Thresher: 2-Part Underwater Epic | Episode 2, Power Rises Part 1

Summary

Critical Role Podcast Summary: "Thresher: 2-Part Underwater Epic | Episode 2, Power Rises Part 1"

Release Date: May 8, 2025

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Introduction

In the second episode of the two-part miniseries "Thresher," hosted by Critical Role, the adventurers aboard the Thresher vessel embark on a perilous underwater expedition. This episode, titled "Power Rises Part 1," delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding the abandoned Ranbior Station submerged beneath the ocean's depths. Utilizing the Candela Obscura game system by Darrington Press, the team navigates claustrophobic environments, encounters formidable sea creatures, and uncovers dark secrets tied to their mission.

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Plot Developments

1. Encounter in the Observation Chamber ([07:21] Jasper William Cartwright)

   The crew arrives at the illuminated ocean floor, discovering several hovering buildings and a menacing sea creature. Jasper, the Game Master, describes the creature's refined features and unsettling demeanor:

   "You see that the face now has these two huge bulbous eyes on it. It seems to have a weird seam that runs all the way down its body across the middle section... a mouth now filled with rows and rows of teeth." ([07:21])

   As the power returns, the chamber begins to empty of water, allowing the players to interact more freely. However, Abubakar Salim's character, Damon, suffers a crushed hand during the encounter, highlighting the physical toll of their mission ([05:56]).

2. Interacting with the Sea Creature ([08:03] Matthew Mercer)

   The creature approaches, leading to a tense standoff. Damon attempts to interact, resulting in a brief, eerie moment where the creature gently touches his helmet before withdrawing violently, leaving the chamber clouded in red ([09:57]).

3. Transition to the Laboratory ([10:50] Marisha Ray)

   Following the encounter, the team moves into a laboratory setting, finding rows of workstations and dissected marine life. Marisha Ray's character, Emily, bargains with pain to assist Damon in removing his suit's pressure, showcasing the team's camaraderie and resilience ([14:05]).

4. Discovery of Yvette Durant’s Letters ([25:38] Abubakar Salim)

   The crew uncovers personal letters addressed to Hercule Di Bodin, penned by Dr. Yvette Durant. The letters reveal a deep admiration and hint at unsettling research on "rifts," suggesting a connection between Yvette and the station's enigmatic activities. This discovery raises questions about the scientific endeavors conducted at Ranbior and the potential motives behind Yvette's involvement ([27:43]).

5. Destruction of the Shrine ([36:10] Marisha Ray)

   Faced with disturbing revelations, Marisha's character decides to destroy the shrine dedicated to Hercule, symbolizing a rejection of the station's dark secrets. This act signifies a turning point in the adventure, as the team actively seeks to undermine the sinister forces at play ([36:21]).

6. Attempt to Repair the Seal ([43:09] Ashley Johnson)

   Abubakar Salim’s character takes initiative to repair a damaged seal on the observatory door. Through a combination of technical knowledge and determination, he successfully seals the breach, preventing further water ingress and reuniting the separated team members ([43:56]).

7. Cliffhanger Ending ([44:00] Jasper William Cartwright)

   As the crew regroups, Jasper announces the conclusion of Part 1, leaving listeners eagerly anticipating the continuation of their underwater odyssey. The episode closes with a promise to resume the thrilling expedition in the upcoming second part ([43:56]).

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Character Interactions and Developments

• Damon (Abubakar Salim): Experiences physical injury, underscoring the dangers of their mission. His determination drives him to repair vital systems despite personal pain ([05:56], [43:09]).

• Emily (Marisha Ray): Demonstrates resourcefulness and bravery by assisting Damon and later destroying the shrine, highlighting her commitment to uncovering the truth ([14:05], [36:10]).

• Marcus Callahan (Matthew Mercer): Reveals personal struggles through his character's nightmares and medication issues, adding depth to his backstory and motivations ([16:16], [17:08]).

• Betty Callahan (Mark Mara Humes): Provides emotional support and tactical assistance, ensuring the team's cohesion during stressful encounters ([42:37]).

---

Notable Quotes

• Jasper William Cartwright ([07:21]):

  "You see that the face now has these two huge bulbous eyes on it. It seems to have a weird seam that runs all the way down its body across the middle section... a mouth now filled with rows and rows of teeth."

• Abubakar Salim ([05:56]):

  "Well, my hand was crushed right when the thing slammed in, when Daemon slammed in, the power cut. So I think, yeah, like a crushed hand, maybe a few broken fingers or something like that."

• Marisha Ray ([12:36]):

  "I take off my helmet. We can still communicate with our helmets. Off. Yes."

