The Toymaker's Regret Part II

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Last session, the holiday

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00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:44,720
adventurers arrived to a holiday
hamlet wrapped in warmth and

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absence.
Snow fell the way stories

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00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,880
promise.
Hearths glowed and songs drifted

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like the town's steady breath,
yet empty chairs and shuttered

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windows lingered in the corners
of sight.

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At Branagh Coyle's Tavern, a
single seat was kept for

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Merrick, a widower who never
missed a bowl of Stew.

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Until he did.
His friends spoke of him

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returning lighter each time,
happy and content, as though

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vanishing were a gentle mercy
rather than a wound.

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At Town hall, 1/2 elf clock with
ink stained fingers pulled a

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weathered Ledger and a pair of
maps.

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She had tracked a private
pattern.

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The 1st to go were those least
checked on.

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She named Gelvin Crick, the old
toy maker whose shop once gave

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company to the lonely.
On the older map, Crick's

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Emporium sat on East Lane.
On the new one, the shop had

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been removed as neatly as an
entry crossed out.

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Lord Crumbleton Molassica, a
gingerbread noir with a sugar

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dusted hat and a candy cane
sidearm, took the case with a

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hard promise.
Santa doesn't handle the hard

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cases.
I'm what happens after you get

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cold?
A stop at the bakery turned

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uncanny.
Millie Sandbake, served from a

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room, paused mid moment, an
ovens loaf perfectly between raw

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and done.
The timer stopped as if the air

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forgot how to tick.
Sailor.

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The Baker had finished her
morning's work, wrapped

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tomorrow's dough, and declared
she was done being kneaded

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before leaving with a relieved
smile.

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Outside, the streets bent
subtly.

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Wrong corners drifted.
Lantern light shortened, and a

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warm draft carried pine and
varnish toward an address that

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shouldn't exist.
Crick's Emporium stood ahead,

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windows, gold toys in perfect
rows, it's sign promising.

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Everyone has a purpose.
The snow stirred with motion

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00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:50,520
that felt prepared, not hungry.
Tin choir boys rose, ribbon

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gremlins unfurled, and the alley
erupted.

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Crumbleton expanded to a
towering silhouette and opened

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with ruthless precision.
Simo stepped into the line,

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shield high as his summoned
snowman smashed into brass and

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00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,440
paint.
Fiery's hand borne lightning

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00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,400
seared A gremlin to stillness.
Twiggy, high on a broom, let

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fire bloom and rattle the shop's
pains.

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Indiana slid through the drift
and finished a gremlin with a

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clean shot while Amelie's arrow
and Estella's dire wolf form

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pressed the attack.
When silence returned, toys lay

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as if carefully set down, not
broken.

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A small brass gear stamped JK
glinted in the snow.

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Inside the emporium felt like a
place that had pulled out a

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chair for them hours ago.
The door clicked shut.

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Warmth pressed in, and from
deeper in the Golden Isles a

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fond and tired voice said Oh
good, you made it.

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The toy maker's regret waited
past the shelves, and with it

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00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:00,400
the truth of where the missing
had gone and why the town felt

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relieved to let them go.
Stop, let's write this story.

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I don't need the allegory.
Please just tell me what's real.

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But nothing ever seemed to be
real.

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But she's some colors that don't
exist.

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Painting my painting
counterfeit.

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00:04:29,780 --> 00:04:32,700
Bless every truth I knew just
starts to twist.

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Can from a calm in a world like
this.

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00:04:35,580 --> 00:04:39,020
I've been my tongue till the
words went dry, warm, old like a

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chief disguise.
See the truth when I close my

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eyes.
The hardest part was a great

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goodbye and safety ache and
master pain.

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I've been lost inside my name.
All the mirrors look the same,

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but I don't see my face.
Face.

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00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,640
Welcome back criticism to
another episode of Crit happens

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here on Spotify, iTunes,
player.fmpoddirectory.com,

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stitcher.com, TuneIn Radio,
iHeartRadio, also now on

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SiriusXM and Pandora.
Want to welcome back our holiday

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00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:35,720
adventurers?
Say hello, adventurers.

