To the Hounds! | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 9 Part 1

Summary

Critical Role: "To the Hounds!" Campaign 4, Episode 9 Part 1 – Detailed Summary

Episode Date: December 18, 2025
Dungeon Master: Brennan Lee Mulligan
Setting: Exandria (Campaign 4: Ahriman)
Players/Characters Present: Wickender "Wick" Haylovar, Thimble, Talsidamir Isid, Wulfric, Tyranny, Nevada Anza (NPCs and party allies featured prominently)

---

Main Theme

This episode focuses on the fallout from the deadly confrontation with Kasimir Gavndale in Sloke. The party begins the next stage of their journey: racing north to rescue Talsidamir’s brother Sid from the sinister House Taconis. Along the way, they navigate fraught political realities, encounter mystical travelers and fairy creatures, and step deeper into the intrigue between powerful houses and factions in Timony. The titular “hounds” refer both to the literal order of knightly dogs (the Hounds of the King) and to the spirit of loyalty, perseverance, and secrecy pervading the group’s travels.

---

Key Plot Points & Discussions

1. Aftermath in Sloke and Setting Out (02:03–17:00)

• Dissolution of Revolutionary Guard: A major piece of local upheaval unfurls; Revolutionary Guards are dismissed en masse, ruffling the city’s structure.
• Nevada Anza’s Theatrical Interlude: Nevada directs a play, dealing with the metaphor of renegades and defiance—mirroring the party’s arc.
  • Notable line: “Lash is eating the goddamn scenery, okay? It’s a travesty...I can’t do my job.” — Nevada (08:37)
• Politics & Record Keeping: Lord Einfausen questions Azune about laxity regarding arcane threats and pushes for increased scrutiny—a hint at growing paranoia:
  • “If it is no great task to double your efforts, then I would like to see them doubled anyway.” — Lord Einfausen (13:09)
• The emotional temperature post-confrontation: The party takes stock following their victory and conversations reflect on the emptiness of vengeance.
  • “I thought maybe if he was dead, that Thiazzi being dead would not be as bad. But it’s still just as bad.” — Thimble (33:08)

2. Travel and Introductions (29:13–41:00)

• Meeting the Hounds of the King: The party is joined by Dame Morgaine (a border collie knight) and Hawkins (an imposing mastiff), who invite them to travel north towards Timony, hinting at shared goals.
  • “We are hounds of the King. His Majesty has bidden that all creeds and faiths or absences thereof be made welcome in the kingdom of Timony.” — Dame Morgaine (49:12)
• Complicated Loyalties: Discussion on Wick’s family, the Candescent Creed, and whether Wick is becoming disillusioned with his family’s machinations.
  • “We find ourselves unaligned at the moment with any particular house or nation. Right now we follow one goal, and that is reuniting a family.” — Wick (46:58)
• Growing Threat of Taconis: It’s revealed the House of Taconis may be excavating cairns for mysterious purposes—possibly necromantic or connected to the underworld:
  • “They came into possession of this little barony to hollow something out of the ground and make their way north with it.” — Dame Morgaine (51:45)

3. On the Miller’s Road: Hidden Pathways and Fey Encounters (67:35–116:30)

• Taking the Secret Route: The party opts to travel the “Miller’s Road”—a hidden fey-consecrated path—to avoid detection (Pass Without Trace effect).
  • “You see up on a hill, you see a sort of turning water wheel Miller’s up on a hill...There are no footprints being left by you on this road at all.” — Brennan (80:31)
• Philosophical Bickering & Character Development:
  • Wick wrestles with his growing ambivalence about the Candescent Creed, with Tyranny’s support and playful critique.
    • “Now that you’re doing this, I want to be here. And I really like what you guys are doing...I’m here for CC 2.0. Let’s let it rip.” — Tyranny (87:38)
• Major Fey Encounter: The Black Rabbits (Grigs and Kettlehobs):
  • The group is ambushed by fierce, head-swapping fairy outlaws riding black rabbits—an engaging RP situation that reveals fey customs, trust and reward for fair dealing.
    • “Are you telling me for truth that there’s a house that’s offered to put out bread and milk for the fair Folk?” — Klarny the Rose/Kettlehob (103:08)
  • These fey offer gifts and inspiration in exchange for a sanctuary and information, but also reveal grim news:
    • “...The House of Royce had fallen. Many had been waylaid on their way from the Golden Orchard west through the pass in the mountains.” — Klarny the Rose (107:24)
  • The Grigs clarify they are drawn to mischief only when promises are broken.

4. Entering Tibris Lee: Candle Feast, Intrigue, and the Hospital (123:10–154:49)

• Arriving for Candle Feast: As the party enters the city, the Candescent Creed’s holiday is in full swing; city is bursting with festival-goers, acolytes, white garlands, cookies and candle rituals.
  • “Candle Feast is when it symbolizes when the nights become longer than the days...everyone brings out their candles to light the night.” — Wick (124:01)
• The Hospital as a Focal Point:
  • The House Taconis carriages (bearing captives or mysterious cargo) have notably stopped at both the hospital and the castle.
    • “I have observed many Taconus carriages...that central hospital is where they stop. But not where they remain.” — Felltower (148:33)
  • Lux Aretea is introduced as a healer managing the hospital, dealing with a mysterious illness (“bellows fever”) only the Candescent light seems able to cure.
• Reconnaissance via Street Kids: Thimble bribes children with magical flowers for information, confirming the villains are indeed in town and associated with strange, heavy carriages and a “lady with a skull face.”
  • “She was mean...the carriage was stuck in the mud...some knights helped them pull the wagon out...” — Anonymous Child Informant (138:23–139:10)
• Party Tactics & Dilemmas:
  • The group debates whether to approach the hospital openly (posing Tyranny as a fever-stricken patient), weighing the balance between secrecy and urgency.
  • The Hounds of the King bestow another Pass Without Trace boon, ensuring stealth as the party prepares to take decisive—possibly dangerous—action.
  • The friendly dogs' own backstories and oaths are revealed: knights who died in the Shapers War, returned as noble hounds by druidic magic.
    • “We fought for our...king in this world and the next. But of course, after the shapers war, there was no next. And yet it seemed an ill thing to not keep our promise.” — Hawkins (155:06)

---

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Avenging a Loss (33:08):

  “I thought maybe if he was dead, that Thiazzi being dead would not be as bad. But it’s still just as bad.” — Thimble

• On Faith and Family (49:09):

  “They suck.” — Thimble (in support of Wick renouncing family loyalty)

• On the Sundered Houses:

  “The Sundered Houses kind of became a loosely confederated alliance of what had once been enemies. And they instead said, hey, our lands are all destroyed. Let's find a way to...hold onto power.” — Brennan (game lore, 64:15)

• Meeting the Fairy Outlaws (98:39):

  “You're after traveling on Millers Road in the middle of the night, are you?” — Black Rabbit Fey
  “Are you telling me for truth that there’s a house that’s offered to put out bread and milk for the fair Folk?” — Klarny the Rose (103:08)
  “If a promise to them is ever broken, then they put the bad head on and they start to steal...and do all this bad stuff until someone starts keeping their promises again.” — Brennan on Grigs/Kettlehobs (104:28)

• On The Golden Orchard’s Fall (107:24–108:00):

  “...The House of Royce had fallen. Many had been waylaid on their way from the Golden Orchard west through the pass in the mountains...”

• On the Candle Feast (124:01):

  “Candle Feast is when it symbolizes when the nights become longer than the days...everyone brings out their candles to light the night.” — Wick
  “From spark to flame. I'll take a cookie, thank you.” — Wick (128:19)

• On Dog Knights’ Loyalties (155:06):

  “We fought for our...king in this world and the next. But of course, after the shapers war, there was no next. And yet it seemed an ill thing to not keep our promise. So when the druids...told us...we said, might we return and serve again. And so we do.” — Hawkins

---

Key Timestamps

• 02:03–13:09: Opening maneuverings in Sloke, Guard dismissal, political intrigue, the Arcane Marshals, setup for the party’s next mission.
• 29:13–41:00: Introduction of Dame Morgaine and Hawkins, plans to travel together.
• 67:35–81:57: The secret fey Miller’s Road, travel montage, philosophical discussions.
• 95:55–116:30: Black Rabbit gang/Grigs encounter and barter, major lore drop about the Golden Orchard and the House of Royce.
• 123:10–132:45: Arrival at Tibris Lee, Candle Feast, local color, the party gathers intel on the Taconis entourage.
• 145:31–154:49: Meeting Felltower, confirming Sid’s presence at Castle Delaunay, clandestine support from the Hounds.
• 155:52–End: The dog-knights’ oath and break.

---

Thematic Threads & Running Jokes

• Dog Humor: The blend of pathos and canine jokes is constant—“What is it, boy?” / “I’m a full grown man.” (95:33) and Hawkins’ stoic seriousness contrasts with Wulfric’s irreverence.
• Family vs. Chosen Bonds: Wick’s shifting allegiances, Thimble’s fey heritage and sorrow over the Golden Orchard, and Tyranny’s open existentialism all color the group’s dynamic.
• Stealth & Secrecy: The repeated “Pass Without Trace” effect ties the literal and figurative theme of avoiding the eyes of powerful enemies while trying to do right.

---

Conclusion & Next Steps

This episode set the table for what will likely be a high-stakes incursion into the castle or hospital to rescue Sid. The players have gathered crucial intel, allies, and magic to support them, though the situation is fraught with danger (and unresolved grief for Thimble, with the implied destruction of her fey homeland). The dynamic interplay between the party, their dog-knight supporters, and the fey outlaws is a blend of classic fantasy, moral ambiguity, and found-family heart.

End Quote:
“To the hounds.” — Thimble, Talsidamir, party & all (156:34)

---

Next: "To the Hounds!" Campaign 4, Episode 9 Part 2 — coming Tuesday!

Transcript

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

If you've been diagnosed with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, this is what it sounds like to be a million miles away. Imagine being a million miles away. Tremphya Kucelcomab, taken by injection is a prescription medicine for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections or pills or phototherapy with Tremphya. Clearer skin is possible. In clinical Trials, at least 70% of patients saw at least 90% clearer skin at 16 weeks. Results may vary. Tremphya is also indicated for adults with active psoriatic arthritis. Serious allergic reactions and increased risk of infections and liver problems may occur. Before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu like symptoms or if you need a vaccine. Tap this ad to learn more about Tremphya, including important safety information.

[Adobe Acrobat Ad Voice]

Adobe Acrobat Studio so brand new. Show me all the things PDFs can do. Do your work with ease and speed. PDF Spaces is all you need. Do hours of research in an instant with key insights from an AI assistant. Pick a template with a click now your prezo looks super slick. Close that deal. Yeah, you won. Do that doing that, did that, done. Now you can do that do that with Acrobat now you can do that do that with the all new Acrobat. It's time to do your best work with the all new Adobe Acrobat Stud.

[Retail Ad Voice]

December deal drops at Lowe's or wrapping up, but there's still time to snag something worth bragging about. Get up to 40% off select major appliances and members save an additional $100 on a new and exclusive Samsung French Door refrigerator, now just $18.99. Need new tools? Select tools and accessories are up to 45% off this week. Lowes we help you save valid through 1224, while supplies last selection varies by location. Loyalty programs subject to terms and conditions. See lowe's.com terms for details.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Why hello there. I'm Brennan Lee Mulligan, and welcome to Campaign 4 of Critical Role. Thank you for joining us on this journey as we explore Ahriman, a world of fractured kingdoms, tumultuous rebellion and sorcery that rises from the graveyard of the gods. You're listening to part one of this adventure, with Part two arriving the this upcoming Tuesday. Our episodes typically arrive on the Critical Role Podcast network a week after our initial Thursday night streams on Beacon, YouTube and Twitch. But if you'd rather listen to a full podcast episode of Campaign 4 Right When it airs without any ads, consider becoming a Beacon member. You'll receive access to exclusive content discounts at all our online Critical Role shops, pre sales for live events, and so much more. Start your seven day free trial today at Beacon tv. Now, without further ado, let's begin this episode of Critical Role. A frenzy of activity. Wagons coming to and fro, loaded with material. You see ranks and ranks of Revolutionary Guard stationed in one of the main courtyards of the Brethren Hall. Azune, you are slightly behind a balcony on a second story of one of these larger keeps of the Brethren Hall. As you see, Horondas Einfausen, standing before the assembled Guards, says to those of you who have proudly served the Revolutionary Guard, you are dismissed of your service, effective immediately. Generous compensation for the ending of your employment will be presented to you at the gate. Your exit is here. Those of your equipment which were provided by the Revolutionary Guard can be deposited in this wagon to your left. The city and its attendant lord's advisory. Thank you for your service. That is all. He turns, leaves the balcony and walks down into the hall where you and Captain Azir both are waiting. He turns to you and says, well, today will be a very busy one. Lieutenant Niar. Yes, sir. I trust that you would do me the honor of showing me through some of the attendant offices of the Arcane Marshals. It would be my pleasure to do so, my lord. Thank you very much. You see that? He goes and speaks quickly to one of his attendants, who goes out to the yard where you see a bunch of dazed Revolutionary Guardsmen just staring around. You know that probably more than half of the city's Guard was standing out in that courtyard amongst those that were dismissed. Dismissed? I think I'm studying the sea of these people. My understanding is that the Arcane Marshals Office has been kept intact. And as far as I know, you walk in and see that all of your companions, your fellow marshals, are all standing there looking, for the most part, still here. Of those that were dismissed, did any stand out to me as particularly upset or angry? I mean, a lot of them. Okay, good. Yeah, a lot of them. Walking into the Arcane Marshals. I'm ushering in Lord Einfassen as I'm walking past. I will look into other offices just to see is that one empty? Is this one empty? You walk through and I think you see that Constance, who was your record keeper, is no longer here, my Lord. I notice that a record keeper has been amongst those dismissed. We are going to consolidate the record keeping of the remaining Revolutionary Guard into a central branch. Understood? We cut to a separate area of the city. Wagons moving to and fro, shouting, over here, over here. As tapestries, fabrics, tall sort of flats. You see a tremendous push of effort as construction begins hammering on nails as an enormous flat showing a sculptural but also largely painted backdrop of an ancient Orcish castle painted with ash and a fiery sky overhead. And where do we see Hal in this moment?

