What Is Gained, What Is Lost | Age of Umbra Episode 3 Part 2

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Hey there, Matthew Mercer here, and you're listening to part two of this episode of Age of Umrah, a dark tale and campaign setting from our recently released tabletop RPG Daggerheart from Darrington Press.

If you haven't checked out part one yet, pause this now and head over there first.

Otherwise, let's return to our adventurers striving against the darkness in part two.

And welcome back.

So,

you have all managed to get a long rest.

So, for that, you get two long rest actions to take as part of your downtime actions.

It means you can tend to all wounds,

you can clear all stress,

you can repair all armor,

you can prepare, which means you gain a hope.

And if you prepare with somebody else,

you may each take two hopes.

So, as long as two of you didn't prepare action, each of you can get two hope instead of one.

You can also work on a project if you had a project you wanted to work on over time, whether that'd be like crafting things or researching a thing in particular, not necessarily pertaining to this story.

If you don't feel it,

I've found that.

Sure, you can take a good start beginning if you want to.

But those are your options.

Well, I literally make it myself.

I also gain 1d4 fear plus the number of PCs.

1d4 plus the number of PCs.

That's four.

Plus 5.

Oh, that's all of the dice.

Your dice to clear stress.

I also used your dice to clear stress.

Yeah.

Great.

Okay.

So I'm done with stress.

I will use.

I will clear hit points and repair armor.

Yeah, that's what I'm going to do.

I think I'm going to do this.

Boaring.

Does anyone want hope or no?

I mean...

I never say no.

Well,

I think it's like prepare together.

Also repaired armor.

You don't gain new hope at the start of the day.

So outside of rolling, downtime actions are how you gain hope.

My prayer dice are going too.

That's just the beginning of your session.

Correct.

And I finally get my Unstoppable back.

Unstoppable!

So you don't have to do ya?

At the beginning of the day,

just the morning,

I'm going to use my Troubadour

Gifted Performer card.

And I'm going to use

Heartbreaking Song.

Okay.

So you and all your allies within close range, when we're close together,

gain a hope.

Okay, so all of you gain a hope.

Are any of you using...

Us two?

Everybody.

Everybody.

All of you gaining hope from her building.

She played a sad song.

I played a sad song for...

Does anybody want to spend a Keep Watch action?

Because there's currently no sacred pyre.

Keeping the lurking darkness at bay.

I was planning that I was keeping watch last night.

But you have stuff you needed to reap.

But I mean, I also did

my fancy thing.

I can technically take a long rest with a short rest.

But if I use one of those actions, plus we're in desperate

vigil around, too.

It's not just us.

Yeah.

Right.

So you don't have to.

You can just risk the dice roll.

No one's keeping watch.

What do you want to do?

I would keep watch.

Good.

I would keep watch.

Do it.

Okay.

So I'm going to not do my.

Yeah.

I'm not going to do my armor slots, but I am going to get rid of my

HP.

I know other people who are watching, but I miss you.

Keep watching.

I was going to say,

I feel like you need that.

I can handle watch

and it will hurt me less.

You need those armor slots back.

Not even mess around.

So at some point in the night, I just finally tap you.

Gotta sleep.

We need you fresh.

Okay.

Alright.

Got it.

So you can clear your armor slots, and you are spending one of your diamond actions to keep watch.

Go ahead and roll a D12.

10.

Do you want me to use your dice or mine?

I'm trying to remember which one is.

Higher is better for you, folks.

Okay, so that would be keep mine there.

I'll keep mine.

Keep yours.

Okay.

For a 10.

The party rests undisturbed.

No effect.

Nice.

We made it through the night.

Nice August.

Do you want to know?

Yes.

I'm not going to tell you.

No, honestly, I rolled a 12, which would have given you all a hope.

So, oh,

sometimes you don't know.

It's a one in a 12 chance.

That's why we shouldn't have asked.

Yeah, that's why I didn't want to know.

Yeah, I took it back.

It's a one in 12 chance that it's beneficial to you all, but you never know.

Because sometimes you might take mine and mine's a

two.

One, yeah.

Which is you fighting.

Anyway,

as you all wake up and begin to gather, the first thing you notice

is the village sits with a heavy mist

that it hasn't in all the time you've been here.

With the pyre missing,

there is just

a hanging moisture in the air that seems to push in from the nearby jungle.

That unsettled sense

permeates the entirety of the settlement.

The populace, while conversing, are quieter than normal.

The conversation is sparse and quick.

People walk with haste and paranoid glances.

The very air of Desper Lock is one of universal fear.

But people are also gathering their arms and armaments.

The civilians, most all-enduring, are trained in some sort of combat and able to defend themselves with arms, weapons, swords, blade, stone.

Life here in the Halcyon domain is one perpetually on the edge of danger.

So, it's not just the vigil, but the entire civilian military that has risen up to join them for the time being.

You can't help but glance over and see

teens, even children themselves, are trying to hold themselves stoic in the face of brimming emotion, themselves now holding on to a small wooden pike or some form of way to keep themselves safe within the walls.

It's a very disproport, very different desperate luck this morning than what you're used to.

But from the

wailing and the despair from the night before, there is a growing strength in that silence as everyone seems to be doing the best they can to shore up for what's ahead.

Is there anything you wish to do before you head towards the Central Forum to meet up with the Triarch and others?

We're just meeting to see what's going on, right?

We're not setting off on any adventure.

No, you're just getting.

Well, you had presented yourselves as interest, but there's been no

job direction or anything.

Most everyone is trying to figure out what to do next.

I'm sure we'll have time to

store up on stuff if we need to before we go.

I'm putting on what passes for a clean shirt.

No, it'd be nice to get some potions potions or something.

That would be nice.

Some supplies, if

whatever exists

within the walls.

You all eventually step towards the forum, and there is a good 40 or so people all kind of gathered around, just if anything, clinging to the triarch's proximity for some semblance of

normalcy, some semblance of direction.

And as they're talking, you can see there are multiple members of the higher scholars from the Praxis Collective and the scholars of the Zol present.

Indeed, Idrova has returned.

You see Thalia, who you've seen around as well, the kind of young

elf-human figure who kind of shyly, wide-eyed, nods kind of without speaking amongst the other members of the scholars that are debating and sharing notes and looking at each other's books and tomes and kind of writing things down to the side.

Reskello.

That's the one that Halloran said he trusted, right?

Yeah.

Okay.

Raskello and Atwashi are present, the two head delvers.

Roskello still heavily hurt and recovering, bandaged,

but

feeling it important enough to be present, to show face, as well as

keep

spirits together amongst the delvers and other folks that he interacts with.

You can see Beryl Spielbor, Spielbor of the works member of the Triarch present as well,

talking with numerous of the guides.

Ember Warden is present as well.

There is a renewed air of purpose here that is a welcome contrast to the emotions of the night before.

