Transcript:A Taste of Tal'Dorei (episode)

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 & Dragons.

ALL: (hollering) We play Dungeons & Dragons!

MATT: Happy to be back in Campaign 3, but very thankful for Brennan Lee Mulligan and all of the amazing players from ExU Calamity. Super proud, super excited. Sad that I missed you all for the month, but happy to see such an amazing story be told. Now as we come back in, we do have some announcements to get through, beginning with our first sponsor of the night, Quip. Sam. Sam?

LIAM: Oh boy.

LAURA: Where is he?

MATT: Oh no.

SAM: Oh yes. I'm back for a return engagement, everybody. It's me, Ludo McGillicutty here at the Quip Public Domain Lounge, where the breath is fresh, the music is free from copyright protect-i-onay. (laughter)

SAM: ("Fȕr Elise") ♪ Beethoven wrote ♪ this song, but I can change it ♪ ♪ Because he's dead ♪ and can't sue me ♪ Thank you, sir, thank you. Thank you so much. Hey pal, mind grabbing me one of Quip's new limited edition electric brushes from the old brush bar?

MATT: No.

SAM: Well, please? (laughter)

SAM: It has all the colors of the rainbow in a matte metal handle that lets you brush loud and proud while helping the LGBTQ+ community. (laughter)

SAM: Quip's donating $5 to the Ali Forney Center, founded in 2002 to protect the lives of LGBTQ+ youths from homelessness with every limited edition Pride electric brush purchase. This is actually really cool. So why don't you run to the old brush bar and bring me back one?

MATT: Okay, well, that's actually a really amazing promotion.

SAM: It is.

MATT: But this is not an actual lounge. There's no such thing as a brush bar, and I am not a waiter.

SAM: That reminds me of this public domain song.

MATT: Oh god.

SAM: Yeah. ("Row, Row, Row Your Boat") ♪ No, no, no, he said ♪ ♪ This guy's very rude ♪ ♪ He claims he's ♪ not a waiter ♪ ♪ But he looks ♪ like one to me ♪ ♪ Yo, yo, yo, he should try ♪ Quip's anti-cavity toothpaste ♪ ♪ It's got really ♪ fun flavors ♪ ♪ Like watermelon and mint ♪ Thank you, thank you. (cheering and applause)

MATT: I'm not rude! You're the one who's rude. It's been the whole time--

SAM: Easy. Easy there, Mister Mephistopheles. That song wasn't about you.

MATT: That is not my name. My name is Matt. It is M-A-T-T.

SAM: M-A-T-T. Well, Master Chief, this next song is dedicated to you.

MATT: I hate this.

SAM: ("It Had to be You") ♪ It had to be you ♪ ♪ It had to be you ♪ ♪ The waiter with the mane ♪ who spells out his name ♪ ♪ And said I was rude ♪

MATT: All right, wrap it up, Riegel.

SAM: Okay, no problem, Maguey. On behind of Quip, it's Ludo McGillicutty reminding you to start getting rewards for brushing your teeth today at getquip.com/criticalrole25 and save 25% when you use code CriticalRole25. Good night.

MARISHA: You're making me sweat--

SAM: And have good habits.

MARISHA: -- in a bad way.

SAM: ("Hail to the Chief") ♪ Hail to the teeth ♪ ♪ They're the ones that ♪ Quip keep clean ♪ (cheering and applause)

MARISHA: Wow.

ASHLEY: Good stuff.

TALIESIN: Oh wow.

TRAVIS: Woo. (laughter)

MATT: My god. Thank you, Sam. Thank you, Quip, and thank you for this amazing initiative that you're taking. I'm sorry about all of this.

MARISHA: You snap on the downbeat. (laughter)

SAM: The lounge.

MATT: There you-- (laughter)

MATT: My god.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

MATT: This episode is also sponsored by a brand new partner to the show, Guardio. They develop solutions to help improve users' online experience, combat threats, and create a highly secured environment. The Guardio browser extension protects users as they browse online, keeping your valuable information, messages, and banking info as safe as possible. Guardio detects threats before they reach your browser and cause harm, unlike traditional solutions that only remove threats once they're on your device. Oh no. All you have to do is add the browser extension from Chrome slash Edge store, for those of you who use Edge, and a free security scan will detect threats immediately. Each subscriber can add five family members for free. Enjoy 10% off your yearly or monthly plan right now at guard.io/criticalrole.

SAM: Nice. (cheering)

LIAM: I like the added panache.

LAURA: Woo!

MATT: Yeah.

LAURA: Ow!

MATT: Marisha, you got some stuff to talk about?

MARISHA: I do. You guys, the next episode, episode four of 4-Sided Dive airs Tuesday, July 5th at 7:00pm Pacific on Twitch and YouTube. And it's ladies' night.

LAURA: (gasps)

ASHLEY: ♪ It's ladies' night ♪ ♪ Oh, what a night ♪

MATT: Hell yeah.

TRAVIS: (laughs) Yeah!

MATT: Sam, you got something to talk about?

SAM: I do? I do. Hey guys, we have a new album coming out. But actually, for real, not this character. It's a real thing.

MARISHA: It's a real thing.

SAM: Yes. "Welcome to Tal'Dorei" is our brand new Critical Role brand new album.

MARISHA: Yes!

SAM: Just released a full-length soundtrack titled, "Welcome to Tal'Dorei." The team crafted nearly an hour of immersive tracks that take you on a journey through the continent of Tal'Dorei. It's music to heighten the atmosphere of your games. This microphone does not work, by the way.

MARISHA: Nope. (laughter)

SAM: The 17 tracks are written by a variety of composers, including members of the Hexany--

SAM: Hexan?

MARISHA: Hexany.

SAM: -- Hexany Audio roster, Omar Fadel, and our good friend Colm McGuinness.

MARISHA: Yeah!

MATT: Yeah!

SAM: We can't forget the gorgeous album art is by Kent Davis.

MARISHA: Yeah.

SAM: It is out on all digital music platforms under Critical Role. So go buy it or stream it right now.

MARISHA: Yeah.

SAM: Laura? It's ladies' night.

LAURA: Oh, what a night. (laughter)

LAURA: First up, I'm going to talk about some new merch, if that's surprising to any of you.

LIAM: What do you got? What do you got? What do you got?

LAURA: Look it, we got pins.

LIAM: Yay!

LAURA: They're new chibi pins. It's all of the ExU fam.

MATT: What?

LAURA: The original ExU fam, So yeah, we got our Dorian.

MATT: Oh my goodness.

LAURA: We got our Dariax.

MATT: My boy.

LAURA: We got Fy'ra Rai.

LIAM: Fy'ra Rai.

MATT: Yeah!

LAURA: We got an Orym.

LIAM: That's me. I'm small.

LAURA: A little Fearne.

ASHLEY: Fearne.

LAURA: And don't forget, Opal.

MATT: Oh yeah.

MARISHA: How could you forget Opal?

LAURA: Okay, and in addition to these beauties, which you can go check out right now. We also have this back in stock.

SAM: Oh!

MATT: The old school, hell yeah!

LAURA: It's like an updated version. It's a different material, but it's actually, I think, softer than the first.

LIAM: That's impossible.

LAURA: I know.

MATT: The first one was pretty soft. That's a good change.

LAURA: They've been out stock for a while and I'm very happy we have them back. So check it out. In addition to that-- Oh, in addition to that. We have new dice, but these are special Legend of Vox Machina dice.

SAM: Oh cool!

LAURA: So here, let me show ya. Oh, they're beautiful, gold and fabulous swirly.

MARISHA: What?

LIAM: I want to see the 20.

LAURA: Yeah, and the bag, I think, is really pretty, because it looks like a little galaxy.

SAM: Aw.

LIAM: Got a little VM for 20.

LAURA: Just the little things, you know. Anyway, love you guys. Check it out. They're in store.

MATT: (laughs)

MARISHA: (pigeon coo)

MATT: Perfect.

MARISHA: First Knight of Avalir. (pigeon coo)

LAURA: Oh yeah! Oh! (deep breath) In addition to that, we also have This! (exclaiming)

LAURA: I know. It's our First Knight of--

ERIKA: I've never seen anything like it!

ASHLEY: Wow.

LAURA: Our First Knight of Avalir tee. Made especially for ExU: Calamity.

SAM: Turn it upside down. (laughter)

ASHLEY: Can I put it on?

LAURA: Sure, Ashley. (laughter)

LAURA: You look so good in it.

ASHLEY: Ooh!

MARISHA: Sorry, Max.

LAURA: Anyway.

TRAVIS: Sorry, not sorry.

MARISHA: Sorry, not sorry.

LAURA: Marisha?

MARISHA: Oh! Oh yes! Then one more thing for me. Oh my gosh, you guys.

SAM: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

MARISHA: You're about to see our brand new opening title.

SAM: What?

MARISHA: So excited. Set to our theme song, "It's Thursday Night." Big shout out to Minnow Mountain who helped us animate it and partnered with us. It's incredible. They're amazing. It's amazing. Yeah, just you know what? Just enjoy. That's all I'm going to say.

LAURA: Can we watch it right now, too?

MATT: I believe that concludes our announcements. So let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of Critical Role. (yelling)

Part I
MATT: And welcome back. So last we left off: Bells Hells have been hot on the trail of Armand Treshi after uncovering many of the misdeeds he had been attempting within the city of Jrusar. With their alliance with Lord Eshteross, they had helped place a platinum band that had been enchanted upon his ring at a ball with the help of their Air Ashari friend-- Or not Air Ashari. Air Ashari friend there, but air elemental-- My brain totally-- Wow.

LAURA: What was his name?

MATT: Dorian. It would be easier to say his name, Dorian. Wow, I'm gone for a month, and my brain's already melted. That one there, yeah.

MARISHA: That one there, yeah.

MATT: Yeah, that's great. Well oiled machine. Way to come out strong, Matt. (laughter)

MATT: Fire. Sorry, I should've started-- (laughter)

MATT: If it works.

TRAVIS: Everybody dies. (laughter)

MATT: Tried and true. It worked before, it'll work again. (laughter)

ERIKA: We've got the giggles.

MATT: (laughs) I know. Man, I missed this. So, yes, upon putting this ring upon Armand to keep tracking his whereabouts in the city, you left northward, and returned a bit later to discover that he had left. He had fled the city southeast. You agreed to help Eshteross in hunting him down, taking the orb that was affixed to the enchantment on this ring, to when you were within proximity, you would know the direction from you. You went ahead and took upon the skyship.

LAURA: Excuse me.

MATT: Known as the Silver Sun, and read southeast across the skies of the Hellcatch Valley, towards the city of Bassuras, where it seemed Armand was laying low. On this trek, you did battle with a number of dangerous sky creatures. You helped defend a caravan that was being hunted a wayward dusttra, a massive squid-like creature digging through the dust. Upon coming to the city itself at night, the sky ship decided it shouldn't stick around, as this is not part of really any sort approved air path-es-- Path-es. Wow, I am done.

LAURA: You're doing great, Matt.

MARISHA: You got this.

LAURA: So great!

SAM: It's the beginning of the show.

MATT: Nah, I'm calling it here. (laughter)

MATT: Oh man.

LIAM: We're excited.

MATT: Indeed. You get to watch me slowly melt down in realtime. Upon coming to the outskirts of Bassuras, the sky ship leaves you behind within a day's journey should you require it to return and pick you up. Here, you made contact with one of the many Crawler gangs that run the region surrounding the city. You began to mark continuous shapes and colors of tattooed-based designs that mark the Gajakhandas, the ones that protect the main guardian laws of the city. Upon walking into the center, you found yourself to the caravan-serai, The Raha Den, purchased a night's rest, and then emerged to seek out the directional blip of Armand's tracking signal in the orb that you carry. On the way, you heard a scuffle in a nearby alleyway and saw this individual, Dusk, being harried by a number of ne'er-do-wells, cutthroats that were attempting to take what was theirs. You then stepped into this alleyway and came to their aid, beating down these individuals and leaving them behind, as you made your first encounter and introduction with this character, Dusk. Now, after having a brief bit of conversation, you decided to continue to pursue the directional draw of this arcane blip. Along the way, it seems, in the southern direction of the city of Bassuras, there lay a particular tavern, referred to as A Taste of Tal'Dorei. (excited squealing)

MATT: That seemed to reside at least in the similar space of the region.

MARISHA: Laudna pulls out the little, glowy orb.

MATT: Mm-hmm.

MARISHA: Has he moved?

MATT: Best you can tell, it still seems the general same direction it was the night before you'd been traveling. So not any major shifts in movement yet, no.

MARISHA: I mean, we can take a quick moment, right, and just go grab a bite to eat?

ERIKA: Everyone's got to eat.

ASHLEY: That's true. Very true.

LIAM: This Taste of Tal'Dorei--

SAM: I don't have to eat. Keep going.

LIAM: Sorry, sorry. Same place, generally, as Armand is? South side?

LAURA: We wouldn't be heading the opposite direction, right?

MARISHA: Mm-mm. You said we've walked up, right? We've made our way towards it?

MATT: You're heading in that direction. You know, those of you that know of the location, it's generally in the same direction you're traveling.

SAM: He might be heading to the same place, for all we know.

MARISHA: I mean, it sounds like a very esteemed location.

ERIKA: Yeah, no better joint in the entirety of Bassuras.

MARISHA: So you've been there?

ERIKA: Yeah, I like to go and hang out occasionally, you know? It's nice when you have a local place that you can just be familiar with, and people are familiar with you.

ASHLEY: Does everyone there know your name?

TRAVIS and MARISHA: (laugh)

ASHLEY: Sorry.

SAM: Are they always glad you came?

ERIKA: I don't always know, you know?

TALIESIN: I feel like I'm learning so much about you so quickly.

LIAM: Do they have a dress code? Are we underdressed or overdressed?

TALIESIN: Oh, we're overdressed.

LIAM: Do you need a jacket?

TALIESIN: You definitely don't need a jacket.

ERIKA: You can get stuff there from the gift shop that will let you fit in.

TALIESIN: I'm not even sure you need shoes.

SAM: Clothes?

ERIKA: Yeah!

TALIESIN: At the gift shop.

MARISHA: Is this like the type of place where the servers dress up to look like--

ERIKA: Yes, it is.

TALIESIN: I feel like this is one of those things you just have to see.

ERIKA: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, yeah, that's true. You're absolutely right. No more about this. You'll all see it for yourselves.

SAM: Let's go, yeah.

LAURA: All right, as long as, you know-- I don't want to put a damper on anyone's good time. I just would hate to have traveled all this way only for Treshi to get away because we're having a good time at a theme restaurant. You know what I mean?

TALIESIN: A second to rest would not be a terrible idea. I hurt in a couple different ways, and I would definitely be willing to trade that hurt for a completely different kind of hurt.

MARISHA: (laughs)

TALIESIN: Just for a quick bite at Taste of Tal'Dorei.

MARISHA: A short rest.

LIAM: I'd also be curious to see, if the restaurant's on the south side of town, and Treshi is, we'll see if the direction changes at all once we're in really close proximity, right? So this is more of a scouting mission.

SAM: If this is the place where everybody does know your name, maybe we can get some recon and intel about Treshi. Maybe someone there knows his name.

LAURA: That is true.

SAM: Maybe he's a regular.

LAURA: That's a great thought, Letters.

MARISHA: Well, let's at least head in that direction, and we'll play it by ear.

LIAM: Improvise.

SAM: Let's go.

ASHLEY: I do agree with Imogen. I don't want to lose him, but I'm very excited about seeing a gift shop.

MARISHA: Oh, Dusk is gone. Dusk has left now.

ERIKA: Already taken off towards...

MATT: Very well.

ERIKA: Walking.

TALIESIN: That I like, yeah.

MATT: Okay. Continuing your way in the south-southwestern side of the city-- Mm.

ALL: ♪ Continuing your way ♪

MATT: I can't-- I cannot win.

LIAM: There's a lot of syllables to cram into that.

MATT: Yeah, just... (trills)

ASHLEY: ♪ Meh meh meh ♪ (laughter)

MATT: How very Dua Lipa of you. I respect that. (laughter)

MATT: Pressing down the streets, the bustling midday road of Bassuras presents itself to you, all manner of interesting figures walking past. You can see cobbled together armor pieces and bits of jagged metal placed in a defensive way to signal to you at immediate glance, do not touch and do not engage. So the other figures, they're are coming along with carts and beasts of burden that are pulling their way through the street. You can hear the squeaking of wooden wheels.

SAM: ♪ Pullin' their way! ♪

MATT: (growls)

SAM: She made me do it. (laughter)

MARISHA: All I did was look at you and it was like I was-- (laughter)

MATT: What does catch your attention, within a short jaunt further is your first sight of an automaton here amongst the roadways. You see one person walking by, and behind them, an eight-foot-tall, hulking-looking humanoid figure. The head seems to be somewhat barely emerging from an egg-like torso with just a singular gem in the center where a face would be. These two large stone, pillar-like arms swing side to side, while these three tripod-like legs (mechanical clicks) clamber forward as it does. Each portion of its torso and its limbs are mismatched in both materials and design. You watch as it stalks by. (mechanical clicks) It has a weird hitch with every third step. That gives it an odd limp presentation to it as it lumbers by.

SAM: Is it accompanied by anyone?

MATT: There is one figure that's walking before it. You see an older woman with a wet headscarf. It looks like it was soaked recently to help keep them cool, and wrapped around the face and around the neck, and it's caused the cloth on their shoulders to darken with dampness. As they step to the left, it follows in lock step with them.

SAM: If I can catch up or intercede, I'd love to just run up to the automaton and just say: Smiley day to ya.

MATT: It just doesn't acknowledge you.

SAM: Hmm.

MATT: (mechanical clicks)

LAURA: Maybe he's shy.

SAM: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Where you headed?

MATT: (clunk) (mechanical clicks)

TRAVIS: I lean down. I grab a rock, and I chuck it.

SAM: Oh, oh--

TRAVIS: A small one.

TALIESIN: (sarcastically) No, don't, stop.

MATT: Tink. (crunches) It stops. The person who's walking ahead of it turns around a bit and gives you this glaring eye, or at least the direction of where you were.

TRAVIS: (whistles)

MATT: She keeps on walking forward. (clangs and crunches)

TRAVIS: Doesn't have those people skills that you do.

SAM: No, doesn't.

MARISHA: Did that one look like any of your siblings?

SAM: Some of my siblings were able to ambulate in similar ways, but not exactly, no. They were a little smaller.

ERIKA: Are you also looking for family?

TALIESIN: Mm-hmm.

SAM: Not as much, no. But you know what? I might see some folks here in town that I do recognize. So yes, in a way.

ERIKA: Okay.

LIAM: That one was real big. Are any of your siblings on that scale?

SAM: I mean, we all had to travel together. We were lighter of foot and able to move a little quicker and more nimbler than that. But I've seen other ones that big before, especially around here. They make them from all kinds of parts and stuff. It's all scavenged and plucked together, and whatever they can find.

ERIKA: Okay. So we're looking for a guy that's a dot on the radar thing.

MARISHA: Mm-hmm.

ERIKA: We're looking for any other robits.

SAM: Sure.

ERIKA: And, anybody else?

LAURA: I've interjected. I'm standing in front of the old lady and her--

TRAVIS: That's basically it.

LAURA: -- the woman and the robot.

MATT: As you dart to cross the path, she stops, and the automaton also stops in lock step with her.

LAURA: I completely ignore her, and I look at the robit.

MATT: Okay.

LAURA: Smiley day to ya. I'm going to try to speak telepathically to him.

SAM: Ooh.

MATT: Okay. You speak telepathically. You say, "Smiley day to you."

LAURA: Mm-hmm. I'm just staring him down.

MATT: Okay. There's no response.

LAURA: Hm.

MATT: The woman turns her head towards you. "Can I help you?"

LAURA: Oh, I was just... Remarkable instrument you have there.

MATT: "Yes."

LAURA: Does he do anything without your go ahead?

MATT: "No."

LAURA: Right. He doesn't speak?

MATT: "No."

LAURA: Right.

MATT: "He's a worker, and he works well for me because I paid enough for him. Now, if you could please move aside."

LAURA: Thank you.

MATT: "Of course."

TRAVIS: Ask her how much!

LAURA: Who just burped? (laughter)

LIAM: I'm down here.

LAURA: One of you guys! (laughter)

LAURA: Holy shit.

SAM: Matt, I didn't recognize any of the workmanship or build, did I?

MATT: (sighs) I mean, you--

SAM: Just looks generic, or--?

MATT: It looks fairly generic. Nothing that catches your eye. You've seen a number of different automatons and automaton makes in the city, mainly from The Ends on the Sonyon Row. But it varies based on whatever's coming through. Sometimes, when the materials are limited, they cobble together what they can and come up with some very unique builds.

SAM: Well, thanks for trying. But it does remind me there's some folks here that I do want to... After we find our target, there's some folks that I do want to talk to here at some point.

TALIESIN: All right.

LAURA: Sure.

TALIESIN: We can make that happen.

SAM: Great.

LAURA: It's lingering.

MATT: Okay.

SAM: I wish I could smell that burp.

LAURA: You don't.

SAM: I wish I could.

LAURA: Someday.

SAM: Someday.

LAURA: FCG, we'll get you a sense of smell, and you'll regret it.

MATT: (splashes) Scattered across the front of the dust and dirt before you, somebody steps upon the front brick walkway at the exterior of their doorway and just empties a giant urn of liquid that just scatters across the street in front of you.

MARISHA: Ugh.

MATT: At about that time, you also hear about two or three blocks down the way (whirring) This heavy, metallic growling sound, as you start seeing dust clouds kicked up. Intersecting with the main street that you're walking past, you see three skirmish-crawlers (vroom) scoot by and (distant grinding) begin to vanish into the distant sounds of the city. You see other folks step out of the way as they scoot by, watch as they go, take a minute to collect themselves, and then continue on with the rest of their day. A short walk later, you watch as the buildings, many of which are a combination of old, weathered stone work that has been here a lot longer than you expected the city possibly to have been as well as newer constructed structures that take all manner of dried, gathered wood and smaller bits of sandstone and rock that have been masoned together to create ramshackle additions to the bare bones that the city was built upon. One building stands out amongst the others.

LAURA: (laughs)

MATT: Between the colorful tarps and multitudes of long, thin cables that mark the intersections of the various walkways and roadways, the dangling lanterns between them, the scattered bits of jagged metal that dangle on line after line, that jingle in the wind like some sort of odd, nightmarish chimes. Across the way, you see one massive, out-of-place building, built on a classic Tal'Dorei-style, almost Tudor-type construct. You can see the roofs are painted far more vibrantly brown than any natural wood should be. The exterior is-- You can see the cracks that have been patched time and time again, and then repainted over, a coloration that denotes not a natural build, but something that is trying to desperately keep up with the age of time, like an older man trying to put on makeup to prevent from showing his wrinkles. On the outside of this, you can already hear music curling from the inside. It's almost like a jaunty violin with a faint drum pop, pa-pop, pop, pa-pop, pop, pop. There's some hitching posts immediately out front past a couple of tents. The front double doors-- It is like a hinged double door that enters the front. You can just barely see from the interior a faint bit of flickering lantern light.

TALIESIN: Whatever sense of irony any of you may still hold--

TRAVIS: (laughs)

TALIESIN: -- abandon it now. It will serve you not inside. (laughter)

TALIESIN: (whooshes)

ERIKA: Welcome to A Taste of Tal'Dorei!

ALL: Wow.

MATT: You step inside, and as the doors swing open (multiple whooshes) behind you, immediately the smells catch you. The smells are a unique mingling of all sorts of baked breads and sweets, a mixture of cooked meats and rolled lettuce-based, meat-packed dishes. You can see there is a bit of an incense brazier on the opposite end that is burning and filling this gentle smoke. It's a bunch of things that individually are good smells, but when they mix together, it creates this almost Sephora-like blast--

TRAVIS: (groans) Oh no!

MATT: -- from all different directions.

LAURA: (laughs)

TRAVIS: I hate it.

MATT: As soon as you step through--

TRAVIS: I hate it in there.

MATT: -- there are a smattering of tables of all different makes and designs, all round, but you can see from different carpenters. There is not a single thread of presentation to these tables, some with melted wax and candles in the center of it, tankards and manner of decor that is reminiscent of non-Marquesian make. You can see banners and tapestries that hang from the high central walls that depict decently created pieces of art that some look like they're portions of maps. Others are landscapes that some of you may find somewhat familiar if you took long to look upon it. But in the open way, there is a stairway that leads to a secondary balcony with a higher-up table, where you imagine the more esteemed customers may stay for a meal overlooking the rest of the chamber. Here, you can immediately tell the clientele, a bit sparse. (laughter)

MATT: Especially for first thing in the morning. No more than maybe seven individuals that are currently here. There is one bartender across the way. But you do see three servers are racing around and conversing merrily with the individuals, one of which is a young woman dressed in fine armor and red silks, a long robe with gold. You watch as she approaches and serves a dish to a couple of customers and says, "And that is how Tal'Dorei greets the greats of the world," and steps back and continues back into the far chamber to retrieve another meal while somebody else-- You can see this man with a big, bushy, dark beard, his sun-weathered skin, wearing a large haphazardly-made bronze crown, like a king's crown on his head, as he wields a large sword that he drags behind him that you can tell is more for show than not. Steps up to another table and goes, "And what, pray tell, do you wish to ask of King Drassig?"

TRAVIS: No way!

MARISHA: Oh my god.

MATT: "By that, I mean, what would you like to drink?" (laughter)

MATT: You see two gentlemen sitting at the table.

ASHLEY: That's so great.

MATT: "I'm just going to have some water for me. What do you want?" It's like, "I would like just whatever beers you have on tap." (waiter) "Ha! Ha ha ha ha! May the darkness of my reign bring you the drinks you require." He turns around and drags the sword back over to the bar and begins to set his orders in there. You can see now, the music is not sourceless. There is a music box that is dangling from a rope that is wrapped across it in two different directions that just sits, slightly shifting from the wind as it occasionally blows in, that appears to be producing a louder sound than you expect, though it may be not quite the most on-key at times. Occasionally, you watch as one of the servers has to walk up to it when the music stops and wind it for a second before it continues to emit its beautiful, atmospheric song choices. As you stand there watching, another door opens, boof. The third server comes through, a tall goliath figure, half-giant in blood, wearing deep blues and whites, his face painted a blue and white coloration, and wearing this tall crown of what looks to have been hand-crafted clay, icicles that point upward, though some of them have chipped and broken in places, and you can see it's half been affixed with wire in one or two places, who turns to another table before looking at you. "Ha! And who disturbs the realm of Errevon the Rimelord?"

MARISHA: Oh my god.

ASHLEY: Oh no!

MATT: "Oh yes!"

ASHLEY: Oh, we surrender!

MATT: "Then you shall surrender into my realm, by the great Mirror of Everwatching."

ASHLEY: (gasps)

MATT: "How many's in your party?"

ASHLEY: There's going to be one, two, three, four (counting). Eight.

TALIESIN: Eight.

MATT: "Errevon requires two more chairs!" (laughter) He grabs two more chairs and drags them behind over to a table, sets them up.

SAM: Orym, are these historical figures?

LIAM: To a point.

SAM: Are they accurate?

LIAM: No. (laughter)

ERIKA: Are you from there?

LIAM: Yeah.

MARISHA: Orym and I both are.

ERIKA: Oh my goodness. Do they actually have those kinds of fruity drinks? What is it-- what are the fruity drinks?

LIAM: We do have fruity drinks.

MATT: "Do you wish to order of the Tal'Dorei Great Rum Extravaganza?"

ERIKA: That's the one!

MATT: "Mm."

TRAVIS: Oh my god.

SAM: Do y'all drink that where you're from?

MARISHA: Is that like your Ashari drink?

TRAVIS: They bring that one in a fish bowl, right?

LIAM: I pretty much stick to keto. (laughter)

TALIESIN: My lord, we do humbly request your cocktail menu, as quickly as possible. Thank you, my liege.

MATT: "Ah, well mannered, this one. He might survive my frozen death still."

TRAVIS: No.

ASHLEY: Scary!

MATT: "Waters? Ooh!"

ASHLEY: (excited noise)

MATT: "Here, have a seat." He goes and pulls out the chairs. You can see you're seated behind this massive, beautiful-looking mirror that has this intertwined ivy carving around the exterior of it. It has this beautiful, mid-forest aesthetic to it. Its face, it's a little off kilter, facing towards the wall slightly. But you're mostly before it and to the side. As Errevon turns back after you all have your seat, "I decree you will have your menu shortly," and turns around and heads back to the bar.

TRAVIS: You started talking differently. Why did you do that?

TALIESIN: When in Tal'Dorei, you know.

LIAM: How are we supposed to talk here?

TALIESIN: I don't know. How do people talk where you come from?

LIAM: Uh, kind of like this.

SAM: I know, it seems like they're very bombastic.

LAURA: Yeah, is everybody really loud in Tal'Dorei?

SAM: And enthusiastic.

LIAM: I'm not a very good actor or orator, so maybe that's just me.

TALIESIN: Orym the Orator.

MARISHA: I don't know, it feels pretty accurate to me.

LAURA: Is that what they sounded like in Whitestone?

MARISHA: Mm-hmm!

ERIKA: Oh wow.

LAURA: Wow.

MARISHA: I mean, people didn't go around with such enthusiasm on a day-to-day basis, of course. But I feel like he's playing it up a little bit for the environment.

TALIESIN: But if you did walk around with enthusiasm, I'm just really curious, what would the vibe be?

MARISHA: (laughs) Maybe you'll see later.

SAM: Do you see any knick-knacks or design from where you're from, from Whitestone?

