Transcript:The Chapter Closes

List of Transcripts

Pre-Show
MATT: Hello, everyone, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunch of us nerdy-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons and Dragons. Glad you could join us for what is essentially the final and epilogue episode of our five-year campaign. We're excited you guys could come join us.

SAM: Not the final episode of the show!

MATT: We will return. We're looking probably at the start of the new year with a new campaign, new characters. LAURA: But we'll have one-shots and stuff in between.

MATT: Yeah, we'll have fun stuff to break it up and give us some time to let off some steam in the meantime. But before we get into tonight's game, let's get through some quick announcements. First off, we wanted to give a shout out. If you guys haven't seen it yet, Shadow of War just came out, the sequel to Shadow of Mordor. A bunch of us have worked on it and if you haven't seen, we had the opportunity to do a cool thing with WB Games and the folks at Monolith. We did a Shadow of War one-shot that was uploaded as a two-parter.

LAURA: It was so much fun! LIAM: You were so cute, all of you. It was the cutest orc adventure that ever happened.

SAM: You watched it?

LIAM: Both episodes.

LAURA: Thanks bro!

MATT: It was a lot of fun. We had Sam, Laura, Travis, and the illustrious Darin De Paul as our four orcs and/or olog-hai, charging their way through Mordor in hopes of victory spoils and all that.

LAURA: It's real fun to be stupid.

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

MATT: So I recommend checking it out if you haven't yet. Merch update, Laura?

LIAM: Wait! Something I can say now. I didn't have the green light, but I am in that game. I had to fib and say that I wasn't in that game, but I'm in that game! I am back as Gollum! And I run around and I do this, and I do this, and I do this, and I do this. (Gollum voice) Tasty fish!

MATT: If you guys haven't seen Liam's Gollum in the games, it's the most ridiculous–

TRAVIS: Also to point out, you did the full mo-cap for it. Not just the VO.

LIAM: Broke my back, scuttled around like I was a young buck, which I'm not. It was great!

LAURA: I wish I still had the video of you that you sent me after you first started, yeah. When he first started playing Gollum, he sent me this video of him running around his living room, jumping up on his couch, then running over and jumping up your entertainment system or something.

LIAM: I put my laptop on the coffee table, I hit click, and I started going–

LAURA: It was so amazing.

LIAM: Because I'm a nerd.

MATT: Awesome. Well, thank you for the follow-up on that, Liam. Laura?

LAURA: Oh, well, technically, I have to shove this one to Liam and Taliesin, as well.

TALIESIN: I feel like we've been doing the thing for a while now.

LIAM: Yeah, like when parents have a baby, you don't see them for a while. They're with that baby every hour, every minute.

(yelling)

LIAM: Oh my gosh, it's the new art book! Oh my god, it's gorgeous! I took it out of the Ark of the Covenant, and here it is!

LAURA: Okay, I should qualify this, because it's not in the store yet, you guys, so don't go to the store and freak out. It just came into the office.

LIAM: Yeah, this is just our viewing copy. There will be more details–

SAM: What does it say on the title there?

LIAM: It says The Chronicles of Exandria: The Tale of Vox Machina. One.

SAM: Volume One? Implying that there's going to be more?

TALIESIN: Implying that we'd like to.

LIAM: We'd like there to be. And you guys can tune in next week to Talks Machina, where we will have more info, more details.

LAURA: We'll say when they're going to go in the store.

MATT: Can you give a teaser flip of any pages?

LIAM: I have been told that I cannot give a teaser flip. But wait, guys. There's more! Taliesin, if you would?

TALIESIN: Well, we did two editions because we wanted to do something a little ridiculous. And so–

SAM: What is this? A special edition?

TALIESIN: This is a special edition. It's a little more fancy. It's got the ribbon and leather and gold foil. It's got an evil tome vibe, and it's got lots of little wonderful details.

LIAM: We have held that book and looked through it. I cried 97 times in one minute. It is so beautiful.

MARISHA: It really looks like crying for 60 seconds.

LAURA: Tune in to Talks Machina on Tuesday. We'll give you more details about how you can purchase them. And you can always check out geekandsundry.com/artbook for more updates. They're coming soon. They should be in the warehouse very soon, so that's happy for the holidays.

LIAM: Joe Madureira art!

LAURA: I'm excited!

TALIESIN: Yeah, there's lots to talk about in these books. I'm very excited!

TRAVIS: And to cure any freakout, Ashley is going to join us. She's finishing up.

MATT: Finishing up shooting on Blindspot. So she'll pop in when she can.

LAURA: This is her day job!

TALIESIN: We keep trying to tell her that, don't we?

LIAM: Wait. There's one last thing.

SAM: Two more editions of the art book!

LIAM: I got one last thing, for funsies. It's a really late birthday present. It's kind of for funsies, but Travis, I have something for you that I've been wanting to give you for a while.

SAM: Is that an experience?

TRAVIS: Can I open it?

LIAM: Yeah, go for it.

TRAVIS: What the fuck is this? (gasps)

SAM: Is it the Belt of Dwarvenkind?!

(yelling)

LAURA: Look at how big the face is!

TRAVIS: Oh my god! Hug me through my wife! That's so great! I can't get hit in the dick with this on! This is amazing! It really covers the whole kit and kaboodle!

LIAM: And your beard will double in length the moment you put it on. I had to repay you for the raven mask you gave me, once upon a time.

LAURA: Oh yeah, our drunken ren fair purchases. I was like, “that's a cool mask! Where'd you get it?” And you said, “you got that for me.”

LIAM: Your husband just bought this for me! Thanks, Laura!

MATT: There you go. Also immune to poison. Good job. Perfect! So other updates. We are officially announcing the second edition of Vox Machina: Origins, the Critical Role comic. It's going to be available October 18th, so look for that on all your great comic book– Comixology, the Dark Horse app, and all the other places that I can't think of right now. But yeah, so super exciting. This one starts bringing in some of the other members of Vox Machina who didn't show up in the first issue. So take a look at it, hope you guys enjoy. Let's see. Other quick announcements. Wednesday Club, Taliesin, you have coming up?

TALIESIN: Yeah, it's October, so we're doing Halloween. We're doing Hellboy, which I don't really know much about. I couldn't think of anybody who knew a lot about Hellboy. Do you know a lot about Hellboy?

LIAM: I know a lot about Hellboy.

TALIESIN: Do you want to come on Wednesday Club?

LIAM: Yes, please! Oh! I bought a Hellboy comic today! Another black compendium book to go with my other big black blades on my shelf.

MATT: Liam likes things that are big and black.

LAURA: I'm glad your mind went there, too.

TALIESIN: It's going to be Wednesday Club on Hellboy.

MATT: Then you have something on Friday, as well?

TALIESIN: I do! I've decided it would be really funny to be here really late three days in a row for the rest of my life, and so I'm– I don't want to quite say “taking over.” Is “taking over” the word?

MARISHA: That's fair.

TALIESIN: I'm taking over Gather Your Party on Friday nights now, and we're giving it a bit of a revamp. It's going to be a bit of a different vibe. It's going to be a little shorter. It's going to be fun. Our very first episode is going to be called Gather Your Goth, and we're going to be giving some of our friends goth makeovers and having a goth dance contest.

LAURA: Can I get made over? When are you doing it?

TALIESIN: Tomorrow night.

LAURA: Shit, I'm not going to be here! Fuck, I really want to be made over!

TALIESIN: Well I'll tell you what. You let me know, and you can come over and have a goth makeover.

MATT: Next time you do it, you do whatever it's called, and then in parentheses Laura Your Goth, or Goth Your Laura.

TALIESIN: Gather Your Laura. You would goth out very well. I think I would be excited by that.

MATT: All right. To finish this up, let's see. I forgot to mention it last week, but those of you guys who have been playing the Telltale Batman game, the new Pact episode came out recently with Harley Quinn and Bane, and I play Mr. Freeze! It's been a lot of fun, and I've been continuously recording on it. Hope you guys enjoy more fun to come with that delightful character.

LIAM: You do have a cold heart.

MATT: It's true. Then you guys had a Sagas of Sundry announcement?

MARISHA: Oh yeah! Sagas of Sundry announcement! Cast list went out! Who's in it? We are!

LIAM: I didn't see you there at all!

MARISHA: Look again! Abigail Persimmon.

TALIESIN: The magic of the goth makeover strikes again! (cackles)

MARISHA: I'm not coming tomorrow because I've already had mine.

TALIESIN: No, I bought this shirt when we went shopping.

MARISHA: That's right! You did! We went on a shopping trip, and we had so much fun.

LIAM: It was fucking wild.

MARISHA: Anyone who hasn't seen any of the first season–

MATT: Thanks for keeping tally.

TRAVIS: He picked his cup up without drinking it again! Picks it up. (thunk)

LIAM: Like an animatronic sailor!

MATT: Like a raccoon that can't find a river, I go through the motions of washing my food. All right. Couple of other things. It is still Sub-tober, because why not? That means if you haven't had the opportunity to subscribe to any of the Twitch streams that you're a fan of, you can do so half off until the 18th. So you can do that up until the 18th and then get the comic the same day, I guess. And since this is the final episode of the campaign, I wanted to give a shout out to all our fantastic crew. Wonderful people who have worked their ass off to stay here late every Thursday. We have Maxwell James, Dani Carr, Jason Corey, Ryan Green, Selina Ruth, Chris Wilmont, Zach Wilson, Sax Carr, Mark Donica, Anthony Videsco, Courtney Kraft, Ian Kagihara, Chris Lockey, Holly Pearson, Ryan Porter, Denise, J. Andrew Bernard, Ed Lopez, Rachel Romero, all of our fantastic mods who have done an incredible job maintaining the chaos that is Twitch, you guys are fantastic. We really appreciate all the hard work you guys put into it, and many, many more. The entire community, we can't even begin to express–

LAURA: Did you say Fernando?

MATT: Yes, I did. Wait, Fernando. Someone didn't put Fernando on the list!

SAM: And many more whose names were omitted.

MATT: Correct, thank you guys so much for all your hard work!

LIAM: Wait, let's come up with some more announcements so we never have to start.

MATT: Nope, I think we've stretched the audience's patience enough. Let's go ahead and dive in to tonight's episode of Critical Role.

[dramatic music]

Part I
LIAM: Autoerotic a-pixie-ation.

MATT: You were real late on the draw, but this is the night to do it. I guess.

LIAM: Right on time.

MATT: It was perfect. Precisely when you mean to. All right. Last we left off, Vox Machina, through their trials and tribulations, had eventually come to realize the machinations of Vecna, who ascended into godhood, transported his city from the Shadowfell of Thar Amphala to the top, right above a long-dead earth primordial titan, rising it and making its way toward Vasselheim, the Dawn City, the beginning of creation. You battled your way through its innards, up within the arcane dome that protected it, managed to defeat one half of the long-frustrating Briarwood coupling, fought your way to the top of the tower Entropis, did battle with Vecna, the Ascended. Through careful planning and sacrifices, you managed to apply the trammels, complete the sealing ritual, and send Vecna screaming across the Divine Gate, to be sealed to wherever his divine demi-plane resides on the other side. As you all fell down upon the ruined, floating platforms of the tower Entropis, you glanced over as your recent ally, Arkhan the Cruel, proceeded to sever his own hand, attach the Hand of Vecna, and catching you off guard, transport himself beyond your current reach. This beat of intensity releasing slowly, the adrenaline still wearing its way through your veins, you sit in silence, looking about, amazed that you all still stand after such a confrontation. It's at that moment you hear this distant explosion. Glancing off the side of the platform you're on, you can still see, while the large titan, one of four arms raised, attempting to come and destroy all of you with one large blow, frozen in place, there still remains the dregs of Vecna's army down below throughout the city of Vasselheim, where battles are still raging in the streets. You can still see wyvern-riders and eagle-riders in the sky, though it appears that the gloomstalkers that once paraded across the skies over the city have been destroyed or scattered at the loss of the ascended god that summoned them. You also still are aware of the body of your sister, residing on the platforms below. It's at this point that you notice that the green tendrils of energy that hold the Tower of Entropis together begin to flicker and subside. The platforms that were slowly drifting, listing, suddenly begin to shift.

LAURA: No! I take off on my broom, and I go down to try to get her. MATT: Okay. You guys dart over the side. What are the rest of you guys doing?

TRAVIS: I had the immovable rod pulled out, and I click it where I am.

MATT: All right. You hold in place. You feel the platform give beneath you. Your toes are now dangling in the middle of the air as you watch the cracked-open right side of Entropis' peak begin to topple and fall beneath you. What are you guys doing?

MARISHA: I'm still a planetar. Do you still have Bigby's Hand up?

SAM: For maybe 30 seconds more.

TALIESIN: Where's the carpet?

TRAVIS: It's in my bag.

MARISHA: I do a potato sack hold on Scanlan. Make sure he's all right.

MATT: You grab him. Pike still has some time. She still has her wings.

TRAVIS: I can throw it to you.

TALIESIN: That would be nice. Yes, please.

TRAVIS: Can I pull the carpet out of the bag of holding? Do you want to free fall and go after it?

MATT: By the way, the platform is now giving underneath you.

SAM: Why don't you fly it over?

TRAVIS: I don't think I can be on it with him. Right? I'm still enlarged.

MARISHA: Here, can one of us fly over and get it?

LAURA: Technically, he was on the broom with me, so I could've dropped him off with one of you before I flew down to Velora.

MATT: As you're having this conversation about the carpet, you're dragged down over the side as the broom rockets off, Vex's mind currently focused more on other things. So the last thing you hear from Percival is, “Could you throw–” as he darts off to the side. The platform is beginning to give as the flickering green energy begins to fade. You guys both dart beneath where you can see upon the rubble, where the top staircase had broken apart from the original sundering of the top of the tower. There you see, still lying there, lifeless, the body of Velora. You rush in there just as the platform's collapsing. I need you both to make acrobatics checks on this to see how quickly you can maneuver in and out.

LAURA: Okay, it's 30.

LIAM: 31.

MATT: Both of you guys rush inward. As some of the various chunks are beginning to fall and separate from underneath the platforms, you begin to dart through, dodge, and you grab and lift her body. Both of you cradling her, and at a moment's notice, deciding which one of you's going to take her.

LIAM: I've got her.

MATT: All right. Vax, you go ahead and dart off. You careen back out of the way as the central, large platform crashes down with a heavy impact. You can see it crumble, then break, and three separate pieces beginning to tumble. The tower then gives in from underneath and begins to collapse downward, almost like a controlled demolition. As it begins to fall and topple down below, you all gather your thoughts and consider other allies that were recently–

TRAVIS: Falling?

MATT: A short time ago, yes.

LAURA: Zahra and Kash?

MARISHA: With Scanlan in hand, start diving down to go see if I can find them or have any sight of them at all.

MATT: What's the flying speed of your planetar?

MARISHA: 150 feet.

MATT: Okay. As you, holding Scanlan under your arm, coast down at a speed to the point where now you're actually racing the crumbling of the tower. You're watching the actual cracks as they emerge, as the energy's dissipating, beginning to subside, as your speed overtakes the rate in which it's collapsing.

MARISHA: Like Superman and Lois Lane.

MATT: (laughter). The G's are intense, Scanlan. Your eyes are watering, blown back on your face. The Ioun symbol on your forehead is flaring like a spotlight ahead of you. As you rocket down, you glance, you can see there across the rocks at the bottom, two wyverns that are scattered across the rubble, and you see, lying there, the bodies of Kashaw and Zahra.

SAM: They're dead. Turn around. Let's go back. They're dead.

MARISHA: Shut up, Scanlan! Are they dead?

MATT: Make a perception check.

TRAVIS: How high am I hanging off of this thing?

MATT: Make–

TRAVIS: A perception check? I am a million– eight.

MATT: You're high up there. That's a long way up.

MARISHA: 18.

LAURA: You can use the carpet because Percy's on the broom with me.

MATT: Their bodies are brutalized from the impact. They hit.

MARISHA: They're splatted.

MATT: Well, they're not splatted.

LAURA: They're not you on the cliff.

MARISHA: Sure. They didn't goldfish it.

TRAVIS: But a good Revivify might help.

SAM: They're unconscious?

MATT: You're just now approaching. As you get there, you can hear the rumbling of the tower getting louder. You've barely beaten it. What are you doing?

MARISHA: I've got to move them, right? Is that what you're saying? Scanlan? You're fine, right? Handle yourself?

MATT: Scanlan, she sets you on the ground as you look over and see the tower (crashing).

MARISHA: Do you want to hold onto my back?

SAM: I have no spells left, so yes.

(laughter)

SAM: I will climb on.

TALIESIN: I imagine Scanlan dropping that last potion as it's coming down.

MATT: Okay. As you dive on, you grab both of their limp bodies and pull them under your arms and dart. I need you to make a dexterity saving throw, please.

LAURA: Oh my god, if we thought we made it out of this–

MARISHA: Okay, 18. No, wait! Yeah, 18.

MATT: 18. You manage to scoot by as one of the large chunks of the base falls over to one side, and as you dart out, wings before you, Scanlan clutched on your back, both their bodies beneath, you can feel the gust of wind from behind as the collapsing wall is pushing all the air in your direction. As you focus down, your wings out, you manage to careen underneath as the shadow that was beginning to fall over you pulls behind, and behind you hear the (boom), the dust pick up, and you guys all look down and watch as the tower finally falls to its final piece of rubble there on the ground. At which point you glance down, and you can see both of them, their eyes roll open, lolling in their face, both Zahra and Kashaw, seemingly conscious. If you guys want to step in?

(cheering)

MARISHA: I'm going to immediately burn two of my healing touches, and you get 6d8 plus three hit points back.

MATT: Kashaw and Zahra, you've been lying there on the ground for a moment going, “Ow,” and as your vision focuses, you watch as the tower begins to collapse downward in your direction. The shadow seems to close over you.

WILL: Well, that's not good.

MARISHA: 29 hit points to both of you immediately.

MATT: And with a flash, something white-feathered and blue shoots past you, grabs you, and you are thrust into the air, carried by the angelic form of Keyleth.

MARY: Kiki? How are you, darling?

MARISHA: Did you recognize me because of the antlers? That's why I keep them. They're very identifying.

MARY: I think I dreamed of you.

MARISHA: No, that was real and incredible, and you all showed up.

SAM: Why did you come?

WILL: We had to come. She made us.

(laughter)

MARY: I had a vision.

WILL: It's good to see you. Thank you for that.

SAM: You had a vision?

MARY: I did. I had a vision of white wings, and blue–

WILL: Are you okay?

MARY: I think we're all right.

WILL: Both of you?

MARY: Yeah.

WILL: Don't piss off a pregnant tiefling.

MARISHA: Yeah– wait, what?

WILL: Thank gods for that.

SAM: Haven't you heard of pulling out?

(laughter)

SAM: I do it all the time!

WILL: I tried. Didn't work.

MARY: I wouldn't let him.

WILL: The tail held me in place.

MARY: You always said you liked that.

WILL: Can you put us down somewhere, maybe?

MARY: That would be lovely, thank you.

MARISHA: I drop Kash, but very lightly set down Zahra.

MATT: You tumble.

MARISHA: Congratulations!

MARY: Did we win?

MATT: No, you're healed up; you're fine. The Death Ward brought you guys to one hit point, and then she healed you before she dropped you, so you're fine.

WILL: No, I deserved that. Thank you. So did we win? What happened?

SAM: We're sitting on the titan now?

MATT: You're down in the street level of Thar Amphala.

SAM: But still on the Titan?

MATT: Still on the top of the Titan.

SAM: Is he falling?

MATT: Make a perception check.

SAM: Two.

MATT: You have no idea.

SAM: Pregnant?! What? I thought you were gay!

WILL: We've talked about this. It's all right.

TRAVIS: Can I take out the carpet and start making my enlarged form way down to them? By myself?

LAURA: Well, Pike's with you.

TRAVIS: Oh. Is she?

LAURA: Yeah, Pike's still with you up there.

TRAVIS: She's got wings.

MATT: With a strength of 19, and your enlarged size–

TRAVIS: Can I dispel the enlarged?

MATT: No.

TRAVIS: Oh, it's in for ten minutes. I'm just me.

(laughter)

MATT: You get the sense, at this size, that carpet cannot carry you.