Number of the Vigil leadership is present, though the walls still have much of the vigil out there keeping watch.

You also notice as you're walking here that they have two

bestial corpses that are currently being butchered off one of the sides.

It looks like even through the night there were a few incursions of some strange beasts that attempted to charge the walls, were slain and are being currently inspected for safety if they can be eaten or if the corruption's gotten too strong within them.

But as you begin to step up you can already see the

number of the vigil that are kind of keeping their perimeter and keeping a separation between those who are part of this conversation and the general populace a little bit separate kind of nod over towards towards you and you see ghost hook is currently in mid-conversation with uh idrova and kind of nodding and he glances over towards you

gives a nod idrova notices just looks and says

welcome

you can see now idrova looks very tired um

most of the scholars here look like they haven't slept through the night and they all have all gathered scrolls and scraps of material and vellium and tattered old mildewed papers, all just covered in script and scrawling.

You can see basically they brought the majority of anything that writes of old world history, scripture, that they've recovered and have here under the scholars in Desperate Log out and spread them across multiple tables here in the forum so they could be

poured over, researched, and looked in.

And Idrova, after acknowledging you all, says,

We may have a couple of possibilities here.

I was talking here with Ghost Hook and kind of snaps her fingers and you see Beryl and Trevor kind of turn and kind of gather as well, and their figures begin to collect around.

Throughout the night,

we have made a few possibilities apparent to us.

We found

writings

that had some mention

of blessed branches that were

noted, either interred at locations, or protected and sealed.

In which case, there has been no further mention.

And tracing the lines of branches that have been confirmed amongst the various settlements over the past century, neither of these spaces have been confirmed or disturbed for the branches to have been moved or taken, as far as we know.

If one of these branches can be acquired and returned here, then we could restart our pyre

and bring safety back to the walls of Desperlock.

You can see at this point, Trevor goes,

We're also

curious if we were to try and reach out and possibly get supplies or help from Volkoru down the way.

Worst comes to worse, we considered the possibility of moving the population of Desperlock to Volkoru, but that many people on these roads through the jungle and the Ashen Sea side is a death march, especially with an Umberwind to do.

So

we really have no confirmation if they even have Rumu will take us.

Vokoru is very secure in what it has.

So, at the very least, we might send a few missives that way.

in hopes of at least establishing their knowledge of our condition and if they have any additional supplies and maybe some extra

hands that they can send to help try and keep our vigil bolstered would be very useful.

Anyway, I apologize for interrupting, and I drop it goes, not a worry.

One of these mentions, one of these branches,

it is noted to have been lost in the gilded shambles to the far northwest across the wastes.

Once carried by a caravan seeking to establish a settlement there,

they vanished among the overgrown ruins of the gilded spires that fell seventy years ago.

From what we could ascertain, it was noted that a fiendish influence had spread since the fall of those towers, and that demons and their allies play and feast amongst the ivy-covered walls there,

singing alluring songs to draw enduring into their lairs.

So,

a dangerous

locale,

but one in which a pyre does not burn and where a branch may reside.

The other possibility we have, um, and you see, kind of puts her hand out, and uh, Thalia goes, uh, yes, of course, sorry, um, and brings uh one book, two books, looks at the both, finds the one and hands it over to Idrova.

Thank you, Thalia.

Filters through.

There is also mention in this one tome

of a blessed branch that was interred within the barrow of blind repose.

It's a tomb of the heretic saint Elviar, high in the idle hollows not far from the Astro Foundry north of Amarich.

That one

is an untouched

sealed

tomb and likely a bit safer than the gilded shambles.

Of these two, and you see Herova looks over,

the Triac has already spoken and been notified of,

amongst those beyond, of a number of interested parties in being part of this endeavor.

And thank you for your

recommendation, given what you've accomplished and your proximity to the events of the past day.

We have agreed it is in the best interests of Desperok to divide a troop to each of these locales.

As such,

Ghost Hook is to take a number of his closest vigil and will be sent to the Gilded Shambles.

Him and his team will seek the branch there in these

demon-influenced realms.

And there's like a pause and a turn and a nod, and you see Ghost Hook is just arms crossed and just goes.

goes.

Should you still be willing to offer your hand, we would send your troop to the barrow of blind repose.

This is something you would still have wherewithal and bravery to step towards.

Oh no, we're leaving.

Ghost Hook goes.

You could count on us.

Yes.

Very well.

That may.

You mentioned that a uh

an umbra wind is due.

Do we know how soon?

Trevor cannot have said

the winds of the umbra move without true definable purpose or uh

mathematical expectation, but

they commonly wander every six to twelve months

We are at seven months since the last umbra wind

so

it could be months away, it could be tomorrow

so haste is necessary.

I don't know.

What can we offer them direction?

I am not certain how many of you have been beyond the walls far from Desperluck.

Do I know of the area they're talking about?

You've never heard of this.

You know the Amber Reach.

You've heard of the Astra Foundry.

They said north, uh, in the Idol Hollows, you know those mountains, those, that the, uh, the reef cleft turn into the idle hollows to the very north and kind of encircle the entire valley of the uh the house and domain um the astro foundry you've heard of and they just said but you don't know where it is they said north of amber reach

so i've been to i've been to amber reach i've been to idle hollows you've you've seen them seen them they're turned on and do you have to go through both to get to where they're talking about or would I be able to plot a

a direction?

It's possible.

As

Idrova reaches over and pulls out a scroll

and sets upon

a layout.

Desperlock sits this way in the jungles of Evedora

with the Luzal monastery.

Trevor points out you would have to travel across the sunken rampart to Vokoru, the next sacred pyre and place of safety.

Also, a possibility of gathering materials, possibly other information, whatever you can find.

They can be a bit stoic.

They are largely elven, and many of them have lived through the majority of the Age of Umbra and have been hardened through it, so just be prepared.

Above that, you'll have to travel through the Screaming Forest

until you

dova goes.

They don't scream, don't worry.

I drove a goes,

a quite dangerous space of corrupted nature.

Best to move quietly and quickly throughout.

Trevor takes up, you'll have to reach and get through the Amber Gate into Amber Reach itself.

There are multiple paths through the city, across the drowned sprawl.

You can decide which quarter seems best.

I've not been there, and I've heard very few good things about it.

But I also know that there are some

who withstand the shadow and the chaos throughout Amber Reach.

So perhaps if you look to the various pyres, some may be friendly, others may be not so much.

So take care.

Traveling through the Amber Reach, eventually the Astro Foundry sits towards its northern apex, and beyond that, the barrow of blind repose

in the Idol Hollows.

So

this is where Ghost Hook and his team are traveling.

Oh, I see.

So I know how to

at least get them most of the way there.

You know how to get them into the Amber Reach, but you've only probably been

just past the Drowned Sprawl.

And you have not gone deeper than that.

