0:05

This is the

0:08

sound of worlds

0:10

beyond number. In

0:12

a smuggler's cave,

0:14

less than a mile

0:17

north of the city

0:19

of 12 Brooks,

0:21

under a dim

0:24

orange sky of

0:26

roiling clouds, under

0:28

a dim orange

0:30

sky of roiling

0:33

clouds. on an

0:35

ash and debris-choked

0:37

dying river. We

0:39

find Ursulaan,

0:42

Suvee, and Ammee

0:44

reunited as Jorin

0:47

and his shape-shifters

0:50

enter the cave. Suvee!

0:52

Oh, okay, good energy.

0:54

Yeah, Suvee is going

0:57

to immediately like

0:59

embrace Amae as

1:01

she's hugged. Well,

1:05

I do want to know why

1:08

Keene's dad, but first I would

1:10

love to introduce you

1:12

to my old family friend,

1:15

Jorin. Jorin. Yeah. All

1:17

may steps back from the

1:19

hug that looks over at

1:21

Jorin. Greetings. I'm Jorin.

1:24

These are some of

1:26

my shape-shifters. So how

1:28

did you meet each other

1:30

and are all the shapeshifters

1:33

here? Are you here to

1:35

help us? And I assume

1:37

that he didn't, you know,

1:39

it wasn't responsible for, how

1:41

do you do that? Hmm? Do

1:44

what? What are you referring

1:46

to? The shapeshifting. Magic? Do

1:48

you want, do you want

1:51

it something more in depth

1:53

than me saying magic? Well, I

1:55

suppose you don't have time for all

1:57

of that because I did ask a

2:00

lot of other questions. questions. Yeah,

2:02

my best friends. Oh,

2:04

yes, I'm Amy, the

2:06

witch of the world's

2:09

heart. Well, the kid

2:11

is delivered here to

2:14

your fellowship

2:16

once more, and

2:18

it's my understanding

2:20

that when you

2:22

see here, he

2:24

nods to you,

2:26

Ursula. You've

2:28

come here in search

2:30

of the Children

2:32

of the Granite. That's

2:35

correct. You have reason

2:37

to believe there in

2:39

12 Brooks. I know

2:41

they are. Hmm. Then,

2:44

we're here to hell.

2:46

Pettis, good news. What

2:48

is this place? This,

2:50

this cave? It's

2:52

Smuckler's old... Den.

2:55

We have a map of

2:57

the different sewers and

3:00

irrigation ditches and hidden

3:02

caves from the runrunners

3:05

back in the day.

3:07

Apparently Grandma Wren fucked

3:09

a run runner. Good for her.

3:11

I don't know why I hated

3:14

you for so long. You're a

3:16

hoot. Sufi, how are you

3:18

alive? Oh, that's fun. So,

3:20

arrested? Yes. We were on

3:22

the road back. to Bracken.

3:24

And then all of a

3:26

sudden, all of the horses

3:28

turned and jumped into the

3:30

river, turned into animals, and

3:32

tried to kill everyone. Oh

3:34

yeah, and I just turned

3:36

to the shapeshifters. Whichever one

3:38

of you I rode, I'm sorry?

3:41

You see that there's a guy in

3:43

the back who goes, I was fine. Okay,

3:45

cool. I felt weird about that

3:47

for like a day, so thank you,

3:49

I'm sorry. Killed all the wizards,

3:51

tried to kill me. Couldn't

3:54

I see you're in shrugs?

3:56

Well, the kid's cheating, so

3:58

that's why I'm very

4:01

glad that I was compelled

4:03

by my solemn vow to

4:05

your parents. I would have

4:07

been a shame for you to

4:09

die in the dark water

4:11

there, but survive she did,

4:14

and it's my understanding

4:16

that Sky has agreed to

4:18

come with you and see

4:21

these children freed. You have

4:23

maps leading into 12 Brooks,

4:26

yes? Yes. Well, I think more

4:28

than anything. Suvee here needs

4:30

to rest. She's been up all night

4:33

prior to swimming down the river. We

4:35

won't be able to get any further

4:37

down the river than this. It peters

4:39

out a while away. It was already

4:41

getting shallow. Have you managed to

4:44

take a look up top and see

4:46

what's going on in the landscape? No,

4:48

I was going to do that before

4:50

we rested. No, all right. Well, Kid

4:52

needs rest. We'll be all right. We

4:54

can go and take a survey of

4:56

the land if need be and then.

4:59

Come back and rest, but you know,

5:01

is there any chance we

5:03

can get the fox to

5:05

take a little peek? He

5:08

needs some rest too as

5:10

well He was very

5:12

very brave today Or

5:14

yesterday, it's hard to

5:17

tell here You know what?

5:19

Honestly, same I was in

5:21

an underwater cave and then

5:24

underwater I was giving gills,

5:26

but then no other part

5:29

of being able to be

5:31

good underwater, and my skin

5:34

feels terrible. I would love

5:36

to lay down. Okay. When

5:38

you've rested, we were able

5:41

to take some of Keene's

5:43

things and would appreciate your

5:45

knowledge on them. And Vandal

5:47

is, he's gonna be okay,

5:49

but he was also very

5:52

brave. Is very brave

5:54

your code for almost

5:56

dead? Uh, I hand her

5:58

the spellbook. The fuck

6:00

happened to the spine!

6:03

Oh, I was, helping

6:05

a brave little warrior.

6:07

I just opened the

6:09

book to, ugh, where the

6:12

binding, like, is cracked

6:14

and would fall open.

6:16

You see a slender

6:18

rivulet of red ink

6:21

at the broken base

6:23

of the spine? Are

6:25

you okay? An arcane...

6:27

Torper comes back to

6:30

you a feeling of

6:32

a kind of roiling

6:34

deep slumber of deconstituting

6:36

in order to reconstitute.

6:39

Then I will take out

6:41

my pen and just right

6:43

in next to where I

6:46

see that little rivulet. You're

6:48

a real piece of shit.

6:51

Thank you for taking care

6:53

of them. I'm

6:56

sorry, Sufi. I'm sorry for a

6:58

lot of other things, too. But

7:00

yeah, we all could use a

7:02

rest right now. I would rest

7:05

easier if I got a

7:07

chance to take in the landscape

7:09

before morning. Do you want me

7:11

to go with you? No, I

7:14

can go alone. I'm just

7:16

going to look and come

7:18

back. Okay. Jorin looks at

7:21

you and nods and says,

7:23

for those of you. here

7:25

it seems like you have

7:28

secret ways into the city

7:30

the landscape's been pretty chewed

7:32

up so I don't this

7:34

map is faithful to a

7:36

version of the city before

7:39

this war broke out so

7:41

I would just be aware

7:43

that there may be some

7:45

hiccups or surprises we're close

7:48

enough that I may need

7:50

to consider making

7:52

myself known to the

7:54

sorceress houses, seaging the

7:57

city. Remember, I'm behind...

8:00

my own lines right now. I

8:02

don't remember, because I really

8:04

don't know much about you,

8:06

sir. Well, it's my understanding

8:08

that you killed... You see,

8:10

he nods to yours, Lord,

8:13

that you did battle with

8:15

some shape-shifters in Abison. Those

8:17

were companions of mine. We've

8:19

been busy here in the

8:21

Shroud Mountains, fighting the empire.

8:24

Whatever revelations you came to

8:26

sense Abison. I wish they

8:28

had been a few days

8:30

earlier, but such is life,

8:32

I suppose. Is there anything

8:35

you wish to know? Which

8:37

of the world's heart? Well,

8:39

in my capacity, as Ami

8:41

of Toma, I want to

8:43

know about your time with

8:45

Grandmother Wren, and I want

8:47

to know about what you've

8:49

been, and I want to

8:51

know why your blood smells

8:54

bad, I guess? I've got

8:56

that one covered. Why don't

8:58

we circle up? You go

9:00

do what you need to

9:02

do. Whatever questions I don't

9:04

have coverage for, you can

9:06

absolutely assault him with when

9:08

he has sort of no

9:10

bandwidth and desperately needs to

9:13

sleep. Okay. Prime time. He

9:15

turns to depart, he looks

9:17

at his shape changers and

9:19

says, you should all remain

9:21

here, provide protection for the

9:23

wizard sky and Ami. And

9:26

he's going to walk up

9:28

the bank with you Ursula.

9:30

And I think you and

9:32

Suvee have a chance

9:35

to interact in this

9:37

moment. I'm very happy that

9:40

you were able to make

9:42

your way from Keene.

9:44

Suvee, I'm so sorry.

9:46

You told me specifically.

9:48

Don't do it. And

9:51

I did it. I feel a

9:53

pressure all the time. be good

9:55

and to do the thing that's

9:57

right and I think I I

9:59

try to do the thing

10:01

that was right for the

10:04

spirit and for the town,

10:06

but I didn't do the

10:09

thing that was smart or

10:11

clever. I promise that

10:13

I will try to

10:15

be more careful with

10:18

my actions and also

10:20

with my words. I'm

10:22

really sorry. I think a

10:24

lot of times I've been

10:27

scared to tell you

10:29

something. Me?