TRAVIS: I'm just hanging out. I grab the earring and I say: Will someone please do me a favor? Will you look for Arkhan's hand? Find me that hand.

SAM: Is it falling?

MATT: It was on one of the platforms.

MARISHA: Wait, you want to find his hand on the giant tower full of rubble?

WILL: Whose hand?

TRAVIS: Arkhan's.

LIAM: Vex or I can find it.

LAURA: In a moment.

MATT: At this point, you have both come down now to the base of the tower. At that speed, it took you a while to catch up to the rest of everybody else.

MARISHA: I look up and say: Grog, do you need a hand? Are you all right? Damn it, the pun wasn't intended, Scanlan!

(laughter)

TRAVIS: I literally just said that.

MARISHA: Do you need assistance getting down from hanging from a bar? In the middle of the air, to be very literal.

TRAVIS: Yeah, it would be nice.

MARISHA: I fly up.

MATT: So your angelic wing maneuver.

MARY: I can cast Fly on him.

SAM: Yeah, do that! Zahra has Fly, she can cast Fly on him!

MARY: I cast Fly on Grog.

MATT: Okay. You'll have to get up a little closer to do it, because you're out of range.

MARY: Can I use my Cloak of the Bat to fly up and then cast?

MATT: Yeah.

MARY: I fly up and I cast. Hello, darling!

MATT: You watch as Zahra, suddenly her cloak extends into two large, leathery bat wings and she flies her way up pretty close to where you are. For a second there, you glance down. Roll a perception check.

TRAVIS: Ten.

MATT: You see a gloomstalker coming right at you.

TRAVIS: (screams)

MATT: As you hold the sword out in front, you notice in a second, it's Zahra.

TRAVIS: Oh. Not a gloomstalker.

MATT: But the sword, at this point, as you hold it out in front of you and push back, it goes, “One part is done. Well played. But he still survives. We'll take him. And we'll take that dragon. The hand must be destroyed. It's still out there. Together–”

TRAVIS: Okay, yeah, I sheathe him.

(laughter)

TRAVIS: I need some Visine bad.

MARY: Grog! Hello, darling.

TRAVIS: Hey, Zahra.

MARY: Did you ever use that moonhammer I gave you?

TRAVIS: All the time. Covered in blood.

MARY: Right. In the moonlight, right?

TRAVIS: Yep. Need to get it cleaned.

MARY: Good. Well, I look forward to hearing your tales. Do you need some help, my darling?

TRAVIS: I do, unless you just want to hang out with me up here for a bit.

MARY: Well, I could. How is your arm? You know what, no, let's just do it. I cast Fly. Let go.

MATT: And you can fly. You're gliding in the air.

(laughter)

MATT: He starts slowly–

TALIESIN, LAURA, and MARISHA: Don't leave the rod!

TRAVIS: How do I do this?

MARY: It's all right. Just focus. Focus. You'll be fine, Grog. Just focus. Yes, think of yourself as a cow. As a flying cow. You remember?

TRAVIS: Moo.

LAURA: Grab the rod.

TRAVIS: Oh, right. (click) Put it back in the bag of holding. This is great! Oh my god, I would do this every day.

MARY: Well, you could do it for at least an hour, so that's good.

TRAVIS: Can I drunkenly fly down to everybody else?

MATT: And you do, it's a slow spiral, and you begin to gimbal backward, and she has to right you a couple times.

TRAVIS: Can I fly right as I get closer, just for dramatic effect?

MARY: Focus on me. No squirrel. There's no squirrels. Focus your mind. No. It's all right, just come down. (singing)

TRAVIS: I come down!

MARY: All right, you could do that, too. Look out below!

TRAVIS: Three-point landing. Super hard.

MATT: Make an acrobatics check.

TRAVIS: Super hard.

WILL: Superhero landing.

TRAVIS: (high voice) Not great.

TALIESIN: Yay!

LAURA: Not bad.

TRAVIS: Oh, not bad, yeah. Yeah. 14.

MATT: 14. Okay. You were rage-hanging? You take 24 points of bludgeoning damage, reduced to 12.

LAURA: And Grog is dead.

MATT: And three-point landing. You watch as a crater is left beneath where his impact is. The smoke slowly subsides, and Grog's there, fist in the ground, Thor: Ragnarok style.

LAURA: And we're all on the ground now?

MATT: You are all now on the ground floor of Thar Amphala. As you glance around– LIAM: I'm flexing the wings out and around, and I'm making a feather bed with the ends of the wings on the ground and laying Velora down on it.

LAURA: Kash, tell me you have Revivify. Tell me you can bring her back.

WILL: I believe I do.

LIAM: I start combing her hair with my fingers, out of her eyes.

WILL: Let me check. I do. Who am I casting it on?

LAURA: Our sister.

WILL: Oh. Oh, that doesn't look good. Yeah, okay. Let's see what we can do. I'm sorry, I'm still a little sore.

LAURA: No. It's terrible. Please help her.

WILL: It was a terrible fall. Give me one second.

MARY: I'm so sorry.

WILL: Oh. Her? This one? Yeah, all right. Let's do that. I'm going to cast Revivify.

MATT: Okay. Unfortunately, she's been dead longer than a minute, so the spell does not take effect. You don't know how long it's been, or if perhaps your final moments of fucking with her was just enough to push it over the edge–

(laughter)

WILL: It keeps happening! Sorry.

SAM: 61 seconds.

WILL: I can speak to dead, if you'd like to talk with her.

LAURA: No! I don't want to fucking talk to her, I want to have her back!

(laughter)

WILL: It's time for one message. Does she owe you money? I can have her find out where it is.

LIAM: Do you have anything a little more potent right now?

MARISHA: I can raise dead.

WILL: Well, there we go. See?

LAURA: Is she going to come back as a zombie?

MARISHA: No.

LAURA: She'll be a normal–

TALIESIN: Just raised.

MARISHA: I might need some help. Where's Pike?

WILL: I can raise the dead, too, if you need help.

MATT: Pike has been slowly flying down.

MARISHA: She doesn't come back as a zombie, right? It's raising dead.

MATT: Is it the actual Raise Dead spell?

WILL: Mine is.

MARISHA: It says three times a day.

MATT: Raise Dead. You can bring someone back to life, yeah. It takes an hour to cast.

MARISHA: Yep.

TRAVIS: Do they murder someone when you do that, like a horror movie?

MARISHA: If I did it with Kash, would that–

WILL: I'm with Zahra now, so let's try to keep that in mind.

TALIESIN: Wow, two for two tonight.

MARISHA: I don't know how to respond to that.

LIAM: Your sense of humor is your best quality.

WILL: Isn't it?

LIAM: Best.

WILL: We'll get her. She'll be fine!

MATT: As you guys take a moment and realize the time, the involvement that would be here to do the spell, you glance about in the streets of Thar Amphala, and what straggling undead and/or cultists seem to have been either trying to scramble back up to the city or hadn't made their way down through or were here as sentinels are frantically trying to escape and being cut down and grabbed by the various eagle riders and the rest of the army that's currently now beginning to swarm in, thanks to the complete falling of the barrier with the sealing of Vecna. You do feel at this moment that you do have some time in Thar Amphala without any immediate danger.

WILL: But if it gets to that, I can stay and raise her, and you guys can go and take care of the city.

LAURA: Thank you.

MARISHA: I don't even know if I have a full hour left on my form. That's the only problem. That's why I would need help, but–

WILL: She needs to rest, anyway.

MARY: I can stay. I'll stay with him.

LAURA: Thank you.

MARY: We'll focus on her.

SAM: We'll all stay, until we don't have to.

LAURA: Yeah.

MARISHA: I help Kash as much as I can.

MATT: Okay.

LAURA: I sit down and hold her hand.

MATT: All right.

LIAM: Start cleaning her cheeks as well as we can.

MARISHA: And I don't take my eyes off of Vax the whole time.

SAM: Oh, yeah. Shit.

WILL: I'm holding my medal. Starting the spell.

MATT: As you guys form a perimeter here at the base of Entropis, the sky now open, the clouds dispelled and scattered, and probably for the first time in weeks, especially from your guys' perspective, Vasselheim sees a sky of blue. The sunlight rains down from above, and the warmth that comes through is very comforting as you begin to clear the space and scrawl out the sigils and glyphs necessary for this Raise Dead ritual. As you're going through the process and you quietly begin to focus, you can see some of the eagle riders and straggling wyvern riders take notice and begin to come close, and then stop and keep a distance, and recognizing the significance of this moment, respectfully stay away.

WILL: As he's casting the glyphs, he goes over, he's about to write the last one, and he walks over to Vex, and he takes one tear, and he goes back over and uses it to do the last glyph.

MATT: As he draws the last glyph with the tear, that one seems to have an additional flair, a connection, a sparkle of bloodline connectivity between you and the deceased. As you complete the spell, I need you to go ahead and bring to this ritual what you'd like.

SAM: Oh god.

LAURA: Jesus, really? Oh, god. I take one of my arrows that has the owlbear feather on it, and I put it down next to her because I know she loved owlbears.

MATT: Okay. Go ahead and roll a d20 for me. Okay. Anybody else?

LIAM: I pull Simon from around my waist, and I start to fasten it around her. This is yours. You're going to have to take care of him now. His name is Simon. Most people don't think he's alive, but they're wrong. He's very much alive. Take care of him for me. I didn't get nearly enough time with you. I'm sorry. I love you very much. I kiss her on the forehead.

MATT: Roll another d20.

LIAM: I rolled an 18, but I'm going to use Luck. Good. 18 is good.

MATT: Okay.

MARY: I take the moonstone from my staff, and I clasp it in my hands, and I say: Sirius, you asked me to be here and to judge them. They are worthy. Give me this boon. Help me save this girl, for true friendship, which I never had until now. Help me save her. Help us all save her. And I place the moonstone down next to her head.

MATT: Okay. Go ahead and roll a d20 for me.

MARY: I'll use Luck.

MATT: If you want to.

MARY: 12.

MATT: Okay. As you complete the ritual, all the sigils in place lighting up, it's unique because you're used to the ritual completed by an acolyte of Sarenrae, in which everything has a glow of warmth to it. This ritual was completed by an acolyte of an entity named Vesh, and as each sigil flares, you watch as they darken into the deepest shadow. It's a yin-yang dichotomy as the spell begins to take effect, until eventually the whole circle becomes pitch black, like the deepest of lightless midnight. At that moment, you watch as Velora's form itself is also cast into shadow and disappears from view. And for a moment, you fear she is gone, before the shadow begins to peel away like a cocoon, and as it tears and rolls back, the subtle sound of sand shifting and paper crackling, you watch as her chest begins to move once more, breathing, her eyes still closed, but life breathes into her lungs once more. With a natural 19.

LAURA: I hug her. Oh, and I pop Trinket out of his necklace, and I cast Cure Wounds on him so he can lick her face.

MATT: Okay. As Trinket comes out, Trinket is burned and battered, armor dinged up and screwed up, on his face it's askew to one side.

TRAVIS: He got meteored.

(laughter)

MATT: Yeah, he did.

TRAVIS: I didn't sign up for this shit.

LAURA: I've still got a 3rd-level Cure Wounds on him.

MATT: All right.

MARY: I cast Beast Speak. You all right, Trinket?

MATT: “I don't care.” And Trinket comes forward to Velora and begins licking her face, and she who is breathing but unconscious, the eye begins to slowly open. “What?” And her eyes open up a little bit, and you can see her skin darkened from the blast and the rubble and the dust that's now begun to settle around the base of Entropis, and she looks up and first sees the lapping tongue of Trinket against her cheek, and giggles and pushes him away a little bit. Then she sees the feather and looks at it and now looks up to see the person that's holding her and looks and meets both of your gazes–

LAURA: Hi, little monkey.

MATT: “Hi.”

LIAM: You're an awfully long way from home.

MATT: “What happened?”

LAURA: You went on an adventure, that's all.

MATT: She gets quiet for a second, trying to remember, trying to recall. “I'm very tired.”

LAURA: Of course.

MATT: And she curls up and pulls tighter around Vex's neck.

WILL: Kash steps in. You don't feel evil, do you?

(laughter)

MATT: She pulls back and looks over at you. “Who's this human?”

LAURA: Oh, he saved your life just now, dear.

LIAM: He's a friend. Come here.

WILL: All right.

LAURA: No, but seriously, could she be evil? Seriously.

WILL: No, there's– no. You feel okay?

MATT: She arranges the situation and looks back at you and goes, (giggles).

WILL: She's fine. I'd watch her.

LAURA: Yeah. She's fine.

(laughter)

MATT: She pulls back into you and whispers in your ear and says, “He's pretty stupid, isn't he?”

LAURA: He's really stupid.

MATT: She giggles and then sighs into you.

LAURA: Okay, yeah. Just rest. I'm going to sit her on top of Trinket so she can take a little nappy-nap.

MATT: Okay. And she passes right out. She is spent. She is exhausted.

WILL: The city is still burning.

MARY: Yes, it is. We have work to do.

WILL: We've got a lot of people down there we know.

MARY: I know. The Slayer's Take is in desperate need. We should check on the sphinx.

TRAVIS: The sphinx, right.

LAURA: We can't thank you enough. Again.

WILL: You guys always do throw the best parties, that's for sure.

MARY: Yes, you do.

LAURA: I'm so glad you're all right.

WILL: Yeah, I'm glad we could help. That's why we're going to name our child Vax. I'm totally kidding; that's never going to happen.

(laughter)

MARY: Take the moonstone. Keep it with you. If you need me– well, I won't come, because I'll be away, but–

LAURA: Yeah, you'll be a little busy with the child and all.

MARY: A little busy, yes. But come and visit if you get a chance. Who knows? Twins runs in my family, so you never know.

LAURA: Really?

MARY: Yes. Lillith told me. I need to see Lillith again.

LIAM: Oh, the joke's on you.

LAURA: I give her a big hug.

MARY: I love you, darling.

LAURA: I love you so much. Congratulations.

MARY: Thank you, dearest. Scanlan.

SAM: Yes?

MARY: You little bastard.

SAM: Yes? That is my full name, yes.

(laughter)

MARY: I plant a giant, fiery kiss on him, and my tail wraps around his head.

SAM: I try to get away, but–

MARY: The tail.

(laughter)

WILL: I told you.

SAM: You're right! Kinky. Ooh! What? I mean, thank you?

MARY: I miss doing your hair.

SAM: Well, I miss doing, well–

MARY: We'll see each other, again, I hope. Grog.

TRAVIS: Yeah?

MARY: Use that moonhammer.

TRAVIS: I will– I mean, again.

LAURA: At night. In the night.

MARY: Use it in the moon–

TRAVIS: Yeah. Under the moon.

LAURA: Yeah, obviously.

TRAVIS: It's called a moonhammer. Yeah.

MARY: Use it in the moonlight. I think you'll be surprised.

TRAVIS: In the nude.

TALIESIN and MARY: Without pants.

TRAVIS: Right. Yeah. Moon for moon, as above, so below–

MARY: Yes.

TRAVIS: And that will unleash–

MARY: Take your pants off, here we go.

LIAM: Double damage on cows. Yeah.

TRAVIS: I'm going to fuck some cows up.

MARY: Yeah, you do.

WILL: Oh, Grog. I love standing next to you in battle and hate standing next to you at the urinal.

(laughter)

WILL: That's just the way it is, my friend. Been a pleasure.

MARY: Percy.

TALIESIN: Yes?

MARY: Take care of our girl.

TALIESIN: I'll try.

MARY: Take care of her.

TALIESIN: My regards to your family.

MARY: Thank you, love. We'll be in Whitestone again soon. I'll see you soon, dearest.

SAM: Don't see us too soon. I mean, whenever you're near us, you both almost die. So maybe just–

LAURA: Give it some time.

WILL: But we–

WILL and MARY: Almost.

MARY: That's the key word is almost, you see. Yes. You saved our lives. We can never repay you.

TRAVIS: I believe you saved ours first by showing up.

MARISHA: We saved each other. That's kind of what Vox Machina's all about.

LIAM: This is the second time around you.

MARY: That's what we do for each other. I love you, Vax.

LIAM: I love you, too, Mary.

MARY: Oh, baby, don't do that.

MATT: At this point, you begin to hear distant horns echoing throughout the city streets. Distant, emanating throughout. As you glance over, you haven't heard these horns before. But they sound less like horns of warning and more like horns of victory. Glancing down in the streets, there are still flames and columns of smoke and you can still see scuffles beneath. The siege weaponry attacks against the titan have subsided and it has not moved at all. It is locked in place, a large statuesque-like mountain of an ancient entity now lording over the edge of the Braving Grounds, almost creeping upon the outskirts of the Quad Roads towards the center of the city, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Most of the Braving Grounds is in tatters but–

LAURA: I look at Percy. This would be a wonderful place for a summer home.

(chuckles)

WILL and MARY: We've got to go.

SAM: What? No.

MARY: We have to leave.

WILL: They need us back.

MARY: Yeah.

LIAM: Don't be strangers, though.

MARY: We won't.

LIAM: Look in.

LAURA: Thank you, guys.

MARY: We will.

LIAM: Look in if you can.

MARY: We love you all so much.

TRAVIS: Thank you.

TALIESIN: Thank you, as well.

WILL: So this is what it's like to have a family, huh?

MARY: Yeah.

WILL: I can get used to that.

MARISHA: Sounds like you're going to have an actual family soon.

SAM: Well I shit more than your kid will, but other than that, it's like this but with less shit.

WILL: Then we'll be happy.

MARY: Always.

WILL: Call us if you need us. Anytime.

LAURA: Same.

MARY: We'll be here.

LAURA: All right.

MARY: Thank you.

WILL: Luck in battle.

SAM: Thank you.

LAURA: Bye loves.

LIAM: See you later, smart ass.

MARY: Thank you.

WILL: Bastard. Treat her well or I'm going to come back.

LAURA: Hey, you've got your hands full, all right?

WILL: That's true, too.

MATT: And as she completes a secondary Fly spell, these two coast off over the edge of Thar Amphala, down into the center of Vasselheim on their own. At which point, you notice three battle-disheveled wyvern riders that were waiting at the side begin to approach. One of them you recognize as a captain signified by these ivory horns that curl out of the back of the helmet and grow longer than the regular wyvern riders' armor you've encountered. Having stepped off the armored drake that currently waits, shaking its head, large leathery wings dug into the nearby rubble, the warrior approaches, pulling the helmet off, revealing a tumble of braided amber hair with shaved sides and a rather stern-looking woman that you don't recognise. “Vox Machina! I am Captain Obelin. I would ask, does this shift in tide signify anything? Does the lich still loom about?”

LAURA: He fucking dead.

TALIESIN: Does not. The battle is won.

LAURA: He's been sealed away.

MATT: “It is done?”

TRAVIS: It is.

TALIESIN: “Fucking dead.”

(laughter)

TRAVIS: Lady Vex'ahlia.

TALIESIN: Lady, yes.

MATT: “The gods grant their grace upon Vasselheim still. We thank you. Well, there's little time to celebrate. There's still much to be done, but please bring this information to the Platinum Sanctuary, to somewhere of significance in the city. This information needs to go out. this will greatly bolster the ranks, morale of those–”

MARISHA: Start spreading the word yourself. You can help us out, right?

MATT: “Oh, we shall.” She looks over her shoulder at the other soldiers.

TALIESIN: I've got the last flare from Whitestone from all those years ago.

LAURA: I have a purple flare too. We should all set them off.

MARISHA: I was going to say: I think I still have a Skywrite.

SAM: Let's do it.

MARISHA: Yep.

LAURA: I send up my purple flare, too.

SAM: I pull out my gun.

(laughter)

TRAVIS: Yes!

MARISHA: Oh my god!

TRAVIS: I forgot you have one.

LIAM: What a callback.

TALIESIN: I've been waiting for it.

TRAVIS: Please misfire. Please blow your hand off.

SAM: Let's do this. (yells)

(laughter)

MATT: Okay. Roll a d20.

TRAVIS: Please.

TALIESIN: No!

SAM: Natural 20.

TALIESIN: No!

SAM: (machine gun noises)

LIAM: Say hello to my even littler friend!

TRAVIS: Oh my god.

MATT: So as you guys send up your colored Whitestone crest flares into the sky, what do you Skywrite?

MARISHA: Vecna defeated.

LAURA: That's a lot of writing.