Because,

one, the Ashkall Quarter with the Sleesian Athenium is, that is a locked-off fortress that is perpetually surrounded around its base by terrifying creatures and twisted, lumbering, bipedal

things

that just wait like

there's something within that Athenium they all seek.

That's the nearest pyre, too.

However, over in the

Basilica Quarter or the Cinnabar Quarter are also areas where a number of marauding factions

make home.

So all paths are fraught with danger, but the directional choice will ultimately be yours and what you feel is safest.

And those are all the reasons why you have not really gone past the different border.

I explain all this to them

and I'll just say like

you guys,

I know that you're brave and you want to do good and all this stuff, but you guys don't even know half of what's out there.

It's scary.

And if you're not fast,

it's bad.

It's real bad.

So are you sure you guys want to do this?

I can get you part of the way.

Well, yeah, we're going to be with you.

We have all the help we need.

Part of the way.

But as soon as we get to the Amber Reach, I'm good.

I'm good.

You're good to keep going?

No, I'm good to go back

or somewhere else.

But you've been as far as Okros,

which is all the way over here.

You've delivered letters.

Yeah, yeah, but that's over there, and we're not going there.

Well, I guess that's another question.

Whereas

what path is Ghost Hook

taking?

Could we travel, at least with Ghost Hook, a part of the way?

Oh, that's a good idea.

We are making our path.

I say this with utmost respect.

We need to move quickly, and your troop is slow.

Is there any way to avoid the screaming force?

Ghost looks this.

Can you swing?

Fuck.

Do you breathe?

Could you just walk along the bottom of the.

I could probably try.

We'll get a bucket of water.

You don't have to.

You don't want to go the Okrosque anyway.

It's.

Besides the swimming part, it's dangerous up there.

It's bad.

It's not safe.

How long is

the journey?

You see,

ghost turkin looks over the map and goes

continuous travel minimal risks

You could probably make it

to the barrow

Little over a week

Maybe two

That is a long time for Desperlot to be without a buyer

if you have a better alternative, please present it to the triarch i do not i just

my team can make it to the gilded shambles a further journey in a week

perhaps we can return at the same time

with two branches

let's hope so

Without you guys, I could probably do it in a week to get away from it.

Oh, it's just...

you're more than welcome to go on your own.

No, I think that would be good.

No, I don't want.

I mean, I could, but I don't.

I'm very brave.

It's very courageous of you.

I don't, I just don't.

I don't want to show off.

Would you rather go alone?

We'd probably rather go alone.

Do you want to go with Ghost Hook?

I think he's really cool.

We're brave here.

We don't know.

I wouldn't mind, actually.

Maybe I'll do that.

Maybe you guys will be okay, right?

I think we need you.

You wouldn't be able to get through any of this without a guide.

And you're boomerang.

Chop, you're trusty boomerang.

You are MVP.

Yeah.

I mean,

I've killed everyone we've met.

Seriously, I have.

Wow.

Let's try.

Put it like that.

You want to run, and you're the deadliest.

We're just dead weight.

I'd kill her.

Barrel spearboard comes up behind him, pats you on the shoulder.

Her sharpened tusks, one that holds a strong brass ring and it kind of leans forward.

And you have been traveling all throughout the wastes as of late.

This is correct, yes.

Yes?

Then you would be an important individual to present this troop, perhaps, to the barons of Okuru.

You have dealings with the barons there, yes?

I mean,

I've been to Okoru.

I've encountered the Barons.

I wouldn't call us pals or.

Volkoru?

Are you talking about

Okoru or?

Volkaru.

Volkoru.

Oh, Volkoru.

Yes, yes, yes.

I've been there.

I've been there.

Yes, I know the Barons.

I know of the Barons.

I don't know if they know me by name.

Maybe not by name, but they probably know me by.

There's Travis.

There's Trevis.

Travis and

Lothosharis.

Is that right?

Your pronunciation is somewhat, but yes.

Whoever amongst you perhaps has the best

just looks away from the massive ape-wing statue.

The most welcoming demeanor who wishes to engage with the Barons of Okoru,

please notify them

of our plight.

Respectfully, Ghosthuck, perhaps not the most

diplomatic personas amongst your vigil.

And Ghostock goes

no offense-taking.

Well,

as the Ember Warden stated,

the Pyre Keepers are

a guild that stretches across all of the Halcyon Domain, so maybe that'll

pull some sway.

Good, hold on to that.

Well,

we know not how much time we have, and this is not worth wasting.

Gather what supplies you need for this journey.

We'll provide all that we can.

We cannot provide everything, for we have to keep ourselves safe here.

However,

a lot of our future rests in your hands.

So,

make haste.

Choose to.

And may whatever divine spirits remain in this cursed land,

lend a little bit

of good fortune to each and every one of you.

She like pats the succumbed dust from her hands,

kind of gives a sturdy salute in her chest,

and then turns off.

I drove a kind of knots.

I do hope you will succeed.

I believe you will.

And she turns and walks away.

And Trevor smiles.

We've endured a lot.

And we're still here.

We're still here.

And turns and walks away.

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We'll need to restock before we head out.

Perhaps Trevaux could spare a few potions.

Anything else?

Tholium might help as well.

Maybe.

Do we need to ask her anything?

I would take anything they have.

Sure.

I mean, the one thing that we might need to know is...

And maybe I would know this.

I don't know.

If we're going to be interfacing with the barons of

Volkoru.

Do I know or do I know anything about what they, like, what gifts to present them, what they covet, what we might win their favor?

I mean, due to its location and its very protective

kind of insular community, they are a trade post.

They are very much kind of the most effective trade post across the wastes.

They also engage with with

some factions of the Amber Reach.

So

whatever seems to be a strong trade candidate, especially when it comes to old relics,

anything of power of the old world is worth a lot in the age of Umbra.

Well we have some of that.

We do.

Don't want to give up our stuff.

No, I don't.

But it's worth a lot if you want to.

Sure.

Do the pyre keepers have any old relics that we can maybe borrow for the trip?

We're a fairly humble bunch of basically peasants

ascribed to a life of indentured servitude, but I could certainly ask.

Or we could ask Thalia if the scholars have anything.

What about your crazy old drunkard?

You think he has anything hidden in that hoard?

You saw that house?

It's all crap.

I guess I'll do a quick, we don't have have to roleplay it but i'll just quickly ask emberward sheena if she has anything to donate to the cause uh in checking around like you said it i mean there isn't a lot of

material wealth or anything beyond keepsakes that hold personal meaning yeah uh and those that that hold personal meaning you gathered the night before

So nothing old world wise.

The pyre itself was the the focus.

Yes.

But the Ember Warden does

offer you words of comfort and support, and more or less,

as much as it shakes you to see her shaken,

it also empowers you from a subservient position you've held since childhood at her side to now see yourself as more of an equal.

And there is strength in that.