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Hello Adventures.
Oh, hello.

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Hello Ventures.
Hello.

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00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,200
Did you say I just got to ask,
did you say criticisms?

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00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,000
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's the thing we came up with

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00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,240
weeks ago.
Well, I missed it in time now.

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00:05:51,280 --> 00:05:53,560
Yeah, So you might not have been
there actually, now that I think

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about it.
Yeah, Yeah, that's that's

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something we came up with a few
weeks ago.

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And actually, I love that Archie
came up with it.

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We were, we were mulling over
nicknames because of course

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critters is taken.
And I was like, oh, we got to

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00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:08,560
come up with something.
And just off the cuff, he's

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like, what about criticism?
And we're all like, Oh my God, I

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love that.
It's perfect.

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So we are here once again to
finish our holiday.

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We call it a one shot, but
typically it takes us 2-3

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episodes to get through.
But to our holiday session we'll

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call it.
So again, as the recap stated,

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you guys have just entered the
the Emporium, Crix Emporium and

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we left off the session with the
oh good, you're here.

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00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,680
So do we have any questions
before we start?

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00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:55,040
I don't think I ever changed out
of direwolf form and that stays

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for an hour, but I think I'm so
a wolf.

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00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:03,240
That would be correct, yeah.
So that'll be cool.

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That'll be fun.
Cool.

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00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,280
I'm still meeting.
Her people.

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00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:08,800
Oh yeah, yeah.
Wait, yeah.

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00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:10,560
Aren't you like 7 feet something
now?

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00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,680
Quick.
That's right.

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00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:14,360
I forget.
Yeah.

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How large?
Yeah, yeah, you're going to need

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to duck on your way in, but all
right, so the doors close behind

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you with the sound too gentle to
be a lock.

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Warmth settles in, not rushing,
not pressing, just arriving, the

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way a blanket finds its weight
after you stop adjusting it.

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The noise of the street fades,
not cut off but politely

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dismissed.
Snow light becomes window gold.

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Shadows soften the air.
Smells of pine, old wrapping

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paper, and something sweet that
never quite names itself.

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Rows of toys lined the walls,
not chaotic or crowded, each one

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placed with care, angled just
enough to be seen.

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Soldiers at rest, dolls with
folded hands.

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00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:04,600
Animals mid stretch, caught
between motion and stillness.

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00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:09,480
No one rushes to meet you.
A long hearth runs the length of

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the far wall, embers glowing low
and steady.

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People sit nearby.
Some talk quietly, some sip from

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mugs that steam without
thinning.

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00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:23,640
Others simply sit, eyes closed,
breathing like they had finally

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found a place that does not ask
anything of them.

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They notice you, but they they
don't react.

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No Fear, no surprise, no relief.
Just the mild curiosity reserved

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for someone who has arrived
early or late, never on time.

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A tall figure tends the fire.
His movements are practiced,

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careful, unhurried.
He sets the fire poker down,

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00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,560
straightens and smiles the way
someone does when guests finally

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find their way in from the cold.
Oh.

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He says, voice fond and worn
thin in places.

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Good, you made it.
He gestures, open handed,

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towards the warmth.
Please sit, there's time.

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You telling me what to do?
No, not at all.

146
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It's just there's, there is room
for everyone.

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So there's like a fireplace.
Yeah, you think of it kind of

148
00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,960
like if you any of you have been
to like a ski resort or like a

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00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,320
ski hill, you know, like there's
like the inside, there's just

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00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,880
everybody's huddled around the
fire and, you know, drinking

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coffee or a warm.
So in order to get to the

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fireplace, do I have to like
pass by him?

153
00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:52,040
Yeah, you would be, you would be
kind of centered around the, you

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00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,480
know, the other patrons there.
I mean, you would be centered,

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00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:57,440
but you would absolutely be
around them.

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00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:03,760
OK, well, I mean, I'd like to
kind of in my wolf form still

157
00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:08,920
just take a little sniffer
around, you know, and make my

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00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,680
way towards the fire.
But I would definitely like to

159
00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:16,120
just, I don't know why I would
like to go past him and sniff.