10:31

Yeah. But I'm so approachable.

10:33

And at that, like, you

10:35

see that as you were

10:38

speaking, Suvy is immediately exhaling.

10:40

She was spinning up to

10:42

have a hard conversation that

10:44

she didn't want to

10:46

have. And instead, it's

10:49

just going to actually grab

10:51

you by the shoulder and

10:53

pull you into her. And she

10:55

gives you a kiss on the

10:57

top of the head. Thank you.

10:59

It's been a very...

11:01

Oh, a tough day,

11:04

but I can't even

11:06

imagine. How are you?

11:08

Do you need anything

11:10

from me now? Oh,

11:12

in this moment. Thank

11:14

you. I'm sorry for

11:16

the ways in which I

11:19

have made it so

11:21

difficult to have

11:25

difficult conversations.

11:30

I will do better to

11:32

remain open to things

11:35

that I don't feel

11:37

ready to hear

11:39

because the course

11:42

I am set

11:44

on requires a

11:46

single-minded focus from

11:48

me. I'll be more

11:50

open like you and

11:53

like Ursulon. And I'm

11:55

sorry if I've made

11:57

you feel like you. You

12:00

have to pick your

12:02

words so carefully that

12:04

you'd rather not say

12:06

anything at all? No,

12:08

it wasn't. It wasn't

12:10

just you. I think I

12:13

was scared of saying something

12:15

that would hurt you or

12:17

make you go away again.

12:20

I don't ever want us

12:22

to be a part of

12:24

it. No. Well, sometimes we

12:27

get arrested. So... Yeah, and

12:29

sometimes we fall into traps

12:32

or trying to help a

12:34

spirit. But we always find

12:37

our way back. Always find

12:39

my way back to you,

12:42

Suvee. You'll never be

12:44

rid of me. That's

12:46

what True Friend means.

12:48

Can't do it. Impossible.

12:50

Uh... I don't need

12:52

anything. Except desperately to sleep.

12:54

And if you see me

12:56

pick up my spellbook, just

12:59

don't, don't let me do

13:01

that. I need to rest

13:03

so bad, like, I can

13:05

smell colors. Okay, then I'll

13:07

wait to give you the

13:10

thing that we also found

13:12

on Keene. Fucking thing? No,

13:14

show me the thing. Why

13:16

would you say that? Why

13:19

would you tell me there's

13:21

a thing to look at? From

13:23

Keene? You stole stuff from... What

13:25

is it? Just show me. Just

13:27

show me and then I'll know

13:30

and then... Okay, you just get

13:32

one look at it but you're

13:34

not allowed to do any

13:36

magic about it. Okay? Okay, deal?

13:38

I'm lying. Ah! Well, in any

13:40

event, I pull out the glass

13:42

disc from my pouch and carefully

13:44

and wrap it. You like, hold

13:46

it at... Oh! Oh! Oh! This is

13:49

fragile. Linguaa Arcana, hold

13:51

on. And I try to like find

13:53

enough light With like the candle

13:55

that's lit. I don't know if we've

13:57

gotten around it building a fire

13:59

Yeah, go ahead and give

14:02

me an Arcana check.

14:04

Dirty 20. Yeah. This is

14:06

the language of a very

14:08

powerful teleport

14:10

spell. Oh, I love you so much.

14:13

Oh, I love you too. Stuff

14:15

is my love language.

14:17

This is great. May

14:19

I hold on to this?

14:21

It's a teleporter. I don't

14:24

know what it's gonna do

14:26

yet. And I know I would have

14:28

to do more magic about it, but I

14:30

did say I wasn't gonna do that

14:32

yet. I'll figure it out. And this

14:34

feels very good and useful. Oh, fuck

14:36

you. How did he die? He was

14:38

the worst. I don't even know if

14:41

you heard it because I can't tell

14:43

like when you were unconscious or if

14:45

you were just sort of like so

14:47

angry you weren't really moving, but

14:49

he was disgusting. He was a

14:52

real sicko, Suvy, and he died

14:54

horribly. I don't regret any

14:56

part of that. I love

14:58

you so much. So much. Good.

15:00

Good. Okay, sleep. You have

15:02

to sleep. Yeah. Oh, and just

15:05

for the record, all of

15:07

them are very amazing,

15:09

especially that one guy

15:11

that I wrote, Delightful

15:13

Horse. You... Oh, yes. No, not

15:15

like that. Oh! We have got to, I'm

15:17

not getting any sleep tonight. And

15:19

as Judy's like making her bed,

15:21

she's like doing the thing where

15:23

she's like telling half weird anecdotes

15:26

about like stuff that she's noticed

15:28

from the shape changers and

15:30

also just being like, oh

15:33

yeah, also talked to Jorin

15:35

and he's not responsible for

15:38

my parents' death and like

15:40

steals me lying about basically

15:43

everything stuff that you all

15:45

said before, so like of

15:48

course, such an... a meandering

15:50

wild eclectic conversation of important

15:53

pieces of the story and

15:55

feelings about what I experienced

15:57

and what Suvis revelation were

16:00

like also with you know speculations

16:02

about how do they but how

16:04

do they like do you think

16:06

they're shape-shifting when they no for

16:08

sure they have to be right

16:11

so like you've got a you've

16:13

got a you've got a fuck

16:15

as an animal but then like

16:17

as a per God we got

16:19

to get one yeah hold on

16:21

well Hannah turns around to gaze over

16:23

you okay are we in a place

16:25

now where you feel comfortable

16:28

with a Less serious

16:30

conversation.

16:32

Potentially? I

16:35

don't, ooh, can I do

16:37

an insect check

16:39

on her? Does she like

16:42

me yet? Yeah, 16? Yeah.

16:44

Hard to say. I

16:46

think that, I think

16:49

on a 16, you can't

16:51

tell if it's a cultural,

16:53

if it's like... Is she

16:56

being playful? Maybe in her

16:58

culture, dead impassive glares are

17:01

playful. You know, I think

17:03

there's a degree of unfamiliarity

17:06

that obscures her intention in

17:08

this moment as she looks

17:11

at you. Great. But yeah,

17:13

I don't think you... It's

17:15

not gonna stop me. Yeah, yeah,

17:17

yeah, go for it. Okay. No, we're

17:20

great. So do you fuck

17:22

as animals when you shapeshift?

17:25

Would you? Yes? She smiles

17:28

and goes, for the

17:30

most part, anything that

17:32

you would want to do,

17:35

you'd want to do

17:37

from a human perspective.

17:39

And the gear tends

17:41

to make that better.

17:44

Oh, that's great. You try

17:46

it a couple times and

17:49

then you go, oh, there's

17:51

a reason that... Yeah. Thank

17:54

you so much. That question comes

17:56

up. It's almost always the first

17:58

question to come up before we

18:01

have the ceremony where we take on

18:03

our first shake because that usually happens

18:05

when you're around 13 and so that oh

18:07

my god yeah so it's the first morning you

18:09

can choose to do that there's a it's a

18:11

you know when you're a really little kid you

18:13

go like am I going to be able to

18:16

fly am I going to be able to swim

18:18

yeah how do you keep from crashing how do

18:20

you keep from da da da da da da

18:22

and then right before the ceremony there's usually a

18:25

much more hushed embarrassed embarrassed

18:27

embarrassed My dad told

18:29

me that if I did anything

18:31

in that shape that you get

18:34

stuck in it. I can't

18:36

believe that that's true. That

18:38

just sounds like it. No,

18:40

it's something you say to your

18:42

kid. He said it as a he

18:44

said it as a joke. He said

18:46

it because he was messing with

18:49

me, but yeah. Well, I'm going

18:51

to keep guard. What? Okay, well,

18:54

there's a... Outside on

18:56

the riverbank. Chokes

18:58

the river banks.

19:01

Her salon is

19:03

you ascend to

19:06

the top with

19:08

urine and look

19:10

out over a landscape.

19:13

Over the western

19:15

edge of 12

19:17

brooks and oil

19:19

slick. painted on

19:21

the underside of

19:23

the clouds is

19:25

burning. Much like

19:27

the flame on the underside of

19:29

a log, it is not tall

19:31

and dramatic because it's not stretching

19:33

up into the clouds. In that

19:36

way where you look at the

19:38

bottom of a log and there's

19:40

a ripple, a small ripple of

19:42

flame, you see rippling flame on

19:45

the underside of a two mile

19:47

stretch of clouds seeking to go

19:49

up and it cannot. Underneath

19:53

that orange light,

19:56

you see shapes

19:58

of giants. that

20:00

have to be 100

20:02

feet tall. Dark, many-legged

20:05

monstrosities is the only

20:07

way to describe them,

20:10

that shift. from side

20:12

to side ever so

20:14

slightly, but due to

20:17

their enormity, these shifts

20:19

move them a score

20:21

of feet in any

20:24

direction at a shifting

20:26

of their weight in

20:29

wind that carries gray

20:31

ash across a destroyed

20:33

landscape. Within your field

20:36

of vision in the

20:38

miles in all directions

20:40

that you can see.

