Season 2 | Ep. 36 | The Menagerie of Madness

Summary

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Dark Dice – Season 2, Episode 36: The Menagerie of Madness

Release Date: May 13, 2026
Podcast by: Fool and Scholar Productions
Summary by an Expert Podcast Summarizer

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Episode Overview

The Menagerie of Madness marks the grand, climactic conclusion to Dark Dice’s dual storylines: "Domain of the Nameless God" and "The Long Road". After eight years of evolving horror storytelling, dice-driven chaos, and deep character journeys, the party of Soren Arkwright, Father Sindri Westpike, and Glow West Palace ventures one final time into the roiling nightmare of the Nameless God’s domain. Haunted by horrors from their own pasts—and by doppelgängers, existential threats, and cursed rituals—they struggle not only for survival, but for the meaning of family, home, and redemption in a fantasy world forever changed by their actions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Final Descent and Familiar Nightmares (04:50 – 10:02)

• The party enters the grotesque, shifting woods, marked by flesh-like trees and pustules, signifying they’re near the domain’s heart.
• Sindri, Glow, and Soren reminisce on rules from their previous foray: “Don’t look back, don’t step off the road.”
• With the path missing, Glow improvises: “Let’s implement a body system.” (06:44)
• They proceed, hand-in-hand, into uncertainty, reflecting both their camaraderie and vulnerability.

2. Approaching the Bastion: Echoes of the Past (10:02 – 13:04)

• The ruined fortress, with its floating debris and pit, sets an eerie stage.
• Their previous adventures echo—Glow recognizes her own blood, Soren notes chronological oddities, and the party rushes to prevent a repetition of catastrophic events.
• Sindri covers the team with magical ash to render them invisible, sparking raw emotional exchanges about trust and regret.
  • Sindri: “I’d be lying, Soren, if I said I wasn’t waiting for the inevitable backstab…” (13:04)
  • Soren: “I hope to… there’s no backstab coming from me. I’m with you both to the end.” (13:26)

3. Revelations and Shared Sorrows (13:26 – 18:22)

• The characters open up about familial bonds and legacies.
  • Glow’s true name and lineage are revealed: “Coincidence of coincidences. He actually is my father.” (15:13)
• Soren requests, should he fall, that Glow and Sindri relay messages to his loved ones: “Let my sister Gail know I appreciate everything…” (16:12)
• An emotional group hug, facilitated by invisibility and mutual exhaustion, underscores their deep bonds.

4. Into the Temple: Ritual Unraveling & Confronting Trauma (18:22 – 24:33)

• Teleported to the temple’s inverted ziggurat, the group witnesses a pivotal ritual in horrifying slow motion.
• They see their younger selves; Glow relives her own wounding.
• Realizing the blood spilled will fuel the Nameless God’s awakening, the team attempts to sabotage the sacrificial altar:
  • Sindri repositions bodies, Glow dispels magic, Soren tries to dilute the blood with holy water.

5. Combat: The Menagerie of Madness Unleashed (24:33 – 46:11)

• Horrific shapeshifters—the Silent Ones, as well as twisted duplicates of Soren and Glow—spring to life. The battle escalates into chaos.
  • “Who do you think you are, kinslayer?” (34:38, Soren’s double taunts him)
  • Glow calls thunderous magic to disrupt the rituals: “I’m gonna cast… Thunder wave.” (35:18)
• Struggling to recognize each other among doppelgängers, the team endures physical and psychological torment—stabbing, healing, and mistaken identities abound.
• Sindri lands a critical blow on a doppelgänger, finally distinguishing real from fake:
  • “Finally, my father steps up.” (KA Statz as Glow, 30:46)

6. Turning the Tide: Sacrifice and Victory (46:11 – 47:37)

• Soren is handed a dagger in a tense exchange:
  • “A natural goddamn 20.” (Peter Joseph Lewis, 46:11)
• He delivers the killing blow to the Silent One, ending its reign of terror and carefully keeping the blood from tainting the altar.
• The aftermath is heavy with relief, disbelief, and a sense of trauma endured.

7. Aftermath: Cleansing, Climbing Out, and Letting Go (47:37 – 56:59)

• The group cleans up the altar, burns the corpses (except the Silent One’s), and hauls the fiend’s body out for disposal in the abyss.
• Humor and exhaustion intermix:
  • “[Soren:] Sorry, guys. I think we’re all a little bit tired still. After what felt like a three hour fight, but was in fact only two or three minutes.” (55:41)
• The group openly discusses futures—families reunited, hope for return, and the possibility of Soren joining Glow and Sindri as found family.

8. Epilogue: Fates Intertwined but Separate (61:09 – 69:23)

• Sindri returns home, finds forgiveness and peace (despite the ravages of time), and spends his remaining years with family.
• Glow lingers, restless, never truly finding home, eventually leaving to pursue new quests and protect the world from future threats.
• Soren drifts once more to the margins, still carrying the weight of his fractured memories, guilt, and a hope that his actions have made a difference.
  • “Regardless of false former alliance or an unquenchable desire to vanquish this bleak little world… there were still little hopes worth fighting for.” (ref. 66:30–67:49)
• The cycle of trauma, heroism, and search for meaning remains unresolved, poignant, and thoroughly human.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Trust:
  • “I’d be lying, Soren, if I said I wasn’t waiting for the inevitable backstab.” – Father Sindri (13:04)
  • “There's no backstab coming from me. I'm with you both to the end.” – Soren (13:26)
• On Family:
  • “Coincidence of coincidences. He actually is my father.” – Glow (15:13)
  • “I already have most of my family right here with me.” – Soren (16:38)
• On Trauma and the Journey:
  • “Just being in this space is like hurting my mind... not so distracted by the life or death struggle to prevent the world from being eaten by a God…” – Soren (48:58)
• On Survival:
  • “We have all sustained wounds that should have killed us multiple times over in the last 48 hours. It's a bit taxing for sure…” – Soren (56:59)
• On Heroism and Hope:
  • “If there's anything I can do to aid your passage back... I'd be happy to stick around to stick with you…” – Soren (58:46)
  • “You should come home with us. At least for a while.” – Glow (59:28)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Event | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:02 | Opening reflection and acknowledgement from Narrator | | 04:50 | Entry into the flesh-forest, setting the tone of dread | | 10:02 | Descending into the Bastion, facing old wounds and time loops | | 13:04 | Ash of invisibility, bearing souls, trust and doubt | | 15:13 | Revelations of true name and family | | 18:22 | Arrival at the altar, desperate attempts to disrupt the ritual | | 24:33 | Doppelganger combat erupts; confusion and horror as identities are tested | | 30:46 | Sindri’s critical attack on a doppelgänger | | 46:11 | Soren’s killing blow to the Silent One | | 49:14 | Cleansing the altar, burning bodies, and climbing out | | 54:06 | Unceremonious disposal of the Silent One’s body into the abyss | | 56:59 | The team collapses in exhaustion, discusses the future | | 61:09 | Decision to travel together, talk of home and new purpose | | 62:28 | End credits, production notes | | 63:50+ | Epilogue: Sindri, Glow, and Soren’s fates post-adventure |

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Thematic Notes & Tone

• Language & Tone: Gritty, irreverent, emotionally raw, with notes of bleak humor and deep vulnerability. Characters maintain camaraderie through sharp wit, dark banter, and cathartic honesty.
• Atmosphere: Oppressive and surreal, with moments of horror offset by hope, affection, and reflection upon trauma, memory, and the price of heroism.
• Design: Music, sound design, and editing intensify the battle sequence and reinforce the otherworldly threat of the Nameless God.