Can I hustle around the village

and not quite knowing what i'm going to end up with

can i attempt a trade-up

so i want to take my nails and equipment and try to trade it to some of my regular customers for a bag of fresh chestnuts and then trade that for an old belt buckle and then trade that for

some paint pigments and then trade that for a fine wooden chest and then see how high up I can get

to something cool.

Yeah, yeah.

Experiment that we all had to do in elementary school.

Start with a paperclip and see what you can get.

That's really funny.

Yeah, go ahead and roll a presents roll for me if you don't mind.

I don't have any presents.

Can I use my well, no, well-traveled won't help me there, will it?

All right, I'm just gonna roll presents.

Good looking app.

12 with hope.

12 with hope, so go ahead and take the hope.

Talking to most folks, you gather

one of the downsides of this period of panic is people are very instinctually holding on to whatever they have because there's always a chance that's all they're going to have to get by.

So most folks are like packing things in case an unexpected attack comes onto Desperlock, people need to be ready to to just go.

So it's hard-pressed at first.

You do manage to talk up a little bit.

I'll say, as far as

general kind of loot capability with what you get there, you get some

travel sleeping gear, some blankets, some things that just give you a little more comfort in the road.

Most of your living

spaces here, living spaces.

I couldn't help myself.

Yeah, six spots.

Carla Kimbersting Force.

Summoned by the opera itself.

Couldn't stop myself.

Just channeling my brother.

All the strengths.

No, no, no, no!

Not that one.

So,

you do get a couple of travel tents from folks that are willing to give them up, which will give you a little bit of additional comfort when sleeping.

I will say, you also get some specialized tools that can be used more or less what was an old crowbar and a hammer.

And I'll say, for the best of what you found in that house, you do get to trade up for one stamina potion.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Amazing.

That was a lot of talking.

That's good.

Got some stuff.

You do good.

Yeah.

Yeah, I had to make a lot of promises that probably won't fulfill.

While you're gathering things, it looks like Ghost Hook and three other vigil members are already armored up and about to leave.

And as they're about to, they're finishing gathering some things, like putting their weapons on their back, getting their travel gear situated, their heavy cloaks for the possibility of weather.

Ghost Hook sees you idle

and walks up to you

and kind of throws an arm around your shoulder and kind of pulls you away from the populace.

And as he walks, he goes,

I've had my eye on you for some time.

And you carry

something that concerns me.

You walk

with some

golden echo that follows

There is a power in your veins I know not the source of

And the very fact that you survive amongst the events of recent days means something wants you to keep going

You have a passion

And I can see that you walk towards whatever this

promise might be.

Yes?

Yes.

You are not the first I have seen, Matthews.

And you would not be the first I have cut down

for giving in to such corruption.

If that is what it is,

you could be the savior to this community.

Or you could be its doom.

And I do not know which is which.

What I hope

is what you follow is righteous and true.

Because when you return,

you will have to prove it to me.

Or I will cut you down before you tear this city to the ground.

I think that seems...

and sounds

fair.

If

you happen to return with the Blessed Branch

before we do.

I have great respect for you.

You've given this

community

a sense of safety.

Something I haven't seen much of outside of these walls.

I strive to meet that.

I won't let you

or Desper lock down.

Turns and puts his hand on both your shoulders and looks you dead in the eye.

Good.

Move swift.

Strike through.

Stand against the dark.

And do whatever it takes.

And when you return,

let it be in celebration

and not at sorts.

Pat, pat

travel safe.

It's insane.

It's like getting hit with five rolls of quarters.

So cool.

So cool.

Well.

Do we want to talk to Thalia?

Do we want to talk to Potion Man?

Or are we...

Yeah, you want to go to

Thalia?

Okay.

With the skull.

So head over to the northern edge of the...

Oh, I'm skull.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Oh, right, right.

And band.

You head to the northern edge of Desblock to the Praxis Collective.

You can see where all the

gathered domiciles and kind of study tents all have arranged.

It doesn't take you too terribly long for the couple questions, especially most folks now have heard or whispers have gotten around of those that are traveling beyond

in the hopes of returning with the salvation of the village.

So few get in your way at all as you kind of step through.

It's odd.

It took this much tragedy

to

feel like you can walk freely in this space.

But here you are.

Until eventually you're brought to one of the side tents where you can see a number of scrolls that were brought out to the

center of the village are being replaced and organized.

And indeed, Thalia is currently checking notes and setting them up in the proper cubbies before stopping.

Oh, hello.

Hi.

We haven't actually, I believe, met, but I've seen you talking with others.

Not properly.

August.

I'm sorry.

I'll be talking.

How do you do?

Good.

And I am going to take off my jacket, my hat, and my.

Do you let your mouth show?

Oh, yeah.

You see, like, her hand briefly kind of goes towards the edge of the table where there is a cane settled off the side, and just.

We're at the point now where

I'm tired of hiding.

My worst fears fears are

all come true at this point.

So,

I hope you understand what I'm

what I'm laying bare right now.

I love this place and the safety it's given me.

And I dare you to find anyone in this town who would say

one

thing against me or my companion.

I would be shocked.

So, for my last day here, since

for my last day here, the hat was getting itchy.

You come.

Highly recommended.

I wanted to show you something.

Okay,

certainly.

We found this.

Deep.

Deep inside where everything went wrong.

Is it safe to?

I think now it is.

And I float it.

She reaches over and just takes a piece of sackcloth on the side and kind of collects it from the air.

And then goes, Wait, you made that go.

Are you an Aether Weaver?

Yes.

You keep that quite hidden, you do.

Well.

Times being what they are.

Yeah.

Best you continue to, just in case.

All of it.

It doesn't bother me really, but others it might.

Of course, which have I.

I needed your trust, and I needed it quickly.

Sorry, our panicks went for the cane.

I'm just

doing it first.

Anyway, um, and she said to die.

I'm screaming when I look in the mirror in the morning.

don't be old

she said down at the table and

no wait wait you got you said you got this way

oh god it was at the doors of the uh

the doors of the vault if i remember

of the monastery thank you

where everything went wrong doors of the monastery

you went to the monastery well to the to the doors before

oh the gate yeah no we're rascalo Oh, you were with Roscallo.

I'm so sorry.

He's recovering now.

That's good.

This is incredible.

Yeah, this is where Aaron got sick.

It's damaged.

There are a piece is missing.

I don't know where the um

trommels through history mate.

Um, I'm going to bring out the rest of it in the

oh, this shouldn't have come off.

Um

well, it's done now.

Um,

okay,

yeah, this, uh,

these markings, hold on, hold on,

goes through uh upper shelf and like drags over a chair and kind of steps up into it and starts pouring through.

I think it's one of these two.

Brings it down, thumps up,

no, no, no, not that one.

Here we go,

yeah, yeah,

and pulls that and shows you a page, and you can see there's a sketch of that skull and the iron band on the jaw.

This This is the skull of Vashathu, of the broken call.

