Escape from the Reach | Age of Umbra Episode 7 Part 1

gonna put you on, nephew.

All right, Uncle.

Welcome to McDonald's.

Can I take your order?

Miss, I've been hitting up McDonald's for years.

Now it's back.

We need snack wraps.

What's a snack wrap?

It's the return of something great.

Snack wrap is back.

To get real business results today, you need professional-looking content.

Meet Adobe Express.

It's the easy way to make social posts, flyers, presentations, and more.

Start fast with Adobe quality templates and assets.

Make edits in one click.

Stay consistent with brand kits and collaborate easily with colleagues.

Your teams can finally create with AI that's safe for business.

Try Adobe Express, the quick and easy app to create on-brand content.

Visit adobe.com slash express.

Lowe's knows you've got a job to do, and we help get it done.

With the My Lowe's Pro Rewards program, Eligible members save more with volume discounts on qualifying orders through a quote of $2,000 $2,000 or more.

Join for free today.

Lowe's.

We help you save.

Offer can't be combined with any other discount contract and or special pricing.

Exclusions, more terms, and restrictions apply.

Details at lowe's.com slash terms.

Subject to change.

Hey there, Critical Role podcast listeners.

We have a special new membership service at beacon.tv where you can get early access to all new podcast episodes, including Critical Role Role for the first time ever.

Beacon members also get things like event pre-sales, merch discounts, access to a private community Discord, and new exclusive series like Critical Role Cooldown, where we riff after the show.

Think of it as our digital Critical Role land.

Head on over to beacon.tv to check it out for yourself and start a seven-day free trial.

Thank you so, so much for your support, for being a podcast listener, and for being a part of our community.

Hey there, critters.

This is Ashley Johnson and Telus and Jeffy.

And we're popping in here to talk about our new podcast on Beacon, Weird Kids.

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

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

Weird Kids is available exclusively on Beacon, but good news, we're offering a one-month free trial on beacon.tv so you can take a look before you become a member.

Just use the code weirdos at beacon.tv to start the trial.

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

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

Welcome to Weird Kids.

New episodes release every Tuesday.

Hey there, Matthew Mercer here, and you're listening to the podcast version of Age of Umbra, a dark tale and campaign setting from our recently released tabletop RPG Daggerheart from Darrington Press.

You don't need to know anything about the rules or system to enjoy the story, but if you're inspired to want to play along, we have several short how-to-play resources we lovingly call Get Your Sheet Together, available to watch right now on beacon.tv and youtube.com/slash critical role.

This is part one of the episode right now, and part two arrives the following Tuesday.

If you'd rather get instant and ad-free access to the full episode, consider becoming a beacon member where you can watch bonus content like the cast discussing each episode and critical role cooldown, receive critical role shop discounts, including on Dagger Heart, and much more.

Sign up now at beacon.tv.

And that should cover it.

Now, let's dive into the adventure.

Hello, everyone, and welcome to tonight's episode of The Age of Umbra.

Age of Umbees.

Before we jump in, we do have some announcements to get through.

Solar Gardens

is a new Darington Press board game that embraces the power of creativity and optimism.

In this tile-drafting game, players take on the role of a visionary architect specializing in carbon-neutral engineering to build a rooftop garden in harmony with nature.

It's beautiful, it's wonderful.

And you gather points by building things like solar farms and windmill systems to create tranquil garden environments.

It's a very cozy board game experience.

You can pre-order Solar Gardens now at Critical Roll shops, releasing July 31st at Gen Con, Darington Press Guild stores, and other friendly local game stores.

Plus, alongside Solar Gardens, we'll be releasing a Darington Press promo pack celebrating Critical Rolls 10-year anniversary.

It will feature exclusive promo cards for six of our games, including Solar Gardens, art cards, alt art cards from the menagerie for Dagger Heart,

new Queen by Midnight Bazaar cards,

and more.

So get them as a gift with purchase only at Gen Con and Darrington Press Guild Stores.

I think that's all the announcements we have for tonight.

So let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of

The Age of Art.

When life brings the blah, add more Yabba Dabba-doo with some tasty, fruity pebbles.

Early morning meeting, blah.

Someone brought the pebbles, Yabba Dabba-doo.

Run errands?

Blah.

Head to the store for pebbles.

Yabba-daba-doo.

Fruity pebbles, less blah.

More, yabba-dabba-doo.

Pick up Pebble cereal today.

Yaba-daba-doo and the flintstones and all related characters and elements.

Copyright and trademark, Hanna-Barbera.

With networks like Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and more, Sling is the best way to get the news you care about, which is great for everyone.

Well,

almost everyone.

Where's that dang paper boy?

I need my news outdated and rolled up like a burrito.

Finally, now I can read all about what happened forever ago.

Get the most important news delivered reliably at the best price.

Sling lets you do that.

Visit sling.com/slash news to see your offer.

I'm gonna put you on, nephew.

I don't.

Welcome to McDonald's.

Can I take your order?

Miss, I've been hitting up McDonald's for years.

Now it's back.

We need snack wraps.

What's a snack wrap?

It's the return of something great.

Snack wrap is back.

To get real business results today, you need professional-looking content.

Meet Adobe Express.

It's the easy way to make social posts, flyers, presentations, and more.

Start fast with Adobe quality templates and assets.

Make edits in one click.

Stay consistent with brand kits and collaborate easily with colleagues.

Your teams can finally create with AI that's safe for business.

Try Adobe Express, the quick and easy app to create on-brand content.

Visit adobe.com slash express.

Hello and welcome to the Age of Umbra.

Last we left off, our troop had trekked beyond the Amber Gate, survived jumping across the drowned sprawl, casting away spirits of old trauma, and began to ascend the amber or the

Ashkal

region of the city.

Upon climbing it, you were waylaid by two terrifying creatures that called the exterior of the Athenium home, and in that fray, lost two of your companions, Adelia and August, both falling in the battle.

In the middle of the trauma, Screeve charged into the night, vanishing into shadow, and has not been seen since.

You shouted for entry into the Athenium, and through a convincing display of what looked like like divine magics, you convinced the guard to allow you entry.

And for the night, and the first and a few nights,

you prepared for an evening's rest near the safety of a sacred pyre.

You made some contacts within that had more dubious

Fingers in the local merchantile and did some heavy trade for some new upgrades, some items to help you on this last leg of your journey, little bits of information.

You had drawn some attention as the one that had claimed or shown to have had this touch of the divine gift, which made quite a stir with some of the civilians locked here within the stronghold for generations.

You

had decided to speak on her behalf and go help heal a young boy who was apparently suffering, stealthily

gave a divine healing,

more or less imparting this magic within his body to rid him of this disease

and in doing so received a

terrifying interaction

as he grabbed your arm and began to speak of things

beyond either of your understanding before passing into his bed and he will return as you just

absorb

the moment

standing within this tent and him now fast asleep on the bed.

Healed.

I'll go to the bedroom door, open the door.

Is his sister still outside?

Indeed, the tent flap.

Oh,

it's been a minute.

You know, the flap opens him, and she's,

is he alright?

He's fine.

Your brother

doesn't ever pretend to speak in other voices, does he?

No, not that I'm aware of.

No, why?

Is he okay?

Oh, he'll be fine.