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Closing & Final Reflections

The finale of Dark Dice bridges cosmic horror with personal redemption, leaving no easy closure—families are patched, but never quite whole; the scars of otherworldly trauma remain. Yet, against impossible odds, the party not only survives, but finds meaning in togetherness and sacrifice.

Notable Final Exchange:

• Glow: “You should come home with us. At least for a while.” (59:28)
• Soren: “Well, if you’ll have me, I would be happy to continue traveling with you a little while longer.” (60:04)

The story ends, but the path forward—filled with hope, horror, and new adventures—beckons for all who seek the dark dice.

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Transcript

[Narrator]

Greetings adventurers. What a month. What a month. As some of you are aware, we had a more complicated than expected trip at the hospital, and when I started recording this episode's retakes for my own lines using the same microphone I always use, it quickly became apparent that the audio quality of recording at my home studio could not be so easily matched. So I'd like to say thank you again for your patience. I know it's two weeks later than promised, but we're all healthy on this end and the story will sound better for all of time having not been rushed and my audio re recorded. As some of you are aware, this is the final episode of our first story, Domain of the Nameless God, as well as our second one, the Long Road. Everything we've worked on for the last eight years has led to this point. Can an improvised podcast ruled by dice rolls really guarantee a memorable ending? Hmm, I hope so, because we put everything we had into making it. In many ways, tonight's conclusion is a lot like letting go. We're saying goodbye to our protagonists and their adventures, but we'll also still always have these recordings to go back to, to relisten, to relive, to thank the gods that they've been dutifully transcribed and enhanced, to edit them down into something really listenable. Especially the combats. Because man, I hate listening to combats. Otherwise, at this moment, during your first listen through of our finale, any outcome is still possible. Soren could reveal himself as something terrible. Sindri could still go home to his wife. Jeff could still crash our Zoom call as the Silent One and Glow Egg could completely ruin the time loop I've been editing around since 2018 with a vicious, magically charged rhyme and a wink. You've probably heard me mention before that the horrors you've heard are largely rooted in my own fears and experiences. Face blindness, hereditary memory loss, not being able to trust yourself or your memories. I am a bit insane. All of us probably are. And I just wanted to say thank you for sharing my fears with me, even if only for a moment. I've pulled every trick and called in every favor to make Dark Dice the best it can be. So after you're done listening, leave us a review. Make a Tumblr post, comment on Apple or Spotify, but let us know what you think. It's a little bit insane to ask someone I've never met, but I'm asking you anyway. Lastly, just a reminder that Domain of the Nameless God is now available as a hardcover book. You can buy from Nord Games bundled under the title Unnatural Horrors. Also PDF on our website darkdice.com it includes all the Weird Undead Nuns, the Great Terrible House, the Roaming Forest, and a bunch of other nightmare realms within Chromana that we've hinted at over the years. Again, if you've made it this far, thank you for listening. We'll be back in a few weeks with a very different story, Shores of the Silver Thrum. So stay subscribed as we explore new terrors together. And on that note, let's get started.

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[Narrator]

Do you seek Him?

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Do you seek Him?

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Do you seek Him?

[Narrator]

Do you seek Him?

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Do you seek the nameless God?

[Narrator]

You have found yourself among those who rule the dark dice. What you are about to hear happened long ago. A story brought back from the edge of oblivion Dutifully transcribed and enhanced orally to better captivate your attention. Previously, Soren, Glowy and Sindri reached the dark road within the roaming forest. Now, following a path they've once tread, they've descended yet again into the domain of the nameless God, Dark Dice. The long road. Chapter 36, the Menagerie of Madness. The bark of nearby trees resembled bone and flesh oozing with blood and pus. Some black trunks, some white, almost rigid, while others were soft and pale pink. Long dark strands of moss, almost resembling hair dotted these sickly trees, which were covered in pustule knobs filled with a liquid that sloshed as the wind shifted their branches. The forest's breathing and pulsating lights, the crimson spectacle overhead speeding up between flashes of heat lightning, all indicated that some terrible change was soon to pass.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Oh, I hate that. This feels familiar.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Yeah, this should not feel familiar. You're right.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

It's not good to be back.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Okay, what did we learn from last time?

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Don't look back, don't go off the road. Those were the two rules, right?

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Yep. Don't look back, don't go off the road. Oh, there's not actually a road this time. We are the things in the forest. So let's implement a body system.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Body system.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Body Triumvirate, anyone?

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Aye. I put a hand out to Sindri and I'm gonna put a hand out to Soren.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

What are we doing?

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

We're taking hands so we don't get lost.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

She's canoodling a little.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Right.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

We can. We can hold hands.

[Narrator]

Sure.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Yeah. It's just safer than. Sorry. All right. We don't want to lose each other.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Okay, I may be misremembering. My mind is a bit scattered from these memories. Passing through the gates, didn't that make us experience time slower? So like, we could spend more time before we got through them? Because things moved slower the further you go. Was that it?

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Right. When I looked through to them, the events beyond. That's closer to the Nameless God, they were moving in slow motion.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

So we're faster than them right now. Right, Okay, I think I got it. So let's just beeline it to the bastion and try to avoid any gates if possible. I'll stay in the middle. Soren, you're up front. Chloe, what's our back at?

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

No, I should be in the middle because you have spells on shite and you're more useful at hitting things than I am.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Alright, you stand here and let's go.

[Narrator]

The party began their journey through the sickly woods and were soon surprised to reach the edge of the blackened forest, a curious line where the trees and vegetation just halted. The open brown and red earth plain practically formed a ring around the forsaken bastion of the nameless, slumbering God. They halted only for a moment before continuing onward. There was no road, only the uneven clumps of dirt that forced them to slow their Progress. And for 40 minutes, they traveled in this manner, cautiously stepping over each small hill or clump of dirt, until at last, they reached the entrance of the bastion. Before them, a collection of shattered columns, statues, and stones floated in suspension before their eyes within the mouth of the vast pit that comprised the center of the once great stone fortress, as if the bastion itself had imploded long ago. The walls that were constructed of enormous stones, each easily the size of a horse, had melted or eroded in some bizarre manner, the damaged sections facing inward toward the chasm. The fortress was otherwise barren, devoid of all the rooms or great furnishings that had once likely been located within. All had collapsed within that great pit.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Oh, look, it's the trapped trapdoor. Memories. We're getting close now. Yeah, but it's already open.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Oh, fantastic.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Oh, hey, look. That's my blood.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Oh.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Yep, that's where you. You grabbed the trapdoor, and it was sharp.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Yeah, it had, like, teeth in it or some shit. And I was like, ow, Mother. I'm glad we can skip it this time round, at least.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Which means that our past selves must be ahead of us then.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

We have to hurry.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

We might be down there battling right now. Let's go.

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So the team descended deeper into the bastion of the nameless God.

