Original subtitles

MATT: Hello, everyone,

and welcome to tonight's episode of Age of Umbra.

ASHLEY: Ooh.

MATT: Before we get into this series,

we do have some announcements to get through tonight,

beginning with our first sponsor, Czepeku, Sam.

MARISHA: Czepeku. SAM: Guys, as you know,

Czepeku makes amazing battle maps.

Show them.

For D&D, Pathfinder, and all your favorite TTRPGs as well.

MATT: That's a--

LIAM: Bye, Laura. Bye, Laura! TALIESIN: Wow.

MARISHA: Wow. LAURA: Help me!

MATT: (laughs) MARISHA: Wow.

Oh, it keeps going. MATT: That's amazing!

TALIESIN: It just keeps going. SAM: Oh my god.

(laughter)

SAM: Well-- TALIESIN: Wow.

SAM: -- now, Czepeku's Fantasy Map Bundle--

You can put it down now.

Now their new Fantasy Map Bundle is available

via their new website subscription platform.

In the past, I've done, shall we say,

sensual ads for Czepeku.

MATT: Mm-hmm. SAM: But this,

this is Age of Umbra,

so we got to keep things dark and grim.

Which is why I'd like to introduce you

to CR's first-ever grimdark puppet, Ms. Cotton Ball.

(gasping)

ASHLEY: (laughs)

MARISHA: Oh, what's going to happen to that bunny?

SAM: (high-pitched) Tippity toppity,

I'm Ms. Cotton Ball.

Now you can get jolly good access

to three Czepeku subscriptions,

map scenes, and tokens for the price of just two

with the new Complete Fantasy Bundle. Hoorah, hooray!

LIAM: It's going to go "Watership Down" here?

MATT: Sorry, Sam-- TALIESIN: I feel a bathetic coming on.

MATT: -- I thought you said this was going to be intense.

SAM: You're right, Matt, I'm so sorry.

Cue the music.

♪ (metal music) ♪

MATT: All right. LIAM: Ah.

SAM: (high-pitched) Dippity do.

(laughter)

SAM: That's just $50 a month

for thousands of beautifully-crafted maps,

scenes and tokens to enhance your RPG adventures.

More than 6,000 high-res battle maps

with 20 variations per map,

and animated versions, fantasy scenes, hand-drawn tokens,

and new content added weekly

to make this deal cutie patootie.

MATT: I'm sorry, I'm still not really getting

a lot of darkness from this--

SAM: Right, right, right. MATT: -- bunny puppet.

SAM: How about this?

(grunts) LIAM: Uh-oh.

LAURA: Oh. Okay.

SAM: (deep voice) With Discord access.

MARISHA: Oh yay! TALIESIN: Yeah!

(exclaiming and laughter)

SAM: Discord access, VTT-ready content

for Roll20, Foundry, Alchemy, and more.

The Complete Fantasy Bundle

will make you want to bite the head off a chicken!

(roars)

(exclaiming)

TALIESIN: Oh, oh, oh! Oh god, oh god!

(exclaiming)

SAM: (roars)

How's that for grimdark, Matt?

MATT: That's better, actually, comparably.

SAM: Subscribe to maps, scenes and tokens,

or the Complete Fantasy Bundle now

at Czepeku.com. (laughter)

SAM: Matt, hippity hoppity back to you.

MATT: (laughs) Thank you, Sam.

LIAM: I want to think that Taliesin just bit his lip

in solidarity. LAURA: Yeah.

(laughter)

TALIESIN: There's eyeliner on that bunny

and I'm never going to be the same again.

(laughter)

LAURA: That looks really good

on you, Tal. SAM: It's everywhere.

TALIESIN: It is my favorite color.

LAURA: It goes with your hair. TALIESIN: Oh, thank you.

MARISHA: I love her little purple butterfly clip.

So '90s. ASHLEY: She really is

looking so cute. MATT: It's kind of awesome.

Music was very ♪ (deep vocalizing) ♪

LAURA: The blood dripping down your arm from inside of.

SAM: I did not bring a change of clothes.

(laughter)

TALIESIN: This tastes worse than real blood.

SAM: All right, go! MATT: Great, all right.

Well, everybody.

ASHLEY: Tastes worse than real blood?!

That's fine. MATT: That's fine.

Daggerheart is officially here, everybody!

(cheering) MARISHA: Look at it!

MATT: Oh man. MARISHA: Wow.

MATT: I hope you like it.

We've been working really hard on it,

us and the incredible

development team at Darrington Press

and everyone else here at Critical Role.

We're so proud of it.

We're so excited for you to get a chance

to actually play it, run it, build whatever the hell

you want in it. SAM: It's really good!

MATT: Like, of course to be like, our game is good,

but like, it's actually really good, guys.

I'm as unbiased as possible.

It's really good and you get to see us

play it on the series.

So, but you can get your Daggerheart Core Set

in all the Critical Role shops,

Darrington Press Guild stores, friendly local game stores.

Soon it'll be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble,

and even more places from there.

ASHLEY: Dang.

MATT: Digitally you can also find Daggerheart

and cool interactive tools with our partners

at Demiplane, Roll20, and DriveThruRPG.

And if you want to get in the game right now,

check out StartPlaying.games

and jump into one of the many launch games

that over 150 GMs have scheduled

this month for Daggerheart, so--

LAURA: Awesome! ASHLEY: Very cool.

MATT: For more info, visit daggerheart.com.

ALL: Yay!

SAM: Daggerheart! MATT: Yeah, so excited!

Laura!

LAURA: Guess what? TALIESIN: What?

LIAM: What's up? MARISHA: What?

ASHLEY: Chicken butt.

LAURA: We have merch.

ASHLEY: Yay! TALIESIN: Eyy!

LAURA: Okay, obviously this is our Daggerheart Dice Set.

Got all your polyhedrals plus your Hope and Fear dice.

I've got them out of the box.

ASHLEY: Ooh. Ooh. LAURA: Ooh!

A golden and a navy. LIAM: Out of the box.

LAURA: And you might just kill yourself with them.

LIAM: What's happening? (gasps)

MATT: No, you survived! LIAM: You live!

LAURA: I live! ASHLEY: You rolled with Hope.

LAURA: So this is designed--

The box is designed by Elena Harris.

MATT: Ooh. LAURA: And it's available

right now in all of your favorite Critical Role shoppies

ASHLEY: Yay. MATT: Fantastic.

SAM: I got blood all over this one.

LAURA: Ah, come on. TALIESIN: It's appropriate.

LIAM: It is appropriate.

ASHLEY: It works for Age of Umbies.

MATT: So for those of you who aren't aware,

Darrington Press has a very generous

community gaming license that invites all

to come and play in our sandboxes.

As part of that,

there's an awesome Daggerheart compatible Kickstarter

that just launched today from

our friends Roll & Play Press and 3 Black Halflings.

SAM: Already? MARISHA: Yay,

3 Black Halflings. SAM: Wow, that's so cool!

MATT: City of the Black Rose is 140-page horror campaign

setting for a Fifth Edition, Daggerheart,

and all fantasy RPGs.

It's based on the acclaimed Noir Venture Audio Series

from 3 Black Halflings, which if you haven't heard it,

it's fucking awesome.

Go listen to it and then now you can get

the campaign setting book.

But Survive the foggy streets of Mavros,

a terrible tiered city plagued by crime, kingpins,

unsolved murders, and horrifying creatures

that lurk in the shadows.

(oohing) MATT: And specifically

for Daggerheart players,

there are pre-generated character sheets,

theme tokens, even a campaign frame so you can jump right in

with your Daggerheart.

So you can back it now on Kickstarter

at RolAndPlayPress.com/COTBR

for City of the Black Rose.

And I believe that concludes our announcements.

ASHLEY: Ooh. LAURA: Oh.

MATT: So with that, friends--

MARISHA: You're going to need a Wet Wipe.

SAM: Yeah, maybe. LAURA: Yeah.

MARISHA: Yeah. LAURA: Seriously.

MATT: Let's jump into the Age of Umbra.

(clamoring)

MATT: This is the Halcyon Domain,

a once golden realm of verdant valleys,

majestic mountain cities,

and the expansive golden city of Amber Reach,

where the seat of the God-King Othedias

and his Grand Ordinants

oversaw the rule of law, faith,

and magic, under the guiding miracles of the Veiled Gods.

It is said by many who scrounged the shreds of history

that it was the clandestine machinations of the God-King

and his constituents that sundered the divine laws

and caused the Veiled Gods to punish the realm

and abandon our world.

Others speak of misuse of the Aetherweave itself

that spurned their retribution.

What is known is that the century since the Apostasy,

when the Veiled Gods blanketed the lands in shadow

before vanishing into the dreams beyond,

this realm has been dying.

Society has slowly crumbled

under an ever-desperate populace,

the clergy and nobility shutting themselves

within their strongholds and cathedrals,

while nightmarish magic and heinous creatures arose

to feast upon the surviving citizens of the domain,

the ashen sea spilled into the valley

to leave a sinking marshland,

host to mutating beasts and horrid demons.

Holy heroes and great warriors combated the swelling evils,

galvanizing the scattered peoples to defend their villages,

or found new ones where the burning flames

of the miraculous Sacred Pyres

could keep the darkness at bay.

Some became great leaders,

while others succumbed to the howling evil force

known as the Umbra that now

spreads and corrupts the realm.

Those that survived, despite this divine death sentence,

now call themselves the Enduring.

Over these few generations defined by hardship,

survival, and a gently-kindled hope,

new heroes arise to protect their families,

to reassemble the truths of the past,

to change the tides of fortune for all,

or die trying.

The Old World is dead.

Welcome to the Age of Umbra.

It is here, in the Halcyon Domain,

where we instead

come in the midst of a dark night,

here in the Jungles of Aveidoora,

the sounds of heavy breathing

push through the dense, hanging vine

and canopy tangle.

Snyx, what do we see as you rush through the jungles?

Snyx, what do we see as you rush through the jungles?

SAM: Okay.

You see a young, lanky faun,

more like a mountain goat,

with dirty fur and armor

with dirty fur and armor

clutching a wrapped package very tightly.

He's got two horns, one is broken off, though.

His eyes are wide and darting left and right

and he is running his ass off

as fast as possible, looking behind him,

looking everywhere, terrified.

MATT: You feel the breath burning,

stinging in your chest.

You've been unable to catch your breath

for half a mile, mile, two miles.

You don't know how long you've been running.

You've been on the road for so long at this point,

trying desperately to get back to Desperloch.

It can't be that far.

You're out of water at this point.

You can feel this burning pain in your shoulder

where something might have got you while you were charging,

but you don't have time to even check or look.

But now it's quiet.

You might be okay.

[booming] MATT: Suddenly--

ASHLEY: Oh my god! TRAVIS: Fucking stop it!

ASHLEY: No, no!

TRAVIS: Jeez.

MATT: Suddenly, blasting out of a nearby brush,

cracking into the side of one of the massive jungle trees,

you see the hulking form

of some horribly mutated bear-like creature,

massive bone spines protruding out of its furry hide.

You see where its jaw was hanging open,

this massive, horrifying, cracked mouth

that curls all the way back to its shoulders,

as the jaw (snarls) opens up,

you see seven rows of teeth

all tangled and jutted out (snarling)

and it continues charging after you. What do you do?

ASHLEY: Oh my god. SAM: I--

TRAVIS: Seven, seven rows.

SAM: I'm going to stumble and fall backwards,

spilling over myself,

and not really knowing what direction I'm facing anymore,

I'm going to pick one and try to avoid its claws

and dart between two trees

that are close together.

MATT: All right, I'd like you to make an agility roll

to see if you can dart between these trees

with it not noticing the direction of your path.

SAM: As I am darting between these trees,

I am, Snyx, is saying to himself:

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!

I'm going to use my experience, Spineless Coward--

(laughter)

SAM: -- to try to motivate my escape

and get a little bit farther faster.

MATT: Great, so you can spend a Hope to do that.

Which by the way, you all started with two Hope,

and because there's five of you--

ASHLEY: Five. MATT: I start with five Fear.

TRAVIS: Oh my gosh, look at the tracker.

The skulls are covered in blood.

MATT: First roll of the game, let's go, Snyx.

SAM: Whoa, that's bad.

(laughter)

SAM: Oh wait, no. TALIESIN: No, it's not.

SAM: It's great. It's a two and a two!

MARISHA: That's a crit! TRAVIS: That's a crit!

MATT: First roll out of the gate was a crit!

(laughter) ASHLEY: Let's go!

TALIESIN: All downhill from there.

MARISHA: Yeah! (laughs) ASHLEY: Yeah. (laughs)

MATT: That's phenomenal.

So you gain that Hope back

that you spent on your experience.

If you had a stress, you'd clear it.

As you spring off,

your faun legs kicking in this direction,

you coast right through this thick V of branches,

as you hear (growling)

this massive strike of claws

that just barely catch the back of the strands

of tattered cloth that mark the exterior

of your running ensemble.

You feel it tug and pull and tear

and you hear the claws smash into the nearby woods,

the wood splintering and the tree further cracking

and beginning to give under its weight

as it continues to give chase,

but you've managed to gain on it quite a bit.

You glance around quickly

and you can barely see the flicker of flame,

the Sacred Pyre of Desperloch piercing

through the distant shadow,

the singular beacon of safety that you see before you.

You might make it.

SAM: I might. ASHLEY: Come on, Snyx.

SAM: I might. TRAVIS: "I might."

SAM: I grip my package even tighter

because if I make it and I don't have this,

then the whole trip was worthless.

I will use my Wayfinder ability Path Forward.

"When you're traveling to a

"place you've previously visited,

"you can identify the shortest,

"most direct path to your destination."

MATT: Fantastic. Yeah, at this point,

now that you've locked in and where you were,

you recognize those trees you just jumped through

and the direction of that flame,

you've taken this particular path

three or four times before.

Even with the dark light here, it clicks in,

the instinct takes over and you start darting,

which means you are able

to keep a pretty fair distance from this beast.

It's still gaining on you, especially as you get closer

to Desperloch and the density

of the surrounding jungle gets thinner and thinner,

there's less to keep it at bay,

and you can hear its breath (panting)

getting louder and louder and louder as you dart forward,

but you're managing to still get closer and closer.

You can just barely see at the edge

of the top of the Slagwall.

You see torches being held by

four members of the Vigil,

standing up there and one of them goes,

"Who? Who goes there?"

SAM: Not knowing if I can make it quite yet, I'm going to--

If they shouted out, "Who goes there?"

I'm going to shout back: Hey, it's me. It's Snyx.

It's me. You know me!

You know me!

MATT: You hear some shouting and some voices

and the torches start mounting more.

You hear the sound of activity ahead,

but it's still-- The bright light is so bright

against the shadow immediately

that you see these flickers of light

and you're hoping that this is enough to get there.

(creature running)

SAM: I can hear it gaining on me.

I'm going to cast a spell.

I'm going to make a spellcast roll

and I'm going to cast Vicious Entangle,

but not at it.

I'm going to try to lead it,

so I'll try to cast it right where I am currently.

MATT: Okay.

SAM: So that in a few steps it will hit.

MATT: That's about the right trajectory, so roll.

SAM: (nervous noise) Okay.

MARISHA: Don't die in the prologue.

ASHLEY: Yeah. (chuckles)

SAM: That's a 10 with Fear.

MATT: A 10 with Fear.

That is a failure.

ASHLEY: Oh no! MATT: With Fear.

TRAVIS: Get him! MARISHA: We're still in the cold open!

MATT: You cast the spell.

In the panic, the trajectory of it was correct--

SAM: Oh, I hit my own foot.

MATT: -- but the vine reaches up and snags you

around the ankle-- SAM: No!

MATT: -- and holds you in place.

You slam face down on the ground

spin over on your back.

As soon as you get your elbows locked up,

you see the burning red eyes

of this creature bearing down on you.

It stops above you, now lumbering,

it fills the entirety of your vision

with this black shadow with the two burning beads of red.

(creature snarling)

It's going to swipe down

with its massive scythe-like claw.

That's going to be a 14 to hit you.

SAM: My evasion is 13, that hits.

MATT: Oof, and that (laughs)

it's 12 points of physical damage

out of the gate. TALIESIN: Whoa.

SAM: That is my major damage threshold.

MATT: Correct. SAM: Does that mean it goes

into severe, or it stays in major?

MATT: Well, if it hits the next threshold, whatever--

SAM: Well, it hits-- Yeah, that's between major

and severe, so what does that mean?

MATT: If it's between major and severe--

TRAVIS: Take two hit points.

MATT: Well, here's what I'm saying,

is it at the number for your severe?

SAM: It's at the number.

MATT: Then that would be severe.

SAM: Ooh! MATT: So you take three hit points

out of the gate. MARISHA: Oh wow. Oh wow!

TRAVIS: Yes! Yes, Matthew!

Yes! (laughter)

TRAVIS: Come for blood!

(laughter)

TRAVIS: I'm ready to eat goat tonight! SAM: What are my abilities here?

Can I do anything? MARISHA: Fresh goat!

MATT: You hear nothing but the high-pitched whine

that accompanies the flash of white, searing pain

that curls up through your spine,

your nervous system is shrieking within you,

and for a moment, you don't know where you are

and you realize you're not where you were.

The vines aren't holding you in place.

It's because you were thrown 15 feet to the right.

Your shoulder impacts against one of the tree trunks,

might be dislocated, you don't know.

The burning, the pain is everywhere right now.

All you know is the beast (growling)

is routing itself.

You see its jaw unhinge.

Its tongue spills out and splits in two and twitches

and it's going to rear up to charge towards you

for a full-on bite, what do you do?

SAM: Okay, one question.

I look down, am I still carrying the package?

MATT: The package is still--

it's on the ground next to you,

but it's right there.

You also look down and see just the reflection

of thick wet on you.

SAM: Hmm, that could be pee.

Also, just going back one step.

Could I've taken off an armor to reduce the damage

down to major? MATT: You very well could've.

Yeah, you could mark an armor slot

and reduce that to major damage.

SAM: Armor is damaged, but I took two hit points.

Okay, I'm close, but I'm not there.

(laughs nervously)

TRAVIS: Uh-oh.

SAM: Do you think the wall, the Slagwall, right?

MATT: Yeah.

SAM: Do you think that's within far range?

MATT: Yeah, you almost got there

before your own vine snagged you,

so it's just on the cusp of far range.

SAM: Just as it is about to slash at me or bite at me,

once per rest, I can mark a stress

which I will gladly do,

to sprint anywhere within far range

without making an agility roll.

This is my Deft Maneuver.

MATT: Oh yeah, yeah.

SAM: So I'm going to try to super speed it.

MATT: You mark that stress,

you don't even have to roll for it.

You grab that satchel and the instinct takes over once more.

That pain subsides as you go into a full run.

You get to the edge of the Slagwall,

this massive perimeter wall

that sits about 15, 20 feet up.

There's a series of boulders and chunks of ruin

and other surrounding bits of massive earth

that have been slammed together

to form this ever-growing perimeter around Desperloch,

where molten iron has been poured on top and through

to help hold it into one solid piece of wall.

You get to it and there are handholds to climb

for someone who is such a climber as you

So you've reached the wall, what else are you going to do?

SAM: I've got Caprine Leap.

As a faun, I can "leap anywhere within close range,"

I don't know what that means,

"using normal movement,

"allowing you to vault obstacles, jump across gaps,

"et cetera, scale barriers with ease."

MATT: That is exactly what you

would need to do this right now,

so you use one ability to dart up to it

and then bound up onto the wall

(whoosh) in the air.

What was once a glowing flame as you--

Time slows as you go up and above the Slagwall

and you can see the shadows of all the other vigil

that are rushing up to the side.

You get a quick glance here in this brief moment of breath

where you can see bows being armed and arrows being loosed.

You can see now Desperloch is here to protect you.

As you glance down, you can see the massive column,

the 15-foot high Sacred Pyre that burns bright,

the symbol of hope, the symbol of life,

the symbol of safety here,

and it washes over you as you clomp down onto the wall

then bounce off into the exterior perimeter,

immediately followed by-- (thud)

SAM: Oh!

MATT: -- an impact on the outer wall,

as the beast that's chasing you slams into it.

Dust shoots out and the rocks hold.

The iron slag keeping it jettisoned,

but you see a few vigil on top hold on and keep back,

still loosing arrows and you see two members

immediately leap down, one of which you recognize

as a renowned figure known as Ghosthook Branwythe,

who is a heroic vigil figure

of limited conversation,

but numerous victorious wanderings across the domain,

pulling forth this massive, gnarled-looking,

jagged scimitar and leaping down.

"(yelling)" (impacts) TRAVIS: Yes!

SAM: I'll call back to him:

I softened him up for you, Ghosthook.

He's all yours now!

MATT: Does not even acknowledge your presence

as other vigil jump after.

These are trained warriors who have defended

this settlement for generations,

and after loosening it up with a series of arrows,

you eventually hear the lamenting cries of the beast

as it succumbs to its wounds.

But it is here now,

as you catch your breath and the pain returns,

the wounds throbbing,

the sound of whispers and other townsfolk of Desperloch

coming out to see what the commotion is,

seeing you arriving.

You see as a young man,

who you have not really encountered much in the time

that you've been here, rushes up, "Are you okay?"

SAM: Yeah, yeah, I'm okay.

I just had a little fall

getting up the wall, that's all.

MATT: "You should get to Truvo.

"Truvo should patch you right up."

SAM: Yeah. MATT: "Oh god."

Now he looks at you and you look down

and indeed there are three massive claw marks that go

from shoulder to torso. SAM: Oh god.

MATT: You are just bleeding.

SAM: Oh god. Yeah, can you maybe help me there, maybe?

MATT: "Yeah, okay."

SAM: But just don't tell anybody about this, just.

MATT: "I won't," and you both stop and look and see

the four other people that are 10 feet away

walking and hearing this whole conversation.

"Shh!"

SAM: You should see the other guy.

MATT: (growling and impact)

You hear a horn. (horn blowing)

Beyond the hall, another horn, (horn blowing)

that connotates that the current threat

seems to have been handled.

You rest your arm over this young human man.

Maybe 16, 17 or so,

starts carrying you over

as you come through the village of Desperloch,

a surviving village here in the Halcyon Domain.

As you walk into the main central space of it,

you can see the beautiful central forum.

A number of the buildings here

built off of the ruins of a partially toppled monastery

that sits still on this rocky cliff face

up in the mountains above.

Also the focus of much of the research and delving

that happens in the Luzal Vaults not far from here.

But the ruins that have toppled

since the century before

have since been outfitted and expanded

as the core of this village. And now you can see

all manner of thatched huts

and wooden, log-built cabins

and scrounged materials and leathers and cloths

building tarps and stretched patterns

that welcome you home.

As folk begin to go about the rest of their business,

here the forum, the central massive tapestry

where events and gatherings and judgment

is meted out by the Triarch that are voted in

as the localized government of Desperloch.

No more than maybe 300 people live here,

a number that has swelled and fallen

through the numerous generations

since its founding.

As danger is never far beyond.

But as long as that Pyre burns, these walls are safe.

Step by step, pushing alongside,

who would be the first to investigate

the sound of danger and chaos at the wall?

TRAVIS: I'd probably break out and just head to the front.

What happened? I heard a commotion by the walls?

MATT: Describe what we see as you rush out to check, Idyl.

TRAVIS: So Idyl steps forward

in some furs and some basic cloths,

but he always drags with him this long halberd, rusted,

definitely worn handle with wood and everything.

He rushes out, and he's looking for vigils

or anyone else that's recently seen action

and he's trying to spot any way

that he can help or assist,

and certainly any signs of crimson

as an early indicator of that.

SAM and MATT: (laugh)

MATT: As you rush out, glancing about,

you do see that the vigil on the wall have begun

sheathing their weapons and setting aside their bows,

throwing them over the shoulder.

It looks like you came just as the immediate danger

has subsided, and you watch as exterior hooks and ropes

are lowered down and other vigil step above.

You see vigil Ghosthook Branwythe has also climbed up.

You see vigil Ghosthook Branwythe has also climbed up.

One of the few vigil figures

that you've really built a rapport with.

TRAVIS: Yeah.

MATT: Who looks down at you and gives you a nod.

"It has been handled."

You see this massive man in his early 40s,

but has seen a weathered enough life

where he looks much older.

But he is a shit brick-house of a warrior

who, while not native to Desperloch,

coming here maybe about five or six years ago

from a fallen settlement far to the west,

has become one of the renowned protectors of this space.

A man of few words, but a man of ever dangerous capability

and the kind of person you want on your side.

Steps down from the Slagwall and gives you a look.

"Idyl, these woods grow more and more restless,

"at least when they're being drawn from their nests,"

and looks past.

Beyond, you can see the outer darkened shadow shape

of a hobbling figure being carried

across the vision of the Sacred Pyre behind them,

silhouetting them against the flame,

and you follow his sight and you can see Snyx limping

in the grasp of one of the other civilians of Desperloch.

TRAVIS: Is he one of ours?

MATT: "Yes.

"Survived, for now."

TRAVIS: If you need anything, I'm never far. Excuse me.

I'll try and catch up with Snyx.

MATT: Okay.

Ghosthook goes and turns and begins

giving orders to the rest of the vigil

as you dart off into the center of the village.

You rush up to find Snyx quite bloodied and hobbling

as one of the younger civilians

that you've come across,

named Noorin, has taken him under his shoulder.

"Oh, Idyl. Snyx just got back.

"It's looking pretty rough."

SAM: It looks worse than it is.

I mean, there were probably

three or four of the bear things.

I got two of them, at least.

TRAVIS: Two of them? Wow.

SAM: Yeah, but there was one that I just didn't see.