Funny sense of humor, that one.

Keep this to your

to yourselves.

I don't want others knowing that a little bit of favor was shown this night.

You get some rest, and I'll head out of the tent.

Of course, you just kind of

go past and head back to the chamber that you were given for the evening's sleep.

The rest of you have begun to

kind of just give into the exhaustion of the past few days' journey.

And as you arrived, you can see everyone's in the process of setting for an evening's rest

or possibly even just passing out in the middle of whatever action they were taking.

How did it go?

Great.

Little boy seems to be on the mend.

They were very thankful.

Wonderful.

We have some wine for you, if you'd like.

Some wine?

Yes.

That sounds great.

That sounds

perfect.

Yeah, it's

it's it's a little vinegary, but it's

you know, there's not a lot of functional wineries here in the uh the domain waste, so

I think you mean domain, sorry, the domain,

the domain estate,

chateau.

We should

be on our way in the morning.

First light.

Yeah.

Of course.

And Matt, remind me,

since I put on new armor, does that automatically refill my armor slots to what the new armor is?

Well, do you take new armor or do you take over somebody else's armor?

I took Talison's.

I took August's.

I think it's once you rest and then you fill up the arms.

You have to rest and repair it.

If it's a new armor that you've purchased and donned at a rest, I'll allow that to carry over.

If it's like pristine armor.

Okay.

But this armor you received was already pretty wrecked.

Yeah, it has three slots off of it.

Yeah.

So you begin with three slots

used on it.

Three slots used.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

So as part of your

restful sleep this evening, does anybody need me to clear their stress or two points of their stress so you don't have to waste that in action?

You can do it before we go to sleep.

Sure.

I have three points of stress on

three spanks.

Oh, you guys are

rocking

rock paper.

What is it?

Boulder paper.

Boulder parchment.

Boulder.

Boulder parchment.

Cheers.

Wait, are you doing on four?

Boulder parchment.

Cheers.

Okay, you guys.

Okay.

Then I will

go up and do healing hands

and do a spellcast roll.

This is a long rest.

23 with hope.

I'll mark a stress and clear two of your stress if you would like.

There you go.

Yes, thank you.

I'm gonna repair my armor.

We pick two things or three?

Pick two.

Two.

But because it's a long rest, you clear all slots of that type.

Right.

Or you can prepare if you'd like to.

That was the closest I got to a death roll last time, man.

I didn't like it.

If you didn't do I Was Your Shield, I'd be rolling.

Really?

Oh, yeah.

You were hit.

You were...

That was it.

Is this a...

Keep watch sort of a situation?

No, you are near a sacred pyre, so no no one needs to keep watch.

And we've got a little under city watchful eye on us as well.

If that's the case...

Can I go back in time and have you,

Travis,

knock down her stress?

I don't really need it.

Would that help you?

Stress is my main mechanic for I am your shield.

And would that allow you to do some other action tonight?

Well, the only other action that would be like on the table would be...

I've got one hit point, but I can deal with that.

The only other thing would be like if we wanted to...

You also prepare armor?

I'm doing armor for sure.

So I could either clear my stress or we could like prepare and gain hope.

But you can do the same.

Because how much hope do you have?

One.

So you can do the same thing.

For sure.

So, because is hope your mechanic?

I use both equally.

Then why don't you keep your stress cleared?

I will clear my stress by what he did, and then you can prepare or do whatever.

Paradise

four and two.

Thank you.

I could just give you four hope right now

for free.

No, not for free.

What would I have to do for you, sir?

Dance,

do it slowly.

Do it touce more.

What do they say?

Yeah, and that's what that was.

I was like, what is this?

Why do I know this?

Take it off slowly.

Take it off slowly.

Are you going to give me four?

Okay.

I'll give you two hope.

Okay.

Two hope.

Okay, don't waste it.

You said you need it, right?

I can also prepare.

Does anyone prepare for it?

I I can prepare with you.

Let's prepare together.

Okay, let's prepare.

Yes, we're going to prepare with each other by preparing.

Because I only needed to use one of those to clear stress because I was okay.

We prepared, describe how you prepare for the next day's adventure, then gain a hope.

If you choose to prepare with one or more members of your party, you each gain two hopes.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Do you want to pray together?

Is that how we should prepare?

I think you want to talk about it.

I'm wonderful.

Maybe what I will do is

I will just play music.

Oh.

And I think at at this point I have dropped my

appearance

and I'm just back to my stone self.

And I will just try to play some relaxing music for us to try to rest and sleep.

And

knowing that that was also used to...

It was some form of prayer at one point in this body.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I will be inspired by the music and also say a quiet prayer to Tyrus, not really knowing what what he is or they are and

express my regrets for the actions of the day and hope that

Screeve

Screeven

forgives me and hope that he finds his way back to us.

I actually wrote a prayer because I botched the last one so badly last time.

What's your prayer?

So I wrote,

In dream I saw the pyre walk through ash and flame and veiled talk.

A gift the world should never know, a heart that burns where gods ne'er go.

They hide their light in humble shell to keep the pyres from ringing bell.

But even quiet fires glow bright when stars are known by absence of night.

Wow.

What in the that was so beautiful?

Oh, God, Terry.

When did you do that?

Did you do that?

Did the did do I get Marcus Trope socks this time?

Marcus Trop.

I didn't like my nursery rhyme last time.

I did not like your nursery rhyme.

I liked it.

That was beautiful.

I thought that was quite lovely.

Wow.

Nothing happens.

You find, especially in the day's events and for some of these evenings' events,

your shaken

resolve settles into a needed slumber.

And as sleep takes each of you, you reminisce on

days of distant travel,

the exhaustion and the purpose.

Serving the needs of distant others

for reasons never understood

and now instead serving a known purpose

for those that you

give care for

you dream of

you dream of the one who pulled you from the darkness and the sacrifices he made

to be freed from

endless shadow

and now see the light of day, the light of flame

and a second chance at an impact on these realms around you.

Though you cannot see it where you sleep, you sense the proximity of the pyre

and in that

imagined or not warmth,

you slip into memory

of how much kindling you've watched and guarded,

of those you kept safe, and those you intend to continue to keep safe.

You

can't get the look in his eyes out of your mind.

A glare from something not present.

A memory that speaks to

uncertainty as to whether that actually happened or it was all in your mind.

Was he possessed?

Did something speak through him?

Are you going mad?

He seemed to rest so easy, so quickly.

And these visions continue to follow.

Are you broken?

Are you destined?

You don't know

the depths of the old faith and the new.

But something calls you forward.

And something

has special plans for you.

The night's rest is a welcome one.

And the morning, you assume, comes as your chambers here do not see daylight.

But the hustle and bustle of the next morning definitely rouses you,

and your sore bodies sit up and prepare for what you need to do in the day or days to come.

No bad dreams,

Just recollections.

And maybe a renewed resolve.

I'm gonna take a full fear on this because I can.

Wait, wait, wait, why?

Because it's like a message.

I gain 1d4 plus the number of players.

That's right, because we haven't taken that many long rests.

Even on the minimum roll, that would put me at max fear, which is how I'd love to start my day.

I'll use Adjust Appearance again

so we can get through here.

You got it.

Eventually, you make enough sound that one of the soldiers that was set in patrol not far from your sitting steps forward and is like,

I look

in.