TALIESIN: That's a lot of words.

MATT: The wisps of cloud begin to spell across–

SAM: V def.

MARISHA: (laughs) I can write it out.

TALIESIN: You can.

MATT: Yeah. As it coasts across, you hear this loud echoing (gunshot) as the N in the middle of Vecna seems to dissipate with a little puff as a perfectly aimed bullet from one pistol that does not backfire, because that would have been fucking funny.

TALIESIN: It's all I wanted tonight.

TRAVIS: So good.

MATT: Roll a performance check.

SAM: Performance? Come on. 28.

MATT: 28. For a man who has only shot a pistol once, he Revolver Ocelots that shit.

LAURA: He's been practicing that shit in his bedroom.

MARISHA: Yeah. In the mirror.

TRAVIS: Behind the back. Oh shit.

(laughter)

SAM: I've been watching you.

TRAVIS: Percy's like, “I don't do that shit.”

(laughter)

TALIESIN: Yeah, no.

MATT: These flares bursting and slowly descending, coming down and bringing this– it was a purple flare and what was the color of yours?

TALIESIN: Gold, if I recall.

MATT: So gold and purple begin to burn down below, giving this strange atmospheric light to the outside of the large, still titan form as the words across the sky, you begin to hear this low gathering of cheers. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of voices where you once heard screaming and yelling now join in unison. A rallying cry of victory that crawls across the entirety of Vasselheim around you on all sides. What do you guys want to do?

TRAVIS: I need that hand.

SAM: Do we have Locate Object or something?

LIAM: I do.

LAURA: I mean, yeah.

SAM: Is it an object? I guess it's inanimate now.

MATT: It is considered an object now.

LIAM: I do.

LAURA: That's good.

LIAM: I got it. I've seen it. I have the spell slot.

MATT: All right. So you cast Locate Object and you have a very strong vision of the direction and it's maybe a hundred feet to your left, and it is under quite a bit of rubble.

LIAM: Big man, come on. I'm going to need you to dig; it's over here.

TRAVIS: Not a problem.

MATT: All right.

SAM: Rage dig.

MATT: Giving him direction. Rage-digging through, tossing veritable small boulders with one-handed scoops. You guys are having to dodge out of the way as they go flying by and skidding to a halt maybe 50, 60 feet behind him. Go ahead and make an investigation check with advantage, because of his aid.

TRAVIS: That's about as good as it gets, because that's even worse. 16.

MATT: 16. Okay.

TRAVIS: With a minus two.

MATT: It takes you a little while, but thanks to Locate Object, you cruise through and you eventually find– It's been smashed, but it's still intact and there you see the completely cut off, red-scaled, clawed hand of Arkhan the Cruel.

TRAVIS: He fucked us.

MARISHA, SAM, and LIAM: Yeah.

LAURA: He helped us. And then he fucked us. Yeah.

MARISHA: I guess the help was worth the fucking, but only a little bit.

TRAVIS: Yeah. MATT: The voice creeps into your head. “Take it. Find him. He has to die.”

TRAVIS: Feel like I should take this and try and find him. He's got to fucking die.

LAURA: Yeah, he probably does.

TRAVIS: He was so cool and strong and only his physique rivals my own, but I feel like he's got

to die.

LIAM: Please. He couldn't touch you, are you kidding?

MARISHA: You know, you're not having–

TRAVIS: Couldn't.

LAURA: You seem to like him a lot. Are you sure you want to kill him and not just try to get–

MARISHA: Grog.

TRAVIS: What? Hold on.

MARISHA: We all think you're strong. You don't need to have an inferiority complex.

TRAVIS: A what?

LAURA: Yeah, I don't think he's going to understand.

LIAM: I don't think he has those.

TRAVIS: So he's a paladin of–

SAM: Tiamat.

TRAVIS: Right. Is that a good or a bad?

SAM: Bad, I'm guessing?

MATT: Make a religion check with advantage because you still have– well, the blessing would have

worn off.

LIAM: That thing could rot. Do you know what preserves a hand?

LAURA: The bag of colding.

SAM: More than 20.

MATT: Yeah, Tiamat's very bad. Known as the Scaled Tyrant, she resides in the Nine Hells and is the patron deity of all chromatic dragons.

SAM: Oh, yeah. She's the dragon god. She?

MATT: She. The opposite of Bahamut.

TRAVIS: Of good dragons, or bad?

SAM: Bad dragons.

TRAVIS: Okay. I feel like he had a good insight, but the hand does bad things, right?

LAURA: The hand does really bad things. You know what you should do is bring that to Bahamut.

LIAM: Yeah, after you piss on it.

MARISHA: Why are you so connected to the pissing thing?

LAURA: Don't piss on it, Grog.

TRAVIS: But he said preserve it.

LAURA: But then maybe if they try to use the hand to find it, it might lead them to you instead because you've already pissed on it.

TRAVIS: Lead them to my junk?

LAURA: Potentially.

TRAVIS: People have come looking for it for less.

LAURA: You don't want people chopping off your junk thinking your junk is Vecna's hand, do you?

TRAVIS: It doesn't even look like a hand. Just like one really big middle finger.

(laughter)

LIAM: It's like a mole, right?

TRAVIS: Yeah. All right, I have it. I'm not going to preserve it.

LAURA: Put it in the bag of colding.

LIAM: Such a mistake.

SAM: That's on the to-do list. We'll go find him.

LAURA: All right.

TRAVIS: And Bahamut is the platinum–

LAURA: Tiamat's the bad guy.

TRAVIS: No, Bahamut is the good dragon of the platinum variety?

ALL: Yes.

TRAVIS: Would you say they are at odds?

TALIESIN and SAM: Yes.

LIAM: Safe bet.

TRAVIS: Like Godzilla and King Kong?

LIAM: I don't know those references, but yeah, they are at odds.

MARISHA: What's-her-name worshipped Bahamut.

LAURA: Kima.

MARISHA: Was it Kima? Kima! Kima worships Bahamut.

TRAVIS: She was badass.

LIAM and LAURA: Yes.

TRAVIS: I'll just hold on to the hand right now.

LAURA: What's going on there, Grog?

TRAVIS: Nothing. We just had a big fight.

TALIESIN: You're making that monologue face. Like that face someone makes when they're listening to some very complex internal monologue. You don't make that face very often. You're making it right now. Just start speaking whatever's in your head right now. Free-form.

TRAVIS: I have to go after the hand, I must kill Vecna, I have to do these things.

TALIESIN: Okay, this is starting to paint a picture. You feel better now?

TRAVIS: Nuh-huh.

TALIESIN: Okay.

MARISHA: Is that going on all the time in your head?

TRAVIS: No.

MARISHA: Okay.

TALIESIN: Are you lying right now?

SAM: He nodded when he said no.

LIAM: DM, just for funsies, do I sense Vecna in any way, shape, or form?

MATT: No.

LIAM: Okay. Definitely want to piss on that hand, Grog.

LAURA: Don't piss on the hand. Number one: it's already in the bag of colding and I don't want everything else pissed on.

LIAM: Grog and I don't share much!

TALIESIN: Except pissing?

(laughter)

TALIESIN: It was an honest question.

TRAVIS: That's true.

LAURA: What should we do, you guys?

TALIESIN: I'm so tired.

MARISHA: I grab onto Vax and don't let go.

SAM: We have more pressing concerns.

TALIESIN: That does remind me. Scanlan?

SAM: What?

TALIESIN: You're going to have to give it back now.

SAM: Give what back?

TALIESIN: You know exactly what.

SAM: The gun?

TALIESIN: Yes.

TRAVIS: That was part of a trade.

SAM: This is my gun.

TALIESIN: I don't think it's your gun.

SAM: I found it.

TALIESIN: You didn't.

TRAVIS: No, there was a trade of items. I got a cloak of smashing out of it, and you got… other stuff.

SAM: I found it fair and square; it's my gun.

TALIESIN: There's no fair and square. And honestly, if you were anybody else, I would find it when I was rummaging through your corpse later. But it's you. So instead I just use my words, and I'm trying to be a better person. If you really like it, maybe we'll have a special one made that's a little safer. But not that one. That's one of mine.

SAM: I look so cool.

TALIESIN: I'll make you something fancy that's a little less prone to explode.

LIAM: Scanlan, you should know you always look cool. Always.

TALIESIN: Especially with the head thing. It's quite nice.

MARISHA: Yeah, this is awesome. Does he still have the blessing?

MATT: The blessing has faded by now.

TALIESIN: You should get that tattooed in permanently.

MARISHA: Yeah.

SAM: That's a good idea.

TALIESIN: That's a really good idea.

MARISHA: I can draw on you with the remaining remnants. That way you have it there, always.

SAM: I love it.

MARISHA: Okay. I try to draw the outline of the remaining glyph on his head.

MATT: So you take some ash and charcoal from the nearby rubble and loosely draw the symbol on his forehead. Roll a dexterity check.

MARISHA: Okay. Straight dex? Don't fuck me, Gil! 14.

MATT: 14. It's passable.

MARISHA: Yeah, that right there. That's perfect. Get that tattooed.

SAM: All right. It's going to happen. I feel like we should all get a tattoo to commemorate this.

TALIESIN: On the forehead?

LAURA and MARISHA: Definitely on the forehead.

LIAM: Well, maybe in different places. We don't all need to get it in the same place. Maybe on a theme, but not the exact same thing?

LAURA: We already all got tattoos, didn't we?

TALIESIN: Well, we got tattoos. That's all that matters.

TRAVIS: No, we didn't.

MARISHA: I'm not sure what we're talking about anymore.

LAURA: No, I thought we got them in character.

MARISHA: No, he got them.

LIAM: I got one. And I got one.

LAURA: Oh, we got the Slayer's Take.

MARISHA: Wait, we're branded, and then I've got mine, and then he has his.

LIAM: I have the burnt hand on my back. Elven. No, it's not mostly healed. Scanlan Shorthalt! You don't need a gun to look cool. You are the Meat Man. You are Burt Reynolds. You are a fucking hero.

SAM: I'm going to throw it away. Wrist Pocket!

(laughter)

MATT: Make a sleight of hand check.

SAM: Nine. 12.

MATT: 12?

MARISHA: Bullshit! My passive perception is 21.

MATT: Yeah, you guys totally see him. It's the worst example–

LIAM: That's the trick I do for my eight-year-old!

TALIESIN: Look at it go! Wow!

(laughter)

TRAVIS: You caught it?! You threw it–

SAM: Around the world.

TRAVIS: Oh my god!

(laughter)

TRAVIS: I faint.

(laughter)

LAURA: Hey, while he's out, should we get this sword off him?

LIAM: Why?

LAURA: Because it seems like he's a little weird from it. Nobody else feels that way?

TALIESIN: I think so.

TRAVIS: (gasps) You're so strong. What'd I miss?

LAURA: Nothing. MARISHA: We were talking about you. I mean, we were talking about– sorry, I'm still working on it.

LAURA: Yeah, no, it's getting better. Should we get off of the titan, maybe?

SAM: It could fall.

TALIESIN: Does anyone want to start walking towards the city to see how bad it really is?

LAURA: We'll have to get through the titan, or we can fly down. Outside of that, I don't know.

SAM: How many of us can fly? Well, I guess we could take a couple of trips on the carpet.

TALIESIN: We've got a carpet. Some of us have wings.

LIAM and MARISHA: My wings are gone.

MATT: Yeah, your wings are gone. Pike's wings are gone. You guys have your broom; you have the carpet.

SAM: So we can take three trips on the carpet, or something?

TALIESIN: We can ride on the broom.

MARISHA: Have we taken a short rest, at this point?

MATT: Yeah, you guys would have taken a short rest, at this point.

MARISHA: My beast shape's back.

MATT: I'll say for the purposes of when you were helping with the ritual that he was casting, because that's an hour long, that would have been a short rest, easy.

LIAM: What are you going to be?

MARISHA: Well, what do you want to fly in on? What do you want?

LIAM: Dragon?

MARISHA: I can't do that. I can do anything in the animal kingdom.

TRAVIS: Before we go down, before we leave, what about Sylas?

LAURA: (gasps) Sylas.

MARISHA: He flew away.

LAURA: Right, but he's repairing somewhere.

TRAVIS: They have coffins, right?

LIAM: We deduced that it doesn't take him that long to come back together. And it's been–

MATT: Not terribly long.

LIAM: But we're right at that cutoff point.

MATT: Maybe.

TALIESIN: Try to scry on him! He's probably having a bad day. There's enough time.

MARISHA: I'll scry on him.

TALIESIN: There's a gold dragon that should be–

MARISHA: Oh, I haven't used any of my 5th-level spells!

LAURA: Do you have Daylight, still? Something with sun? I guess sunlight would take him out, because

it's during the day.

MARISHA: Yeah. I still have 3rd-level spells. Yep. I also have my 6th-level spells. I have Sunbeam

learned, which is dope.

LIAM: That's all you need.

MARISHA: Okay, I'm going to scry on him.

TALIESIN: Grog, do you want to trade boots, by the way, again?

MATT: Okay, and he's used all of his resistances.

TALIESIN: We don't have to, if you really like them.

MARISHA: He's used all of his legendary resistances? Is that what that was?

MATT: Yeah. That is a natural 19 plus seven wisdom save. So that's a 26.

MARISHA: Oh my god!

SAM: He beat your scry?

MARISHA: He rolled a natural 19?

MATT: Natural 19.

LAURA: You can't do it?

MARISHA: I can do it again. Can I do it again?

MATT: If you have another spell slot for it.

MARISHA: I do it again!

MATT: Natural 16 plus seven. So that's a 23.

SAM: That wins.

LAURA: Can I try to cast Locate Object on the pants he was wearing?

LIAM: That's amazing!

LAURA: They're an object.

TALIESIN: She has seen them.

LAURA: I've seen them!

TALIESIN: They're very nice.

MATT: Let me consult the verbiage of–

LIAM: This is amazing, and I love you. That is amazing!

TALIESIN: That is the greatest thing I've ever heard. Locate Pants. I would like to scry upon the pants. The pantalones.

LIAM: On his loafers.

MATT: Okay. All right, cool. And you have a 2nd-level spell slot for this?

LAURA: Yes.

MATT: So as you complete the spell and try to focus as hard as you can on the pants of Lord Sylas Briarwood–

TALIESIN: He has pajamas he changes into.

LIAM: They're Batman pajamas.

MATT: Nothing.

LAURA: Nothing? He's definitely recovering naked. Fuck! Nothing.

MARISHA: No pants?

LAURA: No pants.

LIAM: He's in the buck!

MARISHA: You guys! He's shirt-cocking somewhere!

(laughter)

MATT: He prepared! He knew! “It's the only way they won't find me!” He pulls his tearaways off and chucks them.

TRAVIS: Just goes up and says hi to people.

MARISHA: Flashing innocents through all the city!

MATT: It's his dominate action.

TRAVIS: Yeah, right!

LAURA: We're going to have to worry about him at some point.

SAM: Not now.

MARISHA: I can try and scrying eye him. I also still have one more 5th-level spell.

LAURA: Yeah, but how are we going to take him out if you use all your spells to find him?

MARISHA: I have a 6th.

TRAVIS: Maybe we let him go.

LIAM: She's saying you got one more shot, and we still have some sunlight.

LAURA and MARISHA: One more time.

MATT: Well, you used the scrying eye before you took the long rest in the Feywild, or was it after?

LIAM: That was for finding the Sword of Kas, wasn't it, before we slept?

MATT: Yeah, that would have been before. Yeah, okay. So you can use it.

MARISHA: But I'm using my 5th-level spell first.

MATT: Okay, you are?

MARISHA: Yeah, I'm using my 3rd.

MATT: That's a natural seven.

SAM: That could work.

MATT: As you close your eyes and focus, trying desperately to find the location of Sylas Briarwood, your vision pulls back and is thrust past the titan, and there's a flash of movement. You're suddenly seeing trees. You're sensing somewhere in the thick forest of the Vasper Timberlands. And there, you focus on rapidly flapping bat wings.

MARISHA: Still trying to get back? He's still trying to get back!

MATT: You don't know. He's in the forest somewhere. He's in a deep forest with bits of snow around him. And you're only catching glimpses of it as he goes through the shadowed underbrush.

MARISHA: No type of landmark?

MATT: Just trees, endless trees.

LAURA: He's running away.

TALIESIN: I would run if I were him.

SAM: Deal with him another day.

MARISHA: He's in the Vasper forest.

LIAM: Well, we'll never see him again.

TALIESIN: He may finally have had enough.

MARISHA: Do you ever think there's a chance for Lady Briarwood to come back?

LAURA: I don't think so.

TRAVIS and LIAM: Never say never.

TALIESIN: Never say never, but probably not.

LAURA: I mean, if we can bring people back, they might be able to.

TRAVIS: That's a good point.

TALIESIN: He would have to work very hard to make it happen.

TRAVIS: We're going to live a life of paranoia, aren't we?

TALIESIN: Well, we knew that going in.

SAM: We'll be okay.

LAURA: So do we go see the leaders here?

SAM: Yeah. Let's go.

TALIESIN: Let's go see who's left.

MATT: All right.

SAM: To the platinum temple?

MATT: As you guys are having this conversation, around the corner, you see there's a few of the eagle riders that are getting on their eagle back and flying off. There is one figure that stays behind and that turns around and begins to walk your direction. In the chaos, you hadn't noticed that when Vecna had been dispelled, the force cage that had maintained and locked in J'mon Sa Ord had vanished. You see them turn around and look towards you in humanoid form. They approach with the long, jet-black hair, the darkened skin, the beautiful coal-like ember eyes. Tall, almost as tall as Grog, though lithe in form and simply clothed. J'mon approaches. “Well, I'm certainly impressed. I apologize to have not been as much help as I had hoped.”

LAURA: That was a shitty spell he cast.

MATT: “It seems to be his forte. Nonetheless, the least I can do is offer you a way into the city.”

TRAVIS: That would be lovely.

MATT: “I would like to speak with the council that remains, as well. Come with me.” J'mon turns around and steps about 20 feet away before the wings sprout out of their back and stretch to each side. You see the large brass dragon form expand, the claws (impact) onto the ground. As they turn their head back over their shoulder, the deep voice of the dragon form: “Hop on.”

LAURA: I'm going to hold on to Velora. And Trinket, I swear it's going to be the last time, buddy. I'm not going to keep making you go in this necklace much more.

MATT: (bear grunts) Licks the side of your cheek. And closes his eyes, waiting for it.

LAURA: Ooh, I love him so much.

MATT: Into the necklace.

LIAM: And as Vax and Keyleth get situated on J'mon's back, I whisper in her ears: I was going to say eagle. Giant eagle.

MARISHA: Yeah. That's good to know.

TRAVIS: I pick up Pike and put her on my shoulders. Get on the dragon.

MATT: Okay. Pike climbs up, now wingless. “Thank you.” Grabs onto the belt you have across your chest.

TRAVIS: Yeah.

MATT: All right. So do you all climb up onto J'mon's back?

SAM: Absolutely.