You know how it is.

TRAVIS: Sure. You look like you're leaking

pretty bad, though.

SAM: I mean, it looks worse than it probably is,

but you know, I got to get some--

Just a wrap or something, some sort of--

MATT: "Truvo will take care of you. Don't worry."

SAM: Thank you. TRAVIS: Okay, yeah.

What was it?

SAM: A bear thing. Do I know what it was?

MATT: Every time you go out, what you remember has changed.

TRAVIS: Oh Jesus.

MATT: There is always something uniquely nightmarish

about familiar beasts.

The landscape seems to not want

to be remembered as it was.

And you catch yourself from speaking more on it,

instead deciding to focus on the matter at hand

as the words escape you to even describe it.

SAM: Yeah, I'll--

It doesn't matter what it was.

It just matters that it's not in here with us.

TRAVIS: Yeah.

Did you hear any voices?

Anything speaking to you, calling out

while it was chasing you?

SAM: Did I?

MATT: No.

SAM: That I remember.

TRAVIS: Well, that's good. SAM: Why, is there--

TRAVIS: I just heard stories about--

It doesn't matter. What's important is that you're safe.

Noorin'll take good care of you.

SAM: Okay.

MATT: At this point, Noorin takes you

to the edge of a familiar

heavy leather curtained hut

that's probably a good 12 feet or so tall,

wider at the base,

with some interior wooden structure to it,

all manner of dried, stretched herb

and local jungle fauna that is used--

Flora, used to mix

various possible salves and healing means.

You step into the interior,

very, very gently lit here from the interior fire.

You can see the flicker of the nearby lanterns,

and a central cauldron that is burning from underneath.

MARISHA: (chuckles)

MATT: The heavy, cloaked

(laughs)

rounded shape turns,

and you see there before you, Truvo the Hedge,

an older male galapa, this massive turtle

gentle herbalist healer of the village.

Been here far longer than you have,

and definitely seen as a bastion of comfort

when not having to tend

to too many wounded,

to where he is prone to panic.

But for the time being, Truvo turns.

"Oh, goodness there. You're looking--

"You're looking a little--"

You see his face drop a little bit.

"I'll take care of--

"Thank you, Noorin."

Noorin nods, and you see his face is a little pale

now that you have a good look at his face.

Wanders off into the night as Truvo takes you

and sets you down on this half repaired table

that lasts as a place to rest

and begins seeing to your wounds.

And slowly begins to place

some of these thick, sap-like substance

into the gashes on you that at least stops the bleeding,

though it does burn at first.

"It is to hurt if it is to heal. (chuckles)"

SAM: Yeah. (grunts)

Quick question before you go any further.

Am I going to owe you anything for this,

or is there some sort of trade that we can work out, or--

I haven't made my deliveries yet, but after I do,

I'll have some coin to spare.

MATT: "Truvo don't need nothing from you. Just--"

Slaps you on the side of the cheek a little bit.

SAM: Ow. MATT: "-- stay alive."

SAM: Oh, that's very kind of you.

But not very good business.

MATT: "Not everything's about business

"out here in the wastes, boy.

"Sometimes it's just about staying alive."

He goes ahead and finishes dressing your wounds

and sets you up for a bit.

You two get a breath. He gives you some water to drink.

You don't realize until now just how parched you've been.

Your lips are dry and cracked,

and you catch yourself for a bit.

The warmth of this tent, the inside of it,

is partially because of the enclosed nature of it.

The heavy fur and tattered leathers

that drip from the outside of this galapa's shell,

you wonder if it's adornment or if it's actually function.

You do have the clacking of glass vials

that dangle from his shell and exterior at times,

but the other part of the warmth

is the proximity to the Sacred Pyre.

As you move beyond that tent, on the outskirts,

the massive, burning flame itself gently crackling

as the symbol of safety.

Two pyrekeepers currently on task to keep watch.

Brixton, if you wouldn't mind describing what we see

as you are looking over towards

Truvo the Hedge's tent.

Curious as to what this commotion has been this eve.

MARISHA: (clears throat) You see a big,

hardy orc woman,

getting up there in age,

at least for Desperloch, here in the wastes.

Old age is very different here, not what we are used to.

And she's got long, matted, black hair.

You can tell she's not really one to keep up

with her appearances, soot smeared across her face.

Her hands are calloused,

blackened from tossing twigs and brush

and really anything that they can get their hands on

into the fires.

She's got long robes

that are the vestments of the Pyrekeepers.

When she heard the commotion, she went over

looked over the wall, the edge, recognizing Snyx.

Underneath her vestments, she grips a sword

that she's keeping hidden for now.

Very curious.

Hopes Snyx is okay, since he's very useful to her.

MATT: On the opposite side of the Pyre,

you see, in similar Pyrekeeper vestments,

themselves as clean as they can be

as the creation of fresh vestments is challenged

based on the materials available

through the disparate trade across the wastes here.

You see a female dwarf in her early 40s,

tightly braided brown hair

with graying streaks pulled through it,

hairline partially receded

probably from pulling it so tight

for the majority of her life,

but heavy crow's feet wrinkles from a life of smiling.

This dwarven woman you know to be Pyrekeeper Romahnd.

Who sees you looking over towards Truvo's tent is like,

"Is everything okay there, love?

"Did you see who it was?"

MARISHA: Yes, it was the messenger, Snyx.

Looks like the jungles are restless tonight.

MATT: "He's okay, though, right?"

MARISHA: He's with Truvo now. He'll be all right.

MATT: "Good, good. He's supposed to find me a book."

MARISHA: Oh.

I'm hoping he has good news

from one of the neighboring settlements.

MATT: "Tell you what, you go check on him.

"I'll keep watch here.

"Looks like the danger's done. I'll just--

"I'll shout if anything comes up."

MARISHA: Are you sure?

MATT: "Yeah. Look, vigil seems fine."

You see a couple of vigil folk

on the far edge of the Slagwall

have sat down, their legs dangling over.

One of them pops open a wineskin

and starts drinking it and passing it over.

"If they can take a break, so can you."

MARISHA: I'll be back. MATT: "All right, Brixton."

MARISHA: Thank you.

I scurry over.

TRAVIS: Thought it was the faun walk for a second.

MATT: The leather flap opens in Truvo's tent,

and Snyx you see there standing,

Brixton in the Pyrekeeper attire.

SAM: Oh, hey. MARISHA: Hi.

SAM: Hi. MARISHA: That looked (laughs)--

That looked crazy.

SAM: It was.

MARISHA: Are you okay? I saw the whole thing.

SAM: Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine. I was fine.

MARISHA: Yeah. SAM: I mean, it's--

MARISHA: It threw your ass 15 feet.

SAM: No. No, no. It comes with the--

MARISHA: You did two flips.

SAM: That was me getting away from it.

MATT: Truvo has a somewhat damp cloth

that is now just dark red

and is finished wiping up all the thick blood on your armor.

"Oh, he's going to be all right,

"don't you worry." SAM: Some of that's his.

Some of that's the other guy's.

MATT: (splashing)

MARISHA: Glad you're okay.

SAM: Thanks. Wait, what are you doing here?

Who's on the Pyre?

MARISHA: Romahnd is covering for me.

SAM: Oh, okay. MARISHA: Just long enough

for me to come and check on you.

How was it, how's Okros? How's--

SAM: Oh, Okros, man, it's actually--

It's pretty great over there.

I mean, nothing's great, obviously.

The whole world kind of sucks.

MARISHA: Yeah.

SAM: But Okros has it sort of figured out.

They have a really good security wall and gates,

and lots of good food.

I talked to Aliana. MARISHA: Did you?

SAM: Yeah, I have a letter from her.

MARISHA: How did she look? Did she look healthy?

Did she look strong?

SAM: I mean, yeah. Yeah, she looked real strong.

But, I mean, she didn't say she was going to be traveling

or anything anytime soon. MARISHA: No, no.

MARISHA: I wouldn't want her to.

SAM: She looked fine. The same as last time.

MARISHA: Okay.

No, that's good. SAM: Yeah.

Here. MARISHA: Thank you.

I don't have anything on me to repay you right now.

SAM: Oh, no, it's--

In this world, sometimes it's not about business,

it's about keeping people safe.

MATT: "(laughs)"

MARISHA: You provide a great service.

SAM: Sure.

MARISHA: Thank you. SAM: Oh, no,

I mean, thank you.

MARISHA: Desperloch is proud of you--

SAM: Really? MARISHA: -- and your bravery.

MATT: "Don't get carried away now."

SAM: Ow. (groans) Ow.

MARISHA: I hope to be as brave as you.

I hope I am as brave as you.

SAM: Oh, I'm sure you are. For real.

I mean, you're amazing.

You just keep watch on the Pyre all the time

and that's important work.

MARISHA: It's monotonous.

SAM: Still, it takes a certain amount of strength

to soldier through it every day.

MATT: "And it's what keeps us all safe.

"So just know that what y'all do

"is one of the greatest joys and honors."

MARISHA: Of course.

MATT: "Lay down." (thud) SAM: (groans)

(laughter) MATT: You do heal

because he takes downtime action. SAM: Oh wow!

So I get all of my stress wiped,

all of my hit points gone, and all my Hope restored?

MATT: No. SAM: Okay.

(laughter) MATT: But you do heal

two hit points. SAM: Hey! That's a lot.

MARISHA: That's pretty good. TRAVIS: That's very convincing.

SAM: That's great! (laughter)

TRAVIS: I was like: Man, that class is awesome.

ASHLEY: I know, I was like: Wait,

how did he just do that?

Okay. TRAVIS: Playing the wrong class.

ASHLEY: (laughs)

MARISHA: I'll check on you here in a few hours.

SAM: Okay. MARISHA: Get some rest.

SAM: I'll look forward to it.

MARISHA: Okay.

I'm going to go off into the shadow,

step out the tent. SAM: Oh, before you go.

Bring this to Romahnd.

She? They? He?

MARISHA: She, yeah. SAM: She ordered it.

It's a mystery book. It's all I could find.

MARISHA: Oh. SAM: It's a good book,

it's just the last chapter's missing,

so you don't really know who did it.

MARISHA: Oh, well-- SAM: But still,

she might like it.

MARISHA: Thank you.

(unfurls scroll)

(laughter)

MARISHA: Wait, should I read this now?

Should I read this out loud? MATT: It's up to you. You don't have to.

You can keep it yourself. MARISHA: (laughs)

TRAVIS: Read it out loud. Do the

Nanny "Muppet Babies" voice. SAM: But in her voice.

MATT and SAM: (laugh)

SAM: She's Russian.

MARISHA: (Russian accent) "B."

(laughter)

MARISHA: "Your last letter sounded so worried."

SAM: Oh god.

MARISHA: (regular voice) No, I'm abandoning that.

TRAVIS: That's not bad. MATT: Yep.

ASHLEY: "No, I'm abandoning that."

MARISHA: "Do not be, though I appreciate your concern.

"Okros is remarkably calm.

"In fact, I've started a garden."

A garden?

"Mostly herbs and small legumes."

TRAVIS: Legumes. ASHLEY and MARISHA: Legumes.

TALIESIN: Legumes. Legumes. TRAVIS: Nobody knows.

MARISHA: "In the dry patches, I've started filling it

"with lovely rocks and shiny stones

"that I've begun to collect.

"How goes life in Desperloch?"

Ah, oh Aliana.

MATT and TRAVIS: (laugh)

MARISHA: "I trust you are guarding the Pyre

"with your strenk-- strength and steadfast passion."

Reading was never my strong suit, she says to no one.

(laughter)

MARISHA: "You truly are a hero.

"Please take care of yourself and the very nice messenger

"who carries these letters."

Oh, Stryx.

"He's such a kind young man, and handsome, too."

You bastard. (laughs)

MARISHA: "Do not worry about me.

"Missing you.

"But I will visit again someday soon I hope.

"Best, Aliana."

TRAVIS: You don't think it's a trick?

Okay. (laughs)

SAM: Snyx are for kids.

(laughter)

MARISHA: Tuck this away in my robes.

MATT: All right. MARISHA: I head back to my post.

MATT: All right. As you deliver the tome to Romahnd,

who's like, "Oh, fantastic.

"Oh, oh, oh.

"I finally have a second book. I'm so excited."

MARISHA: Apparently, the last chapter is gone, but.

I don't know, maybe you can rewrite it.

Maybe to something hopeful.

MATT: "Maybe I can.

"Do you know who could teach me how to write?"

MARISHA: Not me.

SAM and TALIESIN: (laugh)

TALIESIN: Sorry. MATT: "Anyway,"

and puts the book away real fast.

As you glance over you can see Emberwarden Sheena

is doing a walk through the forum

and glances over.

You see this near elderly female elf,

one of the few beings that's probably lived

since the last age.

MARISHA: Oh. MATT: Who walks along

and glances over

to make sure the two of you are keeping to your stations.

MARISHA: This is the Emberwarden?

MATT: This is the Emberwarden Sheena.

MARISHA: I don't make eye contact.

I just look down

and hurry over to the kindling

and grab a few of the larger logs

to toss into the flame.

MATT: You do so.

The divine magic that sustains the Sacred Pyre

means it kindles slowly,

so while the fire itself burns tall and bright,

it doesn't require anywhere near the amount of fuel

that such a fire would normally do so,

which thankfully means that you aren't having to deforest

the jungle around you to maintain it,

but it also means there's a lot of downtime

to your thoughts.

A lot of time in your imagination.

A lot of time considering the world beyond,

the bad and the good.

MARISHA: After I toss in the two logs,

Brixton just stares into the flame

and zones out,

sees images that she has depicted of Okros

and this lovely garden,

legumes-- MATT: (laughs)

MARISHA: -- and loses herself as she is one to do

in what life must be like beyond the walls.

Night after night, she just stares into the flame.

MATT: Idyl. TRAVIS: Mm.

MATT: As you continue walking through the forum,

getting through The Works,

you can hear the heavy sound of hammer fall on metal

as Beryle Spearbore,

the local master blacksmith that is in the process

of ever crafting and repairing the numerous arms

and armaments that keep the Vigil

and the Guild of Delvers ready to do their work.

It's a familiar sound as you are heading towards

a handful of the safer spots in this village for you

and homestead elements.

As a heavy slap on your left shoulder

smacks you-- TRAVIS: (groans)

MATT: -- and you hear the little chuckle of Eryn Loathroot,

who has caught up to you.

You see the young mid-teens female dwarf,

bright smile,

an ever exuberant cheerfulness

that only the arrogance of youth (laughs)

in such a dire space could really muster.

Her dirty blonde hair

Her dirty blonde hair

come into natural curls that bounce as she runs.

She has a tattered cloak over one shoulder

and a simple leather breastplate that she has affixed on her.

As she finishes slapping your shoulder,

she's like, "Well, hey there.

"So what happened?

"You were just over at the wall, right?

"What'd you see?" TRAVIS: Oh, nothing much.

Just some monsters that have never been seen before,

heard some tales that you wouldn't believe.

It was so funny, just a second ago,

I felt the slightest little mosquito bite on my shoulder

and I thought, "That must be Ryn."

MATT: "(laughs)

"Well,

"you want to go see Pa?

"See how he's doing?"

TRAVIS: We can.

You going to try and sneak over and see how Snyx is doing?

It was him.

MATT: "So Snyx made it back?"

TRAVIS: He did. He did.

I asked him what he saw.

He didn't say.

I'm not sure he saw,

but it sounded pretty gnarly.

MATT: "I'll bug him later.

"However," and she rubs her hands together.

"I've been thinking,

"maybe we start talking to the delvers about,

"you know, giving us a little autonomy."

TRAVIS: A little autonomy for you,

someone that doesn't seem to follow any kind of rules.

MATT: "That's not true at all. I follow all kinds of rules."

TRAVIS: Your dad would not agree with that in the slightest.

MATT: "I didn't say his rules. I said the rules."

TRAVIS: I understand.

And would we be going to talk to the delvers together?

MATT: "Well, I figured, you know,

"you got a rapport with Rascelo

"and some of them folks over there."

TRAVIS: Mm-hmm. MATT: "You know,

"I work with them, but they don't respect me

"because of my youth,

"which I think is--" TRAVIS: Fair.

MATT: "-- folly." TRAVIS: Fair.

MATT: "I think it's unearned judgment and ageism."

TRAVIS: I will give you this,

you are easily the most accomplished of your age,

around here, at least.

But I still, I have to side with your dad.

MATT: "I fucking know those vaults,

"most of it, like the back of my goddamn hand."

TRAVIS: It's true. You do.

I just naturally want to look out for you

and protect you from things

that you can't see coming, which is a lot.

I'll give you that much.

I'll tell you what, we'll go talk to the Delvers,

see how it goes.

But I don't want you getting disappointed like last time.

MATT: "I'll see what we can do, I suppose."

It's at that moment as you're coming up

the outside of Garrick's homestead,

her father's little farmhouse

on the eastern edge of Desperloch,

that you hear quiet skittering in the nearby brush.

TRAVIS: Shh! Did you hear that?

MATT: "What?"

TRAVIS: Can I scan the brush?

Is it common to hear skittering in this area?

MATT: No, not this way.

It's large enough where it doesn't sound

like it's any, you know,

wildlife that surpassed the wall.

Roll an instinct roll for me,

if you don't mind. TRAVIS: Woo!

SAM: First roll of the campaign.

TRAVIS: I'm not scared, I'm not scared.

MARISHA: (laughs) TRAVIS: I'm not scared.

(chuckling)

TRAVIS: Double elevens, baby.

SAM and ASHLEY: Whoa! MARISHA: No way!

TRAVIS: That's a critical. ASHLEY: Hot table. Hot table.

MARISHA: What?! MATT: Hell yeah.

TRAVIS: That's 23. MATT: You guys

are rolling hot already,

when it doesn't help you really.

(laughter)

MATT: I'm sure it'll be great.

MARISHA: Wow. TRAVIS: Warming it up. Warming it up.

MATT: You glance over and see something shift

and instinctually some power takes hold of you,

the need to protect for a second time little Eryn.

You reach over into this brush

and grab the back of some thick cloth and pull forward--

Taliesin, if you please describe your character.

SAM: He's the skitterer.

TALIESIN: I skitter. (laughter)

TALIESIN: What you seem to be grabbing out of the brush is

a pile of clothing

with definitely a person inside of it.

It is what would be a very fine,

medium-sized top hat and long coat

probably 60 to 70 years ago.

Now it's seen better days.

It has been repaired, and repaired,

and repaired, and repaired.

There's a lot of stitching

holding the whole thing together.

Whatever color it originally was has long faded

to browns and grays.

It is expertly held together.

If anything, the stitching is more impressive

than the clothing itself for its magical ability

to hold everything on.

The young man within this giant pile of clothing,

he's kind of hard to make out

because he's got a bit of a scarf around his neck

and the hat definitely is too big,

so it sits down.

But you can see that his face is very gray,

and the hat and scarf are gently concealing,

just a touch,

six eyes, which is definitely,

you know, four more than anybody should have

and which are large and insectoid,

and a mouth that is far too wide

covered on the sides by little mandibles,

almost as if it was some sort of strange

anthropomorphic spider.

Which, he's an anthropomorphic spider.

Which would explain it. (laughter)

TALIESIN: So it is this bundle of cloth with, you know,

what was once nice fingerless gloves

and a little,

what seems to be a rather large sewing needle at his side,

just below the cloak.

So I suppose you give this bundle of clothing a big--

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey!

Everything's fine. Everything's fine.

I give up.

TRAVIS: What have I said about trying to sneak up on us?

TALIESIN: That I should do it as often as possible.

TRAVIS: You're really sneaky, I grant you,

but sometimes there are people you just

shouldn't sneak up behind. TALIESIN: That's very fair,

that's very fair. MATT: "August,

"don't sneak up on him."

TALIESIN: But when I do, it's so rewarding.

MATT: "I'm sure, I'm sure.

"But you're going to get punched again.

"You'll be down two more eyes."

TRAVIS: I'm sorry about the coat.

It looks really, really nice. TALIESIN: Thank you.

I can fix it later. It's no problem at all.

If anything, a little bit of practice.

TRAVIS: What are you hiding from, anyway?

TALIESIN: I wasn't hiding.

I was actually doing a bit of digging.

There's some interesting things down here.

We're seeing what was possibly either edible,

turn something into some tea, spice up some meat.

MATT: "Did you tell Pa

"you were going to be digging in his yard?"

TRAVIS: Yeah, this is-- TALIESIN: I mentioned it

a while ago.

TRAVIS: -- where things are grown.

We work really hard on this stuff.

TALIESIN: Weeks ago.

Within a month.

MATT: "(sighs)

"We're not going to tell him anything,

"but just--

"It's nice enough he's letting y'all stay here.

"Just try and be a little more respectful, you know."

TRAVIS: Eryn-- TALIESIN: I've got some work.

TRAVIS: -- remember, leverage. We talked about this.

I think we probably should tell him about this.

MATT: "We'll remember this, and should the moment arise

"or we need a favor,

"you'll remember this too, right?"

TRAVIS: There we go. TALIESIN: I will certainly

remember this when I'm working to stitch up

one of your pairs of trousers or otherwise.

It might mysteriously come apart

if the work wasn't, you know, expertly done.

TRAVIS: There you go.

(laughter)

TRAVIS: Six eyes! (laughs)

TALIESIN: They're all blinking very oddly.

TRAVIS: Six! (laughs) MARISHA: That's good.

(laughter)

MATT: "All right." TALIESIN: A thousand pardons.

MATT: "I'll go check up on Pa.

"Go about your business, I suppose.

"Getting dinner ready soon."

TRAVIS: All right, I'll be there.

MATT: Eryn darts off towards the cabin.

TALIESIN: Just seemed a bit on edge. Is everything all right?

TRAVIS: (sighs) Snyx came in from his latest run

and was chased by something.

Vigils jumped from the wall, handled it.

He got stitched up by Noorin and Truvo.

But couldn't get any information about what it was

or what led to it or anything else.

TALIESIN: That's no surprise.

I'm glad he stayed.

Did he have everything that he

wanted to bring in to the city?

TRAVIS: Oh, with him? TALIESIN: Yeah.

TRAVIS: Yeah, there was a thing, a satchel.

I wasn't really looking at that part. I think so.

He was carrying something,

which is good because he was leaking a lot.

TALIESIN: Oh, well, that's most important.

That's been taken care of.

Can I get you something, by the way?

I think I've got some food or otherwise inside.

TRAVIS: Yeah, I wouldn't mind. A little pre-dinner dinner.

MATT: At this point, Eryn's shouting in here in the house,

like, "Pa! Pa, where--"

We come back over to about 30 or so feet away

from his little farmstead home

that's been cobbled together with

gathered driftwood from the nearby Ashen Sea shore

as well as what elements of logged jungle tree has been

allowed by the triumvirate of the village.

But there's a small storage shed barn building there,

But there's a small storage shed barn building there,

and there you sit amongst the shadow,

pushed against the window and listening in

as best you can from the distance.

Misty, what do we see through the somewhat cracked glass

that has been placed here to look through?

ASHLEY: Well, first you just see her face,

which she is completely made of stone.

You see a crown,

a veil that's been chiseled,

carved into the stone, and

she is eight feet tall.

TRAVIS: Oh shit!

ASHLEY: She is covered in decades and decades

and years and years of muck and mire.

She has spots on her where there are hornets' nests

and she's a bit of a living nightmare.

She's been stained over time.

She's been picked at and desecrated

because she is a large statue,

and she's grown over with moss and vines

and areas of her have graffiti.

But on the bottom of what would be her skirt,

it almost looks like drawings left by a child.

But she's sitting there in the shed

excitedly peeking out but also trying to stay hidden.

excitedly peeking out but also trying to stay hidden.

MATT: Beyond your massive stone wings that arise.

Three sets of them.

ASHLEY: Four sets.

MATT: Four sets. My apologies.

ASHLEY: I forgot to add that. MATT: As you lean forward,

you can just barely hear the muffled sound

of the guttural voice that's going on in the background.

"And it's about these times that the sun rolls and--

"Misty, are you even listening to me?"

ASHLEY: Oh. Yes, I am. I--

MATT: You turn around and you can see there sitting

is old man Garrick, the farmer dwarf,

father of Eryn and purveyor of this little farmstead here

in Desperloch.

This old dwarf with mass of gray curls that curve inward,

This old dwarf with mass of gray curls that curve inward,

much like Eryn's hair does.

A massive scar that runs down one eye and down his throat,

some heavy wound that he took long ago.

But it doesn't keep away

that perpetually curled smile on his face.

A patchy white mustache and a curl of a beard

that curves upward there at the bottom.

And he's holding what looks to be

a tattered children's book.

He's been reading to you here

in the quiet silence of this back room.

"I know you've heard this story before, so--"

ASHLEY: I do, but it is one of my favorites.

Please, would you read that page again

because I got a little distracted by

what was happening outside.

MATT: "What's happening outside?"

ASHLEY: Fun.

(laughter)

MATT: The book closes and he stands up. "(coughing)"

ASHLEY: I'm slow moving and

creaking a little, but I help him up.

MATT: As soon as you help,

"Oh, looks like we got company."

TRAVIS: Are you a stone statue?

ASHLEY: Yes. TRAVIS: Okay.

ASHLEY: I am a stone statue. TRAVIS: Wow.

MATT: The sound of creaking and scratching stone

with each movement that (grinds).

That rub with each shift.

An entity from the Old World.

Once a vessel for the spirits

and the angels from the Veiled Gods of old

left empty and abandoned here in the Age of Umbra.

But not this one. This one lives, talks.

Listens to books sometimes.

But Garrick has now closed the tome

and excitedly walks with you over to the edge,

and opens the exterior door of the barn

and says, "Okay, looks like we got a whole gathering!"