Um, should I go fetch and a kernel?

A short time later, the uh

well

the stoic, well-armored fawn returns, I think.

I hope you did find your rest, um

comfortable enough.

Unless you require much else from our community,

I understand your journey is one of haste.

It is.

Yes.

Thank you for your

hospitality and protection.

If you ever find yourself near Desperlock, you can.

You can ask the same of us, and it shall be returned.

If that is the case, might I ask your names?

Yes.

I am Idol.

My name is Misty.

Brixton.

Snicks.

You notice a secondary soldier behind her out back is kind of scrolling into a small leather-bound

booklet or journal.

Closes it.

On your return trip,

and I do hope there is one.

You can find Haven once more within the walls of this stronghold.

Success or not?

Just

ask for Commander Kieran.

Thank you, Commander.

We will wish for success.

Perhaps on my return, I can

meet the other sacred pyre keepers

and see the sacred flame for myself.

If indeed you return with such a branch that you seek,

I'm sure they would like to see you as well.

Give them my regards.

Of course.

And

before we leave,

you had mentioned that your spotters were tracking the Ember Winds,

and that it seems to be moving due east.

It's heading south at the moment, and it might move east thereafter.

But it is imminent, regardless.

The wind is always imminent, and sometimes moves

erratically

and with malice.

So

move swiftly.

Heard.

Heard.

Heard?

Like you heard her?

Like I heard her.

Oh, oh.

Heard.

She heard me.

I know you're a goat.

Yeah, I thought you got together.

All right.

Well, you'll You'll be escorted out.

Safe travels.

Be mindful of those that would like to misuse your gifts,

should they be true.

Um, uh, thank you for the advice.

It's, um,

it's hard out here for

those of us who are touched.

I've crossed many an Aether Weaver in my days.

We are a hundred years past divinity.

Whatever is claimed to be touched by the gods more often than not is proven to be something else entirely.

I would be careful where your

inspirational dreams take you.

Yes.

Heard.

Heard.

She looks to the rest of you.

Be careful.

And walks away.

Other soldiers step up to escort you back towards the gates where you once entered.

Okay.

I'm sorry for the charade.

I think a little.

a little deception can sometimes work in our favor.

Yes.

I...

I am more than happy to carry this burden.

It's very convincing.

Thank you.

Many holy people have...

our martyrs have to carry a great burden

Maybe this will help you get get to sainthood or whatever

further blessings from the gods

Perhaps perhaps if I walk like an ether weaver talk like an aether weaver

weaver

That's silly.

Anyway.

As you are escorted through the winding and crowded streets of the community

of the Salesian Athenium,

the people begin to notice you walking back through and once again

leaning into the prospect of these strangers that blew in and seem to be blowing out so quickly thereafter.

As you begin to exit, you hear whispers behind, where are they going?

Are they leaving?

Who are they?

Are they friends of the...

I don't trust them.

One of them kissed my grandmother.

You know, like, it's just all these strange little rumors and phrases and conversations.

Some of them just odd creations.

Others concern.

Others worry.

But you watch as

two,

three,

five people begin to follow.

Ten.

Twenty.

By the time you come to the gates, about about to leave, the soldiers step to the sides.

You turn and see 50 plus people are all there, waiting, clutching their clothing, many of which you had seen upon entry, and other new faces that are all looking expectantly.

All at you, Brixton.

In that pause, one voice pipes up.

You're not leaving, are you?

Um.

The divinity of the miracles that seek our calling

unfortunately means we have to press on.

No, no.

Stay.

Stay.

Keep us safe, please.

Find strength in one another.

We are the enduring.

There is no greater miracle than the community you all behold

underneath the sacred pyre.

Do not put your faith in strangers.

We are kind

and grateful.

But that does not mean that others hold the same intentions.

I've seen how glorious this community is in such a short time.

Have faith in that.

Hopefully, we'll see you all again.

She just kind of tucks her head.

The gates that have spread open are the outside.

You turn.

As you turn and leave, you hear feet shuffling.

The voices go louder.

Don't, please don't leave.

Hands start rushing.

You hear soldiers saying, stay back, stay back.

You hear like shields hitting people.

The crowd is starting to crush and push towards the gate.

Arms are reaching for all of you.

You feel like fingers grabbing at your elbows as you you pull away.

The guards end up pushing onto your shoulders and shove you out the gates as you push by.

You hear louder, no one, why are they going?

The stars out

behind you

and silence as you now stand in the daylight hours under the clouded gray skies, alone

outside of the Athenium.

Yeah, it can be, uh,

it can be like that

So many people

in such need

wanting of so much help and and hope

and they have they have a pyre and they have a pyre Yeah, our people were gonna be far worse very soon

Yes, we should stay focused on the task at hand.

That was very sad

Alright.

Onward?

Yes.

Onward.

Snicks, show us the way.

Sure.

Sure.

I'll lead the way

using all of my different techniques.

Do you eat as you go?

Do you just like eat stuff?

I've always got a mouth pouch of

grass going.

Yeah.

You're just always kind of chewing, chaw, chaw, Chewing a chaw.

Always be chewing.

I'll test the wind.

It's this way.

Indeed, you lead the rest of the troop in a northward direction, heading around the exterior perimeter wall, beyond the

portcullis that is partially left up with guards on the upper edge of the wall holding the lock to the chain.

And as you step beneath it,

it closes behind you.

And here you now stand on the northern rampart edge

of the Ashkaw Quarter.

Looking down below, it is 80, 100 feet drop from where you stand into the rocky depths below.

You see the edge of the base of the Eidel Hollow mountains.

Below, streams and rivers pouring down through rocky and wooded segments of the western mountain range.

And beyond, you can see the arcing points, these like curved spikes that push up out of the range like this massive crown of teeth on an impossible scale that surrounds the valley to the north.

And you glance

ahead and beyond to the familiar cinnabar quarter.

You can see the surrounding gates that rise up even further, the climb up this mountain range to the next segment there before you.

You walk along the top of the rampart, the the winds picking up

blowing your hair, blowing your cloaks to the side as you kind of bundle up a bit, the chilled air kind of tearing through your body for a moment, causing you to shiver as you continue to push on forward.

Going to

spend a fear.

I'd like you all

to make a strength reaction roll for me, please.

Because the sun is shining so warmly that you're afraid we'll get sunburned.

Is this wind knocking us off or something?

No.

Soon.

Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon.

Okay.

This is a reaction roll, you said?

I thought that was a 21.

21.

Sorry.

I got 30.

14, 15, 16.

10.

Uh, 15.

I think I misread that dice one time last game.

Ooh.

In a good way or a bad way?

I'm read the wrong number.

Well,

you rally yourselves and hold strong, the chilled wind not cold enough to cut through your physical constitution, and you push onward.

Scampering further

beyond the Athenium,

you can look to the right-hand side and see the rest of the ash call below, the multiple layered levels.

that continue downward and here in the brightness of day from this perspective where the mist hasn't quite grown as thick you can see the droves

of shapes that move through them.

The hordes of creatures and undead, and fiends, and beasts that stalk below,

all waiting for something to breach within the Athenium

so they could storm the inside and devour every soul that you walked past the night before.

