Beneath Dark Wings | Ep. 52 | Trapped in Amber: Part 2
03:04:54 Share

Welcome to Legends of Avantris. I'm Felix Ackerman, and you're listening to Beneath Dark Wings. Here's what happened last time. I'm fine. I...

I know that that's not what you wanted to do, and if you had any other way, you wouldn't have done that the way that you did, but I don't blame you. And Iris won't either. She's just upset. I overdid it. I didn't mean to. You were dying. You were getting hit from all sides, and these things were disgusting. I don't blame you. I thought we were all dying. I don't think that there was any little girl left.

I think had you not done that, it would have been a pile of goopy wolf. You're going to need all your physical and emotional strength you can get. But you were tricked by the elves. They sent your daughter back. She was not alive when she entered this room. She had the stench of undeath about her. If it had not been Felix, we might all have perished in this room. Walks past as he looks at the remnants of this and he says...

We were incredibly lucky, and it looks like the Barobians are lucky, too, that you were here. That thing would have been unstoppable otherwise. And he turns as he walks away from his throne room, and he looks up at the statue of Mother Night, and he spits on the ground, and then continues to

go deeper into the Nightbane Cavern and tend to his people. You see him lifting up some of the guards and some of the other folks that you had seen as they started then tending to the children, passing out food, making sure that everyone's okay. The next step of our journey will be incredibly dangerous, but we must do it. It's the only chance to save my daughter. Meet me at Corvus Holt Manor. The directions I've provided

You all leave the temple behind as you, and Nightbane Cavern, as you know that all of the arrangements that you're attempting to set up are hopefully being done. As you make your way, following the map that Escher had provided you, and you see the towns and villages of Barovia, but you are able to make your way through the Beastwood, through the Dragon Flame Forest,

to a series of highlands once again and mountain ridges and you see as you make your way once again up through the treacherous terrain, you're trying to glimpse what this is a manor. You can't believe that a manor house would be built out into the wilderness like this.

and you turn around one pass and you see nestled between, nestled in a very low mountain pass at the top of these hills as the air gets colder, you see just the side what looks like a large manor house. And you see now as you then hear them, the croaking of ravens.

that fly in and out of this place and roost in its roof. And you make your way through the wilderness until you actually find it. It looks like it's completely inaccessible anyway besides flying. But you take some time and you are able to, following the map that Esher gave, find a very small, narrow winding path

that is quite treacherous, but you are able to make it without injury, we'll say. And eventually you see is this large multi-winged manor house that's built in the far reaches of Barovia. You hear the croaking of ravens get louder and louder, and you're not sure which is an actual raven and which is a were-raven.

as some seem to look at you with golden eyes that have a little bit more sentience than you'd expect from just a normal bird. And eventually you see a large double door ahead of you with some steps up to a grand porch area. As you see these windows just staring out over the wall,

over the land that really seems to have an entire view of the whole valley. And you see the castle, you see all of the towns and the city that surrounds the castle as well. You see Lake Zarovich that you pass and you see just this grand mountain pass, this mountain to the south.

that just rises and looms, despite how high up you are, this mountain looms far, far, far taller, and is blanketed in snow. And you turn back and look up at the manor. What do you do? Should we just go to the manor? I mean, we have our things, right? And we have instruction, yes. All right, well, these ravens look kind of weird.

I mean, all the ravens we saw don't really look like that, right? They look a little unusual, yeah. Are they Xurn's ra- So they're probably not Xurn's ravens. I guess that's what I'm trying to make sure of. Would I know if Korovakia in general has eyes this deep in the territory? Um, I would say that, um...

I've seen enough to roll for it. I would say that you know, similar to the hawks and the owls of Gronn and Eerios respectively, you know that the vultures of this land are trained to kill Zurn's Ravens on sight. So it's unlikely. It's very unlikely to be Zurn's Ravens, I would say. I don't know, Toa. It's not gonna be anything from Zentra. I mean, there's too many forces. Our intel's never been great about things this far of the border. That's why we've had to send in soldiers.

It's much more likely that they live here, one way or another. Alright, well that seems, that seems safe. Um, alright, well let's, let's go. Lead the way? Or, uh, I'm sorry, I have the map. I'll lead the way. Perfect. I follow the breeze. You see in, on the door, you see him blazing. Um, flanked by four ravens in the corners, you see that same sun symbol. Uh,

etched on the door and it's cleaved in half by where the door is obviously open and apart from. What do you do? This looks to be it.

- Are there any instructions about announcing ourselves or letting ourselves in? - Did you say the door was, say that again, the door is cleaved in half? - There's just a double door. - Oh, oh, oh. - The image is complete. - It's on post. - Sorry. - Are there kind of knockers or any sort of? - Oh yes, there are. - Yeah, you actually see that there are very heavy gilded knockers, yes.

How do I feel about going up and gripping one and really just giving it a heft? I feel like you definitely could. You definitely could. You'd have to lift it from below and really, like, heave it up. Do you want the left or the right? And let it slap down against the door. I'm more of a righty, if you know what I mean. Really? I don't. I thought you cared for Lufty, but here we are. Please sit. And I'll grab the...

I gently stick my fingers underneath of this heavy knocker. This clearly is a fantasy game. I cup it so gingerly as I begin to move it from its...

And then I slam it into the door! Over and over and over again. To announce our presence. I quit! I knock on the door. All that is to say we knock on the door. We use the knocker. The door, as you hear the loud clang, clang, clang, the knock, knock, knock.

on this door. - Heavy knife. - And it doesn't take long. - That was my fault. - You hear nothing behind from this heavy wooden door. All sound is drowned out from the croaking and the cawing above you as the door slowly opens. And you see a man with dark hair, with streaks of

Streaks a blonde in them with heavy eyebrows and he's wearing very elegant clothes. The clothes of what looks like what a noble might wear. As he stares at you with these piercing blue eyes, as he looks between all of you and you can see that his eyes are lingering on the pin that you each have. - I would turn my coat inside out to show it. - And he would very much

not moving until and not saying anything until he's seen that each of you have one of these marks and he says Welcome to Corvusholt. My name is Erwin Martikov. Oh Wow, I've been told I've been told that you can be trusted and that you are friends of the Keepers of the Feather Can you confirm each of you? What was the first one?

First one left. Well, you said two things. So that we're friends of the feather and then also... Trusted. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You can trust us. You can trust me. My name is Caprice Jodeceso. You can call me Caprice and friend of the feather. I have this little pin in my bow pelt. See? And I point at it. I can see that that is why you were not stopped by our ravens on the journey here. No. We have been keeping an eye on you. My name is Felix Ackerman and we're here to help. We're here to make things right.

Very well. If you are friends of the Keepers of the Feather, then we are friends of you. And I believe we have the same goal. Count Kreskov has theories, concerning theories. Things that could threaten not just this land we are sworn to protect, but perhaps all of Striga, perhaps the Vantress, perhaps even beyond. Is he here? He is. He is waiting in the parlor for you.

We should see him. He requested we speak with him. Yes. He is here. I will take you to him. And he welcomes you all into this manor. And you see that in this space, it seems to be very old, but incredibly maintained.

You see all sorts of strange statues and art pieces and knickknacks on the walls, portraits of what seemed to be a whole line of what you presume to be the Keepers of the Feather. And many of them seem to be related, having similar features and traits and similar clothing to Erwin Mardukov.

and he takes you through this large manor house, and eventually there is a double door, once again, that's beautifully polished and carved, and you can see all sorts of, as you enter, you see strange bits of magical artifacts and relics. It looks like this order seems to be very interested in the occult.

those of you who know the occult. And you enter the parlor and you see a large round table with plush chairs around it. The fire is going and you actually see that there's silver candles all over the space, flickering with flame that just, and no other light source, just the candlelight.

and the fireplace as well, as it casts this strange dancing light over the entire space. As you see Escher sitting at the table in one of the chairs, you see that it's actually sat for seven.

and you see that there's a massive portrait of what looks like an old man with long beard and a staff staring out into the room, and you see that there's a number of these occult

knickknacks all over this place. And you hear the ticking of a clock that is carved and adorned with ravens. And you see on one of the tables in the corner of the room, a large, it looks like a belladonna plant that is just ripe with plump, dark berries. And Escher seems to be expectant

and almost irritable as he sees his eyes, his eyes are wide and they're sunken in a little bit as he looks at something that is at the center of the table and you see what looks like a jewelry box, but a large jewelry box. And it is a gilded in this beautiful shimmering silver.

that has the design of a raven with its wings curled forward and its head down. And he looks at you and he says, "I cannot believe the abbot found you. "Where did you all get off to?" - We were helping people, the werewolves. We helped them. - And Sofiana, we were looking for the...

She wasn't a Valor... uh... She was a Vassani? Yeah, we were looking for the Vassani. Yes, my friends here were able to confirm that. That was very risky, given what our plans were. If you'd gotten killed in a werewolf cave, what would we have done? We aimed to do good. We did good. Well, had we not been there, I mean, lots more people would have died. Like everybody, or at least it would have been really bad. Yes, perhaps. I can't... no, I'm sorry, I'm...

Distracted, I know where we have to go. You got my letter. The next step of our journey could be very dangerous. But this is why we are here. And he gestures to the box in front of him. This is a family heirloom of someone I once knew. Strong connections to the Raven Queen. And I believe...

that we can use what's within to make our way through the mess when the time comes. This housing artifact that was used to free this land 200 years ago, but I've spent an evening, a lot of unfortunately, studying it and I believe that there is a secret compartment. I have deciphered a code at the bottom of the box that I had missed before and I believe that

After my good friend Evan here has examined it, he and his people specialize in traversing the mist. And if we are able to open it, then I believe that we are talisman to glide through, unharmed by the terrors that lurk in the mist. Yes, perhaps we can say, my lord, that there's a powerful artifact in that little box. I hope. So let's open. Well, it doesn't work like that. It's not that simple. You see...

There's a price. There's a price to open this. Well, Iris is like a princess. She has money to spare. No, not that price. You see, the Raven Queen, as you know, feelings, deals in secrets. Like your friend Zurn does as well. And I have already given my secret to open its top. Cannot pay again. That's why you friends are here. If it tells me that...

It is wise for you to gain guidance before opening it, lest there be some sort of disaster that destroys the artifact inside. We must know if you are fake-touched, just like the ones I opened this box so many years ago once were. His eyes are wide and they look distant. Does that sound reasonable? Just a very simple ritual. We've done a few of them. I can't imagine this would be much different.

Should our price or cost not be good enough? What are we risking here exactly? Well, that's the fun part. We don't know. It was strong enough to destroy the binds and prisons and confines of an Eldritch horror that had imprisoned this entire valley for centuries and almost consumed the entirety of the Shadowfell and beyond.

Perhaps death? She is a death of daughters. Uh, high price. Potentially. But this might have what we need. And I know that I have asked much of you. You came seeking my help, and now I seek yours. Death, this is the first step. But then I need another thing, another favor, another piece. But we will discuss that after we open this box. All right, yeah, sure.

Erwin, would you please? You all turn as Erwin withdraws a deck of black cards and he holds them up. And he looks at you and says, do you know what this is? Would I know what that is? I would say roll an arcana check.

And quickly, thank you Hannah M. Gibbons and Jade 13 Knight. Thank you so much. Welcome to the family. Hannah and Jade. Welcome, welcome. Just one moment, I'm waiting for D&D Bed Bath to load. And now witches are caught in a kiln.

Hocus pocus. Those are the words that are said over the loudspeakers. In the lemon. From someone from Galtica. Someone from Galtica. I think that you've seen similar mystical cards, but it was only really weirdos that would like you to do that kind of stuff. And you like wouldn't really know much about damn weirdos. But you know that like that many, many occultists would practice, would practice that.

I've never seen anything like it, but what do we do? Do we draw from it? We'll shuffle these cards and I will deal a pull of cards that I have come up with myself to perhaps give you guidance and see if the cards tell us if you are indeed fate touched. Oh my god! It has been my mission to research and study the threads of fate beyond what most have thought.

most have known or written of. There is such things as these Taroka cards and our spirit boards that can give us a glimpse. I will need all of you to take this seriously and give your entire spirit, soul, and anima to this. Of course. Is it a lot to give? We've come too far to back out now. If it helps, of course I'll do it. No question.

And he begins to shuffle the deck as he walks over and sits down. Esher grabs the jewelry box and he places it beside him, very close. And he looks at all of you as he then asks, as he shuffles, he spreads out all the cards and then once again shuffles them. And then as he finishes shuffling, he hands it to each of you. Each of you cut the deck.

No. Oh my god, I'm nervous. You know, if we're pot committed, I'll just do a gentleman's cut. What is that? Just the room card?