• Matthew Mercer ([17:15]):

  "I don't know if I should even be recording this, but I need something to keep track. These damn pills. They're supposed to help, right?"

• Abubakar Salim ([23:41]):

  "She did this to Marcus. They all did. I want to make them pay. You help me make them pay."

• Jasper William Cartwright ([28:25]):

  "What I would like to do is, in a fury, just go into the lab and I start grabbing stuff... and just slam this thing together as quick as can possible, like, grab just supplies, whatever I can find, and just load this thing up as a loaded, Ready to use, like, deadly weapon."

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Insights and Themes

"Power Rises Part 1" explores themes of trust, resilience, and the thirst for truth. As the team delves deeper into the submerged Ranbior Station, they confront not only external threats but also internal conflicts and past traumas. The discovery of personal letters and the shrine hints at underlying conspiracies and emotional ties that bind the characters to their mission. The episode masterfully balances intense action sequences with character-driven moments, creating a rich and immersive narrative experience.

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Conclusion

Episode 2 of "Thresher" successfully builds upon the foundations laid in Part 1, escalating the stakes and deepening the mystery surrounding Ranbior Station. With each challenge, the characters grow more determined to uncover the truth, setting the stage for an exhilarating continuation in Part 2. "Power Rises Part 1" is a testament to Critical Role's ability to blend storytelling, character development, and interactive gameplay into a captivating auditory adventure.

---

Produced by Twelve Sided Studios and Paragon Pictures for Critical Role.

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 Di Bodin
• Matthew Mercer as Marcus Callahan
• Travis Willingham, Marisha Ray, and Sam Riegel as radio voices

Special Thanks to:

• Multicam Director John Sirdivan
• 3D Artist Owen Tunston
• Production Designer Gemma Alexander

Transcript

[Ashley Johnson]

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[Travis Willingham]

McCrispy strips are now at McDonald's. I hope you're ready for the most.

[Marisha Ray]

Dippable chicken in McDonald's history. Dip it in all the sauces. Dip it in that hot sauce in your bag. Dip it in your McFlurry. Your dip is your business. McCrispy strips at McDonald's.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

Hey there critters. This is Ashley Johnson and Telus and Jeffy and we're popping in here to talk about our new podcast on Beacon. Weird Kids.

[Travis Willingham]

In this series, we're diving into our lives as former child actors. From unraveling our eccentric upbringings to embracing all the delightfully odd interests we still have.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

Today, we're covering so many topics like antique toys, taxidermy, Japanese pop culture, and honestly, anything else we come up with.

[Travis Willingham]

Weird Kids is available exclusively on Beacon. But good news, we're offering a one month free trial on Beacon TV so you can take a look before you become a member. Just use the code Weirdos at Beacon TV to start the trial.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

You can also find fellow weirdos by following the series on our heirdkids pod Instagram and using the hashtag weirdkids.

[Travis Willingham]

So to all the misfits, outcasts and weirdos out there, come take a seat at our table and celebrate all things unconventional, nostalgic and wonderfully weird. Welcome to Weird Kids.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

New episodes release every Tuesday.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Greetings crew. 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 with the 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 7pm Pacific on Beacon, Twitch and YouTube on 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 access to the audio version right when Thresher airs and at 7pm Pacific on Thursdays. Now let us prepare for a harrowing journey into the abyss. Oh well, hello and welcome back to episode two of Thresher. I am so excited to be back. Thank you so much for being here and thank you so much to a wonderful cast. We have Nasheedela, we have Jane Douglas, Abubakar Lim, Marc, Sherlock Coombs and Mara and Jacqueline Emerson. Thank you so much for being here, guys. Very excited. I don't want to waste any more time. We go ahead and get into this. Tonight's episode.

[Travis Willingham]

SS France embarks on maiden trek.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Ocean Beetle opens today at the World's Fair office.

[Travis Willingham]

The Beatles hit the charts with Love Me do music's newest sensation.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Music Tonight, General Dynamics prepares Ranger 3 to photograph the ocean's surface.

[Travis Willingham]

Experts back Jacques Cousteau's Conshelf 1.

[Matthew Mercer]

Experiments begin.

[Travis Willingham]

Humans living beneath ocean waves.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Cuban missile crisis deepens, Disturbing wizards. Operation Fishbowl launches nuclear tests over Pacific waters. Strange sea creature spotted near sic. Feeling good?