[Narrator]

The team continued down the large stairs, rounding the chasm's edge. After traveling 600ft, the stairs were no longer affixed to the walls, but simply floated over the pulsing void, the scantillating lights and octarine haze providing illumination from

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

below, down through the woods and through the underground to a forest of dreams where a God's prison is found. And as we tiptoe through horrors Yes, I can feel the call of the void which brings me closer down we will make mistakes together and endure I still will hold your hand through the darkness Will endure Yes, I still will hold your hand

[Narrator]

Sorin sang as the team continued jumping from stone to stone until the stairs terminated at the small island of floating rock. Centered on the island stood an ancient, incomprehensible structure, a stone temple, dizzying to behold, with every inch of its uncountable stones carved and hewn with precise details and ruins with terrible features pouring out beyond what such stone surfaces should allow. Attempts to focus on the structure yielded little understanding. Its size was indifferent to concepts like space or proximity. Moving and undulating with unliving breath. Ever so slightly, the detailed etchings shifted with each glance, birthing new runes and angles. But when or how remained beyond comprehension. The only constant recognizable feature was the shifting aura of dim yellows and blues peeking through from beyond its singular massive archway. Flashes of light as magics were cast deep within in incredible slow motion.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Alright, let me just get this thing out and Cinder's gonna bring out the alms box. And then he opens it. Let us pass unseen and hopefully prevent whatever catastrophe is about to happen. May the light of Celagon pass us by only to trick our enemies. But may it still guide our way.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

That's the plan.

[Narrator]

Sindri covered himself and his gear in a light layer of ash. Every surface marked by its powder disappeared, now both invisible and magical. As the trio initially worked in silence, Sindri recognized this might be his last chance to speak with Soren. Or Gloe, perhaps ever.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

I'd be lying, Soren, if I. If I said I wasn't waiting for the inevitable backstab. Your actions are questionable. And I hope. I hope that you proved me wrong. I want to believe

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

you're a wise man, Sindri. It's hard to prove you wrong. But I hope to. I'm sorry to both of you for all of the tribulations you have gone through to get to this point. Those that I was there for and those that I wasn't. It seems very unfair to you both that you've been wrapped up in this and that you've suffered. So I am proud to stand with you here. There's no backstab coming from me. I don't know what we'll be able to accomplish exactly. But I'm with you both to the end.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I'm so sorry. I have to insert you 16

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

soarin to your best perception, believes what he's saying.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Well, okay. I know what it's like to not know everything. And I know what it's like to not be in control of yourself. I think you're as much a victim in this as the rest of us. Except that you don't get the luxury of walking away from this hellscape if a backstab comes. I know it's not from you, soreness. Even if it is your and she's just gonna, like, gesture the whole of him.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Rowena or I'M sorry. I've heard Sindri call you by a new name. Is that all right for me to use as well? I wasn't quite sure if it was just an affectionate nickname.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Coincidence of coincidences. He actually is my father.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Really?

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Yeah, it's the name that he gave me. Well, the name that he would have given me.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

I. I can't believe it. Me neither. Add that to the list of miracles.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Yeah, I. I had always hoped. But maybe we can catch up on that after. If we can have an after.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Yeah.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Yes, please, an after.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

But in case there isn't an after, is there anybody that you need us to talk to? Soren? Anyone you'd like us to get a message to?

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Well, I suppose if you both, or, you know, any of us make it out of this, I would like to let Ayas know what he missed. Make sure he knows what became of our little adventure together.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Yeah, we can find him.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

And maybe, you know, let my sister Gail know that I. Well, I appreciate everything she's done for me over the years.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Wait, Gail is your sister?

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Oh, yeah. It's a long story. A bit confusing, even for me. We can talk about it on the way out, if we get that far.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Okay. Ayesh and Gael, go ahead.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Otherwise, well, I already have most of my family right here with me.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Aww.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Gloa reaches over and she pulls you into a hug.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Even though I'm so stinky from the

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

viscera, I'm not exactly a walking field of daisies. Right here.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

I'm getting in on this hug.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Ooh, a little too tight there, Sindri. Round to the goods and services.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

An invisible hug was shared by the team as the application of the magical ash was completed. The sounds of distant battle emanated from the glowing archway. And their future and past waited beyond the threshold.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

One last promise from a father to a daughter. And from a daughter to a father. Okay, Gloe.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

She nuts.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

We are about to roll some cosmic dice and we don't know what the result is. Whatever fate chooses, the other one does not defy. I know we both desperately want the other to make it out, but if we're both struggling to push the other one up, we will both drown. Cohesion, support. But don't sacrifice.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

She definitely swallows a few times, and then she's just gonna nod and remember that they're invisible. And he probably can't see her. I'll try.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

I do not want to go home without you, but I can't imagine a worse fate than an empty house.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Then I'll Try.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Thank you. Let's face whatever evil has in store for us.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Second time's the charm, eh? Let's put a nameless fucking God to sleep, shall we?

[Narrator]

Gloi squeezed Sindri in Sorin's hands, indicating she was ready to continue, and the team stepped through the final gate, the threshold of the floating temple of the Nameless God, expectantly but disorienting nonetheless.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

As if the archway were a portal, they were immediately teleported far within about

[Narrator]

half a mile deep into its incomprehensible depths. Even the second time through forsoren and glowe, they found their breath fled their

[Red Bull Advertiser]

lungs, and as they inhaled, before them stood a gaping stone pit. Not a pit, perhaps, as it was built with vivid, terrible intention. The edges of the chasm dropped into the ground again and again, forming an inverted ziggurat that descended to greater depths, every crevice and surface engraved with runes and sigils. Deep below, a gory altar gazed up like a hexagonal eye, stirring primal fears within them. Around the descending altar, battle waged. Gloa could see herself, her younger self, being struck with a dagger, which she recalled happened just before Ayas victoriously decapitated and kicked the fiend into the sacrificial pit below. The fiend he now battled. Fearing what came next, Gloe pulled Sindri and Soren running toward the pit at full speed in hopes of stopping Aiassa dear fuck it.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I've jumped over worse places. We need to move now. Just trust me. Don't let go and jump over it.

[Narrator]

As the team reached the edge of

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

the pit, their bravery faltered, and hand

[Narrator]

in hand, they simply stared down as a battle raged around them. The pit was only supposed to be 20ft. At least that's what Chloe remembered. Why was the pit so large?

[Red Bull Advertiser]

The pit before them was perhaps 200ft deep. With each step of the ziggurat descending 50ft toward the central altar, where the body would soon cascade down blood to feed the ritual.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Wait, wait. There's no way we can jump over that.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Stop.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

300ft away on the far side of the pit, Aias began the known sequence that would soon end with the decapitation of the abominable fiend, whose pooling blood would complete the ritual to awaken the nameless God shape. The trio's eyes raced from Aias to the pit below, where unique and perfectly carved surfaces led toward a central hexagonal point. An altar. A place where the dark liquids pooled into an unfamiliar yet baleful Pattern reminding Sindri of sinister altars whispered across the most ancient of dwarven texts. He could feel the malevolence in its design and sense a presence greater than his mind's comprehension within the physical and metaphysical, and immediately understood the terrible price these magics would rot in blood, essence, and sacrifice. The alder's hexagonal points were both suspended and grounded, depressed yet rising, occupied by the glowing corpses of children mixed with the shattered forms of other creatures, unrecognizable, aberrant, or mutilated beyond recognition. Each had given their life's essence to fuel the dark ritual. Yet one spot remained empty, a vacancy that would soon be remedied. Merely gazing upon this hurt Sindri's eyes, and he took three psychic damage and gained seven stress. However, he felt like the protective blessings of his ash had shielded him from a far worse fate, if any could bring light to this hellish abyss.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Okay.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Oh boy.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

So we need to prevent the body from reaching the bottom and the blood from completing the pattern at the bottom. It's so far down, though. We'll never make it in time.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

The rumbling and terrible world ending stuff all happened maybe half a minute after the body fell in it.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

It did.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Yeah, but like you said, I don't see a way down that won't break our necks. Climbing has not been our strong suit of late.

