Dr. Emily FriedmanWe get Mulligan noting that after the death of the gods, within generations had replaced with new tyranny.
Brennan notes the meaning of the song, at the start, end, and now.
Hal uses Thaumaturgy to dim all the lights save ones near them.
Brennan calls in Alex, Laura, Luis, Robbie to hear this.
(also Travis -- 8 at table)
Brennan reminds us of what this group was up to, what they found.
Brennan tells Laura Thimble will be the last guest to arrive at Thjazi's funeral.
They hear two lyres playing.
Occtis Insight 8 = unable to read the cause of the shift that happens now, as the others react to the song, all veterans of the Rebellion.
(This is the longest chapter per Beacon, "Thimble sees Thjazi")
She flies and lands on his chest.
"You stupid fuck... I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I ruined it."
Her hand on his chin.
"What am I gonna do without you?"
She looks up and sees Vaelus.
"Was this you? Did you do this? Did you bring those people?"
She did not.
"You came for that. You came for your stupid stone"
They explain to Vaelus that the stone is gone, ransacked.
Insight checks are tricky with this many folks.
(No one has learned the lesson of legible dice)
Thaisha still hears the nightingale, knowing its only in her mind.
Hal notices Thjazi's wedding ring on a necklace among the many bits, flashes back to a tower, the wedding, Aranessa hands over her eyes ("I don't know how it works I've never been married") & offers a flower that opens.
Thimble appeared in that moment.
Ethical debate ensues.
Thimble is a warrior fairy of the house. To marry into the Royce family is to be protected by the Fey.
Thjazi and Thimble hit it off immediately.
"everything about this is ill-advised"
As Hal remembers that first little moment, as Thjazi made sure Thimble was dressed to suit her own taste.
Occtis walks over.
"You grew up" says Thimble.
"So did you ... well, you didn't get bigger."
Quietly, Thaisha asks the new arrivals, especially Azune, about the plan.
Azune checks the fake glyph -- a well-constructed forgery. Magically careful, but physically crude.
Occtis confirms it was meant to fool Azune.
And there were only two members of the plot who didn't show up: Cyd and Casimir.
Azune believes it was a Crow Keeper conspiracy -- and Casimir is a member. The feathers are sus.
Meanwhile Thaisha looks at Kattigan's Wolfric -- a front paw has a magical prosthetic.
Aabria casts Speak with Animals for fun. Religion/Nature NAT20 = a potent magical bond means Consequences if she tries this.
"Are you good?"
Wolfric keeps his own counsel.
Theor hasn't seen his brother in years, and asks about how long he has been part of this plot.
The group exchanges notes about the two suspects, their roles in the plan.
At a certain point Vaelus inserts herself to try to get up to speed, focused wholly on the Stone of Nightsong -- which may mean she is looking for the same suspects the others are.
She will not say how she tracked down Thjazi.
Thimble is asked what Thjazi wanted with it.
She holds up the letter.
Brennan uses his go-to NPC Loza to remind the table their goals are fairly aligned at present, then indicates it's time to call it a night.
Occtis sends Pin up the stairs after Vaelus as she speaks to Thimble. V tries to convey that she is not the cause of Thjazi's death. "I'm not the bad guy here."
We have Laura and Ashley in split screen.
V notes that Bolaire led her here.
She winks at Pin.
"Shit" says Occtis.
Thimble confronts V, when V suggests Thimble didn't have free will & thus wasn't responsible for her part in the theft.
But Thimble says "you're an elf, you know our history -- better than I do!"
But he was great -- he was her partner, they were equals, "Can you believe that? equals!"
{THIS IS THE SHIT YOU CAN DO WHEN A TABLE TALKS TOGETHER BEFORE A CAMPAIGN}
We get extended Pin description, calculated to send a zillion Critters demanding a plushie, as indeed they are in Beacon chat.
(not for the first time, I ponder the contractual IP terms of the expanded cast RE: merch)
Thaisha and the Ancients ain't no joke -- a fascinating slice of what it means culturally to have some number of ArchDruids with lifespans to match.
Brennan laces so many exchanges with backstory and lore it's keeping @omenarchive.com and the Wikis hopping.
Teor's moment is being given half of the torn banner -- if anyone would know when the time would come for it to fly again, it would be him.
Loza is relatable in retirement: "I think I'm gonna go fuckin' crazy. But my knees hurt."
Cranberry roll bit continues and builds. Vaelus is sugar-free which... aren't you immortal?
Hal hands them over with a threat.
Vaelus sits outside in trance for the night, like a gargoyle, cranberry rolls beside her.
(could have lived without the cheap shot about religion, Liam)
Speaking of cheap shots about religion, Sam and Whitney are called to table.
(this is me being overly cynical)
The set brightens, and they face Teor.
We are now in the section "The Candescent Creed" and Mulligan asks Sam to describe the family home.