I'll take out my dagger and I will slice the deck. You took my line. Damn it. Sorry. No, I'm teasing. I'm kidding. I didn't think of that. You're way cleverer than I am. Felix, can I borrow your knife? No, that's not how this works. You said cut the knife and none of you were doing it. No, you said cut the dick. Just a shuffle. It's a turn of phrase. See what we're all doing? Look at my deck of illusions. You've seen this, right? Like, take just at any point.

You cut it by pulling the deck apart and then putting the top underneath. Yeah, it's a turn of phrase. You quite literally watched three people do it. He said to take his deck...

No, he didn't! No! Is he dead? Excuse me? Is he dead? Is he dead? No. Toa, I asked you to take this seriously. I'm taking it seriously! Cut the deck and pass it to Felix. Just what I said. Just do it. Yes, exactly. Just like Capriccio. I've never cut a dick before, I'm sorry. All right. I'm gonna... I played a bit of cards in the military. I'm just gonna give it a little extra.

One of these, okay? Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. Whoa! Alright, I feel good about that. He takes them, and he holds them and grips them tight. Call that the double dick cut. And he holds his hand. And he closes his eyes and says, The smell of food isn't helping you, is it? We do not consult spirits this day.

We do not even consult the gods. We are seeking guidance from fate itself. Let the cards show what is in the path of these heroes, and if they are touched by the threads of fate, if they are worthy, if there is information that can help them on their quest. Let us begin. The first card, the card of the past. He draws a

It's the card of the Innocent. Wait, give the taper back to Irish! It's very important! Let's do it this way. No, you do it this way! Let's do it this way so there's not a map behind it. He inhales, and you see as all of the light in the room switches to silver. As the candles suddenly flare up and so does the fireplace. And you can suddenly smell strange incense in the room as the first card is drawn.

As he breathes in deeply past the innocent, he's walking like a small child, but watch his eyes burn you away. Black holes in his golden stare. Gods know he wants to go home. The second card, the question. He draws it. Ooh, I almost break this. He draws it. I don't hear it.

The beast. The beast is upon you. Once again, Breeze, the question. The beast. We are not worthy in your black and blazing eyes. We gather demons in the mirror every day. The bridge of darkness casts a shadow on us all, and all our sins to you we give this day. He then draws another card. Card three.

The hidden influence. He draws it. The dark lord. Oh boy. That's pretty on the nose. The hidden influence, the dark lord. When I was living this lie, fear was my gain. People would worship and fall, drop to their knees. So bring me the blood and red wine for the one to succeed me.

For he is a man and a god, and he will die too. Wow. Interesting. The fourth card. Those around him. He pulls. Those around him. This is here. The seer. Interesting. And creepy. Those around him. The seer.

Greed, lust, and angry pride. It's the same old, same old ride. The smoke and mirrors, visions that you see are just like me. I'm a clever banker's face with just a letter out of place. I know someone just like you know someone just like me. Card four. The best action. He draws. Card five, apologies. The marionette.

Oh good. What was the place of the card? Best action. Best action. Card five, the best action. The Marionette. Even though it's reached new heights, I rather like the restless nights.

It makes me wonder, makes me think there's more to this. I'm on the brink. It's not the fear of what's beyond. It's just that I might not respond. I have an interest almost craving, but would I like to get too far in? Card six. The obstacle. He draws and pulls. The tempter. Oh.

Should I say obstacles? The obstacles. The tempter, like the eagle and the dove, flies so high on wings above, when all you see can only bring you sadness. Like a river we will flow, on towards the sea we go, when all you can do will only bring you sadness. Out on the sea of madness. Finally, card seven.

The final outcome. Oh god. He pulls. The horseman. The final outcome. The horseman. Could it be it's the end of our world? All the things that we cherish and love. Nothing left but to face this all on my own. For I am the chosen one.

And the fire lights up and ignites in silver flame. I feel extremely discouraged. And he breathes and lets out a deep breath, and suddenly the cards are to shimmer and shake and finally settle down as he grips the remaining deck. Seven cards have fallen all from the high deck. You are indeed fate-touched. The threads of fate connect you all, not just to each other, or to...

Count Kreskov, or even to me, but the fate of all of Striga and beyond. The final card is placed, and it is obviously the Horsemen. He reads out, and Erevin each time is inhaling, and he almost seems to be overcome with...

some sort of trance as he finishes this reading, this tower placement of... of Taroka cards. And... he looks at you and tells you that, you know, that it is true that you all are connected, the threads of fate have bind you together, the cards speak of that. Whether or not that's true is up for you to decide. But he simply just looks

and observes as evil returns. What does all of that mean? He said it means we're fate-touched, but I don't understand why. I mean, if I had to have guessed before we even saw any of these cards, I'd say that, you know, not speaking for anybody else, we've experienced more things in a year than most people have in their entire lives. Exactly right. I don't think it's just coincidence.

I mean, all of the cards, there was a bunch of spooky, scary stuff that you mentioned. And I mean, that's gotta mean something, right? Beyond just we're fate-touched? These cards mean that you are dealing with at least seven of these entities with which your fates are entwined. But it means that your success and survival is critical for the survival of our world.

Perhaps all of the worlds in this universe. So he said seven entities? That's a bit of a burden. Yes. It is. Fate is a burden for us all. Fate. We cannot decide if we have been touched by it. Is this like a...

Like a divining thing? Is this telling us a little bit about what's to come or is it just a check on where we're at? As your past, your present, the future, your questions, hidden influences, those that surround you in the immediate, your obstacles, the path forward and the final outcome. What would happen if we were to perish before the end? I do not pretend to know that I can see the threads of fate. I do not believe there is any entity powerful enough to do that.

It's my personal belief, after performing this reading, that what the cards have shown all of us is certain doom. It's not very helpful. Not good at all. We're going to stop all of the bad stuff, right? We'll stop the doom and we'll prevent it, right? Is that how we come in? Is that why fate has chosen us? That is for you all to decide. I pray that you all

accept your duty and responsibility to the threads of fate. And after this reading, I swear that I will pledge the Keepers of the Feather to aid in your cause. Release this branch of the Keepers. How can we know when duty calls? How to tell the difference between what we're supposed to do? Is that the right way to think about it, or...?

You must decide what is a message from fate, what is not. You must interpret that reading on the table in the tower formation. For what I have seen, what Swain made from Count Kreskov's plea for help, seems as if not just lives are hanging from the thread, but the threads of fate themselves. There is an entity, a god,

that threatens to be unleashed with entropy, with her destruction. That goes beyond continents, countries, even worlds. It's right, I mean, that's what we're trying to stop. I just didn't realize it'd be that bad if we failed. Erwin just slowly nods and Escher leans forward and says, "Yes, as much of a cliché as that is,

This is shockingly not my first time in this business, but I have seen its effects. I have seen this before and you do not have a choice. The consequences are indeed dire, as selfish as my involvement in this whole plan is. Okay, so we know that we have to at the very least, you know, stop the Carrion King and we need to save these kids. Then what? I mean, is that going to give us more hints, more direction where to go next? I mean...

Look, I'm all for saving the world, but one thing at a time. We gotta deal with what's in front of us first. Escher leans forward and his eyes are kind of wild again and says, this is why we have the books. At least I've consulted Aevan and his people because that entity that you mentioned is always connected to the realm of death. The realm that I came from.

the realms beyond the Vantral, even beyond the Shadowfell, which I taught you how to master. There is dark work here, and it's all connected to entropy. All right, so how can we help open the box? Yes, of course. Irvin, I thank you for confirming our suspicions and for your guidance here. You will all consult, and I'm sure you'll be able to find the path forward here. And Irvin nods as he stands up,

and he, despite, he's a relatively large man, but he moves with the grace of a bird as he nods and says, like I said, I serve the threads of fate. Myself and our secret society wish to help now. However we can. And he nods and he turns and says, you may make Corvus Hope Manor your home. We have plenty of extra rooms and

"Take the time that you need, but I know the next step of your plan. You will find all of the cold weather clothing and gear that we have in the closet just down the hallway." Esher nods and says, "Thank you very much, my friend." He stands and they shake hands and Esher grasps his hand with both of his and they just nod as air moves. "Oh, hold on before you go.

He stops and turns. "Um, just so you know, uh, you don't have to keep hunting the werewolves. Um, we've talked to them and, and we've worked things out and they want to help too. And so if, if you just leave them alone and let them hunt where they need to to survive, because they're in a really bad spot, they're going to do what they can to help us."

So just, I should mention that. They know what they did is wrong. They were very much manipulated into that position. It would exacerbate things if we continued the way we've been going. We can find peace. We can be alive. He nods and, um, he has a bit of hesitancy. That may be true. I consulted with

Count Von Zarovich and the Abbot. And we are willing to hear out Old Scratch and the Silver Pine as a whole. We understand that there are dark forces that move the pieces on this board that may have created circumstances beyond their control, but you must understand that any worshipper of Mother Night

cannot truly be trusted, as long as they truly believe. But for now... I don't think they truly believe. He was spitting on a statue and stuff. He acted like she was worthless and wasn't helpful at all, and it seems like he didn't even worship her at all. So maybe there's just a whole miscommunication. When the Abbot returns with Ivar, I will meet with him and with the Count. We will hear what he has to say.

We are approaching this arrangement in good faith, you have my word on that. Especially since they are involved and must be connected by those same friends. Who am I to question? Thank you for hearing me out. You're welcome. He turns and he leaves and closes the door behind him very gently. And Escher leans in in front of the cards. Well, if this doesn't seal half-eats...

Or at least yours. I don't know what does. Do you really believe in all this? Yes. I have seen what the cards, and I know that I seem jaded and bitter and skeptical, because I have. But I have seen firsthand of what those chosen by the Taroka deck have been able to do, what they must have done. Okay. All right. If you say so.

Shockingly, this is not my first time being forced into a position where I have to save myself and souls of others also. We'll do what we have to do. So what are our next steps? I mean, we have to open that box and we need it to proceed. When does that happen? We will do it now.

Have you committed the cards to memory? Obviously. No! Can't just one of us do that? I got it, don't worry.

Okay, well, I'll just ask Felix if I need to learn anything. And by Felix committed to memory, it's any time I ask the DM to tell me what's on the cards, he has to, because I have 20 intelligence. Okay. Okay? Okay. Do you have feet where you can't forget stuff? No, but I do. And with that, Escher swipes and all the cards are gone. He places them back on top of the deck that Erevin had left. Gingerly places it into...

a satchel and then closes it, puts it in a box, which he then places on a mantle, a place of importance. And as he does that, he glides back over and grabs the jewelry box and places it down. And he looks at all of you and says, "This wants to ask for secrets, in order to open and provide a hairpin, something that seems insignificant, but with a divine power,

and change the world and kill something greater than a god. Okay, all right. I have spent the past many waking hours examining. He takes it and turns it over, and he shows you that there's a bunch of strange designs on the bottom, and they almost seem to be runic, but they don't quite match up. Doesn't make any... doesn't form any language that you're aware of. And...

He looks back up at you and says, "There is a cipher here in the code, a secret message. It provides a means of passage." He places it back down. "It's something that my former partner had told me made me think that the mother who brought it to this land, although she did not make it alive, had not been pleased with the decision to bring her to Barovia.

that perhaps her original faith might provide her means of escape should she find it miserable here. I believe that is what is encased in the bottom of this jewelry box. And he narrows his eyes and he says, "I was able to decipher a secret dark as raven's feather to spread your wings and fly away."

And what I can only presume that to mean is that we must offer our darker secrets. Those of us that have them. For not just any secret will do. 'Cause I have seen that share. But it was not enough to do more than open the top of the lid. And just to clarify, wait, so he said what he just read

Was it an inscription? Was what he deciphered of a monster. Yes. Just making sure that I'm getting it. Where'd you get this art? I don't, I googled a whole bunch of shit to find this. Because this is horrific. Yeah, yeah. This is truly a horrific monster. I didn't know if it was usually... I spent a lot of time googling to find it, for sure. Oh.

It kind of looks like bone and carnage. Like the monster carnage from Spiderman. From Spooderman? Spooderman. And it looks like it's bone and... Sporderman? What a disaster that is. All right. Okay. So, the Raven Queen who deals in secrets stands to reason that something incredibly dark would be far more valuable

And I have tried, I have spent the past three hours before you arrived with this box, telling it everything from the depths of my soul to my first kill, to my hundredth kill, to even more beyond. And the depraved things I did. Some under orders, like others might say to justify their actions, others just because I wanted to. But I, but I had given it something

to open this box 200 years ago. It cares not for me. In this timeline, that's why you are here. The cards. Fate touched. In a time of need when the world hangs in the balance, it is all too familiar. I don't have anything that dark or sinister. Am I going to be of much help? It says A. Maybe it just needs one. At this point, it doesn't feel like much of a secret, but

I guess it's just really the people in this room who know. And to be fair, I have to face it every day anyway, and someday I'll face the Raven Queen and probably be judged for it anyway. But if we're talking about the Raven Queen, the number of people that I've sent to her unjustly is more than I can count. It doesn't shock me that I'm forced to deal with this at every turn, but as I've said time and time and time again, I was tricked.

which doesn't make it right. Ignorantly, I incinerated all of those poor people. Someday I'll make up for it. Someday. I am trying. Even if it's just one day I face the Raven Queen. And I'm sure she knows. I'm sure she knows. You say that, nothing happens. Maybe it has to be a secret secret? Something you've never told anyone?