TRAVIS: August was in the bushes again.

MATT: "August!"

And Eryn smacks you on the back of the head.

And goes, "Sorry, Pa, he's trying to take

"out of your farm again."

TRAVIS: Ooh. See, I wasn't going to go that far.

TALIESIN: I think that's overdoing it a bit.

I was just working on a thing.

I think you'll be impressed later.

MATT: "That's okay. If he needs it, he can have it.

"Right, Eryn?"

Eryn goes, "You're right, Pa. I'm sorry."

ASHLEY: I did hear

a little bit of a hustle and bustle outside.

Does anyone know what happened?

MATT: Eryn immediately cuts you off and is like,

"There was a big old bear that attacked

"the outside of the wall, and what's his name?

"The Snyckle boy, the jumping one."

TRAVIS: Snyx.

MATT: "Snyx, he was out there and fighting off

"three bears." ASHLEY: Did he win?

TRAVIS: No, he died.

ASHLEY: Oh no, the travesty.

TRAVIS: Yeah, no, but the great thing was Truvo,

a little bit of herbs brought them right back.

ASHLEY: Wow, what an incredible healer.

Snyx is so brave.

TRAVIS: I'm just kidding. Snyx was fine.

Yeah, he was wounded, but he came in. He was fine.

I felt bad lying. I don't know.

ASHLEY: Oh no, really? It's okay. I know.

It's like a type of humor.

TRAVIS: Yes. Yeah. ASHLEY: Ha, ha, ha, ha.

TALIESIN: Just barely humor, by the way.

I'm bringing a little bit of bread and butter

just for everyone.

TRAVIS: I imagine that laughter

sounds like it has gravel in it.

MATT: (low rumbling)

(laughter)

MATT: Garrick leans away. "Okay."

ASHLEY: Little pebbles fall out.

(laughter)

TALIESIN: Putting out just a little bit

of bread and butter for everybody so--

MATT: "Oh wow! Let's make this a feast.

"It's been a minute since we've had a conglomeration

"of fine friends to celebrate the survival of your friend.

"of fine friends to celebrate the survival of your friend.

"In fact, I think I got a stew on from yesterday.

"Still got a little flavor left. Come on."

TRAVIS: Yeah, yep.

"Still some flavor left" is usually

just about right for us.

MATT: As you all gather and follow Garrick

to the farmhouse with Eryn,

you keeping watch there on the Pyre,

you recovering under the watch

and healing hands of the local turtle,

an evening of safety progresses.

One that is rare in many places of this land,

but that's what makes these settlements so important.

The Enduring here are allowed some peace.

They're allowed family, they're allowed hope.

And you all throughout the evening

find a night of rest.

For some, dreams come.

For others,

just an exhausted darkness until the morning wakes you.

Some have odd visions.

Some have recurring flashes.

Two stone pillars framing a mountainous doorway.

(whooshing)

An endless mist spilling forth.

Purples and pinks, lights glowing from the mist,

almost stained glass arising.

A crown on a pedestal.

Flames burning, flames shut.

Towers bending.

Voices like a choir of angels

singing, then screaming.

And then nothing.

As the morning comes and raises you all to a new day.

The morning, standard as many mornings here,

there's not a lot to do here in Desperloch.

ASHLEY: (hisses)

(laughter)

TRAVIS: Ah! MARISHA: For real, though.

(laughter)

MATT: Many fight to engage their curiosities.

Books are contraband.

What exists is often hoarded by many of the libraries

and existing guilds that exist

mostly within Amber Reach's ruins itself.

For any book, any story could hold a shed of truth

and what truth of the history of the lost age

could possibly lead to change in the current one.

But the people wake can go about their day.

The dark and cloudy skies ever choking the sunlight away.

Eventually, the warmth of day reaches its zenith

as bright as it ever could be.

The distant mists crawling over the Griefcleft Mountains

that loom above, and it is there.

You can still see the shape of the Luzal Monastery.

The majority of it is still standing.

A beautiful, if ominous, echo of the Old World

A beautiful, if ominous, echo of the Old World

and one of a handful of very holy sites

held by the great ordinances of the God-King Othedias.

It is also the focus of a lot of Desperloch's business.

As what secrets might remain within that monastery,

what connections might exist to the Veiled Gods

that have since vanished this century.

What secrets that could unveil the reason for their leaving

and perhaps a chance to call them back.

And if not, at least a miracle, a relic,

something to keep you safer than you were the day before.

But the cliff is too sheer.

The monastery unreachable by the means

that your settlement of Enduring have.

But beneath the monastery

are numerous catacombs and vaults,

a spiraling labyrinth of hallways

and subterranean walkways,

winding staircases where much of the monastery's

great hoard of knowledge and power was kept.

And when the Apostasy was over,

the caverns beneath collapsed

and part of that monastery tumbled

to create the backbone of Desperloch.

Some wish to reap what was once hidden.

Some wish to reap what was once hidden.

So for generations now,

a whole sect of members of this community

and those beyond who have come here for this purpose as well.

They call themselves the Scholars of Luzal.

Researchers, Delvers are those that work with them.

Sellswords, tomb raiders,

those that like to fight the front line

as they push into these long collapsed vaults

to recover these powerful relics,

these shreds of information.

And remove

the corruption that still lurks in the shadows beneath.

But here in the morning,

the Scholars are already out and about,

their massive structures and large tents

already abuzz with information.

As you hear another horn call,

not a horn of victory, but a horn of arrival.

(horn noise)

The slag wall outer gates are pulled back

and five figures come rushing in.

TRAVIS: Five?

MATT: A number of vigil that moonlight as delvers.

MATT: A number of vigil that moonlight as delvers.

The hired vault soldiers

that pushed deeper into this mountain in hopes of

eventually finding a way to the monastery from the inside

of the mountain itself come rushing in,

along with Rascelo,

one of the two main Delver organizers.

Human, male, mid 30s or so,

shoulder length, straight brown hair.

He would be considered ruggedly handsome

and often lords his confident self around.

But this is a different state as him and the four others

that have arrived are all gravely wounded.

And with just bits of conversation around,

you discover it was 10 who had left.

TRAVIS: Oh shit.

MATT: As they're pulled into the gates,

the Desperloch civilians begin to gather around

whispering, passing information.

They slam behind.

And you can see already various figures

of the community are coming out

to inspect, discuss, and wonder.

Misty and August, you see this commotion happening

and do you inspect or inquire about this

or stay put?

ASHLEY: Am I allowed to go in?

TALIESIN: I'm not sure.

How many of the people involved do we know

at least know us reasonably at this point?

TRAVIS: Can they see this from where the homestead is,

Garrick's homestead?

MATT: You can see the people gathering.

TRAVIS: Oh, he made it-- MATT: And you heard the horn.

But you don't know the purpose or reason for what this is,

just the entire--

Desperloch is a small community,

so when something happens,

very quickly, everyone knows. TRAVIS: Yeah.

MATT: It becomes the focus of information.

TALIESIN: Why don't we go take a look gingerly?

ASHLEY: All right, I'll try to tuck behind a tree.

TALIESIN: We'll just walk until

we're told to turn around, maybe.

TRAVIS: Yeah. ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: You gather yourselves up just as Garrick

is rushing out the door,

throwing his jacket on. "(coughs)

"What is going on?" And darts off in that direction.

The rest of you, about your morning business,

begin to head towards the

exterior of the Praxis Collective,

which is the region where the Scholars of Luzal

set up most of their work and business.

There are a number of the

delver scouts and other soldiers

that were not on this current mission.

The only handful themselves

that aren't already locked into

being guardians of the wall

under the Vigils themselves

are trying to figure out how to organize a rescue mission

for those that were left behind.

Rascelo steps forward to them and says, "(coughs)

"I believe we found it.

"We got to the gate.

"We did it.

"We just--

"We just took some hits. We took some--

"(coughs)" And falls to one knee.

You can see some of the other scholars come forward.

Idrova Khan, one of the scholar elf females

who's one of the heads of research

of ancient faith and mythology

steps forward and takes him by the arm.

You can see Thalia Vintwood,

another one of the younger and recent additions

to the Scholars of Luzal,

steps forward and sees you real fast and goes,

"Did you see what happened?"

TRAVIS: No, no, they just came in.

Apparently, there were more than the five that returned.

MATT: You can see, at this point,

Rascelo gets up again and pushes off.

"Look, we lost about four down there.

"We burned the bodies, don't worry.

"However,

"I think we found the doors to the Firmament's Harrow.

"There was a guardian at the gate, a very dangerous one,

"but we managed to take it down. (groans)"

And grabs his side, and you can see now,

where he has his cloak wrapped around him,

the cloak has been hiding how bad it was,

but the cloak is starting to turn dark red.

Immediately, two scholars grab his arms, pull him aside,

and someone shouts out, "Get Truvo, get someone!

"The delvers are hurt!"

He's like, "(grunts) We're so close.

"The gate's there. I need to--

"I need to be the one to see to monastery.

"I've earned it! You--"

He leans forward, and at this point,

Idrova steps forward and pats him on the shoulder and goes,

"Look, love, you need to recover,

"and the purpose and import of this is above you.

"This is the Scholars' jurisdiction.

"You've done your job.

"Now, your current deed

"is to survive.

"So,

"do it."

And she turns around to the rest of the scholars,

and they all begin to talk amongst themselves.

Eryn creeps up and goes, "What? Was that Rascelo?

"Is he okay?"

TRAVIS: I think so. Actually, Eryn, come with me.

Can I go up to Rascelo?

MATT: Yeah, so Rascelo's currently pushing away

some of the scholars as they're trying to help him

over towards Truvo.

TRAVIS: I'm sure Truvo has got his hands full.

MATT: Truvo is currently in the process

of gathering a troop to start handling

the rest of the four other delvers who've returned.

You look upon them, one of them is missing a leg,

and this tourniquet placed upon it

that's barely functioning.

Somebody else, their hand is on their neck,

and you can see they're pale in the face,

and they're still leaking,

as much as they're trying to hold it as much is it can.

It is a very dire situation for these delvers.

TRAVIS: Does Rascelo look like

if he doesn't receive urgent care,

it could go very poorly very quickly?

MATT: Make an instinct roll for me,

if you don't mind.

TRAVIS: (sputters) (laughs)

It's double 12s.

SAM: Oh! MARISHA: What?!

TALIESIN: Stop it! Stop it! MATT: Whoa!

ASHLEY: Dang. TRAVIS: 25.

MARISHA: We're going to die as soon as we get into battle.

MATT: Yes, you are. ASHLEY: I know, I know, I know.

MATT: You are going to roll terribly when it matters.

TRAVIS: Not as long as I'm with you.

(laughter) TALIESIN: It'll be the first--

MATT: That's great, so take a Hope.

TRAVIS: Ah! Thank you, yeah.

MATT: If you had a stress, you'd clear it.

Rascelo looks quite hurt.

You can see there is a puncture in his torso

right beneath the ribcage that goes through his armor,

and that's why he's trying to hold and plug it

with a heavy part of his leather glove,

the fingers pushed into the puncture wound.

TRAVIS: Oh jeez.

MATT: But it's still soaking through.

With that roll, he'll likely survive,

but he'll be down for weeks.

TRAVIS: Okay.

MATT: But he's still pushing aside, and eventually,

Truvo and some of the other brought-in assistants

are starting to try and hold him down.

He's like, "No! (laughs)

"We're right there, we're right there,

"and no one's taking this away from me!

"(coughs)" He spits up blood on his sleeve.

"Someone give me a bottle of wine or something."

TRAVIS: Idrova, Rascelo's done a lot.

I think we can take care of him.

If he'll just come with me, we'll take him off your hands.

MATT: Looks you up and down.

TRAVIS: It would be our honor.

MATT: "Very well, just don't have his death on your hands."

TRAVIS: Of course.

MATT: Idrova turns back and continues to walk.

Rascelo, at this point,

as Truvo's trying to get his troupe together to help him,

you sidle up next to him and he's like, "(coughs)"

TRAVIS: Eryn! Eryn, come on!

MATT: She goes, "Yeah, yeah! What?"

TRAVIS: Over this way, friend. MATT: "Right. Oh, Rascelo!

"We got you, don't worry!"

TRAVIS: Can we try and take

him by the shoulders and lead him

a little bit away from the hustle and bustle,

maybe around the nearest corner?

MATT: Yeah, you bring him, and this village is,

especially given the fact that small town talk

gets around quickly, even as you move around the corner,

there are people that are trying to look

and listen in at a distance.

ASHLEY: I'm going to move over.

TALIESIN: I was going to say. Misty, want to--

ASHLEY: Yes. TALIESIN: Let's go.

ASHLEY: I'm going to move over

to meet them around the corner.

TALIESIN: Same.

MATT: Okay. ASHLEY: May I lift you?

MATT: He goes, "(grunts)"

TRAVIS: She's a friend. ASHLEY: Hello.

MATT: "Right." ASHLEY: I am a friend.

MATT: "Of course."

ASHLEY: Would you like help?

MATT: "Sure."

ASHLEY: So I'll pick him up, and I will cradle his head,

and just hold him.

MATT: And he kind of like--

TRAVIS: Let me see your side.

ASHLEY: I'll hold him out to be inspected.

TALIESIN: You need an assistant here?

TRAVIS: I think so. TALIESIN: All right.

TRAVIS: I'll hold my hands up,

and you'll see them start to glow,

but I'll tuck in behind Misty, and I'll use--

ASHLEY: I'll put a wing sort of blocking,

to keep us in private.

TRAVIS: This might hurt. Hold tight, friend.

And I'll use Sparing Touch to heal

two hit points on Rascelo. MARISHA: Nice.

SAM: Ooh. ASHLEY: Cool.

TRAVIS: And hopefully immediately

staunch that wound,

and while it's happening, I will say:

Listen, I understand that information and knowledge

are power, and there are those here that are well intended,

but we would be very interested

in knowing what you know.

We can help.

MATT: As he's almost trying to bat you off,

still entranced by this angelic figure

that he's seen around town

but never directly engaged with until now--

ASHLEY: I just try to ease him,

because I can feel his--

MATT: Tension. ASHLEY: Tension.

And I smile with my stone teeth.

(crackling)

TALIESIN: How-- (laughter)

TALIESIN: How is the damage, by the way?

MATT: Oh, he's on the cusp of death.

TALIESIN: I mean, okay, so there's

still healing that can be done.

MATT: Yeah, you heal him up and the wound closes

to the point where he's no longer going to bleed out.

TRAVIS: Great. MATT: Which is good,

and as soon as that kind of-- "(gasps)"

His breath comes in. He's like, "What did you--

"How--"

TRAVIS: I know you have questions.

I don't have a lot of the answers. Listen, I know I've--

MATT: Looks at you.

TRAVIS: Garrick. You know Garrick Loathroot.

MATT: "Yes." TRAVIS: He vouches for her.

ASHLEY: Yes, he does. I am a friend.

I am a friend.

MATT: I would like you to make

a presence roll for me, Misty, please.

TRAVIS: Come on, come on.

ASHLEY: Which ones am I going to use?

SAM: Which ones? How many do you have?

TRAVIS: You know.

ASHLEY: Well, there's a lot in here.

TRAVIS: There's a veritable--

SAM: This is a new set of dice we just got today.

ASHLEY: It matters. TALIESIN: It does matter.

ASHLEY: Okay, that is a nine and a three,

so it's 14 with Hope.

MATT: 14 with Hope, okay. So take a Hope on that one.

ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: As Rascelo calms a little bit.

TALIESIN: I'm going to slowly walk up,

use the hat to keep my face a little hidden,

and I'm going to--

Also a medical professional. One moment.

And I'm going to see if there's anything visible

that also still needs work, other than,

if that gash has finally caught up, or--

MATT: I mean, he's going to survive.

TALIESIN: Yeah.

MATT: It's going to take a little bit of recovery time.

There are all manner of other wounds, but also,

Rascelo is covered in scars, old and newish.

TALIESIN: Sure.

MATT: But he'll survive.

But he's going to need a few days of recovery,

even at this rate.

He's no longer in danger.

TALIESIN: Okay, so we're good on--

All right, I'm going to, just to be careful,

just where it got healed up,

I'm going to do a little bit of suturing.

MATT: Okay. He's like, "(grunting)"

TALIESIN: And I'm going to take a little, yeah,

it's almost like I smear a little bit of blood

and I'm going to mix it into some silk thread

that comes out of my mouth,

grab a little needle, and just start going.

ASHLEY: Cool. TALIESIN: Very, very quickly.

MATT: He doesn't even notice

because he's still looking at the two of you.

TRAVIS: Idrova's part of the Triarch, right?

MATT: Idrova is, yes. TRAVIS: Idrova.

Can we say: We've shown you some trust here.

We were vulnerable.

I know you've seen me around,

and I've asked before to join the Delvers.

This means a lot to me.

I think I, and we, could be of great help to you.

MATT: This is to Rascelo? TRAVIS: Yeah.

MATT: Eryn is like, "Indeed, you know,

"I've been all throughout them vaults all over.

"You've been an absolute necessity

"for a number of your folk there."

Rascelo nods and goes,

"We lost some good men inside.

"There's one that might still be alive in there."

TRAVIS: She has a lot of value.

She can move quietly and unseen,

and if you really think you found the Filament's Hollow,

we'd be interested in helping you.

ASHLEY: But she's a child.

MATT: "I am not a child.

"I am a Delver scout, thank you very much."

He's like, "(grunts)

"Look.

"I can talk to Etwashi.

"If you have a crew you can throw together

"to see if you can bring back Velk--"

TRAVIS: Velk. ASHLEY: Velk.

MATT: You know Velk Dravenmoor.

TRAVIS: Oh, yes. MATT: Who is--

TRAVIS: Oh, Velk's still out there?

MATT: Velk, he's referring to--

TRAVIS: Katari?

MATT: Is the one that got left behind.

MARISHA: Velk Dravenmoor?

MATT: Yeah, Dravenmoor. TRAVIS: Dravenmoor.

ASHLEY: Dravenmoor. MATT: Member of the Vigil.

ASHLEY: That's such a cool name.

MATT: Moonlights as occasionally a delver.

A very powerful male katari,

almost lion-like in his exterior.

"(grunts)

"I know Velk sustained a wound,

"but we could not recover a body, and he's a survivor.

"But if he's in there and needs help,

"you go find him."

TRAVIS: We can help.

MATT: "Don't you even go to that monastery without me."

TRAVIS: No! MATT: "That is mine to have."

TRAVIS: I understand.

We would go as quickly as we can,

if you don't think the Triarch would mind.

MATT: He pushes against your arm,

and Rascelo steps out of your grasp

and onto his legs again, "(grunts)"

catches himself as you finish suturing.

TALIESIN: Yep. MATT: "(grunts)

"I'll talk to Etwashi.

"Gather your things, for the more time that goes by,

"the less chance there is that he's alive."

TRAVIS: Understood.

MATT: "Don't fuck this up. Don't--

"Don't take that monastery from me."

TRAVIS: You have my word.

MATT: He grabs the front of your cloak

and breastplate area there, the leather tunic,

and pulls you in.

"That's mine to uncover."

TRAVIS: It's yours.

MATT: "(grunting in pain)

"(sighs)" He starts and hobbles back over

to where the rest of the scholars are.

TRAVIS: His hair. He's got amazing hair.

ASHLEY: He's very obsessed with the monastery.

TRAVIS: Idyl just rubs his shaved head,

kind of obsessively.

I'm sorry, I know that you

got thrown into that, but--

ASHLEY: No, it's really okay.

I like having a purpose and I like having a job.

TRAVIS: Yeah.

ASHLEY: I want to help in any way I can, I am a friend.

TALIESIN: We get to go up into them,

even close to the monastery?

I am bloody in for that.

TRAVIS: Yes, so much more--

ASHLEY: Can we go to there?

TRAVIS: Well-- MARISHA: (chuckles)

TRAVIS: -- let's start by getting Velk in,

and then we'll see what happens.

ASHLEY: It doesn't look that far.

SAM: (chuckles)

TRAVIS: Just look where her giant arm is pointed.

(laughter)

MATT: The massive, sheer bladed cliffside--

ASHLEY: Right over there. MATT: -- of the Griefcleft Mountains

there above you,

an ominous, unclimbable death trap for those

who were to traverse it on the outside.

TALIESIN: It's not the distance,

it's the altitude that's really the trouble.

MATT: (chuckles)

ASHLEY: I understand.

TALIESIN: Mm. MATT: But

the Firmament Harrow,

which is the rocky outcropping

that the monastery was built on,

that partially collapsed after the Apostasy.

The majority that still remains there

with the monastery aloft,

beautiful architecture that still sits above,

a gorgeous and ominous relic of the Old World there,

and the hope that the vaults still can lead up to it.

If indeed this gate has been found

to the Firmament's Harrow,

it would be an ascending

path

to the monastery.

It doesn't take too terribly long

before Rascelo speaks to Etwashi.

And the interest of haste towards the hope

of saving a life of a very respected member of the Vigil.

You are told to leave within the hour.

You are given permission

and Eryn enough, it's like,

"(claps) Honestly, it's okay.

"I know most of where we've already been before.

"I have myself a little rundown of where we're going.

"Just make sure to bring some snacks,

"those of us who enjoy them.

"And I guess anyone of able body or mind,

"it's just the three of us?"

TRAVIS: Well, Eryn, I--

ASHLEY: That feels like not enough.

TRAVIS: We're going to need, we're going to need more,

but I want to be clear with you,

we're going farther than even you have ever gone.

MATT: "Okay, well, I'll go as far as I know,

"and then I'll get behind you,

"and then you go further,

"and then that'll be as far as I've gone."

TRAVIS: Sure.

You know what you can do, Eryn?

MATT: "Yeah?" TRAVIS: Um.

Go find Snyx.

MATT: "Okay."

TRAVIS: I think we're going to need--

ASHLEY: I think we need more people.

TRAVIS: -- someone that can navigate as well as you can.

MATT: "Oh, so you'll find a replacement?"

TRAVIS: No, not a replacement, a supplement.

It's called redundancy.

MATT: "Someone I got to train?"

TRAVIS: That's correct. MATT: "I wouldn't mind

"a second-in-command."

TRAVIS: Yes.

ASHLEY: As I understand it, when people go there,

some of them don't come back.

So probably,

we should have our numbers much higher.

MATT: "I see.

"I see." TALIESIN: Redundancy.

ASHLEY: Redundancy,

which is what you just said, and now I understand.

(chuckling)

MATT: "I'll get him." (whooshes)

She darts off, running that direction.

You follow Eryn as she runs

into the interior tent of Truvo the Hedge,

where you are sat up

hearing all this commotion going on,

and pretty feeling much better

than you were the night before.

"Hey!" SAM: (exclaims)

MATT: "Snyx." SAM: What?

MATT: "You're coming with us."

SAM: What? What--

MATT: "We're going in the vaults.

"Idyl said that we need a secondary scout

"to work under me,

"and I'm going to train you."

SAM: To work under you?

MATT: "Yeah. Come on!"

Grabs your hand and start pulling you out of the tent.

SAM: I don't-- (sighs)

I don't work for anybody else right now.

It's just me. I--

The vault. That's scary.

I don't want to go down there.

(laughter)

MATT: She's not even listening.

She's rambling at this point like,

"So we're going to go on down the bottom tip floor.

"It splits off into four different directions there.

"Now the second one from the left

"has large marble pillars in each side.

"Stay to the--" SAM: No, thanks.

MATT: "-- right-hand side,

"so you avoid the cliff faces falling off

"into the depth below. SAM: I pull myself back.

What are you talking about?

We can't go in the vault, it's--

People die down there all the time.

MATT: "Only the ones who don't know what they're doing."

SAM: I don't know what I'm doing.

MATT: "Then I'm going to teach you."

SAM: Well, forgive me,

but you don't know what you're doing either.

MATT: "(scoffs)

"That's just hurtful."

SAM: We need someone--

If you're going to go down there,

if anybody's going to go down there,

you need somebody brave, strong.

MATT: "Like... you?"

SAM: No!

(laughter)

MATT: "Then who do you recommend?"

TRAVIS: Fucking love this.

SAM: I mean,

if none of the Vigil are going,

you should get Brixton.

MATT: "Would you go if Brixton's going?"

SAM: Hmm.

Only if she wanted me to go.

MARISHA: (chuckles)

MATT: "Brixton!"

SAM: Wait, no, don't, I'll ask her.

Just-- MARISHA: I was literally

right on the other side of the curtain.

Yes? (laughter)

MARISHA: I heard my name. MATT: "We're going in the vaults!" SAM: (babbles)

(babbling)

MARISHA: I heard my name and nothing else.

MATT: "Second, continue."

(chuckling)

SAM: I'm going on a mission-- MARISHA: Yeah, I'll go with you.

(chuckling)

MARISHA: I am ready.

SAM: I'm going on a mission.

MARISHA: I will go.

TRAVIS: Jesus. (chuckles)

SAM: It's going to be dangerous.

MARISHA: Hmm. SAM: I, of course, am willing

to risk it.

MARISHA: That is because you are very brave.

SAM: I know.

MARISHA: Despite everything you just said

that I wasn't listening to.

SAM: Wait, what?

MARISHA: You were very brave.

SAM: I am.

MARISHA: I know. That's what I said.

MATT: "I'm not following this (chuckles)."

SAM: Listen, I don't even know what this job is, honestly.

I have a bunch of deliveries to make,

so maybe you can figure out

what it is we're talking about,

and if there's any money in it.

MATT: "We are going to deliver

"a wounded Vigil

"you know, named Velk,

"back to the village safe and sound.

"You're good at delivering.