20:43

There's probably two dozen

20:45

skeletal remains of imperial

20:48

skyships. You see massive

20:50

carcasses of these things

20:52

that are the size

20:55

of craft, but you

20:57

see the carrion birds

20:59

crawling over these many-legged

21:02

flesh behemets, eyeless and

21:04

featureless, but with some

21:07

sort of skeletal structure.

21:10

These walking flesh vehicles are

21:12

rotting on the ground, covered

21:14

in ash, being picked apart

21:17

by birds, under the dim

21:19

light cast over the landscape

21:21

from a burning sky. In

21:23

the city of 12 Brooks,

21:26

you can pinpoint a number

21:28

of gem-like gleams of purple

21:30

and green light, and a

21:33

shh. shimmering diamond blue cascade

21:35

of prism light only reflected

21:37

at strange angle, sort of

21:40

like if you took a

21:42

16 faceted sided diamond and

21:44

removed all of the flat.

21:46

to just keep the angles

21:49

and then transpose them into

21:51

a gem-like light. And even

21:53

then, it's not constant. It

21:56

flickers and pulses, so you

21:58

kind of get the outline

22:00

of a diamond shape being

22:02

projected over the city of

22:05

12 Brooks from an old

22:07

castle. 12 Brooks as a

22:09

city used to be this

22:12

beautiful waterfall, mid-sized city in

22:14

this... region where the waterfall

22:16

hit the edge of an

22:18

old castle from hundreds of

22:21

years ago. During Sir Curran's

22:23

time there was a lord's

22:25

castle here and the castle

22:28

oversaw the expansion of a

22:30

big city that was a

22:32

medium-sized city that was sort

22:35

of a place for musicians

22:37

to come and celebrate. Brooks

22:39

of 12 Brooks are these

22:41

irrigated falling brooks. There are

22:44

frog statues all throughout the

22:46

town, frog gargoyles. You're too

22:48

far away to see any

22:51

of this. You just sort

22:53

of see the image of

22:55

the castle that projects that

22:57

prism of light down towards

23:00

a massive crater that you

23:02

recognize as a cracked and

23:04

waterless lake. There is sort

23:07

of a graveyard of boats.

23:09

piled up from where the

23:11

water vanished as they crashed

23:14

into each other at the

23:16

mouth of 12 Brooks where

23:18

the water meets the lake.

23:20

You see some constructs at

23:23

attention under that perimeter within

23:25

12 Brooks. 12 Brooks is

23:27

not a walled city, but

23:30

you see that there are

23:32

large barricades. Many places in

23:34

the outer city of 12

23:36

Brooks have been completely demolished.

23:39

But still that rubble

23:41

has been quickly used

23:43

by the imperial forces

23:45

there to barricade roads

23:47

and 12 Brooks has

23:49

all these waterways That

23:51

you can see are

23:53

covered by bridges The

23:55

very thing that's going

23:57

to save 12 Brooks

23:59

is also the very

24:02

thing that is now

24:04

putting it in jeopardy

24:06

the depletion of the

24:08

riverways that's going to

24:10

allow Imperial forces to

24:12

get here to break

24:14

the siege also means

24:16

that the brooks that

24:18

were partially making the

24:20

city more defensible. Now

24:22

the empire has barricades

24:24

but weighs around them

24:26

through the dry brook

24:28

channels. Outside the city

24:30

there are multi-horned rhinoceros,

24:32

slightly larger than elephants.

24:34

that in addition to

24:36

the horns on their

24:38

noses also have them

24:40

curling up from their

24:42

brow as well. Huge

24:44

jeweled palanquins on their

24:46

back. Endless tents of

24:48

sorceress soldiers, bright orange,

24:50

blue and yellow, all

24:52

of these rich colors

24:54

of the houses of

24:56

Gouthmai, completely covered in

24:58

gray ash. You see

25:00

the flags of three

25:02

different houses. You see

25:04

the symbol of Bahati

25:06

here and two other

25:08

sorceress symbols. In the

25:10

far distance, you see

25:12

with decreased invisibility, because

25:14

as the ash blows

25:16

at a far distance,

25:18

it becomes almost like

25:20

a sandstorm where you

25:22

can't see the horizon

25:24

here, but you can

25:26

see the smudge of

25:28

those massive fleshcraft, like

25:30

moving and patrolling the

25:32

supply lines. farther to

25:34

the west and you

25:36

see several points of

25:38

light one of them

25:40

a like loan sorcerer

25:42

hanging in the sky

25:44

eight miles away so

25:47

radiant that you can

25:49

see them through the

25:51

ash storm. Your instance

25:53

at your side surveying

25:55

the ruin around the

25:57

crumbling remains of 12

25:59

brooks. Behold. the fruits

26:01

of empire. If they

26:03

keep getting their way,

26:05

eventually it will all...

26:07

this. This is not

26:09

the dream of the

26:11

Ark Magi of the

26:13

Citadel nor of the

26:15

great lords and ladies

26:17

of the Contarionaut. But

26:19

given that they don't

26:21

want the other to

26:23

have their dream, they're

26:25

happy to settle for

26:27

this. I

26:30

think Ursula will stop

26:32

breathing and feels every

26:35

individual hair on his

26:37

body. Stand up. What

26:39

are those? Uh, Ursula's

26:41

going to point to

26:44

the multi-legged living craft.

26:46

It does help to

26:48

know that they have

26:51

a name. When you

26:53

see them and you

26:55

don't know what they're

26:57

called. and

27:00

they're coming for your

27:02

village. You almost hope

27:05

that you die of

27:07

something else before they

27:09

get to you. Those

27:11

are dreadnoughts of the

27:14

Hauska chief. That's what

27:16

they're called. That's what

27:18

they are. And as

27:21

you see from their

27:23

carcasses out here in

27:25

the wasteland, they can

27:27

be brought low. Don't

27:30

freeze. And he... Claps

27:32

you hard on the

27:34

back, it says, and

27:36

remember to breathe. You...

27:39

You said you knew

27:41

sorcerers here. Yeah. Roundsa,

27:43

the House of Light,

27:46

and Keshif are the

27:48

flashcrafters. You swam here,

27:50

right? I did. Did

27:52

you see the giant

27:55

at the bottom? Oh,

27:57

the, um... Yes, with

27:59

the lens. The arcade...

28:01

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

28:04

So that was a

28:06

harpoon gun from an

28:08

imperial sky. and that

28:11

was a shohoram, which

28:13

are, that giant was

28:15

a human. That was

28:17

a... What? The sorcerers

28:20

of House Keshif work

28:22

the magic of flesh,

28:24

and... Ursulaan, the phrase,

28:27

work, the magic of

28:29

flesh, I think there's

28:31

a chill that goes

28:33

through Ursula, that he

28:36

feels of the spirit.

28:38

Jorin feels it, palpitate

28:40

in this moment. I

28:42

have referred to what

28:45

I practice as a

28:47

gift, and I think

28:49

there is something good

28:52

about receiving a gift

28:54

yourself, rather than inheriting

28:56

it. The spirits that

28:58

gave their gifts to

29:01

the great sorcerers of

29:03

old, some did not

29:05

know where that gift

29:08

would end up. The

29:10

sorcerers of House Keshif

29:12

are. And you see

29:14

that Jourin's list to

29:17

one side gets a

29:19

far away look in

29:21

his eyes as, I

29:23

want them. I

29:30

want the cousins

29:32

and the distant

29:34

relatives. I want

29:36

the ones that

29:39

don't know what

29:41

the house is

29:43

doing dead. I

29:45

want everyone who's

29:47

ever looked up

29:49

at their banner

29:52

with pride. Just

29:54

because it flew

29:56

over the grain

29:58

house where they

30:00

brought their barley,

30:02

I want them

30:04

dead. was the

30:07

first of the

30:09

great house. to

30:11

pass a law

30:13

calling for the

30:15

capture and death

30:17

of shapeshifters. So,

30:20

so in Gouthmy,

30:22

shape changes are

30:24

forced to fight.

30:26

Have always been.

30:28

Ursulon feels that

30:30

energy so white.

30:33

so stable, ripple,

30:35

and the frequency

30:37

gets higher as

30:39

he feels himself

30:41

get angry for

30:43

the first time

30:45

in days. That

30:48

is not right.

30:50

Not right. You

30:52

see that you're

30:54

in nods. And

30:56

as he lowers

30:58

his head in

31:01

defeat, he swells

31:03

in size, so

31:05

he goes from

31:07

a man standing

31:09

tall, to a

31:11

massive garden crouched

31:13

down with his

31:16

head hanging low.

31:18

I hate them

31:20

with every fibre

31:22

of my being.

31:24

And I am

31:26

here. fighting alongside

31:29

them. That is

31:31

how great the

31:33

danger is. Is

31:35

your true form,

31:37

or is the

31:39

other, how you

31:42

see yourself? Ask

31:54

for your first form. Until

32:01

you are at peace with

32:03

the fact that all forms

32:05

are your true for. He

32:07

reaches out of massive, clawed.