[Nevada Anza]

Hal has stopped in at the hallowed round only for a short time, maybe 30 minutes or so, to see how the production is coming. We're getting closer to an open of this production and Nevada Anza is directing this performance. So I'm just here to get a beat on things. Distracted as I am, as we all are with other things. Still have to keep the lights on.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Walking up to the stage, you see off in a corner, Shadia is busy with some paint. You see that looking out, you see that? She goes, dad, what do you think about Vokion Murzat right here? It's the first play we're putting up, so I think putting him in the front row, on the outside of this box, you see that she has this figure of a Orcish hero that precedes the Shapers war by about 100 years in one of many failed Orcish rebellions against Osgra. You can see that there is this. She's painted this really handsome looking Orcish general who has a fist raised with a shattered blade in his hand. And you can see behind him, other Orcs rising up against this fiery sky.

[Nevada Anza]

She goes, run with it. I like your idea from the other day. We start with the most recent and then let history stretch on out into the periphery.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I love it. Okay, great, Great, great, great. And these are changeable. We can move the panels, but yes, I think this is a great place. You hear? Feel a little tap on your shoulder as Nevada turns around and says, hal, I have a big problem for you. I don't think we're feeding the actors enough. Oh, no. Because Lash is eating the goddamn scenery, okay? It's a travesty. We don't need a. We don't need a dramatic pause on every sentence. And he keeps cheating to his best angle when it doesn't make sense.

[Nevada Anza]

I don't want to step on your toes.

[Wulfric]

May I?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Well, he won't listen to me. So God forbid an actor. Sorry, shaper. Forbid an actor or. You understand what I'm saying? He's a menace. I can't do my job.

[Nevada Anza]

The story we are telling here is called Kotherai.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see People, hush. The work stops.

[Nevada Anza]

Heretics. The other nuance to that word is renegade. Walk over to Lash. Walk up onto stage. Renegade. Yeah. He is not facing inward. He is standing here facing down these holy men. And now the Rangjani who have turned on him as well in this crucial moment. And he is not caving in. He is a renegade. And his confidence is key here. He is content to stand with his choice. Was his blood being spilled here on this spot, this actual spot? Was it for nothing?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, no. Outward.

[Nevada Anza]

So, Lash, we're not going to play for pity. You will hold yourself high and speak the truth. What a gift we have here under a clear blue sky, to tell Murzat's.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Story.

[Nevada Anza]

And tell the truth for once in some place here today. And I place my palms and my fingers on his collarbone, over his shoulder. Let's take a breath, everyone.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Nevada Anza]

And on the second large inhale as the entire company of 30 to 40 people breathe out. Swipe my hands away. Pat him on the cheek. You've got this. And in effect, cast enhance ability and augment his charisma.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Nevada. Sorry.

[Nevada Anza]

As you were. Sorry. Edar Chorus. Make sure that you anticipate the turn just a hair more. And carry him in.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Got it?

[Thimble]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, we'll carry him in. It's just the pauses make that hard to. The pauses make it. We'll do it. We'll do it.

[Nevada Anza]

Suck out the air.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay.

[Nevada Anza]

I wink at Shadia over his shoulder and climb halfway back up into the audience and watch everyone scurrying about. And I watch the other actors with knives drawn for our central character and just feel a little shiver run down my back at the unintentional coincidence.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Looking at the long knives come out, you feel the weight of the liar's blade at your side, watching. Back to one, everyone. We return back to the Brethren Hall. As Lord Einfausen looks at your particular office here, says, exemplary work here, Lieutenant Naiyar. Your record keeping is absolutely fastidious. I appreciate the care and attention to detail. Coordination is the hallmark of any military endeavor. And. And it is, I think, important that the various organs of the city begin to act in concert with each other. May I ask something to you? Of course. Have you observed, in your time here working in the city, any areas of laxity where the Revolutionary Council has been made aware of arcane threats to the city and chosen not to act? Not to my knowledge, my Lord. Is this something you want us to double our efforts in observing? Has there been evidence of this that you are aware of? No. But I appreciate the eagerness with which you offer to double your efforts. Is it such an easy thing to double your efforts? I believe that we are of the mindset that whatever must be done in service to the city is what shall be done. He furrows his brow and says, if it is no great task to double your efforts, then I would like to see them doubled anyway. I will see what assignments I can move around to make room for this particular task. I appreciate it. Is there any clarity I can provide to you in what is expected of you, Lieutenant Naiya? Not at this moment, my lord. If there's any further need of me, you know where to find me. I do. Best of luck with your patrol today, Lieutenant. As he turns to walk out, he looks out and says, pausing in the doorway, you've arrived at this station quite early in your lifespan. Is that so? It would seem to me. I know not how to respond to that, my lord. I do my best. Did you enter military service at a rather young age? I did. Would I have heard of any of your military endeavors? I don't think so. I was quite young. Very well. I wish you all the best. It is good to know that there are those who see the force of the movement of great events and find themselves at peace with these changes. He removes himself. We return back to the theater. As you feel Hal, in this moment, looking out, seeing Nevada. Say everyone, listen to your producer. As he said, strong choice. And that's choice. Singular. Alright, you see that looking out. Lash begins to speak. The knives are out. I'm not afraid. And if I am to die. And launches into the version of the speech. Outward broad fast throughout the city. And you can hear the voice booming across the vast rooftops of Dolmak Yar. And we'll return to this story in another episode of Critical Role. Hello friends, and welcome back to the Critical Role Announcement Playhouse.

[Wulfric]

Let's jump into it so we can get to the game Ora Europe.

[Tyranny]

Hi guys. Guess what?

[Thimble]

We're in the final days of the 4th Annual Critmas Camp with Sale and.

[Tyranny]

All of our Critical Role shoppies.

[Thimble]

It's your last chance to save up.

[Tyranny]

To 60% off on like Joy's Apparel.

[Thimble]

Daring Depressed Games Pins.

[Tyranny]

So much more before the sale ends on December 14th.

[Thimble]

Like, seriously.

[Tyranny]

I went and looked at some of it. It's marked down so much you get some really good deals.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Oh, maybe I should get something.

[Tyranny]

I know.

[Thimble]

I'm telling you.

[Tyranny]

Check it out.

[Thimble]

I think there was more, but it.

[Tyranny]

Scrolled and I don't know what it was. So love you guys. That's it.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Awesome. Thank you, Laura.

[Thimble]

You're welcome.

[Wulfric]

Heck yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Moishy, you're up.

[Tyranny]

Episode 6 of the Mighty Nein is available now On Prime Video 6 and 9, or mighty mean as some people don't understand. You can sit down with us.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Cut that out. You can. She should relay her shit. Don't leave me.

[Tyranny]

You can sit down with us. Next Monday, December 15, for Beacon exclusive Fireside chat with Sam Riegel and Tasha Hugh, who is our showrunner and executive producer of the Mighty Nein. Tasha's a badass.

[Thimble]

Literally.

[Tyranny]

Couldn't have done this without her son. Hop in the Beacon discord right now. Send along your questions and yeah, I can't wait to chat with you all next week.

[Retail Ad Voice]

Fantastic.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Thank you, Marisha.

[Wulfric]

Liam, you're up.

[Nevada Anza]

Oh, yes. I have some comic news. Critical role the Mighty Nine jester Lavoir is on webtoon now. We'll put comics anywhere in a toaster you don't know. The series, first published by Dark Horse as a graphic novel, explores the origins of each party member of the Mighty Nein. Fans, both new and returning, can experience the story in a brand new way. Reformatted for webtoons immersive vertical scroll format. You can find it now now on webtoons.com.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Check it out. Fantastic. Thank you so much, Liam. No one on, no one watching. Saw how long you had that on your head.

[Thimble]

I had it on for so long.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It was so long, y'. All.

[Wulfric]

It was on there for a while. Doing great.

[Thimble]

You'll know.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yep.

[Wulfric]

However, that concludes our announcement. So let's go ahead and return to.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The world of Ahriman Aramagh. I'm gonna have this the whole episode.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

If you've been diagnosed with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, this is what it sounds like to be a million miles away. Imagine being a million miles away away. Trousel taken by injection is a prescription medicine for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections or pills OR Phototherapy. With TRIMFIA, clearer skin is possible in clinical trials, at least 70% of patients saw at least 90% clearer skin at 16 weeks. Results may vary. TRIMFYA is also indicated for adults with active psoriatic arthritis. Serious allergic reactions and increased risk of infections and liver problems may occur. Before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu like symptoms, or if you need a vaccine. Tap this ad to learn more about Tremphaya, including important safety Information.

[Adobe Acrobat Ad Voice]

Adobe Acrobat Studio so brand new. Show me all the things PDFs can do. Do your work with ease and speed. PDF Spaces is all you need. Do hours of research in an instant with key insight insights from an AI assistant. Stick a template with a click now your prezo looks super slick. Close that deal. Yeah, you won. Do that doing that, did that done. Now you can do that. Do that with Acrobat. Now you can do that. Do that with the all new Acrobat. It's time to do your best work with the all new Adobe Acrobat Studio.

[Tyranny]

Hey crafters, you're invited to visit the new Knit and Sew shop at Michael's. Find hundreds of fabrics in over 800 stores and over a hundred thousand styles on michaels.com shop your favorite yarn brands including Big Twist, Caron Cakes and Bernat in multiple styles and colors. You'll also find all the machines, tools and notions you need with top brands like Singer Brother and Pellon, plus Essential Thread and Floss. It's all new at Michael's.

[Retail Ad Voice]

The clock's running out on December deal drops at Lowe's, but there's still time to wrap up something they'll love. Shop great gifts under $50 like the Dewalt Elite Series 100 piece bit set. Plus if you order by 2pm, you can get same day delivery by 8pm Shop December deal drops. While you can Lowe's we help you save same day delivery on eligible in stock items subject to availability. Fees vary. Details@lowe's.com SameDayDelivery.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hello and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role. Every time I'm about to talk, they say a bunch of stuff I know you know it's grown, but nope, just the first syllable of the word scrotum folks. Tonight Tonight's episode of Critical Role takes us back to the kingdom of Timony, where our heroes have just completed one little quest that was occupying their mind. Oh, so bent on blood and vengeance. Lo and behold, Thimble, Boon companion of the late Thiazi Fang, has avenged his death, at least in part avenging the closest betrayal to him. Although perhaps there are many whose names could be put on an ever growing list. However, his closest friend who betrayed him, Kasimir Gavandale, got to be the Baron of Sloke for a short few days before he met his end atop the ramparts of the crumbling castle that he had sold his soul to get. Kasimir, his blood soaking into his cloak, yet hangs over the ramparts, his name released from service, his Crow keeper companions, newly knighted by this freshly anointed baron, laid to waste. One thrown over the castle walls by Cadogan Vale. Another, I believe our other Crow keeper died down there in the. Was, I believe, smoten by Teor Pridesire.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Flail to the chin.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Caught a flail to the chin. And the last drowned mere moments ago in a wide and broad puddle. By a cool ass dog. By a cool ass dog. A Roc's mastiff dog. Drowned dog. Drowned. Stay drowned. As we well know, our companions have been traveling north for vengeance against Kasimir Gavndale, who at the last moment sold out a plot to save Thiazi Fang's life. Captured and set for execution back in the city where our quest began. Dolmakyar, for the part that he played in betraying Thiazi and leaving him at the mercy of the hangman's noose. Kasimir Gavandale is no more and he has paid a bitter price. His words perhaps ringing in Thimble's ear about the life that was left for him after the faltering and ruin of the Falconer's Rebellion. And perhaps the words ringing in Wick's ears of him being truly and totally alone here without any guards. And perhaps ringing in all your ears is the noise of the enormous squid that was summoned by your chanter's egg as tyranny disguised as Dr. Jezebel Finger. There she is.

[Tyranny]

She was instrumental. I'm gonna say. She did her job.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Probing.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Is it wrong to say, for a disguise gone too soon? She can be back. She can be back at a moment. So don't.

[Tyranny]

And that is a threat.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And that is a threat.

[Talsidamir Isid]

That's what fan arts are for. In mortem.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Discussing that the castle seemed to be seized by the House of Hailuvar, for indeed, Wick prevailing upon everyone as a lord of the House of Haylovar, one of the mighty and great sundered houses, and the sort of patron family of the Candescent Creed. The castle was handed over to Wick as it seemed that it had been taken or conquered. However, it was quickly deeded over, both with whatever legitimacy is left to your name, but also with a quick act of forgery on tyranny's part, altering the deed of title to the newly minted Baroness, the former Dame Cosgrove, a young lady knight who grew up here in the rain soaked village of Sloke. She seems to take this mantle very seriously. And we find ourselves here in Brawla's house. Brawla Dossiper, who is keeping a Public house here in Sloke. Within the home you've just been joined by Dame Morgaine who you'd met on the road here to Sloke, as well as Hawkins. Again, Dame Morgaine, a sort of dappled, almost calico esque border collie looking herding dog with some patches of blue amongst the black and white and brown. And then Hawkins is this enormous tawny gold mastiff. He has a sort of a light pale gold that sort of darkens to brown around the jawline and the paws and around the ears. Sort of accented. This enormous muscular mastiff. When I say a large dog of two, I mean in that way where his head is quite a bit larger. Larger than a human head? His head is almost like a chest unto itself. A guardian dog, that is. You've seen some wolfhounds out around the Shepherd's flocks. Those are big and imposing. These mastiffs are not made to hunt wolves that are made to stop armed humans. So you see Haakon standing here looking at you and saying, well met, traveler. I hope that I did not give you too much pause on the road.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Was that a pun?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Pun? Sorry, why? Explain the joke.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Well, pause could in that sentence have a double meaning. Meaning pause to give us a bit of a fright. And also pause because you used your pause to murder a man.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Murder? No. I challenged him to a duel. He accepted. And then when he saw me emerge from the wood line, he started to run. That doesn't end the duel.

[Thimble]

True.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He assumed I was a man. And I am not a man. I am a dog.

[Thimble]

And a very good dog at that.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Thank you for the compliment.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Stop short of good boy.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, he looks and says, no. The only man I've given pause to today in that context would be the late Gully Breeches. Why are you traveling in these lands?

[Thimble]

Well, now we're off to find your brother.

[Talsidamir Isid]

That is right. We are looking for my brother, Talsidamir Isid to those that know him.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Morgaine looks up at Brahla and says, my dear Madame Dausaberf, we might have a meal for our friends here they are for the time being. Friends of the king. And you see that? She nods and says, well, I'll whip that up right away and goes off to start collecting something for you all to eat here.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Is there a menu or is it just sort of.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No omakase.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Okay.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you see Sheikah.