"Just this time, the payload

"is alive."

SAM: Mm.

TRAVIS: I come over.

Eryn, I heard you shouting. Is everything all right?

MATT: "I think we got ourselves two new members

"of our delving crew."

SAM: Oh.

Oh, you're going?

TRAVIS: Oh, of course.

I don't know if Eryn told you, but the reward for this mission

is quite substantial, high monetary value.

MATT: "Magnificent.

"The Scholars themselves have thrown quite a bit

"of tradable goods into the pot for those who return."

SAM: Really?

MATT: "Yeah.

"They found the gate to the Firmament's Harrow."

TRAVIS: Eryn.

MATT: "(softer) They found the monastery gate."

SAM: Hey, is that-- Okay? Is that--

Is there money down there, is it--

MATT: "There could be." SAM: Okay. Okay.

TRAVIS: I think it would be very valuable to the Triarch,

so you know,

if monetary compensation or favor is of import to you.

MATT: "I mean, you're the one

"who trades to the outer settlements.

"You tell us how useful that stuff is to have."

SAM: I mean, it's everything out there.

Once you leave the walls,

if you don't have anything to trade,

you're as good as dead.

TRAVIS: And outside the walls is

where the expertise we need that's--

ASHLEY: Yes, it is. SAM: Wait, we're going

outside the walls?

TRAVIS: Sure are.

ASHLEY: Weren't you just there? TRAVIS: It's not within the walls.

MATT: "Not too far.

"It's a few miles up to the base of the mountain right there."

MARISHA: I actually know the vaults quite well.

TRAVIS: (chuckles)

MARISHA: Don't tell anybody.

SAM: How? MATT: "How do you

"know the vaults well?" TALIESIN: How could he tell someone?

SAM: Wait! What?

(laughter) TALIESIN: I was hiding behind.

TRAVIS: (chuckles) A little bush rustles.

MARISHA: Yeah. (laughter)

TALIESIN: I'm usually hiding behind the giant statue.

SAM: Oh my god.

Well, good-- TRAVIS: Or on the statue.

TALIESIN: You know who I am. ASHLEY: Yes.

SAM: Of course I know where you are.

I've got a whole bunch of stuff for you.

We'll do that later, but--

MARISHA: Hello, August.

TALIESIN: Good to see you.

MARISHA: It is so good to see you.

TALIESIN: Mm.

TRAVIS: (chuckles) MARISHA: Gentlemen,

this is destiny calling.

TRAVIS: It is? MARISHA: Yes.

Can't you feel it deep down inside?

We don't need no money.

We do not need monetary payment.

Our payment will be in honor and glory.

SAM: I was promised stuff,

but okay.

MARISHA: Stuff is only secondary to glory.

TRAVIS: Yes, glory and stuff.

MARISHA: Yes. TALIESIN: Bit of respect.

MATT: (Emberwarden) "Pyrekeeper Brixton."

TALIESIN: Oh boy.

MATT: You hear the voice of Emberwarden Sheena.

TRAVIS: Oh shit. MATT: Not far behind you.

MARISHA: I was hoping we would be gone before this happened.

Hello.

MATT: "You brashly speak loudly to my ears,

"catchphrases that speak towards glory

"and beyond the wall.

"What, pray tell, is a pyrekeeper doing

"beyond the wall of Desperloch, Brixton?"

MARISHA: I'm sorry, Emberwarden,

but I hope you would understand that our duty

to protect Desperloch extends just beyond the walls,

of just this Pyre.

I have put in an entire life's worth of service

to this settlement.

Please,

please let me extend my life even further

for this cause.

MATT: Make a presence roll for me.

MARISHA: Eugh.

TRAVIS: Let's go.

MATT: If anyone would like to aid,

you could spend a Hope to do so.

ASHLEY: I would like to spend a Hope to do so.

MATT: All right, so-- MARISHA: Oh, really?

MATT: Spend that Hope. ASHLEY: Yes, I would.

MATT: You get to roll a d6 and add that to her roll.

SAM: She's going to roll a d6.

ASHLEY: She's going to roll a d6.

MARISHA: Ooh.

Ooh.

That's good.

12 plus eight is 20,

plus five, 25 with Hope.

SAM: Good god.

MATT: That's pretty fucking good.

Okay. TRAVIS: Yay.

ASHLEY: Yes. MATT: Take that Hope.

Add plus what?

Or did you add that bonus--

MARISHA: Plus five is the-- ASHLEY: She got a five.

MARISHA: Oh, sorry.

24 because I have a minus one presence.

MATT: Ah, that'll do it.

(laughs) MARISHA: 24.

MATT: Kind of gives you a--

MARISHA: I'm not a charismatic person.

MATT: -- a stern hard look.

"(sighs)"

MARISHA: I am just fueled

by what we have lost in the Old World.

And I have hope.

We all must have hope

that

the entire valley could once be returned

to the valiant glory we once knew.

MATT: "I plucked you from the other orphans

"because I saw in you

"a seed,

"a seed that could grow into something of importance.

"And you became

"one

"in my stead.

"To watch this flame is one of the greatest honors.

"And you have done so."

MARISHA: I know it is sacrilege to abandon

my post,

but I hope you would not see it as abandonment,

but merely an extension

of the servitude

that I am so bound and dedicated to.

MATT: "You are bound to protect the Sacred Pyre.

"To kindle is but one way to protect it.

"To see that those that receive its boon,

"live is another.

"Take your leave for a time.

"Do not fail me and do not disappoint our order."

MARISHA: Thank you, Emberwarden.

I will not disappoint you.

MATT: "No, you will not."

MARISHA: No. MATT: She walks away.

MARISHA: (exhales)

TALIESIN: That did not go the way I thought it was going to.

ASHLEY: She was very serious. MARISHA: Neither did I.

Yes, she's a terrifying woman,

but she arguably saved my life.

Let's go quickly before she changes her mind.

TALIESIN: Do we need anything

before we go? Pick up supplies?

SAM: What are we even doing?

We're going down into the vaults to save some guy?

TRAVIS: No, we're going after Vigil Velk Dravenmoor.

TRAVIS: No, we're going after Vigil Velk Dravenmoor.

TALIESIN: Going up, technically, also.

SAM: But he's not,

like, what are we going to--

I mean, is it a clear shot?

Do we know what we're facing?

TRAVIS: No.

We do know there were nine or 10 of them,

and five made it back.

SAM: (sighs)

TRAVIS: And we just need him

or to know what happened to him,

or a body,

or a body part.

SAM: And if we do this,

we get glory?

MARISHA: Yeah. TALIESIN: Among other things.

SAM: And stuff. TRAVIS: And stuff.

SAM: And what do you get out of it?

TRAVIS: Increased favor with the Delvers and the Vigil,

and a little more station around here.

TALIESIN: Bit of respectability.

Could use some.

MATT: "Besides, if we find

"anything of particular interest

"while along the way,

"if it doesn't get cataloged

"and it just happens to stay in our midst,

"who to be none the wiser?"

TALIESIN: I'm going to try aside to Idyl.

Are we going to take them with us or no?

TRAVIS: I don't want to.

I-- (sighs)

TALIESIN: I'll tell you what,

distract them for a minute, right?

TRAVIS: Okay.

Uh.

Eryn, can we,

can we strategize for just a second?

MATT: "Oh yeah, yeah, I can go ahead--

"I was planning to go talk to Rascelo

"and see if I can figure out where their last path was,

"and I can go ahead and see it--"

TALIESIN: Very-- MARISHA: There's a map.

TALIESIN: Very quietly.

Oh, there is a map.

Don't worry, we know. MARISHA: There is a map.

She got herself a map. TALIESIN: Very quietly,

I'm going to take a thread out of my mouth

and tap it and shoot it right into her ear.

SAM: (exclaims) TALIESIN: And then say:

(dart swooshing) Shh. And I'm going to cast Slumber.

MATT: Oh.

Okay. MARISHA: That's cool!

TALIESIN: Do you have a Hope to burn for a little help or no?

TRAVIS: I 100% do. I have my Hope.

TALIESIN: So throw that d6 at me, when you get a second.

TRAVIS: Yeah, you can roll it or I can roll it.

TALIESIN: Oh, you roll it.

TRAVIS: Okay. TALIESIN: It's traditional.

Oh, yeah, we're good.

So that's

24, 28 with Fear.

MATT: 28 with Fear.

(dart swooshing)

You whisper as Eryn's like,

"I'm going to go ahead--" (swoons)

TALIESIN: Catch.

MATT: You catch her,

or you know (chuckles),

teenage, waif-like body which makes her so deft

and traversing the exterior unnoticed, unseen so quickly.

Also makes her relatively easy to catch

for someone as brawny as you.

The process of doing so

and immediately realizing that Garrick, her father,

might be somewhere around,

causes you to glance around heavily and you take a stress,

glancing in the vicinity out of fear

of being caught. TALIESIN: That's fair.

MATT: Nowhere near present, you think, "That's good."

TALIESIN: Let's get her home really quick

and then we can get on our way.

MARISHA: Can I grab that map?

MATT: Sure. MARISHA: I'm going to

grab that map. MATT: You clutch

a writeup of the various tunnels

with absolutely no labeling

nor indication of where the beginning, end,

or direction's supposed to be.

TRAVIS: I got to go to Rascelo,

like everyone's going to.

MARISHA: Okay. TRAVIS: She's going to be

so fucking mad at us.

(sighing)

TALIESIN: Let's drop her off at home really quick.

SAM: What?

Did you kill her?

TALIESIN: Listen to that snore.

ASHLEY: She's asleep. TALIESIN: She's fine. Come on.

(chuckling) TRAVIS: (snoring)

ASHLEY: I think that'd be very wise to do.

TRAVIS: Yeah, she won't thank us,

but I think Garrick will.

ASHLEY: I think her father will.

TRAVIS: Yeah, we'll go in and we'll tuck her in nice.

Cover her up with a blanket.

Leave a little note,

"Be back soon.

"Don't follow us.

"See you before nightfall."

MARISHA: Oh. ASHLEY: Maybe it's--

Sorry.

TRAVIS: Sorry. (laughter)

TALIESIN: Your dad insisted.

TRAVIS: (laughs) ASHLEY: Yeah.

MATT: You plant her back in her abode

with the understanding with Garrick

that she is to have a little nap.

Gather your supplies as you feel are necessary

for this rescue mission.

And with a bit of approval

and a bit of guidance from Rascelo

for the path they last took beneath the ruins,

you are pushed beyond the Slagwall exterior

of Desperloch in the midday.

The jungle itself tangled

and ominous around you

as you set foot in the direction of the base

of the mountains and the vaults below.

That's where we're going to take a break.

TRAVIS and MARISHA: Ooh.

ASHLEY: Ooh! TRAVIS: We're outside the walls.

We're outside the walls.

TALIESIN: We're going off the map!

Or onto another map! SAM: I go outside the walls every day.

TRAVIS: Hey, we all made it to the first break.

That's great! ASHLEY: Hey!

MARISHA and TALIESIN: Hey! TRAVIS: We all lived.

TRAVIS: You lived! TALIESIN: We're so good.

ASHLEY and MARISHA: You lived!

MARISHA: You almost died in prologue!

SAM: I'm the best.

ASHLEY: Snyx sneaked.

(laughter)

TRAVIS: Oh, this is fun. ASHLEY: This is fun.

MATT: Indeed. So we'll come back here in just a few minutes.

We'll see you guys here shortly.

ASHLEY and MARISHA: (cheer)

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♪ (gentle music) ♪

(air whooshing) ♪ (gentle music) ♪

This just in.

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♪ (dramatic music) ♪

♪ (gentle music) ♪

Welcome to Daggerheart,

a collaborative tabletop role playing game

of epic and heartfelt adventure,

with narrative-driven play

punctuated by fast-paced and dynamic combat.

What sets Daggerheart apart?

Enjoy a robust set of cards

that bring character abilities to your fingertips

and make for easy character progression.

There are also collaborative tools and mechanics

that encourage everyone at the table to be a storyteller.

And of course, dice!

Players roll 2d12,

one representing Hope, the other Fear,

and let the dice decide their fate.

Depending on the higher die, Hope or Fear is gained,

fueling dramatic highs and lows of your story.

Whether you're a player or game master,

you only need the singular book

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Our lavishly illustrated hardcover rules

come chock full of

guidelines for creating characters in shared worlds,

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Dynamic adversaries and environments

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detailed advice on GM craft, player best practices,

campaign building, and more.

Daggerheart comes with 279 illustrated cards

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The cards showcase your character's ancestry, community,

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You gain greater access to those as you level up.

World building can be done in several ways

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Rather than a single setting,

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Or start playing right away

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like The Witherwild or Colossus of the Drylands,

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Daggerheart is calling.

What stories await you?

♪ (gentle music) ♪

MATT: Hey, I hear you're preparing for a game of Daggerheart,

a collaborative fantasy role-playing game

of dynamic combat and heartfelt stories

built for narrative play.

Well, looks like you need to get your (beep) together.

Oh, did I say (beep)?

I meant to say (beep), but there was a bleep.

What? I said (beep).

You know, like a character (beep)?

Okay, what if I just said GYST?

GYST is the official video series

for anyone who wants to learn about Daggerheart.

We will provide an overview of the general rules,

walk through character creation,

and even offer guidance on how to GM your own campaign.

So share this with your friends at the table

and follow along with the Daggerheart Core Rulebook.

We've got lots more headed your way,

so keep watching

and enjoy getting your (beep) together.

Getting your (beep).

It's a pun, for fuck's sake!

Oh, you didn't bleep that. That's cool.

Get Your Sheet Together.

♪ (upbeat music) ♪

ASHLEY: Oh, hello!

You're here to learn about Beacon?

Not only the extraordinary home

for everything Critical Role,

but also the best way to support

the very important work that we do here.

LIAM: Can someone zip me up?

ASHLEY: I know what you're thinking,

"What's in it for me?"

"What do members get?"

Exclusive early access to tickets for live events.

Access to our members-only Discord server.

Instant video on demand and podcast access

right after each episode drop.

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With your support, more content is possible.

[metal clanking] TRAVIS: No, I've--

TALIESIN: Shh.

It's just some immersion therapy.

Keep your eyes open.

TRAVIS: (screams)

ASHLEY: We've got Beacon exclusive series

like "Critical Role Cooldown" where you get to sit

around the table right after an episode ends,

and "Fireside Chat" our community Q&A

powered by the Beacon Discord

and questions from members like you.

LAURA: Hey, Ashley? ASHLEY: Yeah.

LAURA: Do you want me to get you a new Mister plushy?

Because this guy is rough.

ASHLEY: No.

MATT: We're on in five.

LAURA: I'm just going to wash him, then.

ASHLEY: And if that isn't enough,

we've got series like "Critical Role Abridged,"

"Re-Slayer's Take," and "Midst."

Above all, Beacon is the best way

to directly support Critical Role,

our staff and everyone

who helped shape our company into what it is today.

DIRECTOR: I'm coming to you in three, two...

TRAVIS: (excited noises) MARISHA: (excited noises)

MATT: Hello, everyone,

and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role.

♪ (upbeat music) ♪

LAURA: Hey, Critters! Laura Bailey here to

guide you through what's new in the Critical Role shop.

(Vex) Style should never be a dump stat, Darling.

(Jester) I mean, the Traveler always says, impulse purchases are a good decision.

Can you put donuts in this? Only one way to find out.

(gasp) Could anything be more perfect?

Roll an investigation if you want, it's basically perfect.

This is a lot of stuff, you guys. We have so many cool things right now.

And hey, if you want, you could head over to the Critical Role shop right now.

♪ (epic music) ♪

♪ (mischievous music) ♪

(typewriter clacking)

♪ (peaceful music) ♪

LAURA: (VO) Do you find yourself dealing with

low energy, drowsiness, or boredom?

MARISHA: You may have made a pact with an infernal demon,

or you may be suffering from Low CR.

LAURA: (VO) Low CR is a common condition

that affects between most and nearly all adult humans.

Low CR, or Low Critical Role, occurs when human people

don't have enough nerdy voice actors in their lives.

But now, there's a cure!

MARISHA: I don't let Low CR control my life anymore.

LAURA: (VO) Beacon is a non-invasive subscription

that provides 24 hours exclusive content each day.

MARISHA: This was when we decided

it should look like a gender reveal party.

LAURA: (VO) Early access to event tickets,

members-only Discord,

10% off merchandise, and more.

Do not take Beacon if you are allergic to Beacon.

Consult your familiar

if you think Beacon could work for you.

MARISHA: Side effects may include excessive enjoyment,

overexcitement, and diarrhea.

LAURA: (VO) Critical Role is in no way a treatment,

medication, or anything other than

a bunch of nerdy voice actors.

Do not watch Critical Role unless you enjoy it.

[smoke alarm beeping] LAURA: (VO) We repeat.

We are absolutely not any sort of help... anything.

To learn more, visit beacon.tv,

or find it on your App Store.

MARISHA: Tomorrow feels a little brighter

now that I have Beacon.

(loud crunching)

MATT: Welcome back.

So your troop of makeshift Delvers

sent on this rescue mission

to bring back the last seen,

still living Vigil member, Velk Dravenmoor,

who exists somewhere left behind

near the newly discovered gate to the Firmament's Harrow.

You take the map that you had plucked

from the clutches of Eryn to Rascelo,

and marks for you, which I did on there for you,

the path that was taken to where they had uncovered

where this entryway was.

There are blue dots among it,

which are blue torches that are left

on the last mission, delving,

they will leave blue flame marks to remind them

where their last path was until they've been recovered.

So there are little blue flames

along the way that guide you to the last known expedition.

TRAVIS: Smart. MARISHA: Okay.

MATT: With this information,

you trek outward into the jungle itself,

towards the base of the Griefcleft Mountains.

Who is leading this journey?

ASHLEY: I am. TRAVIS: Aah?

MARISHA: (laughs) No. No.

SAM: I mean,

she has eight wings. TRAVIS: (crashing)

SAM: She can do whatever she wants.

MATT: That's true.

TALIESIN: Is that how it works?

SAM: I'm not-- ASHLEY: You've

been out here before.

SAM: I have been out here before.

I've been all over the place, actually.

ASHLEY: You're so brave.

SAM: Really?

ASHLEY: Yes.

SAM: I mean, I don't think of myself that way,

but I mean, I guess if other people do,

I'm not going to say no to it.

ASHLEY: I'm a little bit scared.

TRAVIS: Oh. SAM: Have you--

I don't--

Have you been--

Where are you from?

MARISHA: She's from the Old World.

ASHLEY: Yes, I am from the Old World.

SAM: What does that mean?

MARISHA: She is a living relic.

ASHLEY: Yes, I'm a living relic.

MARISHA: You have to give her her utmost care and respect.

SAM: I do, of course.

I just don't know what that means.

She's a living relic?

ASHLEY: Yes, I'm a living relic.

TALIESIN: Absolutely, living relic.

SAM: I just haven't encountered many of those.

MARISHA: Tell him.

Tell him of your reverence. TALIESIN: They're rare.

ASHLEY: Yes, I--

Yes, this form was made to

praise and worship

and kneel before the old gods

and that is what I was made for.

TALIESIN: Which is why you're going first.

SAM: No, no, I get that,

it's just how did you come back to life?

Did you know that, did someone,

or were you always alive in there?

Were you a statue and you're, "Oh, get me out of here.

"I can't walk, I can't talk," like for years and years

and then somebody animated you

or is it a powerful wizard or a wish or a curse?

ASHLEY: I guess we should all be honest then

if we're going to go out.

TALIESIN: Really?

ASHLEY: I just,

I found my way to this statue.

I was wandering for quite some time and

I found the statue and it felt familiar and

I have memories, I think from the statue.

SAM: You were out of the statue.

You found the statue.

What were you--?

I don't mean to pry, it's just--

ASHLEY: No, it's strange for me as well, but I

believe that I died

and I wandered for quite some time

and then I found my way

to this statue after August found the statue

and cleaned it up, I guess, as much as he could and

it woke up and I was in it.

SAM: So you were dead?

Does that mean you're like a

undead?

TALIESIN: Clearly not.

ASHLEY: I feel very, very much alive.

TRAVIS: Very alive. Certainly alive.

ASHLEY: Yeah, I feel very much alive, and I am a friend.

TALIESIN: Best not to make assumptions.

SAM: I'm not, I'm just--

I've seen a lot of undeath out there.

TALIESIN: Does this look like undeath to you?

TRAVIS: I think it's also fair to say we don't really know.

Garek takes in lost creatures,

people without a lot of answers,

and we're hoping to find some of those answers out here,

but I don't think Misty knows much more than she's--

ASHLEY: Do I look like undead to you?

TRAVIS: No, no, no, no, no.

SAM: No, not at all.

ASHLEY: I mean, it's okay, I know--

SAM: You're very striking.

ASHLEY: People see me and they get very nervous.

TRAVIS: You're tall and imposing and powerful-looking.

ASHLEY: Yes, yes. TRAVIS: Powerful.

MARISHA: The Halcyon Domain.

SAM: One last question, sorry.

ASHLEY: No, don't be sorry. I will tell you.

SAM: This is none of my business.

Do you poop?

TRAVIS: (wheezes)

ASHLEY: Oh, you know what?

Those are actually very interesting questions.

MARISHA: I was actually curious, too.

ASHLEY: I feel like I would want to know the same.

I don't think so, because I don't--

MARISHA: Do you eat? ASHLEY: -- eat.

TALIESIN: No need, really. TRAVIS: You don't pebble?

ASHLEY: I don't pebble.

I mean, I could try, I guess, but--

MARISHA: You don't have to.

ASHLEY: Thank you.

TRAVIS: (squeaks)

SAM: That was him. ASHLEY: Was that me?

SAM: That was him. That was him.

ASHLEY: (laughs)

Was that my ass?

I don't know if I have one.

And I start circling to try to--

TALIESIN: Nothing I've ever seen back there, Misty.

ASHLEY: No. Thank you.

MARISHA: Was your name Misty in your previous life?

ASHLEY: That was given to me by August.

SAM: Oh. MARISHA: Oh.

TALIESIN: I needed something to call her

and she was a mystery

and it got shortened on the way here.

MARISHA: You know, the old ones, the old clerics,

they used to use these statues

to get divine messages from the Veiled Gods.

If this is familiar to you,

perhaps you had a connection to the Veiled Gods.

ASHLEY: Maybe I will.

Maybe--

I have memories that I don't feel like are my own

and I feel like they are the statue's,

but I don't know.

Maybe we will find out.

MARISHA: You are a bastion of inspiration.

ASHLEY: Thank you.

MARISHA: I will fight to defend you.

ASHLEY: Oh.

TRAVIS: But, Snyx, you should know,

this information, we don't--

We're careful with it.

TALIESIN: Please. TRAVIS: We keep it close.

ASHLEY: Yes. SAM: For sure.

TRAVIS: People might misunderstand in Desperloch.

ASHLEY: I will not hurt you.

SAM: Oh, thank you.

No, I understand, secrets are very important

and very valuable.

Yours is safe with me.

ASHLEY: Maybe at the end of all this,

I'll get to go home, wherever that is.

SAM: Sure. TALIESIN: It's a hope.

ASHLEY: Shall we adventure?

TRAVIS: We shall.

SAM: I'm happy to lead us, but it's scary out here,

and so be ready to run,

and my experience, once danger presents itself,

it's better to scatter, just run away.

ASHLEY: Just run. SAM: Just run away

as fast as you can in different--

MARISHA: From each other? SAM: Different directions.

MARISHA: Different directions. SAM: Yes.

TRAVIS: Ah, okay.

SAM: Someone may end up,

the slowest may end up falling,

but if you're fast enough,

you won't be the slowest and you'll--

ASHLEY: I don't think I'm very fast.

TRAVIS: Yeah, typically the Vigils say

that to work as a team in a group.

SAM: Sure, they're strong and they can fight,

but if you're not strong, and you can't fight,

you can just run.

TRAVIS: Sure. SAM: That's okay, too.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

MARISHA: On that note,

are we out of eye shot from the Slagwalls?

MATT: I'll ask again:

Who is leading this troop forward?

TRAVIS: (laughs) SAM: That's me.

MATT: I would like you to make

an instinct roll for me, please.

TRAVIS: Just sit here in the doorway, in the gateway.

SAM: Insight. MATT: (chuckles)

SAM: Instinct?

MATT: Instinct. SAM: Instinct.

All right.

ASHLEY: You've got this.

SAM: I sure do.

TRAVIS: Everybody in Desperloch's

just been listening. SAM: Nine with Hope.

MARISHA: Yeah. TRAVIS: Jesus fucking--

MATT: Nine with Hope.

Okay, so you can take a Hope.

SAM: However--

I should have called this before.

Yeah, you have to call it before the roll, right?

MATT: Experiences you call and pay for

before the roll, yeah. SAM: Okay.

Then I'll remember that next time.

MATT: That's okay.

MARISHA: Are we out of eye shot, though, from people?

TALIESIN: You do get a Hope.

MATT: Yeah, you're beyond, you guys have been walking

with this conversation, but you've been meandering

through the jungle as it progresses.

And indeed, there is that sound of the local wildlife

strongly pushing through here in the midday greenery,

the choking canopy of the stretching jungle trees,

tangled and pulling into each other as vines fall down

and seem to sway with the occasional burst of wind,

or without wind, seemed to almost move and twitch

on their own at the corner of your eye.

You turn and they're still,

but you continue to push onward

for to stop and to slow is to leave yourself available

for whatever might be hunting or stalking you from behind.

MARISHA: Once we clear and we're into the forest line,

you all have probably noticed some clinking of heavy armor

and Brixton sheds

her tattered robes of the Pyrekeeper,

and underneath it has full plate armor

that is a little rusted, definitely battle-worn,

a little ill-fitting.