[Narrator]

The following happens simultaneously with the team's subsequent turn.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Ayas twirled his rapier, keeping the monster's grubby claws away while reloading a crossbow with his tail, tossing it up into the air, catching it with his off hand and taking a casual shot at the fiend's knee. As the wailing creature dropped to howl in pain, Ayes glared at it menacingly, baring his teet as he swung the rapier across at throat height, lolling its head back, almost severed, but still attached by unsliced muscle and flesh. In its dying spasms, Ayus pushed forward off one foot, kicking the fiend down into the pit as he bellowed, don't

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

mess with my son.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I haven't even done that idea. Just trust me and I'm gonna drag the whole party over the edge with me.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

The team did not resist as they plummeted to follow the fallen corps.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

As a reaction, I'm going to cast Featherfall at the last possible moment so we land on the central altar.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

The sundered pieces of the blue fiend crashed upon the stone dais with a vulgar crack. This ritual had been initiated with no great heralding or holy Circumstance. As the dark blood of the devil trickled down from the exposed muscle and still pulsing arteries, it pulled a path toward heavy grooves in the darkened stones. And as the team landed softly, invisibly, an explosion crashed overhead from the younger Rowena's magics. The channels before them slowly filled with pooling blood.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Oh, cool. Cool. Alright, let go of me hand and let's try and clean the blood up any way that we can. I'm gonna move up to one of the already filled spots you mentioned, and I'm gonna try casting dispel magic on him.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Hell yeah.

[Narrator]

Despite the quick cast of Featherfall, Sindri still landed with a crack and an exhale of relief. Old man, Weak knee. Bad ankle.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Okay, feed him the ground.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Got it. He picked himself up and sprinted unseen toward the newly deceased devil, casting a

[Narrator]

spell with his dwindling magical reserves. Father Westpike, though still invisible, began to radiate like the very image of a returned saint. He was incandescent, a radiant beacon of hope. As he reached the corpse, he required a dexterity roll to clean and move the body without causing in more damage.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

So that's a 19.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Father Westpike repositioned the open neck of the corpse so that the blood no longer pooled outward onto the ground into the runes and grooves. Meanwhile, Gloe reached the next nearest corpse, that of a partially flayed man with two sets of arms and legs all stitched into a bloated pile. But as she began to cast dispel magic, the hand she extended to call forth her magics became visible.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

That's fine.

[Narrator]

And the magics reached their target, sending a ripple over the flesh as hairs prickled up. One set of arms rose and separated from the other appendages. The back of the head twisted upward with a pop, pop, pop.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Its bloody scalp.

[Narrator]

The back of the mangled head caved inward, forming three hollow sockets as it faced Gloe. Do you seek him?

[Red Bull Advertiser]

The silent one rose in a bending swirl to loom over the invisible form of Gloe. His shoulders clicked, contorting forward as his taloned hands grasped out for her, failing to find rest on her invisible form. Yes, there was a flayed body beneath where he once lay. But with the ruse dispelled, combat had begun.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Sorin, unaware of this development, leapt into an acrobatic slide in an attempt to intercept the blood with his cloak, his invisible body becoming stained with crimson with each movement. Realizing he could see his blood covered hands, Sorin uncorked his vial of holy water and threw it to the ground. Shattered. The holy water hissed and began to spread the blood which flowed through the grooves.

[Narrator]

He was not sure if this had further spread the blood or diluted its power.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

The sound of shattering glass and the glitter of the falling shards caught the attention of the Silent One, who glared in the direction of Soren and called

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

out, you're challenging the God of Time and his silent faithful? We've been thinking fourth dimensionally two millennia from now, long after your sad attempt has forgotten you realize that spoilers you join us, right?

[Narrator]

The weight of those words struck the hammer of guilt in Sorin's ears. His eyes widened as above the prowling

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

form of the Silent One, another insidious form with long limbs, clawed hands, and three terrible glowing eyes crawled down from

[Narrator]

the edge of the ziggurat.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

This new interloping Silent One wound its way toward the glowing form of sea injury, surprising the old dwarf as claws rent him across the cheek and nose.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

I rolled a 4 so my AC is 22.

[Narrator]

Farting inspiration, right?

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Sindri noticed the fear in Soren's eyes sending him on edge. He spotted movement in the last moment, a flash of three red eyes against the dark stone, and dodged. The tips of the ragged claws swiped where his face would have been.

[Narrator]

They're physically unscathed. Both men now face double, their fears

[Red Bull Advertiser]

only visible as a desperately reaching hand. Gloi rushed to to Sindri's glow, her hand wove magics aimed at the runes, and she unleashed an explosion, a shatter spell to blast the stones before her, and the grooves cracked with new craters and paths that would slow the flow of blood. As dirt, stone, blood and flesh rained down on Gloe and Sorin, Sindri began to cast gentle repose on the corpse of the nearly headless fiend in an attempt to seal its wounds.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Forgive me, Celacon, but preserve this body.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

It felt desperate, blasphemous to use his Lord's blessing in such a way. Wrong as it was, it stopped the bleeding. Unbeknownst to Father Westpike, engrossed as he was in his efforts, Loewe defensively slapped the Silent One's arm, deflecting another swipe aimed at her father's head and earning the Silent One's eye magics now spoken, Sindri then pulled forth his hammer as the form of the blood covered sword appeared behind glowing, and drove his dagger down into her shoulder.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Surprised to see me?

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Sorin grinned ear to ear, the reek of rot permeating his breath.

[Narrator]

Loi was confused, heartbroken, but her overwhelming

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Dismay quickly fell away as an arrow struck the betrayer Soren from behind, revealing the bloody outline of Soren standing behind himself, bow raised, already loosing a second arrow into the shoulder of the Soren that had stabbed her. There were more of them now, more Sorins slinking out of the Silent One. A Silent One appearing and multiplying through whatever dark magics the fiend enacted behind its soulless eyes. The original Silent One twitched and stepped forward, ready to continue its own feral attacks, taking Soren's form in a single hunting stride. And as the arrow ridden Soren turned to face its shooter.

[Narrator]

A wisdom saving throw was required.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

15 Sorin winced, frightened to see himself so many of himself, avatars of his violence and betrayal, lashing out at those he promised to protect, struggling to stay focused, lost in a well of guilt and confusion, he failed to notice another Soren rushing in from his peripheral, slashing at his arm as it cried out, I'll join you.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Fantastic. I'm gonna use Spawn of Inspiration to focus one of my spell slots into a bardic inspiration, and I'm gonna throw it at some injury because he's easy to spot, he's glowing, and I don't know which Soren I can trust right now. I'm sorry Celagon charged you, dad, so be a champion. And then I'm going to upcast shatter at level three in the same spot in the hopes they'd make a really big fucking hole this time.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

A second explosion of sound and stone crashed around them, thunderous tones ricocheting off the walls, expanding outward, cracking, breaking, sundering the once solid floor as the sickening glow from below intensified, the runes were worn down, cracked by flying debris, and the blood had been chaotically cast upward in a raining mist of dirt, ichor and filth.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

No. We need the blood. We need the blood. Without the runes, we'll just have to spill the blood. Your blood. More blood. Your blood.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Your blood.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Blood.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Soren, no. 3 Sorens sprinted towards, glowy teeth bared blades hungering for blood. Leave my daughter alone.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

I'm still invisible. And I slam the head of my hammer in the side of Soren's head.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Holy shit.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

A natural 20.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Yes.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

What? Fuck yeah.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

No natural fucking 20.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Finally, my father steps up.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Dang natural 20. Pew, pew pew.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

With an 83 on the percentage dice and a 60 sickening crack, the hammer struck the side of Soren's head. Teeth flew askew, an eye ejected from view and Soren went down, only to rise again. But Sindri used the momentum of his overwhelming attack to spin about. Now facing Glowy, he proclaimed a sacred word of Celagon, a magical word of warmth that radiated from him like a beam of light healing her wounds.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Oh, your daughter. Huh?