[Wulfric]

Pretty sure last time she just said it was potato soup. Yeah, yeah, we got potato soup.

[Tyranny]

Take nothing unoffered Right.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Thank you for reminding me.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see the other knights here sort of seated. There's not enough tables in this place for them. Some of them are just seated on small casks or barrels over in a corner. And Morgaine looks over to you and says, your business brought you here to. To seek out Kasimir Gavndell.

[Thimble]

Uh huh.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I sense that my presence is leaving you slightly guarded. I must speak with our dwarven friends in the corner. And I would leave you to your own for the time being. But if your travels would still see you head north of here, following the envoy that left town not too long ago, you are welcome to travel with myself and my companion, my brother knight.

[Thimble]

I mean that sounds really cool. If that's okay with you, Taylor.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Absolutely. It would be most agreeable. We would be fortunate for the company.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She nods and says, I will leave you to your own decision. And you see that? She goes and walks off over to the group of dwarves over in the corner that you can see have thick muddy boots, mud covered jackets that have a lot of dirty equipment with them. These look like not travelers, but workers. You see that they have a lot of gear around them. And leaves you guys to discuss the aftermath of the battle of Castle Sloke.

[Thimble]

Okay, so that, that, that went well.

[Tyranny]

I mean, how do you feel, Thimble? You got what you wanted. And what do we do now? I guess we're still fighting your brother. But I mean, this feels like. Do you feel better?

[Thimble]

Um, yeah. Yeah. I mean that's. Yeah, he needed to die and.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I.

[Thimble]

Don'T feel much better, honestly.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

If.

[Thimble]

I thought maybe if he was dead, that Thiazzi being dead would not be as bad. But it's still just as bad.

[Wulfric]

That's a strange thing, isn't it? You would think.

[Tyranny]

Well, I'm glad he's dead. That guy sucked.

[Thimble]

No, me too.

[Wulfric]

Oh yeah. We're all glad he's dead.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yeah, for sure.

[Talsidamir Isid]

It does seem to shine a light on how large the conspiracy against Diazi actually was though. Kasimir feels more and more like at peace.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Thimble]

Isn't it strange that this long after everything that they would put a target on his back again?

[Talsidamir Isid]

It was my understanding that he had fallen in. Found a place of use in Dolmarchiar.

[Thimble]

Well, I mean, yeah. I mean, for the most part we did some questionable things, but yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Thimble]

I mean, he was useful to so many different people. And loved.

[Wulfric]

You always gotta wonder when someone ducks and dodges something for so long, why they got caught. You don't get less savvy when you get older.

[Thimble]

But all the houses working together, yours and the tacones.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Did you know about that?

[Wickender Haylovar]

No, not at all. It does feel like there's something. An ill will, an ill wind blowing.

[Tyranny]

Because that was me. I'm sorry.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Oh, well, your brother and this thiazi and the family's working together and this business over at Hal's house with everyone sort of conversation converging there and having different strange things happening to them as well. I knew I met someone through Hal a few months ago and she disappeared as well.

[Thimble]

Who?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Oh, just a girl. She was an actor in his troupe. But I just thought she wandered off to an. But at this point, I don't know anymore. Maybe there is something some trouble brewing. This king of Timony is now making his way south.

[Thimble]

Yeah. Why?

[Wickender Haylovar]

There's stuff happening. Well, it's not our job to figure out what, but. No, perhaps we should just be on alert.

[Tyranny]

Well, first of all, it's not just a girl in a theater troupe. He is fully. A picture that he was hugging and smooching it right before we left. I don't really know.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Former flame?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Not a girlfriend? No, just. We connected on a. When you go to the theater, you sort of let go of yourself a little bit and feel emotions and portray yourself in a different way. And it can be very romantic, that's all. And we just felt a bit of a connection.

[Tyranny]

All I know is after we would go and visit Hal and go see the shows with her and her he prayed all night. Afterwards he would sleep a wink. Praying and praying and praying.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Unrelated. Unrelated.

[Tyranny]

You're just very devout.

[Talsidamir Isid]

What's this woman's name?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Arm us.

[Thimble]

Are you celibate?

[Wickender Haylovar]

I don't think that's any of your business.

[Tyranny]

We all keep our vessels pure in the sea. We just keep our vessels pure. Nice and pure.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

But.

[Wickender Haylovar]

And that's a choice to be celibate.

[Tyranny]

And that's a choice.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I could be. I could do either.

[Tyranny]

You could have a drink today at this when.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I don't think I can. There's only water.

[Tyranny]

Well, I think that there's. I think that Hawkins said there's gonna get some wine or something.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I don't know. We could brawla sets a couple of bowls out in front of you and you can see. Oh, no, no. Jesus Christ. Not yet. No. Sets of actual bowls, small wooden spoons. As you guys sit and eat. You can take a short rest here. As you are eating and you see it's getting probably about a little bit later in the maybe. It's early to mid afternoon at this point. Still a little bit gray outside. You see the knights talking to each other about what is to come. I think anyone who wants to. If you're just focused on each other, you can. You can also make a perception check at this moment if you want to do any eavesdropping on what conversations are happening here at The Tavern. Crack 2020. Oh, hell yeah.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I yield 13 points with one.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Great. Are you focused on Morgaine and Hawkins speaking to the dwarves in the corner or are you focused on the knights speaking of, to each other?

[Thimble]

I think I'm more interested in the dogs.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Cool. You see that? She looks and says, you see that? One of the dwarves leaning forward goes, well, I mean, I couldn't tell you one from the other, but we got pretty far in there before we realized it was a crypt. You see? See that? She sort of nods and says, I understand. So you found no other? There was no other? No creatures or no sense of said, no, no. Once we realized it was a crypt, you know, we came back out. We had a little prepare for things like that. You don't go digging around in the dirt unless you're ready to find some, you know, nonsense every now and again. We had holy water, we had everything like that. But we got out and the only thing we found in there was sunlight. She said, really? From whence you see, he goes, well, the front of the cairn where the actual wall was engraved, that had clearly been taken apart, not put back together. Because you can see the old barrows around here. They have what's called daub, which is a sort of. They get a ceramic or a clay base. And you see it starts going into. And you see Hawkins and Dan Morgan both kind of zone out as the dwarf gets really craftspersony about it. And you see that? Hawkins says, more to the point of what happened rather than how they executed this daring architectural maneuver. And you see that? The dwarf goes, got it? Yeah, well, it got taken down from a state where it was supposed to be there permanent. And they put it back up quick. You see that? Morgan looks over at Hawkins and. And says, I don't expect you to have looked too terribly into the goings on within the cairn. Were there any bodies, remains or a lack of such. You see that Jasper, who's this main dwarf who's talking goes, lack of such. Lack of such. There were nothing in there. And you see that two of the other dwarves with him, that, for whatever it's worth, look a little bit they actually seem to have a kind of bluish stony tint to their skin. You see that they have one of those long braided black beard, but you see that none of them have any white in their hair. They all look pretty young except for Jasper, who has a dyed white in his beard. You see that they both sort of spit over the shoulder. And you see that Jasper just goes, yeah, well any case, that's all we saw, but I couldn't tell you why or how. And you see that Morgaine just sort of nods and says thank you for this information. I suspect that this activity was quite recent. Very well, good to know. And you see that she looks over to Hawkins and returns to your guys.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

TABLE if you've been diagnosed with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, this is what it sounds like to be a million miles away. Imagine being a million miles away. Trimfya Kucelcomab, taken by injection, is a prescription medicine for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections or pills or phototherapy. With Trimfya, clearer skin is possible. In clinical Trials, at least 70% of patients saw at least 90% clearer skin at 16 weeks. Results may vary. Trimfya is also indicated for adults with active psoriatic arthritis. Serious allergic reactions and increased risk of infections and liver problems may occur. Before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu like symptoms or if you need a vaccine. Tap this ad to learn more about Tremphya, including important safety information.

[Adobe Acrobat Ad Voice]

Adobe Acrobat Studio so brand new. Show me all the things PDFs can do. Do your work with ease and speed. PDF Spaces is all you need. Do hours of research in an instant with key insights from an AI assistant. Pick a template with a click. Now your prezo looks super slick. Close that deal. Yeah, you won. Do that, doing that, did that, done. Now you can do that do that with Acrobat. Now you can do that do that with the all new Acrobat. It's time to do your best work with the all new Adobe Acrobat Studio.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Gas Gifts Tolls this holiday trip is draining my wallet.

[Tyranny]

Yeah, but we'll get to see all our family.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You're festive.

[Thimble]

What's your deal?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What's my deal?

[Tyranny]

Holiday savings and Metro. I got one line of 5G for just $25 per month and I kept.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The phone I love and no activation.

[Tyranny]

Fees and a five year price guarantee on my talk text and data detour.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

To Metro it is.

[Tyranny]

Get that more for your money feeling only at Metro by T Mobile. It's $30 your first month or without. Autopay price guarantee exclusion supply. See cipher details.

[Retail Ad Voice]

December deal drops at Lowe's are wrapping up, but there's still time to snag something worth bragging about. Get up to 40% off. Select major APPL members. Save an additional $100 on a new and exclusive Samsung French door refrigerator now just $18.99. Need new tools select tools and accessories are up to 45% off this week. Lowes we help you save valid through 1224 while supplies last selection varies by location. Loyalty programs subject to terms and conditions. See Lowes.com terms for details.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Well, travelers and you see. She turns her attention to you here and says, my lord, I don't know if we've had a proper introduction. I am Dame Morgaine and this is my companion, Ser Hawkins. Hawkins Knots.

[Wickender Haylovar]

It's an honor to meet both of you. This is my aspirant tyranny, and may.

[Tyranny]

The beam reach you.

[Wickender Haylovar]

We. We're grateful to your assistance today.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And she says you are, if I'm not much mistaken, a member of the Candescent Creed. May I ask your name, sir?

[Wickender Haylovar]

I am Wikender Haylovar. Ah.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Should I?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes. And you travel here in Timony. In the company of. You see, she holds her head up a little bit mischievously and says, these charming adventurers.

[Tyranny]

We're hunting truffles.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hawkins goes difficult.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Remember my troubled days.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Blame me. Says, Do you find yourself. She turns to you here, thimble, and says, it was in the interest of the House of Haylvar to see the late Baron Gavandale brought to a swift end.

[Thimble]

Yeah, sure, I think.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She says, I understand you are traveling in a strange realm and I am asking questions. I would not take kindly to someone peppering me with questions either. It is a. It is a strange time in which many of good conscience yet have things to hide. However, you are, I must say, to my own credit and defense, very interesting. And something tells a story here which is not a common one. Therefore, I am left perplexed and incredulous. I hope that makes sense.

[Wickender Haylovar]

It does. And I feel like honesty is always the easiest way to see through to a person's soul. We find ourselves unaligned at the moment with any particular house or nation. Right now we follow one goal, and that is reuniting a family. And we realize that at least. I realize that my family may have certain angles and designs in this realm, but I don't currently act on Their behalf or in concert with them.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Give me a persuasion check.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

10.

[Wickender Haylovar]

No, 12.

[Thimble]

Would you get advantage if I was screeching her ear?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

If you would like to give the help action here by. If there's anything. If anyone would want to vouch on Wick's behalf, you are welcome to do this.

[Tyranny]

Absolutely.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Then you can roll with advantage. You're getting the hell patch.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Much better. 22.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What does tyranny do to assist Wick in this moment?

[Tyranny]

I'm just going to. I'm just gonna put a little light thaumaturgy and just make sort of the glowing stuff around Wick like candles thing just like get a little brighter and a little. And a little like just a little soft focus hit his skin looks so good. He looks so pretty.

[Nevada Anza]

Ring light.

[Tyranny]

Yeah, ring light. I hold a ring light in front of him.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Morgaine smiles and says, you find yourself at odds with the house that bears your surname at the moment.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yes. Realized that they.

[Thimble]

They suck.

[Wickender Haylovar]

They suck.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Dame Morgaine says, as a hound of the King, His Majesty has bidden that all creeds and faiths or absences thereof be made welcome in the kingdom of Timony. You see, Hawkins goes. Even those openly fomenting revolution and rebellion. And you see that? She says. You see that? Morgaine says. Well, I don't know how much the faith itself is to blame for that. After all, faith is quite a large thing. Many people, many moving parts. Your words ring true to me, my lord. And if you find yourself unaligned a sheep separated from his flock, then know that it is always of the utmost priority to the hounds of the king that lost sheep be guided to safety and security.

[Wickender Haylovar]

That's amazing. Yes. We're just little sheep. We're just little sheep out here. We need a shepherd.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Hawkins looks and says. You see? Hawkins says, I smell blood on them. I don't know how little these sheep are. Hawkins says, the Taconis envoy, we have been trailing them for some time, moving through the lands here. We had no intention. The late Baron of Sloke was not someone that had come across our priority. We knew not what mattered he to the Taconis or not. You see? Morgaine says, no, indeed. I believe the Taconis did not come into possession of Castle Sloke for the purpose of pawning it off on Kasimir Gavndale. That may have been an added bonus for them but not something that they necessarily aspired to do with this place. Now I suspect that they came into possession of this little barony to hollow something out of the ground and make their way north with it.

[Thimble]

Do you think they succeeded?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Quite likely. They came into its possession not very long ago. The Earl of Gormalay. Saw fit to anoint the marriage of the late lady of Sloke to the young lord Docet Taconis, who was the baroness husband for all of nine months.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Do you know what they were searching for in this area?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Sloke has no great wealth to speak of. And the Taconis are the Draconis have been moving in our lands silently, quietly for some time. They made their presence known more than in the past. I would say some two years ago, A little bit less at this time. But they amongst the sundered houses, the Taconis of all always been a silent one. In the old empire of Obra Demia, there were two priestly houses that served directly beneath the royal house of Obra Die the Haylovar, which were the speakers of flame, always happy to make grand pronouncements and speak on behalf of the Shaper of the sun. The Taconis were the priestly house of shadow and of night, of the passage of souls through darkness to emerge in the hall of the Shaper himself. They were a house of a duty related to the passage from life to death and to the afterlife.

