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12pt-times-new-roman · 10 months

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c3e64

Aabria and Christian are still here!

We begin with Team Wildemount, who take a whole bunch of damage because of a misfiring teleport. In theory, they could just keep taking damage until they go unconscious, but they do eventually land -- not in Jrusar, but in a similar-looking township built into the side of a mountain cliff.

Because it's the same time of day, they're most likely still on Wildemount, and they've landed in a settlement of eisfurra! It seems to be an isolated and secret settlement, as the leader will only let them go if they are temporarily blindfolded and led away so they don't know where they came from.

Frida looks around, and to one side, very far away, there's a mountain range that looks like the Flotket Alps. In another direction, there's an ocean, and they seem to have gone very far southwest of the Greying Wildlands. If I had to guess, I'd say they're either somewhere in the southern Ashkeeper Peaks, or possibly the southeastern Dunrock Mountains.

Also, Frida can now telepathically communicate? Did they level up and take a level in aberrant mind sorcerer? And if so, what the fuck does that say about them and the way they were constructed, if they're actively assimilating powers and abilities from the people they spend time around?

FCG was already close to a breaking point when they got teleported, and the presence of the birds starts to set it off -- but a calm emotions from Imogen calms them for now. Eventually, they land, and the eisfurra fly away.

FCG's rage starts to build up again, but Frida takes their shoulders and kisses them -- with a successful wisdom save, they "heal" 2 (1d4) stress points.

"I know you're keyed up, and I need you to not make your emotions other peoples' problems right now." .....that's certainly a perspective

They settle down where the eisfurra dropped them and make camp.

While FCG is in rest mode, Frida casts detect thoughts on them. The surface thoughts are recollections of recent events -- passing moments, words, expressions, like a brief review of bits of affirmation. Delving deeper, Frida "truly feels the tension, the immovable intent to kill. There is a need to destroy and cleanse. It feels unlike FCG, it feels alien, it feels intrusive, like an intrusive thought that cannot be ignored any further, and the only thing that you see beyond this boundary is images of someone building [FCG]. You see hands assembling, things being carved, elements of enchantment being pressed within the recesses of the chassis, within the head. There is a delicately crafted intent burned within the essence of FCG. Old, buried." Frida can't tell whether this is original programming or something like a virus.

Imogen casts teleport again and rolls a 53, which is "on-target." They arrive in the night, standing on a cobblestone street somewhere on the Smolder Spire.

From here, they can see Ruidus, massive and static, tethered by a single flickering, pulsing thread, locked in a flaring state. The few civilians in the streets rush to and from their destinations, and there are guards everywhere.

Deanna tries to scry on Laudna, and she sees her in a subterranean space, a cavern, a carved living area -- the place where they fought Bor'dor, just before Team Issylra is set to arrive in Jrusar. Imogen tries sending, rolls a 69, and is met with static.

They go to check in with Pretty. He hasn't seen anyone Ruby Vanguard-looking, but it has been difficult to get around the city because some of the gondolas stopped working.

As the sun rises, the guard presence increases, but both the moon and the aurora stays in the sky. In this new light, they can see that the skyport is cluttered with ships, and there are others anchored amongst the nearby mountains. There's an air of tension and fear throughout the city; people who have errands are keeping their head down; many glance at the moon and quicken their pace. Additionally, beyond the guards and warders, there are other figures in unfamiliar armor -- different militaries with different holy symbols, sellswords and mercenaries. Those skyships are mostly batteships, not unlike the ones they saw crashed nearby the key.

Deanna supposes -- likely correctly -- that that message from the gods went out to the entirety of Vasselheim, and they have amassed armies in the nearest metropolitan areas to it.

"When we messed up the teleport the first time, I think some wires got crossed, and I can speak to people in their head now!"

Chetney notices that there are soldiers gathering at the base of the Lantern Spire, and several skyships have dislodged from the mountains and are heading south.

Imogen uses detect thoughts on a group of soldiers. She picks up anxiety, frustration, not enough information, suddenly sent -- some are from afar, "this place is interesting, where are we going?" Missing home, missing family. Others hold recent prayers in their minds.

Arriving at the Spire by Fire, they are met by a katari who recognizes them, but who hasn't seen the rest of the group recently. It seems like this tavern has been taken as a temporary barracks for gathering troops, and Frida positions themself near a group of them to listen in.