And ahead,

you see the perimeter gates of the cinnabar quarter.

You can

see this

beautifully crafted gothic architecture surrounding the wall and the gates as they rise up to these fine points

with iron-rigged rods that protrude with an X affixed to them.

Symbols of the elite houses of the old world still on display, rusted and brown.

The painted stonework, once probably a vibrant crimson in places.

Much has been scuffed away with weather and time, just revealing the grays and whites of the stone beneath.

But what catches your attention more than anything is amongst the beautiful partially cracked or shattered glass, stained glass windows, the

balconies that protrude from this perimeter wall, and the impressive, unique architecture that denotes this shift in cityscape

are the dozens of spikes that protrude from it and the skeletons and rotted corpses that hang from them as a warning.

And we have to go

through it, right?

We can't go around.

We've got to run up.

We can certainly try.

It's a sheer wall on one side and the rest is to go back down into the ash colour.

I think inside the inner wall was what we read or learned.

Okay, I'll do that.

There a door?

No, there's a gate.

Okay.

And you approach.

Oh, boy.

You stop for a second because you hear

a sound.

A far-off, distant,

high-pitched screech.

Like

a held note

of a broken bassoon that gets higher and higher before it breaks into multiple tones.

The sound of the umbra winds, sourceless to the south.

The umbra is moving.

And as you get out of the light and into the shade beneath the gates that await you, you can see the doors are ajar.

Fucky.

our fortune is turning.

There are smears of blood,

old blood across them that read

welcome.

That read welcome come in that's nice and revel.

Oh, that's right, because they're partiers.

They party.

They party already.

You step into

the quarter proper and are immediately met with

an opulent neighborhood of wealthy homesteads and mansions that greet you.

The

cracked and broken, but still relatively well-kept in some places, cobblestone roads themselves

kind of greet each footstep with a heavy

in the still quiet.

You can see of many of the buildings, the dark and broken windows just litter the ground around them with a smattering of broken glass.

And indeed, more

bodies remain affixed to the outsides.

Whether they be morning or celebration, too far to know.

You can see

this once luxurious class of affluence in the old world has been long missing.

And those that have taken up residence here are still enjoying wringing all they can from it.

And those who wander through.

You see the occasional structure show some fire damage as well.

You can see some structural trauma in places, roofs that look partially pushed in.

Some buildings that have like a collapsed secondary roof inward.

While some of the streets continue to get better in care as you step in quietly,

you can see jagged wood barricades built into some edges of the road, from shattered furniture or pulled parts of structures that have fallen, or possibly from areas beyond, where it looks like these piles of debris have been set up to either protect or hold firm some sort of defensive position.

Or others to surround glass-strewn campsites now abandoned.

Fire pits long extinguished, leaving rings of black and soot, where travelers

or damasque queens

have set up for a night's rest

or night's revelry.

Welcome to the Cinnabar Quarter.

The bodies that are on the pikes and sort of posted inside the

living areas, are they in various states of decay?

Are they mostly

long decayed or or recently?

As far as the buildings, yeah, all the bodies that are oh, the bodies

glancing around, the majority of them are long decayed.

They've been here,

they've been here a while.

You do see

two of them.

You live in the Halcyon domain.

You're all fairly familiar with the rate of decay.

Yeah.

There are some here that look like they've been here for a few weeks.

Got it.

Okay.

I guess keeping an eye out for any familiar bodies as well, like a certain shadow stalker, Screeve.

Sure.

In case he fell into the wrong hands here.

Or

in case he also pops out of the shadows to try and

he would never.

He's our friend.

The cookie crazy guy that we knew for 24 hours.

He just has to calm down and realize we were doing I did it for a good reason.

You were.

I don't know if reason is in his vocabulary, though.

You said instinct roll?

Okay.

17 with fear.

Okay.

Go away.

That's your fear, guys?

Going away.

It's not anymore.

It's not anymore.

It's not anymore.

Okay.

Fuck that die.

Keeping an eye out.

You're thankful that this first leg of the district that you walk through, none of these corpses

catch your attention as familiar.

Like I said before, most of them have been here for quite some time.

And some are just remnants of bone.

What may have been a corpse of a partial corpse before has since long fallen and crumbled, and there is just a segment of a vertebrae or half a rib cage that still remains.

You do kind of, you know, not walking through the center street, kind of

coast from building to alley to building.

You pass by two of them and the doors are left ajar.

And you glance within and you can see that they've been somewhat ransacked.

You see bookcases have been toppled.

You see

shelves have been pulled out.

Drawers have been yanked and emptied on the ground.

And all manner of goods have been searched or pulled in some.

But also you look inside and see that some nice things are left as well.

Find bits for you.

You can see like fine clothing still hanging in an armoire with the doors open.

It looks like whoever may have come through some of these homesteads either had particular interests in mind or just

had a unique taste they wanted to

appeal to.

But also,

this district has fallen over time.

The apostasy led to most of those who lived here to close their doors, to lock their families away, to use their long-gained

generational wealth and in many cases extreme affluence compared to the common folk of the city to keep themselves safe for as long as they could while the rest

desperately tried to survive in squalor this was during the apostasy riots this was there this is thereafter as well thereafter as well okay and for a long time this district kind of closed itself off and kind of kept itself siloed from the rest of the world suffering.

It's a dated community.

And even then in time, some of them ran low on their monetary funds.

And those they paid to keep watch

eventually wanted to

wanted the rest of their bill paid.

Or take what they wanted to fulfill that debt.

And that was where a lot of the Damascus queens began.

And this is...

Does the Cinnabar quarter still...

Is it still granted a little bit of safety from the pyre, from the Celsian, or no?

We're pretty much

the pyre is pretty proximity-based.

Yeah.

What's in here, you do not see at the moment any roving beasts or monsters or hear sounds that remind you of the ash call.

Part of that you imagine, and you probably know a little bit about this too,

is because the queens also keep the area clear for themselves.

Right.

So they're they are keeping the area safe, relatively, for their particular troops

But then

those that aren't must join

So less kept safe by a pyre and more of a less of us community with just people with guns and on patrol That's a good way to put it.

Yeah, okay.

Um

but

these wealthy homesteads might carry shreds of history, clues,

useful artifacts or

possible bits of information to

help you prepare for what might be encountered should you choose to search.

But

you can continue to move forward regardless.

It's yours to explore or yours to sprint.

But I am

going to spend a fear.

Oh, boy.

As you walk by one chamber and glance into the somewhat sundered living room area, the door kind of half torn off of the hinges, and watch as a person walks out and looks at you.

At me or us?

At you.

And then walks through a wall.

Ghosts?

You take a stress.

Ah!

Ghosts?

Ghosts?

Do they look like the ghosties from before?

Or do they look like people?

That one just looked like a person.

Oh,

that's different.

Yeah, I did.

Anybody else see that?

Did we all see what they said?

You're the only one that caught it, and then when you glance back, there's nothing there.

What did you see?

There was a person, but they walked through the walls.

It was like...

But it wasn't like the ghosts from the apostasy riots.

It was...

I gotta just like peer around the corner, see if I can see them.

It was coming from inside the house.

Yeah.

Do we follow?

Maybe we should check inside the house and see if there's anything weird in there.

Just give it a quick over.