[Marisha Ray]

No.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

The lights have come back on suddenly. You can now see the illuminated ocean floor all around you, along with these several buildings hovering just above the two of you. You can see this creature. This one seems more refined, less scarred, less marked. You see that the face now has these two huge bulbous eyes on it. It seems to have a weird seam that runs all the way down its body across the middle section, the whole thing. And it looks curiously towards you. A mouth now filled with rows and rows of teeth. And I think all of you as well from inside this observatory, also see this slight moment, this slight hesitation, this standoff as you suddenly feel your feet return to the floor, as whatever power was back on in this particular observatory seems to be activating that pump. And the room itself is now beginning to empty of water. But we're not going to start with you three. We're going to start out here. I will say you've plugged this thing back in. What scar do we think that you have taken this thing?

[Abubakar Salim]

Well, my hand was crushed right when the thing slammed in, when Daemon slammed in, the power cut. So I think, yeah, like a crushed hand, maybe a few broken fingers or something like that. Wrist is all bruised and blackened from the impact.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah, I think you can see a physical mark across the skin now where it's become colored where blood vessels had burst inside the hand. And I think several of the fingers just don't work at full capacity. And the two of you are there on the outside of this now, all being lit up. It's a really quite odd sight. It's such a clean, neat exterior. All of the buildings here have this strange. Even though they're weathered and they've got barnacles. Even just the structure of it, it's not the same as what you would be used to, with lots of pipes and gears. And even on the inside it's got all that same familial texture. But it's almost like they made great effort to try and make this look somehow sleek. And the design of it is something almost feels slightly otherworldly. You do, however, see one of those big doors on the outside, like another compression chamber that leads into the Colgrave Nexus not too far from you. As we're essentially in this standoff. As the creature is floating looking towards.

[Marisha Ray]

You, you can hear on my radio, it'll be like there's a door behind us.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah.

[Marisha Ray]

You better move slow.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay.

[Marisha Ray]

Careful.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay.

[Marisha Ray]

Cautious. Start making a move. Me got me eye on this one. Okay. Just slowly take my knife. Readying, essentially.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay, let's go ahead.

[Marisha Ray]

Get in between. If this thing goes for it, we're.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Going to ask for move. And this is essentially how. Well you sort of. Without alerting it, without sort of, you know, making these sudden jerking motions can get to the door without kind of startling it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Can I ask a question? I was in the observation.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yes, you were actually giving. Yay. So you can both have an extra die. Because of the orcas hunt in packs.

[Matthew Mercer]

And it's not uncommon for the attacker to actually be the ruse while the rest of the pack is elsewhere.

[Marisha Ray]

Sure.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Don't give me ideas. What are you doing?

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm paying attention to GMs where they are not focused.

[Abubakar Salim]

Yeah, I'm gonna spend a physical drive on this.

[Marisha Ray]

I'm also gonna spend a drive. So I've got six die.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Wow.

[Abubakar Salim]

Oh, okay. I'll take the five.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Six, six, five, five. Okay. As you move slowly, controlled. I think any moment of slight wobble or unassuredness. Also dealing with this crippling pain in your hand. You're supported well by Daemon as he sort of backs you in the door opening behind you, never taking your eyes off of this creature. And I think that what happens for you is you essentially have to keep your eyes on this creature operating the door with your hand. And it is burning Painful as you take another mark in body as essentially you're having to use a broken hand to open this door without even looking. And it is just excruciating. But you can hear that, the clicks and everything that you need, you can hear. It is an agonizing wait as you all watch on. As you can see this room emptying with water as this creature just sort of floats there staring. As you get down, the door opens. You go inside. There is a moment where you're still outside. It swims right towards you. Its face right here. Make me a gilded roll. This is just the dice.

[Abubakar Salim]

Six.

[Ashley Johnson]

Six, nice.

[Abubakar Salim]

And I get a thing back as.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Well with a six. It cocks its head slightly, reaches out, touches your head, and then just gently strokes down the side of your helmet as you're slowly pulled back in. And the door closes. The creature just looking. And as the door closes, you see the creature shifts and it starts throwing itself at the door, like, pounding against it. And you can see it's leaving now. Marks of blood, you see, start to appear on the outside. And a cloud of blood appears as it smashes its head into this thing. And you can't see now through the window for just a cloud, cloud of red.

[Marisha Ray]

Come on.

[Abubakar Salim]

Backing away.

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah, gotta go.

[Abubakar Salim]

Yeah, yeah, I'm coming.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

So the two of you find yourself inside of a laboratory. See, there are rows and rows of workstations. It does appear that this area has been unaffected. If you do choose to turn your oxygen off, you also find that, yeah, immediately it's off, just like, throw it to the chaos.

[Marisha Ray]

And I'm gonna. Just as I take it off, kind of a bit shaky, and you see me pull out a little flask and sort of open it and just take a quick sip and close it and put it back.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Thank you. Can you make me a focus roll, please? Damon.