It was not made for her custom.

She tucks and re-fashions her robes around her waist

and finally affixes a sword on her back.

SAM: Badass.

ASHLEY: Badass.

MATT: This display amongst the nerve-wracking reality

that as a scout and

a messenger through the settlements,

you have a very clear and repeated path

between settlements to take,

the safe route, the known route.

You've not gone to the vaults before,

and nervously pushing ahead without noting

a few times you get a little lost and just keep it

quietly to yourself. TRAVIS: Oh shit. Oh no.

SAM: It's this way, guys.

MATT: Occasionally you hear-- ASHLEY: I feel like we just

passed that one area before. MATT: -- a low (growling)

off to one side. MARISHA: Oh boy.

MATT: You quietly push on until it begins to fade

in the distance.

Every now and then there's a stillness.

(wings fluttering)

Birds scatter out from one area you freak out.

As they settle off in that space,

you also note that means they've made noise

and let your location known,

so you should also keep moving.

TRAVIS: Mm-hmm.

MATT: It takes a little longer

in the afternoon than it should've

until you come to the base of the mountains themselves,

the whole process taking a little bit of toll

on your mental health.

I need you to mark a stress for me.

TRAVIS: What's your experience?

Fearless Coward? What is it?

SAM: I have an experience that would've helped us

if I had remembered to use it called Well-Traveled.

(laughter)

SAM: Then there's one that's Spineless Coward.

TRAVIS: Ah. Got it. MATT: There you go.

But indeed, here at the base of the Griefcleft,

you can see familiar to those who have been

to these vaults before or trekked to see their exterior,

at the base of the cliff,

there is a massive pointed archway

where the entrance to the vaults have been

since before this area fell to ruin,

since back when the Veiled Gods still were present

on this world and their vision brought hope

and light and purpose.

This massive double-doored gateway,

the doors open and chained

to be a shaded step

into a sightless expanse.

You can see there are chairs and tables

and a few tents around here

that currently are closed and left alone

for when various members of the Scholars

go into do their research to search for,

or excavate for memories,

for reliquaries,

for shreds of the past and lost faith.

The history they still try and clamber and piece together.

Or the Delvers set up camp before they proper push

into the mountain. But you still have time

you got to keep to and an individual

who might not be able to last too long.

So you push on into the cavern itself.

As the gentle gray

of the midday light fades-- MARISHA: It's so nice.

ASHLEY: It really is so soothing.

MATT: -- you light your torches

and push into the dark,

the Luzal Vault.

Here, the smell of old, still air,

the scent of flesh decaying long ago

sits faintly through each inhale.

You can smell rust.

You can smell old water

and earth only recently uncovered.

Who's leading with the map?

TRAVIS: Before we get to the map, I'll share that

Velk Dravenmoor is a katari in his 40s,

but he also has all sorts of trinkets.

He carries bones and tea leaves

and he's a bit different from some of the other Vigil

that I've talked with because he still believes that gods

didn't leave, that they're still here

and that there's evidence of them being here

so we should keep our eyes out for anything

that might seem like little bits of worship

or something of his stuff.

ASHLEY: That's a good idea. MARISHA: Okay. Interesting.

I have the map here.

Ah.

If this is the correct entrance,

we should see two torches lit across from each other

shortly past the entrance.

MATT: You continue in through

maybe about 30 or 40 feet stepping through,

you can see the glimmer of blue

beyond this slight right turn,

and it's at that moment you see the scale

of where the map is and it is a little off.

What looks small and truncated on that map is far longer

and not quite a one-to-one for its hand-drawn purpose.

If you wish to use that map,

I would like for you to either make an instinct roll

or a knowledge roll.

The choice is yours.

TALIESIN: Would you like some help with this, or--?

MARISHA: I will do a knowledge roll.

Yeah, if you want to, if you would like.

TALIESIN: I will spend a Hope to help with this.

MARISHA: Is there any way--

No, it doesn't really make sense.

You're going to roll for me?

Ooh, yeah, I'll take it. Okay.

That is going to be 11 plus five.

Which is 16. Plus one for my knowledge.

So 17 with Hope.

MATT: 17 with Hope, take that Hope.

Pushing onward down the cavern,

using the map what you can to your torch light

as you step across exposed damp earth

onto uncovered stone step, a cracked dais,

and the surrounding rock and fallen rubble.

Eventually giving way to structure,

to reinforced archways,

some built recently, some uncovered from long ago.

A patchwork of the old age and the new,

trying to push deeper into this forgotten interior.

You feel fairly comfortable in following through,

but the sounds grow more and more still

the further in you go.

There is no wind,

there is no air,

it is just quiet.

And every shifting of armor,

every fall of heavy boot scraping on stone

echoes ever so faintly.

(echoing scraping and clattering)

ASHLEY: Cool.

MATT: (wings fluttering)

Bats scatter out at one point,

causing you to spook a bit.

You check the map,

feeling fairly confident.

MARISHA: We should reach a T intersection not far

in which we will need to take a right.

MATT: You push in and you find where there are

two of these blue torches, and indeed, multiple tunnels

that fork off to different sections.

You can see there's a central part of rock

that rises up a bit where one of the torches is affixed to.

You see signs of tables and chairs.

This area was utilized as a waypoint

for the Delvers or Scholars as they were coming through.

You can see there's red crystals glowing in the walls

which keep the area somewhat lit,

an affixed tube with some sort of an iron pick.

You look in here and

you're supposed to turn right.

But you step in and look around

and the direction of where you had come from

and where you had set seems to fade a little bit here.

TALIESIN: Are there footprints on the ground?

MATT: Make a knowledge roll for me.

TALIESIN: All right.

MATT: Actually, knowledge or instinct on this one

because it could-- TALIESIN: Knowledge.

MATT: Yeah.

MARISHA: Cocked! TALIESIN: That one's cocked.

All right, that's

18, 19, that's 20 with Hope.

MATT: 20 with Hope. Very good.

Looking around, you can see that there are many signs

of boot scuffs and footfalls throughout this chamber,

the heavy dust and dirt that has fallen

either from the ceiling or from the progressive excavation.

This area looks like it was tunnels that were between

the various sculpted and carved vault walkways.

the various sculpted and carved vault walkways.

So this was a built intersection

to try and connect disparate found portions of it,

so it's a little rougher hewn.

But you can see all manner of footsteps.

You can also see signs

of partially excavated bodies.

TALIESIN: I have Low Light also, so I can really see.

MATT: Yeah, there are bits of bone,

a skull emerging from a wall.

It looks like figures that may have been part of the vault

when it originally collapsed

that have since become part of the surroundings.

One of them, you see the skull open its jaw half agape.

You feel a flash of heat.

There's no wind.

There's no source of it beyond the torch

that you've set back behind,

but there is a warmth that seems to be omnipresent.

SAM: Something's weird.

Maybe we should just stay here for a second and--

MATT: You glance and see this--

There's the red crystals that are in the wall flickering.

You look about and you see one

that's affixed to the ceiling above

that dislodges and falls,

a slight flame flicker on it,

and it (thuds) hits the ground and spreads out.

You step back instinctually.

It's an odd, viscous, crimson,

gelatinous cluster

that shimmies

as it comes to rest.

You see the gentlest lick of flame around it,

You see the gentlest lick of flame around it,

and that warmth becomes hot.

SAM: Uh... (laughs) MARISHA: Uh...

TRAVIS: Staying where it is? SAM: Uh-oh.

MATT: Yeah. ASHLEY: It's not moving?

Is it in our path?

TRAVIS: Mm-hmm.

MATT: It's in the room with you.

MARISHA: There are other of these gem crystal situations?

MATT: There are multitudes of them

affixed to the walls around.

Yeah, they're red crystals settling.

MARISHA: Hmm. SAM: That one's not

making any moves towards us,

it's just sort of bubbling on the ground?

MATT: It's just sitting right there.

ASHLEY: Should we-- SAM: Well, let's--

ASHLEY: -- flick a pebble at it or something?

TRAVIS: No, I think we just avoid it.

ASHLEY: Leave it alone?

SAM: Run. I mean, just run.

TRAVIS: I think a controlled-- SAM: That's my instinct here.

ASHLEY: Have you encountered one of these before?

SAM: Have I encountered one of these before?

MATT: No. MARISHA: If we wanted to--

TRAVIS: I think a controlled pace is okay.

MARISHA: If this map, if this map is accurate,

we could double back and go the other direction

and still intersect onto the trail that we need to be.

MATT: As you turn to the rest of them,

you feel the strong heat towards your back and glance over.

The skull that was protruding from the side

of the stone and earth, you can see now that red jelly

is pushing through its sockets

and out of its mouth. TRAVIS: Oh shit--

MATT: (squelching) TRAVIS: Oh shit.

MATT: Flames are flicking up the side of the bone as it

(squelching plop).

As it does, it pulls the bones with it out

and you watch as it (squelches)

settles itself on the ground, this odd mixture

of partially burned and charred bone

now slightly swirled within the skull,

bobbing and floating.

MARISHA: I like Snyx's idea. Maybe we run?

SAM: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. MARISHA: Yeah, let's run.

SAM: Yeah, running's good.

MARISHA: Running's great. ASHLEY: This is very scary.

MATT: You go, in which direction do you run?

MARISHA: Do we follow the map or do we go backwards?

SAM: Give me the map! (laughs) MARISHA: Go back? (laughs)

SAM: How many ways are there in front of us?

MARISHA: Two. We're at a T intersection.

MATT: At a glance, four to five.

MARISHA: Four to five?! TALIESIN: They are definitely--

MARISHA: This map sucks. TALIESIN: -- moving towards us, right?

SAM: I'm going to pick one. MATT: (chuckles)

TRAVIS: One creature is standing up

that we've seen.

TALIESIN: I think I'm going to

give this thing a quick attack maybe.

So I'm going to-- SAM: Oh.

TALIESIN: As we back up--

I assume that we are backing up.

TRAVIS: Oh yeah.

TALIESIN: I'm going to pull out

a foot and a half long needle

and very gently

tap right in the tear duct of my eye, my larger eye.

MARISHA: Ugh. TRAVIS: Fucking what?

TRAVIS: Just a little bit of water comes out

and then I'm going to fire it off

and turn it into an Ice Spike directly into this--

ASHLEY: Cool. MATT: Go ahead

and roll for me, please. ASHLEY: Cool.

TRAVIS: Disgusting and awesome. TALIESIN: Awesome.

MARISHA: Yeah. (laughs)

TALIESIN: That's a--

Yeah, that's right.

TRAVIS: Keep your tear ducts to yourself.

MARISHA: Cocked. TALIESIN: Cocked.

Oh, yay! So I actually--

That's nice, I can, because this is a six,

I can burn a stress because I have that power.

Woo-hoo!

That's 16.

SAM: With? MATT: 16?

TALIESIN: 16 with, oh, thank you, Hope. Hm.

MATT: So take that Hope, and that is a success.

Roll damage for that, please.

TALIESIN: Thank you for that.

Damage for this thing is a d6.

Plus my prof-- Yeah.

Four points of damage.

MATT: Four points of damage. All righty.

ASHLEY: August, I'm pretty sure

everybody said we were going to run.

TALIESIN: We are. It doesn't mean I can't do this.

MATT: So the Ice Spike shoots into it.

(reverberating twang)

You watch it (sizzling)

and the ice immediately turns to mist.

(hissing)

The heat of whatever this is begins to burn brightly

and the ice liquefies and steams out of it.

TALIESIN: Let's run. MARISHA: (gasps)

ASHLEY: That was cool.

MATT: You pull that way and you turn around

in the direction where you planning to flee,

and you watch as clusters of bones

that have been reaching out of the wall--

(cracking emergence) MARISHA: Ah!

MATT: The skeletons clamber onto the ground

and begin to reform. ASHLEY: I don't like this.

MATT: I'll be right back.

(clamoring) SAM: What does that mean?

MARISHA: Map! Map! Map! SAM: You can't leave!

ASHLEY, MARISHA, and TALIESIN: (rhythmic chant) Map! Map! Map!

Map! Map! Map! SAM: We don't know.

It could be anything. TRAVIS: First Age of Umbra map!

TALIESIN: Umbra map!

MARISHA and ASHLEY: Ooh! TALIESIN: Ooh!

TRAVIS: Our tomb.

MARISHA: You got it? You need help?

TRAVIS: Oh, what the shit?

There are felled columns!

MATT: Wonderful minis brought to us

by our friends at Hero Forge.

TALIESIN: Yay! SAM: Oh yeah!

MATT: So as you guys were moving in through, probably--

TRAVIS: Oh, damn it! MATT: -- we'll say

this direction here.

The events were happening in this and began to back up

back where you came in. SAM: Sure.

MATT: That was where you had turned,

and you were met with

one of these-- TRAVIS: Oh shit.

SAM: Oh boy. MATT: -- assembled skeletons.

The rest of you, as you had cast your Ice Spike,

The rest of you, as you had cast your Ice Spike,

whereabouts would you have been?

TALIESIN: Probably--

MATT: I'll say the source of the impact that you fired at

would be about here.

TALIESIN: So I would have probably been--

Where is Misty?

ASHLEY: Misty is right here.

Misty, where would you have been?

SAM: Jesus! ASHLEY: I feel like I was--

MARISHA: What? TRAVIS: Wow.

ASHLEY: I feel like I'm taking up the rear

because I was sort of--

TRAVIS: You would be the last one?

ASHLEY: That's great. I'd be, yeah, I was--

MATT: So you would probably over there with these folks,

and you would have turned around to go this way.

ASHLEY: Yes. TALIESIN: Yeah.

MATT: To see that happening behind. ASHLEY: Definitely staying near August.

TALIESIN: So I would have been about right there, yeah.

That's about right. MATT: Okay. And you would have been?

TRAVIS: Stone feathers.

MARISHA: I would probably be near Snyx.

MATT: All righty.

TALIESIN: We are a little clumped.

MARISHA: As we were both staring at a map.

TALIESIN: How high is the ceiling?

MATT: The other blob that had dropped down is right there.

TRAVIS: Oh boy, look at that thing!

With the arms and the skulls coming out of the top!

SAM: There's two blobs over there

and there's a skelly behind us.

MATT: Correct. SAM: Oh boy.

TRAVIS: We're in front of it. We're good!

MATT: What are you doing?

SAM: Oh boy.

TRAVIS: I would warm it up.

I'd take the halberd out from behind the cloak

as the furs and leathers move.

Using Familiar Force, I'll start to whip it

around my head once and take a one-two stride,

and I'm going to swing it right for the middle of that.

MATT: That one here? All right. TRAVIS: Yeah. That skelly.

Blobby's mid section. MATT: Move up and

heavy swing towards that one.

TRAVIS: That is a 13 plus--

15 to hit.

MATT: 15 hits. TRAVIS: With Hope.

MATT: All righty.

TRAVIS: And that is a 1d10. A d10 plus two.

Let's go. Come on, we got to-- (stressed babbling)

MARISHA: (laughs)

TRAVIS: That's nine points of damage, and I'll actually--

MARISHA: Nine. TRAVIS: -- also burn one

of my prayer dice using my class feature

to add three additional points of damage, if I can.

MATT: For a total of?

TRAVIS: That's 12. 12 points of damage.

MATT: 12 points of damage.

That is going to be a severe wound to that one.

So that's three points of damage?

TRAVIS: I'm sorry, I'm sorry. 14 points of damage total.

MATT: Got you. That's great.

That's severe damage. Great.

So as you (swishes) strike with the halberd,

(slice) it burns and sizzles,

and you carve it in two pieces.

It uses its reaction to split.

(squelching) MARISHA and SAM: Oh!

MARISHA: So there's two blobbies?

MATT: There's now two smaller flaming blobs.

SAM: What did you do? MARISHA: But they're smaller blobs?

TRAVIS: I made a mistake.

SAM: What did you do? MARISHA: (laughs)

TRAVIS: Mistakes were made! (laughs) MARISHA: (laughs)

TRAVIS: Where there was one, there's now two!

MATT: I'll say--

MARISHA: (laughs) MATT: (splats)

(splats) TRAVIS: I made a friend.

(laughter) SAM: Oh no.

MARISHA: Oh boy.

MATT: They immediately both retort against you.

TRAVIS: (screams) MATT: Both are taking strikes.

First one is going to be a 20.

Not a natural 20, but a 20 to hit you.

TRAVIS: Oh yeah. It hits for sure.

MATT: And the second one is going to be a nine.

TRAVIS: That is my evasion.

MATT: All right, so yeah. So both hit you.

The first one strikes you. MARISHA: Oh boy.

TALIESIN: Oh boy. SAM: Why are you so slow?

MATT: You take three points of magic damage.

TRAVIS: Okay. MARISHA: My evasion's six.

MATT: And become ignited.

ASHLEY: (gasps) MATT: You are now on fire--

MARISHA: Oh! TALIESIN: ♪ Bow bow ♪

MATT: -- and will take damage each time you roll

until you manage to--

TRAVIS: Extinguish the flame?

MATT: -- extinguish it with a finesse roll.

TRAVIS: Shit! MARISHA: With a finesse roll.

ASHLEY: Damn. MARISHA: Oh no!

MATT: You or somebody else. MARISHA: This is so bad.

(laughter)

ASHLEY: This is so bad. MATT: The other one--

TRAVIS: Homie's got Ice Spikes.

MATT: The other one does five points of magic damage to you

as you begin to burn still. TRAVIS: Okay.

I'm going to burn one of my armor slots

to negate that last one

and only take one hit point out of the two.

MATT: You got it. TRAVIS: Okay.

MATT: All right, that finishes their reaction

and their spotlight.

Who's up next?

TALIESIN: How tall is the ceiling here?

MATT: In here? It's about, I'd say, 10 feet at most.

It's not terribly high except for at the top here,

it's about 15 or so feet

with only a five-foot clearance.

TALIESIN: So flying is a little iffy for now.

Anybody, or should I?

SAM: When August attacked with his Ice Spike,

it didn't split into two, right?

MATT: No.

SAM: So it's maybe when you slash it?

MARISHA: When you do melee. Yeah.

TRAVIS: When you do dope-ass shit to it.

SAM: Sure. ASHLEY: That's what splits it?

TRAVIS: Yeah.

MARISHA: As I turn around and I look

and I see the undead and I just say:

Be at rest, oh cursed one!

And I charge forward and I'm going to attack the skelly.

ASHLEY: Yes. MATT: The skeleton?

TRAVIS: (laughs) "Oh cursed one." MATT: All right, so you--

ASHLEY: Skelly! MATT: You push past Snyx

and immediately rush towards that skeleton.

Go ahead and-- MARISHA: Just palm him in the face.

SAM: (muffled) No! (laughter)

MATT: Go ahead and make your attack.

MARISHA: Oh. Ah!

It's bad!

Seven with Hope.

MATT: Seven with Hope.

SAM: Take that Hope. TALIESIN: Is that with the plus, or--?

MARISHA: I take the Hope. MATT: That is going to miss,

but you take a Hope. MARISHA: (moans)

MATT: So you swing wide,

attempting to strike out towards the skeleton.

You hit the side of its shoulder,

which the arm breaks off and the bones shatter,

but it doesn't seem affected by the fact

that you just removed one of its arms.

Its jaw (crack) hangs open,

and it's going to rush towards you immediately.

The skeleton warrior's going to strike out at you.

Ooh, not great.

That's a five.

MARISHA: Miss, which is a miracle. SAM: Oh wow.

MATT: This is true. Misses.

I'm going to spend a Fear. MARISHA: My evasion is six.

MATT: That's true. That's amazing.

I'm going to spend a Fear and spotlight this ooze.

It's going to (squelches) come towards you,

the one that you had Ice Spiked rushing towards you, August.

It's going to attempt

to strike out at you with its Ignite action.

TALIESIN: All right. TRAVIS: Ice Spiked.

MATT: (groans) That's going to be a 20 again.

TALIESIN: Wow. MATT: To hit you.

TALIESIN: That, you know,

I'm, mm--

TRAVIS: Thinking of reducing?

TALIESIN: Yeah.

SAM: But that's just to hit. We don't know how much damage.

TALIESIN: I'll just take it. I'll take it for now.

MATT: Okay. Five points of magic damage.

TALIESIN: (scoffs) MARISHA: Oh.

MATT: You also-- MARISHA: That's okay.

MATT: -- burst into flame.

SAM: Oh. MARISHA: I mean, that's not okay.

SAM: Everybody's on fire!

TRAVIS: (laughs) Oh god!

MATT: You hear the clattering of bones--

SAM: This is terrible!

MATT: -- as, shifting around the corner on this side,

awakened by the sound and anger of your presence,

two other skeletons seem to-- TRAVIS: Damn it!

MATT: -- reform and begin to shamble in your direction.

TRAVIS: Level one. ASHLEY: Where are we trying to go?

MATT: Who's going next? SAM: Remember the running thing?

ASHLEY: Yes. SAM: It was a good idea!

MARISHA: It wasn't a bad idea. TRAVIS: (laughs)

ASHLEY: All right, all right. I have an idea.

MATT: Mm-hmm. ASHLEY: I would like to get in--

SAM: Is it running? TRAVIS: (laughs)

ASHLEY: Well, it will help everyone run, I think.

SAM: All right.

ASHLEY: May I stand where I'm in close range with everyone?

So if I move forward-- MATT: Sure.

ASHLEY: -- I'll be standing--

MATT: About there? ASHLEY: Yes.

MATT: You are at close range with everybody

except for these skeletons here.

If you want to move within the skeletons as well,

you can move up here. ASHLEY: Great.

MATT: And I think--

Yeah, that'll get you in close range of both of them.

ASHLEY: Okay.

I don't know this body well,

but I know that it was made for music.

MATT: Mm-hmm. SAM: Oh.

ASHLEY: And was made for praise and worship,

ASHLEY: And was made for praise and worship,

to worship and--

MARISHA: ♪ Take me to church ♪

ASHLEY: ♪ Take me to church ♪ (laughter)

ASHLEY: So I'm going to cast Enrapture.

MATT: Okay.

ASHLEY: I am going to unfurl all eight of my wings.

MATT: (soft fluttering)

ASHLEY: Everyone starts to hear--

It sounds like music,

but as the feathers slowly start to move,

it almost sounds like a wind instrument,

but also like chimes,

but in my favorite key, B minor.

MATT: Mm-hmm.

ASHLEY: So it's a little sad.

MARISHA: You have a favorite key?

ASHLEY: I do. I love it. MARISHA: Is that a thing

that I should have?

TRAVIS: Just not A minor. MARISHA: Do I need to think about this?

ASHLEY: As the feathers move,

there is this beautiful, entrancing music.

I'm going to try to get all of their attention.

MATT: Is it a single target

or is it all targets within close range?

ASHLEY: It is...

Fuck!

SAM and TRAVIS: (laugh) ASHLEY: It's a single target.

MATT: Well which of these targets

would you like to focus on? ASHLEY: It says "a target,"

and I thought it was a bunch of targets.

MATT: That's okay. ASHLEY: Okay,

so then let's do--

Where do we want to go? Here?

SAM: Away!

ASHLEY: Wherever it feels like there's an opening

for us to go to, I would like to draw them

away from an opening. TRAVIS: Yeah, you want to go

down this hall?

ASHLEY: Yeah.

TALIESIN: That's not where we came from, correct?

TRAVIS and ASHLEY: No, we came from here.

MATT: You came this one.

TALIESIN: So we're taking a left.

TRAVIS: There's red, red, blue. ASHLEY: Are we left are we going--

TRAVIS: Red's over there, nothing over there.

MARISHA: According to the map,

we should take a right-- ASHLEY: We got to go blue.

MARISHA: -- but none of this seems to match.

We might have entered in a different area.

ASHLEY: Because we want to go blue?

TRAVIS: We don't know. SAM: We don't know yet.

MARISHA: We don't know. ASHLEY: We don't know.

I mean, it seems like blue would be the choice.

TALIESIN: Let's go with blue.

ASHLEY: Well, how do we know what one it is?

MARISHA: Yeah, if you follow--

SAM: Just get rid of a guy and then we'll figure out

where we're going right after that.

ASHLEY: Well, I'm going to try to make space.

TALIESIN: Got you. ASHLEY: So I'm going to do--

SAM: You're keeping space for this guy?

MARISHA: Keeping space.

ASHLEY: I'm keeping space for him.

MATT: Fair enough. Which one are you focusing on?

ASHLEY: I am focusing on--

MATT: There's one skeleton here.

ASHLEY: Yeah, so if we're going-- MATT: Ooze, two oozes,

skeleton, skeleton.

ASHLEY: If we're-- MARISHA: Gosh, there's more

skeletons deeper in. ASHLEY: Ooh.

If we're going this way-- MARISHA: Yeah.

ASHLEY: -- I want to attract those ones

so that we can clear a path going that way.

MATT: Okay, so this skeleton here?

ASHLEY: Yah. MATT: All right.

ASHLEY: So let's go with that one.

MATT: Sure. All right, roll for the spell.

Spellcast against the target.

ASHLEY: Okay, okay.

Which one am I going to do?

I'm going to do this one.

I'll do these two.

Are they going to roll good? I don't know.

Oh, they did. TRAVIS: Let's go.

ASHLEY: So I rolled with Hope. MATT: Okay.

ASHLEY: And that is a 20 total.

MARISHA: Nice. ASHLEY: No, wait.

I am adding my (mumbles) 22 with Hope.

MATT: That's a success with Hope. Take that Hope.

ASHLEY: Okay. MATT: What is the effect

of your ability?

ASHLEY: So they are

enraptured with me and they mark a stress.