Did that person, their garb, did it look more current or was it reminiscent of

what?

Yeah, like the olden times.

The clothing you saw on them did not look tattered and dirty.

Okay.

Okay.

Interesting.

Yeah, they looked pretty, pretty cleaned up.

Should we take a peek?

Maybe?

Yeah, quick peek.

If our friends were still here, you know they would want to.

We'll do it for them.

Alright.

For Delia.

For Delia.

For Delia.

For Scream.

For Delia.

For Violet.

Yeah, for that.

Um, who wants to go in?

You want me to go in?

You guys want to go in?

I'll go in.

You'll go in?

Yeah.

Okay.

Go for it.

Okay.

Paul will be right behind you.

Okay.

All right, Misty.

As you step in and begin to slowly check the interior of this ransacked homestead, you can make an instinct or knowledge roll to see if you can learn any history about the denizens or discover things within that could be useful or informative.

Um

13 with fear

thirteen with fear.

Okay.

You

look around and find that indeed this place was torn apart, but you don't see any signs of physical violence.

There's no bloodstains.

There's no

carving into the wood that feels like it was in the throes of battle or defense.

There's a few marks carved here and there, but it's most like initials or a happy face.

You know, people have come through here and just decorated in their own unique way, but there's no signs of murder that you can tell.

Safe to go in?

I think so.

Okay.

We'll go in.

Snoop around.

Oh boy.

You step into the building.

Or we just leave.

Or we just leave.

I don't know.

And you hear, ever so faintly, from the outside, somewhere in the city, enough where your ears just gently pick it up.

Hello?

It's just someone laughing.

Don't call up.

Everyone just going about their day.

They're laughing and having a good day.

I feel like I'm being watched.

It's weird.

We must be.

Yeah, these houses have been picked clean.

We can give it a quick once-over, see if there's anything that'll help us, and then we'll be on our way.

Yeah.

Faster as we're in, faster we're out.

Is there any

desk, shelves, papers, books, scrolls, maps,

artifacts?

Daggers, gems,

coins, packs, artifacts, relics, old relics.

Well, you've expended your search of this locale.

If somebody else wants to make an instinct or knowledge roll, you are welcome to try.

We'll get it.

Instinct or knowledge, I can certainly do it, or I can help someone.

Go for it.

My stats suck there.

Mind you too.

I will spend my one and only hope to give you

spend your one and only hope.

That's what we're here for, baby.

Yeah, I guess so.

Alright, I'm searching

garbage.

You said instinct?

16.

16?

With fear.

With fear.

God.

I'll take that back.

I know, I know.

So you,

in searching around,

you walk and you hear the floorboards like creaking.

With each footstep.

But like it's it's it's a slight creak with the impact of the hardstone beneath it.

As you're stepping around, you hit one that doesn't

have that like hard base floor stone beneath the wood

And it has a bit of a hollow clock to it.

Alright, I'm gonna

throw my head straight down and try to bash through the floorboard with my horn.

I will say easy enough for you to do.

Wham!

You slam into it.

The wood

splinters once.

You do again.

Shhsh, and it splinters up and leaves a small enough hole hornburst could pass through.

Pass through?

Like there's a basement down there?

There is an empty space below.

No light.

I'm going to dive down into it.

You dive down, your eyes adjust.

What do you see down there?

What do I see?

Yeah.

Uh.

Other horses who get to jump.

I get to jail.

I'm explore.

What?

Ah.

What do rich people hide under the floorboards in their house?

Yes, it's just golden

weapons.

Tons of aboard.

I would say that

it's some sort of ancient, not ancient,

it's like a larder.

It's like an old

storage for food and grains and other sort of long-term

items.

Barrels of things and maybe a couple of shelves with a couple...

other boxes in it.

You find a subterranean storage room.

It looks like it was maybe once used partially a wine cave, partially other bits of storage.

Most of it is

spent.

There are still some elements that still sit around, but a little bit of like grain-held sacks there.

Looks like bits of fungus are growing out of them, like they may have gotten wet at some point and it's beginning to just kind of spoil over time.

You turn and find there is a door that is latched from this side, like a wooden board had fallen and locked it in.

Like it was barring something from coming in.

And entering your room from beyond it.

Oh, well, I will

throw off the beam and unlock it.

It pulls open easily, and a musty smell comes through.

And as you kind of glance through, getting your torches ready inside, you see

a family of four.

Long,

decayed, skeletal, well-dressed, in an outfit not too different from the one that you heard Brixton describe pass through the house, that had been down here for some time,

waiting out whether it be the riots or the growing unrest amongst the city,

and then at some point accidentally locked themselves in

on the other side.

Idol.

Yeah, want to talk to some dead people.

Oh,

oh, yeah, I'll crawl down.

I'll crawl down.

Wow.

What environmental storytelling?

That's great.

You sure can't find them, huh?

You guys are moving

down underneath.

I'll go ahead and bring the lights to a fitting subterranean space.

I'll stay up just in case, but my head kind of...

I'm like prone on the ground

looking through.

I'm going to spend a fear

to advance the crowned approaches.

While you're all going down there, you hear that same chuckle and three other chuckles distantly.

It sounds like

figures are wandering somewhere in the surrounding neighborhood or district.

Okay, um,

uh, whatever you're gonna do, make it fast.

Okay,

I've uh only done this a couple of times and

it never really worked out.

I'm sure sure this one will be different.

Yeah.

9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 15

with hope.

This is a spellcast?

It is spellcast.

15 with hope.

That is a success with hope.

Success with hope.

The corpse answers up to three questions.

That ticks the progress down twice.

That's progress.

That's good.

That's good.

Okay.

The progress consequence.

Right.

I reach out and I put my hand on the.

Are we asking the

large?

Is it a

man-woman sort of man-woman who looks to be like a teenager or young adult?

So two adults and then two teens?

Is that what you're saying?

Two adults and then teens.

Okay,

who do you want to tell?

This is your family.

You found them.

This is not my family.

Mom or the dad.

Mom always knows more than dad.

I'll reach out and I'll put my hand

on the upper breastplate of the mom and I'll.

And you see this wave of light travel down my arm and you almost see like a light emanate from within the

withered rib cage.

Just like

and like the back arches and kind of sits up.

I'm like, ah.

Stay, stay.

Okay.

first question.

Oh, I'm asking questions.

I thought you're the spoon, Cassie for this little baby.

Oh boy, um, oh, I guess, uh, what were you hiding from?

Yeah,

what happened here and what were you hiding from?

Brixton, what happened here?

And what were they hiding from?

Oh, my God!

This is the scariest part of the apostrophe.

It really is!

What about Messima's world?

Um, okay, wait, you said this was after the age of the world.

Collaborative, baby.

This was after the apostasy?

Yeah.

From what you've seen, a lot of like the district lasted for quite some time after the apostasy.

It just dwindled over whether it be through, you know, solitude, whether it be through bad deals or eventually

lack of funds or resources.

Okay, um,

I'm gonna say what happened here was

the youngest of the child started showing signs of being touched and having similar abilities that we have seen Edol have as well.

And

this soon and this current after the apostasy riots, that was even more

controversial than what it is even now.

And the

parents did everything that they could to try and protect their youngest from the marauders and the people who were coming to prosecute this, the youngest.