With a history check, they notice that some of the soldiers carry emblems and attire from across the world -- symbols of the Clovis Concord, the Council of Tal'dorei, and other military might from abroad. It isn't just Vasselheim's troops gathering here -- it's everyone.

Imogen looks to Ruidus. There has always been a very faint pull toward it for her, but it doesn't seem any stronger now than before. She tries to send a message to Xhudanna, which works! But she hasn't heard from Laudna.

Chetney approaches a group of soldiers. He learns that they're all following the orders of their commanders, but they don't know whether the militaries of all these different nations are coordinating with each other.

Fearne listens in to some of their conversation. The soldiers are being kept in the dark for the most part, they don't know where they're going or why, but they know that this secrecy means that they are important and trusted. Regardless, these troops are not stationed in Jrusar, they are being amassed here before being deployed elsewhere.

Hey! I called it! After the break, we're gonna get the other half of Bells Hells.

Emilee is still here too!

Prism fully thought that she was going to a different place, but nope! They're all here together.

They arrived on the Lucid Spire, one they've never really been to before. It's a wealthy neighborhood, lavish and vibrant, a thriving city built around the rest of Jrusar. From the public park they've landed in, they can see the same sight as Team Wildemount: Ruidus, its tether, and the leylines.

Prism wants to go to the Starpoint Conservatory! thank the gods that someone does. (I really, really miss the Cobalt Soul lore dumps from C2.)

Prism also has the dewey decimal system for abs. canon.

Yeah! they did level up! They're all level 10 now. Prism took teleportation circle for one (of two) of her new spells, and friends for her new cantrip.

Orym says that if he has any say in the matter, they'll find their friends, then start heading toward the malleus key.

Entering one of the gondolas, they find a courier. They learn that the solstice was an event, a celebration, to the general populace; individual spires and organizations had their own parties and events, but none expected this.

Orym asks the question of the night, whether the city has made any official statements. They have said that they are working with other militaries and governments in light of the "Hellcatch soul" -- presumably Ruidus -- and that there will be an increased guard presence in the city.

The gondola lands, the courier hurries off, and Prism sends Mother after him. She casts identify on the package, which is just a letter.

Ashton mentions the Ascension's Rise university to Prism, which they believe would be of interest to her. There's also a massive temple to the Dawnfather in the Lantern Spire. But Prism is looking for "pre-mythological information" about the eidolons, the elementals, and/or Predathos.

The Shadowfell has a massive celebration on the Day of Ascension, the Matron of Ravens' holy day. Notably, the same day is celebrated on the Material Plane.

Prism notices that, although the holy symbols are different, there are soldiers whose attire carries the iconography of the gods. The only one she notices in detail is of a woman's side profile whose hair cascades into her armor -- the Changebringer.

Returning to the Spire by Fire, the two halves of Bells Hells reunite! That's 5 people on each side of the table, and I can't imagine that that will be sustainable for long.

But it's Imogen who notices. It's Imogen who notices their silhouettes. It's Imogen who recognizes Laudna's silhouette first.

Laudna and Imogen immediately hug. Orym flies toward Fearne and wraps his arms around her neck. Ashton immediately insight checks Prism. FCG and Frida were making out in the corner. It's perfect.

tbh I'm not even going to try to transcribe this conversation -- needless to say, they explain their situations, there are many insight checks made, and once the group disperses to their room we get the more intimate moments.

"The way you put it, it's almost like the gods are planning escape pods." PRISM???

Both Imogen and Laudna are of the opinion that Ludinus is trying to follow in the Matron's footsteps, trying to become a god. Meanwhile, Laudna misinterprets the eidolons, Prism and Imogen continue to doubt the gods (as they should), and FCG continues to believe in the gods (as they should).

But Orym gets to a completely different question: Frida's past. Frida believes their initial purpose was to protect the original Malleus Key in Aeor, though they, Deanna, and FCG all think that Aeor is synonymous with Eiselcross.

Frida replays Imogen saying, "she's beautiful, but she's spooky beautiful." Imogen hides her face in her hands. But there is something to be said about the extent to which each individual group talked about the other to near-excess.