[Marisha Ray]

Focus.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Fuck.

[Marisha Ray]

Oh, God.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay, is that two and take below us? Yeah, Four.

[Noshir Dallah]

Four.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay. I think you have a moment where there is a, like, desire for you to act, to move, to do something, and you just about quell it. But I think that you know deep down that, like, you have to, like, something has to change soon. Mm. Mm.

[Marisha Ray]

I kind of look around, I'm like, radio in. We safe. You safe.

[Abubakar Salim]

What happened? Are you all right? It's the power. It's all on. Right?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

And it's the same for you. As we cut back to this, to the observatory. You are also now able to breathe without the use of the helms.

[Ashley Johnson]

I take off my helmet. We can still communicate with our helmets. Off. Yes.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

It seems the lights are back on. As for everything else, I'm not sure.

[Marisha Ray]

A cure. A cure.

[Matthew Mercer]

No need to shout. As the water drains from the observation chamber, her cube crumbles to the floor. The weight of his own body is now very hard for him to maintain.

[Ashley Johnson]

Emily rushes over and tries to remove any extra weight or pieces of your suit. That feel okay? Can I do a focus check on that and just see sort of what I'm observing of his wounds and everything? Okay. And I'm gonna burn a drive on that.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

It's a four. Okay.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Four. Yeah. I think that you managed to get it off. It doesn't seem like you're able to sort of help him with the kind of restricted. Like the restricted movement, but like the pressure has been taken off of him now, like the suit. Like the weight of the suit. Especially considering it's now filled with water as well. But you managed to maybe let the water out a little bit so that he's able to at least get to his feet and with the help with his cane, move around and walk around.

[Matthew Mercer]

You'll see.

[Ashley Johnson]

How are you feeling?

[Matthew Mercer]

I've been better. If you can undo the seal by my boot, at least I can drain the rest of the water from the suit.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes, of course. Emily leans down to untie it.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

We will cut back to the Colgrave Nexus. You see that there is these benches, pipes leading. There's all these vials. And you imagine that they were filled with all sorts of different types of flora and faults. They seem to have been mostly studying the sort of inhabitants of wildlife. You'll see like an anglerfish kind of cut open and dissected. And there's a few things, the odd sort of plant or fish perhaps, that doesn't look quite normal. Whether it be teeth that are too long or there's spines on the body. An eye in the wrong place. And I think that on the not too far away from you, you do see another one of these little leather pouches with the strap around it.

[Abubakar Salim]

Yeah, I'll go up to it and take it.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah, yeah, you pop it open. It's another one of those things. Do you want to.

[Abubakar Salim]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll play it. Maybe it's like, you know, waiting for Daemon to kind of figure out, you know, looking around, trying to see where we can go from here. But I'll walk around with it. So I'm kind of playing it as we move.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah. What's Damon doing? It's your.

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah, I think I think I go towards you to see what.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah, and there's lights on now as well, so it's much easier for you to maneuver around. It does look like there's a. There's a door which sort of leads further into the sort of laboratory sort of area. It does actually seem to have some like, flickering lights on and stuff on inside there as well.

[Marisha Ray]

Probably. Yeah. I'll probably listen to this and keep my eye on the door.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah.

[Marisha Ray]

Great.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

The dreams.

[Noshir Dallah]

They'Re different now. You used to be constant, insidious. Like something creeping in through the cracks. Waves swallowing cities. Your faces I recognize, but twisted, distorted. I wake up sweating, gasping, and knowing something was watching me. But after I stole the vault seat, it's just the one. And then, like that, the dream stopped. I sleep with the damn thing under my pillow now. Keep it in the hole. I drilled a hole in my queen piece. Checkmate, right? It reminds me of my sis.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Gosh, I hope she's Marcus.

[Noshir Dallah]

I don't know if I should even be recording this, but I need something to keep track. These damn pills. They're supposed to help, right? But ever since Yvette gave me this new badge, they just make me feel wrong. Like there's something thick in my throat. This buildup, this smell. Like an oil slicker, a rotten fish. It just sits there.

[Ashley Johnson]

I can't.

[Noshir Dallah]

See. That's not normal. I keep telling myself I'm just run down. Nerve shot. But something's off. I should ask Yvette. She'll know. She always does. Or maybe I should just stop taking them and see what happens. Yeah. Yeah, maybe. Maybe I'll do.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

And it cuts out. Marcus.

[Abubakar Salim]

It just collapsed to the ground holding the recorder. Look, they made him one of those things. I know. We shouldn't have taken that job.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

We will return right after this short.