That is what a secret is, yes. What more do you want? Are there any details that maybe you haven't told even me? Does it have to be something heinous? That's the only dark thing I have. A secret you want no one to know. I don't know. Esher, were you alone when you got the top open? No. You had to share it with someone. There were six of us there, and we all took turns and

It slowly opened up, little by little, the raven here. It then revealed its pride. There must be something else. Or else why would that be on the bottom? Secret. Even her husband could not have seen it. It's too scary to travel. It has to be. I mean, I don't think this is a secret, but the only reason I joined the military was to get a better life for my family and the people that I loved. Before it all went to hell. I wanted to escape.

Who was your father? I don't know.

My mother used to tell me tales about how he was an amazing member of the Talon Guard, which is kind of what drove me in that direction. I wanted to be like him, but who knows if that was even true. I doubt it. Well, it doesn't matter where we come from or even what we do in life, as long as there's the desire to grow and improve and change from where you came. I don't know why we're open. Open? When I was younger, Sir Cage,

I felt lost. My father doted on my brother, on my younger siblings, and I, born in the middle, was lost to them. It pained me, though I hate to admit it, that the want for his love and admiration, God's just... His notice even once. In a fit of emotion, I fled from the temple and into town, where I was caught and taken back to the palace.

Furious was my family. Something could have happened to me. My father demanded to know what had happened. In my fear of him and his disapproval, I had seen a small girl looking for food, and I blamed her. That night the guards were sent into town. They looked through every inch of town. That small, hungry child. And they killed her. It was in that moment I knew that I needed to follow the path of the noobess. For I had caused a death

with my lies. I had caused a death with my pride, and I would walk forever knowing that it was now my mission to make sure that those that are killed find what they deserve in the afterlife. For with my wicked tongue, I slew that child. As soon as you finish, Iris, you hear a rattling from the jewelry box before you, and you see that

Silver, polished so brilliantly, starts to darken. Almost like an ink drop. The tip of the beak of this raven starts to spread as the entire jewelry box turns from silver to black. As it rattles, and you see now as the front of it starts to move from the bottom, a small rectangular slab opens in the front. Escher grabs it and picks it up.

And you, as he turns it over to you and turns it back, you can see now that one quarter of the box has now moved, and there's something beyond. Yes, yes, Iris, well done, well done. That was truly a dark secret, and I thank you for sharing. We only need three more. Three more.

Draymos, that was truly as dark as raven's feathers. Thank you. That is enough. Yes, of course. I'm sorry. Forgive me. Who else? I will go. Perhaps, Caprice, you are a beautiful man and a beautiful genius. And I mean both. Thank you. I will go. If you all hear perhaps one of my darkest secrets that I have told no one,

As Esra leans in, and he thinks, he says, "If I share something that I have told no one, then it's not just this box, but other... other souls. Perhaps it'll work. I was the son of the Burgomaster of Kresk, and I had always been a... a unruly boy.

I never wanted to follow in my father's footsteps. I was always the romantic type, always dreaming of bigger and better things from our dreary valley, the fog and the mist. And that excitement, oh, this excitement finally presented itself to me when a wealthy noblewoman, she said she was from Vallaki, came to visit our humble town.

She was older than me. I had always found older women enchanting. And she was so worldly. She said she had traveled from lands far away. She had traveled. She'd seen everything, done everything. Her stories were so believable. And she had money, power, everything that I had always wanted. More than just a burgomaster and some little village in a valley. But she was in town.

Because she was courting one of the wealthier merchants that lived there. It was all a secret, of course, for you see, he was married with a family. In our meeting, I could tell right at that moment that she had eyes on me and knew that I was malleable. In our first tryst of passion, she told me about her desires, about how she wished nothing more than to be married to this merchant and...

wanted all of his wealth for herself. But she truly loved me, he understood. And this man loved her. It was all so complicated, especially because he had a wife and two children. And that was what was keeping her from getting what she wanted. While they were around, he couldn't bring himself to do it. She hid it. And in my foolishness, my youth, I swore to make it a reality. I told her her name.

Veronica. It was a name that just filled my heart with joy. She was my first love. I told her that I had threatened them. Threatened exposing the affair so that he would send the family away. Threatening was the one thing I did correctly. The only thing that was true about that, I threatened him after I crept into

I crept into the house with my rapier and murdered all of them. And after the screams of his wife and children were quiet, I held my blade to his throat, covered in their blood. I couldn't tell whose was whose. And said if he ever spoke a single thing, a single word to anyone about what had happened, I'd come for him and it would be the same fate for him but a long time die. He agreed. And...

He then went to Veronica and said that he had sent his family away to live with relatives in Vargas. That night, Veronica fed upon the merchant and revealed that her name was not Veronica. She turned pale, long with her eyes, and turned even to an even more beautiful woman as Countess Rodania von Zarovich revealed herself to him. And she knew she had me from that moment forward.

And hadn't she did until she did it. I suppose thanks to the threads of fate, a moment passes as the raven darkens, rattles, and the back panel slides out. He looks at all of you, almost ashamed. Yes, well, that was great. Loved to hear that. Look at the raven. Now it looks amazing. Doesn't feel great, does it? Point taken. Well made. I'll take my hat off and

Just kind of look at Escher and say, sorry, I thought of one. You did? I know something nobody else knows. I can't believe I forgot, but anybody who could have known is long gone. It was long gone before they ever could have known. I open up my coat and Beatrice floats out, flaps her wings and lands on my finger. Am I familiar? Her name is Beatrice. And there's nobody alive who knows who she is and also knows...

that I named her after my mother. And then I just let Beatrice kind of fly around the room. You do that, and it takes a moment, but then the box shakes, and the side panel on the right opens. It's nice. Beatrice is a beautiful name. Yes, and I'm not going to mock you for being about Esha. Thank you. I appreciate that. Do you have a secret, Caprice? Of course he does. Uh...

But the box is open, right? Nope. Oh. Three-fourths. Three-quarters. We're close. Poor Telly doesn't have a single secret because he wears his heart on his sleeve. I, uh... Yeah? I'm born the way that I look right now. Born with horns almost the size of the ones that I internally wear on my crown. Okay.

First tiefling of my line. And that came with special abilities. I can tell you that it's pretty fun being a kid when you can turn invisible. We got to play a lot of games of hide and seek. And I have a big family. Big family. Love every one of them. Let's just try a small one first. You know, I once used my invisibility to peeping Tom, my cousin. Ah, well, fuck. What? That's...

That happened? Young and horny, I don't know. So, when I was born a tiefling, we didn't know why. Why that was the case. I grew up not understanding. We were shunned very much by the church. They didn't understand it. The insults that were hurled at my father and my mother. Well, about my mother. She was no longer with us. See horns. The, uh...

We searched for high and low. We searched high and low for any understanding of why this could be happening to me, to the family. We didn't understand it. We went and we sought people with knowledge and vague answers here, vague answers. Finally, there was something of a thread. There was something of a thread, but we didn't know

We only got half an answer. We knew that it had something to do with the devils of the nine hells, but in order to learn more, we would have to seek out a book. A book in a library in Baltica. Getting this book out was a bureaucratic nightmare, and I could feel my dad's frustration growing and growing, and so I went to my friend, well, my cousin, Otto, not the same cousin,

Otto and I, we kind of uncocked a plan. We decided we were going to break into the library, we were going to make our way through the vaults, and we were going to get that page out of that book that was going to point the way, point the direction towards solving and undoing what had happened to me and ending whatever curse it was. I had understood so little then. But we got down there and found the book, tore out the page,

on the way out that we hit a trap. We didn't take the same way. Otto was crushed. Not to death. Stuck. There was no way of getting him out. I was scared. Scared. I felt this great weight on my shoulders like if I didn't do something I was never going to be able to solve what was wrong with me. I didn't even try. I took the page and left the library. I think now I could have saved him. I wasn't

A hero. Not that... that's something I don't think I've ever told anyone. You watch, and all wait, as the darkness blackens even more. It rattles, and you hear a "swoosh" as the final panel opens. And you see down through the legs of this box, a black feather start to drift down on what looks like a bed of gray mist.

that wisps out around the sides with a hiss and then lands on the table beneath it. And as that happens, the darkness and the rattling you feel it. At your hip, you feel movement at your side. And you look at your Talon-guard dagger. "Nice," you say.

And you realize... Who sent that? You realize now that everything except for the very tip of it has turned completely jet black, just like the silver of the box. And you see now as it finally moves to take the tip, it then begins to swallow your fingers.

And it spreads all over you as your eyes roll back as you watch Felix... What? ...fall unconscious. No, Felix! What?! I grab him, I pick him up, I'm like, "Felix, are you okay?! What is this?!" And I start screaming at Escher. You do that. Oh no!

So wait, why did he... So what happened to Felix? He fell unconscious. I was like... The dagger in my hip started to like vibrate and shake and then it started to be like coated in like jet blackness and then it spread to me and consumed me. Oh. And it fell unconscious, yeah. So the jewelry box has been turning from silver to black and so then all of a sudden for some reason that happened to the dagger and now to Felix. Very cool. Silver dagger, right? Well, it was silver.

Right, but the silver matches the box. Presumably. Presumably. Felix, you awaken in a black abyss. And you see nothing at first, except for a fleck of white in this void that surrounds you.

as it grows larger and larger. You swear you hear the sound of wings, as feathers suddenly fall all around you. And before you, you see a silhouette, a shape that's tall, looming, and robed. And as it steps forward, despite it just being darkness all around you, you see that it seems to be the shape of a woman in a robe of raven's feathers.

And where her face would be is a white porcelain mask that just stares blankly as it looms over you and stares down. And you hear a voice in your mind. It's soft and it's gentle while being cold and indifferent. You are Felix Ackerman.

Yes, that's my name. Yeah. Do you wield my blade? Well, yes, sure, but it's one of a bunch of them. I mean, there are many of them. We all get them. Do you know who I am? Um, no. No, I don't. Yes, you do. I really don't want to guess. But you must. I have a feeling that you're the Griefing Queen. No answer. As she...

is very clearly getting closer. As she's... as the mask, it almost just feels like there's this black looming shape with a bit of just a white face in it. As it's losing its humanoid shape. The feather that you all have received is a talisman to go through the mist. Oh, okay. The mist is not mine to control, but it lingers on the edge of my domain. It is a gift.

is thanks for your secrets. But I've seen what you have done for me in your life and the secrets all of your friends have given. But, little bird, there's far more darkness and pain in your life soon enough. What does that mean? I don't want any of that soon. I want to help. I want to fix things. I don't want darkness or pain. It is unavoidable. Before you see it,

You have heard of a raven child? Yes, that's right. I mean, we don't even really know what that means. Can you tell me? She gets a little closer and says, Do you know who Milo's father was? No, no, I don't. She steps back and there's a pause. There's power in blood. There's power in lineage.

and some believe that there's two sides of every whole two hemispheres that must be merged to create a beautiful harmony i i don't know what any of this means two halves of death your brother let me show you is he alive he's alive for now show me

Your vision fades and you expect to see Milo in some prison or cell at the age that you left him at. But you don't. You see the tavern, Mr. Mendel's tavern that you grew up in. It's a rowdy and raucous night like many. And you look at Mr. Mendel as he's behind the bar.

He's a lot younger, but you remember, you remember that when he looked like that. And wait, who's that running a drink to someone that looks familiar? It's you, much younger, about the age right before Milo was born. Your eyes are filled with pride as Mr. Mendel has just increased your responsibility to Milo.

to be personally delivering the VIP patrons. And one such patron is walking down the stairs from the rooms that you know where your mother reside in. He is dressed in a hood, concealing most of his face. But each footstep is purposeful, deliberate, firm. And as this man leaves, you run up

and bring him the drink that Mr. Mendel knows that he requires. It's the finest spirits that the tavern has to offer. And you see a bit of silvery hair draped down from the hood. As you look up, and you see the face of a younger Virgil Zurn. As he grabs the drink, without sitting down, he steps out of the tavern, and it closes. The door closes behind him.

Suddenly your vision returns to you. Okay, all right, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I mean, I don't even, maybe I remember that night. It's been a very, very long time and I was a kid. I mean, there were tons of people that we served every night. Are you trying to tell me that Zurn is Milo's father? There's power in lineage.

