Broken Wing | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 2 | Part 1

Vengeance starts the fire, but in Ghost of Yotte, what follows burns brighter.

This PlayStation 5 experience tells the story of Atsu, a lone warrior in a harsh yet beautiful land, chasing justice and discovering something more human.

With sweeping visuals, multi-weapon combat, and powerful storytelling, it delivers a fresh experience for new players and fans of Ghost of Tsushima alike.

A friend of the show, Erika Ishii, voices Atsu, a new, unforgettable PlayStation hero.

Ghost of Yote is available now on PlayStation 5.

Rated M for mature.

A new era of power has arrived with the Alienware Area 51 gaming laptops, intentionally engineered to push more power to the CPU and GPU for maximum performance.

Combined with Intel Core Ultra9 processors, merging CPU, NPU, and integrated GPU into one AI-optimized chip, it delivers fast, smart, and seamless performance across everything you do.

So no matter what you're playing, Alienware ensures every game runs precisely as its developers intended.

A new era of power is here.

All you have to do is take it.

Discover Area 51 today at www.alienware.com slash area-51 laptops.

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 up consistently in the wild.

Learn more at adobe.com slash go slash express.

Why, hello there!

I'm Brennan Lee Mulligan, and welcome to campaign four of Critical Role.

Thank you for joining us on this journey as we explore Araman, a world of fractured kingdoms, tumultuous rebellion, and sorcery that rises from the graveyard of the gods.

You're listening to part one of this adventure, with part two arriving this upcoming Tuesday.

Our episodes typically arrive on the Critical Role Podcast Network a week after our initial Thursday night streams on Beacon, YouTube, and Twitch.

But if you'd rather listen to a full podcast episode of Campaign 4 right when it airs without any ads, consider becoming a beacon member.

You'll receive access to exclusive content, discounts at all our online Critical Role shops, pre-sales for live events, and so much more.

Start your seven-day free trial today at beacon.tv.

Now, without further ado, let's begin this episode of Critical Role.

I need

all of you to roll a D4.

What?

I thought what I thought was going to happen.

What did we get?

Four.

Four.

Two.

Two.

Two.

Two.

Four.

I'm going to need Azune and Cadogan to each give me a death-saving throw.

Overhead,

arrows fly through the sky.

Nearby, Loza Blade, about...

12 or 13 years younger than the last time we saw her,

cries out as

two arrows go into her shoulder.

You see that she takes a small axe off a holster under an arm and

hucks it across a battlefield as an archer commander says,

Axe in the head falls to the ground.

She says, Get back under the hill and shoves a young tunks, the boar man, who at this point is only about 16 years old, is like a kid.

As he grunts and snorts back into the back into the waiting darkness, you see overhead

a rippling spiral of green necromantic energy

shoot overhead far away from you you see your friend milo looking up and saying everyone keep moving for

skull gone dead to the ground death saves from you two

okay

save 19 fail seven

Uh

Cadogan on the ground, describe your character for us in this moment and describe the injury that is starting to bleed out past the point of repair.

Oh yeah, he's

sliced, sliced up.

Basically,

he's always fighting low, so all of his injuries are up high in his body, shoulders, neck.

He's got like puncture wounds super close to lungs and heart.

He's jacked from the waist up mostly.

Yeah.

Azune, where are you?

And how do you look in this distant memory?

I am 15 years old.

I'm young.

I'm shorter.

I'm skinnier.

And the last thing I remember before the lights went out was struggling to keep up with my group, these two guys that grown men at this point in my life that I've

grown to emulate in a way.

I saw how Teor blocks things with his shield and the way that Cadogan fights with his weapon and the noise, the screams, and I wasn't ready for that.

And the smell of blood, and I misstepped.

And next thing I know, the lights are out.

I don't even know what hit me.

Uh, you see, overhead,

the sky darkens as two sorcerers of the sundered houses fly under their own power.

One of them drops through the sky, looks across the battlefield,

a tiny moat of light as time almost slows.

I'm gonna need everybody here to roll initiative.

Oh my god, I'm not ready for man.

What did we get, Azune?

I got a six.

What did we get, Teor?

18.

What did we get, Thimble?

15.

What did we get, Cadigan?

Windsy's 18.

Much like before,

Cadogan and Taor are going to act on the same initiative.

I'll remind you, Tayor.

Big cats, I'll remind you, Teor.

Unfortunately for you, my friend, you're first level.

Oh.

Oh.

It's your turn.

What do you do?

I try and spot.

Jesus.

Can I see both Cadogan and Azune down on the ground?

Yes, you can.

Give me a medicine check.

I don't know.

I'm bleeding out, man.

Oh, that's natural 18 for dirty 20.

Dirty 20.

Triage, you've learned enough about medicine working for Loza.

Over your shoulder, you see a dwarven woman.

You see she's got a thick braided beard, an empty upper lip, a thick braided beard.

You see that she leans down, reaches into a satchel, takes out a small dwarven poultice, crushes it in her hand.

A red mist surrounds her as she punches into the empty hole created by a spell in your comrade Lucia's chest.

She's got an open cavity, ribs exposed, punches into it, and says, oh, this broken can be mended.

Come on, girl, you're not done fighting yet.

Rips her fist out and leaves a bunch of the flesh from her own fist stitching up Lucia's body as your dwarven medic gets her up on her feet.

Norma turns to you and says, Remember, look at them.

Gut, bad, limbs, they can stay.

And as you look out and see Azune and you see Cadogan, you see that Azune's injury is all shoulder and chest muscle, and Cadogan's got something that's bad and bleeding.

That's your medicine check.

Got it.

I'll try and search the air for Thimble.

Any sight of her?

Overhead, you see near where Lowe's is, close to the top of the hill, running down the trench as fast as possible.

You see Thimble coursing down towards you with Theazi right behind, right behind her.

You see, Theazi's got something in a dirty tarp wrapped up over and over and over again.

Looks like he's sprinting.

He here is about like, you know, late 20s, just

running as fast as he can.

You see, he's got about eight gilded gem-studded, like stabs and wands wrapped up in a tarp.

Just

as fast as he can.

But you see, Thimble is way ahead of him.

I'm lit up and trying to lead the way.

I'm gonna call out to Thimble, we need to close ranks, and I'm gonna run towards Caddington as fast as I can and just try and put pressure on the main chest.

Using your action, go ahead and give me a medicine check.

The difficulty is 10.

10, okay.

Natural 16 for an 18.

You lean down, reaching into a bag.

Norma's magical healing is great, and she is one dwarf.

And so you reach down and just grab gauze, rag, wrap it around, staunch the bleeding.

Cadogan stabilizes.

Got it.

Thimble, it is your turn.

And where am I trying to lead The Azzi?

The Azzi is looking up.

He goes, he goes,

the auxiliaries,

the Baladring, the guy goes.

Oh, shit.

And you see that he says,

Loza, do they fall back?

You see, from up on top of the hill, she looks out and you see sees something closing ranks.

A sorcerer drops out of the sky.

You see this

a third one.

Um, you see beautiful white flickering tunic.

This is a sorcerer of House Cormorante, who puts points at the ground.

Runes appear all around Loza.

She looks, sees it happening in real time, and bursting up from a nine-pointed star is a snarling summoned Drake, like a 15-foot dragon.

You see, she goes, they're over the hill, Theazi, didn't fall back, and just takes her axe and floods it into the side of this massive summoned creature.

Theazi looks up at you, Thimble, and says,

Over the top, and just gets his staves,

whispers a little sort of like arcane word under his breath, and you see that what is being created by this sort of burning fire in the

outer reach of the battlefield hits him, and you see that his shadow splits into three different shadows of himself.

And he tosses a bunch of staves to all of them, and they all start running over the edge

as fast as he can.

Thimble, it is still your turn.

I'm darting ahead, and I'm trying to find one of the sorcerers, and I'm trying to get through the ranks, get it right behind them to the back of their head, while they're distracted with all of the other shit going on.

Hell yes, you see that cormorant sorcerer looks down shouting for the honor of House Cormorant for the honor of the Sun Good.

Go ahead and give me an attack roll.

If you want to do it from hiding, you can.

Okay, okay, okay.

Oh, so that's advantage.

Yeah, huh?

Okay,

that's 16 plus 7.

That is a hit.

Go ahead and roll damage.

Okay.

I can I know what I'm doing oh good eight plus four uh remember you only have a d6 because you're first level right now so you only have one d6 a sneak attack a sneak attack you're right yes uh

plus five is 13 plus two uh 15 points of damage 15 points

On a natural four,

the sorcerer is not felled by this blow,

but does drop concentration on the summoned Drake.

You reach out with your sword.

I want it right here, like up into that soft part of the back of the head.

Stabbing in under the skull, a little bit of blood seeps into the corner of their eyes as they lurch forward.

You see, whatever magic item is compelling their flight stays active, but their concentration on this summon dissipates.

As Loza says, Good looking out, Zimble.

You look in that exact moment.

Ozune, I'm going to need a death save from you here.

You have one success?

Yes.

Can I use a luck point as for a death save?

Yes, you can.

Great.

So while I'm in this, like,

this darkness, I see my dad's face.

And I see the moment that he had passed me off to the mercenaries way back when years before this.

And the only thing I remember is him telling me that I was lucky that I was getting a second chance.

And that sort of rings in my mind as I hopefully

I succeed.

succeed.

Hell yes.

You begin to stabilize.

You see your father's face.

There's something.

It's not going to happen

here.

On a battlefield, arrows and spells fly overhead.

Fiazzi runs.

As he does, Thimble from behind the sorcerer.

You look and see.

Fiazzi is hit in the side and scatters, his shadows all vanishing.

As he hits the ground,

looking forward, you see a shape dart from the shadows ahead of him towards his body, seeing an incoming barrage

flapping wings.

Wyverns taking to the sky.

Loza looks up and says, fall back!

Fall back!

A shape runs towards Theazi's body, and at the last moment you see gets two arms underneath it, lifts up his body, throws it on his shoulder, and

rushes forward as fast as he can, thundering with heavy boots, drops into the trench right in front of you, saving Theazi from the oncoming barrage of these flying wyverns.

As you return from the sorcerer, as Lawsa calls to fall back, the face

lifts him up, looks at you.

Casimir smiles.

Agodim, let's fall back

and we'll find out the fate of our old friend Casimir on this episode of Critical Rolling.

Wait, did we keep going?

We keep going.

So earlier this week, we had our New York live show with Ford and Jester's Wednesday.

But if you missed it, our partner Fathom Entertainment is bringing it to movie theaters across the United States States and Canada for one night only on October 15th at 7 p.m.

local time.

Tickets are available for purchase at Fathom Events.

Nope.

FathomEntertainment.com slash critical role.

We're sticking with it, baby.

Matt!

Thank you, Marcia.

We also have a Kickstarter going on right now for the Dagger Heart Class Packs.

A new entry point to the game for some, or a chance to get a second set of cards for your Oops All Seraph's Party, or Oops All Wizards, or Oops All Anything, really.

But these packs of cards hold anything an individual player needs to play their class from level one all the way to level 10.