MATT: All right. J'mon, in Devo'ssa form, then begins to run at a fast speed towards the edge of the city. Eventually, the wings begin to flap, and with one giant thrust of wind, ascends. And once again, you feel the wind rocket through your hair, as was your entry towards the titan. You begin to crest over the edge of Thar Amphala, over the titan, and down towards the center of Vasselheim, the wind roaring past your face, your cloaks whipping behind you. You have a bird's-eye view of the city that you've essentially saved. And really, did so through a quick jaunt to the Feywild. The Braving Grounds still, while in severe disarray and flames still burn, most everything's under control now. Whatever remains of the remnant cultists, warriors, and undead have either been destroyed, captured, or run out of the city. As you pick up 40, 50 feet over the rooftops, you see as hundreds of survivors have haphazardly armed Bastions, as civilians of Vasselheim have picked up whatever arms were available, of soldiers in the streets, children holding the hands of their families, all glance up and point at the majestic brass dragon that coasts not more than maybe 40, 50 feet ahead, signifying once more a symbol of hope and victory. You hear the shouts behind you. As you begin to make your way around the Heaven's Stair mountain and then up, gliding over the steps leading up towards the platinum sanctuary. As you begin to glide up, you can see the steps are littered with broken bone, splatters of blood, broken bodies and silvered armor, and familiar black sludge, connoting the remains of slain gloomstalkers. The immediate ground conflict is over here and has been for some time. The stillness is now occupied with clusters of wounded riders and platinum warriors that now rest atop the apex of the stair and the sanctuary platform itself before you approach the entryway in the pillars. As you ascend, floating up, Devo'ssa lands right at the top of the stair as all the soldiers and medics who are in the process of handling the wounded, gathering the dead, all stop and look at the majestic brass dragon form as they lower themselves to allow each of you to carefully step off. As you do, you watch as the chatter, the conversation, the quiver of worry, the intensity of the recovery, comes to stillness as each of the soldiers, even those who have seen better days, stand up with a look of acknowledgment, greeting you as you arrive, and all give a respectful bow of the head or kneel to you as you approach and pass by. In the stillness, you begin to walk towards the opening of the sanctuary, the doors open already, and glance over your shoulder to see that J'mon has retaken their human form and is now walking at your side. Entering the sanctuary, you can see folks are rushing around a bit, and they notice your arrival, as well, but are also trying to make sure that everything is accounted for, and there's a bit of hustle and bustle. The old Scalebearer Yon, who greeted you first to Vasselheim, approaches quickly. “Oh, goodness me! Hello? You're well. You've looked better, but so have we. That's fine. I have questions to ask. But perhaps it's best that– come with me.” And darts back towards the central meeting chambers of the Platinum Sanctuary. You can see the circle of pillars that surround the wide marbled floors of the center chamber where all these council meetings have previously taken place. You can see battle has taken place here. While most of the bodies or the wounded or dead have been removed at this point, you can see there are elements of chipped and broken stone and marble. You can see scattered remains and blood stains at points towards the entryway. But most of it appears to have been halted at the entryway. All of the combat has halted within the sanctuary. Glancing past, you can see most of the council you met last is not here. They're probably handling their various portions of the city. But you do see amongst a number of inner guardians of the sanctuary Highbearer Vord, who himself looks like he's seen a bit of a fray, and Allura Vysoren to his side. Both harried, but alive. As soon as you begin to approach, their conversation comes to a halt. As Allura turns and sees you all, her face brightens and she immediately rushes up, tossing any sort of formalities to the side, and runs up. Before she can give you a hug, she sees the child in your arms.

LAURA: She's all right.

MATT: “I'm so glad.”

MARISHA: Yeah, group hug!

MATT: She pulls you in, and you all bundle into this big group hug, heaving breaths of relief cascade through your grouping. You hear the throat clear behind as Vord goes, (clears throat).

TRAVIS: Decorum.

LAURA: How's Kima?

MATT: “I assume she's well. She's been doing what she does best, which is wander the streets, destroying things that she doesn't like. I've been keeping a close eye from a distance as best I can. She seems all right.”

TALIESIN: Any word from Gilmore in the last hour?

MATT: “No, why?”

MARISHA: He was in the tower. He was a decoy; we almost slayed him.

LAURA: He'd been taken.

LIAM and TALIESIN: He's all right.

SAM: Do we know where he teleported off to?

MARISHA: We sent him off with Cassandra.

TALIESIN: Into the woods.

LAURA: Into the wood.

SAM: Don't worry, it's a big woods. It'll be okay.

LIAM: This city still stands. You have carried out a miracle.

MATT: “I've done nothing. Word seems to–” And at that point, she gets cut off by Highbearer Vord, who steps forward, his arms crossed. “Word seems to have spread, and I wish not to celebrate prematurely. I have reports that you were there, that you did battle with this ancient beast. What is your assurance? What is your confidence that this is indeed over, and we're not lulled into a false sense of security?”

TRAVIS: We're pretty sure he's alive and well. You know, he's a threat right now. (whispering) What, do we have proof?

LAURA: Oh, proof.

TALIESIN: I've never known a true sense of security. I'm not entirely sure.

SAM: The proof is we're here and we're alive.

LAURA: And that titan has stopped moving.

LIAM: I am the champion of the Raven Queen. And she has allowed me to track his every movement for a while now.

MATT: “I recall you mentioning that when we last met.”

LIAM: He's gone.

TRAVIS: There was a process. We had trammels.

LAURA: You remembered the word.

TRAVIS: Yes.

MARISHA: Do I still have the remains of the broken trammel or did it shatter?

MATT: No, that shit shattered. It turned to dust.

LAURA: Yeah, glitter bomb. Oh, glitter-bomb Vecna! I like the idea that he got glitter-bombed.

MATT: “That was my good eye!”

(laughter)

MATT: All right. You see, as you guys are discussing, the Highbearer's eyes lock to Vax's, and you see softness return to his face. The tension, the unknowing, begins to subside with a smile, comes across his stilted, older elvish visage. “You all. There was a time I did not look past your beginnings. I am ashamed at my misjudgment.” He looks around as folks begin to gather. He acknowledges J'mon, who's approached. They've bowed, carefully. “Many heroes rose to challenge this day. Many we've lost. And many others that remain to remember them. Let us vow to never forget those who gave everything so that we could still stand here to remember. You, Vox Machina, stand as that beacon of hope upon which we all we hold. You may not fully understand the scope of what you have done but I assure you, we do. And we will. We humble of Vasselheim are eternally in your debt. As is much of the ignorant world, perhaps. On behalf of Silver Talon's Reach, I thank you for everything.” The rest of the room who's begun to gather now, you see other soldiers that were waiting outside as you first approached have begun to filter in. And as you glance back towards the entry hallway of the Platinum Sanctuary, you see faces. People that greeted you in. People hearing these words resounding in silence, and they all begin to bow low.

LAURA: This is weird.

SAM: Should we say something?

TRAVIS: Ask for money?

LAURA: They haven't done our fees, right?

MARISHA: I'm supremely uncomfortable.

SAM: You are the leader of your people. Maybe you should say something.

MARISHA: What?

SAM: You're a leader!

MARISHA: No! But I'm not a leader of these people.

LAURA: You've been giving us really good inspirational speeches. Get up and say something.

TALIESIN: Get up and say something.

LAURA: Say something really awesome.

TALIESIN: Just tell people it was brilliant and great.

MARISHA: Okay. I step forward.

MATT: So as you stand here amongst this procession of warriors, people that now look up and don't see Keyleth the druid, they see the Voice of the Tempest. They see one of the as-to-probably-be-remembered saviors of the city and beyond. All eyes are on you as Highbearer Vord steps away.

LIAM: I'm still holding your hand.

MARISHA: (chuckles, sighs) The bravery of Vasselheim remains evident on this day, and you all should be proud that your reputation of a city unfallen by invasion or attack remains, and that is only because of the faith and the bravery and the strength of the citizens of this amazing city. We of Vox Machina are proud and honored to have fought by every single one of you, and we vow to continue to stand by your side through the rest of our days. Huzzah!

ALL: Huzzah!

(cheering)

ASHLEY: Hey, can you hear me?

MATT: With a wave of cheers that roar from within these marbled halls that echo, boom and reverberate–

MARISHA: To 1,000 years of Vasselheim! Huzzah!

MATT: Cheers and cries and fists raise and Pike's cheering–

ASHLEY: Yay!

(laughter)

MATT: You see Velora pull away from Allura's arm, who's come by to help you carry her, and she: (weakly) “Yay.” And Allura looks to you with an absolute look of respect and pride. Even the Highbearer seems to be taken by the words. Shit, everyone in the room gets temporary hit points, practically.

MARISHA: Yeah! 20 hit points now.

MATT: The sun-glass roof, which currently has been sitting within the shadow of the mountain, the sunlight begins to peak past and glide its way across the marble floor as everyone's cheering and the room now, which once was in shadow of the mountain, is now lit up with sunlight. Now you can see the glittering armor that peeks through the dirt, the grime, the blood, shining and sparkling on each of you, across Pike's beautiful armor, across all the warriors that stand here, across the Scalebearer's design, across your hair. The room is filled with light and though you sense the presence of probably Bahamut, glancing down you can't help but think that this is also the approving glance of Pelor, perhaps a bit of the Everlight. As the cheers begin to fade, the crowd begins to pull away. Conversations progress, thank-yous are given, people come up to you. And eventually you guys begin to step out of the Sanctuary and there you look down across the upper platform, looking down over the city. You can see the Birthheart, the Duskmeadow, pillars of smoke rising up as the sun now hangs high in the sky. A cold sensation takes you in the chest, Vax. A small pain. A second one. And your eyes shoot over across to the Raven's Crest, damaged but still standing. You turn around to look at the rest of your family and as you guys look at his face, in but a flash you can see this dark shape behind him. This looming black cloak, this lithe dress that cascades down into a bell and drags across the ground. And there you see the form of the Raven Queen, porcelain mask, long dark hair behind, as her hands slowly creep over the shoulders of Vax'ildan.

TALIESIN: I walk to step in between.

MATT: In between the two of them?

TALIESIN: Yes.

MATT: While the lips do not move on this mask, the voice in your head says, “You've done well, but do not approach. This is not for you.”

MARISHA: No.

TALIESIN: Do you recall what you told me once?

MATT: No response. Do you continue to walk?

TALIESIN: I do.

MATT: Make a wisdom saving throw.

LIAM: Percy.

TALIESIN: No. No, that's– actually, you know what? Hey, that's right. I'm going to Resolve that.

LIAM: Freddie.

TALIESIN: This is not about you. That's a 19, 22.

MATT: That does not do it.

TALIESIN: Damn it. I have a 19.

MATT: I know. Muscles lock into place and you find yourself held there on your third step. The voice, which is omnipresent in your mind, all about, continues. Soothing. Cold, distant but still soothing. The mask slowly looks down towards you. “You have done well, my champion. The skein of destiny has tugged in your wake, and even this victory culminates with the crossing of a few fate-touched souls. By your hand, your bravery, your sacrifice, you ensure a future for all you love and all who will come to love you and what you've done. You may never know the import of your time here, but take solace in the knowledge that you will see the ripples of your actions carry hope for generations to come. My Vax'ildan. It is time. Say your goodbyes, then come join my side.” And the hands pull away. She stands there.

SAM: Now? We don't even get a night together or anything?

MARISHA: It's not fair.

LAURA: We've got a really long time to be alive. You've got an infinite time. What's a few more years?

MARISHA: He sacrificed himself in your name; you remain the only ascended. And yet he still loses?

MATT: “He does not lose. The gifts I gave, indeed all of your patrons gave, were so that you,” and you watch as her hands extend almost impossibly long around her, “and everyone here still stands. I understand selfishness. I understand the impulse of mortality. But I would hope that you understand that the actions that you've allowed Vax'ildan in this sacrifice are far larger. But we made a deal. With power comes a price.”

MARISHA: I'm not ready.

LIAM: You're ready for your people.

MARISHA: Not without you.

LIAM: I am so very proud of you, and so grateful for everything you gave to me. You are going to be a strong leader and a wise leader.

MARISHA: I'll find you. I promise. I'll see you again.

LIAM: I'll never be that far away.

MARISHA: Forever.

LIAM: And ever and always. Boys. My brothers… I love you.

SAM: We love you, too. Thank you for everything. If you want us to fight her, just say jenga, and we will.

LIAM: Maybe from the other side. Someday, just for shits and giggles.

TRAVIS: Can I ask, are you afraid?

LIAM: I'm going to go visit my mother, and I'll see all of you again. Freddie.

TALIESIN: I do not accept this.

LIAM: I know. But I charge you to take good care of my sister and love her. And your friend Keyleth, love her, as well. She will need it. She will need friends.

TALIESIN: Of course.

LIAM: Thank you for trying.

SAM: I wish I could have done more.

LIAM: You did everything. Pickle? Pickle, you showed me the way. I know it doesn't look like that right now, but you absolutely did.

ASHLEY: I wish I could restore you.

LIAM: (chuckles) You taught me purpose, Pickle. Purpose. And I know I will see you again.

ASHLEY: Isn't there–

SAM: She said is there something we can do? It's hard to hear her.

LIAM: Be there for them. You be there for them. You're the light in all our lives.

LAURA: No.

LIAM: I never had a greater friend than you. And we traveled a lot, I never had a greater friend than you.

LAURA: I feel like she's taking part of me away.

LIAM: I will bring it with me to remind me of you.

LAURA: I don't know how to live.

LIAM: I will see you again.

LAURA: I know.

LIAM: I will see you again. And I will tell your mother that you say hello.

LAURA: Please. I love you. I don't accept this.

LIAM: I know that it's hard. And I am sorry.

LAURA: I'm going to find you.

LIAM: I take Keyleth's face in my hands and happily take one more kiss. I'm sorry it's so cold.

MARISHA: I don't care. I don't accept this. I love you.

LIAM: I will never stop loving you.

MARISHA: This isn't fair.

LIAM: I know.

MARISHA: I guess we have to say goodbye.

LIAM: For now. I love you, Keyleth of the Air Ashari.

MARISHA: I love you, Vax'ildan. I'll see you again.

LIAM: I look to the Raven Queen and as I walk closer, since I leveled up, I use the druid cantrip Druidcraft and grow snowdrops out from where I stand, out to all of my family. Out to where they stand. S.H.I.T.s, thank you. How lucky I have been to have had all of you. How lucky, indeed. Thank you. MATT: And he turns and walks towards the darkened cloak of his matron. In the darkness of her cloak, you see a brief light, and it's brighter for you. As you walk forward, you see reaching from the light the dark hair, the fair skin, and the wide smile of your mother, Elaina. As she greets you, she says, “I'm so proud.” The rest of you watch as her cloak begins to fade like a slowly scattered shadow in creeping sunlight. And as the snowdrop flowers continue with each step, you blink, and it's just feathers. We're going to take a break, we'll be back here in a few minutes, guys. (heavy exhale) Still more of this story to tell. See you guys in a bit.

Break
[break]

Part II
MATT: Hello, everyone, and welcome back. So before we jump back in, our winner in the chat of the giveaway is Mister Milgram. Congratulations. Danoba will reach out to you and get your contact information and get your prize sent off to you, so well done. All right, so. Bringing us back in.

TALIESIN: No.

SAM: Something feels different about the table.

MATT: Yeah. As the cold wind subsides and the feathers glide through the wind off the edge of the Silver Talon's Reach, pinnacle of Platinum Sanctuary, you gather your thoughts. Quiet creeps over.

SAM: I feel like I could have taken her if I had a gun. I'm just saying.

MARISHA: Scanlan, have we ever told you you're an asshole?

SAM: All the time.

TALIESIN: I use Manners on Scanlan.

MATT: All right. What's the save on that?

TALIESIN: Wow. Where is it?

MARISHA: You got to sort through all your coffee stains.

TALIESIN: These are my coffee stains. MARISHA: He's really irritable.

SAM: Jesus, you have so many things.

TALIESIN: Yes, I do. It's a–

LAURA: I hug Trinket.

TALIESIN: Ranged attack roll with an attack bonus equal to my dex modifier plus my proficiency bonus.

MARISHA: Keyleth sits next to Vex and lays her head on her shoulder.

SAM: Against AC?

TALIESIN: Against you.

SAM: Oh. (laughs) I'm out.

TALIESIN: Yeah. That's a six, 12, 24, I think.

MATT: Okay and what's the– or it just hits and he has to make–

TALIESIN: It just hits. You can make a strength check against 20.

MATT: To try and break out of it as an action, right? So as you finish your statement, Percival throws an orb at you and it expands, locks you up into this cage of metal bars and claws and chains, and you're locked in place, unable to move.

SAM: Feels right.

TRAVIS: Was that necessary?

TALIESIN: I'll let him out when I'm feeling like it.

TRAVIS: Makes sense. MARISHA: I don't have the strength to argue with him.

LAURA: Sorry, Scanlan.

SAM: (muffled) It's okay. I'm okay in here.

TALIESIN: Actually, I'll unlock it so he can say that.

SAM: Oh, hi. That was a very touching ceremony. Well, I'll just be in here, crying.

MARISHA: Aw.

LAURA: Percy, please let him out, I can't take it right now.

TALIESIN: I very quickly go through Scanlan's pockets to make sure there's nothing else that I need to take back from him.

MATT: Make an investigation check.

TALIESIN: Thank you. Nope. I let him out. Manners.

MARISHA: That might be the last natural one of this campaign. You have to scream it from a mountaintop, man.

SAM: The golden snitch!

LAURA: How could you do that?

MARISHA: Betrayal.

MATT: It's mine now.

(laughter)

TRAVIS: A celestial hand reaches out of the clouds.

MATT: Hello, next campaign.

LAURA: Oh shit.

MARISHA: One man's trash.

LAURA: Keyleth, dear.

MARISHA: Yes?

LAURA: I know it was never made official, but I'm assuming you two would've spent your life together. As much of it as he had, anyway.

MARISHA: He taught me how to love and I have a hard time with interpersonal relationships.

LAURA: I would've never known.

MARISHA: So I would've held onto that one for as long as I could've. And I still will.

LAURA: I still count you as my sister.

MARISHA: As I count you as mine. Going to have to look out for each other now.

LAURA: Yes.

TALIESIN: I'm going to quietly wander outside.

MATT: You're on the platform outside.

TALIESIN: Oh, I'm going to break off for a second.

MARISHA: Also, fuck that raven bitch.

LAURA: She's terrible.

MARISHA: What the fuck?

LAURA: You know we have a temple to her in Whitestone. I mean, here's the thing though. I feel like I want to destroy it because I hate her so much, but at the same time, I feel like we should leave it because maybe we can talk to him through it. We'll try it.

TRAVIS: Pike.

ASHLEY: Yeah?

TRAVIS: While we're here, I feel like if Bahamut is the natural enemy of Tiamat, I don't know if I want to be bound to this sword for much longer. I feel like my time of hunting Vecna is done. I feel like we have Arkhan's hand. Maybe if we handed it over to the Platinum– these people?

ASHLEY: Okay. Yeah.

TRAVIS: Then somebody else could take up that hunt, right?

ASHLEY: If that's what you want, Grog. I don't think that's a bad idea.

TRAVIS: Yeah. Okay. I think I want to turn over this sword, but would you stay with me?

ASHLEY: Of course I will.

TRAVIS: He's very persuasive. Actually, Scanlan, will you come with me also?

SAM: Absolutely.

TRAVIS: All right. Can I make my way back towards somebody official-looking?

MATT: That would be either Highbearer Vord or the one you met earlier.

TRAVIS: Highbearer Orb sounds good.

MATT: As you step back into the Platinum Sanctuary, the voice creeps in your head. “I know not what you're thinking, but know: together we are more powerful than anyone who's wielded me. We could take him down. We could destroy it all. You cannot, you will not discard me.”

TRAVIS: Anyone ever? Stronger than anyone that's ever wielded you?

MATT: “Anyone who's ever wielded me. Together, we could bring down anything that bears his title. Anyone who pursues his power.”

ASHLEY: Grog?

TRAVIS: Yeah?

ASHLEY: What's he saying?

TRAVIS: (sighs) You make a really good point. We're really strong together and unstoppable.

MATT: You feel this (pulse) in your brain, there's a flash vision of the hand, once held in your grasp, swollen atop the actual body of Vecna in the battle. Your vision comes back and that urge in your belly creeps up.

TRAVIS: I mean, hold on, Pike. Maybe we could do a lot of good. We could really rid the world of a lot of bad stuff.

ASHLEY: Listen, we did that before you knew this sword. We're all strong together. You were strong before it and you'll be strong after it.

TRAVIS: (exhales) Okay. (strained) Highbearer Orb, a moment, please.

MATT: As you enter the chamber once more, the Highbearer turns around. “Yes, Grog Strongjaw, what do you require?”

TRAVIS: I would like to make a deposit.

MATT: “Go on.”

TRAVIS: I have on my person the Sword–

MATT: Make a wisdom saving throw.

TRAVIS: Okay. 14.

MATT: The words don't escape your mouth and you realize this was a bad idea.

TRAVIS: (sighs) I'm so sorry to waste your time. I wanted to thank you for hosting us. Bidet. And I start to turn and walk out.

ASHLEY: I grab him by the hand. So he can't go anywhere.

SAM: Are you not doing this, Grog?

TRAVIS: It's a bad idea.

MATT: “We could do so much together. We can destroy anyone who's ever thought to pray to the now Undying King sealed away. We could wipe his presence from this planet!”

TRAVIS: (strained) Together we could do so much, we could dry eraser-board the planet.