White stone -- or off-white stone -- tall, prismatic glass, symbol of CC, security on perimeter, but not heavily armed, serene with teal robes, not scary.
In a long Versailles-like hall is Tyranny, feeling good overall about the proceedings, sweating from the solar heat.
Her towering sister Enmity & other sister Cruelty (hot as hell) check in.
They yell for Agony (the small sister, bespectacled, monk-ish, bright blue skin, yelling in, you know, agony as she faceplants)
Tyranny knows Wic is the only one who believes, and she doesn't want to touch it.
"We're here to help" she says -- and her sister's "guys" are more suited than Wic for what needs to be done.
"Help WHO, Tyranny?"
Their job is to "help the family... and get them where they need to be."
"Remember where you're from, and what you are"
"Yeah and BTW I made a friend Thaisha and she's in love"
Agony perks up
"Oh yeah we'll be able to use them to our ends, right?"
(she is dragged away)
Tyranny meets Teor & welcomes him to the "Candy Creed"
Wic's got his mantle on backwards as he welcomes them into his office. He's barely slept -- not used to that many people mad at him.
Always rememeber POO -- Protect, Observe, Obey.
A carriage of House Halovar rolls, its crest similar to CC
"It's hard to tell where the noble house ends and faith begins" (sigh)
A crate falls on a guard, and on NAT20, Teor heals an injured guard as Wic and Tyranny see him bathed in sunlight in this moment.
Wic is struck as he arrives on the scene.
Travis leans into the vibe.
Teor calls himself a "friend of the Light" -- and inquires as to the caustic mystery liquid that hurt the guard.
Wic is notably mum about this.
Their handshake is ... intense. Wic, with a grip like wet veal, squeaks. Tyranny says the quiet part out loud.
Wic is too young to recall the war but he knows his people and Teor's fought on opposite sides.
Wic's Grandma arrives and Teor is asked about whether he is of their faith, given he healed with radiance. He blusters (poorly: Deception/Persuasion 5) that he is new to town, etc.
Extended mutual BS ensues, and when Teor leaves, Wic is dressed down for his trust in said BS.
We are told that Wic has been sheltered, kept only in the light -- with no knowledge of the shadow.
"It's time for you to know the truth"
"To promote me?"
"Yeah Wiccy, you're getting promoted"
Break!
We break at 2:19 -- and from here you might want to circle back to this thread in 15 minutes if you're on YT/Twitch as I jump to Beacon.
But first: at break 44,865 are holding on YT, 10K on Twitch, 8154 on Beacon Discord channel.
We return to the brightly lit set, with Murray, Bolaire, Azune, Kattigan, and Julien at table as Brennan describes the Archenade and its setting, and more lore ensues.
(meanwhile, the Mighty Nein trailer is playing for the non-Beacon platforms, ICYMI earlier today)
Brennan hands over description to Tal, as we look at the exhibit halls of the Archenade.
Brennan then points our attention to a dull iron blade that never knew the touch of fire -- so common that even magical light cannot rest on its edge.
Working all night, Bolaire & Murray have been researching. Rolls ensue, prompted by Brennan.
Box is still closed.
No rolls necessary for Murray to note they won't find much about it without opening it.
Above table, Brennan says they don't HAVE to.
Bolaire has a kind of magical fume hood.
Brennan asks if Identify is cast on exterior. (Marisha hates this)
Tal asks about black box ("a little more deteriorization")
They -- carefully -- open the box.
This is ALSO recently built. Lining is just open mist. Wood from far north -- deep within the Wastes, where the Shaper of the Elves, Sylandri, died.
The plates are ancient, Halfling, set into the coffin, dedicated to Rauwyn, the Trickster God of the Halflings.
This (it says) is the Coffin of Olbalad -- "The Sister of Mists," a Celestial, the Halfling Angel of Death/Psychopomp -- a working of blasphemy in its way.
We are told what wizards all know: that after the gods died, wizards discovered that beings older than the gods had existed (the fey, demon, giants).
Some beings were not here before the gods, but sung into being -- the celestials. They went feral, like monsters, after the gods died.
We get a heck of a response from Bolaire (channeling very Percy vibes) and Murray (broad Kentuck)
Brennan prompts them to consult folks at the Penteveral. Bolaire thinks they need to chuck someone's familiar in to look around.
"can't make an omelet without breaking a few puppies"
Marisha as a wizard is full scope for her actual INT (and notetaking skills) that is lovely to see.
We move to the scene marked "House Royce" with another carriage moving swiftly drawn by snow white horses
Gen Raimond Davinos stands before a house of ... companionship, barking "JULIEN! JULIEN!"
What state do we find him?
Groggily climbing over his bedmates (masc & femme) of the prior evening.
As he comes out, his father yells "DON'T SALUTE HIM"
The two have a difference of opinion on what constitutes "local culture."
Julien is remarkably unhelpful when his father asks for intel from the Fang funeral.