[Thimble]

This is so creepy.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Therefore, in the absence of an e. Halls of the gods of permanent afterlife, the house of Taconis, their ancestral obligations led to an ever expanding underworld. As the House of Haylovar, as you are well aware, my lord has seen fit to establish chapels. And the movement of Havar cannot be missed. In fact, they announce their mission movements as gloriously as the light which they wield. It is their power. Draconis have been moving in shadow and we have only sniffed them out. I'm afraid perhaps too late. There have been cairns like this opening up throughout the land. Perhaps we should return to Timmins Rock. She turns to Hawkins and nods and says, the Stag of Seven Tyons will be able to give us some answers if we start to put this information together.

[Thimble]

What's the Stag of seven?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Morgaine looks up and says, those Druids of Timony are of the circle of the Stag. The Druids of the Kings are well versed in hidden lore and messages. These various cairns that have been opening up. We are swift on our feet and perceptive. We can sense movements of the undead, of demons and of fairies. But to sense a pattern like this is. It requires more vision than simply to burrow in the hole after your quarry, we will need someone that can see the forest and the trees at once. Which brings us north along the King's highway, if that is indeed safe. Regardless, we believe that the Taconis have been combing our land for some hidden resource. Do you now follow them? You had mentioned for a brother.

[Talsidamir Isid]

My brother Sid.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I smelled him there in the tavern. I would have thought to mention something, but I did not know that you were across the stream in your own cart, asleep when we came across.

[Thimble]

I'm so sorry, Tior.

[Talsidamir Isid]

It's all right. How could you have known?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We can make our way and to our own ability, try to help you find him. Once we arrive in Tiberi's lee, we will have to take caution there and get a lay of the land. But following that, we can travel with you at least as far before our duty compels us to part ways.

[Wickender Haylovar]

That would be incredible. But I imagine that you travel quite quickly and we don't as much.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that she smiles. Here, you see the Baroness Cosgrove stands and says, you will travel as swiftly as they. And you see that she says, thanks.

[Wickender Haylovar]

For the pep talk.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that she smiles and says, The horses of the late baron are riderless at the moment and you should take them and travel with them.

[Wickender Haylovar]

The ones that Cadogan scared off into.

[Talsidamir Isid]

The dibs on the pack, Muir.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Oh, they did?

[Wulfric]

Yeah, when they came back there.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

If you need only four, then we are more than happy to part with it.

[Thimble]

You see that I require my own steed.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, Hawkins bows before you and says, my lady.

[Thimble]

Level of.

[Tyranny]

Sorry, loveric.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, you see that Dame Kosgrove says, by all means, you may travel much more swiftly with those horses. And truth be told, the armor alone is more than enough. And the gold you've given, we will be able to replace those steeds and then some. With generosity you've shown Dame.

[Thimble]

When we do find Cid, if we're still with you, will you help us get him back?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that, Dame? Morgaine looks over at Hawkins, turns to you and says, We will help you to the edge of our duty. And I am afraid no further. You see, Haakon says, now, if it should happen to pass that any rapscallion has laid their hands on a free traveler on the King's way, and it can be proven as such, then as knights of the king, we are of course within our bounds to see that safe passage be granted. If there is no proof and we can bring no complaint to the Taconis. It would endanger our crown and our kingdom for us to openly accuse the Taconis of such a thing. However, what we can sniff out, we will. All right. You see that? Morgaine says, well, you've had your potato soup. Does traveling at night. Does traveling at night suit you? Or do you wish to rest?

[Talsidamir Isid]

Fuck, yeah. We travel at night. Night.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, really?

[Thimble]

Are you hurt still?

[Wickender Haylovar]

I'm not hurt. But I do like a nice warm bed with a cozy down blanket.

[Thimble]

Every hour that passes, Sid gets farther away.

[Talsidamir Isid]

That is soft weakness leaving your body. You will ride side settle, cover of night.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yes, yes, we will ride.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Also.

[Tyranny]

You just basically said that you're giving the middle finger to your whole family. And so night probably feels like a good idea so we don't run into anybody who might know about that.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Good job, by the way.

[Tyranny]

That was so cool.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Thank you.

[Tyranny]

Am I still a. Am I still an acolyte? Do you still believe in this stuff?

[Talsidamir Isid]

Oh, boy.

[Wickender Haylovar]

That's a heady question.

[Tyranny]

Okay, we can talk about it later. You don't have to tell me now. But, hey, maybe if your family is the one who is stopping you from getting with Armis and, you know, instead trying to get you to marry that old bag, maybe we can get her along the way. Or.

[Thimble]

Do you think your family stole your girlfriend?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Not a girlfriend. She's. I wouldn't want to. She deserves more respect than that. I don't know what happened to her. I don't know. But at this point, I wouldn't put anything past my family.

[Tyranny]

Didn't she kind of stop hanging around? Hal? Right around when your engagement was announced?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Wickender Haylovar]

It could be that she just got a gig somewhere. You know, these actors, they're very unreliable, very insecure. They just sort of very into their own. Their image.

[Wulfric]

They're really.

[Wickender Haylovar]

They're horrible people.

[Tyranny]

I hate actors.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Actors are the worst.

[Tyranny]

I thought that you loved Hal.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No. Hal, don't you want to be an actor?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Hal's great. I do. I do.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay.

[Talsidamir Isid]

House Hilavar has other allies. Yes.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yes, of course.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Outside of Taconis.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I don't know that, Brennan.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You have many? Yes. There are five sundered houses. Your closest allies are the other sundered houses. So. Kormoray, Einfausen, Royce and Taconis.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Taconis.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I only.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I was surprised to find Taconus. Lisa involved along with your house. And it seems the farther we go along, perhaps more and more of these houses will join the fray. I. I am concerned about the scale of what we are Wading into.

[Wulfric]

Would the Taconis allyship with. Would that be news to the public? Would that be something that. Because we know of this.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah. No. The way to think about the Sundered Houses is that they all went through this same thing together, which is that when the God of the sun was killed in the middle of the old Obra Demian Empire, all of their lands were the most impacted and affected. And therefore, when the eternal night descended, they could no longer grow crops. These terrestrial holdings all went away, but they had this tremendous amount of wealth and more importantly, magical power. Like, as you're going through Timony, you're hearing about earls and lords and stuff like that. They're just the King of Timony. King of Timony is probably a fighter. All of these Obra Demian houses were sorcerers. So it was this incredible amount of magical power associated with all of them.

[Wulfric]

So they're obviously in similar stations, split up, these sort of nation states or whatever they are kingdoms, but there's no open alliances and no open strife between them. Currently they dislike each other other low key interpersonally.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

But the reason that the Sundered Houses get. So in other words, there is a big formal known alliance between five houses. So for example, in Dolmachyar, the Chamber of Lords Advisory has representatives from all five Sundered Houses. So it's literally they're seen as being a coterie, they're seen as being in cahoots with each other openly. And of course, the story around the reason that the term Sundered Houses is used openly is that there's almost kind of an empathy behind that. Like after the Shapers war, Royce, Einfausen and Cormoray were on the anti God side of that. Taconis and Hailovar were on the pro God side. And after everything happened quickly, what sort of bubbled up is, hey, the war was the war. We're gonna help each other because our lands have all been destroyed. So there was an actually a brief moment in time where the whole Sundered Houses thing was actually quite. Maybe not empathetic, but it was like, we share this, right? So the Sundered Houses kind of became a loosely confederated alliance of what had once been enemies. And they instead said, hey, our lands are all destroyed. Let's find a way to. On the positive spin, let's find a way to come back from this thing where that befell us. And the other side is, let's find a way to hold onto power.

[Wulfric]

Catagan's squatted down by Hawkins. And he's eating his soup, and he's kind of squatted in, like, on his heels, and he's just eating his soup. And he goes, hey, you ever get the urge to do dog stuff?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Do you ever get the urge to do man stuff?

[Wulfric]

No. Dog stuff.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What?

[Wulfric]

Or man stuff.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What are you implying? Why a rude question.

[Wulfric]

I know it's rude.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I'm sorry.

[Wulfric]

I'm just curious. Like, you ever want to, like, sniff and dig and hunt an owl?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, well, we all sniff. I presume you sniff.

[Wulfric]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The fact that your sniff is less capable than mine doesn't mean that.

[Wulfric]

But let's be real. You sniff a lot more than I generally. Okay.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

My point is, you look a lot more than I do, don't you? Your eyes are higher up. There's always stuff blocking my view.

[Wulfric]

That's a good point. I do have a specific question, though. I've always wondered sometimes. Wulfric. And I've seen foxes do it. I've seen dogs do it. They're sniffing and they're digging in the ground, right? For something. And in your head you're thinking, oh, it's gotta be a vole or a gopher or something down there, right? But then they come back and they do it the next day and the next day and do it over and over and over again. And then you start thinking, is there anything really down there? So is there anything really down there?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes. And he walks away. I knew it. The great secret. The great secret. Yeah. You see that, Morgaine? As you guys finish up, the sun's getting a little bit lower in the sky. She comes to you and says, very well, then. We pursue our quarry. May I ask. We are happy to go with you, especially riding on horseback up the King's highway, which will be somewhat faster and more direct. In our passage to Tibris Lee.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

We.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

May also take another path which will be slightly more hidden, should you wish. I do not know if there are any that look for you. You seem to have defeated quite a significant enemy here. But if you wish for more safe passage, then you may come with us by. Well, the Hounds of the King do know secret ways for the countryside that will not slow us by much, but will be much safer in terms of passage.

[Thimble]

All I know is Lord Docet and Lady Univere, they don't fuck around.

[Tyranny]

That lady is so scary.

[Thimble]

They're scary people. I mean, I remember Octus talking about them.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And.

[Thimble]

Maybe it would be better if they didn't know we were following them.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yes, of course.

[Wulfric]

Here we are hunting. They don't want to let them know we're being hunted.

[Thimble]

Right. If there's a chance that we could get set away from them without a fight, I feel like that's the best way to do it. Right?

[Talsidamir Isid]

Yes, that would be most ideal. I have also. I also wonder why they still have Cid alive.

[Thimble]

Yeah.

[Talsidamir Isid]

What is it that he has that is of value to them?

[Thimble]

Do they even know? They don't know we're after him.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I don't believe there would be any reason why they would suspect.

[Thimble]

Did you hear them talking when they were leaving the tavern? Did you hear them say anything about what would make it important to them?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I could not connect their speech with any figure. I smelled that there was a Nama upstairs, but I did not know if that body asleep on the ground was a willing companion or otherwise. And the name Cid meant nothing to me at that point in time. In a snippet of conversation I overheard as they entered the tavern while I feigned sleeping before the hearth fire, They had mentioned the expression of two birds with one stone was used. And they had mentioned stumbling into another one. What another one could mean, I do not know.

[Tyranny]

Is there a non zero chance that they are keeping him because they want you?

[Talsidamir Isid]

I don't see what value I would have. I have not been in Dolmarchiar. I haven't seen the other years. I only came to pay my respects. But the two birds with one stone. I don't know what that means.

[Wickender Haylovar]

But he clearly has something that they want. And for now that's a good thing because they won't harm him.

[Talsidamir Isid]

This is true.

[Thimble]

Do you know what Sid was up to?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Sid was driving carriages for the Revolutionary Council.

[Thimble]

It wasn't like, as far as we know, anything else.

[Wickender Haylovar]

But he said as a carriage driver, you hear all sorts of things. Maybe he has information.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Yeah, or he. I mean, could he point back to the rot? Could it lead back to hell? Could it be the linchpin in any sort of growing resistance?

[Wulfric]

I think the only way we figure it out is talk to your brother.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Agreed.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hawkins looks out and says, very well then. We'll take the Miller's Road. The Miller's Road. He smiles, he goes over, speaks to the young Baroness Cosgrove and says, we shall give word to our order and send missive to his Majesty the King on his return from Dolmarkia. He shall come and make all things right. Until such time as that can occur, you have the blessing of the hounds of the King to tend to your barony. As you See fit. And you see that Dame Morgaine goes over to the dwarves and says, thank you again and best of luck with your wend. You see that? Jasper nods and says, well, thank you kindly for that. I appreciate it. We'll get this bridge up in no time. And she walks back. Brola, once again, my thanks. And you see that the knights all around the baroness, as the baroness stands up and she bows to the five of you as her knights once again clank gauntlets to their rusty breastplates here in Sloke and back they fly up and down.

[Thimble]

It's kind of like a nod.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She says, for the madness of your sudden whirlwind visit to Sloke and the kindness you have showed me, you will always have a warm fire. Or as warm as we can get them here in Sloke.

[Thimble]

Good luck with rebuilding everything you've given.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Us an unlikely but perhaps our best possible foot forward. Thank you.

[Thimble]

Thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you guys head on out of Sloke as the sun begins to set. Are we killing it Mount? Oh, we're crushing it out loud.

[Tyranny]

Winning D and D. Yeah, we just helped this town. This guy just completely CC New wave, where the CC is zigging, he's zagging, he's a rebel leader.

[Talsidamir Isid]

We're basically the Care Bears.

[Wickender Haylovar]

It's probably gonna be this easy for.

[Retail Ad Voice]

The whole rest of the.

[Wulfric]

The time, I'm guessing.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

This is great.

[Tyranny]

This is great.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You did great.

[Wickender Haylovar]

We all did great.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I mean, is your family going to try and follow you and then kill everyone in the town that we just left?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I don't.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I mean, maybe, possibly. I don't know, but they've got other things on their mind.

[Talsidamir Isid]

They know to say that you haven't been seen here or that we. They did see you here being.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Oh, the folks that we just left, I think. I think they'll keep our secret.

[Tyranny]

I don't think that that was asked of them. Because everything that you've said for the last day is that I am Wickandra Halevar and you can have this deed back and I am helping you and I am going against my family. So I think our covers are.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I was just double checking to make sure we understood.

[Tyranny]

I think that actually now what we've left, I mean, I'm following your lead, which is now, like, fuck my family. I'm doing my own thing, which I love.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I wouldn't say quite like that.

[Tyranny]

No, no. You hate when I swear. I'm sorry. I think that it's great. I think you should get like. You could take this on the road and be like, you don't have to do what they did. You still believe in everything. You still have these sick powers. You get an acoustic guitar and start recruiting people like that. You know, kids love that. Anyways, all down the line, I'm sure.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I'll look for a guitar, I suppose. Yeah, sure, sure. I mean, thank you for boosting me up, Tyranny. I appreciate it.

[Tyranny]

But don't doubt yourself. Doubt leads to dimness, right? That's what the creed says.

[Wickender Haylovar]

You're right.

[Tyranny]

Yeah.