It includes ancestry cards, community cards, subclass cards, and all the cards from the two domains that combine to create each unique class.

So check it out now at bit.ly/slash dh class packs.

And

I can't wait for you to check it out.

You're up, you're up.

Guess what?

In honor of Florida and Jesus, ow, I hit my elbow.

Hello,

darling.

We're back with the song.

We made

Sherpa

fleece

jackets.

Oh.

Lear, look at yours.

This is the Ford one.

And this is

the Jessa.

Wait, are they reversible?

No, but they just got really soft, fabulous lining.

Both of them.

My name is.

Wait, no,

give me that Ford.

They're so cute.

These are so Ashley Johnson.

They're so super cute.

So anyway, we made the gesture one in and we liked it so much.

We're like, we have to make a Ford one too.

So there's that.

You made a Ford one.

Give me a break.

The Ford one was not the OG.

The Jester was the OG.

Is there a tiny B?

There's a tiny B on it.

But wait, does that one has like an acre of Wild Mother?

Actually, it's not Wild Mother.

It's an acre with the Wild Mother floor.

The Wild Acre.

I'm afraid this is going to make noise with my microphone.

So I'm going to

write it down.

This is super cool.

This next thing I'm going to talk about is.

Wait, there's more?

Wait, there's more.

You all know Spirit Halloween.

You've seen them pop up all around your towns.

They just launched the first ever critical role constantly.

Oh, my God.

That's not true.

Which of my characters is it?

It's not yours online.

They picked the popular ones.

There's a jester one.

Wait, this isn't the official packaging.

I shouldn't show you this part.

Hey, there's stuff.

God,

look at that online.

Go to spirithalloween.com and you can see them online and

you'll see how amazing these costumes are.

In addition to the jester one, there's also a Molly one.

Yes.

So these are all in

they're all chaotic in here because everybody's been putting them on a ramme on.

You're presenting them.

I know.

Listen, this is not.

I didn't want to.

They're so cute, though.

They're quality.

They're, yeah.

Get yours today at morehalloween.com.

More designs on the coat than there will be on the animated series.

I was wearing this earlier.

Oh, it's actually quite comfy.

Insanely.

Oh, wait a minute.

Put it in.

They're so cute.

They're so cute.

I know.

Look at the little sleeves on this.

Oh, yeah, they don't know.

They made the sleeves right.

Good job.

Thanks.

Best announcements ever.

Yeah.

I don't know.

Matt's right something.

I believe that concludes our announcements here at the Critical Role Announcement Playhouse.

Let's go ahead and jump on back into Arama.

From forgotten subscriptions to takeout orders that add up fast, many people don't know how much they're spending monthly, but combing through expenses feels overwhelming.

Meet Rocket Money.

Rocket Money's dashboard lays out your total financial picture for you, including bill due dates and paydays.

Saving for that limited edition mini?

Rocket Money can analyze your accounts to find the best time each each month to put extra money aside.

Rocket Money will even try to negotiate lower bills for you.

Rocket Money's 5 million members have saved a total of 500 million in canceled subscriptions, with members saving up to $740 a year when they use all of the app's premium features.

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money.

Go to rocketmoney.com/slash critical role today.

That's rocketmoney.com/slash critical role.

RocketMoney.com/slash critical role.

This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Did you know that World Mental Health Day is in October?

It makes me think about fresh cut grass and how they showed us the importance of caring for each other's mental well-being.

Well, therapists are our real-world healers who help us process our experiences and grow.

They truly make the world a better place because the right therapist can change everything.

BetterHelp therapists work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully licensed in the U.S.

They do the initial matching work for you through a questionnaire that helps identify your needs and preferences.

With their 12 plus years of experience, they typically get it right the first time.

And if you aren't happy with your match, well, you can switch to a different therapist at any time.

This World Mental Health Day, we're celebrating the therapists who have helped millions of people take a step forward.

If you're ready to find the right therapist for you, BetterHelp can help you start that journey.

Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/slash critical role.

That's betterhelp.com/slash critical role.

Want a treatment for your moderate to severe Crohn's disease you can use at home or on the go?

Talk to your doctor about the Antivio pen, an option after at least two IV starter doses.

Antivio helped many people achieve long-term relief and remission at week 52.

Infusion and serious allergic reactions can happen during or after treatment.

Antivio may increase risk of infection, which can be serious.

PML, a rare, potentially fatal brain infection, cannot be ruled out.

Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms, sores, or are prone to infections.

Liver problems can occur.

Visit Ntivio.com today and learn more about the Nntivio pen.

Individual results may vary.

Ntivio, Ntivio, Ntivio.

To protect your brand, all the content your company creates needs to be on-brand.

Meet Adobe Express, the quick and easy app that empowers marketing, HR, and sales teams to make on-brand content.

Now everyone can edit reports, resize ads, and and translate text.

Brand kits and lock templates make following design guidelines a breeze.

And generative AI, that's safe for business, lets people create confidently.

Help your teams make pro-looking content.

Learn more at adobe.com/slash express.

We return here

to Dolmakyar,

the eastern edge of God.

That's right, I'm opening the episode with the butt kicker and the table

Upstairs in Hallandiel Fang's office, side by side with Tysha Loy,

you stare at shuddering flakes of black ceramic, curved in outline like a shattered mask, dancing under the vibrations of the table.

Closer and closer together.

Downstairs in the funeral, Valis,

wandering elf from the the Mournvale, coming and seeking a stolen artifact.

Bolair

of the Loy Wing, a curator of artifacts.

Murray Magnesson, a dwarven wizard of the Penteverl, and Sir Julian Davinos,

a vassal of the House Royce, all hear a shaking and shuddering elsewhere in the home.

As you look around and see the guests, look and see if anything strange or unusual has occurred.

In this moment, we cut back upstairs.

Hal and Taisho, what do you do?

Hal and you, I don't know what I brought.

I'm what Ty, what I'm what am what are we looking at?

It looks like a mask.

I don't

Yazzie asked me to get this.

This is uh Octus and I, when we were in Venatus, this is what we were meant to find and bring back.

I was supposed to hand it off to

I was supposed to hand it off to Bolaire.

Are we still, uh,

GM, are we looking at remnants, still fragments, or have they formed?

They have no longer formed, but they did, for what it's worth, shudder inward towards the center, towards each other.

Okay.

Can I reach forward with one and just, like, nudge two pieces together?

Give me a constitution savings.

Why?

Natural one.

Hal's hand did snake out to her wrist.

I don't know if that is going to continue to be.

If you give me a DC, what's your dexterity?

Oh, God.

I don't know.

Not enough.

We'll see how quick Hal is on the draw here.

I got a 13.

13?

Hal, give me a.

You have 13 dexterity?

Give me a DC 13 sleight of hand check.

That's not great.

Hold on.

Curse.

Curse.

That's only a 10.

10.

Got it.

Die.

Die.

Die.

Die.

Help.

Die.

And then

that's game.

Tysha.

On a Nat One Constitution Saving Throw.

Oh, no.

You warmed up this time.

We're going to be really clear.

This is episode two, and I'm going to set a really important, let's call it precedent about

touching stuff.

Tysha, you touch one of the flakes

and

how what you see immediately in this moment is, first of all,

everybody downstairs hears

as Tysha,

you touch this fragment in the center.

The fragment drops through the velvet, which itself, the velvet, drops into a conical swirling mist.

The mist spirals down, spreading as the velvet magically transmutes into mist, swirling down, down, down as the fragments instantaneously fall in, until every velvet or lining of this box is instead thick,

ice-cold mist.

And amongst the fragments that disappear and the fabric, the other thing that disappears in this moment is your consciousness as you collapse to the ground.

You take

one point of falling damage.

No.

So mechanically drop to unconscious?

Drop to unconscious.

Alright, so how

falls to his knees, scoops underneath.

Wait, so he didn't catch me?

No, there was no...

We all saw the 10.

The half-assed trust fall to the ground.

Yeah.

All right.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

And his arms are going to run down along her arms, and he will say one word, but and nobody hears it because I'm alone with my unconscious baby mama.

But he just says the word stay, but it reverberates.

It echoes low as I cast healing word.

Incredible.

So you say stay, you heal one hit point of damage.

As you say stay, I think Tysha, in unconsciousness, your eyelids flicker.

The sclera and pupils of Tysha's eyes are a roiling cool mist.

Everybody downstairs?

Maybe you should give her mouth some out.

I'm down with Bayless.

She can have whatever she wants.

We're going to go back downstairs.

Is anybody reacting in this moment?

I'm going to start walking upstairs.

I'm still holding

my cocktail.

Push past.

Push past Bayless.

This none, because hell no.

Hey, do you guys think that we should?

And there they go.

All right.

I guess.

Yeah, I'll follow.

You follow upstairs.

As you head up, you see that Shadia is still going to run upstairs as well.

You see, Olgood looks,

seeing a bunch of you all head up and goes, ah,

nobody else.

And you see, he just sort of gets on the stairs and tries to play defense.

This is sort of an aging theater producer who looks at this armored elven warrior and is like, I don't think if I say don't go up there, she'll listen.

And just sort of boxes everybody else out.

However,

Murray, you want to head up there.

Julian, what are you doing?

Julian's going to stay below and kind of more or less interpose himself between Lady Arnessa and whatever this might be up the stairs.

She kind of keeps a keen eye.

She says, is everything all right?

We don't know yet, but let other people get in the front of danger before us, and if it gets bad, we'll leave immediately.

She looks up and goes

ever ever valorous so julian um she

um

she

uh uh as you uh so bolair valis and murray you rush up the stairs shadia looks at you howling goes dad mom uh and reaches down uh to look into tysha's eyes um

uh the three of you what do you bolair you see the box mist you do not see there is no longer anything in the box other than mist that stops swirling and now is just

lined with thick fog.

Can I roll an arcana check to see if I know what the fuck is happening?

Let's do it.

15 gets you something, 20 gets you more, 25 gets you everything.

Uh, that's uh, hold on, double 18.

Yes, double 18s.

So that's uh 18, 19, 20, 21.

25.

25!

Uh,

24 sorry 24 19 20 22 24

um uh

hell yeah 24 great amazing so you look and see here

it's a silver box it's about yay big you know it's it's not it's not a music box it's it's large um

set it it's not solid silver but the plates that adorn what you believe to be a a wooden box uh Just looking at,

in terms of its construction, so it looks more like the silver or is in solid plates, it's worked.

You recognize

this language as an archaic, heightened version of Kessian, which is a halfling language interspersed with certain celestial glyphs.

You recognize some terms on it.

There is a word here.

One of the words that's written here is obsidia in Celestial, which is an archaic, no longer used term for the tenebral reaches.

Prior to the Shapers War, the realm of death

was

as a shifting veil of shadow, a momentary darkness passed through on the way to the realms of final rest, the halls of the gods.

The underworld used to be a

metaphysical clearing house, a momentary place for souls to travel.

And legends of the undead in ages of Araman past

were

the stuff of myth and legend.

To have a spirit so powerful that it could resist the resting places ordained by the gods was something

of profound magic.