160
00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,280
Sure.
I mean, you know, this is not

161
00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,480
the first time I've asked for a
role for Sniff in this camp or

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00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:30,320
in this this podcast.
So what the hell, give me a I'll

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00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:46,800
call it an investigation check.
OK, Oh, how's A9?

164
00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:50,240
With a nine there's.
Have extra yeah.

165
00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,880
With a nine, I mean, there's
nothing out of the ordinary that

166
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catches your sniffer.
You you smell the you know what

167
00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:03,640
you would expect the smell.
Oh, I have keen hearing and

168
00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:07,160
smell so I have advantage on
perception checks.

169
00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:10,040
I'll let you.
I'll let you roll advantage

170
00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:14,920
again.
OK, come on.

171
00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,760
Worse.
I got an 8.

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00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:26,200
Perfect.
So with the 8 and the nine, you,

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you smell exactly what you would
expect to smell, you know, with

174
00:11:29,560 --> 00:11:34,360
a fire going and people kind of
having their own hot drinks and

175
00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,400
you know, the the standard
holiday smells of, you know,

176
00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:42,760
again, pine, peppermint, hot
chocolate, you know, things

177
00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:49,040
along those natures.
Like a whiny type thing and

178
00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:52,720
shrug and I'm going to go like
curl up in front of the fire and

179
00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:55,920
like, look around and observe.
Sure.

180
00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:03,320
Yeah, I mean you'll hello curl
up in front of the fire and the

181
00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,640
patrons around you don't seem to
be reacting.

182
00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:09,240
They it's just another day at
the office for them.

183
00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,200
Patty, you were asking if there
were baked goods.

184
00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:16,960
Yeah.
Oh, absolutely.

185
00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,520
Yeah.
Awesome.

186
00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:24,560
You know, think of this place as
a, we'll call it a welcome hall

187
00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:26,600
of sorts.
You know, it's, you know, think

188
00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,800
if you were to walk into a
potluck that you weren't

189
00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:32,800
expecting to walk into, There's
people huddled or you know,

190
00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:37,160
people are around eating food,
drinking drinks, having some,

191
00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:40,400
you know, conversations at the
fire, although the conversations

192
00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,720
that are occurring here aren't
very prevalent almost, you know,

193
00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:47,280
sometimes they're talking to
themselves or they're, you know,

194
00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,760
with a hushed whisper, kind of
whispering to each other, but

195
00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:57,440
nothing about anything.
We'll call it stressful.

196
00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,000
Emily's going to look at the guy
and be, like you said, time.

197
00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,240
Time for.
What exactly?

198
00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:16,640
There's always time to to warm
up and sit where you'd like and

199
00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:21,440
just enjoy yourself.
Is that a baking joke warm up?

200
00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:25,400
It was not meant to such my
friend.

201
00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:35,360
Emily's going to kind of like
slip by this guy and she's going

202
00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,600
to sit next to the fire and open
a book that has a sprig of

203
00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,480
mistletoe as a bookmark, and
she's just going to kind of lean

204
00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:43,960
back and read.
OK.

205
00:13:47,680 --> 00:13:51,120
I'll take a listen to the
conversations that are going on.

206
00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:53,000
Yeah, same.
Sure.

207
00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,440
Also, can I go cuddle up to
Amelie?

208
00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:57,040
Sure, what the hell.
Yay.

209
00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:59,080
You're under the mistletoe
though.

210
00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:09,640
Oh shit, I'll give her a lick.
Thank you, I still appreciate

211
00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,480
the texture of your tongue on my
cheek.

212
00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:14,840
The.
Texture of your tongue.

213
00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,480
What a compliment.
What a sentence.

214
00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,680
Holy crap.
I'm going to for no reason.

215
00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,160
I'm just going to hit the marker
key and I'll do the audition for

216
00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:25,960
that one.
All right?

217
00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:30,000
Jesus.
OK, so anybody that wants to

218
00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,440
listen for conversations can go
ahead and give me a perception

219
00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:34,560
check or they can take their
passive if you wish.