All the while, Deanna, having found a secluded area in the tavern, completes her commune spell. The burning light of the star that encircles Exandria, the star that brings life, death, and rebirth -- she feels his stare turn to her, expectantly, as she tries her best to not look away. "'A couple questions before I let you go. First, is working with Bells Hells actually going to help all of you? They seem... dangerous.' There is no response, which leads you to believe that the Dawnfather is uncertain. 'Are your disciples perpetrating harm in this world at your behest?' My disciples do what is necessary for the good of our people, collectively, and for the future of Exandria.' 'One more. Are you worth saving?'" Deanna is thrust out of her communion, her back hits against wood, her eyes burn like she had stared into the sun. "He didn't like that."

Finally, Deanna is introduced to the rest of the group properly. That all leads to Prism questioning whether the history of Predathos has been mythologized by the gods (which we as an audience know it has been), questioning what's true and what isn't. And I think it's important to realize that it's absolutely possible that both sides are mythologizing, both sides are lying, both the gods and Predathos are telling the truth, both the gods and Predathos are spouting lies. There is absolutely no certainty.

There are approximately 23 leyline nexuses in Exandria that have been charted, though there are many places that have never been mapped or even explored.

"Our journey was very horny." "It sounds like it. Ours was... traumatizing." oof

To Deanna, it seems like Ludinus put all this technology together slapdash. Frida suggests that someone needs to go to ground zero to figure out the "source code." Prism volunteers.

Deanna offers to them that she could, as a cleric of the Dawnfather, get in to wherever the Bells Hells couldn't in Vasselheim. They remember that teleport was working but teleportation circle was not, which determines that some permanent enchantments were broken while instantaneous spells may be unpredictable but are not entirely broken.

Dynios noted that all magic -- both arcane and divine -- was amplified by the nexuses. There were no fundamental differences between the two in regards to the nexus itself.

With detect thoughts, Imogen learns that Dynios doesn't trust the Bells Hells, and he says that he's "a good book with a bad attitude." In regards to Prism, "she is walking an uncertain path, and I am curious as to what paths she takes. She shows potential, and she has a radical streak I wasn't expecting, so, we'll see." Prism says that he's a "father figure" to her. In response to being perceived by so many people, Dynios retreats into the book, and Prism holds the book to her chest.

Both Frida and Imogen think that there's something nefarious about the book (unclear whether they're talking about the runes on the Judicator, Ludinus' notes, or Dynios).

As soon as Imogen mentions the Tal'dorei Counci, Ashton turns to Orym and asks, "where are your people?" Orym asks Deanna to scry.

Orym pulls out the remnants of the seed that carried Keyleth's message all that time ago, and she uses it as the focus of a scry.

It takes a moment for the magic to push through, as if Deanna's magic is being held at bay ("daddy wasn't happy with the attitude"), but it eventually does push through. As opposed to clouds, Deanna is pulled through warm sunlight, until she drops through the sky. "You see a shaded interior. There is light from nearby windows. A figure, standing, looking through with window -- turns around, carrying a staff. A woman, red hair, antlers, leaning heavily on the staff. Somebody talks on the side, and she looks back and nods, gives a motion, almost falling onto the ground before figures catch her and lead her back onto a bed. She fights them before eventually laying there and setting the staff to her side... voices, saying, 'Voice of the Tempest, you must not over-extend yourself--' Across her, there are dark red wounds, across her neck and arms and face and torso, that aren't bleeding but aren't closing. She breathes heavy. 'Just give me a moment, I have to speak with the others, too much is happening... it wasn't supposed to be like this.' She looks to a tapestry, and at the end, there is a single black feather... she stands and hobbles away from the chamber.'" Deanna tries to cast guidance on her, knowing that it probably won't work but also knowing that Keyleth needs it.

The Bells Hells decides that the failure of resurrection magic is due not to the reconfiguration of the leylines but to the malleus key and Ruidus, to Ludinus' influence.

Lastly, Orym recognizes the chambers Keyleth was in as her chambers in Zephrah.

Laudna feels as if the druids, nature, and eidolons may be the key to unlocking the secrets of this mystery. Ashton questions where they can find more of these druids, more of these ancient elementals, because the forces in Jrusar don't align with this.

They agree to split up; Deanna, Frida, and Prism will go to the Starpoint Conservatory to do research, while the Bells Hells will start moving across the Hellcatch Valley and back to the malleus key. They plan to travel alongside the soldiers who are starting to march that way.

oh god I had fully forgotten about the potential waeorwolf situation

For level 10, it looks like Frida took a level in aberrant mind sorcerer and Fearne took another druid level!

#critical role #note watches c3 #critical role campaign 3 #critical role spoilers #critical role c3 #critical role liveblog

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