Cold open[]
BRENNAN: Liam, someone you love very much is about to die. Could you please introduce us to your character?
LIAM: My name is Halandil Fang, Hal. I am a older, dark-haired with streaks of white orc gentleman dressed in fairly fine, but not ostentatious clothing and has smile lines at the eyes from a life well lived. Trying in this moment to hold on to the spirit that has buoyed him through his life, maybe not doing as well as he'd like to in this moment.
BRENNAN: This moment, you stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of the city of Dol-Makjar, its gray stone standing proud here at the eastern edge of the land known as Kahad. You stand under the Guardian Wall, heroes of the Shapers' War carved in statue some 80 feet tall, their torsos emerging from masonry, from the rock and stone of the mountainside, lean and hold the mountains of Kavros at bay. These statues, arrayed side by side, orcs and dwarves, elves and humans, halflings, gnomes, beast folk rendered here as heroes of a revolution now fading from memory. Their looks of determination, heroism, and strength carved forevermore into their faces. What hope they bear in their noble visages. Under their arms stands the base of this massive wall at the eastern edge of the city, Dol-Makjar, towering spires that follow the River Vrosh step-by-step down from the mountains. As the city comes to life over your own neighborhood, you see a flight of magpies, black wings, white breasts, take to the sky, flying over the stream as the mist rises on this gray day. The days have been mostly gray recently. The Guardian Wall, like much of Dol-Makjar, is a place dedicated to heroism, camaraderie, the struggle of the mortal world to make a brighter day. It is here, under the Guardian Wall, that they have strung up the hangman's noose to kill your brother, Thjazi Fang. Behind the wall, a wagon approaches. Soldiers, their heraldry and tabards alive with the crests of the Sundered Houses, Tachonis, Halovar, Royce, Einfasen, Cormoray march. You would think some beast of legend was left within this wagon, barred with iron as it is, for the amount of soldiers marching this man to the gallows. But it is just one man. The wagon pulls up to a small dais, wooden staircase, and a door leading through the wall out to the awaiting crowd and the hangman's noose. Waiting at the steps, his eyes on the approaching wagon, Luis, is your character. Could you please introduce us to your character?
LUIS: Yes. Azune Nayar stands tall, proud. Human in appearance, he is just over 5'10", but gives the presence of someone that's taller than that. His pride carries him above his height. He is strong, lean, muscular. He has medium brown skin and coppery auburn brown hair that's tied back in a braid, a birthmark that goes up the right side of his neck, up his face, and up to his forehead around his eye. His eyes look like a sunset on an ocean. The bottom half of his irises are a deep blue. His pupils are yellow like the sun that bursts out into an orange and then into a teal and then into a light gray. He's wearing full armor, as is given to him by his station in Dol-Makjar. He is a member of the Revolutionary Guard, an Arcane Marshal, specifically. His arms are exposed. Along his right bicep are tattooed the words: Have mercy on those I send you.
BRENNAN: The door to the wagon opens. Soldiers of House Tachonis retrieve a figure from inside the shadows and a handsome orc, smile across his fanged face, nice shiner indicating some degree of glibness or flippancy in the face of these guards, wearing his soiled coat and his old boots, his effects having been taken from him, is marched out in manacles. The man you followed into battle all those years ago, dragged forward here. He looks up at you as he approaches. "(grunts) Not you. Anybody but you."
LUIS: I put my hand up to stop the rest of the soldiers. I am the Arcane Marshal assigned to scan the prisoner, and I begin a ritual. My palm is facing up and I start to trace a circle around my palm as I begin a ritual of Detect Magic. But as I do that, I point my fingers towards him and I actually cast Message.
BRENNAN: Hidden from those guards here, not versed in the arcane, you feel yourself connect through this act of sorcery to Thjazi Fang. "Oh."
LUIS: I study his face for a moment. Thjazi, I can buy us a few moments. If you have something that you want to say to someone and want me to pass it to them, now is the time.
BRENNAN: As you feel this spell connect you, he smiles and goes, "Anything I have to tell anybody, I can tell them myself."
LUIS: You notice that look in his eyes, that glint, and I say more. In a moment, I'm going to scan you to see if I can pick up any arcane residue, and my hope is that I do. Earlier today, somebody placed an object on you, a ward.
BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.
LUIS: Watch me closely when I'm done. If I sense it, I'll give you a nod, and then I'll gesture to let you know where it is. It's delicate, it breaks easy, and upon adding just a little bit of pressure, it will be the very thing that sends you away from here.
BRENNAN: "Understood."
LUIS: One last thing, a message from your brother. Hal says he's here with you until the end, and you've always been a hero in his eyes.
BRENNAN: "Well, that makes one of us. I don't know that I'll be able to see him again after today, probably. Right? I mean, you guys getting me out of here. I'm not going to be able to."
LUIS: Thjazi, you've lit many fires throughout your years, and they all still burn. With that, instead of casting the ritual, I'm actually going to use a spell slot and cast Detect Magic in that moment. An updraft of wind moves up towards me, a pulse radiates out and Detect Magic. Scan him.
BRENNAN: A gleam of magic hidden in the back of his coat quite near his manacled hands registers to you. A little bit of conjuration, a little bit of illusion. Just enough trickery for Thjazi Fang to make one last daring getaway.
LUIS: Good. I step back, I give him a nod, and I turn around and I put my hand on the small of my back so he can see me indicate where it is.
BRENNAN: He nods to you. In that last moment of the Message cantrip, he makes eye contact with you and says, "I know you'll have to stay here. I'm sorry for all the distance I kept. I hope all those fires I set were worth it. Make sure you set some of your own when the time comes." He walks up to the gallows, a spring in his step, moves through the door. As he walks out under the gallows, the crowd's seeing him for the first time. From many parts of the crowd, a cheer goes up. The lords and ladies of the Sundered Houses, anticipating this moment, strike up the trumpets, attempting to quiet this noise. You see your brother, and you see him looking throughout a crowd of several hundred people, looking for you.
LIAM: I raise an arm to the air.
BRENNAN: He nods to you. A herald of House Tachonis steps forward. "Herein, sentenced to death by the authority of the Chamber of Lords-Advisory to the Revolutionary Council is the traitor, arcanist, and murderer Thjazi Fang to be put to death. His crimes enumerated, befouling arcanism, theft, skullduggery, murder, and sedition against the beneficence of the city and its peoples." At this last accusation, a murmur moves through the crowd. Another voice stands, this one from an elderly woman dressed in white, the matriarch of House Halovar, Scion of the Candescent Creed. "Let the light shine and let peace be restored to this blessed city and its heroic legacy." As she continues to speak in this moment, Thjazi turns to you, Hal.
LIAM: I think, anxiety rising in my gut, I'm severely tempted to dart my eyes around this open space looking for any hand to intervene, to see any result of all of the beseeching and deal making I have been making behind the scenes for weeks, but I won't let my brother look at that if these are to be his final moments. So I hold, hold his look, and for someone whose life has been all about words, I have none to give.
BRENNAN: He looks at you, smiling, shakes his head no. At this distance, you can't hear him over the speech of the Photarch of the Candescent Creed, this elderly matriarch speaking, but you see him mouthing the words to you in this moment of desperation. So many strings were pulled, something's got to happen. This can't be-- He looks at you and goes, mouthing, just so you can read his lips, "What are you doing for lunch after this? What? You didn't plan a funeral? Don't you like me at all? If I don't see you for a long time, you're my hero. And I--" His eyes dart up to the sky. I'd like you to make an insight check for me.
LIAM: Natural 20.
BRENNAN: (laughs) (thump)
BRENNAN: (continues laughing)
LUIS: (muffled laugh)
BRENNAN: In this moment-- (quiet crew laughter)
BRENNAN: (splutters)
LUIS and BRENNAN: (laugh)
BRENNAN: In this moment, on a nat 20, you look and see his eyes and I think your bardic magic swells and you connect through him and can hear his voice. He looks up and you see reflected in his eyes, distant. You can't see it from where you are in the crowd looking up, all of the people of Dol-Makjar gathered here in this place, sky boxes filled with nobles looking out over balconies from the higher level near the shoulders of the mighty statues. You look and see, he sees something, something in the sky and his face changes. There's panic. On a nat 20, the residue of Azune's Message cantrip comes to you and I will allow you to speak mentally to your brother in this moment on that nat 20. As he looks out and sees something and panics, he goes, "No, no." He looks at you. "You, uh, you have to--"
LIAM: Tell me what to do.
BRENNAN: "Murray. You got to help Murray. The Penteveral, you have to help her. There's paint waiting for you with Bolaire. I can't, you have to-- You hear the voice from the dais say: "Have you any last words, Thjazi Fang?" He looks up, realizing that he can't speak telepathically to you while he's in this moment before they pull the lever, he looks out at you and goes, speaking to the crowd, "The false authority that now condemns me to death will fall. I regret only that I will miss the glorious celebration when your calumny and destruction comes to an end." He looks to you and in his mind, says, "Tell Thimble not to be scared." He looks out and says, "I can still hear the falcon's cry!" (whoosh) The lever is pulled. In your mind he says, "Tell her that I--" (whooshes) The rope goes taut. Snap. And what is to come after, we will discover in this first episode of Campaign 4 of Critical Role.
Announcements[]
MATT: Thank you, Brennan, and welcome to Critical Role Campaign 4.
TRAVIS: Hey! (cheering and clapping)
MATT: We've shaken up a lot around here, and the top of the show announcements are no exception, but don't worry, you'll still be getting your weekly dose of deeply cerebral and well-rehearsed ad bits here at the Critical Role Announcement Playhouse! [trumpet fanfare] (cheering)
MARISHA: Cut a ribbon.
LAURA: ♪ Da da da da ♪
MATT: And with that, let's bring out Sam Riegel for Campaign 4's first sponsor, Thorum. Sam. Sam? Where is he?
KYLE: Folks, I'm really sorry about this. I'm so sorry. It's just Sam won't come out of his dressing room.
MARISHA: Wait, are you serious?
LIAM: (huffs)
LAURA: Really?
MARISHA: Okay, come on.
KYLE: I'm sorry, I just didn't know what to do.
MARISHA: Did you compliment his Emmys?
KYLE: Both of them.
MARISHA: Okay, what about his teeth?
KYLE: Every day.
MARISHA: Did you let him know that Patti LuPone is in the building?
KYLE: I tried everything, Marisha.
MARISHA: (huffs) Okay, let me talk to him. Hey, Sammy? Samuel, it's time to do announcements. You got to come out, bud.
SAM: Go away! I don't wanna!
MARISHA: Buddy, you're holding up everything. We got to get to crew lunch, okay?
SAM: Just go without me! I don't care anymore!
MARISHA: But, okay. Our sponsor tonight is Thorum, and they're great. You can do some sort of, you know, silly rap about handcrafted wedding bands made out of meteorite or whiskey barrels or something. I don't know what you do.
SAM: Yeah, I could also rap about how Thorum ships every single ring for free, but you can't make me!
MARISHA: But that's a great idea. (huffs) Okay. (huffs) You know what? Stand back, Schmidt. Everybody stand back. (grunts) (thump)
LIAM: Oh jeez.
MATT: Oh shit.
MARISHA: Okay, what the hell has gotten into you? Get, get. What's going on?
SAM: Marisha, I can't do this. Everything has changed! So much is different! There's a new world. A new GM. I've never even met Brennan before.
MARISHA: But he was literally in your Wildemount Wildlings campaign.
SAM: And there's a new game system?
MARISHA: We're still playing Dungeons & Dragons.
SAM: Why aren't we playing Daggerheart? That's kind of a weird business decision. And there's this cold open now before the best part of the show: my ads?
MARISHA: You still get to do the ads!
SAM: Oh, do I, Marisha?
MARISHA: Yes!
SAM: Do I?
MARISHA: Yes!
SAM: Do I get to sing and dance and be brilliant? All for, I don't know what. Thorum and their chic minimalist watches. Patent pending.
MARISHA: Yes!
SAM: Well, I won't do it.
MARISHA: (huffs) Okay, look. I know that change is scary, okay, but look, we get to play in a brand-new world. Aramán.
SAM: Oh yeah?
MARISHA: That's so fun.
SAM: Fuck Aramán, and fuck Brennan, and fuck Brennan for making me learn new lore. I won't do it. If you want me to make showstopping numbers, well, then how's this for showstopping? Oh! Or this! (yelps) Or this, or this! I deserve to be on Broadway, Marisha! Out, out! Go have your little Campaign 4. I'm busy in here being a goddamn star!
MARISHA: Look.
SAM: (crash) I won't do it!
MARISHA: We know--
SAM: I won't do anything!
MARISHA: We know change can be--
SAM: I won't do it! There's no way this can work!
MARISHA: We know change can be scary, okay?
SAM: No, no! (breaking sounds) No, I won't do anything! You can't make me!
MARISHA: But something that can last for forever--
SAM: (screams)
MARISHA: -- is--
SAM: (wails, screaming)
MARISHA: -- is a Thorum ring. You know, whether you need a wedding ring, whether you need an anniversary ring, or you just want a really dope-ass ring that looks cool, Thorum's got you covered, okay? You can go over to thorum.com and use code CRITICALROLE to get 20% off.
SAM: (wails)
MARISHA: Matt, back to you.
SAM: (wails) (wailing continues)
MATT: Okay, well, our next sponsor is eBay. Experience the eBay Live Tour, bringing exclusive shows and collectibles to fans both in person and online, with the next stop at New York Comic Con. We're going to be there. Leading the weekend lineup is Jim Lee, the chief creative officer at DC Comics-- have a lot of his comics, joining eBay Live for an unforgettable fan experience. You'll also get access to legendary streetwear designer Jeff Staple's personal comic collection, plus exclusive variant comics and appearances from top creators like Dan Panosian and Ryan Ottley. Other highlights include Marvel coins, Transformers comics, Thrilljoy figures, and vintage Pokémon packs. You can catch live sketches, tutorials, and epic fan moments, and don't miss these once-in-a-lifetime finds. If you can't make it in person, no problem. You can still join the fun by tuning into eBay Live from home. So, head to ebay.com/ebaylive to see the full schedule and be part of the experience, and thanks to eBay for sponsoring this episode. Marisha, you're up.
MARISHA: Hello to all watching this on Beacon right now, and remember that a Beacon membership is the best way to support all of us here at Critical Role and watch our content immediately with extra fantastic goodies. You get ad-free podcast versions of our shows piped directly into your favorite podcast app, moderated chat in Discord, where we'll pop into chat with you, if you want, if we're available, exclusive Fireside Chats with our new cast coming up, and exclusive Critical Role Cooldowns for each episode, where you get to see what we discuss immediately after the end of the show, when all the juices are flowing. This month only, we have a special code to join, or rejoin, for one month free with code OVERTURE.
LIAM and TRAVIS: Overture.
MARISHA: Just visit bit[.]ly/c4overture and it will auto-apply. (light clapping)
MARISHA: And Laura?
LAURA: Hey, we're partnering with Shopify New York for the Critical Role Ties The Knot Popup Shop. (cheers)
LAURA: I know, I know. Join us in New York City from October 3rd through the 5th, where you'll step through the doors of Nicodranas' famous Lavish Chateau, bedecked in finery to honor the joyful, fabulous union of Jester Lavorre and Fjord Stone!
TRAVIS: That's us. (snaps)
LAURA: Amazing experiences, limited edition merch. Ooh, from us and our amazing licensing partners.
ASHLEY: Yeah.
LAURA: That's a candle. And look at this. This hoodie, the Save the Date Fjord and Jester hoodie, and other things. There will be lots of other things! Don't miss it. Check it out at critrole.com/events and learn more.
ASHLEY: Yeah.
TRAVIS: (laughs)
MATT: Sam is supposed to go next. Can we--
LIAM: Is he ready?
MATT: Is he still in his dressing room? Can we just film him there?
MARISHA: Yeah, that's fine.
MATT: All right.
MARISHA: That'll be fine.
SAM: (sobbing) [record scratch] Oh! Hi. (Southern accent) Smiley day to ya, and it's a smiley day to me, too, because I wrote a book and it's officially available wherever books are sold in both hardcover and ebook. In "Smiley Day," your favorite robot therapist, Fresh Cut Grass, dispenses well-meaning advice to the members of Bells Hells and to himself. With FCG as your guide, you'll learn important gems of wisdom, such as, "Truth is like engine oil. It might taste bitter, but you got to drink it," or, "Do unto others as if you know what the word 'unto' means." "Smiley Day" is illustrated by the incredibly talented Thorn L. Knight and the cover is designed by Bones Leopard. Head to criticalrolebooks.com to learn more, and smiley day to ya!
LAURA: Thanks, Sam! Critical Role Champion Dice Sets! (laughter) We have them, for Grog, Percy, and Essek.
TRAVIS: I want to see.
ASHLEY: Ooh.
LAURA: Okay, here, look. I'll pass them around. They're so pretty. These are based on our level 20 designs, okay, and the dice are designed by Leia Rondeau. The illustrations on the packaging is by Lisa Fricke. @itsLizzart. And the packaging design overall is by Elena Harris. Thank you. Thank you to all three fabulous artists. And these are so beautiful.
LIAM: These are cool.
LAURA: Oh, and they come, look. They come with a bag, too.
ASHLEY: I just rolled a natural 20.
MATT: Holy shit.
TALIESIN: Holy fuck.
MARISHA: Wait, maybe--
LIAM: Wasted!
MARISHA: I can get one, too.
MATT: Actually legitimate.
ASHLEY: I know. I legitimately did.
MATT: I got a 12!
MARISHA: (laughs)
MATT: All righty, and that concludes our first Campaign 4 announcements from the Critical Role Announcement Playhouse! (cheering) [trumpet fanfare] And with that, welcome to Aramán.
Part I[]
BRENNAN: A neighborhood on the eastern edge of the city of Dol-Makjar, The Rookery, so named for its many perches and aviaries, this is a neighborhood of towers and sky bridges and quirky, connected little conical shingled places. There's a lot of places where the patchwork shingling of towers reveals that even though this place is quite vertical, that it is not a castle of lords and ladies, but it is a place instead for poets and performers, for actors and jesters, and those that create song and music. The aviaries send magpies flying hither and yon throughout this place and perhaps the only thing that would seem odd to a traveler would be the amount of rooftops that appear to have small collections of seats, all facing in the same direction, down towards the River Vrosh, where we see a stage gathered down in this neighborhood academy. This place where storytellers, singers, and bards of all kind have come to train for as long as anyone can remember. Up on top of the hill, there are a number of houses clustered and I would like you to describe one such house, which is Hal's.
LIAM: Mm. Yeah, nestled in, not at the very top, but near it, is a medium-sized modest house. Hal is not a man of deep pockets or wealth, but he lives happily and comfortably in this home with its view of the river and my theater down below at the foot of the hill. This neighborhood makes me happy just to walk through it on any given day. It is my home, it is my heart, it is my life's work, all started in these streets. And from my house on the hill, I can look out at most of the city and on a place where I spend most of my days. The house is, again, modest. It has lots of bedrooms. This house is meant for hosting and guests staying with us, both family and friends alike passing through. There is a large greeting room on the first floor meant for having gatherings at, and upstairs, there is a back room that is littered with paper and scrolls and walls of books, musical instruments perched on stands. Scattered about, there are songs in mid-composition. There are verse half-composed on a number of different desks in here. Everything is a work in progress. My life is a work in progress.
BRENNAN: Stunned, moving through the home, you see, with the outline of dried tears on her face, is your young daughter, Shadia. You see Shadia wipes her nose and goes about the task of getting your home ready for the Farramh, which is essentially a wake. It is, in orcish custom in Kahad, basically the day of a death or as soon as possible, you begin the grieving process and part of that is putting the body in a state of viewing where loved ones can come and pay their respects. Shadia has not had to say goodbye to anybody and you can see absentmindedly is setting the table like for the many dinner parties and large family dinners you have here. She's setting the table and you know that that table is where, where Thjazi is going to have to go.
LIAM: I place my hand on her wrist and gently let the plate down on the table. Come, come.
BRENNAN: "(sobbing)"
LIAM: And I feel the way she does, but I just hug her, and take a moment of quiet with her. I know. I know. I'm right there with you. But now is a time to lean on your family. Lean on your mother, your sister. They'll be here soon.
BRENNAN: "Oh."
LIAM: Crying's fine, always. Hey. I love you, and he did, too, and that's what we'll remember.
BRENNAN: "I love you, Dad. (sigh) I wish Alogar was here. I sent those birds to him, but he didn't... I just... I just wish--" And you hear a knock at the door. The door opens up and an older orcish gentleman, Olgud, shows up. You look and see that this is Olgud Akarat, your business partner who enters the home and goes, "(knocking) Ah."
LIAM: Come on in, Olgud.
BRENNAN: "Ah."
LIAM: I know.
BRENNAN: "Hal."
LIAM: I just pull him and I clap him hard on the back.
BRENNAN: He claps you hard in the back. "I thought at the--"
LIAM: You and me both. Two weeks. Two weeks I have talked my way through the Royce home and Aranessa--
BRENNAN: "Is she coming today? She has to."
LIAM: I'd hoped she'd come a little sooner.
BRENNAN: "Oh shit. I brought cranberry cream rolls and flowers."
LIAM: Right, right, Shadia, take that.
BRENNAN: You see Shadia says, "Hi, Uncle Olgud." Not her uncle uncle, but effectively as good as an uncle to her. She takes it and he looks and goes, "Um--"
LIAM: People are going to be here soon. Maybe you could help us.
BRENNAN: "Yeah, I'll funnel people if anyone's-- Do we know how many of Thjazi's friends and--"
LIAM: I think a considerable amount, yeah.
BRENNAN: "Yeah. Thjazi, obviously a hero. A hero to us, Falconer's rebell-- hero, hero, but he knew some... Well, I'll just keep an eye out."
LIAM: (chuckles) My brother had irons in a lot of fires. Yes, he did.
BRENNAN: "He sure did." Two more figures approach the house and I would love if we could get Aabria and Alex out here. Welcome Aabria and Alex!
AABRIA: Hi.
ALEXANDER: Hello.
AABRIA: Creepy.
BRENNAN: For the audience at home, there's so many people so close to where I am right now.
AABRIA: We're being so quiet, actually.
ALEXANDER: We're being so quiet.
AABRIA: We're doing so good.
BRENNAN: Outside of the Fang home, two figures walk up the cobblestone street, heading up the hill. Aabria, would you please describe your character for us?
AABRIA: Thaisha is a tall-- She's tall for an orc, 6'4", desaturated green skin, curly, long, dark hair. She's beginning to show the signs of graying, but her druidic connection means that the age of her is being lost in her face. She's already started slowing down so she appears in her mid-to-late 30's. Her eyes, the scleras and pupils are black, but her irises are silver with a ring of red, and on her hands, her fingers go red and black at the tip. She is a Lloy, a family that means something in this city and she wears those colors, blood and the soot and scale of smiths, and she swishes up the street in fine clothes, but doesn't even seem to be aware of her presence, and her presence, as she speaks with her companion in hushed and panicked tones about what went wrong. He was supposed to-- We just need to figure out what happened. He was supposed to be there. He was, it was supposed to--
ALEXANDER: I don't know.
BRENNAN: Alex, who do we see speaking in this moment?
ALEXANDER: You see a small young man about, small in presence. He's about 5'11".
AABRIA: Tiny.
ALEXANDER: He is thin with dark hair and light olive skin and bright green eyes and wearing dark noble clothing that is clean but worn and with an array of implements around his belt and a book strapped to his leg and he is glassy-eyed. He is just staring and not blinking. And with him is a small, white and other colors fox. I don't know. That wasn't what was supposed to happen.
AABRIA: Obviously, we need to speak with Azune and Thimble and--
ALEXANDER: Thimble.
AABRIA: -- something. Are you okay?
ALEXANDER: I'm fine. I've never done anything like this before.
AABRIA: It's okay. Normally, they go better than this.
LIAM: I'm going to hazard to say that he heard conversation coming up the cobbled streets and spotted them out the window so by the time you arrive at the door, Hal is leaning against the frame, just smiling at you as you approach.
AABRIA: I think that's the moment where all of the planning and that frustration that can still feel purposeful, ends at your face. because it looks so much like your brother's and like her son's and our daughter's.
LIAM: Well, you're a sight for sore eyes. And I just bury myself in her and just drink in the familiar scent. And I think it's subtle, but you can feel Hal's frame kind of shudder just a little bit before he finally--
AABRIA: She doesn't let you go right away. That first-- The moment she feels you pull back when propriety says this is enough for an embrace, she pulls you a little tighter and I'm actually going to cast Enrichment on this spot.
BRENNAN: Awesome.
AABRIA: For the next year. Plants in a half mile radius from exactly right here will be a little more fruitful and a little more green.
LIAM: I place my hand on your cheek.
AABRIA: I'm sorry. We were supposed to-- (sobbing) I don't know what happened. We were supposed to get him out of the city and--
LIAM: Come on. Your daughter needs you.
BRENNAN: Walking into a home in which there is no corner of that is unfamiliar to you, though you haven't seen it in quite some time, you see your daughter Shadia, this beautiful, young orcish woman who wears a harlequin pattern to her breeches and is studying to be a performer like her father, looks out and she goes, "(sniffing) Jasmine." And as jasmine grows along the outside of the windows and she gives you an enormous hug. "Hi, Mom."
AABRIA: Hi, baby. Are you okay?
BRENNAN: "Um. Bad things are better when we're together."
AABRIA: Yeah (sighs).
BRENNAN: "Um."
AABRIA: Oh. Oh god, um. Ugh.
ALEXANDER: Sorry, I don't--
AABRIA: Sorry, this-- No, this is on me. Hi, this is Occtis.
LIAM: Yeah. Welcome to my home.
ALEXANDER: Hi.
LIAM: Occtis, is it?
ALEXANDER: Yeah. Occtis.
AABRIA: Hi, this is my daughter Shadia.
ALEXANDER: Hi, Shadia.
BRENNAN: "Hi. Occtis, nice to meet you. I'm Shadia. Are you helping with--"
AABRIA: Oh.
BRENNAN: "Are you a member of the Old Path?" and she cocks an eyebrow.
ALEXANDER: I'm very much not. I'm just a friend.
BRENNAN: "Oh."
ALEXANDER: I-I-I also knew him.
BRENNAN: "Oh, I mean everybody knew Uncle Thjazi, but you knew him, like he was--"
ALEXANDER: He, um. He helped me when I was a child.
BRENNAN: "He did that for me, too."
AABRIA: He's still a child.
BRENNAN: "If you want to--"
ALEXANDER: I'm not a child.
BRENNAN: "Are you hungry?"
AABRIA: Of course not.
BRENNAN: "Do you want some food or drink? I can get something--"
LIAM: We have more cold meats than we know what to do with. Please, I hope you'll help us chip away at it.
ALEXANDER: S-s-sure.
LIAM: Who's this?
ALEXANDER: Oh, that's Pin. The fox (pitter pats) up onto my shoulder. The fox is mostly white with one leg that is from a different fox and eyes that are purple buttons.
BRENNAN: "Oh." Shadia looks over at you and goes like, "I don't know why I thought he was a member of the Old Path. He's not a member of the Old Path."
AABRIA: No. No.
BRENNAN: (wheezes)
AABRIA: Definitely very low, like: Don't even-- I'll tell you later. Don't.
ALEXANDER: Pin, I think-- (whooshes) And Pin disappears.
AABRIA: Oh, you didn't have to.
ALEXANDER: It's probably better.
BRENNAN: Shadia goes, "Ah! Sorry."
ALEXANDER: Sorry. It's-- She--
BRENNAN: "I'll go get you a cranberry cream roll," and she walks away.
ALEXANDER: I'm so sorry.
AABRIA: Hey, that was pretty good. That was good. That was a good start. You're doing great.
LIAM: Take you by the elbow. Will you, are you staying?
AABRIA: Um. Oh god. Oh. And this is that moment where she just realized she wasn't supposed to be here. We should've been on the road out of town by now. Yeah, for a little bit, at least.