MARISHA: I look around. Is there any Whitestone representation?

MATT: Make a perception check for me.

MARISHA: Okay. What are my stats? They're a lot lower than Patia's. Oh, oh-ho. 23.

MATT: 23.

MARISHA: 22.

MATT: 22, all right.

LAURA: Ah.

MATT: Glancing around, you do see of the many tapestries that are spaced around here, some of which that, one has a triangular mountain with two hammers that cross over the front. You glance around and see one that shows the crest of Emon, and then one you do see has a tree frame that carries upward, its roots and its branches reaching out with a sun above it, and you know this to be the crest of the Chamber of Whitestone.

LIAM: Fully accurate, or is it the Legoland version like everything else?

TRAVIS: Ha!

MATT: Of your keen perception, you will notice that it is missing two of the stars. The coloration's off a bit, and it looks like it's been sun bleached to a point where the blue has now come to a faded teal.

MARISHA: They haven't updated it in 75 years, but that's the Whitestone crest right there.

TALIESIN: Huh.

TRAVIS: So wait, I've heard of King Drassig, but who's our guy supposed to be?

SAM: Oh yeah, was it some wizard or something?

LAURA: I don't know.

TALIESIN: I genuinely faded--

MATT: "Errevon demands you decide on what you have to drink before you are frozen for all eternity."

TRAVIS: Who are you and what have you done?

MATT: "I am Errevon the Rimelord."

TRAVIS: Rimelord.

MATT: "I'm great elemental deity that broke forth from the realm of ice and froze all of Tal'Dorei for many years before I was--"

MARISHA: Oh.

TALIESIN: Is this true?

MATT: "-- sundered and sent back to my realm, but there I wait, plotting to bring you the finest in service here at A Taste of Tal'Dorei."

LIAM: That part is true, that part is true.

ASHLEY: Wow!

TALIESIN: That's impressive.

TRAVIS: Got it, yeah.

ASHLEY: This feels great.

SAM: Is this the kind of place where they cook the food at the table, or is that not this place?

ERIKA: I think if you get some of the platters of things, that they'll do that.

MATT: "If you look, there are stars next to the ones on the menu that have a presentation involved."

TRAVIS: A presentation!

SAM: Thank you.

MATT: "They're a little more pricey, but they're worth it, trust me."

ASHLEY: We should do it.

SAM: Yeah.

ASHLEY: We should do one of the presentations.

SAM: Apps for the whole table.

ASHLEY: Yes, yes, yes.

LAURA: In your head--

TRAVIS: Let's do one of those. I want one of the ones that come in the big trough bowls.

TALIESIN: Do you want a fire vibe or an ice vibe? I'm a big fan of the ice vibe, although they got a few--

MARISHA: They have a sampler platter that's the Chroma Conclave. Get a little bit of everything.

LIAM: Yeah, I mean, Tal'Dorei's a big place. Is there any Zephrah or Ashari themed drinks on this cocktail menu?

MATT: On the cocktail menu, there is what's called an Ashari Breezer.

LIAM: Ooh.

TRAVIS: Get the fuck out!

MARISHA: That was literally in my head, too. That's what I would've said.

LIAM: We'll take eight Ashari Breezers.

MARISHA: Yes.

MATT: "Of course. Cursed druid magic! I will have my revenge!"

MARISHA: Also, a Thordak's pepper poppers, please.

MATT: "I'll see if we have any left in the back."

SAM: What is a Disappearing Syngorn Sausage? (laughter)

MATT: "That's for our late night clientele. For the dinner menu only."

SAM: Cool, cool.

TRAVIS: How late are you open 'til each day?

MATT: "We don't close."

TRAVIS: Oh shit! We came at the wrong time!

ERIKA: There's a more limited menu as you get later. But they do have special things on it.

TRAVIS: Okay.

MARISHA: I just glance back over at Imogen.

LAURA: Oh yeah, in your head: Will you check the orb?

MARISHA: Just under the table.

TRAVIS: What are you doing?

MARISHA: Shh, I need, it's a little... The glare from the spotlights in here. I just need to see.

TALIESIN: I should probably mention--

LAURA: While she's doing that, I'm just going to reach back and touch the mirror and see if it's double sided, see if there's a reflection of my own finger up close. You know how you can tell if it's a double sided mirror?

MATT: Make a perception check. (heavy die impact)

LIAM: (deeply) Ka-dunk.

LAURA: (deeply) Ka-dunk. 13!

MATT: 13. I mean, it's hard to tell. It's a beautiful mirror. Of all the things that are here, this one, probably a lot of the money went into this. Whoever found it was very proud to put it on display. It has a little bit of a smear on it, but it has this beautiful, twisting, briar-like, metallic sculpture frame to it, and it's about six feet tall.

LAURA: That's an expensive mirror.

MATT: Yeah, and it's affixed to the wall there. You're uncertain as to what the historical significance is of it with your limited understanding of Tal'Dorei history. At the very least, it looks pretty.

LAURA: Okay.

MATT: But you're uncertain if it's double sided or not.

LAURA: Okay.

ERIKA: I hope that you'll all allow me to treat you for this one. I really do appreciate you all coming to my aid.

SAM: That's very kind of you, and this is nice because it gives us an opportunity to, you know, you don't seem like you're in a hurry or anything, but you're looking for family?

ERIKA: Well, kind of. I'm looking for people that helped me.

SAM: Helped you...

TALIESIN: How?

ERIKA: Well, through the Feywild.

SAM: Through the Feywild? In the Feywild?

ERIKA: Mm-hmm.

SAM: Or to get here?

ERIKA: Both.

TRAVIS: Oh.

ERIKA: They showed me around, and then they helped me find a way back here. I don't know if I made the right decision leaving or not, but, you know, they were very kind to me.

SAM: Who are they?

ERIKA: I have-- And I pull out, I have a little locket, and I open it up, and there's a picture.

SAM: Of one person or two?

ERIKA: Of two.

LAURA: Okay, what do they look like?

ERIKA: Of...

MATT: There are two figures. Well, they're a gently drawn, painted portrait. Both of them are unfamiliar to all of you, except for you.

LAURA: (gasp)

LAURA and MARISHA: (gasp)

SAM: Lore, lore, lore!

TRAVIS: (siren wails)

MATT: There is two familiar portraits of the Calloway parents that birthed you.

SAM: The Calloway parents? Her parents?

MATT: Mm-hmm.

SAM: (gasps)

ASHLEY: Oh, oh, oh!

TRAVIS: Uh-huh.

ASHLEY: How do you know them?

ERIKA: From the Feywild. Do you know them?

ASHLEY: Yes. Yes, those are my parents.

TRAVIS: What?

ASHLEY: Wait, I don't know, I don't understand. What do you mean, you saw them in the Feywild?

ERIKA: Yeah! They helped me get back to this other side.

SAM: Recently?

ERIKA: Well, time's a little fucky, but yeah. I mean...

ASHLEY: Yeah.

TALIESIN: I don't see it.

ERIKA: Yeah, and I know that they're somewhere around here.

SAM: They're here?

ERIKA: I think so.

SAM: Did you know that?

LAURA: They came through with you?

ERIKA: We got separated.

LAURA: How?

LIAM: Here in town?

ERIKA: I don't know! I don't know how fey bullshit works!

LIAM: Did you pulled apart there or here?

ERIKA: On the way through the portal.

TRAVIS: Okay, wait. I need some context.

ERIKA: These portals-- Were you running from something? Was it a very leisurely trip? Were you in a rush?

ERIKA: Yeah, I mean... Okay. So I was there, and it was amazing, and it was incredible, but it's really fucking scary over there.

TRAVIS: Oh.

ERIKA: There's all sorts of politics and lights everywhere. It's beautiful and amazing, and I just wanted to be there forever, but also, I don't know how much time has passed since I went there or since I've come back. So this really lovely couple took me under their wing and showed me around and showed me how to get back. But I guess the portals are just unpredictable.

TRAVIS: Oh shit.

ERIKA: They're your parents?!

ASHLEY: Yes. Yes. May I see that a little closer?

ERIKA: Yeah!

LAURA: Did they talk about their daughter?

ERIKA: No. They didn't say anything about having a daughter. They told me that they felt like, you know, I... It's not important, but it's... Do you know where they are?

ASHLEY: I don't know where they are, and I've been looking for them. But maybe they just forgot, because it's been a very long time since I've seen them.

ERIKA: You don't seem like the kind of person that somebody would just forget.

LAURA: Oh god, Fearne.

ASHLEY: Well, I just... Do they look the same in the picture? Older or younger than I remember them?

MATT: These particular portraits are copies of portraits that you recall at a young age, so these are them in their prime.

ASHLEY: Well, this is Mama Birdie, and this is Papa Ollie.

SAM: Birdie and Ollie.

MARISHA: Birdie and Ollie!

ASHLEY: They're very wonderful, but I haven't seen them in a very, very long time.

ERIKA: How long?

ASHLEY: Probably about... Oh, maybe 90 years.

TRAVIS: (gawks)

ASHLEY: Something like that.

LIAM: Fearne, is that how they looked when you last saw them, or are they...

ASHLEY: It's hard to tell. Yes, but you know, this is a drawing, so they could look-- Did they look like this?

ERIKA: Yeah, a little older.

MARISHA: Did you do this wonderful drawing, or did they give it to you?

ERIKA: I got it from them.

SAM: They gave you a drawing of themselves to remember them? To find them?

TALIESIN: I mean, that tracks.

SAM: You were that close with them?

LAURA: How long were you with them? How long were you in the Feywild? Do you know?

ERIKA: Hmm. I feel like I have lived 1,000 different lifetimes in there, or maybe just one long one.

LIAM: Also, maybe we covered this and I missed it, where were you before?

SAM: Yeah, maybe start at the top and sort of take us through.

ERIKA: It's all--

LIAM: Do you even remember?

ERIKA: No. I don't know, time dilates weird and memory is weird, and that's why these things that I have on me, the sword, the portraits, and them, they're the only things that really feel real still.

MARISHA: You feel real. Does she feel real?

MATT: Yeah, sure.

MARISHA: You feel real.

ERIKA: Yeah.

MARISHA: That's good.

TRAVIS: Can I use my Hunter's Bane to look at Dusk, knowing that she's been in the Feywild that long and just see if I notice anything about her, her clothes, her rapier, anything that sticks out as fey?

MATT: Make a perception check.

TRAVIS: That I might not have picked up on before. Woo, Werther's Original dice! Shout out Cody Jacobson. Fuck! That's a one. (laughter)

MARISHA: Oh my god.

LAURA: Hey!

TRAVIS: It says fuck.

SAM: Good as a Werther's Original. (laughter)

TRAVIS: Oh, but I have advantage because--

MATT: That's true, that's true.

TRAVIS: Oh, that's cocked.

ERIKA: It's cocked.

TRAVIS: Please be a 20. (laughter)

TRAVIS: 14.

MATT: 14.

LAURA: That's not bad.

MATT: I mean, the weapon that Dusk carries definitely has a fey-centric design to it. It has a beautiful but natural design. The hilt flows. The crystals give this natural sense to it. You'd almost feel like it was pulled from the earth if you didn't see the finer details that were handcrafted. Yeah, there is a hint of fey essence to the way they present themself, design and clothing has some elements to the overall presentation and the smaller details.

TRAVIS: Cool.

MARISHA: You know, maybe you have been gone for 100 years. Maybe we can do a little test or do a little survey to see what world events you remember, although you don't remember a lot, so maybe that's a bad idea.

LIAM: Do you remember being a little kid? Do you have any little kid memories?

ERIKA: Yeah, but also I don't really process them chronologically.

TALIESIN: It's hard to remember--

MARISHA: You know--

SAM: Are you from the future?

ASHLEY: I totally understand.

SAM: You do?

ASHLEY: It's kind of how time works, I guess, where we're from. It's kind of...

LIAM: Well, I think-- Sorry, Fearne, but I think when people from here go there for a brief time, there's a little bit of soupiness, but maybe if you go for a long time, it's exponential.

TALIESIN: Like gumbo.

ERIKA: Maybe I was there for a very long time.

MATT: A heavy table hits the center of the table, and there you can see upon it, a plate has descended onto the table, and you can see a cluster of small dough balls as Errevon takes a deep breath and just breathes a gout of flame that sprays across and singes the exterior of it.

MARISHA: Are those the pepper poppers?

MATT: "It takes a lot for an ice being to breathe fire."

ASHLEY: Whoa.

MATT: "Thank you."

MARISHA: (laughs)

MATT: "Now, enjoy the Conclave Thordak's fire peppers."

TALIESIN: I'm getting in on one of those.

MATT: "And your breezers." He puts the drinks out there.

MARISHA: Oh, it's blended.

LIAM: Please describe the presentation of the Ashari Breezer.

MARISHA: Yes.

MATT: "There wasn't a star next to those."

LIAM: Hm?

LAURA: Oh.

TALIESIN: You ordered something--

LIAM: Just in a cup?

TALIESIN: -- that doesn't have a star.

SAM: Maybe you could get a souvenir cup.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

TRAVIS: The disappointment!

MARISHA: Can we get souvenir cups?

TRAVIS: I wanted a mug so I could show off.

SAM: Is there a souvenir cup that we could get?

LAURA: Does it have a flashy light cube in it?

TALIESIN: You just went for it so fast.

MARISHA: What's it look like, is what he's saying. What's it look like?

MATT: "There are souvenir tankards you could take with you on the way out."

TALIESIN: In the gift shop.

MATT: "I will bring some if you'd like to see at the end of your meal."

MARISHA: It's got to be blended, right?

SAM: Yeah.

MARISHA: But you as the DM, what do they look like?

MATT: He hasn't presented them yet.

MARISHA: Oh, I thought you said here's all the Ashari Breezers.

MATT: The Ashari Breezers are the drinks.

MARISHA: Yeah.

ERIKA: But they don't come in--

MATT: They don't come in collectors' cups.

MARISHA: Right.

MATT: It's just the drink.

MARISHA: Right.

LAURA: Is it blue?

MATT: Oh, she was asking for the coloration of the drink.

MATT: I'm sorry, I misunderstood the scenario. So, no.

LIAM: We want to know if there's umbrellas, or are there little hang gliders? Are there hang gliders in them?

MATT: So for the breezers, they're inside these small, clay mugs and at the very top, it's a faint blue-ish green, almost a Midori coloration to it, and it has a bit of fizz to it. You can see it's popping with some sort of aerated--

LAURA: Air Ashari!

TRAVIS: Carbonated.

MATT: Yeah, it's been carbonated.

LIAM: You just killed me and brought me back to life. I thought he was like, it's just a small clay, it's a carpenter's cup with a drink in it. (laughter) Zephrah doesn't warrant a fancy drink, okay. But it's beautiful.

MATT: It is. It's beautiful, and it's not quite as overt. But when you take a look, the subtlety is a bit, quite nice.

LIAM: Okay.

MARISHA: Wow.

LAURA: It looks really natural in your hands. I can tell it really speaks to where you're from.

LIAM: No place like home, especially this place.

MATT: Ding ding ding ding ding! A big bell at the bar begins ringing loudly, and the music from the music box immediately stops and someone gets out a horn and goes (horn blows)

LAURA: Oh, yes!

MATT: You watch as everyone turns around and kind of-- Not everyone. A few people turn around and look, and number of them are like (groans). And just drink heavily. The barkeep behind you, you can see, is an orcish gentleman, stands up at the top and goes, "Hark unto all friends here! It looks like a great conflict comes to the Taste of Tal'Dorei!"

SAM: There's a show!

MATT: "A historical moment!"

SAM: There's a show, there's a show!

MATT: You see, from behind one of the doorways that has a large piece of cloth that protects it, you see the individual dressed as Drassig is putting on some armor and comes out with a sword that is plainly not sharp at all and goes, "Aha! This realm is mine to rule."

ERIKA: Boo!

MATT: "And I will-- You shush your mouth or be slain by the dark King Warren Drassig!"

MARISHA: No!

ERIKA: Oh no!

TRAVIS: What did you do? He just called you out.

MATT: "Now, kneel before me!" Suddenly behind, "Do not kneel before him!" You see the woman who was going for the first table goes, "He is but an imposter! A terrible plague upon the free peoples of our land!" The guy dressed as Warren turns and goes, "Zan Tal'Dorei?"

ALL: Oh!

MATT: As his beard loosely comes off at one point, and he slaps it back onto his chin. "Indeed, I will free the great peoples of this land, and you'll be nothing but a dark echo in the annals of history!" He goes, "Then show me your strength!"

MATT: He pulls his blade out.

SAM: Oh!

MATT: She goes--

ASHLEY and ERIKA: (gasp)

MATT: "(grunts)," pulls her blade out. You can see (large vibrations) into place. The orc on the counter gets down below it, and pulls out a quick fiddle from behind, and starts (quick melody). Starts fiddling along with it, as the two start going, (repeated metallic clangs) (metallic clangs) in a circle. (laughter) (laughter)

MATT: Just the most awkward, repetitive, non-dangerous swinging of blades in a big circle in the middle. There's a couple of Crawler gang members on the floor, going, "(laughs) Stab her in the throat!" The other guy's, "Cut off his balls!" They're just (metallic clangs). He knocks the blade out of her hand, "Ah!" It falls to the ground going (clattering). Everyone's, "(gasps)" Someone goes, "I've seen this before," and just has a big swig.

LAURA: (laughs)

MATT: On the ground, she looks and puts her eyes up. You watch as one of the baubles from the ceiling begins to glow a beam of light upon her face.

TRAVIS: Yes!

MATT: It's a spotlight that kicks in around the noon-day performance they're doing now, the melodrama at noon. Looks up, "Ah, but the great Prime Deities, give your blessings upon me, so I might guide the free peoples to true freedom. "(gasps)" As King Drassig pulls his blade up. Then, the fiddle stops, and another crank behind the counter begins to turn, and you hear this crackling sound of voices going, ♪ "Ah ah ah" ♪ The squeaking of a ratchet, as another sword is lowered on a rope (squeaks) from the ceiling.

ASHLEY: (gasps) Grabs the sword.

ASHLEY: Good heavens.

MATT: Looks at it, as King Drassig is slowly recoiling.

MARISHA: (gasps) Behind you!

MATT: Pulling his blade back going, "No!"

TRAVIS: Bullet time!

MATT: She pulls the blade from the rope. Well, she takes a second to pull it free safely before turning around, and very slowly bringing it to his throat and touching it there. He goes. "(groans)"

LIAM: Oh, she got him!

SAM: Oh, I'll Transfer Suffering and take half the damage. (laughter)

MATT: Good on ya.

LAURA: FCG's totally buying the whole thing.

TALIESIN: All of us, please. (laughter)

TRAVIS: He's so in it.

MATT: He slaps his hand to his neck and then pulls it away, and there's a smattering of some sort of red condiment. He goes, "(groans) It seems you were indeed the chosen king." He falls to the ground. She looks at her blade and looks down at him. "I am no king. I am a sovereign."

LIAM, ASHLEY, and SAM: Ooh.

TRAVIS: God.

MATT: There's this awkward pause.

LAURA: (one clap) (smattered clapping) (clapping)

MATT: She stands up.

LIAM: Orym pulls Ashton down. You've seen this before?

TALIESIN: Oh yeah. They have not changed the script one iota. I almost kind of miss this, actually.

LIAM: Does it get better or worse with the rewatch?

TALIESIN: Oh, so much worse, and so much better at the same time.

ERIKA: I love the theater!

MATT: (laughs) They both stand up. They grab each other's hands and give a bow, and you can see in their faces. They're just soulless at this point. (laughter)

MATT: This is probably the 600th time they've done this, and they know you don't care. They finish.

LIAM: Keep it fresh.

MATT: They turn around and they go back to serving the tables they have been assigned, as Errevon the Rimelord goes back, and checks his makeup in the mirror, and comes back. "Hah, what else do you need from the Rimelord?"

SAM: (laughs)

MARISHA: I checked the ball a little bit ago. Was the ball fine?

LAURA: Mm-hmm.

MARISHA: Anything moving on it yet?

MATT: No shifting, no.

MARISHA: No shifting, okay. We still have time.

LIAM: South of this place?

TALIESIN: Do you have any specials on the cocktail menu right now? Something seasonal, my lord?

MATT: "Let me check." He goes back to the bar and then comes back for a second. "There is the Winter's Crest Mixer, if you would like something with a bit more of a holiday spice to it."

TALIESIN: I'm feeling festive.

LIAM: How far off from the time frame of Winter's Crest are we at this point?

MATT: Oh, you are in Sydenstar the 14th. You are the equivalent of October. You're a few months away from even that even being a thing.

LIAM: Earlier and earlier every year. (laughter)

TALIESIN: Winter's Crest crawl. Yeah.

LIAM: Uh-huh.

MARISHA: (laughs)

TALIESIN: It's always Winter's Crest somewhere.

MATT: "Is that what you want?"

TALIESIN: Oh, yes, please.

MATT: "All right."

TALIESIN: Thank you.

MATT: Darts off.

SAM: As amazing as that was, I want to hear more about this parent connection.

MARISHA: Yes, I mean.

ASHLEY: Yes. I have just--

MARISHA: That restaurant's very distracting right now.

LIAM: Distracting.

ASHLEY: (sighs) It's incredible, though. I really just love it here. Oh my goodness.

LIAM: These poppers are going to run right through us, too. (laughter)

ASHLEY: Let me try one real quick.

TALIESIN: Maybe I'll take another one.

ASHLEY: Well, I'll--

SAM: I'll just do the word search here on the menu, just give you guys some privacy.

TRAVIS: Yeah.

LAURA: (laughs)

SAM: Ooh, Cloudtop.

ASHLEY: So, how are you? What did you do with them? Do you know?

ERIKA: I just have a lot of fleeting impressions of being so lost. I think I was probably before I went to the Feywild, too, and then being found and having people to help me navigate that world.

ASHLEY: Yeah.

ERIKA: Because it's terrible and beautiful.

ASHLEY: Yeah.

ERIKA: Right?

ASHLEY: Yeah. But what were they like?

ERIKA: They were very sweet. You don't... Do you remember them at all?

ASHLEY: A little bit. I was very young when they left, and they left me with my grandmother to keep me safe, but--

ERIKA: With your grandmother?

ASHLEY: Mm-hmm. She lives there, and she's my best friend. And I... They left because they had to do something very important. I don't know what it was, but I... I've been looking for them. So, this feels like something.

ERIKA: Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I know that you all have your business to take care of, but I mean, maybe on the way, you know? We can help each other find them.

MARISHA: Well, you know, speaking of the business that we are on. To get you up to speed a little bit, the man we are chasing had some dubious dealings with entities from the Fey Realm

ASHLEY: That's right.

TALIESIN: That's true.

MARISHA: He worked with this creepy and svelte man called the Nightmare King and--

ASHLEY: He looks a bit like a shoelace.

MARISHA: Yes, yes, a little piece of Alfredo.

LAURA: In a fancy suit.

MARISHA: Then, we followed that trail, and it led us to-- there's the Shade Mother, yes, and they were all, ooh, Shade Mother, we love you. We worship you. She was this big half-woman, half-slug.

ERIKA: Which part was the woman, and which part was the slug?

LIAM: The top part.

MARISHA: Excellent question, I should've specified. The top half was the woman. The back half was very sluggy.

TALIESIN: But by percentage, though, it was more like 20/80.

LIAM: Yeah, a lot more bug than woman. This was really far away, too. We actually just rolled into town, so this happened a long ship ride back.

LAURA: Those gentlemen who were chasing you, Dusk, they were bad, right?

ERIKA: I assume so.

LAURA: All right.

TALIESIN: It's a fine assumption in this place. This is not the safest place that you can imagine. There is a lot of conflicting needs and affiliations.

ERIKA: I mean--

LIAM: And they jumped you, right? Insight check.

LAURA: (laughs) Mm-hmm. Insight check.

LIAM: That's 25.

LAURA: Baiting!

MARISHA: Yeah, yeah.

TALIESIN: That's spicy.

LIAM: Oh, actually, I get advantage. Oh, it was a one, which I get to reroll.

ERIKA: (laughs)

LIAM: It's another one.

LAURA: Oh, wow.

LIAM: But it was at advantage, so I get to take the higher of the three rolls.

MATT: (laughs)

LIAM: So it's 25.

ERIKA: Yeah, they jumped me. (laughter)

TALIESIN: J'accuse!

SAM: Worth it!

ERIKA: But the thing is is that, I mean--

SAM: Worth it.

ERIKA: Around here, everybody's just kind of desperate, you know? So, the thing is is they might be bad in that they were trying to take my stuff, but I don't know, I might've done worse things to get by, and to survive in this area. I don't know.

LIAM: Hmm.

TALIESIN: They are not wrong.

LIAM: They seemed to be trying to kill you, so, I mean--

TRAVIS: Yeah, getting by is hard to do. Could I see that locket real quick? I just want to take a look at it, because Mama. Mama Birdie, oh yeah.

ERIKA: Mm-hmm.

TRAVIS: Mm-hmm. Yep. Yeah. Is this what they looked like when you saw them last?

ASHLEY: Yes, it is.

TRAVIS: That's awesome, okay.

ASHLEY: Yeah.

TRAVIS: There you go.

ERIKA: I can't believe I didn't see it. You look so much like them.

ASHLEY: I just, this is so bizarre. I just, that, that we happened upon--

ERIKA: (gasps) Maybe they were looking for you. Maybe that's why they're in this area.

LAURA: So, they're in this area?

ASHLEY: They're here?

ERIKA: I think so.

ASHLEY: (gasps)

ERIKA: I've been asking around. I've been here for a couple weeks, and--

ASHLEY: Wait. What makes you think that they're here?

ERIKA: Because that's where we got dumped out together. We got separated, but I assume that it was in the same general area.

LIAM: You saw their boots on the ground here in Bassuras?

MARISHA: I'm sure it was when they were going through the portal.

LAURA: But how do you know the portal didn't send them out somewhere in Tal'Dorei?

TALIESIN: Portals can send people a lot of places in a lot of ways. They are not reliable.

ERIKA: Okay, I just need to--

SAM: Let's be a little bit optimistic here. It could have dumped them here.

ASHLEY: Yeah, yeah, yes, yes, yes. They could be here. It could totally be--

ERIKA: It's the closest thing, and the fact that I just ran into you.

ASHLEY: What are the odds? This just feels serendipitous.

LIAM: Hmm.

SAM: Good word.

ASHLEY: I just think, I think they're here. I think they're here, and I think we're going to find them.

SAM: What were they-- If you're not sure what they were looking for, what were they up to, or interested in? Were they, I don't know, collecting flora and fauna? Were they looking for, did they have any goals? Did they tell you where we might find them? Did they have a favorite type of food that we could go check those restaurants?

ERIKA: I mean, they said they were really important in the courts.

ASHLEY: Oh yes, very, very, very important.

TRAVIS: In the court?

ASHLEY: They were very-- Yes.

SAM: Like judicial court?

ASHLEY: No, the Seelie Court, my family is pretty kind of a big deal.

ERIKA: (gasps)

SAM: You're fancy. But what does that mean, you're royalty?

ASHLEY: Well, I mean, pretty much.

MARISHA: (laughs)

ASHLEY: Yeah.

TRAVIS: The Seelie Court?

ASHLEY: Yeah.

TRAVIS: Okay.

LAURA: You're a princess?

ERIKA: It's a lot of politics.

ASHLEY: Well, I don't know if I would be a princess necessarily.

TRAVIS: Wait, you're a princess?

ASHLEY: No, no, no, no, no, no.

TRAVIS: Oh shit.

ASHLEY: I mean, my parents would call me that, but--

TRAVIS: Are you fucking serious? You're a princess?

ASHLEY: I mean, I certainly--

TRAVIS: Are you Princess Fearne?

ASHLEY: I certainly could be. You can call me that, for sure.

ERIKA: But I didn't know they were royalty, royalty. I just know that they're--

TALIESIN: Now I feel bad for being fucking shitty to Dorian.

ASHLEY: You know, they're-- (laughter)

ASHLEY: -- we don't necessarily have a--

TALIESIN: I could've just been doing this all this time.

ERIKA: The hierarchy.

ASHLEY: A seat.

ERIKA: King or queen, it's more like--

ASHLEY: No, not necessarily that. It's just, we're just very well known. We're just a very well known family.

MARISHA: This feels so complicated.

ASHLEY: Yeah.

LIAM: You'd be like an influencer.

ASHLEY: My aunties worked at the court.

MARISHA: I check the orb.

ASHLEY: Yeah.

MATT: Thankfully, it has not shifted.

MARISHA: Okay.

SAM: Why would they leave the Fey Realm if they're so important and high up in the echelons of--

ASHLEY: Well, because I--

ERIKA: Because their only daughter--

ASHLEY: They were on a very, very, very important mission.

SAM: You are?

ASHLEY: No, my parents were.

SAM: Oh.

ASHLEY: They had to leave. That's why they had to leave me with my grandmother, because they had something very, very, very important to do.

SAM: In where?

MARISHA: What, well, yes.

ASHLEY: I don't know.

SAM: But that was 90 years ago.

ASHLEY: Well, I--

MARISHA: You met up with them.

ASHLEY: -- maybe.

MARISHA: What if she was--

TRAVIS: The mission.

MARISHA: The mission! Yes!

LAURA: How did you meet them? Do you remember?

TRAVIS: Do you have any siblings?

SAM: Such an unreliable narrator.

ERIKA: I'm sorry! (laughter)

ERIKA: I wish I had the answers, too.

SAM: Sorry, I'm sorry.

MARISHA: I saw you do a little bit of magic. Where do you get your powers from?