SAM: Whatever your wishes are, Grog. I'll go along with it. If you wish to keep the sword, that's fine with me.

TRAVIS: I want to keep it.

SAM: Great.

ASHLEY: Scanlan, I don't think this is a good idea.

SAM: Okay. Sell me on this.

ASHLEY: Look at him!

SAM: He's just flexing his face muscles.

ASHLEY: He's getting all weird.

TRAVIS: (strained) I want to keep it!

SAM: No, he does this when he needs to go poo. I've seen him do it.

ASHLEY: I know. He definitely does this when he needs to go poo. But this is so much worse!

SAM: I mean, it's been a hard day. I think we all need a really good bowel movement.

TRAVIS: I start walking out of the Sanctuary.

MATT: Pike, make a strength check.

ASHLEY: No. Yes.

MATT: So roll and add your strength modifier, which I think is four.

ASHLEY: It's five.

MATT: Oh, it's five.

LAURA: She's got the gauntlets on.

MATT: Gauntlets bring it to 19, so it'll be a plus four, I'm pretty sure.

ASHLEY: Wait, I think I had a plus one somewhere.

SAM: Did you get some boon or boost or something?

ASHLEY: With a plus four, it's 17.

MATT: 17. Grog, roll a strength check.

LAURA: Roll a one! Roll a one!

TRAVIS: 19.

MATT: 19. Pike, your feet begin to scrape against the marble as Grog's form and strength, which is just a little bit more than you. He's a little more monster than your monster right now.

ASHLEY: Can I swing my other hand up and try to pull more?

MATT: I'll allow you one more strength check with disadvantage.

SAM: Really conflicted here.

TRAVIS: (strained) I want to help the planet.

SAM: He seems totally normal to me.

ASHLEY: 14.

MATT: Grog, roll another strength check.

TRAVIS: 15.

MATT: Still, your metal boots are scraping across the marble as you're pulling and trying to hold him back as he's walking out the room. The voice says, “Yes. Together, the two of us.”

TRAVIS: (strained) Just the two of us. We can make it if we try! Just the two of us, Kas and I.

MATT: Highbearer Vord says, “Is everything all right?”

SAM: Pike, do you want me to try to stop him? What's going on?

ASHLEY: I think this is not a good idea. Grog, this is something you wanted to do. You need to fight it.

TRAVIS: Can I try and fight it?

MATT: You already lost at the moment. So yeah, he's currently locked into that mindset.

SAM: Pike, should I do something or no?

ASHLEY: Well, I think we could both do something, but I want Grog to fight this.

SAM: Why don't I help him fight it? I will cast Suggestion on Grog, using my last level two spell. And suggest that he think long and hard about maybe fighting back against this sword. One more time.

ASHLEY: Then if it doesn't work, I have an idea.

MATT: All right. So bringing up Suggestion here, make a wisdom saving throw, Grog.

TRAVIS: 11.

MATT: 11. Okay. As the suggestion creeps through your mind, the familiar voice of Scanlan through your ears gives you just enough moment of pause to allow you an additional saving throw against the influence.

TRAVIS: Maybe I'll take mine– is it a wisdom saving throw?

MATT: Yes, it is.

TRAVIS: That's a five.

TALIESIN: My god, we're saved.

MATT: The suggestion does not seem to take hold and he's now dragged Pike almost back to the entryway of the Platinum Sanctuary and the Highbearer is still looking a bit confused.

SAM: He's made his choice.

ASHLEY: No! Grog. Stop just one moment.

TRAVIS: Okay. I stop.

ASHLEY: And I look him in the eyes, I cast Greater Restoration. Still have another slot left, will that work?

MATT: I would like you to go ahead and make a wisdom check. This is contested against the wisdom of the sword.

ASHLEY: I'm casting it at 7th-level because that's all I have left.

MATT: You know what, it's not going to have much of an effect on this really, unfortunately. But the spell's cast. So roll a d20 and add your wisdom modifier.

MARISHA: You're smarter than a sword!

ASHLEY: Do I get an advantage?

MATT: Unfortunately, no in the circumstance. Just roll a d20 and add your wisdom modifier, which I believe is a five?

ASHLEY: I have. Yeah, it's five. So nine.

MARISHA and SAM: Oh!

MATT: Well, (laughs).

ASHLEY: You die.

MATT: Yeah, you actually die. No. That's not worth it. It's fine.

SAM: Vax comes back and kills you.

MATT: Yeah. I rolled a seven and he has a wisdom modifier of plus one.

LAURA: Oh shit!

MARISHA: Oh my god, you did it!

MATT: Like I legitimately– that's pretty stupid.

TALIESIN: Did you use my die?

MATT: No, I did not use your die. I used my purple one. I'm saving yours for the next campaign. So as the strength of wills between the cleric and the sword begin to combat, the warmth of Pike's friendship and the force of Sarenrae's guidance washes through your body and the cold steel of the sword begins to warm to the touch. And for a brief minute, it gets so warm it's hot. It burns your fingertips and you instinctively throw the blade to the ground. It clatters and slides about 15 feet from you, spiraling and sparking across the marble floor. The Highbearer's foot catches it in place. He leans forward. “Now I'm certainly curious.”

TRAVIS: (deep breath) It is the Sword of Kas.

MATT: You watch as the color begins to somewhat return to Grog's face, his eyes returning to their natural pigment. The sallow, sunken features of his body begin to fill out once more, the influence of the blade having left his psyche and physicality.

ASHLEY: Oh. You're back to light gray again. You look great.

TRAVIS: I'm feeling so achy. What happened? Whew!

ASHLEY: You made a decision and I felt it was the right thing to do.

TRAVIS: Yeah. We kept the sword, right?

ASHLEY: Yeah, it's there.

SAM: They're holding it for you.

TRAVIS: Oh. Okay.

MATT: At this point, you can see two of the other Scalebearer guardians have flanked the sides of the Highbearer. As he removes his foot from the blade and steps back, they both carefully lift it with a gauntlet and present it before him and he glances down. “So you say this blade aided you?”

TRAVIS: Yes. That blade, careful with it, very powerful. He is bent on the destruction of one thing and one thing only. Vecna.

MATT: “Good to know. We'll keep this within our vaults in case the day or time arises.”

TRAVIS: Wait! I have something else. Then I show the hand of Arkhan.

MATT: “Yes?” It flops limply in your grasp.

TRAVIS: Oh! The person that owned this hand– okay, stay with me. Chopped this off and took Vecna's hand and stuck it on and then this got left over. So this is not his hand anymore and the one that he does have is Vecna's. So if you use your noodle, you can use this to trace him.

MATT: “There are limitations to the use of such objects. It may be of some aid to us, but the knowledge of this individual is far more important. However, we will accept this thing.” And he ushers his hand forward and another servant comes forward and retrieves the hand from you and folds the fingers up and places it within a small pillow. Backs away.

ASHLEY: I think that was a great idea.

TRAVIS: Yeah, right? It was pretty smart.

ASHLEY: Yes, it was very smart.

MATT: “What was the name of this? This current wielder of the Hand of Vecna.”

TRAVIS: Arkin. Arkeen?

SAM: Arkhan.

TRAVIS: Arkhan. Arkhan the Fool. The Cruel. The–

SAM: Misguided.

MATT: “Arkhan the Misguided?”

TRAVIS: Don't underestimate him. He's really buff and devious.

SAM: And he's got another hand that he could chop off too. One in reserve.

MATT: “Very well. So we'll begin to do research and seek out this Arkhan the Cruel?”

TRAVIS: Cool. Yeah, he was pretty cool. He was pretty cool.

SAM: I was fighting a god. I didn't really catch his name.

TRAVIS: Well see, don't hurt him. He actually helped us defeat Vecna. He pulled a tricksy-doodle and took the hand.

MATT: “I would do whatever it takes to not trust individuals who would steal such an artifact with their own means.”

TRAVIS: Sure.

MATT: “We'll find this individual. Rest assured. The will of Bahamut turned on him now, I doubt he'll find a place to hide. Thank you very much.”

TRAVIS: Yep. Beep beep. All right, Pike, shall we away?

ASHLEY: We shall away.

TRAVIS: Scanlan, shall we away?

SAM: Away we shall.

TRAVIS: Away we– oui oui?

ASHLEY and SAM: Oui oui!

SAM, TRAVIS, and ASHLEY: Bidet.

MATT: “Bidet.” As you exit the Sanctuary, you meet up with the rest of your friends that are still taking their quiet moments of reflection on the exterior platform on the outside of the Sanctuary overlooking the eastern side of Vasselheim.

ASHLEY: How do you feel?

TRAVIS: I feel good. I feel like pursuing Vecna was something that we all did together and I feel like whatever we do now is new and I felt like I was going to have to do that on my own and I don't want to do that.

LAURA: Grog, you wouldn't have to do anything on your own.

TRAVIS: That's good to know.

LAURA: Yeah. We're in this together.

SAM: I've got a thing, actually, I've got to get to.

LAURA: Can I walk over to Percy? Are you still over by yourself?

TALIESIN: Well, yeah. I'll take care of something. I'm sitting in a corner and I'm staring into the reflection of my sword. And I'm gently tapping the contract in my pocket. And I'm going to say, Ipkesh.

LAURA: No. I'm going to sit down next to you.

TALIESIN: You're too late. You've been doing a thing. Could you bring him back? Would it, the thing that you gave me, bring him back?

MATT: There's no answer.

TALIESIN: Hmm. Nothing at all. All right.

LAURA: Now I'm going to sit down next to you. How are you?

TALIESIN: I have no idea. I think I really miss my family. I think I miss my sisters and my parents. I think I was going to be a clockmaker once. I haven't thought about that. There was a moment. Do you remember when we met?

LAURA: I do.

TALIESIN: I, for a brief time, thought that I had died within that prison and I was having a fever dream from starvation and this was what that felt like, was my mind making stories of friends and adventures and these things I would never do because I was a coward and fool. I miss my family so much and I've done some terrible things. I gave Grog that sword.

LAURA: You did.

TALIESIN: It didn't feel real.

LAURA: Now it does.

TALIESIN: I don't know. This is new. I'm sorry.

LAURA: What were you going to do? Are you going to fight the Raven Queen for me?

TALIESIN: Many years ago, I went to make a deal with her and she told me that I was broken and that I had always been broken. Part of me was going to save your brother and really, I just wanted to prove it to her. I wanted to hurt her for hurting me.

LAURA: I think we're all broken, Percy.

TALIESIN: I am so tired of hurting people.

LAURA: You don't have to hurt anyone anymore.

TALIESIN: I love you very much.

LAURA: I love you.

TALIESIN: This has been a terrible day.

LAURA: It's horrible!

TALIESIN: Where's Kiki? Where's Scanlan? I think I owe him an apology. Oh god, I owe Grog an apology. Maybe I'll not apologize to Grog. That sounds like a really terrible idea.

LAURA: Darling.

TALIESIN: Yes?

LAURA: You're a good person and you're not broken anymore. All right? We'll filling each other's gaps. We'll be the glue.

TALIESIN: Thank you.

LAURA: And don't do anything crazy anymore. No deals with Raven Queens, all right? Let's not fight any more gods. TALIESIN: I was going to say let's destroy the one in Whitestone. Maybe we could seal it up, leave it because you know, but–

LAURA: I want to see if I can talk to him through it. Is that stupid?

TALIESIN: How would I know? Seems worth a shot. I'm too tired to be angry.

LAURA: We did a thing today. A pretty big thing.

TALIESIN: Was that today? It legitimately feels like a week ago at this point.

(laughter)

TALIESIN: It's been a long day. Yeah, we'll rejoin. Sorry about Manners. That was rude.

SAM: Are you apologizing for something?

TALIESIN: Yes.

SAM: That's stupid.

TALIESIN: I know.

SAM: I never said sorry for leaving!

TALIESIN: Yeah, but you're you. You don't have to apologize, we just assume.

SAM: Well, I'm sorry. Sorry I left.

TALIESIN: I will not accept it so that when you come to your senses later, you don't feel like you've compromised. But thank you.

(laughter)

SAM: That's fair.

TRAVIS: You handing out apologies?

TALIESIN: No. Yes. Sorry about the skull.

MARISHA: Oh. I'm pretty sure you just handed out an apology after you just said you weren't going to hand out an apology.

TALIESIN: I'm a human. I'm made of contradictions. You people wouldn't understand.

MARISHA: I think Percy is a walking contradiction.

TRAVIS: I will consider accepting your apology if you tell me whatever happened to it.

TALIESIN: (sighs) Oh my god. I legitimately don't remember.

MARISHA: I thought– wait, we–

MATT: At that point, two hands drape around the side of Grog's shoulder up top and Vex as the long golden braids down the arms of Allura Vysoren says, “My friend Grog, best not to worry about it. Wherever it is, it's beyond our grasp now.”

TRAVIS: Okay, Allura.

(laughter)

MARISHA: Did you just sitcom mug? “Okay, Allura!”

(laughter)

MATT: If we could've freeze-framed and rolled credits on that to end the campaign, I would have been happy. (laughs) Allura takes her hands back, then reaches over and musses up the side of Pike's hair. (sighs) “We've been through quite a bit together, haven't we?”

LAURA: So much.

MATT: “Lot of ups and downs.”

MARISHA: You were quite an inspiration, Allura. I hope you know. You inspired me quite a lot.

MATT: “I'm only doing what everybody else is doing in this world: make it up as you go along.”

MARISHA: We know a lot about that. Allura, is Vasselheim going to be looking for members to join the council?

MATT: “Vasselheim? What do you mean? Vasselheim is mostly a religious council, if you know.”

MARISHA: Totally.

MATT: “I could put in a word, but I didn't consider this really your type of–”

MARISHA: No, right.

MATT: “Here?”

SAM: She's asking for somebody else, I'm pretty sure she wasn't asking for her.

MARISHA: I actually was, actually.

MATT: “Oh. I can inquire.”

MARISHA: I was thinking Pike, but I don't know–

MATT: “If I do recall, you have a temple here. One that you pretty much built.”

TALIESIN: How is that temple right now?

MATT: “That's a very good question. Pike? Would you like to go see your temple?”

ASHLEY: I would like to go see my temple.

MATT: “Very well.” She waves her fingers a bit and casts Fly on all of you.

LAURA: Oh shit, on everybody?!

MATT: On a high enough level, you can.

ASHLEY: Whoa.

TRAVIS: Pike! Go upside down! (wookiee growl)

LAURA: That was the best wookiee noise you've ever made, babe!

TALIESIN: That was a really good wookiee noise.

TRAVIS: (mediocre wookiee growl)

MATT: Retracted immediately. As she was here helping defend, she didn't waste her 8th-level slot, she is able to get you guys all flying for the moment and you all coast. As she finishes casting the spell, you could see some of the nearby wardens of the Platinum Sanctuary go, “Um–” “I know it's arcane, shut up. It's fine.” You all take off the steps and begin to glide down over to the city, and there you can already see people are coming out of their homes. Exactly. So eventually, you find your way north to the Quadroads, towards the base of the Heaven Stair Mountain, where the temple resides. The temple looks like it's sustained a little bit of damage. It looks like a portion of the upper floor of the three-tier tower– Colosseum-esque, but it does taper a bit towards the top. The top part has partially fallen in and it looks like it's seen wear and tear, but it doesn't look like it's been destroyed or anything. As you come up to the temple, you can already see there are refugees of homes that were destroyed from the incursion of the Braving Grounds that are being gathered in and the temple's filled with people. On the outside, you see Gesyra, the older woman who helped you found the temple and build it. As she approaches, she's now one of the Priests of Rebirth and has been working with you for some time and turns and sees your face. You can see her graying hair, which is bunned up very tightly in the back. She has her spectacles and she has the long robes of blue and gold. She sees you. “My Pike!” She rushes up and gives you a hug. She's much bigger than you, being a human, but her posture puts her almost on your level. “I'm so glad you're safe.”

ASHLEY: It's so wonderful to see your face.

MATT: “We've housed who we can. We're a bit at capacity at the moment.”

ASHLEY: Okay. Well, it looks a bit better than I thought it would.

MATT: “We did our best to defend. Is it done?”

ASHLEY: It's done.

MATT: You see her eyes crack at that moment and tears begin to flow. She smiles. “I knew you could do it.”

ASHLEY: Well, we all did.

MATT: She looks around at the rest of you, pats you on the head for a minute and pulls away and goes, “You get to wear the greatest outfits, don't you?”

ASHLEY: (giggles)

MATT: “Well, anything you need, food, we have room for a few more.”

SAM: I would suggest that we– there's bars here, right? In Vasselheim? They drink, don't they?

MATT: Oh, yeah. There's bars here.

MARISHA: Maybe they do a dry city after a certain time.

MATT: Are you kidding me? Religion and alcohol go together perfectly. That's a time-honored tradition!

SAM: Why don't we go find a tavern somewhere and let these people pick up the pieces, and give them their space?

MARISHA: Do you need any type of water, or anything we can immediately assist you with?

MATT: “Clean water would be wonderful.”

MARISHA: Do you have somewhere to put it?

MATT: “Just a moment!” And she goes inside for a moment and calls out, four of the other lower acolytes of Sarenrae's temple, and they all have various buckets and reservoirs–

MARISHA: I burn as many Create Water spells as it takes to fill them up.

MATT: They bring you inside, where there's the large statue of Sarenrae, where you had your first vision that called you to come find her. And there is a fountain as part of that and a reservoir in the bottom that has currently been mostly emptied to facilitate everyone here who needed water or to clean wounds. You help fill that and you very, very quickly manage to get the temple back to an easily sustainable level.

TALIESIN: Pike?

ASHLEY: Yes?

TALIESIN: I could use your assistance. I don't think I should have this, and I need this to be taken away from me before I do something foolish. And I hand Pike my contract.

ASHLEY: (sighs) I take it. Percy, what is this?

TALIESIN: This, I thought, was proof that I was in control of myself. But it's just a terrible thing waiting to happen.

SAM: Ashley, I just texted you the contract.

TALIESIN: Thank you. How do you have it on autosave?! Do you just have it?

SAM: Yeah.

ASHLEY: I mean, I somewhat know what it is.

TALIESIN: I don't think it can be destroyed. But maybe it can be put far away.

ASHLEY: I will keep this, at the very least, very far from you.

TALIESIN: I have every faith in you. Thank you. I think I'm done with that.

SAM: Pike, I have a porno book that I really think I shouldn't have anymore. Can I give it to you to take it away–

TALIESIN: I'll take it away!

SAM: Oh, you'll take it? Okay.

TRAVIS: I would like to bid on it, as well. Yeah, I have some money still–

SAM: It's not great.

TALIESIN: Can you text it to us actually?

ASHLEY: Could you text me the book?

SAM: Sure.

TALIESIN: That's a three jpeg, man. Sorry.

MATT: So you guys go off to find a tavern and drink together?

TRAVIS: Yeah.

SAM: Yeah. We need to go have some toasts to Vax.

LAURA and MARISHA: Yeah.

MATT: All right.

LAURA: You said Allura took Velora?

MATT: Yeah. Well, at this point, she's probably still carrying her with you.

LAURA: Oh, okay. I thought you said Allura took her away. Okay.

MATT: Yeah, because Allura took her off of you– You know what? No, she's probably being tended to at the Platinum Sanctuary at the moment, seeing to her wounds.

LAURA: Did I just leave her? I feel weird just leaving her.

MARISHA: She'll be fine. She'll be safe.

TRAVIS: She's in some pretty solid hands.

LAURA: I'll run back and talk to her.

MATT: Okay. So you head back into the Sanctuary and retrieve her.

LAURA: I'm going to make sure her wounds were tended because she was pretty busted up.

MATT: She was. Thankfully, there are a number of clerics and healers available that can take a moment away from the wounded of the battle to deal with a little girl. And when you come to her, she's still a bit battered and bruised. But she's all right.

LAURA: Is there anyone who can send me to Syngorn?

TALIESIN: Why doesn't she stay with us for a while?

MATT: You're asking this of anybody at the temple?

LAURA: Do you think we should–

SAM: We can take a day.

TALIESIN: I think maybe a little time spent in our company, as opposed to your father's company, would not be the worst idea.

LAURA: Maybe a message of Sending. Can anyone do that? Pike? Do you have the message of Sending?

SAM: To whom?

LAURA: To my father.