LIAM: Good.
AABRIA: If it's okay.
LIAM: Is it okay? Yes. Your room's ready.
AABRIA: (chuckles) Thank you.
BRENNAN: You hear the turning of wheels outside. Approaching. Horse hooves and the noise of armor descending from the driver's seat of a wagon. Luis, can we have you come in?
ALEXANDER: (chuckles)
AABRIA: Yeah. About to see something now, bro.
LUIS: I'm back.
AABRIA: Hi.
BRENNAN: I'm back.
ALEXANDER: Oh god.
LIAM: I'll slide a little, so it's better.
LUIS: Yes.
AABRIA: (laughs) Gang's all here.
LUIS: Okay.
BRENNAN: Luis. Azune appears outside of the house with a carriage from the Brethren Hall. You see that two of your Enquirers, this would be Horace and Groto, open the doors at the back revealing, not a coffin, but a basically cushioned carrying surface with a body and a white sheet draped around and over it.
LUIS: I will make my way over to them and: I can take it from here.
BRENNAN: "Of course, Lieutenant."
LUIS: And I look at this, the body of Thjazi that is now covered on this. And I-- It's so formal and so wrong.
BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.
LUIS: And I'm going to take him off of whatever this is. This thing that he's been laid on and I'm going to scoop him up, and I'm going to carry him inside myself.
BRENNAN: You pick him up. This white funereal sheet provided by the Candescent Creed and the House of Halovar is left on the cobblestones by the carriage. And you walk in. I think a moment from many years ago in the Falconer's Rebellion where it was your head on his collarbone and him shouting, "Medic!" Moving throughout (spells whooshing) spells fired overhead and arrows flew through the sky. And you look down and see him. What do you see when you look down at Thjazi's face in this moment?
LUIS: I'm transported to this memory. And I remember as he was carrying me I looked up at his face and how young and strong he was. The fighter that led us with such a cause that I knew was worth dying for. And now I look down at this man who has met an end that I never thought I would live to see. And I try to almost superimpose the fighter, the strong leader, that face that I remember. I try to superimpose that right onto the face that I see that's lifeless. His eyes are a little open and they're glassy. The lines on his face, they stand out to me. Almost a bit of the last expression that he had frozen on his face still. And I don't want Hal to see him like this, so I try to smooth it over.
BRENNAN: Whatever fear or panic was left from the violence of that moment, the tips of your fingers brush away until some visage of repose is left on Thjazi's face. And you walk through the door, and behold Thjazi's family here.
AABRIA: (sighs) Azune.
LUIS: Thaisha.
AABRIA: Thjazi.
LUIS: Hal, I'm so sorry. Where should I put him?
LIAM: Bring him inside. I'll guide Azune to there's an alcove to this large area that I have family and friend gatherings on the first floor of the house. And there is, I don't know what the right word, it's not a chaise and there's no backrest on it, but it is the length of a body. Oh, I want to say comforting, but there's no comfort for him. Now you can rest him, rest him here.
LUIS: I carefully carry Thjazi's body as instructed. Gently set him down.
AABRIA: Thaisha is pacing back and forth, and it's that mixture of she knows everything in her training and her beliefs is about the repose and return of death, but she just wants to question you. She knows that you are one of the links in the chain and the desire to figure out what went wrong is warring with trying to maintain the peace and serenity of this.
BRENNAN: Thaisha, you would know that there is some privacy in Hal's office upstairs as well. If there's a moment as people begin to arrive, that you would want to move in that direction.
LIAM: Simultaneously, I'm just looking at my brother and thinking of all the days that make up a life. And I can see him as a 10-year-old giving me shit, and chasing each other around, and wrestling in the back of our father's house. I can see him leaving as a young man. I can imagine the entirely other life that he largely shielded me from with you in very dangerous fields of battle. And with you, a whole thread of his life outside of my own. And then I look at the kids, our daughter and I look at Occtis, and I think--
ALEXANDER: Is just staring at the body.
LIAM: He's got his whole life, she's got her whole life ahead of them, full of days like the one that filled this man's life. And now he's gone.
ALEXANDER: Occtis walks up next to you and is still laser-focused on the body, and crouches down and sits next to it, and looks and goes: Hi. Um. It's been a long time. Sorry, I-- Sorry, I didn't see you before. Before you-- You look good. Doesn't look too bad on you, actually. It seemed to be retaining your color. Um. I don't know. I just thought I'd-- Thanks.
BRENNAN: You've studied many cadavers, but not one like this.
ALEXANDER: Yeah.
BRENNAN: Shadia moves, puts a hand on her uncle's hand and goes to prepare the table. She starts to place candles on the table. There's some bottles of a favorite liquor that you kept here. Pretty much, it's a disgusting thing. But you know, Thjazi liked it. So that's going up at the head and there's a little dish of coins and some other things. I mean, so much of Thjazi's stuff is here. Thjazi's life got so dangerous towards the end, that things that mattered to him that couldn't be picked up in a fast escape ended up living here. The tools of his trade had to stay with him. But a little chattering tin box with old orcish rune stones in it from childhood. You know they're not really magic, but neighborhood kids will say that stuff. That's still here. And a lifetime of adventure and mischief begins to gather on the table with space left, when the time comes, to move his body into this place of the beginning of this ritual. I think walking up, as the hour draws near, when people are expected to arrive, our first guests of the funeral arrive. Travis, could we get you in here? (chuckling) (laughs)
AABRIA: More people. Travis is in this game?
TRAVIS: Where am I going?
ALEXANDER: I don't know, pick a side.
BRENNAN: Wherever you like.
AABRIA: Who do you want to side by?
LUIS: Who's your favorite?
BRENNAN: Wherever you like. Wherever you like.
LUIS and LIAM: (laugh)
ALEXANDER: That checks out.
BRENNAN: Hell yeah. Hell yeah.
AABRIA: That's cool. I don't feel weird about that.
BRENNAN: (laughs)
AABRIA: Hurt your fee-fees?
ALEXANDER: Oh yeah.
AABRIA: Yeah. It's just because he wants to look at us.
ALEXANDER: I'm destroyed.
TRAVIS: It's just personal.
AABRIA: (cackles)
LUIS: Scooting down.
BRENNAN: Walking up a cobblestone street in the neighborhood of Dol-Makjar called The Rookery is a friend that I think has never actually seen where old Thjazi Fang grew up. Two figures walk side by side. One of them, an older orcish woman who is broad-shouldered, tall, powerful, square jaw, beautiful tusks with filigreed runic rings of gold set into the middle of her tusks. She's got her hair up in a gray and white messy bun. It's up on top of her head. And an enormous battle axe across her back. She is of such an advanced age that the muscles remaining on her body are clinging to pure spite at this point. (laughter) The musculature of this ancient warrior is evidence of a willpower greater than the biological processes of those creatures (chuckles), of the world of Aramán. She steps forward. By her side, her companion. Travis, would you describe your character for us?
TRAVIS: Yeah. You see a very tall, very powerfully-built lion man.
AABRIA: He's furry.
TRAVIS: Dark silver fur coming down from his head onto his shoulders. He has a golden breastplate and adornments that would match his station as a Vanguard Marshal. Purple vestments and a shield on his back as well, with a cape flowing behind him, and his feet, of course, uncovered, as is custom for our kind. Powerful arms. A tattoo running up the upper left side of his arm and you see a braid's coming down from his mane, down onto his chest. And he is moving alongside this orcish woman, but also scanning while he does so. It's habit. It's part of what he does.
BRENNAN: Give me a perception check.
TRAVIS: Oh Jesus.
AABRIA: Okay.
TRAVIS: He's just coming for me, dawg.
BRENNAN: You said you're scanning, right? (chuckles)
ALEXANDER: Yeah.
AABRIA: What do your lion eye see?
BRENNAN: (laughs)
TRAVIS: Let's find out. That is 19.
BRENNAN: 19.
LIAM: Oh.
AABRIA: Oh shit.
ALEXANDER: Shit.
LIAM: Oh!
AABRIA: First voice. (laughs)
BRENNAN: Scanning the horizon. You look out, you see some magpies, the eponymous bird of The Rookery. But you see some off in the distance, you see a couple of owls headed off in the direction of the western edge of the city. A few smaller doves here and there. There's kind of an off-white, increasingly gray rock dove that's native to the city, but that no one tends to really keep. Those tend to just be living here of their own volition. And off in the distance you see peeling high overhead on that 19, a falcon just kiting on a thermal. No flapping, just rising slowly and steadily up above. We move back. You made it here just in time. Coming in through the pass from far to the east, the old fallen Obridimian Empire. Work with Loza concluding in a series of skirmishes that are merely pale echoes of earlier, greater causes. You arrived here basically with enough time to find out where the execution was happening, and got to at least be there for those last moments. What was Teor feeling at the back of the crowd as that moment unfolded and the rope snapped taut?
TRAVIS: (inhales and exhales deeply) I think in that moment, it was about trying to understand what had come to pass that led up to this moment. Arriving in time was one thing, but this man deserved more. More fanfare, more people next to him, just more. And as we arrived and we noticed a mixed bag of reactions, there was certainly the celebration, the trumpets, all the sound and the show of celebration, justice being done. But the faces that we saw, if you looked closer, there was remorse, there was sadness, there was confusion. And that's where Teor feels. That's what he's feeling now. How did this man that has done so much for so many far beyond himself, how did he meet an end like this? (exhales deeply)
BRENNAN: Teor is a soldier and a mercenary, not a politician. No great judge or magistrate or lord. But you know plenty about conflict. You know a lot about war. There was a war happening. The gallows placed under the heroes of the revolution, under the guardian statues of the Shapers' War. There was a war between those trumpets, those decrees and pronouncements and something that Thjazi could see in the hearts of those people in that crowd, and it was not lost on you either. What is lost on you is why there are questions. And with each fall of the pads of your mighty paws, the questions rebound and rebound. What has happened in Dol-Makjar? What has happened here in the city of the Revolutionary Council, of the Pariah Blades, of this history? What has happened here that it has come to this? And you arrive at a home. And Loza looks up at you and says, "(sighs) I... (sniffs) I can't believe that that crazy bastard grew up here in like, a poet's house?
TRAVIS: (chuckles softly) Are we to believe that this is... This is where he grew up?
BRENNAN: "No, maybe not. No. We pay our respects either way."
TRAVIS: Do you know anyone of his immediate family?
BRENNAN: "Yeah, I've met Hal before. He's a good man. Hal fought as well. He didn't stay, he didn't become a mercenary, but he might've caught the tail end of the War of Axe and Vine and--"
TRAVIS: His brother.
BRENNAN: "Yeah."
AABRIA: If I can hear speaking on the far side of the door in tones that are not immediate family, but still fundamentally low and kind, the jasmine growing up, I will force it to bloom a little more and give its scent off a little more. Welcome.
BRENNAN: Walking into the home, Loza Blade, this ancient orcish woman, Commander of the Torn Banner that once was steps into the home.
LIAM: Loza, welcome.
BRENNAN: "Halandil." Big embrace.
LIAM: (chuckles)
BRENNAN: "(sighs)"
LIAM: Quite a day.
BRENNAN: "What a day, indeed."
LIAM: Yeah.
BRENNAN: "I don't know if you'll remember. It's been many years, but this is Teor Pridesire."
TRAVIS: I am Teor. My condolences.
LIAM: Oh. I take your hand. I appreciate that. You're a friend of my brother?
TRAVIS: Yes, we served together in the Falconer's Rebellion. He was a good man.
LIAM: I think so, too. You'll have to come in. Here. I grab a bottle, say: This tastes like piss, but my brother loved it and it gets the job done. Please have a drink with me.
BRENNAN: (chuckles)
TRAVIS: That is very kind of you. Loza, do you--
BRENNAN: "Hey, if you're selling it like that--"
LIAM: I start spreading around the room.
BRENNAN: "-- give me the piss liquor." You see that she takes it and goes: "(sips) I think he suffered a tongue injury in the Falconer's Rebellion."
LIAM: And I've never understood it.
TRAVIS: As we take a sip, I'll take the sip, but I also use it to look over the edge of the cup, just around the room. Take in faces new or known.
ALEXANDER: As our eyes meet, I just go: Oh! (laughter)
ALEXANDER: Just never having seen anyone like you before. Oh, I just-- What the-- Oh gosh.
AABRIA: No, you're doing great. You're in it now. Can you pour him a half of one?
LIAM: Sure.
ALEXANDER: I can do a whole one!
AABRIA: Mm, mm-hmm.
TRAVIS: I'll go over. I'm sorry if my--
ALEXANDER: No.
TRAVIS: -- presence is of-- I am Teor Pridesire. It is nice to meet you.
ALEXANDER: Occtis. Nice to meet you.
TRAVIS: Occtis and...
AABRIA: Thaisha.
TRAVIS: Thaisha, pleasure.
ALEXANDER: It's fine. That's me. I'm just--
LIAM: We'll call this one three quarters.
ALEXANDER: Compromise.
BRENNAN: Give me a history check, Teor. And you can get the help action from Loza as she leans over.
TRAVIS: Yes, please. So I know what that means.
BRENNAN: Call it a difficulty of 15.
AABRIA: Be so smart.
LUIS: Oh!
TRAVIS: Nope. (chuckles) Nine!
BRENNAN: (laughs) Yeah, you see a young, this young kid looks like some sort of academic.
ALEXANDER: Takes a sip of this and goes (retches)
AABRIA: I'm going to very quickly just grab that.
TRAVIS: You could tell him to nurse that, perhaps.
AABRIA: That's cool.
ALEXANDER: It's all right. Yeah.
LIAM: It's definitely Malört, in my mind.
BRENNAN: (laughs)
LIAM: Definitely Malört.
TRAVIS: It will go a long way.
ALEXANDER: So fine.
AABRIA: Yeah.
BRENNAN: Dol-Makjar is Chicago. This is Malört. (laughter)
AABRIA: The pain's the point.
ALEXANDER: It's horrible.
BRENNAN: Thjazi, now that guests are arriving, moved within the circle of relics and belongings there. You see Loza nods to you and says, "I'll go pay my respects." She goes up with a traditional whispered orcish custom under the Old Path. She leans up, looks at you and goes, "Thaisha, it's been a long time."
AABRIA: How are you?
BRENNAN: "It's good to see you."
AABRIA: And using the excuse to put that down because that is fucking terrible.
ALEXANDER: It's bad! (laughs)
AABRIA: Go and give her a big hug.
BRENNAN: You go and give her a big hug.
AABRIA: You look so old. How are you alive?
BRENNAN: "How am I alive?"
AABRIA: Yeah.
BRENNAN: "Who would kill me? Not death itself."
AABRIA: Fair. Too mean.
BRENNAN: (laughs) She looks over and goes, "Thank you for the jasmine." You see that she plucks just a little tiny strand of the white jasmine flower and goes and puts it behind Thjazi's ear and gets down on one knee. You see she starts whispering something. She doesn't speak Druidic, but she knows enough. And you can understand in Druidic that what she's saying in this ancient Orcish-Druidic hybrid is basically, "The path to the next life, I hope, is set with flowers." And begins to repeat these little whispered prayers.
LIAM: I think that once you arrive, really only made the smallest amount of greeting and small talk and have not said more. And as guests arrive and fill in and Hal's moving about like you do at a wake and making sure that people are eating and seeing if anyone needs anything that I keep catching your eye across the room.
LUIS: I am ultra present with Hal and have him in my periphery if I'm not directly looking at him.
LIAM: I think it is probably very obvious every time we lock eyes across the room that I'd like to talk to you. But then he continues moving through the guests and--
LUIS: Okay.
LIAM: -- refilling Malört.
LUIS: And I watch you leave, and that's when I notice Teor. And I stop in my tracks as I see someone from so many years ago that I spent some time fighting in the Falconer's Rebellion with, and I wait to see if you recognize me because I was so young and I've grown up.
TRAVIS: You have. My question is, in that execution, could I see Azune anywhere on or near the stage when it was happening?
BRENNAN: I'm going to say after it happened as you and Loza both, because you had gotten there towards the back of the crowd, I think as people started to leave, you stayed for a moment. Azune would have come out afterwards. In other words, the show of force was from-- The questions that Teor has right now is, you saw House Tachonis. House Halovar was there. House Halovar that's now going by the Candescent Creed, this new faith that's-- There's a lot of things going on in the city that you're like, "That was not here last time. That was not here last time. That was not here last time." You had heard that Azune had joined the Revolutionary Guard, but the show of force was--
TRAVIS: Foreign almost.
BRENNAN: Yeah. It was like the Sundered Houses did this execution and then tossed it over to the Revolutionary Guard to clean up. You saw Azune come out at the end. In other words, they were like: We were just here to kill this guy. We were not here to clean up the corpse. You guys do your thing.
TRAVIS: We have spent too many years together spilling blood in the same mud for us not to recognize each other immediately.
BRENNAN: Yeah.
TRAVIS: I will gauge Azune's expression and see if it is one of interest and welcome.
LUIS: I look at you, and I feel like I'm trying, sort of scanning you as well.
TRAVIS: (chuckles)
AABRIA: Can I insight check these boys insight checking each other?
LUIS: (laughs)
TRAVIS: Yeah, you both see if the shoulders both--
LUIS: Yes.
TRAVIS: -- come back and just-- Right.
LUIS: I'll give a nod.
BRENNAN: Give me insight.
AABRIA: Yeah. Jesus.
ALEXANDER: Oh.
AABRIA: It's under the spider.
ALEXANDER: Why do you have a spider?
AABRIA: Don't worry about it! 17, 16.
BRENNAN: 17. I think that passes. Teor, what's your deception score?
TRAVIS: (mumbles) (sputters) Five?
BRENNAN: I think it passes your passive deception, and you're not trying to be deceptive right now.
TRAVIS: Yep. Nope, I'm not.
BRENNAN: Teor has a similar vibe that you have right now. You clock a vibe from Teor similar to your vibe, which is: Why did bad things happen?
AABRIA: I think that's the turning point. She wanted to pull you away to speak to you. If you are already moving in the same way, I think the sort of, which side of the fence she will fall on resolves itself and she'll leave you two to it. And I'm going to go stand behind Loza and hands on her shoulders, begin matching her cadence and harmonizing with her Druidic and take over these rites and step away from the family and people of this and do what I was made and called to do.
BRENNAN: You speak words of comfort and purpose that flow from the very heart of this world. Loza, hearing a druid of the Old Path speak this is able to break into just speaking Orcish again. And she just looks out, surrounded by your spiritual embrace of this moment and go, "You married a noblewoman. Commoner kid from Dol-Makjar, grew up on the other side of the river from my family, and you married a noble just from, I don't know, whatever moxie you had. Cut of your jib must have been pretty impressive. And two years after you married her, you joined a rebellion against her house. You were the craziest bastard I ever met."
AABRIA: (laughs) Fully crack up mid-chant.
BRENNAN: (laughs) You see she takes--
TRAVIS: Wake laughter.
BRENNAN: In this--
AABRIA: Yeah.
BRENNAN: You see her hand is all knuckle and goes-- (laughter)
BRENNAN: -- and she takes Thjazi's hand and goes, "When we said goodbye, I knew it wasn't forever and it still won't be. Whatever I am in my next life, I hope I'm lucky enough to find you again." And she kisses the hand. Teor and Azune, you guys, I think, have a moment to find each other privately here as well.
TRAVIS: Yeah, I'll cross to Azune and--
LUIS: As soon as you start to cross, I meet you.
TRAVIS: I extend my hand and we clasp forearms à la "Beastmaster."
LUIS: Yes.
TRAVIS: The shake of the soldiers.
ALEXANDER: That's my favorite dinner.
LUIS: That's right. I keep the grip for a moment and I give you a tug.
TRAVIS: (chuckles) Mm-hmm.
LUIS: It's been a long time.
TRAVIS: It is good to see you.
LUIS: You're welcome here, Teor.
TRAVIS: Thank you. You have gotten taller and a little wider as well.
LUIS: I have grown up, yes.
TRAVIS: I'm sorry to be meeting under these circumstances. I'm sure it'll come to no surprise to you that I have many questions.
LUIS: I do as well.
BRENNAN: At this moment, a carriage arrives outside.
TRAVIS: Boop, boop! (laughs)
BRENNAN: Sam and Whitney, can I get you guys in at the table?
TRAVIS: Oh, oh, almost! (clapping)
SAM: Oh god! Oh no, oh no!
AABRIA: I don't, yeah.
TRAVIS: It's up to them. It's up to them.
AABRIA: No, they probably want to be together.
LUIS: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
TRAVIS: Yeah?
LUIS: Scoochie.
AABRIA: Okay.
SAM: I mean--
AABRIA: You can figure it out yourself.
SAM: It would be nice to, yes.
TRAVIS: Yeah.
AABRIA: The fuck!
BRENNAN: Could do a little scoochie.
ALEXANDER: Here, I'll go this way.
AABRIA: Okay.
BRENNAN: Do a little scooch.
TRAVIS: Move your diamond spider. What the fuck is that?
AABRIA: She's cute! Don't worry about that.
TRAVIS: Okay.
ALEXANDER: Move, okay. Yes, I'd say--
WHITNEY: I've got so much shit.
LUIS: With the tug.
AABRIA: I got that seat so warm for you.
WHITNEY: Thank you.
AABRIA: So warm for you, baby.
TRAVIS: A forearm?
BRENNAN: I got too much fucking shit on me!
TRAVIS: Yes, yes, yes.
LUIS: Is that the greeting?
TRAVIS: Sure.
BRENNAN: Sam and Whitney.
SAM: Oh, hi.
BRENNAN: Welcome, welcome. As your characters arrive here, question. Question for you, Sam.
SAM: Mm-hmm.
BRENNAN: Would your character be arriving in a carriage with the emblem of his house on it or not?
SAM: Of course. Yes.
BRENNAN: Of course.
AABRIA: Oh dear.
BRENNAN: Arriving here to the funeral, all of you see a carriage moving along the street and turn to see the symbol of the Candescent Creed.
ALEXANDER: Shit.
BRENNAN: A beautiful point of light hovering above a pillar stylized to look almost like the pillar of the sun or perhaps simply a humble candle depending on the size of the emblem, for the light surrounds us all. Within that carriage, being driven by a carriage driver and a guard placed beside them to the right of the driver, and a guard placed beside them to the right of the driver, but in the carriage, there are only two figures. And I would like, Sam, for you to describe your character for us.
SAM: Well, sitting in the back of the carriage is a tall man, 5'11". (laughter)
AABRIA: Impossibly tiny.
ALEXANDER: Wild! (laughter)
BRENNAN: Tallness is in the mind.
TRAVIS: Shots fired. (laughter)
SAM: He's a very beautiful young man, maybe 28 or 30 years old. He has light teal and white hair with teal and white robes. I think the most distinguishing characteristic about him would be the pearlescent, shimmering face markings that he has, tattoos all over about half of his face. They seem to shimmer with a light that they make on their own. He is clutching very, very hard and fingering nervously a cane that he carries with the symbol of the Candescent Creed on the top of it. He's got a lot of sweat on his upper brow right now, rocking back and forth. I mean, I just, oh, I've just never seen a-a real dead body like that before. And it was just hanging there all-- The color drained out of him and it was very-- I-I-I just, I'm going to need a drink as soon as we get there, all right?
BRENNAN: Whitney, could you please describe to whom this gentleman is speaking?
WHITNEY: Yeah, okay. People tend to smell her before they see her.
TRAVIS: Oh shit!
WHITNEY: Think of a warm chocolate chip cookie laced with a little bit of sulfur. It's animalic, it's musky, a bit acrid, but with a creamy sweetness that doesn't make it so unpleasant.
LUIS: Hm?
BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.
WHITNEY: It's interesting and it sticks around. She's beautiful, of course. She's got bubblegum-colored skin, white hair, blunt bangs that are haphazardly tucked behind a veil, a bunch sticking out. She's got yellow goat's eyes, soft goat's ears, and she's got a silver arrow piercing through one of them, and of course, a forked tongue. Hooves put her at around 5'3", not including the horns jutting out. Her tail peeks out of just an abomination of ruffles that mark her as an Aspirant to the Candescent Creed of the House of Halovar. Hi, I'm a demon, and my name is Tyranny. And I really am sorry that when they killed that guy, I said: Can I eat that? It's just a little demon humor. I don't know.
SAM: I think several people heard you say that, and it was inappropriate and in the presence of royalty and nobles and nobility and just--
WHITNEY: Well, I just got here. I'm new. You want me to get you a drink?
SAM: Do you have my--
AABRIA: The plants overhear that, and the jasmine, if you're looking towards the door, the jasmine grows in and blocks your path.
SAM: Oh! (grunts) Oh, driver!
BRENNAN: "Yes, m'lord."
SAM: Is something wrong? Why, we've stopped just shy of the house.
BRENNAN: "The house will, I believe there might be-- The plants seem to have a mind of their own."
SAM: All right, we'll just hoof it.
BRENNAN: You see as you emerge, Tyranny.
WHITNEY: Uh-huh.
BRENNAN: You are currently holding a beautiful, well-made, well-used scimitar in a leather scabbard with some hooks and chains to be affixed to a sword belt. This is the weapon of Thjazi Fang. And I think, Wicander Halovar, you look down and see the last effect of Thjazi here. You see the driver says, "M'lord, do you require escort or security? You're entering the funeral of the man that was just put to death."
WHITNEY: Are people going to be so mad at you?
SAM: Shh! I mean, maybe. I hadn't thought that through. I need to deliver this to Hal and-- You know what? No, I do not require security. I'll be just fine. My family is beloved in this--
AABRIA: The vines grow thorns. (laughter)
SAM: My family's name shall protect me, and the holy light of the universe shall protect me.
BRENNAN: "Of course. You are ordained by the Light, my-- (screams)" A magpie starts attacking the driver. (screeching) "(screaming) Devil bird!"
SAM: Help him here.
BRENNAN: "Bird of devils!"
SAM: Tyranny, help. (laughter)
WHITNEY: All right.
SAM: Help him!
WHITNEY: All right. Hey guy, what's your name?
BRENNAN: "My name?"
WHITNEY: Yeah.
BRENNAN: "Otto!"
WHITNEY: Swat.
BRENNAN: "What's that?"
WHITNEY: I don't know. I thought I'd talk him through it.
SAM: No, no, help him!
BRENNAN: "You're going to give me notes on how I'm fighting this magpie?" (laughter)
WHITNEY: I throw the scimitar at the magpie.
LUIS: (screams)
BRENNAN: (laughs) You hurl the scimitar.
SAM: No, no, not that! Oh!
BRENNAN: Give me an attack roll.
WHITNEY: Oh!
BRENNAN: First attack roll of the campaign! (cheering)
TRAVIS: What? (laughs)
AABRIA: And not in the dice tray.
WHITNEY: 17.
BRENNAN: 17.
LUIS: (laughs)
TRAVIS: Here goes your new driver.
BRENNAN: You hurl this scimitar.
SAM: No! No!
BRENNAN: (thwacks) And just pin this magpie--
LUIS: Oh gosh.
BRENNAN: -- to the side of a neighboring building.
WHITNEY: Got your ass! Got your ass!
SAM: No, no, no!
WHITNEY: (laughs) Did you see that?
SAM: You got blood all over this holy relic! And I, oh!
BRENNAN: (laughs)
SAM: I'm going to go over and gingerly pry the scimitar out of the dead bird's body.
BRENNAN: You go. It's sticking in someone else's house. As you go to pull it out, a little shutter opens and you see an older orcish woman leans her head out and goes--
SAM: Oh.
BRENNAN: "Can I help you?"
AABRIA: (laughs)
SAM: May the Beam reach you. This is Halovar business. I'll be--
BRENNAN: "Are you here about the beam?"
SAM: No, no.
BRENNAN: "There's some water damage."
SAM: No, all is in the Light.
BRENNAN: "No, the beam's not in the light. It's inside."
SAM: Have a good day. I need this scimitar that's in your house right now.
BRENNAN: "I'll have whatever day I please, you stranger!" And she closes the shutter. (laughter)
AABRIA: I love her.