Obsidia was a term for that

veil.

It was sort of a celestial term for that veil.

But

you would be well aware that after the Shapers' War,

what was a curtain expanded slightly.

as the gods were destroyed their realms of

rest

vanished in the worst instances of catastrophe and and doom saying by the population some believe that they were destroyed and all those eternal souls destroyed due to the hubris of the mortals that rose up against the gods others that you know the clerics that have come since that work in theoretical metaphysics that Bolair would be well aware of, believe that the afterlives are still out there, just

untethered from Araman currently.

That's a matter of theology and conjecture,

and a lot of very flustered clerics would tell a worried mortal, we're working on it.

Now,

oh no, you realize as you're looking at it, this

artifact,

the silver plates are ancient, but you don't believe that this box is ancient.

You believe that this was constructed with older materials and has to, and you see, makes reference to Obsidia and in the parts in Kessian refer to the realms of final rest, which would be a common parlance of

the afterlives, the various halls of the gods.

And you realize as you're looking at this and looking at this ancient halfling language on it,

you're not looking at a box.

You're looking at a coffin.

It's halfling?

Halfling-sized.

It's halfling-sized.

About that big as a coffin for a half-ling.

Oh, boy.

Attention party, people!

You're officially invited to the party shop at Michaels, where you'll find hundreds of new items starting at 99 cents with an expanded selection of partyware, balloons, with helium included on select styles, decorations, and more.

Michaels is your one-stop shop for celebrating everything from birthdays to bachelorette parties and baby showers to golden anniversaries.

Visit Michaels in store or Michaels.com today to supply your next party.

To protect your brand, all the content your company creates needs to be on-brand.

Meet Adobe Express, the quick and easy app that empowers marketing, HR, and sales teams to make on-brand content.

Now everyone can edit reports, resize ads, and translate text.

Brand kits and lock templates make following design guidelines a breeze.

And generative AI, that's safe for business, lets people create confidently.

Help your teams make pro-looking content.

Learn more at adobe.com slash express.

You're basking on a beach in the Bahamas.

Now you're journeying through the jade forests of Japan.

Now you're there for your alma mater's epic win.

And now you're awake.

Womp, womp.

Which means it was all a dream.

But with millions of incredible deals on Priceline, those travel dreams can be a reality.

Download the Priceline app today and you can save up to 60% off hotels and up to 50% off lights.

So don't just dream about that trip.

Book it with Priceline.

Time.

It's always vanishing.

The commute, the errands, the work functions, the meetings, selling your car.

Unless...

You sell your car with Carvana.

Get a real offer in minutes.

Get it picked up from your door.

Get paid on the spot.

So fast you'll wonder what the catch is.

There isn't one.

We just respect you and your time.

Oh, you're still here.

Move along now.

Enjoy your day.

Sell your car today.

Carvana.

Pickup fees may apply.

What happened?

Um.

Tysha just showed me this and she opened it and here we are.

I'm just saying if you guys wanted to like hotbox the place, it would have been nice to share and get an invite.

I don't think you want some of the smoke I just got, but thank you.

Are you okay?

No,

Tysha, give me a perception check.

I'm afraid.

Oh, the ties do go higher.

How fun.

Uh, plus seven.

25.

Uh, as you look up and see Valis,

uh, you connect the mist begins to leave your eyes, but as you look at her, you hear

a distant bird song

of a bird that you as a druid know is not

native to this part of the world.

You hear the call of a nightingale distantly.

Night song.

What happened?

What

happened?

I.

He already said it.

Get out of my face.

We opened the box.

I touched part of

the remnants of what looked like a mask, and then I died a little bit.

And now I'm here.

And everyone's a little too close to me right now.

One breath at a time.

You touched

a mask in an ancient

silver coffin.

I, I.

And I've learned an important lesson here.

I'm not normally a gambling woman, but I'd be willing to bet my left hit that this has something to do with whatever this fancy lady wants.

Alright, what is the fancy above table?

What's the fancy lady doing right now in this moment?

Um,

I am taking in the scene, mostly focusing on

Hal, Tysha, and Shadia, them as a family, and watching

Shadia care for her mother.

Give me an insight, Chuck.

Oh boy, which one do I pick?

You got it.

Okay, okay.

Don't ask me.

Okay, okay.

I'm going to do this one.

I'll also say in this moment of privacy, Hal, you're looking at Bolaire here.

Bolair, you're looking at this box.

It is.

you're on that 24.

You know there are things here that are escaping your attention at the moment, but you know where you have resources to

dig in, where there are where you have research and knowledge, specifically about objects of this construction.

Is the box closed right now?

It is open, and as you see that roiling mist in there, I think you in particular feel

your stomach

gurgle or turn a little bit in a way that on a physical level is jarring.

I cannot go through this here.

Can anyone close the box without touching it?

Yeah, I got you.

Just calm down.

Everybody calm down.

And I use a Meijan to

close it.

The box latches, and all of you can feel, not immediately, but after a moment or two, the temperature in the room starts to rise, making you feel that enclosing the box, that that mist maybe is not like waiting for you in there.

Now, your attention is split to multiple people.

I am trying to, in this moment, read if Bolaire seems like he knows what's going on and if

Valis is a threat to my family.

Insight deception.

What was your insight?

16.

16.

I think you see that Shadia is very worried.

Hal is very worried.

I think on a 16, I'm actually wrong.

If I feel you like tensing up beside me, I'll just reach a hand up and I'll cast guidance.

Shadia rolled a four.

Shadia is angry at her mother in this moment.

She is she is bending down, caring for her, but as her mother speaks about reaching out and touching this thing, you see that there is a familiar set of well-worn lines in this 25-year-old half-work woman's face as she looks at her adventurer mother with a look of

disappointment and frustration.

I think that having helped Tysha not completely eat shit hitting the ground and reviving her a bit, our fingers are kind of intertwined in a familiar way, and

you can feel me tensing up,

which

my hand grips harder, and I guess the guidance goes through that.

And my insight is a 24 with that.

Do you want to give me a deception?

17.

17.

You've known Bolaire for a long time.

On that 17, getting

with a 24 versus 17, Tal, go ahead and let Liam know what he's able to read on Bolaire's face.

I know something.

I am both fascinated

and angry

at

her.

Does that also include her?

I think she's a champion.

She's a hero.

Legend.

Legend.

Same insight for Valis being a threat to the family.

Is Valis a threat to the family in this moment?

Undecided.

I think she's a legend.

My eyes flash to my brother's sword on the desk, then back to

the party here.

You know, I'm looking at Bolair.

We need to get that out of this house.

Yeah, clearly.

You know, I could, if we want to take a minute, I could do a little bit of a, you know, a little tinkering, a little scanning.

But, you know, we are a mixed company.

But if it would just make everybody feel better.

I touched the wrong thing many years ago and have had this

thing

stuck to me ever since.

Half the people at the museum have been maimed touching the wrong thing.

Whatever else shows up tonight, do not touch it if you don't know where it came from.

Who touched what?

Sir Julian is now stepped carefully up to the door frame and entering the scene a little late.

Oh, you're still here.

Where did this come from?

I'm going to take it away, and you will be the first to know what I know.

Bolaire,

the museum's protective gloves

on your hands.

A little subtle piece of...

Not necessarily anti-magic, but at least...

warding.

I'm going to give one of them to you, because this is

big.

This is big enough that I do not want to accidentally slip and drop it.

This is a bomb.

I think we should take maybe the back streets, get this to the pin type roll, get this to my office, and then we can do our investigation there.

I may have a carriage.

Yeah.

And I think in lieu of like responding to that like well-earned like castigation,

Tysha is like

kind of hanging back and leaning against Hal and just sort of passively started like it's not really a whistle.

It's like something wheezy in her chest, but it sounds like a nightingale.

All right.

I'm going to, yeah, on the way.

I'm going to look at everybody.

Hal.

Condolences.

We're going to be in contact.

Great funeral.

I think Theazi would have gone on.

I think he'd think this whole thing was really funny.

He'd get a kick out of this.

We're going to go.

I'll call you.

All right.

I'm going to go.

Yeah.

Yeah.

As the two of them head out, yes, Vaylis.

Before you leave.

So we investigated the box.

Yes.

So all of that information was just on the box.

We didn't touch the mask.

By the time you got up here, there was no mask.

Okay, got it.

Broke my chair.

I'm so excited.

Oh.

Works.

There was no mask.

There was no mask.

So we just saw the box.

I am going to kind of whisper to Vaylis before we go out.

Look, do me a favor.

Please try not to murder this family.

They've been through enough.

They don't need you going on a rampage.

All right.

I think I can help you.

So let's not harass

people

who are in over their debts.

Absolutely.

There will be no unnecessary murder here today.

Please, you got it.

Thank you.

Shadia looks over at you and goes, what about necessary murder?

Yeah.

Why don't you head downstairs and make sure that whoever's left is looked after?

I'll head downstairs, Dad.

While that conversation is happening, Sir Julian has

leaned forward and put his hand out towards Taisha and says, looks like it took a nasty spin.

Thank you.

And I'm going to grip your hand just a little too tight on the way up and pull.

As Murray and Belair head out, you see that Aranessa turns to you, Hal, and says,

Are you going to be all right here?

And she

eyes over to Valis.

If you need anything, I think Sir Julian and I will return to the Divinos estate.

I'm going to look at Valis.

No.

Her visitor and I don't have any grievance.

We do not.

I have nothing to hide in my house.

That's good to know.

As the night winds down, Julian, you see Marie and Bolaire heading off to his carriage and taking off

across the river

towards the Loy wing.

And then, Julian, Iranessa turns to you.

Are we done here?

I believe our business is concluded, yes.

Let us get to safer spaces.

I'll turn to Helen.

Love her, thank you kindly for your hospitality.

Always and for all.

Murray and Bolaire jump into either side of a carriage headed to the Arkanade across the river

in, I believe, the neighborhood of...

This would be...

Yeah, this is in Marut, all the way.

Oh, sorry, no, this is in Lugzash, across the river.

As you...

Head across the river, think Bolaire, you have a moment in your finery turning to look at the wide-brimmed hat of this dwarven wizard across from you.

You guys have been in contact before, but now you both head to the museum together.

Charming night,

isn't it, Juxt?

We see another carriage pulling away from the funeral.

As Julian, you get in the back of the carriage with the lady Aranessa, who goes,

who looks and says,

that

dwarven woman with gemstone teeth.

She is a lot, you are not wrong.

Well, she was absolutely right.

Theazi would have loved all this crazy shit happening at his funeral.

Seems like even in death,

these machinations linger.

I don't trust what's happening in that house.

No, no, I suppose I don't either, but

I don't know if I trust what's happening in ours either.

Uh General Raymond, I believe, uh, should be waiting for us back at the manor.

Wonderful.

It'll be good to see your father again.

It's been a while.

Sure.

Were you able to pay your respects?

Yes.