MARISHA: To let him know that his daughter is still alive.

ASHLEY: I don't have it with me, but I–

LAURA: Okay. Allura, you've done it before.

MATT: “Yes.”

LAURA: Could you send something to my father?

MATT: “I could. I could also bring her there, if you'd like.”

LAURA: No. Velora, would you want to go home right now?

MATT: Right now she's holding onto your neck a bit. She looks at you. “I miss you.”

LAURA: I miss you too.

MATT: “Can I stay a bit longer?”

LAURA: Okay.

MATT: “Okay.”

TALIESIN: I think that's a great idea.

LAURA: I think so too. Allura, will you say that Velora is safe, and that I'll be paying a visit very soon to return her?

MATT: “I believe that,” and for a moment she looks just beyond your eyes, squints, “he's aware.”

LAURA: Thank you.

MATT: “So to drinks?”

LAURA and TALIESIN: To drinks.

MATT: “I don't really drink. But after a day like today, I think I need one.”

TRAVIS: Yeah!

LAURA: Apple juice for you, little one!

MATT: She giggles in your ear. All right.

LAURA: I'm bringing my sister to a bar.

SAM: Your nearly dead sister.

MARISHA: Yeah. She's going to have to be introduced at some point.

MATT: Yeah. Allura takes a moment and squints her eyes for a second, apparently Sending another message, and then nodding. She leads you guys towards the Quadroads, and finds a pub called The Quarry's End. And it's not too far from Sarenrae's temple, which is why she chose it, and it looks to be like it was near a quarry that was built into the mountain that either dried up or was closed down for some reason, and then a tavern was opened instead as a means of still making money. It's super dive-y, it smells of stained wood and spilled wine. It's musty and perfect. And as you all come in, it's mostly empty, as people are still in the process of trying to figure things out. The few that are in there appear to be wounded soldiers that, as opposed to getting medical help, are in the process of drinking themselves into a numb state. But you find a table, you sit down, one of the barmaids comes up to you, goes: “Drinking away the fray, are you?”

TALIESIN: I put, like, 20 gold on the table.

MATT: “Oh!”

TALIESIN: We will take the cheapest, worst beer you have, and a round for everyone in the bar.

MATT: “But of course, sir! My pleasure!” Takes the coin.

TALIESIN: If everyone's all right with that.

LAURA: Of course, dear.

TRAVIS: Can I also start pulling out the remaining eight expensive-ass bottles of wine from the bag of holding?

MARISHA: Hell yeah! Drunk as shit! Now's the time!

MATT: Within moments, your table is covered in terrible beer and really expensive wine!

TRAVIS: Expensive-ass!

LAURA: That's what you wrote down, too.

TRAVIS: Expensive-ass bottles of wine.

MATT: You pull two tables together and you guys are in the process– You're a fair bit into your cups, and then the somewhat ajar door on the exterior slams open as the light filters in from the outside, and there you see standing the general half-height of an armored halfling, partially bloodied, armor dented as shit.

TRAVIS and MARISHA: Kima!

MATT: Kima, as she walks in, sauntering in, with her blade being sheathed in the back of her giant scabbard, her Holy Avenger. “Got your message, honey! Not going to pass up a drink after a day like this!” (cracking) “Ow, ow, ow!” She comes and sits down next to Allura and puts her arm around her real fast. “This is new!” and points to the drink in front of Allura.

TALIESIN: It's a special occasion.

MARISHA: We're bad influences.

TRAVIS: Yeah. Desperate times and all that.

MATT: “Good. I guess that's why we're friends.”

MARISHA: I see you're working the late shift.

MATT: “Well, you know. When there's streets crawling with skeletons, I got to be there.”

TALIESIN: Been having a good time, then?

MATT: “Oh, it's been amazing! It's been terrible! Terrible. But amazing!”

MARISHA: Well, we frontloaded our hours.

LAURA: Can we have another cup?

MATT: “Yeah!” The barmaid comes by, gets another cup, and leaves you guys all to drink and swap stories.

TALIESIN: That thing that I was bugging you about?

MARISHA: Which one? You bug me about a lot of things.

TALIESIN: Well, that's fair. Now that I have a bit of alcohol in me.

MARISHA: Yeah, and you ask me after I have a bit of alcohol in me. And I scry on Cassandra.

MATT: Okay.

TALIESIN: Oh god, he flipped a page. I hate that.

MATT: You take a long, deep sip of your drink and then close your eyes as you complete the scrying ritual you've half-scrawled on the dark wood wall on the side of the tavern. Your vision goes cloudy, and you feel yourself being transitioned rapidly through wind and cloud as the temperature of your atmosphere begins to drop, and there, you begin to break cloud cover to look down upon Whitestone. Your vision jumps once more to the exterior of the castle, jumps once more, and there you see, lying in bed, covers pulled up to her chest, with at least three different servants and one medical personnel there at her side, bag open, tending to her wounds. She's asleep, but she's breathing.

MARISHA: Looks like she's been tended to like a proper de Rolo.

LAURA: Did you see Kaylie and Gilmore?

MARISHA: Did I see Kaylie and Gilmore?

MATT: Not in the room, no.

TALIESIN: She made it back to Whitestone. One would assume that's how she got there.

MARISHA: She was not doing well. Gilmore was the most able-bodied. I'm assuming he got her there. I hope.

TALIESIN: I'm sure. I have faith.

MARISHA: I'll scry on the rest of them tomorrow.

TALIESIN: I'm drunk. Don't get used to it.

MARISHA and TALIESIN: Faithless until the end.

MARISHA: Thank you, Percy.

TALIESIN: Thank you, Keyleth.

MARISHA: You taught me just the right amount of how to be a shithead. Just enough.

SAM: We should toast to Vax'ildan, our fallen member.

MATT: At which point, Kima goes, “Yeah, where is that asshole, anyway?”

SAM: He's really stealthy.

MATT: “Ain't that the truth. All right.” She grabs her cup.

LAURA: Apple juice.

MATT: She's holding a cup.

SAM: What do you have, Ashley?

ASHLEY: I have a cup, and it's a vintage cup. I don't need to talk about this.

(laughter)

MATT: Glasses raised, and at this point as the glasses are raised, you can hear whispers off to the side. You glance over, and you can see one of the nearby tables, which is filled with four Bastions who had been drinking to the battle and have now taken notice and seemingly recognized who's at the table across the way. They're all staring, and they all grab their glasses and raise them, too.

LAURA: To Vax'ildan. He was the best of us.

MARISHA: The most selfless.

SAM: The most frequently naked.

MARISHA: Second to you.

TRAVIS: The most frustrating.

TALIESIN: The brightest and the darkest.

SAM: That's true. To Vax.

ALL: To Vax.

MATT: “So. What comes next?”

TRAVIS: What does come next?

MARISHA: (sighs) It's hard to think after a day that feels like a week, like today.

LAURA: Syngorn and Whitestone, I would assume.

TALIESIN: Home for a bit, at least. And of course, everybody is welcome, always.

MARISHA: I've got to get back to Zephrah.

SAM: Do we have to check on Greyskull Keep?

LAURA: In Emon?

SAM: I don't know.

LAURA: Someone should stay there.

TRAVIS: We left it as an outpost. I wouldn't mind going back to Whitestone for a bit.

TALIESIN: I'll also say, for those of you, especially. Grog, you have your freedoms, and if you wanted to become lord of Greystone and have a place of your own that you could invite us to, as opposed to wandering.

MARISHA: Greyskull?

TALIESIN: Greyskull.

TRAVIS: (hesitant noises)

LAURA: Or you could just hang in Whitestone.

TRAVIS: I'll think about it. It seems like that has responsibilities.

LAURA: The Grand Poobah has a lot of responsibilities, too.

TRAVIS: I do. There is an updated tour.

SAM: We'll go to Whitestone and figure it out. That's where Kaylie is, right? We assume.

LAURA: Potentially.

MARISHA: I don't think I can go back to Whitestone with you.

LAURA: Why?

SAM: Oh, why? You've got to go back to your people?

MARISHA: I have to go back to Zephrah.

TALIESIN: Well, I think we're going to need help getting to Whitestone, and then I think it's going to take at least a day for you to regain the power to return to your people.

MARISHA: Bad influences, all of you. Assholes.

TALIESIN: We're not getting rid of you quite that easily.

MARISHA: All right. One day.

TRAVIS: If you can bear it.

MARISHA: And then I want to not see your faces for a bit.

SAM: Sure, that makes sense. Pikey-poo, where are you going?

ASHLEY: Well, I'd like to come with you guys for a little bit because frankly, I don't really want to be alone for a while.

TALIESIN: I don't think any of us do.

TRAVIS: I pull her into the biggest hug.

ASHLEY: Oh, P– oh, Grog.

TRAVIS: You almost called me your own name. It's okay. You'll be fine.

ASHLEY: I was going to call you Poobah, but then I wanted to say your real name.

MARISHA: We could go back to Whitestone whenever. I've still got a little bit of juice left.

LAURA: You've got enough juice to get us to Whitestone right now?

MARISHA: I do, believe it or fucking not.

TRAVIS: I don't. You gave us the option.

MARISHA: What?

TRAVIS: You said believe it or fucking not. I call nope.

MARISHA: Oh, it was more of a rhetorical– it's like a trick or treat– why do we still try to explain things to him? I haven't learned.

ASHLEY: Because he's learning.

MATT: Kima's clasping her cup and goes, “I can watch this all day.”

TRAVIS: Thank you, Pike.

ASHLEY: He learns something new every day.

TALIESIN: How did Whitestone look?

MATT: It's blurred at a distance. Aside from the specific target of your scrying, you don't get much of a vision, just an idea of the blurry exterior.

LAURA: Should we drunkenly walk to the tree?

SAM: Are we transporting tonight? Why don't we chill for a night?

LAURA: Don't you want to see your daughter?

SAM: Well, of course, but I'm drunk and bloody.

MARISHA: We can drunkenly walk there and take our time and enjoy the stars and we can– oh Scanlan–

SAM: Did you have a drink?

MARISHA: Scanlan.

SAM: What can we do?

MARISHA: We can do little arcane cantrips when no one's looking and break the rules a little bit. Of Vasselheim. Just cantrips, though.

SAM: You're such a rebel.

MARISHA: I know.

TALIESIN: I forgot.

MARISHA: What?

TALIESIN: No, you're fine.

MARISHA: What?

TALIESIN: Nothing. You're fine. Love you very much.

MARISHA: I've lost the love of my life today. I'm allowed to be belligerent.

TALIESIN: You are.

TRAVIS: Are we throwing caution to the wind?

SAM: Sure.

TRAVIS: I do have something that might up the party a little bit.

SAM: Okay, what is it?

TRAVIS: I reach into the bag of holding and I pull out a little leather pouch.

MARISHA: Do you have that sandkheg shit?

LAURA: No.

TRAVIS: What?

SAM: What is that? What have you got?

TRAVIS: So I've got this little deck of cards and every time someone pulls from it, great shit happens.

ASHLEY: I'm in.

TRAVIS: One. Two. Scanlan?

SAM: I've seen this before, haven't I? I think I was with you when you got the guy rich. Wasn't I?

MATT: No, he was on his own.

TRAVIS: He's the Lord of the Quadroads now.

SAM: I was with him when he did one of them, though.

MATT: You're semi-aware that there's something going on. Make an arcana check.

TALIESIN: Oh, this could go so badly.

SAM: 15.

MATT: 15. Something creeping in the back of your mind, something you've learned, something you've heard, really tells you that this is powerful and chaotic.

SAM: I'll watch for now.

TRAVIS: You'll partake.

SAM: Probably.

TRAVIS: Three. Percy?

TALIESIN: I think I've had enough for one day.

SAM: If we're going to do that, we should go back to Whitestone first.

TRAVIS: Why? This place is already fucked up. Let's get it on. Keyleth?

MARISHA: I am drunk enough to where I'm not going to stop it or argue against it, but I won't partake, so that's pretty good for me.

TRAVIS: Why are you so resistant to gifts and wonder? Magic?

MARISHA: Grog, you've had two weapons speak to you–

TRAVIS: Don't be jelly.

LAURA: Nothing powerful comes without a price. We saw that. We just saw that with the Raven Queen. Power comes at a price. You think that wonderful things are going to be pulled out of your hands here, and there's going to be no consequences?

TRAVIS: Pretty much.

MARISHA: Grog, haven't we been through enough shit to know nothing's free?

TRAVIS: What?

MARISHA: Fuck it.

TRAVIS: Here or Whitestone?

TALIESIN: Oh, definitely not at Whitestone.

TRAVIS: All right. Pike, you want one?

(laughter)

TALIESIN: I've always worried about the two of you.

ASHLEY: Well, I think you should pick a card, and we deal with one as of right now. And then maybe I'll pick one later.

TRAVIS: Well, jeez, I thought we were all having tequila shots and going crazy and taking pictures and writing our name on the bathroom walls, but it seems like everybody's lost their nerve. I put it back in the bag of holding.

(laughter and groaning)

MATT: You're such an asshole!

TALIESIN: You're such a dick.

LAURA: Don't do it!

MARISHA: You insult our resolve and hold out on us all at the same time?

TRAVIS: The night's still young.

ASHLEY: Ugh, just pick one!

MATT: All right.

SAM: We're traveling now? We're drunk!

MARISHA: Yeah!

TALIESIN: Let's drive a tree. It'll be fun.

MATT: You all wander outside of the tavern, find your way over to the nearest tree that's functional. It takes you a little bit, because a lot of trees look thicker at a distance when you're drunk than when you approach.

MARISHA: Yeah, no, this one won't work. No, this won't work. Sorry.

TALIESIN: That's more of a shrub.

MARISHA: Sorry. Next one. That one looks good.

TALIESIN: Yes, that looks nice.

SAM: That's a young boy.

TALIESIN: Oh, yes.

MATT: Eventually, you find the tree that'll work, which is interesting, because you have this combination of people that are recognizing you as Vox Machina, as the whispered saviors of the town as you drunkenly stumble through the city streets, naught but hours after sealing a recently ascended god. It's strangely so perfect for you. As you approach the tree that you find that'll work, Allura has her arm over Kima. She's a lightweight. “You go on ahead. We need to help here with the construction effort.”

LAURA: You've got to get your construction on?

MATT: “No, we're just–” And then Kima goes, “Yes!”

TRAVIS: (laughing) She doesn't handle that booze very well.

MATT: “We'll see you soon. Travel safe, and thank you.”

SAM: Love you.

MATT: “Okay.”

(laughter)

MATT: Kima drags her hand. Kima's drank far more, but is sober. She can hold her liquor. “All right, thank you, guys!” And grabs her hand and pulls her off, and they both wave bye as they step back into the city. You complete your spell, emerging from the exterior of the Sun Tree. Back in Whitestone, the comfort is here once more. It seems to be just past dusk at this point.

MARISHA: (slurred) See? When you travel– wait, no. When you travel west to east, you gain time. See?

SAM: Yeah, you called it.

ASHLEY: Time travel.

MARISHA: (slurred) Happy hour is right now in Whitestone. Just saying.

TALIESIN: Let's head home?

SAM: That works.

MARISHA: Okay. Heading home works.

MATT: You guys make your way to the castle. Food is presented. Everyone's happy to see you back. What do you want to do?

SAM: Now or forever?

MATT: Oh, we'll get to the forever bit in a minute.

MARISHA: Cry myself to sleep?

SAM: I want to go see Kaylie, I guess, if she's around. Are we hanging out together, or are we breaking off?

LAURA: (quietly) Go see your daughter.

SAM: All right. I'm going to go see Kaylie.

MATT: Okay. Asking around a bit, it doesn't take much to find Kaylie in your old room in Whitestone, the one where you both left when you first exited the group for a short time. She's in there, bandaged up, and looks like she's taking a dagger and throwing it into the wall, then walking over and pulling it back out, sitting back on the bed and throwing it, and it bounces off. The hilt hits. She's like, “Fuck.” Picks it back up and doesn't notice you in the doorway. As she sits back down, she looks over.

SAM: Hi.

MATT: “Hi.”

SAM: You with a dagger in your hand's always a little scary.

MATT: “Why, does it frighten you?”

SAM: Not any–

MATT: “Boo!”

SAM: (yelps) Okay, it frightens me a little.

MATT: She sheathes it on the side.

SAM: You okay?

MATT: “I've had better days. I'm all right.”

SAM: Good.

MATT: “You're alive.”

SAM: Surprisingly, yes. We won.

MATT: “I figured, if you're standing here before me. That's good. Congratulations.”

SAM: Thanks. I'm sorry that I had to go do that. I had to.

MATT: “I'd be disappointed if you'd've came back with me. More important things.”

SAM: So what now? Do you want to go back to Ank'Harel and keep criming?

MATT: You watch for a brief second her tough exterior break, and you can see her eyes welling up a little bit. She looks at the ground for a minute, then looks back up at you. “I'm glad you're safe.”

SAM: I'm so happy I got to see you again. I thought for a second that when we said goodbye, it was the last time.

MATT: “I didn't. I know you too well, at this point. You're too much of a turd to die.”

SAM: That's true. Only good people die.

MATT: “I'd like to go back to Ank'Harel. I don't know if this whole Meat Man thing's for me anymore.”

SAM: Yeah. No, I hear you. I don't know if it's for me, either. It was fun.

MATT: “It was a lot of fun!”

SAM: It felt like we were killing time a little bit. There's something else that we should do. I don't know what. Maybe your thing won't be my thing.

MATT: “Let's find someone to pass on the mantle to, eh?”

SAM: That's a good idea.

MATT: “I think the Meat Man should be there, just not us.”

SAM: Yeah, that's a great idea. We'll train a replacement.

MATT: “Still take a percentage. I mean, we worked this hard!”

SAM: Passive income, right? It's the dream.

MATT: “It's the meat and potatoes of any good business venture.”

SAM: I should have thought of that. That's amazing.

MATT: “That's why the daughter's an upgrade. After that, I don't know. I hate to admit it, but–”

SAM: Did you finish school?

MATT: “No.”

SAM: Do you want to?

MATT: “Yeah.”

SAM: All right. Well, let's do that, then. You go to school.

MATT: “I'm not really made for a lyceum. We can go visit. I didn't expect you to recommend schooling!”

SAM: Listen, I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, and I don't want you to make the same ones. I love you, and I want to support you in whatever you want to do, at this point. My time has come, and I've done my thing, and my thing is done, and now I want to help you do whatever it is that you want to do. If that means I can be close to you, then great, but if it doesn't, then I'll come visit every once in a while. We made quite a bit of money as the Meat Man.

MATT: “Aye, that we did.”

SAM: And it's a good sum to get started.

MATT: “Would it be enough to pay for a right top-end education so I can gloat over all the other kids that are raised by the various lords and ladies of Emon? Become one of those privileged kids.”

SAM: You can have the best education.

MATT: “That's what I want to do. I want to rub it in their face.”

SAM: All right. Education for spite. I like that.

MATT: “That sounds like a Shorthalt endeavor.”

SAM: Sure. Whatever you need.

MATT: She stands up from the bed and walks over and puts her hand on your shoulder in a pat, pat. She pulls you into a hug and rests her head on your shoulder and doesn't say anything.

SAM: You won't have to worry about me anymore.

MATT: “I'm going to worry about you every day.”

SAM: Thank you. Thank you for coming into my life.

MATT: “Thank you for being enough of a shitbag to bring me into it.”

SAM: I'm so happy. I made so many mistakes, but it turns out that some of them weren't mistakes, after all.

MATT: “I'm still young and unlearned. Time will tell.” She pulls you a little tighter in.

SAM: I'll snuggle and fall asleep in the room at some point.

MATT: She smells the alcohol on your breath and (groans). “Go lie there. I'm going to–” (groans) She winces as her wound in her shoulder flares up. “I need some fresh air. You go to sleep.” Exhaustion hits you, and you end up passing out at the foot of the bed.

SAM: I'm in my room now?

MATT: Yeah, your old room.

LAURA: I'm going to tuck Velora into bed.

MATT: She's asleep by the time you get there. Travel and everything has tuckered her out. You tuck her in, put the blanket up.

LAURA: I tiptoe out of the room, and I find Percy.

TALIESIN: I'll be in Cassandra's room.

LAURA: Percival?

TALIESIN: Yes?

LAURA: Could I talk to you for a moment?