[Noshir Dallah]

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[Jasper William Cartwright]

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[Travis Willingham]

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[Jasper William Cartwright]

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[Travis Willingham]

They might be more affordable than you think.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

See the [e-mail] and make it a verbo.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

Hey there, critters. This is Ashley Johnson and Telis and Jeffy. And we're popping in here to talk about our new podcast on Beacon, Weird Kids.

[Travis Willingham]

In this series, we're diving into our lives as former child actors. From unraveling art centric upbringings to embracing all the delightfully odd interests we still have today.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

We're covering so many topics like antique toys, taxidermy, Japanese pop culture, and honestly, anything else we come up with.

[Travis Willingham]

Weird Kids is available exclusively on Beacon. But good news, we're offering a one month free trial on Beacon TV so you can take a look before you become a member. Just use the code Weirdos at Beacon TV to start the trial.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

You can also find fellow weirdos by following the series on our heirdkids pod Instagram and using the hashtag weirdkids.

[Travis Willingham]

So, to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos out there, come take a seat at our table and celebrate all things unconventional, nostalgic and wonderfully weird. Welcome to Weird Kids.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

New episodes release every Tuesday break.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

We now return to Thresher.

[Marisha Ray]

And you could just see, like, Damon's just looking a bit lost and sort of puts a, like a light hand on you and sort of pats.

[Abubakar Salim]

Sorry, I know we got a job to do and. He's my brother, Marcus. He's who I came here to find. I was hoping he might still be here.

[Marisha Ray]

Dan.

[Abubakar Salim]

I don't know what they did to him, but it sounds like these pills he was taking or something was all connected to all of this.

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah.

[Abubakar Salim]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I know.

[Marisha Ray]

No, no, no, no. You don't need to apologize. Just this. Make it worth it.

[Abubakar Salim]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you. All right.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

I think in this moment, that earlier brain scar that you had, it feels so present, like a pressure that's pushing down, almost like it's in between your brain and your skull. It's like a wait. And I think that as you sit there and hear this information and think these thoughts. I think you realize that pressure's been there for a lot longer than since you've been down here. I do think there is a moment where, even if so slowly, that pressure starts to ease, as at least there is some. Some level of understanding.

[Abubakar Salim]

Damon. Why did you come here? Are you just here for the job? For the.

[Marisha Ray]

I know the doctor. Yvette.

[Abubakar Salim]

Yvette, yeah, it's the one looking for her. You looking for her too?

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah.

[Abubakar Salim]

Okay. She. You care about her? Or is this something else?

[Marisha Ray]

Okay, something else.

[Abubakar Salim]

I think she did this to Marcus. They all did. I want to make them pay. You help me make them pay.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay. I'm with you.

[Marisha Ray]

I know.

[Abubakar Salim]

Let's do this.

[Marisha Ray]

Go towards the door, towards the flickering light.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

As you walk in through that door, slides open, you see a very strange sight. It's very unlike everything that you'd seen thus far. Almost as if completely untouched. You find yourselves in what appear to be a living quarters. But it doesn't look like it was meant to be a living quarters. A sort of cot has been makeshift in the corner. And you look to the side and you see that flickering is a bunch of sort of lights, almost like fairy lights been put up surrounding what appears to be some sort of shrine. And on it you can see a myriad of papers, of images of articles. All of these things that seem to pertain to mentions of something called. Anything to do with rifts. Rift is a word that comes up constantly. And I'll have both of you roll me survey, please.

[Marisha Ray]

Six.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay. Four. Four, four. You reach down and you see a letter. A letter that seems to be not directed to anyone. Almost like a sort of love letter. Something written in passion. In a moment, it's very scattered and it's talking of pure admiration and joy and. And sort of love for this person and what they have done and the things that they have achieved. And you see that at the bottom is signed Yvette Durant. Dr. Yvette Durant. You look around a couple more letters and you notice that there is a theme as one name seems to appear quite frequently. As you start piecing it together, you see it first. And I think there's a moment where you're like, no, that can't be possible. But you notice Hercule. Hercule Di Bodin. These letters are addressed to Hercule. And as you touch these letters and everything, you start to get this strange feeling, this oily texture in your mouth, which is only made worse by when you. With a six look up and see right in the center of this shrine, there is a picture. On it is the words my Herkyul. And there's a picture of a man that does not look like the man that you are currently traveling with.

[Marisha Ray]

I turn my radio off, and I look at you.

[Abubakar Salim]

I turn my radio off.

[Marisha Ray]

You don't tell anyone over there what we saw, especially Mr. Poirot over there. Understand?

[Abubakar Salim]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah.

[Abubakar Salim]

Okay.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay.