They were

the word I'm looking for.

They were a silver-tongued devil.

Yeah, they

had begun to,

it says here,

leak

blasphemy into the ears of the faithful and had begun to infiltrate the halls of Luzol

and the

the Sinabar region of Ambarich

before being tried and

sentenced to execution but during the execution it looks like

shadows of which it had pacted with began to protect it from the blade and in a great holy conflict was struck down and bound, its flesh carved from the skull, its bone made sealed, and its shadow kept at bay.

And is uh

was sealed within the monastery.

Yeah.

Shit.

This is quite a find.

Yeah, that all of that

definitely tracks with what happened up there.

Why?

There was shadows and

Iggar and uh

some

blind faithful listening ravings

a Four Velt guide who was

just gone mad wraps it up

praying and uh yeah

right

I'm very impressed with this bookshelf by the way.

Oh, thank you.

It's just um one of our you know various archives.

Keep watch to it.

Is

Are we done?

I uh

I hope you can learn more about that once we get back.

Of course, of course.

I appreciate it.

You know, thank you.

You don't happen to have anything that might be useful for us on our way.

Uh it's fine if you don't.

Takes a...

What looks like a fur shawl that was kind of pulled in the corner and goes,

that should help keep you warm.

Put the hat on, flip the coat over.

We'll see you soon then.

Good luck.

You as well.

He goes back to better work.

Great.

Fruitful.

Good and good.

Got answers.

Fruitful.

Sorry, I couldn't make it.

Cool.

Should have left that alone.

Do we go now?

Do you want to get any potions from Truvo or are we out of here?

Would we get any potions from Truvo or since I was a little bit more?

Well, you go to Truvo's tent, and Truvo is kind of sitting alone, half asleep in the chair, like still bundled.

Looks like he was up late, tending to

wounds and everything.

And as soon as you see him in the tent, he's like,

Oh, hey there, sorry, I.

Dosing off a little.

That's right, you.

Y'all's heading out, right?

Apologies for waking you.

No, no, of course.

It's fine, it's fine.

Um.

I'm sorry, I didn't do better.

We all tried our best.

We were acting

within the parameters of the knowledge that we had.

This is true.

Y'all are heading off to

where now?

The Baron of Blind Repose.

Don't know where that is.

Is it far?

Yes.

Dear.

Well.

We know that you're very strapped.

I've spent most of my supplies, but I got a few things.

Here,

I do have some salves that can help.

And pulls out.

You can write down a recovery salve.

Recovery salve.

You have two of them.

Two.

Time's two.

Bang dead.

And more or less what that means is when you spend a downtime action during a short rest to heal hit points or stress,

you can add one to that, and then it's consumed.

And a short rest.

Yeah, long rest heals a full anyway, so it doesn't matter.

Okay, but it gives you like a plus one heal to a stress or a hit point when you spend that downtime action.

And you have two uses of those.

Absolutely.

And I got one more of these little

friendly ones.

Hopefully, it'll help keep you a little more lively on the cloth there.

Amazing.

Some long trips out there.

Healing potion, does anyone want to hold on to it?

I've got one.

I got one.

You want to hold on to it?

We can always trade Z's if we can.

Yeah, we can trade Z's if you want to.

I wish I had more around here, but

well, I think I'm gonna need all we got, and I ain't got much left.

No, this is.

This is very generous.

Thank you.

Are you

all right?

I mean, I.

You don't answer that.

I'm fighting.

It's not me I'm worried about.

Who is it that you're worried about?

Anyone specific?

No, just the kids.

Do you have your suspicions?

What's their blood type?

Yeah.

Just the children.

Ah.

Yes.

Children.

Anyway, don't need to be throwing more weight upon them shoulders, Pyrekeeper.

Y'all travel safe, alright?

Get your rest.

Eventually.

I should probably take a walk and

tend to a few spirits.

He gets up as like his

long straps and small hanging vials and trinkets kind of jangling against his shell.

Yeah, I think a walk will do me good.

Just be careful.

This town needs a healer.

I need seven, but

I'm good at what I do.

We're gonna go ahead and take our leave, so

tell anyone who cares.

But we say goodbye.

Alright.

I will save y'all.

I'll see you when you come back.

Throws and puts his little like overcoat over his shoulders and steps out into the misty day.

You all begin to gather once more what supplies you've acquired.

Your thoughts gathered best you can in what's happened.

A map at your disposal to track your journey.

Anything else you need before you set off into the wastes?

I'm going to go back to my tent real quick.

Just grab my supplies.

I am going to grab...

I have this big collar that i'm gonna grab i'm just gonna hold it real close and just be like

i couldn't save you buddy but i promise

i won't let the same thing happen to them and i'm gonna wear it as like a belt

it's that big yeah

did you have a big best friend

Do you have a John Wick origin story?

Oh, did someone

shoot your puppy?

Yep.

Alright.

As you all gather towards the gates at the slag wall westward on the outskirts of Desper Lach,

already about 50 or so of the populace have gathered to see you off.

The majority of the western-facing vigil have stepped to the edge of the wall.

Gosuk and his team have left hours before, so you are the other troop to exit.

And in a solemn march, as you head towards the gates, the chains pulling taut and dragging them open,

everyone kind of looks up to you.

Many eyes, many faces.

The energy of

hope.

That hope sets upon you from this community.

You must feel the weight of it.

But it is also empowering, terrifying.

And you can't help but

see these

little orc children.

Small little four-year-old galapa looking up with its little pointed beak mouth, wide-eyed.

Elderly woman.

clutching her

middle-aged daughter at her side as they both look on, kind of raising a hand to you all as you leave,

placing that hope upon you.

You are the enduring.

But what allows you to endure is hope.

And for right now, you are their hope.

As you try your best to not take that lightly,

You shoulder that responsibility,

swallow hard, and put one foot in front of the other.

Until you're beyond that wall.

The stone and slag behind you.

What is awe and then some?

It's...

And then it's...

It's all sorts of awesome.

It's awe and then some.

Visit lake Tahoe.com.

I don't mean to interrupt your meal, but I saw you from across a cafe, and you're the Geico Gecko, right?

In the flesh.

Oh, my goodness.

This is huge to finally meet you.

I love Geico's fast and friendly claim service.

Well, that's how Geico gets 97% customer satisfaction.

Anyway, that's all.

Enjoy the rest of your food.

No worries.

Uh, so are you just gonna watch me eat?

Oh, sorry.

Just a little starstruck.

I'll be on my way.

If you're gonna stick around, just pull up a chair.

You're the best.

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Are you ready to get spicy?

These Doritos Golden Sriracha aren't that spicy.

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Or turn it down.

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Spicy, but not too spicy.

The semblance of safety behind you.

And so much mystery and danger ahead.

Once again,

one foot in front of the other,

one foot in front of the other,

and you push on into the jungles of Avedora, westward, a familiar path to you, and to some of you, some time past.