220
00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:41,200
Do I do the set advantage?
Keen hearing, I will say yes.

221
00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,880
Yep.
I'm a 25.

222
00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:51,200
OK. 15. 24.
Got a dirty 20?

223
00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:56,760
Is a 3020. 3020 all.
Right.

224
00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:02,720
So everybody that rolled above a
12, which I think is everyone,

225
00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:08,880
the conversations that you are
hearing between these patrons,

226
00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,760
again, some of them are even
talking just a little bit to

227
00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:13,080
themselves.
Otherwise they're not really

228
00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:15,360
speaking at all.
They're just enjoying the

229
00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:17,680
atmosphere.
The conversations that you do

230
00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:25,600
hear aren't anything that
worrisome are important.

231
00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,560
They're more just kind of
talking about things that they

232
00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:32,720
enjoy in their lives and, you
know, their family members and

233
00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:38,120
kind of talk with each other
about how good it feels to kind

234
00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:41,360
of relax.
I want to go up to the ones that

235
00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:43,160
are having a conversation about
family.

236
00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:46,840
Oh boy.
OK, sure.

237
00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:54,040
So you'll walk up to there's a
couple different, there's a an

238
00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:59,640
older gentleman and there's also
an older woman.

239
00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:01,560
You know, they're kind of
converse, you know, conversing

240
00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:05,880
with each other.
Sure them then.

241
00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:11,920
Say again sorry.
Said them then.

242
00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,880
Yes.
That's that's who I'll go up to,

243
00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:16,640
OK.
You'll so you'll.

244
00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:22,120
Are you still in large form?
Yeah, I'll, I'll be medium.

245
00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:24,320
OK.
So just standard, standard

246
00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:26,800
height, you just walk up to them
and you'll just stand there.

247
00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:32,680
I'll say that's a pretty nice
conversation you're having.

248
00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:41,360
I I had a family once till they
were eaten.

249
00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:46,400
Now, I don't suppose you ever
had a cookie or two in your

250
00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:51,560
life, have you?
The, the, they're not a couple,

251
00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:53,880
but the couple will, they'll
kind of glance at each other and

252
00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:56,520
smile, look up at you and says,
my goodness, I mean cookies,

253
00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:00,520
especially during the holiday
season or one of the best treats

254
00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,040
that you can get, especially
down at the bakery with, with

255
00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:08,839
the, the, you know, the Baker we
love, we love the cookies here.

256
00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:13,880
Going to unholster my candy cane
pistol and just kind of like

257
00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:21,079
slap my hand on the table with
it under my hand and say when's

258
00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:22,560
the last time you had a
gingerbread?

259
00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:31,760
Give me give me a give me an
intimidation check with

260
00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:40,560
disadvantage that.
Is a 1717.

261
00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:43,760
OK.
Oh, disadvantage.

262
00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:45,680
Sorry.
Yeah, yeah, that is a, that is a

263
00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:53,960
14. 14 OK, well, the 14 they
will, you know, kind of look at

264
00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,560
your candy cane pistol, kind of
look at each other and they're

265
00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:02,080
the smile starts to fade just a
tad when you when you kind of

266
00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,240
bang your hands on the table
with the pistol and say how many

267
00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:06,800
gingerbreads have you eaten in
your life?

268
00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,040
You kind of hear from the far
end of the room by the by the

269
00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:11,920
fire.
You say you you don't need to do

270
00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,600
that here.
No one you can put that down.

271
00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:17,840
It's it's all right some.
It is down, can't you see?

272
00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:21,960
Please, there's there's no need
for hostility here.

273
00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,240
Fighting is usually the last
thing people are ready to let go

274
00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:29,360
of.
Well, if it's the last thing

275
00:18:29,360 --> 00:18:31,760
they're willing to let go of,
then it's the first thing

276
00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,000
they're willing to do.
I I must ask that you put that

277
00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:36,880
away.
There's there's no need for

278
00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:40,760
hostility.
I'll pick it up and I'll just

279
00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:45,040
hold it in my hand at my side.
I'll turn around and walk away.