[Red Bull Advertiser]

A warp, a fit of sliding flesh and malforming features pulled and twisted across the broken sorin. His clothing grew and slid shades, he shrunk, and the form of Gloe took shape. Some of the other Sorins had shifted into the form of the gaunt, tired eyed and hardened Gloe, but the one before Sindri was glowing with more of a sparkle in her eye. Like the young Rowena who had left Ilmatter's home, the young woman set on doing the right thing. Seeing this gave Sindri dangerous pause.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Your blood.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

More blood.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

The forms of Gloe and Soren converged over Gloe, pushing weight down upon her, separating her from the others, who quickly lost sight of her. The relentless, disorganized attacks came from every direction, but Glowe's armor deflected, gnashing teeth and misaimed dagger alike. Defiant of their calls of blood, Gloa extended middle fingers in every direction as she ducked and dodged. Soren aimed at the crowd and called out before firing an arrow at a Glowy. With her teeth bared, the arrow pierced the young Gloi in the clavicle.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Ow.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

You idiot.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Flesh dripping further with each angry breath and wide, aggressive swing. Eyeing her attacker, she broke off from the others to rush Soren, her ferocious dagger swing sinking into his shoulder.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

They locked eyes. Soren's mind clouded with new terrible ideas, lost memories that felt alien. And while he wandered in the depths of lost times, another Soren and Glowey rushed to attack Sindri and yet another. Blood and debris covered Gloe, slammed her hand against the ground, a wave of thunder erupting, knocking some Sorens and Gloways down, while others withstood the powerful, rocking magic.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

The thunderous explosion broke the Silent One's hold over the true Soren, and his mind returned to his control as he

[Narrator]

discovered his bow aimed at the glowing,

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

invisible, incandescent form of Sindril, who swung out at the nearest Glowy but found

[Narrator]

that he could not bring himself to strike his daughter, even if he knew her to be a fake.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

But in an effort to still help, Sindri cast a healing word toward, in his words, the Soren who said woo, because he's really weird like that, so

[Narrator]

it surely must be him.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

And as Soren's wounds closed, one of the other silent ones growled in protest, shifting his glare at Gloway, forcing Her to make a sanity saving throw.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

20

[Narrator]

nuts.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

A Soren singled at the true Gloa as she stumbled to think of whether it was the real Soren. But a sudden pain in her arm wrenched her attention back to the battle. Right as her own familiar face bit into her skin, exposing red beneath, another Soren tackled her, legs stealing her balance.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

The real Soren shook his head, looking at the glowies before him, blood and aggression across every similar face, and concentrated. He pulled forth a mental confidence he'd not felt for far too long, and listened to his soul to discern friend from foe. This was his family. He would die before he'd let the Silent One, either of them or their duplicates kill them. He had this to fight for. A struggle of belonging. So Sorin fired a shot, a simple choice to aim at a Ploway attacking Sindri. The first arrow missed, flying over Sindri's head, while the second shot caught Glois square in the back. Distracted by aim, a crawling Soren sliced the real Soren's hamstring, pulled him to the ground and attacked.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

You traitor. Lose your memories, Lose your loyalty. Who do you think you are, kinslayer?

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Kill them.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

I am Sorin Farkright, questionable monster hunter.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

And as Glowy was pulled to the ground by the Sorens and Glowy swarming over her, their blades wildly stabbing and cutting her, murdering her, spilling her blood.

[Narrator]

More blood.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Okay, it was badass the first time it I'm gonna take my hand, slam it into the ground again. I'm gonna cast. Thunder wave.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Another explosion of sonic energy cracked stone, bone and flesh as the attacking doubles, triples and more, were blasted away from Gloe, their forms briefly shuddering as magical flesh wrapped over their features again, ensuring their continued ruse.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Gloway's explosion brought a disorienting pause to the battle. But Sindri, having recognized the words of power, knew what was coming, coming. And now confident Witch was his real daughter. Within the chaos cast a healing word her way, exhausting the last of his magical reserves. And as he saw her flesh stitch and her wounds fully recover, he held fast to his hope for a future together. The runes, cracked and gore covered as they were, still glowed hungry and waiting beneath their tired feet. And Father Westpike realized the plan these fiends intended to enact.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Our blood cannot fall here. We cannot feed the ritual.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Hail Sa and Father west pike, an invisible source of radiating light, a beacon of hope in this foul place, raised his hammer and swung it down upon the glowing imposter before him with catastrophic Contact. A searing radiance scorched his fake daughter's face. Skin peeled away in reddened embers. Muscles snapped as it boiled, and the skull, now visible, cracked and shattered beneath

[Narrator]

the metal flesh, now ash.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

The crumbling skull grinned and cackled as the whole of the false form before him went limp and crumbled to dust.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

A duplicate had disintegrated, but it was clear the actual Silent Ones. Silent Ones were still very much alive. Seeing the gloa smote, three Sorins rushed, glowing. The first Soren raised his hands defensively, arms in a gesture of peaceful compliance before lashing out. Agloe's eyes were the distinction deceptive slash focused on the attacker before her. The second Soren swooped in from the side, stabbing her stomach and sliding the blade with his momentum. The tear of flesh wasn't audible in the din of battle, but it was yet another feeling Gloe would never forget.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

As a third Soren placed a hand on her shoulder while dodging swipes from the other two attackers. He slashed at them defensively, missing but causing them to recoil while speaking low words to heal Gloe's new terrible wounds, his wanting wild magics greatly assisted by Sindri's radiant blessings, Sorin would keep his promise for as long as he could.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Thank you. I appreciate not dying to you.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

I'm the one that healed you.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Try to keep track of the shell game.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Really? You're the one that just stabbed her?

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Gloe, less confident and shaken, stumbled to choose her next target. She reacted simply and threw her dagger aimed at the grinning, blood stained teeth of the Soren before her. He was in motion, and the metal aim to shatter his teeth instead pierced his eye, the leaking thing drawing down across his face. She fled behind Sindri, whose invisibility was now almost voided by the sheer amount of accumulated blood and dust. Her blade reappeared in her hand, dripping with aqueous humor. As the two nearest Sorens turned upon one another.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Father Westpike's eyes darted from the glow that fled past him to the gloway chasing her to the glowie and three Sorin, still engaged in a skirmish and was unsure where to strike.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Sindri raised his hammer high, summoning a ray of scorched light and holy flame, casting it forth.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Gods, I hope you're not the real Soren.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Yet the aim fell short as each of the Sorens and Glowies, standing within the path of the Divine Fury, leapt from its reach. It was only then clear to Sindri that his earlier call of warning had been heard. And heeded by all, a Glowy sprinted past Soren, dagger raised to some unseen menace behind. But as she approached, she twirled, piercing into his shoulder. The other Glowy had already moved away in the fog of battle, and he had thought for a moment she had returned.