But pushing through these dense jungles is its own dangerous journey.

Who is helming

the navigation of this journey?

Which leg of it?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I think.

You can take this to- I can take this start.

Have you been through here?

Once.

What part?

Once

backwards.

Might as well let him lead.

Well, the terrain is at least somewhat familiar.

Ditto.

I've been through here.

I'll take us through the first leg.

You can take the second.

Oh, boy.

Just stay close.

Anything happens.

Run like hell?

Yeah, but just run slightly slower than me.

Don't think that'll be a problem for me.

Alright.

So,

you, I believe you have some features, some ranger features that can help you in this.

I have Advantage on Rolls to traverse dangerous cliffs, ledges, navigate harsh environments, or use my survival knowledge.

I don't know if that's a thing.

I could also use

Path Forward.

When you're traveling to a place you've previously visited,

you can identify the shortest, most direct path to your destination.

Okay, what is your first destination?

Good question.

It seems like...

We're over here, yeah?

A little further south there.

You can see...

Desperately.

Oh, there, desperately.

So,

Volkoru,

yes, is where we're going.

But you have been there.

So, indeed, indeed, you know the direct path.

The fastest path, not always the safest, but certainly the fastest.

And you're pretty good at keeping safe when you're traveling solo.

Keeping four others behind is a new challenge.

But nevertheless, for your navigation roll, because of that benefit, you do get advantage as part of that.

So I would like you to roll with instinct.

to navigate the troop with advantage on this first leg of the journey.

Easy enough.

Easy enough.

Terrible.

No, that's actually pretty good.

Okay.

15 with hope.

That's good.

15 with hope.

Great.

Perfect.

That hope.

You push through the jungles themselves, the occasional kind of rattling gurgle or distant call

echoing in the distance.

You keep quiet.

That's nothing.

Eventually, you hear like the clicking of birds.

That's something.

And with each each sound you watch, snicks, panic, seize, and then lead you a little ways off.

But in doing so...

A couple pellets, moments.

Yeah.

Little cocoa puffs.

He's puffing.

But...

Your experience here allows you to arc and shift wide berths around with the sources of these various sounds.

At one point, you can hear the distant, heavy, thick footfalls and feel them almost to the ground.

Something massive is lurking through the jungle.

Jesus, every time, every time.

I love it so much.

Oh, is that a comfy place?

Those are footfalls.

Those are footfalls.

Okay.

Wider and quieter.

A sound you haven't heard before.

Nope.

But something massive is lumbering through the jungle.

Do you know what that was?

Something massive lumbering through the jungle.

You all stand still until eventually the foot false will get quieter and quieter.

And whatever it was,

it has passed beyond your path.

As the day continues onward, eventually

the jungle begins to thin, and another sound catches your ears.

I love it.

I keep you panicking.

This makes me happy.

It's the distant sound of shores breaking.

The Ashen Sea is not far from your path, as the oceanside cliffs at the base of the Grief Cleft Mountains are not far from where you tread.

The jungle trees still hold and tangle and envelop your path, and you cruise through them, cutting vines they need to be cut.

The sky begins to grow darker as you come to the end of your first day.

That gentle smell of sea spray catching on the breeze and the wind as it blows through.

And the wind does pick up around here.

Now that the mountain itself is not blocking and the jungle is absorbing,

you can feel it.

Blowing your hair for those who have hair.

Um.

Your veil.

Okay.

And you can

ever so distant hear the

waves crashing against the cliffs that drop into the Ashen Sea.

What a pleasant sound.

It is nice.

Never thought I would hear the ocean.

It sounds so calm.

I'll guess what's wrong.

I've been trying to tell you.

And I know you don't remember.

We're going home

tomorrow.

What

What do you I don't understand

the screaming forests

It's home we're going

We have to be very careful

We have to be very very careful for the next for the next day

We will be very careful.

And I will protect you.

All of us.

And you, especially.

I will be okay.

And

at the end of the day, if I'm not,

then maybe I will be set free and I get to go home, wherever that is.

I cannot think of a worse fate if we get caught for any of us.

Who would catch you?

There is, and I wish I could tell you where,

but

somewhere in the Screaming Forest, there is a temple.

And in that temple is.

a catacomb

of

sticky, sweet amber and

creatures

where

they serve and worship

the Queen Mother.

And Queen Mother

was very unhappy that we got away.

Very, very unhappy that we got away.

And she is hungry

and she

likes to play with her food

for weeks, months.

Sometimes she gets creative and I show the moth that is stitched into my back.

She may decide you look like fun.

And this is if we go through the screaming forest.

If

she finds us,

she'll eat you slowly.

The queen mother.

Do you happen to have a lot of siblings?

I was somewhat unique,

but

it's hard to tell if she likes to

change

people if she decides they're interesting,

more interesting than food.

She has her children too, and

just

she'll take you and preserve you alive and

chew and

she sounds delightful.

Let's not plan to stop by there.

This is absolutely my worst nightmare.

This temple, what you speak of, was that where you first met Misty?

Yes.

Yes.

And you have no recollection of this temple?

I have.

I have visions of it as I

came to in this

in this form.

But I...

I don't know.

I...

Again, I have memories of the place, but I don't know.

They're not mine, but I know...

I know this statue somehow

ended up there with

another family.

And they were traveling with this statue for some reason, and I...

I guess stayed there for...

I don't know how long.

I don't know how long this was there.

Maybe hundreds of years?

Mother would send me into the temple to treasure hunt a lot like we did.

I would bring back

trinkets and artifacts.

Sometimes I would hide them.

And one day

I did very well.

And

woke her up somehow.

And

she got me out.

She got us both out.

All I remember was

being in darkness for a very,

very long time.

And I saw

a golden light, and I went to it, and

I woke up.

Not quite what I would have requested had I had the choice, but you know what?

We're gonna go with it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Just

thought everyone should be aware of

one of many dangers.

It's appreciated.

Hopefully, we'll move quickly enough that we won't

be stopped or.

Yeah, maybe we can just let go on the outskirts.

Yeah.

You know?

Sure.

Possibly hide the two of us as well, as best as possible.

I'm about as

bundled up as I can be.

I almost want to throw a cloak on you.

That's fine.

She's eight feet tall.

With huge wings.

Yeah.

We'd have to be like a tarp.

Yes.

Maybe.

Maybe we can trade for one in Volkoru.

That's a good idea.

A light rain begins to come down from the cloudy skies above.

And not too long past that, the sound of rushing water.

Having traversed this path previously, you know there is a bridge that goes across a rushing river that washes out from the mountains to the sea.

However, the bridge has washed out since last you traveled.

And you wonder if it has something to do with what you now see as the massive footfalls that push into the mud

along the path where you came from.

Whatever those

heavy steps were before

seemed to

enjoy taking a hop on this bridge to its destruction.

You see the splintered wood out there.