True, indeed, as the body begins to express this information.

Our friends would come by and drop goods

for many years.

We could not be

anything but

alone

and free in our darkness.

But

all luck runs through

and dry.

We have been forgotten

until now.

You stay there

Be surprised.

Second.

Well.

Anything to know about this area as we head up towards the

Orum Weld?

Sure, yeah.

Go ahead.

Yeah, something about the.

Anything they know about the path through the Orum Weld.

Oran Weld.

Is there anything you can tell us or that we should know about the path from here up towards the wilds of the Orem Weald?

Any dangers we should know of?

Ashley.

Are there any boons

or dangers beyond the corrupted curse and the thing that stalks that you must be looking out for as you pass through the woods?

Well, yeah.

All of it.

The corpse takes on a whole new.

Bro, it's crazy over there.

That shit is crazy there.

Um

out in the woods, there's a huge deuck.

A huge deuck.

Yes, there's I know this is so stressful because I don't know what you have you've planned for creatures.

Guess what?

Yes, whatever you do.

Here's the cool thing about these games.

Everything adjusts based on what everyone does.

So whatever you say becomes canon, and I'll tweak it and push it into what makes sense.

Within reason, of course.

The

path, since there seems, since when you were talking about it, you were saying it's a dense wood of strong juridic presence, I think.

It was, yeah.

So,

um,

the

earth

on the way there, the all of the, you know,

stuff that you walk on to get there, everything, thank you, thank you.

Um,

I mean, everything is alive in a way

and

um

plays tricks on the mind.

Okay,

interesting.

Yeah, fairy land itself

is shifty.

Once

on the mind of its protectors, but

as the land grew cold, so did its will and humor.

It

just

twists.

Oh, cool.

Good.

I should have said, like, it's a smooth path, it's smooth sailing.

It's just so wonderful.

It's the nicest part of whatever you've been traveling.

These people are of the

godly world, right?

They were

potentially, yeah.

I don't know if this works, but why don't we ask them if they recognize the statue?

Why don't you show them your form and find out who you are?

That's cool.

Okay.

I will drop my...

my um

appearance.

Okay.

Make room for you.

You fucking...

Don't you do anything.

Do you

or your kin

recognize

a statue or entity like this

or anything like it?

Jocken hangs open, almost like completely dislodged on one side.

Not this one, but others like it.

The vessels,

the vessels, they

went quiet.

You are not empty.

You are not hungry.

What are

you?

You are not hungry.

I'm going to put you on, nephew.

All right, huh.

Welcome to McDonald's.

Can I take your order?

Miss, I've been hitting up McDonald's for years.

Now it's back.

We need snack wraps.

What's a snack wrap?

It's the return of something great.

Snackrap is back.

The growing demand for content means more chances for off-brand work getting out there.

Adobe Express can help.

It's the quick and easy app that gives your HR, sales, and marketing teams the power to create on-brand content at scale.

Ensure everyone follows design guidelines with brand kits and lock templates.

Give them the confidence to create with Firefly generative AI that's safe for business.

And make sure your brand is protected, looks sharp, and shows out consistently in the wild.

Learn more at adobe.com slash go slash express.

Suffering from dry, tired, irritated eyes?

Don't let dry eyes win.

Use Sustain Pro.

It hydrates, restores, and protects dry eyes for up to 12 hours.

Sustain Pro, triple action dry eye relief.

When it comes to delivering flowers for life's special occasions, trust the name that's been setting the standard for nearly 50 years, 1-800flowers.com.

From breathtaking bouquets to one-of-a-kind arrangements, 1-800 Flowers is your authority on quality blooms.

Always fresh, always stunning, always delivered with care.

And right now, for a limited time, you can save up to 40% off your bouquet and make someone's day.

Save up to 40% off today today at 1-800Flowers.com slash SXM.

That's 1-800-Flowers.com slash SXM.

How many questions do you ask?

Three.

Was it up to three or at least three?

It is three questions.

Clacks back into the pile.

What's your biggest regret?

I feel like...

That went really well, by the way.

That was cool.

We make a great team.

I feel like, because you said you saw something, we should try to put them at rest.

Maybe we bring them upstairs and then we just set the house on fire.

What do you think?

Sure.

Great idea.

Yeah, it certainly may be caused a distraction.

I'm assuming that the

domestic queens will come this.

He's kidding me.

The hell is that?

I gotta hear a voice over here.

Alert.

Alert.

Oh, oh, get down here.

Hey, crazy.

You hear anything again?

Oh no, I heard a voice.

I heard someone call out.

I flopped down into the hole.

And you hear like the

footsteps over the wooden boards above.

Yeah.

Oh, shit.

I very gently try to

scratch the floorboard.

You're losing your mind, friend.

I lose nothing.

I heard what I heard.

These fucking ghosts snore what they're doing, but this wasn't a ghost.

I don't think I know voices between ghosts.

I know what they are.

Fuck you.

And you hear other voices shouting.

Alright, bring it around.

Sit up here for the night.

Looks like it's nice and clean in midnight.

She's being pulled in her

steam setup.

It's her birthday after all.

You hear other shouts, scraping sounds.

Looks like this troop of the queens is

building a camp in this section of the neighborhood.

Oh my god.

Okay, I have a proposal.

Okay.

We lock ourselves in, we just die together.

Yeah, round two, baby.

Let's go.

We'll just join the family.

We take our torches, we set the house on fire, we go out the

back way and hope it's a distraction.

We're under the house right now.

Yeah, well, we climb out first.

So we set the floor above us on fire?

Yeah, you set the floor you're in on fire.

You never set a fire to the house you've been?

We're in a dirt basement.

Yeah, you climb back out.

But that's where they are.

Another way.

So how did they get down here?

No, they were above you.

Oh, you mean the bodies?

The bodies.

This is their

panic room.

But

they locked themselves in.

But was there access to it?

There is an access towards the chamber that you were in.

Yes.

Okay.

But there's no like...

I think what Ashley's getting at, there's no like cellar door if we like kept going.

On the outside?

No, it leads back up into the house.

Okay.

I did spend two fear

to count down the consequence timer by two.

And did we hear the

footsteps leaving the main floor that we were?

Correct.

They left back out into the street.

So as far as you can tell looking up and hearing, they're not in the house right now.

They're just in the road or the street

outside the main floor.

Yeah.

Burn this motherfucker to the ground.

May you rest in eternal peace.

Like get upstairs with the torches and like stick it under the nearest piece of furniture and push it against the wall.

While they do that, I'm going to like skidder to the back of the house.

Is there like a back entrance, a window, something we can sneak out the back instead of the front?

There is a somewhat crowded and like

debris-filled kitchen right now, where you can see it is already partially burned, but looks like it may have burned either in wetter weather or at a time where it couldn't catch the entire household.

But you can see like the upper wall shelves are like partially out on the side.

There is a window that is barred that you could try and push through or a back door that looks like it is currently braced from the inside.

Okay, while they do do that, I will try and

I'm gonna try and take like the

kind of the hilt of my great sword and see if I can like wedge open this door.

Let's start with the door first.

Sure, yeah.

All right, go ahead and roll a strength action roll for me, okay?

Burn a hoping, use my experience, open the fucking door.