[Narrator]

A false hope.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Through the blinding pain, Sindri had maintained his concentration over his beacon of hope as the Glowy laughed and jumped away.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Soren was lost in a sea of red hair and green cowls. The constant undulation of the battle meant he'd lost his grip on the real Gloe's shoulder. He reasoned that the Gloe he'd healed had a noticeable and bloodied slash in her armor and chose to stab the closest bard with his dagger.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Ow. You dick.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Stop hitting me. This response gave Soren pause and struck him with a crushing guilt, though only briefly, as a torrent of attacks engulfed him. He ducked and dipped from blades and grasping hands. He jumped over his own head as he watched wide eyed in disgust as his face beneath him elongated, the beard becoming like chitin's plates, and his teeth curved into pincers as they gnashed out at his legs. As more Sorins and Gloways manifested around them, a trio of impostors coordinated a series of attacks at Sindri. Two Sorins raised their bows, loosing arrows powerful enough to rattle Sindri's shield and numb his arm. His shield arm fell and he stepped forward as the Sorins knocked new arrows. But a Glowy he had not seen now leapt, descending from the air above him, replica of that horrible dagger raised and poised for his heart. It was his daughter, fighting for her life, just as he fought for his. You could see the fire of life and the anger of survival in her eyes as the dagger plummeted forth. But that wasn't all Gloe was, wasn't all she had become. She was profound. She held hope and inspired others. It was those memories Sindri held onto as he dropped to his knees, embraced himself behind his shield. The power of Glowy's attack moved stone and rang out as the tolling of a bell. But Sindri stood once more.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Get off me, deceivers.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

It was then her father barricaded behind his shield, her friend lost in a crowd of imposters. That Glowy switched her grip on her thirsty dagger, grabbed the red hair of the glowy before her and her father, and rammed the cursed blade through the side of the doppelganger's neck. The Glowy released a retching, wailing gurgle as it writhed to escape the skewering knife. And all around, other gloways and sorins yelped and winced in step. Sindri was now wholly baffled, trying to keep track of the situation. He only knew a singular truth. The glowy wailing in unnatural tones before him was not his daughter. He aimed his hammer at the wounded, screaming woman, and the beam of divinity that subsequently erupted missed his mark as the glowy hands gripped to her gushing throat dashed away. She was a tricky one, a fast one, and all too quickly the sorens on either side of him cut into his arms as their fingers grew into long tendril like points, and their proportions and physical properties warped to freakish absurdity.

[Narrator]

They grew in height, and though it

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

was clear who the imposters now were,

[Narrator]

he knew the horrors would endure.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Two arrows loosed from the real soren flew through the menagerie of madness. In the chaos of movement and trickery, one arrow struck an unwanted target, the glowing grime lids, Sindri catching the old dwarf in the side of his gut, racking painfully as the magics no longer held out and Sindri suddenly became fully visible.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Oh shit.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Doubling over as warped, monstrous sorens sprung upon the opportune mistake. They tackled him onto his stomach, arrow lodging deeper, and began to rake the old dwarves back. They tore cloth and skin alike, cloak and vestments mixed with flesh. Sindri was being flayed alive, blood seeping into the crumbling stones. How long he had left to live and bleed grew shorter with each deepening slash.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

You need to leave now to catch them at the gate. I'll finish them off here.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

One of the sorens pulled back from his vicious attack. With blood soaked hands and a confident smirk, he warped to familiar elven features, elegant and malevolent.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Yes, I have somewhere that I need to be.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

The elf dropped, all elbows bent outward, his face mere inches from the ground. He skittered up the wall, fingers splayed and twitching as he wound like a spider up through the debris, disappearing from view. To live another day, to torment them

[Narrator]

in their past and future.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

They would be fools to think the tide was turning. Even if only a single silent one remained, glowing, moved over reddened stone and reached down a hand for Sindri's shoulder. With a silent incantation of healing, the flayed st skin and sundered muscle on his back regrew just as quickly as it had been torn away. Sindri felt the physical relief, but still dwelled on the anguish as he watched Gloe's other Hands slash open Soren's neck, exploding the Ranger into an effervescent cloud of black ash.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

You stay the fuck off of my father.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

As the dust fell, Gloe helped her father to his feet.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Think, Celagon.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Father west pike knew he could not rest. No one could, and he swung his hammer up at the misshapen Soren, bashing his elongated jaw into teeth. But he inferred her anger to unleash in a holy fury and summoned forth another sacred flaming light to burn a red tooth. Gloa. She shrieked in response, her face bubbling and hissing.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

The melee continued. Freakish Sorens assaulted the original. He swung his bow in a wide arc and shook off clawing teeth and nails, creating distance enough for him to heal himself before they converged on him yet again. A Soren with a dislocated jaw and long, flat teeth locked his mouth fully around Sorin's wrist as a Soren dug canine teeth, tipped fingers into his side. Sorin lost his bow to the full weight of himself pushing down upon it, and switched to his dagger, slashing the mouth of the biting monster, knocking out huge, narrow, flat bottomed teeth. The teeth dissolved, sputtering ash as they cascaded among the rubble, but this did not wipe the green off of the monster's face. It lunged again, distracted at the last second only by a crossbow bolt from Glowing who, having seen a healing spell, fired at one of the other more monstrous Sorens. Grasping at logic in this confusing hellhole,

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

I find it entertaining that we're now tracking and trying to, like, rationalize our attacks and not just swinging.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

So, thought Sindri in the midst of this life or death encounter, while also considering his next course of action, Cinder just shouts out, soren, you're still on our site, right?

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Of course.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Woo.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Basim, return from whence you came. Golden light erupted from the still, radiant Sindri, expanding outward, burning fake Sorens and gloways, charring away their hair and skin as they blistered, melted, and popped into more smoking ash.

[Narrator]

All except one of them.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Sorin stood near Sorin, still familiar in form, unmutated, wound ridden and holding a dagger. Sorin looked at Sorin, at the dagger in his hand, the silent one. The Sorens dropped their daggers simultaneously. One hit the stone, the other turned to ash before reaching the runes and glow of the altar below with a smile that disappeared along with its mouth. He returned to his original form, and the three hollow sockets glared from Soren to Sindri with malice as the golden flame scorched its long, spindly body The Silent One grasped outward and Sorin grasped for his dagger. Gloway tossed Sorin her dagger, a dangerous maneuver, to be sure. The opening was brief, but Sorin took it, rushing forward at full strength, taking aim at the Silent One's throat.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

A natural goddamn 20.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

He caught Gloe's dagger, Sorin's old dagger, and took up his own. In a split moment, pushing upward with his legs and gripping tightly to the blades, he pierced both knives through the Silent One's throat. One deep slash perpendicular to the other. A wave of emotion swept over Sorin. Victory. Fear.

[Narrator]

Hesitation. Similarly to the way he'd felt when he'd killed Gloe. There was that sudden feeling of regret, though Soren knew he'd done the right thing. He gently lowered the emaciated body of the Silent One, his tormentor for the last gods know how long to the ground, carefully laying the once feared fiend on his cloak so no blood would seep into the cursed ground. And as he stared into the hollow eye sockets, their curious glimmer faded and Sorin thought he heard a voice.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

And in the void shall meet again. Well, I. Goodbye, Bulmer. Kelperis. I try to get my daggers out of there without causing too much arterial spray. Wipe them off on my pants.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

I am completely exhausted, my friends. But it appears as though we stopped the ritual and survived.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Did you want to bring out the dark lantern, Sindri?

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Or don't even. No.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Too soon, too soon.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I could try speak with dead too, but I don't think we'll like anything this one has to see.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

All right, all right, all right, all right. But in all seriousness, we need to do something about all of the sacrificed corpses down here. Our minds will be scarred either way, so the least we can do is clear up this foul place before we depart. Search your packs for any clothes, ceremonial things or whatnot.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

I've got some makeup sponges that I got from Glom. I'm just gonna.