My little bird. Look, I mean, I assumed for years that we, that Milo and I had the same father. And then, of course, I went through periods where I thought that that was completely naive. And there's no way that that was the case. I'm assuming that's not the case now. We're only half-brothers. Yes. You have my knife. Present it. No. Of course. It...

As you hold it up to her, it is that same jet black that it was as it consumed you. And although she raises no hand, it begins to shift and shimmer from that jet black once again back to a silver, but even more bright and more brilliant. As she leans a little closer, your brother is alive. But there are

Two halves to every corn. Two hemispheres to every brain. Two sides of death. And my enemies know this. If you see your brother again, if you see what he becomes, that blade is your only chance to make him whole again. Wait, wait, what do you mean "if"? Of course I'm going to see him again. That's what all this is for. To find him and bring him home. To bring him home.

To be used when the raven child cries. Do not forget this, Felix Ackerman. Do not forget this, my little bird. Um, okay, I mean, I'm not gonna forget. I gotta use the blade to make him whole. What does that mean? As you say that, your vision begins to fade. As black raven's feathers are to descend like rain and completely swallow you. This woman fades.

And you awaken, I presume in Toa's arms. That's all. Are you horribly corrupted undead monster? Stop shaking me, stop shaking me. What does his color look like? Has the blackness gone away? It's all gone. It's all washed over him. What was that? I mean, I'm not entirely sure, but I think I met the Raven Queen.

I actually met the Raven Queen. Wow. Isn't she a god? A goddess? Yeah. Yeah. Call yourself Felix. It's not that big of a deal. She told me. She told me. That should have been how you reacted when you fucking saw her. Oh my god. She told me that Zurn is Milo's father.

He's my half-brother. Which, to be fair, I always kind of expected. It would have been absurd-- So we only need to find him half alive? No, well, that's the weird thing, is that she seems to think that when we do find him, we're gonna find only some sort of half. And that I have to use my blade, her blade, to make him whole again.

She said something about him becoming- Maybe use a blade to make something whole like a knife. I don't know, but I can't do anything to him. I can't hurt him. I can't stab him. I can't do that. I can't harm my brother. I don't know, Felix. It sounds like she wants you to stab him. I know! The whole- Felix, it sounds like she wants you to take that blade and rip his life from his body. I tried to ask her what it meant to use the blade to make him whole because that doesn't make any sense.

She said that he was going to become something if I saw him again. If I saw what he became, that I had to use the blade. You think he's going to become something like what Fiona became? Gods, I hope not.

I don't know. He's alive for now, is what she said. So the raven child that they've been looking for is Marlow this whole time? Maybe. Oh, did you tell us that? Oh, do you? I mean, I... What did you do? It's hard to know. I asked her what a raven child was, and she told me that there was power in blood and lineage. And then that's when I saw the vision of Zurn, a young Zurn. What?

I don't begin to pretend to know what the Raven Fiend might mean, but there is power in blood. And though he's Xan's son, he's also Beatrice's son.

You both share blood. Right, right. You don't need to cut him, but you need to cut yourself. That's fine. I can handle anything that's thrust upon me like that. I can deal with that. If it all is just me, then fine. I just, I gotta bring Milo home. What concerns me is...

The Raven Queen said that the mist is not hers and that this this the heirloom is what's gonna get us through the mist It's gonna allow us to get through it's on the edge of her domain. Well, I I assume further into the heart of the territory that we need to go to but if if for some reason we discern all those years ago he thought that the Raven Queen was the one that gave him those powers and we've been doubting that since day one and

And now he's passed his lineage on to Milo. I mean, he's... How would that make my brother the Raven Child? If we don't think that the Raven Queen gave Xurne those powers in the first place. Something doesn't add up here. Maybe Raven in Raven Child isn't referring to the Raven Queen. We're once again only thinking of half. What do you know about the life of your mother?

Unfortunately, not much. I mean, there's nobody left. There must be a reason that Zurn picked her, of all women, to spawn with. Look, I don't mean to be crass, but Zurn certainly wasn't the only one. My mother was a prostitute. And that is my point. Why, of all women, would he pick a prostitute to carry his seed? I don't know. Unless there was something in that glove.

You must be right. I mean, look at you, Felix. You're quite powerful. Your fate touched. There is something you carry down from your mother. What it is, I couldn't begin to know. There's a reason you don't know which father it was. Does he ever give you any special attention? Do you think that he saw your mother in you? Well...

Felix.

"You said that Feather's going to get us to the Mist?" "Yes, yes, that's what she told me!" "Yes, what Mist?" "Yes, good, good, that's exactly what I was hoping for." "Okay, well that does not answer my question. What Mist?" "Mist! Mist! To the realms of death, where Vorok is planning on going with my little girl. Whatever plan she has." "And we're supposed to go to this realm of death?"

That's what she meant by the edge of her domain. Well... If... What? What good and why do they need... Wait, if they needed your brother, how long ago did they take him? It's been a very long time. I don't know exactly. Years. All I know is that he was 13 when they took him, and that seems to be a very common theme amongst all the children that have gone missing. What if they have had your brother this whole time?

Why did they need the girls to the point that they had to put holes in my castle? I don't know. Well, what I'm thinking is this. Probably wrong. Here's the final piece. We saw their planning with Fiona. All these other children are simply experiments, trial runs, practices. There's something about them. Probably something in their blood. And once they've perfected it, and I fear they're close, they will use it on my end.

That is simply just a gips. - Did you mention two halves? - Yes. Yeah, I mentioned that she was saying that there are, I didn't say the exact words 'cause I don't remember it all. Felix does, Andy does not, I'm not a superhuman. I would have recounted basically word for word what she told me about the halves, about two halves of death and life and all that. - Maybe Milo's just the one half of death and maybe Valeska,

Is the other half, or whoever this... The other child that they're looking for is... If they've had Milo this whole time, and they know what he is, but they're still looking for someone else, maybe they need two? That wouldn't surprise me. I mean, we encountered that when we fought the Golden Bray. So we just gotta find him. We just gotta find where Milo is and where they're taking these children, and I'm sure that it will become more clear. No, no, no. What's two halves? Two halves.

Two-two-halfs? Uh... Escher looks even more pale than he normally gets, and he turns to you, Felix. If that is the case, I am so sorry, my boy. What do you mean? For Oxot, my daughter's powerful reason. If there are two children, there must be made one. Oh, God. Then there's no one better than my little brother.

Maybe that's why you need the knife to make him whole again, because you have to cut it in half, because it's only half Milo. No, no, no, no. It won't come to that. It's not going to come to that. The Raven Queen said if. It could be a language thing. Like, that's your arcane focus. Maybe you need to use it intelligently to cast a spell. Right, right. Or we're going to make haste, and we're going to get there before any of this becomes a problem. And we can stop it.

Let's make haste. What I just said was just to comfort you. Almost certainly it's going to be some sort of nightmare abomination. Thank you, Caprice. You're such a weight with words. I mean, you saw what happened with Fiona. No, I'm not... You understand my meaning. I'm just trying to prepare you. Come on, let's go. Yeah, let's go. All right. Yes. If that is the case as well, then...

That makes our next step of the journey all the more clear. We must, all of us, and I would pray that you come with me, we must venture to the Amber Temple. Well, what is this place? What's that? Yeah, I don't, I don't, I mean, okay. Yeah, well, we'll go. Personally, I'm quite a fan of temples, so... We'll go wherever you tell us to go. But what is this place? It is where Ravinovia...

sought the power of the Nine-Eyed Spider. It is how she is able to harness her flesh-crafting abilities. So it is a temple to the spider? No, it is a temple to a long-forgotten, faceless god where many dark,

their aspects, their fragments were imprisoned and entombed in amber sarcophagi. - So is there gonna be something there that we can undo what she's done or some other power we can harness? - While the power is trapped in the amber, then we can do it.

Then there's still not its full strength. That means that we could perhaps stop it before it has a chance to break free entirely and fuse. Oh, you think this thing, this entity that gave up daughter power is going to break out of some kind of temple? Yes, yes. Oh, well then, yes, we should go. Yes, and I confronted its amber sarcophagus and it taunted me.

But if... with all... with now that I have friends and I'm not alone and I have learned and I have researched much more... And there's also the possibility that we can find a way to remove that power from my little girl without killing her. Yeah, that's perfect. I believe in my research since there could be the original...

Well, not the original, but the master of the Lama Temple. We can meet him and he's not reasonable, but we may be able to poke around and steal what he has. Yes, yes. Well, wait, wait, wait. He's definitely not real. We can't just talk to him and... His mind and death has not been kind to his sanity. Oh.

Let's resolve the issues with the senator. Yes. Wait, he's dead? Wait, what, he's dead? Yes. Yes, he's dead. Uh, yeah. But he... Is he the only kind of dead? He's undead. He's undead. Oh. Like I am. I am dead. Yes, that's fair. Right. Well, I don't see why we couldn't, with our magics, just resolve any issues with the senator. Right. Good point. Yes.

I do have a few tools at my disposal. He was not forthcoming with me when I first attempted to get information. But now that we are together, we're stronger. I finally have friends again. I'm no longer alone. That's right. Where is the Sanford? Friends is still a stretch. Is it far? Can we just... In the south. Yes. It is built within Mount Gagas. Past the Salenka Pass.

Do I need to do something about your sanity? What? I am perfectly sane, thank you very much. Lovely. Then speak quicker. We are on a time limit. I don't know why I keep touching my wrist like that. I just feel like it's something to do when I'm in a good time. It does, doesn't it? Do you have an itch, maybe? Like a hive or something? What? No. Are you afraid? We're going to have to go on foot. Oh, it's an ingrown hair. How long is the journey?

My tail sucks up inside of him. Ew! It scrunches up. Ew! I'm upset! It will take us... It will take... We hurry...

A little less than a day's journey. Good. You promised you would teach me some alchemy. Yes, yes. You can start doing that on the way, and maybe that'll help us. I will, yes. And we cannot... We will not be able to take the sky. The winds there will not... I do not want to do that to Persepolis. And my precious gargoyles, you understand, if anything happened to them, they're of sentimental value to me. All right. So, on foot, Amber Temple.

Stop whatever powers. Cold weather. What? Cold weather. Dress for the coldest you've ever experienced times five. Oh, so like around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Maybe 78, 79. Bundle of iris. Bundle of iris. I presume there, Irvin mentioned a, like,

where there were cold weather clothing. - Yes, Erwin had mentioned that there was a full store of cold weather gear that they could. - So very much like any '90s cartoon, I would enter the closet, come out wearing exactly what I'm wearing, but cold weather versions of it. - Yes, cold weather. - A much heavier blue coat, a heavy red hat, exactly the same thing, but cold weather snow gear version of what I normally wear.

I walk into the closet and I walk out, and instead of a grass skirt, it's like yarn. It's like plaid, or like wool, it's a wool skirt. And instead of my boar pelt, it's just like a little knit shawl, and I still have nothing else on me.

- Got it. - No, I changed my mind. I'm dressed like Spike Spiegel from that meme where he says, "Do I look like the kind of guy who has money?" - No, I actually all get, you know, if there's anything in my size, I would, you know, put whatever I think I would need on. - I'd say you're all able to get outfitted. - I like that kid from A Christmas Story. I walk out, I've got 15 jackets on. - You're like Randy. - I love it. - Can't get my arms down. - I sit down on the bench next to the entrance to the closet. - Ralphie! - Yeah, Ralphie.

You begin lacing up your snow boots. No, no, I'll just use disguise self to make myself look exactly what you would see Caprice normally wear, but has little tufts of Arctic fur around him. You know what? I think I'm going to be all right. You say cold. I think I'm going to be okay. Caprice. Yeah? Do not treat this like a game, boy. I'm not.

I've been through some crazy stuff. I've got all kinds of devilish powers. I'm genuinely resistant to cold. All right. We leave now and do not wait another day. You'll be getting there in the dead of night. Is that all fine with you? I know I'm a creature of the night. I want to make sure that you, those of you who are not nocturnal... Yes, that's fine. We can't spare a single minute. We got sprint. I agree. That'll give...

Count Von Zorovich and Ivar and the Abbot time to negotiate and air them. And meeting that would be. I'm glad I won't be present. To the Abbot temple? Before we leave this room, if we ever go back to Galtica, we survive all of this, you can come too. I don't know if you've ever been. It's a great city.

Please don't tell Lucrexia, my first cousin, what I told you guys tonight. I promise you I will never repeat those words ever again. To another living soul. Okay. Let's go. But before we go, I need to ask you if you can provide me with

A gem-encrusted bowl worth at least 1,000 gold pieces. Why do I feel like you keep asking for this? It is very important. I just, I, I, I must be me. I feel like you've just asked before. I must be imagining it. I'm sorry. Continue. We are now in a different place at a different time. Did you not ask Brutus for that before you left? I did. And? And he brought me a...