MATT: Okay, good to know.

All right, so-- ASHLEY: You can mark a stress.

MATT: That's skeleton (bones creaking)

looks and focuses on you. ASHLEY: Oh.

"Once per rest--"

Sorry, hold on a minute. "They become--"

"While enraptured, a target's attention is fixed on you,

"narrowing their field of view

"and drowning out any sound but your voice.

"Once per rest on a success, you can mark a stress to

"force the enraptured target to mark a stress as well."

Let's do it.

MATT: Sure. Mark a stress.

They marked a stress as well.

All righty. SAM: Stressed-out skeleton.

MARISHA: Matt, am I supposed to be adding

my strength to my attacks?

MATT: Not unless you have an ability that lets you do it.

MARISHA: Okay, okay.

MATT: There are some Valor cards that will do that.

MARISHA: Okay.

It just says melee strength

as my trait. SAM: Let me get this straight.

MATT: Strength is what you get to on the attack roll.

SAM: You're trying to draw them closer to you?

MATT: Yeah.

ASHLEY: They're just skeletons.

I'm much bigger than them.

SAM: Oh god.

Can I spend my turn looking at the map

and trying to figure out the way out of here?

MATT: Yes, you may. SAM: Okay.

MATT: You can make a knowledge or instinct roll

to see where on the map you've been

and where you are currently hoping to go.

SAM: I will use an instinct roll

and I'm going to use my ridgeborne--

TRAVIS: Nice. SAM: -- ability Steady.

"You have advantage on rolls

"to traverse dangerous environments,

"navigate harsh environments."

That would be this, right? TRAVIS: Pretty harsh, bro.

MATT: Eh, I'll allow it. It's pretty harsh.

TALIESIN: This is harsh, bro.

SAM: And to give myself a bonus,

I am going to use my experience Well-Traveled.

I've looked at maps, some of them better than others.

MATT: That's true. You're ridgeborne.

You're from the mountainous areas,

and this is actually in a mountain,

so this all checks out. SAM: Okay, okay.

So I've got all kinds of advantage

and all kinds of stuff going on here.

Oh god.

(laughter)

MARISHA: He just shorted out. (laughs)

SAM: 13 with Fear.

TRAVIS: No, no, I'm going to use my last prayer dice

to give you plus four to that.

MARISHA: Ooh. ASHLEY: Whoa!

SAM: 17 with Fear. MATT: 17 with Fear,

so I'll take a Fear. ASHLEY: Okay, okay.

MARISHA: Nice. ASHLEY: That's good.

That's interesting. MARISHA: The slow drag.

MATT: It's the best.

Looking at the map, you realize and--

SAM: It was upside down!

MARISHA: I was following the instructions.

MATT: Indeed, you came in at an odd angle

the way the first entrance was.

The path you probably want to take, that is

the shortest distance marked on there, is this path.

TRAVIS: Told you! TALIESIN: I knew it.

MATT: Where the blue flames are leading you.

SAM: It's the blue flames!

TALIESIN: Ugh. MARISHA: That's what I said!

TRAVIS: I say in between just being en flambe.

(unintelligible screaming)

(laughter) TRAVIS: (yells)

SAM: Oh god, he's still on fire.

TRAVIS: Ah! Why am I on so much fire?

ASHLEY: Can I try to flap to try to put his fire out?

TRAVIS: You're making it worse!

MARISHA: Yeah! (laughter)

MATT: If you want to move over him--

ASHLEY: Giving it oxygen. MATT: Yeah, if you want to

immediately go again and then try and move over

to put out his flame, you can try it.

TALIESIN: I can also throw-- ASHLEY: Yeah.

TALIESIN: -- an Ice Spike right next to Travis--

SAM: That was with Fear. Is it your go, though?

MATT: It is, though. SAM: Okay.

MATT: So I'm just saying, when it comes back,

you can try that if you want to.

TALIESIN: It's Fear, never mind. ASHLEY: I'm going to wait.

MARISHA: I'm going to, I'm going to--

SAM: Abbida immina. MATT: Okay.

Well, on my end, the two tiny oozes

that have now been split from you

are going to shore up (slurping) against you.

TRAVIS: It's so hot!

MATT: (laughs)

That's going to be a 14 to hit you.

TRAVIS: Yes.

MATT: And a three to hit you.

TRAVIS: Misses.

MATT: All right, so with that,

you take two points of magic damage--

TRAVIS: Yeah. MATT: -- as it (slurping)

lashes out at you.

Then I'm going to spend a Fear on this end.

To--

TRAVIS: I'm going to burn an armor and not take it.

MATT: I'm going to say this skeleton is going to

move up towards you

and is going to take a swipe at you, Misty.

That's going to be a 10 to hit you.

ASHLEY: No, it does not.

MATT: It misses you? ASHLEY: It does.

It just goes wide on you. ASHLEY: Wait, that's my--

MATT: What's your evasion? SAM: Evasion.

ASHLEY: 11. MATT: Then, yeah,

it just misses you. ASHLEY: Okay, great.

MATT: So it swings wide and you see it coming

and you step out of the way.

Your wing bats it away

and goes completely off-center

from its original strike course

and strikes out and hits nothing to the left of you.

I'm going to spend one more Fear to let this one,

who is enraptured by you, to rush up and jump on top

and attempt to strike at you with a rusty spear

that it's pulled out from one of the nearby walls.

ASHLEY: I put my hands up.

MATT: It's going to be a three.

ASHLEY: Okay. MARISHA: Oh!

MATT: So you just put your hands up,

and whether it be through divine prominence

of this stone body's original purpose,

or through a clumsy-ass barely-summoned skeleton

from the nearby ruins, it does not find purchase

upon your body with its weapon

and you are saved in the moment.

ASHLEY: Oh.

MATT: You know, I'm going to let that ride for now.

You guys can take your--

TALIESIN: I'm going to put a Ice Spike right next to Idyl

and if there's time, because I can actually just

summon of them and they don't have to,

they actually don't have to be attacked.

It's not just an attack spell.

You can just make these Ice Spikes.

MATT: So you're shooting him with an Ice Spike?

TALIESIN: No, I'm putting one right next to him.

TRAVIS: Ah! Why?!

What is this team? MATT: Next to him?

TALIESIN: So what it says is the Ice Spike--

TRAVIS: I trusted you.

TALIESIN: "Make a spellcast roll to summon a large Ice Spike

"with far range.

"If you use it as a weapon, make a--"

So assume that I'm not using it as a weapon,

I'm putting ice that he can hopefully hug to help--

TRAVIS: I plucked you from the bushes.

MATT: Got you. I see what you're doing, yeah.

MARISHA: You want him to cuddle the spike.

MATT: Okay. TALIESIN: Cuddle the spike.

MATT: So yeah, so roll a spellcast roll for me.

TALIESIN: All right.

TRAVIS: It's a giant icicle.

MARISHA: (laughs)

TALIESIN: That's a--

MARISHA: Can you make it look like a Rocket Pop?

TALIESIN: That was the plan.

TRAVIS: Yes. TALIESIN: Yeah, all right.

That's a 24 with Fear.

MATT: That is a success and I'll take a Fear.

Also, because you are also on fire,

as you're summoning this,

the flames burn you for two points of magic damage.

TRAVIS: Oh.

TALIESIN: I'll spend an armor to lower that to one.

MATT: Two points of magic damage.

SAM: Two points. TALIESIN: Oh, two points?

Yeah. I'll just take it, yeah.

MATT: So you take another hit point, all righty.

You conjure this Ice Spike TALIESIN: Now it's fine.

and (whooshing) send it.

It's a heavy cast, too, this massive, elongated pike

of conjured icicle death, more or less.

(whooshing)

Sticks in the ground and jams about a foot into the earth

in exposed stone to the ground next to you.

You pull back and there's about a foot-and-a-half of it

still sticking out that cold mist and air around you.

SAM: Is he still on fire or is he okay?

TALIESIN: I actually am going to burn

an armor to make that go away. MATT: No, he's he's still on--

Well, the ice doesn't get rid of it.

He still has to do something to get rid of it.

SAM: Cool.

(laughter)

MATT: But that is there.

What I'll do is I'll say,

if you want to use a finesse roll to get rid of this,

or somebody does in the proximity,

it'll give you advantage

because of the ice proximity to it.

TRAVIS: Oh, let's do that.

ASHLEY: May I assist and help with trying to flap my wings?

MATT: Sure, if you'd like to,

if you want to spend a Hope to give him an extra--

ASHLEY: Yes, I will spend a Hope. MATT: Well, here's the thing.

He already has advantage because of the Ice Spike,

so you can either make the finesse roll yourself

to put it out on him, or he already has advantage.

TRAVIS: The advantage is d6, right?

MATT: Correct. SAM: Yep.

ASHLEY: Okay.

TRAVIS: Yeah! Double eights, baby!

MARISHA: You got to be kidding me.

MATT: Look at that. TALIESIN: Stop it.

MATT: Boom! TALIESIN: Don't stop it.

ASHLEY: Jeez! MATT: All right,

so you gain a Hope and clear a stress, if you had it.

ASHLEY: Awesome. MARISHA: Wow.

MATT: The flames are put out.

I'll say as you were flapping your wings

while holding the skeleton's attention,

it pulls up the icy mist from around this icicle,

as it begins to melt, you draw it up and you reach down

and find the flames cast off your body.

TRAVIS: (pants) Thank you.

TALIESIN: Aah!

MARISHA: I'm going to take another swing

at this guy in front of me.

MATT: Go for it.

MARISHA: Come on, come on.

Okay, this is better.

And 10 plus-- 14 with Fear.

MATT: 14 with Fear, that does hit.

MARISHA: Yay. But that works.

Then I can roll 2d10 and take the highest.

Ooh! That is a 10, baby.

So 13 damage to this boy.

MATT: 13 damage, that is going to be a severe wound.

This skeleton is scattered into a cluster

of shattered bone pieces.

(shattering) SAM: That was incredible.

MATT: You hear them sprinkle and bounce off

the nearby stone walls from just the sheer volume

of the impact. MARISHA: Be at peace, brother.

(yells) And I run.

I'm going to haul ass towards this blue torch

that we're heading towards. MATT: Do you want to move--

So you can move close distance,

or you can move far distance

and make an agility roll to see if

you can make the run. TRAVIS: Nice.

MATT: What do you want to do?

MARISHA: Let's make a roll.

MATT: All right. MARISHA: Why not?

MATT: So roll an agility roll for me, please. MARISHA: What's stopping me?

What's stopping me is if I trip and--

MATT: That's exactly what it is.

The dice are what stop you MARISHA: -- eat shit on my balls.

But let's see, let's see.

Oh.

This is so fun.

Yeah, that's going to be a six total.

A six total with Fear.

MATT: A six with Fear. SAM: Oof.

MATT: You go darting this way

and immediately your shin hits that box on the side.

There's a crate set with pickaxes

and excavating material, you're like-- (yelling)

Immediately your-- MARISHA: (grunts and whines)

ASHLEY: Ow, ow, ow! MATT: Your kneecap pops

out to the side a little bit,

you're like-- (groaning)

MATT: Mark a stress on that

and you only make half the distance.

MARISHA: That's okay. That's fair.

MATT: I'll take that extra Fear as it comes back to me.

The two oozes that are still on the ground are--

TRAVIS: Flamey ooze?

MATT: Yep, and they'll attempt to reignite you--

TRAVIS: No! MATT: -- as they reach out.

Ooze are still there, y'all,

and they're still very fire-centric.

That's going to be eight to hit you.

TRAVIS: Misses.

MATT: That misses your evasion?

TRAVIS: It does. MATT: Okay.

TRAVIS: Evasion is nine.

MATT: Other one, that's going to be a four.

So they rolled like absolute dog shit that round.

ASHLEY: Run, run!

TRAVIS: Can I--

MATT: But I will spend a Fear immediately

to spotlight this one

that's standing behind where you are trying,

looking at the map,

and you feel this heated growth behind you,

as it's going to come at you for,

that's going to be a 16 to hit you.

SAM: Oh, my evasion is 13, that hits.

MATT: That hits you.

The edge of the map begins to burn.

SAM: No, no, no! MATT: The fire on the side,

you are also beginning to burn as you are ignited on flame

next to your fun spider companion, August, there.

You do ♪ take ♪

three points of magic damage from the flames.

SAM: Okay, okay, that's not fun.

Ouch.

MATT: I'm going to spend another Fear.

SAM: No! TALIESIN: No!

MATT: I'm going to spotlight this skeleton here

that's focused on you.

You've enraptured it and it is now entirely driven

to destroy this statue, this beautiful relic of an age past

that reminds it of a time that maybe it was not as corrupt

and pulled from its dead space.

It has no conscious or memory.

It is a skeleton raised by necrotic power.

It just wants to destroy you.

It is going to come at you.

That is going to be 11 hit.

ASHLEY: That just hits. MATT: That hits, okay.

So you take from this skeleton warrior

as it strikes out at you, pfft.

Three points of physical damage.

ASHLEY: Okay. MATT: (laughs)

ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: Rolling real bad on some of these damage rolls.

SAM: Uh-huh. MATT: Which is good for you.

ASHLEY: Yep.

MATT: And I'm going to hold the rest of my Fear.

Who wants to go?

TALIESIN: I would like to be put out.

If anyone wants to help with that,

I'm just going to roll. What is it?

It's that finesse roll? SAM: It's a finesse roll?

MATT: It's a finesse roll, yes.

TALIESIN: I'm going to roll a finesse roll if anyone--

TRAVIS: Can you point out

where August is? TALIESIN: -- wants to help.

MATT: August is right here. SAM: We're over there

both on fire. MATT: Yep.

With an un-- TRAVIS: Look out!

MATT: No, a slightly damaged ooze there

that you struck originally. TALIESIN: Mm-hmm.

All right, here we go.

TRAVIS: I'm going to follow August with a halberd strike.

MATT: Let's go.

TALIESIN: That's a 15 with Fear.

MATT: 15 with Fear? 15 is a success.

TALIESIN: Ahh.

MATT: So you are no longer--

SAM: Oh, that's nice. MATT: -- aflame.

However, as you finish-- SAM: That was mine.

Oh, that was, you, right.

I'll pass this right over to you then.

SAM: No! MATT: Boop.

You managed to pat out the fire,

and just as you finish that process of doing so,

by the way, you can move on your turn as well.

TALIESIN: Yes. MATT: If you wanted to

on your turn.

TALIESIN: I was hoping to--

TRAVIS: Get the fuck out of here.

TALIESIN: Yeah. ASHLEY: Yeah.

TALIESIN: I was hoping to take flight.

ASHLEY: GTFO.

SAM: Take flight? MATT: Okay.

SAM: As in fly? TALIESIN: So--

MATT: I will-- TALIESIN: Yeah.

SAM: You're spider who flies? ASHLEY: Flying bug?

TALIESIN: So, I shift my coat a little bit and tap.

ASHLEY: Come on. TALIESIN: Wake up!

You see two moth wings--

MARISHA: Ugh.

TALIESIN: -- come out of my back.

And if you're paying close attention,

someone has clearly surgically implanted a living giant moth

into my spinal cord--

TRAVIS: Oh! SAM: Ew!

TALIESIN: -- which is a completely separate entity,

clearly with its own little mouth and head

that it's just bound there.

TRAVIS: It's very "Silence of the Lambs."

TALIESIN: You're welcome. ASHLEY: That is so cool.

SAM: Does everybody have wings?

MARISHA: It's my only phobia. I hate you.

TALIESIN: I know.

MATT: I'll use that dice to connotate you as flying,

but you can get about that far.

TALIESIN: Yep. MATT: Then as that turn ends,

it comes to me.

As everyone's charging that way,

you have the map that's now slightly burning.

You have a burning ooze that is focused on you from behind

that I'm going to activate

and come at you immediately.

SAM: Amazing. MATT: That's going to be--

TRAVIS: No! MATT: -- a 11 to hit.

SAM: My evasion is 13.

MATT: Oh, so it misses you entirely.

SAM: I'm running around with my hair on fire.

TALIESIN: (yells) MATT: (laughs)

TALIESIN: Just prancing. MATT: Brings it back to you guys.

Who wants to go?

TRAVIS: I'm going to take my halberd,

and because it's a very close weapon,

I'm going to activate Spirit Weapon,

MATT: Uh-huh.

and it can fly from my hand to attack an adversary

within close range and then return to me,

but I'm going to mark a stress

and have it attack an additional target

with the same attack roll

and try to hit both of those blobs--

MATT: Both of the small ones? TRAVIS: -- that have been

fucking giving me grief, man.

MATT: You got it, so make that attack roll.

TRAVIS: Here we go. Hey, green giant.

That's 17 with Fear.

MATT: 17 with Fear, that definitely hits.

TRAVIS: Awesome. MATT: So roll damage.

TRAVIS: Okay, d10 plus two.

Eight, 10. 10 points of physical damage.

MATT: Describe how you spin this halberd

and shuck it to slash through both

and destroy both of these oozes.

TRAVIS: I spin the halberd above my head again,

but I open my palm and the staff starts to spin--

ASHLEY: Cool.

TRAVIS: -- right on the center, and I'll throw it

like I'm throwing a Frisbee

and you see it go (whooshing)

and comes back around.

I catch it and spin it

and then tuck it under my arm.

MATT: Hell yeah. ASHLEY: Cool!

TRAVIS: One solid move.

MATT: It strikes part of the outer edge of that pillar

and as it impacts, holy sparks (crackling)

careen off of it before you catch it

and stop the momentum in your hand.

Both of those flaming oozes (squelching)--

MARISHA: Yes. MATT: -- just dissipate

onto the stonework and vanish. ASHLEY: Cool. Cool!

The heat now absolved.

TRAVIS: They can be cut. We got to go!

I'll take off running towards the blue lantern.

MATT: Full far run or just a part run?

TRAVIS: I'll do the full far run on make an agility roll.

MATT: Make an agility check for me, please.

TRAVIS: Badass 12. 17 plus--

20, dirty 20 with Hope.

MATT: With Hope, so take that Hope and you manage

to go the full distance up to here, far range.

ASHLEY: ♪ He's going the distance ♪ MATT: Which will get you actually

a little further into there.

TRAVIS and TALIESIN: ♪ He's going for speed ♪

MATT: In the tunnel,

heading that direction, awesome.

TRAVIS: ♪ He's all alone ♪ ALL: ♪ All alone! ♪

(laughter)

MATT: Finishing your go,

since it's now come towards you a secondary time

and you've dodged out of the way,

it's going to see you flashing the light of this halberd

and destroying the other ooze.

It turns its attention just to see you vanish

around the corner and instead is going to lunge

towards the closest target in its sight,

which is you, Brixton.

It's going to come at you for a 14 to hit.

MARISHA: That definitely hits.

MATT: All right. SAM: Come on, Brixton.

MATT: The flaming ooze SAM: You know everything

about fire. MATT: Comes at you for

five points of magic damage.

MARISHA: Okay. MATT: And you are ignited.

SAM: No! MARISHA: Can I use my armor--

If I don't take any damage, do I not catch flame?

MATT: I'll say yeah.

MARISHA: Okay. I am going to use an armor point

to knock that down to no damage.

MATT: Then you are not ignited.

It strings out towards you,

and you going to shrug off

your long collected relic armor.

MARISHA: Yeah, you quite literally,

almost like a chef that can hold a cast-iron pan,

you see me parry it with an open palm.

TRAVIS: Dang! ASHLEY: Cool!

MARISHA: Which affects me none,

thanks to handling flame my whole life.

MATT: Yeah. I'll allow that.

TRAVIS: "Parry your weapon. It affects me none."

MARISHA: It affects me none. TRAVIS: (laughs)

MARISHA: Then can I take, since I'm here

and I'm fighting it.

MATT: Yeah. MARISHA: Can I take an--

I'm going to-- I don't want to slice it,

but I do want to take my greatsword

and spin it around,

and almost use the butt, the hilt of my sword,

to see if I can bludgeon this thing out.

MATT: Sure. Go for it.

MARISHA: Almost like damping down the flame.

MATT: Roll the attack.

MARISHA: Okay.

Then, may I, while using my sword--

TRAVIS: May. I. MARISHA: May I--

I want to use one of my orderborne Dedicated Virtues.

MATT: Uh-huh.

MARISHA: Where I can have three sayings or values

that are instilled upon me.

And once per rest,

I don't know if it's short rest or long rest,

I can describe how I'm embodying

one of these principles,

and use a d20 as my Hope die.

So I would like to use, "The strongest steel

"must first be tempered by the flame."

TRAVIS: Ooh, yeah! ASHLEY: Whoa! Cool!

SAM: Woo! MARISHA: And do that?

MATT: Given the literally heated exchange

that this source of fire has been amongst your friends,

you see flicker in your eyes,

the deepest fire of the Sacred Pyre

that keeps Desperloch safe and held.

In that moment of inspiration, take your strike.

MARISHA: Amazing.

You hear me whisper it-- TRAVIS: The secret fire

of the Sacred Pyre. MARISHA: The Sacred-- (laughs)

Oh, that's amazing! I rolled a 19 on my Hope die.

SAM: Whoa.

MARISHA: So that's going to be

23 plus two to my strength, so 25 total.

MATT: That definitely hits. Go ahead and roll damage.

TALIESIN: Murder.

MARISHA: Great. I will take that

eight, nine, 10, 11 total.

MATT: 11 total damage? MARISHA: 11 damage.

ASHLEY: Damn. TRAVIS: That's the big hammer.

MATT: That's going to be a severe on that one.

All right, you strike it with a butt of your sword.

(impacts) It quivers angrily.

You almost pull the flame from it for a moment.

Almost like you're

siphoning the essence of the Sacred Pyre.

Maybe that's just your imagination.

It look cool in the moment.

I'm going to use a Fear for its reaction

to go ahead and split--

(squelching) SAM: Oh no.

MARISHA: Oh, I was trying to avoid that. MATT: -- into two ones.

And I'll use a secondary one here. MARISHA: Hoping I would kill it.

MATT: It's a little bit smaller,

but they're both barely holding on at this point.

TRAVIS: Beware when you hit it,

they split into two! (laughs) MARISHA: Barely holding on.

MATT: They're both like, (squelching)

But the spotlight's still on you guys.

So do you want to keep running, or--?

SAM: Oh, you can do whatever you want.

MARISHA: Go. You go.

SAM: I just wanted to put out the fire.

TALIESIN: I was about to help anyway, so I can--

SAM: Sure. TALIESIN: Before you do, yeah.

I can throw a spike down for you.

SAM: Oh, nice. I mean, there seems to be

little green puddles everywhere,

or is that just the shininess of the map?

TRAVIS: That's gasoline.

MARISHA: (laughs) MATT: Yeah.

You are exploding.

No--

I'll say that there are damp elements of

water and groundwater that's seeped through

and cause small puddles.

SAM: I'm going to jam the map into one of those puddles

to try to put it out.

MATT: You put out the map without an issue, but--

SAM: And then try to--

MATT: Roll in it? SAM: -- stop and roll around.

MATT: (laughs) SAM: Just splash.

TALIESIN: I'm not firing while you're rolling around.

MATT: So make a finesse roll for me

to see if you can put out the flame.

SAM: Okay, let's do it.

13 with Hope.

MATT: 13 with Hope is not going to succeed.

MARISHA: What? It's not going to succeed?

SAM: But I get a Hope.

MATT: You get a Hope.

But you also take-- MARISHA: Oh no!

MATT: -- three points of magic damage

as the fire continues to burn you

as you're rolling on the ground.

Stop, drop, and roll not working against this.

It's not working against this!

SAM: (groans)

(laughs) TRAVIS: He's dead.

MATT: (laughs)

Do I still have movement? Or is that it for this turn?

MATT: I'll say you can move,

but then the spotlight's going to come back to me.

SAM: Sure. I'm going to do what I do best,

and I'm just going to run.

MATT: (laughs)

SAM: I'm going to run this way, though.

MATT: Okay.

SAM: Towards over here. MATT: So you can get there.

That far. SAM: Great.

Away from danger, I hope.

MATT: All right. Now spotlight's back to me.

I'm going to go ahead and--

One of the other skeleton on the side here,

that's still up against you,

the other one is just missing entirely.

It's going to try and come at you,

with this gnarly looking axe, Misty.

And that's going to be a 16 to hit.

Does that hit you? ASHLEY: Hits.

MATT: All right. For that-- TALIESIN: Boo.

MATT: -- Misty, you take four points of physical damage.

The axe impacts in your forearms as you guard it.

MARISHA: I Am Your Shield!

SAM: Oh. MARISHA: I'm near Misty.

MATT: You are.

MARISHA: Okay.

MATT: So you want to step in and take that blow?

MARISHA: Yeah, emboldened by the flame

(chuckles)

and probably my imagination.

(laughter)

MARISHA: I can see my flaming hand.

I'm going to reach in front.

She must be protected.

And almost grab their axe.

MATT: Yeah, as the swing comes down,

all of a sudden out of nowhere,

Brixton's hand grabs the axe and pulls it down onto her.

You take four points of physical damage instead.

ASHLEY: Oh no!

MARISHA: That's okay.

I'm going to use an armor to negate that.

MATT: You got it.

All righty.

ASHLEY: Thank you!

That was so kind.

MARISHA: You must be protected.

MATT: It is now back to your go.

ASHLEY: Oh, thank you!

TALIESIN: I'm actually finally going to take that Ice Spike

and drop it next to Snyx. SAM: (whines)

MARISHA: Oh god. MATT: Okay.

Roll for spell attack. TALIESIN: Making my little

spell roll. MATT: Or spellcast.

MARISHA: Stress.

TALIESIN: Ooh, that's two nines!