It's about 20 or so feet across this river.

Shallower the edges, but still a danger to pass.

So for this,

we're going to traverse a raging river.

Oh, no.

For this,

I'm going to create a progressive countdown of four.

Oh, great.

This is where you brought us?

This is your excuse.

There was a bridge here last time.

Says you.

We're going to go washed out to sea.

I don't know if I can swim.

Then maybe you can do the thing we were talking about.

You can walk underwater to the other side.

We haven't really experimented with it with a.

We haven't experimented with it.

Give it a try, I guess.

Wait, I have some rope.

Should we bind ourselves to each other?

Yes.

Yes.

At least you guys should.

I'm gonna be fine.

Okay.

Alright.

Go away.

No, I'll join you two.

Just in case.

All right.

Now what?

Alright, you tie yourselves together.

Hopefully, that's the one that's two relatively thin

individuals, two thicker ones, and an eight-foot statue.

Let's do this.

It's so safe, bobbing along.

Mistakes were made.

The idea is

for this one,

we need to have four successful roles.

But there's only five of us.

Correct.

If you get four successful roles, then you all move across.

How do you apply to this?

One of you said you're tying the ropes around.

Who's tying the knots here?

Tying the knots?

Yeah.

I can tie knots.

Okay.

Yeah.

Have a good good luck.

You gonna do it?

Yeah.

Roll finesse for me, please.

Big bows.

Three.

Uh-huh.

Great.

Just that.

Just that.

You look good.

Yeah.

Just that.

You skip me.

I thought you said

like just...

Oh my god.

She in Daggerheart being the lowest possible role.

Yes, without getting a crit.

Two would be the most.

That would be a crit.

That would be a crit.

You are correct.

Three is the lowest.

So I am awful.

Wow.

So start off this treacherous.

You tie the rope around your troop.

Strong, sturdy knots, confidence in your ability.

What is the order to traverse this water?

and who is who is tempting to swim across or leap across

okay i feel like she should go first because she's heavy i will go first yeah

okay sure i will all right because if it goes bad with you then that's gonna dictate everything else yes it will

swim three four feet and the water's picking up the rain is you know causing the river to swell a little bit

and as you get about five feet in you feel your feet beginning to dislodge from the undermuck uh as the undertow begins to pull for you.

I need you to make an agility reaction roll for me, please.

Okay.

Here we go.

Wait, an agility reaction?

Correct.

So just make an agility roll, but you don't gain hope.

It doesn't give me fear.

No mods.

No mods.

No mods.

It's going to be fine.

You got this.

It's fine.

Is it fine?

Ten with

it doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter.

Ten.

Ten is what you needed on this.

So I'm going to consider that a success here.

Strong start.

Strong start.

As you begin to wade across

and push against it.

You do mark a stress through the process, though.

Pushes your mind a bit and your body to its limit to get through the water.

You're partway across the river now.

The rest of you now being dragged in behind her.

And the water, as it's rushing past, you're starting to get pushed down the stream a little bit.

Who is helping move this trek forward?

I've got the end.

I'll go.

I'll fix them.

Using strength,

same thing, or what do I...

Well, what are you trying to do to help push across here?

Well, are you so you got across?

I'm halfway there,

yeah, but I'm still out of the water.

You're about up to here,

okay.

But I'm still touching bottom, barely.

You're strong, forward.

I'm strong, Yeah.

I am strong.

I'll kind of use the rope that use the guideline, and I'm just going to see if I can just

maybe even swim past so I can help

Misty on the other side.

Make a strength action roll for me, please.

Alright.

Plus two.

That's really good.

That's going to be 23 with

hope.

That doesn't matter.

Or does that matter?

No, this is your action roll, so it does.

You can hope.

23.

That's going to

count down the count down as well.

You now have two left to get the troop across.

I'm going to spend a fear immediately as you get across the way.

Who's third in line?

Sure.

Third in line.

The undertow catches you immediately.

As Brixton pulls ahead and pushes past Misty, the rope kind of drags you into the center of the water, and all of a sudden you feel your feet kind of like tug underneath.

It feels like some sort of sunken log or something that has lost its buoyancy is being dragged under the water part of a tether or a vine on it like wraps around your leg and starts dragging you into the water below I need you to make an agility reaction roll for me agility reaction goes next

you're agile you're

young man fucking super agile that's a

25 wow

you pull fear

also doesn't matter you pull your foot free without challenge there you are not dragged down the river and dragging some of your friends with you, but you do mark a stress to the ordeal.

You're all right.

They almost got me, but I don't have feet, so it's slippery.

Those knots are so sturdy.

I'm just holding.

What'd you do?

What'd you do?

What is this?

How do you have both ends?

Hold on, Tyler.

I made circles.

I'm gonna spend a fear immediately to use an undertone action on you because you had rolled so poorly with the tying earlier.

And as part of that, the rope becomes free.

And all of a sudden, you realize everyone else is tied together.

You forgot to tie yourself to it.

Six!

This was your

rope!

I need you to make an agility reaction for me.

I'm not worried about it.

I should have been six.

Six.

You all watch as idle

the rope is loose in the water and idle

beneath the water before

appearing about 20-30 feet down the river.

Halbert's

trying to tread water.

What are the rest of you doing?

I'm going to cast

an ice spike to see if I can

give him something to grab onto and I'm going to try and pull one up in the water as he's going downstream right in front of him so that he has something to grab.

So you're going to fire an ice spike in the the water that he can grab onto.

Yeah, I can actually pull it up.

Yeah, it's not like me firing it down.

It actually can make it grow out of the bottom.

Okay, I'm going to go ahead and get away with it.

Can we be able to work together on something?

If you want to help him with something by spending a hope to give him a summoning,

yes, I'll spend a hope and

well, and then I guess I can't use this.

You can also do a separate action if you want to outside of this.

And you can guys

consider them like it coming together.

And I will spend a hope to help you.

Oh, thank you.

Oh, you rolled out 36.

Yeah.

Guidance.

Oh, my God.

It's a crit.

Oh.

Okay.

Double ones.

Double ones, where I'm like, oh, wait a minute.

We just talked about this.

That's it.

You don't even see the whole thing.

No, I don't.

I mean, you spent it, but.

I spent it.

Yeah.

But.

Yeah, I'll say, given the circumstance, you conjure the ice spike as opposed to down into the river.

You conjure it below.

As you're treading, you suddenly see this

like burst of light blue light in the water below.

As you glance down, suddenly you watch this massive icicle like

start shooting out of the water.

And you just hear shouting across the way, Grab on!

You clutch onto it as hard as you can.

Make a strength reaction roll for me, please.

Come on, we roll those curts before.

Better.

13, 14, 15.

15, easy enough.

You clutch on it.

This counts down to a one

from your success, though, and you are pulled out of the water and lifted over in the direction of the edge of the river.