- A gem encrusted plate. - A gem encrusted plate. - Well, it was a very shallow bowl. - Worth an unquestionable amount of money. - With a single gem in it. - And some of the bowls were just crusty.

Yeah, "encrusted" really wasn't what it was. Well, actually, I think there might be something in the room that I've been staying in. Give me one moment. If you've got any ruby dust worth a thousand gold pieces, too. Yeah, if you just have like ten thousand gold pieces to line around, I mean, if you're giving them out. I'm just kidding. He comes back after ten minutes, and he's like, "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

Were you able to find the vault? Yes, let's go before the evil eyes is gone. And he hands it over and it's filled with ruby dust. It's a German cozy... Look, there's ruby dust in here. Oh, thank you. Take a look, Bob. Let's go! There's ruby dust in here. I'm holding on the ruby because she loves the way it feels, baby. Let's go.

Yeah, I guess we go. I'm getting flashbacks to Otto being horribly crushed by a door trap, but I'm ready. Let's go. At least Otto didn't die. I never told anyone about that. He just went missing. Oh, Toa. Oh, Toa. Good for you saying he didn't die. He eventually died. Toa doesn't know that. Poor Toa. Otto's the BBG of this campaign. God, could be. Well, let us make haste.

I'm bundled up. I got big furry snow boots on. I'm bundled up as well. My red hat has been replaced with a Russian red hat. It's like a, you know, like a classic Russian hat. It's still morning at this point. There's a name for it. I should know it. You left very early. You make your way as quickly as possible.

You say goodbye to Erevin, who wishes you best of luck as he transforms into a raven before you and begins to fly towards the castle. - Damn. - All right. - And he flies away amidst the flock, or what do you call a group of ravens again? - A conspiracy. - Not murder of ravens. - Conspiracy. - Or murder of crows. - Murder of crows. - It's a conspiracy of ravens. - Conspiracy of ravens, yeah.

- As you begin to make your way down from the northern ridge of mountains across the valley up to the other side, and once again, you go through the forest, the dragon flame forest,

And you make your way up into the foothills as the elevation gets steeper and steeper and more treacherous. And as every hour that passes, the air gets colder and colder. And even with your cold weather gear, it's starting to bite more and more.

And eventually, you get to the point where it's no longer just the same rocks and ravines. The landscape is more barren and is behind you. You're starting to get flashbacks to the Krasang Pass and your journey over the Serpent Spine Mountains in Grom. And...

You feel the crunch of snow beneath your boots as the wind whips up and howls as it gets colder and colder and colder, as you then see massive Mount Gakas looming high above you.

You know your destination is going to be a treacherous one. And the chill once again whips in and suddenly you start to shiver. I need everyone to make a constitution saving throw. Now I'm having PTSD! Am I exempt? Why? I have resistance to cold damage. I see you can roll an advantage. This will affect Barnabas. Well, I did the outline of the exam. I thought I'd play advantage. So with...

- You're resistant, which just means if you take damage, you take half of it. - Yeah, so if you were immune, we'll just say that it'll-- - I was gonna say, 'cause poor fucking ship got absolutely ruined by this ship. - May I roll at advantage as well? - Why? - 'Cause you're a cold weather biz?

I'm apparently resistant to cold damage as well. - Oh, that is such a- - Oh, well look at this, I'm also a mountain- - Oh, and I also don't suffer penalties from being in high altitudes if that matters. - Well that I think matters. - Oh wow! - That I would say would matter. - Yeah, well 'cause I'm mountain born and we're on a mountain. - We're gonna have to have a conversation about how cold weather works. - I got a 20, constitution? 22. - Yeah, 22. - 'Cause Felix is actually decent at constitution saving throws. - 18. - 18?

This podcast is brought to you by our Patreon. Become a patron today at patreon.com slash legends of Avantris and gain access to tons of exclusive perks including a monthly movie night and a weekly Patreon exclusive campaign set on the high seas.

Shroud over Saltmarsh. You can also go to thecrookedmoon.com to pick up your own copy of our first published supplement, The Crooked Moon, a folk horror tome for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. And don't forget to snag all the extra goodies like dice, miniatures, plushies, a tarot deck, and more. Thank you!

- Let me just, can you have Lufty's thing? 'Cause I wanna roll for her. I'll be rolling for her. Or someone, if one of you guys wants to roll for her. - I mean, yeah. - What's her con check? - Yeah, it's right here. - So I'll roll and I'll roll for her die.

Sorry. That guy pops up and rolls five and five. 12, that's enough. For now. For now. And so what we'll say is that Lufti is going to be rolling, and she'll just be miserable and silent the entire time, but if she's suffering exhaustion, then that'll be something you'll have to deal with. But we'll help her. Someone can carry her and all of us. Exactly, exactly. Ah!

So, Asher... Literally. Asher looks back at all of you and he says, It's only going to get far, far worse. As you continue and you make your way, trudging through the snow, and there is a path that is not very heavily trodden.

As you make your way and you walk for another good amount of time, as you stop and you see, you see that there is, there's cliffs really all around you and you see as the mountains go up on either side and you see this, this sheer white of a sheet of ice, a frozen waterfall.

It seems. And you see a glint behind it, a glint of something. As you pass, you see that there's a, what looks like a frozen, what would have been a frozen river or a stream that who knows the last time it actually ran. What do you do? I follow Escher and I continue on our path and I don't get distracted by glinting baubles and trinkets. Oh, but I do. It looks like diamonds. That's all. I just get distracted by it and I keep going. Ooh.

It's at least beautiful. What is it? It's a waterfall. Frozen. No, but what's the glint behind the waterfall? Probably the ice. I mean, it could be just light refracting off of the frozen water. Oh, does it actually look like something...

- Back there? - Yes. - Well, I'll go over and see, and I'll use my cat's claws to climb along the ice and see if I can climb behind the water bottle. - Do you want to be cursed? 'Cause this is how you become cursed. - Yeah, absolutely. I went to back, see, it's a bottle, and it looks like it's worth money. - As you manage to make your way over, and you actually see that the water, the sheet of water in front of it does seem to be blocking what looks like some sort of outcropping or cave.

behind this waterfall. Oh, okay, I get what you're describing. I was confused. And you see that there's actually a glint of red. Yeah, no, we should... Well, we should clearly burn this waterfall to get the water flowing and walk in there and find out what that glint of red is. I mean, sure, I can... Do we really have time for this? Do you think it's important? Well, it might be. All right, stand back. I mean, what do you think's in there? Before we can finish, I cast Fireball on the waterfall. Oh. Pssst.

You... Iris... That was great. Iris, at your command, Felix, shoots a tiny bead and it bursts and you feel the warmth momentarily. It actually does a good job and delays this oncoming chill a little bit more as it bursts and surrounds you and immediately all of the ice...

crashes down and completely melts, and you see a small cave behind this waterfall. I would walk up to Iris and say, "Shall we?" Yes, of course. I'll lead the way. And I would follow her. You do that, and it doesn't take you very long. It's a very shallow cave, and you see that sitting at the center of the space is a skull. It is the skull of a goat.

And it has one empty socket of an eye, and the other seems to have what looks like a Rubian socket.

A gem of about this size, but there's a large crack down the center. Unfortunately, it's damaged. We could still do something with it. It could be useful. We could ground it up and turn it into a skull. Time out. Don't you think that it's weird that it's in a skull in a cave? I've seen many things in my day at this point, and this is...

the far less unusual of the things. - I don't know, I mean, from the studies that I've done, just about the messed up things that some wizards will do, I'm just saying, it just falls, I think it falls right in line with the things that we've seen. - We're on our way to, from what Escher tells us, some sort of terrifyingly evil temple.

Maybe this was a lost artifact, and by returning it, we may be able to give it to Gracie. What I will say is we now know that it is here. If we find that we need it, we can backtrack and procure it. Is Escher in the cave with us? He's standing outside. Escher! Yes? Is there any chance that there would be some lost artifact that we might want to return to the temple on our way there? Like a goat with a ruby eye.

A skull. A goat skull. Yeah, it's like a skull. A goat skull with a ruby eye. Cracked ruby in it. It's probably not worth much. It's severely damaged. Can you just come here and take a look at it so I can do it? Yes, yes, yes. Come on. Thank you. This looks strange. That's what I said. That's what we said. I didn't say that. I said it looked more normal than most things. Does it look evil? Should we dig it? It looks like...

Choker around my first beloved. The gem that was in her neck. Oh, the gem. Well, I mean, what does that mean? I don't understand. It means just a ruby, right? But it is impossible that goat skull. I know that there was dreams of a goat.

Well, I mean, the werewolves worshipped a goat, so maybe they just worshipped goats around here. Maybe like an ancient history, the people used to worship goats, and so it's not their own reason at all. This is what I think it is. The one who put this here is long dead. Unfortunately, mostly forgotten. We do not need to return this, but I don't think that it can do any harm to take. For what purpose, I would not know.

Well, I certainly won't stop anyone. I'm not really interested in it. No, it's broken. It's useless to me. But at least we know what it is. It's not something that's going to sneak up on us in the evening. I hope not. Maybe, uh, yeah, keep your eye out for, uh, evil-eyed goats or something. Sure. Well, let's just continue then. Yeah, we gotta go. We can't mess around anymore.

The wind chills you as you leave the cave. Everyone make a constitution saving throw. Water? Surprise! Natural 20. 24. Nice. So what'd you get, like a 44? 24? 27. It's the skills. I know.

I also got 24. Loofty got 10. Oofta. And I got a 4. Double oofta. The ladies take a level of exhaustion as the chill absolutely rocks them to the core. It doesn't really matter until the fourth or fifth level. As you feel the intense chill, as your... it saps your energy. You continue onward.

As the sun is hanging lower, starting to go behind the mountain peaks now, some night has fallen, it's getting even colder. As you approach, suddenly the wind picks up and snow starts to fall. As what you hope is a temporary flurry

It's blasting you as you trudge your way through the storm. It never ends. And suddenly, you see ahead of you, snow start to fall, and more about like a foot of snow in your path. And you look up, and you hear as it echoes through this place. And you see just a black shape through the snowstorm. What do you all do?

Were those hooves? Yes. How far off does it appear? It seems to be above you, probably a good 20, 30 feet. That's not very far. We can't make out what it is. It's just a black shape, and then suddenly disappears in the blizzard. Yeah, sure. What kind of animals are up here hunting? I do not know. I've never encountered any.

Wildlife here. I think we should keep moving, just we should be aware and be prepared to defend ourselves. Maybe it's a yeti? What? From Mogra Kai all the way up here? Why not? I mean they live in mountains. The one we saw lived in the mountains. That's fine. You know what? You're right. I didn't mean to say what I hear. You hear it on the other side of the path that you're walking through. I'm sorry I snapped at you. And it echoes through. It's very cold out here. Is it a yeti with hooves?

What would the Yeti lose, Felix? I don't know if the Yeti's half-loves Toa. I would be trying to, like, you know, I would press the digitate flame from my hand to try to just, like, light up and see if I can see better and, like, create some points. This is a perception check for me. Finally failed one.

Very low. Let me check, but probably very low. Yeah, nice. Snow falls down as you hear... As you then hear... This is my gimmick game. A strange...

that sounds guttural and it echoes through and more snow falls in. You look up and you just see this black shape and it looks massive. It's fine. It's just a goat, right? That's all that was. It was just a goat. I've never seen a goat. Um, okay. Well, that's what they sound like. You've never seen a goat? You've never seen a goat? I mean, we should just keep moving. We should just...

Continue advancement. I see a goat. There was some in the center that we passed, I think. We went under that bar. I think there were at least like three goats. Do you remember that orc that you turned into a gnome? Yeah. A halfling or whatever he was. He was riding a goat. Oh, those things aren't horrifying at all. That's what I'm saying. It was just a goat. I think we're okay. We should just keep moving. It's very small. Well, that one sounds kind of big, but we should just keep moving. How big? It's fine. We can handle the goat. It's like that jet, really. It's as big as the skull we saw in that waterfall.

Escher-- Can you keep leading the way? Almost in your avalanche of snow-- I'm freezing, I'm very cold. --and you just see this looming black shape and then one more time it's got an as it echoes through and you-- and Escher looks up and says, "I think we should be going." Yes, go, go, let's lead the way, okay? Yes, please, I'm very cold. You hustle and everyone, the chill sets in.

Lufti, come on. You're very quiet. Look, we're both very cold. Okay, 17. Oh, are we doing this again? Oh, we're doing it again? 21. I think I'll be alright. 17. 22. Lufti got 15. Okay, passes. And I got 14. Okay, but all those passes. Wow. Okay. Okay.