32:10

hand, knotted with thick green

32:12

hide, huge claws that you

32:14

can see are veined with

32:16

iron and could tear through

32:19

the wooden hull of a

32:21

sky ship. You can tell

32:23

at the full extension of

32:25

his arm span, it's probably

32:28

like 25 feet wide. And

32:30

he wraps a whole hand

32:32

around you and lets it

32:35

lightly on your back, this

32:37

massive claw. And he just

32:39

goes. If

32:42

I am you and

32:45

you are me, because

32:47

we are of the

32:50

breath of this world

32:53

together, how distant can

32:55

I be from one

32:58

form to the other?

33:00

The thing in me

33:03

that lives forever honors

33:05

that in you which

33:08

lives forever. in

33:14

the wholeness of

33:17

what you are.

33:19

The only difference

33:22

between you and

33:24

me is that

33:27

when I go

33:29

I'm gonna leave

33:32

a mess. But

33:35

I believe deep

33:37

down that we

33:40

are one. I

33:42

agree. because

33:45

he thought I was

33:48

losing the way. That

33:50

my hatred for them

33:53

meant I was losing

33:55

sight of the impermanence

33:57

of this world. Because

34:01

if the point of

34:03

this world is to

34:05

dream something into being...

34:07

Why should I be

34:09

so filled with hatred?

34:11

And I didn't understand

34:13

his question. It made

34:15

so little sense to

34:17

me. Because if the

34:19

point of this world

34:21

is to dream something

34:23

into being... Why the

34:25

fuck would you dream

34:27

of hurting people hurting

34:29

people? Yet

34:34

here I am,

34:36

having devoted my

34:38

life to hurting

34:40

people. I guess

34:42

they picked the

34:45

game, and it's

34:47

just our lot

34:49

to try and

34:51

win it. But

34:54

that's not what

34:56

you do. From

34:58

what I've learned.

35:00

Sufi's parents. And

35:03

their goals? Was that the

35:05

game would not exist at

35:08

all? I don't know a

35:10

way to end it without

35:13

playing it. And I've been

35:15

doing this a long time.

35:17

Have you seen what you

35:20

needed to see up here?

35:22

I'm going to open up

35:24

my divine sense. And see

35:27

if I can see if

35:29

I can. And see if

35:31

I can. Notice

35:34

a certain fire flow.

35:36

Behind you, down by

35:38

the water, you see

35:40

a minute glow. I've

35:42

seen everything I need

35:45

to see up here.

35:47

I'm going to go

35:49

down to the water.

35:51

Make sure that we

35:53

got everything out of

35:55

our craft. He turns

35:57

to you and says...

36:01

I'm very honored and grateful that

36:03

you're fighting for our world. He

36:05

turns and lopes off into the

36:07

ash, headed towards the sorceress encampment.

36:09

Gerslan stands moment, watching him go,

36:11

looking to the fire in the

36:13

clouds. Strange living crafts living in

36:15

the clouds. Strange living crafts living

36:17

crafts living crafts living crafts living

36:19

crafts living crafts living crafts living

36:21

crafts living crafts living crafts living

36:23

crafts living crafts living crafts living

36:25

crafts living crafts living crafts living

36:27

crafts living crafts living crafts living

36:29

crafts. diamond-shaped

36:32

piece of arcane

36:34

above the city

36:37

and then descends.

36:39

You head down

36:42

towards the water

36:44

and see the

36:46

firefly take to

36:49

the wing and

36:51

sort of lazily

36:54

fly out over

36:56

the water. You

36:58

hear... A

37:01

noise from upriver.

37:03

Tap. Tap. Tap.

37:06

Tap. Keeps in

37:08

time to the

37:11

watch. From a

37:13

moment. It sounds

37:16

like boots. Walking

37:18

on a road.

37:21

Until you see

37:23

in the distance,

37:26

small light. There

37:30

is a ferry

37:32

moving downstream, a

37:35

wide broad watercraft,

37:37

and at the

37:39

front of it

37:41

a ferryman with

37:44

a long pole.

37:46

Tap. Tap. Tap.

37:48

Behind the ferryman's

37:50

head. There is

37:53

a globe of

37:55

glass with a

37:57

small opening. Jason.

38:00

A slick of

38:02

sugar water, and

38:05

the firefly moves

38:07

towards the globe

38:09

to join its

38:12

brethren. Fireflies illuminate

38:14

casting the man's

38:16

face in shadow

38:19

as he approaches

38:21

on his fairy.

38:23

Tap. Tap. The

38:26

man pulls up

38:28

the pole. as

38:31

the ferry slows,

38:33

but still inching

38:36

forward, imperceptibly slow,

38:38

as the figure

38:40

in black regards

38:42

you from the

38:44

ferry. Brother Arsalon,

38:47

to think that

38:49

I would find

38:51

you here. See,

38:53

he reaches to

38:55

a post of

38:57

the craft takes

39:00

a wide-brimmed hat.

39:02

puts it on

39:04

his head. Smiles?

39:06

You saw my

39:08

boat in the

39:10

cavern. That's Lucio's

39:13

Ferry. Lucio's Ferry?

39:15

I am called

39:17

that here. To

39:19

some the rivers

39:21

are roads, Brother

39:23

Ursulaon. You have

39:26

been on my

39:28

mind? Supposedly

39:31

in this part of

39:33

the world, you are

39:36

a part of a

39:38

trio. Those worshipped and

39:41

looked to. The Grino,

39:43

yes. They had given

39:46

me their songs. This

39:49

is true. When we

39:51

last were together, you

39:54

spoke for purpose. I

39:56

did. What is your

39:59

purpose? Well,

40:02

we were at the edge

40:05

of Hallaker Forest. We met

40:07

a family that begged us

40:10

not to take their children,

40:12

because they had come to

40:14

understand that children were being

40:17

taken. And I have never

40:19

known a feeling like the

40:22

one I felt in that

40:24

place. That there was nowhere

40:27

else in the world that

40:29

I was meant to be.

40:32

that wasn't breaking

40:35

the shackles and

40:38

undoing the binds

40:40

of those children.

40:43

It's all I've

40:46

thought about. Their

40:48

sorrow has become

40:51

mine, and I

40:53

can think of

40:56

nothing else. Any

40:59

other feeling has

41:01

been a moment,

41:04

something passing. Before

41:07

I again imagine

41:09

them in cages.

41:12

held against that

41:14

will. Wind blows.

41:17

Ursula, give me

41:20

perception, Jack. Natural

41:22

20. As you

41:25

speak. Natural 20.

41:28

As you. finds

41:31

its voice, and for

41:33

a moment, conspires, as

41:36

if on the edge

41:38

of darkness in the

41:41

face of horror, a

41:44

distant dawn cries out

41:46

to be unleashed, that

41:49

a new sun would

41:52

rise, that the better

41:54

world is on its

41:57

way, hands and hammers

42:00

wide wing. open and

42:02

unfurling, clean water and

42:05

bright skies, breaking of

42:08

chains, the unfastening of

42:10

bonds, you on in

42:13

that 20 perception feel

42:16

the weight of responsibility

42:18

and purpose. That weight

42:21

is for the first

42:24

time. Not pushing down

42:26

on you. It is

42:29

pushing up like the

42:32

great force of wind-filling

42:34

wings. The heft of

42:37

responsibility is not a

42:39

burden. It is that

42:42

which allows one to

42:45

soar. On a gnat-20

42:47

perception, for a moment.

42:50

You catch an edge

42:53

of the man in

42:55

black's face and just

42:58

a crescent of the

43:01

edge of his eye,

43:03

which is the most

43:06

you have ever seen,

43:09

and see it wide

43:11

in recognition, not of

43:14

the enormity of what

43:17

you could choose to

43:19

be. On a nap

43:22

20 perception, you may

43:25

ask me... Any questions

43:27

you wish about the

43:30

man in black yourself

43:32

and this moment in

43:35

space and time? First

43:38

of the man in

43:40

black. I have seen

43:43

him in many forms.

43:46

Are any of them

43:48

his true form? And

43:51

if they are not,

43:54

does a true form?

43:56

somewhere. Echoes

44:00

of Jorin's statement come

44:03

back to you. You

44:05

cannot change your shape

44:08

until you realize they

44:10

are all your true

44:12

form. The nature of

44:15

spirit that reveals itself

44:17

to you in this

44:20

moment, as certainly as

44:22

the hardness of stone,

44:25

the movement of wind,

44:28

Is that the forms

44:30

of the man in

44:33

black are facets of

44:35

a diamond, the trees

44:37

of a forest? They

44:40

are faces of a

44:42

truth, no less true

44:44

in each and every

44:47

instance, for representing but

44:49

not being the whole?

44:51

The man in black's

44:54

true form does not

44:56

lie. in this world,

44:58

but rather in the

45:01

spirit. And it may

45:03

be that his true

45:05

form, much like the

45:08

center of a diamond,

45:10

can only ever be

45:12

seen through its facets,

45:15

that you will never

45:17

see his true form,

45:19

but maybe one day

45:22

you will understand it.