Yeah,

honestly, a great experience.

I was like, oh, use callous hands.

I've got no hope.

I've got no hope.

There's no hope left.

Wait.

Oh!

69!

Yeah!

It's it!

It's a grit in our minds!

Okay, so it's gonna be 18 with hope back.

18 with hope.

I got a hope back.

You got a hope back.

Guys,

feels good.

An 18 with hope would be a success with hope, which ticks this down to zero.

Okay.

So as you set this house aflame,

the fire begins to catch and curl up.

Smoke begins to bill out right as you

the door

opens about a foot before it like catches.

It's nothing.

You can squeeze through into an alley behind the household.

We got an exit.

Let's go.

This thing's only going to go up faster.

Alright, and then as that you push around the corner into this alley

and as you dive around the edge you begin to hear the sound of voices go

hi

She knocked something over with the house on fucking fire

Gonna say more tonight children

Fucking beavers and butt head over

catch flame you dart away from them noticing your exit

Who's leading the next bit of you stealthily traveling through the neighborhood?

Next.

Sure.

I'll lead us through.

Stealthily?

Okay.

Alright.

Now, if you're going as a group, we'll make this a group action roll because it's fun.

I'd like everyone to make a finesse roll first, and then you will finish them.

All right.

Is this with hope and fear as well?

This is reaction rolls.

A reaction roll.

Okay.

So plus one.

Uh-huh.

Or plus zero.

Oh, sorry.

I know what you're doing.

With my armor, I hit plus two to rolls to move silently.

Can I use it?

Yeah, well then.

Okay, so

15.

Okay, that's just what you needed.

Plus two.

13.

Plus one.

So now, Snicks, go ahead and roll or finesse roll and add plus one to whatever you would get.

Wait, I have one more 16.

Doesn't matter, though.

Yeah, still got it, though.

Okay.

Am I allowed to use my path forward wayfinder ability to

have advantage to find a place I've previously been?

Have I been through here before?

Or can I use my experience well traveled?

You tell me.

Do you think you would?

I can use my experience.

Okay.

Well traveled.

Let's do that.

It's less about you traveling through this part of the district, but you've heard enough about it and you've been around the outskirts of it that at least you know generally which parts of the roads and the layout of these upper layers too to where you can best keep out of main thoroughfares

19.

We will never know hope again.

Hope has abandoned us.

You all continue to push through this part of the district

until eventually you come to the next kind of intermittent wall.

There are what looks like one or more kind of district breaks with their own gates that kind of push through.

And as you step to the edge, snakes, you look past and notice the porticolis that is up.

There are sounds like multiple footsteps passing through.

You glance around the corner and see two figures stepping through with...

They have like leather harnesses on with clumps of fur, spikes that kind of come off the front, leather masks on their faces, and like tattered hair around that dangle side to side.

And both of them carry this massive chain across their shoulder, and they're just like

then two more behind them with another chain,

and then two more behind them with another chain, six pulling,

and then two more, eight.

Yeah,

and then behind them, you see

this

mostly beautiful of a little ragged insections

You thought maybe it'd be a cart at first.

It is a carriage

built for horses, but no horses reside in this city any longer

and you see dangling from it as it goes like as it wheels it kind of shakes a bit at the top and all these little trinkets kind of jangle and move as it

slowly pulls through.

You can see all of them are jawbones, jawbones that are hanging on little chains that just kink kinks.

That's so specific.

Very pointed.

Yeah.

The windows, you see their curtains are closed and there is a door on each side as it just pulls past.

And then,

the pork cliff seals behind it.

What are you doing?

With us inside.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You then watch as two figures throw, or you can see now they were like grappling hook ropes that were dangling from the walls you didn't notice before until two other masked figures kind of repel down

from the top of the wall,

yank them down, and then leap up onto the back of the carriage and hold on as it begins to pick up again.

Just kind of peeking, are we able to peek inside the carriage from afar and get a glimpse if there's any type of emerald or potentially ruby crowns?

Feels like a ruby.

Yeah, it does.

Uh, you can go ahead and make a presence roll for me if you don't.

Sorry, an instinct roll to

see if you can make out any details from the curtained windows okay

guys

we're we're doing great instinct you said yes 19 with hope 19 with hope that's great

okay

you

see this glimmer inside of a face peering through holding on and clutching the curtains a smaller squat looking halfling woman with black makeup around her eyes and down her nose and down her chin and across her cheeks.

It seems to outline

a dark coloration across her lower jaw.

Across her jawbone.

And she just kind of holds onto them and looks out with a smile.

Oh my god, dude.

It's Farah.

It's Farah.

It's gotta be Farah, right?

Yeah, it is.

Is she going away from us?

It is moving away from the parapet.

She entered the city or is leaving the city?

Is entering the district that you're from, from the district beyond that you were traveling towards?

The creatures that are pulling the carriage, do they have any similar rings and things like screaves?

Some of them do.

Okay.

I was thinking smaller bits.

Smaller bits.

You see the exposed arms.

There are all manner of scars and designs carved into it that have since scarred over to create like shapes and various...

There's a lack of or a lack of interest maybe in tattoo worker ink with them instead they use a lot of scarification for insignia and self-expression and you see amongst their shoulders and parts of their necks even you see bits of metal whether it be crescents bars or rings are like threaded through the skin oh my god

okay

um

he did not enjoy his time with this no he did not want to

correct her win his favor back by

maybe taking her out?

We're not going to do that.

That's crazy.

That's crazy.

I mean, I was thinking that too, but I don't know if we have the time.

Ozo Screve isn't here.

Yes, friend.

Ozo Screve isn't here, so we wouldn't know.

Yeah.

We don't even know if he's alive.

Do we need to get, are we trying to get direction-wise to the other side of the porklis that she was traveling from?

That was the direction you were going towards that outer wall, and then as you approached it, the porklis seemed to be already open.

And then as the

carriage came through, it closed behind.

And how high is the wall that we saw the figures repelling down?

20 or so feet.

20 or so feet.

Well, I mean, we have 50 feet of rope, but I don't have a grappling hook or anything.

Well, August did.

He hasn't grappled.

We give it away.

Ah, we did.

We gave it away.

Fuck.

I mean, I.

That's right.

One of us can fly, right?

Fuck.

Wait, where are we trying to get?

Up to the

fuck out of the up and out outside of where she just came from.

Was that where we were going?

Yeah, the direction you were coming.

You're kind of like passing the top of the roof.

You can?

The top of the wall probably because that's where the probably where the portcullis controls are once per day i can move anywhere within far range is that within far range that would be yeah come on mountain goat

um find those impossible footholds in the wall and the vertical wall yeah yeah yeah

when you see them and they're like standing on the dam yeah

like how are you doing that

is that what i'm doing is that what we're doing yeah but you'll be up there by yourself.

We've got to find a way to get the port close open.

Do I bring a rope up?

Take a rope just

take a rope and then let it down to you guys.

Yeah.

You have to tie it to something.

Can I get distractions so they don't see me?

There's a house on fire right now.

Oh, that's true.

Okay.

And it's her birthday.

It is her birthday.

Yeah.

That's really sweet.

It is spared.

I don't think I've ever celebrated a birthday.

All right.

I don't even know what they are.

Yeah.