Alright, then. You pursue onwards, and you continue to go and trudge, and you're making good ground. And it's at this point where it's very clearly the last light of day, as dusk is setting in, and you just see the oranges in the sky through the snowstorm that has not let up. And although starting to very slowly, you hope, you pray, dissipate. And who's in the lead?

- And then I myself. - Besides. - You see Esher, he's walking on top of the snow. - I would probably be behind him, but you know. Yeah, if you wanna be ahead of me, that's fine. I'd be bugging him about alchemy nonstop. I wouldn't stop talking about alchemy. - Okay, oh yeah. - I think you wanna learn that.

I would be in the back keeping an eye on everyone. On the go. Because I'm pretty... I think it's like a yeti goat. I'd be keeping an eye on Lufty and Iris, seeing that they're cold, and given that I'm tolerating it pretty okay. Make a perception check for me. I'll say actually straight. Oh, that's pretty good. Not bad. Skills, eh? Pretty good. 23.

23. Through the snowstorm, you think you hear something. And you're with the ladies and you feel like you hear something again. But it's been a while since you've been walking. And you turn around and through the blizzard, you see just for a moment what looks like the head of a massive black goat with red eyes watching you leave.

huge curved horns as then suddenly disappears into the snowstorm again. Tela. Turn around. Turn around. I can't. I'm too close. What's wrong? What's the matter, Tela? The goat yeti or as I like to call him, a goatie is right behind us. I look to where he's pointing. He's gone. He's gross. Completely gone. There's nothing dead. There's not even a shape. I hold my flame up higher. I don't see anything, Tela.

Are you sure? I'm pretty sure the goatee's right there. Did it have ruby eyes? Yes, it had big red eyes. It has a big black goat head. Look, I believe you. I'm just saying I don't see it now. And so I'm so cold, I'm going to need to be carried the rest of the way. All right, of course, of course. Oh, thank you, Joe. And I'll pick Iris on it. Your chest is so cold and warm at the same time. You do that.

And... I need to roll, you guys are both in the front. Anyway, because you kind of turn back a bit to talk to Toa. Caprice, you feel something as you're trudging through the snow, catch your boot. I need to make a dexterity saving throw. Or die. And you tumble forward. That's it, no, you just roll for your dexterity sheet. You literally just die. It's all over if you fail this. Yeah.

You have to pass this or you slide on the ice and you plummet off the side of a cliff. - You're out of the campaign. - And you're completely just out. - And now that you're using D&D Beyond, you have to break your phone. - Yep. - Oh, sorry, you're out of the campaign. - And get a new phone. - You're out of the campaign. - Okay, so I accidentally pull my foot off and it sluices my ACL right out of the back of my hand.

- I get a 28. - You manage to catch yourself, but as you look down to see what caught your foot, you see a face looking up at you. - Oh my God. - It looks to be like a human with eyes peeled open and just completely blue. As you see what looks like a human corpse staring up at you completely frozen solid.

We got a body here, guys. What? Yeti goats aside, there is in fact what appears to be a dead person right under my feet. I would turn from toe and run to Caprice and hold the flame down near the fire, or near the snow. I'll start to, with the illumination, start to move the snow farther away from the face and see if I can sort of uncover the body a little bit.

You uncover the body and you start to do that and you see what looks like a human male, relatively young, in what looks like leathers of adventuring gear and your hand hits another thing and you scrape and you move the snow off of the face of a young woman. As you then begin to dig, as you uncover five bodies in total, completely frozen bodies,

very clearly huddling together for warmth in their final moments. All human variety? You actually know. You manage to find a... What is a tiefling? You find two humans, an elf, a dwarf, and a half. And they... They seem to be... have been very unprepared for the trip. The clothing that they are wearing, not nearly heavy enough.

as their final moments very clearly, just desperate attempt for warmth. Do I get a sense that they've been here for long? Why don't you make an intelligence check? That's where I am. Basically average. Fine.

Man, I'm rolling pretty good. 17. 17. You get the sense that it's been a very long time. And you... I would say that as you're uncovering them, you actually see that they had various climbing gear, and they seem to be prepared. There's actually... You find five vials of red liquid on them.

as well. Oh. And, but they seem to have perished on their journey to the Amber Cup. Well, as unfortunate as this is, this is pretty treacherous and not surprising. I think these are healing potions. Sure. I'll pass that. I'll pass that five out to the crafter. They certainly can't use them. Do they appear to be healing potions? Yes. Do these work on you? What kind? They are greater.

Do these work on you, Escher? Yes, of course. I didn't know if they were... You can take them. I can make my own. Maybe I'll give you stuff. It looks like a group was seeking the secrets of the Amber Temple without being prepared. You're lucky you have a guide. As you leave the adventuring party that did not make it, Escher, he actually starts to shiver a little bit as he says, well...

Night is approaching faster than I thought, but perhaps we can take refuge with the barbarians that live in a village along our way. They could always make us a temple. That's a brilliant idea. I could go for a warm bath right about now. Yes, the lovely thing about it is the temperature is whatever I'd really like it to be. Moderate, not too warm, not too hot, not too cold. Let's try to make more ground. I have a still energy and life in me yet.

And the chill sets in even more constitution saving throw for me, everybody. Would you say we're about an hour away, or where are we? We are approaching, but... I got another constitution saving throw. I got a 17 again. I rolled all my high ones early. 17. Do we know what the DC is? No. We know that 15 was good enough last time. So I'm hoping a 17 is good enough this time.

Kelsey got a 17. Beautiful. And I got a natural 20. Beautiful. Okay. So that makes it a 22. Or 14 or below. 24. Okay. 23. You manage to shrug off the cult as you proceed onward. And you make your way and you actually hear the echoing roar of a river.

as the snowstorm starts to dissipate, night fully sets in. And Escher seems a little bit more comfortable, he's no longer kind of hiding beneath his coat in order to stay out of the very dim sunlight in this cloudy day. As you turn around the pass, and you see a huge stone bridge that spans this river, and Escher looks and says, "Aside the pass, we are getting closer."

We should be able to make it before it gets too unreasonably late. And he takes a few steps forward, and suddenly you see a massive shadow cover the bridge. Hmm. As you hear a... It's probably a friend. A massive, reverberating shriek. Sounds like an eagle. Oh.

What do you do? I have never seen an eagle before. As it echoes, as you just see a massive, just absolutely colossal shadow. Do we have any kind of cover? I know we're close to the past. You see that these are outcroppings. There are some large rocks that are covered in snow. I would immediately try to...

find some sort of cover, at least under a rock or something, and I would motion to the rest, like, "We have to get a cover, just in case!" "Of course!" "Oh, just a bird, I'm glad." I pull out my pan crossbow and I get down into the snow and shuffle over towards Felix, for his command. Okay, all those doing it, make a stealth check, please. Aww yeah! As you see a massive-- Give me a point for lifting. Hot fire. A massive burp.

that looks to be like a brown eagle of just this unfathomable size, that despite the incredibly intense howling winds, with its massive wings, it is very easily able to fly over. 19. As it flies. 19 for you. 22 for me, and...

Oh, wait, no, this is ability check, right? Yeah. Yes. Okay, so we're both disadvantaged. Yeah. Okay, well, so, sorry, Lifty. Lifty got a seven, and I got 13 plus nine. That d20 cannot roll higher than a five. This one? Yeah. I will pick that one. I got a 22. 26. 26? Yeah. Awesome. You're all able to...

You're all able to dive behind as you then poke out and you see a rock, an ROC. You dive behind a rock to dodge a rock, and this colossal bird flies over and you see streaks of white in its plumage. It is actually incredibly majestic.

But it looks and surveys the land hungrily as it passes over the, uh, uh, Salenka Pass and the huge stone bridge with the statues, you see statues of knights and strange vulture-looking creatures on either side, and a watchtower across the, the, the ravine. As it flies over, and you breathe out a sigh of relief, and then you see Lufty shivering,

And she almost kind of nods off asleep and tumbles out into the snow. And with that, she pushes a small rock free and it rolls and gathers speed and clacks and echoes through. Escher crouches down and says, "What have you done?"

Suddenly you hear the flapping of colossal wings turn back around and fly. I'm going to cast Thaumaturgy and make the sound of like, um...

the sound of laughter. Dude, that kind of noise, right? With Thaumaturgy. - Should be able to. - If you could do Ruby Goat, that'd be like-- - I think it's just like a minor illusion style thing too. - Yeah. - I would read it. - Sorry, let me read it, 'cause I think-- - I know like echoing or volumizing is one, but I think you can also change voice. - Thaumaturgy is delicious. - Yeah, you can-- - You create an instantaneous sound that originates from a point of your choice.

So I am going to make the sound of some kind of like wounded creature or something off in the opposite direction. Oh, okay. Make a deception check for me, please. What's the range? It's just that I can within range. Oh, I guess 30 feet.

So, within 30 feet of us, but in a place that it wouldn't be looking in the color direction. And I'll roll an insight here. Rock insight. Roll paper. And you said deception? Alyssa says I shouldn't be doing this.

Yeah, so six. Oh boy. No, no, an eight. It's a Valiant effort. Yeah. Well, I'm disadvantaged. As you all crouch down, as you do, you grab her and pull her in.

and you all duck, and you can't even see the rock anymore. You're all so tucked in. As you hear a wounded animal, as the rock seems to divert course from the area that you're in and go towards the bridge, as it seems to turn towards its right as it flies over, and you don't hear it, and you just hear the flapping of wings, and then you hear the shaking of stone,

If a heavy weight has landed on the bridge, suddenly everything goes a little bit more quiet. You don't even hear the howling of wind. And then you hear a voice. You all look cold.

You seek secrets the nature of which you do not understand. Capriccio, you may think yourself clever, but your new associate is not as clever as he thinks he is.

All of your associates think they can outsmart me, as do you. But in the end, you require my aid. I feel the no coming from Felix and the silence all around me. I know I'm stuck here,

deep down into the trench that is this like hiding spot that we've made shit for ourselves yeah lufty and iris and everyone by my side do i get a sense that i could shimmy armory crawl away from them to try to get as far away from my group as possible i'm saying the rock isn't that big well the rock is big the rock the rock that you're behind is not

Would we recognize this voice from the visions that we had? Yes, absolutely. You would recognize this voice immediately. But only one of us knows its name. Yes. Yeah, we've never heard it. But we do know the voice. Yes. So I'd be sweating. Even though it's cold, I would be sweating in pale. And you'll hear the voice boom out again. Where Caprice, your traitorous companion, had failed you, I will not fail.

You seek aid. Felix, your brother's fate is truly tragic. I would just, I would clutch on Tatea. I would go even more pale. And I would hold on to Tatea. You'd feel my hand on your shoulder as well. Your queen cannot save him. Only I. Only I. Only I.

I'm going to look into Felix's eyes and be like, do you think? Maybe? And I would just be like, no. No. I'm terrified. I am truly terrified. Say my name thrice. And you hear a and shake. You hear the flapping of wings as you see a rock take off from

with dark feathers and six massive red eyes. And as it flies away, you blink, and suddenly you just see a hungry brown rock as it flies away and lets out one more cry and disappears out of sight.

Oh, gods. Oh, gods. No. That was him. That was the thing. Yeah. That was it. That was the thing. Why were you all terrified? I will tell you the story, Isher, but it is not one for the top of this mountain. Did you hear the voice? Hear what? What voice? You didn't hear... Hear what? Oh, gods. Oh, gods.

Oh, gods. We probably shouldn't mention it then. It's fine. Just sounded like a shared nightmare we have. We have to get cover first. We can't stay here. Yeah, either the temple or the temple. Is the temple gonna fit here? Across the pass. If we can get across the pass, how much farther do we have to go? Well, it's not that much longer. We'll pass halfway if we go across the length of pass. Only half?

We can take shelter, we can get assistance from the barbarians. Okay, okay, across the pass, and then we find shelter, and find a place to put up the temple. All right? Let's do it. We have to move, we can't stay here. And then we can explain everything. It's just a rock, it's just a hungry... We can explain everything once we get safety. Perhaps it heard of the goat. It's just hunting it. Astrid, please, just lead the way. All right. Between, um...

Luvdy and Iris, who's the most exhausted? We're both just one level of exhausted. Just one level of exhaustion. I will quickly turn and I'll be like, I'm really looking forward to that temple, all right? Just in case, and I touch you for but a moment on the shoulder, I will cast Enhance Ability.

And I will, for an hour, you gain 2d6 temporary hit points and bears endurance, which gives you advantage on constitution checks. Wow! There you go. So, seven. THP. I'm sorry, I couldn't come up with a clever song. That voice scares the shit out of me. Asher says, can you go right to what the fuck?

as he steps and you see him standing, looking across the bridge. You can't see, you just see his profile as he just stares in his mouth as it gave. What do you see? Can you hurry me over there? I'm being so dramatic. I pick up Iris under the arms. I take her out. We'll hurry over. You step out from behind the rock as the rock leaves. A lot of rocks. And you see the massive stone bridge ahead of you.