[Marisha Ray]

Can you. Is there another door here? Is there? Or is this, like, the dead end room?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

There is a. I'll say. With a six. Actually, you do notice that there is a little, like, hatch, and then, like. Which seems to have, like, a ladder that goes down. If you wanted to.

[Abubakar Salim]

Can I do something with one of my turn the tires?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Absolutely.

[Abubakar Salim]

I'm furious.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah.

[Abubakar Salim]

I'm really mad about everything that's happening. And I want just a very quick.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Clarify for everyone watching at home. So when our players, our wonderful players, achieve an objective, which I set out for them, I give them a token, and that allows them to shift the tide, which essentially means that they get to take control of the narrative for a beat. There are some restrictions that you can't just hurt another player or kill another player, but you can help another player. You can find something. You can move the story forward in any way that you would like to. So please, take it away.

[Abubakar Salim]

What I would like to do is, in a few moments, maybe while Daemon is examining things, checking out this hatch, I, in a fury, just go into the lab and I start grabbing stuff. A pipe, a canister maybe of a gas or an air, and I start building something, and I want to make basically, like, a pipe gun, like a kind of, you know, nail gun, basically, and just slam this thing together as quick as can possible, like, grab just supplies, whatever I can find, and just load this thing up as a loaded, Ready to use, like, deadly weapon.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yep.

[Marisha Ray]

And I think as you do that and you. I'm kind of left in the room. I'm gonna give you this, and I'm kind of, like, surveying everything, but I'm looking at this picture, and I'm gonna focus on this picture.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay.

[Marisha Ray]

And then kind of wait and then move back in and sort of look at this gun that you've made.

[Abubakar Salim]

Like, throw, like, a strap of bandoliers or, you know, things over there.

[Marisha Ray]

And I'm just like, I mean business, huh?

[Abubakar Salim]

Yeah, I mean business. Whatever those fucking things are, whoever he is, I want answers.

[Marisha Ray]

All right.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

All right, let's go.

[Marisha Ray]

Let's go. I turned the radio back on. I'm like, hey, where you lord hiding?

[Ashley Johnson]

We're still at the observatory.

[Matthew Mercer]

Are you safe? We saw you go in.

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah, we're good. We're good. Fine.

[Matthew Mercer]

What did you find in there? Anything of use?

[Marisha Ray]

Suddenly I kind of go quiet.

[Abubakar Salim]

Just a bunch of lab stuff, science stuff, you know. Nothing. Nothing important here.

[Ashley Johnson]

I feel like we should come to you. Can we move? Emily, Owen, Herkil, can you move?

[Matthew Mercer]

I will be moving very slowly if one of you would be willing to.

[Abubakar Salim]

There's more of those things out there.

[Ashley Johnson]

That's why we should be together. I shoulder. I shoulder. A cube.

[Abubakar Salim]

Can you find any way down? We found a hatch that leads down. Maybe we can meet up somewhere else.

[Ashley Johnson]

They said something about tunnels. With the tunnels, you can get anywhere.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

As you are having this conversation and power has been restored to this area, a little fountain suddenly appears in the middle of the room where that little pond display was. And you see that projected onto the side of this fountain, this rather pleasant looking blond lady stands there and goes. Hi. If you are looking for any information on our glorious station of Ranbior, please feel free to direct them to me.

[Ashley Johnson]

Where are the tunnels?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Huh? The tunnels? We don't have tunnels. What would we have tunnels for?

[Ashley Johnson]

To connect the different rooms. To connect all the different stations.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

There is no tunnels. Unless you're of course referring to our service tubes.

[Ashley Johnson]

Tell us about these service tubes.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Just the ones I'm assuming that you came through to get through that door. You do remember earlier when those tunnels were first referenced, they were referenced as not being on any schematic or not showing up, so potentially not being official.

[Matthew Mercer]

Can you tell us more about the purpose of Bielo's Reach?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yes. Bilo's Reach was designed and intended to stop any unwanted flow or currents from damaging the rest of the Rambior station. Works quite effectively. Also, sometimes it was used to help transport individuals across the station, making travel times that a little bit quicker.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is there a safety threshold? Is there a safety threshold set on this. These controls?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Absolutely. Of course, safety is our number one concern at Atlantech.

[Ashley Johnson]

Is there any way we could use them to reach the laboratory?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

You certainly could, but it would require someone inside to operate it. The quickest way to the laboratory would just be to swim across. It's right there. She points across.

[Ashley Johnson]

Do you think you can make the swim?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

If.

[Matthew Mercer]

You don't mind, I might need to tether myself to one of you. Just in case.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, yeah. We need to make sure you don't get any more scars. And she pointedly looks at Both your neck and your ribs.