WHITNEY: May the Light reach you! (laughter)
BRENNAN: You see--
TRAVIS: Oh my god.
BRENNAN: -- as you pull the sword out, look at it covered in magpie blood, this dead bird collapses to the ground, you-- Today didn't start this way. And we move back-- (whooshes)
SAM: Oh!
BRENNAN: -- quickly through time to the nobles' box at the execution. Tyranny by your side, looking out. How were you feeling in the moments prior to Thjazi walking out on that gallows stage?
SAM: I was a bit nervous, in general. Obviously, at any execution, everyone's going to be a bit nervous not knowing what's going to happen. But I was feeling pretty confident.
BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.
SAM: Especially when I saw my grandmother take the stage and start her speech and mention how the Light sees all and forgives all. I remember in Embers, Verse 17 it says that: "The Light sees all, and in us exists filament and forgiveness."
WHITNEY: Mm-hmm.
SAM: And that is what my grandmother has just said. That means that even though this gentleman has committed a significant crime, it will be forgiven, and she's going to commute his sentence to life instead. Watch.
WHITNEY: Yeah, it's just crazy because he's already up there and so why would they go?
SAM: I think it's for the spectacle, the drama.
WHITNEY: You think she's going to be like, "Just kidding?"
SAM: Well, I spoke, not directly with her, but I spoke with my parents, and I made a plea for forgiveness and--
BRENNAN: The Photarch approaches you in the nobles' box.
LIAM: Photarch.
SAM: Oh! Grandmother.
BRENNAN: You see she looks and says, (sighs) "Wicander, how's it going, love? You doing all right?"
SAM: Oh, yes, Grandmother. I'm doing quite well. We are all on the edge of our seats to see how this will go.
BRENNAN: "I spoke to Godard. He mentioned that you were, that you'd been inquiring"--
SAM: Yes, I-I-I had made a request to save this man's soul, for obviously, any soul can find the Light. Take Tyranny here, for instance. Once from the shadows, now finding the Light.
WHITNEY: The Light's right.
BRENNAN: "Little Tyranny. Oh!" You see she pinches your cheek.
WHITNEY: Oh, thanks.
BRENNAN: "Oh, lovely." You look over and see your father and mother. Your father, this enormous, powerful man.
AABRIA: 5'11".
BRENNAN: Who also has white hair, white beard, long ponytail with a white ribbon tied around it. You see that his back, there's something, as large and powerful as he is, he has some kind of, almost like a spinal curvature so his back gets really big behind him. And the only piece of black on him is a black blindfold that he wears in perpetuity. He steps out. You see, next to him, Tyranny, you see one of your siblings, the Aspirant Enmity, who turns over. This is a deep speckled red, red and black. You see there's almost lava congealing into stone, but wearing a white candescent almost a priestly garb. Unlike your horns that go straight up, these curl ram-like around. You see Enmity turns over to you and says, "(snarls) Sister, do you tend to your ward?
WHITNEY: Yeah! (snickering) Yeah, I am. I mean, what? He's right here. Ask him.
BRENNAN: "You are so immediately hostile." (laughter)
WHITNEY: It's really good to see you.
SAM: Tyranny has been--
TRAVIS: (laughs) Jesus!
SAM: Tyranny has been making leaps and bounds in her progress, I'm pleased to say. She has only dimmed a few times this week. She cursed a few times. She--
WHITNEY: Yeah, I'm so fucking bright.
SAM: That's a few too many.
BRENNAN: You see (laughs) Enmity looks over and says, "To use profane language when we, cursed of demonkind, have been saved by the Light"--
TRAVIS: (laughs)
AABRIA: Oh my god. (laughter)
BRENNAN: "-- diminishes the status of the Creed."
WHITNEY: Well, I just got here so, you know?
BRENNAN: "I also just got here and I'm doing great." (laughter)
WHITNEY: Enmity, where's your guy, all right? Go--
BRENNAN: "He's right behind me." You see he gestures.
SAM: It's also not a contest. Everyone at their own pace.
BRENNAN: (shouting) "Why not?
SAM: (gasps fearfully)
BRENNAN: "Sorry. Yelling dims the Light." (laughter) You see he turns around. And you see the--
SAM: Keep your spark bright.
BRENNAN: You see your grandmother touches the bridge of her nose and says, "God, were the demons a big mistake?" (laughter) "No, no."
SAM: No!
BRENNAN: "They are a testament to the power of the Light. No more cursing, lovey."
WHITNEY: Sorry. Sorry, Mommy.
BRENNAN: "Grandmommy."
WHITNEY: Sorry.
SAM: Grandmother.
BRENNAN: And you see that she turns to you and says, "I heard you mentioned that this one's, this man's brother is a beloved figure. Is this the lad that we just gave the theater to, the big one?"
SAM: Yes it is. Hal. He's opening a theater. He is beloved by all. And it is a fine, fine way to carry our message to the masses. If he were to perform a play at his theater that talked about the Candescent Creed in a good light, it could tell our message to a new audience.
BRENNAN: "Oh, you are doing so well here, little Wicky. You're doing amazing."
SAM: Thank you.
BRENNAN: "And the city, this is the exact kind of survey. You know, we obviously, we've had a basis for our-- There are many plans of ours that are unfolding here in Dol-Makjar, but we haven't cracked the nut of the Creed really spreading. This is the seat of the revolution after all, but."
SAM: Well, if you put your faith in me, I'm sure I can get the job done.
BRENNAN: "You have my utmost faith, my grandson. You are the future of the House of Halovar."
SAM: I am?
BRENNAN: "He's got to die."
SAM: I'm sorry?
BRENNAN: "He's dying. We'll talk more later."
SAM: Wait, what?
BRENNAN: She turns out as the--
AABRIA: Oh!
BRENNAN: (laughs)
SAM: No, no, but that's not what we discussed!
BRENNAN: Your father, her son, puts a massive hand on your shoulder and his voice reverberates in your chest. "I'm sorry, my son. It must be so. There are important lessons you will learn in the nights and days to come." You see that he turns out as your grandmother gets up, hearing the herald speak and you see she goes, (grunts) "Fucking robes, dress." Gets up and goes "(clears throat)" and begins to speak as a cantrip projects her voice and goes, "People of Dol-Makjar..."
TRAVIS: Oh jeez.
AABRIA: (gasps)
BRENNAN: And her voice completely changes. You are outside the home of Hal Fang.
WHITNEY: Hey, remember when she called you Wicky? Can I call you that?
SAM: You may not call me Wicky. The proper term is Your Radiance.
WHITNEY: Ugh.
SAM: Or Bearer of the Filament.
WHITNEY: All right.
SAM: Wicander, Wick. Wick, I prefer Wick, I think.
WHITNEY: No. Well, we'll do Your Radiance.
SAM: That is the proper terminology, yes.
WHITNEY: (chuckles) Right.
SAM: I gently wipe the blade on my hand, but now I've got blood on my hand and--
WHITNEY: I go-- (licks and smacks lips)
TRAVIS: Oh, Jesus.
SAM: Do you mind?
WHITNEY: (slurps)
AABRIA: Oh! My god. (laughter)
ALEXANDER: It's going poorly out there.
SAM: Thank you.
AABRIA: I'm in here praying, and I can see through the plants and I want to kill them.
ALEXANDER: I can just hear it.
LIAM: You're still outside the house for this one, right?
SAM: Yeah, we're about to go in.
LUIS: Oh my god.
SAM: (clears throat)
WHITNEY: What are you-- You're really sweaty, guy.
SAM: Do you mind?
WHITNEY: Oh my god.
AABRIA: What?
WHITNEY: Okay. I take my robe and I-- All right, I shouldn't have. I saw that coming. You want a drink? What kind of drink do you want?
SAM: I'm just not feeling well. Seeing a dead body was more than I thought I would do today. Can you knock for us?
WHITNEY: Yeah. I knock.
BRENNAN: As you knock, Hal, inside the house, you look up, hear a knock at the door. There is a cold iron nail over the door, one of the original nails crafted by the Lloy family, a little gift from the mother of your son and daughter.
AABRIA: Say baby mama like you want to.
BRENNAN: Baby mama. (laughter)
BRENNAN: It's a bohemian lifestyle here in Dol-Makjar. Not a lot of people tying the knot. You see that you look up and the cold iron nail (hissing) is beginning to burn hot with a knock at the door. (hissing)
LUIS: Oh!
BRENNAN: And smoke.
LIAM: Could someone get-- I'm sorry, I'm holding a tray with more of this liqueur on it. Could someone get the--
AABRIA: Occtis.
LIAM: -- door for me, please?
ALEXANDER: God. Okay, I'll get it.
BRENNAN: You see that your friend Olgud takes a shot of it and goes, (retches) "Oh, Yahrgraz. Why did he drink this?" (laughter)
TRAVIS: Yahrgraz.
ALEXANDER: (exhales) Okay, I got this. Opens the door.
BRENNAN: There's a demon in front of you.
WHITNEY: Hi.
ALEXANDER: Ha, hi.
WHITNEY: Special delivery!
ALEXANDER: Of what?
WHITNEY: Me and him.
ALEXANDER: Oh god.
LUIS: (laughs)
ALEXANDER: Oh, okay.
SAM: Hello.
ALEXANDER: Hi. Hi.
SAM: The Light is all. Oh, you're quite short, aren't you?
ALEXANDER: We're the same height.
LIAM: Wicander sees Hal across the room holding this tray with bottles on it and just eyes up, gaze met. His face just goes blank, and I make my way back towards the kitchen with the tray.
SAM: ♪ I make my way ♪
ALEXANDER: You do you immediately recognize me as one of the House Tachonis.
SAM: Ah. But one I haven't seen in quite some time.
ALEXANDER: No. Hello. Come in, I guess.
WHITNEY: Where's the refreshments?
ALEXANDER: Over there.
AABRIA: Over here next to the druid chanting!
WHITNEY: Okay, cool. I'm going to go. I'm going to get you your drink, all right?
SAM: Thank you, Tyranny.
WHITNEY: Yeah, I'll be right back. I'm going to clomp, clomp, clomp, clomp.
BRENNAN: You clomp over there. You see there's an older orcish gentleman. He's got silver at the temples and a little bit darker on top. He looks over. He has a bottle of a thing that says Yahrgraz in Orcish on it and goes, "It's bad, but I got to wash down those cranberry rolls."
WHITNEY: Yeah, can I have some of that, please?
BRENNAN: "Oh!"
WHITNEY: Hi!
BRENNAN: "Hi!"
WHITNEY: Hi!
TRAVIS: Yahrgraz?
WHITNEY: Yeah, please. I'll have some of that.
BRENNAN: He hands it over to you and says, "Hello, I'm Olgud. What's--"
WHITNEY: Olgud?
BRENNAN: "What's your name?"
WHITNEY: I'm Tyranny, nice to meet you. You're the bartender?
BRENNAN: "No. No. I'm a theater producer. You're a demon?"
WHITNEY: I am a demon!
SAM: Same thing. (laughter)
AABRIA: Shots fired. (laughter)
BRENNAN: "Oh yeah, have the bottle, by all means."
WHITNEY: Thank you. I'll bring it back. I think that I know your theater company, but we'll talk later, I'm sure. Thank you. You're so sweet.
BRENNAN: "Oh, that's very kind. You're very-- It's a pleasure to meet you."
WHITNEY: Thank you!
BRENNAN: "If you ever are looking to get into theater, you'd be a great ingenue, if you ever want to audition or anything like that."
WHITNEY: God, people love me. It's so cool. All right. I take this bottle and I'm going to (glugging).
BRENNAN: You just knock it back yourself?
WHITNEY: Mm-hmm.
BRENNAN: Give me a constitution saving throw. (laughter)
WHITNEY: 18 plus four.
BRENNAN: You put the whole thing away. You see Olgud goes, "Amazing! You shouldn't be able to survive that!" (laughter)
WHITNEY: Fuck, I forgot. I'm supposed to get some for my friend. Do you have any more?
BRENNAN: "Of this stuff?"
WHITNEY: Yeah, or just any, like-- Do you have any like really gross stuff? Because that was good.
BRENNAN: "That was the really gross stuff."
WHITNEY: Okay. Do you have any potions?
BRENNAN: "Potions?"
SAM: (laughs)
AABRIA: What is happening?
BRENNAN: "No, not at all."
WHITNEY: Can I make like a suicide? With a bunch?
LUIS: Oh yes. I know.
BRENNAN: "You want to go in the kitchen and make your own drink?"
WHITNEY: Yeah.
BRENNAN: "Well, I have no way to stop this." (laughter)
WHITNEY: Come on, we're pals, right?
BRENNAN: "I don't feel safe." (laughter) "Yes, we're pals."
WHITNEY: Okay, cool. I'm going to do that.
BRENNAN: "I don't, do I have, does saying that give you some power over me?" (laughter)
WHITNEY: I feel it. I mean, I feel something. I'm feeling something. Are you? Is that the drink? I don't know.
BRENNAN: "You drank 3/4 of a bottle of Yahrgraz in less than 10 seconds. It's the most frightening thing I've ever seen."
WHITNEY: That's so cool. All right, I'm going to go to kitchen.
TRAVIS: I lean over to Azune and I go: I'm going to need you to explain who these people are.
LUIS: I, unfortunately, don't know who, at least those two that have recently come in, don't know them well.
TRAVIS: Understood.
BRENNAN: I think at this moment, Wick, you enter. Tyranny, you go to the kitchen with Olgud to make a suicide. You go back in, you see that there's a young orcish girl in there who's like, "This is my home."
WHITNEY: Hi. We're out of refreshments. I'm so sorry to bother you. Can we make a little cocktail here?
BRENNAN: "Yes. There should be bottles out on the table. But do you, sorry, do you want, like, our spices from our kitchen where we live?"
WHITNEY: I'm not really sure. I've never been to a funeral before. I'm not really sure it's appropriate, but I just--
BRENNAN: Olgud is going to make an insight check. Are you trying to be honest in this moment?
WHITNEY: Oh yeah. Always.
BRENNAN: See Olgud goes, and suddenly realizes that you're brand new in the realm, and he looks over and goes, "Oh, you've never been to a funeral before?"
WHITNEY: Mm-mm.
BRENNAN: "Oh."
WHITNEY: This one's lit.
AABRIA: "Lit."
BRENNAN: He looks around and he goes, "Essentially, well, let me see if I can give you-- Do you want a little guide list of some pointers of what to do?"
WHITNEY: Absolutely.
BRENNAN: "Great. So this is a, because this funeral is in someone's home, we're not going to raid their kitchen." (laughter)
WHITNEY: Mm.
BRENNAN: "But what we can do is see what they've put out and mix that."
WHITNEY: I don't want to do that, but--
BRENNAN: "Well, and here's something funny that I'm learning about you. Something we do here in the realm of mortals is sometimes do things that we don't want."
WHITNEY: Why?!
BRENNAN: "And sometimes, and actually maybe even more critical, not do things we do want."
WHITNEY: (groans) That's weird. I am going to start grabbing things from the shelves.
AABRIA: The moment I hear that, I am double tapping, trading off with the orc and I'm peeking around the corner. Hi, can I help you?
WHITNEY: Hi. Yeah.
AABRIA: You were looking for alcohol?
WHITNEY: Yeah.
AABRIA: Come with me.
WHITNEY: Okay.
AABRIA: Thanks.
BRENNAN: Shadia looks at you and says, "Thank you, Mom."
AABRIA: I got you, baby girl. Hi.
WHITNEY: Hi, I'm Tyranny.
AABRIA: Hi, I'm Thaisha. Don't go back in that kitchen. What do you need?
WHITNEY: Oh, I don't know. I just need-- My friend wanted a drink and I told him I'd get him something, but he didn't specify what, so whatever weird, honestly, like, the grosser the better. I don't really like this guy.
BRENNAN: Wicander, you are right behind Tyranny holding Thjazi's sword as she says that. We're going to cut over to Azune and Teor as you guys have your private interaction. I don't know if Occtis would be around for that or not.
ALEXANDER: I think I'm-- With Thaisha leaving the room, I'm just standing there. Not really knowing what to do with myself. Just kind of fidgeting.
BRENNAN: And Wick, you absolutely see this kid, he's not a-- He's not in your circles. You haven't seen him in years probably, last time you saw him he was a kid kid. But he is like, I don't know, like umpteenth in line for the seat of house Tachonis, absolutely. Azune and Teor, you guys get a little ways away.
LUIS: As we started coming together and this came and this, you know, entered into the space, the first thing that pulls my attention away from Teor is Hal storming away. And I'm looking-- I'm taking in everything that's happening here that's within earshot, but you see, Teor, that my attention keeps going back towards where Hal left, and then it comes back to you. It's good to see you, old friend. It's been a long time since our days fighting side by side.
TRAVIS: It has.
LUIS: If there is-- If there's anything that you're up to tonight, let me know, I want a part of it.
TRAVIS: Understood.
LUIS: What kinds of questions did you say that you had?
TRAVIS: I would start with all of them. To be fair, this place has changed much since last time I was here. I don't recognize the banners or the people or that man that just came in and acts as if he is the head of some sort of religion?
LUIS: He is, from what I understand, he is of one of the noble houses and that noble house has been shifting their beliefs over the last few years.
TRAVIS: Their beliefs. I would like to know why a man such as Thjazi found himself on the hangman's noose. And if these shifting beliefs or the people behind them need to answer them, I would very much like to know what you've known these past many years.
LUIS: What have you been up to since I saw you last, Teor? Have you stayed out there, fighting?
TRAVIS: No, we have stayed out of Dol-Makjar. Loza Blade and I have been helping others from the Torn Banner. We take up contracts here and there, help where we can, but it's been hard finding one place to be. I often wondered about you, about my brother Cyd, and what this city had to offer and we thought it would be a good time to return and we found it... Disappointment when we heard of Thjazi's news.
LUIS: There are a great number of us here that don't believe what happened to him was just or right, and that there should be someone to answer for it. But that's a conversation for another time perhaps, not here.
BRENNAN: I'll say this too, Azune, as Teor mentions his younger brother, Talcydimir, Cyd, as Teor mentions his younger brother, Talcydimir, Cyd, you wonder where Cyd is. Cyd was supposed to be part of what was supposed to happen.
LUIS: Have you seen your brother?
TRAVIS: I have not. We traveled as fast as we could to make it in time, and I was hoping to see him in the crowd, but I haven't, have you?
LUIS: No. I will find you later tonight. And I am, I start going across the room. I look again towards where Hal went and I stop myself because I'm going straight to Thaisha.
AABRIA: Thaisha at this point is taking like the bottle at Thjazi's head and is going to pour off a shot and then Druidcraft like rotten egg and skunk on the lip of the glass. I also don't like Wick. He's got a bad energy.
WHITNEY: He's weird vibes, right? Okay.
AABRIA: Honest.
WHITNEY: What's your whole thing?
AABRIA: We've turned a corner in the last 30 seconds. (laughter)
WHITNEY: Yeah.
AABRIA: I take the first shot, repour it, hand it off to you.
WHITNEY: I take this one. Oh, I keep forgetting, I'm supposed to get him.
AABRIA: One more. Pass it down.
WHITNEY: Thank you. Okay. Hey, I got you your drink. Sorry, it took me a little while. I'm making so many friends.
SAM: Thank you. (spit-takes) (laughter) So, what--
AABRIA: It was perfect.
SAM: What did you give me? This had alcohol.
WHITNEY: It's called the "Oops, we did it."
SAM: From Photonic Verses--
AABRIA: No.
SAM: Verse 63.
AABRIA: Not in here. You spit alcohol at the honored dead.
SAM: I'm not allowed to drink alcohol. Any impurity dims the spark and I am not allowed to touch it to my lips.
WHITNEY: You asked for a drink.
SAM: Not that, something to settle my stomach. Something calmer, water, lemonade, pink lemonade.
BRENNAN: You see Shadia walks up and has a small rose velvety drink with a little, you know, one or two ice cubes in it that have been chipped off of an ice block off in the corner of the kitchen. You see that she passes it to you and says, "Here, this is a flower brew. But there's no alcohol in it."
SAM: Thank you.
BRENNAN: "How did you know my uncle?"
SAM: Oh, my dear, I can't say that I knew him very well, but his esteem was known to all of us and he was well respected.
BRENNAN: She looks and sees her uncle's sword in your hand and says, having seen her father storm off, she says, "Let me bring you to my dad." You see that she walks across the room off in the back where Hal has gone to.
LIAM: I think she follows and trails up to that room at the back of the house on the second floor that is full of writing and music.
BRENNAN: She leads you into a room with a desk. On that desk, you see a deed of title granted by the Revolutionary Council, signed off by various and sundry lords and potentates of the city, deeding the dithyramb of Azgra, ancient and forbade, to one Halandil Fang on the condition of his safeguarding it against any arcane shenanigans that might unfold. If you're going to be given this public space to do with as you will as a theater troupe, then, you know, you're responsible, you got to keep any, you know, arcane magical hijinks under wraps.
LIAM: Liable and on the hook for it.
BRENNAN: Liable and on the hook.
TRAVIS: You say the Dithygram Ozgra?
BRENNAN: The dithyramb of Azgra, dithyramb's a real word.
TRAVIS: I knew that. I was just making sure the other side--
BRENNAN: Azgra's made up.
AABRIA: We all knew which one.
BRENNAN: You all knew which one. On your desk, Shadia walks in and says, "Dad, this--"
SAM: Wick.
BRENNAN: "Not Lord something?"
SAM: Light Priest Wicander Halovar.
LIAM: Hello, Wicander. Why don't you take a seat? Shadi, thank you. I was getting ready to come find him. You've saved me the trouble.
BRENNAN: She closes the door and she looks over at you. For some reason, you see that her expression softens and she goes, "Thanks for whatever you tried." And she closes the door.
LIAM: When you turn back towards Hal, he is, got a bottle of the Malört and he's just knocking it back and plants it down--
SAM: Don't drink that. It's very, oh, it's bad.
LIAM: -- on the deed, that's on the desk, and walks up to the chair that you're now sitting in and rests his hands on the arm rests that you're sitting between. Well?
SAM: You know, the Candescence is asymmetric and mysterious and illumination finds us in uneven ways.
LIAM: We talked about this. You told me it was done. You told me it was taken care of.
SAM: I don't know what happened. I failed. I failed you. I spoke with my family. I had it on their full assurance that he would be spared. It is not our way to ruthlessly punish people for nothing crimes against a house that we don't even care about. The Tachonis house is whatever, they can--
LIAM: Help me understand why, Wicander. Why?
SAM: Hal--
LIAM: If they didn't care, if your family didn't need him, want him, care about him, if it meant nothing--
SAM: I don't know. I don't know, and I don't know who to ask. I'm-- I could have sworn that he would be spared because that would be a great boon for our family's name across the city. Thjazi had so many fans, he was well respected by so many people, and we could have used this as outreach, you know, commuting his sentence or something shows-- You know, I don't know what went wrong. And I feel like everyone down there hates me now.
LIAM: I'll give him a quick insight check just to make sure he's not bullshitting me.
BRENNAN: Hell yeah. Go for it.
LIAM: Wake up, screen. ♪ Wake up ♪
TRAVIS: ♪ Wake up ♪ ♪ ("Chop Suey!" mumbling) ♪
LIAM: It is low. It is just a eight. An eight.
BRENNAN: I think on that eight insight, you're left not having clarity.
SAM: I can tell you this, it is against my faith to lie and deceive, and I respect you as a person, as a teacher, and as a performer. And I would never do anything to deceive you in any way. And--
LIAM: It's fine.
SAM: It's not fine. He was killed.
LIAM: You were a failsafe, Wick. A lot of things fell through today.
SAM: I'm so sorry about your brother. Loss is unknowable. But in my faith, when a soul passes on, we believe that that Light rejoins the Candescence of the universe. And with every death, in a way, the universe grows brighter. So may that give you some comfort.
LIAM: That is a nice notion. I pour, I grab two glasses and I fill them with the liquor and I plant one in his hand. Drink with me, my brother.
SAM: Is this alcoholic?
LIAM: His favorite. (clinks glasses) (downs drink)
SAM: (gulps reluctantly)
BRENNAN: (laughs) (laughs)
AABRIA: (laughs)
TRAVIS: (laughs)
BRENNAN: We move back downstairs. (laughter) Azune, Thaisha, and Occtis.
AABRIA: I've been trying to go bar for bar with Tyranny on the other bottle.
TRAVIS: That's a bad idea.
AABRIA: I just want to check if I'm dead.
LUIS: Oh my god.
BRENNAN: Give me a constitution saving throw.
AABRIA: Yeah, thank you.
BRENNAN: Yeah.
ALEXANDER: Just move it this way. God.
AABRIA: It's under the spider and that's an eight.
TRAVIS: Are you blind now?
BRENNAN: That is an eight?
AABRIA: Yeah.
BRENNAN: You are not doing great.
WHITNEY: So tell me, what is your deal? What's your whole entire story?
AABRIA: What?
WHITNEY: What's your story?
AABRIA: Oh god.
WHITNEY: I love you.
SAM: (laughs)
AABRIA: I love you, too! You're so sweet and your ears look very soft.
WHITNEY: They are you can--
AABRIA: I'm just going to--
WHITNEY: (bleats) Thank you.
AABRIA: I'm locked in on an ear, giving her my entire-- Like, you get the full mess between me and Hal. We fell in love when we were like 19-- Hold on, I need that ear.
WHITNEY: Yep. (bleats).
AABRIA: -- when we were 19, and then we had kids, but I felt my calling because his art was so beautiful.
ALEXANDER: Can't be.
AABRIA: I fell in love with the world, so I became a druid and I abandoned our kids. I'm going to-- I have to get back to doing the rites really quick.
WHITNEY: Okay, thank you for telling me all of that.
AABRIA: Yeah. Do you want to stay here for this part?
WHITNEY: Absolutely. Yeah.
AABRIA: Okay. I'm going to continue to do the rites and black out holding a demon's ear.
BRENNAN: Incredible. You continue doing the rites, touching the softest demon's ear you've ever touched.
AABRIA: Can I go home?
BRENNAN: Truly-- (laughter)
BRENNAN: What was that?
AABRIA: Can I go home?
BRENNAN: You want to go home?
AABRIA: I want to leave.
BRENNAN: Okay. You're doing the rites. You guys can walk away from the table as you guys are doing the rites.
AABRIA: Thaisha's consciousness leaves, but she remains and continues to pray. (laughter) Goodbye!
BRENNAN: Goodbye?
WHITNEY: Are you taking me with you?
AABRIA: No.
WHITNEY: Okay.
AABRIA: You stay here. You're still a part of it.
WHITNEY: Okay. I got a guy.
AABRIA: Yeah, go ahead.
TRAVIS: He's rubbing it unconsciously.
WHITNEY: Goodbye.
ALEXANDER: This is bad.
LUIS: I feel like I arrived right in time to witness this and I fully miss this shift that happened to Thaisha, and I go with this intention to have a conversation, a certain kind of conversation with her as the name Cyd Pridesire was mentioned earlier. I see her in this moment, and I go to you, Occtis. A word with you, please.
ALEXANDER: Absolutely. Please, help me.
LUIS: I don't think anything can help what's about to happen there. It seems to be going further and further and further down the path that it is inevitably going to get to.
ALEXANDER: Yeah. Okay. Let's just leave that for now. What?
LUIS: I'll pull you to the side into a corner, and completely in your mind, I am sending you a message. We need to come together and figure out what went wrong with our plan.
ALEXANDER: Yes. Right.
LUIS: But clearly Thaisha (Ty-ee-sha) is--
BRENNAN: I'm sorry, it's just Thaisha (Ty-sha).
LUIS: Thaisha?
BRENNAN: Thaisha.
LUIS: -- Thaisha is not in a state to be a part of reconciling this.
ALEXANDER: No.
LUIS: I'm at a loss.
ALEXANDER: As am I. And now it's even more complicated with Halovar here. We need to find Thimble.
LUIS: It's my understanding that Thimble's very likely going to be arriving here.