280
00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:49,560
And as I'm walking away under my
breath, I'll say gingerbread

281
00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:54,640
eating sons of bitches.
OK, what's everybody else doing?

282
00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:03,720
What did did I hear?
Anything interesting from the

283
00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:06,840
perception?
Just like trying to listen in on

284
00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:08,520
conversations around us.
Yeah, yeah.

285
00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:11,960
So yeah, everybody that rolled.
First of all, hello, Buggy.

286
00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:15,040
You are the most handsome boy in
the universe.

287
00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:18,680
Audio listeners, we love you to
death.

288
00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,280
Discord is we're being shown a
dog.

289
00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,480
Hello, Finnegan.
Thanks for making your

290
00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:28,040
appearance on Critical.
Critical happens today.

291
00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:34,040
You are a good boy.
Spencer almost got us cancelled.

292
00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:40,680
OK, so to answer your question,
no, I mean nothing that you

293
00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:42,920
wouldn't expect.
I would say nothing out of the

294
00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:44,520
ordinary.
You know, like I said, they're

295
00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:49,360
talking about family, they're
talking about relaxation,

296
00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:52,880
letting go of of stress and
things that are bothering them.

297
00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,920
Nothing.
Like I said, nothing necessarily

298
00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,560
out of place.
Well, wasn't this like a toy

299
00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:05,680
shop slash factory?
Are you, are you asking me that?

300
00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:07,080
Are you asking me that out of
game?

301
00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,520
Well, I don't know how I'd ask
you in game.

302
00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:15,120
Well, I I didn't know if you
were asking 1.

303
00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:17,800
Of the what part?
Bark, Bark wolf.

304
00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:21,400
I guess.
Yeah, OK.

305
00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:22,960
Yeah, you're right.
You're still in wolf form.

306
00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,240
So it more come like a ger.
Uh huh.

307
00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:33,000
Well, because I just, I thought
last session where we ended was

308
00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:37,800
fighting outside the like
factory or toy shop and that's

309
00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:47,320
what we went inside and now it's
like this resorty type thing.

310
00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:52,840
Yeah, I mean, I tell you what.
Give me give me an insight

311
00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:54,720
check.
OK.

312
00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,200
OK.
I get the sense we're in more of

313
00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,760
a lobby.
Which is 12 first.

314
00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:13,600
Room.
You said 12, OK, With a 12, I

315
00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,040
mean, there's not necessarily
anything on the door or the sign

316
00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:19,800
that says that this is
exclusively a toy shop.

317
00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,800
It just says Crick's Emporium.
Huh.

318
00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:28,360
OK, interesting.
Noted.

319
00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:35,520
Indiana's going to find a table
and like, try and make herself

320
00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,680
make herself at home with
whoever's whatever table she

321
00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:43,240
randomly picks and try and see
if she can grab some snacks.

322
00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:48,280
OK, yeah, tell you what, give me
a Dexterity check to check to

323
00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:55,920
check for grabbing snacks.
I'm feeling feisty tonight.

324
00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:00,480
You get 3 cookies.
You.

325
00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:09,040
Had it.
All those bad rolls 6. 6 you you

326
00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,440
successfully grab one cookie,
but as you go for the second

327
00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:13,640
cookie, you kind of accidentally
knock it off the table.

328
00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:22,320
Wait, can I get it?
Give me a.

329
00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:23,440
Give me a precise.
Rule.

330
00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:26,080
I'm gonna dive and go 5 second
rule.

331
00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,760
Oh boy, I'll tell you what.
Give me, give me, give me

332
00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:37,360
competing Dexterity checks.
We'll just call it a straight

333
00:22:37,360 --> 00:22:43,720
Dexterity check.
What is this dex?

334
00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:44,560
OK.
Plus 41.

335
00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,480
Did you say 40?
21.

336
00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:57,040
OK, well, I got 12, so I'm not
very good in my wolf form, by

337
00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:01,160
the way, but I'm enthusiastic.
By the way, great song by Rush

338
00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:06,480
2112.
OK, yeah, Patty.

339
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:08,240
Well, you'll absolutely pick up
the cookie 1st.