His demeanor is definitely darkened at the mention of his father and he just kind of looks out the window of the carriage with his hand on the hilt of his sword now his jaw just tensing for the rest of the ride and quiet

And we move from this place we'll say farewell to our friends Bolaire Murray and Julian

as

we move forward in time to the end of the funeral

Many of the last the the fires have died down to ember

Many of the guests have left it's basically just I think you know how I don't know who you would who would still be basically who would still be here to help clean up at the end Shadia all good

members of the troop.

Yeah,

I think if you're looking at members of the troop, it's all good.

There's a much older woman here

um Niveda um who's who's helping looking at and saying like an absolutely darling time that you all had here.

It's been

so tragic, you know?

I think theater is at its best when she's got these sort of like hair tied up in this gorgeous to-do.

She's like, it's all black, but it's a lot of frills and puffed shoulders.

And he just goes.

I've always thought that the theater was at its best when there was a scosh of a criminal element.

And to think that Theazzi won't be around anymore.

Let me help with these platters.

Goes to sort of gather them up.

Well, we are one inch removed from my brother's world.

I, Valus, who's still here, with just the closest people to the family still here and trickling out.

Just permit me a few more moments.

I

really like to get over the whole stranger's thing.

One second.

Hero, hun.

Uh, Hero comes over to you.

As you see, Elody is preparing to leave as well.

Uh, Hero comes over and goes, Dad?

Do you have your liar?

Yeah.

Do you want me to get it?

I can go get it.

Yeah, grab it.

Um, you see that she runs over and grabs a small liar,

um,

brings it over.

Elody stands near the door, but seeing this, takes a seat and smiles.

I'm trying to pass off like a platter of cranberry rolls to Elody.

Ellie goes, oh, I couldn't.

I insist.

I insist.

She looks and sees stacks of cranberry rolls and goes, I'll bring them.

Thank you.

I'll take them.

Thank you.

I'll throw these out.

I look around at the last few people in the room.

And taking in you as I say this,

I find it pretty appropriate that my brother's last day is as full of drama as it was.

In death, even as in life,

I think tensions ran hot

in our home today,

and there are many things I could say,

but instead I'll let my daughter and I

speak in a way that's best for Theazi.

And I grab my own lyre from off of a mantelpiece here.

Hero,

play broken wing.

And Hero starts to play quietly on a lyre, a song

that is familiar to anyone who was around for the Falconers Rebellion.

It was played in taverns and halls and military tents early in that conflict when people were hopeful for the change that was being sought after in the Falconers Rebellion.

And as Hero,

my youngest, begins to play the main melody of that song, Hal

harmonizes

and plays around her on his.

I taught her how to play.

We've played for many years

together.

As the song lilts,

you see Loza Blade still here

waiting for Teor's return, who fought and was The Aussie's commander in the Falconers Rebellion.

A stand

taken in this world

by

the brave and just

when they realized that

a world

that had risen up against the tyranny of the gods

had, in the span of a few short generations,

replaced that tyranny with ones of their own devising.

And

Loza,

a woman who does not do this lightly, does not actually shed a tear, but you see her eyes water as she looks at Theazi.

Another name added to a long list of people that she's had to say goodbye to.

And here in this place with family surrounding, the song

picks up.

She hums along to it.

Its meaning has changed over the years from what it meant at the beginning to what it meant at the end to what it means now.

I think his house supports his daughter's playing

through his own plucking of the lyre strings.

He uses thaumaturgy to dim every light in the house down low and lower to nothing except for one that rests close to Theazi and to Loza so that that light is shared between the two of them as the world falls away in the heart of that song.

As the song plays, I'd actually love for there to be some other people who get to hear you play this song because I think it will mean a lot to them.

I'd love to have our friends come join us who are returning from the Tanners.

Which means

they're entering a very darkened home with only the body of Fiazzi lit in the center of it.

I should have pulled the bottom

next time.

Everything I'm doing is so loud.

Full table.

Full table.

Full table.

Walking back from the Tanners.

All of you have just met

Cadogan Vale again after many years

being apart from each other.

You

reviewed the attack on Theazi and Thimble's hiding place.

Found crow feathers worn as garment left

bodies removed

a glass

essentially holder container for an artifact shattered the stone of night song gone thimble

you have with you

a letter about you know slightly larger than your body um

with you with the name Bolaire on it.

As you return to the rookery thimble you've been to Hal's home many times, but you

will be

the last guest to arrive at Theazi's funeral.

As all of you

move

up, you begin to hear

an Azune, Teor, Thimble, and Cadogan.

You hear two lyres playing

Octus I'd give me an insight to check if you'd be so kind

octased

you are unable

to read the cause

of the shift that happens now

as all of your companions, all of whom fought in the Falconers Rebellion, hear this song and know what it means as they approach

Hal's home at the top of the rookery.

Moving in to the home, all of you see a

shift.

light and you see Loza

and Theazzi laid out on the table,

dimly lit in shadow.

Hal and

Hero are playing on their lyres, and you see Loza near Theazi's body.

But as you enter,

you can see surrounded candles and light and treasures and beloved artifacts all around.

Thimble, you see Theazi for the first time.

No,

no,

and I'll fly over and

land on his chest,

you stupid fuck.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry

that's like

I ruined it.

I'll walk up his chest and

place my hand on his chin.

What am I gonna do without you?

I'm so sorry, Hal.

The song winds its way to the end, and all the light in the room slowly begins to rise to full.

Wasn't sure if I'd see you today.

You alright?

I missed it all.

And I look up and I see you.

I fly up in the air and my light starts to glow.

Was this you?

Did you do this?

And I'll fly over.

I'll get right in your face.

Did you bring those people?

No.

What?

People?

I don't know what you're talking about.

I did have nothing to do with this.

You came for that.

You came for your stupid stone.

I did.

And I will get it.

You took it from me.

It doesn't belong to you.

It doesn't belong to him.

It belongs to me.

I am very happy now.

It's gone.

What do you mean it's gone?

And I'll fly back over.

And I'll stand up that.

There was, um,

some people broke in and

ransacked the place.

Are you okay?

Before we got there, I'm gonna inside check.

Yeah, go for it.

Make sure they're not lying.

Uh, 17.

Um,

five people walking into a room is a lot of people to get a story straight with.

I think you would take the words as true.

I want to inside check her as she's inside-checking if she had anything to do with Yase's death.

Go for it.

I dare you to read that dice.

Yeah.

I couldn't tell.

I can't.

Sorry, I made fun of you for your dice all these years.

No, you can't read.

Vicious little circuit

It's just okay.

I have more than I can't read.

Give it time.

Just 1400 years.

It's hard to say, but I think in this moment,

it occurs to you,

Tysha.

As that song

sort of rose up,

that nightingale song you still hear, and you know it's only in your mind that you can hear it.

As

you speak in this moment to each other, I think

the

song has diminished, but its last sort of echoes, the lights come up.

You see, for Teor and Azune and Katigan, who have allowed this moment to sort of play out, I think maybe you guys stand over closer to Loza, who looks at all of you.

Loza doesn't sit, literally, doesn't meet you.

She gives you like one moment of eye contact, corner of a smile, and just slides this massive, knuckled hand over your shoulders and just brings you in under the crook of her arm.

And at the end of the song, just goes,

I can still hear the falcon's cry.

Hal, as you look up,

I think

as you walk back to land again on Theazi's chest thimble,

you look under his chest and you see there's a little, he's a couple different necklaces.

He kind of

like a lot of thieves and scoundrels, you know, collected little bits of jewelry from here and there.

But you see that a silver necklace is kind of bunched up that has his old wedding ring

on it that he was wearing around his neck.

And I think there's a moment where

Hal, you're standing nearby and you just remember

being in a tiny little tower room of Castle Royce.

two young guys, orcish commoners from Dolmakyar in this noble's wedding, and

your brother dressed in

gifted finery looking at you and being like, nervous.

I don't know why I'm so nervous.

I keep,

none of this fits.

I keep getting a noble's coat on loan from these my fiancé's family.

And a knock at the door

and her hand over her face, the lady Aranessa going, I'm not looking, I'm not looking.

Your brother looking saying, I can't see you.

I can still see you right now if you cover your eyes.

And she's like, I don't know how it works.

I've never been married before.

Holding

this gorgeous

flower that looks like it's either foxglove or prickle poppy.

It's a gorgeous flower.

And she says,

in our tradition, I'm supposed to, it's for you.

It's a wedding gift.

You should have it before the ceremony.

And

the flower opens.

and with that ring on a little table beside

thimble for the very first time in the mortal world

looking much different than she does today appeared in that moment as theazi looks down at you and goes

hi

oh hi

sorry the fairy's a gift?

I don't I don't agree with any of this.

I don't know, I think it's kind of weird myself, but...

It's...

I don't...

Do you want to be a gift?

You don't have to be a gift if you don't want to be a gift.

Just shut up and say thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you to you, frankly.

I don't know.

You see the...

Ernesta says, of course, it's not like that.

It's just, it's, it's, fits a...

She's free.

If you wish, then you, marrying into the family, have the protection of the Fae.

And as our family has enjoyed, Thimble is a warrior fairy from the gardens.

I can kill a bunch of mice in your house.

Also, I'm really good at braiding hair.

See Theazzi goes, is that related?

Are those skills from one and the same?

No, you know what?

Now, here's what we really need to do.

We need to catch a bunch of mice, braid their hair, keep everybody here on their toes.

We can do that.

We can do anything.

And look up for Lady Arnessa.

I think I'm going to really like it here.

I'm going to really like him.

Fly over and land on his shoulder.

He lands at your shoulder and says, are they giving you a little outfit too?

I don't like this stupid dress.

So if we can get something different, I'd be thrilled.

We'll go to a dollhouse upstairs and see what they got.

Over my shoulder, Joe Iron Asa, I should say, I think you just bought yourself a lot of trouble.

Oh, God, everything about this is ill-advised.

And as you hear in this memory, everything about this is ill-advised.

You're just looking at the stubble on his face, the ring on the necklace.

You remember that first little

he would not, the whole wedding was delayed because he wanted to get you something from the dollhouse that you would enjoy wearing before you had to go down the aisle.

Touch the ring.

We have to make this right.

Nothing's ever gonna be right again.

I don't know how to do it.

I'm gonna.

Octus walks up next to the body, next to come on.

Well, we'll figure it out.

We can

we can figure it out.

Figure out what went wrong.

You grew up.

I guess so did you, although you're not any bigger.

I think I take that opportunity to like make eye contact with Azene and Teor

and just not wordlessly but as quietly as possible to hold space for this moment.

Do you know what happened?

We had a plan.

I looked at Teor

and

I look back towards you, Tysha, and I just give you a nod.

And it was

the Hal's music playing with his daughter, although it stopped, it's still sort of like, I can still feel it in my ears.

And I look over to Hal

and

And suddenly I

remember myself in a way

in Hal's home and with that music lingering and this very unexpected reunion of people that I met so many years ago

part of this rebellion this fire that Theazi had lit and

then I remember

something about that look in

Natasha's face

all the different ways that this could have gone wrong.

And I walked towards Theazi.

You're still on him?

Thimble, I'm so sorry, but I need to check him.