45:27

of this present moment

45:29

in time. With regard

45:32

to the path it

45:34

lays before Ursulon, will

45:36

you tell me who

45:39

is the most powerful

45:41

entity that physically stands

45:44

between here and Ursulon

45:46

freeing the children of

45:48

the Renault? At the

45:51

edge of the spirit.

45:53

All wind and air,

45:55

all root and stem.

45:58

the whisper of branches,

46:00

the chirping of crickets,

46:02

the song of birds,

46:05

far distant from this

46:07

ash and wasteland, reaches

46:10

you beyond the ruin

46:12

in this place, connected

46:14

as you are, in

46:17

any depth of horror

46:19

and despair, still in

46:21

your spirit, to all

46:24

things. A force moves

46:26

to interpose itself between

46:28

you and these children.

46:31

The forces that now

46:33

exist between you and

46:36

it are overcomeable, and

46:38

the one that comes

46:40

is not. Your greatest

46:43

opponent is time. And

46:45

of myself. Once upon

46:47

a time, a cub

46:50

in a forest found

46:52

a mushroom. and

46:55

everything that has followed

46:57

since then has been

46:59

your story. Of quests

47:01

and honor, of shame

47:03

and failure, of wizards

47:05

and witches, the world

47:07

of whom more has

47:09

unfolded itself to you.

47:11

And you have always

47:13

been Ursulon. Even when

47:15

you have been bare,

47:17

the strongest man in

47:19

silvery, you wear more

47:21

than one form. And

47:24

you wonder if you

47:27

have seen every facet

47:29

of your own. Beholding

47:31

the man in black

47:33

who has held his

47:35

breath since the dawn

47:37

of time and who

47:39

calls you his brother,

47:42

you feel the vastness

47:44

of breath that avails

47:46

itself to you. Kings

47:52

only soar when they

47:54

are spread wide. Great

47:57

quests come with great

47:59

burden. Even if

48:01

that burden lifts us

48:03

up rather than pushes

48:05

us down. And I

48:08

think you feel yourself

48:10

standing in the threshold

48:12

of a doorway with

48:14

great power calling itself

48:16

to your need. The

48:18

heartbreak in the tragedy,

48:20

Ursula, is that the

48:22

ability to do what

48:25

you want requires you

48:27

to name what you

48:29

want. requires you to

48:31

choose who to be.

48:33

When you dedicate yourself

48:35

to something, you dream

48:37

of a world and

48:40

stand any chance at

48:42

all of making it

48:44

possible, but it means

48:46

something to choose a

48:48

dream. And there is

48:50

a heartbreak and a

48:52

sorrow in the choosing

48:54

of a path. A

48:57

moment of great decision

48:59

awaits. before you. And

49:01

on that Nat 20

49:03

perception, the man in

49:05

black regards you understanding

49:07

that a spirit before

49:09

him may choose to

49:11

go from being a

49:14

wild one to a

49:16

one of the wild

49:18

may go from being

49:20

the cub of the

49:22

great bear to being

49:24

the spirit of something.

49:28

Ursulaan, you feel power

49:31

and potential brimming, and

49:33

you feel the ability

49:36

for it to wait

49:38

there in reserve. But

49:41

all things flow, the

49:43

wind rises and subsides,

49:46

and the power that

49:48

has been called to

49:50

you in this moment

49:53

will fade unless it

49:55

is named. Freedom.

50:03

White ash rises in

50:05

all direction as a

50:08

wind rips down through

50:10

the riverbed water and

50:13

ash spraying in all

50:15

directions. throughout the river,

50:17

you hear, cli, cli,

50:20

cli, cli, cli, of

50:22

something breaking in all

50:25

the vessels, and you

50:27

see the fixtures of

50:30

the vessels, unspool, the

50:32

anchor chains all of

50:34

their links, snap, and

50:37

fling to the sides,

50:39

smashing into the rocks

50:42

of the river bank.

50:44

You breathe, clean air

50:47

here as water rushes

50:49

past you. in

50:54

the reflection of that

50:57

water and the reflection

50:59

of the light of

51:01

the now swinging glass

51:04

globe, the man in

51:06

black's cape, unfurling around

51:09

him and sort of

51:11

reaching off past the

51:13

reach of his hand,

51:16

he beholds a spirit

51:18

of freedom. You feel

51:21

your breath. mighty

51:23

within you. It cannot

51:25

be called a decision,

51:28

is you naming what

51:30

has been you. You

51:32

feel changed. To even

51:34

become aware of who

51:36

you really are is

51:38

a form of change.

51:41

Maybe the most potent,

51:43

because it's not really

51:45

a change, catching up

51:47

with yourself, realizing who

51:49

you've been. And in

51:51

this moment, you realize

51:53

too that the freedom

51:56

that you. mean is

51:58

grand and mighty. And

52:00

you remember the shining

52:02

on the armor of

52:04

those nights. Freedom is

52:06

a virtue. It is

52:09

something like and of

52:11

the world of honor.

52:13

You were a cub

52:15

and a wild one.

52:17

And yes, wild ones

52:19

are free. The fox

52:21

would chew his paw

52:24

off to get out

52:26

of it. trap, but

52:28

you would chew your

52:30

paw off to get

52:32

the world out of

52:34

a trap. When you

52:37

were a child you

52:39

hid your breath in

52:41

honor, and when you

52:43

say their sorrow is

52:45

my sorrow, and in

52:47

yourself take up the

52:49

cause of freedom, you

52:52

know a truer peace

52:54

of the honor of

52:56

the world than you

52:58

have ever felt before.

53:00

You know. what freedom

53:02

is. There are sorcerers

53:05

in the ash and

53:07

wasteland and wizards in

53:09

the sky who believe

53:11

in a word that

53:13

they call freedom, but

53:15

by which they mean

53:17

power, the freedom to

53:20

control, to own, to

53:22

bind. Your freedom is

53:24

full bellies for everyone.

53:27

play and chase and

53:30

trust. For truly, while

53:32

any yet are captured,

53:35

how can any be

53:38

free? When Ursula realizes

53:40

the power he has

53:43

come into and that

53:45

his identity is now

53:48

wrapped in and of

53:51

freedom and its cause

53:53

amongst all beings all

53:56

beings. What

53:58

images and sights? and

54:00

senses what feelings come

54:02

to his mind in

54:04

this moment of assuming

54:06

his true nature. Amongst

54:09

the wreckage and ruin

54:11

of this landscape, In

54:13

Ursulon's mind play memories

54:15

of his earliest days

54:17

at the feet of

54:19

the great bear, and

54:21

the choice that he

54:23

and his siblings had,

54:25

to rest, to play,

54:28

to eat. to

54:30

chase. That choice should

54:33

exist for all. Far

54:35

distant laughter. Dance and

54:38

song and play and

54:41

the riverbed fills with

54:43

song again. Clean clear

54:46

water rushes through the

54:48

stones towards 12 brooks.

54:51

Still not filling up

54:53

the riverbed, but... You

54:56

hear something distant. The

54:58

spirit world has been

55:01

hurt here. And spirits

55:04

are answering the call.

55:06

Somewhere in the world

55:09

of spirits, your siblings

55:11

are still marching. The

55:14

man in black lowers

55:16

his cap and nods

55:19

in deference to you

55:22

in this moment. Brother

55:24

Ursul. You are

55:27

mighty. Lou, you can

55:29

go ahead and level

55:31

up to level five

55:33

and choose your subclass.

55:36

Let's go! The man

55:38

in black looks to

55:40

you and you see

55:42

that he does not

55:45

have his sword on

55:47

his belt. I thought

55:49

I would not see

55:51

you again, Brother Ursula.

55:57

tread carefully around the

55:59

heart. of Haleker Forest.

56:01

Did you dread then

56:04

to see me? I

56:06

did not, but I

56:08

traveled with those who

56:11

do. Your cause will

56:13

fail in their company,

56:15

Brother Ursula. Though their

56:18

hearts are with you,

56:20

their spirit is not

56:22

strong enough to see

56:25

the great work done.

56:28

They will not, when

56:31

the time comes, commit

56:33

themselves to see the

56:35

tower fall. I have

56:38

hope, and my hope

56:40

leads me to stand

56:43

beside them. And my

56:45

cause lends me to

56:48

let them make that

56:50

choice for themselves. The

56:53

man in black. looks

56:55

at your implacability in

56:58

this moment, and looks,

57:00

for the first time

57:03

at a long age,

57:05

the king of night

57:08

sees a smudge of

57:10

distant light on the

57:12

eastern horizon. Hope, indeed.