340
00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:10,840
And as you pick up the cookie
and begin to eat it, you see

341
00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,520
this wolf just coming, just
ready to pounce, trying to grab

342
00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:18,280
the cookie, and she misses.
I get sad.

343
00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,160
I'm going to like, taunt her a
little bit with it, like, oh,

344
00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:31,880
it's so good.
And then eventually like break

345
00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:33,360
off a piece and throw it down to
her, OK.

346
00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:38,920
And as you guys take that in,
the warmth around you is

347
00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:44,240
settling in again, and somebody
nearby kind of exhales like

348
00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,120
they've been holding in their
breath of a long time.

349
00:23:57,660 --> 00:24:00,380
What?
Wait, where someone's holding in

350
00:24:00,380 --> 00:24:02,780
their breath?
No, somebody exhaled like they

351
00:24:02,780 --> 00:24:04,700
were holding in their breath.
Right, like they were holding in

352
00:24:04,700 --> 00:24:07,180
their breath.
Where'd it come from themselves?

353
00:24:08,100 --> 00:24:11,400
Where?
Oh, there's, there's people all

354
00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:17,480
around you remember?
But I it was, but I can't tell

355
00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:19,360
who.
No.

356
00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:23,800
Huh.
Who did that?

357
00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:26,120
Who?
Breathed.

358
00:24:27,120 --> 00:24:28,480
Which one of you exhaled like
that?

359
00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:29,640
It was who?
Breathed.

360
00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:34,520
Are you?
Are you saying that to me?

361
00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:37,080
Like are you saying in circles?
Are you saying that with your

362
00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,680
gun?
Yeah, I pick it up just like

363
00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:44,880
pointing straight out.
Give me an intimidation check.

364
00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:49,920
Matt, 20.
Jesus.

365
00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,880
Christ, Oh my God.
It's the only check 20 I rolled

366
00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:55,720
like making them.
Crumble.

367
00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:57,840
Where's the?
Cookie got riz.

368
00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:05,360
I have questions.
Jesus for the natural point.

369
00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,680
Something suspicious in here and
one of you is going to tell me

370
00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,240
what's going on.
And you hear.

371
00:25:13,120 --> 00:25:18,440
Baked I will have more riz.
Yeah, you hear or you see, you

372
00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:22,360
know, a woman stirring, you
know, her mug answer is kind of

373
00:25:22,360 --> 00:25:24,480
without looking up, she goes, I
did.

374
00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:30,440
And she kind of gestures vaguely
towards the the hearth and says

375
00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:35,760
the fire does that to people.
You can, you can put that down,

376
00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:37,240
dear.
No one's sneaking.

377
00:25:38,120 --> 00:25:43,840
I'm not a people.
The fire does that to everyone.

378
00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:50,600
What do you mean the fire?
Emily's going to say, and she

379
00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:52,280
looks over her book at this
lady.

380
00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:56,920
Say it again.
You, you're kind of cut out.

381
00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,280
What do you mean the fire?
Emily is going to kind of look

382
00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:07,400
over her book at this lady.
I mean she she again kind of

383
00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,760
does like the have you ever seen
that that Tik Toker, I forget

384
00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:14,240
his name, Kabe Lami.
I think his name is where he

385
00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:16,440
puts his hand up and he points
at something with both of his

386
00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:21,680
hands.
Like she kind of like gestures

387
00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,680
towards the fire a little bit
more and she's like this, the

388
00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:27,840
fire it, it brings out something
in people that they don't

389
00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:33,120
necessarily know is there.
As this is going on, I'm going

390
00:26:33,120 --> 00:26:45,840
to be loading my my weapon with
a different type of of candy

391
00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:47,320
cane ammunition.
OK.

392
00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:53,680
I'm sniffing the fire.
What the My spells, never mind.

393
00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:57,600
My ears perk up and I go and I'm
just like looking around very

394
00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,040
alertly.
Your character doesn't hear

395
00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,200
that, by the way.
Oh no.

396
00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:10,520
Oh, then I'm sniffing a fire.
Would any of us hear that?