I need to see if the thing that pinged for me is still on him so I can compare it to the one that we found with you.

I'll fly up in the air and hover about a foot above his body.

And I,

as carefully as I can, I just kind of turn him...

over because my understanding is that it pinged in his back pocket so I search

for that which...

that thing that pinged.

I'll light up and try to go down to where Azune is looking and see if I can light up any area of it.

I'll start to search him.

And with you nearby, I do turn to you and I say, I'm sorry, Thimble.

I lied to you earlier and I feel really badly about it.

The moments that I had with Yahazi, where they went by so fast there wasn't much

time for him to say anything to me about anybody and I just saw how hurt you were when you realized what had happened, and I just couldn't bear it, so I just wanted you to feel a little bit better.

It's okay,

and I'll go back to searching.

I was struck by how thick the air in this room is with history,

and how

his brother was something different to every person in this room.

I can even tell

those those I've never met before today

have a story with my brother.

And that story has come to a close.

You

reach into that

the back area of his coat.

Go ahead and give me an investigation check.

Uh that is a 19.

Um

small inseam

pocket.

You know that there would be that it you can see in and see where the stitching would have been cut.

That one of the sort of hems of the coat you could slip and drop something in to this hidden pocket in the back of the coat.

You reach in on a 19

and pull out

what looks like a small

sort of cheap piece of ceramic.

It has something sort of scrawled on it, but it doesn't look

it's not what Thimble made.

And it's still registering to you

that residue of magic that was on it.

Give me an Arcana check.

Call it a difficulty.

Standing there as well.

Can I?

Go ahead.

Yeah, each of you can give me an Arcana rule.

We'll call it difficulty of

honestly 13.

Can I, since this is intentional, can I guidance myself on this check?

Thanks.

27.

27.

I have one thing.

It is now.

It is now.

It is for me a total of 13.

13.

You look at it, this just doesn't look carefully made.

I think I'm lost in how this was my part of the assignment, and I believed this to be the right thing, and now I'm faced with this fake.

You're looking at it.

This is an extremely well-constructed forgery.

What you notice is the physical craft of this is careless.

The magical craft of it is very careful, almost like someone knew there would be no safe way to actually visibly see the object.

But the magical words around it, you see, it's you can feel the hum of magic off of it.

And it's illusion and conjuration, which was exactly what Theazzi needed to be able to make his escape.

But you, on that 27, peer at that illusion.

Oh,

that's a perfect cover.

Because

the conjuration is illusion too.

Yeah.

And anyone that would have been looking for illusion would have found it and they didn't have to work very hard to hide this.

This is a

magical aura warping that will fade come morning.

Uh, Azune, you,

at least for your part, didn't

fuck up.

It's exactly what you were looking for.

It's just

the illusion you were looking for is,

in fact, an illusion.

How perfect.

I meant to fool you.

Somebody betrayed us.

Somebody did betray us, and I have a hunch there's only two people in our group that are unaccounted for, Sid

and

your brother.

Casimir.

They didn't show up.

They didn't show up to the execution?

Sid never well, obviously he didn't make it to the car that Sid was driving, so Sid never showed up for us.

Casimir was a member of the Crowkeepers.

This clearly was a setup by someone who knew our plan.

They knew every step of what everyone's involvement was going to be.

They knew where I was gonna be.

There were feathers in the house.

Well, Cadogan found them.

Um hello.

Does your

need water?

I just point at the giant wolf, I guess, just in here that no one said anything about.

Yeah, uh, Cadogan has sort of made his way over to a chair and he's just scrounged up the last bit of meats and he's sitting there eating meat, watching this drama unfold, slowly flicking pieces to wolf or a kiss wolf on the corner yeah no he's alright yeah okay he gets his own water

what what do you

and i want to just look at the wolf oh okay is this just like a normal wolf

what am i looking at druid to dog what is happening here he is he is dog uh yeah he's he's a wolf like a

Gray wolf black fur he is adorned with armor and a cowl

if you're looking for anything that would stand out on him, he has an empty quiver on his hip that's got nothing in it.

But the one thing that you would notice right away is that there's like a bracer on

his front paw.

And where a physical paw would be, there's nothing.

And there's

this

tangible projection of a paw.

So in essence, he has like a magical prosthetic.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

It's really cool.

Yeah.

This is stupid, so I'll do it.

I'm going to burn

self- I'm gonna cast speak with animals.

Yeah,

as you cast speak with animals here, you see a powerful give me actually a religion or a nature.

You're wrong.

Oh, oh, oh, oh.

We're back.

Natural 20.

Natural 20!

I'm fucking getting you to die!

Thank you!

As you attempt to speak with this animal,

a potent magical bond between Cadogan and Wolfrick.

I'll put it this way on an AT 20.

If you attempt to speak with Wolfrick in this moment, it'll be the second potent magical thing you have touched this evening.

God damn it.

The first one went so well.

I've learned nothing.

It's literally just a.

You good?

You want?

And first of all, I think Speak with Animals, you're also, I think you cast Speed with Animals on yourself, correct?

So I think that, as you say, are you good?

I think that Wolfrick just looks back to you

and

keeps the counsel of his constant companion.

Not in a disrespectful way, but in a way that is like, I don't know, that you're like, Wolfrick may not be wild.

in the ways that a typical animal that you would speak to would be.

There is something that he is within that is potent and magical.

I just want to like, yeah, sniff out the bond between the two of you.

Because I spend time with Octus and I know the bond between him and Pin.

This is something very different.

And she'll just linger in the connection of it.

And then just the last thing before she like shuts it off is just, if you need something, don't go in the kitchen.

We've already done that.

A demon did that earlier.

Why am I telling you?

I'm gonna stop and I just shut it off.

You said my brother's name, Sid, was working with you.

Yes.

How long has he been a part of your plan to try and save The Azzi?

How long?

For the past two weeks.

I mean, because The Azzi got arrested two weeks ago.

For about two weeks, yeah.

And he has been the reliable measure in this?

You say that like we...

That's surprising to you?

It's been years since I've seen my brother, but dependable is not always a word I would use to describe him.

Good, glad we brought him on board.

Perhaps things have changed, but you must be as alarmed as I am to not see him here.

Yes,

and you haven't seen him since you've entered.

It's from my here.

It's been years.

No.

You see, Loza, who's right by your side as well, goes.

Casimir

was

a young mercenary in the Torn banner.

You know, a quiet type.

I never knew Kaz that well.

By the time Kaz joined up, I was already the commander.

I know that Kaz wasn't in Theazi's unit either.

He was, but

he worked the mess, so I think he knew everybody.

Theazi struck up a friendship with him there.

Looks over and goes,

Sid,

I know when Sid left, he headed west for Dolmakiar.

And I knew...

We'd had a problem with Sid in the past.

I mean...

There were certain things that we weren't supposed to steal.

You know, you win a battle,

there are certain things that you can take as seized contraband, and there are certain things that you have to leave.

And

Sid was...

This was a long time ago.

Sid was much younger, but I found him with stuff on him that he wasn't supposed to have.

Who brought him in?

That.

Cause I don't know anyone, so.

It wasn't me.

Thimble, how related were you to the planning of all of this?

Super related.

Okay.

I know everything about it.

Uh, start at step one, an elaborate all the way out.

Uh, Thimble, I think you had almost no time to put this together.

I didn't have anything to do with it.

I was busy.

Oh, sorry, wait.

This is a wild change of story.

But I would have known when Sid came on board, right?

Yeah.

I think Thimble, the Casimir is the one that I feel the least sure about out of all of this.

Sid was way closer to Theazi than Casimir was.

The reason you had to use Casimir is that Casimir is a smuggler.

So he had a wagon.

He could get a wagon with a trick compartment.

He could get you something like on a road out.

The plan was you get the glyph to Theazi.

Theazi has a way to basically MISTI step through the wall into the hidden compartment of the wagon.

Casimir was not going to be able to show up with the wagon, but Sid worked as a driver.

That was like his above, as like a coach wagon driver.

So it was going to get the wagon into position where it would be within that short distance through the wall,

drive on out of there and Octus and Tysha were gonna not be anywhere near the execution because they're highly visible Tysha's a member of the Circle of Ancients Octus is a member of the House Taconis but that would be an asset getting out of the city if you weren't near the execution anymore did anyone check on the wagon

we never saw it the wagon never arrived the wagon wasn't there you're sure Sid was never there I wasn't I wasn't there that would be the uh the two of you that were at that post but what about the waiting point The wagon never showed up to you, but was Sid ever in the place that he was supposed to be?

I don't know.

We were supposed to stay far enough away.

Hazenet, you would know that there would have been revolutionary guard within sight of that area of the wall.

You can potentially check in with your fellow arcane marshals or guard members.

Not it's the middle of the night right now, but tomorrow you'd be able to say, did anybody see a wagon pull up to this point?

As that light bulb goes off, I'll turn to Teor.

I can check in with the Arcane Marshals.

I know people that had eyes where we expected Sid to be.

If you have another way,

another lead to follow to search for your brother tonight,

I will go with you.

But if you don't, then we can wait until tomorrow morning when I can speak to someone that can give us some information.

And I should check in with the Thieves Guild, see if Kazimir.

Right.

You see, Loza says,

I think that's a good idea, Thimble, but

if you're going to check on the Thieves Guild, make sure that you're checking on them with some friends in tow.

I don't know.

The city haven't been in Dolmaki.

Here she turns to you, Teor, and says, I've had a long night here.

Dolmakiar Teor is

the Gray Tower is asleep at the wheel.

I mean, we've known for when

the Revolutionary Council failed to

come to the aid of the Falconers Rebellion,

we knew that things had become bad, but even in the last 12 years, it's worse.

The council's asleep at the wheel.

The sundered houses have moved in this chamber of the Lord's Advisory.

The only voice slowing, they've passed laws against using magic in the marketplace.

The only voice within the sundered houses that's been any kind of voice for moderation or slowing things down has been House Royce.

And

I spoke to the Lady Aranessa during the funeral.

She was made to wait for four hours and then wasn't allowed an audience with the House of Hale of Art.

Speaking of which,

I made a little inroad for you with the

kid,

the shiny Wickander.

Oh.

Wickander.

He's a total

fool, ninca poop.

Well, he's a lamb amongst lions.

I got a bead on the kid, and he...

I asked if he

was required any

security, mercenary aid with this presence in the city and The Azzi's execution, etc.

So he seemed amenable to meeting with you tomorrow if you want to go check on him and see if there's any potential lead there.

Halevar is

in this.

I wouldn't trust, no offense, kid, the Taconists.

No, I get it.

But Hale of our is

in it, but maybe

doesn't care as much about Theazi as the Taconists do.

Yeah.

Whatever happens, if you're trying to run down the Crowkeepers to see what they know, just make sure you don't go along.

Do we know?

Do the Crowkeepers, like, wear

feathers?

Do they do like a whole crow fucking thing?

Yeah,

birds.

Are they just birds?

They do a bunch of bird-themed performances.

Go ahead and give me.

I'm about yourself crimes.

Do me a favor.

You can give me either insight

or history.