ALEXANDER: Okay.
LUIS: Did you see Thimble--
ALEXANDER: I didn't.
LUIS: -- during the execution?
ALEXANDER: I didn't. I don't know what happened. We need to find out where the chain broke.
LUIS: I did the scan.
LUIS: Yes.
LUIS: As far as I know Thimble did her part.
ALEXANDER: Okay. I mean, obviously never showed up for us. So our part of the plan never happened.
LUIS: That part is out of my hands.
ALEXANDER: I know, I know. I'm not blaming you.
LUIS: Of course, I just don't know. I don't know where it went off.
ALEXANDER: I don't know how any of this works.
LUIS: Do you see that man? I'll point out Teor.
ALEXANDER: Yeah.
LUIS: Yes, of course. I think everybody was aware of your reaction to him when he came in.
ALEXANDER: I'm sorry. It's just surprising.
LUIS: His brother is who was supposed to be helping us, and he hasn't seen him.
ALEXANDER: Okay. You haven't seen him?
BRENNAN: Occtis. I'll say for Azune and Occtis, you both know which of Thjazi's secret flop houses that Thimble was working on the glyph, working on the thing hidden behind him.
LUIS: Ah.
BRENNAN: It's not too far from here. You guys are in The Rookery and this would be two neighborhoods south. It would be in The Tanners, which is a grimy, working class neighborhood at the far south of Dol-Makjar.
ALEXANDER: It's not far from here. We can go see if she's there.
LUIS: Then let's do that.
ALEXANDER: Okay.
LUIS: I need one moment.
ALEXANDER: Okay.
LUIS: I'll meet you outside.
ALEXANDER: I'll be outside. I'm going to-- Oh no, he's not down. Nevermind. I'm going to head out.
BRENNAN: Actually, I'll say if you two are getting ready to head out, would you grab anybody else from here before heading out, knowing that Thimble's maybe potentially in danger?
LUIS: I would. Yes.
BRENNAN: Yeah.
LUIS: I'm going to-- The two things that I would want to do very quickly is I would want to find Hal and let him know that I'm going out for some air.
BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.
LUIS: Then I would beeline to Teor. Do you want some answers?
TRAVIS: Yes.
LUIS: Meet me outside in five minutes and I can take you to where we might find some answers.
TRAVIS: Very well.
ALEXANDER: I do walk up to Thaisha--
BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.
ALEXANDER: -- and as they're-- I go to say something--
BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.
ALEXANDER: -- then I walk away, walking past Tyranny and say: You're very much not welcome here. And leave. (laughter)
BRENNAN: Actually, curveball, we are not going to stay at the Fang home. I'm going to ask Liam, Sam, and Whitney to step away.
ALEXANDER: Oh shit.
BRENNAN: We're going to keep our friends here. We're going to keep--
SAM: Cool.
WHITNEY: Fuck you, dude.
LIAM: Ooh!
TRAVIS: I was getting ready to grab my shit.
BRENNAN: The tenor is really different if she walks away and you don't. You were like, parting word, "I stay. I'm very sorry."
ALEXANDER: I'm so sorry.
WHITNEY: I'm actually out of here. This shit's cash.
SAM: Point of order before we go, Brennan. Did I hand this over yet? Should I hand this over to you?
TRAVIS: Is that the scimitar?
BRENNAN: No, you'll do that when we--
SAM: Okay, great.
BRENNAN: So you hold onto that. We'll have a moment for that.
SAM: Great.
WHITNEY: I got your fucking number, brother. I'm going to fucking get you.
BRENNAN: I'm going to fucking get your ass.
WHITNEY: I'm going to get your ass.
TRAVIS: You want to come over?
LUIS: Scooch? Yeah.
BRENNAN: So a moment after you bandy barbs with a demon, you go outside and I think two veterans of the Falconer's Rebellion watch the most anxious, (chuckles) finely dressed necromancer in the world step up outside in the dark to both of you.
ALEXANDER: Hi. I just--
LUIS: You've met Teor before. Yes?
ALEXANDER: Yes, we met--
TRAVIS: I am Teor Pridesire. Yes. Occtis.
TRAVIS: It's nice to meet you.
ALEXANDER: I just said something really stupid to a demon. Today's been a hard day. Okay, so, we need to find Thimble. Do you-- Thimble's--
TRAVIS: I know who Thimble is.
ALEXANDER: Okay, good.
LUIS: You know where to find her?
ALEXANDER: Yes, I do. I know which house she was working out of. Hopefully she's there. That's the best lead I have right now.
LUIS: Then we should go.
ALEXANDER: Okay.
BRENNAN: The three of you take off, walking through Dol-Makjar. I mean, no one's going to stop you. You have an Arcane Marshal here, and I think, you know, Teor, the last time you saw Azune he was one of the younger people in you and Thjazi's battalion. But heading off here, you look through the streets, the rain begins to fall. You arrive. The Tanners is named for its many tanneries. The smell of leather being cured, of flesh macerating. This is a grimy neighborhood.
ALEXANDER: This is-- What is-- Yeah, okay. This is so confusing. What is one of the sons of the Halovar family doing? Why were they involved?
TRAVIS: I'm also checking our six as we move, seeing if anyone's tracking our movements--
ALEXANDER: Doesn't make any sense.
TRAVIS: -- eyes watching.
BRENNAN: You walk up, Azune.
LUIS: Mm-hmm.
BRENNAN: There is a wall that you know is not a wall up ahead. There's bricks outlined here. Big, whitewashing letters. The Ograhmson Leather Tannery. You know the S in that Ograhmson is where you need to walk up to.
LUIS: As I am heading towards that: My friend, Thimble, might be in trouble. There might have been a piece in something that went awry. I would prepare yourself just in case and--
ALEXANDER: Oh, hold on. He Disguise Self himself. I shouldn't be me.
LUIS: Good call.
BRENNAN: What do you look like?
ALEXANDER: Transforms himself into someone, the first thing he thinks of, which is someone who looks very similar, but not the same, as Thaisha's oldest son.
BRENNAN: Cool. You look like a young--
ALEXANDER: Orc.
BRENNAN: -- orcish warrior, ranger, soldier.
ALEXANDER: Yeah. Very specifically not him.
LUIS: I'm going to do something as well.
TRAVIS: I look at Azune's demeanor, is he going in empty handed or is he arming himself?
LUIS: I am armed. I technically just came off of the job, so I'm still in my full gear.
BRENNAN: Yeah.
LUIS: You see me do something that you probably didn't see me do while in our time in the Falconer's Rebellion.
TRAVIS: Hit me.
LUIS: I have a necklace around me with a small child's bracelet hanging from it. I close my eyes and I reach towards it, I touch it, and I whisper: I'm not alone. In my mind's eye, I see a spectral form step out from me and then take a defensive stance and then (vanishing whoosh) dissipate as I cast False Life.
BRENNAN: Awesome. You cast the spell on yourself. You move up.
ALEXANDER: You're not going to report me for doing magic, right?
BRENNAN: (laughs)
LUIS: What I don't see goes nowhere.
ALEXANDER: Great.
LUIS: I was looking the other way, thankfully.
BRENNAN: You approach the wall. As you do so, give me arcana with advantage. You can do the same. You've both been here before.
ALEXANDER: (chuckles) 18--
BRENNAN: Give me perception.
ALEXANDER: -- 19, 20-- (quiet math) 27.
BRENNAN: (laughs)
LUIS: 20. Dirty 20.
BRENNAN: 20. You walk up, Occtis. You see the residue of magic on the doorway here. There are three bricks that have been touched by magical hands more than any other. There's only so many ways you can arrange three bricks in order, and you can try a couple different combinations and get this door to open.
ALEXANDER: (calculated arranging)
BRENNAN: Perception?
TRAVIS: 17.
BRENNAN: As Occtis is opening the door, you're gearing up. They think something really bad happened. Teor, you looked down. It's been cleaned hastily. Underneath the hinge of a secret door, there's blood, fresh.
TRAVIS: I'll grab Azune's arm and point to the ground. Redirect his vision.
BRENNAN: The door slides open. You look, a slender staircase going up in a hidden wall in between two halves of this larger tannery, a secret apartment up in this larger work area, like a loft that's been hidden away and bricked in. There's blood on the staircase coming down, a lot of it. You look and see--
ALEXANDER: Oh god.
BRENNAN: -- I think without even having to second guess, you think that bodies got dragged out of here. Thundering up the staircase, Laura Bailey, I'd like you to come out.
TRAVIS: Oh!
LUIS: Yeah!
TRAVIS: What is happening?
LAURA: Oh my goodness.
BRENNAN: (laughs)
LUIS: Okay.
LAURA: Oh gracious. Oh hi, bubba.
TRAVIS: Hi, bubba. (laughs)
LAURA: Hi.
BRENNAN: Thundering up the stairs, because time-- Whatever has happened has happened and time is now of the essence. You get up the staircase, a door is completely shattered off its hinges. You look in and see a apartment of an illegal arcanist, an occultist that has been completely turned upside down. Papers soaked with blood all over the ground. A mattress flipped up against the wall, cut open with daggers or long swords to search inside the mattress. Shattered mirror, clearly signs of a scuffle. You look and see the signs of the scuffle. Teor and Azune, you would both recognize this. Whoever they were fighting in here is not someone that they would've been capable of throwing around. I need all three of you to make an investigation check for me if you'd be so kind.
TRAVIS: Dang. Where was that before? 19.
BRENNAN: 19.
ALEXANDER: That would be a total of 10
BRENNAN: 10.
LUIS: Seven.
BRENNAN: Teor, (sniffs) immediately smelling around as much as you can, you guys are looking at and seeing this is obviously Thjazi's handiwork everywhere, but it is partially destroyed. Teor, your nostrils come online and you smell honeysuckle, a smell of something effervescent and otherworldly. A dim light is dying. In the corner, there is a grate. This place is a tannery, which means that it has offput of everything. Whatever this place was before, Thjazi turned it into a hiding spot. There was a grate, a sluice in the stone floor, and you see a dim light fading quickly.
TRAVIS: Is this a scent that's familiar to me?
BRENNAN: Yeah.
ALEXANDER: Mm.
TRAVIS: I will rush over there and throw furniture out of the way as I do so.
BRENNAN: You look down in the grate. In that grate, Laura, could you describe your character for us and the state--
LUIS: Oh my god.
BRENNAN: -- we find her in?
TRAVIS: (laughs nervously)
LAURA: You see a very small four-inch tall pixie with short, brown hair. She's older than the last time you saw her. You can't tell. She looks almost 18 at this point. Her clothes are a bit tattered now, they're dark green. Her wings, which are normally a bright spring green, are almost muted at this point. The wing is a little bent and she's unconscious and askew on the ground. Her two swords, the needles, have scattered away from her grasp.
BRENNAN: Looking down beside her, you see this grate is, only she could fit through it. You see that there's also a small ceramic rune next to her, sort of hidden, that would've slid in through here. But you see Thimble, your old friend, Thjazi's partner in all things. Laura--
ALEXANDER: Is she there?
BRENNAN: We're going to make your death saving throws after the break.
TRAVIS: What do you mean?
LAURA: Oh!
TRAVIS: What are you talking about?!
LAURA: What if I die?
BRENNAN: Welcome to Campaign 4. I don't know. Tough. I said backup characters, right? (muffled background clamoring) Welcome to Campaign 4, baby! (laughter)
Break[]
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♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Have you ever gotten into a live bidding war with a stranger online? Honestly, I've never felt more alive! eBay Live is more than just shopping. It's an experience. It's a chance to win something big. Like a new card for my binder, or a new game for my collection. One more couldn't hurt. With live box breaks, you never know what you're going to pull and everyone can join in the excitement together. Each stream is basically like its own little community, and interacting with the host and the other viewers live really adds to the fun. Not to mention, I've seen people win some crazy stuff in giveaways, like sealed boxes of cards and graded slabs. Oh my goodness! Join the thrill. See what's live now.
OFFICER: What were you doing in that tent? FJORD: I told you, officer, we were just passing through. And we paused for some entertainment. OFFICER: And leaving trails of bodies is entertainment for you, sicko. BEAU: You got nothing on me. I didn't even have a weapon. Unless you count these pythons (kisses). JESTER: You guys, this is just like a true crime novel. Two hotheaded dicks cranking up the pressure on the perp until she breaks. Ooh, which one of you is the bad cop? OFFICER: I'd take this seriously, miss. JESTER: BTDubs, your handcuffs are super janky. The ones Mama uses are so much harder to get out of, and fluffier. NOTT: This is profiling, you racist assholes! Well, maybe not you, big boy. Ahhh. (hiccups) (purrs) BEAU: The goblin and the hobo? No (beep) way, I work alone. FJORD: I swear, their bodies changed. CALEB: Ich weiß von nichts. MOLLY: Why would I turn the audience into reptiles? They pay my salary. JESTER: Technically, you should give us a reward. Maybe a parade. NOTT: Want to give me a cavity search? Make sure I'm not hiding anything? OFFICER: Shut up! We didn't find any reptile corpses. And a dozen witnesses saw you blow open the hole so the creature escaped. You're clearly some kind of criminal gang. Now give me a name for the booking sheet. FJORD: Our name? BEAU: Fuck off. (spits) CALEB: Keiner von uns ist ein Teil einer Gang. JESTER: Oh yeah, we are called the Sensual Seven. OFFICER: There's only six of you. JESTER: Don't forget the Traveler.
♪ (magical sci-fi music) ♪ ♪ (upbeat music) ♪
Hey Critters! It's Laura Bailey here to show you what we've got in the Critical Role shop! I feel like I'm manifesting better vibes already. You know what we say. Take a chance, roll the dice. Need more dice? These are nice. You can never have too many dice. Take it from me. I think I'll get it. And you should, too! You know and then we can be twinsies, it'll be so much fun. Do they take platinum? (chuckles) Kidding, mostly. This is what real charisma looks like. Our friends at Darrington Press have been hard at work. All these cool things and so much more! Check it all out at the Critical Role shop.
♪ (gentle tavern music) ♪ ♪ (peaceful music) ♪ ♪ (fairy music) ♪ ♪ (mischievous music) ♪ (typewriter clacking) ♪ (posh orchestral music) ♪
TALIESIN: (British accent) This week on "Critical Roadshow," we've traveled to one of several sets in the Critical Role studios. This particular set is where "4-Sided Dive" is filmed, along with other famed productions, such as that one Critmas Promo, that other Critmas Promo, as well as several other promos. We've brought in our finest antiques dealer to evaluate and appraise items that have been brought in from every corner of the building. We go now to our first item. MATT: As I understand, there's an interesting story about how you came into possession of these items. ASHLEY: Yeah, so I was playing a game of street dice in Macau, and the stakes got pretty high, I almost lost some fingers, but I didn't. And, you know, I came out on top. Won a Soviet submarine. No big deal. MATT: This is a rare find. These keys, user manual, and, most importantly, signal beacon, are from the Shchuka-class Project 671RTM. And while they had a payload of Zircon hypersonic and Onik anti-ship missiles, they were never able to provide an exclusive Discord, pre-sales for live events, or 10% off merchandise. I'd appraise a functional military sub of this era at about $400,000,000. ASHLEY: Ooh! It is docked in Vladivostok right now, but I'm going to go pick it up and bring it back here. No problem. Yes! MATT: Truly a rare find. So what do we have here? JARED: Well, I heard that you're giving away tons of cash for people who bring in cool stuff, so I brought this. MATT: Is that a photo of Kevin Beacon? JARED: I'm sorry, did you say Kevin Bacon or Kevin Beacon? MATT: Wonderful actor. Classic photo and signed. However, unlike a Beacon membership, it does not provide instant access to all new content. So, I'd estimate this between $6 to $7. JARED: That's it? Okay, fine. I'll take the money. MATT: Oh, I don't buy any of the items. I just estimate their value. JARED: And you get paid for this? MATT: Yeah. JARED: Wow. I need to become a voice actor. MATT: Truly a rare find. Now, this is a truly exciting discovery. TRAVIS: (sad and offended noise) MATT: This beacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich is exquisitely crafted, beautifully designed. While you can enjoy a meal like this for a few minutes, a Beacon membership unlocks thousands of hours of entertainment, now available on desktop and mobile. TRAVIS: I'm trying to eat my lunch. MATT: Truly a rare find. TRAVIS: (intimidatingly chews) MATT: And what do we have here? MARISHA: Yeah, you said you needed stuff with the word "beacon" on it, so, I found this prop from an old Beacon promo. MATT: Ah, yes. Beacon promos are great and well-written content. But Beacon also has a number of original series such as "Re-Slayers Take," "Critical Role Cooldown," and "Crit Role Abridged," as well as more to come, all available when you have membership to Beacon. I'd value this record at 75 cents. MARISHA: Okay. I think you can dial it back, sweetheart. MATT: Truly a rare find. And what did you bring? SAM: What? No, I didn't. I'm looking for Jared. He took my signed Kevin Bacon picture? I signed it myself. Jared, no? Not ringing a bell? He's our Junior Lorekeeper. Jared. Jared, I think. Maybe. I'm gonna say, Jared. MATT: Truly a rare find. Now, this may be the find of the day, a Beacon membership. (chuckles) May I hold it? LAURA: Yeah. Just be careful. MATT: Of course. Of course. (sighs happily) The craftsmanship, the design, the understated beauty! A Beacon membership is only $5.99 a month, but is absolutely priceless. Truly irreplaceable-- (glass shattering) LAURA: Dude. TALIESIN: Well, that was most interesting. But please do become a Beacon member because the poor sap who wrote this has added this text to the teleprompter to say that they will get sacked if this ad doesn't do well. The end. The end? Who writes "The End" at the end of a teleprompter feed? Don't let whoever did that touch the teleprompter ever again. Worst writing ever. God! Jeez. ♪ (folksy guitar and piano) ♪ ♪ Omar's on his way to me ♪ ♪ (to me, to me, to me) ♪ ♪ He's on his way to you ♪ ♪ (to you, to you to you) ♪ ♪ Ay yo, so fluffy ♪ ♪ Ay yo, so cuddly ♪ ♪ I hope he gets here soon ♪
Part II[]
BRENNAN: Welcome back to Episode 1, Campaign 4, Critical Role. Laura, give me a death saving throw. (laughter)
TRAVIS: Just casual. With a great intro.
LAURA: Clap, clap, you guys, clap.
BRENNAN: Clap. Yep.
LUIS: That's right, yes.
LAURA: 11.
BRENNAN: 11. That's a success!
ALEXANDER: Okay.
LUIS: (yells)
BRENNAN: Incredible. Go ahead.
TRAVIS: Oh my god.
BRENNAN: Okay, with a success. Thimble.
LAURA: (stressed noise)
BRENNAN: You are a pixie from Tír Cruthú, the land of fairy beyond this realm. A place beyond-- You see a Golden Orchard swimming in your head. Thjazi. Thjazi's counting on you. Roll another death saving throw.
TRAVIS: Oh shit. Okay.
LUIS: Oh my god.
LAURA: 17.
LUIS: Okay.
BRENNAN: 17. His face. (whispers) "Tell Thimble, don't be scared." There's something on the wind. A falcon, soaring. Give me another death saving throw.
LAURA: Oh fuck. One.
LUIS: Oh shit.
TRAVIS: Okay, okay. Seeing Thimble in this--
LAURA: That's two, that's two.
TRAVIS: It's a two!
BRENNAN: Two successes, two failures. Everybody, for the first time in this campaign, roll initiative. (clamoring)
TRAVIS: Oh my god. (laughter) What do you mean?
LAURA: Including me?
BRENNAN: Including you. You will roll with disadvantage. Actually, no, you'll roll straight.
TRAVIS: That's amazing.
LUIS: Good. Because I did bad.
TRAVIS: Yeah. Natural 20 for 22.
BRENNAN: Natural--
ALEXANDER: 20.
BRENNAN: 20? 22. What did we get here?
LAURA: 22.
TRAVIS: (laughs) I am so cold.
BRENNAN: (clapping)
TRAVIS: It's bad?
LAURA: No, 22, it's what my initiative was.
TRAVIS: Oh okay.
BRENNAN: Okay. But you got a 22 as well.
TRAVIS: I did.
BRENNAN: On a nat 20, you're going to go first.
TRAVIS: Okay. Okay.
BRENNAN: 20. What did we get?
LUIS: A five.
BRENNAN: A five.
LUIS: I'm very distracted as we come into this crime scene.
BRENNAN: On that natural one.
LAURA: Mm!
BRENNAN: You see it. You remember the day you were with him, he was holding you in the palm of his hand. "I'm so sorry, but they closed them." You see the doors to Faerie closing. Death. The shadow of the underworld racing against the light. That inner spark within you connecting you to lands beyond, vanishing. That was the last day you felt it. The day you started aging. The day that Faerie vanished from the world. The light is leaving. That's what it means to be a mortal. On that one, your light begins to leave. Teor, you are looking down. This was Thjazi's-- His partner in everything in crime, adventure, war and heroism. Thimble and Thjazi were thick as thieves in everywhere they traveled, they traveled side by side. You watch as the light begins to leave her in this moment. It is your turn.
TRAVIS: I see the light dimming and I look down, and I remember you so vividly and yet you've changed. You seem different. Instinctually, I grab onto something that's on my waist, and I reach out a single claw. I ever so gently touch it to your breast plate and I will cast Lay on Hands. I'm sorry. Cure Wounds. (laughter) Cure Wounds. 2d8 plus my spellcast-- spellcasting ability. Okay.
LAURA: You gave me a one.
ALEXANDER: Oh, I gave you--
BRENNAN: There is through the grate-- Travis.
TRAVIS: Yes.
BRENNAN: I promise I'm not trying to be cool.
TRAVIS: Oh shit.
LUIS: Oh my gosh.
BRENNAN: But there is a grate in the floor between you and where Thimble is. Do you want to give me either an athletics check or something else to try to move it? Or an acrobatics to try to squeeze your hand?
TRAVIS: I would use athletics to rip the holy motherfuck out of that grate and leave no chance of anything getting moved between me and Thimble.
BRENNAN: Hell yes. If you so desire, even though there's possible danger everywhere, I will let you make that roll with advantage, if you disregard your own physical wellbeing in getting the grate out there.
TRAVIS: Yes.
BRENNAN: All right.
TRAVIS: Amazing. 19 plus four, 23.
BRENNAN: 23. You take three points of bludgeoning damage, literally shoving your claws through the grate. The grate is kind of not big enough to get your hands in there. You force them through, skinning your knuckles on the way in. All of you watch Teor. Some of the stone comes out with it. Boom! As part of your movement. It's your object interaction to get this thing out of there. Cast Cure Wounds for me, my friend.
TRAVIS: Hold Thimble, hold. You'll see a little bit of divine radiance extend down his silvery gray forearm down to the claw (pulse) into your chest. You heal 13 points.
LAURA: ♪ (choir of angels singing) ♪
BRENNAN: Thimble.
LAURA: (whimpers)
BRENNAN: The light is leaving until suddenly the sun is rising. It's warm again. You look up. But this is a dream that it will hurt to leave for the waking world holds no joy for you as you regain consciousness.
LAURA: (gasps, exhales)
TRAVIS: Easy little one.
LAURA: Teor.
TRAVIS: Hi, Thimble--
LAURA: What are you--? I look next to me and I see the glyph. (gasps) I have to get to Thjazi. I have to get this on Thjazi.
TRAVIS: Wait, wait, wait. Take it slow. You are with friends.
LUIS: Thimble.
LAURA: What are you doing here?
LUIS: It's done. It's done.
LAURA: What do you mean it's done? What do you mean it's done?
LUIS: It's done. It didn't work.
ALEXANDER: I'm sorry. The Disguise Self melts.
LAURA: Occtis?
ALEXANDER: I'm sorry, it don't work.
LAURA: Thjazi's--?
TRAVIS: I'm sorry. I don't know what was going on here, but Thjazi is. He's gone.
LAURA: (gasping sob) I'm so sorry.
LAURA: Thjazi's gone? I hold onto your finger so I can get lifted up. My wing isn't working.
TRAVIS: Oh, it's okay. Breathe. Just breathe.
LAURA: Thjazi's gone? Thjazi's gone? (hyperventilating)
LUIS: Easy.
LAURA: When? When? How long ago? I look up. Do I see the sky, is it nighttime?
BRENNAN: It's no longer there.
LAURA: Oh. (cries) I didn't. I didn't even get say goodbye! No. (cries)
LUIS: Thimble. Thimble. I approach you as you're holding onto Teor's hand. He knew. I spoke to him in my way and he told me to tell you.
LAURA: What?
LUIS: That you-- You did so well. And he's so proud of you.
LAURA: I did shit!
LUIS: No.
LAURA: The glyph is here. I fucked it up. These people came in. They attacked me. How did they even know? How did they even know?
LUIS: We don't know, but we're going to find that out.
TRAVIS: What the hell? What happened here?
LUIS: We're going to find that out.
BRENNAN: Azune, as you look at the glyph on the ground beside Thimble, something's not adding up.
LUIS: Wait, I--
BRENNAN: You.
LUIS: The glyph was there.
BRENNAN: The glyph was there.
LUIS: Wait! I want to take a look at that glyph.
ALEXANDER: You told me the glyph--
BRENNAN: Give me an arcana check as you investigate it.
LUIS: Okay.
BRENNAN: You pick it up. This is an enormous wrinkle. Something is wrong.
LUIS: I start to look at it, if I may.
BRENNAN: Yeah.
LUIS: Can I Guidance myself?
BRENNAN: Yeah.
LUIS: As I investigate that. I close my eyes and I know that this moment needs me to focus. I let my mind take me to a place of calm. I remember, my mother's face as I take a breath. That is a 22 arcana.
BRENNAN: You're looking. The glyph is perfect. It's exactly-- This is what-- You're thinking back. This is the glyph. It's here and there's no way that's possible. So the question is on a 22, what did you scan? You got con--
LUIS: I saw what I was looking for, conjuration and illusion.
BRENNAN: You see conjuration and illusion here, exactly. But the issue is, you were reading an aura because it had to stay hidden in his jacket. You're going back and you're saying: I didn't actually get my eyes on what was in his jacket. Something is not adding up. On a 22, you know that this is accurate. That this is the thing that Thimble was working on. This one, you are holding in your hand and seeing with your own eyes.
LUIS: Yes.
BRENNAN: But something. It can't have gotten from Thjazi back here.
LUIS: No, it's still on his body.
BRENNAN: You know, there's something still on his body. Yeah.
LUIS: We need to go back. I'll pick up the glyph. This is the right one. This is the one. This is what was supposed to be on him, but--
LAURA: I know.
LUIS: Thimble, somebody was on--
ALEXANDER: You told me there was the correct glyph on his body.
LUIS: It was, it was. It registered. I did the scan and it registered. It pinged, it pinged conjuration and illusion and it was placed on his back.
LAURA: I start looking around the room. I start moving my wings and I get a little bit off the ground and start looking around the room to see if those men took anything else.
TRAVIS: You had something on Thjazi, you were trying to save him.
LUIS: Yes, yes.
BRENNAN: As you begin looking around the room, it is chaos here. I think your fairy senses scan out through this space. They have pillaged everything. You remember in your last moment of combat, masked figures barging into the room as you were finishing the glyph, waiting for the moment of transfer where you could fly out through the city, under cover of darkness, plant it in Thjazi's coat exactly where it was supposed to go. The plan was set. It was you, Thaisha, Occtis. Thaisha and Occtis were going to be waiting to get him out of the city. Azune was going to throw the scan so that it wouldn't register as there being magic. The wagon was going to be provided by Casimir, an old member of the Torn Banner. It was going to be put in place by Cyd, Teor's younger brother was going to drive it into place. He was supposed to break the rune appear in the wagon, head out, get found by Thaisha and Occtis, make his way out of the city. Looking around. Not only is this place completely ransacked, but there-- You killed at least three of them when they came in and there's no one to be found in here. You look and see the grate, if you had not, with your last effort, grabbed the glyph and fallen into the grate. I think Teor, looking at the thing you just tore out of the ground, you can see fingerprints on it, residually from-- In other words, she fell through and was hidden away from where they could get her-- Then they ransacked the place and left. Looking around, though, there's so many questions here, and I think-- Give me investigation, if you'd like?