[Matthew Mercer]

I appreciate your concern.

[Ashley Johnson]

You're right, old man, you look a bit peaky. I mean, above and beyond the obvious.

[Matthew Mercer]

Not every day you get body slammed by.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh yeah, a fish. Maybe the lab. Maybe the lab will have something. We could also go through the tubes. No, through the crimson strand and then.

[Matthew Mercer]

Over that recording about those hidden tunnels that new scientists talked about. A humming, a sound.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Perhaps instead of looking for an entrance, we should be feeling for vibration or listening.

[Abubakar Salim]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

She mentioned symbols which she did not understand. It doesn't sound like something that was inherent to the base itself.

[Ashley Johnson]

It is something I'd love to check out further. I'm gonna put my ear to the ground.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Did you mention Bobby having found one of the tunnels?

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah, we went. Yeah, I think.

[Abubakar Salim]

I think we said that there was a hatch.

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah, the hatch that we're going through. We're going through one of these tunnels.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's the service tunnel.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Are you asking the ME or the.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, I'll ask these. Like what we've been access.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

It's something different. It's like a secret tunnel.

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah, secret tunnel.

[Abubakar Salim]

Yeah, Secret, secret tunnel. I guess. Like do you guys tell us on the radio that you're coming?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Are you guys gonna make us?

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, don't go yet.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

Don't go yet.

[Ashley Johnson]

We'll come to you.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Also, though, we have met some sort of library interface. Are there questions you want us to ask? Information perhaps that we can relay to you?

[Marisha Ray]

Click off my radio. Yeah. Who the fuck you are? Clicking back on nothing from me. I start. If I know you guys are coming this way, I'm going to start destroying the shrine.

[Abubakar Salim]

Yeah, same. I'm going to go in there, take the letters. Yeah, like start ruining all of that. Like incinerating it or like burning it, shredding it.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

As you touch parts of the shrine as well, you start to get that same oily, fishy taste in your mouth.

[Marisha Ray]

Great.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

We will be right back after this break.

[Travis Willingham]

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[Jasper William Cartwright]

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[Jasper William Cartwright]

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[Jasper William Cartwright]

Head over to vrbo.com that's vrbo to check out the official list and make it a vrbo.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

Hey there, critters. This is Ashley Johnson and Telus and Jeffe, and we're popping in here to talk about our new podcast on Beacon, Weird Kids.

[Travis Willingham]

In this series, we're diving into our lives as former child actors. From unraveling our eccentric upbringing to embracing all the delightfully odd interests we still have today.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

We're covering so many topics like antique toys, taxidermy, Japanese pop culture, and honestly, anything else we come up with.

[Travis Willingham]

Weird Kids is available exclusively on Beacon. But good news, we're offering a one month free trial on Beacon tv so you can take a look before you become a member. Just use the code weirdos at Beacon TV to start the trial.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

You can also find fellow weirdos by following the series on our heirdkids pod Instagram and using the hashtag weirdkids.

[Travis Willingham]

So, to all the misfits, outcasts and weirdos out there, come take a seat at our table and celebrate all things unconventional, nostalgic and wonderfully weird. Welcome to Weird Kids.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

New episodes release every Tuesday.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

We now return to Thresher. Cool. So we're going to make our way over. The three of you tethered?

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Great. Can you, all of you roll me just one D6?

[Matthew Mercer]

So are we trying to use this bellows reach to adjust the currents to help us make this passage?

[Ashley Johnson]

I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea. Isn't it a shorter swim?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yes. Back to bellows Reach? Yeah, absolutely. So if you wanted to go into the billows reach and adjust it so that you could then sort of give you a boost across then. Absolutely, you could do that.

[Matthew Mercer]

I want to spend as little time in these waters as possible.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay, everyone go roll me a six.

[Ashley Johnson]

Six, five, five.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay, very good. And then I'll just get a focus roll from you as you go in and you sort of essentially all of these back in the billow's reach. Now you see that there are these lines kind of connecting. You can see actually now what seems to be quite clear is that when one light is on, it sort of directs, it sort of goes up a line and then connects to another dot and to another dot. And I think what you piece together just from looking at it, whether you can control it, is a different thing, is essentially like it starts with the current and then the each dot is like a panel that it's adjusting and so it can direct that current then to a different place essentially. So roll me focus to see if you essentially can work out which one would point you in the Direction of the.

[Ashley Johnson]

Alright, let me drive this.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Of the Colgrave Nexus.

[Ashley Johnson]

That's six.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Six. Okay. Unguilded. Yeah. It's not too difficult. I think actually inside of the Colgrave Nexus you suddenly kind of hear an audible rushing of water. Suddenly. And you look outside the windows and there is literally a strange stream of bubbles sort of now almost like enveloping the Colgrave Nexus. So amazing. You're going out now tethered. So I will need all of you to make me a move roll.