[Talsidamir Isid]

How are you feeling about all this?

[Wulfric]

Are you asking me?

[Talsidamir Isid]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Well, no.

[Wulfric]

I felt pretty good. Honestly. I haven't felt that good in a while. Decent people. Seems like things are gonna get a lot more decent for them. You two are fucking mess. But we're here for you. And he's sworn to you, which means you're worth a. But you got what you wanted in a fucking epic way. I mean, crossbows, tower, that's the shit. You know, I'm just here for experience, really. And so far, it's been fucking tough.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, that's cool.

[Tyranny]

That's cool that you're just having fun with us. That's awesome.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Wulfric]

Yeah, I'm having fun with you.

[Tyranny]

I. Yeah, I agree. We're a mess. We don't know why anyone is fighting for anything. But I feel as someone who's been on this plane for a total of about six months, I really love to see you guys fighting for what you believe in. I'm really motivated by your story, and I think this guy is really learning a lot about himself. Is second puberty over here? Disagree.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I don't see a flaw in anything you've said. No. Quick question, though. For you, Mr. Teor, you wield the light sort of like I do. How does that.

[Wulfric]

That's a good question. Because when we knew each other, it was like a little spark. He was more of a sort of a marauding fucking head smashing. Just champion. He was a physical presence, a young lion, full of mirth and fervor for battle. And now. Now I'm like, look at you. You're such a soldier.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Just like.

[Wulfric]

Don't make it weird for me.

[Tyranny]

What else was he full of?

[Wulfric]

We were all war buddies. That's it.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Don't paladins sort of get their powers from an oath of some sort? Do you get your powers from an oath to me? Is that what. Did you swear an oath to me? Is this what's happening here?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Wow.

[Talsidamir Isid]

No.

[Thimble]

Conceded much?

[Wulfric]

Don't feel too special. He swore an oath to me. Wants too.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Oh, I believe the light is a little different. It is new and I don't entirely understand it either.

[Tyranny]

Did you drink any of that angel juice filament?

[Talsidamir Isid]

I don't even know what that means.

[Thimble]

I'm doing this again.

[Wulfric]

I assume we're slowly riding on horses during their retirement. All of the rest of the sea talking ride.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay, as you guys get to the edge, as you guys get to the edge of Sloke, I think that you start going down some pathways out of here, getting away from the rainy mountainside. You're traveling for a few miles and eventually the rain ceases and you actually get to a softer nighttime and you see the clouds part. And for the first time because you were traveling through thick woods and near the mountains where the clouds just were ever present.

[Wickender Haylovar]

This is so much nicer. It was raining cats and dogs. No offense. No offense. No offense.

[Talsidamir Isid]

You see, he should die. He should die. He should die.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As you get closer to the King's highway, you see that just some of the buildings get. You see that some of the inns are now two stories again. It gets little bit more populated going to the countryside. You get to a small crossroads and up in the distance, slightly elevated, going over a bridge across a much wider river. So it's a bridge that actually has some posts a couple ways through the river getting across. Morgaine stops at a crossroads, looks over at Hawkins and goes up towards the edge of a sort of hedgerow and leans down and whispers and goes. Land to whom I have given my life's blood. I walk in service to a king, unstopped and unhalted by life or death. Please see our steps given gentle shadow. I ask to walk the Miller's road. In the companion of these aboon knight and those under service, however temporary, to our king. You see that, you guys hear the wind shifts and behind you guys you see in a flurry of wind a bunch of blossoms like honeysuckle blossoms blow and scatter across the damp dirt road. And anyone who wants to give me a perception check.

[Thimble]

I love those flowers flying around.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

17:17 Tayr. This is a weird thing to say. You were pretty clear that you were standing at the core a four way intersection. But you were wrong. There's another road. And you see that Hawkins turns to look down it. And you see up on a hill, you see there was a sort of turning water wheel Miller's up on a hill. And you see as you all look, I think Cadigan, you notice it immediately. Immediately as you turn down this road, you see that There are no footprints being left by you guys on this road at all. As you begin to walk down it and the dogs take off you are all under the effects of a pass without trace spell.

[Talsidamir Isid]

That's super cool, man.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Super cool. As you head up the Millers Road, so you see, as you do, Hawkins was sort of keeping on his guard. But there's something about traveling on this pathway that, you see, he seems very unperturbed and much more jovial than when he was sort of. The dog that was sort of glaring daggers at you in the night is nowhere to be seen. As you take this other pathway, he turns and says, so, what think you of Timony in your diary?

[Wickender Haylovar]

It's a lovely countryside, I suppose. I suppose. Do you know if you said my family has been sort of doing things up here in Timony?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes, they have. Well, your family, the Haylovar. Yes, certainly. They're doing things everywhere, aren't they? Well, sure, but. Busy, busy, sure, but.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Any new developments that maybe hadn't reached my ear?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Morgaine looks over Hawkins and shrugs as she's padding along and says, well, there's the hospital in Tyberries, Lee.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Oh, we made a hospital, yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Tending to the sick there, I believe.

[Wickender Haylovar]

That's wonderful.

[Thimble]

Well, some sick there, not all the sick, because some people wouldn't be welcome there.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She looks out and says, it's quite possible, my Lady Thimble, that we will cross paths with some of your kin who also know the way of using the Miller's Road. So I think that we should. Should we run across some of your kin here, perhaps you would mind speaking on our behalf.

[Thimble]

I got you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Much appreciated, you see that? She hearkens to her and says, but, yes, your candescent creed has seen fit to. Well, let's just say that there are certain lords within Timony that have taken to course calling King Augustus a tyrant, if such drek can be believed. And the credulous and those desperate enough for answers to blind themselves against obvious truth have seen fit to take that as writ.

[Tyranny]

Don't worry, Mr. Hawkins. We're doing our own thing now. This guy is gonna change everything when it comes to candescent greed. You're absolutely gonna change the fairy stuff, too, right?

[Wickender Haylovar]

I mean, within reason, I think. One step.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Of course.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I'll try my best. No, it's just I don't know how your culture works. And I don't mean to speak for you or on your behalf of. I don't. I'm sorry. You make me very nervous. You're always.

[Talsidamir Isid]

You seem afraid of instituting great change, especially that which is at your fingertips.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I just don't want to over promise. I'm going to try my best, but. Well, it's not like I.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What is this? Over promise. What is it? Does your heart shudder to dream of what might be? Let the world dash your destiny. Don't do it before you even see. Set out on your quest.

[Tyranny]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Aspire to great things.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Now. Now. Do it now.

[Wickender Haylovar]

All right. Yes, yes, yes. I will. I will right all of the wrongs of my family and bring justice to those we have betrayed. And I'll make them like pixies, too.

[Tyranny]

Yeah.

[Wickender Haylovar]

And apologize.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And. And.

[Wickender Haylovar]

You deserve better than whatever has befallen you before.

[Talsidamir Isid]

You should put pen to paper. The Book of Wick sounds good.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I don't.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I don't make it so.

[Thimble]

Start your own cult. Step away from your family's cult.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I wouldn't call it a cult. We've helped a great many things.

[Tyranny]

Yes, he has a. Listen, religions evolve. They can. And he's still. I mean, technically set to be the next one in power. Who's to say that he can't make a good change? I mean, you clearly are developing a moral compass, as am I, in real time, and I feel like you can make some good changes.

[Thimble]

I was gonna fly in front of tyranny. Sorry.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, please.

[Thimble]

Are you getting paid for this?

[Tyranny]

I am getting paid in the sense that I get to be here and not in the past pit. Okay, So I would like to stay as long as possible.

[Wickender Haylovar]

What is it?

[Tyranny]

What is it?

[Thimble]

What is it?

[Talsidamir Isid]

You have to look at your own time.

[Tyranny]

That's a good picture of me. I get to be here as long as I am under his employ.

[Thimble]

But as long as you're building him up and saying good things about him.

[Wickender Haylovar]

She'S compelled by. She's compelled by.

[Tyranny]

You can cancel my contract.

[Talsidamir Isid]

What happens if he dies?

[Tyranny]

I probably just get yoinked back to the pit. And by the way, you can cancel the contract anytime. You can send me right on back if that's what you want.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Is that what you want?

[Tyranny]

Is that what you want? Is that what you want?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Is that what you want?

[Wickender Haylovar]

No, I don't want that. But I don't want you to stay here out of some sort of obligation to me. I mean, I want you to. I was meant to be your spiritual guide. To send you on the good path, to. To bring you to the light and out of the shadows from which you emerge. But I also don't want to force you to do that.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, you're your own person.

[Tyranny]

I love that you have taken this new direction because, I mean, listen, if you wanted to. Let me say this, if you wanted to just go back to the Candescent Creed and say, mommy, Daddy, I'm so sorry, I would like to have some truffles now, please.

[Wickender Haylovar]

That's not how I talk.

[Tyranny]

And just do your job and be a fancy lad again. That would not change my life at all. I would still be here for three years. But now that you're doing this, I want to be here. And I really like what you guys are doing. And I think it's sick as hell that you are now saying actively out in the world that you're going against your family. I'm here for CC 2.0. Let's let it rip.

[Thimble]

What was that for, Kat?

[Wulfric]

Oh, I'm just saying. Before we go pinning up the the tenants of Wick on the door of the church, can I ask, is the creed getting the people to call King Augustus a tyrant?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Morgaine sighs and just goes, Who am I to cast the heart of those I do not know to say what motive lies therein? What I know is this. There were many lords, earls, barons, counts and viscounts of the kingdom of Timony that began to call Augustus a tyrant. Shortly after King Augustus entertained audience with members of the Falconers rebellion. It has been a dream of the king's for some time to establish a council of heralds or speakers. Part of the Falconer's rebellion asked that the people of the peasantry be given call to send their in Timony. There have been all calls for many generations, those that speak on behalf of the townships and their interest. In many towns it is simply the elders of the village, but some do choose or select amongst themselves someone to speak for the needs of those towns. Augustus, in speaking with those of the Falconist rebellion, considered formalizing that and having the king be petitioned directly by the people of Timothy. This was seen by many of the lords of Timini as being a direct affront to their vassalage and patronage of their own lands. The whispers of tyranny did not begin in farm or field.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Oh, sorry, not just general.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Tyranny did not begin in farm or field. They began in castles and keeps. And the lords, I believe, searched for quite some time for a way for those whispers to spread. But whispers have a hard time spreading. Lords do not often entertain conversation with the peasants. However, there are those who walk from castle hall to farm and field. They're Known as priests. And they were happy to, I believe, deliver that message. But I have no proof of what I now say.

[Wulfric]

You don't need proof. That's one of the oldest campfire stories of all time. You know, my dad was a real bastard. But he had a few good sayings. And one of them, there's only one way to turn the people against a just king. That's two ways. Bread and God.

[Tyranny]

Your dad sounds very smart. I want to know.

[Wulfric]

He was a total prick. Don't get me started.

[Tyranny]

I would love to get you started about this guy.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You guys travel up the road. Anyone who wants to give me a survival check or nature.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Get yourself.

[Retail Ad Voice]

I need your help.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Not good.

[Nevada Anza]

13.

[Wulfric]

What'd you get, a 13?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

13 15. Nature tyranny. As you're wandering along this pathway with everybody else, I think that you observe that you're walking through this wonderful countryside of tall hedges and then roads that kind of cut into the land where there's embankments on either side of the road, like farm and field sort of above them. But it means that you don't have visibility on where you're going. But as you'll pass through some hedges, there are some sort of tunnels of apple trees will cross overhead and give you a momentary cover of canopy. And you could swear when you come out the other side, the stars have changed slightly. You come across a little hound shrine, one of those way stations, and you see that Morgaine looks and says, we would do well to rest. We are making excellent time, but we should sleep as the sun rises and make our final way.

[Wulfric]

I feel like you've been so respectful with those this whole campaign.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You gotta do it. Make your way downtown like you're taking it easy on him at episode eight.

[Tyranny]

But I love.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I love it. We're getting there. It's time. The time is coming. So you guys have the benefit of a long rest.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Sweet.

[Wulfric]

Can I poke around the dog shrine for a chewing bone for a meal?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, this is a very well tended shrine. There's plenty of slop. There's bones aplenty. You have everything you need? I'll ask for the continued travel as you guys head north again. Making good time, but it's like more than 50 miles to tyre Easley. So it's gonna be a few days of traveling to get there. Go ahead, if you'd be so kind. I want just roll a luck check in front of the board. Laura, why don't you do us the honesty? Just roll a D20 and I'll say roll two D20 for me. And take the result farthest from 10, good or bad? Ooh, fun. Does that count?

[Wulfric]

That teeny tiny?

[Thimble]

Oh, wait, is that an 11 and a 13.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

11 and 13. Okay, 13. Traveling the next night farther down the Miller's Road, you are headed through some farmland. And you see that it's become. You've moved away from the border in the mountains. So you've moved away from sort of shepherd land into actual more farmland here. See, there's lots of rows of vegetables and there's some grain around and things like that. And the land here gets much less sylvan and much more agrarian. Meaning you don't see big forests. You're getting further inland into the kingdom of Timony. Where there are a lot more old little villages and stone buildings out here and thatch roofs, but still keeping close to hedgerows and things like that. As you get out under some hedgerows, you see that Hawkins suddenly comes to a stop and goes, we're being watched.

[Thimble]

What is it, boy?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What? I'm a full grown man.

[Thimble]

What is it man?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What is it, man? Who's it, man?

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

Is Timothy in the well?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Is Timothy in the well? Anyone who wants to give me a perception check? Yes.

[Thimble]

Why can't I get it in the thing?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Don't worry, I have you natural 20teor. Multiple sets of eyes are looking out at you from underneath a hedge.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Oh shit. Underneath a hedge. I will. Could I gather this without making my attention straight onto the. Could I try and whisper it from out the side of my mouth to thimble?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What is it?

[Talsidamir Isid]

Under the hedge there are rows of eyes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Little eyes.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Little eyes. Under the bus.

[Thimble]

Can I get a bead on the little eyes at my niner core?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Look like they feel like.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Are they too.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

All right, you look under the hedge.