LAURA: Okay. God, (laughs) I'm traumatized right now. Seven.
BRENNAN: Looking around. It all happened so fast. Looking at this chaos, you would need a miracle to be able to piece together what happened here, which means it's really good news that a miracle walks in. Robbie, you want to come out?
LUIS: Oh shucks.
LAURA: Oh fuck. I need a Kleenex. (laughter)
LUIS: They're somewhere.
BRENNAN: Robbie.
ROBBIE: Hello, hello, hello.
LAURA: Do you have Kleenex back in the booth?
ROBBIE: (laughs) They didn't bring Kleenex.
LAURA: I'll go get one.
ROBBIE: Oh man.
ALEXANDER: Oh, can I get some?
TRAVIS: Hey, pal.
ROBBIE: Hi, guys.
LUIS: What's up?
ROBBIE: Hi.
BRENNAN: Hell yeah.
ROBBIE: (laughs)
BRENNAN: To Occtis. I have all of your passive perceptions in front of me. A ghost appears in the doorway. You don't recognize the figure, but Thimble, Teor, and Azune all do. Robbie, you want to describe your character for us?
ROBBIE: Yeah. You see a human man. (laughter)
LAURA: Is he tall?
TRAVIS: Coward.
ALEXANDER: He is 5'11"
ROBBIE: He is so tall. (laughter)
ROBBIE: He actually is an imposing figure. He's older. I say in his mid-40s or so. But it's tough to tell because he's lived a hard life, a weathered life from the very beginning. You see a man at the waning peak of his physical ability, but he was definitely there and very, very capable. He's 6'4", 220 pounds. He's carved out of the oak that he lives among. Kattigan Vale has a cowl and hood over his head, monochrome. Everything on him feels scavenged, but purposeful, high-quality and cared for, but wild and raw. The things that he wears represents who he is on the inside as well. He's a wild man in a place that he shouldn't be. As he appears in the doorway in this imposing figure, he stumbles just a little bit. That aura goes away. As he stumbles, he leans against the door. You can tell: He's been drinking.
TRAVIS: Yeah.
ROBBIE: Yeah. That takes away-- it diminishes him, and the sort of aura that he's putting out. But he recovers quickly and does his best to make a joke and says: I thought this was going to be a funeral, not a reunion. (chuckles)
ALEXANDER: The sigil that Occtis had started burning into the air fizzles. (laughter)
ROBBIE: I have that effect on many. Then through the open window, a massive juvenile canine (whooshes) floats through the air and lands right in the middle of the room immediately off to his quarter.
LAURA: That's new.
ROBBIE: Yeah. (dog growling)
LAURA: I fly up in the air.
ROBBIE: It growls at everyone in the room and slowly walks over to Kattigan and sits at him without any command, stops growling and looks out at everyone.
ALEXANDER: I know that dog.
ROBBIE: (scoffs) What?
ALEXANDER: (poof) Pin comes up on my shoulder and flows and goes, and sniffs at the dog. This little fox made out of pieces of foxes.
ROBBIE: Kattigan's completely confused.
ALEXANDER: I've seen this dog in the woods. Pin wanders in the woods sometimes and sometimes I look through his eyes and I see this dog.
ROBBIE: Well, you would absolutely recognize him because Wulferic, the wolf, not a dog.
ALEXANDER: (laughs)
ROBBIE: I'm not good at naming things. Is armored himself. It mirrors Kattigan's armor. On his side is an empty quiver. He even wears a tattered cowl.
TRAVIS: Yeah.
ROBBIE: Kattigan knows what's going to happen next. He's going to tear this fox to pieces and instead will fricking-- Help me?
ALEXANDER: Pin.
ROBBIE: Pin.
ALEXANDER: Pincushion.
ROBBIE: Circle each other, and Wulferic takes a submissive pose and Pin just jumps on him and plays. Kattigan goes: Well, would you look at that. Hey, you been, uh, you been making friends out there without me?
ALEXANDER: That's why Pin wanted to wear the scarf.
TRAVIS: I step forward.
LAURA: Did you have Pin before?
ALEXANDER: No.
TRAVIS: Recognizing someone I haven't seen in 10, 15 years. It's hard to know what. Kat.
ROBBIE: (chuckles)
TRAVIS: It's good to see you.
ROBBIE: You look good, old man.
LAURA: What are you doing here?
ROBBIE: Hmm?
LAURA: Did you know?
ROBBIE: He rubs some of the alcohol out of his eyes as: Thjazi's pixie?
LAURA: Thimble.
ROBBIE: Yeah, right, right, Thimble, Thimble. What's going on here?
TRAVIS: How are you here?
ROBBIE: Oh, fuck, fuck! And he pushes Teor out of the way, he goes: You, I remember you! The boy, the boy! (chuckles) Look at that armor you got--
LAURA: What are you doing here?
ROBBIE: Hmm? Oh, I followed you. Yeah, you're easy to follow. Noisy, loud, clumsy. (chuckles) I'm half drunk and you fucks are easy to follow.
LUIS: Listen, we need to leave. This is a crime scene and it's possible that people are going to come here and find us here.
LAURA: Shit.
TRAVIS: Were you here? Were you at the execution?
ROBBIE: Yeah. Yeah, I was. And Kattigan's mind drifts off to the execution, standing cloaked and alone in a crowded space. He's fully in his right mind at this point after what he'd seen in the rural area surrounding what was happening at the crofters' village. He needed to come into town for a drink, which he rarely comes into the city, very rarely. And whispers on the wind said a familiar name was in trouble. And as he watched the execution unfold, in his mind's eye, he painted a picture of what could happen. The thing about Kattigan is he's unnerving to be around because there's no clue what's going to happen. You could get a drink, a handshake, a handful of coin, or a headbutt, you never know. And in his mind's eye, he sees this scenario where he jumps up on stage and slices down a guard and frees Thjazi and runs off, but catches arrows in the back because there's no way he could do this. And he knows he would die doing it, but it sounds like fun. So he's fantasizing, he's imagining. And as he imagines, the grip is tighter on his club. And you feel this sort of feral fight-or-flight energy. And Wulferic at his side nudges his hand and his grip lets go. As he comes out of this fantasy and scans the area, he sees Teor in the distance, watching, and he sees you because you're part of it. And he follows them to the funeral, watches them go inside and almost thinks about joining. And then he hears the cacophony of voices, that part in a wake where the quiet turns to reverie as people start to become comfortable and celebrates life. And he decides not to go. And in that moment, as he's turning to walk out, all of you step out of the funeral. So he decides to follow. And this is where he finds himself, not sure why he's here.
BRENNAN: Looking around at this place, even as Azune begins to discuss the urgency of your situation, how bad this is here. I think it's so second nature that it's almost effortless as Kattigan is surveying the space. Go ahead and give me any skill checks you want about what would occur to you in surveying the space. You're, I mean--
ROBBIE: Yeah.
BRENNAN: Yeah.
LUIS: (chuckles)
ROBBIE: Sure, sure. I stumble over and I look at the-- what anybody else would seem like chaos, I see the footprints and I see the hand prints, and I see the action unfold in the remnants of what happened. And I just subtly cast Clue to myself.
LAURA: I fly up and I land on Occtis' shoulder while he's doing this.
ROBBIE: And then as I cast Clue, all of the footprints and fingerprints within a 30-foot radius come to life in my eyes, and they all change different colors. And every single one of those footprints and fingerprints and everything from that battle comes to life. And I see it unfold before me, as real as it were happening in this moment. And I get this image of what unfolded.
BRENNAN: This spell fucking rules!
ROBBIE: Doesn't it? (laughter)
BRENNAN: Absolutely.
ALEXANDER: It doesn't do damage, no one ever uses it. (chuckling)
ROBBIE: It's pretty sweet.
TRAVIS: (rewind noises)
BRENNAN: Kattigan, you see Wulferic, some sort of scent informs everything, sound. And you can even play, these visible footprints and fingerprints, you can almost arrange them in time. There's a rhythm to them. There's a dance. (pattering) As you do so, you will get all the information here that you need. But also feel free to give me a survival-- And I'll allow this spell to do this with advantage. Go ahead and give me survival with advantage or investigation with advantage.
ROBBIE: Survival or investigation, sure. Whoop, nine, well, it's cocked. I'll take the good one. Ooh, bad. Okay.
ROBBIE: 16.
BRENNAN: 16, hell yeah. As you begin searching, looking throughout this space here, you watch the fingerprints unfold. On that 16 survival, the tracks coming in. Probably about seven people came in here.
ROBBIE: Okay.
TRAVIS: Fucking Thimble.
BRENNAN: (chuckles)
TRAVIS: Damn.
BRENNAN: Three died. And looking at the fight that broke out here, they came in, they came in masked, and they came in knowing that there was going to be a fight. They were not caught off-guard. They knew that a fight was waiting for them inside. The dead bodies, three of them got dragged out of here. In being dragged out, you find some crow feathers. You smell them. There's pine resin, alcohol, a thick sheen of tobacco smoke. These were worn as part of clothing, handled. Your mind immediately goes to the Crow Keepers, which you know is one of the oldest thieves' guilds in Dol-Makjar. Looking at how these guys fought, these guys fought like murderers, not soldiers, meaning that once they found Thimble inside, they didn't know what to do. The reason that three of them, they brought overwhelming numbers thinking that they were going to get the drop on somebody. They absolutely did not. And therefore the fighting was sloppy, but just overwhelming. Moreover, only about-- Just judging by the boots here, there's something that's troubling to you. Six of the sets of boots are old, tattered. One set is fine, fine. And you see fingerprints over a mantlepiece where there is shattered glass and see the residue of someone drawing runes against the mantle. You detect the presence of sorcery. There is a-- Someone broke a glass encasement here to take something. And it looks like everything-- Scanning the room, everything of magical import other than this glyph? (fingers snap) Gone.
LAURA: It's so much. Do I know what was in that glass case?
BRENNAN: You do. Once you see as Kattigan points it out to you, the object that you retrieved on your last big adventure with Thjazi, of several-- Like a month or two ago, you got back from it.
LAURA: The song, the Nightsong, right?
BRENNAN: The Stone of Nightsong.
LAURA: The Stone of Nightsong.
ALEXANDER: What is that?
ROBBIE: Yeah, I don't know magic, what is that?
LAURA: It's a fucking black stone with crow-- Crows.
ROBBIE: Yeah, it's, uh, crows.
LAURA: It's super magical, I don't know.
LUIS: Do I know anything about this?
BRENNAN: Give me arcana, give me an arcana check.
ALEXANDER: Can I as well?
BRENNAN: Yeah, yeah, go for it.
LUIS: 13.
BRENNAN: 13.
ALEXANDER: 21.
BRENNAN: 21. On a 21-- Also, if any of you have religion, you can give me religion, it'll be a lower DC.
ROBBIE: Mm-mm.
LUIS: No.
BRENNAN: No, on a 21 arcana's--
TRAVIS: That guy left.
BRENNAN: Huh? (chuckling)
ALEXANDER: I was like, I do, but it's better if I use arcana.
BRENNAN: 21, Stone of Nightsong. Yeah, there is a reference to that in the Penteveral. Back at the school, there is-- The Stone of Nightsong is referenced as some relic. It came up in something about the Shapers' War. It was used by, if you're not mistaken, it was an elven artifact.
ALEXANDER: Right.
LAURA: Yeah.
ALEXANDER: Used by the elves in the Shapers' War. I don't remember what it does. I just remember reading about it.
TRAVIS: Thimble, I'm sorry, you were with Thjazi when you collected this item?
LAURA: Yeah.
TRAVIS: You have been-- What have you been doing? How long ago was he taken?
LAURA: A couple weeks ago?
BRENNAN: Yeah, two weeks ago.
LAURA: I don't know, we got this a few months back? Was it connected? Did they just happen to come in at the same time? There's no way they would've even known about the hideout. Something betrayed us.
LUIS: Yes, I think so.
ALEXANDER: Yeah.
LUIS: Can I see that stone?
LAURA: Well, no, they took it.
LUIS: Oh, right.
LAURA: You want me to draw it for you?
LUIS: Yes, actually that would be very helpful.
LAURA: Can I find a scrap piece of paper and--
BRENNAN: Yeah.
LAURA: All right, I'll pick up the pencil and slowly walk all around--
BRENNAN: As you draw it, it's a spherical stone that is a sort of perpendicular embrace of wings of some kind-- You know, it could have been a crow, but also I think you'd heard Thjazi refer to it as a nightingale--
LAURA: A nightingale, it's a bird.
BRENNAN: -- that looks like it's embracing itself in its wings to create a sphere and it's a carved stone.
LUIS: I'm taking a mental image of that.
LAURA: You can take the piece of paper, I drew it for you.
LUIS: Well, thank you, I'll take that. I know someone, actually, who could help us.
TRAVIS: Kat, we are all sorry to see you again after such a long time under these circumstances, but--
ROBBIE: Well, I thought you were going to say, Under these circumstances. I thought you was going to say, I'm sorry to see you. (chuckles)
TRAVIS: Never.
ALEXANDER: Yeah, I don't know if I'm happy to see you or not.
LAURA: Occtis, this is Kattigan. He ditched us, after a battle.
ALEXANDER: So, no?
LAURA: Do you know Teor and--
ALEXANDER: Yes, yes, we met earlier.
LAURA: Okay, yeah.
TRAVIS: Kat is a fierce warrior and a good man.
ROBBIE: Oh, well, one of those two.
ALEXANDER: Okay, great.
LUIS: Did you come here, Kattigan, for just by happenstance or did you hear-- I'm sorry, I wasn't following completely.
ROBBIE: Oh no, no--
LUIS: You knew of the execution?
ROBBIE: What'd you say?
LUIS: Did you know about Thjazi? Did you know that he was--
ROBBIE: Whispers on the wind and all that. I heard about it, yeah. I was finishing out a contract. I'm a very highly sought-after bounty hunter and a warrior of the people, if you will. And at that, Wulferic just goes (sneeze) and just sneezes. (laughter) Don't worry about him. But yeah, there's-- Well, you know Pinebrough? No, you don't, you don't know fucking Pinebrough, do you? You wouldn't, would you?
LUIS: I don't know if I would.
ALEXANDER: I don't know what he's talking about.
LAURA: No, me either.
ROBBIE: Yes, city folk, city folk, it's all right. Pinebrough, it's a little agricultural community. Crafters, they make all sorts of things--
LAURA: Where's his body?
ROBBIE: Huh?
LUIS: It's at Hal's.
ALEXANDER: At Hal's.
ROBBIE: Oh.
LAURA: (tearfully) Can we go?
ALEXANDER: Yeah.
LUIS: Yes, we can, let's go.
LAURA: Th-the letter, can I look around? Is- is the letter still here?
BRENNAN: Give me an investigation check with advantage.
LAURA: Guess I'll roll my dice. 13.
BRENNAN: 13 with advantage?
LAURA: 13, oh, with advantage? (gibberish)
BRENNAN: (gibberish)
LAURA: Let's go, let's go.
TRAVIS: Pick wisely, you only have a couple.
LAURA: I'm going to choose a teeny, weeny one, my--
TRAVIS: As always.
LAURA: -- teeniest little fairy dice.
ALEXANDER: Oh my god.
LAURA: I can't read it.
TRAVIS: No shit.
ALEXANDER: Yes, correct.
LAURA: I really can't read it.
ALEXANDER: What the hell?
ROBBIE: Three.
LAURA: Fuck. (laughter)
TRAVIS: Insight check. (laughs)
BRENNAN: You get a 13?
LAURA: Yeah.
BRENNAN: 13. Taking a moment, I would say on the 13, it takes some time.
LAURA: Sorry, guys.
BRENNAN: But you know you can't leave without it. So with some help, there is something of Thjazi's that you absolutely cannot leave here without. And you end up finding a letter with a single name on it: Bolaire. Finally, you find it. As we see the name Bolaire on this letter, we must return to the holder of the name, which means returning to the Fang family home. Thank you for your time at the table.
ROBBIE: Let's go!
BRENNAN: And I'd love our funeral goers to come on back.
TRAVIS: I broke another one.
LAURA: Oh shit.
LUIS: I did that, too, earlier.
ALEXANDER: It's fine.
ROBBIE: Smash it.
ALEXANDER: Break everything. Ruin this place.
LAURA: I think I'm (inaudible).
LUIS: Whoa.
TRAVIS: We're coming, we're coming. Points, points.
LUIS: Yep, yep, yep. Points, points.
BRENNAN: Points, points. Table swap!
AABRIA: Wow, wow, wow, wow.
BRENNAN: Table swap, table swap.
LUIS: I'll just leave that, I'll just leave that.
SAM: The whole campaign's going to be like this.
AABRIA: Yeah!
SAM: Get over.
AABRIA: What? Why? I didn't know people--
SAM: Shush.
AABRIA: -- were going to go by me.
SAM: Shoo.
AABRIA: Jesus.
SAM: I need an Aspirant.
AABRIA: No one wants to sit by you? Damn, I'll sit by you.
SAM: No.
WHITNEY: My Aspirant.
AABRIA: Nah, I'm here.
BRENNAN: But wait a minute, but hold on, but wait a minute.
LIAM: Who you want?
BRENNAN: Well, because we have everyone at the funeral, but as I've said the name, we should have its holder. Taliesin Jaffe, would you come out and join us, please?
AABRIA: Yeah! (exclaiming)
TALIESIN: Hello, hello.
AABRIA: Sit on our side. (chuckling)
LIAM: So here, take this guy over here.
TALIESIN: Over here?
LIAM: Yeah. Ugh! Ugh!
TALIESIN: Ack! Almost spilled my drink.
LIAM: Sowwy.
TALIESIN: That's okay, so many things, ack!
AABRIA: We're back.
TALIESIN: Wow.
BRENNAN: That was beautiful.
TALIESIN: This is crazy.
BRENNAN: Lovely.
AABRIA: That was great.
BRENNAN: Incredible. Walking up the cobblestone street to the top of The Rookery, we see the holder of this name on this letter in the wreckage of Thjazi's hiding spot. However, unlike the chaos that unfolds in that room, I think a rather dashing figure now approaches the home. Taliesin, would you please describe your character for us as he approaches?
TALIESIN: (sighs heavily) Well, Bolaire currently is holding his cloak in his hand, which normally he will wear to keep a low profile, but considering that he knows exactly where he's going and is prepared to be a bit of a spectacle, is showing off. He wears a very fine set of clothing. It's not very rich, but it certainly has money and a bit of somewhere between ostentatious taste and trying to blend in, but really not wanting to. He wears black leather and suede tied over an underlayer of deep red crimson. He is covered head to toe from gloves all the way up to a high neck. He has very long, curly, dark red hair. The most notable thing about Bolaire is that he wears a mask. This mask is a gray clay with dark gray, almost black lips and very, very large, empty pools of blackness where each eye should be with a cut to indicate possibly tears that run down the face. Deep within these black pools, you can see tiny blue reflected lights, almost like a cat hiding in a shadow at night. That's what blinks instead of the mask, deep, deep within. This would be even more disturbing as he approaches the door, the mask itself, (sighs) sighs and moves just like a real face. (sighs)
AABRIA: (laughs)
BRENNAN: Sighing at the door, you are about to walk in to the home of a friend and the funeral not of a friend.
TALIESIN: I don't know Thjazi very well. My dealings with him are private and often through an intermediary. But I did go to the execution.
BRENNAN: Thinking back, there in the shadows, higher up in the seats at the back of the nobles' viewing gallery, you yourself not a noble, but one who deals in matters of nobility, welcome in the spaces afforded to nobles, you look down and see Thjazi's final words. What were you feeling in those last moments before the rope went taut?
TALIESIN: I was there to see who was going to help him. He's far too clever to let this be the end of him, and it's better to see things in person because secondhand accounts are even more unreliable than first ones. I needed to know who had that kind of power and who decided to exercise it. Sadly, my empty seat next to me for my companion who decided not to show, I'm not terribly surprised, but it would've been nice to have company. But I'm perfectly happy to sit and not have to make a face.
BRENNAN: Thjazi's final moment, an incredible show of force. The first execution in the history of the city of Dol-Makjar carried out exclusively under the authority of the Chamber of Lords-Advisory. An auspicious day for the power of the Sundered Houses.
TALIESIN: (surprised laugh) (laughs) (continues laughing) Fuck.
BRENNAN: (laughs) The memory fades. (laughter) You approach the house of Halandil Fang. You enter within and see Thaisha Lloy, of the Dol-Makjar Lloys, absolutely shit-faced, holding a demon's ear.
AABRIA: (slurred words)
WHITNEY: (laughs)
AABRIA: She is mid- Druidic rant. But you can see that there are streaks of tears down her cheeks. She looks up at you and doesn't want to break the rant. You see her blink and then you see a second set of eyelids blink and her voice continues but now it's on the other side of the room as I burn a Wild Shape to summon Hala, my wild companion who continues the rites in my stead so I can turn and address you. Welcome.
TALIESIN: I want to ask if you're all right, but this is, even for you, impressive.
AABRIA: It's been a while.
TALIESIN: Ah. I'm sorry for showing up like this, but I assumed you would need help, and I'm more than happy to distract some of the more inappropriate people who--
AABRIA: Tyranny.
TALIESIN: You look very familiar.
WHITNEY: I'm Tyranny.
AABRIA: I have to throw up.
TALIESIN: Tyranny, Tyranny.
WHITNEY: You look so familiar. I just, I can't put my face on it. My name, my finger on your face. I can't put my finger on your face. (laughs)
TALIESIN: I really wouldn't. You came to the gala--
WHITNEY: (gasps)
TALIESIN: -- six months ago.
WHITNEY: The party!
TALIESIN: You did, at the museum. Do you remember?
WHITNEY: That was my first and only party. I don't remember much of it. (laughs)
TALIESIN: We are well aware because you did in fact manage to elude security for nearly 15 minutes before we found you having thrown up into one of the only three remaining urns--
AABRIA: No one threw up.
TALIESIN: -- of the Eyes of Kelaun.
WHITNEY: Sowwy. (giggles)
TALIESIN: It's all right, now we use it as a teaching exercise in the cleaning of antiquities.
WHITNEY: Oh! Oh, that's great. So I helped!
TALIESIN: I suppose you could see it like that.
WHITNEY: Oh!
AABRIA: I have, hold on, I have a thing for you. I have a--
TALIESIN: You do?
AABRIA: -- a box. Did I give it to Occtis? Where's Occtis?
TALIESIN: Occtis is here?
AABRIA: Where did-- Where is my--
BRENNAN: As you look around, I think Wick and Hal, you guys descend the staircase from on high. Hal, you can see that the fullness of the gathering is here now. There are a lot of, you see some of Thjazi's more criminal associates here. There are some arcanists and occultists in the space, a lot of neighborhood people, a lot of family friends. But the house is full and people are coming up to the table as Thaisha's deer, Hala, is standing with its nose down towards the top of Thjazi's head as he is laid out on the table, his arms crossed. You see a bunch of family friends are coming and putting brass rings and adornments on his fingers and laying brooches or necklaces across his chest. So he's being gathered up with small treasures and trinkets here on his viewing.
AABRIA: Halandil, where's my son? I have to give the box.
TALIESIN: Oh dear.
LIAM: You're asking about Al?
AABRIA: Um, no, no. Occtis, sorry, where is Occtis?
LIAM: I've been upstairs for a little bit, I don't know. Is he here?
AABRIA: No.
LIAM: I say as I pet your deer by my brother's body.
BRENNAN: You see walking in through the door a beautiful merchant woman who looks about in her early forties, a gorgeous gown made of rich, imported textiles and a young half-orc daughter with her. This is a human woman who's walking in with her half-orc daughter. She looks up at you. This is your daughter, Hero. Looks up and goes, "Hi, Dad."
LIAM: Hey, dear.
BRENNAN: She runs over and gives you a hug. Elodie looks over and says, "Thaisha, hello."
AABRIA: Hi. Ooh, I'm trying to lock in so much.
BRENNAN: Do you want to use the Druidcraft cantrip to instantly soberize yourself?
AABRIA: Yes, please.
BRENNAN: (magical poof)
WHITNEY and LIAM: (laugh)
AABRIA: We're so good.
WHITNEY: It's just a bump.
AABRIA: It is! (laughter)
BRENNAN: She walks up to you.
AABRIA: We're so good. Hi.
BRENNAN: Elodie goes, "Thaisha, hello."
AABRIA: Hi, how are you?
BRENNAN: "Oh, awful."
AABRIA: Yeah, I'm so sorry. Were you there today?
BRENNAN: "Yeah."
AABRIA: How's Hero?
BRENNAN: She looks over and gives you a big hug.
LIAM: El.
BRENNAN: "(sighs) I'm so sorry."
LIAM: Thank you. How are you doing? To Hero.
BRENNAN: You see she goes, "Um, well, any report from my own life would be improperly positive for the events that we now face together. Business is well and life as well and let us say no more of it than that."
LIAM: I lean forward and kiss her on the forehead.
BRENNAN: She puts her forehead against your face as well. You see she looks and says, "Oh, Master Lathalia, it's a pleasure to see you. I believe I saw you elsewhere in the viewing gallery."
TALIESIN: It's good to see you as well, despite the circumstances. And of course, I am as always at your service.
LIAM: Bolaire.
TALIESIN: Hal.
LIAM: Thank you for being here. Neither I nor my family blinks at this mask, which to a stranger might set somebody back a pace or two, but--
BRENNAN: Mm-hmm.
LIAM: -- not a wink at it.
TALIESIN: I'm here for whatever you need, including hopefully distracting some of the more difficult elements. This day is for you at this point.
LIAM: We're feeling it out, we're all feeling it out. Thank you for coming.
TALIESIN: Of course.
LIAM: Mm.
TALIESIN: Mm.
BRENNAN: I think, Sam, you're holding the scimitar.
SAM: I don't have a good time to give it to him, but I guess now is a good time, as ever.
BRENNAN: You can absolutely stand here. You see that a-- There is a beastfolk warrior looking over who's speaking to this Orcish woman, Loza. You see he looks over, he's got a massive boar's head, brawny body, big stomach. He looks over as you're holding the scimitar, he looks over and he goes, "Oh, Thjazi's sword, nice!"
SAM: Oh! Right, right, right, right, of course. Tyranny, Tyranny! Over here.
WHITNEY: Hey, hey. Are you still in trouble?
SAM: No. I mean--
AABRIA: A little.
SAM: Yes, a little bit.
WHITNEY: Okay.
SAM: That's beside the point. We have--
WHITNEY: I have something to tell you.
SAM: Have you been drinking?
WHITNEY: Yeah, I know, I know.
SAM: Tyranny.
WHITNEY: Ember, Verse 151, "Cloud not the spark with poison," right? Remember? But--
SAM: But you did cloud the spark with poison.
WHITNEY: Yeah, okay, okay, okay, okay. Listen. Everybody here's, everyone here--
SAM: This is not--
WHITNEY: -- is drinking, and so I kinda feel like--
SAM: This is not the time.
WHITNEY: -- because people don't really want you here.
SAM: Tyranny! I'm going to cast Thaumaturgy and yell three times my normal volume. (shouts) Tyranny! Be still.
WHITNEY: Yes, Your Radiance. I'm going to read some hymns.
BRENNAN: (laughs) You go in the corner and start reading hymns.
LIAM: Through that bubbling-up bickering, Hal has been looking through it at Bolaire and thinking about his brother's words until that voice shatters the room and I whip back.
SAM: I'm sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I hadn't found a good time to present this to you, but on behalf of the Halovar family, please accept this, your brother's blade.
LIAM: Oh. Oh my. (sighs) Well, thank you, Wick. That is a kindness, I--
BRENNAN: As the sword crosses the media crucis of your home, it passes over the doorway, or the door is on the other side of the room. As the sword exchanges hands, a figure enters the door that knows that sword quite well. Matthew Mercer, do you want to come join us?