TALIESIN: Of course.

LAURA: I completely understand if you want to stay with Cassandra for the night. Would you mind not being very comfortable, though? I was thinking of camping in the woods.

TALIESIN: I think that sounds lovely, and you're always better than comfortable. I had a thought, actually. My god, it is hard surviving, isn't it? Perhaps Keyleth could use a friend right now, and I know that you carry one with you.

LAURA: Trinket?

TALIESIN: Just for a bit. I think she could use a companion who's not going to apologize or give too much sympathy.

LAURA: Of course. I send Trinket to Keyleth's room.

MATT: As Trinket ascends the stairs, he looks back over the shoulder. (questioning noise)

LAURA: She might cry a lot on you. All right, dear?

MATT: Makes it up the stairs.

LAURA: It's going to be a lot harder to stay warm out in the woods now.

TALIESIN: We'll figure something out. I grew up here. I'm used to it.

LAURA: I wanted to remember how I used to camp with Vax when we were kids.

TALIESIN: I'd like to see that.

LAURA: I guess we go out and set up a little fire.

MATT: You guys make your way into the woods and set up a camp for the evening's rest together. Keyleth, are you in your room? The door (creaks) and Trinket comes in and stares right at you. (slurps) And licks up the side of your face. Your hair sticks up for a minute.

MARISHA: Oh, buddy!

MATT: (bear noises) He leans in and plops down on the ground, a giant beanbag mound of bear fur.

MARISHA: I cover Trinket with snot and tears as I sob into his belly. First night alone, but with Trinket.

TALIESIN: Best teddy bear ever.

MARISHA: Aware of the gesture. I cry.

MATT: Eventually the exhaustion and the alcohol hits you, and you fall asleep, cuddled up in the warm embrace of a very fantastic, recently meteor-struck bear.

MARISHA: Drool and eyeliner and dirt.

MATT: Voice of the Tempest.

SAM: You were wearing eyeliner to our fight?

MARISHA: Remember, I charcoal war-painted?

SAM: That makes sense.

TRAVIS: Has everybody gone off?

MATT: Pike actually would still be around.

TRAVIS: I make my way sneakily outside.

MATT: Pike, what are you doing?

ASHLEY: There's a couple of things.

TALIESIN: There's a lovely tea rose garden in the back.

SAM: She's letting Grog go first.

TRAVIS: Oh, really?

ASHLEY: If you wanted to go somewhere, sneak away.

TRAVIS: Oh, you know, I was just gonna, um.

MATT: Who wants to go first? Pike? Grog? Who's going first?

ASHLEY: Just for a little bit, for about an hour, I want to go– not deep into the woods where Percy and Vex are, but somewhere that's pretty for about an hour, and I'll make my way back.

MATT: As you're out there on your own, contemplating quietly, ruminating on the day, a faint howl finds the air, and stepping from the shadows, you see a large gray wolf: Galdric, the wolf that once belonged to the previous champion of the Raven Queen, Purvan, who was given charge over the forests on the outside. Saunters up to you. He is a large wolf. You are a tiny gnome. He steps up, sits next to you. In this little break in the trees where you can see the moon breaking through some of the passing clouds over Whitestone. The night is so cold, you can see your breath in the dark air through the beams of moonlight that make it through the canopy. As the wolf looks down at you, his intense eyes making a full scan of what you are, there's a recognition to his expression. The wolf looks back up. (howls) And gives a long, baleful howl, seemingly in remembrance and acknowledging that one with a familiar path to his has found his way back to the realm of the Raven Queen, as well.

ASHLEY: You are a beautiful creature. This might be strange, but I give him a hug.

MATT: You hug Galdric. You're used to Trinket, who's pretty well manicured. Galdric, not so much. There are clusters of fur that are dirt-encrusted.

TRAVIS: Shit in them.

MATT: Probably. He's not a full, ruined beast. He lives in the forest. Smells of earth, dust, and nature. Doesn't seem to react to your hug, but allows it.

ASHLEY: I sit next to him.

MATT: He seems to share the space with you for the time that you're in the forest. Not a strong connection, but an acknowledgement, mainly focusing on the moon before it passes through the canopy and is no longer visible.

ASHLEY: I came out here to build a little something, so I'm glad to have you out here for a little bit. Thank you for staying with me.

MATT: The one ear to the side perks open to listen to your statement, but the vision doesn't meet yours, still focused in space as it fades. You get the essence that the wolf acknowledges you.

ASHLEY: (sighs) I feel like Grog would be so happy right now to be around a wolf. I give him a scratch behind his ear.

MATT: He actually seems to enjoy it and gives into it. One of the giant hind legs of the wolf–

ASHLEY: Oh, that's a good boy. I give out a little howl.

MATT: He howls along with you. (howls)

ASHLEY: That was for my friend Vax.

MATT: The wolf gets up, circles you once, and makes his way into the darkness of the forest once more.

ASHLEY: Goodbye. After a bit, I head back.

MATT: Okay. Grog?

TRAVIS: I wander outside, where I'm by myself. Do I see anyone?

MATT: Make a perception check.

TRAVIS: Like it matters. Oh! 17.

MATT: Glancing about, there are some of the Pale Guard around. Nobody that you would be looking for, necessarily. You seem to be open to do as you please.

SAM: Yeah.

TRAVIS: I pull a card.

SAM: Yes!

TALIESIN: I'm so proud of you.

MARISHA: Wait, where are you?

LAURA: Outside of the castle.

MARISHA: In the middle of fucking Whitestone?

MATT: Oh my god, Grog.

ASHLEY: Wait, as I'm walking back, do I see him at all?

MATT: (chuckles) Out in front of the castle, out in the courtyard area?

TRAVIS: Yeah. It's nighttime.

MATT: Make a perception check, Pike.

SAM: Make it good.

TALIESIN: Roll a natural 20.

ASHLEY: I rolled a natural 20.

MARISHA: Shut your mouth!

TRAVIS: I rolled a bunch of hit dice from our short rest.

MATT: As you're quietly climbing up the walkway to the base of Castle Whitestone–

ASHLEY: He's out in the open.

MATT: Yeah. You do. You look up and see Grog pull a card from the deck.

ASHLEY: I stand and watch for a moment.

SAM: Oh, here's the deck.

LAURA: Oh my god. It is really happening. I can't fucking believe–

MARISHA: Travis, pull good! Oh, please don't bring pit fiends on our heads.

TRAVIS: I might have.

SAM: Negative two to everything.

MATT: Hold on. Deck of Many Things. All right, so. Grog, what did you pull?

ASHLEY: Oh shit.

MATT: Void.

TALIESIN: Oh no!

MARISHA: That can't be good.

MATT: I'm sure it's fine.

LAURA: That's the worst one you could get!

SAM: The crew's laughing. Something's bad. Something's very bad.

TRAVIS: I'm pretty sure–

LAURA: That is so bad!

TALIESIN: Oh my god! (laughs)

SAM: Wait, Pike saw him.

MATT: Pike.

SAM: You get a reaction.

MARISHA: Did our internet go?

(screaming and groaning)

MATT: Of all moments.

TALIESIN: (cackles) This is your doing!

MATT: While we're here, Grog, I'm going to read you the card. This black card spells disaster. Your soul is drawn from your body and contained in an object in a place of the DM's choice. One or more powerful beings guard the place. While your soul is trapped in this way, your body is incapacitated. A Wish spell can't restore your soul, but the spell reveals the location of the object that holds it. You draw no more cards.

SAM: Wait, read it again.

TRAVIS: I'll tell you. My soul is drawn from my body. My body is incapacitated. It is placed within an object that the DM chooses. A Wish spell will tell you the location of the object, but will not reverse the action.

SAM: Can anything reverse it?

MATT: Finding it and retrieving the object and restoring the soul.

MARISHA: You fucking dick. You're a fucking dick!

LAURA: Well, the campaign goes on for another– I can't believe you just fucking did that.

SAM: Wait, she rolled.

LAURA: Ashley?

SAM: She rolled something. Oh, that was her 20 from before.

MATT: Looks like we may have her back. Hopefully, because this is going to be– oh my god.

MARISHA: It is bad!

SAM: Oh my god, Travis. Why would you do that?

MATT: Give me the card. Let this be a lesson to everybody out there.

LAURA: Oh my god!

MARISHA: You said you weren't going to bring the Deck of Many Things into the game, and then you did!

MATT: No regrets.

TALIESIN: Hashtag no regrets.

MATT: No “regerts” at all.

TALIESIN: Oh god, I can't even.

LAURA: Is Ashley texting?

TALIESIN: She's just yelling obscenities.

SAM: Her internet just died.

MARISHA: (mispronouncing) Worst fucking timing! Internet has gone! Timing! Worst fucking timing!

TALIESIN: It's just obscenities. That's all it is.

MATT: So Grog, as you draw the card from the deck, your vision goes tunneled, dark, to a pinpoint: a singular pinpoint of deep, ruby red. And that's all. Your consciousness falls into a catatonic state.

SAM: Does she get a reaction or anything?

MATT: No.

MARISHA: She doesn't get shit? She just watches?

MATT: She sees it happen.

SAM: With her 20, she saw!

MATT: I know. She's aware.

SAM: She can't yell? She can't cast something?

MATT: No, because he pulled the card. It's not a big (grunts). It's a (flip).

SAM: All right.

MATT: All righty, so.

MARISHA: I guess we'll add that to our to do list.

TALIESIN: I'd like to think that in the next campaign, we're going to find you in a glass coffin like Sleeping fucking Beauty.

MARISHA: Yeah.

TRAVIS: My body's still there.

SAM: She rolled a 17.

MARISHA: So Grog's body is still there–

MATT: He's catatonic until the soul's returned.

MARISHA: Catatonic.

MATT: To be fair, you've sealed Vecna. At level 19 and 20, this is not going to be an earth-shattering experience.

MARISHA: Sure, it's just an annoyance.

MATT: And for the sake of the epilogue evening: you guys, all planning to return to your various lives to relax–

TRAVIS: I'm there catatonic with an open deck of cards in my hand like this.

LIAM: You dingus!

MARISHA: Goddamn it!

TRAVIS: Somebody's going to find me.

SAM: To Grog! He was the dumbest of us all. He was the dumb and the dumb.

TALIESIN: May he rest in bed sores for all eternity.

MATT: You spend the next two weeks finding your way through the halls of Pandemonium.

LAURA: I can't fucking believe that shit.

MARISHA: Wait, we spend two weeks?

SAM: The halls of Pandemonium?

MATT: Yes, where his soul is currently encapsulated.

SAM: God, you asshole.

MARISHA: In what?

TRAVIS: What are the halls of Pandemonium?

MARISHA: I should be mourning right now, and I'm hunting your stupid ass down!

TRAVIS: I'm keeping you occupied. I really did this for you.

MATT: Pandemonium is a plane of madness: a great mass of rock riddled with tunnels carved by howling winds. It is cold, noisy, and dark, with no natural light. Wind quickly extinguishes nonmagical open flames such as torches and campfires. It also makes conversation possible only by yelling, and even then only at a maximum distance of ten feet. Most of the plane's inhabitants are creatures that were banished to the plane with no hope of escape, and many of them have been driven mad by the incessant winds or forced to take shelter in places where the winds die down until they sound like distant cries of torment. So yeah, that's a fun time. It's a fun adventure you guys go on to retrieve Grog's soul.

MARISHA: Great therapy lesson.

TRAVIS: We'll one-shot it later.

(laughter)

MARISHA: A healing trip.

SAM: It's a good side quest for the future someday.

MATT: A good moment of, “Oh, we're not going to get a rest.” Hopefully, we'll get Ashley back, but in the meantime, for the purposes of this, you come back two weeks after, extremely angry. Grog, as suddenly you're restored, and that tiny bead of light fades back, and you're not outside anymore. You're actually sitting in a reclined, cushioned couch or chair of some kind in Castle Whitestone, and all of your currently living friends are all around you, looking very angry.

TRAVIS: Oh! It got me a chair.

LAURA: You fucking idiot.

TRAVIS: What?

LAURA: I cannot believe you did that.

TRAVIS: Did what?

MARISHA: Keyleth backhands him with the hand that has the most rings on it, of power.

TRAVIS: Do I lose any hit points?

MARISHA: Probably not!

TRAVIS: What? What happened?

TALIESIN: You lost card privileges.

SAM: Yep. Hand them over.

TALIESIN: Oh, we already took the whole deck.

TRAVIS: Wait!

SAM: You may lose your belt for this, friend.

LAURA: Yeah. You're lucky we didn't shave your beard. Yeah.

TRAVIS: I fucked up.

LAURA: You fucked up a lot.

SAM: Percy lost his arm rescuing you!

TRAVIS: I'm sorry.

TALIESIN: Are you?

TRAVIS: No.

(laughter)

TRAVIS: All right. I just thought, it did fantastic things before! I don't know why it doesn't like me so much.

TALIESIN: I don't think it was personal.

TRAVIS: Are you sure?

SAM: You've learned a lesson that we had to pay for.

TRAVIS: All right. Sorry, guys. Sorry, Pike.

ASHLEY: Hello?

(laughter)

MATT: Look at that timing. I don't even know, man.

SAM: Pike, can you hear us?

ASHLEY: My internet crashed at the worst fucking time.

MARISHA: We can't even see you right now. You're a silhouette on the screen, but we can hear you.

MATT: Pike, do you know what happened?

SAM: Yeah, I texted her the gist of what happened.

ASHLEY: Okay, so you disappeared?

MATT: Grog's soul was trapped somewhere on the plane of Pandemonium, and you guys had to take two weeks and battle your way through a terrible plane filled with wind and madness and creatures that were banished there to never escape, eventually battling some terrible beast that was guarding the gem that contained his soul, returned, and he just now woke up on the couch after restoring his consciousness to his body, and has been slapped in the face by Keyleth and told that he lost card privileges.

TRAVIS: (tearfully) And Percy lost his arm!

ASHLEY: Oh no. Wait, what?!

SAM: Well, I may have been fibbing about that part.

MARISHA: It might be a cheap joke.

TALIESIN: I might have lost my arm or I might be hiding it behind my back. I'm not sure.

TRAVIS: So news flash, pro tip: the cards may be dangerous.

TALIESIN: That's good to know.

ASHLEY: Okay. Maybe we leave it alone, then.

LAURA: Hey! Hi! Oh my god, that was craziness.

SAM: Nice. Any other things that we need to wrap up for the evening?

TALIESIN: I pull a card from the deck.

SAM: No! I invoke the third contract.

MATT: I'll draw the card for you. Whichever one smashes Whitestone.

TALIESIN: Suddenly, I lose everything.

MATT: Exactly. Oh my god, if you pull that card?

TALIESIN: Wouldn't that be amazing?

MATT: Don't you even.

LAURA: Penniless?

MATT: Everything he owns crumbles to dust.

TRAVIS: Everything.

MATT: All material wealth.

TALIESIN: It's why I don't pull cards!

MARISHA: How fucked would that be? So fucked.

SAM: Bring it in.

MATT: After this unexpected side venture, you all say your goodbyes for the time being, scatter to the various business you have to. Pike? Is there anything else you wanted to do?

ASHLEY: Are we leaving?

MATT: Was there anything else this evening you needed to situate? I was going to begin to facilitate the epilogue.

SAM: What do you want to do?

ASHLEY: Can I grab Keyleth and Vex real quick?

MARISHA: Yeah. Girl power.

ASHLEY: I'll take them to the little spot where I was in the woods.

LAURA: Two weeks ago.

(laughter)

TRAVIS: Sorry.

ASHLEY: Okay. So hey, I put something together. It's dumb, but I made a bench and I put Vax's name on it and I didn't want to make him a headstone because that seems so final. Maybe he's still around somewhere.

LAURA: He is.

ASHLEY: I also have these. I take out two of his feathers that I grabbed. And I thought you could put this with the feathers in your hair, Vex and Keyleth, you could do something with this.

MARISHA: I think I have the perfect place for this. Thank you.

LAURA: Thank you, Pike.

MARISHA: Thank you so much.

ASHLEY: I'm sure you could make it look a little prettier than it is but–

MARISHA: I think it's perfect.

LAURA: It's absolutely perfect.

MARISHA: Where are we going to put it?

LAURA: Do you want it out in the woods?

ASHLEY: Maybe we should just leave it here.

LAURA: I like it.

MARISHA: I think he'd like that.

ASHLEY: I think he would too.

MARISHA: Something you have to stumble upon. It's a little hidden.

LAURA: Yeah, it's stealthy!

MARISHA: Stealthy memorial!

ASHLEY: Okay. I'll let you guys stay. I just wanted to do one more thing. Okay, I walk over to where Scanlan is.

SAM: You mean two weeks ago or are we after–

MATT: No, this is after the random, unexpected Pandemonium trip.

ASHLEY: Wait, is Grog on the trip or was that–

MATT: Well, no. You guys had to go there to find his soul.

MARISHA: Grog was the reason for this season!

TRAVIS: To be fair, nothing really happened in that mind.

MATT: That's true.

ASHLEY: Hey Scanlan!

SAM: Oi, Pike.

ASHLEY: How are you doing?

SAM: Now that Percy's arm has healed, I'm fine.

ASHLEY: Now that was bad, wasn't it?

SAM: Yeah. That bugbear came out of nowhere.

ASHLEY: The bugbear, you said?

SAM: Don't worry about it. I'm fine.

ASHLEY: I thought I forgot about that, maybe. Listen, I'm glad you're alive.

SAM: Me too. Thanks for saving us all in that big fight.

ASHLEY: Thank you for saving us all. I don't really have a whole lot to say, I care for you a lot and I wanted to let you know that.

SAM: I care for you, Pike. I've always loved you since the moment I met you and I'm so happy that we became friends as well.

ASHLEY: Me too.

SAM: Thank you for everything. Thank you for putting up with me when I was a shit and I hope that I've become more tolerable for you. After all that we've been through, I was wondering if I could ask you a question. I have a proposal for you, if you don't mind. Well, now that everything is safe again and back to normal, I was wondering if I could take you on a date. To a restaurant or something, then maybe if it goes well, we could go on another date and that's it.

ASHLEY: Well, I actually was going to ask you the same thing!

SAM: Well then. I'll let you do it! No, you do it! I don't want to– I take it back! I don't ask you on a date!

MARISHA: Oh.

ASHLEY: Oh no.

SAM: Oh no! The internet! Can you hear me, Ashley?

(groaning)

SAM: Denied.

TALIESIN: That was amazing!

LAURA, MATT, and SAM: That was a yes.

MARISHA: It's 2017. When will we will have better Skype?

TALIESIN: That's the most Scanlan thing I could have ever hoped for.

MATT: Remember, we're America. We have the worst Internet in the world. Weirdly. Net neutrality. As you guys gather, say your temporary goodbyes, knowing that you're all still very in touch with each other, knowing you care about each other, you begin to forge whatever life looks like outside of perpetual danger and the constant onslaught and struggle of terrors and heroic necessity. Scanlan.

SAM: Oh! Sorry, I'm having a text romance with Ashley Johnson right now.

MATT: Then I'll come back to you.

SAM: No. I'm ready. I can pull myself away from Pike for a second.

MATT: What does Scanlan do in the next year? Next five years, next ten years?

SAM: (clears throat) I have one prepared. Well, she's not here, so I don't know but I wrote down–

ASHLEY: Can you hear me at all?

SAM: Oh god, I love this!

ASHLEY: Sorry, my Internet keeps going out.

TRAVIS: It's okay.

LAURA: Perfect timing, Ash.

MATT: It's all right. So assuming that you guys went on a date. I'm discussing with Scanlan his epilogue. What does he wish to do in the next year, five and ten years?

SAM: My plan, what I wrote down, was find Kaylie, make sure she's okay. Help Pike repair Vasselheim or literally whatever she wants to do. Give all money to Kaylie except for my platinum bracelets with sapphires worth 2,500 gold that I send anonymously to Sybil to make sure she's taken care of. Long term, I would like to use my Wish/Teleport to check on Kaylie every now and then, at school or wherever she ends up.

MATT: She ends up at the Alabaster Lyceum in Emon, which is one of the highest places of learning. You have connections to the council and with the money that you've given her, she lords over many of the children of the various nobles.

TALIESIN: I would have recommended my tutor, but of course, Vax slit his throat right about the time you met him. He was a good tutor before that.