SAM: Hey! MATT: Dang,

you guys are critting up a storm.

MARISHA: Hey! MATT: This is wild.

All right, so--

So clear that stress, and take that Hope,

and that strikes immediately next to you.

You will get advantage on your next attempt

to alleviate that flame.

Do you want to stay put or do you want to move?

TALIESIN: Well, is anybody in melee with me or no?

MATT: Currently? No.

You are then very close to that skeleton on the top,

but not within melee. TALIESIN: I'm going to start

rolling down this way.

I'm not going to go double speed,

because I want to be able to help out with combat.

MATT: Over this way?

TALIESIN: But yeah, I'm still flying,

and I'm going to keep an eye on everyone.

because I'm going to start trying to

clear us. MATT: I'll put you up here,

keeping an eye on things. TALIESIN: Perfection.

MATT: That'll work.

All righty.

So with you there, are you trying to put out--

SAM: I'm going go try one more time to hug the Ice Spike,

and see if it can help

relieve my-- MATT: You have advantage

because of the Ice Spike's proximity.

SAM: Great.

18, 19 with Fear.

MATT: With Fear. I'll take that Fear.

But you are no longer engulfed in the ooze's flame.

SAM: Ah.

TALIESIN: Prodding my eye over and over again

with this bloody needle. MATT: (laughs)

SAM: Thank you, Spider-Man.

TALIESIN: Everyone gets one. SAM: (laughs)

MATT: And you can move-- MARISHA: Everyone gets one.

MATT: -- right there. TALIESIN: (laughs)

MARISHA: Yeah, that's fair. MATT: That distance

around the corner, if you're still trying to--

SAM: Yeah, absolutely. MATT: -- get to that point.

Coming back to me,

this overall skeleton up top,

they're trying to carve away at this statue

that's drawn their attention.

And either they continue to miss,

or somebody else keeps getting in the way.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

MATT: Whatever necrotic force has pushed them

to this semi-state of terrorizing consciousness,

they are driven to try and chisel away at you.

The one on top's going to strike at you.

That's going to be 10 to hit you.

ASHLEY: It does not hit. MARISHA: Miss?

MATT: That misses. SAM: Wow.

MARISHA: Yes! MATT: I'm going to spend

a Fear that I just got to have the other one strike at you.

Same roll.

SAM: Wow! ASHLEY: Yes!

MATT: I'm going to spend one more Fear.

SAM: Yes! TALIESIN and MARISHA: Yeah.

MARISHA: Run him through it. TRAVIS: Spend them up.

Spend them up. MATT: And then,

because they both been activated this turn,

they don't have Relentless, I can't activate them again.

This ooze is going to.

(squelching) slither up to the top,

and is going to attempt to strike at you from behind.

ASHLEY: Okay.

MARISHA: (laughs)

MATT: That's a seven. TRAVIS: Say it.

TALIESIN: ♪ Deus pascit corvos ♪ MARISHA: Oh!

MATT: I'm going to leave it at that. (laughs)

ASHLEY: The old gods are on my side.

TRAVIS: You could just spend one more Fear.

MATT: Nah, I'm okay.

ASHLEY: Is everybody out of the vicinity?

Is Idyl making his way down--

MATT: Idyl's lower down. ASHLEY: Oh, he's already down there.

MARISHA: ♪ Makin' his way ♪ TRAVIS: Yep.

MATT: Yeah, most everyone's there. It's just--

ASHLEY: Where's Brixton? MARISHA: I'm right behind you.

MATT: Brixton's right here. ASHLEY: You're right behind.

MARISHA and MATT: Yeah. ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: Brixton and Misty,

the two of you holding up the rear at the moment.

ASHLEY: All right, shall we run?

MARISHA: Let's run.

ASHLEY: Okay. I'm going try to step down,

and start trying to run towards the--

MATT: A full run? Or just through close distance?

ASHLEY: Just close distance.

MATT: Okay. ASHLEY: Close the distance.

MATT: Okay. Do you want to do anything else on your turn?

ASHLEY: I don't think so.

MATT: If you want to go to a far distance,

you can make an agility check, if you'd like to.

To see if you can do it.

Up to you.

ASHLEY: Sure.

MATT: I love it. ASHLEY: Why not?

MATT: Let's go. ASHLEY: Let's do it.

MATT: So you would be here.

Go ahead and roll an agility. ASHLEY: I have nothing to add,

so-- Oh. Well.

Nine with Hope.

MATT: Nine with Hope?

That's not going to succeed,

unfortunately. ASHLEY: I didn't think so.

MATT: The terrain here's a little more difficult.

So you only get a close distance at the end.

You get a Hope, but that brings it back to me.

The two slimes that are still up there,

the one skeleton that's focused on you at this point,

I'm going to do that.

This skeleton, it's going to take a chunk out of you.

ASHLEY: Yeah, that's okay. MATT: It wants to so badly.

I'm going to activate it coming at you.

There we go. That's going to be a 13 to hit.

ASHLEY: That hits. MATT: Okay.

Okay. The skeleton hits you for

three points of physical damage.

ASHLEY: Okay.

TRAVIS: (laughs) Three points. MATT: And it feels vindicated.

It's like, "(snarls)

"(cheers)" ASHLEY: I'm going to use

an armor. (laughter)

MATT: It's so excited.

ASHLEY: I'm going to use an armor to get rid of it.

MATT: "(disappointed wailing)"

(laughter)

MATT: It feels dejected. TRAVIS: "Yes! (screeches)"

(laughter)

MATT: Hates statues now.

And I'm going to leave it at that.

TRAVIS: Questions its whole presence.

MARISHA: You said these oozes are barely hanging on?

MATT: Yeah, they're tiny little-- MARISHA: That I've been parrying?

MATT: -- cloven oozes. What do you want to do?

MARISHA: I tell Misty: I'm right behind you.

ASHLEY: Okay.

MARISHA: (shouts)

I'm going to swing at them, and I'm going to pick one,

and I might do a Whirlwind if it succeeds.

MATT: Let's go.

MARISHA: Please fucking work.

(laughs)

Okay.

And it's an 11 to hit,

with Hope? MATT: That hits.

MARISHA: Okay! ASHLEY: Oh.

SAM: That's great! MATT: So take a Hope.

MARISHA: Okay! I'm going to spend a Hope into a Whirlwind,

and hit everything within my range.

ASHLEY: Wait, but you just got a Hope.

Because you rolled with Hope.

MARISHA: You're right, I rolled with Hope.

ASHLEY: Keep that. MARISHA: So I keep that.

MATT: Yep. MARISHA: Good looking out.

ASHLEY: You're welcome, girl.

MATT: All right, so how much damage?

TRAVIS: (laughs)

MARISHA: So that will be--

Ugh, icky.

Hopefully it's enough, though.

Five damage for both?

MATT: Five damage does one hit point to both of them.

As you carve through-- ASHLEY: Yes.

Yes!

SAM: Woo!

MATT: Both of the oozes are splattered against the rocks.

Their flames subsiding and vanishing.

MARISHA: Okay, great. And now I follow after Misty.

MATT: Okay. Are you going for a full far sprint?

MARISHA: You know, after I ate shit last time,

I'm going to keep it calm and keep it smooth.

I'm feeling like a badass.

ASHLEY: Keep it low-key? MARISHA: Yeah.

MATT: Okay.

TALIESIN: Since we're there,

I'm going to take my turn since--

Well, no, do you want to--

SAM: I'm running.

Yeah, do what you do.

TALIESIN: I was going to throw an Ice Spike

at that very tall skeleton that's had some issues.

MATT: Let's go. Roll spellcast for me.

TALIESIN: Yeah. SAM: It's had some issues.

TALIESIN: That's 14 with Hope.

MATT: All right. Take that Hope, that's a success.

Go ahead and roll damage.

TALIESIN: All right. Ice Spike is a d6.

That's a four.

MATT: A four.

That's going to be two hit points,

which is enough to shatter it.

(shattering) MARISHA: Let's go.

MATT: That skeleton gets blown apart.

TALIESIN: And now I'm flying back.

MATT: We'll say, at this point,

as you all begin to flee into here,

the speed of the skeleton is not quite enough to keep up.

As you began to vanish down further down that path

that you had noticed on the map,

you can no longer hear the skittering of bone,

just the silence of the interior cave.

TRAVIS: Okay.

Okay, so,

dripping goo that catches things on fire.

SAM: Mm-hmm.

TRAVIS: Probably the worst thing we're going to encounter

in these caves. SAM: Definitely.

TRAVIS: Yeah.

TALIESIN: Why would you say something like that?

ASHLEY: That's it? That's the scariest part?

TRAVIS: No, no. SAM: He was being sarcastic.

TRAVIS: Yeah. ASHLEY: Oh.

TALIESIN: Don't listen to anything--

TRAVIS: That human thing where the humor is implied, but--

ASHLEY: I understand.

This is the same type of thing that lying is funny.

TRAVIS: Yes. ASHLEY: Okay.

TALIESIN: Oh boy.

SAM: Brixton, you were very powerful back there.

ASHLEY: My goodness, you're a warrior.

A true warrior.

SAM: I thought that you just were a fire keeper.

MARISHA: (sighs)

Yes, you see I--

I've been tending to the flame for about 15 years now.

But it gets maddening doing the same thing

day in, day out, year after year.

I don't actually know how much time I've spent

at the top of that tower.

But a handful of years ago,

curiosity got the best of me.

So I made friends with a few of the Delvers and

they let me sneak on by.

SAM: Sneak on by?

Like to train with them?

MARISHA: No, just

take walks.

TRAVIS: Outside the wall?

MARISHA: Outside the wall, in the vaults.

ASHLEY: Wow.

MARISHA: I would do it off-hours

when everyone else was asleep.

I would sometimes even pad my cot

to make it look like I was still there,

and not abandoning my post.

And one day, when I came through here,

you know, I started off small.

100 meters at first.

200 meters, 300 meters.

I was quite the coward when I first came down.

But over time, I was more and more boldened.

The flame had spoke to me.

The Pyre.

Then I came across a body, a skeleton,

and it had this armor.

SAM: Oh.

MARISHA: And

I don't know, something inside--

It was almost as if

the skeleton's eyes lit up with flame,

and it called to me,

and I knew this armor was meant for me.

This was to be my new calling.

This was my destiny.

ASHLEY: Wow.

TALIESIN: This just happened right now?

MARISHA: What? What?

TALIESIN: The skeleton in the armor.

Are you talking about what just happened?

MARISHA: No, no, no, this was not that long ago?

A handful of months, at most.

I don't know-- ASHLEY: She has this armor on.

SAM: So it happened twice?

This is the second set of skeletons on fire that--

SAM: No, no. The one she's talking about was dead.

MARISHA: Dead guy.

TRAVIS: Do I think she's telling us the entire truth

about how she got that armor?

MATT: If you want to make an instinct roll,

and you can make--

TRAVIS: I have advantage on

detecting lies. MATT: -- a presence roll.

MARISHA: A presence roll? ASHLEY: Ooh.

MARISHA: Sure.

TALIESIN: It seems like a weird coincidence,

is all I'm saying.

MARISHA: That one's kind of cocked.

TRAVIS: Nine, 10, 11, 12.

MATT: I'll say yours is a reaction roll,

so you don't get Hope or Fear on this one,

but as a reaction. MARISHA: Okay.

TRAVIS: 15 with Hope.

MARISHA: Okay, I definitely did not roll that.

I rolled a 11.

MATT: Okay.

So you can take a Hope.

And express what he senses about your presentation.

MARISHA: What she's saying

she believes, at least.

I don't know, maybe she's a little unhinged.

TALIESIN: Oh boy.

MARISHA: Maybe doing nothing but staring at fire

for over a decade.

TRAVIS: Maybe that body was still alive

when the armor was on it?

MARISHA: I don't know.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

MARISHA: I don't know. TALIESIN and TRAVIS: (laugh)

MARISHA: She saw a dead man, his eyes lit up in flame,

because she sees flame everywhere.

And I would say the armor

does not look current.

TRAVIS: Got it.

MARISHA: This is definitely armor from the Old World,

from the knights of yore, from the--

I don't know who these--

You help me out here.

MATT: It's definitely--

The insignias on them that you've kept

mostly covered when you left Desperloch, themselves

hold the banner image of the old Amber Reach.

This was armor that adorned a decorated soldier

of the armies of the Old World,

and those that were given station

in the military beneath the God-King.

ASHLEY: May I take a closer look?

MARISHA: Please.

I would love to know. I don't know

who the valiant person was who wore this,

but I just want to do them honor.

ASHLEY: I think you already have.

MARISHA: To wear these vestments,

it is not a station that I take lightly.

ASHLEY: I'm going to go up and trace

each of the sigils or anything that's on there.

MATT: Mm-hmm.

ASHLEY: To try to see if they feel familiar to me.

MATT: You glance into it and you place your finger across

the beautiful metal tooling and design work

along the top of the breastplate

where it meets the clavicle in the--

ASHLEY: I just trace it. It's so beautifully made.

MATT: As you do, your consciousness

falls into a haze

and you hear suddenly this distant echo

of hundreds of shields clattering together.

You see, from a window, an army moving,

You see, from a window, an army moving,

brightest day, the bluest of sky

and soldiers off to some conquest.

and soldiers off to some conquest.

A flash of a time forgotten,

a memory that's yours, not yours.

You don't remember this, but you do now. Why?

You pull back and you withdraw your fingers

from her breastplate.

ASHLEY: Wow, I just saw visions of battle.

ASHLEY: Wow, I just saw visions of battle.

MARISHA: Hmm.

ASHLEY: I think this is a very incredible piece

that you're wearing.

MARISHA: I took great care to hide it from the Scholars.

I know if they saw me with such a relic,

they would surely remove it from my person.

But it's not for them. It was meant for me.

It was meant for me

to maybe bring back

the valiant knights that once were.

ASHLEY: Of course.

MARISHA: It is my destiny.

SAM: Well, you definitely were impressive.

You fought with strength and--

ASHLEY: Honor.

SAM: -- steadfast passion. ASHLEY: Yes.

SAM: But we should really keep going, don't you think?

MARISHA: Yes, of course. ASHLEY: I mean, I figure

we're walking and talking. TALIESIN: This is a walk and talk.

MARISHA: Yes, a walk and talk. MATT: (laughs)

TRAVIS: While looking out for droplets of flaming goo.

MATT: Fair, fair.

Who is taking the current turn

on the newly analyzed map?

SAM: I can keep leading if--

TRAVIS: Sure, give it another go. SAM: -- you guys would like.

ASHLEY: Who would have the best chance-- MATT: Instinct or knowledge,

your choice.

SAM: Instinct, but do I get to keep using this advantage

on navigation through harsh environments or no?

MATT: As your ability as ridgeborne?

SAM: As a ridgeborne. MATT: I'd allow it because

this is a subterranean mountainous region.

SAM: All right.

That is a 16 with Hope.

MATT: Nice. All right, take that Hope.

You follow the map now that you've oriented yourselves

and you see now where there was a bit of confusion

in the early analyzing of the placement

in the early analyzing of the placement

of where these various intersections were.

There was an earlier intersection

that was missed in the shadow

and had set you further ahead than you had anticipated.

But now that you've reoriented yourselves,

you follow the line as it was written

and follow the next blue torch

and the next blue torch.

The stillness and quiet of these caverns continuing

until you curve around one of the fresh excavations,

what was once a solid rock wall

that's been recently broken out

and braced on all sides.

Here you can see there's gathered tools on each side

where the recent excavation team had broken through

and left what they didn't need to use at the time

because when they broke through this wall,

it opened up into another chamber.

A still partially collapsed stone pathway,

but as it opened up wider and curved upward,

it almost stepped into a larger area

with a massive, beautiful, sculpted gate.

with a massive, beautiful, sculpted gate.

You come around the corner and see it there

and you can see where the gate sits.

The smell of faint scent of burned flesh

still hanging in the air.

TRAVIS: Any sign of blue torches in this room?

MATT: There are two blue torches, one set closest to you

up above part of the wall,

and one further back near where the gate is.

In what little bit of flicker of blue light there is,

you can see the shadowed shapes of burnt corpses

strewn across the ground,

as well as a large armored corpse

that looks to have been carved and set

along what was some sort of a battle here.

SAM: How many bodies do we spot?

MATT: You can see four bodies.

SAM: (gasps) Four, that's the guys who died.

ASHLEY: Do any of these-- TRAVIS: It could be.

ASHLEY: -- look familiar to you?

TRAVIS: Do I recognize any Vigil armor

on any of the corpses?

MATT: Do you guys enter towards the site?

TRAVIS: Yeah. MATT: Okay.

As you move in and clamber up the rock,

indeed, you do begin to recognize

some of these Vigil members, or at least the armor

and the bits and pieces you've seen.

Their features are gone, their bodies are charred corpses,

as is standard

for those who fall under the corruption of the Umbra.

If a body is not destroyed within a period of time,

it will rise again. TRAVIS: It can turn.

MATT: So those who fell here were burned.

But there is also the massive armored fiend.

You heard Rascelo speak of a gate guardian

that they felled when they were here.

You can see its body strewn out, its limbs elongated.

Its cloaked hood, skeletal

from what bit you can see peeking out from underneath,

exaggerated in size and its neck

almost arched backward,

what little bit of the jaw you can see.

The hood that's over it adorned with a small crown

that almost has gold leaves sculpted through it.

Its large holy emblazoned shield on one arm

Its large holy emblazoned shield on one arm

pressed outwards, bony fingers are broken off

and now scattered a few feet from its hand.

ASHLEY: Did they burn it? MATT: A massive

scythe-like hooked blade

that extends almost seven feet to one side,

laying partially jammed into the stone off to the side.

A great fight took place here, definitely.

SAM: I'm going to go up

to some of the fallen Vigil soldiers

and collapse to my knees.

It's just so horrible that they would die like this,

and I'm going to be rifling through their pockets.

(laughter)

SAM: It's just, they're our brothers and sisters

and they just-- Seeing if I can find anything

and trying anything to take from them.

MATT: Yeah, I'll say make a finesse roll for me,

if you don't mind. SAM: Okay, okay.

ASHLEY: Did they also burn that guardian?

MATT: No. ASHLEY: Or does that not need--

TRAVIS: The guardian's the one that has the crown, right?

ASHLEY: The crown. MATT: Correct.

MATT: Those who are mortal and died,

those are the ones that need to be burned--

ASHLEY: Got it. MATT: -- and destroyed.

SAM: 20 with Hope.

MATT: 20 with Hope. Take that Hope.

Yes, in fact, you uncover on that body

an Amber Reach round shield

that seems to have been scavenged from the ruins.

It's a round shield. SAM: Okay.

MATT: As well as a small pouch.

The pouch is burned,

but not to the point where the interior of it was destroyed.

There is what's called an armor stitcher.

It is a series of metallic patches

and an alchemical liquid that can be used

to set it over damaged armor to repair it rather rapidly.

TALIESIN: Duct tape! SAM: Sweet.

TRAVIS: Yeah, duct tape. MARISHA: Oh yeah.

TRAVIS: Universal bond. TALIESIN: Duck-it!

MATT: Yep. MARISHA: Yes.

SAM: Cool. ASHLEY: Cool, duct tape.

SAM: Yeah, I'm going to take these items

and I realize that my pack is kind of full.

This is a weird time to do this, August,

but can I deliver your stuff to you now?

I kind of need the room.

TRAVIS: Will you take delivery

in this cave of death and wonder?

MATT: It is COD, so--

TALIESIN: What have you got there?

SAM: I've got some good stuff for you that you asked for.

TALIESIN: Yeah, no. What do you got

that you need to make room for?

SAM: Oh, it's just junk, it's just junk.

TALIESIN: Is it? SAM: Yeah.

TALIESIN: No, let's take a look at that.

SAM: No, it's just some old rusty junk. TALIESIN: No, no, no, it's going--

I'm going to make a-- SAM: But I got the stuff that you--

TALIESIN: I'm going to attempt to grab

at least one of-- TRAVIS: The stuff.

TALIESIN: Yeah, the smallest,

I'm going to try and grab the pouch with Prestidigitation.

MARISHA: Ooh. MATT: Okay.

So it's a sizable object. TALIESIN: Okay.

MATT: I will say, make a finesse roll

against you rolling--

TALIESIN: I'm so excited. SAM: Finesse?

MATT: -- a reaction roll of instinct.

This is for you to sense the attempt to--

SAM: Do I get to add my instinct to this?

MATT: Yes, you do.

TALIESIN: Oof.

SAM: 12 with Hope.

TALIESIN: Ooh, eight with Hope. SAM: Oh, there's no Hope.

MATT: Okay. MARISHA: Oh!

MATT: So you pluck it and you watch as there's this

tug on the pouch that you had just acquired

and as it tries to pull away,

you grasp it and it pulls away.

You look over and see the look in August's eyes.

TALIESIN: I'll take my stuff later.

SAM: Look, I'll show you what this is, all right?

TALIESIN: I let go.

SAM: I'll show you what this is.

It's some sort of thing for fixing armor.

It seems pretty cool.

TALIESIN: That's bloody brilliant.

SAM: Yeah, expensive. TALIESIN: Yeah.

SAM: Whoever has their armor damaged, me, can use it.

Of course, if you had any armor, you could, too,

but I don't think you want that.

You're a strong fighter. You're a spider moth.

TALIESIN: I'm really not a strong fighter.

But I don't need it. I don't need it.

Just, you know, show what you got. That's all.

SAM: But I did have stuff for you from earlier,

the stuff you requested.

You wanted meat, I got you a few ounces of pain beast meat.

TALIESIN: All right, all right, that'll do.

SAM: You asked for some juniper berries,

they're a little rotten-- TALIESIN: Okay.

Yeah, no, I'll take them. SAM: -- but here they are.

TALIESIN: Thank you SAM: I reach into my pouch.

You asked for some fabric. It's gray.

TALIESIN: Later, later. SAM: It's gray linen.

TALIESIN: Later with the fabric.

I don't need it right now. SAM: I couldn't find

a whole book on etiquette.

TALIESIN: Yep, yep. SAM: But I did find this.

It's a pamphlet about dress codes

for formal occasions.

TALIESIN: That'll do, actually. All right.

SAM: That's all I could-- TALIESIN: A pamphlet will fit in my bag.

MATT: While they're having this conversation

and you're taking in the surroundings here,

you can see the massive double gate that was noted

by Resgello and the team where this fight took place

that he believes to be the gate that leads

to the Firmament's Harrow.

The right hand side of the gate is slightly pushed in.

ASHLEY: Did you check the guardian for anything?

Is that what you were checking?

SAM: I didn't check anybody, I was mourning the loss

of these fine, fine men.

ASHLEY: Where did you get those items--

SAM: No, I didn't check that one. ASHLEY: -- you're now holding

in your hand?

TALIESIN: You should go check that one.

ASHLEY: Go check it. TALIESIN: Are there footprints

leading into that door, by the way.

TRAVIS: I'm sure the people in the works, the smithy

and the leatherwork people would appreciate the crown.

ASHLEY: I agree with you.

SAM: Want me to check? ASHLEY: We could also use it

for humor by wearing it

and saying that we're that.

SAM: That we are-- ASHLEY: The guardian.

SAM: -- the guardian.

ASHLEY: Like: Ha ha ha. This is a joke.

TALIESIN: That's actually pretty funny.

TRAVIS: It's not bad. MARISHA: I like that.

I do like that.

Yes.

MATT: As you walk up to the gate--

SAM: It's fun. MATT: -- where it's ajar,

you can see it's about two feet wide.

Where it is, there's a part of the gate,

part of the wooden frame of it

where a small nail of some kind

was driven into it where a hanging trinket,

was driven into it where a hanging trinket,

like a bone that's been tied with twine

and has carvings and it has been set there.

There is a bloody hand print that is pressed

and smeared against it.

Indeed, there is a trail of blood from inside this room

and beyond the gate.

TALIESIN: It's a human hand size?

TRAVIS: This is Velk's, though.

Remember, I told you he has--

ASHLEY: Bones! TRAVIS: -- bones and teeth,

yeah, all the stuff. He was here.

MARISHA: He likes to read tea leaves and whatnot.

Yes, all right.

MATT: You're inspecting the body of the guardian?

SAM: If that's what you guys would like me to do,

I'd be happy to.

Sure. I'll go over and inspect the crown.

TRAVIS: I mean, if the crown's not too heavy for you.

SAM: The crown of--

Oh, the crown is not too heavy for me.

Yeah, it is. But I'll go check it out.

MATT: Okay, you go-- MARISHA: How big

is the crown, did you say?

TRAVIS: The guardian is-- MARISHA: The guardian, you said--

MATT: It's a human size, but a little larger.

Like I said-- MARISHA: Larger. Okay.

MATT: -- the features are exaggerated.

But you go and touch and grab the crown--

TALIESIN: Prestidigitation. MATT: (clutches)

TRAVIS: Oh! TALIESIN: Oh. Shit.

MATT: Faster than you can expect--

TALIESIN: Never mind. MATT: -- suddenly

a massive gauntleted boney skeletal hand

with the fingers reformed

and the rest of you watch with lightning speed

as the guardian (clutches)

grabs onto your forearm-- SAM: (groans)

MATT: -- and (cracking formation) begins to rise up

from its broken space.

I'll be right back here.

(excited exclaiming) MARISHA: No, Snyx!

TRAVIS: Why would you grab the crown?!

ASHLEY: Why would you do that? TRAVIS: What are you thinking?

TALIESIN: That so dumb. MARISHA: Who told you to do that?

ASHLEY: Why would you go over there and do that?

TRAVIS: Selfish, selfish, selfish.

ASHLEY: What a dumb idea! MARISHA: (laughs)

MATT: I might need a little help setting this one here.