57:15

Very well, you go

57:17

then to 12 Brooks

57:20

to free the children

57:22

of the Grano. It

57:27

was the task I

57:29

wished to give you

57:31

in the heart of

57:33

Haleker Forest. But I

57:35

see now that you

57:38

have turned to it

57:40

yourself. I was as

57:42

surprised as any that

57:44

after you skirted the

57:46

heart of the forest

57:48

that I could feel

57:51

the footsteps of your

57:53

Head on the road

57:55

to 12 Brooks. I

57:57

was aghast and a

57:59

god, Brother Ursula, that

58:02

you would avoid me

58:04

and then seek common

58:06

cause. To think, by

58:08

some measure of a

58:10

few days, had your

58:13

friends taken up this

58:15

new banner earlier, you

58:17

might be my champion.

58:19

Little light on the edge

58:21

of his cheek as a smile

58:24

rises. I see that you

58:26

are great indeed. And it

58:28

is as it should be

58:30

that this task was chosen

58:33

for your own sake and

58:35

your own cause. I have

58:37

come here in this moment

58:39

to send you off, for

58:42

I would see the children

58:44

of the Grino freed as

58:46

well. The river ends here

58:49

and thus the road. What

58:51

aid can I give you

58:53

Brother Ursula? You've

58:57

already provided

58:59

me with much and I

59:02

would not ask for more

59:04

Very well Then I

59:06

turn from this place

59:08

to wind my way

59:11

Those children now count

59:13

on you. Oh Ursulon

59:15

of the Golden Pauldron

59:18

who is called bear

59:20

the strongest man

59:23

and silvery spirit

59:26

of the wild

59:28

and of freedom. I

59:30

honor you, and though

59:32

you will not

59:34

accept my gift,

59:37

let me instead

59:39

give as warning.

59:41

Let no shadow

59:43

betray this noble

59:45

spirit. You feel

59:48

that a certain kind

59:50

of freedom has been

59:52

placed. in and around

59:55

you, honored here in

59:57

this moment as you

59:59

have. assumed this great

1:00:02

station here before

1:00:05

the king of

1:00:07

night. Brother, you have

1:00:09

your road and I'm

1:00:12

mine. I'm sure I'll

1:00:14

see you by and

1:00:16

by at the crossroads.

1:00:19

The lantern of

1:00:21

the man in

1:00:23

black fades. As

1:00:26

he wins his

1:00:28

way back up

1:00:30

the Lythwin River,

1:00:32

his path to

1:00:34

12 brooks broken

1:00:36

by the subsiding

1:00:38

of the stream

1:00:40

itself. Ursulon, you

1:00:42

look up and

1:00:44

see the entrance

1:00:47

to the smuggler's cave.

1:00:49

An enormous lion and

1:00:52

a huge... Buffalo rest

1:00:55

at the entrance to

1:00:57

the smuggler's cave, looking

1:01:00

down as you approach

1:01:03

up the riverbank and

1:01:05

nod at your approach.

1:01:08

Past them, goes to

1:01:11

find a place to

1:01:13

sleep beside his

1:01:15

friends before the

1:01:18

daunting day ahead.

1:01:20

You sleep? We can compress time

1:01:22

here a little bit, so you

1:01:24

guys are going to have your long

1:01:27

rest, and you are also going to

1:01:29

be able to, I think, Ami, if

1:01:31

you want to create those tokens. Yes,

1:01:33

I will. That may give you

1:01:35

the time you need to complete,

1:01:37

because you were halfway done, I believe,

1:01:40

with counterspell. Yeah! So go ahead

1:01:42

and give me, and we'll bring

1:01:44

those difficulties down by five, so

1:01:47

now it's 5, 10, 20. Oh, sorry. 10,

1:01:49

15, 20. So rolling with

1:01:51

advantage because task is out.

1:01:53

Well, 10 completes the

1:01:56

transcription, 15 completes it,

1:01:58

and pre-prepared. hairs it

1:02:00

and then 20 does it in

1:02:03

half the time. Perfect. 15 on

1:02:05

the die. Hey! We've done it.

1:02:07

So waiting in your own spellbook

1:02:09

that you cannot cast them are

1:02:12

fireball and counter spell. By the

1:02:14

way, this completely tracks with D&D

1:02:16

leveling up processes because the moment

1:02:19

you level up you just have

1:02:21

two spells in your spellbook. So

1:02:23

we're just kind of narrative. We

1:02:25

did it. We narratively play it

1:02:28

through it. I love it. I

1:02:30

love alignment. So there's a moment

1:02:32

while Ursuline is still snoozing that

1:02:35

Am you, Am you see yourself

1:02:37

side by side as Suvee spreads

1:02:39

out arcane tracks and treatises with

1:02:41

a tiny mirrored spider skittering to

1:02:44

you and fro. Oh, who's this?

1:02:46

Oh, this is task. Wait, did

1:02:48

we not meet? That, but I

1:02:50

didn't know that he was... Hello.

1:02:53

This task. I stole him from

1:02:55

the music box. We are friends.

1:02:57

Well, he stole himself in the

1:03:00

music box. We're friends now. Task

1:03:02

projects the word hello onto the

1:03:04

ground. By the way, it's in

1:03:06

very clearly Stevie's font. I think,

1:03:09

or like handwriting, I think we've

1:03:11

done a bunch of like normal

1:03:13

things to say and like Stevie's

1:03:16

written them out. So Task has

1:03:18

some pre-prepared responses. Like, it's very

1:03:20

like, weegee board, like yes, no,

1:03:22

a full thing of letters. So

1:03:25

we've to put it together. Well,

1:03:28

it's a pleasure to

1:03:30

continue your acquaintance, Task.

1:03:32

And as Suvee lays

1:03:35

out her papers and

1:03:37

scrolls and inks, Ahmei

1:03:39

sits and stitches, brings

1:03:41

out the gold thread

1:03:44

that she got from

1:03:46

the keep of the

1:03:48

world's heart and a

1:03:51

little needle, and she

1:03:53

starts sewing. When you

1:03:55

work it up. Well?

1:03:57

I was thinking that

1:04:00

it seems like you've

1:04:02

learned a couple of

1:04:04

things from your time

1:04:06

with the witches and

1:04:09

maybe you might want

1:04:11

a little something to

1:04:13

hold on to that

1:04:16

that might help you

1:04:18

with that later on.

1:04:20

You're making something for

1:04:22

me? A token. Well

1:04:25

thank you. And all

1:04:27

my stitches into a

1:04:29

glove. delicate golden needlework

1:04:31

of a grasping glove.

1:04:34

She remembers the spells

1:04:36

that have protected her

1:04:38

when she'd reached out

1:04:41

both in a bit

1:04:43

of friendship and in

1:04:45

retribution. And she wants

1:04:47

Suvy's very clever hands

1:04:50

to have that ability

1:04:52

as well. That's very

1:04:54

good. a

1:04:56

token of which is grasp.

1:04:59

Incredible. This does not consume

1:05:01

a spell slot. It is

1:05:03

a, it just firmly gives

1:05:06

you the ability to cast

1:05:08

a smell as if Amme

1:05:10

was casting yet. But also,

1:05:13

it's an important thing too,

1:05:15

because even if you decide

1:05:17

not to use it, you're

1:05:20

holding on to it, and

1:05:22

I think that, well, not

1:05:24

to brag, but I think...

1:05:27

holding a token from witch

1:05:29

is something that... it means

1:05:31

something, it means something deeper.

1:05:34

I still have the bracelet

1:05:36

you gave me. Oh, does

1:05:38

it still smell like lilacs?

1:05:41

It absolutely does not because

1:05:43

I've worn it for 14

1:05:45

years. Oh! Oh! Oh god,

1:05:47

don't sniff it. No, don't

1:05:50

sniff it. I like to

1:05:52

be like, takes her hair.

1:05:54

Like, give it, don't smell

1:05:57

it. Don't smell what I

1:05:59

smell like. Ooh. Ooh. Thank

1:06:01

you. Ursulaan. Would you mind

1:06:04

if I... added a little

1:06:06

something to your shield. Of

1:06:08

course. Hand you the shield.

1:06:11

I sketch a little Fox's

1:06:13

face on the inside. I

1:06:15

think that the reminder of

1:06:18

his friend might help Ursulaan,

1:06:20

with protecting those he loves,

1:06:22

and you gain sanctuary as

1:06:25

a token in that little

1:06:27

doodle. So you can ward

1:06:29

a creature within range against

1:06:32

attack. Ursulaan is always so

1:06:34

good at shielding others, but

1:06:36

this is Amé's little way

1:06:39

of helping him. So it

1:06:41

doesn't consume all of his

1:06:43

energy and magic. because Lord

1:06:46

knows he's given enough of

1:06:48

it for her already. Thank

1:06:50

you, Ammé. It is beautiful.

1:06:53

After watching Ammé work for

1:06:55

a little bit, especially she's

1:06:57

sketching the fox, Stevie's going

1:07:00

to like pull some sheets

1:07:02

from her spellbook and write

1:07:04

out two long missives. Task

1:07:07

is nowhere near this, so

1:07:09

it's clearly not like academic

1:07:11

or wizardly work. And she

1:07:14

folds them. and seals them

1:07:16

with blue wax. And then

1:07:18

I'm going to pull out

1:07:21

the other two vials, Cyril

1:07:23

and Enzo. And I'm cool.