ERIKA: I clocked the tattoo that you have.

LIAM: Mm-hmm.

ERIKA: I have one that's similar to it.

TRAVIS: Oh shit!

LIAM: Is it covered or uncovered?

ERIKA: It's uncovered. You can see part of it peeking out.

TRAVIS: Fuck yeah.

MARISHA: Is it moon stuff?

ERIKA: It's waves that terminates in geometric shapes.

TRAVIS: Ooh!

SAM: How close is it to him?

ERIKA: Same, but different.

MARISHA: That's cool.

LIAM: Do you remember getting it?

ERIKA: Mm-mm.

SAM: Do you?

TRAVIS: Whoa.

LIAM: Do I remember getting mine?

SAM: Yeah.

LIAM: Of course.

LAURA: Is that a sign of the Ashari?

ERIKA: Or is it just a--

LIAM: I think--

ERIKA: -- neat tattoo?

LIAM: I don't know. I mean. I would say it's a coincidence, but we are running into a lot of coincidences, aren't we?

SAM: Did you choose to get yours, or was it part of a ritual, or something?

LIAM: No, I chose it.

TRAVIS: These waves, would they be from the Water Ashari?

LIAM: (groans) I mean, they're invisible, because this is D&D. Do they look like Water Ashari design to me?

MATT: I mean, it very well could be. You've had minimal interactions directly with Water Ashari, especially of the warrior rank that take a similar, you know, tattoo spread as to what you have. But it seems like it very well can fit into a similar pattern, yeah.

TALIESIN: They're like--

ERIKA: Do they do anything? Is it like a...?

TRAVIS: Oh my god.

LIAM: No, they're just--

TRAVIS: Does it give you powers?

ERIKA: Water, yeah.

LIAM: They don't do anything. They mean something, but they don't do anything. What I noticed about you was your sword work is exquisite.

ERIKA: (gasps) Thank you.

LIAM: It's a good-looking blade, too, mm.

MARISHA: You know, I don't want to--

TRAVIS: (laughs) Calm down, Orym, Jesus. (laughs)

LIAM: Sh-- They're good.

ERIKA: Do you want to touch it?

LIAM: Your arm or the sword?

TRAVIS: Touch it.

ERIKA: The sword.

LIAM: Yes.

ERIKA: Okay.

LIAM: Can I try the heft?

ERIKA: Yeah.

LAURA: I'm going to rip off your hat and throw it back at you.

TRAVIS: Ah!

LAURA: It's getting hot in here.

MARISHA: (laughs)

SAM: Do you have hair right now, by the way?

LAURA: No.

MARISHA: No.

LIAM: No.

MARISHA: Still bald. I don't want to speak for Imogen, or volunteer, you know, in any way, but Imogen is very gifted, very capable at peering into one's mind and thoughts.

SAM: I mean, I'm no slouch either, but--

MARISHA: And Fresh Cut Grass, too. But Imogen is just--

SAM: I mean, I'm equally as good--

MARISHA: So talented, and he's also here, and-- (laughter) You know.

ERIKA: Oh, well.

MARISHA: I don't, but I'm not-- You can elaborate from there. I don't want to as--

MATT: "What a terrible thing one must devour to celebrate the defeat of one such as the Rimelord for one's Winter Crest!"

SAM: (laughs)

MATT: "How dastardly such an event is in the echoes of memory and history. Oh, woe be unto the Elemental Kings, but vengeance one day shall be ours." As he puts his hand out, he sprinkled cinnamon across this bowl with a series of straws in it. (laughter)

MATT: It has like a thick cream-based rum drink that has all manner of--

LAURA: It's going to be so gross after the breezer.

MATT: It has red, and blue, and green little puff balls that look like they've been soaking a little bit, until they get--

ERIKA: Oh!

MATT: -- a little soggy. They just slosh around, and he sprinkles the cinnamon on it.

LIAM: Oh.

MATT: Then there's a little spray of sugar on top. It's like snowfall, but he just throws it. Like he doesn't give a shit anymore and then walks away.

TRAVIS: I'll hold up a silver. You're killing it.

MATT: "Thank you kindly, I'll kill you last. (laughs)" (laughter)

TRAVIS: Play the game.

LAURA: I love you so much.

LIAM: Take this back before I kill myself.

ERIKA: Aw!

TALIESIN: Okay, there are three things I miss about this town. I'm actually admitting it. There are three things I miss about this town.

LAURA: (laughs)

ERIKA: Hon hon hon!

ASHLEY: Okay.

LAURA: Yeah, I--

ERIKA: Your gal pal really gassed you up there.

LAURA: You hear in your head: Yeah, I can look into to your mind, if you would want something like that, but there's no guarantee, you know. We've run into issues before. It could be complicated. It--

ERIKA: Does anybody else hear that?

ASHLEY: She's saying something in your head, huh?

TRAVIS: When she goes quiet like that, it's just you two.

ERIKA: Oh.

TRAVIS: Yeah.

SAM: We can tell that she's talking to somebody, because her eyes cross while she's doing it.

ERIKA and TRAVIS: (laugh)

LAURA: All right. All right, no. (laughter)

SAM: That's canonically what happens.

LAURA: No. That is not. (laughter)

LAURA: You do not have a flesh tongue, and I do not cross my eyes, all right?

SAM: Oh, I beg to duh-huh.

MATT: Oh, no, no, no. (laughter)

MATT: Uh-uh, uh-uh.

ERIKA: Yes, yes, yes!

LIAM: Ah! (laughter)

TRAVIS: I take a knife and I go (slices). (laughter)

SAM: Ah!

LIAM: Had a flesh tongue.

MATT: Oh my god. I hate this.

TRAVIS: Kill it with fire!

LIAM: Fixed! (laughter)

TRAVIS: That beast.

LAURA: (retches)

MATT: (groans)

LAURA: (retches)

MATT: That's the worst.

ERIKA: See, it's like--

MATT: (vibrating)

TRAVIS: You should do it. She's a skilled practitioner. It might reveal something that could help you.

ERIKA: Okay.

LAURA: But if it's traumatic--

TRAVIS: They're good too, but--

LAURA: It could be traumatic. I mean, as you well know.

TALIESIN: Mm-hmm.

ERIKA: What happened to you?

TALIESIN: Same shit as always, it was weird. I remembered a bunch of shit I didn't like, and it fucked me up. Enjoy.

ERIKA: When you put it that way, maybe--

TRAVIS: No, no, no, they got a big hole in their dome. It's different.

LAURA: I just had another thought outside of that, which could be viable. I have this ability, Fearne. I could potentially try to reach out and make a connection with them personally.

ERIKA: (gasps)

LAURA: Now that I've seen that locket, I know what they look like. I'm familiar with their names. I might be able to sort of find them.

ASHLEY: Yes.

SAM: Do they have to be close or can they be anywhere?

LAURA: It can be anywhere. I know it's harder if they're not on this plane. So if they're in the... then maybe I wouldn't be able to.

MARISHA: See, she's very capable.

ASHLEY: She's very capable. She's so capable. I think we should try it.

LIAM: Could narrow things down.

ASHLEY: It doesn't hurt to try.

ERIKA: Yeah.

MARISHA: I look at the orb.

MATT: It's not moved.

MARISHA: All right.

TALIESIN: I'm going to take a look around just to make sure no one's listening in.

LIAM: Do you have to go under the table every time?

MATT: Make a perception check.

LAURA: (laughs) Just ducking.

MARISHA: Keep going.

LIAM: Just Blair Witching.

TALIESIN: Why did I roll a 10?

ASHLEY: I would love that so much.

ERIKA: Please, yes.

LAURA: Okay.

ERIKA: I would be forever in your debt.

TALIESIN: That is a 11.

MATT: 11. The handful of other patrons that are here seem to be, for the most part, disinterested in your troop at the moment, except for the two somewhat early day drinker Crawler gang members that were cheering on the battle so aggressively earlier. Both sitting next to each other and looking over your table with a non-hidden curiosity, but that's about it.

LAURA: Did they have a nickname that they called you by? Or was it Fearne? Fearnie?

ASHLEY: Princess.

LAURA: Princess. All right.

TRAVIS: Holy shit.

TALIESIN: Oh boy.

LAURA: What about you?

ASHLEY: They didn't call me that, I'm just kidding.

LAURA: Oh, all right, well, that's--

ASHLEY: They just called me--

LAURA: Fearne.

ASHLEY: They just called me Fearne.

LAURA: Okay. Yeah, I will--

TRAVIS: Yeah, come on!

LAURA: I will close my eyes and I'm going to try to reach out to Birdie.

MATT: Okay.

MARISHA: Oh my god.

MATT: Okay.

TRAVIS: This took a turn.

MATT: Hold on.

TALIESIN: Well, this is happening.

MATT: Okay.

SAM: But you won't be able to hear-- (shushing)

LAURA: Shut up, shut up.

ERIKA: I'll take anything.

LAURA: All I can hear are buzzes of thoughts as I start to open my mind up more.

LIAM: We're in a dinner theater.

LAURA: Birdie, I'm here with Fearne and Dusk. They're both looking for you. We're in Bassuras. Are you close? We want to find you. Desperately.

MATT: There's a long pause. Then, responding, a voice goes, "I'm sorry. Out of personal care and mistrust and safety, who am I speaking with?"

LAURA: That's all the spells I got. I forgot to tell them who I was talking to. I haven't done this for--

ASHLEY: Did you hear them?

LAURA: I did!

ERIKA: Oh my gosh!

LAURA: But they didn't tell me where they were. They were a little mistrustful of my voice, understandably.

ASHLEY: That makes sense, that makes sense.

LAURA: Is there something I can tell them so that they know--

LIAM: Something only you would know, Fearne?

LAURA: Yeah.

ASHLEY: Um, um, um, okay, okay. Oh my goodness, this is so exciting. Um. Okay. Say that Fearne's window at grandma's was the big round window.

LAURA: Okay.

ASHLEY: I'm trying to think of what else. They remember my bird, Dr. Nesbitt.

LAURA: Dr. Nesbitt. All right, let me--

ASHLEY: Dusk, do you have anything you want to tell her?

ASHLEY: Oh my god, she's alive.

ERIKA: Just that... the glade, the glade.

LAURA: Okay.

LAURA: I'm going to reach out--

ASHLEY: Oh, oh, oh, and, and, and, and, and Bompers and Flompers. Those are all my buddies that are there.

LAURA: Okay. I'll start with these and the--

ASHLEY: Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

SAM: Those 90-year-old pets?

TALIESIN: Makes sense.

LIAM: I want to go there.

LAURA: I'm going to reach out again.

TALIESIN: I want to meet Bompers, the rest I'm not really into.

LAURA: This is Imogen Temult. I'm their friend. Fearne's been reminding me of her round window at grandma's house and her bird, Dr. Nesbitt. While Dusk has been mentioning the glade.

MATT: Immediately, the voice responds, "Oh my goodness. Our Fearne. Our Fearne! Do you hear that? You said Bassuras? We're a few days out from our next trek. We'll meet at Joe's."

SAM and MARISHA: Joe's?

SAM: Old Joe's.

LAURA: They were so happy. She was so happy to hear.

ASHLEY: She was?

LAURA: Yeah. I think she was trying to call for your dad, I think. She said they're a few days out. But they wanted to meet here at Joe's? Does that sound familiar? Joe's?

TALIESIN: Not ringing a bell.

SAM: Does that sound familiar?

MATT: Both of you make a history check.

SAM: Joe's.

TRAVIS: No problem.

TALIESIN and TRAVIS: Nope.

SAM: Three.

TALIESIN: Four.

MARISHA: Oh no!

MATT: You have no idea who that is. You're going to have to ask around. (laughs)

LAURA: We'll ask around for a Joe.

TALIESIN: I never went to any fucking Joe's.

SAM: This is incredible. That was amazing.

ERIKA: I can't believe this.

ASHLEY: I can't believe this. This is so wild! This is--

LIAM: Long time coming.

ASHLEY: Yeah. I just got so nervous.

LAURA: It's been a while.

LIAM: Can we get eight Ashari Breezers over here, please?

MARISHA: Yes, make a toast!

ERIKA: Yeah!

MARISHA: Oh my goodness! And some of the Trinket bear claws!

LAURA: Oh god.

MATT: As you shout this out, Errevon's over at the mirror again, applying some makeup that's sweated off the side of the cheek before snapping this little hand case closed and spins. "Right away! For I wish to treat my quarry before I crush them. Ahhh!" Then heads off to the bar.

TRAVIS: He's ready committed.

ERIKA: Committed to the bit.

TRAVIS: He's in it.

MARISHA: Look at the orb. Look at the orb.

MATT: Not moving.

MARISHA: All right.

ERIKA: Thank you, thank you so much. I take your hands and I don't know how I can possibly thank you. Is there anything that I can do for you?

LAURA: No, you're fine.

ERIKA: Are you sure?

LAURA: Yeah, I'm sure. But thank you.

ERIKA: Your friend was really right. You're amazing. It's incredible.

LAURA: Thank you.

TRAVIS: It's a good look, though.

LAURA: No, yeah it's--

TRAVIS: Yeah, it's a very aerodynamic.

ASHLEY: You have a very perfectly shaped head. (laughter)

MARISHA: You're getting a little bit of purple fuzz coming in, too.

LAURA: Is it really?

ASHLEY: It's growing, it's growing.

LAURA: Already?

ASHLEY: Yeah, I see it.

MARISHA: Yeah, it's not bad.

LAURA: I can feel a little fuzz.

MARISHA: Yeah.

LAURA: Okay.

TALIESIN: (laughs) That's so mean.

LIAM: Purple fuzz. (laughter)

TALIESIN: Just a cold stare.

ASHLEY: Wow.

ERIKA: See that--

SAM: Well, we got to find out where Joe's is, right?

LAURA: Yeah. We should ask around. Maybe our waiter knows about Joe's.

TRAVIS: Oh yeah.

TALIESIN: I would say if you're going to ask around, ask around in here. It's relatively safe. You're not going to get into anything. But just in general be a little bit more careful who you talk to out there. Do not-- Well you're going to anyway, but try not to seem like tourists. That's how you get robbed.

ASHLEY: I'm going to run over to the bartender.

ERIKA: I--

MATT: Okay.

ERIKA: -- take off the paper crown.

TALIESIN: In here, it's fine. (laughter) No, in here is fine.

MARISHA: The paper crown.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

TALIESIN: It suits you.

MATT: All right. You rush over to the bar and there you see the orcish gentleman that

MCed the battle earlier. You see him. He's late 20s, little bit about an early receding hairline, but the long hair comes to a nice series of curls at the shoulder. A very nice deep green tunic that's deep cut with the threads of this thick cording woven between that's pulled to a bow in the center. Big fluffy sleeves and all manner of jewelry across the fingers. Looks up at you with these deep set gray, green eyes and just a very well kept grin with just a little bit of a dark lip coloration across to just emphasize the features. Kind of leans in. "Hi. How can I help you?"

ASHLEY: Hi. Do you know of a place here called Joe's?

MATT: "Joe's?"

ASHLEY: Joe's.

ERIKA: Or is there anybody that goes by that name that might have an establishment of some sort?

MATT: "Nothing rings a bell to me. Hold on. Denal! Do you know of a Joe's?"

TRAVIS: Denal?

MATT: The waitress dressed as Zan Tal'Dorei comes around the corner and goes, "Joe's? You mean like over in The Ends Joe's? Imahara Joe's?"

ASHLEY: Maybe. What is that?

MATT: "He's one of them tinker types. Works with a lot of the Crawler gangs."

ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: "In The Ends over there."

ASHLEY: Okay, in The Ends.

TRAVIS: Imahara Joe's?

MATT: Imahara Joe's.

ASHLEY: Imahara Joe's? Okay. Okay.

LAURA: This is really promising.

ASHLEY: Oh, this is really promising. The music box that you have hanging from the ceiling.

MATT: "Yes?"

ASHLEY: Is that for sale?

MATT: "No."

ASHLEY: Why not? (laughter)

MATT: "Most of the decor here was carefully imported from Tal'Dorei. These are all genuine relics from across the seas--"

TRAVIS: Oh my god.

MATT: "-- of the Ozmit. Everything you see here has been acquired and carefully maintained as part of our historical collection so we could bring to you nothing but the most authentic Tal'Dorei experience."

TRAVIS: Hollywood Museum.

ASHLEY: Well, may I, may I propose a trade? I happen to have items from Tal'Dorei.

ERIKA: (gasps)

ASHLEY: Specifically, specifically... I pull in my fur. I pull out an old teacup that is chipped, but it has a portrait that says... Where did it go? Sorry. This is taking so long.

MATT: (laughs)

SAM: It's a big build up.

ASHLEY: Oh, there it is. It's a portrait of a woman, and underneath it it reads, The Lady of Whitestone.

MATT: "Mm."

ASHLEY: I purchased this for a very high amount. From-- I've never been there, but this is from a... It was from there. (laughter)

MATT: Make a persuasion check. (laughter)

ASHLEY: 16.

MATT: 16. He takes a glance at it. Describe to me how you acquired this, if you don't mind.

ASHLEY: How I really acquired it?

MATT: Yeah.

ASHLEY: This was taken when we went to Stilben, and was around when we went with Opal and Dariax and I--

MATT: In Kymal?

ASHLEY: No.

LIAM: Back in--

MATT: Or Byroden?

SAM: Byroden?

MATT: Is it Byroden?

ASHLEY: Byroden.

MATT: There you go.

ASHLEY: Sorry, sorry, sorry.

MATT: It's all good.

TRAVIS: Byroden.

ASHLEY: I stole it from a gift shop.

MATT: Okay. Fair enough. (laughter) Beautiful. Looks at it and goes, "I have quite a discerning eye for relics."

ASHLEY: Well, then you would know.

MATT: "This is authentic."

ASHLEY: It is.

MATT: How did you come upon such a thing?

ASHLEY: I happen to know someone who... Somebody gave it to me. (laughter) It was a gift because...

TRAVIS: Fucking terrible.

MARISHA: So bad.

ASHLEY: It was for my birthday.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

MATT: "Well, the fact that you are willing to part with this for such a establishment as this means that you respect the arts and wish to support them."

ASHLEY: Very much.

MATT: "I think that music box has been towards the end of its life perhaps and I've been looking to trade it out. I'll accept your bargain."

ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: "Should you bring any other finer relics around here, there are other bargains to be had. Except for the mirror. The mirror stays."

ASHLEY: Okay.

LAURA: What is the mirror?

MATT: "It is a mirror."

LAURA: Yeah, but where from? What is its significance?

MATT: "This mirror was imported from the Elven city of Syngorn, and was said to once belong to one of the lake masters there that kept an eye upon the lights of Catha as it bestowed upon the magics to its people."

LAURA: Wow. A magical mirror. Have you ever tried to cast a spell into it?

MATT: "Yes, many times. It is just a mirror." (laughter)

LAURA: Have you ever brought it out into the moonlight?

MATT: "Yes. That was the first thing we tried."

LAURA: Oh. Just checking. (laughter)

MATT: "No, but good looking out. I appreciate it. Your music box." And he unwraps the rope from it and hands it to you.

ASHLEY: Thank you.

MATT: You can see it's been scuffed, it's been knocked around, it definitely has a few stains on it probably from wayward ale tossing, but it seems to function.

ASHLEY: Okay. Thank you so much.

MATT: "Of course. Thank you." Takes and very carefully lifts the tea cup and starts cleaning it off with a little wayward scarf or piece of material he wipes down the edge of the bar with.

ERIKA: You have a genuine piece of A Taste of Tal'Dorei.

TALIESIN: What are you--

ERIKA: What you going to do with it?

TALIESIN: How did that happen?

ASHLEY: Well, I have a plan. I have a plan.

SAM: A plan?

LAURA: Yes. I have a plan for it. Chetney.

TRAVIS: Yes?

ASHLEY: Do you do engraving?

TRAVIS: Of course.

LAURA: (laughs)

ASHLEY: Could I have you write, To Mama Birdie and Papa Ollie on it?

TRAVIS: I mean, yes. Just in common, plain font? Would you like more calligraphy and filigree?

ASHLEY: (gasps) Yes!

TALIESIN: Clearly.

ASHLEY: Is that longer? Is that an extra charge?

TRAVIS: Not for you.

ASHLEY: Really? You'll give it to me for free?

TRAVIS: Yeah. (laughter)

ASHLEY: Would you like anything in return?

TRAVIS: Let's just talk about it later. (laughter) Just one section or the whole side of it?

ASHLEY: Go--

TRAVIS: Fucking nuts?

ASHLEY: This is all-- Go nuts. This is your artistic expression. Do whatever you want. (laughter)

LIAM: Comic Sans is an odd choice. (laughter)

TRAVIS: It's just a flurry. It's just a flurry.

MATT: At which point, your final round of Ashari Breezers arrives to the table.

MARISHA: Can we-- Oh yes, yes.

ERIKA: To seeking and to finding.

ASHLEY: Yes.

TALIESIN: Right.

LIAM: And Tal'Dorei!

ALL: To Tal'Dorei!

MATT: "Indeed. Here are the cups you requested to look at. These are fine, but if a bit pricey, but there here--" You can see there are a manner of these clay pressed tankards that look, by intentional design, semi-fragile, so you have to replace them fairly often if you misuse them. But you can see on one side it has sculpted a recreation of part of the architecture of the Taste of Tal'Dorei that spirals up. You can see it becomes a cluster of off brand dragon heads, like the conclave curling up one side and then on this--

ERIKA: Eyes are painted all weird.

MATT: Yeah. It's slap dash and quick. It definitely has way too much iconography jammed into it. It looks a mess.

LIAM: Oh man.

ERIKA: You get a discount on the brews on tap if you get it.

LIAM: If I have that cup? I'll take one.

MARISHA: How much?

MATT: Six silver apiece.

MARISHA: Okay, I'll take one too.

TALIESIN: Oh, it's been too long. Fuck it.

LIAM: I've got you. I've got you. Two of those cups, please.

MARISHA: Thank you.

TALIESIN: I'm going in for one, too.

ASHLEY: Me too, me too, here you go.

LIAM: Three of those cups.

MATT: "Four cups."

ASHLEY: Yes.

LIAM: Eight of those cups, please.

ERIKA: (cheers)

MATT: "Discerning customers. You will make fine victims to the Rimelord when I freeze your corpses, and leave them in eternal winter. Thank you, you guys have been great today, by the way." (laughter)

MATT: "This was going to be a really slow afternoon, and you've really picked it up, so." (laughter) (laughter)

TALIESIN: There's nothing like the gratitude of a theater major, is there?

TRAVIS: Uh-huh.

LIAM: Uh-huh. (laughter)

MARISHA: I look at the orb.

LIAM: They care?

MATT: Hasn't moved.

SAM: So, now we have two places to go.

ASHLEY: Okay, well, okay. They said they were a few days.

LAURA: A few days out.

ASHLEY: A few days out, so we should maybe--

SAM: They said they were a few days out from their travels. They didn't say they were a few days away from here. They said they were a few days-- I mean, I wasn't in their head--

LAURA: Is that what he said?

SAM: But they said, we're a few days out from our travels.

MATT: The intent you gathered was it would take them a few days to--

SAM: Got it.

LAURA: That's what I picked up, but--

SAM: Okay.

MATT: The insinuation was that before their travel returned through Bassuras.

LAURA: Okay.

SAM: Okay.

LIAM: FCG, Imogen's really good with the my--

TALIESIN: I know.

LAURA: Maybe if you could do the same sort of thing that I--

SAM: Well, I was just trying to read the subtle jitters of your irises as they got closer and closer together, but it was distracting because of your bald head. (laughter)

MARISHA: I heard that slap.

ASHLEY: Ting. (laughter)

MATT: I think it's beautiful.

MARISHA: Fresh Cut Grass.

SAM: Oh?

MARISHA: I was wondering if you would maybe just accompany me for a quick stroll of the gift shop.

SAM: Yes, I would love to. Thank you for asking me.

MARISHA: Unless you're still--

SAM: No, no, no, let's go.

MARISHA: Okay.

SAM: What do I do with these Breezers?

TALIESIN: All right, I can take that.

TRAVIS: I need fuel!

TALIESIN: I can take that. (laughter)

MARISHA: I'm going to walk with mine.

LAURA: I'm not drinking mine.

TALIESIN: Okay, no, I got to finish that.

ERIKA: I can't finish mine. There is so much! (laughter)

ERIKA: It's a lot.

LAURA: That's a lot of alcohol.

MARISHA: It's noon.

TALIESIN: It's the sugar that gets you.

ERIKA: Yeah.

SAM: We're going to the gift shop?

MARISHA: Yeah.

SAM: All right.

MATT: All right. So heading to the back left of the bar area of the tavern, the singular tavern in the city, there is an open doorway that leads to a small, almost like a closet with an island in the center that has a walkabout. So, you can just walk through in a loop, and find your way back out into the tavern. As you enter inside, you can see all manner of bear cloaks that are not, you know, a little frayed at the edges, but they look like they're relatively easy to make, and give that classic Tal'Dorei traveler aesthetic.

MARISHA: It's got an animal tail on the collar.

MATT: Right, right. Exactly. You can see more of the collector's mugs are stacked up in the back. Two have fallen, and shattered, and been pushed off under the side. You can see other replicas of the same weapons of Zan Tal'Dorei and King Warren Drassig that are for sale. Smaller sized, and priced a little high. What are you looking for specifically?

MARISHA: I just, I really more just wanted an excuse to chat with you in private.

SAM: Oh. Did I do something wrong?

MARISHA: No, no. Not at all. As we're walking along, Laudna's just just patting the t-shirts, and those prop swords as we go, just aimlessly poking. You see, Imogen and I--

SAM: Mm-hmm.

MARISHA: -- had a little bit of a rough-- We're kind of in a rough spot.

SAM: Oh.

MARISHA: A little tiny, tiny bit of a fallout.

SAM: Are you angry with her?

MARISHA: No, she's really upset at me. And rightfully so.

SAM: Why? What'd you do?

MARISHA: Oh, okay. You know how I have the woman, Delilah, who just kind of talks in my head, and she was the one who murdered me, and she's just, "Mah, I'll get you, blah"?

SAM: Yeah, that's pretty messed up, yeah.

MARISHA: And you know how-- Have you noticed Imogen acting a little intense, or on edge?

SAM: Of course, well, she's been turned into different colors, and she lost her hair, and she has horrible nightmares.

MARISHA: Yeah, exactly.

SAM: Yeah.

MARISHA: That rock that she had. Do you--

SAM: I think I saw her holding one, yes.

MARISHA: Well, she got really attached to it, and you know, of course, I didn't-- I was just concerned about her, and her wellbeing, and just her mental state here recently. I was afraid that maybe the rock had something to do with it. I got this impulse in the back of my head that was just wanting me to reach out, and touch it. I thought maybe I could discern something about it. Maybe I could sense a bit more of its origins, and its purpose. Next thing you know, my grip locked onto it, and I couldn't open my fist, and I lost control of my body. I felt this searing heat going through my arm, and then it was over, and I looked down, and the rock had shattered, and I could hear, more like feel Delilah in my mind, like she was more powerful, or satisfied. She said something about how it was very dangerous, and how she's protected us from its dangers. That was it. And the stone is broken, and I actually still have the shards of it.

SAM: Oh, oh. You think, okay. You think she's upset with you because you broke her--?

MARISHA: She is. She is upset at me. She was instantly in tears, and--

SAM: Oh no.

MARISHA: She thought I had lied to her because I promised her that I wasn't going to take the rock, I just wanted to look at it. And so, she thinks that I lied.

SAM: Oh boy, well, okay.

MARISHA: I don't know what to do.

SAM: First of all, you've already done the first step, which is just talking about it, and getting it out there, okay?

MARISHA: Okay, yes.

SAM: That's fantastic.

MARISHA: Mm-hmm.

SAM: Do you feel any better having told me?

MARISHA: I think I'm just still processing it.

SAM: Okay, okay. Because at some point, you know, you'll probably need to have this conversation directly with her, when she's ready to hear it.

MARISHA: Right, on her terms, right?

SAM: But I have a question for you.

MARISHA: Okay.

SAM: You said you reached out, and it was an impulse to squeeze it, an impulse to break it, fueled by some sort of voice in your head.

MARISHA: Just--

SAM: Are you sure? Just throwing it out there.

MARISHA: Mm-hmm.

SAM: There's no-- Are you jealous of Imogen in any way?

MARISHA: No!

SAM: I'm not accusing you of anything, I'm just saying, is there anything that she does that you wish you could do, an ability that she has, or a heartbeat or something that she has that you don't have, that you maybe subconsciously wanted to sort of get back at her for?

MARISHA: No, no, it's not like that. The only thing that I've want for Imogen is the same thing that I've always wanted for her, which is to have a life, and a youth, and to go out and to see the world, free of any type of burden, like I had to experience it.

SAM: You want these things for her, because you can't have them yourself.

MARISHA: Yes, I just want her to live her best life, and to protect her from something that might hurt her, and I just, that's what I thought I was doing.

SAM: That's a very noble thing to want for someone, and it's very generous of you to want that for her. I mean, I'm so sorry that you're going through this, and I would love to sort of facilitate a meeting of the minds, if you'll be up for it, and maybe I could talk to her, and tell her how stressed out you are, and oh boy, you just pulled out a clump of hair there.

MARISHA: Ploof. (laughter)

SAM: If, with your permission, I could try to arrange a neutral space, a safe space where you both could talk.

MARISHA: Okay, well, like you said, I want this to all be on her terms. So, what shall I do in the meantime? What if she never comes around?

SAM: She will.

MARISHA: What if she doesn't want to be friends again? What if it's ruined?