[Narrator]

Actually.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

So obviously, since it's still quite above, our former selves have fucked off by now, I'll sweep the corpses into a corner and I'll start building a fire.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

So should I move or breathe or should I just stay here? Am I dead? Are we dead?

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I don't know.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Just being in this space is like hurting my mind. Now that I'm not so distracted by the life or death struggle to prevent the world from being eaten by a God that's literally slumbering in a demiplane located just beneath our feet.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Let's just get the bodies burned. I'll say a pray for them on the climb out.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Yeah, the non euclidean fire is freaking me the fuck out.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

It's burning. Its Hercules. I don't know what that means.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Okay, let's be quick about it. Stop talking, just move and let's just get going. Alright?

[Narrator]

The team worked in silence, hauling the bodies and corpse pieces to a pile and starting a fire. The only corpse that remained untouched was that of the Silent One, which lay where Sorin had left it, wrapped in his cloak.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Part of me wants to throw it into the weird ether in the spiral staircase, return it whence it came, and let it rest in the ephemeral pits of hell.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Oh, that just sounds thematically appropriate. Sure.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Then I guess we're about to do some un thematic roping of a corpse up some steep walls. We should tie the corpse to Soren, since he's the strongest climber here. Let's keep it wrapped up in the cloak, at least until we're out of the pit.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Agreed. I'll give my rope out.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Between the three of them, Glois and Dray and Soren use the the last of their magical abilities, several ropes tied to Soren and their final reserves of physical strength to climb their way out of the sacrificial pit. Though it somehow felt taller on the way out, they avoided looking at the runes or etchings, focusing on handholds and loose stones. Bringing a corpse on their ascent was arduous and thankless work, but they all felt it was required. They all knew what happened to a body left to decompose, or worse, what could happen if someone returned to resurrect him. More would seek him yet. And by tossing the corpse back to the void, they could deal a terrible blow to the strange cult that was hell bent on seeing the world devoured. As they climbed and struggled, they could hear whispers echoing throughout the vast pit, as if someone distant spoke words directly to their ears. Words of malice, words of hunger. A desire so strong that each in turn began to ponder, feel, and seek its source. Though only briefly. It was only a lingering compulsion that lessened with each exertion as they distanced themselves from the broken altar. Standing at the top of the Inverted Ziggurat, weakened and weary, they found only the remnants of the battlefield their past self had fled. They only took a moment to breathe in the deep stillness of such a disturbing place, their minds looping over inconsistencies in its features, before continuing in exhausted silence towards the entrance.

[Narrator]

It was a long walk, roughly half a mile to the strange entrance, beyond which they alighted on the small floating island that somehow contained the vast temple structure that they had emerged from below. The void undulated as they stood at the precipice of the abyss. Near the start of the long staircase out of the bastion. Their bodies ached for rest. They collectively stopped before the edge, its strange colors illuminating their path.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Well, I'd like to take my cloak back before we return him to the abyss. I haven't seen the weather forecast, but doesn't seem like he'll need it there, really dead and all.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

Sorin, still wary of the Silent One's trickery, unwrapped the cocooned monster while keeping its legs tied together. He placed the fiend at the edge of the island. The incomprehensible swirling, waiting below the Silent One. Long and lanky limbs, limp eyes gone. Wore only rags and. And a tired, tattered vestment, which Glohei recognized.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Okay, I guess I'm taking back my old father. My cloak. I'm gonna prestigitate the shit out of it because, ew, I'm not gonna wear it. Don't worry. But it's mine again. Such things shouldn't be left in the hands of the evil or to the void. Well, with that out of the way, we still have to deal with this ugly fucker. You know, I can't believe it's really dead. Well, it's gonna get no words from me. Soren, do you want to do the honors?

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

I would love to do the honors. You know, I always felt like something had to go down this pit. I never was sure what it was going to be. Glad it's this guy.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Me too.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Me too.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Do we say a prayer or for that thing?

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

No.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

May the light of Celagon never grace you again.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Ooh, savage. Sorin's gonna kick the body in.

[Narrator]

Soren pushed the body in with the bloodied bottom of his battle worn boot. And the team laughed to nervous relief, watching the coil of rope descend with him. A coil of rope connected to Soren.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Oh, shit. I pulled my dagger and slice.

[Narrator]

Soren would be allowed one roll,

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

and that's a 17.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

Soren sliced the rope cleanly in what

[Narrator]

would have been the biggest plot twist of the season.

[M. Brewster (Glowy)]

The entire story.

[Narrator]

Otherwise it would have just been Soren's memoirs, as he was like falling endlessly into the void anyway. And instead the Silent One's corpse was swallowed by the abyss, while Sindri stared at Sorin with his mouth open and an expression of disbelief, relief and disappointment, and Glowy patted Soren on the back oh, boy.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

That there's only so much whole person will do and I do not have any magic left in me.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Anyway, I thought for a moment that the rope was still tied to me as well, and I got real worried. Like, this would have been some real masterful stab at the back if you. If you were like really fully fucking evil.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Yes. This was the moment I've been waiting for.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Looney Tunes ass bullshit. As I see the rope like, unspool.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Sorry, guys. I think we're all a little bit tired still. After what felt like a three hour fight, but was in fact only two or three minutes. What a fun day of adventure it's been.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

It's been a great day.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

And all that remains is the path before us. Oh boy, is it a long one.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Let's get to the out of this pit and let's see what the forest has in store for us once we're past the.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I don't know about you two, but if we could take a moment to take a breath once we get to the top of the bastion and maybe not look down on the way.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Absolutely rest at the top, you know, away from the precipice. Sounds delightful.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Hey, that's what we should be doing.

[Narrator]

The team continued in tired, understanding silence, jumping from stone to floating stone until the rocks once again formed stairs, following their singular path up the grand spiraling staircase, through the trapped trapped door and beyond the entrance of the bastion. They left many parts of their past behind. It was there that exhaustion overwhelmed them and the team collapsed, facing opposite directions to avoid ambush, and lied down for a brief respite.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

I think. I think we have all sustained wounds that should have killed us multiple times over in the last 48 hours. It's a bit taxing for sure. Ah, you said you have people to get back to, Sindri.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Yeah.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Turns out that my wife and my daughter and. He looks at Chloe, my other daughter, are in quite a terrible situation. And it wasn't a choice I wanted to make. But coming to take care of the Silent One, the nameless God, took precedent over getting my family together again. But I'm afraid to hope that I'm actually gonna get to return to everything I wanted. Well, almost everything. I still have to figure out what's wrong, my son. But it can be no worse than whatever it was that we just faced.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Oh, Sindri, you have been our beacon of hope this whole time.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

You two absolutely brought everything you had. I am sorry I was as useless as I was. But I am glad that we could make our Stand together?

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Don't be ridiculous.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

There was so much life flowing out of you.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Like, I couldn't even see you. And we could feel you.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

And I liked what I was feeling.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I mean, Celagon came down and, like, blessed you that you could walk into flames.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Yeah, before I ruined it. That was literally the most impressive thing I've ever seen, so.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Well, we're never gonna forget it, that's for fucking sure.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Neither of those poor undead ladies. Oh, it's nice to breathe something close to fresh air again. I. I never can seem to leave these woods. Always end up back here. You said your family in some sort of terrible situation. If there's anything I can do to aid your passage back to them, I'd be happy to stick around to stick with you, though. I understand if you'd like some time away from me after all we've been through.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I'm gonna look at Sindri with just half a smile, and I'm gonna look back at Soren. You should come home with us. At least for a while.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Home, huh?