1:07:25

Oh, I know, it's not

1:07:28

great to uncork, two at

1:07:30

the same time. Uncork both

1:07:32

Enzo and Cyril, at the

1:07:35

same time. But, our brother

1:07:37

has been slain. I have

1:07:39

composed a ballad of the

1:07:41

death of Vandals. Oh, he's

1:07:44

not dead. He's just sleeping.

1:07:46

In the book? I will

1:07:48

have to amend my poem.

1:07:51

I was wrong, I thought

1:07:53

he died. Do you think

1:07:55

it will be as well

1:07:58

received if he is merely

1:08:00

badly injured? Absolutely. Sleep rhymes

1:08:02

with deep. Oh. Hmm. I

1:08:05

use the word sleep but

1:08:07

not at the end of

1:08:09

any lines. Oh. Are you

1:08:12

going to do it? Replaced

1:08:14

sleep with deep? No, perform

1:08:16

the poem. Oh, yes, I

1:08:19

shall. Harkin' a veil, but

1:08:21

you go back to sleep,

1:08:23

as you're pushing Ursula. I'm

1:08:26

looking up to look at

1:08:28

this sketch, I demand a

1:08:30

boat. I never get to

1:08:33

finish my ballads. Oh, it's

1:08:35

a ballot. Okay, I am

1:08:37

going back to sleep. Harkin

1:08:40

a veil, ye, the tale

1:08:42

of Vandal. Of great might,

1:08:44

though, the size of a

1:08:47

sandal. who braved the castle

1:08:49

walls and loved to say

1:08:51

stuff like cock and poles.

1:08:54

That's beautiful. That's first one

1:08:56

of eight hundred and seventy

1:08:58

four. As he goes off,

1:09:01

CVs just looking at all

1:09:03

may, going, please, please, may

1:09:05

I stop him, please for

1:09:08

the, just silently. I beg

1:09:10

of you. Cross runs with

1:09:12

ass. Okay, well, I don't

1:09:15

like, I don't like this,

1:09:17

I don't... A gentleman? Yes,

1:09:19

mistress. I need you both

1:09:22

to do something for me,

1:09:24

and then we need to

1:09:26

have a discussion about what

1:09:28

happens after. Very well. I

1:09:31

have a letter for each

1:09:33

of you to deliver. Cyril,

1:09:35

you're gonna give a note

1:09:38

to sworn. You have to

1:09:40

find him, and then you

1:09:42

can tell him your whole

1:09:45

ballad to Vandal. He's going

1:09:47

to want to hear all

1:09:49

of it. Very well. I

1:09:52

shall hunt high and low

1:09:54

for the wizard's sworn. Therein

1:09:56

to deliver my missus missive.

1:09:59

Thanks. And after

1:10:01

that, about the whole

1:10:04

mistress thing. What do

1:10:06

you want to be?

1:10:09

Published. What is that

1:10:11

the right answer? It's

1:10:14

a good dream. Do

1:10:16

you think? Do you

1:10:19

know anybody? Is there

1:10:21

anybody who's accepting? queries

1:10:24

interestingly enough I'm telling

1:10:26

you the entire truth

1:10:29

I've never sought poetry

1:10:32

or the publishing of

1:10:34

it so I don't

1:10:37

know anyone and I

1:10:39

might not be the

1:10:42

best fit for you

1:10:44

more of a prose

1:10:47

person more definitely more

1:10:49

of a non-fiction girly

1:10:52

ooh yeah rough I

1:10:54

know I'm sorry sworn

1:10:57

I hear he loves

1:10:59

us on it's on

1:11:02

it There you go.

1:11:04

You can stay with

1:11:07

him if you want,

1:11:10

after you deliver the

1:11:12

letter, or you can

1:11:15

destroy your own bottle

1:11:17

and choose your own

1:11:20

way. You feel a

1:11:22

moment of depth and

1:11:25

profundity. This ridiculous, ridiculous,

1:11:27

Little inky gargoyle looks

1:11:30

up and holds his

1:11:32

bottle which you realize

1:11:35

you've never seen one

1:11:37

of them do. Hold

1:11:40

it from the outside.

1:11:42

What do you do?

1:11:45

Yeah. I accept. Will

1:11:48

you not be? without

1:11:51

attendant or service without

1:11:53

me? I will have

1:11:56

to manage to make

1:11:58

my own cause. from

1:12:00

now on. I don't

1:12:03

know what's going to

1:12:05

happen today. And I

1:12:07

think the worst thing

1:12:10

I can think of

1:12:12

is not offering people

1:12:15

their best chance. Cyril

1:12:17

takes the missive for

1:12:19

sworn and tenderly wraps

1:12:22

it, tying a tiny

1:12:24

piece of twine around

1:12:26

it. and putting it

1:12:29

into his own bottle

1:12:31

for safekeeping. He turns

1:12:33

to look at you

1:12:36

and as he does

1:12:38

there is a blue

1:12:40

gleam in his eyes

1:12:43

and you see something

1:12:45

which Ursulon lying next

1:12:48

to you sees as

1:12:50

well in Ursulon. just

1:12:52

recently has the power

1:12:55

to describe, which is

1:12:57

all of the space

1:12:59

of spirit behind Cyril,

1:13:02

just as each blade

1:13:04

of grass, with a

1:13:06

tiny spirit of its

1:13:09

own, through their eyes

1:13:11

can be seen, the

1:13:13

wholeness of the living

1:13:16

world, the plants and

1:13:18

creatures of its wild

1:13:21

places. And

1:13:23

though Cyril is diminutive

1:13:25

and in the classical

1:13:27

sense a grotesque, a

1:13:29

gargoyle, a accidental byproduct

1:13:32

of the wonderful workings

1:13:34

of the great citadel,

1:13:36

through his eyes you

1:13:38

see the vastness of

1:13:41

a love for language

1:13:43

and the written word

1:13:45

of poetry and the

1:13:47

written word of poetry

1:13:50

and song. of the

1:13:52

desire to capture in

1:13:54

some degree of permanence

1:13:57

great truths and passions.

1:14:00

Even in this comical

1:14:02

creature is some corner

1:14:04

of the great and

1:14:06

beautiful truth of your

1:14:09

world kept. Thank you,

1:14:11

wizard Skye. I will

1:14:13

see it done. And

1:14:16

though it is my

1:14:18

own to use as

1:14:20

I wish, I hope

1:14:23

what I do in

1:14:25

my freedom gives you

1:14:27

cause for comfort and

1:14:30

joy. for pride and

1:14:32

purpose, that you would

1:14:34

know happiness from what

1:14:37

I pursue in this

1:14:39

white world. Thank you

1:14:41

for everything. I don't

1:14:44

think I said that

1:14:46

enough. You are very

1:14:48

strange. Not many wizards

1:14:51

like this have I

1:14:53

ever known. Thank you

1:14:55

for being. The only

1:14:58

like the whistle sky

1:15:00

that I have ever

1:15:02

met. Why? Get out

1:15:05

of here. Goodbye. And

1:15:07

as he left a

1:15:09

hand he raised, in

1:15:12

silent voice, a gestured

1:15:14

praise that lights the

1:15:16

way for all her

1:15:19

days. Glory honor the

1:15:21

sky to blaze. My

1:15:24

greatest and most important poem,

1:15:26

farewell, he flies off. Oh,

1:15:29

oh, oh, it sounds very

1:15:31

nice. Oh, hold on, don't

1:15:34

talk, I gotta do this

1:15:36

one more time. Oh, God.

1:15:39

Enzo, less floored, same thing.

1:15:41

I have some notes on

1:15:43

Cyril's own. Okay, there we

1:15:46

go, and we're back. Hey,

1:15:48

bud. Mm-hmm. I need you

1:15:51

to deliver this, too. The

1:15:53

Wizard Silver, who you have

1:15:56

delivered a message to you

1:15:58

before from me. You'll

1:16:01

find him with the

1:16:03

forces marching in report

1:16:05

and on the road

1:16:07

to here. Very well,

1:16:09

mysteries. From there. Your

1:16:11

will is your own

1:16:13

and your bottle is

1:16:15

yours. Understood. Thank you

1:16:17

for everything. Including the

1:16:19

ways in which you

1:16:21

wanted desperately to help

1:16:23

and created more work

1:16:25

for work for me.

1:16:27

by adding inaccuracies in

1:16:29

the marginalia of my

1:16:31

work. Wizard Skye, would

1:16:33

you trust me to

1:16:35

break my bottle before

1:16:38

my final task is

1:16:40

rendered? I am a

1:16:42

demon, you know, so

1:16:44

I would not fault

1:16:46

you your distrust. I

1:16:48

gotta trust someone. Why

1:16:50

not you? He smiles.

1:16:52

Long nose and long

1:16:54

ears and long claws

1:16:56

and bandy legs. He

1:16:58

shatters it. And you

1:17:00

see, Enzo stands up.

1:17:02

Two foot, four foot,

1:17:04

six feet tall. A

1:17:06

true demon of ink.