SAM: You know what I would say? I would say, let's find a time when you both are in a space where you can both communicate openly and freely, but not just any willy-nilly time, right? Don't just go up to her and start talking about it. Make sure that she's in a place where she's happy, and safe. She feels safe.

MARISHA: So, keep her happy.

SAM: Well, I mean--

MARISHA: And keep her safe!

SAM: Oh boy. (laughs)

MARISHA: All right.

LAURA: (laughs)

SAM: Maybe just work on yourself right now, just calm--

MARISHA: Which one of these plastic swords do you think she'd want? These wooden swords? I don't know if they have plastic yet.

SAM: She doesn't strike me as a--

MARISHA: What about this oven mitt?

SAM: -- replica sword-- An oven mitt? Everyone can use that.

MARISHA: She could and could hide her hands. But you know, if she, or keep would them warm.

SAM: Sure. Does she cook?

MARISHA: No, no, I don't think so.

SAM: Well, it's still nice, you can-- Yeah, it says "ToT" on it.

MARISHA: What do you think that means?

SAM: Taste of Tal'Dorei?

MARISHA: Oh, right. (laughter) (laughter)

LIAM: Laudna, give me your tots! (laughter)

ASHLEY: Tina, come get some tots!

SAM: It says "tot holder" right there.

MARISHA: Oh, it's a tot holder.

TALIESIN: Tot holder. Yeah, god.

MARISHA: That's fantastic. That's great. I think she'll appreciate this. I'll get her this pencil, too.

SAM: Sure, but you can't buy her happiness, and you can't buy her forgiveness, but do it anyway, because it can't hurt. (laughter)

MARISHA: All right.

SAM: Hey, you did nothing wrong. This was, this was fine. It was a mistake, and you'll make up for it, and you'll be better for it on the other side.

MARISHA: Okay.

SAM: I think you're a wonderful person. Well, former person.

MARISHA: Thank you, Fresh Cut Grass, and you, I hope you weren't offended by what I said at the table. You are very gifted and talented as well.

SAM: Oh, no, no, no, you were trying to build her up--

MARISHA: Yes, but I wanted, just now you have context.

SAM: -- to cover for your insecurities.

MARISHA: Exactly.

SAM: Sure, I got it. No, I feel you. It's fine.

MARISHA: Okay.

SAM: We're good.

MARISHA: Oh, baby.

SAM: Nope. (laughter)

TRAVIS: Tink, tink, tink.

MARISHA: Oh, thank you, well, would you like a pencil as well?

SAM: Yes, I would.

MARISHA: All right. Two pencils and this potholder, please.

MATT: Four silver of purchasing later, you acquire the remainder of your knickknacks, and rejoin the rest of your troop.

ERIKA: I already have a giant foam hat, and a scarf, and a terrible thing that looks like a sweatshirt, but like a jerkin style one.

MARISHA: Mm. (laughter)

ERIKA: With really ugly branding, and it's peeling already. You can see the letters, the decals peeling already.

TALIESIN: Would fantasy foam hat be burlap, you think, perhaps?

ERIKA: Yeah, oh god!

MATT: Ooh, likely.

ERIKA: Jute.

MARISHA: Yes, jute.

TALIESIN: Jute. (laughter)

TALIESIN: Well, hey!

MATT: That's very Bassuras right there, yep, yep.

LIAM: I want to toss a quick thing in. During all of that, when they leave, and everyone's drinking, did you come here with that clothes, or did you just purchase it?

ERIKA: Oh, I just, they went to the gift shop, and--

LIAM: Okay. While everyone is rabble rousing, I'm going to try to catch Imogen's eye across the table.

MATT: Mm-hmm.

LIAM: And just sort of covertly go.

LAURA: Yeah?

LIAM: Did I hear that in here?

LAURA: Yeah.

LIAM: You okay?

LAURA: Eh. I mean.

LIAM: You seem a little discouraged.

LAURA: Well, there's, you know, Orym.

LIAM: Oh, no, I'm good, thanks.

LAURA: Can I be honest?

LAURA: This is so dumb. Laudna and I had sort of a bit of a falling out. (laughter)

LIAM: A couple days ago? Because that's how long you've seemed a little withdrawn, which is okay, I mean, I know you're private, but.

LAURA: Yeah.

LIAM: I can tell.

LAURA: You know, she-- She just sort of did-- She did something that broke my trust. You know, it's weird, because the longer it goes after, it feels like almost it was a good thing that she did, but I can't tell her that yet, because I don't know. Then as soon as we get here, you know, Dusk shows up, and all of a sudden, like, I'm hurting, and Laudna's just living it up with this new person, smiling and laughing like she doesn't even care that we had a fight! So-- Sorry, that was loud in your head, and I apologize.

LIAM: It's cool. It's cool.

LAURA: And now I'm bald, but that's fine! I like it, and stuff. So yeah, I guess I'm a little distraught, Orym.

LIAM: On that, I mean, we figured out the blue thing. I'm sure we'll figure out the head thing. You have really fabulous cheekbones, so you're selling it, but I'm sure we'll fix it.

LAURA: Yeah, I mean, fuzz is, it's already. Well, there was no fuzz, and yeah, I'm, we're not talking, but I'm still touching my head and looking at Orym. (laughter)

LIAM: Orym's just nodding across the table.

LAURA: There was no fuzz right away, and there's already fuzz, so I think that's a good sign, because hair doesn't normally grow back that fast.

MARISHA: Putting up a blast shield.

LIAM: Back to the point.

LAURA: Yeah.

LIAM: I could definitely be wrong. I haven't known you that long, but I watch you and Laudna together, and you guys are so close. I feel like, you know, you get, I see you get down on yourself, and I think maybe it's just coloring your thinking a little bit. I mean, when you have a falling out with a friend, I don't know. I think breathe through it. She-- That dead lady's got a lot of love in her heart.

LAURA: I know. She's got a really good heart.

LIAM: Also, I don't know if I can listen to this guy's acting much longer. Also-- (laughter)

LIAM: -- you saved that elf's life, and I see you kicking yourself, but you saved their life. Also, you just did an amazing thing for Fearne. That was a good thing you did.

LAURA: She seemed really happy.

LIAM: Let that sink in.

LAURA: Yeah. Thank you.

LIAM: Brought a smile to my face.

LAURA: I hope everything's all right with them. I hope that it's a happy reunion.

LIAM: You know, work through it, but you know, when you're ready, talk to her.

LAURA: I know. I know. I'm a little embarrassed, but yeah.

LIAM: She won't care. I don't think. Also, I'm the new guy, but my door's always open.

LAURA: Thank you.

LIAM: Mm-hmm.

MATT: "The Rimelord!" (laughter)

MATT: "He has to deal with the coming lunch rush. So we need you to leave."

LAURA: Got it.

LIAM: Oh, we got to go?

LAURA: Yeah, well, you know, it's--

SAM: Turn over the table.

LIAM: Oh, turnover.

LAURA: Turn around time, yeah.

MARISHA: Imogen, I got you-- I was in the gift shop, and I saw this pot holder and thought of you. It says "ToT" on it--

LAURA: Tot holder.

MARISHA: It's a tot, yes. And this pencil, it's purple like your once hair.

LAURA: (laughs)

MARISHA: I check the ball.

SAM: Ooh.

MATT: The ball...

LAURA: (gasps)

MATT: -- is the same.

LAURA: Oh my god! (laughter)

TRAVIS: Are you wearing one of everything? You've got head to toe outfitted.

ERIKA: Mm-hmm.

ERIKA: Always good to support the arts!

TRAVIS: Oh, I couldn't agree more. Shit, I got to go get some stuff. I'll be back.

LAURA: Oh god. (laughter)

MATT: Do you also stock up?

TRAVIS: No, fuck that.

MATT: Okay. (laughter)

LIAM: Real quick. Orym bolts to the gift shop and buys two toy swords.

MATT: Okay, you got it. That'll be two silver.

LIAM: You got it.

LAURA: Will you get a t-shirt or something, that says Taste of?

LIAM: Do they make t-shirts?

MATT: Four silver.

TRAVIS: Do they have a-- (laughter)

TRAVIS: -- set of Taste of Tal'Dorei cutlery?

MATT: Oddly, no.

TRAVIS: Shit!

MARISHA: Fuck, Imogen wanted the t-shirt.

ERIKA: I would like to get one of the signs that says, "How do you want to do this?"

SAM: It's not going to make a difference.

MATT: Ooh. Those are back ordered. (laughter)

MATT: But they find one that's hidden in the back. So yeah, you can get that.

ERIKA: Yay!

LIAM: Bring back Imogen a t-shirt that says, "Whitestone is for lovers." (laughter)

TALIESIN: Wow! Gets darker and darker.

MATT: Always. Why do I open myself to this? (laughter)

SAM: Are we capable of tracking down our mark today?

TALIESIN: Does that count as a short rest, out of curiosity?

MATT: Yeah. You guys have been--

TRAVIS: Fuck yes!

MATT: Had some drinks, had some meals, had some conversations, enjoyed some fine performance arts. Yeah, you've had a short rest. So you can take that.

TRAVIS: Roll a hit die real quick.

LIAM: A short rest is in the mint julep.

ERIKA: (laughs)

MATT: Every time.

ERIKA: Oh!

TRAVIS: Yeah! I'll just take that. 22 points on two d10s.

MATT: Hell yeah, dude!

LAURA: Do I have an ability or something that--

SAM: Okay.

MATT: Where you off to now?

ASHLEY: Oh.

SAM: We've got to go find this fella, right?

TALIESIN: I say we head towards that, unless somebody's got another idea.

ASHLEY: We're off to avenge--

MARISHA: Perhaps a little scouting first.

TRAVIS: Fearne, real quick, how do you spell Ollie? O-L-L.

ASHLEY: O-L-L-I-E.

TRAVIS: Oh!

ASHLEY: Yeah.

TRAVIS: Shit!

LAURA: Can I ask a question?

ASHLEY: That's okay. Just give it some flair.

LAURA: Do short rests bring back sorcery points at all? Because I just took a short rest and it brought back one of my sorcery points, which seems odd. I don't know if I hit a button by accident, or if it's a thing.

MATT: I'll double check.

LAURA: Because I don't see anything about, but--

TRAVIS: Is Birdie also an I-E?

ASHLEY: Ollie, Ollie. Oleander.

TALIESIN: As in "Bye Bye"?

TRAVIS: Is it B-I-R-D-Y or I-E?

ASHLEY: Birdie, like a bird.

TRAVIS: Yeah, but how do you spell it?

ASHLEY: Oh! B-I-R-D-I-E.

TRAVIS: Fuck!

ASHLEY: It's okay! (laughter)

ERIKA: There's no X in there! Where would the X be?

TRAVIS: It's a Y!

MATT: You regain them on a long rest.

LAURA: That's what I thought. That's weird.

LIAM: Hack the planet.

LAURA: I must've hit a button.

SAM: It must have been user error and not D&D Beyond.

LAURA: Obviously.

SAM: Where you can sign up for free using the link dndbeyond.link/critters.

MATT: Fantastic!

LAURA: Now, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to hit another short rest and see if it clears another one.

MATT: Go for it.

ERIKA: Yeah. I don't see that.

TALIESIN: Drum roll.

TRAVIS: Oh.

LAURA: Nope, it was a user error.

MATT: Okay. (laughter)

MATT: There you have it, folks.

LAURA: Ta da! (laughs)

MATT: All righty. So where are we off to now?

SAM: We're going to follow the blip!

LAURA: Follow the ball!

MATT: Okay. Finishing your brief excursion to the wondrous singular tavern known as The Taste of Tal'Dorei, you step back out into now the hot midday air of the Hellcatch Valley. The nearly cloudless, bright blue sky above and the glaring heat at the sun now upon you almost immediately kick into a sweat beneath your layers of clothing and armor.

TRAVIS: And the day drinking.

MATT: And the day drinking.

MARISHA: So much sugar! Yeah.

TALIESIN: Chetney?

TRAVIS: Yes?

TALIESIN: Those two assholes from the bar are going to follow us, so I would love for you to keep an eye on that.

TRAVIS: Oh baby! Wait, I'm carrying this music box. I'm trying to work while I walk.

ERIKA: (laughs)

TALIESIN: All right. You know, I--

TRAVIS: No, no! I like the challenge. Not a problem.

TALIESIN: All right.

TRAVIS: (whittling)

MATT: Okay. Roll perception check for me with disadvantage.

TRAVIS: Come on, Werther's Originals! (scatting) Oh shit, at disadvantage! Fuck me! 11. (laughter)

MATT: Keeping an eye and feeling pretty solid. All right. So in following this a little bit further, you wind through the streets and the loud sounds of arguments and heavy banter echoing past various offshoot roads and alleys. You walk past large field- and plains-based horses that you recognize some of the breeds as being imports, not too far away from the region of the Stratos Throne in the Taloned Highlands.

LAURA: So probably came from Mr. Faramore.

MATT: Pushing beyond that, you do follow the blip on this, begins to shift to the left.

MARISHA: Oh, oh, oh!

LAURA: Is it moving?

MARISHA: I back up.

MATT: It returns to where it was.

MARISHA: Oh. All right.

LAURA: Switch directions.

ERIKA: (gasps)

MARISHA: I think we're getting very close to the left.

MATT: Looking in the direction of where that blip is coming from, you see what is called the Bank of Renewal.

MARISHA: Bank of Renewal?

MATT: Is what it's labeled as, and there are a number of thick tapestries that are affixed between heavy poles that have, "Bank of Renewal Market. "Open market. "Enter and purchase." All sorts of various presentational banners. Looking past them, there is a heavy wooded fence line that marks the inside of what is a bustling marketplace. You can see all manner of small tents and sitting arrangements, benches. There are carts that are set up with their own presentational front with heavy cloths and signage, placed in the front, decorative banners and streamers that arc from place to place. This is, in some ways, it reminds you of the caravan-serai that you spent the first night in, but larger than the one particular location. It is a large central courtyard with maybe four, say four dozen or so shops of different sizes that are just sitting out in the open. There are all manner of individuals that live here in the city and are traveling through, traders and such that are also bringing their carts along and are just perusing the wares around you.

TALIESIN: We are just hitting all of the best hits of this town. Holy shit!

ASHLEY: This place is fantastic!

TALIESIN: This place is great.

LIAM: So we're rocking our cloaks, right?

MARISHA: Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

LIAM: It's been hot minute.

MARISHA: Yeah.

MATT: A very hot minute.

ASHLEY: Wait. What are we doing when we find him? What are we doing?

ERIKA: Oh yeah.

SAM: Good question.

MARISHA: Because we have to capture him. We can't kill him.

ERIKA: We have to capture him?

LAURA: I have-- and I'm going to pull out the little trap orb that we got from the Green Seekers.

MARISHA: Oh right!

LAURA: I have one of those left.

MARISHA: That's right!

LAURA: That we never used.

MARISHA: Brilliant!

TALIESIN: Good plan!

ASHLEY: I forgot about that.

TRAVIS: So we kill him and then put him in the orb?

MARISHA: We can get him.

LAURA: Exactly.

SAM: He might recognize many of us, unless someone can either disguise ourself, or if we had someone who he wouldn't recognize.

TALIESIN: Do I recognize any of the Gajakhandas in here or any--

ERIKA: Uh-huh.

MATT: There are all manner of Gajakhandas around.

TALIESIN: Okay. Anybody that might give a fuck if we start a little bit of a ruckus?

MATT: Make a perception check.

ERIKA: Oh, I can do that! Yeah!

MARISHA: Keep in mind, he might be in here.

TALIESIN: Yep, that's a natural 20.

TRAVIS: Oh shit!

MATT: Dang!

SAM: What?

TALIESIN: Perception, 21.

MATT: Great. You can see that there are, at first glance, about six Gajakhandas that are armored and keeping an eye on the surrounding space. You also know, having lived here previously, that most of the unspoken laws that guide the city, the interior of the city, speak out against Crawler gang infighting, meaning faction versus faction, any sort of violence from one Crawler gang to another Crawler gang. That is entirely considered uncouth and is punishable by the Gajakhandas or the union of Crawler gangs within the city limits. Most of other things are a free for all.

TALIESIN: All right.

MATT: So a little bit of scuffle, as long as it isn't identifiable as that particular kind of violence, probably should, with enough reason and conversation without having an issue.

TALIESIN: Cool.

SAM: Well, he's here close, but we don't know how close or where?

MARISHA: Yes, you see how sensitive it is when I move the ball? Okay. He's somewhere.

TALIESIN: Once you're within 30 feet, it just loses the sensitivity, and it just says you're nearby at that point.

MARISHA: Yes.

LIAM: Plus, this place is packed.

MARISHA: Yes.

LIAM: So we don't want to do it right in the middle of everything.

TALIESIN: I'm afraid--

SAM: Matt, are there buildings that are more than one-story high here?

MATT: No, and there are no focused buildings, maybe a handful of small storage facilities. Most everything out here is mobile and can be set up and taken down quickly.

TALIESIN: It's like a swap meet.

MATT: Yeah, it's like a large flea market.

SAM: Okay.

TRAVIS: Wait, who's got the hole?

SAM: Fearne.

ASHLEY: I do.

TRAVIS: Yeah, I'm going to put the music box in there. I want to have both hands available.

ASHLEY: Yes, of course.

TALIESIN: That's a (w)hole conversation. We have a hole.

MARISHA: That's a (w)hole conversation?

TRAVIS: How's your whole--

TALIESIN: Thank you.

TRAVIS: -- family? (chuckles)

ASHLEY: We're going to put the music box in there.

EIRKA: Fearne has a hole--

ASHLEY: Wait, but how... Well, this opens up to a 10-foot deep, 10-foot in diameter hole.

ERIKA: That's girthy!

ASHLEY: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's girthy. You can put stuff in it.

LAURA: Yay! Yeah, you can.

ASHLEY: Then you fold it back up and it's this.

TRAVIS: Well, don't fucking put it away. I got to put the box in there.

ASHLEY: But how do we do it right here?

LAURA: Yeah, we don't want to do it in the--

TALIESIN: We can't do it here. We got to wait.

ASHLEY: Look, give it to me.

TRAVIS: Cowards.

ASHLEY: I can hold it.

TRAVIS: No, you can't look at it before I finish.

ASHLEY: Oh, okay. I won't look. I won't look at it.

LIAM: The hole is like a rolled up beach towel, right? Isn't it a fabric?

MATT: Yeah.

LAURA: We have to place it on the ground.

LIAM: You got to go (whooshes). I've watched Looney Toons.

TRAVIS: It's fine. It's fine. It's fine. I've worked with more.

SAM: Do you want to put it in my body until you need it?

TRAVIS: (gags) (laughter)

ERIKA: That's how--

TRAVIS: Oh my god.

SAM: You can store it in here for an hour or something. (laughter)

TRAVIS: I don't trust it.

ERIKA: Just move the tongue out of the way. (laughter)

TRAVIS: That's fine. It's fine.

MATT: I hate it so much.

TRAVIS: I got one hand. I'm good.

ASHLEY: No, no, no, no, no. We got it. We need to have your hands.

MARISHA: Let's make a human shield real quick to hide it.

TALIESIN: All right, everybody.

ASHLEY: Is there a hidden area?

TALIESIN: Everybody huddle.

SAM: We're going to make a circle?

TALIESIN: Everybody huddle like someone's getting changed.

LAURA: So not obvious at all.

TALIESIN: Come on.

LAURA: While we're huddling, I'm just looking around like oh god. He's watching us.

TALIESIN: Let's make a spectacle of ourselves.

MATT: Okay, so you all huddle up in a circle and you place the material out on the ground.

LAURA: This is so stupid.

MATT: It unfolds and there is a darkened expanse now between you.

TRAVIS: Close your eyes! I put it in. Drop. Oh shit! (clatters)

MATT: Yeah (clatters) You hear (metal clanging) like some springs.

TRAVIS: It's fine! Okay, close it!

ERIKA: Oh hey, wait! Can I put some stuff in there too? Wait, wait, wait! Can I put stuff in there too?

SAM: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

ERIKA: Okay. Okay, here. Wait. (laughter) Okay.

MARISHA: All of our mugs.

ERIKA: (grunts)

SAM: Oh yeah, put it in my cup.

ASHLEY: Okay. Cup.

LAURA: It's going to break! They're clay. It rattles!

TRAVIS: (crashing) (laughter)

LIAM: No, it's a death trap.

ASHLEY: Done? Done? Are we done? Any more? Any more?

LAURA: Pick it up. Pick it up. Pick it up.

ASHLEY: Uh-huh.

MATT: Fold it right back up.

LAURA: How many people were watching us do that?

LIAM: Yeah.

MATT: Glancing around, two people.

SAM: Okay.

MATT: They're just like, and they go about their business. It's not a very crowded bazaar at the moment.

TRAVIS: That's right. Nothing worth dying over. (laughter)

ASHLEY: Never seen a pocket dimension before?

LAURA: (laughs)

TALIESIN: Let's just scan around, see what we see.

MARISHA: Should we split up?

SAM: Split up?

TALIESIN: I think it's small enough that if we split up, if someone just makes some noise, we should be able to hear. Hear everybody, right?

LIAM: Are we ever going to show Dusk what Treshi looks like? Is that something you can do?

ERIKA: Yeah.

LAURA: I can't really create images.

TRAVIS: I can!

MARISHA: Oh, I can. Oh, he can.

SAM: Oh.

MARISHA: Yeah.

TRAVIS: Little face of Armand Treshi.

MATT: So you can see the long dark hair--

LIAM: Help me, Dusk. You're my only hope.

MATT: -- the deeply tanned skin, well-kept facial hair the dwarven-esque features to him.

TRAVIS: He's got "bitch" written on his cheek.

LAURA: He might look a little different.

ERIKA: Okay.

LAURA: Right.

MARISHA: Yes.

MATT: So what's the plan?

SAM: Let's split into our groups.

TALIESIN: Can you do your brain thing, too? Scan the crowd, maybe hear some chatter. I don't know how it works.

LAURA: I can try.

TALIESIN: Mm-hmm.

LAURA: But the more people that are around, the harder it is to--

TALIESIN: Oh, that's fair.

LAURA: -- distinguish.

MARISHA: Maybe we do a visual scan first.

LIAM: Can you be selective with it? Can you just stay in our heads?

LAURA: If I open it up, I open it up to everybody. I can talk to you, but if I'm trying to read a thought, if I'm really opening it up, it--

LIAM: Everything?

LAURA: Yeah.

LIAM: Okay. Well, let's just start making our way.

ALL: ♪ Makin' my way! ♪

MATT: All righty. So are you keeping a loose cohesion? Are you spreading out a bit?

SAM: Why don't we split into three groups that can all message each other.

LAURA: Yeah. That's smart.

MARISHA: Okay.

SAM: You can message.

LAURA: I can message.

SAM: I can send at least a vibe.

MARISHA: And I can message.

SAM: All right.

ASHLEY: So you're team captains.

LAURA: All right.

MARISHA: Okay. Oh goodness! Should we boulder, parchment, shears to see who picks first?

ERIKA: I'll go with you.

SAM: There. Then it's done.

MARISHA: Okay. Okay.

LAURA: Orym?

LIAM: Sure.

LAURA: Do you want to be on my team?

ASHLEY: Yes, I do.

TALIESIN: I'll stick with you, too.

MARISHA: All right.

MARISHA: Chetney, you're with Fresh Cut Grass. (laughter)

SAM: It's an honor to have you aboard.

TRAVIS: I would say the same.

SAM: Yeah?

TRAVIS: Yeah.

SAM: I'm very excited.

TRAVIS: I think our chances of success are the greatest.

SAM: I agree.

MARISHA: (laughs)

SAM: Let's roll out.

TRAVIS: You dicks! (laughter)

SAM: Respect the autonomatonanon. The alpha. (laughter)

TRAVIS: See you when you sleep.

MATT: Okay, so who's helming the orb and guiding the initial?

MARISHA: I guess I still have the orb, unless I want to hand it. Does anyone want to take this?

SAM: No. No, no.

LAURA: Is it still far away or where?

SAM: No, it's like--

LIAM: Doesn't do distance.

MATT: As you're walking through the bazaar, you can see the marker is shifting pretty quickly, which means you're getting fairly close.

LAURA: Okay. We'll continue distantly following--

MARISHA: In that direction. Yeah.

LIAM: Yeah.

LAURA: Laudna's--

MARISHA: I will ping the groups' heads as we go on.

MARISHA: You've got it.

MARISHA: Little north, north--

LIAM: You have the center line following the GPS and let's spread out into the distance.

MATT: Okay. Tense as you all splinter off into your groups, independently, but still following the positioning. You, Laudna, alongside Dusk, guide the pathway, watching it as it shifts and turns to the left.

MARISHA: I'm going to be discreet.

MATT: Yeah. Glancing down, it looks like it begins to move rapidly enough that you notice it's guiding you towards a large tent, like a multi-interior suspended tent of three different points that cascades outward on each side, and there is a large drapery that blocks the interior. Now, as you can see, the River of Renewal is the title to it.

MARISHA: The River of Renewal tent!

TALIESIN: I don't recognize-- There's nothing in my memory of this kicking around, is there?

MATT: This whole area is just, it's a essential trade post in the middle of the town. A lot of traders come through here, pawning off things, picking up things or just looking for goods as they pass through. So you know of it. You haven't spent a whole lot of time here because you never really had much to trade, other than the few things you'd fence or steal.

MARISHA: All right.

SAM: Is there more than one entrance to this tent or--

LIAM: To converge.

MATT: It looks like there might be a back entrance, but that's based towards the outer wall, the heavy wooden gate that encircles the courtyard, but it's probably accessible if you were to be careful about it.

ERIKA: Do we hear anybody in there?

MATT: Make a perception check.

ERIKA: Nine.

MATT: Nine? You don't hear anything coming out from the inside of it.

LAURA: How big is the tent?

MATT: From end to end, from what you can see, it's probably about 40 feet across. So it's a decent size, but it's not like a circus tent of massive proportions.

LAURA: Can I ask everyone--

ERIKA: What's the deal with your pocket ball thing?

LAURA: I will tell you in just a moment. But I'm going to lean against the wall, the back wall--

MATT: Mm-hmm.

LAURA: -- next to the tent and keep my distance from everybody else. Then I will open up my mind and try to hear his thoughts or hear the thoughts of the people from the inside of the tent.

MATT: Okay, all right. So as you--

LAURA: Oh. So is anybody around? How many people would be near me?

MATT: Two people. If you push everyone else beyond your radius--

LAURA: Jesus Christ.

MATT: -- then it would be only two other people.

LAURA: Okay, then I'm fine.

MATT: Okay. As you allow your mind to expand, you bring down the barriers that you're so used to reflexively keeping up for your own protection. In doing so, that muttering static, that perpetually aggressively simmers at the outskirts of your perception begins to filter in. Through that wave, that rush of energy, both euphoric and energetic, but also loud, the two voices begin to whisper through and find their way to your ears from beyond. There are two individuals, male and female. One of them is in the process of counting. The other one seems to be bored. She's contemplating a slow morning.

LAURA: Do I recognize them?

MATT: Neither of them from what you can tell, no.

TALIESIN: What's the ball say?

LAURA: Shit.

MARISHA: It's pointing in the direction of this tent.

LIAM: Outlook cloudy.

MARISHA: Huh?

LIAM: Outlook cloudy.

MARISHA: Cloudy.

TALIESIN: Actually.

MARISHA: Ask again later.

TALIESIN: Give me a second. I'm kind of curious. Can I grab that?

MARISHA: Yeah. I pass it off to Ashton.

ERIKA: Tracking the person?

TALIESIN: I'm going to start just trying to make my way to the back of the tent--

MARISHA: We slipped a ring on him.

TALIESIN: -- to see if it's still pointing at the tent as I'm circling.

MATT: It shifts, pointing towards the inside of the tent.

TALIESIN: So it's definitely in there.

MATT: Pretty directly.

SAM: Me and Chet are going to walk around the back. I'm going to just throw up a Locate Object and try to find the colt--

ERIKA: So if you put a ring--

LIAM: Man, if it's just the ring--

ERIKA: -- on this person--

LIAM: -- I'm going to be so pissed.

SAM: What did we put on?

MATT: The ring.

SAM: The ring.

ERIKA: -- and you're tracking the ring.

TALIESIN: Oh shit.

LAURA: Yeah, that's what I'm trying to say.

MARISHA: Son of a bitch.

MATT: You get the sense that, indeed, this ring that you've been following is somewhere inside that tent.

SAM: Okay.

MARISHA: Oh, he pawned the ring.

SAM: Maybe, we don't know.

LIAM: He might have.

SAM: We don't know.

TALIESIN: I'm bored of this. I'm going in.

TRAVIS: Let's roll.

SAM: Yeah, we're going to roll in the back.

MARISHA: Do we want Dusk to go in first and see if she gets eyes on him before we reveal ourselves?

TALIESIN: Walk in real quick. If you don't see anything, we're coming in.

ERIKA: Okay. I walk on in.

MATT: Okay, so you walk in and you walk in?

MARISHA: No, no, no, I'm waiting.

MATT: You walk in.

LAURA: Just Dusk.

MATT: Both of you are going in the back.

LIAM: Just start covert ops.

TRAVIS: Yeah.

SAM: We're going around the back.

TRAVIS: Initiative.

MATT: (laughs)

LAURA: Before Dusk goes in, I'm going to make eye contact with her. Tell me if anything goes weird. With your mind powers.

ERIKA: Whoa. I mean, that's weird, right? Should I--

LAURA: (uncertain noise)

ERIKA: Oh, okay, right.