And you can do it with advantage because this is about your criminal network in the city.

Alright.

Let's go.

Come on now.

Alright.

Alright.

Let me do a shake with my history.

17.

I didn't do history.

I did investigation.

My history shit.

Gotcha.

Investigation.

Great.

Yeah.

You've been living in this city for years.

Where you would probably want to head to.

I think that

the Crow Keepers are all over.

They are the oldest thieves guild in

Dolmakyar, which means that they're, in a weird way, they're actually not the most dangerous.

Like, hot-headed kill people thieves guilds don't typically have a long shelf life.

You know what I mean?

Like, these are guys that have a code of conduct.

There's a kind of honor amongst thieves.

Yeah.

There's like an honor amongst thieves.

There's a tavern in Caravan Hill called the Guard Tower.

Depending on the time that you go, by the time you got there, it's very unlikely that anyone important or knowledgeable would be there.

It would be probably almost closed down for the night.

If you go tomorrow night, it'll be jumping.

If you go tomorrow during the day, that's actually typically when most of the crow's keepers are there.

Like they work at night.

So during the day, they're at the guard tower getting a meal for free because they protect that place, you know, drinking for free, talking to each other, kind of like settling up accounts from the previous night.

You mentioned the Grey Tower before.

That's like the point of power in Dolma.

Yes, that's the hall of the Revolutionary Park.

The Revolutionary Council, I should say.

That Crowkeeper Tavern in Kiravan Hill is where you'd want to go.

I am.

This is.

I have one slight concern about us in this conversation we're having right now.

Well, who are you?

We're just talking about all this stuff, and I don't know who you are.

I push myself off of the wall after hearing all of this and seeing all of this

emotion.

So,

hello, I am Valus of the Sisters of Zalandry.

Don't know who that is.

Um,

how sad for you.

Um,

so what I am gathering here is you tried to

stop the execution of The Aussie?

He gathered that much.

Well, I gathered a lot more.

I haven't finished just yet.

Um,

mainly, I'm here, I just need one thing, so I am trying to find that one thing that was stolen.

And that is the stone of Night Song.

song

and it was taken

possibly by the crow keepers

possibly your brother

potentially

how did you find us

I was trying to find Theazzi

I wasn't looking for any of you

I was trying to find him

to take back something that was mine.

How did you find our home?

I was told.

By who?

I am not going to say.

Oh, why not?

We are your best chance of getting that back.

It's only friends in here.

Little trust.

We've had our cranberry rolls.

Please take some of them.

I actually haven't had one yet.

Who did you tell we had it?

How did they know we had it?

Whoever Whoever was looking for that stone ruined everything.

Fuck, I don't know.

Maybe they just took it.

They might not have even been looking for the stone.

They took everything.

What do you mean?

They took everything in the hideout.

Where is the hideout?

We're not incentivized to tell you that.

That's how information works.

You get some and get some.

Loza looks over at you and I think makes a concern with you, Thimble, and goes,

The stone.

Were there any wishes for it that Theazi had before he died?

In other words, and I know it's your stone, but I'm saying, Thimble,

is there a reason left to you to cling on to this stone?

Or is it something that the use of it has left us along with Theazi?

I...

I have a letter.

I don't know.

I understand.

It seems like you don't very much like being here amongst these people that were a friend.

of someone who stole from you.

And it seems like this stone may not be exactly near and dear to our hearts.

Things are rotten in Dolmakyar right now.

There's no need for us to be at cross purposes.

It sounds like we have a conversation on the horizon with these crow keepers,

and you might be on that same side of that conversation as us.

I agree.

How are you with that sensor?

Um

great.

All right.

Um

she

she looks and says

uh

it's late.

We're in Hal's home.

I think it's time we said goodnight.

Thank you for your

I would say hospitality, but thank you for giving us a place to gather.

I know my brother would be.

Glad to have you here today.

We will follow up in the morning.

I'm gonna go over to Thimble.

May I speak with you privately?

It'll fly up the stairs.

As that happens, I'd like to go over to Cat again.

And I say to Cat again.

I need a word with you, please.

I

sit down in one of the chairs in whatever room we're in, and from behind the chair comes Pin walks around, and I go,

you keep an eye on her.

And my vision goes into Pins, and he's going to follow Velis up the stairs.

I'm very sorry.

I can see that you cared about this person very much.

I'm not here to hurt any of you.

You didn't do this.

No, I did not.

And I try as much as I can to

sort of

show her that I am not

the person that caused his death.

I'm not the bad guy here.

This was

something that was taken from me.

I think we're on the same side.

Someone who did let me in the city

is Bolaire.

I look down and I see Pen.

Give him a wink.

In the living room, you just hear shit.

Did she notice the fox following?

Anyway, I.

I know you were there when the stone was taken, but I also know you were a gift and you probably didn't have a choice.

I have free will.

You do?

Yeah, what do you think?

I fly up.

You're an elf.

Yes.

You know our history.

I do.

Better than me, probably.

Yazzi was great.

He didn't keep me.

He was my partner.

We were equals.

Can you believe that?

Equals.

I'm sorry I took your stone.

I'm sorry, it's lost.

It's fine.

I will find it again.

But he even needed.

I don't fucking care.

Pin walks up, being seen, walks up and stands like underneath where

Thimble has flown up and just kind of sits.

Hi, Octas.

give me a perception check uh

with advantage in this moment if you would for valus

okay uh

twenty three let's go twenty three valus you look down and see this strange little fox walks in

that's stitched together

it's a a little undead thing.

Um,

I am going to crouch down next to it.

Now that when you've crouched down next to this fox, you see that its front right leg is of a red fox, but the most of it is an arctic fox.

And it's got little patches.

One of its ears is from a red fox.

It's mixed of different pieces pieces of foxes, but its eyes are two purple buttons.

And it has a purple scarf around its neck.

But it's looking at you.

You can tell it sees you, but its eyes aren't real.

What a beautiful creature.

We move from upstairs.

Downstairs, Loza, you see how it's about, it's getting about time for the night to be called.

You see it just with the fellow members of the former members of the Torn Banner, Katigan, Azune, and Teor, you see Loza just goes,

um, for this meeting with the Halovar tomorrow, uh,

would you like company on the way there, or

do you prefer to do that alone?

I think it would be best if you stay clear of this.

See what we can scrounge up on our own.

She nods.

Uh, she looks over to you, Taisha, actually, sort of invites you over to stand a little closer.

Goes,

uh, tomorrow I am retiring

i'm headed west to dolrunya is uh

is there anything you want me to tell grandmama when i see her out there you're you're she was always a peach to me the whole blade family you loys always looked after us so uh

tell her

no

It's okay.

I've got this.

Go be incredibly old together.

You have earned it.

The fact that you have compared me to the advanced age of your

and we say grandma, but it's not grandma.

It's not grandma.

There are so many generations.

But she looks great.

Man,

they call her the circle of ancients.

They're really not kidding.

She looks and says, and just leans in, looking over her shoulder at Octus, and she just sort of narrows her eyes and says,

The Taconus kid.

Did the ancients know you're working with?

And you see, she stops herself herself before she says one of them, yeah.

Uh, immediate

no,

Fiazi

needed something

that fucking box from Venatus.

We were thrown together, but

he's a good kid.

All right, if you say so, I trust your insight.

I just

that little dead fox running around, seems like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Yeah.

Problem is

every

noble family, these sundered houses.

Whatever's happening here will come for the rest.

We're running out of friends.

I know we're running out of time.

Make some new ones.

I'm completely wided out as just sitting in a chair.

All my senses are in him.

You You see, the old, the old bell dome of the theater is like, I always find it distasteful when a gentleman doesn't help when there's cleaning going on.

Just

kitchen back.

You see,

you can tell he's a noble, he's not lifting a finger.

You see,

Loza looks back over at Cat again specifically and goes,

You've been alright?

Wow.

Yeah, I've been just speechy.

How about you?

Look a little worse for wear these days.

Everyone says that to you.

Maybe take the note.

Now, I can't discipline her, all right?

Her family built the swords that killed the god of war.

You, on the other hand, I will smack at a funeral.

No questions asked.

No, I know.

I heard it.

I just took an opening.

You see,

you see,

uh, she just smiles and says,

How's it?

It's good to see you.

It's good to see you, too.

I'm headed west to

green vines, wide orchards, my family's old farm.

Would do me good to know that the banner was still looking out for each other.

Um,

and here she reaches and says, here, let's head head to the inn.

We'll head on out.

I think as you step out, Teor, she

reaches into

a

sort of interior lining as she's walking with you and says, I'll head out before you wake tomorrow.

I'll get out before first light.

And hands a small scroll case to you.

You've seen it amongst her effects for a long time, but she passes it to you.

It's been twelve years

since we had to disband as a condition of our, what do they call it,

amnesty or

clemency.

So we disbanded.

But I could never get rid of it.

You see, she opens it up, and you see,

tattered and threadbare,

half of a banner.

This.

You've had this on your person this entire time.

Who would you like me to make sure this gets to?

I'm looking at him.

Cadigan laughs and just claps Ter on the back and makes his way toward The Azi's coffin while they finish their conversation.

I don't know that it'll ever fly again.

But I know

of everyone who would know if the time ever came.

There are things

gifts of yours, Teor, that you have

that I know I can't explain, and I

bet you can't either.

Just hold on to it.

I just

and you see, she looks over at all the treasures around Theazi's body.

Some things have to go under the shadow,

and some things are so important that even in darkness they can't be thrown away.

Thank you

for everything.

I hope the vines of the West

repel you with their calm and their peace.

I think I'm gonna go fucking crazy,

but my knees hurt, so what can you do?

And

I think

as you depart,

I think we'll say goodbye to our funeral here and move to the next day if that's okay.

As Valis leaves,

you know, I know it's cold comfort

in light of you looking for your special rock, but please take some of these pastries.

I really have way too many,

and we're not going to eat them all.

I've learned for all of the

years that I've been alive that sugar is very bad for you.

What?

Aren't you immortal?

I insist.

Sort of.

I'll sit down.

Where are you going?

I.

Do you need a place to stay?

I don't have to stay here.

I've got you, guys.

Take the pastries.

I got you.

And I'm not offering.

If you bring that level of threat into my house near my family again, I promise you you will live to regret it.

Good night.

Let's shake on it.

I put a whole tray of pastries in the porch.

I start as I walk away.

I just leave the pastries on the porch and I

sit at the end of the house

and I stay there outside for the night.

Not needing rest, you merge in the shadows

like gargoyle observing the home.

You see, I think as she steps out, Olga, your partner, looks over at you, Hal, and goes,

If I couldn't eat sugar, I wouldn't want to live another day, let alone centuries.

And that is what is wrong with religion.

You see,

no sugar glade.

We move from this place,

and I'll ask everybody except Travis to please depart from the table.

Please bring Sam and Whitney to the table.

If you feel a vibe,

go with it.

See what happens.

Feel a tickle, that's me.

It's pin.

Oh, the taking and bringing stuff.

I know, I know, I know, I know, I know.

Bust your own tables, folks.