1:17:08

Mistress. Skye. Might I

1:17:10

add some final inaccuracies

1:17:12

that I feel may

1:17:14

aid you. in the

1:17:17

journey's yet to come.

1:17:19

You're bigger. The bottle

1:17:21

was, I am afraid,

1:17:23

a stopgap. Did you

1:17:25

know that black is

1:17:27

the most common color

1:17:29

of ink in the

1:17:31

writings of the Citadel,

1:17:33

and that my form

1:17:35

was somewhat constricted by

1:17:37

the enclosure in which

1:17:39

I was kept? Oh,

1:17:41

we should have done

1:17:43

this a while ago.

1:17:45

I owe you an

1:17:47

apology. I owe you

1:17:49

some spellcraft. And I,

1:17:51

like, gesture to my

1:17:53

book. It's sitting on

1:17:56

the ground. to my

1:17:58

hand and I open

1:18:00

it to a blank

1:18:02

page. He lays a

1:18:04

hand on it and

1:18:06

from his hand spreads

1:18:08

one of the most

1:18:10

complex, gorgeous, calligraphic rooms

1:18:12

you have ever seen

1:18:14

in an encryption of

1:18:16

the Lingua Arcana like

1:18:18

you have never seen

1:18:20

before and he is

1:18:22

going to cast non-detection

1:18:24

on. your spellbook, and

1:18:26

as it leaps one

1:18:28

to the other, he

1:18:30

begins to point first

1:18:32

at a flap of

1:18:35

white silk on Amé's

1:18:37

robe at the bottom

1:18:39

of Ursulon's boots as

1:18:41

he lies on the

1:18:43

ground, and he covers

1:18:45

you and all of

1:18:47

your known belongings with

1:18:49

glyphs of non-detection. Inacuracy,

1:18:51

marginalia, errata, instances by

1:18:53

which... Miss categorization can

1:18:55

be seen as a

1:18:57

benefit when the librarians

1:18:59

are not to be

1:19:01

trusted. Oh friend, I

1:19:03

wish we would have

1:19:05

had more chances to

1:19:07

talk like this. Chances

1:19:09

taken are rewarded. Your

1:19:11

trust in faith given

1:19:14

in the face of

1:19:16

some risk is of

1:19:18

course a great working

1:19:20

of magic. A

1:19:22

final task to be

1:19:24

done. And my thanks,

1:19:26

wizard sky. And mine

1:19:29

in return. And he

1:19:31

flies from the cave.

1:19:33

I too, I'm glad

1:19:35

for the strangeness. The

1:19:37

wizard sky. His calligraphy

1:19:39

is gorgeous. He has

1:19:42

a very nice handwriting.

1:19:44

Oh, soovy. It was

1:19:46

the right thing to

1:19:48

do. I've gotten rid.

1:19:52

Almost everything that was

1:19:54

lent to me by

1:19:56

the Citadel. I

1:20:00

think that you have more

1:20:03

than enough that it is

1:20:05

already yours. I'm sorry. It's

1:20:07

okay. You have to make

1:20:10

space. Jorin does not shed

1:20:12

his shape, instead pushing through

1:20:14

the opening much larger than

1:20:16

it and pulling himself into

1:20:19

the cavern. Hulking over you

1:20:21

here. Times of the Essence.

1:20:23

They make a move on

1:20:26

12 brooks. Now. I have

1:20:28

spoken to Kashif and Rounza.

1:20:30

The houses, Bahavi. They are

1:20:33

moving. You must move at

1:20:35

once. Okay. Let's go. Going

1:20:37

back to the sluice, you

1:20:40

see, Jorin doesn't waste any

1:20:42

time looking for a key,

1:20:44

he pulls the gate off

1:20:47

the stone. Rock him off.

1:20:49

You fix to the sky,

1:20:51

the rest with us into

1:20:54

the cavern. Six of the

1:20:56

shape changers take to the

1:20:58

wing, massive eagles, birds of

1:21:00

prey, and you see that

1:21:03

the others, urine drops down

1:21:05

into a medium-sized creature. He

1:21:07

turns, takes the form of

1:21:10

an enormous wolf, and directs

1:21:12

them, get small enough to

1:21:14

go through the passageways, and

1:21:17

begin to tear off. I'm

1:21:19

going to need you guys

1:21:21

to make a group investigation

1:21:24

check for him. That's a

1:21:26

natural one for your girl.

1:21:28

Oh! We're back! We're so

1:21:31

back. So back. 14. 19.

1:21:33

Okay. On a 14, you,

1:21:35

which will be our group

1:21:38

check roll, you make your

1:21:40

way down through the tunnels.

1:21:42

Moving through, you are in

1:21:45

a sewer way here, moving

1:21:47

along Stone Mason rework, long

1:21:49

ago, storm drain. You see

1:21:51

it's been dry for a

1:21:54

while. It's not even, it's,

1:21:56

to be this dry in

1:21:58

this place, the water has

1:22:01

truly been sucked out of

1:22:03

the wind. landscape. On a

1:22:05

14, you have a hard

1:22:08

choice to make. The war

1:22:10

and battle that has rocked

1:22:12

the landscape here has suffered

1:22:15

a collapse in one of

1:22:17

the tunnels. The collapse ahead

1:22:19

of you is the fastest

1:22:22

route to 12 Brooks. Looking

1:22:24

at the collapse, you see

1:22:26

an image up at the

1:22:29

top. of a little bit

1:22:31

of that orange light breaking

1:22:33

in, meaning that this tunnel

1:22:35

got close enough to the

1:22:38

surface that when something hit

1:22:40

up above, it collapsed the

1:22:42

tunnel. You're not sure how

1:22:45

much land there is, but

1:22:47

you know by the nature

1:22:49

of the collapse that some

1:22:52

distance ahead, the tunnel opens

1:22:54

back up directly leading you

1:22:56

into 12 brooks. So here's

1:22:59

the devil's bargain you have

1:23:01

to make. This is the

1:23:03

smuggler's path in. And the

1:23:06

smuggler's path continues in one

1:23:08

track, getting you deep into

1:23:10

the heart of 12 Brooks.

1:23:13

If you peel off from

1:23:15

here and work your way

1:23:17

back to go through another

1:23:19

gate, the sewer is going

1:23:22

to lead you to the

1:23:24

outskirts of the city. So

1:23:26

yeah, you'll avoid being in

1:23:29

the open air, but you'll

1:23:31

be deposited potentially outside of

1:23:33

the empire's defenses. So the

1:23:36

bargain you're making here is...

1:23:38

a short sprint across open

1:23:40

landscape to get back to

1:23:43

the shore bet, or staying

1:23:45

away from open air and

1:23:47

danger, but depositing you at

1:23:50

the beginning of way more

1:23:52

problems at the edge of

1:23:54

12 brooks. What do you

1:23:57

do in this moment? I

1:23:59

think Ursulon moves to take

1:24:01

the riskier option. Amé also...

1:24:03

Instinctively goes for the direct

1:24:06

route, but looks back at

1:24:08

CV. Risk it. Let's go.

1:24:10

As you begin to scramble

1:24:13

up towards the light... knowing

1:24:15

that it's gotta come back

1:24:17

down so the tunnel's gotta

1:24:20

open up somewhere through the

1:24:22

rubble. You climb up and

1:24:24

you see, uh, you're in

1:24:27

behind you with the other

1:24:29

shape changers. You get to

1:24:31

the top of the rubble.

1:24:34

Suve, Ame, Ursula, the Fox,

1:24:36

you stand up, orange light,

1:24:38

massive legs. from a Khashif

1:24:41

dreadnought, barreling down on you.

1:24:43

The lights of 12 Brooks

1:24:45

gleam as Gouthmy pushes to

1:24:47

take the city. They stand

1:24:50

no chance there, those last

1:24:52

soldiers of empire. And in

1:24:54

this moment, the clouds parked.

1:25:00

Airships, dropping from

1:25:02

the sky. Ten.

1:25:05

Twenty. Thirty. Imperial

1:25:08

warships. From where

1:25:10

you do not

1:25:13

know. But at

1:25:16

the head of

1:25:18

their vanguard. Red.

1:25:21

Goldbrocade. The flagship

1:25:23

of the Citadel.

1:25:26

Steel's vessel. rides

1:25:29

to war and

1:25:31

opens fire on

1:25:34

the dreadnought that

1:25:37

you see just

1:25:39

before your eyes.

1:25:42

War is here

1:25:45

and I need

1:25:47

you all to

1:25:50

roll initiative. That

1:25:57

was Lou Wilson as Ursula. Salon Erica Ishii

1:26:00

as Amé, Abriya Ayngar as as and

1:26:02

Brennan Lee Lee Mulligan as

1:26:04

everyone and everything World's Beyond

1:26:06

Beyond Number is edited,

1:26:08

designed, and scored by

1:26:11

Taylor at Fortunate Horse with additional

1:26:13

sound design from Michael

1:26:15

from Michael Gelfi For even

1:26:17

more like this, more us

1:26:19

on our us on our

1:26:22

We'll see you there. you

1:26:24

there. Suvi