[Ashley Johnson]

All right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Bon chance.

[Ashley Johnson]

How high stakes is this?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

It's pretty high stakes. Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

All right. I'm gonna vent a drive using my cunning wouldier.

[Marisha Ray]

Would the. Would the thing give them a bit. Oh no. Well, I guess you'd probably accounted for the.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

That.

[Marisha Ray]

No, the idea of them pushing it towards them. So.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just the rolls. The. Yeah, yeah. It's less about them getting across, it's more about them slowing down. It's a six. Six. Two. Two.

[Matthew Mercer]

I roll a three.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Three. Okay. So you get back sort of outside. You can see this current now I think somewhere you hear a distant. And I think that kind of prompts you to just move quickly. I think you go first straight away in. You get caught in this stream and you find yourself. You put your hands and everything out and you brace against the door. You sort of land on it and begin immediately sort of having sort of learned from Betty like how to open these things and decompress, etc. So you start opening the door and I think then what happens is the two of you as you suddenly come rushing through the door doesn't quite decompress properly. You both slam into it and the door now crashes through having not decompressed properly. And it essentially becomes like a wash machine on the inside. And each of you are going to take a body mark as you get. There's essentially a moment as the room now finishes filling with water. This door now somewhat broken. You get slammed against the walls and the sides until eventually it settles down.

[Ashley Johnson]

Are you all right? I'm okay, yeah.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Can just hear it faintly from somewhere outside this door.

[Ashley Johnson]

It's all right, it's outside. It's outside.

[Marisha Ray]

So do we hear that bang?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yeah.

[Marisha Ray]

So I think we're gonna run then. Right.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

And try. And so I think what you see, and I think you know this instinctively Betty, is that you see the three of them in there. They seem to be looking at the door rather concerned, perhaps hearing something though you can't. But you know for a fact that that door can't seal right now. And if it can't seal, you can't depressurize and they can't open this other door.

[Abubakar Salim]

Oh, flip the radio on. You can't open that door. The seal's ruined. It's not gonna depressurize. You're not gonna be able to get inside. You can't use that door. Now what?

[Ashley Johnson]

So what do we do?

[Jasper William Cartwright]

I'm gonna say that you can essentially try and coax the them through it. If you spend a drive to let one of them attempt a sense roll, to try and try and basically fix it. But you're gonna have to try and talk them through it.

[Abubakar Salim]

Okay.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Val?

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah.

[Abubakar Salim]

I'm gonna try and talk you through it, how the mechanism works.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Okay.

[Abubakar Salim]

You're gonna have to try and do this. Okay. So, yeah, I'll spend my one drive that I've got in there that I got back.

[Ashley Johnson]

Bae, talk to me.

[Abubakar Salim]

Okay, you're gonna need to go in. There's a lever on the inside. If the damage. The panel's broken. You need to get in, get into the wires, cross it from green to blue, blue to red.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Abubakar Salim]

That's it.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay. Simple.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm glad you understand what she's saying.

[Ashley Johnson]

And this is a driven. I mean, this is.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Yes, you get extra die. This is a sense sense. Okay. All right.

[Ashley Johnson]

All right.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Pair of fours paraphores. Okay. You managed to get the seal sealed enough, essentially, so that you can. The door kind of shuts in. I think it takes a sort of painful amount of time as the water is slowly draining, draining, draining, draining. And it's with inside the lab as this door swings open and the sort of five of you are reunited, you see that emerging out of the hatch, this creature. One hand, two hands. This concludes part one of this podcast episode. Part two will be here this upcoming Tuesday at 5:00am Pacific Pacific Time. We'll pick up this expedition right where we left off until next time, and we'll be back on board the Thresher before you know it. 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 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 Dibodin, Matthew Mercer as Marcus Callahan, Travis Willingham, Marisha Ray and Sam Riegel were all radio voices. Multicam Director John Sirdivan, 3D artist Owen Tunston, and production designer Gemma Alexander.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

How do you make an Airbnb a VRBO Picture a vacation rental with a host. The host is dragging your family on a tour of the kitchen, the bathroom, the upstairs bathroom, the downstairs bedroom, and the TV room, which, surprise, is where you can watch tv. Now imagine there's no host giving you a tour, because there's never any hosts at all.

[Travis Willingham]

Ever.

[Jasper William Cartwright]

Voila.

[Jacqueline Emerson]

You've got yourself a vrbo. Want a vacation that's completely and totally host free? Make it a vrbove.