I can't, I can't fit.

This is gonna make me call my dice collection something.

In the high western ward of the city of Dolmachar, in the neighborhood of Mirzash, the Via Aurora,

the home of the candescent creed, the house of Halavar,

is built here in this gorgeous place.

Sam,

what, let me ask you if you have any thoughts about how your family would appoint their beautiful home here in the gray city of Dolmancyar.

Had not thought of that, but let's just say that everything is made of

white stone or

off-white stone.

Built tall with maybe a central tower or

something that has sort of glass, sort of prismatic

top to it, and on top of it is the symbol of the Candescent Creed, which is sort of like a C-shape with rays of the sun coming out of it.

Some security around

the perimeter of

the Via Aurora, but not like heavily super-armed guards.

They are serene looking with

teal robes and,

you know,

they don't want to be scary.

Gorgeous.

Walking through a palatial set of windows, one of those, one of those exterior, almost like Versailles hallways where it's just enormous window, window, window, the very tops of which have in gold stained glass the candescent symbol and then panes of sheer glass.

You can see that the gray, the normal sort of like gray of Dolmakyar is even slightly alchemically boosted by that.

gold stained glass, almost like solar lamps, so that within this there's a little more sunlight coming in than there would otherwise be in Dolmakyar.

Walking down the hallway to answer an appointment at the front gate is the aspirant Tyranny.

Tyranny, as you tread the hall by herself.

Oh, great.

As you tread to go,

how is Tyranny feeling as she approaches the front gate?

I feel good.

I mean, I think that last night it didn't go great, but at least Wick got his scimitar and I think everybody kind of understood that his intentions were

good.

I'm glad I got him out of there before he got his ass kicked by Lady Aronessa.

So I feel all right.

It's really hot in these halls.

As you are walking along with sort of the solar heat coming from the stained glass, you hear a voice to the side walking out of another hallway.

It joins you.

Your towering sister, Enmity, who is flanked by your other sister, who's a little bit shorter than you, but just stunning.

Ruby red lips, small pronged, silvery horns, this sort of whipping tail behind her.

This is your sister Cruelty.

Cruelty turns to you and goes,

Tyranny, how'd it go last night?

I heard you had to deliver a sword.

Hi, sister.

Hi.

Ever bright, ever light?

Sure.

It went okay.

Yeah,

we gave the sword.

Oh, good.

I'm glad you you gave it.

It's so good for the Lord Wikander to show up at the funeral of someone we just executed.

I'm sure it sends a clear message about where our values are.

Agony, where are you?

And you see that your last sort of a small sister who is very wave, doesn't look that big.

And you see that for being a demon has spectacles on and her white robes are much more monkish, sort of like hide her figure.

She goes, coming!

She's got like bright blue skin.

It goes, ga!

And just hits the deck goes

hi agony hi how are you doing you okay yeah i'm okay oh she gets up

i think i chipped a tooth uh and medi turns and says

the lord wakander

did he acquit himself honorably at the funeral

Did he aspire to the heights of the creed?

I mean, he sure told everybody to call him by his big boy name.

He said he's sorry.

I think that he feels really bad, to be honest.

And he

is still as devout as ever.

He

believes in light.

Yeah, he believes.

How fun.

You think that's fun, don't you?

I mean, he's supposed to be the face of the house.

So, I mean, it's sort of lovely in a way that he holds true to those tenets of the whispered light.

Yeah, I think that it is.

I think it's really fun that he believes in something.

I think that he.

Well, I know he's the only one, so

I don't want to touch it.

Are you nervous about

no?

You see, Emily says,

you feel as though your very essence shudders at the approach of some catastrophe.

Listen, man, I just think that

we're here to help

and

think that

your guys are like a little bit more

cut out for this kind of thing

than Wick is

and

I don't know Help who

tyranny

Who do you imagine I'm here to help

you see cruelty says yeah the mortal world is so much more confusing than the pit

it's just important to

keep perspective, don't you think?

Yeah,

I have perspective.

I'm

here to help the family and get them to where they are supposed to be.

You see, Cruelty says, great.

Glad we're on the same page.

And Middy says,

We'll leave you to your work.

We have other more pressing matters.

Tyranny.

See that you remember.

And you see that she lowers a clawed finger and puts it right on your clavicle here and digs in enough to draw blood that turns to smoke.

Remember where you are from.

Her eyes glow red.

And what you are.

Yeah, and by the way, I made a friend last night.

As if you care.

Her name's Tysha.

She's really cool.

She's in love, so.

You see that Agony turns around and says, you made a friend?

Yeah, I made a friend.

Oh, good.

We'll be able to use her to our ends, right?

Oh, sorry.

And you see, Emmy says, Agony, now with me, whips around and begins to leave as cruelty sort of waves at you, and Agony trips on her robe

and clips against a sort of shelf.

Good ah, and just gets enmity, swoops down with a massive clawed hand and just starts to drag Agony down the hallway.

Proceeding down the hallway, you

arrive at the front door.

The door opens, revealing Teor Pride Sire,

with guards on either side, Aspirance Tyranny, presenting

Teor Pride Sire,

mercenary errant and, I believe, a compatriot of Loza Blade, a warrior of some renown here in the city of Dormakyar, for audience with his lordship, the bright Wicander.

Sup, it's good to see you again.

Yeah, um, thanks for coming to the house of the CC.

May the beam reach you.

The CC,

oh, yeah, the Candy Creed.

The Candy Creed.

Got it.

Ah, the Candescent Creed.

How was the rest of your evening after your departure?

I take it that the light priest is well?

He is decompressing,

ever strong.

He had a really,

you know, everyone had sort of a tense day.

And,

you know, he went to his quarters.

I think that, all in all, pretty good.

I think, yeah.

He looked most distraught as he left.

I was only wondering if perhaps

a chance for conversation might alleviate any concerns he could possibly be holding on to and maybe shed some light on

how such horrible tragedies could be avoided in the future.

I think he'd love that.

I think he has a lot to say.

Um,

should I go get him?

If you would be so kind, then my time is yours.

Okay, um,

well, I trot down clomp, clomp, clomp, clomp, clomp, clomp.

Uh, we see the Lord Wickander's, I suppose, like offices or study.

What does Wickander's work area look like?

Sure, yes, I guess he probably has living quarters and study sort of connected in sort of a suite.

From behind the closed doors, you hear a fumbling and a clanging.

And he'll throw open the door, and you, Tyranny, notice that

his mantle is sort of on backwards.

Oh, hello, hello.

Behind him, you can see his offices.

There's a large desk.

There's some paintings of different family members, some busts,

scripture, lots of scripture everywhere, scrolls, some handwritten, some seems

more

bound.

And of course behind him, a large,

like, not stained glass, but prismatic glass window looking out into a courtyard beyond.

And he looks a little bit disheveled.

And,

oh,

hello, may the beam reach you.

How, uh, what's, um, was I, what time is it?

Are you okay?

Yes, I was just,

I had a rough night last night, and I was, um,

I barely slept.

I, it was just such a,

I've never had so many people angry at me before, you know.

Yeah, yeah, you almost got your ass kicked, too.

It's a good thing I puked.

Yes,

it was fortuitous that you got us out of there, but I must, I must say, Tyranny,

at a ceremony, a function like that, an aspirant is meant to protect, observe, and obey.

Always remember, P-O-O.

P-O-O.

Yes.

All right.

Well, thank you for that wisdom, your radiance.

It's really good to see that you are still on the ball in terms of teaching me a lesson.

And I have come to bring you a message.

This really big guy that wants to see you.

He's very furry, and he looks like he's got really big, strong hands.

Oh, dear.

Wait, is this the gentleman from last night?

Yeah, Teor?

Teor.

Before.

Hey, listen, he wants to hear you out, and so I assume that you're going to say something.

He's a big, strong fighter man, right?

Yeah.

What do I do with that?

I think that you okay.

I adjust his ropes and I say, okay, just take a breath and know that this is a good thing, right?

Because you went in basically to the lion's den and everyone was really, really mad at you.

And

you

managed to not get yourself or me killed, which I appreciate.

And

sort of just,

you know,

communicate that this was not to your intention.

And so I think that having an audience right now is a good thing.

So yes, he's probably come to

make allyship with us, knowing the strength and the reputation of the Hale of Oz.

He wants my assistance in something or wants to offer his blade to us.

And I will gladly accept it.

I'll make him ask a few times.

No, no, no, no.

But yes, maybe we can find him something to do.

I will say this: just always trying to be a guide to you.

Into the lion's den might be offensive to his kind.

So maybe just don't.

I don't know.

I don't know how their people work.

You're so correct for that.

And I just wanted to say, before we go,

the light is all illumination, sparks, it's faith.

I'm glad that you're studying.

There's something in here about.

You both hear an enormous crash outside.

Oh.

oh, oh, dear.

We run out to find out what it is.

Teor, outside, this place is kind of wild because it's palatial, but you see, there's a huge

lowering pathway, gravel strewn.

Everything in here is like white rock, imported stone, gravel.

It's like, you know,

looking out, you see a wagon coming up this from a like lower area underneath the palace.

There's sort of a walled drive that goes down, and a large wagon that you see has the symbol not of the Candescent Creed, but an older symbol of the House Halevar that shares some of the same iconography.

It's a little bit hard to tell where the faith begins and the noble house ends.

But I would recognize some of House Halevar and not as much, the Candescent Creed.

Yes.

Comes out, and you see, sort of struggling up the driveway.

You see, it's heavy, it's low down on the wheels.

Someone forgot to fasten the back.

A crate slides out coming up the ramp from down below, lands on someone's foot, like one of the sort of workers.

And as it does, you see a bone break and something shatters.

And this glowing white liquid seeps out through the wooden box and badly burns their leg.

They're on the ground rolling and kind of like screaming.

I will run over to him immediately.

Steady yourself.

Can I lift this crate up?

Yes.

Go ahead and give me an athletics.

It's just a DC.

We'll call it a DC five, honestly.

Just give this crate off.

Uh, that is, uh, yes, that is a gigantic natural 20.

Wow, oh, natural 20,

I'll say on the natural 20, if you also want to, yes, you toss this thing off of him.

Uh, and I'll say in the same action, if you want to, also, you can, if you have any other abilities you want, you see, he's like, yes, yeah, I would do, I would just, I would lift and also just do a very like a layon hands just to try and do a little heal to ease some of his pain.

Wick.

We run out.

As you exit

the

door, you step out into the courtyard and see Teor Pride Sire

on a Nat 20 single-handedly lift this crate over his head and reach down.

A lion-headed emblem at his side glows radiant with light as you see light extend from his paw

and you watch this man heal an injured guard here in the courtyard

i think on that nat 20

i'm gonna nat 20 is crazy on a nat 20

the cloudy city of dolmakyar

momentarily there's a breakthrough and the wagon and surrounding area and teor in particular are bathed in sunlight in this moment as you exit the courtyard.

I will I was rushing out to see what the commotion was but upon seeing this I the breath is taken out of me and I momentarily stumble and have to

just lean on tyranny for a moment because I'm so taken by the almost painterly beauty of the moment and clearly

this man has been touched.