And through the snow, you see the shock of black as you see massive black feathers arranged in a pattern that spells out the same word three times. Pazuzu. Pazuzu. Pazuzu. I would see this.

And I guess having read it, unfortunately, it's now in my brain. I would immediately run at it and start kicking at it, like in the snow, trying to dislodge it and move it. Don't look at us or no, no. And like trying to disrupt it and kick the feathers and move them and disrupt it as much as possible. Awesome.

- What's going on? - Do they move? Like, am I able to? - Yes, and you see as you kick, one gets caught in the wind and flies away. And you actually, as you're running to get the others, a massive gale howls through this wind tunnel of this pass. And it almost threatens to knock you off as it blasts the rest of the feathers away.

- And I need everyone to make a constitution saving throw. - Come on, baby, I need a high run this time. Come on, I've rolled all high ones, don't fail me now. - 23. - Yes, 23 as well. - 21, 15 is the DC now. - Lifty got 18. - Okay. - And I got 10, so I'm exhausted, level 10. - Oh no.

Oh no, it gets real bad at two and three. Well, good thing I'm carrying her. But you're carrying me, so. Oh, that's right, that's right. So the next one, that's not gonna help me. You feel the chill. Iris, you're used, you were born, although you've experienced colder weather, you're used to, you were born in the desert. And this is, you are so glad for Toa. Oh, it's a bit tense. It's 85. I'm going to need a light sweater.

What? You really should have picked better. What is Pazuzu? Stop! No! Not again! No! No more! If you say that two more times, I'm telling you that we're all in the deepest shit that I don't care what you've seen in your whole long life. I want you to listen to me. You're not stupid. A creature that is so determined to get you to say its name three times, but has not harmed you yet. What does that tell you? It has no power until we give it to it.

Do not say its name. Do not give it power. Whatever it promises that it can do, if it could, it would have done it already. She's right. We can explain everything once we get to safety. But for now, I need you to forget that name. Pretend like you never saw it. And don't ever, ever, ever say it again. And if you do say it again, you will not be able to call us friends. And we will not help you with your culture.

He slowly nods. "Alright. I don't know why this is happening now, here." "And we will explain it in the temple. Whatever that creature is, it is getting desperate." "Alright. I trust you. Let us continue." Quickly! Not too much longer. You make your way through the, uh, through the, uh, across the bridge, and, uh, you see

as there is an arch overhead, and Esher points it out, and you can see that there's actually glowing green through underneath the arch. And he says, "We have to go around. Magical fire. It's where I got the idea for my own castle." Ooh, well, thank you for warning. "Are you ready to climb?"

Yeah, of course. I'm alright, I did. Probably very slow, but yes, I can do it. I think you're alright. No, no, just... Just... Not on my back.

Well, all right, then, if you insist. Can you put her in, like, a baby bjorn? I'm on the rope. This is the best I can do. I'll just tie the iris to my neck. Do you have a studio diaper? I can't even begin to understand what that is. Oh, I forgot to wear mine. That's the problem. It sucks that you wore your white pants. I mean, your yellow pants. Okay.

If anyone feels like they can't climb, I can always turn them into a goat. No? We thank you. All right. I appreciate it. I'll be all right. Okay. Everyone make an athletics check. Who's climbing? I am not a viking at that, but that's okay. No, it was not acrobatics. 11. No. I got 11. 20. Damn, I wish it was acrobatics.

- Acrobatics is where the money is, is what I always say. - Agreed. - Wait, so it's athletics or acrobatics? - Athletics. - Oh, I think you got a 14. - 14. - Versus a 23. - Natural 20 plus 10, so 30. - As you're all climbing, you make it over and you make it to the top and then a massive gale of wind, once again, blows through. As you see Felix, Felix, you lose your grip.

on the top of this arch, and you are immediately blasted, and you slip, and you begin to fall off of Salenka Pass. There's a spell for that. How far away was the top of the cliff? I mean, you're just starting to fall now, and you're probably about, like, ten feet down. Yes, I'm saying, like, were we, like, right there? Oh, no, we're at the top of the arch of the bridge. So you're making your way from the arch on the bridge. Okay, so just so I understand...

We were climbing what? You were climbing basically an arch where the green flame shoots down. Oh, you were bridge? We're going up and over the bridge. We're climbing over the bridge. How long is the bridge? Like how long across? Yeah! I think it's like... I know Pythagoras is a dick, so like that's kind of my question. If we're like about the midpoint, you said, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll say it's like another 100 feet.

Okay, I just Dimension Door to the other side. Okay, you Dimension Door. As I'm falling, I turn out my dagger. Felix, you got it? And you blink. And you see Felix appear on the other side. In the snow. In the snow. Like away from the bridge. You tumble down forward, holding your dagger. That's going to cost me a fourth, but hey, you know what? Got to use them or lose them, I would say. Yep, use them or lose them. As you continue onward. There's a spell for that. And as it gets colder, as you get higher and higher,

as it chills you to the bone. And suddenly, you make your way in relative quiet, as you then see what almost looks like a...

a sea of, like a shaggy black carpet in the snow ahead of you and almost like with all sorts of strands sticking up. As Escher stops and says, "I don't recall this being here last time I made my way, but it has been quite a while." It's like actual fur. It looks like it from, it's poking up from the snow.

All sorts of black little, like, points. I told you they were yetis! I'm pretty sure that's a yeti, maybe a dead one. I mean, it could be just a dead wolf. Then I guess it's a deadie. Could be- A deadie! That's very accurate. It could be a goat, a wolf, anything. I mean, it's just, it's probably just a dead animal. Alright, I'll go check it out. Why? It's dead.

It's totally blocking your path. Okay, go check it out. I walk forward away from the group and I go and I look and I like give it a push with my laced shoe boots. You push it and you feel something hard and you kick it up what looks like the corpse of a large spider. As it's completely frozen solid and you see that it was actually just eight legs sticking up on its back as it then falls on top of the snow.

- No worries, everybody. It's just a giant spider. It's just a spider that we confused with a carpet because it's so huge. Its hair is a nightmare size. - No, it's not its hair. Those are legs and you see that there's similar things. There's probably hundreds of thousands of these.

I'm sorry, I... I have bad news. I was wrong. It's worse than I realized. It's infinitely worse than I initially assessed. It's like 500 tumbleweeds, but instead of tumbleweeds, it's all spiders. It's all spiders. They're like this big. Okay, okay. So like, manageable. Yeah. Oh! And we're sure that they're dead? Oh, I mean...

I pick one up and I throw one at Felix like a snowball. I scream like a small girl.

And you see it coming towards you. I try to get out of the way. That's fine. It's not hard. I just try to, like, it's dead. It's definitely dead. It's dead. I hit. I cast Shield. No. Well, that's fine. We just have to hurry. We have to hurry through it. They're all dead. It's fine. Why would there be a bunch of dead spiders right here and nowhere else? I mean, it's pretty cold. Who knows what came through us? No storm, anything. This seems kind of weird.

Yeah, I feel like for my ability to picture this scenario, I'm really going to need you to replicate the sound of the scream. Okay. Um...

- Otherwise. - Oh god, Fenix! You okay? - I check in. - I'm sorry. - Are you turning inky midnought again? - No, I just, I don't like spiders. I don't like horrible things. - Thank you, Andy. - Banshees, werewolves.

But something about spiders really freaks me out. They're all balled up and in like a field. It's like a dead carpet from the 70s. It isn't even the 70s yet. I'm kidding. That's prime. Bell-bottom Bandras is ready to go. I can take a smell of grease. Escher seems to be a lot more alarmed than you are.

There should not be spiders here. Why not? Do spiders not like cold? No, they should not. Why? They couldn't get close to this far. Well, the...

We should ask the natives that live in the barbarian village is close. Well, let's push through. We're almost there, right? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, of course, of course. We can regroup and reassess when we get there. Yes, of course. And the wind... I'm freezing. The wind chills and you make a conscious saving throw again. Come on! One more! 16 now is the DC. Natural 20. Oh, I finally fucked it up. I fail.

Because you hit me with a... Oh no. 16. 16. 16. 23 for Luffy. Because Caprice hit me with a spider, now I'm soaked through my clothes. And 19 for me. Okay. Snow got on my collar. I'm freezing now.

If only you had wished that you really wanted to pee in the cold water. Snow. Maybe if I pee, I'm certainly no survival ranger. I just always wanted to pee in the snow. If only, you know.

And you see that the pass continues around to the left, but off to the right, there's a very narrow path that you could walk up around. Escher points you in that direction. And yes, the village is right over here. They are good. These are the original...

peoples of this valley. They are good people. They will trade, but we have much to give them. I'm very cold. They will be able to warm us up. You mentioned it. Me too. He climbs over and you're able to see what looks like a village built into the side of this mountain with about a dozen huts.

However, the snow, there's no smoke coming from any of the buildings and they all seem to be, there's feet of snow all surrounding them. And Escher stops and says, this isn't right. I'm still very cold. Did something happen to them? They were here last time I came through. How long has it been? It's been more than a decade. Oh no. Are they all dead? Their lease might be up.

Yeah, maybe it's got too cold and they moved. We should... I mean, at the very least, we can take shelter if they're empty. Yeah. Yes. It's the least we can do. We'll just... Iris can build a temple on what remains of the village. Yeah, I keep forgetting she can do that. I'm sorry. I would much rather sleep in my temple than in one of these small cabins. That'll be plan A. Let's just make sure that everybody's okay first, or if there's anybody even here.

We're beyond the tumble spider field. Yeah, you just walk through it pretty easily. So I'll start to walk forward with the rest of the group and see if we can maybe look into some of the windows or see if there are any... You are able to make your way and you see that all the doors are shut and you're able to pull one open with some effort as you push against the snow.

And it's here you see an absolutely horrific scene. Stuneabout is strands of massive webbing, and you see in this first building four corpses of humans that might have been large but frozen in their tombs. They look completely hollow, as if they've been just completely drained of flesh and fluid.

As their eyes look out in absolute terror, as you see, some of them are half cocooned and webbing, and there are very clearly two massive... or two bite marks, two teeth marks on each one's neck. I think we might be in danger here. I agree.

"Did this happen to everyone?" I'm gonna run to the next building and rip the door off. "Toleweed, be careful!" "Don't run too fast, I'm freezing!" You open another. "Careful, Toleweed!" You see this one where there was-- You walk into the room and you hit my head on the-- "Fuck, I got the fucking door to! I'm bent down more, I'm on your back!" You see where every single hut-- you see that there's some that were probably trying to flee that are on their stomachs.

toward the back of the village, you find men, women, children, all completely drained of all of their internal fluids and juices. I think I know what this is, Toa. What is it? A chupacabra. No, I think it's all these spiders. Oh. Well, you did hit my head pretty hard on the doorframe. I didn't mean to, I'm sorry, I forgot you were on my back. I got very excited. They're all dead!

Felix! Caprice! They're all dead! This can't be good. This can't be good at all. I turn to Escher. Is this the doing of your daughter? All signs point to yes, which means that she came back to the Amber Temple after she got her power after I last visited. What does that mean? That we may not find it in the stage Escher had hoped we would. We could be too late. Yes.

We could be. Do we stay the night, or do we proceed? We proceed. I say we proceed. I do not want to linger here as the wind whips Anne over this. But we are going to need to find some way to warm ourselves up. And so, my hope is if we make my temple, we will not have it later, but we can use it to warm ourselves up for an hour.

And then we can proceed for the next half of our journey. I think that's a good idea, but if we want to save it, I can make a fire. We just need fuel. If we don't think we can do that, then we can go with your plan. I just... If you want to save... I can make a multitude of horrifying stale bread. Good.

I like the fire idea, and there's a field of fuel behind us. I just think that if we get into a real bad situation, we might want to save the temple.

I think you're right, and it would take an hour to cast, and by that point, I think we should... I think burning these huts and putting these people to rest and warming up at the same time... This would be a kindness. Toa, help me with this one over here, as he grabs the one that isn't in the hut, and... Bring the bodies to me. We will not burn them for fuel. We will burn them for rest.

Yes. I'll check those buildings over there. And so while everyone else is burning the building for fuel, I'll work with, I'm assuming, Escher and Toa to essentially create a pyre for all of the bodies and do funerary rites. I would work with Caprice.

to build a place where we could build a campfire, whether it be in one of the ramshackle houses or just outside of it. - I say you get the sense that you could probably burn, like, put some stuff in and burn the entire thing. - He and I would be working on that. - And I would say it doesn't take very long once all of the burn, you're able to just light this whole, you find the hut that probably has the most,

And I would just be casting fire spells. It eventually melts away the ice and all of that. Keep it working. And then finally it catches fire and then goes up and you get a massive blazing fire. It ignites and you finally feel yourself warm up. And that will affect the DC as you all roll right now for the chill. As...

you are able to warm up and you're going to roll one more as it settles in. I got a 15. Nice. Lufty Guard, a 10. Oh, I rolled disadvantage because I am exalted.