If we get through this, we should all celebrate our birthdays.

That's a great idea.

Fuck up there.

Okay.

Okay.

I'm going to use deft maneuvers

to

mountain goat my way up finding little bricks sticking out.

So you run towards it, because you're still in the alley where like kind of like the wall meets some of the nearby buildings.

There is quite a gap between the building and the wall, but you get enough of a running jump that you leap onto and catch one of the kind of stones that sort of protruded, basically like goat parkour off of it towards the other roof on the other side, and leap once more until eventually clomping back on top of the central divider wall.

You kind of catch yourself and stop and glance over.

I would like you to make a finesse roll for me with Disadvantage.

Disadvantage.

To see if you are noticed arriving onto the wall from the birthday troop that is passing through.

Would have been such a good roll except for the disadvantaged part.

17.

Oh, 17.

Wow,

with fear.

With fear.

I'll take that fear back.

17 is a success.

So as you leap there, you turn around and see the troop, and you see, like, one of them kind of looks over in your direction, and you catch them just in time as they begin to peruse the top of that wall, keeping a sentry watch.

And you get low, and there is about two feet of stone.

I suppose it's a statue.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Kind of like

just continues to go past

kind of like chews something and spits on the ground but you feel like they didn't make notice of you up here you see there are two uh winches rounded of chain with handholds on like four spokes on each that if they are pushed it'll lift the portcullis up does it look like they have to be pushed at the same time

uh it looks like if you if they weren't you'd have to be really strong to do it oh boy that's not me

good thing you took some rope up with you i did i did i'll lash the rope around one of them uh and or if there's any other thing to tie it to and then throw it down to my companions okay and we'll spend a a fear here to instigate

an imminent chase

so both of these will start at

four

your progress is to escape the periphery

of the birthday girl

before drawing the attention of this crew

in which case they will be wanting to find out who you are and if you want to join the party

me like to party if you drop the rope i'll i'll give a shot at going up first just in case i'm successful i could help lift

can i make a can i try and climb the rope you can indeed so you get the rope down do you just hold it yourself no i'm gonna either lash it to one of these big uh winches or to it's the footing of it or something like that.

Okay, yeah, you can go ahead and tie it around one of these winches.

Alright.

Okay.

Plus three, six.

16

with fear.

Okay, that is a success with fear.

Both of these countdown one.

So your progress and your

consequence both are getting close.

As you pull up, you do indeed get up to the top of the wall and arise to the top point.

And as you do, you realize that you're a thicker fella.

And as you, you know, your muscle is quite dense and you carry quite a bunch of equipment with you.

And

as you rise over the top and release the rope, you hear

as you would,

the volume of weight and strength of you lifting up had just lifted the portclus about a half an inch.

And then as soon as you release the rope, it backs into place.

And you both get down.

Some other folks look back.

You kind of glance over the stone wall after hiding.

You can see the crew is indeed like forming a party brigade in the middle of this district.

They are pulling furniture out of other houses and throwing them onto the burning house to turn it into a bonfire of epic proportions.

Goal Lakers!

Wow.

Do you want to adjust that?

I could, if you guys are coming up.

Or are we still going to open the door?

You and I could try to open the door, but if you guys feel confident in making similar strength or agility rolls to climb the rope,

it's for this for this rope, it would be strength.

Strength.

How's it strength?

Not great.

How's it straight?

I mean, I could.

I could try to just wait at the door until

we can open it and then.

All right.

I'm going to climb the rope.

Climb the rope.

As long as you don't ruin it for everybody.

There you go.

Make a strength.

Just try and brace it so that maybe it doesn't look like it.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

We'll kind of pull back a little bit.

Can I spend a hope to help her up so she can because I'm I'm so tall?

Yeah, and so you go ahead and

boost her up, give her a little boost.

And you know, already give a extra.

Sure, sure.

I kind of perch on her shoulders.

Yes.

Kind of cheerleader style.

I put my wings up a little to give a little extra.

Okay, great.

Kind of give myself just a little bit of a vault.

Okay.

And then

20 total with hope.

Nice.

That is.

Definitely that's a success with hope, which counts this down by two.

You have one more on the progress clock to avoid being discovered and escaping the periphery of this damask.

Let's try.

Yeah.

Okay.

Wait by the door.

I'll try and lift it.

Should I stick my fingers underneath to try to help?

Seems like a good way to lose your fingers.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay, okay, okay.

Brix and I will give it a we'll give the porkalists.

Alright, so

this is going to be a group action between the two of you.

Who is helming it and who is helping?

How about I'll burn three hope to make this a combo?

Bull attack team?

Let's go.

All right.

You both roll and choose which of the two rolls you want to take.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Oh, that's so cocked.

That's so cocked.

Ooh, hope yours is good.

It is.

Strength roll.

22 with fear.

That's.

I rolled a.

I rolled a five on the dice, so that's eight with fear.

So do yours.

Success with fear counts this down by one to a two,

but counts this down to a success in the progress clock.

The birthday girl.

I bet she's fun, though.

As you both work together to slowly raise the porklis just enough so that you can squeeze through underneath.

You do so and then slowly lower it.

The chain gets someone's attention.

You hear a voice go, hey, hey, hear that?

And they turn just as you lower it and you see some of them begin to walk over to inspect it.

You all quickly dart off into the next section of this district and head towards the northern side, which you had kind of noticed from above the top of the wall through some of the alleyways and some of the nearby neighborhood will lead you to an outer gate on the northern side of it.

As they begin to approach, you're already too far away and as they begin to argue about one of them being like, you can't keep hearing things, man.

I'm gonna think you maybe get a little off your locker there.

And the guy's like,

maybe I am, maybe I am.

As you kind of dart off into the shadows, you can hear the distant laughing and screaming of what sounds to be the beginning of a celebration as you head towards the northern outer gate, avoiding the various other domestic patrols that seem to walk along the rooftops, keeping sentry over the coming celebration until eventually you come to the exterior gate.

But it's closed before you.

And we're going to go and take a break.

Oh, man.

Wow.

Hey, we rolled good.

We rolled good.

We rolled really good.

I

filled some of my hope.

Yeah, you did.

Wow.

Yeah.

It feels nice.

It feels nice without the other people here.

All right, we'll be here in just a few minutes.

Nobody died.

That's a wrap for part one of this podcast episode.

Part two will land here the Tuesday after this episode at 5 a.m.

Pacific, and we'll pick up this story right where we left off.

Until next time, keep the umbra at bay, and we'll be back for more of this adventure before you know it.

I'm gonna put you on, nephew.

All right, um, welcome to McDonald's.

Can I take your order?

Miss, I've been hitting up McDonald's for years.

Now it's back.

We need snack wraps.

What's a snack rap?

It's the return of something great.

Snack rap is back.

Department of Rejected Dreams, if you had a dream rejected, IKEA can make it possible.

So I always dreamed of having a man cave, but the wife doesn't like it.

What if I called it a woman cave?

Okay, so let's not do that, but add some relaxing lighting and a comfy IKEA Hofberg Ottoman, and now it's a cozy retreat.

Nice, a cozy retreat.

Man cozy retreat.

Sir, okay.

Find your big dreams, small dreams, and cozy retreat dreams in store or online at ikea.us.

Dream the possibilities.