I'll also also stand and rise, and as I turn.

Oh, shit.

His mane kind of hits in the wind, and the gold of my eyes sort of fades post-NAT 20.

Whoa!

So cool.

That was very cool, yes.

What seems to be going on out here?

Just a moment.

And I'll help up the man.

Looks up and says, Oh, thank you kindly, sir.

Are you are you a priest of the light?

A friend of the light.

Pleasure, sir.

Thank you.

That's marvelous.

I was worried I'd lose my leg.

They have you transporting horribly hazardous.

What was this that you were moving?

That's nothing.

No concern of yours.

It's just

church business.

Church business.

He says, sorry, the gentleman, Lord Wakander, healed my leg.

So I won't have to miss a a shift to work.

Everything will be all right.

You won't have to.

Worry not.

Just take this where it's going.

To my father or.

The Lord Goddard has already said everything's well to do.

We're to ship this out to Azir first thing tomorrow.

We're moving it down to Caravan Hill right now.

Make it so.

Have a bright, have a bright.

May the beam reach you, my lord.

Thank you so much.

I'm sorry for being injured.

You see, he.

Accepted.

It is

a truly wonderful thing to have people that are so so devoted to you in their service.

You must be an incredible man to work for.

Well,

the best.

Please, Tyranny,

I must remain humble.

Some have called me a great man to work for, sure.

But I don't hear that, nor do I acknowledge it.

It's just who I am and who we all aspire to be.

It is wonderful to see you again.

Please allow me to reintroduce myself.

My name is Teor, Pride Sire.

and i when i grasp his hand it is iron tight and does not let go mine is is like a a a raw cut of veal

just sort of clammy and soft i see one of his pinkies just flirting with the idea of dislocation but just kind of keeping it there

i was so moved by your concern last night and the raw pure emotion that you showed over my friend my fellow comrade and I wanted to thank you for that and see if we could speak a bit further about what it was that was making you so upset.

Tyranny, offer him your hand.

Oh, can I also shake your hand?

Actually, this is great.

Hi.

Tyranny.

Wow.

Your hands are so big and rough.

His hands are so soft.

It's crazy.

Soft with the holiness of the Creed.

Yes.

It is a pleasure to meet you.

And yes, thank you for coming.

I'm sure we can find a way to assist each other.

I can guide you in any way you need to go and perhaps you could

be of assistance to my family as well.

I would be very open to any such suggestion.

I came here to serve the amazing Loza Blade, but obviously my brother and others that know the Aussie have

we have been

waylaid by this.

It is hard to know what to do next, but I saw in you

a kindred light.

Yes.

The feeling that answers lie in that light, and I knew that if I found you,

I could find someone that would help me guide, guide the others to that light.

You see, Tyranny, when you carry yourself with goodness and justice,

others see it, respect it, and home in on it.

Always carry yourself with respect, self-respect.

Understood, your radiance.

Yes, I'm sure I can guide you

to somewhere where your true heart can do its best.

A friend of the light is a friend of mine, and please come inside with us.

Thank you, that's most kind.

You enter into the manor and arrive up at your study.

The Via Aurora is beautifully appointed, and you have a little bit of privacy here to discuss.

Well, um,

if I may ask, um, how were you friends with Theazi?

Do you mind if I make myself comfortable?

Uh uh

sure, go ahead.

Uh, I'll reach back and take the shield that's on my back and take it off, and underneath it you'll see a giant golden flail with an angled head underneath it.

And that when I put it down, it weighs a lot.

Oh,

that's much better.

Theazzi was

a friend, friend, but also a mentor.

I looked up to him in the torn banner of the Falconers rebellion.

It was it meant a lot to me and the people that I served with.

But we had gone our separate ways over the years, and Elosa Blade and I were coming back to Dol Makyar, and we meant to find him and my brother, Sid.

Do you know him?

Do I know Sid?

Sid, Pride Sar.

Give me a history check.

Oh, at a difficulty 20.

Hell Sidimir.

Oh, nice.

History.

16.

16.

The name Pridesire rings a bell.

I'll say on a 16 history.

The Falconers Rebellion.

I forget how old Wick is.

How old is Wick?

He's only like 28, 29.

So you would have been a kid at the end of the Falconers Rebellion.

The torn banner, you know, on a 16, which meant that this mercenary in front of you fought on the other side of the war from your family.

Oh.

oh dear.

Um, well, um, forgiveness, forgiveness is one of our central tenets.

Um,

do you still harbor resentment or ill-will towards the noble houses?

Of course not.

No, such things are the ways of the past.

All of that has been remedied, and new power has been instilled, has it not?

It has, yes.

Um,

and we are um to bury the old hatchets and um move forward with with

friendship and

partnership with even those who fought against us.

That's why Tyranny and her sisters work with us.

They former shadows.

Our faith believes that the light can

burn through any shadow, and she and her sisters were once demons.

Well, I still am a demon, technically, but I'm on my way.

Yes, excellent.

How redemptive?

How many sisters do you have?

I have three sisters.

A handful, to be sure.

Do you have siblings besides Sid?

Just my brother.

A small knock on the door,

and then without waiting for a response, the door opens.

A number of servants out there, and the Photarch,

Vanessa, walks in, your grandmother.

Yes.

I pick up my cane and sort of comport myself well.

She walks in and says,

Rott, Wick, we need to talk.

Hello, and who are you, my friend?

I am Teor Pride, sire.

It is a pleasure to be in your presence, Photark.

I understand that there was an accident outside and that you.

healed one of our porters.

With

not only healed with

radiance,

he might be

luminous or some sort of

light-touched.

Are you one of the luminous?

Are you one of our faithful?

This

term is new to me.

I admit I am new to the Candescent Creed, but tales of your light have spread far and wide outside of Dolnakyar.

I had journeyed into the city to learn more.

Give me if you feel so inclined to deception or persuasion.

Which one of those is better?

Oh, it's not gonna matter either way.

Bye.

Bye.

She looks...

She looks at you and says

how wonderful that news of our order has reached, that the light spreads as it must and always shall.

A warrior

gifted with innate connection to the light itself.

Might I

I looked on a register that

the inimitable Loza Blade,

whose reputation far precedes her, had

made an appointment with you as well.

She vouched for Teor here.

Well,

the House Taconis, having arrived for the somber and tragic execution,

are currently present and they believe there may be some danger afoot in the city.

I think a bolstering of house security may be

prudent.

I hate to think of such things.

I wish only that peace and justice prevailed in the hearts of all.

But until such time as the light can fully spread, such that none seek violent response,

I think it might be worthy of us to take the word of one such as Loza Blade if it if it's all right with you that we increase your security detail, my grandson.

I've I'm, of course, more than capable of defending myself,

and with Tyranny at my side, I have even more protection.

However,

absolutely, Photoc, if you recommend even more security.

Photarch, if I might be so bold,

Loza Blade is,

well, to be fair, a fan of this honored household.

Despite our past differences,

we see the good good that's been laid and the time spent.

If I may, I would like to put my name forward as perhaps a consideration for that protection.

I would like to take dangerous times and

a sturdy fellow is offering himself?

That's like fortuitous.

Let's take Master Pride, sire.

Servant, let's say that Master Pride, Sire is...

First of all, can we not supply a drink or some food or something like that for

Master Pride Sire?

That's on me.

Go ahead and take him, and we'll send Sir Filonius to you.

That would be

McWickander's uncle our head of security.

Sir Filonius, wonderful.

And we'll have that all settled.

Thank you so much.

The light, as always,

moves in all directions, and it is simply for us to open our arms and receive it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Fotark.

See the young

Master Pride Sire to some food, aspirant.

Ah, yes, we're talking to Yanessa.

Um, alright, let's go get snackies.

Um

are you okay?

I think so, yes, yes, thank you.

Uh, you are shuttled out, the door closes, so it is just Yanessa and Wikander.

Yanessa turns to you and says, Get rid of the elf throw rug, would you?

The the cat man?

Yeah,

he's up to some funny business.

Look, I got no such thing for you.

When are you kind of open your eyes and realize that our house has got enemies?

Lows of Blay was the commander of the torn banner.

Yes, they're

hanged as traitors.

I thought that

we had let bygones be bygones and were moving forward with friendship.

There are no bygones.

There are never bygones.

Everything is another drumbeat of a drum that's been ringing since the dawn of time.

The Hale of Os

were the house of priests,

second only to the royal royal house of obradimia

we were

the golden crowned and then the shapers war cast our homeland into eternal darkness one after the other where the gods fell the barrowdales rose this world is half poisoned wastelands ruins magic chaos eternal night that's the thanks for killing the gods

And you're gonna let one of those torn banner walk in here and and and what

ask you about why theazi fang is dead

this whole plan has been a mistake this whole plan has been a mistake now i'm i'm sorry i'm sorry if i've done something uh wrong but what plan are you talking about i i thought we were going to spare theazi to to show our goodness to the to the people of this fine city to earn some of the forgiveness that is baked into our seven shining tenets if forgiveness is one of them i thought we were meant to forgive people like like the torn banner and like Theazi.

Why couldn't we have spared his life?

The Taconis

are moving, and we need to move and keep up.

Do you understand?

They are our closest allies.

Sure.

And that means that our backs are right within reach of their knives.

Oh,

why are they still so strong?

Their lands destroyed and sundered, halfway between Storm Rack and Eternal Night?

Why?

What moves are they making on boards we can't see?

Fiazi had to die because the Taconists wanted him to die.

And right now, we need them close.

I still can't get my eyes on what exactly it is that they can do.

You.

I've done you wrong.

I've betrayed you.

No, not you.

No, no, no, no.

You speak only truth.

I thought.

I thought

it would be of great benefit to our house

that our Scion

should walk only in the light

but there's nothing solid that doesn't cast a shadow

I made a mistake and I've been making it and it's time to set things right

don't make any plans for tonight

when your father returns

it's time for you to know

the truth

you mean to promote me

Yeah, Wiki, you're getting promoted.

And she opens the door and leaves.

And that's where we'll take our break.

Yeah, Wiki, you're getting promoted.

And that's where we'll leave our story for now.

Part two of this episode of Campaign 4 drops this Tuesday.

Thanks for listening, and we'll see you soon for more Critical Role.

Attention party people!

You're officially invited to the party shop at Michaels, where you'll find hundreds of new items starting at 99 cents with an expanded selection of partywear, balloons, with helium included on select styles, decorations, and more.

Michaels is your one-stop shop for celebrating everything from birthdays to bachelorette parties and baby showers to golden anniversaries.

Visit Michaels In Store or Michaels.com today to supply your next party.

You're basking on a beach in the Bahamas.

Now you're journeying through the jade forests of Japan.

Now you're there for your alma mater's epic win.

And now you're awake.

Womp, womp.

Which means it was all a dream.

But with millions of incredible deals on Priceline, those travel dreams can be a reality.

Download the Priceline app today and you can save up to 60% off hotels and up to 50% off lights.

So don't just dream about that trip.

Book it with Priceline.