AABRIA: Oh!
LIAM: Oh!
WHITNEY: Hey!
AABRIA: Yeah!
SAM: I thought we got rid of Matt. (laughter)
MATT: You could only hope! (laughter)
TALIESIN: Link up.
LIAM: Yup. Slide.
TALIESIN: Slide.
AABRIA: That would be good, just do one more.
TALIESIN: Yep, yep.
MATT: Thank you.
TALIESIN: Aha!
BRENNAN: Hi, Matt!
MATT: Hello everybody.
AABRIA: Hi.
TALIESIN: Hi, Matt.
LIAM: Let's go.
AABRIA: Wait, what was his vibe coming in?
BRENNAN: We're about to find out because we're about to find out what his vibe was immediately prior to coming in.
AABRIA: (laughs)
BRENNAN: A gleaming green and golden carriage, baroque and wrought all throughout, stylized and gilded, borne forward by a team of four snow white horses glides up the street, carriage of the Sundered House of Royce. Seated in the back, a grieving widow in years only of some 40 odd and her gorgeous, gleaming green gown bedecked with jewels. Tears streaming down her face as she stares ahead, shattered. She holds in her hand a wedding ring, one she has not worn on her hand in many years, but has never let stray beyond her person. To her left, one of her oldest childhood friends. Matt, would you please describe your character?
MATT: Yes. You see a human man just about to crest into his thirties. Lanky, compact build, sealed within a reinforced leather military uniform of House Davinos, the Vassal House to the Sundered House of Royce in dark purples and gray with red trim. You see across the right shoulder an intricate silver metal pauldron and the other shoulder itself hidden within a dark green short cape with intricate designs of vine and flower sewn through it. Himself, a very stern, stoic look as he just stares into the opposite side of the carriage. His long, heavily curly black hair tumbling past his shoulders, his other hand resting on his knee while the sheathed rapier sits on his left hip as he rides in the carriage.
BRENNAN: Staring forward, Aranessa is falling apart beside you. It's hard to tell in this moment compared to someone openly grieving how Julien is doing. We move back to the gallery viewing the execution. Looking down, you sit next to an empty seat. You're not sure back in the carriage whether Aranessa saw Thjazi's final moments or not. Her seat was empty beside you, though you knew that she was not far away. So with that amount of privacy, what was Sir Julien Davinos thinking as he watched the final moments of Thjazi Fang?
MATT: He sits, arms crossed in his chair, looking down from his elevated, noble box view of this execution. His hair tumbled past one half of his face, And the faintest little grin peeks at the corner of his mouth. And that's all.
BRENNAN: As the body dangles, nobles around you rise and you see a hand slaps on your back from a noble of a house from a noble of a house that fought under, you think the Halovars. It's an older gentleman who slaps you maybe from the Malterres or the Egerion family. He slaps you on the shoulder and goes, "(laughs) They should have let you do the honors, eh?"
MATT: Yeah. Unfortunately, such honors are not given to those who deserve it, my friend, but well, and there is further glory to have regardless, yes?
BRENNAN: "Oh, for the hero of the battle of Maharlian Falls the man who brought Thjazi Fang to heel. You'd think they'd let you-- It's an honor, Julien. Jacques. Jacques Malterres, pleasure."
MATT: Jacques. And he takes his hand and holds it and holds it steady as he makes his eye contact directly. It has been quite some time, and with time, some things are forgotten. So while the honor is not mine, I appreciate you acknowledging such a historied walk of grace.
BRENNAN: Having no idea what to make of this interaction, Jacques Malterres says, "(stiff chuckle) Good on you." (laughter) And walks as you look and you see, as you come out of reverie, you are approaching this place, Aranessa has started to look out the window. "These homes are so lovely."
MATT: You're not wrong. They are... He just trails off for a second. He gets lost in his own thought for a second before shaking free of it. My lady. And he reaches into his cloak, pulls it back, and you can see as the cloak gets turned aside, his left hand itself is fully wrapped in an intricate metal gauntlet of dark silver itself, deeply filigreed and multiple plates of it. It almost looks unbalanced compared to the rest of his thin frame, but as it reveals it briefly, he peeks inside of his coat, his leather tunic and pulls forth a nice little piece of white cloth and hands it over to the lady.
BRENNAN: She wipes her eyes with it. "It was awful. It was awful."
MATT: My lady, I do not mean to speak out of turn here. I'm a bit taken aback. We are no strangers to the history of violence and Thjazi, whatever memories you cling to he's not the man that you once loved. He wouldn't be there if he was, yes?
BRENNAN: "I married a dashing hero from the very end of the War of Axe and Vine, the adventurer rogue, a pixie by his side and magic in his eyes. And two years later, he took up the banner of rebellion And my grandfather-- My grandfather sided with the Halovars and the Tachonises. Perhaps these things are fated. Two points of light exist in constellation but the night sky grows between them. What I can tell you is this: When you knocked my husband off his horse and brought him to justice and he was given clemency, Julien, he told me to run away with him. And I said, 'No.' I've loved that man every year since of the long years we have been apart. And when he died, I hid. Love doesn't go away so easily; it stays. Even if people turn their back and walk away. They leave some part of themself. It's what loving someone is."
MATT: Be that has it may, he made his choice. And he chose his pride over your love. And he's paid for it now twice over. And we are here and we can mourn as you feel is necessary, but we also live because we have been smart and we will continue to live. I've got you. He puts his hand on hers and holds it. I will also protect you from your own unnecessary emotional pain. If need be.
BRENNAN: "People can really hurt themselves, Julien, trying to protect themselves from pain. Mine is mine to feel, my friend." And she squeezes your hand. You arrive, she looks and opens a small pocket mirror seeing that she has been grieving partially disheveled herself and said, "Give me a moment in the carriage, if you would."
MATT: Of course.
BRENNAN: Stepping forward, you enter the doorway.
LIAM: This is a kindness. I don't know what to say. I know your intentions are in the right place and I am grateful for that.
SAM: I will ask my family for more information if that will help settle this in any way.
LIAM: Well, I'll tell you what, why don't we, for the time being, just let sleeping dogs lie. We can pick up the pieces in the next couple of days.
SAM: Certainly.
BRENNAN: You look over and see, Hal, stepping up next to you is Thjazi's old commander, Loza Blade. Who walks up and says, "Thjazi's sword? A kindness for you to bring that, my Lord Halovar."
SAM: It was nothing, really.
BRENNAN: "Might I speak with you for a moment, if that's all right?"
SAM: Oh yes. Pardon me, Hal.
LIAM: Of course, of course.
SAM: And Bolaire, it's so great to see you again.
TALIESIN: I'm so sorry. I do recognize you. What was your name again?
SAM: Light Priest Wicander Halovar. We spoke at great length at a few of your different galas.
TALIESIN: I meet a lot of people but it is a pleasure. Hello.
SAM: Oh, all right.
TALIESIN: You're very handsome.
SAM: Thank you.
BRENNAN: You see that the boar man goes, "You are." (laughter)
SAM: I mean--
BRENNAN: "You are."
SAM: I don't-- That's--
AABRIA: Bit young.
SAM: Okay, all right.
BRENNAN: He looks over and says, "Are you and the goat--?"
SAM: The goat?
BRENNAN: Are you and the goat--?
SAM: No, she's my Aspirant. She's my--
BRENNAN: "Oh, sorry. I didn't know."
SAM: No, no.
BRENNAN: "Nevermind, nevermind, sorry."
SAM: She is not to--
BRENNAN: "I didn't know. Congrats."
WHITNEY: Am I hearing this?
BRENNAN: Yes, you are.
TALIESIN: I'm choking on my drink right now.
SAM: She's not to taste of the flesh. She's not--
BRENNAN: Yeah, by ricochet. I'm hitting on you via him.
SAM: No, she's not the taste of the flesh. She's pure.
BRENNAN: "Oh man."
WHITNEY: Ever bright, ever right.
BRENNAN: "This guy. We're at a funeral, relax!"
SAM: Ever bright, ever right.
WHITNEY: I can be so good for you. I just memorized a hymn. I just got put in my place and the basement is flooded.
AABRIA and WHITNEY: (laugh)
AABRIA: I pat you on the shoulder. I want to give you a little Druidcraft bump if you need it.
WHITNEY: Can I have that?
BRENNAN: Yeah, sure.
WHITNEY: Yeah, please.
BRENNAN: Sober up.
AABRIA: Yeah, little Guidance.
WHITNEY: (bleats)
TALIESIN: Is this a religious thing? You can't-- or is this actually an apparitional thing where you would just vanish in a puff of--
WHITNEY: No.
TALIESIN: -- is it brimstone? Is that sulfur?
WHITNEY: I'm here. I'm real.
SAM: She's real.
WHITNEY: I threw up in your vase.
TALIESIN: Yeah, but I mean if you copulated? Is that the word I'm I feel like I'm going to use?
SAM: Please!
WHITNEY: (laughs)
SAM: Hide your ears from this disgusting talk.
WHITNEY: We're at a funeral.
TALIESIN: I don't think it would work but--
BRENNAN: You see Loza Blade looks over at you and says, "I just wished to speak with you if I could because--"
SAM: Right. I'm sorry.
WHITNEY: Are all funerals this fun?
TALIESIN: No.
SAM: Pardon me, everyone. I'll go over to Loza.
BRENNAN: She looks over and just says, "My companion Teor and I have traveled here for Thjazi's funeral and I'm retiring. My family lives further into Kahad near Dol-Rungja. But I wished to speak because with my retiring, my companion is a noble guardian and has worked for many noble houses and causes throughout Pasitar and many realms. I just wished to speak because I have not been in Dol-Makjar in some time but if you are looking for security or a bodyguard of any kind, I know that obviously the House of Halovar is well-equipped and manned, but he is loyal and shrewd and a fine warrior."
SAM: You're talking about this Teor?
BRENNAN: "Yes, yes, yes, yes. My companion, the nama who--"
SAM: Yes, I think I saw him earlier. Well, I could speak to my uncle who does our security or my father-- Well, he wouldn't-- Perhaps my grandmother. You know what? I could make arrangements to hire such an individual myself.
BRENNAN: "Splendid."
SAM: Right?
WHITNEY: Yeah. Oh yeah.
SAM: Right.
BRENNAN: "Splendid."
WHITNEY: He's your guy.
BRENNAN: "Then I believe that the estate of the Halovars, the Villa Aurora, yes?"
SAM: That's our estate in town. Yes.
BRENNAN: "If I were to call on you there to inquire not doing business here at the ceremony, but perhaps tomorrow or sometime, I--"
SAM: It would be my honor to help you find a good place for your companion.
BRENNAN: "I'm grateful, my Lord Halovar. Thank you."
SAM: Thank you.
BRENNAN: Julien, entering the home. You see--
AABRIA: I just wanted to say.
BRENNAN: Yeah?
AABRIA: The jasmine, I always liked Lady Aranessa, so as the carriage approached, all of that jasmine grew in and grew in lush, less flowers and more vines and that green, the same green of her house. But the moment you step out of the carriage, I bid every bit of greenery, every plant to wither around your feet as you approach this home. No green for you.
MATT: I barely crossed the threshold. With Aranessa taking a moment inside, I step barely in the door and then lean against it and just observe the party as I wait for her.
BRENNAN: A moment later, Aranessa emerges and extends her elbow.
MATT: I take it.
BRENNAN: As you enter she looks and goes, "Hal," and moves forward and very gingerly-- No one's coming up and bowing and curtsying. She goes forward and awkwardly extends her arms for an embrace.
LIAM: Caught off guard and return her hug.
BRENNAN: She gives you a hug and she looks and sees the body on the table. "Oh no."
LIAM: I had hoped, against hope, maybe you would've been able to--
BRENNAN: "Hal, I'm so sorry." You see here she makes eye contact with Wick. Give me an insight check, Sam.
SAM: Okay.
AABRIA: Let's go. God. The drop.
SAM: Insight.
MATT: It's heinous every time.
AABRIA: I hate it.
TALIESIN: Just every-- 10 years.
SAM: Seven.
AABRIA: (yells)
MATT: (laughs)
BRENNAN: On a seven, you see her eyes go over to you and Hal, you give me an insight check as well here. As her eyes go over to you and she says, "My Lord Halovar, pleasure to see you."
SAM: My condolences. House Halovar extends our deepest sympathies to all who loved Thjazi.
BRENNAN: "Of course. It is a kindness for the House of Halovar to pay. What a burden it must be to see justice served when you would wish for some other outcome."
SAM: We did. We certainly did. We not only wished, we worked towards some other outcome. It was not--
BRENNAN: "Did you?"
SAM: Yes.
AABRIA: Please can I insight check?
BRENNAN: You want to insight check here?
AABRIA: Yes, please.
BRENNAN: How did you do?
LIAM: 23.
BRENNAN: Aranessa--
AABRIA: He's got it.
BRENNAN: Your always technically, legally sister-in-law even though she and Thjazi did not see each other for many, many years, is looking at young Wicander with a barely concealed rage. Aranessa is way better than this. She-- And what'd you get?
AABRIA: 22.
BRENNAN: 22. Aranessa is barely holding on. The level of vulgarity in how open she is being is a danger to her house. You, on a seven, do not get that.
SAM: No.
BRENNAN: She looks at you and just goes-- Oh yeah, sorry, Bolaire.
TALIESIN: I'm going to gently push the children back and get in front of them because this is a lot.
BRENNAN: Yeah. She just looks and says, "I can imagine how hard you were working. Yesterday, I arrived at the Villa Aurora to speak with your mother and waited for some two or three hours. I assume that there must have been some work. Perhaps that was what garnered her time to that degree."
AABRIA: I'm in Tyranny's ear. Guidance. Get him out of here.
SAM: I'm certain that she was just doing some of her charity works, perhaps, or--
AABRIA: Now.
WHITNEY: I throw up. (gags)
SAM: Oh! Tyranny, not now.
WHITNEY: Oh, I'm so sorry. Ever right, ever bright. We have to leave. I feel so bad. I'm so sorry, we got to go.
SAM: I'm so sorry. Apologies, Hal.
WHITNEY: I'm so sorry. I'm trying really hard to be good and I'm so sorry. Let's go.
SAM: She is not, she's--
BRENNAN: You see Olgud comes up and gives you a tall thing of water and puts a little melting alchemical tablet in it. "Yeah, the Yahrgraz will do that every time."
WHITNEY: Oh god, I love you so much. He's all good, Olgud.
SAM: We will worship to clear this out of your system. We don't need any of that.
WHITNEY: I think we should go.
SAM: Yes. Yes, I think we should go.
BRENNAN: Aranessa looks and says, "Important charity works. Well, it is as ever an honor to be represented on the Chamber of the Lords-Advisory to think how far we've come since the Shapers' War that our houses are so aligned now.
SAM: It is lovely, isn't it?
BRENNAN: "And, of course, I keep calling you my Lord, but you are all priests now."
SAM: Yes, I'm a Light priest.
BRENNAN: "Congratulations."
SAM: You can-- Oh, I mean, most people use "Your Radiance" with me.
MATT: At this point--
BRENNAN: (laughs)
WHITNEY: I am going to puke again.
MATT: -- Julien steps forward a little bit. puts his hand on Lady Aranessa's shoulder and goes: My lady, there is time for more conversation in a bit, but I believe you must sit down for a moment and have some rest. You have not had a moment yet with the body.
BRENNAN: "Rest? No, I'm fascinated, a worship of--"
MATT: My lady.
BRENNAN: "-- I think the light, yes?"
WHITNEY: We're going to go. We should go.
SAM: We're going to go.
BRENNAN: "Not even--"
SAM: Thank you and bid you all farewell and--
BRENNAN: You guys, (laughs) you guys head out.
WHITNEY: Okay. Bye, it was good to see you.
SAM: Do you know what? I think I know him, too. Should I say hi to him before we go?
WHITNEY: No, I think we should go. Let me do a hymn for you.
SAM: Julien, right?
WHITNEY: (to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star") ♪ May the light ♪ guide your soul ♪
MATT: Have a wonderful day, Wick.
WHITNEY: ♪ In the brightness you are bold ♪
SAM: Maybe I should say hi before I-- no? All right.
MATT: Take care wherever you end up. Forever, hopefully.
BRENNAN: Aranessa grabs your arm so hard and goes, "They worship the light, don't you understand? It's a divinity without the inconvenience of having a voice or perspective."
AABRIA: (snorts) I have missed you so much, my lady. And I give you a big bow and then a huge hug and lift her up.
BRENNAN: She gives you a huge bow, or she gives you a huge hug in return. Looks around and says, "I have not comported myself in a ladylike fashion."
AABRIA: You're fine. We're mourning.
BRENNAN: "Hal, may we approach your brother's body?"
LIAM: Please, please.
BRENNAN: She walks up. Now there is a veritable trove, bracers and necklaces and candles and boxes. You see that there are around his legs, there are piles and piles of these little wax paper, like street food snacks from Dol-Makjar. There's little fried, little doughy, sugary, fried things that are gathered round. There are candied nuts and fruits and things like that and all little candles burning everywhere. She steps up, looks at his face and goes, "Oh, he's gone." She leans down and kisses his cheek, gives him a kiss on the lips. A tear falls from her eye across his cheek. "He is gone."
AABRIA: Those of us who don't believe that you get recycled into the Light or whatever, he is returned. He is a part of the story and the song of this world. He is a part of the story and the song of this world.
LIAM: He's changed us all.
MATT: Indeed.
AABRIA: A word, sir, if you will.
MATT: Takes Aranessa by the hand, he goes: I'll return shortly. If you need anything, call out.
BRENNAN: "Yes, Julien, thank you."
TALIESIN: I kneel down and turn to the children after all of this. Now, I hope we all just learned that we have to be kind and forgive the idiocy of people at funerals and weddings. Do we understand?
BRENNAN: You see Shadia says, "We do, Mr. Bolaire. Thank you so much for the kind lesson." Hero looks up at you and says, "Why specifically funerals and weddings?"
TALIESIN: I don't know, honestly. Because I suppose we have to pick two days to be forgiving instead of just being irritated at them all the time.
BRENNAN: Hero goes, "I can't tell if that's generous or stingy." And you see that-- (laughs)
AABRIA: She's great.
TALIESIN: I fucking love your children. (laughter)
BRENNAN: Julien and Thaisha step away. Aranessa looks at you and says, "I don't know what that Halovar prick told you, but I'll tell you this. I was kept waiting in the antechamber of the Villa Aurora for the better part of a day. Hal, the doors to Faerie shut. I don't know how much longer my name will mean anything. Every passing day, the Tachonis, the Halovar seem stronger. It seems like fewer messages arrive at the Golden Orchard. I don't know what the future means. Maybe I should have run away with Thjazi all those years ago."
LIAM: Hand down by my side, I clasp hers in friendship and squeeze it lightly. Whole world's getting away from us.
BRENNAN: "The world is changing." Speaking of the world changing, someone who would know one or two things about that arrives at the funeral. Marisha Ray, would you come in, please?
AABRIA: Hey!
MATT: Mm-hmm.
MARISHA: (southern drawl) Oh my goodness.
BRENNAN: Oh my goodness.
MARISHA: Goodness gracious, I am so late. The rain, it is coming down harder than a horse's stream out there.
BRENNAN: (laughs)
MARISHA: Oh my goodness. Oh. Oh.
AABRIA: Hi.
MARISHA: Thaisha!
AABRIA: Hi, how are you?
MARISHA: Thaisha, how are you?
AABRIA: I'm good.
MARISHA: Oh shit, Elodie's here, too.
AABRIA: Oh my god, kids are in the corner. How are you?
MARISHA: Yeah, I'm great. Oh my goodness. I brought a cranberry roll and a bottle of Yahrgraz.
BRENNAN: Olgud looks over at you and says, "Ah, shit."
MARISHA: Ah, shit.
BRENNAN: "I brought a ton of cranberry rolls."
MARISHA: I brought like a whole six pack of cranberry. Well, it's the thought that counts.
BRENNAN: Marisha, please describe your character for us.
MARISHA: All right, you see walking in, she's a little disheveled from the rain, which is not normally her position. In fact, she does a little bit of wizard magic to get herself all back into her full shining glory. You see a dwarf woman with long auburn hair spilling out from under a flat brim cap, big, long, big hat. Then you see that she's wearing this coat. It's a long duster jacket that doesn't have sleeves, because sleeves are bullshit. (laughter)
MARISHA: It looks like she walked into a rich person's house and saw someone's rug and went, "That looks nice," and then made a jacket out of it. Then you see, she's very-- She's not afraid of color. And even though it is a funeral, you know, she has to show off her proudest asset, which is her big ol' rack and-- (quiet laughter)
AABRIA: Yes.
MARISHA: -- as she likes to say, you know, lanterns are lit, so are the tits.
AABRIA: Let's go.
MARISHA: So she loves a good party. She loves a good funeral. There's something about her, even though she's very put together-- Oh, and you can see she's got a little bit of a chin strap. It is perfectly braided. Her nails are did, they are shining. And then you see on the tip of her index finger, she's got what looks like a press-on, but when you look a little bit closer, it's like the tip of an ink pen. It's like a quill. So yeah, she's here and you know, she looks very put together, but also there's just something about her that's a little grimy, a little greasy.
AABRIA: I'm thankful to be 6'4". That is a good angle. Hey, girl, hey.
MARISHA: Yeah, hey, hi.
AABRIA: (laughs)
BRENNAN: Murray arrives, Murray Mag'Nesson arrives as truly one of like-- For Thjazi's funeral, this is Thjazi's current crowd that he's been running with. You arrive and look around, Murray, and immediately you see off in a corner, you see a lot of the magical underbelly. For a man who was just hanged for arcanism, there are a lot of arcanists here. Off in a corner, you see Tashmara Cobblegrave catch your eye with her one purely white pinprick pupil eye, and then other eye a normal hazel sclera looks over and goes, "Murray, good to see you."
MARISHA: Good to see you.
BRENNAN: Off in a corner, you see a tiny gnome with a crooked top hat who's got a bunch of bracelets looking around, who looks over, this is Uncle Emerald.
MARISHA: Oh!
BRENNAN: He looks over and he goes, "Hi, Murray!"
MARISHA: My goodness gracious.
BRENNAN: "Condolences."
MARISHA: Hello.
BRENNAN: "Happy funeral."
MARISHA: It's just so, so tragic. And she starts digging into the cranberry rolls and she picks out of her teeth and as you see her picking it out, she's missing the front three right side of her teeth, and if you look closer, they've been replaced with gemstones. So she's got one that's a little ruby, one that's kind of a clear white quartz, and then another that's a purple quartz. How she lost those teeth, who knows?
BRENNAN: Walking over to you, a sort of sallow-faced man who you see is-- leather vest, tons of armpit hair pouring out. But you see the vest, no shirt under the vest, but just sort of a tie, ruffle tie around a bare neck. This is Davrasi Gaunt.
MARISHA: Davrasi, you dressed up.
BRENNAN: "I did, I know that we are mourning the loss of a dear compatriot."
MARISHA: I can see you put in the effort.
BRENNAN: "Do you still need those skulls?"
MARISHA: You know, I think we can table that conversation.
BRENNAN: "Sorry."
MARISHA: Yeah.
BRENNAN: "Condolences."
MARISHA: You know where to find me, yeah.
BRENNAN: "We'll talk later."
MARISHA: Okay.
BRENNAN: "But I don't know where we're going to-- because he's gone, so I don't know where we're going to find each other."
MARISHA: You know I work at the Penteveral.
BRENNAN: "I'm allowed in?"
MARISHA: No, I just-- meet-- you know what? Here, just, and I--
AABRIA: Go upstairs.
MARISHA: Yeah, you know what?
AABRIA: Do the skulls upstairs. Can we talk, can we exchange the skulls upstairs?
BRENNAN: "I can tell you where to find me if that's safe."
MARISHA: Yeah, you know what? Let's make a connect.
BRENNAN: "Okay, I'll write it down."
MARISHA: It feels weird to be networking at a funeral.
BRENNAN: "I know, but--"
MARISHA: But I think it's smart.
BRENNAN: "Yeah, he's dead."
MARISHA: Yes.
BRENNAN: "So we have to kind of--"
MARISHA: No, we should, we should.
BRENNAN: "It's what he would've wanted. He would've wanted us to--"
MARISHA: Look, this isn't my address. This is an address for someplace else that you can find me at on like Thursdays. And Tuesday.
BRENNAN: "Okay. I'll be there nonstop until you show up."
MARISHA: Okay, yeah. I tend to like to go have a glass of wine. This is one of the dive bars, The Faye, can't miss it.
LIAM: Miss Mag'Nesson, you grace our family with your presence.
MARISHA: Oh my goodness, you sweet, sweet thing. How are you? Are you all right? I just come up and I do the little (mwah mwah). Yeah, I'm a dwarf. I'm down here. I forget sometimes.
AABRIA: 5'11".
MARISHA: 5'11". (laughter) Short for a dwarf, 5'11".
LIAM: Can I get you anything? Would you like a drink? You know what? I need to--
MARISHA: I brought some Yahrgraz. I know that it was his favorite.
LIAM: It was. (laughter)
MARISHA: Well...
LIAM: I need to put this blade somewhere. I'll be right back.
MARISHA: Wait, wait, wait.
LIAM: Just get her a drink.
AABRIA: I have to kill this man first.
LIAM: You are probably already headed--
MATT: We'll say, as Murray has come in here, blustering like a tornado and all this chaos has happened, Sir Julien has used this immediate opportunity to disengage from the tractor beam of intention you had put upon him and has pulled away from the rest and actually gone to have a moment with the corpse himself while everyone is kind of distracted, if I might.
BRENNAN: Yeah. What do you do as you approach the corpse of Thjazi Fang?
MATT: Hand rested on the hilt of my rapier on the side, I stand there for a minute over and just glance left and right to see if anyone is paying any close attention to this corner.
AABRIA: Hala's still there. So you have a whole-ass deer staring at you.
BRENNAN: There's a Companion of the Wild here, but of mortal kind, you are alone.
MATT: I'm going to-- Where is the deer currently situated by the corpse?
AABRIA: Deer's at the head and was giving funeral rites. Does it look like you're hesitating?
MATT: It looks like I'm just looking down and quietly taking in the surroundings.
AABRIA: Then I think Hala will blink, stare at you so you know that this is connected to Thaisha, and then turn and go find Hero, and is just going to go hang out with Hero and leave you to this moment.
MATT: Looks down upon the... well-adorned and well-remembered and well-beloved body of Thjazi here in this warm hearth surrounded by the chattering voices of his family and his friends and all those whose lives he's touched. I can hear the gentle occasional sobs and stutters of my dear friend, Lady Aranessa, and quietly look down upon him. The only shame is I couldn't watch you die twice. (spits)
MARISHA: Jesus.
MATT: And then I walk away.
BRENNAN: (laughs)
LIAM: Bolaire, could you do me a favor and get our friend Murray a drink? I'll be right back, I'm to go deal with this. I'm going to slip away real quick. I've got this blade belonging to my brother, and I'll return to my study upstairs pretty quickly and I'll stop in front of my desk and look at it, and look at the deed on the desk, and lay the blade across the deed. The deed to the area of land in the city that I worked for years to secure and only came in reach of within the last few weeks. And I rest this sword. What remains of my brother, come crashing through those years of work. Everything I ever wanted, slashed with heartbreak. And I give myself 10 seconds to stare at it and then return downstairs.
TALIESIN: Hello, Murray, it's lovely to see you.
MARISHA: I don't think I've seen you since that last party where that demon girl threw up in a vase.
TALIESIN: It has been a while. That was a romp, wasn't it?
MARISHA: It was such a good time. When you going to throw another one of those?
TALIESIN: Oh, as soon as we can deal with some insurance issues, I've been assured that I can handle that again. I wish that was the only thing she did. She was quite a bit.
MARISHA: Mm.
TALIESIN: (sighs) I didn't know you knew Thjazi.
MARISHA: I think everybody knew Thjazi. I mean, look at this room. There's some mixed company up in here.