MATT: Okay. You both square off to the back portion. You can see there is a thin slit to the back that leads into the interior. In the back, you can see there's a few empty boxes and things used for the carrying and delivering of goods. You walk inside, and you can see there are three oil lanterns hanging from metal hooks that are driven into three large mast-like pieces of wood that hold up the tent with ropes between them. Along these, beautiful bits of jewelry are hanging, all manner of gold chains--

LAURA: Ah, fuck.

MATT: -- and beautiful bits of decoration. You can see there are fine robes and travel garments as well that are hanging on the far back wall. There are cases of gemstones that have been placed upon velvet and put under these mobile pieces of glass that are locked into place. This looks to be a shop of some kind. As you walk in, you can see there's a younger woman to the back with brown hair that's been sun-bleached. It'd be more of a light auburn. Herself, a beautiful smooth brown skin who is looking down and counting something before glancing up and noticing your entry. Another man, a little bit older, similar features, but shorter hair that flares out on the edges just beyond his ears. He looks over towards you and sets down a satchel. Clears his voice. "Welcome. How many we be of service to you?"

ERIKA: Oh, I'm in the market for some jewelry.

MATT: "Of course, of course, happy to help. Yes, what were you looking for?"

ERIKA: Something to match maybe a gold chain. So anything like bangles, or rings, or--

MATT: "Oh, but of course. I'm happy to present to you."

ERIKA: Anything new and exciting?

MATT: "We have a number of things that have come in recently. What sort of aesthetic are you trying to match?"

ERIKA: I want it to be like if-- Do you know what glitter is? If there was a highly concentrated explosive device that could carry all of that in it, and then it went off on me.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

MATT: "Let me see what we can muster."

ERIKA: Thank you. What did the ring look like? (laughter)

LAURA: I will describe it in detail.

MATT: A relatively simple platinum band with some lines and scrawling on it. It's detailed enough to remain masculine. But in doing so, it's also kind of plain.

ERIKA: Okay.

LAURA: Understated--

MATT: Mm-hmm.

LAURA: -- would be the word for it.

ERIKA: Okay. Where'd this one come from?

MATT: Make a perception check to see if you can locate the one that she is, in particular, describing.

ERIKA: Oh, hmm.

MARISHA: Oh no.

ERIKA: I have no idea. So how many understated ones are there?

MATT: You watch as he pulls out a little box and opens it up and begins to put out handfuls onto this pillow. There are probably four dozen rings.

TRAVIS: Oh, boy.

MATT: Of all different kinds. I mean, there are some gold, and some that are encrusted, but there's six that are all just simple platinum bands of different widths and different designs.

ERIKA: Hmm. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

ERIKA: Okay, any more detail about like, you know-- You know what? I'll take them all. How much is it? (laughter)

MATT: "Well, these are a plethora of silver to platinum and gold."

TRAVIS: Four dozen rings. (laughter)

LAURA: Maybe ask him--

MATT: Turns back and looks--

ERIKA: Just the six ones.

LAURA: Maybe ask him if any came in recently. What was the most recent one that came in? You like things that are--

ERIKA: I want something new. Which is the newest one of them?

SAM: (laughs) Shit.

ERIKA: Do you suppose?

MATT: "That's a strange request, but--"

SAM: We're coming in. (laughter)

MATT: Are you coming in?

ERIKA: Stay out there.

MATT: (laughs) "The most recent one was two mornings ago." And pulls out this beautiful golden twisted band that ends in this tiny little pinprick of a ruby. Looking close, it has these two small serpent heads that are relatively simple that bite into it.

MARISHA: That sounds cool.

LAURA: That sounds awesome, but it's the wrong one.

TRAVIS: Ring of fire.

LAURA: Huh? Tell him you really like, you know, dwarven jewelry.

ERIKA: Do you have anything sort of chonky? Like dwarven-made?

MATT: "Well, if you're looking for recently, there is also this one." And pulls up this thicker looking, relatively simple platinum band with some lines scrawled into it.

LIAM: Chonker.

MATT: It looks very similar to the one that you were given a description of to your mind.

ERIKA: Yeah, this one's-- When did this one come in?

MATT: "Oh, this came in about a week ago, I think. Is that right, Emma?"

LAURA: Shit.

MARISHA: Fuck.

MATT: "Yes, about a week ago."

LIAM: Mm, mm, Mm-hmm.

MATT: "Four or five days."

TRAVIS: We kill everybody inside.

SAM: Grapple cannon is loaded.

ERIKA: Did a dwarf actually give it to you, like the craftsman themself, or herself, or himself?

MATT: "It is policy not to disclose our providers. You understand, professional reasons."

ERIKA: Yeah, but, I mean.

MATT: "But it comes from a lineage where it would be consistent in quality."

ERIKA: That seems a little vague to me. I mean, can't you give me any more?

LAURA: (laughs)

MATT: "Let's just say the individual who sold this could afford the finest of jewelry, and parting with this means that the finest of jewelry could once again be yours."

ERIKA: Hmm. Mm-hmm. Okay, all right. You should tell me about who gave you this ring.

SAM: Oh.

ERIKA: Suggestion. (exclaiming)

LIAM: Yeah, that's the stuff.

ASHLEY: There we go.

TRAVIS: Let's go.

MARISHA: Come on, come on.

SAM: Jedi mind tricks.

MATT: All right, here we go.

ASHLEY: You will tell me.

MATT: What's the DC on this?

SAM: Super high level. DC 18.

ERIKA: Should be 16.

SAM: Oh, that's pretty high.

MATT: Okay. As you focus intrinsically, and I will say... Okay. There's not a somatic, just a material component, which is easy enough to-- I'll say, make a sleight of hand check for me, if you don't mind. Because there are two figures in here, and the other is watching closely in this--

MARISHA: Come on, come on.

ERIKA: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

MATT: -- encounter.

MARISHA: Making up for that one.

ERIKA: 21.

MATT: 21, okay. So you clasp the component for the spell, or put your fingers around your focus and whisper forth the requested words to create the suggestion within in the figure, you watch him look at you with this coy smile. His eyes go slack for a second. His jaw opens ever so faintly, like for a brief moment, his brain just goes blank. The smile curls up once more. "Yes, it is a gentleman we see in here from time to time named Armand Treshi. He's quite involved with one of the Crawler gangs of the city. Probably, if I recall, based on his companions, where he is now."

TRAVIS: (laughs) His smile.

ERIKA: Did you get all that?

LAURA: Yeah, which gang?

ERIKA: Oh, which gang would that be?

MATT: "The Paragon's Call."

MARISHA: Oh, shit.

LIAM: Ooh, right. That makes sense.

MARISHA: Oh, yeah.

MATT: "They're a bit--"

MARISHA: Oh, right.

MATT: "-- a bit in a dogged state with the other Crawlers."

ERIKA: When are all of them not, am I right? Anything else?

LAURA: Oh yeah. Does he know where they meet?

ERIKA: Where could I find more craftsmanship like this? I want to know more. Where do you think I could find this gentleman?

MATT: The spell itself is beginning to, I'll say--

LAURA: Oh my god.

MATT: No, it's concentration.

ERIKA: Mm-hmm.

MATT: Well, for this-- You know what, it is still the same request. Okay, I'll let it go, yeah. Himself goes, "Well, if it's with the Call..." At this point, you're noticing over at the woman who's also in this place is looking like-- With eyes like, what the-- You're just spilling the beans? That expression of what are you doing? "The Seat of Disdain is the fortress of the Call."

MARISHA: Seat of Disdain.

SAM: Seat of Disdain.

LAURA: Seat of Disdain, Seat of Disdain.

MARISHA: Seat of Disdain.

TRAVIS: Seat of Disdain.

MATT: "Yeah, I will say his presence here was more subdued. He was keeping to himself, which was unlike him, which means he's probably on the lam. So if he is hiding, that would likely be where."

ERIKA: Hellcatch Valley, am I right?

MATT: "Mm-hmm. We are home to those who cannot find home elsewhere."

ERIKA: Yeah, yeah, we are. Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

MATT: "Of course."

ERIKA: Do you want the ring back?

MARISHA: Yeah, get the ring, get the ring.

LAURA: Sure, depending on the price.

ERIKA: How much is the ring?

MATT: "Well for this, based on the exorbitant amount that I paid for it initially, and the individual and the craftsmanship which is hails, I would put this at about 250 gold pieces."

LAURA: Oh, fuck that. Do his clientele ever come back to repurchase the jewelry? Is it like a pawn shop in that way?

ERIKA: It's not a pawn shop. He's never going to come back for this, right?

MATT: "He very well might. It is part of our business."

LAURA: Oh, then maybe leave it here.

ERIKA: All right, well, I would hate to deprive somebody of such a treasure. So, I'll leave it for now. But I'm thinking about it. I'm thinking about it. I'm going to browse around and then come back. Thank you.

MATT: You can see the open energy seems to withdraw slightly, and the glance of, "Ugh, window shoppers," comes over. "Of course, yes. Well, you know where to find us." He puts all the rings back in the wooden box and shunts it beneath the countertop, and immediately goes back to his counting. But keeping an eye on you as you go.

ERIKA: Mm-hmm.

MATT: His compatriot is still going like--

ERIKA: I didn't take anything, I promise. I'm just very indecisive.

MATT: "Come again."

ERIKA: So now?

LAURA: So now we go to the Paragon's Call?

SAM and TRAVIS: You ready? Two, one. (clamoring)

SAM: Where is he? Where is he? Where is he? Where is he?

MATT: You see the woman has reached under the counter and has grabbed a flintlock, and is like (cocking gun).

TRAVIS: Oh, no, no. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I don't think our quarry is here, eh?

SAM: No, they--

MARISHA: Oh, Fresh Cut Grass. I think we got everything we need. We could go. (laughs).

SAM: Must be a malfunction.

TRAVIS: Oh, sheesh.

SAM: Sorry, master.

TRAVIS: On the fritz again. Sorry for the false alarm.

MATT: "Get out."

TRAVIS: Only because we want to. Let's go. (laughter)

MATT: All right. You gather up once more.

ASHLEY: You got a lot of info.

LAURA: Yeah.

LIAM: Yes, Dusk.

LAURA: That was awesome.

ASHLEY: That was amazing.

ERIKA: Thank you. That was so scary.

ASHLEY: Very impressive.

TALIESIN: Extremely.

LAURA: You did great.

ASHLEY: Yeah.

LAURA: You did great.

SAM: You're so moist.

ERIKA: (laughs) Yeah.

MARISHA: It is also incredibly hot in this tent.

ASHLEY: It's very hot in this tent.

ERIKA: Yeah.

LAURA: So should we seek out--

SAM: Seat of Disdain?

LAURA: Yeah.

ERIKA: Yeah. It's seems like we got--

ASHLEY: We've got some time?

ERIKA: -- a little bit of time since Mom and Papa are going to be here.

LIAM: Wasn't the word fortress floated?

LAURA: Fortress?

LIAM: Yeah, didn't I hear the word fortress?

MATT: You did.

LAURA: Oh, great, it's a fortress. Hey, didn't Paragon's Call have some interest in you?

TALIESIN:: I mean, technically, yeah. Although that was awhile ago and very far away. I mean.

MARISHA: The guy that beat the shit out of you.

TRAVIS: Yeah, he was like, if you ever want to go--

TALIESIN: I mean, it was a pretty even fight. It was down to the wire.

MARISHA: He beat the shit out of you.

TALIESIN: It was down to the fucking wire.

MARISHA: All right, it was down to the wire.

TRAVIS: He said if you ever wanted to earn some real money, right?

TALIESIN: Yeah.

TRAVIS: Look him up.

TALIESIN: Yeah.

TRAVIS: Oh, shit.

MARISHA: So maybe you're looking him up.

TRAVIS: Infiltration time.

MARISHA: ♪ What the fuck was his name ♪ ♪ I'm looking it up ♪

SAM: I'm looking his name up, too.

TRAVIS: Sergeant Slaughter, I think it was. (laughter)

SAM: General Ratanish.

MARISHA: Ratanish.

ASHLEY: ♪ General Ratanish ♪

TRAVIS: He got it from a prison.

MATT: (laughs)

MARISHA: I like this plan.

TALIESIN: Oh, boy. The trouble is going in.

LIAM: On your own.

TALIESIN: It's tricky and they're also going to know who I am.

LAURA: Well, yeah.

MARISHA: But you can go in by yourself, maybe scout the place, and then--

ERIKA: They don't know me. I could go with you.

LAURA: That's true.

SAM: Also, he doesn't know that we're looking for him. He doesn't know that anyone's looking for him, does he?

MARISHA: He sold the ring, though.

ASHLEY: Yeah, I feel like he knew.

SAM: Maybe he needed some moolah.

MARISHA: Maybe.

LIAM: As an alternate option, maybe probably, we could also just stake out the place and wait til he takes a walk.

MARISHA: He was very protective over that ring. It was clearly of utmost value to him. The fact that he would sell it-- I mean, he's the lord of a house. So I don't know. I think we should go in cautiously.

SAM: Sure, sure.

TALIESIN: I would agree. We'll take a look, and if it seems like sending me in is the best plan, I will go in and take a look. But any time you start dealing with the Crawlers or any of the gangs, things get complicated. It's the only politics in this fucking town. Anything else goes, but this is the one place that you have to be very, very fucking careful.

ERIKA: That's something that you're good at?

TALIESIN: I know the town. I grew up here.

ERIKA: Okay.

SAM: Do we know where the Seat of Disdain is?

MATT: You would know, actually. It's in the West Dregs.

SAM: West Dregs.

LIAM: Do we think there's a chance--

MARISHA: West Dregs.

LIAM: -- that he caught wise? I would think that he would want to get it further away from him, if he did.

LAURA: I think he's probably just desperate for cash.

LIAM: Yeah.

MATT: You do recall that Eshteross mentioned that he left behind most all of his stuff, because he left quickly and just took what was necessary.

TALIESIN: Would I remember that that's a safe house, too? That's one of the things that--

MATT: It's possible. You didn't have a lot of dealings with the Call.

TALIESIN: No, really not.

MATT: In fact, you avoided most of the Crawlers gangs from the time you were here. You just know where it is, and you know that is the base of operations for the Paragon's Call. When I say fortress, it's not like a castle.

TALIESIN: No.

MATT: It's a well-defended, three-story stone building with defensible battlements in case there is any recurring, as history has proven, scuffles with other Crawler gangs and other individuals that are seeking entry.

TALIESIN: Gotcha, gotcha.

MATT: But--

SAM: Let's go.

MATT: As you muster the courage to pursue this new threat in where Treshi has seemingly clamped down for his own personal protection, as well as the other unraveling threads of interesting serendipity and curiosity, we're going to go ahead and take a break. (cheering)

TRAVIS: Oh shit.

MATT: We'll be back here in just a few minutes to pick up from there and see where the hell this group of assholes is off to. So, we'll see you shortly.

MARISHA: It's getting good!

Part II
MATT: And welcome back.

MARISHA: Brilliant!

MATT: So. Bells Hells, after being in search of the whereabouts of Armand Treshi, the reason for you coming to Bassuras under the employ of Lord Eshteross once more, you sought out the particular ring that held the enchantment of which you were seeking him and found the ring had seemingly been pawned in one of the local flea markets within the city. However, through some quick work and magical influence by your new companion, Dusk, you found that the whereabouts of this Armand Treshi may reside within a small fortress that is held by the Paragon's Call known as the Seat of Disdain. You've gathered your things, gathered your thoughts, and with the guidance of Ashton and his history and knowledge of the city's layout, you are heading in the direction, I believe, of this particular fortress. Is there any preparations or any conversations you wish to (laughs) work out or plot for in advance on your way?

SAM: Nope, just going to go.

MATT: Perfect.

TALIESIN: Oh, we feel great.

LAURA: Walk towards it. Should we... How do the Crawler gangs work? Do they have certain territories within the city or is it just--

TALIESIN: I mean, in theory. In practice, it's more like there's a hierarchy less than territories, if that makes sense. I don't really know who's where these days. I mean, the All-Minds-Burn are just running around. The Gajakhandas are kind of in charge. Fists of the Ruiner are just whatever the fuck they want to be at any moment. Then Paragon's Call, I don't know, the last time I was here, they were kind of large and intense. I don't know how they're doing these days.

MATT: Yeah, and it caught your attention to see the Paragon's Call being presented in Jrusar as a legitimate defense force, knowing where they came from.

TALIESIN: Yeah.

MATT: And that caught you a little odd.

TALIESIN: Yeah, they were not exactly what you would consider to be a legitimate group of people last time I was here. I'm surprised to see them leave the city, let alone have a reputation. That's weird.

LAURA: How long ago were you here?

TALIESIN: Oh, man, it was double digits at least. It was a very, very long time ago.

LAURA: All right.

TALIESIN: It's been a very long time.

LAURA: All right.

TALIESIN: If they're trying to be legitimate, maybe they'll actually open the door and talk to people.

TRAVIS: (laughs) I hope not.

TALIESIN: (laughs)

MATT: Continuing onward. You watch as you push further towards the direction of this Seat of Disdain, whatever that may conjure in your mind upon approach.

LAURA: Which dain?

MATT: The Seat.

ERIKA: This Dain.

TALIESIN: Of Disdain.

MATT: This Dain.

TALIESIN: Seat of Disdain.

ASHLEY: Disdain.

MATT: That was pretty stupid, but I respect it. Passing by the crowd as you go, weaving between the clusters of individuals that call this place home, keeping your hands close to your pockets and coin purses as you do, you catch an interesting visual, Fresh Cut Grass, of one individual who is currently moving forward on a wagon with all sorts of wares in the back of it, stacked up. As opposed to a horse or oxen or some other beast of burden, there is an odd, beetle-like automaton with eight legs, more arachnid-like that has three different unmatching pairs of legs that currently skitter and pull forward, leaving an odd scraping formation in the dust and sand behind it pulling forward. In a lot of your journeys, you don't see a lot of out in the open automatons, let alone those that are quirky in their presentation, but it does give you a sense of home, if anything was, being surrounded by other such oddities as you find yourself to be. But.

SAM: I'll say hi and just see if they have communication skills.

MATT: Okay. (clicks)

SAM: Hello there, hi?

MATT: (clicks)

ERIKA: Smiley day to you?

SAM: Hello?

MATT: The person at the back of the cart, kind of, "Smiley day."

LIAM: Edward Scissorhands.

SAM: Okay.

ASHLEY: It's so curious how they're so different.

SAM: I agree.

ERIKA: Do they not have souls?

SAM: No, neither do I.

ERIKA: (gasps)

LIAM: This is question of debate--

ASHLEY: I don't--

LIAM: -- in the group.

ASHLEY: -- know if I agree with that.

SAM: Well, I'm like them. And you're like you.

LAURA: No, you're not like them, FCG.

SAM: Well, I'm just a bit more sophisticated in my design.

LAURA: You have thoughts! I hear them.

SAM: I have a complicated set of inputs and outputs that have been designed into me.

LIAM: I think we can agree that you're a rarity.

MARISHA: FCG.

SAM: Hmm?

MARISHA: Have you ever thought maybe you're like me? You were once alive?

SAM: Ooh.

MARISHA: And now you're in a puppet?

SAM: Whoa!

ASHLEY: Whoa.

SAM: If I had a mind, it would be blown right now. (laughter)

SAM: That could be true. What if I'm a shell, a husk of an old person or something?

ERIKA: I don't know, but now you're you and that's pretty cool.

MARISHA: Exactly.

ERIKA: I feel like it probably doesn't matter so much about what the shell is like, so much as what's in... Wherever...

TRAVIS: Pokey poke.

ERIKA: I don't know, yeah.

MARISHA: You have a heart?

SAM: No.

MARISHA: I don't know.

ERIKA: Okay.

SAM: Aren't you curious about you? You're all forgetful about yourself as well.

ERIKA: No, I've got you guys and I've got my stuff and I have a couple of quests on the docket.

SAM: Two? More than one?

ERIKA: Yeah, two.

SAM: The one with us and then the one for yourself.

TALIESIN: If there were three it would be a few.

ERIKA: So I feel like it doesn't really matter as much all the time. I think I let my past inform who I am, but I don't get too hung up about it.

SAM: That's very mature and healthy of you. I must admit that I don't share that confidence. I would really like to know what I am and where I came from.

ERIKA: What do you want to be?

SAM: Well, I'd like to be like you all. I'd like to be able to smell and taste and dream. And fart.

LAURA: Farting is pretty magical.

SAM: That last one's not necessary.

LAURA: No, it's pretty great.

SAM: But it seems like you all really like to do it.

LAURA: It's funny.

ERIKA: It's great.

LAURA: It does provide a lot of relief.

TALIESIN: If you had mentioned this before we left, we could've had Milo work that in. I don't feel like you need a soul for do that. Anything can do that.

SAM: Not just the action of it--

TRAVIS: I can show you later.

SAM: -- but the internal satisfaction. The cosmic satisfaction that you all seem to feel.

LIAM: It's true. Anyone who says they don't like it is lying.

TALIESIN: That's true.

LIAM: It's a really pleasurable experience.

TALIESIN: It is.

ERIKA: Bodily functions rule.

SAM: Rub it in now.

ERIKA: I mean--

SAM: I'm just joking.

LIAM: Orym squeezes a little one out. See?

LAURA: Oh, really?

ERIKA: It's all about what's in your mind, because when something--

MATT: Better than a shart.

ERIKA: -- really good happens in my body, it's like it happens up here, you know? So I feel like you can probably work something out with that. Is this something, is this something?

SAM: Maybe, maybe.

ERIKA: Okay.

SAM: I'll practice. I'll practice.

MARISHA: Sometimes it's nice to--

MATT: (rumbling) You all hear the heavy impacts getting louder and louder. At first, they seemed somewhat distant, but you feel the vibrations, gentle at first, begin to grow with each heavy impact. You watch as in this one bit of open clearing that seems to lead and spread outward into a wider thoroughfare that eventually leads to the exterior of the large red walls, the Carmine Curtain that signifies the exterior of the inner city of Bassuras. You watch as a massive, cobbled metallic beam of gears and pulleys and odd metal bands and rods that work and scrape against each other are giving heavy grinding noises and the sound of sparks and metal pushing against metal (screeches and rumbles) as coming around the corner, these massive, curled, spider-like limbs, maybe three to four feet in width begin to impact. As it pushes past, you can see a Crawler gang, fully armored, keeping a perimeter.

LAURA: Oh shit.

MATT: As it moves beyond, you can see platforms, two of them, that are affixed atop of these legs. There's no central body or any sort of humanoid form to it. This looks to be a moving platform with what at a quick glance is maybe five, six legs of different sizes and makes that move it slowly across the ground. You can see on the lower platform there are about five other Crawlers that are hanging onto cables and ropes, staring down and glowering over the rest of the crowd in the streets as they give a wide berth. On the upper platform above that, you can see a crow's nest scenario where one other Crawler is up there with a long spyglass and some sort of a mounted, long rifle reminiscent of some of the ones that you've seen designed in Whitestone. Though this one is more of a unique Marquesian spin on its particular make. But as they move past, (rumbles) it begins to take up speed (quickened rumbles) and move with a rapidity that you weren't expecting. Not anywhere near as fast as the skirmish-crawlers that you've seen within, but definitely this could move a large group of individuals quite a distance rather rapidly.

LIAM: Can Orym clock or zero in on what is powering this thing that's so big?

MATT: Make a perception or arcana, your choice.

LIAM: I will do perception, always. That is a 18.

MATT: 18. Glancing amongst this particular structure, this massive automaton-like entity, there are three different places within its body. One that's affixed underneath the main platform on the bottom. One that rests on top and to the right and then one that sits catty-corner to the underneath base of that crow's nest portion of its design. There's these metallic cages that hold in them these faint, bluish-purple gems almost that crackle and glow with arcane energy. Occasionally, you see them spark. They flare and bits of arcane sparks shower out and flitter to the ground and scatter a bit. As they do, you can see waves of that same arcane energy flood through these little marketed rune-like grooves that run through the entire network of metal plates and odd bits of scrap that are affixed to it. Most of the coloration of it ranges from gunmetal to shiny bits of silver that are maintained well in some areas. A majority of it in that brownish red rust that has just let the elements take over. Still functional, not being eaten away, but definitely living within the aesthetic of Bassuras and the surrounding Hellcatch Valley. The funds aren't there to keep it looking pretty. Functional is really the main keyword. Which is interesting because as it gets quite a distance away, one of the legs suddenly showers out sparks as it buckles and the whole platform lists to one side and a bunch of them almost slide off and catch themselves. One person leaps off onto the ground and goes, "God fucking damn it!" And kicks the edge of it and shouts up to somebody else who throws down some sort of an odd leather bag and they catch and throw over their shoulder and start pulling through. You see them now trying to figure out how fix it and cursing themselves as you see more arcane sparks fly out. The sense of awe and wonder that you had kept for this is diminished slightly as the crowd begins to go about the rest of their business. The silence that seemed to have captured the center of this open area of the city now giving way to the general energy you're used to.

TALIESIN: Was there a group insignia anywhere on that?

MATT: Make a perception check.

TALIESIN: I hate my perception because that's just nine.

MATT: Okay. Yeah, you didn't make out enough. At the time it was going by, you didn't get a quick glance. You could rush up if you want to to get a closer look. It's not like it's a hidden detail, but it's far enough away where you'd have to make yourself known to do so.

TALIESIN: (grimaces) No. There's two options where that would be stupid.

LAURA: Do you think that was Paragon's Call?

TALIESIN: Ah, didn't give the vibe. My immediate guess is All-Minds-Burn, but I'd have to go over and check and then there'd just be this person going over there to check, if that makes sense.

LAURA: Yeah.

TALIESIN: I'm not really in the mood to have a conversation with those people.

LAURA: All right.

MATT: However, not too far beyond where this display found you in the middle of the city, you do see the midday burning plumes of black smoke that burn from the rooftop burn piles that connotate the top of the three-tiered stone fortress that is the Seat of Disdain. Glancing beyond, there is a small wall that itself mimics the Carmine Curtain around the city only instead of a deep red sanguine coloration, this has a painted sky blue that is streaked from the occasional monsoon rains and left to give this weathered, melting sense to the exterior coloration. Beyond these crenelated walls that end in these large, jagged bits of broken metal. As opposed to fine metallic wrought iron pokers at the top, it is jagged bits of scrap that is aligned and set within the stone up top that, upon a closer look, you can't tell which parts are rust and which parts are caked blood. Even at a sideways glance, whatever can't cut will definitely hurt if something were thrust or to fall upon it. Beyond that--

TRAVIS: Fall out.

LIAM: Sharp.

MATT: Mm-hmm. The front gate that's nearest facing you to it is a tall wooden door that's been reinforced with iron fittings that are bolted inward and help reinforce it, because you can see the wood itself is rotting a little bit, but it's thick enough that it would take many, many years before it actually became a nuisance and the iron is just there to preserve it for as long as it can. Beyond the second and third tier of this fortress, which you can see is pretty standard rectangular design. Nothing fancy, nothing visually distinguishing beyond it just being a functional fortress. There are a number of ammunition slits for arrows, crossbows, or ballistae. There are a few lookout platforms that emerge, especially on the very top. There are four tall, curved spires that raise upward, made out of the same cobbled metal, iron and steel combination to create these twisting horns that emerge from the top. There there's the two burn piles, just the ever-drifting black spires that continue upward into the sky before dissipating.

LIAM: If you didn't say already, is this structure, is this building surrounded on all sides by more of the city or is it up against one of the outer walls? I can't remember location.

MATT: Fair enough. It is not right up against the Carmine Wall. It's maybe a 10-minute walk from the exterior, but it is surrounded by city. But there is definitely its own large interior wall that also divides it from the city around it.

LIAM: So you could walk all the way around this thing, best we can tell from where we are now?

MATT: You could.

LIAM: What surrounds the place? Are there businesses, residences, other sketchy-looking buildings?

MATT: I mean, a number of sketchy-looking buildings, but a number of old-looking residential neighborhood sections as well. You can see the older natural stone structures, the mud-masoned square buildings that are also built upon older bits of ruin and rock. There are some that are just large cloth tents that are utilized as a mobile abode for those that may have been staked down for quite some time and are not being challenged on the portion of the city that they've carved out for themselves. But the area surrounding it looks mostly residential. Although, you know, it's hard to tell at a glance if anything carries other things internally.

LIAM: Okay, and we're within view of what looks to be the main entrance of it.

MATT: You can see it about three blocks down the road from where you are.

LAURA: Can we see-- Are there any guards walking along the top? From where we are?

MATT: I'd say make a perception check for me.

SAM: Guidance!

LAURA: Oh!

LIAM: I'm looking, too.

LAURA: Well, that's very kind of you.

LIAM: Casing the joint.

LAURA: Oh!

LIAM: 20 for me.

LAURA: 20 for me as well.

LIAM: Yeah!

MATT: Nice. Indeed, you see there are three figures up there that are standing, stationary. One of them occasionally walks past and checks. With a 20 on each of you, you also see that between each of these large curved spires that probably climb upwards 15 feet from where the top of the building ends, you can see large, mounted weaponry. You're uncertain at this distance what kind of weaponry, but familiar with ballistae and other sort of stationary defensive munitions with your sky ships and other experiences in the world abound, looks like they have defense-ready weaponry.

SAM: So, Chetney picks the lock and we just go straight through the front door.

LAURA: Straight through, they wouldn't even notice. There's nobody watching.

TRAVIS: No reason to overthink this. They'll just reach out and touch you otherwise.

ASHLEY: So should we just knock and go in?

LAURA: Do all of us want to go in or do we send--?

SAM: I don't think any of us want to go in, right? Should we just wait and see who comes and goes?