SAM: Oh god.

MATT: So just give me a second.

TALIESIN: Oh boy.

What can I do? MATT: This is a big boy.

TRAVIS: Oh my gosh. SAM: Oh boy.

TRAVIS: I'm ready.

SAM: Who-- (yawns)

Who has multiple armor slots down?

MARISHA: Me, but I can recover them. ASHLEY: I have two left.

TRAVIS: I have two down. MARISHA: Don't give that to me.

SAM: You have two down. TRAVIS: Two of my five.

MATT: If I can get a little help--

MARISHA: Yeah. MATT: -- bringing this over, buddy.

TALIESIN: I can also give somebody--

ASHLEY: Ooh! MARISHA: Whoa!

TALIESIN: Whoa!

ASHLEY: Whoa, look at the gate!

That looks so cool.

SAM: Wow. Wow. ASHLEY: Look around here.

TRAVIS: That crush your fingers?

SAM: This is some wedding cake. MATT: I'm good.

So as you had walked up to the gate here,

and you all had been conversing

back around this space on what to do.

And over here--

SAM: Oh, that's the guardian?

MATT: No, the guardian I haven't placed yet.

SAM: Oh. MARISHA: Oh my god.

Just right into the honey pot, we did.

MATT: As it rises--

MARISHA: Oh! SAM: Oh god.

MATT: -- upon the ground-- MARISHA: Oh, that's so sick!

SAM: That's a cool pose. MARISHA: Oh, he's hunched over.

ASHLEY: Cool! MARISHA: Look at him. Oh, he's--

MATT: -- you see-- TALIESIN: Oh no.

MATT: -- a once holy warrior

who is tasked with preventing this gate

from breaching for those unworthy

of the monastery's great holy order.

Itself, over time, taken by the corruption of the Umbra

and other powers that sink deep into the roots

of this mountain,

leave it a mockery of its once holy self.

As it's clasped onto your wrist, Snyx,

it's going to make a sweeping strike.

TRAVIS: Oh shit.

MATT: It's going to shift forward slightly.

As part of its sweeping strike,

I will spend a Fear to do that,

and it makes an attack against every PC

within very close range. TRAVIS: (laughs)

MATT: It takes its massive scythe-like blade and--

(powerful slice) MARISHA: (grunts)

MATT: That's going to be a 14 against both you and,

MATT: That's going to be a 14 against both you and,

let's see, that'd be Misty.

ASHLEY: Yeah, okay.

SAM: Hits. MATT: Hits both of you?

ASHLEY: Yeah. MATT: All right.

So both of you take--

ASHLEY: Wait, what did you roll, sorry?

TALIESIN: 14. TRAVIS and ASHLEY: 14.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Thanks.

MATT: Oof.

That's going to be 11 points of physical damage

on both of you. TRAVIS: Here it comes.

MATT: Whoosh! MARISHA: I am--

Who's rough?

SAM: I'll reduce that by one armor.

ASHLEY: I only have one, and I can reduce.

I have two armor.

How many points of damage?

14, did you say?

MATT: No, that was 10. SAM: 11?

MATT: 11. sorry, 11. ASHLEY: 11, sorry.

MARISHA: I'm near Misty.

I Am Your Shield. I'm going to take it.

I'm going to mark a stress and take it. ASHLEY: Oh man.

TRAVIS: I am your shield!

MATT: All righty.

So you take that 11 points of physical damage.

MARISHA: Yes. I will reduce it by one.

That's what I do.

That's what I do. ASHLEY: Okay, okay.

Wait, so I just take one?

MATT: You take no damage, because she's taking it.

ASHLEY: I take no damage-- MARISHA: You take no damage.

I take it for you. ASHLEY: -- because you took it.

Okay, okay. MATT: Correct.

ASHLEY: Aw, jeez! MARISHA: I take one,

because I'm reducing it.

I will do my Frontline Tank ability,

where I can spend three Hope to refill two armor slots.

where I can spend three Hope to refill two armor slots.

MATT: All right. So you use your Hope ability

to regain some armor slots?

MARISHA: Yeah. MATT: You got it.

The gate guardian now, its head,

you can't even see its eyes.

Where the crown sets upon its hood,

the cloth blocks the top of its skull.

TRAVIS: Gross. MATT: You see the nose

and the jaw now hang open

and the smell of decay emanates from it.

This black shadow wafts off of it as it moves.

What are you going to do?

TRAVIS: I'm going to reach back--

ASHLEY: Sorry. TRAVIS: -- with the halberd,

and as I swing it behind me,

I thrust the staff forward,

and I'm going to cast Bolt Beacon

towards the guardian.

MATT: Let's go!

Roll for your--

TRAVIS: I'll make a spellcasting roll against the target

within far range.

That is a 14, 15, 16,

16 with Fear.

MATT: With Fear. That is a success, though!

TRAVIS: All right! MATT: I'll take that Fear.

TRAVIS: So I'll do d8 plus--

MARISHA: Tag Teams. ASHLEY: Yeah.

MARISHA: If we have them. TRAVIS: -- two magic

using my proficiency. MARISHA: I used three Hope

refilling armor.

TRAVIS: That's 12 points of damage

and the target becomes temporarily vulnerable

and glows brightly until his condition is cleared.

MATT: Magical damage, correct?

TRAVIS: Magical, yes. MATT: Okay, got you.

All of a sudden, you blast it with this divine power

as it burns around it.

The shadow that was seeping off of it

suddenly gets scattered in the moment,

and you watch as the cracks in its armor

are now glowing from the inside like they're molten--

ASHLEY: Ooh! MATT: -- giving you direction

on where to strike for maximum impact.

TALIESIN: Okay, so-- MARISHA: Sick!

TALIESIN: So right now, the next magical attack does what?

TRAVIS: He is vulnerable temporarily.

TALIESIN: So what does that mean

to a magical attack exactly?

MATT: It just means he's temporarily vulnerable,

is what that-- TRAVIS and MATT: Yes.

MATT: So vulnerable means

attacks against them have advantage.

TALIESIN: Okay. MATT: However, he rolled with Fear,

which brings it to me. TALIESIN: Okay.

TRAVIS: Yeah, so your next attack you have a d6.

MATT: So he's going to leap in the air

MATT: So he's going to leap in the air

with an unnatural speed,

almost like a Jack Skellington jump in the air.

TRAVIS: Yes! MARISHA: Oh! Cool.

MATT: Land right behind all of you.

Spend that Fear-- TRAVIS: No, Tim Burton.

MATT: -- to do another Sweeping Strike

with its massive curved blade. MARISHA: (groans)

It's going to be coming at all three of you

within close range, which is going to be Misty,

Brixton, and Snyx.

ASHLEY: All right. MATT: That's going to be

a 16 to hit.

SAM: That's not me, though. MARISHA: Yeah, that hits all of us.

SAM: That's not me.

He me left behind. MATT: Oh no, sorry, sorry, sorry.

That's Brixton, Misty, and Idyl.

TRAVIS: Yes. MARISHA: That hits.

MATT: That hits, so that's nine points of physical damage

to all three of you with one of heavy strike.

SAM: Ouch. ASHLEY: All right,

I'm going to--

TALIESIN: Very close. How close--

TRAVIS: Nine points of heavy damage?

MATT: Nine points of physical damage.

ASHLEY: I'm going to use an armor.

I'm going to use an armor.

TALIESIN: Who needs armor, by the way?

MARISHA: I'll take it. I'll take it for now.

SAM: Wow. TALIESIN: Does anybody need

armor, by the way? SAM: You're tough.

MARISHA: Huh? SAM: Do we need armor? TALIESIN: Does anybody need armor?

MARISHA: Not yet.

TALIESIN: Okay. ASHLEY: Yeah.

MATT: It's back to you guys. Who's doing what?

TALIESIN: Anyone? Anyone need armor?

SAM: Sure, everybody does. TRAVIS: I'll take it.

TALIESIN: Okay, good to know.

MATT: You can repair armor at downtime.

TALIESIN: Yeah. MATT: But that allows you

to do it in the moment. TALIESIN: No, I have some stuff.

TRAVIS: If you get to downtime.

MATT: That's true. MARISHA: I know.

MATT: Got to survive first. ASHLEY: Yeah.

TALIESIN: Stop it. So I'm going let my wings out again.

I'm going to give my corn moth a little meat.

MATT: All right. TALIESIN: Then we're going to

take off again. MATT: All right.

TALIESIN: I'm going to try and get within close range--

SAM: That sounds dirty. TALIESIN: -- of this.

TRAVIS: It does. TALIESIN: Yes, it does.

TRAVIS: "I'm going to feed my moth a little meat."

TALIESIN: A little meat. SAM: (laughs)

TALIESIN: I'm trying to get in--

How close is close range?

MATT: Close range is about

there. Up here would be close range.

TALIESIN: Yeah, I'm going to pop up there and I'm going to,

suddenly a bunch of extra arms come out

suddenly a bunch of extra arms come out

that have been hiding in the back of my coat.

Make their way out and--

MATT: ♪ Make their way ♪ (laughs) ASHLEY: ♪ Make their way out ♪

TALIESIN: And we all pass this little needle around

as it starts to take some of my spider thread

and make this little sigil

as it goes. ASHLEY: Cool.

TALIESIN: Then I cast it out, and I'm doing Arcane Barrage

as this fires at

this jerk right over here. I don't roll for this.

MATT: Nope, it just goes automatically.

TALIESIN: So I assume that it still means that

the condition that he's talking about,

about the next one having advantage doesn't change?

MATT: Well, does it say the next one has advantage,

or that it's vulnerable?

SAM: Travi? MATT: Travis.

TRAVIS: Yeah, just temporarily vulnerable.

MATT: Right. Temporarily vulnerable means

until I spend a Fear to get rid of it.

TALIESIN: Oh, well in that case, this doesn't have it,

so I'm going to spend,

let's see, how much Hope am I going to put into this?

One, two, three.

Let's put four Hope into this.

SAM: Whoa! What? MATT: Dang.

SAM: That's, you're a big spender. TALIESIN: That's 4d6.

MARISHA: 4d6! Let's go! MATT: 4d6 magic damage.

TALIESIN: Yep. MATT: As August unleashes

this massive barrage of arcane energy

that blasts through all these different silken threads,

riding along them like little magical cable cars.

ASHLEY: That's so cool.

So cool.

TALIESIN: 11 points of damage.

MATT: 11 points of magical damage.

That makes it a major wound.

That's two points.

Two hit points it marks on that one.

TRAVIS: Let's go. MATT: (rapid fire blats)

It gets impacted multiple times.

Bone splinters and armor dents in

and it pulls back to this full backward arc,

stays there for a second.

MARISHA: Ah! SAM: Ugh!

MATT: Back up, and is now looking up at you. MARISHA: Shit.

SAM: Oh god.

MATT: Its hood still covering its eyes.

TALIESIN: Anyone? MARISHA: I'm going to go--

SAM: Still our turn? MARISHA: -- real quick.

It's still our turn? TALIESIN: Yeah.

MATT: Yeah. MARISHA: I want to

go Unstoppable--

SAM: ♪ Unstoppable ♪

MARISHA: (laughs)

Which is my class feature as a guardian.

MATT: Mm-hmm.

MARISHA: Then I guess I'm going to whack at it.

That's what I do.

MATT: Let's go.

MARISHA: ♪ I'm going to whack it. ♪

TALIESIN: Yeah, no, whack at it.

MARISHA: Okay, here we go.

SAM: Come on! MARISHA: Wait, do I still--

Ooh, that's pretty good.

Do I still have advantage on this?

Is he still vulnerable? MATT: Yeah, he's still vulnerable.

MARISHA: I think it doesn't really matter at this point.

Yeah, that's fine.

So that's going to be 10, 21,

23 to hit.

MATT: That hits. MARISHA: Okay.

Then that is going to be...

Let me just make sure I'm doing everything correct here.

MATT: Yeah.

MARISHA: (chuckles) Double evens on my damage die.

So that's going to be seven, eight, nine, 10,

plus the one for my Unstoppable die.

SAM: ♪ Unstoppable ♪ MARISHA: So that's 11 damage--

(laughs) 11 damage.

MATT: 11 damage.

You strike it heavily with your weapon and as you impact,

this glow from its holy buckler

seems to emanate for a second.

You hit, and your weapon seems to meet resistance,

some sort of magical protection,

and your blade only does half damage.

Physical resistance from your strike.

MARISHA: Physical resistance?

MATT: So it only marks one hit point.

ASHLEY: I have an idea. MATT: Also

I'm going to spend a Fear to remove its vulnerability.

SAM and MARISHA: (groan) MATT: Then also

as a reaction to that, spend a Fear--

MARISHA: Okay. MATT: -- to use

its Hallowed Cry.

TRAVIS: Oh Jesus. MATT: This silent beast

now after the strike and impact,

having taken physical damage from you,

it looks up and goes:

(horrifying shriek)

As it screams out,

two of the burned bodies-- (disjointed formation)

MARISHA: (gasps) ASHLEY: Oh, come on!

MATT: -- begin to climb out,

the bones pushing out of the burned flesh

and crawling towards you.

TRAVIS: You know, there is a half open door.

We could run and shut the door. ASHLEY: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

MATT: As these two dredge skeletons--

SAM: Dredge? MARISHA: Dredge skeletons!

MATT: -- arise from the bodies here

and immediately activate. SAM: Oh!

TRAVIS: Oh shit. TALIESIN: We could run.

MATT: They are-- ASHLEY: I could obscure us.

MATT: They, as part of their spotlight, shift forward.

This one's going to move up to here to you, Idyl.

That's the two of them.

They're going to make a group attack.

TRAVIS: Oh boy. MATT: I have to

spend a Fear on that. TRAVIS: Oh god, group attack?!

TALIESIN: We can always do-- TRAVIS: They're like velociraptors!

SAM: We should do that, too!

TALIESIN: Yeah, we can do some Tag Team attacks.

ASHLEY: Yeah. SAM: What you got?

MATT: That's going to be a 17 to hit you.

TRAVIS: Hit, for sure.

MATT: So you take two points of physical damage--

TRAVIS: Okay.

MATT: -- from both of those dredges immediately.

TRAVIS: I'm going to burn an armor-- ASHLEY: I want to obscure the area.

TRAVIS: -- to make it go away. MARISHA: The whole area.

TRAVIS: Okay.

MATT: All righty. TALIESIN: We could run.

MATT: You rolled with Hope or Fear on yours?

It was with-- MARISHA: I rolled with Fear.

MATT: With Fear, thank you. So I'm going to take

that Fear back.

Now he's going to shift.

(thoughtful hum)

No, he's going to hold onto to this right here.

He's in a good position.

He's going to spend a Fear again

to make another Sweeping Strike--

SAM: What is close? MATT: -- against this crew.

TRAVIS: A pencil. MATT: That's going to be

a 19 on the die,

which for an Umbra-touched creature is a crit.

SAM: Oh no! MARISHA: Oh!

MATT: So-- MARISHA: He's hitting who?

MATT: He's doing another Sweeping Strike

against all three of you right there.

SAM: Oh no-sies!

TALIESIN: Wait. MATT: So--

TALIESIN: Oh, never mind. I don't have enough Hope for that.

Carry on. SAM: You just spent four Hope.

Oh god! TALIESIN: Never mind.

MATT: That's going to be 16 points of physical damage--

SAM: (groans) MATT: -- to Brixton,

to Misty, and to Idyl.

TRAVIS: Yep. ASHLEY: Okay.

TRAVIS: Hits. MARISHA: Okay,

while I am unstoppable-- SAM: ♪ Unstoppable ♪

MARISHA: -- my damage thresholds are reduced down,

so I'm going to spend one armor

to take no damage from that.

TRAVIS: Hasn't done damage yet.

It just hits.

MATT: No, I just did 16 points of physical damage

to all three of you. TRAVIS: Oh, I thought it was 16 to--

ASHLEY: I understand; I did, too.

MATT: No, I rolled a natural 19, which is a crit.

TRAVIS: Oh! ASHLEY: That's right, because

that's what you were saying was a crit.

MATT: For an Umbra-touched creature.

ASHLEY: So-- TALIESIN: Where's my weird thing?

MARISHA: Shit.

ASHLEY: Okay. SAM: Where are the bad--

Oh, okay. Okay. TALIESIN: Where's the thing I can do?

ASHLEY: So that's severe.

I got to do an armor for that.

SAM: Yeah, yep.

ASHLEY: Okay.

So if I do one armor,

that just takes you down to the next threshold?

MATT: It takes me down to major, yeah.

ASHLEY: Fuck. TRAVIS: (laughs)

TALIESIN: Okay, I can do that. ASHLEY: Okay.

TRAVIS: We got to get out of here!

We got to run to the door-- ASHLEY: Wait, and you can use--

TRAVIS: -- and maybe shut the door behind us.

ASHLEY: You can use Hope, right, to regain armor?

MATT: No. She has an ability to do that.

ASHLEY: That's why I was thinking-- MATT: But that is specifically

to that class. MARISHA: That's a guardian thing.

MATT: It's all good. Good looking out, though. ASHLEY: That's something you can do,

not everybody. MATT: But it is back to you guys.

ASHLEY: Shit, okay. MATT: What do you want to do?

ASHLEY: Fuck!

SAM: I'm going to run into the middle of this mess.

Oh Jesus, this is stupid. MATT: Over here?

TRAVIS: We got to go. SAM: Yep, we got to go.

Oh shit.

I'm going to whip out my boomerang!

MATT: (laughs) TRAVIS: Yes!

MARISHA: Oh! MATT: Let's go!

ASHLEY: I forgot about this.

SAM: It's dirty, it's gross, it's rusty.

I'm going to fucking chuck it at the big guy.

MATT: Let's go! TRAVIS: (laughs)

MATT: Roll an attack. SAM: Okay.

But I'm going to add a bunch of stuff to it.

First, I'm going to add my Wayfinder feature.

I can mark a stress to add an extra damage dice.

I guess I should see if I hit it first, right?

MATT: Well, you add it before you roll.

SAM: Okay. MATT: So yeah.

SAM: So I'll do that.

I'm marking a stress to double the damage dice.

TALIESIN: Mm-hmm. MATT: All right.

SAM: I'm going to roll to see if I hit. MATT: Add proficiency, yep.

TALIESIN: Do you want help trying to hit?

SAM: I mean, yes,

but you don't have very much Hope to spend.

TALIESIN: No, I don't. Okay, I'll wait.

SAM: All right.

Oh god, please work.

16, 17.

17 to hit with Fear.

MATT: 17 hits. SAM: Okay.

MATT: I'll take that Fear. SAM: Okay.

And that is

2d10 plus two.

That's 17 damage,

and now I will spend three Hope

to hold them off.

That will make my attack,

the boomerang will hit him,

and then hit both of the other guys.

MATT: Okay. Is it physical damage? MARISHA: Nice!

SAM: This is magic damage. MATT: Okay.

SAM: This is magic damage. MATT: He is not resistant

to magic damage. That's 13 damage?

SAM: What did I say? TALIESIN: I think it was higher.

SAM: No, it was higher. MATT: Sorry, it was--

TALIESIN: Seven-- SAM: I think it was 17.

TALIESIN: 17. MATT: 17, I'll take it.

SAM: Yeah. MARISHA: Wow.

TALIESIN: Damn! MATT: All right.

SAM: Yes, it was 17 because I rolled 15 plus two. Yes.

MATT: How do you want to do this?

SAM: Oh! TALIESIN: Yeah!

TRAVIS: Are you serious? ASHLEY: Wait, what happened?

What happened? MARISHA: He got the

howdy derty-derty! TALIESIN: With a boomerang!

ASHLEY: You got a howdy derty-derty?

MATT: With a boomerang. TALIESIN: With a boomerang!

ASHLEY: Yes! MARISHA: How did you do that?

SAM: Does it kill all three of them?

MATT: Oh yeah. TALIESIN: That's the lamest shit

I've ever heard-- MARISHA: Including the guardian?

TALIESIN: You're so badass! ASHLEY: That is awesome!

TALIESIN: Oh my god. TRAVIS: We were discussing

death moves over here,

because somebody's on the edge. ASHLEY: Yes, because I have one

hit point left, and I was like-- MARISHA: You have one hit point?

ASHLEY: -- so what's a death move?

Yes! It's okay. SAM: Okay.

I run into the fray

with my new friends,

shaking with fear,

unable to look at what I'm doing.

I cover my eyes and I throw the boomerang

as hard as I can-- (laughter)

SAM: -- hoping,

hoping that someone will see how cool this is,

and the boomerang will clang-cling-clang

all the way around,

and come right back into my hand.

MATT: Here's what's interesting.

You throw and it misses the guardian.

It spins around, destroys one of the skeletons,

destroys the other. ASHLEY: Cool!

MATT: You miss it on the return,

and then it sticks into the shield of the guardian.

ASHLEY: Yes!

MATT: The magical runes glow and then detonate,

the shield exploding,

and the boomerang itself

seems to strike into the ceiling.

SAM: Whoa! Whoa! MARISHA: Oh!

MATT: The guardian looks up as a rock (thud) crushes him--

(laughs) TRAVIS: Amazing!

MATT: -- with your boomerang intact.

TRAVIS: What the fuck? TALIESIN: That was amazing.

TRAVIS: We got to get out of here!

MARISHA: In the door, in the door!

ASHLEY: Wait, did you get the crown?

SAM: No, should I get the crown?

ASHLEY: I'm going to-- TRAVIS: No, leave the crown!

ASHLEY: Leave it? Okay, okay, okay, okay.

TRAVIS: That happened after he touched the crown!

You learned nothing! ASHLEY: Okay!

All right.

MARISHA: Wait, how much damage did your boomerang do?

SAM: It just did 17 damage

because I doubled it and I used everything.

TRAVIS: Grab the boomerang!

ASHLEY: Okay, let's go! MARISHA: That's amazing.

SAM: I used everything. MATT: You retrieve your boomerang.

TALIESIN: Get the boomerang, yeah.

MATT: The gate guardian

is now scattered into multiple pieces itself,

it's blade is thrown off and stuck into the wall.

TRAVIS: Yeah, we've seen that before.

His fingers were off. They came back on

and fucked him up. ASHLEY: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay. (laughter)

We leave it, we leave it.

MATT: As your group pushes through the door,

the blood smear of a previous figure

who had stepped through--

TRAVIS: Grab the little bone on this thread as we go.

MATT: The bone on the thread?

It takes a moment for you all

to pull this door closed. (shifting, thudding)

Here in the darkness beyond,

where the torch light doesn't reach,

you ignite a torch to light the space.

There is a staircase that ascends,

a beautiful, smooth, marbled staircase--

TRAVIS: Oh shit. MATT: -- that climbs up.

And that's where we're going to finish this episode.

TRAVIS and ASHLEY: Oh! TALIESIN: (laughs)

ASHLEY: Come on, Matt! TRAVIS: Oh no,

we're going to the Firmament's Harrow!

ASHLEY: Give us more! TRAVIS: We're just trying to get-- No!

ASHLEY: We just got there. TRAVIS: Rock and a hard place.

MATT: We'll pick up there next time.

ASHLEY: No, 10 more minutes! MARISHA: We're going in this monastary.

SAM: We're turning back, right?

We're turning back? TALIESIN: No, we're going home.

TRAVIS: We got to get Velk.

That was our job. MARISHA: We got to get Velk.

ASHLEY: Just 10 more minutes!

MARISHA: Rascelo's going to be so mad at us-- MATT: Back is that way.

You guys just went this way. MARISHA: -- because we were going in.

SAM: What?! TRAVIS: No, no. (laughs)

Just like you wanted. TALIESIN: We cool, we cool.

MARISHA: Wait, but-- MATT: You'll be fine.

MARISHA: But the bone was on this door, right?

We were heading in the right direction. TRAVIS: Yeah, we're going the right way.

TRAVIS and TALIESIN: We're going the right way.

TRAVIS: And the hand spear. SAM: I think we're going the right way.

TALIESIN: We are going the right way.

TRAVIS: We were for sure going to him.

ASHLEY: We should play for 15 more minutes

before our next save, and then we can go to bed.

TRAVIS: Before our next save! (laughter)

TALIESIN: Save point, save point.

ASHLEY: Just save point. MARISHA: What was your level--

MATT: Well, if you want to take a short rest

at the top of the next session,

we can go over that process-- ASHLEY: (groans)

MATT: -- when we get there, because you all

are a little wrecked right now.

SAM: Yes, we are. MARISHA: Yeah.

MATT: But we'll pick up from there-- ASHLEY: Yeah, we are wrecked!

TRAVIS: Talking about death moves over here.

MATT: -- next time. MARISHA: Wow. Wow, wow, wow.

MATT: Nevertheless, thank you so much for joining us

on this first episode of Age of Umbra.

We'll pick up from there next time.

Once again, big thank you to our friends at Hero Forge

for helping us create these awesome minis--

SAM: Yes. MATT: -- for our player characters.

Big shout out for Bestiarum Games for this awesome mini

and many more you'll see-- TRAVIS: Yeah.

MATT: -- them fight throughout the series as it progresses.

They have awesome sculpts.

But yeah, we'll see you all here shortly.

Is it Thursday yet?

TRAVIS: (laughs) ASHLEY: (groans)

ASHLEY: Oh man. TALIESIN: Yeah!

SAM: Woo!

ASHLEY: What a fun world. SAM: Woo!

MARISHA: Cool. MATT: (sighs)

ASHLEY: (groans) TRAVIS: Great set, man.

This is epic. ASHLEY: It's so cool.

This is rad. MATT: I love it.

TRAVIS: Next level. MATT: I'm going to bring it

to a cloudy day a bit here.