[Talsidamir Isid]

This is professional.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

They've been poisoned. I think fimble as you give a way that you look right towards them. You see that fey eyes meet yours from under the hedge and coming out slowly. But surrounding your traveling group on either side is a group of fey cavalry. Small sort of 4 or 5 inch fairies riding black rabbits that come out. You look out and see they've got longbows on their back, these long bright red poison looking arrows. But you see that there are a group of fairy warriors here. Their legs are long. They look like bramble or twig thorny sort of twig legs. Wearing leaf armor. And you see that they've got spiky hair. They're menacing little fairies with a collar of thorns like a Spiked collar around their head. And you see that these warriors riding rabbits are wearing heads on their belts.

[Wickender Haylovar]

How big are these heads?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

They are also fairy heads. Oh that you see look sort of mournful and sorry. Are these little rosy cheeked fairy heads.

[Thimble]

You know I'm gonna be less likely to go down there. And they look like. Those look like pixie heads. What do they look like?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

They look somewhat like pixie heads. You see that? But they're these little sort of floral heads that you see have these collars that are like flower petals. Almost like a ruff. You know that big poofy thing but are hanging there. These sort of mournful. I will say they don't seem to have any blood on them. They just look like mournful tied around the belts from the hair.

[Tyranny]

This is so sad.

[Wulfric]

Do we all see them?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You all see them and you see there's this sort of brawny looking one even at five inches who's got this longbow. You see that? He's got some other. Looks like he has javelins on the saddle pack of this rabbit. You see. He comes out and looks at you and says. You're after travelling on Millers Road in the middle of the night, are you? Yeah.

[Thimble]

Um. There's my wings.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Um. You see. Hawkins snarls and goes. The Black Rabbits. Thieves, outlaws and brigands traveling the Miller's Road. Um, you see that? The black Rabbit. Yeah, you see that? Morgaine says easy Hawkins. We travel in the company of a pixie. Let her speak for us.

[Wulfric]

As soon as the bunnies come out of the bush, Wulfric just literally like hair up, ready to go. Just after bunnies keep him in. Yeah, but he's doing that thing like if you put a treat on a dog's nose. And they're just doing everything they can to keep it together. And I see this. And in Thieves cant I'm gonna whisper to to assemble. Do I let him rip or. All right.

[Thimble]

I say back.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that the one in the lead who sort of rides up on his rabbit about 15ft in front says oh, and let your great wolf have its first bite. It'll be his last for certain. Yeah.

[Wulfric]

They speak Thieves can.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, these Black Rabbits, he says that you guys don't understand. He's speaking in thieves can to you you. And he says and how do you like it? L shanks you and your range of friends traveling around here in the place. That wolf, he's as much a stranger in these parts as us.

[Wulfric]

I'm not much of a Negotiator here.

[Thimble]

We're not trying to stay here. We're just passing through.

[Wulfric]

Yeah, we're passing through.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He looks out, looks around and says, passing true. Then these hounds of the king have your blessing to travel years? They do, yeah.

[Wulfric]

Hawkins, see?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hawkins looks out and says, announce yourself plainly and speak a language that others might speak as well. Morgaine. Hawkins. You see that? Morgaine says, we have no quarrel with you. What is your name, good sir? And he says, cloney of the thorns. Misi says, me and my Greggs are riding here on the Millis Road to find ourselves safe passage somewhere else.

[Tyranny]

Greg, wait.

[Thimble]

Where are you going? I. That's a personal question. I'm sorry.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He shrugs and says, he says, and who's asking? There, you look. You look. A pixie, but one who knows her way around these martial places.

[Thimble]

Yeah, I've been living with the city folk for a while.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You live in a great city as you do?

[Thimble]

I tell the big folk what to do.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Well, and how do you like that? Give me a persuasion check with advantage.

[Wulfric]

Can I tap her on the shoulder and give her guidance and then say, yeah, she's my boss.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That's great.

[Thimble]

Those are both really good roles. Okay, so that's 20 plus three. 23.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, he alights off his rabbit and looks and says, and a pixie living for sorting in a giant city. Then you tell the big folk what to do then, do you? Well, you'll be finding yourself a friend of the Black Rabbits as long as you're in these parts. And he puts out his hand, does the hero's handshake around the wrist, like he says. Ah, well, then. We've been having a hard time out here. It's hard for we. We wouldn't like to be outlaws, certainly, but we are. No choice. They don't leave the milk out or the crust of bread for us.

[Thimble]

Wait, wait, wait. Are you looking for a garden to tend? I happen to have a house that's looking for a group of fairies.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Is that for certain?

[Thimble]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You tell us where it is.

[Thimble]

You got to promise you're not going to steal from this guy.

[Adobe Acrobat Ad Voice]

He's.

[Thimble]

He's really good. He's a nice little old gnome, all right.

[Wulfric]

They're totally gonna steal from him.

[Thimble]

No, no, no.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I believe in these guys.

[Thimble]

You're good. You're good folk with your. No, no.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I'll break any promise I make. Black Rabbits, you see, he looks around and says. And says. Says, are you telling me for truth that there's a house that's offered to put out bread and milk for the fair Folk.

[Thimble]

Yeah. If you tend the garden and keep away any of the other trespassers.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Where's this garden?

[Thimble]

I need more than a word if you're gonna break it.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He looks around and says fine. And pulls his head off. Bonk. Drops it on the ground. The body fumbles around anything like this, finds the other head, pulls it off his belt, puts that on. What are you talking about? And you see the thorns recede from his legs. And he looks out and goes. I'm Clarny the Rose Holy and my word is as good as my bond. I'll keep my promise and you can count on that. Where might we find this garden, Dad?

[Thimble]

I trust this fellow do. What's my favorite?

[Talsidamir Isid]

When he pops his hat off, just can my lion nose flares and can I smell for any divine scent of undead.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Anything you get pure fey.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Just fey.

[Talsidamir Isid]

It's just fey.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Pure fey. Okay, crazy fae into.

[Thimble]

Do I know anything about these Fair folk?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Give me a nature with advantage. What the fuck? Brennan.

[Tyranny]

Natural 20.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes. He puts on nice. I know about both of them. You know about both of them. You recognize that? These are the head that goes on here. These are kettlehobs. They are small, helpful fairies. However, should a promise be broken to them. There's an old legend that you heard about in the Golden Orchard where if a promise to them is ever broken, they have their head of thorns and. And their head of blooms. So it's the same fairy both ways, but basically there's the bad head and the good head. And if a promise is broken, then they put the bad head on and they start to steal. And they ride around and get up to crimes and curdle the milk and spoil the crops and do all this bad stuff until someone starts keeping their promises again. Oh my God. Insane. And then they go back. So you see that the term for the little thorn ones is they're called grigs when they're bad and kettle hobs when they're good.

[Thimble]

I love them.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What the fuck?

[Tyranny]

Tell him to keep his head on.

[Thimble]

Griggs.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Gribs.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Grigs.

[Thimble]

Grigs.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Griggs.

[Thimble]

Oh my gosh.

[Tyranny]

That's what he was saying. My Grigs.

[Adobe Acrobat Ad Voice]

All right.

[Thimble]

I give him exact directions to Alden's place. Albin's place.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, he looks around and seeing says Right. And I'll keep my word and I'll let none of me brothers here offer any harm or insult to him unless he gives us reason as such. And that's my word. Lots.

[Thimble]

There's so much there. There's so many flowers. There's so much there to.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see. He looks and says, we'll do the tending to it. Now, this being on the other side of Dahopshini, it's a. That's a forest where they. The dead walk, certainly.

[Thimble]

Well, we've taken care of a lot of them, but I don't know if there might be more. Now, his place is pretty safe. They've got a lot of safeguards. But part of your job would be to help out.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We'll do what we can, as we can, and we'll ride there swift to be sure. It'll be good for the fair folk here to know those of us that are lost and waylaid here in Timony, that are losing our means to. Losing what little generosity we had. We will try to tell as many folk as we can that the woods, at least for now, are safe passage. He turns around and sort of speaking, looks and says, is it true about the House of Royce?

[Thimble]

What do I know about what? About the House of Royce, you see.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He looks and says, you haven't heard.

[Thimble]

That I've been away for a while?

[Wickender Haylovar]

What?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He turns and says, well, it was rumor.

[Thimble]

Wait, wait. What was rumor?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You've shown us such kindness, and I hate to give you news of heartbreak or sorrow. We met a fae. One greater than ourselves passing on this way to the sea from down south that told us that the House of Royce had fallen.

[Thimble]

The orchard.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I can't say if it's true or not, but I thought I'd ask you.

[Thimble]

I haven't. When?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Some nights ago. We asked how they knew. And they said that there had been a slaughter. Many had been waylaid on their way from the Golden Orchard west through the pass in the mountains. I'm sorry. More's the pity for me to be the bearer of bad news, as you've done us such kindness. But I thought you should know.

[Thimble]

Thank you.

[Talsidamir Isid]

This traveler, what do they look like?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see looks out some of the other grigs who are all still looking menacingly at you.

[Thimble]

Oh, switch your heads.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Why don't you do the same? Asking us so rudely. I'd learn to switch our heads. And you switch your head if it's so easy. Then you see another small one says, it hoars every time. You see, You see that they all go forth. And you see that Klawnie says, and she's shown us a kindness then. And to switch your heads for the good lady. And you see they all start taking their heads off and start to put their sort of blossoming heads. And you see that their thorn legs dissipate and you see that all of them take the. These sort of blossoming dandelion shields out on their arms and you see that the Kloni just looks and says, Twas a great and fearsome Kelpie, a horse of shadow who journeyed here from further south. They had come all the way from the Golden Orchard, I think.

[Thimble]

Do I know. Does that sound familiar to me?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

They're a type of fairy horse from Harrow. They're a sort of dark fairy more in keeping with Sallow and her type of Fae. You can see why these fairies would have been maybe a little bit averse to getting a lot of information or speaking for a long time with this creature. You see, looks out and says her name was Tarona and she would have journeyed north from here by way of the riverways. The Kelpi walk on water as they do so she would have taken the river as a road heading up, you see. He looks and says, if there's any. If there's any kindness we can pay, we travel. There's a sickness spreading amongst some of the fey folk and also some of the people here. You've shown us such kindness by giving us a place that will turn milk and bread for us and give us a place to stay. We don't. We don't like to change heads on people that have shown us a kindness. But we felt we had no choice. The milk and bread just stopped all of a sudden. We'd taken to stealing what food we can. You see that? Hawkins goes, admit it openly. And Morgaine sort of looks at him and shakes her head and says, or they've stolen mounts, probably. What you see, says one potato would feed the entire outlaw band for a week. You see that? Kalani just looks and says, if there's any kindness we can pay on our way down there. He says, if any of your type gets sick. Here, take this. You see, on that nat 20. He takes out a small bundle of Rubyfold and gives you some leaves for anyone that becomes sick, you should have some.

[Thimble]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You have it.

[Thimble]

We should be on the lookout for these. This is valuable stuff.

[Wulfric]

You forage that in these woods?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, it's a plenty all around. We have plenty with us as well.

[Wulfric]

You think you're going to go?

[Thimble]

Tasker would.

[Wulfric]

The way of our friend.

[Thimble]

Yeah. You'll pass through town. What was the name of the city that the chapel was in?

[Tyranny]

Tibri's leaf.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, no. The original village that you were in.

[Thimble]

Yeah, little village the Tasker was in.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The Tasker was in. I don't know that you guys ever got a name for that village, but.

[Wulfric]

It'S right on the outskirts of Valo.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You know that. It's invalid, but you could give Thalamoine as the name of the acolyte in the chapel. Moin.

[Thimble]

There's a man there. Tasker.

[Wulfric]

He's a shepherd in the hills. The only one I could see.

[Thimble]

He. He paid homage to the little folk. And he was looking for this.

[Wulfric]

If you feel like doing good deeds.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Connie smiles and says, well, it's one good deed that deshores another. And we've been out here in these fields fearing that the sudden bark of a farmer's hound, or even worse, a cold iron nail in a door, or a rake or a hoaf coming over top of the head and cracking us on the skull. So a home's a mighty fine price and parting with some rubyfold would be a dear kindness. You see that charm you have? You see that? He says, Might I?

[Thimble]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, he touches it. Sparks of firefly glow come off of the charm. One good taurent deserves another. And a kind head deserves a kind head alike. We'll be on our way. We'll see it done.

[Wulfric]

What's the. What's the holing rate on those hairs? Can they carry a few things?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, he smiles and says, for certain they can. These jackrabbits can carry enough. They're strong of leg and stronger of spirit. All right.

[Wulfric]

And I do have five. I only have five. I have five rations. And I imagine Katagan has them in some sort of makeshift MRE kind of form. So can I offer them to the head?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, he looks out and says, and a crust of bread. And you see, he smiles. And you see, as you give the crust of bread, he sort of breaks it apart and hands it off to everybody. And I think that, you see, he looks to each of you and he sort of smiling in this moment, says, well, you'll find yourself a friend at the Black Rabbits, wherever we travel. And with this I give you a parting bone. And you see, he smiles and a little fairy light cascades over you. And each of you can take a heroic inspiration. Ooh, that's good.

[Tyranny]

Heads.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What's that? That's actually just a reroll. So you just are holding on to. You're holding onto a reroll. A little bit of fairy luck. He says. Your journey's Long. And ours is, well, so we'll bid you ado here. But to Thimble Pixie of the Golden Orchard and a friend to big folk and smaller alike. You see he gives a little nod here. And you see on his belt, you see the spiked head, which is sort of standing there looking like just sort of menace frozen. His menacing look looks up at you and just goes, ah, she's all right. And you see his rose head looks down at it and says, I was quiet during your turn. And the king. Oh, my God. And they take off down the road in the direction you guys came from.

[Tyranny]

No more of any of the story that we're doing.

[Wickender Haylovar]

No, we gotta just follow these.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Yeah, we turn on heel and just follow them.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

They must be protected.

[Wulfric]

I also feel like they were ready to fuck us up at a moment's notice with little poison darts and.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I don't know, man, we were at.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Dinner, See, you see, I couldn't understand.

[Wickender Haylovar]

A word to say. Can you please recap what just happened? But I think. I think this is good news, though. I think the reason you're so mad at me all the time is because you've lost your good head or something. And you haven't. And if we find it, you'll be nice to me.