TALIESIN: Honestly, I didn't.
MARISHA: What is with all these rich people?
TALIESIN: Well--
MARISHA: Damn.
TALIESIN: Those I know.
BRENNAN: You see, as you say, "What's up with all these rich people?" I think Thaisha, you're nearby with Aranessa. Aranessa turns to look over at you and says, "Hi, I'm a rich person."
AABRIA: Oh, so am I.
MARISHA: Ah. Oh, wow.
BRENNAN: You see Aranessa cocks an eyebrow and he goes like, "You, the-- Mm."
AABRIA: Compared.
BRENNAN: "Mm."
AABRIA: Okay. Okay.
MARISHA: Wait, are we-- Is this some rich people speak?
AABRIA: I pour you.
BRENNAN: (laughs)
AABRIA: Drink this. Great equalizer.
MARISHA: Are y'all having a dick waving contest over your bank account?
AABRIA: Mm-hmm.
BRENNAN: "Crude!"
MARISHA: I'm so sorry.
AABRIA: But not inaccurate.
BRENNAN: "No, it's all right."
MARISHA: I have seen you around, and I'm very sorry for your loss. Thjazi was a good friend of mine.
BRENNAN: You see that she smiles and says, "That's wonderful. I've never been in a home like one of these in Dol-Makjar where he was from. This is where he-- Hal, this is where he grew up, right? This was your family's home?"
LIAM: Ah, I grew up here.
BRENNAN: "Oh, mm-hmm."
LIAM: In this neighborhood, not in this house.
BRENNAN: "Oh, okay. Gotcha."
LIAM: Thjazi lived with his father and mother, our father and his mother, on the edge of this neighborhood.
BRENNAN: "It's beautiful and I'd love to--"
MARISHA: Oh, thank you.
BRENNAN: "I'd love to see--"
MARISHA: (coughs)
BRENNAN: As you take a shot of that, she goes, "What is this delightful thing called?"
AABRIA: Oh yeah, mm-hmm.
LIAM: It's best for sipping.
AABRIA: No, she--
MARISHA: I disagree.
MATT: He puts his hand out for a moment and goes: Aranessa, are you sure?
AABRIA: Oh, there you are. You want to go talk?
BRENNAN: As you go--
MATT: He takes it from her. (downs shot)
BRENNAN: (laughs)
MATT: I am now.
BRENNAN: You take the shot and head out.
MARISHA: Just immediately pour Aranessa another shot because that was weird.
BRENNAN: Matt, I would love for you to make a, make a wisdom saving throw for me.
MATT: Mm-hmm. Ooh, that is a solid six.
AABRIA: We're back, baby.
MARISHA: Let's go.
BRENNAN: I would like--
MATT: ♪ It would not be ♪ ♪ A player role for me ♪
TALIESIN: Critical Role.
AABRIA: Yeah!
MATT: ♪ If it was lower than 10 ♪
BRENNAN: I would like--
AABRIA: Didn't know the dice go high.
BRENNAN: I would like for Bolaire, Murray, Thaisha, or Hal, anyone who wants to. No one has, I think, a Detect Magic up right now.
TALIESIN: Mm-mm.
AABRIA: Naur.
BRENNAN: But give me either arcana, or-- Call it arcana or nature or religion, dealer's choice. Go ahead and give me a roll. DC 20 gets you a vibe. DC 25 gets you pure information.
LIAM: I'll roll religion.
TALIESIN: Come on, baby.
MARISHA: All right, all right, all right.
AABRIA: Okay. Can I give Guidance to myself?
BRENNAN: Yeah, yeah.
AABRIA: Yeah!
TALIESIN: Nat 20.
BRENNAN: Nat 20?!
MARISHA: No fucking way.
AABRIA: Shut up!
TALIESIN: For a 26.
BRENNAN: We're rolling hot tonight, baby. You know, there's a lot of RP going on, but these are some important rolls.
MARISHA: I did pretty good. 23 on arcana.
BRENNAN: 23 on arcana, hell yeah.
AABRIA: I have a plus six. That's a 13.
BRENNAN: 13. Great.
AABRIA: That's with the Guidance.
BRENNAN: Murray, I think on this arcana check, you just notice as Thaisha and Julien step outside, there is a bit of-- You notice the cold iron nail glow a little subtly orange for a second. You know, that's for repelling demons and fairies. Bolaire, on a nat 20.
AABRIA: Let's go, baby.
TALIESIN: Religion and arcana, take your pick.
BRENNAN: Your pick.
TALIESIN: 26, 26.
BRENNAN: A nat 20.
TALIESIN: Mm.
AABRIA: Must be nice to roll high.
MARISHA: It's a lot different for me.
BRENNAN: I'll give you two out of three. We'll make it fun. Dealer's choice. The target, the effect, and the cause. The target, the effect, and the cause. You can get two out of three.
TALIESIN: Fuck. I hate you--
BRENNAN: (laughs)
AABRIA: I like it.
TALIESIN: -- with every fiber of my being. I'll take the target and the cause.
AABRIA: Damn.
BRENNAN: The target and the cause. The cause, there is an orcish custom. So all those candles, all those candles, everything around Thjazi's body, the coins and everything, he's in a state of-- This is part of the Old Path. He's been adorned with treasures by his loved ones. He's under a protection. That protection has been-- Something has been done to cross it. You don't have the effect, but something like a shadow follows Sir Julien Davinos out of this home. You can see, in a way that maybe only Bolaire can, a shadow walking out the door after Julien.
TALIESIN: Would anything like-- Devil's Sight wouldn't help with this. I'm trying to think if I have anything, anything I can do to--
BRENNAN: On that nat 20, I think that you get a sense that, without, again, you don't know effect, but it's something small. This is the kind of magic that people tend to ignore. A little bit of folklore, an old superstition, a saw, an old wives' tale. But you watch as something small and surreptitious is born into existence and begins to walk behind Sir Julien. I think you know, with more time--
TALIESIN: Mm-hmm.
BRENNAN: There are things back at the museum that maybe would be worth consulting after what you just saw.
TALIESIN: Oh yeah.
BRENNAN: Julien and Thaisha step outside together.
MATT: Thaisha.
AABRIA: Why are you here?
MATT: Because my friend is grieving.
AABRIA: Why are you here? She's safe among friends.
MATT: Because I myself have a storied history with Thjazi and I felt it was important for me to close that chapter in person.
AABRIA: Mm. So you came here for one last gloat.
MATT: (smirks) Call it what you wish.
AABRIA: I call it a desperate man's last bit of glory.
MATT: (laughs) You have no idea what those words mean.
AABRIA: How's my son?
MATT: Your son is actually quite an exemplary student. Rising to be a fantastic soldier. Picks up things quickly. An incredible intellect, good intuition, and has gotten quite a bit far, both with small and long blades. Has quite a future ahead of him because I have been his teacher.
AABRIA: It was the last bit of wisdom and patience left in me to keep him by your side. But this? You here with a little fish hook pulling at the corner of your lip, a grin.
MATT: He leans against the wall, goes into a relaxed state. His stately, knightly appearance melts a bit and he leans against the wall. Look, we have many reasons to dislike each other. Many.
AABRIA: You're a lying scoundrel, a rat who betrayed his father and his family for a last hope of glory.
MATT: No, I--
AABRIA: Watch your finger.
MATT: Hmm. We're not inside the house, are we? So we're on even ground here. If you want to start throwing these words away from me, you have to be willing to take it back, all right? My family was thrown into the mud by my father and I pulled us back up. Your-- He gestures back towards Thjazi. Your kin turned on all of those who helped lift him up and he needed to be taught a lesson. It just so happened that I was the one who had the courage to do so. I know that can be hard for you to muster into your stomach after all these years. But what's done is done, and now we live, and now we mourn. So you can throw your words all you like, it does not change history. I don't hate you, as much as you may hate me. I'm not going to lie, you know I hate him.
AABRIA: I know you hate him. As much as I want to, I don't hate you. I pity you. Because if it takes this level of betrayal of your kin to try to claw your way out of the mud. What good has it done? The door to Faerie is still closed. It's only the work of my people that gives you a snowflake's chance in hell of any real comeback. So you're going to watch your fucking tone with me. If one hair is hurt on my son's head, there will be nothing you or your lovely lady patron can do to stop me ripping you limb from fucking limb. I'll start with that pretty little glove of yours. Do you understand me? At this, I think you can feel it, heat coming off like a shimmer off of the back of her and she is trying very hard not to Wild Shape right now.
MATT: A pleasure as always, Thaisha.
BRENNAN: You are both suddenly aware that the temperature has dropped about 15 degrees in the last minute. It is night and the clouds have vanished and the silver light over The Rookery casts everything in a strange translucence. I'm going to need perception checks from both Thaisha and Julien in this moment.
LIAM: Ooh.
AABRIA: I cast Guidance on him.
MARISHA: Do bad things come out at night?
AABRIA: Oh that's just a six. Matt, stop touching my dice.
BRENNAN: What did we got here?
MATT: It's the least I can do for that shit you just threw at me.
AABRIA and MARISHA: (laugh) 14.
MATT: That's going to-- Oh.
BRENNAN: 14.
MATT: Glorious 10.
AABRIA: (laughs)
MATT: I am fully right now believing that this is your doing. I'm like: We'll only be here a short time.
AABRIA: No, this isn't me.
BRENNAN: The magpies aren't cawing. Something ancient moves upon the face of this city. A figure is walking up the street. The lights are not on in the other houses. It walks alone, approaching this home. Ashley Johnson, do you want to come out?
MARISHA: Whoa!
AABRIA: Yay! I bet it's super chill.
MARISHA: Yeah.
MATT: Probably. Probably.
TALIESIN: Sup.
AABRIA: Probably.
TALIESIN: 'Sup?
AABRIA: 'Sup, brah?
BRENNAN: Yeah.
AABRIA: Yeah!
BRENNAN: (laughs)
ASHLEY: Oh goodness! What are we doing here?
AABRIA: Hi!
MARISHA: Did you bring the night?
ASHLEY: Oh, I brought the night, I brought the night--
AABRIA: It's cute, though.
ASHLEY: -- I brought the night.
AABRIA: It's probably fine.
MARISHA: (laughs)
ASHLEY: Hi.
BRENNAN: Hi, Ashley.
AABRIA: Hi!
ASHLEY: Hi.
BRENNAN: Would you do me the favor of describing your character as she approaches the top of the hill?
ASHLEY: Sure. You see an extremely tall woman.
MARISHA and AABRIA: 5'11". (laughter)
ASHLEY: Yes. (laughter continues) Dressed in deep obsidian, snug, black leather chest armor and robes, and pale white lacing that goes all the way up the top to the top of her throat. She pulls down a black hood and she wears a veil of mourning that looks to be chainmail that's draped over her elven ears.
MARISHA: Cool.
ASHLEY: And the part of her face that we can see, you can see that there's gashes and scarring and burns. It almost looks like a scar of arcane magic. Wrapped around her waist a few times is a very, very long chain, and she holds the end of it laced between her fingers and dangling on the bottom of it is a censer with some smoke coming out of it. She walks up and sees the two of them.
AABRIA: Yeah.
BRENNAN: As you approach, covering on your face, you wear a veil of mourning, an article of religious, perhaps even ecclesiastical garb. Though you approach a funeral, the veil of mourning is not for the deceased that lies within. You behold a human warrior, an orcish druid as you arrive at the top of the hill, a censer in your hands. You smell funereal incense, the stink of liquor. Last rites are being held within this place. You have arrived exactly where you were told to expect the event you now see unfolding.
AABRIA: Do I recognize any-- Do you have religious paraphernalia on you?
ASHLEY: Not that you can see. She's just wearing pure black minus her white lacing and there's not really any religious symbols on her whatsoever.
AABRIA: Are you here to mourn Thjazi Fang?
ASHLEY: I walk straight inside.
BRENNAN: You walk into the home. Hal, you turn and see an unfamiliar figure appear.
ASHLEY: Good evening.
MARISHA: Hi.
ASHLEY: Hello, guests of Thjazi Fang's funeral.
AABRIA: I follow in behind.
MATT: Same.
ASHLEY: I am Vaelus, of the Sisters of Sylandri, the Fallen Goddess of Life.
AABRIA: (chuckles)
ASHLEY: The Green Mother, the Shaper of the Elves. I would like an audience with the executor of this man's things.
LIAM: I am Thjazi Fang's brother, if that is what you're looking for.
ASHLEY: That man is a thief and he stole something that belongs to me and I intend to get it back. I don't mean any trouble here. My apologies to everyone. A brother, a lover. I just want what is mine.
LIAM: All right, we don't need to make a spectacle of my brother's passing. What is it that you are looking for that you think he has?
ASHLEY: It is something that he stole from me. If you can show me his things, I will find it and be on my way.
AABRIA: Perhaps you could just clarify. He has a lot of things.
MARISHA: This funeral's awesome.
ASHLEY: It's a stone. Just a simple stone.
LIAM: I'm sorry. I haven't even seen my brother in person before today in a few weeks. I don't know of any stone. What kind of stone?
ASHLEY: I take a seat and cross my legs. I can wait until you're ready.
AABRIA: Uh-huh.
BRENNAN: Aranessa looks around and says, "My lady, you have come here from the Mournvale, I'm presuming."
ASHLEY: Yes. I've traveled very far, for weeks, to come here.
BRENNAN: "It is my late husband that lies on that table."
ASHLEY: My condolences.
BRENNAN: "Thank you. Normally, I would take umbrage at the word 'thief' being bandied at my husband, but given that it seems to be used in a very literal context here, yes, he stole a great deal."
ASHLEY: I do believe you haven't seen him in many years? I think the man that's laying here is very different than what you thought of him.
AABRIA: I don't know if an elf like yourself has experienced enough loss to know that the way you are speaking is incredibly rude and will not be tolerated.
ASHLEY: That's true. I haven't experienced any loss in all of my years.
AABRIA: Well, other than your god 70 years ago. (chuckles)
ASHLEY: Anyway.
LIAM: Well, I think the mood is pretty much sunk. Do you want to tell us a little more about this thing that you are after?
ASHLEY: It's called the Stone of Nightsong.
BRENNAN: Bolaire. That name rings a bell.
TALIESIN: Yes, it does.
ASHLEY: Oh. Someone I know. Hello. How are you?
TALIESIN: Clearly. Not. Well.
BRENNAN: Vaelus. Give me an insight check with advantage if you'd be so kind.
ASHLEY: Oh dear. Okay.
AABRIA: (laughs)
ASHLEY: Where's my stuff? (laughter)
AABRIA: The realest vibe.
ASHLEY: Okay.
MARISHA: Yeah, you just opened every menu.
ASHLEY: I know I was like--
AABRIA: Don't.
ASHLEY: Snitch.
AABRIA: Don't snitch. (laughter)
ASHLEY: Okay? You said insight check? Okay.
BRENNAN: Yeah.
AABRIA: With advantage.
ASHLEY: Wait. Really?
AABRIA: Yeah.
BRENNAN: With advantage, yeah.
ASHLEY: You said advantage? Okay.
BRENNAN: With advantage, yeah.
ASHLEY: Okay.
MATT: Okay, those are normal size dice.
ASHLEY: Okay, great. I know.
AABRIA: How many teeth do they have?
ASHLEY: That's really good. That's 18 plus five. Where am I?
BRENNAN: 23.
ASHLEY: Yes. That's 23.
BRENNAN: You look around and see a dead mortal on the table. This one died from hanging, but that was merely changing the date on a calendar that was always coming for him. Nearby is the Lady Aranessa muttering under her breath, "I've had just about enough people tell me that I don't know the man I married." You look over, see Bolaire in a corner, as you say "The Stone of Nightsong." 70 years ago, blink of an eye in your centuries of life, you watched the last god of Aramán die and have had to trudge for weeks through the stinking world they built in the wake of what they destroyed. You see here in this place: Family, criminals, nobles, all threads of the same corrupted tapestry. But there's one person you don't see. One being who you know knows what the Stone of Nightsong is because she was there. You wonder if any of these people are hiding her and on that 23, you know that they will know of that person who traveled with Thjazi. They cannot hide that. The cold iron nail above the door. This is a place that knows fairies well.
ASHLEY: I just slowly start swinging my censer and just looking around.
MARISHA: Is that Palo Santo?
AABRIA: (snorts)
MARISHA: It's real nice.
ASHLEY: Little bit. Little bit of this and that.
MARISHA: You know, I actually agree with the Lady Aranessa and I agree with you. It's been some time since she's, you know, knocked boots with Thjazi, as they say. However, some of us are lowlifes around here. We might be able to help you. But I would suggest, you cool whatever vibe this is. Calm down, and maybe we can talk like dignified individuals when we're not in the presence of grieving loved ones. Does that seem fair?
ASHLEY: I'm sorry. In all the time that I have been here, I have forgotten what grieving is like. I will reattach my chain. Please continue with the festivities.
MARISHA: Would you like a drink?
ASHLEY: Absolutely.
MARISHA: All right. Lemme get you a drink.
AABRIA: Give her a cranberry roll.
MARISHA: I'll get you a cranberry roll.
ASHLEY: Thank you very much.
MARISHA: We'll break bread over these shitty fucking cranberry rolls and then we'll be good, okay?
ASHLEY: Great.
TALIESIN: One moment. I'm going to walk over and sit next to you with a drink. What the fuck are you doing here?
ASHLEY: What do you think I'm doing here?
TALIESIN: Making an arse of yourself and ruining anything you might hope to achieve.
ASHLEY: You let me into the city, Bolaire.
MARISHA: I deliver two drinks of Yahrgraz. You're speaking louder than you think you are and I just sit next to them.
BRENNAN: As you sit down, Thaisha, you see off in a corner, completely forgotten, you mentioned it earlier, but when you were drunk before you sobered yourself, there is that silver box that you had mentioned before, the one that you had traveled with. As you see Bolaire sits next to this elven wanderer that is still yours here to have at this moment, and Vaelus, looking around, you see a couple of fairy protections here. If you want to do any other checks to see, you remember who that companion was that traveled with Thjazi to the Mournvale. However, for anyone else here in this moment, you see, Shadia looks over at this elven traveler and goes, "Dad, is everything okay? Are we safe here?"
LIAM: Yeah.
TALIESIN: Yeah.
AABRIA: Halandil, I'm-- I'm sorry, I was freaking out. Can you just come with me? I need to cool off for a second.
LIAM: Uh-huh.
AABRIA: And I want to drag you upstairs so I can go dig the silver box out of my effects.
LIAM: Okay. I look to Shadia and to Hero. Girls, could you just clear the dessert table? Maybe take stuff in the back.
BRENNAN: "Oh, yeah, Dad, you got it."
LIAM: We'll come find you in a few, all right?
AABRIA: And Hala is trailing them, so we've got just a little backup.
LIAM: Yeah, there's also lots of armed--
AABRIA: I know. Yeah.
LIAM: -- warriors here.
BRENNAN: Yeah.
MARISHA: Oh no.
BRENNAN: You see-- Yeah, you see down there some of the old Torn Banner. See there again is Tunk, who is the boarman. Looks at and goes over--
MARISHA: Tunk.
BRENNAN: And goes, "(lip buzzing) How big was the stone? If I see it, I'll write a report."
ASHLEY: It's small.
BRENNAN: "Mm-hmm. Ah, small. All right. I'll look out for a small rock."
MARISHA: Would this ring any bells to Murray?
BRENNAN: Give me an arcana check. Actually, no, give me religion.
TALIESIN: I assume I know, but I'm happy to put another--
BRENNAN: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
AABRIA: Let's go, Murray.
TALIESIN: That's a 25.
BRENNAN: 25.
AABRIA: Oh.
MARISHA: (grimaces) 12.
BRENNAN: The Stone of Night-- Is this religion or--
TALIESIN: Religion.
MARISHA: Nope, sorry.
BRENNAN: The Stone of Nightsong was an artifact written by-- Sorry, was an artifact created by a celestial, which was basically a celestial servant of Sylandri, the shaper of the elves, the goddess of life in the woodland. To her children, the elves, did she alone grant immortality that they would not die of age or infirm, that they would live lest accident or injury befell them. But for those elves that it did befall, she crafted a stone that their spirits would be brought to peace beyond in the Garden of the Spirit kept for her. But in traveling, there was a realm that they must pass. This being the realm of-- One second.
TALIESIN: Lore, lore.
BRENNAN: Lore, lore.
AABRIA: Lore, lore.
ASHLEY and AABRIA: ♪ Lore, lore, lore, lore ♪
ASHLEY: ♪ Everywhere ♪
BRENNAN: That passing through the Tenebral Reaches, that there would be a brief night before bright dawn. That brief night, you know, is not very brief. That is the underworld, the realm of the dead. The Stone of Nightsong existed that elves and their immortal spirits need not even touch those ghastly realms, but would be ferried by a spirit of song and night swiftly through the darkness to bright dawn. The goddess of life so loved her elven children that even in catastrophe, the destruction of their bodies with their immortal souls never have to know hardship or pain.
AABRIA: It must be nice. Jesus. (chuckling)
BRENNAN: The Stone of Nightsong you believe was created after the original guardian spirit, that immortal nightingale, a celestial that took the wings of a nightingale, sort of like a night angel.
TALIESIN: Which is why it has the bird. Yeah. Yeah.
BRENNAN: The stone was created after that celestial's destruction in the Shapers' War.
MARISHA: I'm just going to look at Bolaire as I see--
TALIESIN: Oh, I'll talk briefly.
MARISHA: -- his brain, okay.
TALIESIN: So other than reminding me that no good deed goes unpunished, what would it take to get you to leave these people alone? what would it take to get you to leave these people alone? They don't have what you're looking for, clearly.
ASHLEY: How do you know that?
TALIESIN: Because I know them. And they wouldn't be this contained if they did. At best, if they do have it, they don't know what it is, they wouldn't be able to find it for you.
ASHLEY: Do you know where the little one is?
TALIESIN: Which little one?
MARISHA: Oh my gods. Where is Thimble?
TALIESIN: Oh, Thimble.
ASHLEY: (rumbling) Thimble.
BRENNAN: As you say Thimble's name, upstairs, Hal and Thaisha, the silver box flies open (poofs) on the desk, shattered ceramic, black clay, hidden in the box, begins to [rumbling] move together into the shape of a mask. Much like the one downstairs on Bolaire's face.
LIAM: Thai.
AABRIA: Hi, this was the last thing, I believe, Thjazi, asked me to get it. I don't know what it is. Can I make an arcana check?
BRENNAN: You want to make an arcana check?
AABRIA: Yeah. [rumbling]
AABRIA: No, I don't like this at all.
BRENNAN: You'll be able to make an arcana check, at what you now see shaking across the inner workings of the box. Black velvet and black clay coming together swiftly because you spoke the name of a little fairy. We'll make that arcana check at the top of next week's episode. (clamoring)
BRENNAN: (laughs)
MATT: (grunts)
BRENNAN: Thanks for watching episode one. We hope you enjoyed it. And the question that I will remember to ask: Is it Thursday yet?
ALL: Yay!
Cooldown[]
BRENNAN: Got it in one, baby! (cheering)
MARISHA: Yay!
AABRIA: We've never been more back! (laughter)
BRENNAN: Woo!
MARISHA: What's in the box?
TALIESIN: Who put the butt kicker in this thing?
AABRIA: I can't believe they put the fun bits in here!
MATT: Yeah!
BRENNAN: Woo, baby!
AABRIA: It's scary on this side.
BRENNAN: I got to pee!
AABRIA: I liked it over there.
MARISHA: All the toys. I know, right?
TALIESIN: Man--
AABRIA: They gave him everything!
MARISHA: (laughs)
TALIESIN: I love the vibe. The vibe is nailing--
AABRIA: She's so good!
ASHLEY: It's not quite what--
MARISHA: She's so good.
TALIESIN: She's nailing it.
ASHLEY: When this happened--
TALIESIN: Oh yeah.
ASHLEY: -- I was like: I feel really uncool. I was like: I'm going to sit down. Then it was like: (trills)! I was like: Goddamn it!
LIAM: That didn't read.
TALIESIN: The minute you sat down it was like a fucking Quentin Tarantino movie.
AABRIA: Yeah, dude.
TALIESIN: I'm just like: Oh no!
AABRIA: Yeah, that was good.
TALIESIN: Oh, we're all fucked!
ASHLEY: I had such a different voice I was practicing in the car and I was like: It didn't come out. Still my same voice.
MARISHA: (laughs)
LIAM: (laughs)
TALIESIN: I am losing my goddamn mind.
AABRIA: It's all good. We're all pretend Irish.
ASHLEY: Yeah, I'm pretend Irish.
MATT: Ashley, it's not about voice, it's about presence.
ASHLEY: I know it is, I know it is. I know it.
TALIESIN: The vibe was strong!
AABRIA: You were just standing there, I was like: Well, we going to fight? I don't want to fight you.
MATT: Yeah, I was like: Oh, Ashley's the boss character?
AABRIA: You're so hot and cool. Yeah!
ASHLEY: No! No.
AABRIA: Shit, we got hit with the final boss in episode one!
MATT: Yep.
MARISHA: Bring out our full cast.
ASHLEY: Hey!
MARISHA: Yeah!
WHITNEY: You got his ass, Aabria. You fucking got his ass.
MARISHA: Come on in, everybody!
AABRIA: Jesus! (laughter)
MARISHA: Find a gap. Find a chair.
ASHLEY: God.
TRAVIS: Brennan's on bio.
TALIESIN: Let's go.
AABRIA: He's got to go so often.
MARISHA: Mind the gap.
ASHLEY: Mind the gap.
LAURA: Mind the gap.
TALIESIN: I love all these people. I want to fuck with all of you now.
MARISHA: It's great.
AABRIA: This is so good.
TALIESIN: You've got a mask upstairs, you asshole?
AABRIA: I don't look in the box! I'm a good listener.
ASHLEY, TALIESIN, and TRAVIS: What's in the box?!
TALIESIN: What's in the box?
ALEXANDER: I wanted to look in the box, and she wouldn't let me.
AABRIA: Yeah!
TALIESIN: You got a fucking mask in there. Goddamn it.
LAURA: Yeah there's a mask in there.
AABRIA: What a fucking snitch! The Thimble activation. See this is fucked up because we don't say people's names--
LAURA: How I did that--
ASHLEY: That was the Thimble activation?
AABRIA: Yeah.
MARISHA: Yeah, Thimble was the secret word.
ALEXANDER: I loved going to the Thimble activation.
MARISHA: Yeah! It was crazy.
AABRIA: Holy shit!
TALIESIN: There's such an interesting mix--
AABRIA: You almost died! You did the natural one!
TALIESIN: -- of dead serious and--
ASHLEY: Wait, where's Brennan? (camera flash)
BRENNAN: I got to pee! (camera flash)
ALEXANDER: On a die I gave her.
MARISHA: What's that?
AABRIA: I'm so happy!
MATT: Congrats.
MARISHA: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
MATT: Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
TALIESIN: Look at this shit!
MATT: No notes.
TALIESIN: Look at this shit!
ASHLEY: This is so cool!
MARISHA: Travis or Luis, go--
ASHLEY: Oh, and it's nighttime!
MARISHA: Travis, go back there so people can tell it's not a greenscreen.
WHITNEY: Yeah.
TALIESIN: Oh yeah. No, I want to go over.
WHITNEY: It was so fun.
MARISHA: You have to do this every time.
ASHLEY: It's so fun!
AABRIA: It was funny and our little spat being just over your shoulder.
TALIESIN: Hello, everybody.
AABRIA: Everything's different.
ASHLEY: Wait, go in that little nook!
AABRIA: And I don't know what to do.
MATT: Yep.
AABRIA: Because I want to be like: Matt, Matt, Matt, are you looking at a window? Do you see a window?
MATT: Yep. I can see a window over here.
ASHLEY: That looks so cool.
MATT: Okay.
AABRIA: Ah!
MATT: Okay, I'm sure it's fine. I'm sure it's fine.
BRENNAN: Is this the Cooldown? Are we doing the Cooldown? Is this the Cooldown?