LIAM: Yeah, we want to find--

LAURA: Let's just scout it for a bit, yeah?

LIAM: Find a place to watch from? Give it a day?

TALIESIN: Let's walk around, see if there's somewhere to sit.

SAM: Some of us could go buzz around and--

TALIESIN: That's true.

ASHLEY: Oh, that's right! I can turn into-- well, I can't fly, though.

SAM: Oh, well, you could be a rat or something.

TRAVIS: Imogen can fly.

ASHLEY: Imogen can fly.

SAM: Oh, that's right.

LAURA: I might be a little bit noticeable, though.

TRAVIS: We'll work on that.

LIAM: I bet you could be something with sticky feet, though, Fearne.

ASHLEY: Ooh.

TRAVIS: Could dress you up.

LAURA: I am bald now.

SAM: Aerodynamic?

LAURA: Well nope, I'm going to pick up some mud from the ground.

SAM: Ooh.

LAURA: And put it across my eyes Furiosa-style.

MATT: (laughs)

ASHLEY: Ooh, yes.

MATT: Interestingly enough, in this proximity to the burned piles and some of the other industrial elements here, when you reach down in the dirt and you pull it up in your hand, there is a layer of dark soot also that mixes with it and so as you smear it across, it gives a darker, slate gray texture and color to it.

TRAVIS: And it burns.

LAURA: Oh god, oh my. Do I look tougher?

LIAM: Fiberglass.

LAURA: Do I look tough?

ASHLEY: You're so tough, you're so tough.

MARISHA: I like the ratty robe overtop, it's a look.

LAURA: All right.

MARISHA: Yeah.

SAM: Can you fly, Dusk, or do any tricks? Can you teleport?

TRAVIS: Go invisible, change your appearance? I can just go in there, right? I mean, they don't know me.

TRAVIS: You could, but maybe you won't be able to get out.

ERIKA: Oh.

SAM: You'd have to go in with specific business, I feel like. What's our excuse? Are we missionaries traveling to spread the word of the Wildmother? Are we... city surveyors looking for a location of a new elementary school?

TALIESIN: They literally have anti-siege weaponry attached to the roof of that compound.

SAM: So it can support a good foundation for an elementary school.

LAURA: But it is clear that Paragon's Call is also seeking to gain status, right? In other cities, so maybe someone could be a diplomat.

SAM: Dignitary coming to offer or request security services.

LAURA: Exactly.

ASHLEY: That's a very good idea.

SAM: Orym could pass that off, maybe.

LIAM: I don't know that I want to walk into a heavily armed military--

TALIESIN: Compound.

LIAM: Fortress, yeah. Compound.

TRAVIS: You ever tried it before?

LIAM: No. It doesn't mean I should start now. Treshi left a few days ago to sell a ring. You guys don't want to just hole up in a building across the street?

LAURA: I mean, yeah, we can do that for sure.

TRAVIS: No, not really.

ASHLEY: I mean, I could certainly go in as a little rat or a spider just to investigate.

ERIKA: Okay.

LIAM: That makes sense.

ERIKA: And the rest of us just sit tight and do a stakeout.

LAURA: Yeah, I do want to walk the perimeter, though, and see--

LIAM: Sometimes you have to wait.

LAURA: -- if there's other doorways that he might be coming in and out of. There might be underground tunnels for all we know.

SAM: Sure.

TALIESIN: See if people come in and out of the building, how often, what it looks like at night.

LAURA: Yeah.

ERIKA: Is there some sort of a neighboring building or inn where we can--?

MATT: There are a number of neighboring buildings. In the immediate vicinity--

ERIKA: Any that are four stories, perhaps?

MATT: Actually, no. There are no structures that are residential or open to the public that are any taller than maybe at most three stories in this region, and would just come a little bit above the wall if anything. The towers that you see around here may come a little taller, but a lot of them are industrial exhausts. Specifically, there are a number of larger structures around here known as the Storm Cisterns, which are these massive, massive, metallic, in some cases almost oddly bent, like they had been grabbed and released by some godly entity and as such, they raise upward in odd angles and what should be nonfunctional or the very least unsafe, but have stood for many, many years. At the top of each of these, there's all manner of ladders and platforms that rise upward, and there are occasionally people that watch and patrol them, because these cisterns collect all the monsoon water and maintain the water that basically keeps the city alive and the people around here and what little bits of greenery growing in the vicinity viable.

ERIKA: Yeah, the Gajakhandas take care of the cisterns. But underneath the cisterns, that's where the youths go to do illicit drugs and drink beers.

LAURA: (laughs)

TALIESIN: Huh.

ERIKA: I bet we could hang out under the cisterns.

MATT: Possibly.

TALIESIN: You've picked this up? I'm just kind of curious.

ERIKA: Yeah.

TALIESIN: That was very fast.

ERIKA: I've been here a couple of weeks.

TALIESIN: Wow.

ASHLEY: Very perceptive.

SAM: Wow.

TALIESIN: Very perceptive.

MARISHA: I want to see the cisterns and see the sewers. I'm not going to lie.

TALIESIN: Actually, a sewer entrance is not a bad idea.

LAURA: Yeah.

SAM: There's sewers in this city?

TALIESIN: I mean, shit's got to go somewhere.

ASHLEY: That's very true.

SAM: Okay.

LIAM: We will go.

MARISHA: Is there a sewer system here?

MATT: Not in the classic sense.

TRAVIS: Oh man.

TALIESIN: (laughs)

TRAVIS: Say no more.

ASHLEY: Someone was dumping out a--

LAURA: Yeah, like a--

TALIESIN: That's right.

LAURA: Chamber pot.

MATT: Certain areas of the city do have what are called dumping zones. There is one section on the eastern side of the cliffs outside of the Skids there where certain individuals make a decent amount of money by picking up refuse and carting it to the outside of the town and then dumping it all off the side of the ravine.

LAURA: Gross.

MATT: There's one large ravine side that is a multicolored rainbow of all sorts of runoff. Whether it be organic or not, that lends this--

ERIKA: Awful.

MATT: This awful pattern of mineral gathering and depositing.

ASHLEY: Yum, yum, yum.

TRAVIS: How many bodies do you think are down there?

MARISHA: Several.

TALIESIN: I imagine they're sludgy enough that you could not count.

SAM: Well, I'm all for--

TRAVIS: Sludgy.

SAM: -- Fearne rat, if you want to?

ASHLEY: Yeah.

TALIESIN: Serve a ball.

ASHLEY: I can go in.

SAM: But how will you get out if somebody stomps on you?

ASHLEY: Well, I'll figure it out.

TRAVIS: The princess has got this, okay? A little risk ain't never hurt anybody.

ASHLEY: I think so, too.

LIAM: Does the city have rats?

TALIESIN: This city does have rats.

MATT: Oh yeah.

LIAM: Okay.

TALIESIN: Tons of rats. It doesn't mean that we don't kill them.

ASHLEY: Well, I know.

ERIKA: Let's just hang out and then maybe you can scamper in when people go in and out.

ASHLEY: Go in and out?

ERIKA: Yeah.

LIAM: Did you want to do a perimeter walk all the way around first?

TALIESIN: Let's keep doing the perimeter.

LAURA: I did want to walk around.

LIAM: Check out the whole thing.

ASHLEY: Let's do a perimeter walk and if it looks like there's a little area that I can skitter through, maybe a little hole underneath the fence or something, then I can--

LAURA: We might be more noticeable if it's the entire group of us doing an entire perimeter walk, though, just putting that out there.

ASHLEY: Oh, that's true, that's true.

TRAVIS: I'll stay behind; I've got work to do, anyway.

LIAM: I'll go on your walk.

LAURA: All right.

MARISHA: I'll stay with Chet.

MATT: Okay.

SAM: Me, too. Do you want to-- oh, you'll be a rat.

ASHLEY: Well, not yet.

SAM: I was going to say, what if you took that ring and wore it? That way we have an orb that would find you.

ERIKA: We left it.

ASHLEY: We didn't get it because it was very expensive.

SAM: We didn't buy the ring.

LAURA: No, because he might go back and try to purchase it and we thought maybe we would be able to... If he comes into money, he might. I mean, it is very dear to him.

SAM: Sure. Never mind.

ERIKA: Okay. I'll join you on your walkabout.

MARISHA: If we catch him, I want to go back and get that ring.

SAM: Sure.

ERIKA: Okay.

MATT: All right, so the four of you are going on walkabout?

LAURA: Yeah.

LIAM: Sure.

MATT: All right. While the rest of you stay behind and keep watch, the other four of you continue to run a perimeter. As you do, you notice that the wall itself keeps a pentagon shape around the exterior of the fortress. A little oblong on the southern side of it and there is a second gate on the opposite side of the wall. So there are two entrances in and out that are viable from a larger presentory standpoint and they're both about 15 to 20 feet wide you'd guess at this glance. You do also see the patrols on the top occasionally switch out or at least you see one person leave and another person come up and take their place, and occasionally someone peeks out beyond one of the watch balconies that protrudes on one of the lower levels and glances around. One person out there picks their nose for a second and flicks it, then walks back inside. You do also notice above this portion of the city, there are a number of the Hellcatch vultures. The scavengers now at this high point in the day's sun are circling in the space and you can see them keeping watch for any discarded meal opportunities or any of the skittering vermin that make home here in the city. There's probably a dozen or so of them that are immediately above this vicinity slowly circling in groups.

LIAM: Noted.

ASHLEY: Okay. Okay.

LIAM: All right, so two entrances.

LAURA: Yeah, I feel like we should split the party (chuckles) and one of us camp out at one and the other.

LIAM: We put one mind- talker on one side and one mind-talker on the other side.

ASHLEY: As we're walking, I'm looking for little holes or breaks in the fence anywhere that I might be able to wiggle through.

MATT: Make a perception or investigation check.

SAM: Come on.

LAURA: Can I help her, knowing what she's looking for, keeping an eye out at the same time?

MATT: Yeah, if you want to help her out with that.

LAURA: I'll give you advantage.

ASHLEY: Eugh. Okay. That's a good idea. That's exactly the same. (laughter)

ASHLEY: Okay.

LAURA: A perception?

ASHLEY: Okay, 10.

LAURA: Oof.

MATT: It's a pretty solid wall. You can see there's a couple of areas here and there where visible cracks have been formed over time. Whether it be shifting in the ground beneath it, attacks on the wall that have been partially repaired or just general decay over time. But they've been patched. You do not see any specific openings that catch your attention that are immediately visible.

ERIKA: Yeah, not to naysay or doubt you, but I don't feel good about this. I don't feel good about this. I think we all should stick together and that we should wait until there's a good opportunity or make a good opportunity. But none of this sneaking off one at a time.

LAURA: Yeah, because Fearne, I mean, nothing's ever gone wrong by you sneaking off on your own.

ASHLEY: No. Well, no. (laughter)

LIAM: It's also these birds in the sky. They eat rats.

ASHLEY: They're actual birds, they're not like--

MARISHA: (laughs)

LAURA: So maybe you could be, if she was going to sneak off on her own, which she is not going to do, but maybe you could be a--

LIAM: If you suggest it, she's going to do it.

LAURA: An insect instead.

ASHLEY: I mean, I could be a cat.

LAURA: Oh!

ASHLEY: I could be a capybara. I could be--

LAURA: (laughs)

ASHLEY: I could be a spider.

LAURA: What about a quokka or something?

ASHLEY: I could be a quokka for sure.

LAURA: Maybe that would charm them. Maybe it would charm them.

LAURA: It's unique.

ASHLEY: You know?

LIAM: (laughs)

ASHLEY: Okay. Okay, I like the idea of splitting the party. Maybe we just take a minute.

LAURA: You want to look up a quokka?

MARISHA: Yeah, how do you spell it?

LAURA and ASHLEY: Q-U-O-K-K-A.

SAM: You keep role playing.

LAURA: They're the cutest.

ASHLEY: We could just watch for a little bit.

ERIKA: Yeah.

MARISHA: Look at these things.

LAURA: (laughs)

LIAM: Turn that phone around.

ASHLEY: I do like getting in there.

LIAM: Let me see that quokka.

ERIKA: I fucking love quokkas.

TALIESIN: Oh, for fuck's sake.

LIAM: Ah, yeah.

LAURA: Oh!

MARISHA: That one's pretty good.

LAURA: That's like the perfect creature for you.

LIAM: That's got big Fearne energy.

ASHLEY: But okay, here's the side question.

MATT: Yes?

ASHLEY: Not a side question, above table.

LIAM: Yep.

ASHLEY: If, say, I were to be a creature and were to get attacked by something, would I turn back into me?

LIAM: Yep.

MATT: If you took enough damage to reduce the creature's form's hit points to zero, yes.

ASHLEY: That's right, okay, okay.

MARISHA: Hit point of a kitten.

LIAM: Where we are, are there any sentries in view who are talking?

MATT: At the exact moment, no, but occasionally, they do converse. They're people, so they have to keep themselves engaged as well.

LIAM: I'm going to start reading the conversations of anyone that I see in view for our entire watch in this place to see if I can pick anything up because of the Observant feat.

MATT: So you can read lips?

LIAM: Yeah.

MATT: Okay, you have to roll a high perception because they're quite a distance from you. To read lips at 150 feet is--

TRAVIS: No problem.

MATT: Challenging.

LAURA: That's impressive.

MATT: But it's not impossible. This is D&D we're talking about. So okay, if you take a moment as you're walking around and taking a pass, roll a perception check for me.

LIAM: 23.

MATT: 23. You can see conversation, but it's too far for you to make out any specific words. Occasionally, you can see a large vowel or an expression that seems like they're engaged in a joking banter.

LIAM: Okay.

MATT: But it's too far to pick up anything specific.

LIAM: They're using "O" a lot.

ERIKA: Are we in any particular real hurry? Do we have time to wait for a 24 hour period, see this, or do we go with the direct approach and have your friend go on in there?

ASHLEY: Is there privacy nearby where I can go somewhere just for a minute where I'm not seen?

MATT: There are a number of nooks and crannies all throughout the city where you can not be seen.

ASHLEY: Going to tuck by a nook--

TRAVIS: When you got to poop, you got to poop.

ASHLEY: -- and cranny for a second.

LIAM: Never see her again.

LAURA: I don't know if we're necessarily in a hurry. It's just that we need to get Armand before he leaves town, if he hasn't already left town.

ERIKA: It seems like you guys are split between waiting this out and sneaking in or going in the front door.

LAURA: Yeah, that's usual for us. (laughs)

ASHLEY: I'm going to run over to them and I am now a--

SAM: Quokka?

LAURA: You're going to be a quokka?!

ERIKA: (elated shrieking)

ASHLEY: Real round butt, just real round.

MATT: (laughs)

TRAVIS: The roundest of butts.

MARISHA: Just be so cute!

LAURA: Oh my god.

LIAM: I forgot everything we were talking about.

LAURA: You're the cutest thing I've ever seen in my entire life.

ASHLEY: Give some nuzzles.

LAURA: Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.

TRAVIS: Scritch, scritch, scritch.

LIAM: This is all we're going to do today. You must never change back.

MARISHA: Make the face again, make the quokka face again. (laughter)

MATT: Dusk.exe has stopped working.

ASHLEY: I'm going to run in.

LAURA: (gasps)

ASHLEY: I'm going to run in!

LAURA: Fe--

TRAVIS: Yeah.

ERIKA: Was that Fearne?

ASHLEY: I'm going to run in.

MATT: All right.

SAM: Have fun!

MATT: You go ahead and run on up to the front gates.

ASHLEY: Hopefully, they just think I'm cute.

TRAVIS: Thank god.

MATT: They're gates.

ASHLEY: Oh.

MARISHA: They're gates.

TRAVIS: You burrow.

MARISHA: Oh, do they dig?

LAURA: Do they burrow?

ASHLEY: Yes.

TRAVIS: Even stone cold warriors are going to have some kind of heart for a quokka.

SAM: They got to open at some point.

ASHLEY: I'm going to wait.

MATT: Okay.

TRAVIS: If you get found out, just give them the-- (laughter)

LAURA: The one eye. (laughs)

LIAM: Sorry.

ASHLEY: Is there any bit beneath the gate?

MATT: There is about an inch and a half below the gate in places because at some points, the gathered dust and sand and dirt rises up to it and there's heavy patterns where the gates when they swing open, they push past and leave these gate angels, if you will, in the ground. But to that point, it's very little space.

LAURA: Are we just looking at pictures of quokkas now?

LIAM: For sure.

ASHLEY: Before I leave the group, I give Dusk a little bit of a lick as an apology, a "sorry." Okay, okay.

MARISHA: I just have to share because I searched if quokkas burrow, and I couldn't find that answer, but I did find that, I guess, quokkas throw their babies as a means of self-defense. (laughter)

SAM: If they get scared by a predator, they throw their baby at it.

ASHLEY: Take my kids!

MARISHA: And then peace out.

TRAVIS: No, they don't! No, they don't. What's the source? What's the source?

MARISHA: ABC.net.australia.

TRAVIS: Oh no.

SAM: That's a kid's--

TRAVIS: That can't be right.

SAM: That's like a kid's site.

MARISHA: The quokka sacrifice their babies in order to escape predators.

ERIKA: I have never identified with a creature more in my entire life.

MATT: Well, it's incredible because you consider that they're throwing their children as a means of self-defense with the biggest smile.

LAURA: Yeah.

MARISHA: Ah! (laughter)

MATT: Wow. Okay.

MARISHA: Sorry. Continue.

TALIESIN: Beast Shape really took off this episode.

MATT: As you are sitting there, round fuzzy butt, large smile at the base of the gate, what do you do, Fearne?

ASHLEY: I'm going to try to just start. I'm looking around and just try to start scraping and burrowing where I see the biggest separation in the gate.

MATT: Okay. Go ahead and roll athletics for me. I'll say, for this creature, just go ahead and roll. (laughs)

ASHLEY: Okay. Okay.

SAM: Come on. Come on. Big natural 20.

ASHLEY: No. 11.

MATT: 11. Okay. You begin to dig and dig and dig, and about five minutes go by and you're making some decent progress, but it's going to take you a little longer. But you can do it.

ASHLEY: I'll do it. I'm committed. I'm going to work so hard.

MATT: While Fearne is just breaking a furry sweat, though they can't sweat.

TRAVIS: Quokka. Quokka is breaking a furry sweat.

MATT: Fearne as a quokka is-- (laughter)

MATT: -- is panting due to the inability to sweat, and digging furiously. What are the rest of you doing?

LAURA: You hear in your head: How's it going there, Fearne?

ASHLEY: Well, it's just, I'm working real hard to just get under this gate.

LAURA: All right.

MATT: The rest of you just watching and waiting?

LAURA: Well--

LIAM: I tap Imogen's arm. You should maybe alert the rest of the group.

LAURA: Well, I cannot do that.

LIAM: No?

LAURA: No, because if I do that, I will lose my mental connection with Fearne.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

LAURA: Plus, I can only do it, establish it with somebody that's within view.

LIAM: Okay.

SAM: It's been a while.

LIAM: Well, I'll cross my fingers instead.

MATT: At about the 10-minute mark, you try and push through.

ASHLEY: (grunts)

SAM: Big ol' butt.

MATT: Make a strength check for me.

LAURA: If she gets stuck--

MARISHA: It's still Fearne's booty.

LAURA: -- under that damn door the same way she did on the other one.

MARISHA: Yes.

ASHLEY: Ooh. Eight.

MATT: She gets stuck under the door. (exclaiming)

ASHLEY: Okay, I'm going to try to see if there's anybody inside that I can just smile at. (laughter)

ERIKA: Is she okay?

ASHLEY: Try to charm.

ERIKA: That's a lot of little leg kicking!

LAURA: She's charming.

MATT: So the gate is about that thick and you dug underneath the majority of it and your head just pokes out this way, but your midsection is just stuck. You guys can see these little legs kicking in the area beneath.

LAURA: Fearne, how you doing there?

ASHLEY: Just give me two more seconds. I think I can do it.

LAURA: Okay, because I can always pretend you're my pet that got away.

ERIKA: Yeah.

LAURA: If that helps.

MATT: No one's paying attention to you yet, though, you do see in this entry courtyard, you get a quick glance as you're staring out there, there are all manner of training dummies and weapon racks. You can see three unattended skirmish-crawlers, the ones with the center wheel in the front and the large, almost clawed horse-like hooves in the back. You can see there is a large area where a bonfire at night would largely be lit, but it's just been set up with flammables in preparation for the night. You can see there are about five guards that are in different places, just one person's over there with a whet stone, sharpening weapons. Two others are over there just snacking on some sort of dried meat, like a jerky, and conversing. And there are two others that are just patrolling the interior of the courtyard.

LAURA: How far away is she?

MATT: From you guys? Depends on how far away you've been watching her dig.

LAURA: I don't know.

MATT: Depends. Are you right against the wall or are you watching from across the road?

ERIKA: I think we're--

LAURA: Across the road, probably.

MATT: So 25 feet.

LAURA: Okay. Okay. I am going to use my telekinetic ability and start digging the dirt out from around her--

ASHLEY: Foomp.

LAURA: -- and try to move the dirt.

MATT: Okay. Starting to wiggle a little more.

ASHLEY: So close!

MATT: You look out there, one of the guards patrolling nearby--

LAURA: Fuck.

MATT: -- doesn't notice you.

LAURA: Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig. Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig.

ERIKA: Is it always like this?

LAURA: Yeah.

LIAM: Pretty much.

MATT: You come out the other side and you're now inside the courtyard.

ASHLEY: I did it!

LAURA: All right.

ASHLEY: Okay.

LAURA: Well, you're cute and noticeable, so move fast.

ASHLEY: Okay. I'm going to skitter to where I think the entrance of the building is.

MATT: Okay. Yeah. You can definitively see an entryway that leads into the fortress. It is out in the open, across the courtyard. There are stacks of supplies and things along the way that you can dart to as you want go.

ASHLEY: Great. Great.

MATT: I will need you to make a stealth check--

SAM: Yeah.

ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: -- as a rotund, not minuscule creature.

LIAM: I'm not there, but is there sky above?

ASHLEY: Garbage rolls.

LIAM: For our quokka.

ASHLEY: Garbage.

LAURA: Can you give yourself advantage?

ASHLEY: I can give myself-- I don't know. Eight.

LAURA: Oh god!

MATT: Eight. Okay, cool. So--

LAURA: Okay, cool.

TRAVIS: You need stop rolling like dog shit.

ASHLEY: I know! I know!

TRAVIS: Just making sure I said it.

MATT: First, you wait for the guard to pass, who hasn't noticed you yet. You skitter across a good 15 foot range and get behind almost like a hay bale, but it's not hay. It's some other dried grass that was brought from or farmed somewhere nearby in the Hellcatch. You get there and back up behind it, glance over. The next thing you can see, two barrels, open, uncertain if there's anything within them, but they're just set out in the open, either to collect water or they contain something for quick access for the people within the courtyard. You rush over to it. Right as you're about to get to the shade behind them, you feel a hand grab you from the torso and lift you up and a voice go, "Oh goodness! What's this?" (laughter)

SAM: Throw a baby at him!

MATT: You feel your world whip around, up into the blue sky, and you see the dark exterior rim of a shaded face, framed by the sky above. As your eyes focus a bit, you can see a tough looking woman warrior, shoulders exposed with scars, muscular, has this wide, bright white, toothy grin and eyes that are green, like jade. Her skin is very, very sun tanned and her hair is almost a bleached white that is in a back braid to protect it that goes past the shoulders. She's wearing some leather armor on the shoulders and you can see a gold chain around the neck that carries a bird skull with a golden mask over the front of it.

SAM: Cool.

MATT: She picks you up and goes, "Oh my goodness! You're so cute! Who are you?"

ASHLEY: I start shivering.

SAM: Oh!

ASHLEY: (whimpers)

MATT: "Oh my! I don't even know what you are, but you're adorable! Oh my god! Mick Hunt! Mick Hunt!"

SAM: My cunt?

LAURA: My cunt?

LIAM: Micah?

SAM: I heard "my cunt."

MARISHA: Yeah.

LIAM: Yep. (laughter) Paging Mike Hunt.

SAM: Is Mike Hunt here?

MATT: All NPCs are now named David from here on out. (laughter)

MATT: Forever.

ERIKA: We can't have nice things!

MATT: We cannot.

ERIKA: Can we just--

ASHLEY: We can't have nice things.

TRAVIS: First name Mike. Last name Hunt.

LIAM: Mike Hunt, Harry Butts, get over here! (laughter)

MATT: The spelling in my head was different. (laughter)

SAM: It always is.

MATT: But let's just say-- (laughter) Let's just say-- (laughter)

MATT: Mick Hunt-- (laughter)

MATT: -- has a rough time with his title. (laughter)

MATT: You hear snickers nearby and he goes, "Just call me Mick!" (laughter) (laughter) "Have you seen something like this?" He's like--

TRAVIS: That's the worst.

MATT: "What the heck is that?" That's the problem with making shit up on the spot. Sometimes it's not a winner.

LIAM: Hey, you talk for 20,000 hours. (laughter)

MATT: Somewhere, the spirit of Purvan is like, "Ha!" (laughter)

MARISHA: I think he's outranked, officially.

TRAVIS: He should have a game for himself.

LIAM: It's normal where I come from! (laughter)

MATT: Comes up. He's like, "Oh, what is this? This is adorable! Oh my! How is this alive here?"

ERIKA: What's happened?

MATT: "Did it escape? Was it some sort of exotic animal that escaped?" "I don't know, but it's mine now! I found it! I'm going to call you..."

LAURA: She's been discovered. "What should I call it?" And Mick leans over and goes, "Call it Killer because it's ironic." (laughter)

MATT: "No! I'm going to call it Fuzz Bottom."

MARISHA: Fuzz.

MATT: "Come with me, Fuzz Bottom," and puts you under the arm and cradles you like a baby and begins to carry you towards the fortress.

ASHLEY: I just nuzzle into her.

MATT: Okay.

MATT: I love this.

MATT: You see some of the other guards stand up and look over and she pulls you away from their-- giving them a look of, "This is mine. Step off!" The swishing of sights around you and blue sky suddenly goes to darkness as you're brought within the interior of the fortress.

LAURA: Is everything all right?

ASHLEY: Yes. Someone has now taken me as their pet. (laughter)

LAURA: Great!

ASHLEY: Yeah, but I'm inside!

LAURA: Ooh, that's wonderful!

ASHLEY: Okay.

LAURA: She's doing good.

ERIKA: Are you sure?

LAURA: Yeah!

LIAM: We should really be used to this by now, I guess.

ERIKA: That was a baller move!

LAURA: It really was.

MATT: You are carried from hallway to a left turn, down another hallway, down a set of stairs, down another hallway, another left turn.

ASHLEY: I'm going to memorize this.

MATT: Okay. So you're trying to keep this all in mind as you go. You can see you're passing by other arched doors, simple. You see another person step out and move past. These look to be subterranean barracks, living quarters for various Paragon's Call individuals.

ASHLEY: I'm also looking around for Armand.

MATT: Right! Roll a perception check.

ASHLEY: Okay.

LAURA: Do Quokka have good vision?

ERIKA: How far away were we from the other party?

SAM: Nope.

LAURA: Oh, goddamn it!

ASHLEY: Okay. Am I adding my perception?

MATT: Yes.

ASHLEY: Okay. 14.

SAM: Oh.

LAURA: Oh, okay.

MATT: 14, not too bad. Okay. I'm keeping that in mind. So the rest of the troop, you guys were probably staying back how far?

SAM: Oh. Well, a block?

TALIESIN: Yeah.

SAM: Are you talking about the group that's Team Fearne or the other team?

MATT: The other team.

ERIKA: Yeah.

MARISHA: We were just--

SAM: So they're around the back, right?

TALIESIN: Yeah. So we're on the other side.

SAM: We're in the front.

MATT: Okay. So you're--

SAM: Across the street?

MATT: -- a couple hundred feet or so from the other troop.

SAM: Anything we want to try while we're just sitting here with our--

ERIKA: I'm going to go to about 50 feet and be like--

SAM: Oh god! To who? What do you--?

ERIKA: As I see him, be like--

SAM: To us?

TALIESIN: Oh!

SAM: Who's that person?

MARISHA: That's Dusk! Do we need to get your opticals checked?

SAM: Maybe. They were fixed recently.

MARISHA: I Message Dusk from afar.

ERIKA: Oh.

MARISHA: Oh Dusk!

LAURA: (whispering) Dusk.

ERIKA: You can do the thing, too. (creepy whispers)

ERIKA: Hi.

MARISHA: Hello. What's going on?

ERIKA: Well, Fearne turned into a really cute quokka and ran across the street and then burrowed underneath, and then, now she's caught and she's getting a tour of the place and stuff. So I feel we should probably meet up and everything and reconvene with all of the information that we have right now.

MARISHA: Honestly, this is par for the course. Sounds like it's going great. Let me check in with the others. Hold please.

LIAM: (guttural) Others. (creepy whispering)

ERIKA: ♪ (hold music) ♪

MARISHA: So Chet, FCG, I guess Fearne is super adorable and has been taken as one of the Paragon's guard's pets and is inside.

SAM: I guess the question is do we act and send someone into rescue her or just see how this plays out? Maybe just see how this plays out or do you want to--

TRAVIS: Do we know how long she could stay as a Furry Bottom?

SAM: I could try to cast a spell on someone and have them go in and retrieve her.

MARISHA: How long have we seen Fearne last as a Fuzz Bottom?

MATT: At most, about an hour.

TALIESIN: Is that how long it lasts?

TRAVIS: I don't know why we can't have two initiatives going on at the same time because it sounds she's going to do really good inside, but we could test what an outward response would be to some kind of threat.