[Thimble]

I was about to be nice to you then, and you just took it away.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, walking along, you see that Hawkins, as you guys head out, sort of moves a little bit away from Cadogan and Thimble up towards you Teor. And just goes like it's all fun and games until winter comes and you've had fairies stealing your turnips. And then to who does that farmer turn? Does anyone come and give him a blessing? No. The winter comes and he has to make do with his own. I, for one, don't think it's a laughing matter to steal vegetables.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I can see you have endured a lot. Your calm is appreciated.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Are we knights of the king or not? We are hounds of the king. These are outlaws in the king's lands. And you see Morgaine Smiles walking on the other side of him and says, you know, King Augustus was himself an outlaw before he was king. And you see that hawk? Well, it's completely different, Argosia. That king actually was a tyrant. And with the law. Well, I'm not gonna get into ethics with you here on the Miller's Road. You guys continue traveling.

[Thimble]

Wait, so the Golden Orchard is gone? That's I didn't get.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Sounds like a slaughter in the house of Royce.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

But that's what You.

[Wickender Haylovar]

The House of Royce is you. You're the House of Royce.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I mean, you were a gift from the House of Royce to the Ozzy.

[Thimble]

The Golden Orchard has fallen.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The Golden Orchard is one of the last bastions of Faerie. It was a solace, even with the doors of Faerie closed, having lost, if that. You don't know if that's true or not.

[Adobe Acrobat Ad Voice]

Okay.

[Thimble]

Taylor. That's everyone.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I am so sorry, Thimble.

[Tyranny]

Do they know who did it?

[Thimble]

I don't even know if they did do it.

[Tyranny]

Well, who took your. Who took the house down?

[Thimble]

I didn't ask.

[Tyranny]

Ah, shit.

[Thimble]

I.

[Talsidamir Isid]

And where is the Golden Orchard from where we are?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Just far away. It's to the east of Dolmachyar. So you travel in the direction of the old Obra Demian empire. It would be probably a week or two away from you guys, where you are now.

[Thimble]

I mean, I haven't even been back to visit since I joined the Aussie.

[Wulfric]

Were you close to anyone there?

[Thimble]

Only my entire family.

[Wulfric]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Sorry.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Is there a way to send them a message or anything?

[Thimble]

We need to focus on.

[Wulfric]

On finding Sid for the time being. It's unconfirmed. Unconfirmed?

[Thimble]

Yeah. Does that mean Lady Aranessa is in trouble? That was her name.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Talsidamir Isid]

There's no way to know.

[Thimble]

I think shit's happening in Dulmak here.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I wonder what your family's up to right now.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Cut away to a graphic sex scene.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Look at that angel. Nobody wants to make it stop. The Miller's Road eventually comes to an end, and you arrive at a landscape in the early morning sunlight that you look out and see after days of rain and darkness and traveling. The Miller's Road is beautiful, the hedges and everything. But suddenly, walking out in the day, you see that. Morgaine says, Well, I know that our sleep has been disrupted. We've been traveling at night. But we arrive here at the keep of the Earl of Gormley and the city of Tibris Lee. You look out, coming down from the mountains, you see Tibris Lee. You just see wide open fields of grass and a landscape that is sort of breathtaking in its majesty. All the hedges there was sort of a claustrophobic, fey wonder to the Millers Road of hedges and blooms and things. And suddenly, having left that, you can tell that you are no longer under the effects of past without trace. You look out and see that almost like the foothills of mountains where there is a long, wide slope in altitude, you just see wind moving across bright green tall grass over an Endless sea of grass and farmyard. There are white puffy clouds and a bright blue sky. And Tybre's Lee on this very slight. It's almost level, just this ever so tilted landscape that begins to head down towards this broad, mighty sort of brown river. This muddy river cutting through the landscape, just churning up with different farms and things feeding it. Little rivers and creeks and streams feeding it Tybre's Lee. You see a tall castle on a hill and this one looks like an actual castle. Not something palatial or royal necessarily, but a big stone keep, a couple of parapet walls and some bridges out to towers looking out over this massive. Maybe just right on that border of. Whoa. This is an enormous town or a very small city. But you see that there are what look like pennants flying in the breeze. And you can see white paper garlands strung up in the early morning light. As you see people gathering wick. You see there are paper lanterns and out on the road there are small white candles in of front preparation for Candle Feast.

[Thimble]

It's Candle Feast.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I know what that is.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You know exactly what that is for sure.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I do.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Candle Feast is a holiday of the candescent creed. You also look out and see that the keep out there in the distance has long. There is no crest flying. You see that there are black pennants hanging.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Candle Feast. I invented that.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You did.

[Wickender Haylovar]

It's in my notes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You wrote it in your notes? Oh my God. Holy shit. I'm so fucking smart. And you tell me what Candle Feast is about. If there's anything that. Candle Feast.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Candle Feast. What time of year is it?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I'd say it's autumn.

[Thimble]

What day is it?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Lunar.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, yeah.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Candle Feast is when it symbolizes when the nights become longer than the days.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay.

[Wickender Haylovar]

And it's when everyone brings out their candles to light the night. And they.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It is the passage. It's sort of on the autumn equinox where the nights are now officially like at their longest point or starting to get into their. They're moving towards the longest point. And it's a good time because it's a feasting time because it's harvest. So you guys look around at this grass. You see that there are big fields where grass has already been harvested. There's a lot of fields out here that are making hay. You also see that there are places where there's wheat that's been coming down, but also there's many big herds of horses here. So you see there's a lot of pasture and grazing land, but also wide open land for Horses to come through. You see cresting over big white mane of stallions. Horses come down heading towards Tybreez Lee. You enter in and Morgaine looks and says, we've made good time on the Miller's Road. How would you like best to approach the city? I will say here as well, it is up to you if you would like to approach the city in the company of hounds of the King. Or perhaps it would be best if we were just your hounds.

[Thimble]

Oh yeah, that would make more sense.

[Wickender Haylovar]

People won't recognize you just from your.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Haakon says we are hounds, simple and true. We do not carry any visible crest or on our callers. We are here simply to do the work that all faithful hounds do. You guys see, it's up to you as you approach Tybreez Lee, what the plan of attack here is how you want to approach the city.

[Thimble]

How many priests does it look like are around for the Candescent Creed?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Quite a lot. You see that there are. Looking around at the city again. Beautiful day. It's been a long time. Dolmacher doesn't really get great weather that often, so you're feeling a cool, crisp autumn breeze. Some of the trees that are most of the fields don't have any trees in them. But in the town there are some nice fruit trees and things that are catching a of lot little bit of color as the leaves start to turn. You feel that there's bright sun on your face again. It's up to you to determine. Go ahead and give me a perception check as you try to scan the town.

[Tyranny]

I love a party.

[Wickender Haylovar]

I know you do, but I think this one's more of a serene event.

[Thimble]

21.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

21. There are plenty of priests. A lot of them look like acolytes. You don't see too many, what would be called luxes walking throughout the town. But there are a lot of acolytes. You see they're walking out. You see that some of them are wearing. They don't appear to be wearing like fine silks, but you see that there's just like white woolen robes. You see that there's an older woman who has some of the painting of like gleaming filament on her face of like the tattoos. Who's walking along and you see that she is coming out with this big basket of. Of these white sugar cookies that have a little sort of frosted. It's like beige y cookies that have the pure white confectioner's sugar stamp of the Candescent Creed. You see that she's walking out. A group of neighborhood kids runs by that has some garlands that are just these little paper. They're almost a noisemaker kite. They're like a chain of paper links that as you run, they kind of. As you run through the. The wind with them. And she stops and says, and a happy candle feast to you young children. And starts to pass out these cookies to these neighborhood kids. And she looks up and says, and let not the light of childhood be diminished, even for us who walk with the responsibility of being grown. A cookie for you, sir.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Why, thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She passes it and she looks over and says, blessings. May the beam reach you.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yes. From spark to flame. I'll take a cookie, thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, of course. She said, I had my fill in the kitchen, otherwise I'd have one with you.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Do you happen to have any spare candles that we could give out to others?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, yes, I believe so. She says, you just arrived to the city. You've been traveling?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yes, we came for the feast.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh. Happy candle feast to you. She turns to see you. Tyranny. Are you wearing your normal form?

[Thimble]

Yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She turns to you and says, an aspirant.

[Tyranny]

Ever light, ever bright sister.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh. And she takes her hands and puts her hands here and says, the light is as strong as ever. I had heard tell you must be. Oh, my goodness. Are you here all the way from Timmins Rock?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yes, yes. But it's a bit of a surprise, so maybe let us announce ourselves.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh. Oh, my goodness. Oh. She and says, I'll have another cookie. She says, do you? She says, now I will say there are. Oh, cookie. Yes. She hands it to you. It says the. She says, my lady aspirant, I would do well to tell you that there are many farmers in. From farther afield in town that the word of the light has just reached. And if they are moved to fear at your presence, please just. I will speak quickly on their behalf. The word of the power of the beam has not spread evenly throughout the land. And there may be some that do not know that you walk in the light.

[Tyranny]

Thank you so much for telling me that. And I guarantee if they see me, they'll become a believer.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I'm saying that might not happen. I'm saying that we haven't explained to everybody.

[Tyranny]

Well, we'll just have to show them how strong the light is.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hooray. She says, and a cookie for you, sir.

[Wulfric]

Thank you. I'll take it. And I'll just put it behind my back and I'm gonna give it to Wulfric I gluten intolerant.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She hands you some candles and says, a happy candle feast to you.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yes, yes. Did you see? Do we know if they've arrived yet?

[Thimble]

Why don't you ask?

[Wulfric]

I've never been to a candle feast before. I'm a man of nature. What am I to expect? Are there any special guests? Or better yet, any special events? I'd love to partake in the festivities.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Give me a persuasion. Why am I doing this?

[Talsidamir Isid]

Let's go. Come on. Come on.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Seems like a bad idea.

[Wulfric]

Persuasion.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Guidance.

[Wulfric]

Doink.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hey. Gun. And.

[Wulfric]

Oh no, that's a these dice. It's a 17, but it keeps tricking me into thinking it's a 4.

[Tyranny]

Yeah, they look the same.

[Wulfric]

17 plus 22. 19, 4, 23. Persuasion. I'm just a simple guy.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? She says, well, I have heard something of a His Lordship. His Lordship has been in mourning for some time.

[Wulfric]

So sorry.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

But if we are, I believe that our Lux, our young Lux, who is also the ministrant of the hospital. She is so gifted and she wields the light with such power and kindness. And she has healed so many from the bellows fever. And she is. Her faith is so potent and she has been prevailing on the Lord to. Today is the official end of his mourning period. And we have not heard any word that he might come and offer. A kind word. Word he has spoken mostly with the hierophant.

[Wulfric]

But what a gift to have a talented healer. We've heard tale of this bellows fever throughout the land, but are unfamiliar with what it is.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It is an illness of the humors. It. The lungs fill with a heat and a fire that eventually consumes and reacts with cough. And over time, without the power of the light. It is quite likely that in a year's time, or sometimes less if the. There are ways to mitigate and lengthen time.

[Wulfric]

But an infernal consumption that only the light can heal.

[Thimble]

Hot lung.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hot hot lung.

[Wickender Haylovar]

But this Lux. What was her name again?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Aretea.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Aretea. Have I ever heard of this person?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Give me a history check.

[Tyranny]

My lady. Who is his Lordship mourning?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

His late lady wife, Caswin, our lord, the Earl of Gormalay, Gontry Tolkeep and his late wife, the Lady Caswin.

[Thimble]

While they're talking, I'm going to fly off and try to chase after those three kids that were running with the paper kite thingies.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Go ahead and give me a. Yeah, I think you captured them. Effort. The kids sort of run off. You go find them.

[Tyranny]

What's the Earl's name again?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Gonshri. I rolled a seven, Brennan.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay, so I don't know this person rolled a seven for history. I think Aretea as a Lux is someone that probably would have reported to a higher up before getting to you. There would be a layer of.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Well, this is splendid.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Well, have a wonderful day and thank you so much for your generosity.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The Tecomis carriage.

[Wickender Haylovar]

We don't even know if it's here yet.

[Thimble]

That's what I'm chasing those kids.

[Wickender Haylovar]

You're chasing the kids? Did we see their carriage?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Outside of the town.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You did not see it? Yeah. As you guys approaching, so you catch these kids. You see that one of them, sort of covered in cookie dust, looks around and goes, a fairy.

[Thimble]

No, no, no, no. Stay back. I have questions for you. Children.

[Wulfric]

Focus.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Focus, baby.

[Thimble]

Hey, so you. You guys have big eyes and you see everything that happens in the city, I bet, huh?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Everything.

[Thimble]

Yeah. So tell me, have you seen any fancy. See people coming into town, maybe with a carriage, carrying a lionfolk with them?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? One of the little kids says, there have been carriages coming into town all day.

[Thimble]

I bet.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you see that? I didn't see a lionfolk. You see that? Someone says, one time I saw a bird man. And you see that? Someone else goes, like, I didn't see a lion.

[Tyranny]

Percy, focus.

[Thimble]

He might have been hidden. He's a secret.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? One of them looks and says, fancy carriages. So carriages when there's a top and when there's decorations. And a wagon is when it's got four wheels, and a cart is when it has two. Two wheels.

[Thimble]

Did you see a freaky lady with a skull face?

[Talsidamir Isid]

That is hard to forget.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? One of them says. Yes.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Boom.

[Thimble]

Yes. Where?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She was on a carriage.

[Thimble]

See? Where did it go?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, one of the. Listen. Says it went to the hospital. You see that? Someone else says, yeah, but it didn't. The where did it. You see that? Someone else says, all the fancy carriages, either they go to the hospital or they go to the castle.

[Thimble]

Hospital or the castle? Same direction?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, the castle's at the edge of where we live, and the hospital's in the middle.

[Thimble]

Great. And make some fairy dust fly up even more. Um, I'll make even more if you rack your brains really hard. Which way did it go?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Every. Every carriage that came into town has fruits because the festival's today with candles, so a lot of them had candles.

[Thimble]

You three have been so helpful. Druid craft.

[Tyranny]

I'm gonna make little flowers come up around them.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah. Fairy flowers.

[Tyranny]

Fairy flowers.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Fairy flowers. You see one of those up and says, fairies can make flowers.

[Thimble]

Thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Fairy. The most uncharmed by children. Fairy of all time. Honestly. Don't clap for me. The flowers and start running around again. You see, another one goes. Goes. I have a secret.

[Thimble]

What?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The lady with the.

[Talsidamir Isid]

No. Right in the eyes and open mouth.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The lady with this skull face, she was mean.

[Thimble]

Did you talk to her?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, but we ran up and I looked at her skull face and I went. And she. And she went. She made a mean face.

