admiral. Is that correct?

[Hercule Debodin]

Correct. Admiral Anders.

[General Dynamics]

Admiral Anders. Okay, well, this doesn't. We still gotta find out, you know, where everything is. And I think getting the power on still a really good idea, because then it's gonna make it a lot easier for us to get around here, I think Maybe get some of the filtration systems and stuff going back on. Should we split up? You know, there's these two different buildings. Should we. What do we do here before we.

[Hercule Debodin]

Go anywhere, if you don't mind, I would like to ask val, are you able to use your interface to perhaps extract information from this robot?

[Valerie Sutton]

I can see what I can do.

[Captain Atticus]

I'll say, given your ability and the sort of information that you've already got there, I'll let you ask me two questions. I think.

[Valerie Sutton]

I reckon there's enough juice for a couple of questions. Can I consult the party for questions or. Or am I. Is this.

[Captain Atticus]

I think so. Essentially, the reason why I'm saying it's two questions is you're essentially, like, pulling apart the data. Like, you know, you're like, sort of ripping through files and having to, like, extract things. And as you're doing that, it's becoming less and less stable. Right. So essentially, the more you do that, the less sort of coherent the information is. So I think it makes sense if it's like a slightly more instantaneous. More instantaneous thing that you're like, I'll check this, and I'll check this kind of thing.

[General Dynamics]

Okay, we trust you.

[Valerie Sutton]

I look for a log about the flooding. Like, is there a record of what happened? Where the shell was, like, broken, where the. Where containment failed on the station?

[Captain Atticus]

You. I'll sort of give it to you in visual form. So essentially, you watch as.

[Emily Wadsworth]

You see.

[Captain Atticus]

These doors kind of slide close. And then this all, from the perspective of Alvin kind of stomps forward and clearly is trying to open the doors. You see these two metallic hands coming up and trying to sort of pry the doors open, but they're sealed by several layers. And then Alvin kind of stomps over to a porthole window, and you can see this little individual pod shooting up. And you see it go up and through one of those holes in the top that you descended down through. And you see that Alvin just starts hammering at the window. And it probably. Essentially, the file just goes on. The best part of three months of just Alvin just attacking this window until eventually it broke open. And Alvin eventually sort of found his way back to his little dock.

[General Dynamics]

And is that one of the windows in here, in this room?

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Hmm.

[Admiral Anders]

All right.

[Valerie Sutton]

I'm scanning the data for. Or a blueprint, a current blueprint of the.

[Captain Atticus]

Of the station or just any current.

[Valerie Sutton]

Blueprints of the station.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Of the station.

[Admiral Anders]

Okay. Yeah.

[Captain Atticus]

I think that with a. With the rolls and everything that you had, I think that you get. You get essentially like the next layer that was previously revealed. And so you can see sort of relatively accurately as described earlier, the Havren Ascent. And then we have pillows reach off to the left and the Dover well. Then beyond that you see there is a place called the Colgrave Nexus. It's like a. Which I think you get just a line of experiments or laboratory. And then the other side is the Haven Glow Observatory. All right, Haven Glow Observatory.

[General Dynamics]

And what are they attached to? Are they attached to the. The Billows and Dover?

[Captain Atticus]

Yes, it sort of, it seems. Yes, that's a good point. So it seems that the Billows Reach is attached to the Haven Glow Observatory and that the Dover well is attached to the Colgrave Nexus. I will say a crucial thing that you do get here is that there appears to be a power source that then connects those two locations.

[General Dynamics]

So there's a. Somewhere else that's attached to there. Okay.

[Hercule Debodin]

Brilliant. Val.

[Admiral Anders]

Hi. You're doing pretty well.

[Hercule Debodin]

Grateful for your talents.

[General Dynamics]

Great work, Val. That's real. That's real.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Cheers.

[Captain Atticus]

What would the party like to do?

[General Dynamics]

We got these two directions. I mean, they all connect to the power source, but I don't know if it's. I guess we got to explore the whole thing. Right. That's what we're here to do. That's why we were paid to.

[Captain Atticus]

To do.

[General Dynamics]

Right.

[Hercule Debodin]

And it's dark in here. We are using spotlights or something to navigate our way.

[Captain Atticus]

The lights that are attached to your suit, that's the only thing that's drawing attention. There was a very brief kind of red light above Alvin's little face, but that was. That was it.

[Hercule Debodin]

Oxygen check. I want to know how everyone is doing.

[Captain Atticus]

Yeah, you're still on about five and a half hours of oxygen remaining. And you all have an emergency tank with you as well, a one hour emergency tank.

[Hercule Debodin]

Because I'm paranoid. I'm just going to do a really quick once over on everyone and see if I see air bubbles escaping from anyone's suit or anything that implies any sort of potential failure or breach.

[Captain Atticus]

I'll say that you pretty quickly can, you know, as long as no one objects to you checking everyone seems pretty good.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Would you pass this?

[Captain Atticus]

Thank you so much.

[Damon Adams]

Is there a door or anything? I'm sure there is, but there's the.

[General Dynamics]

Two doors right there.

[Hercule Debodin]

Yeah.