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Actually, yeah.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Yeah, I've not had one for a long or. I've not really had one. Yeah, and if you're missing home, come back with us. At least you'll have somewhere to start that cares about you and knows what you've been through.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Well, if you'll have me, I would be happy to continue traveling with you a little while longer.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

I actually do really want to go home right now. And a safe travel partner like you've proven yourself to be would be good. And I do have one problem that I would. I need somebody powerful to either help me with or do for me. My son, Reynard. He's out there, and I understand that he is confused, but I don't want to leave my family again. Mayhaps one last favor for an old man. See if you can get him home.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

My tracking skills, such as they are, are at your disposal. I'll do everything I can.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I'd come with you. I know him better than most.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Oh, absolutely.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

And I would pray for nothing more than the three of you to darken my doorstep again. But until then, let's go home.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Home.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

And perhaps kick the ass of a certain dwarf who sold us out to Soren's team of bounty hunters.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I get you that. Pardon? He promised

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Sindri Gloway. I am with you both. We probably shouldn't remain here for too much longer. So I'll find us a way back to our world, and I'm sure we can find our way to Westman's hold. From there,

[Red Bull Advertiser]

the team departed, following a path through the Dream woods they believed would take them home. That's all it takes. It takes some times, at least in a dream. A little belief, a bit of hope. It took them some time to make their way out of the Forest of Dreams and back to the waking world. But they succeeded. They had succeeded. More would come for him. More would seek the Nameless God yet. But perhaps not for a long, long time. The cultists had been slaughtered or dispersed. The Silent One had been vanquished and cast into the endlessness. And in a rare twist of fate, three reluctant travelers defied the odds, surviving to reach the end of their adventure through the domain of the nameless God

[Narrator]

Dark. The Long Road Starring Jeff Goldblum as Ballmer Peter Joseph Lewis as Soren Arkwright M. Brewster as Glow West Palace Ithor Vitharson as Father Sindri Westpike, David Alt as IS Inskeep and Travis Fengroff and KA Statz as co Game Masters. This episode featured sound design and editing by Espjorn Goldthager, mixing and mastering with additional sound design by Finner Nielsen, additional editing and sound design by Travis Vengrof and music by Stephen Millen, Brandon Boone, Yuza Kashiro, Travis Vengraff, Nobuo Uematsu, Austin Wintry, Dallas Crane, Andrey Vidonagrov and Atoshi Sakamoto. Dark Dice's executive producers are Dennis Greenhill, Carol Van Groff, AJ Punkin, and Michael Villegas. If you have enjoyed this production, please consider supporting us on Patreon. That is how we are able to create these stories. You can also get early access to our books like Domain of the Nameless God, which is now available in hardcover under the name Unnatural Horrors. This story has taken us eight years, years to bring to fruition, and we hope you have enjoyed it. Thank you for listening. Epilogue Father Sindri Westpike returned to Westman's home. Even without his son Rhaenar there, his oldest daughter Solwar, and his wife Pia readily accepted the old dwarf into their family home. Apologies were offered one upon the next, and explanations were made for all the questions Sindri felt appropriate and safe to share. Eventually, the Old west pike was granted a formal pardon within the hold, and his family and name could remain in their ancestral home without worry. And it was. It was there, among the warm hearths and friendly faces, that Sindri intended to enjoy at least a few friendly decades with his family. From the weathering of time and the scars of battle, Pia rarely recognized Sindri as the younger man she once loved. But all the same, Sindri loved her, cherished her, and was there for her. And she sometimes could see the same soul she had known stored safely within. Gloa and Soren remained with them for a time, but as much as Sindri and Solwark tried, their life in Westmanshold didn't feel like home to Gloayne. She had not been raised there, she didn't know her sister or mother, and she felt damaged. Other after Sindri passed on, perhaps after a decade or two, these feelings pushed her to travel, to leave her new family home, often in pursuit of new, darker crafts. A cursed dagger, a dark lantern, and a cloak of elven flesh became her new traveling companions as she scoured legends and rumors for more relics, and after a long time, slowly began to make new plans. She would return to the roaming forest to free Lauriak from her curse and to join the last Guardian to ensure that any who seek the Nameless God will find an unexpected new danger on their path.

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Sorin felt a sense of calm, camaraderie, and victory at the end of their trials. He journeyed with the West Pikes for some time after his final battle, and lived with them in the more peaceful months that followed within the depths of Westman's Hole. But Sorin had always lived not so much in civilization as around it, and one day simply announced he would depart Westman's hold. He chose to travel the wilds and unkept roads yet again, maybe to reunite with Glam and Gale, his family that shared a tangled web of memories. He thought about spending a little bit of coin enjoying the little things in life he had overlooked, like seeking out new friends. But over time he found this foreign and difficult to achieve. His adventures, like lived in his muddled mind, and on many nights he found himself cherishing that strange teacup above all other prizes, though he never fully understood why. So he remained on the outskirts of society, hunting, fishing, and trapping. He helped those in need when possible, spurred to do so by an inescapable burden and incomprehensible loss he didn't fully understand. He worried that at any moment some blessing or curse affecting his mind would break, and that every moment of torture, every murder of an innocent, and every scream of a child taken by the cultists under his command would come flooding back, all undeniably real. But perhaps a family and child of his making waited for him in a strange landscape under familiar stars, and he'd unknowingly abandoned them. Staring at the teacup one night, Soren reasoned he'd truly come to love the world. Regardless of false former alliance or an unquenchable desire to vanquish this bleak little world and see it born anew, there were still little hopes worth fighting for. The fireflies, sunsets and people who chose happiness despite great suffering were each compelling and their own peculiar ways.

[Narrator]

His thoughts often wandered back to such peculiar things. He thought of the meal shared with Sister Cavern's fall and her later martyrdom as a true example of the goodness he once believed gone from the world. He chuckled to think of the earnest, heartfelt yearning contained within the pages of Fygia's book of serious poetry. He was reminded of Aias every time he saw a father with her child. Recalling his quiet, daily parental sacrifice, his love for his children, and the Tiefling's compassion for all the children of the village, he reminisced in his times with Ildryx, his brother in arms, who Sorin believed a genuine hero of the realm. And now Sorin did his best to follow in Ildryx's example, protecting the innocent and those in danger of a dull birthday. And he mourned them all over time, no matter the feats of daring or the lives he saved, the creeping fear slowly returned to eat away at Sorin, consuming him as his life withered back into the dark places of the world. Retreating from civilization, he lived now just as Sister Cavarinsfall had first found him and waited for the day when the dark stormfront of guilt he bore with him would finally crack, or his memories would return to clarify the pain he never released. Well, guys, you did stop the ritual.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Hell yeah.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Hell yeah.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

Thank you guys very much. That was a great game you ran. Yes, absolutely. Thank you for playing with us, Peter. You're an amazing scene partner.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Oh my God, thank you so much.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

You guys are great. You are like literally, and I will tell anyone this, beyond all the effort that Travis and Caitlyn put into this, you two are the beating heart of Dark Dice and I adore you.

[Ithor Vitharson (Father Sindri Westpike)]

Thank you so much, man. It's always a pleasure, man. You bring a very, very fun energy that's fun to play with. And I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier.

[Peter Joseph Lewis (Soren Arkwright)]

Someone's gotta yell at some.

[KA Statz (Glow West Palace)]

I'm gonna hit stop on my seven and a half hour recording.

[Red Bull Advertiser]

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