Oh, no, that's only for ability checks. This is a saving throw. So it's not until three that you have to worry about that. I'm good. I got a... I believe that's a... Yeah, that's 16. 16 plus... I got a 19. That's enough. Lufty fails and went back four. The DC was 12. As you warm yourselves up,

So Lufty is still chill, she's not able to get warm by this fire. As the chill sets in, you're able to take the time, you burn the bodies. I got a 13. 13, that's enough. Oh. With the warmth that you now experience... We've got a bonfire. Because you had decided to get a bonfire. So what happens to me? You're fine, you got a 16+. Fire blows, yeah.

But it doesn't affect the level of exhaustion I'm at. No, no, no, no, no, no. That's what it takes a long rest to get rid of one and there are less restoration, I believe. And so you're all able to warm up, though, and you still feel the chill, but it is not nearly setting in as hard as you managed to warm yourself up after probably about 20 minutes. Yeah, sure. We got...

We've got a long way to go. We're not far. Okay. We're not far. We're not far. That means that what we talked to you about, keep your mouth shut on that. I will tell you the story when the time comes.

And I will use two charges of Lesser Restoration for my staff to get Lifty and I down to just one level of exhaustion so that we're not... Perfect. You feel the warmth from the fire on the outside and the warmth of your god on the inside as you're starting to warm up a little bit. Some of your strength is starting to return. And with that, you make your way, and there's not much as you trudge. I'm going to need you to roll one more time. Okay.

as you trudge through and you turn around one more bend. - Oh no, 14. - Lufty got a natural 20. - Nice. - 13 is the DC amount. - Oh baby, I made it. - 14. - I got an 11, so I'm gonna go back up to two. - 20. Dirty, dirty 20. - 23. - Damn. - And as you make your way, it is now approaching the dead of night.

But you finally see it in the moonlight, as the wind whips the snow around. You see what looks like a massive stone face, what can only be described as a huge stone temple. A large door flanked by pillars and statues of hooded figures, as

I'm not sure why it's called the Amber Temple, except because it does not seem to bear anything beyond just gray stone. And Escher stops as he lets out a sigh and he says, "We finally made it. Let us go inside." Yes, please, I'm freezing. Yeah.

You all make your way up. It has to be at least 70 degrees out here. You clear away the snow as the chill is setting in. You enter. Escher heaves the door open. It's a sturdy stone. And you all enter, and it heaves it shut and smashes closed with a loud reverberating thud. And I change the music to Andalusian Frosty.

It's not that much warmer in here. It is not that much warmer. You're out of the wind chill, which is important. You're out of the wetness of the snow, which settles down. It is still very cold, though. It smells like burnt lizard. It does smell like burnt lizard. Does it smell like bones?

Ez. You enter. I'm hungry. We can continue. Oh, shit! Yes! Let's go! Do we not have the OGs?

- Oh God, no. - Yeah, we threw all that away. - That would've been awesome. - That would've been like, it's like twice the torture. - I know, but... - That would've been awesome. - My heart. - I mean, hey, it was- - I know it's something you can't like- - It's a little bit creased. - Right, you can't hang onto it. It's like, it just takes up space. - I mean, obviously it could be reprinted. - Yeah, no, that's a lot. That's a lot of effort.

You enter the-- and this is entirely accurate, because, for the reasons that you now know, is Escher closes the door behind them. And it's incredibly dark. Does anyone have light?

Yes. Well, yeah, I mean, I would just create a little bit of fire. You create a fire. You know, if you want to help me create light, because I don't have much. I'm cold. Okay. I just create fire. The flame of a torch as it reverberates, and you see rubble on either side of you. I've got darkvision. Yeah, if there are torches for me to light, I would do that as well as just hold the flame as I move. Uh,

And any torch here is actually crumpled up or long, long used as you see rubble on either side. And Escher says, she has been here. It looks like things are kind of in disrepair. How old is this place? Why would you build a temple here? Who built this? Wizards. Lizards? Wizards. Oh.

Wizards that are trying to... I was wondering what to call the weather lizard. Trying to imprison away low magical secrets and imprison the dark vestiges of power that were lingering. Where they found them, where they... I do not know, but all I know is that there's evil here. It looks pretty empty to me. We can... No, there's... There's the master of this place that...

Exothanta. Well, we should make haste and go speak with him. Is that the reasonable undead guy? Yes, of course. Yes, that's why he's here. We must find the sarcophagus of... We can talk to him and we'll find it. I mean, he knows you, right? You've talked to him before? Well, I've talked in the same place he was talking. I don't know if I would have called it a conversation.

Okay. Let's just find him and get this sorted out as quickly as possible. Should we go into any of these side rooms? Do we need to take our pursuers? You see the whole cave in the problem.

Should we, I guess, well, yeah. Do we need to take off our shoes? I guess would be my only question. Why would we need to take off our shoes? That seems very cold as I walk under the next door for you. Oh, fuck! This looks like a stove! You look and you see blood as it's like getting into my eyes and I'm trying to wipe it away.

Your fur is matted, like ugh. And he leads you through and you see just the stone walls that are cold and narrow. As you turn around and you enter this large central chamber that's rectangular and there's a large balcony with two stairways going down and it's crumbled and you see what looks like it would have been a massive statue.

has now toppled forward and is in pieces, scattered across the floor. Someone seems to have written words into the floor. It says, "Open to area X5." As... As Escher looks, and his eyes are just wide and says, "No, no..." "Was it not in this bed of a shape when you were here?" "No, where the flame skulls are usually

Maybe we had to dodge dozens of fucking fireballs. Exit Hunter! I'm glad we do not have to dodge dozens of fireballs. It would have been nice to know before coming in here. I mean, maybe it's lucky that they're not around.

Yes. Toa has literally rammed my head into two door frames so far. I kid you not when I say he would not dodge a dozen fireballs. Shouldn't you get down at this point? I'm cold. What if there are some flame skulls? It's at least 70 degrees. Do you really want to fight on his shoulders like that? I'm cold. All right, well... Well, there all seem to be no flame skulls that they'll...

The minions of Exothanta, they watch over this place. I mean, do you think something happened to him? He must have a room. He's incredibly powerful. Could she have killed him?

There's no way. There is no way. Let us go to just find the sarcophagus. I see that the stairs down off, we can go through the chamber. I know which one. Did you say sarcophagus? Yes. Now you're speaking my language. Are you sure we don't want to check on your friend first? That's more or less on the way. I'm more concerned about stopping whatever Drizlash is doing. All right, all right. I trust you.

Bless you. I have to say, I'm a little disappointed that we didn't get to fight any flame skulls because they're so cool. Fuck! Um, which, which, oh. I'm not feeling so well. What can I do about it? I think I'm going to need some help, can I pretend to faint?

Well, you're still just tightening my back, right? Yeah. Well, wake up, Iris! I'm just like... Just do one of these. Oh, never mind! Are you okay? You imbecile! Do you need some liquids? Some fluids? It's not liquid I was hoping for. Well, what were you hoping for? Let's just go. Let's find these flame skulls and these sarcophagi.

You continue down and he leads you off into one of the chambers as you make your way. You finally see, as you step around the fragments of this massive statue, it looks like it was a statue of some sort of hooded figure. But now it's been completely toppled over.

and ruined. And as you turn around, you see this faint glow of light from within this halfway point between yellow and orange. As you then see why they called this place the Amber Temple, as you see these large, hewn sarcophagi, no other way to describe it, all hewn from this glowing, amber-colored, glass stone-like substance. And although it's dark,

As you walk past, the slight glow of these amber sarcophagi barely makes it past several feet from it. As you alight, your fire catches each one. You see these dark, swirling shapes within, amorphous and nebulous. And Escher turns the corner, and you see that there's one room of three. You see the shapes slinking within.

And then you turn as Escher quickens his pace, he leads you around a corner, and he stops. And he just says, "Oh." As you turn to join him... You keep saying that, Lord. What is it this time? You turn to join him, and on either side, two large amber sarcophagi stand tall. The nebulous shapes within.

And the one at the center is nothing more than crumbled ruins. As you can see, fragments of that amber color strewn across the floor. So what does this mean? We're just related. So I've been coked for hours?

For us to fit, we don't fit. Is it good that it's destroyed or is it a bad thing that it's destroyed? She said oh no to her. See how there's the swirling mist and those other sarcophagi? No, we've been told that there are horrible, nightmarish evil powers in some of these places. We need to find whoever owns this place. And we need to get some answers. Is this where the spider one was? Yes. And has it been freed?

by the crushing of the sarcophagi. It's no longer imprisoned here. The same thing happened to the sarcophagi that entombed the essence that eventually gripped Barovia when she finally was free and brought about the Blood Moon. I mean, what can we do? Can we re-contain it? Can we recapture it?

What was your original plan anyway? My plan was to finally have a conversation with Exothanta. Yes, Exothanta will know what to do. He knows how the Amber works. I believe he has something that is portable that we can use at the very least. Yes, let us find Exothanta. He will know what to do. All right, yeah.

Do this the other floor? Yes. Oh, sorry. Exathanter? Yes. Okay. And we are... Yeah, which... Do you know which one we're in? We're in one with three. This one or the one on the other side? Or this one?

or that one or that one right here is where everything went to in our other campaign are you sure it's not this one i think it's that one it's that one oh no no it's not that one it was it's i don't know where we are this one on the left yeah okay say that one okay and this is this is your favorite room no it's whatever the one has this is your favorite that is where everything went to in our campaign and this was where awesome happened this is where you got lightning powers yep yep that's the very first time and then this is where we all died yep

Because you came down... No, you dropped down. Yeah, I think we did. Yeah, you dropped down. And you're at whatever one has Drizlash, and I actually don't know. The point is that narratively is that you're in one of these chambers. Okay. Do you know where Exothanter, where he resides? Exothanter? Yes, yes, I know. It's strange that his skulls aren't here. They normally have...

in my welcoming party. Well, Hexathanta knows he will know what to do. Yes. Yes. And as you make your way through, you all start to hear whispers beckoning as you pass the two Amber Sarcophagi flanking the crumbled ruins here. You can hear "Sciences." And you feel like it's beckoning. You're able to shake it off, just temporarily.

As you hear, as you see the shapes moving throughout the sarcophagi, the glowing amber monoliths, they start to move around a bit more quickly, more erratically. And Escher leads you out into the main chamber to a stairwell past the ruined base of the statue of the Hooded God.

Leads you up a stone staircase that's crumbled. You have to dip very few footholds, but you're able to make your way up. And you hear him calling out, Exothanta! Where are you? It's Exokreskov! This is so bad. As you...

As he enters the room. This is so bad. And he stops and he says, I know you don't want me to say this, but oh no. I really hope you wouldn't. As you join him and you see what was a library completely scorched and destroyed.

Not that library! Oh, that's terrible. This is so fucked up, Mike. In utter ruin. And then you see a doorway that's completely splintered from beyond, and it's covered in webbing, and a glowing green light within. And suddenly you see movement. And it sounds like skittering. And suddenly you see what happened to the flame skulls.

and what happened to Exothantor. As a horrible amalgamation of bone and green fire wielding a scythe made out of bone itself shambles towards you, glowing with unholy undead green fire, wailing in a mixture of anger and pain and confusion and madness.

as the amalgamated form of Exothantur and his flame skulls charges towards you in his ruined library. And that is where we'll end the session. - We are dealing with some seriously fucked up powerful shit. - Well, I guess he's not a cool lich anymore. - I love playing Dark Souls. - Oh my God. - This is really bad. This is really, really, really bad.

I mean... We're dealing with orders of magnitudes of more powerful than we are. It's not even funny. I don't know what you're talking about. Thank you so much for listening to the Legends of Avantris podcast. We hope you enjoyed the session. If you want even more campaigns to listen to, become a member of our Patreon at the Pearl Dolphin tier or higher to unlock Shroud Over Saltmarsh, a patron-exclusive campaign set on the high seas. You can find that at patreon.com slash legendsofavantris.

If you want to chat about the episode with the Avengers community, join us on Discord at legendsofadventures.com slash discord. We also post content nearly every day on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, so make sure you follow our socials at legendsofadventures.com slash social. And make sure you check out The Crooked Moon so you can terrify your friends with a folk horror 5e supplement published by us. Get your own copy at thecrookedmoon.com. Thanks again, and we'll see you next time.