MARISHA: This is the Cooldown.
BRENNAN: This is the Cooldown. Great, we're doing it. I love it. What a party! Everybody's on camera at the same time! (cheering)
TALIESIN: Cheers.
AABRIA: Oh my god!
BRENNAN: This is so fun! And we met everybody!
AABRIA: Yeah!
BRENNAN: Four hours and three minutes.
AABRIA: That's not bad.
MARISHA: Four hours and three minutes.
BRENNAN: Four hours and three minutes.
LAURA: That's impressive for this many people.
BRENNAN: This many people!
MARISHA: We got it done.
BRENNAN: We got it done!
LIAM: We could do more.
ALEXANDER: We got Murray, too, we got--
LIAM: We could do more.
MARISHA: (laughs)
LAURA: Oh my god, I had no idea Murray was going to be like that.
AABRIA: Holy shit, Murray is--
ASHLEY: I didn't--
TALIESIN: Wow, that went so far extra than I was expecting.
ASHLEY: I'm so happy.
MARISHA: Yeah, she's great.
SAM: It's just your mom.
TALIESIN: Got a hint of your mom.
MARISHA: Yeah, she's kind of my mom.
AABRIA: Murray was so dope I forgot I needed to cuss out your husband. I was like: Yeah, what's--
BRENNAN: Can we--
AABRIA: Aw shit, where'd he go?
BRENNAN: With this incredible cast in front of us, can we also take a moment to give a big round of applause for the people that were not on camera, which was the amazing crew that put this incredible-- (cheering)
BRENNAN: Amazing crew, production, art, lighting, camera. Oh my god! Unbelievable.
ASHLEY: All of it.
BRENNAN: And this! [pounding reverberation]
BRENNAN: I love it. (exclaiming)
BRENNAN: The table a-shake.
TALIESIN: People do not understand how unsettling it is--
LAURA: Yeah, it is. When the table shakes all of a sudden.
TALIESIN: -- to have a 3.0 earthquake hit you in the middle of a game.
BRENNAN: I love it. I love it.
ROBBIE: What an average replication of a home game. (laughter)
AABRIA: This is normal and achievable! (laughter)
ALEXANDER: "And achievable"?
BRENNAN: How about it? Well, so this is a wild thing. So for all of our amazing viewers, thank you so much for watching episode one. What a joy and honor and privilege just to be sharing this table with all of you and to begin this amazing adventure.
ALEXANDER: I'm giving up. I'm just going to be a headless corpse. It's fine.
AABRIA: No!
BRENNAN: Holy shit!
ASHLEY: How do you feel?
SAM: Yeah!
AABRIA: Yeah, how you doing? ALL: Yeah!
TRAVIS: Brennan Lee Mulligan, baby!
LUIS: Yeah, nonstop.
SAM: You made a whole world.
TALIESIN: Elaborate.
SAM: You also had to help us make 13 characters or whatever--
AABRIA: Yeah.
TALIESIN: (Count von Count laugh)
SAM: -- and figure out how they all interacted and--
LIAM: Fit in. Jeez!
MARISHA: Fit in and build bonds.
SAM: -- to this episode plot. Is this a mind fuck for you?
AABRIA: (gasps)
BRENNAN: I am having the time of my fucking life. (cheering)
BRENNAN: I'm having the time of my fucking life.
TALIESIN: We'll fix that.
BRENNAN: So this is, and I'm sure we've talked a little bit about this in BTS, stuff that's going out about, "Welcome to Campaign 4! This is what's happening." So during my college years, I was working a lot at my summer camp, Wayfinder Experience. Shout out to The Wayfinder Experience. So I was running a game at camp. When you run a game at camp, all your friends are there. There's like 80 people. So you're running D&D with everybody, and you want everyone to play that wants to come play. So when we were talking about doing Campaign 4 and you were like, "Hey, we want you to come in and run it. We want to have all our friends at the table, but we also want to be taking turns and da-da-da-da-da." Basically the format, so it was writing to the format. And I was like: I ran, for many years, a kind of "West Marches style." Not a pure West Marches, but a "West Marches" style game, which was, whoever's at camp that week gets to play. I think at the height of that game, I had more than (exclamations of awe)
AABRIA: Oh, so this is easy and we can do more. (laughter)
BRENNAN: I have to stop saying things that make people go, "You can do more, yes?" (laughter)
BRENNAN: You're saying if I--
AABRIA: Keep those expectations nice and low.
BRENNAN: You're saying if I grab the lever and push there's another gear? Let's do that. (laughter)
BRENNAN: So with this I was like: Oh, some of the logistics around this do sound familiar to having so many people that want to come play and having it be that we don't necessarily have control over who's going to be there. Here's who's playing in July and then it's overnight camp and then here's who's playing then. So getting everything set up for this-- For viewers at home, I don't know if we've said this anywhere yet, but we're referring to these episodes as the Overture, is what we're calling it, where we get to hear all of the instruments and get to meet all of the characters and see all the players and see everybody in this world all together that knows each other and all of their connections before we go off on our different adventures. So it's a great way-- This is not going to be the vibe of every episode, but it was great. I really wanted to meet every single character all in the first couple episodes together. In the first episode, specifically. So this was a delight. It was super crazy. Everyone kicked a bunch of ass. I feel like we got such a great insight into, I feel like every single person had an archetypical moment of what their deal is.
ALEXANDER: Yeah. I cried.
LAURA: Yeah.
LIAM: Yeah. (laughter)
MARISHA: Laura Bailey!
AABRIA: Laura!
LAURA: I was so sad.
TALIESIN: Oh!
BRENNAN: Oh, Thimble!
ASHLEY: I know!
MARISHA and AABRIA: Thimble!
BRENNAN: I know. It's such a--
LAURA: Not to be able to be there for your best buddy.
BRENNAN: Your best buddy. Thimble's the only one that hasn't been in the house. Thimble's the only person that hasn't seen Thjazi, and she was his fucking number one--
MARISHA: His right hand.
BRENNAN: -- right hand.
MARISHA: We were all watching backstage and we were all like: (sobs) No! But also: Nom, nom, nom, nom. Good story. (laughter)
MARISHA: It's good.
ALEXANDER: Tears immediately.
WHITNEY: When you said your wing wasn't working.
AABRIA: Oh my god!
LAURA: I know!
BRENNAN: I know!
ASHLEY: All of us--
AABRIA: With the insta-kill, we were like: (sobs)
BRENNAN: Travis, that fucking roll to get the grate open.
ALEXANDER: Yeah.
ASHLEY: Yeah.
BRENNAN: Oh my god!
AABRIA: You were one roll away from the funniest thing that could've ever happened.
LAURA: I know! (laughter)
ASHLEY: Could you imagine?
LIAM: It was a coin flip at that point.
AABRIA: I was praying for the natural one and then you rolled and I was like: We could get her. We could get it.
MARISHA: We could get her.
ASHLEY: First ep.
AABRIA: We're one roll away. There's so much art.
ASHLEY: That'd be crazy.
TALIESIN: Just going to die in character creation.
LAURA: So much prep.
MARISHA: Fully dying in character creation.
MATT: True Traveler experience.
LIAM: Thjazi seems like he has a checkered past.
BRENNAN: (laughs) Yeah! A really different guy to a lot of people. But--
MATT: He was a dick.
TALIESIN: Three of us think he's kind of shitty.
BRENNAN: Yeah, I'll say three out of 13 is more than some, you know what I mean? (laughter)
AABRIA: Even the ones defending him were like: "Yeah, he is a thief, but you can't say that in here." (laughter)
AABRIA: No one was like, "He was a great man." We're like, "We know. Shush."
MARISHA: We know.
BRENNAN: Yeah, it's really funny for you to be like, "This man is a thief," and everyone to be like, "Hey!"
ASHLEY: We know!
BRENNAN: "What exactly did he take?" (laughter)
ALEXANDER: Was it expensive, or--?
ASHLEY: Yeah.
TRAVIS: We're talking petty larceny, or--
LAURA: Yeah.
BRENNAN: If we had to pay you for it. What, it's a rock made out of a dead angel? Okay, maybe we can't replace that at the--
MATT: We got a lot of extra silverware, if, you know.
AABRIA: What, Aranessa, you're rich-rich, right? Pay the lady, we got to go.
ASHLEY: I know, you were like, "What does the stone look like?" I was like: Oh, oh, I don't-- It's a stone!
BRENNAN: It's a stone! But Ashley, your fucking entrance. The fucking Maleficent energy was so great.
MATT: Oh yeah.
LAURA: So cool.
BRENNAN: Coming in there. So, so sick.
LAURA: You set everybody up so well.
ASHLEY: I don't like being mean.
LIAM: Yeah.
LAURA: You really did.
ASHLEY: You did set everything up so well.
MATT: Oh yeah.
ROBBIE: Overture is such a good term because at the beginning of every orchestral overture, the tuneup where the whole orchestra gets into, talk about the cold open setting a tone.
LAURA: Oh my god.
BRENNAN: Oh man.
ROBBIE: Oh, baby!
BRENNAN: Luis and Liam--
TRAVIS: Absolutely.
ASHLEY: Jeez Louise!
LAURA: Nat 20, first roll of the campaign.
BRENNAN: I put you guys to work, man. (laughs)
ROBBIE: Yeah.
MARISHA: Man, the duality--
LIAM: Planned it. Loaded die.
MARISHA: -- between the two of you.
ALEXANDER: Yeah.
ASHLEY: What is this?
AABRIA: Your guys' vibe is so fucked.
ASHLEY: I cannot wait to see where that goes.
WHITNEY: It's horny.
ASHLEY: Yeah.
AABRIA: It's so-- (laughter)
ALEXANDER: That's so out of character. (laughter)
TALIESIN: Where does that come from, Whitney?
WHITNEY: I don't know.
TALIESIN: Where do you get your ideas?
WHITNEY: I'm just glad I got to be bullied by a sibling for a second. (laughter)
BRENNAN: Oh, yes. We met the Aspirant Enmity.
AABRIA: That was great.
LUIS: Incredible.
MATT: That was cool.
SAM: Who is a sister?
BRENNAN: Yes, your older sister.
WHITNEY: Yeah.
BRENNAN: (deep) "I am your older sister." (laughter)
WHITNEY: No wonder I'm afraid of her, man. She's fucking scary.
SAM: I'm scared of her, too.
TALIESIN: Yeah. Sell it.
LUIS: She's your most devout follower.
AABRIA: Yeah, afraid.
BRENNAN: We love it.
LUIS: She's all about what you guys are doing.
BRENNAN: It was real-- So for people to know, making this be set at a funeral was partially for the vibe, but also in my head I was like: Where can 13 people-- (laughter)
BRENNAN: -- who, some of them have a lot in common, and some of them don't have a lot in common. Where can they all be and all--
SAM: It could be a reality show.
BRENNAN: Yes. That was my two things. I was going: Reality show, funeral. I was like: Which is more--
ALEXANDER: Only one exists in this world, so.
ROBBIE: They all meet by chance at a local tavern. Duh.
BRENNAN: Duh.
ROBBIE: Yeah, yeah.
ALEXANDER: The whole tavern goes on an adventure.
BRENNAN: But it really was that feeling of, where can everybody have a big emotional investment and have an easy time saying what's on their mind, right? And it was funeral. Thaisha and fucking Julien.
ASHLEY: Ugh, that was so good.
BRENNAN: That scene was so great. That was fucking awesome. We see the family relationships. But it was really crazy for me to be like: Okay, I have this world with all this lore. Fuck that lore. How do you guys feel about each other? Because when the lore came out, it all was coming out as a byproduct of people being like: Our friend is dead. What the fuck are we going to do? It was great. Yeah.
WHITNEY: Yeah, good setup, Aabria, calling out the dead god--
AABRIA: Hey.
WHITNEY: -- 70 years ago as lore.
BRENNAN: Yes!
ASHLEY: Yeah, in lore!
BRENNAN: We set a lore.
AABRIA: Did a little lore drop just to be like: Fuck you.
BRENNAN: Yes.
ASHLEY: I was trying to wiggle some of it in there.
BRENNAN: I love it. It was great.
ASHLEY: I was trying.
MATT: I have so deeply ingrained in my brain now the mental image of the terrifying Bloodborne boss that is your character design gently protecting the children and pulling them away.
TALIESIN: Oh yeah.
MARISHA: Yeah.
TALIESIN: Oh yeah. You found the one space where I'm not going to-- I'm like: Oh god, I want to fuck with everybody here! But god, these kids are-- (laughter)
TRAVIS: The children!
TALIESIN: Here, have some chicken fingers, children.
LAURA: But the children! (laughter)
ALEXANDER: Have some chicken fingers, children.
ASHLEY: Have some chicken fingers!
TRAVIS: You want a fish stick?
TALIESIN: Shit!
MATT: So good.
AABRIA: So good.
ALEXANDER: I also love you creating a character that came in and I was like: I do not trust you immediately.
ROBBIE: Yeah, good, good, good.
WHITNEY: Yes, immediately.
AABRIA: What a fucking entrance!
ASHLEY: Love him.
AABRIA: My god!
ROBBIE: Listen, our pets are friends--
LAURA: I love that he's like--
ROBBIE: -- but we've got some work to do.
ALEXANDER: I know, I was like: Eh, this guy, coming dressed exactly like the guys who did the thing.
ROBBIE: Shh, don't worry about it.
LIAM: The wolf sneeze.
AABRIA: Oh my god!
ASHLEY: Yes!
ALEXANDER: Perfect.
ASHLEY: Yes.
AABRIA: So good.
ASHLEY: (wolf sneeze)
MATT: I finally figured out what it is. It's Aragorn Eddie Valiant from "Roger Rabbit." (laughter)
AABRIA: Yeah!
ROBBIE: Have you been reading my notes? (laughter)
MARISHA: Aragorn Eddie Valiant.
ASHLEY: Yes!
ALEXANDER: You telling me I could have got out of these cuffs at any time? (laughter)
MATT: So good.
MARISHA: Dude's crazy.
BRENNAN: The Candescent Creed, this faith--
ALEXANDER and MATT: (groan)
ASHLEY: That is, woof.
SAM: They're the best.
AABRIA: You made Mormons.
MARISHA: It's pretty rough.
BRENNAN: They're the best, man!
LAURA: You made so much religion.
TRAVIS: You're an insane person.
SAM: You know, I started to do it and then I was like, if you are the high priest of a made-up religion, you kind of have to make up the religion.
TRAVIS: Oh my god. (laughter)
SAM: To know what you're a priest of.
LIAM: That's how it works.
SAM: Otherwise I would just be--
BRENNAN: I love it.
SAM: If someone asked me a question, I'd be like: Uh, I don't know. So I just, I wrote a bible. (laughter)
WHITNEY: Yeah.
ROBBIE: You are grinning ear to ear about it, for sure, yeah.
MATT: This is how it starts! (laughter)
ALEXANDER: You too at home can write your own bible.
AABRIA: This is normal and achievable!
TALIESIN: This bible is brought to you by our sponsor.
SAM: Am I a nerd now?
ALEXANDER: Yes. (noises of agreement)
BRENNAN: It's fucking awesome.
LIAM: I liked when Little Lord Fauntleroy put on his big boy pants and used Thaumaturgy.
MATT: That was fucking awesome.
TALIESIN: Yeah.
MARISHA: That was good.
WHITNEY: Ow.
SAM: Ow.
WHITNEY: Totally got me.
ALEXANDER: What did you say? "The basement's flooded"?
WHITNEY: No, I didn't.
SAM: Yes, you did!
WHITNEY: I didn't say that. (laughter)
AABRIA: That was when I was like, "Women support women." We're like, "How you doing? Oh, you're into it. Why? All right"--
ASHLEY: I didn't realize what that meant for a second. I was like, "Wait, she went down to the basement?" (laughter)
ASHLEY: I was like, "I understand."
MATT: I love you so much, Ashley!
AABRIA: So pure!
TALIESIN: I loved every moment of this insanity.
ASHLEY: I was like, "When did we establish there was a basement?" (laughs) (laughter)
LIAM: Don't go down there.
LAURA: Or do.
ASHLEY: Ding dong!
MATT: It's only going to get less complicated from here.
AABRIA: Hooray!
ROBBIE: Yeah.
ALEXANDER: I said "My god" twice and went, "I shouldn't say that."
SAM: I know. (laughter)
BRENNAN: Is there any--
MATT: That's true.
TALIESIN: I've been hitting "My word" instead of "My god."
BRENNAN: That's a big one. Maybe we can clarify for all our friends over on Beacon because this was mostly a, like, meet the gang under--
SAM: Yeah, you didn't do a, "Welcome to Aramán" thing.
BRENNAN: No. (laughs)
SAM: There's no history.
ALEXANDER: No, he hasn't even made any.
TALIESIN: No.
MATT: Welcome to the Autobahn.
BRENNAN: Welcome to the Autobahn.
ALEXANDER: You can go as fast as you like.
AABRIA: Autobahn, roll out.
BRENNAN: Autobahn, Autobots, roll out. Within the larger context of the-- Well, there absolutely could have been a-- "In the Age of Aramán, the gods--"
TRAVIS: Oh god, I'm already asleep.
BRENNAN: But like, "Within the age." But for me, I was like, "Hey man, I just want you to be at this guy's funeral." But one of my favorite TV shows of all time is "The Wire" where the first watch-through of it, you're watching the first four episodes and you're like, "Huh?! What?!? What?!" And then you're like, "This is fucking awesome!" Because for me it's like, what you know is a guy is looking at his brother, sees something, something goes horribly wrong and he goes, "You have to tell Thimble not to be scared. You have to do--" To me, that's what makes people care about a world. Then when you find out that this is a fantasy world where faced with, and I'm sure this will come out in published materials somewhere, but for people that are interested in wanting to know, essentially, this world had seven gods. There was a god of war and conquest and suffering. They were called the Shapers because they took peoples of Aramán and they came to this continent of Pasitar and set them apart. And the god of war took people, took the orcs, took the people that became the orcs, and those orcs said, "This is a bum deal, man." And they made weapons to destroy the gods, and the other gods went, "We got to saddle up and ride to the defense of the god of evil and suffering!" And the other people went, "What? What do you mean, ride to his defense? Seems like these orcs are doing something kind of cool!" And they had a big war, mortals versus gods. Mortals won. Tough break. There was plenty of mortals on Team God, but it shook out a different way. So it's very much, you know, I talked to Matt a lot about this in terms of the history of the Calamity in Exandria and things beyond and seeing a world where we had a perpendicular, right? Because we saw in the end of Campaign 3, the fate of the gods just determined by Bells Hells. And I literally was, as I was working on this, telling Matt, "You got to me know how things are looking in Campaign 3 because I want to do the cut to a world on a very different track." So the idea of the reincarnation of the gods in mortal form and this embrace of their perspective and cut over to Aramán where they're like, "You guys did what?" Oh, we killed them. We fucking killed them, man."
TRAVIS: You want to villain? Y'all fucked up.
BRENNAN: They're fucking dead.
TALIESIN: Join the circle of life and death?
TRAVIS: Won't get that chance again.
TALIESIN: Okay, oh. Oh, all right.
MATT: How'd that work out for you guys? Well...
BRENNAN: (high-pitched) Well! But also I think that we've got, you know, more will come out in the lore and history of this world, but the Shapers, first of all, there's way less. There's seven of them, and there were not necessarily a group of Betrayers and a group of Primes opposed to each other. A much smaller group of gods who themselves were, I think, way more archetypally a little bit more like Greek gods or Norse gods in some ways where you're like: You guys are really powerful and not always great. You know, in terms of their morals were not-- They did some fucked-up stuff, to the point where mortals were like, "Well, the orcs figured out how to do it. We should probably do it." (laughter) And off they went.
AABRIA: Get it while the getting's good.
TRAVIS: It's real good. There's a whole bunch of questions.
ALEXANDER: Just starting the first roll of a campaign with a natural 20.
BRENNAN: Nat 20! (cheering) Dude--
ASHLEY: That's so great.
BRENNAN: I'm not going to lie--
AABRIA: You got to set the fucking tone.
BRENNAN: -- all that information that we didn't even get into. Bolaire's paint. You had to take care of Murray.
LAURA: There's so much we didn't get to.
LIAM: There's so much going on.
BRENNAN: So much we didn't get to so we got four episodes of this Overture.
SAM: And there was this escape plan for Thjazi that had this--
ASHLEY: Yes, that didn't--
LAURA: A whole plan.
SAM: What was--
MARISHA: And who betrayed him?
BRENNAN: The escape plan for Thjazi was Thimble creates this glyph of escaping, which is basically a glyph of Misty Step, right? Teleportation magic in Aramán basically exists only within Misty Step. Anything longer, even Dimension Door is risky to do in Aramán, right. But--
SAM: Edit spells.
BRENNAN: Thimble was supposed to get the glyph to Thjazi. When Azune spoke he said, "Someone was supposed to give you that glyph." If you had said Thimble was supposed to get you that glyph, that scene maybe goes a little bit differently.
LUIS: Ooh!
LAURA: Yeah. I was out there going--
AABRIA: So you're why he's dead.
WHITNEY: It's your fault.
AABRIA: Goddamn it!
LUIS: Yes!
BRENNAN: Yeah, so--
TRAVIS: I love it.
BRENNAN: But you said "someone," so he's like, "Done deal." He's got something registering as a glyph in his coat. He goes up onto the dais. He sees something in the sky. Big reaction, panic. We don't know--
LAURA: What did he see? What did he see?
BRENNAN: What did he see? What did he see? Well, on a nat 20, you saw him looking at something flying in the sky. What was supposed to happen is that Misty Step, because they were doing the gallows at the Guardian Wall, that Misty Step was enough to get him on the other side of the wall in a wagon that was being prepared. The wagon was supposed to be prepared by this guy, Casimir Gavendale, who is an old Torn Banner mercenary. Anyone that, we can do checks next episode about what we know about Casimir. And the person driving the wagon was supposed to be your younger brother, another lionfolk, another nama, Talcydimir Pridesire. So Cyd was supposed to be in the driver's seat, ready to go with the wagon, and Occtis and Thaisha were waiting around the corner for Cyd to basically jump in the back with Thjazi in a barrel, and you guys being like, "I'm a druid of the Old Path. If we come across any revolutionary stuff, I'm there." And we didn't get into this at all. You're a Tachonis.
ALEXANDER: I am. We mentioned it once.
AABRIA: (grunts)
BRENNAN: Yeah. So if any Sundered Houses of this, you know, the Chamber of the Lords-Advisory, which we didn't get too into the politics of it there, but the whole deal with them being, you know, Teor basically saying, "This is bullshit. These guys don't run Dol-Makjar. Why is the Revolutionary Council--" The "revolution" being the revolution against the gods. So Dol-Makjar is the seat of the revolution against the gods and being like, "Why the fuck are these Sundered Houses running an execution in the seat of the revolution?" Big question. But--
ALEXANDER: My house bad.
BRENNAN: Your house bad.
MARISHA: (laughs) Your house bad, kid.
AABRIA: Your house is bad.
SAM: My house is good. (laughter)
BRENNAN: I love that we have totally opposite vibes of nasty, nasty houses.
AABRIA: So many nasty little nobles.
MARISHA: And then also, some nasty, nasty boy.
AABRIA: Jesus Christ!
TALIESIN: I just work here, you fucks.
LAURA: Like, "What, me?"
MATT: It's a difference in perspective. It doesn't make you nasty. You don't know what I've been through!
AABRIA: Your whole vibe!
MARISHA: You spit on the corpse of a dead man.
AABRIA: You spit. Oh my god.
MARISHA: That's crazy!
AABRIA: I've never been madder to be like: Why'd I move the deer?
MATT: There have been a few people in history that died and were still worth spitting on. I'm just saying.
LAURA: Wait, wait. And you have the shadow following you.
BRENNAN: Yeah.
MATT: What do you mean? I don't know about that.
BRENNAN: (laughs) I don't know shit about that.
LAURA: What the fuck?
MATT: I'm sure everything's going to be okay.
BRENNAN: (laughs)
MATT: (laughs)
TALIESIN: Fucking terrified.
BRENNAN: I was like, this episode was very much about the funeral and introducing everybody and everyone getting these big character moments. But we actually did jump, some story stuff was really jumping out. This nat 20 insight into this curse happening. We got to the box by the end of it that you had recovered in your adventures.
AABRIA: The rock.
BRENNAN: We had the-- And I think finding Thimble. Oh my god, that scene of--
ALEXANDER: Oh my god.
LAURA: Oh!
MARISHA: Who's the mole who figured out the the safe house?
ALEXANDER: Destroyed.
ASHLEY: Wait, so who--
AABRIA: But also, let's talk about Thimble dropping three of these guys immediately.
ALEXANDER: Yeah.
ASHLEY: I know!
AABRIA: What a subtle just--
WHITNEY: (laughs)
BRENNAN: Yeah.
ASHLEY: And you went like this.
AABRIA: Yeah!
ASHLEY: And all of us in the back, we were like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah!"
AABRIA: Trying to do the whisper like--
ASHLEY: Yeah.
TRAVIS: (laughs)
ASHLEY: Wait, so we don't know, we obviously don't-- That's what we're going to find out.
TRAVIS: Yeah, we're still--
ASHLEY: Tell me now.
TRAVIS: -- in that hideout so we got to--
AABRIA: You didn't get the scripts for the next episode?
ASHLEY: Did you guys leave there to come to Thjazi's?
LAURA: We're leaving. Yeah, that's what we were doing.
ASHLEY: Or to the house
LAURA: We were heading out.
TRAVIS: Get back, yeah.
BRENNAN: So--
MARISHA: We're just going to be crazy because you're walking in with the thing spooky girl wants.
AABRIA: Oop!
ALEXANDER: Yeah.
LAURA: Well no, we don't have it.
BRENNAN: Well, you don't have it.
LAURA: Somebody took it.
MARISHA: Oh, it got stolen.
LAURA: Someone took it.
AABRIA: That was what was in the--
MARISHA: You stole it.
ASHLEY: That was what was in the glass case.
MARISHA: And then it got stolen from Thjazi.
LAURA: Back.
TRAVIS: We don't know what's going on upstairs.
SAM: All that seems so intriguing, and I have no idea nor do I care about any of it. (laughter)
MATT: This is the only episode we see Sam's character. (laughter)
TRAVIS: Guys, round of applause for Brennan Lee Mulligan.
MATT: Oh yeah, man. (cheering) (cheering)
LAURA: Let's do it again.
BRENNAN: Let's do it again.
MARISHA: It's only uphill from here.
BRENNAN: I know.
SAM: The hills changed to stars.
ALEXANDER: Yes, the setting was so cool.
AABRIA: That was terrifying.
MARISHA: It had a full, you nailed the arc because it started a little sunny and then it went cloudy and then it rained.
AABRIA: The rain!
TRAVIS: Yeah, it made the whole journey.
MARISHA: The whole journey.
BRENNAN: I'm so excited. We got a lot. In my head, I was like: Time to get to work and we got to start outlining episode two and figuring out-- But I'm like: Oh, everyone's hot on the trail of some juicy stuff right now. Especially everyone with Thimble right now. Robbie showing up there. The whole thing. We got--
AABRIA: Oh my god, the clue. Oh!
BRENNAN: How did the plan fail?
ASHLEY: That was so cool.
BRENNAN: What did they take?
LAURA: Yeah.
BRENNAN: Where is the Stone of Nightsong? What the fuck is go-- The paint. What did Thjazi say at the end of his life? Why did he tell you to take care of Murray? What did he say about paint with Bolaire? What's the shadow following you? What's in the box? (laughter)
BRENNAN: Why did your grandma not let this guy live?
ALEXANDER: I love your grandma. Your grandma's the best.
AABRIA: Your grandma's the best!
MATT: So good.
BRENNAN: I love it.
AABRIA: Oh no.
BRENNAN: More grandmas, more secret magic stones, more investigations, more skullduggery.
MATT: Let's do it!
BRENNAN: Next week, on another episode of Critical Role! (cheering)