SAM: I don't know but we'll wait until we get to Ashley to find out how things are going with our dating. Otherwise, in my free time, I would love to use my time to write down the epic stories of Vox Machina, from our meeting to saving the world and everything in between. It will be difficult as Scanlan is not an author, but he will rely on guidance from Ioun herself and may even ask Sprigg to be a copy-editor of sorts. The working title is “In the Belly of Dragons: The Legend of Scanlan Shorthalt and Vox Machina”. Working title.

TRAVIS: “In the Anus of Dragons,” accurately.

SAM: And I hope to finish the book by the time I turn 71.

TRAVIS: How old are you, exactly?

SAM: Oh, I'd be 70. When we started, I was 69.

LAURA: You were that young?

SAM: Yeah.

LAURA: You motherfucker!

TALIESIN: You're full of shit.

LAURA: Oh my god, I can't believe you were that young.

TRAVIS: This whole time?

LAURA: I thought you were 300 years old. Jesus.

TALIESIN: Just full of shit.

SAM: I mean, that's about it. I think every once in a while, I would maybe try to see if I could see Vax or check in on him somehow, but I don't know how other than to scry.

MATT: Which does not succeed, but you still send your thoughts and wishes into the ether in hopes that they find their way there. Okay.

MATT: So following off that, the story of Taryon Darrington, which I have something written for here based off what he did. Feel free to embellish or change how you see fit. As the months pass, the Darrington family has adjusted somewhat to a more humble lifestyle, and their work of charity within the city of Deastok and the neighboring lands goes far to clean up the family name from where it once was. While their influence was greatly diminished and they're essentially a political laughingstock, the message of their work still strikes a chord in some of the more philanthropic lords to the north and an alliance is made that protects the Darrington name and interests from the Myriad's ever wiley grasp for the time being. Doty 3.0 now stands a shining golden color, gifted the materials by a thankful ore baron whom Taryon's Brigade of Adventurers saved from a terrifying doppelgänger's plot. His troupe continues to gain a small bit of notoriety in the southern lands of the Dwendalian Empire, some good, some humorous. His mother, Mariya, ever cheering them on and making their tabards for years before passing away peacefully, proud of her boy. Her passing brings the rest of the family closer together than it's ever been. And the charitable efforts, surprisingly, of Howaardt now encompass the Darrington Brigade as a non-profit adventuring league. During a gambling run in Port Demali to follow, Taryon stumbles upon a now slightly more haggard Lawrence, now working as a tanner. They immediately fell right back where they left off and Lawrence cashed in his life as a leather worker to join the Brigade alongside Taryon.

LAURA: Oh! That's so great!

SAM: I love it!

MATT: Anything you wish to add to that?

SAM: No, I had written a letter, but yours is much better. Yeah, that's great.

LAURA: You wrote a letter?

SAM: I didn't know how much Matt was going to put.

MATT: You could still read the letter.

SAM: I can read the end of the letter.

MATT: Okay.

MARISHA: Oh, Sam.

SAM: No, it's fine. You did good.

MATT: I didn't mean to step on anything you did.

SAM: No, you did great. Much better.

MATT: Pike. Wilhand spends his twilight years helping with small tasks around the emerging House of the Everlight as it is built on the northern edge of Westruun before age finally takes him in peace amongst friends and family. The red-brick house you grew up in and Grog grew along with you for a while is left in your name and there you know you have ever a homestead in Westruun in memory of Wilhand and the friendships you forged. What else would you like to do? What else do you wish to achieve, Pike, as the years go on? That could pertain to you and whatever relationship with Scanlan you wish to embellish on.

SAM: Should we roll for dating?

(laughter)

MATT: There's a chart somewhere in second edition.

ASHLEY: I don't know what Grog's plans are, but I do know if there were any adventuring to be had, that her and Grog got to on some adventures together.

TRAVIS: Yeah!

ASHLEY: And that he always has a place in my home and I know I would love to– I'm sure at this point, fully rebuild the temple in Vasselheim. I think things have gone well with Scanlan. Oh man, I'm getting so emotional.

SAM: Like second-base well or even better than that?

ASHLEY: Well, I think if we spend enough time together, maybe, I don't know, can we see what else life has for us together?

SAM: Absolutely.

ASHLEY: That doesn't have to mean anything more. I know your life, what you like to do and I'll give you freedom.

SAM: No, I think the most free I've ever been is with you.

ASHLEY: I think there's no one I would rather spend the rest of my days with, besides my pal Grog. I think you get a two-for-one deal!

SAM: Sure. The weird family dynamic.

TRAVIS: You guys keep it quiet up there, please?

SAM: Weird roommates. Giant lower floor, tiny upper floor.

LIAM: The ceiling is one inch above your head.

ASHLEY: I think at some point, I ask Scanlan for his hand in marriage.

SAM: I mean, I would have to ask Wilhand for his permission.

MATT: He passed away.

SAM: Well then, I would go leave some flowers at the grave.

TRAVIS: You can ask me.

SAM: Oh, I will ask Grog for permission. Grog, as the father figure in our weird household, I would like to ask for your permission to wed your not-daughter, Pike, who is much smarter and older than you.

TRAVIS: You're a scoundrel. Do you have any money?

SAM: I have this little black rock that you gave me.

TRAVIS: That's worth literally nothing. How about you give her this? And I take out the rare black sapphire and put it in your hand.

SAM: That's pretty good.

TRAVIS: I'm fucking watching you, you understand?

SAM: I won't hurt her, I promise.

TRAVIS: Don't you slip up!

SAM: Nope, I know you could kill me in my sleep.

TRAVIS: I know. I usually put dead people in the bag of holding, but there's always a first! Treat her right.

SAM: Would you walk me down the aisle and by walk me down the aisle, I mean carry me down the aisle?

(laughter)

TRAVIS: (high-pitched) Yes.

SAM: All right, let's have a group weird hug.

MATT: Aw. All righty. Anything else, Pike? Are you happy with that?

SAM: Do I have to convert, Pike?

ASHLEY: What's that?

SAM: Do I have to convert? I'm an Iounian.

ASHLEY: No.

SAM: Okay, I'm good.

LAURA: You're Iounish?

ASHLEY: Sarenrae's very accepting of other gods.

SAM: Multi-faith ceremony. There you go.

MARISHA: 16 rites of passage.

MATT: Anything else, Pike?

ASHLEY: No.

MATT: Okay. All right, we'll leave it at that. Percival. Vex'ahlia. Since your fates are rather intertwined, I ask you both what are your plans, what are your plots?

TALIESIN: I don't really think we should settle down. That seems like a lot.

LAURA: (laughs)

TALIESIN: I think that I would like to start a very complicated art project that's going to take many years. I'm not going to work on it all the time, day and night, but I'm going to invest some time in this.

LAURA: Are you going to be in your shop a lot?

TALIESIN: No, I'm going to build a clocktower. Like the one in Prague. I'm going to take many years and it's going to sit at the front of the castle so it will be outside and there will be other people working on it. It will, as a proper clock does, it will tell our story. Once a year, everything will play out.

LAURA: Holy shit. That's good.

TALIESIN: And we may start inviting tinkering artisans every year for Whitestone to come show off things that are not necessarily useful, but to show off fanciful inventions and things that are beautiful.

LAURA: I love that idea.

TALIESIN: But let's not stay here too often.

(laughter)

LAURA: No, although we will have to stay here for nine months every once in a while, because I think we should rebuild the families that we've lost.

TALIESIN: There's a lot of names.

LAURA and TALIESIN: So many names.

MATT: How many names?

TALIESIN: So many ways to irritate your father.

LAURA: Five names.

TALIESIN: Oh, at the very least.

LAURA: Five.

MARISHA: That's a lot of names. Very long names.

LIAM: At least three sets of twins.

(laughter)

TALIESIN: Jesus.

LAURA: I definitely want to build a statue to Trinket, the wonder bear.

MARISHA: The wonder bear.

SAM: Is he dead?

LAURA: No, Trinket's around.

SAM: Damn it.

LAURA: So centuries of people in Whitestone will remember their mascot, Trinket.

MARISHA: He prevents forest fires.

(laughter)

TRAVIS: Ranger's hat.

LAURA: As the years pass, we should start a festival and bears will be everywhere.

TALIESIN: There will be. Bears will be involved in the festival. Obviously. Especially since the clock tower is part of the festival and bears feature heavily in it.

LAURA: Perfect.

TRAVIS: Only you can prevent forest fires.

TALIESIN: Only you can prevent the rise of Vecna.

(laughter)

LAURA: I was hoping to never stop attempting to contact Vax through the temple of the Raven Queen.

MATT: You do notice that the raven population of Whitestone seems to be perpetually seeing blooms every year, far more than it used to.

LAURA: I cast Speak with Animals on them and I constantly try to communicate with him.

MATT: Okay, I mean they all seem to be ravens happy to live in this space, but it seems to be more in essence the vicinity more than a specific raven.

LAURA: Would you be all right if we increased the Pelor temple here?

TALIESIN: Yes, I trust your judgment. It is not for me, but I'm definitely all right with anything that makes you happy.

LAURA: Thank you, darling.

TALIESIN: To be fair, you'd do it anyway.

LAURA: Pretty much, yeah.

TALIESIN: I help Cassandra as best I can. I think at least once a year we get out and do something irresponsible.

LAURA: Definitely.

TALIESIN: Maybe sometimes drag these kids out for shenanigans.

MATT: Cassandra, as a note by the way. She's had a few pretty difficult brushes with death and the experiences definitely left a mark on her. Within the year following the battle with Vecna, she begins to remind you of yourself at a very dark time. Recognizing that, you come to her and help pull her from a dangerous edge of lashing out at the place she's worked so hard to build. You help her realize that this guilt she's been holding as being a tool of manipulation the times that she has been is not her fault and used against the ones she loves. In that determination to no longer be a tool for others to use, she asks Vex to teach her and train her. To not just be the lady beacon of Whitestone, but also join in as one of its protectors.

LAURA: At least she had some good promise a long time ago.

MATT: “That was some time, but I've seen what you can do and, well, I deign to think of how dangerous the three of us would be if I could reach your level.”

LAURA: We'll make you strong, darling.

TALIESIN: We also insist that she leave Whitestone at least once a year for a period of time to do fuck all.

LAURA: Yeah, there's a beautiful place called Dalen's Closet. I think you would love it.

TALIESIN: Let's not, well yes, there's, well.

MATT: Anything else? You guys happy with that?

TALIESIN: I'm content to make a clock tower and make art and never make another weapon. I'm good.

MATT: Hmm, all right.

LAURA: I have “Make Whitestone the tits,” written in my notes of things that I want to do.

TALIESIN: It's got a bear. I'm imagining the bear from Burning Man actually.

MARISHA: Penny Bear.

LAURA: Yeah, Penny Bear. I like it.

MATT: There you go. Grog.

TRAVIS: I'm so fascinated by Vasselheim. I have so many interests that I feel it only proper to go back and turn myself in to the authorities for punching one of the guards in the face and take whatever punishment they have for me.

MATT: All right, as you head back to the district in which these incursions happened, you are immediately recognized and much to their completely taken aback reaction they bring you in until somebody of the higher Bastions goes, “You fools. This is one of Vox Machina. What's wrong with you?” “Oh I didn't–” And they all point up at the large titan which is–

TRAVIS: Yeah, up top, that's where we were.

MATT: Which currently has been cleared out of any cursed undead that they know of. It's a process that takes a while, but it becomes a monument to that battle and it becomes converted into a symbol of hope for the city. For generations to come in Vasselheim, that titan will stand there, lording over the city, as a reminder of what transpired, of what could have been lost, and what was saved that day in memory of those that were lost. And as you point up to that and they all realize, they slowly remove your shackles.

TRAVIS: Oh, I'm free to go?

MATT: “Yes, sir. Thank you, thank you.”

TRAVIS: That's unexpected. Could you point me in the direction of a library?

MATT: “Sure, come with me.” As you begin to walk out you watch as a familiar figure steps up to this portion of the Bastions' guard post, you see a familiar merchant who rushes up and goes, “I was being summoned. They found the– why's he walking free?”

TRAVIS: Yes. You. You will come with me.

MATT: “Gentlemen, this is the man who punched me. This is the man who ruined my business. I can–”

TRAVIS: Gentlemen, whose word are you going to take? The savior of Vasselheim, or his new tutor?

MATT: “What?”

(laughter)

MATT: The guards go, “Cobalt Reserve library station is down that way to the left. Hard to miss, big blue dome. You two work this out.” And they retract back into the guard post, leaving the two of you in the street.

TRAVIS: Well, unless you have something better to do, you could contribute to one of the greatest people to ever pass through this city and help me learn to read a little bit more. Would that be a problem? I only have 8,000 gold to give you.

MATT: Make a persuasion check with advantage.

SAM: 8,000 gold.

TRAVIS: Natural 20.

(cheering)

MATT: (laughter) Didn't even need the advantage. All right.

SAM: 8,000 gold.

MATT: “Well, that would certainly go far for reparations for the damage you've caused to both my business, my person and my psyche.”

(laughter)

MATT: “But I'm curious to see what this change of heart is, so sure. But you're going to pay upfront.”

TRAVIS: Yes, 8,000 gold.

MATT: “Holy shit.”

TRAVIS: I could carry it if you want.

MATT: “We'll just make a quick stop over by my shop, please.”

TRAVIS: Fair enough.

MATT: And he drags it and it leaves this big heavy groove in the ground as he pulls it along. “Nope, nope, it's good, I got it” (struggling noises) And leads you to the Cobalt Reserve and for as long as you'll have him he'll begin to tutor you.

TRAVIS: I'd like to learn to read a bit more. I'd like to split some time in the temple of Kord.

MATT: Which takes a while to get rebuilt and you probably help out a bit, too, Earthbreaker Groon, who survived, though many of his–

TRAVIS: Oh, he did survive.

MATT: He did survive, yeah. He's made of hardier stuff.

TRAVIS: I'd also like to bring Pike out every once in a while and we give challengers a shot in the Crucible, but mostly I'm trying to improve my mind and looking for the next challenge.

MATT: I like it.

LIAM: Bring him up to eight intelligence.

LAURA: Yeah.

TRAVIS: Seven's a good start.

(laughter)

MATT: Perfect. Happy with that?

TRAVIS: Yeah.

MATT: Okay, then. Keyleth.

MARISHA: (sighs) Okay. Naturally, help Pike rebuild Vasselheim in the most immediate of circumstances. Eventually retire to Zephra. Go be the actual leader of my people. Continue to get in any type of frays that these people invite me on as it reminds me of the good old days and keeps my promise to protect this realm any time this realm needs protecting. And I find Kerrick at some point. Seek out Kerrick. Make sure he's okay. Reconnect with him, have coffee, you know.

MATT: Yeah. He's a quick jaunt from Zephra, thankfully. Westruun's not that far. That's one of the closer large cities outside of Stillben.

MARISHA: Perfect. We're weekend buddies.

MATT: (laughs)

MARISHA: We go to wine country. And then I work on the propagated sprig from the Sun Tree and continue to build it out, hopefully on the ley lines of the planet, and I take the feather that Pike gave me from Vax and I embed it into the trunk of the tree as well as any other relics from the Raven Queen I can find. Care for ravens as much as I can.

MATT: There is an uptick of ravens in the space of Zephra as well. Not many, but more than there would be, which is usually zero.

MARISHA: And from the branch of the Sun Tree create my own raven tree of the Ashari. Take a long, long, long, long, long time before I maybe date again. Maybe. But eventually, hopefully, after a long, long, long, long, long time sunset into the tree and become a part of this realm.

MATT: That's a ways off for you, Ms. Archdruid.

MARISHA: Ways off.

MATT: But you begin those preparations.

MARISHA: But that's the plan.

MATT: Okay. Well you, Keyleth, who many only once saw the naive druid girl have a level of respect now that's carried with that mantle that you hold. And the council of Tal'Dorei occasionally calls upon your wisdom and guidance. The alliance between the civilised and the natured world of the lands irrevocably in Tal'Dorei bound to you at this point, between you and the earth Ashari who reside up in the Cliffkeep. Between occasional jaunts to Emon and Whitestone, you find renewed joy in the protection of the people there. One cold Cuersaar the 13th, the tenth month of the year, the cool summer dusk day closes and you emerge from the quarters to find that the winds come and blow through your hair. You step out to the sound of children laughing as a dozen Ashari kids, elf, dwarf, orc, many bloods and creeds rush past as they play. It's a familiar sound. It's a happy sound. You glance over at this village you're protecting and the people that truly look up to you as their leader, both not just from a might source but as a guide. And you look to them to teach you things every day as well. Looking past as the sun begins to set, you see Korrin standing by the cherry blossom at the edge of the cliff near the amphitheatre where you had your ceremony. In pinks and oranges and purples, the sunset takes the sky. As you approach, he still looks out. He's older, not too much older but older. As he notices you approach, he looks over. “In all my years, not a day passes where awe does not strike me at the beauty of this world.” He looks over towards the sunset. “Don't ever lose the memory of every face whose strength helped you keep this light from fading. Every single face.”

MARISHA: I don't think it's the faces that keep this light from fading. I think it is what it is. We're lucky to experience it, a few are lucky to think it's beautiful. You taught me that. I don't have to appreciate this. Especially not after what I've seen. But I do.

MATT: “You need to.”

MARISHA: Only because of what I've seen.

MATT: And you see a bit of heartbreak but he nods his head and reaches out and takes you in, holds you there on the cliff side, the winds just being kept at bay. “I'm proud of you.”

MARISHA: Thank you. It's all I ever wanted. It's weird, once you reach a life goal and then realize you have the rest of your life. I guess I just find new goals. Sometimes it's hard being a prodigy because then you just grow up to be a regular adult.

MATT: He pulls you in tighter. “You'll always be my girl. My little Keyleth.”

MARISHA: Thanks, Dad.

MATT: “I love you.”

MARISHA: I love you.

MATT: (sighs) “Anyway, I should get to seeing if dinner preparations are being made. Looks to be a cold night.” He tugs your hand and walks back, leaves you there on the cliff side looking out. As the sunlight slowly blinks away over the horizon, leaving you with the purples and blues of the night sky as the stars begin to glitter up, you can hear a raven caw catch your ear as you glance up into the branches of the cherry blossom tree. There's just one raven.

MARISHA: Blow a kiss.

MATT: Flies down, lands on your shoulder. It's a bigger raven than any you've seen before. You've not seen this raven around.

MARISHA: Little scratch.

MATT: It leans into it. And every day that raven comes to visit.

And that's where we're going to close the campaign.

SAM: What a nice story.

LAURA: Wow.

TRAVIS: Let's do it again.

(laughter)

TALIESIN: Oh my god.

MATT: Oh, wow. When this chapter closes, a whole new one, a whole new one opens very soon. (sighs) We'll be back in the new year with a new story to tell and in the meantime we'll be playing games here and mixing it up. Being silly. A few other faces are going to take up the storytelling mantle here. Me and Marisha have a wedding in a little over a week.

MARISHA: Oh god. I had to get past this emotional chapter so I could get through the next one.

(laughter)

MATT: But here we are at the end of this near-five-year journey for us and near-three-year journey with all of you and I just want to appreciate having, honestly, some of the best friends and players I could ever hope for to come along on this journey, to trust me enough to build this with you and to give back so much more than I could have ever hoped.

LIAM: Thank you, Matt.

LAURA: Thank you.

MARISHA: Best DM ever.

MATT: You guys make it all easy and worthwhile.

LAURA: Oh fuck.

MATT: Love you guys.

LAURA: Shit. Yay!

MATT: And love you guys, each and every one of you out there who've come with us on this journey; new, old, for just a bit, or the entire length, some of you multiple times. Thank you for joining in on whatever this weird little magical, curious experience has, and will continue to be. Promise me you'll be good.

MARISHA: We'll be back.

LAURA: Yeah, we'll be back.

LIAM: We might look a little different, but we're still going to be here.

MATT: Yep!

LAURA: That was a really pretty sendoff, Matt. Thank you.

MARISHA: That was beautiful.

SAM: Thanks, Matt. That was really nice.

MATT: Love you, guys.

LAURA: Love you, Matthew.

MATT: Love you, guys. Have a wonderful night. Rest well. And is it Thursday yet?