SAM: Threat?

TRAVIS: Yeah.

MARISHA: What would your suggestion be?

TRAVIS: Well, cause a fucking ruckus and then disappear, but then everybody else can see what happens.

MARISHA: Test and see the response time.

TRAVIS: Yeah, where do they come out of? Where's the barracks?

MARISHA: Sure! Sure!

TRAVIS: Do they mount up quick?

MATT: Actually, three hours now.

LAURA and ASHLEY: Ooh!

MATT: It's half your druid level rounded up.

ASHLEY: Ooh!

MARISHA: That's pretty fun!

TALIESIN: There is a middle ground where we just get whomever of us is the most unthreatening on the outside to go in and try and retrieve their animal creature. They'll respond like they're--

TRAVIS: Do you think the Paragon's Call is going to give up the cute animal?

TALIESIN: I don't know, but we'll at least see what their reaction to it is.

SAM: I do have a spell that might convince them to, but--

MARISHA: Oh shit! I put Dusk on hold! Oh, Dusk!

ALL: (aggressive whispering) Dusk!

ERIKA: Uh, hello.

MARISHA: So sorry. We're still debating.

ERIKA: Okay. (creepy whispering)

MARISHA: Keep holding. (creepy whispering)

ERIKA: ♪ (hold music) ♪

MARISHA: So I put her back on hold. It's fine. I kind of like this idea, though. Should we just do it, or should we just consult the others?

SAM: Do we have an idea yet? We were just bandying about--

TALIESIN: Are you talking about the idea of just pure chaos?

MARISHA: Yes.

TRAVIS: You got to kick an ant hill every once in a while to see what happens, right?

SAM: All right. Who's going to do what?

TRAVIS: If you want to wait a little while, there's a middle ground.

TALIESIN: Let's give her a little more time to check the place out before we send it into a total ruckus, but I'm not against this plan.

TRAVIS: Plus, distracting things towards the outside may cause a little less attention on the inside.

TALIESIN: Also, may give her an opportunity to get the fuck out.

TRAVIS: Yep.

MARISHA: Okay, let me update Dusk. ♪ Oh, Dusk! ♪ (creepy whispering)

ERIKA: Hello!

MARISHA: All right, so. We kind of want to see how this plays out. (creepy whispering)

MARISHA: We're going to keep watching the front. (creepy whispering)

MARISHA: Worst case scenario, maybe we'll cause a ruckus! (creepy whispering)

MATT: Ruckus!

SAM: This is horrifying! (laughs)

MARISHA: Sorry that my messages aren't as peaceful as Imogen's. All right. Tootle-oo! (creepy whispering)

ERIKA: Okay. All right. Okay. So they're just going to hang out over there and see how this plays out.

LAURA: All right. That's probably for the best.

ERIKA: So I guess maybe we can do the same, if you trust Fearne to--

LAURA: Implicitly.

ERIKA: Okay.

LAURA: Fearne is one of the most trustworthy people I've ever come across.

MATT: Meanwhile, while you are being brought through the hallway, keeping watch on the low lit interior, the occasional--

LIAM: Cautious, one might say

MATT: Tinder burning brazier or oil burning lantern hang on the inside. Are quokkas low light creatures?

LAURA: Let's find out.

ASHLEY: I doubt it.

MATT: I'm going to say no, just for the sake of this.

ASHLEY: They're out in the day time.

TRAVIS: But if they're not, someone will give them a light.

MATT: Continue to look it up, but in the interim, you are brought to a simple barracks chamber. The door opens and your captor--

SAM: They're nocturnal!

LAURA: They're nocturnal!

ERIKA and MARISHA: (gasp)

MATT: All right. That does help.

ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: So to that point, you do not have disadvantage on your perception checks, which is good.

ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: You're brought into this chamber where there are three bunks set up, cots within the room. There are a few foot lockers arranged around the base, underneath them. There's a couple of small weapons setups and some armor racks that are affixed to the nearby wall, but it's just a plain, simple, underground barracks. You can see there are personal lock boxes beyond just the foot locker that sits the base of the bed. But as you're brought in the chamber, the woman soldier who brought you in sets you down and goes, "Oh my god! You're so cute! Let me see what I got for you." She rummages in the foot locker and pulls out a small satchel and opens it up, "Ah, that's tobacco."

ASHLEY: I go over and just pause and just sniff and try to just be real cute.

MATT: "Oh my goodness!" (laughter)

MATT: "You're just so fucking cute, I can't stand it! Oh, stop it!" (laughter)

MATT: "Stop it! You're too cute! It hurts my heart!"

TALIESIN: Going to die.

MATT: "Oh my goodness! Okay, hold on."

LIAM: This is it.

MATT: "I'm going to give you a pastry."

LIAM: This is ours. It's the show.

MATT: Pulls in and pulls out a small, dried bran muffin type thing and breaks it apart and hands you a piece. "Oh goodness! Just look at you! Okay. Enjoy that. I've got to get back to my post, but don't go anywhere, and we're going to cuddle up tonight. Oh! If you're going to poop anywhere, poop on his bed."

ASHLEY: I just curl up in a little ball.

MATT: Okay. "Oh my god! Ah! Shh." Then leaves the room and closes the door behind. You hear (door locking).

LAURA: Oh shit.

ASHLEY: I'll take a nap. (laughter)

ASHLEY: Real tired. (laughter)

ASHLEY: Oh!

MARISHA: Incredible!

ASHLEY: Okay. Are there any windows in the room? Are there--

MATT: No, it is a subterranean barracks, you remember? There is a singular door out and it is currently, you assume, latched or locked of some kind.

ASHLEY: (laughs) Okay.

LAURA: Fuck! (laughter)

ASHLEY: Wait, can I talk to her? I can't remember.

LAURA: Yes. That's right. We are connected.

ASHLEY: Okay, So I'm just taking a little bit of-- just lounging on the bed right now.

LAURA: What?

ASHLEY: -- of my new owner.

ERIKA: What?

ASHLEY: But I think she closed me in. I'm going to get up and just try to see if I can nudge open the door, like with my paw.

MATT: It's not moving.

ASHLEY: Okay.

LIAM: Is it going okay?

LAURA: Well... she's not injured.

MATT: It's dimly lit in here because of the torch sconce, but you have pretty decent vision in low light.

ASHLEY: Okay, is there any other doors, any other openings that maybe I could--

MATT: Make an investigation or perception check, your choice.

ASHLEY: Okay, okay, okay.

SAM: Come on, come on. Do one double digit roll.

MATT: (laughs)

LAURA: Can you Guide yourself while you're a little--

MATT: No, you cannot cast the spells in Beast Shape.

LIAM: Check Mike Hunt's personal belongings.

ASHLEY: 14.

SAM: Yeah.

MATT: 14. Glancing around the interior of the chamber, the only egress is the singular wooden door.

LAURA: Fuck.

ASHLEY: Okay, I'm going to start scraping and crying. (awwing)

MATT: (laughs)

TRAVIS: Go with what you know.

ASHLEY: (squawk) Oh, that sounds scary. (laughter)

ASHLEY: (squeaking)

MATT: There we go, there we go.

ASHLEY: (roaring) Ahh! What's behind that door?

MATT: Okay.

LAURA: She's trapped. She's trapped. She's working her way out.

ASHLEY: (squeaking)

LAURA: Fearne, please keep us posted.

ASHLEY: I will, I will, for sure.

LAURA: You've only got a few more minutes left before I cannot talk to you anymore.

ASHLEY: Okay, it's-- everything's going to be fine, don't stress.

MATT: (laughs) Keep scraping and keep scraping and keep scraping and keep scraping. About two minutes pass, three minutes pass, four minutes pass.

MARISHA: And you're done now, right?

MATT: Right about then, you hear (clicking, creak) And the door opens and you see a large looming figure there with the sword out, going like, "What the fu--? Aww." (laughter)

MATT: "What is this? What is this little one?" Reaches over and grabs like the scuff of your shoulders and picks you up a bit and lifts you in front. You can see now, this rough-looking gentleman in his 30s. He has sunburned patches of skin, like fresh peeling that you can see in places, has this jagged mohawk that's kind of more bushy at this point, that goes down to the back, is wearing just a simple tunic over a stringy but muscular body. But definitely more of-- not as bulky as he is lanky. He has a shortsword in his hand that he was just about to stab whatever was right there and just holds it and is holding you there, grins with a smile that contains most of his teeth. Goes, "Oh, you are just adorable. Well, you're mine now." Closes the door, looks around, and tucks you into his chest. Then walks a little further down the hallway, heads right down another hallway.

ASHLEY: Peeking out, seeing if I can see anything else new.

MATT: Make another perception check for me.

MARISHA: This is amazing.

LIAM: Quokka is going to get passed around the entire Paragon's Call.

ASHLEY: Nine.

MATT: Nine. Okay.

LAURA: No, your perception, but perception isn't--

ASHLEY: I have high perception, but I can't use mine.

MATT: No, it's your perception.

ASHLEY: I can use mine?

MATT: Sorry, I'll explain. When a druid takes an animal form, they get to keep their mental statistics.

LAURA: You've been rolling way better than you thought.

ASHLEY: I've been rolling way better than I thought.

MATT: That's okay.

ASHLEY: That's fine. That's fine. That's fine. I'm sorry.

MATT: We're here now.

ASHLEY: 16. My bad. Yes. 16.

MATT: That is so much better.

ASHLEY: Yes, so much better.

LAURA: (laughs)

MATT: With a 16, you move--

ASHLEY: I was using these.

MATT: -- you move past and there's mainly just closed doors on this lower floor. As he's pulling you beyond to the left, there is actually an open, not even a doorway, just a hall that leads into a larger well-lit chamber to your immediate left. As you glance past and look, you see a table. On this table, there are all manner of sheets of paper that are stretched out and held unfurled with different weights at the corners. You can see a number of chairs off to the sides. There are candles lit and glowing as well as other lanterns in the vicinity. There are three figures in there, two of which look to be other Paragon's Call figures though well-armored and dressed. With a 16, a third that you do recognize. You see a half-giant figure, the one that beat the shit out of Ashton at the ball.

SAM: General...

MARISHA: Ratash? Ratanish.

MATT: General Ratanish.

ASHLEY: I start growling.

TALIESIN: There you go.

MATT: You start growling?

ASHLEY: Grr.

MATT: "Oh, oh, oh, what is that? No, no, no. Don't growl. We're friends. It's fine." He just keeps walking down the hall.

ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: Goes to the right, opens another door and there's somebody in there snoring. "Goes, oh, shit. I'm going to put you in my foot locker, a little bit of food. Just hang tight until my shift is over. I'm going to come and get you."

ASHLEY: I'm going to start wiggling and I'm going to try to wiggle away from him.

MATT: "No. What?" I need you to make an athletics or acrobatics check, which will just be a straight roll.

ASHLEY: Okay.

LAURA: Oh god.

ASHLEY: It's a natural one.

MATT: You wiggle and wiggle and wiggle, but he has a firm grip on you. He is like, "Oh, you're not going anywhere. (laughs)" Goes in--

ASHLEY: I'm going to bite him.

MATT: Okay. I'll say just roll an attack.

ASHLEY: Oh god, this is so stupid. This is so stupid. This is so stupid.

MARISHA: It's the best.

SAM: It's better than being in a locker.

ASHLEY: Am I adding anything?

TRAVIS: This is great.

MATT: No. (laughs)

ASHLEY: Eight. (laughter)

TRAVIS: Straight up eight?

ASHLEY: Yeah.

MATT: Okay. So you do bite and you catch, but I don't know if it's the patch of skin itself is pretty tough, or you just aren't used to having strong jaw muscles with this. But you're not breaking the skin enough to really do some damage. You bite, and you sink it in. He's like, "Ah, ow, son of a-- You're going to learn manners."

ASHLEY: I'm going to try to spread my legs and arms so he doesn't put me in the box.

MATT: Okay.

ERIKA: What is happening?

MATT: He opens the foot locker and is like, "No (grunts), stop it."

ASHLEY: (whines)

MATT: "No, you're not supposed to--" and the other person begins to rouse in the bed, and is like, "What is that sound?"

ASHLEY: (laughs) This is so ridiculous. (whimpers)

MATT: "Nothing, go back to sleep." He's like, "What, you bring a cat in here or something? What's that you got?" He's like, "No, no, it's--"

ASHLEY: (whines)

LAURA: (laughs)

MATT: He stares and pauses, he goes, "You know we're not supposed to have pets."

ASHLEY: (whines)

MATT: Closes the foot locker and stands up. "Fuck you, too." Slams the door on the guy who's napping. Begins to walk back to the hallway, holding you out in front. As opposed to now a pet, it's now like a rodent that he caught. It's just like backtracking through and goes, "Seems like weren't the kind to be nice anyway." And walks past, kind of backtracking. Now across that room, once more, where you see the figures in there. Continue on down, now to the right, to the right, up the stairs and walks back out into the courtyard, holding you out in front. The woman that first caught you turns and goes, "(stammers)" and just has to swallow her pride in the moment. The person goes like, "Found a rodent. Open the gate." Two of them go by.

SAM: Let's rush in.

LAURA: (laughs)

MATT: One of the guys goes, "Send it to me. I'll chuck it over the wall." He's like, "No, it's too cute. Open the gate." Two of the gentleman go over and start pulling these heavy cranks.

ASHLEY: He's opening the gate. They're opening the gate.

LAURA: I can't hear you anymore.

ASHLEY: Oh shit.

MARISHA: Is this the front gate or the back gate?

ERIKA: Do we see--

MATT: This is the front gate.

TALIESIN: Okay, we're not there.

SAM: Just fuckin' go? We'll rush him.

LIAM: We're at the back.

LAURA: But they're at the front.

MATT: It opens up ever so slightly, like about a foot wide, foot and a half wide, before they stop and just takes you and chucks you at a 20 foot arc.

TRAVIS: No!

LAURA: Oh no!

LIAM: Oh no.

ASHLEY: (laughs)

MATT: (impacts)

SAM: I don't have Feather Fall.

MATT: I will say-- (laughter)

MATT: I will say just for the sake of this, make a dexterity saving throw.

ASHLEY: Okay.

TRAVIS: Please take damage.

ASHLEY: (laughs)

LAURA: Oh my god.

ASHLEY: Did you say dexterity?

MATT: Yes.

ASHLEY: Okay. 13.

MATT: You roll with it and as your furry body hits, you don't impact with any rocks. You don't end up like twisting the wrong way and actually hurting yourself. You just roll with it getting dusty and stop and kind of coughing.

ASHLEY: I turn-- I turn around real quick and before the doors close, I just smile at him.

MARISHA: (laughs)

MATT: "Shouldn't have bit me, asshole." He steps back as the gates (sliding, then slams).

ASHLEY: Okay, I'm going to try to go find another--

MARISHA: I just-- Do we see this at the front?

TALIESIN: We saw that.

MATT: Yeah.

MARISHA: ♪ Fearne ♪

SAM: Over here.

ASHLEY: I run over, I skitter over there and try to find a spot to go back to me.

MATT: Easy enough to do. You find a little pocket of shade off to the side of the building and then become back to your normal form.

MARISHA: I message Dusk. Fearne is in the front. (creepily whispering)

MARISHA: I repeat--

ERIKA: (sighs)

MARISHA: -- we have Fearne

ERIKA: She's in the front.

MARISHA: -- in the front.

ERIKA: Oh my god.

LAURA: Laudna told you?

ERIKA: Yeah. Yeah.

LAURA: All right.

TRAVIS: Ooh.

MARISHA: She was connected-- I can't talk to her when she's connected!

ERIKA: As we're walking towards the front.

SAM: That's good. That's good.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

ERIKA: Hey, are you? Are you and Laudna a thing?

LAURA: I'm sorry, what?

ERIKA: Are you and-- Are you and Laudna a thing?

LAURA: A thing?

ERIKA: (whispers) A thing.

LAURA: Like, what do you mean?

ERIKA: Like, romantically entangled?

LAURA: Um. No.

ERIKA: Okay! Okay. Cool. Okay.

LAURA: Yeah.

ERIKA: Yeah. Good, because I was, you know, kind of getting some vibes and everything and I, you know--

LAURA: Yeah. I could see it.

ERIKA: Yeah.

LAURA: Yeah.

ERIKA: Okay. Cool. Good talk.

TALIESIN: So, Laudna.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

MARISHA: Hmm?

TALIESIN: I was wondering...

MARISHA: Mm-hmm?

TALIESIN: Imogen, you and she-- (laughter) (laughter)

TALIESIN: I was going somewhere, but thank you. (laughter)

MARISHA: What are you-- Oh wait, what? What?

TALIESIN: Well...

LIAM: (deeply) What?

MARISHA: What?

TALIESIN: A pot holder, really?

SAM: It's a tot holder.

MARISHA: I should have gotten her the t-shirt, okay, and Fresh Cut Grass talked me out of it.

TALIESIN: It's not pot holders or t-shirts. You must've done something pretty fucked up if you are in pot holder territory. Right?

MARISHA: (tearily) I did something so fucked up.

TALIESIN: It's okay, no, I just didn't want to, come on, come on.

TRAVIS: I don't want it. (laughs)

TALIESIN: Let's have a little-- Just come on. Come on.

TRAVIS: I don't want it.

MARISHA: (cries) I just collapse into Ashton.

TALIESIN: Okay. Okay.

MARISHA: (cries) (laughter)

TRAVIS: The worst.

MARISHA: (tearily) She's mad at me.

TALIESIN: Now, clearly--

SAM: She's going to be fine.

MARISHA: (tearily) Because I'm a terrible friend.

TALIESIN: No, you're not a terrible friend.

MARISHA: But I am. (cries)

TALIESIN: Come on. Nope. You're not a, you're not a terrible friend. What do you cry by the way? What is this shit? (laughter)

MARISHA: I'm sorry. Sometimes it comes out as a little black and inky because...

TALIESIN: No, I'm--

MARISHA: You know, it's so scary.

TALIESIN: It's cool. No, I like it, it's cool. It's just, I wanted to make sure it's not going to stain anything.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

MARISHA: (tearily) I make no promises.

TALIESIN: Okay. Okay. Do you want some friendly advice from someone who has literally pissed off everyone they've ever met?

MARISHA: (tearily) Okay.

TALIESIN: Okay. I don't need to know what happened. It's not for me to know. It's your business.

MARISHA: (tearily) I broke her rock. (laughter)

TALIESIN: Oh god, it was one of the shiny rocks, wasn't it?

MARISHA: Yes, she loved it so much.

TALIESIN: Okay.

MARISHA: Then I killed it.

TRAVIS: (laughs)

TALIESIN: Was it an accident?

MARISHA: Yes.

TALIESIN: Okay. Does she know it was an accident?

MARISHA: (tearily) I don't think so.

MATT: (laughs)

TALIESIN: Okay. Well. This is so much more than I bargained for.

MARISHA: Sorry, I've got black snot on your shirt. (laughter) (groaning)

MARISHA: I'm sorry.

TALIESIN: It's seen worse. Really, it has.

TRAVIS: Are you sure?

TALIESIN: Oh, maybe not. Fuck. Okay, but. Oh, so.

MARISHA: The skirt... did... wipe.

TALIESIN: It's what it's there for.

MARISHA: Okay.

TALIESIN: Maybe you should focus on an apology that's related to the offense, if that makes sense. Maybe, maybe let's focus on instead of--

MARISHA: I should prostrate myself on the ground.

TALIESIN: No.

MARISHA: On top of a spiky rock?

TALIESIN: I mean--

MARISHA: Let her step on me.

TALIESIN: I'm not going to tell you not to do that because that would be kind of cool, but no. I think maybe we've got to figure out a rock-based apology, if that makes sense.

MARISHA: I said a spiky rock.

TALIESIN: Yeah, but like--

MARISHA: Like, thematically?

TALIESIN: More than thematically, like an understanding of the offense, if that makes sense. An apology that actually speaks to what happened.

MARISHA: Do I have to get her new rock?

TALIESIN: I mean--

MARISHA: I could replace--

TALIESIN: Putting some energy into a new rock might not be a bad idea.

MARISHA: Okay.

TALIESIN: So maybe we need to find you a nice rock for Imogen. Do you think that would help? Would that feel a little better?

MARISHA: I feel a little confused on the messaging. (laughter)

TALIESIN: I'm working with what I got here.

MARISHA: (tearily) I can try and find her a new rock. I should've got her the t-shirt, but FCG--

TALIESIN: I don't think the t-shirt would've--

ASHLEY: Wait, what's happening right now?

MARISHA: Ah!

SAM: We should focus on--

ASHLEY: No, no, this sounds very important.

SAM: No, it's really--

ASHLEY: I came in at the tail end of it.

MARISHA: Is Imogen coming?

SAM: You were just inside--

MARISHA: Wait, is Imogen coming?

SAM: -- the belly of the beast.

TALIESIN: Here, here. Just go for it, go for it.

SAM: Did you see Treshi in there?

ASHLEY: No, but I did see the guy that beat you up.

SAM: Amazing.

TALIESIN: Didn't beat me up.

ASHLEY: Well, just--

SAM: Do you think you could sketch out a map of the inside?

ASHLEY: Yes, I could.

SAM: Do we have paper?

TALIESIN: We have dirt.

ERIKA: (laughs)

ASHLEY: I can draw it in the ground.

TALIESIN: Exactly.

SAM: Okay.

TALIESIN: Everything can be solved with rocks. Tiny, tiny, tiny rocks on the ground we can make a map with. Rocks solve everything.

MARISHA: Dirt is just tiny rocks and I broke her rock so I got to get--

SAM: Are they coming back over here, by the way?

MARISHA: I think they're almost here. I can see them coming.

MATT: You catch up with the rest of them.

ERIKA: Fearne! Hi. Are you okay?

ASHLEY: Oh, totally fine, totally fine. So, I figured out sort of the layout a little bit, which I can draw out. I saw--

ERIKA: You shouldn't do that.

ASHLEY: Well, I know, I just-- It's my go-to, I guess. I just, sometimes I just feel really comfortable in an animal shape and... it's just fun.

TRAVIS: To her credit, it worked like a charm.

ASHLEY: Well, I don't know if it worked like a charm because I don't know if I necessarily figured anything out, but I did see a big room. There were three guys in there. One of them was the one that Ashton fully beat up.

TALIESIN: I mean, it was close. I'll give him that.

ASHLEY: It was very close.

TALIESIN: It was just close on his end.

ASHLEY: He was in there. There was another one. There was something on the table with, you know, things holding down the corners. I saw all different types of rooms with lots of beds and foot lockers and whew. I didn't really get a lot of information.

TRAVIS: That sounds like a total win and you came out unscathed.

LAURA: Yeah.

ASHLEY: They took me out. They just were like, "Ooh, it's a rodent, so just put you right out."

ERIKA: Yeah, but that might not happen every time.

ASHLEY: I know. I know. I know. I think I've definitely learned my lesson. (laughter)

MARISHA: Look at her face. It was a smile.

LAURA: Poker face.

ASHLEY: I'm sorry.

SAM: ♪ My poker face. My my my ♪ ♪ My poker face ♪

ASHLEY: I will try. I will try. I'm very sorry if it stressed you out.

SAM: ♪ Ma ma ma ha ha ♪

ERIKA: Very brave of you.

ASHLEY: Well, well, thank you. That's so nice of you to say. I think it's a little reckless because it's a little fun.

TALIESIN: A little reckless.

ASHLEY: But, you know.

LIAM: Two for two, though.

SAM: Yeah, you're allowed to blow off some steam. You just got some news about your parents.

ASHLEY: Yeah.

SAM: That's serious. But--

ASHLEY: It's crazy.

SAM: -- how does this impact our plan for getting this guy out of there?

LAURA: You didn't hear anybody talking about Armand?

ASHLEY: I didn't.

TALIESIN: It does mean that we'll get recognized if we go in.

ERIKA: Well, you guys, maybe.

TALIESIN: There's somebody who knows us.

ASHLEY: Well--

LAURA: Oh, yeah.

ASHLEY: That, you know, General Ratanish was in there. So maybe you guys could do the plan of, hey, I'm here to-- to fight.

SAM: Take you up on your offer.

ASHLEY: To take you up on your offer.

SAM: Yeah.

TALIESIN: It'll be-- It could work, the only thing that's really a problem with it, is then I'd actually have to take him up on the offer. Or at least be serious enough to talk about it that he then wouldn't realize that--

TRAVIS: But we're just trying to figure out if Treshi is in there, right?

LAURA: Yeah.

TRAVIS: So normally with a fortress, where it's all shelled up and everyone's on the inside, you want to reverse that shit. Get everyone on the outside.

LAURA: So, start a fire?

TRAVIS: Fire, attack defenses, cause an explosion. Kill somebody. Make them come get you and then you--

SAM: Steal a crawler machine and slam it into the front gate?

TRAVIS: Yeah, that's a great idea.

TALIESIN: Oh my god, I really like that.

SAM: I really want to steal a crawler machine.

MARISHA: I do, too.

TALIESIN: I didn't, and now I do.

TRAVIS: Or tip one over onto the gate.

TALIESIN: I lived here for years. How did I never steal a crawler?

MARISHA: We could do both, steal it, then tip it.

SAM: Should we wait until one of theirs leaves the gate and then ambush it?

TALIESIN: It'll be even more--

ERIKA: I don't know, I feel like there was a crawler that went by that, recently, that was pretty worse for the wear.

TALIESIN: I think another crawler would be the way to go. I think it's not about-- They'll know there's infiltration if it's one of their own.

TRAVIS: But there was three people--

SAM: But if we brought one of their own back, we could be like: Open up the gates, we're back from the crawling and they'll open up the gates and we'll go right in.

TRAVIS: In those big crawlers, there was one person driving, one person on the second tier, near the turreted gun, and a third that was a mechanic that hopped off, or just the two?

MATT: You didn't really see who was driving, necessarily. You just saw clusters of probably a little over half dozen individuals that were utilizing it between the two different platforms and there was one person who was an engineer trying to repair that leapt down.

SAM: You want to go get that one?

LAURA: There were a lot of people on it, there were a lot of people on it.

TRAVIS: Yeah, a half dozen people is more than two.

MATT: Yeah.

ERIKA: I guess you never stole a crawler before because it was difficult.

TALIESIN: That doesn't sound like me.

TRAVIS: One question: On the lower level-- before I totally get rid of this idea-- Is it an open air bottom level below the second deck? Is there lots of ventilation, or is it enclosed with small little windows to see out of?

MATT: The subterranean portion, you mean?

TRAVIS: No, on the crawlers, above the legs, you said it's like a--

MATT: Oh, on the crawlers? It's open air.

TRAVIS: Okay.

MATT: It's like a platform dock with legs.

TRAVIS: Got it.

MATT: It's primarily designed to move a lot of people, essentially.

SAM: Just slice some throats. Kick them off the side.

MATT: You've lived here long enough to know that those are referred to as mammoth-crawlers.

TALIESIN: Mammoth-crawlers.

MATT: They're used specifically for moving a large number of Crawler gang members from one place to another. Usually for warfare elements or parading around as a show of power and influence.

SAM: Is that one that passed us an hour ago-- long gone, yeah?

MATT: I mean, it's been almost an hour, I'd say, since all that went down. But it's also-- It's a big fucking crawler, and probably not the only one.

TALIESIN: Definitely not the only one.

ERIKA: All right, so we do this one or two ways. We do sneaky way, we do a big boom way.

TRAVIS: There's two booms. One, you set off something on the outside and everybody watches, how many people come outside of the inside of the fortress? Are we talking about two dozen people, three dozen, four dozen? If everybody comes out to see the problem, there's fucking 50 people inside, that changes shit. Then you do the big gate attack.

ERIKA: You don't need to attack it, we just need the guy to come out, right?

TRAVIS: Yeah, if he's even in there.

TALIESIN: He's not going to come out if there's a big explosion, but a lot of other people will. Maybe it's the combination of big distraction and sneaking in while everyone's distracted.

TRAVIS: Now you're speaking my language.

LAURA: How about if we just sneak in and somebody starts a fire from the inside?

LIAM: Yeah, you want to empty the building out. Feel a little dodgy about burning the building down, but if you want to empty out the ant hill--

TRAVIS: When you were in there, did it look like earth and stone, or was it all wood?

ASHLEY: I think it was-- I think it was-- What was it?

MATT: The majority of the halls were just carved from the sandstone and rock and dirt that makes up most of the terrain here on this plateau that's surrounded by the ravines. But there were wooden doorways, wooden furniture. You know, a decent amount of things that were added to the rooms and chambers that are wood, but the majority of the actual structure is stone.

ERIKA: I say we get in there and start a fire.

MARISHA: I like big boom from the outside.

SAM: I agree.

TALIESIN: I think all of these ideas are very solid and we can do all of them.

MATT: (laughs)

LIAM: On the outer wall?

SAM: If we're not going to steal a crawler in this town, what are we even doing here? (laughter)

SAM: Why did we come to this place?

TALIESIN: I am so proud of you right now. I am so proud of you right now. You can't win one on the, in the--

SAM: Oh, there's like a circuit, right?

TALIESIN: You can't win one on the circuit, can you? No, that'd be insane.

MATT: You can look into it.

LAURA: What about Joe's?

TALIESIN: Let's-- you know?

TRAVIS: What's the circuit again?

TALIESIN: Maybe it's time for everyone to-- Who can I talk to about Deathwish?

MARISHA: Deathwish.

TRAVIS: Oh!

SAM: Yeah, they mentioned that there's a competition.

MARISHA: Thunderdome type of shit. Yeah.