[Thimble]

She's horrible. I'm glad you didn't get close to her. Stay away from the skull face.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The carriage was stuck in the mud.

[Thimble]

It was where?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Just for a little bit, because there was mud and it got stuck. And some knights from us. Some. Some gormalay knights helped them pull the wagon out of the mud. And they. The knight was like. It was like, why is a carriage that's so heavy?

[Thimble]

That's the secret lion.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, but that wasn't her. It was a carriage like her. But that wasn't her carriage. It just looked like it.

[Thimble]

You've actually been very helpful. I'm gonna make you some extra flowers.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He goes, yay. He takes them and says, these flowers. These flowers are never gonna die. Because fairy flowers don't die. I know that. And you see.

[Thimble]

Gotta get some water.

[Tyranny]

I'll fly back to my friends.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You fly back to your friends and find them there.

[Tyranny]

Those kids are super helpful.

[Thimble]

Wait, so Sid could have been in the carriage or it could have been that stuff that they've been digging up all over the Resource.

[Wulfric]

You said it was a different carriage.

[Thimble]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Talsidamir Isid]

And we've been hearing about the hospital all a lot.

[Thimble]

We should swing by the hospital.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Yeah. I don't know how long it's been there.

[Thimble]

What? What?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Nothing. Nothing.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I know.

[Thimble]

What were you gonna say?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Is the fairy dust, like, part of you? Or is it like your skin? Or like, how does it work?

[Thimble]

Little flecks of skin everywhere I go. So do you. Really? They're just microscopic. I can see them, but I guess you can't.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, my God.

[Thimble]

Yeah, you leave little flecks of skin everywhere you go.

[Tyranny]

I brushed some dandruff off of his cloak.

[Thimble]

That's why you.

[Tyranny]

He hasn't had special conditioner in a couple. Yeah, no, he's a really extensive beauty regimen.

[Thimble]

I am made of magic, bruh. This is magic.

[Wickender Haylovar]

So that's just you?

[Thimble]

Yeah.

[Wickender Haylovar]

That's pretty cool.

[Talsidamir Isid]

This hospital is new. We should figure out what was on the location before the hospital. Why would they make a hospital in this town? For the people.

[Wickender Haylovar]

If we need to get into the hospital and don't want to be known, what if. Just throwing it out there, what if. Tyranny. You already look sort of feverish. With your skin, you know, you could have the fever.

[Wulfric]

Oh, thank God. I thought you were gonna say Dr. Fingers again.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, no, no. Dr. Finger was.

[Tyranny]

She was instrumental in the death of her finger.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Patient finger.

[Thimble]

Doctor Finger.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Patient finger.

[Wickender Haylovar]

So we could take her up there as sort of like, oh, no, Our friend is feverish.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We need.

[Thimble]

We need.

[Tyranny]

What I'm hearing is that my liege, my radiance is requesting that I cause a dispute, and I have no choice but to follow his.

[Thimble]

You don't have to do what he says.

[Tyranny]

I am employed by him. I am. I am.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I don't pay no reason to do that.

[Wickender Haylovar]

That's true. This is just an idea.

[Tyranny]

I am dying to give these bumpkins a show. I really. Now that I know that they're gonna be afraid of a demon.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Let's go. Let's go.

[Tyranny]

I'm ready. Hospital.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Yeah, we'll gather some more. More information for us. We just stepped into town and saw three kids and we're like, fuck it up at the hospital.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We have everything we need. Hell, yeah.

[Thimble]

Maybe we can wander through town and head the direction of the hospital.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah. So let me know, what is your plan as you're heading into town?

[Wickender Haylovar]

Well, what do we know of this place? Not much. We know there's a hospital. We know there's a castle. We don't know anything else.

[Thimble]

Well, we know that's. That's the direction they went.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yes.

[Thimble]

So that's really what matters.

[Tyranny]

And they took CID to one of them. Ostensibly.

[Thimble]

And we should tell De Morgaine about the heavy carriage.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes. You see that? Morgaine looks out and says, as you sort of nods and says, if there's any help that we can be. You're pursuing the Taconis. What is your plan should you find them? You're trying to liberate your brother.

[Thimble]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That should not be done in our company. Our presence on that mission implicates the Crown of Timony. And at present, that is not something that we have leave to incite on our own.

[Wulfric]

I hate to break it to you, but I'm guessing anything we do here is going to implicate the Crown of Timony.

[Thimble]

What do you mean?

[Wulfric]

Well, we're not exactly friendly in this place.

[Thimble]

Well, no, but we're not gonna. We're not acting on behalf of the.

[Wulfric]

King, if they see us, we say them. That's the assumption.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It's possible that we should diverge. And you see up ahead as you guys are walking, you're getting into center of town now, where it's mostly two and three story buildings. And you see there's little balconies and there's garlands strung across. You see there's little paper kites flying around. As you're walking along, you see Hawkins is sort of taking the sort of point position sort of menacingly around. You see this enormous brown and black sheepdog, sort of shaggy fur as sort of raises up. By the way, in addition to horses, dogs Everywhere, there's about 20% of the human population is represented in just dogs. For every five people, there's a dog moving around in the space. You see that a dog sort of walks over looking at Hawkins, leans in and says, my lord, I've caught you, I'm afraid, at a disadvantage. And you see, Hawkins goes, fell tower, you beast. And turns over and says, fell tower. Says, fell tower. And you see, fell tower says in the Shahrus, Ulpur was not that Arabic laundry out here in the street. And you see felt this other apparently obviously hound of the King pulls Hawkins aside. And you see that. And you can see immediately what this is like. You see there's just a dog hanging out on the street that the king's knights are also kind of an active spy network for him that this dog just hangs out on until someone comes along and can say something, pulls him into an alley. You see, Morgaine says, come with us. And pulls aside. You see this big sheepdog that looks and says, friends of the King, I take it?

[Thimble]

Yep.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Splendid.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Yes, of course.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I am Sifale Tower. Pleasure to meet you all. Are we given liberty to speak at ease with these travelers? You see that? Hawkins says, maybe we'll keep any pertinent business at hand. Friends, this is Felt Tower, a member of our order.

[Thimble]

An honor to meet you, sir.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

An honor to meet you as well. Fair folk traveling here in the broad daylight. Well, seems things are not so bad. Antimony. A demon. Hello. Hello. Splendid to meet you. I.

[Tyranny]

We're all cool.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Let us hope that that sentiment prevails the night. You see, he looks and says, you've come under the protection of Hawkins and the honorable Dame Morgaine. Morgaine, a pleasure as always. You see, she says, fell tower. He says, insight check.

[Wulfric]

Is there any kind of sexiness that.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Just happened in the mc? No, it's no roll necessary. Absolutely. You did it to yourself. You saw it. You see that Felltower says, what mission brings you under the company of the Hounds of the King?

[Thimble]

Oh, well, I don't know if you need to know. We don't want to implicate the king in anything.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, he nods and Morgaine just says, the foul business in Sloke. The new baron has been replaced by an honorable knight who herself grew to womanhood in Sloke and is now Baroness. We have our friends here and some questionable judgment. But valiant action to thank for that. You see, that Feltaur says if the actions were of a dubious nature, then perhaps better that it was not the Hounds of the King that did them. Happy to hear that things have worked out. You are here pursuing your own business in Tibris Lee?

[Talsidamir Isid]

Yes, actually we are in search of a carriage.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I've been stationed here for some time. I've seen some comings and goings. I've been snoozing on the porch over there for quite a while. So if I can help you at all. I've kept a watchful eye out here.

[Talsidamir Isid]

We've been looking for a carriage under the ownership of House Taconis. It should house one like me. My brother Thar. Sidmir.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hmm.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Smell check.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

My nose is not as potent on the main thoroughfare just due to the volume of comings and goings. But I will not lie. I did note the unusual aroma of a powerful carnivore in one of those wagons passing by. Unmistakable.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Do you know which way he was headed? We know that the kings towards the.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Center of town before I saw them. I have observed many Taconus carriages over the past several fortnights. And that central hospital is where they stop. But not where they remain. The Taconis come under the leave of the Earl. And I believe much of their business to be conducted at the castle. At Castle Delaunay.

[Thimble]

So they drop stuff off at the hospital before they continue on.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I haven't seen much loading and unloading, but I have seen them speak with the Lux there. Aretea, I believe is her name. Oh, okay. Your. The wagons that have come in. When would your brother have come in? He would have been captured by the Tykurnas yesterday maybe.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Were we that? Have we made it that much ground?

[Wulfric]

We gain enough. Yeah, we traveled through the night too. And correct me if I'm wrong, but we still haven't had a long rest, right? Since our big fight.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We had a long at Hound Shrine on the Miller's Road.

[Wulfric]

Oh, that was it.

[Thimble]

They would have had one too. They Left the travel in the night before we even.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Even in a carriage. 50 miles on the King's. On the King's Way. You see that? You see that? Morgaine says, we traveled by Miller's Road. Is it possible that we've lost time or they've left already? You see that Felltower sort of cocks his head and smiles and says, do you imagine that there wasn't trouble at the bridge on the Kingsway? Well, I've heard that it was unsafe. There was a bit of an accident. And you see, she goes, fell tower. Oh, you rascal. You see, he says, they've arrived just yesterday. Or at least the latest wagons did the Lord Dosett and that. Yes, well, she saw some neighborhood children in. Put the scarf up around the old face. You see that? He says, I will say this. There's been about five or six days worth of carriages coming in from the countryside with the Taconis. All of them have arrived. None have left on the Kingsway either north or south. If your brother was captured within the last several days, I believe he is here in Tibris Lee. Unless he was taken by some other method out of here, which I cannot say. But the carriages have been coming and not yet leaving. They have found their way to rest at Castle Delaunay.

[Wickender Haylovar]

It's a large castle, then.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Quite.

[Wickender Haylovar]

Oh, all right.

[Thimble]

If he's here, we're going to get him.

[Talsidamir Isid]

I hope so. The castle.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, Felltower says, I wish you well in retrieving him, your brother, in the manner of his taking by the House of Taconis. Were they within their rights to apprehend him? Had he committed some transgression against them or some other against the baron?

[Thimble]

He. He saw the baron committing an atrocious act and tried to keep him from claiming the keep.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

See? Hawkins sort of cocks his head and says, This was done in a manner that betrayed the laws of the land of Timony. Or this act occurred elsewhere.

[Thimble]

Don't mark here.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hawkins. Hawkins. Hawkins shakes his head and says, well, if it's all you see, Felltower says, are we the hounds of the king then given to administer laws in realms beyond the borders of the crown? If it happened to Dolmarka, it's of no concern of ours. I hope you'll recover your brother, brother. I love these dogs. You see that? He turns and says, however, if you are to engage in some more dubious acts, perhaps it would be well for us to simply wish you good luck. Is there anything else that we can offer here in this place before we part Ways.

[Thimble]

No, I mean, technically, he was just kidnapped off the road. You know, nothing happened in Timony. Just so you know.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

So you see that? Hawkins looks and says, without any proof of what your brother may have done. It sounds as if the house of Taconis may have kidnapped a traveler granted free passage here. Shall we hear anything? We will come and find you to tell.

[Talsidamir Isid]

You have been an enormous aid to us already. And for that you have my thanks. We do not want to put King Augustus or his hounds in jeopardy further.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Morgaine smiles, looks over at Hawkins and says, hawkins, they have been so very kind. Think of the rabbits on the road. You see that? Hawkins looks and says, I like to keep things buttoned up around here. But he bows to you. You see, he whispers, and you see once again you smell honeysuckle. And a light breeze blows. You see, he says, beloved earth of Timony, for the whom I gave my very life cover the passage of these friends of the king until such time as they must act against his interests. Which I hope never comes. You see that Felltower? You see Felltower goes putting a condition on, a blessing, a ghoul you guys are covered with. Pass without trace. Once more.

[Wickender Haylovar]

That's big.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you see Morgaine smiles and says, we are dogs in this life, but we went out all night for the king. You see Hawkins pause at the little St. Bernard's chest and you see it opens. And you see that there is a small painting or a small etching inside of a human knight of Timony. Is that what you see? He looks and says, ser Beric of Vallow. I am told that he was an exemplary knight, courageous, forthright. Seymour Ghain smiles and says, we fought for our hunger homeland against the gods. And after our passing previous knights swore an oath to defend their king in this world and the next. But of course, after the shapers war, there was no next. And yet it seemed an ill thing to not keep our promise. So when the druids of the stag told us of the fact that souls return and return and return again to this joyous world, we said, might we return and serve again. And so we do. Very happily, loyally and proudly. To our king and to your fair passage in our lands.

[Thimble]

To the hounds.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

To the hounds. You see all three dogs bow in unison and turn off into the city. And that's where we'll take our break.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Oh, boy.

[Wickender Haylovar]

To the hounds.

[Talsidamir Isid]

Raise the glass.

[Thimble]

Glass.

[Tyranny]

Oh, my God.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

To the hounds. Hell yeah, man.

[Talsidamir Isid]

That was lovely.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Amazing.

[Tyranny]

No more any of the other stuff. Only dogs and fairies.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Only dogs and fairies. Jeez, if it's not dogs and fairies, I don't want it. Hell yeah, gang. We'll come back from the break and we'll return to your mission and to cid. Somewhere in the city of Tyrion, we're sliding. Hell yeah. Woo hoo. And that's where we'll leave our story for now. Part two of this episode of Campaign 4 drops this Tuesday. Thanks for listening and we'll see you soon for more Critical Role.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

If you've been diagnosed with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, this is what it sounds like to be a million miles away. Imagine being a million miles away. Trimfya Kucelcomab, taken by injection, is a prescription medicine for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections or pills or phototherapy. With Tremphya, clearer skin is possible. In clinical Trials, at least 70% of patients saw at least 90% clearer skin at 16 weeks. Results may vary. Tremphya is also indicated for adults with active psoriatic arthritis. Serious allergic reactions and increased risk of infections and liver problems may occur. Before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu like symptoms or if you need a vaccine. Tap this ad to learn more about Tremphaya, including important safety information.

[Tyranny]

Hey crafters, you're invited to visit the new Knit and sew shop at Michaels. Find hundreds of fabrics in over 800 stores and over 100,000 styles. On michaels.com shop your favorite yarn brands, including Big Twist, Caron cakes and Bernat in multiple styles and colors. You'll also find all the machines, tools and notions you need with top brands like Singer, Brother and Pellon, plus essential thread and floss. It's all new at Michael's.