[Captain Atticus]

So you've got two doors that you came through and then you've got a door. So if you're coming out of those doors, you've got a door to the left, door to the right. Door to the left definitely goes to the Billows Reach and you're pretty confident the door to the right goes to the Doverwell.

[Damon Adams]

So I'm going to go towards the Doverwell door.

[Captain Atticus]

Doverwell door, yeah.

[Admiral Anders]

Okay.

[Captain Atticus]

There's a little sort of keypad on the door and it appears that there's a tube kind of on the other side. Well, sorry, there's a door, then another door and then a long tube which seems to connect to another building and it's a pretty round tube with a walkway platform on it. But that next room does appear to not be flooded. So it's sealed currently.

[General Dynamics]

The door.

[Admiral Anders]

Yeah.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Could I do a possible research check to see if I know anything about either of these rooms in my research.

[Captain Atticus]

Well, I think that you got already that the Billows Reach was the one that directed currents.

[Emily Wadsworth]

Ah, yes.

[Captain Atticus]

And then the Dover well was the one that purified the water. The water.

[Hercule Debodin]

All right, Mademoiselle Betty, we are probably going to need to manually open these bulkhead doors. Right. They would have been designed to withstand great pressure. So it must be some sort of.

[General Dynamics]

Massive mechanical lock or something like that. Sure, I can take a look.

[Hercule Debodin]

You probably need some sort of. There should be a wrench or some other type of leverage nearby that we can use to.

[General Dynamics]

Yeah, I mean I've got something here I can probably get these open with. Are we all going together or how do we want to do this? I mean Mr. Damon looks like he wants to head towards the Dover well, are we all heading there?

[Hercule Debodin]

Is there something you are looking for that we can help you with?

[Damon Adams]

I'm just trying to do me job.

[Admiral Anders]

Man, if I can. Sorry, I'm still here. I'm just kind of panicking a little bit. The. Well, the observer could be useful if.

[Captain Atticus]

We'Re trying to get a lay of.

[Admiral Anders]

The land or I guess if we want to. I mean the lab feels like less consequential, but I don't know, you know.

[Captain Atticus]

I'm just here to make sure you're not sick or anything. Which actually does remind me. Sorry. When you check his. He's absolutely burned through. More oxygen. He's on about four and a half hours left.

[Damon Adams]

You should listen to the doc. Go to the observatory.

[Hercule Debodin]

Matt. Matthias, you are a nervous individual.

[Admiral Anders]

No, I think, you know, I'm good. It's just there's a. There was a, you know, dead body skeleton.

[Captain Atticus]

You all seem fine with it, which was kind of. Kind of wild.

[Hercule Debodin]

You know, I'm a little concerned that a doctor is so disturbed by dead bodies.

[Admiral Anders]

Ah, well, that's kind of my job is to not have dead bodies, you see, you know, and so far I got a pretty good strike rate in that. I don't have dead bodies. Not that I do, you know. Yeah, I realize how that came across. That sounded bad. That sounded.

[Damon Adams]

You're wasting time. Which way are we going?

[Emily Wadsworth]

I'm curious to see the observatory.

[Damon Adams]

Right.

[Emily Wadsworth]

I think it would be interesting to get a lay of the land.

[Damon Adams]

We start making a move and I start moving there and I actually grab the doctor and kind of force him as well in that direction.

[General Dynamics]

Okay, we're going that way. I'll go up to the door and I'll start, you know, checking for the leverage system or whatever.

[Hercule Debodin]

Mr. Matthias, use your box breathing. You must calm down. Your consumption of oxygen is getting low. And if you run out of oxygen, it is going to slow all of us down trying to save you.

[Admiral Anders]

Yeah, okay.

[Hercule Debodin]

We are all going home. You understand?

[Admiral Anders]

Yep, yep, yep.

[Captain Atticus]

We're all going home. We're all going home.

[Admiral Anders]

There's no place like home. This is fine.

[Hercule Debodin]

3 second inhale. Hold for 3 seconds. Exhale for 3. Hold for 3 seconds. Focus on your breath.

[Admiral Anders]

Okay. I'm so relaxed. Thank you.

[Hercule Debodin]

M. Adams will keep you safe.

[Admiral Anders]

It's so calming. Thank you so much.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

This concludes part one of this podcast episode. Part two will be here this upcoming Tuesday at 5:00am Pacific Time.

[Captain Atticus]

We'll pick up this expedition right where.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

We left off until next time. And we'll be back on board the Thresher before you know it.

[Captain Atticus]

Thresher was produced by twelve Sided Studios and Paragon Pictures for critical role Original world created by Jacqueline Emerson and Matthew Linton Adapted and home brewed for gameplay by Jasper William Cartwright Produced by Sam St. John Critical role producer Kirby Winslow Critical role executive producers Ben Vanderfleet and Annie Kruger 12 sided executive producers Jess Jewell and Chad Pytel Starring Abubakar Salim as Damon Adams Jacqueline Emerson as Emily Wadsworth Jane Douglas as Valerie Sutton Mark Mara Humes as Betty Callahan Noshir Dallah as Hercule Debodin Travis Willingham, Marisha Ray and Sam Riegel were all radio voices. Allie Henderson, Owen Tunston and Jess Jewell as screaming CCTV voice multicam director John Cerdivan 3D artist Owen Tunston and production designer Gemma Alexander.