You smack into the last three or four feet of water, splash, and kind of end over end and kind of stopping, covered in muck in the side of the river, slop.

But you are now safe.

Brixton, you are just beyond the side.

You haven't crossed yet.

You're kind of still in the middle of the water with Misty.

We have one more, one more roll to complete this.

I've never tied a knot before.

I'm going to try and fly full speed across this.

I know it's raining, and I know that sucks,

but I'm just going to see if I can kind of avoid as much of this as possible.

The rain isn't so hard that it's going to move it because mine is you fly across fine.

Oh.

However, Misty and Snicks are still in the water.

As heavy as Misty is, as you get to that center point and Brixton pushes past you, your feet are kind of

getting stuck in the undermuck as your like chin's right above there.

And you're like pulling the rope up and getting close to Misty and almost like clutching on as the water is now rushing past.

And the two of you almost, in the moment, feel like you're a little stranded in the middle of the rushing river.

Who's doing what?

Do you have a thing?

We need to pull.

Well, I was going to try to help

Idol.

I'm out.

I'm safe.

Idol's out.

You're safe.

Okay.

You say that and look over, and Idol's on the bank on the opposite side.

But you're still on the other side.

You still have to get over here.

I'm okay.

Go for it.

I was going to help pull, where the two of us are going to pull.

Unless you had a better idea.

I don't know.

Do it.

Alright.

So, because we've got the

ball.

You're going to help me.

Alright.

I'm going to help yank both of them.

Now's a good time for us

to see if you can breathe underwater.

I got to stress.

Awesome.

I'll go underwater.

Oh, I got to.

You're going to spend a hope to help me?

Yep.

Help.

Yep.

On your

vessel ancestry, or clank in the base core game, what abilities do you have on it?

Well.

Do any of them involve breathing?

No.

As you begin to hold your breath, you feel a growing burning pain in your chest.

And you realize this vessel, as you hold within it, while it is not made of standard flesh,

the

the hollow points of your body that mark your instrument as the holy vessel where your music stems from the essence that anchors you here needs the air to pass through it for you to remain anchored and as they clog with water it's a lot about breathing more than you feel your mooring on this physical stone form begin to loosen the longer you're underwater no no so 18 strength i don't like it

that finishes the countdown and with your final pulls, you get the rest of your troop across and drag Misty and Snyx from the river off to the opposite side.

Hold.

Hold.

It is very hard.

I'll hold you.

Come here.

Come here.

Come here.

Right between.

Right between.

Come here.

You did good.

Yep.

Good job.

You furry.

This is good.

I know, but if you're a spider.

I really don't seem to know knots.

Thank God you're not a sailor or anything.

That'd be really embarrassing.

As the rain continues on,

cold and damp.

I know.

Muscles are so big and

warm.

I know.

Nestled between the deltoid and the latissimus door socket.

Nearly two decades of lifting heavy logs.

Your hands are so calloused.

Yeah.

I kind of like it.

Okay.

Okay.

Help.

Step on me, Keeper.

The light of day begins to fade

as you begin to reach the end of the perimeter of the jungle.

And ahead, as you begin to move along the pathway that carves along the cliff face, the base of the mountain, the sheer seaside cliffs are now right over the edge, and you can see the waters of the Ashen Sea

rolling, crashing.

So are we?

The tide is high and dangerous below and you can see all manner of jagged rocks that protrude at the base of the cliff.

And uphead you can just begin to see the beginning of the sunken rampart.

Okay.

What was once the most primitive wall of the extent of Amberich's sprawl.

An entire region that now mostly lies underwater as the Ashen Seas came in to flood the valley.

And the primitive wall, partially crumbled in places, is now a stretching rampart.

Jagged, broken, bridged in places,

a challenge in others.

But

a path to take, as safe as possible, compared to other alternatives.

But

the light begins to fade, and night begins to creep in.

Do you want to press on or make camp?

Let's be wise and sleep.

Be wise and sleep.

Be wise to get to Vokora.

Oh, we're beyond.

Okay, we're not there yet.

That's right.

Idol, what do you think?

I think we should push on.

I agree.

Do we need a at least a short rest, or are we good to keep moving?

Okay, we'll keep going.

I can hold you, August, if you would like to rest a bit.

Oh, no, I'll be alright.

Okay.

Okay.

I can conjure a bit of light.

Okay.

You go ahead and sparkle a little bit of of light.

Gonna give it just enough glow to give you a little bit to see by, possibly other things to see you by, but for something for you to see by.

Look at that dark.

The mud and slick path ahead gives each footstep a heavy.

As it is just dirt and mud at this point.

The occasional broken pieces of rock and shale that have broken free and slid down the steep decline of the mountains down to this pace.

And you do see some sections where, like, mild slides have come through and then been cleared and then come through again.

The slow erosion of the mountains, mimicking the slow death of the domain.

You can no longer see the ramparts here in the darkness of night until you are close enough to just merely have your light frame it.

But you do see in the far distance the little spark of flame that you know to be Okoru's sacred pyre.

And with enough of a glance, you can see the distant speck

like a burning star on the horizon

of another pyre,

impossibly far away.

Could be Okros, could be something else.

As you come around the mountain range, you have a view of the valley from the southern side that begins to open up, which lets you know that you're pretty close to where the ramparts begin.

In which case, you are just traversing the top of these walls with crashing ocean below.

And then the mud gives way to hard stone.

And you've begun your trek of the sunken ramparts.

Breath, A second breath.

A glance at each other.

You continue to move forward.

The sound of crashing waves below.

Darkness ahead.

Hope keeping you afloat.

And anxiety ever curling at the horizon of your vision.

That's where we'll pick up next episode.

So we're

now stone underfoot at the sunken rampart?

Correct.

You have more or less started walking on the sunken rampart of the edge there.

Yes.

Okay.

And are traversing that wall.

Okay.

Way more like around here.

You're just beginning the trek of the sunken rampart.

Okay.

Okay.

And we'll start there

and pick up next episode.

Oh my God.

What a long journey we have to go on.

Such a long journey.

It's a journey.

This is so

vivid.

I know.

So good.

Well, friends,

we'll see you next episode.

Love you very much, and visit Thursday, and

we finished up this episode.

Thanks for coming along on this wild journey with us.

If you liked the adventure, consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice.

We're always looking for new critters to share our stories with, and your review may help a new batch of wayward adventurers discover the show.

See you next time.

I don't mean to interrupt your meal, but I saw you from across a cafe and you're the Geico Gecko, right?

In the flesh.

Oh, my goodness.

This is huge to finally meet you.

I love Geico's fast-and-friendly claim service.

Well, that's how Geico gets 97% customer satisfaction.

Anyway, that's all.

Enjoy the rest of your food.

No worries.

Uh, so are you just gonna watch me eat?

Oh, sorry.

Just a little starstruck.

I'll be on my way.

If you're gonna stick around, just pull up a chair.

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