MATT: I mean, it's run by the various Crawler gangs, it's a-- It's how they settle disputes between them since they don't take it to war unless they want to really take it to a murder space far outside of town. It's more of their sport in dealing with conflict. So, generally, various Crawler gang leaders will be the ones to situate it.

TALIESIN: I used to know someone who worked there, too, didn't I? I feel like somebody I-- I don't know.

MATT: There was a figure.

TRAVIS: Toss into the recipe, the Gorgynei are also here or in the outskirts of the town. So if we don't want it to just be us, trying to, I don't know, assault a fortress, we could, you know, staff up a little bit. I'm just tossing that out there as like a little parsley on the side.

SAM: Get a pack of werewolves to roll in with us?

TRAVIS: I'm just saying, we fuck shit up.

TALIESIN: The trick with this is we can't look affiliated with anybody. The minute it becomes group versus group, things get very complicated, so we have to make sure we don't--

LIAM: Plus, you're talking about hitting the outer wall with one of these big things. If there's a VIP in there,

VIP's not going to run out into the courtyard at an attack. If anything, it's going to be the opposite. Soldiers will come out,

VIPs will be moved in or out another entrance.

SAM: What if we do that? What if we have-- No plan of mine is not going include stealing a crawler. (laughter) So if we have our crawler ready--

LIAM: I've got the fun part, now give me the nutrition.

SAM: We got the crawler that we've stolen at the ready. It's parked around the corner, ready to go.

LIAM: Right.

SAM: We cause a disturbance. We make it look like people are there to kill the VIP. What are they going to do? Are they going to batten down the hatches? No, they're going to put him in a crawler and escape out the back door and then our crawler is going to catch and it's a crawler-on-crawler chase through the desert.

MARISHA: There might be a lot of merit to this inside/outside team, if one team is a distraction, but if the other half needs to be on the inside before the distraction starts so they can see how people on the inside are reacting and if there is hidden entrances or back doors or-- The need for a fire.

LIAM: I look over everyone's shoulders, just in the off chance that Treshi is walking by.

LAURA: I know, that is exactly what I just thought.

MATT: Pocket's the individual that you're referencing.

TALIESIN: Pocket, thank you.

MATT: Make a perception check.

ERIKA: (laughs)

TRAVIS: So are we doing anything?

LIAM: That was a 19.

MATT: 19.

LIAM: Yeah.

MATT: No sign of Treshi.

SAM: (groans)

MATT: Comedically, that would've been perfect timing, but-- So, what's the plan?

SAM: Well, it seems we got a plan!

TRAVIS: It's a wealth of really good ideas.

ASHLEY: Is there anything like-- You know, what if somebody maybe messages him or maybe Imogen gets in his head and is like: You need to come outside right now for some very important reason?

SAM: There is this spell I keep mentioning, I could send one of his people in to go get him, if I can cast a spell on them.

TALIESIN: Wait. We can like--

SAM: I can just convince a person to go do an action for me. Like, go in there, find Treshi, and tell him that he's needed outside.

TRAVIS: For how long? That's great.

SAM: An hour.

TRAVIS: Oh!

ASHLEY: That feels so much less--

SAM: If it works.

TRAVIS: Sure.

TALIESIN: I mean--

LAURA: We just got to find someone powerful enough that they can actually access him.

TALIESIN: It's so--

MARISHA: Ratanish.

TALIESIN: I mean--

LAURA: That's the thing. What if we go in-- We talk to Ratanish about joining. While we're doing that, you cast a spell on him, he goes and gets Armand. I don't know, we get him out.

SAM: Sure.

LIAM: What if--

MARISHA: That's a lot more logical and sensible.

LIAM: Spit-balling, spit-balling.

MARISHA: Part of it makes me sad.

LIAM: What if you go in to talk to the General, and Wolf-Man Chet is invisible with the little cage bead. You keep the General and folks busy and you go find our target.

LAURA: But do remember, that cage bead doesn't keep him small, they turn into a giant, human-sized rolly ball--

MARISHA: Correct.

LAURA: -- of cage.

TALIESIN: Wow, I think that really changes the plan. (laughter)

LIAM: So instead. You take the hole. (laughter)

LIAM: You roll him in the hole, roll it up and get out.

MARISHA: Oh my god, wait.

LIAM: 10 minutes.

MARISHA: You got 10 minutes to get them the fuck out of Dodge.

LIAM: 10 minutes of air.

MARISHA: That's pretty good.

SAM: Okay, so Ashton and I will be talking to Ratanish.

LAURA: Put him in the ground, push him in the hole, gather it up.

SAM: Ashton and I will be talking to Ratanish and sort of mind melding him to go get Treshi. You're just there, invisible, until you're needed. When Treshi comes out, we nab him, we put him in the hole and we bring him out to our awaiting getaway vehicle, correct?

MARISHA: (laughs)

LIAM: Or we just walk away?

SAM: Or there's a vehicle waiting to spirit us away quickly.

ERIKA: Okay, I think I'm going to go with the robit and Ashton's team. I think that's where I'm going to go. Everybody else?

MARISHA: Which one? Which? (laughter)

TALIESIN: Chaos or sensibility?

LIAM: It's chaos and chaos.

MARISHA: Yeah, chaos or sensibility.

ASHLEY: I think this is a great idea. You know?

ERIKA: That one sounds like the least amount of things going wrong.

TALIESIN: Keeping the General occupied--

LIAM: I think you just talk him up. Pretend like you're taking him up on his offer. Chetney finds this guy, rolls him in a hole, invisible, walks out.

TRAVIS: I can get in easy invisible, but as soon as I do anything, like try and put him in a sphere, I become visible again.

LIAM: Oh.

SAM: Then we'll just have to--

LIAM: We need--

SAM: -- act quickly.

LIAM: -- something greater than that invisibility.

TRAVIS: I mean, I'll be a goddamn werewolf, but you know-- (laughter)

TRAVIS: I can only open up so many throats.

LAURA: How often can you be invisible?

TRAVIS: I can be invisible for an hour, once a day.

LAURA: Once a day.

ASHLEY: But when you do something, you--

TRAVIS: Yeah, if I attack or cast a spell-- (pops)

SAM: So we're settled.

LAURA: It would literally--

ASHLEY: That's a little bit more tricky, okay.

LAURA: So the only way to do it would be to--

TRAVIS: Again, this is a fortress. I like that we're trying to come up with an idea in the same day, but we've got days before your parents get here, the Gorgynei on the outskirts of the city, there's also Joe's to go to and we could surveil one of these gargantuan things walking around and rob that fucking thing. You know, we don't have to be hasty, but I'm also here for hasty.

ERIKA: So, I am new here. (laughter)

LIAM: Welcome.

ERIKA: But I will say-- That you all come up with a bunch of-- You make a bunch of very, very good points. Some better than others. I think--

TALIESIN: Thank you.

ERIKA: What I'm hearing is that we go in with a group, with as many people as we can, either hidden or concealed, with a pretense for being there. We, at least, see if he's there, scope it out, compel somebody to tell us if he's there or to go get him for us. And then we get out, because there is no way that we're going to be able to storm a fortress.

LAURA: Yeah, no.

ERIKA: That's just my thought.

ASHLEY: That's true, that's true.

TALIESIN: Do the people that you--

FCG, do the people that you mind meld, do they know?

SAM: When the spell ends, they will know that they had been affected.

TALIESIN: Okay, so we have to save that until the very end.

TRAVIS: Why? They'll just quit afterwards because they'll be ashamed. (laughter)

TALIESIN: So we have a couple days, I feel like.

SAM: So are we going to stake out tonight and just keep watch on the place, or are we going to leave?

ERIKA: What else do we need to know?

ASHLEY: We don't even know if he's still here, right?

LAURA: Mm-mm.

TALIESIN: Nope, assuming that he's still there.

LIAM: No, but we can stake it out and between Imogen reading people's minds and me reading anybody who's walking past's conversations, we can maybe learn something instead of stealing a tank and driving it into the side--

TALIESIN: He went shopping, I might add, it's not like he's locked up, he's not a prisoner.

LIAM: We already know that he's out and about going to pawn shops. It stands to reason he'll do it again.

ASHLEY: We also have Furiosa over here, who we could totally get dressed up and do a whole thing and you know, she could be one of the Crawlers.

LAURA: Yeah.

ASHLEY: Hey, I'm here, let me in. I don't know how that goes.

LIAM: Watch for a day or two and if that doesn't work--

LAURA: We could also--

LIAM: Then we do the big--

LAURA: Maybe we could do something to where we go to the pawn shop, the River of Renewal, and have them, maybe we can compel them, to send a message to Treshi, saying, I'm about to sell your ring, but I know you were very attached to it, would you like to buy it before that?

LIAM: That's a great idea.

TALIESIN: That's too sensible. I feel like it'll never work.

LAURA: To maybe draw him out?

SAM: Send a message how?

LAURA: Well, he knows where he's staying. It's not like it's a secret to that guy, right? So he could send a message--

SAM: But I mean--

LAURA: Or we could send a message.

SAM: That's what I'm saying, why do they have to send the message?

LAURA: That's a very good point.

LIAM: Or to make it believable, deliver a message that's on paper, saying, I need to move this, but I wanted to give you one last shot at reclaiming your gifts.

LAURA: That's brilliant. I have a serious buyer, but I know you were very attached. If you're willing to pay me... 25 gold more than what I sold it to you for I would be willing.

TALIESIN: If we're going to be clever and if we're going to actually do something like this, then we're going to need someone of us to go in and actually buy something, get the name of the owner of the establishment, and a sample of their handwriting in the form of a receipt.

SAM: My god, that's--

MARISHA: That's going to be just like--

SAM: Or we could just steal a car.

TALIESIN: We're going to do that, too, it's just not part of this plan.

SAM: He just sold this thing a week ago, why would he want to buy it back for more than what he paid?

LAURA: Because it's very dear to him, maybe--

SAM: Is it? He just sold it.

TALIESIN: To a pawn shop.

LAURA: In the hopes--

LIAM: But it's a duplicate of a ring that he has worn for years.

LAURA: His entire life; it's a family heirloom.

SAM: Then why would he just sell it?

LAURA: Because he doesn't have anything else of value on him.

SAM: Well, then how could he buy it back?

LIAM: How about this?

LAURA: Exactly, it would be enough to draw him out, that's all I'm saying.

SAM: Okay.

LIAM: Imogen, what if rather than upping the amount, say, I found a solution, I found a way for you to reclaim your goods.

ERIKA: I use a Prestidigitation and I create a copy of the ring that I saw. Can I just go up and--

LAURA: No, I don't think he'd buy it. We've already dealt with him thinking he had the ring in weird situations, I don't think he'd believe that somebody just had the ring and would give it back to him.

ERIKA: Not give it back to him, but you know?

LAURA: How would you know it came from Treshi? You would have had to find, you would've--

ERIKA: Because I talked to the person. I talked to the shop keep. I just go up and I tell them that I have this and I want more where this came from.

SAM: Well, why don't we just stake out tonight and make decisions at dawn?

LIAM: Dear Mr. Treshi, I have a proposition for you. I'd like to discuss it in person. I think I can get you your ring back. Please meet me--

SAM: Sure.

LIAM: -- at the River of Renewal.

SAM: Sure.

MARISHA: Can we send him--

SAM: You can send that in right now.

MARISHA: A gift card to the River of Renewal to incentivize him?

TALIESIN: The owners, what are the owners' names? The Hiro family, I think, I don't know if there's anyone to really talk to there. It's a loose collection, but if I recall, the family that runs it is probably not down to fuck with people.

LIAM: You just put it on paper in an envelope.

SAM: Yeah. We could do that right now.

LIAM: Find a messenger to deliver it.

LAURA: Yeah.

SAM: Anyone got paper?

ERIKA: I got paper.

TALIESIN: Are we really just going to write a random note as opposed to actually trying to make a note that might be slightly more reasonable to--

ERIKA: I think we're overthinking this. I think we just want to see if he's there or not.

SAM: I agree.

ASHLEY: Yeah.

TALIESIN: All right.

ASHLEY: Yeah.

MARISHA: Theoretically, too, if we have a group people who just watch here, maybe a group of people on the other side, we don't even have to wait for him to get to the ring.

SAM: Hmm?

LIAM: He's just got to leave the building.

MARISHA: He just has to leave the building.

SAM: Yeah.

LIAM: We could--

MARISHA: Stop him on the way.

LIAM: Grab him. Yeah.

LAURA: Exactly.

MARISHA: Maybe we should scope out some

SAM: No scoping.

MARISHA: -- dark alleys? No scoping. We got to do something here.

MARISHA: Both. I'm talking about both.

LAURA: I'm writing the letter.

LIAM: Did we get that shopkeep's name? I can't remember. Liam said.

SAM: Ashton has it.

TALIESIN: I genuinely do not. I know the owner of the River itself, but those are individual--

ASHLEY: You could just put Manager of the River of Renewal.

TRAVIS: And just a question.

TALIESIN: It's family owned.

TRAVIS: Let's say he does leave, he starts heading towards the ring, we make a move on him. We knock him out. Keep him alive. We're saying we're going to successfully extract a living human being out of this city with a bunch of Crawler gangs and Paragon's Call, just the eight of us? We don't want to staff up at all? With a fortress and motorcycle Mad Max gangs coming after us? So we can get to an airship that's not here yet?

SAM: (laughs) We can just hide for a day.

TRAVIS: Oh yeah!

SAM: I mean, one way of getting out of the city quickly would be some sort of--

TRAVIS: We could be rushing it just a titty bit.

TALIESIN: I would agree.

TRAVIS: It's a fortress!

ASHLEY: Okay. Okay. Okay.

SAM: Fearne, guide us.

ASHLEY: (deep breath) What time is it? (laughter)

MATT: By this point, I'd say it's early to mid-afternoon.

ASHLEY: Oh. I was going to say we could-- Let's go to bed.

SAM: Let's go to sleep. (laughter)

ASHLEY: Sleep on it. It's too early. Okay.

LAURA: I'm going to start walking back to the--

TRAVIS: One day we can work on an exfil plan before we do anything.

MARISHA: Well, if it gets weird, once we get him in the black hole, we've got 10 minutes to figure out what the hell we want to do with him after that.

TRAVIS: Yeah, we should have this-- I mean, we're trying to get him out of-- We're behind enemy lines. Right?

TALIESIN: Literally, we wouldn't even have to fight him. All we would have to do is push him into the hole, grab the hole, run, find a quiet place to pull him out, tie him up, gag him, and then figure out a way to get him back out of the city. If anyone--

LAURA: Literally keep pulling him up and down.

TALIESIN: Anyone comes looking or tries to find him, we just throw him back in the hole and fold it up and hide it.

TRAVIS: I'm all here for it, I'm just trying to--

TALIESIN: As long as we can get away within 10 minutes.

MARISHA: Are you saying every eight minutes we open the hole and close it again?

LIAM: That's right. Get him fresh air. Yep. Yep.

TRAVIS: Shove him back down like a fucking Whac-A-Mole. (laughter)

TALIESIN: I mean, I've done worse things in my life. I'm not going to say I haven't done better things. I feel like a bit of a bad person for this one.

LIAM: He literally becomes an art print that you carry under your arm. Then we can just go from building to building through the entire city.

ASHLEY: So letter? Letter?

SAM: Letter today, or are we--

MATT: Imogen's gone.

LIAM: Yeah, Imogen didn't want to--

ASHLEY: Oh great. Okay.

TALIESIN: Imogen's pretty smart.

SAM: Well, I guess we're just going to spend the night here, then.

TALIESIN: We're going to spend the night. We're going to figure out exactly what the letter should say, where we want him to meet us, and see if we can just set a little bit of--

LIAM: To get info on the owner.

TALIESIN: -- thing. Or a bit of a trap. We're just going to make a trap.

MATT: All right.

TALIESIN: That's all.

MARISHA: We have several options.

MATT: Imogen, you trek back to the Bank of Renewal, back to the River of Renewal What are you looking for?

LAURA: I'm just going to walk on in to the River of Renewal.

MATT: All right.

LAURA: Is there somebody at the front desk?

MATT: Indeed. The same two figures that were running it before, the gentleman who initially had the conversation from what you gathered in corresponding with Dusk, steps up, "Hello? Hi, can I help you?"

LAURA: I'm looking for a present.

MATT: "Of course. What sort of present can I find for you?"

LAURA: Something that looks fabulous, but doesn't cost too much money.

MATT: Looks over to his associate, who gives a nod and pulls a small satchel out and begins pulling out these-- they're wooden drawers about that big and sets them out. "These are generally more of the-- It'd be considered costume jewelry but not quite as poor. They are presentory, but, you know, affordable for those of us on a squeezed copper."

LAURA: Right? Nothing too ostentatious. I want it to look believable.

MATT: "Understood, understood." Begins pulling out bracelets and dual finger cuff rings and singular rings that all, you can see at first glance are polished well, but a discerning eye would see a lot of these are bronze, brass that are just polished and plated to look like they're worth more. Any particular preference that you'd like to pull from this?

LAURA: Sure. I'll look at that double finger knuckle ring thing.

MATT: Okay. It's two fingers that are affixed with a single bar on top. Across that bar, there is elemental writing on it.

ASHLEY: How much is this?

MATT: "For this? Let's say three gold."

LAURA: Mm. All right. If I wanted to be serious and get something real?

MATT: "Well, I mean." He leads you over to the glass case that has a number of the other pieces of jewelry and pulls out the same drawers from earlier with Dusk and begins to reveal the other rings and such. "These go upwards more like 50 to 100 gold pieces and more depending on what you're looking for."

LAURA: How about that little one with the ruby?

MATT: "Oh, this one? This would be a 65 gold pieces."

LAURA: 65 gold. All right. Yeah. I'll get that one.

MATT: "All right."

LAURA: I'll get that one.

MATT: Wraps it up.

LAURA: Could I get a receipt, please?

MATT: "Well, certainly. Yes. Yes. Yes."

LAURA: And what's your name, sir?

MATT: "Oh, Adon. Adon Hiro."

LAURA: Adon Hiro. Nice to meet you.

MATT: "Pleasure. What is your name?"

MARISHA: Adon Hiro.

LAURA: Jenny.

MATT: "Jenny." Make a deception check.

MARISHA: Ooh.

LAURA: Mm. Mm-mm.

LIAM: Come on. Come on.

LAURA: 15.

MATT: 15. He goes, "Pleasure." Finishes writing up this receipt.

LAURA: That's right.

MATT: Folds it up.

LAURA: Just Jenny from the block.

MATT: Takes it and tucks it into the case with the ring and passes it over to you.

SAM: Jenny.

LAURA: Thank you.

MATT: "Of course. "Feel free to come by should you require anything else."

LAURA: Thank you very much.

MATT: "Mm." Adon. All right, I head back.

MATT: Okay. You return to the rest of the group.

SAM: All I'm saying is--

LAURA: Wow.

SAM: -- a vehicle of some sort. Doesn't have to be a crawler.

LAURA: I have the receipt.

SAM: Oh, you got something.

TALIESIN: Let me see.

LIAM: Orym looks so relieved to see Imogen.

TALIESIN: Holy shit!

LAURA: Adon Hiro.

TALIESIN: It's Adon Hiro?

LAURA: Yeah.

TALIESIN: You talked to one of the Hiros. Oh wow. Okay. That'll do it.

TRAVIS: Who are the Hiros?

LAURA: He was the one running the shop.

TALIESIN: They own the whole thing. Yeah.

LAURA: Oh.

TALIESIN: That's the family that owns that whole bazaar. The whole like--

LAURA: Oh.

TALIESIN: Apparently that's their part of the shop.

LAURA: He seemed great.

TALIESIN: I wouldn't know. But wow.

SAM: Do we have a handwriting person here?

LIAM: I took a guess that Treshi would respond to that level of wealth and influence, yeah.

LAURA: He might. Than just a random shopkeeper.

TALIESIN: That's a legitimate person you have there. They're not necessarily, you know...

ASHLEY: What do you need for copying or forging a letter and signature and stuff like that?

LAURA: Just something that can look like this handwriting is all.

MATT: Yeah. There are forgery kits, technically. But you'd have to be proficient to get the benefit on that one.

LAURA: Right.

LIAM: What would a shithead use to try to do a forgery?

MATT: I mean, it would be just standard materials, ink and parchment, and then a hopeful skill check.

LIAM: And a performance check?

MATT: It would depend on the type of forgery and I'll give a couple of options based on who's doing it.

ERIKA: I'll take a whack at it.

SAM: Ooh.

LAURA: Yeah? You good at performance?

ASHLEY: Let's do it.

MATT: Okay.

LIAM: We'll just want-- Like three people could do it and we could choose the best one.

LAURA: Oh that's true! Let's all try to--

MARISHA: Do the rest of us judge?

TALIESIN: Let's go back.

SAM: Yeah. Blind taste test.

TALIESIN: Maybe we should just go back to our rooms and sit down and have a forgery contest.

MATT: (laughs)

SAM: Sounds great.

ASHLEY: Okay, let's go.

MARISHA: Well, you know, thinking about what Chetney said, if we want to go, maybe either seek out--

SAM and MARISHA: (laugh)

MARISHA: Seek out Imahara Joe's or the Gorgynei so that maybe we have a place to stash Treshi once we get him.

TRAVIS: You know, some allies.

TALIESIN: Okay. When you put it that way, you kept saying hiring muscle, as opposed to making friends.

TRAVIS: Staff up. Head count, allies.

TALIESIN: Allies I can get behind.

MARISHA: I mean, if this Imahara Joe is friends of, you know, your parents...

ASHLEY: Yeah. I'm sure if I told them that we have somebody that we're keeping hostage, they'll be fine with keeping him.

TRAVIS: Their pride would swell.

MARISHA: But do you think they'd be fine with a hostage?

ASHLEY: Maybe. Yeah. I think so. I mean, it's been a long time since I've seen them, but I think they would be okay with that.

MARISHA: Maybe we should talk the werewolves.

TRAVIS: Well, I'm just saying I can't forge for shit, unless it's in wood.

ERIKA: I'm just going to be doing this, like--

MATT: Fair enough.

SAM: Let's just go back to the hotel because we're not going to do anything tonight, right?

ASHLEY: Okay, we'll go back to the hotel.

MATT: The Gorgynei exist in the Gloomed Jungles of Aeshanadoor which is to the southeast of Bassuras--

MARISHA: ♪ Aeshanadoor ♪

MATT: -- outside of the Hellcatch Valley.

LAURA: Oh. They're not close at all.

TRAVIS: Oh, that's quite a ways away.

MATT: It's still a journey to get them, yeah.

TALIESIN: Well, well. (laughter)

SAM: You know how we can get there, though.

MATT: Sorry, man.

TRAVIS: Well, I guess I better leave now. (laughter) I'm committed to it. See you later, guys.

ASHLEY: Goodbye, Chet!

TRAVIS: See you.

MARISHA: Okay. Hotel, forging contest.

MATT: You're not far, but still a ways to go.

ERIKA: You're right.

SAM: Hotel forgery contest. Who are our competitors?

MARISHA: What did you you say? It was a performance check?

SAM: Dusk.

MATT: No, it depends on who they are and what your angle of forgery is going to be. So it's Dusk and Imogen and anyone else?

LAURA: Do you want to try?

LIAM: I have nimble fingers.

ASHLEY: I guess I could go.

TALIESIN: I'll go for it just because you know, fuck it. Okay.

ASHLEY: Yeah. Why not?

MATT: Each attempt, because it is quality of paper and ink, it'll cost you I'd say about a gold per attempt.

MARISHA: Whoa!

MATT: Just to add some stakes to this--

LAURA: Sure. Yeah.

MATT: -- beyond you guys just trying this forever.

TALIESIN: I'm only taking one round anyway, so yeah.

LAURA: Yeah. All right.

MATT: All right.

MARISHA: Let's all shield our eyes. So we have--

ASHLEY: We don't know whose is whose?

MARISHA: Exactly. No biases. Because Imogen's is going to be the best. Let's be honest. She's the most capable.

ASHLEY: It probably would. She's really good at writing.

SAM: Just don't try so hard.

MARISHA: I was that supportive before.

SAM: Yeah.

TALIESIN: Okay.

MATT: So for the attempts of this forgery, you have the option to either roll performance or roll a straight dexterity check. Those are your options.

ASHLEY: Okay.

LIAM: That'll be straight dexterity then.

TALIESIN: That's a straight dex on my end.

MATT: All righty.

SAM: I will--

LAURA: Go for it?

SAM: I will focus Dusk with a burst of Guidance.

MATT: Unless you have proficiency in a forgery kit.

TALIESIN: Do I have proficiency in a forgery kit?

SAM: It's plus a d4.

TALIESIN: No.

LAURA: Somebody better roll well.

MARISHA: I love this--

ASHLEY: That's cool.

MARISHA: Is it good or bad?

ERIKA: 13.

MATT: Okay. We got 13.

ASHLEY: 10.

MATT: All right.

LAURA: Seven.

SAM: Oh.

MATT: Seven.

TALIESIN: Six.

SAM: Oh

MATT: All right. So Dusk definitely--

LAURA: Wait.

MATT: Oh yeah, what'd you get?

LIAM: I win too, 23.

MATT: 23. There we go.

ERIKA: Wow!

LAURA: Look at this guy. Look at this diplomat over here.

ASHLEY: Look at this guy over here.

TALIESIN: So, there's a series of dick butts. Then--

MARISHA: You mean calligraphy.

MATT: Honestly, I was going to say in part of your earlier training with the Air Ashari, there was definitely classes in calligraphy and some of the ancient writings of the Ashari tribes, specifically of symbology and the various elements and the usage of their symbols both in magic as well as just iconography used both on body art and signifying temples and such. There's something specifically meditative about that process that when you begin to get into it, it comes naturally to you and you surprise yourself with the quality you're able to produce.

LIAM: Well, Derrig taught me to write on the air.

MATT: Mm-hmm. I like that. So amongst your various tries, we'll put five gold out on supplies. This is multiple attempts each of you. This isn't like you did one. This is wasting a bunch of paper and materials and eventually getting like, ah, fuck it.

ERIKA: Sorry. I guess I'm just not good at this.

LAURA: See, you're better than I am.

TALIESIN: It's team effort.

MATT: Though Orym, you have a proper deliverable note you'd feel confident sending that direction.

LIAM: That's as good as it's going to get, right? Okay.

MARISHA: Excellent work.

LIAM: So, probably want to hire a runner?

ASHLEY: I feel like we could have Dusk do it.

LAURA: Yeah.

ERIKA: Oh! I could do that.

TALIESIN: Tomorrow. Tomorrow morning. Bright and early.

MARISHA: What time is it right now?

MATT: I'd say right now, you're getting close to dusk.

TALIESIN: Hey!

MATT: No pun intended, but yeah.

LIAM: Double entendre.

MATT: Oh. (laughter)

SAM: Should we skip to the next day? Is there something else we want to do tonight?

ERIKA: Do you all have separate rooms or are you in same room? Should I get a room?

ASHLEY: We kind of all have our--

TALIESIN: I don't know if there's room.

LAURA: We have a few rooms.

ASHLEY: We kind of stay together.

MATT: You have a few rooms rented at the Raha Den, which is in the Salmagunda Strip on the north side of the city.

ERIKA: Oh.

MARISHA: You can definitely just-- We'll crash on--

ASHLEY: We always get a few rooms, but then we all--

MARISHA: Convention rules.

ASHLEY: -- stay in the same room, okay.

MARISHA: Just crash on the floor. Yes.

LAURA: Should we keep an eye on the-- I mean, what if he's leaving tonight?

SAM: Should we keep an eye? Somebody there all night?

MARISHA: Watch party?

LAURA: We need sleep.

TALIESIN: If he's leaving tonight, you're not going to see him leave, I don't think. I think he would leave quietly.

ERIKA: Let's just all get a good night's rest and we'll deal with everything in the morning.

LAURA: Well.

ASHLEY: Yeah.

MATT: Okay. You all are posting back up at the Raha Den for a full night's rest with the letter in your pocket and at the ready.

ERIKA: Can we talk about Feywild stuff? Can I stay in your room and then--

ASHLEY: Of course, I would love that so much.

ERIKA: Okay.

ASHLEY: Okay.

MATT: Okay. As you all post up in your individual or gathered group chambers for the night, a sense of comfort mingles with a rising anxiousness of the days ahead for a multitude of reasons. The draw of what may or may not reside within that fortress to reveal the quarry that you have come here to gather. The truths being revealed and unique tethers that unexpectedly attach some backgrounds and pasts, is one. A slight itchiness comes to your head through the night as you feel your hair beginning to return to you, Imogen. A wary bit of rest comes to you as the occasional night predatory bird's caw keeps you staring out into the open sky.

MARISHA: I almost forgot about Shithead.

MATT: But nevertheless, taking watches, taking care, and preparing yourselves for the following day and days ahead, you plot. And at dawn, you plan. (laughter) And we'll end this episode there. (exclaiming) We'll pick up next time fresh in the morning to engage in whatever series of chaotic plots you are putting together here, which I'm all for it on all scales.

ERIKA: System of pulleys and levers.

MATT: I am all about infiltration.

LIAM: We build a Rube Goldberg. Start here.

MATT: I'm all about crawler explosion.

MARISHA: I still like that one.

MATT: I'm all about all of it. So just got a little bit of time to think amongst yourselves.

SAM: We'll plan our heist.

MATT: Figure out what you want to do.

MARISHA: We need a new text thread.

MATT: We'll come back next episode and see what you've put together. So anyway, thank you all for joining us. Happy to be back. We'll be back here next week to see what follows in the interim. We love you very much, and is it Thursday yet? Good night.

ASHLEY: Not yet, it's not!