397
00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:15,040
All all of so that noise is for
out of game purposes.

398
00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:20,440
I can't really tell you what it
is, OK, but just know that that

399
00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:22,880
nose is not necessarily a good
thing.

400
00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,520
Oh.
Love that for us.

401
00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:32,520
I'm going to, I'm going to
unload my gun into the into the

402
00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:35,520
hearth, the fireplace.
Where I'm standing in front of.

403
00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:40,560
Using my frostbite cane.
OK, let me let me understand

404
00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,840
this correctly.
You are putting ammunition into

405
00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:48,480
a fire.
No, I'm putting frostbite cane

406
00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:56,840
into a fire Sugar ice hard and
spiked that deals cold damage

407
00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:02,960
and leaves in its place a 10
foot radius of difficult ice

408
00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:06,920
terrain.
OK, when you I'm putting the

409
00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:10,200
fire out, sure.
When you empty your ammunition

410
00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:12,720
into this fire, the frostbite
cane.

411
00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:15,600
Can I say empty?
I mean, shooting, I'm shooting

412
00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:20,000
it.
I'm emptying my gun into it,

413
00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:22,400
unloading it, emptying it,
right, You know?

414
00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:25,240
I I thought you were saying.
Bang Bang, Bang, Bang Bang.

415
00:28:25,360 --> 00:28:27,600
Do the smart thing and not do
the gun thing.

416
00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:42,040
Jesus Christ, someone.
Does.

417
00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:50,680
And run as you begin to fire
this gun into the into the fire,

418
00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:56,720
the shots kind of crack through
the entire room, sharp and

419
00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:02,760
completely out of place.
The flame butters embers are

420
00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:08,480
scattering and then the fire
settles again just continuing

421
00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:12,760
the bullets and the the
frostbite gun.

422
00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:15,880
What was it?
Frostbite cane just vanish into

423
00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:20,480
the coals without any spark,
smoke, any change.

424
00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:22,960
The warmth remains unchanged,
steady as a breath.

425
00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:25,520
And that there's a magic fire,
y'all.

426
00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,560
After a moment, one of the
patrons near the hearth kind of

427
00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:36,240
murmurs, almost kindly, and it
says it doesn't mind you talk.

428
00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:39,960
Like it's living.
Sorry, it the fire.

429
00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:45,160
Eyes are very wide now, both
from fear of being shot at and

430
00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:48,200
that statement.
Fear of being shot?

431
00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:49,880
Which one are you fearful more
of?

432
00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,920
I'm going to be honest, probably
the shot at because I was just

433
00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:58,080
in front of that fire like.
I'm a real good shot.

434
00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:00,920
Actually, you weren't.
You were back by the table with

435
00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,720
I.
Had gone up to go take a sniff,

436
00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:07,600
Sir, I had said that right
before.

437
00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:09,800
Oh, did you?
I I missed that, but OK.

438
00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:12,320
OK.
Yeah.

439
00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:16,720
So your your eyes are like shot
up to the sky and you almost

440
00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:20,360
have like red eyes, like you're
scared to death.

441
00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:26,360
Yep, there's a little shaking
wine going on here.

442
00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:32,640
Magic fire.
I can tell, can feel it can

443
00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:34,120
feel.
It was that before or after you

444
00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:40,160
shot at it?
Well, I knew after I shot it.

445
00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:42,000
Wouldn't have known without the
shooting.

446
00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:49,600
You're welcome.
Oh, sure, Indiana's going to

447
00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:54,360
finish her cookie off and like,
dust off the crumbs and she's

448
00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:59,080
going to walk over to the
gentleman we first kind of met

449
00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:03,200
and be like, you know, I'm
sorry, I don't know where my

450
00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:08,240
manners are.
I mean Deanna Stones, I'd love

451
00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:13,920
to know who my host is.
And as you walk up to the

452
00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:20,680
gentleman, the echo of the last
shot is still kind of ringing in

453
00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:23,280
the air.
For a moment, nobody's really

454
00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:29,600
speaking.
And you then walk up to the

455
00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:37,920
individual and as you are
introducing yourself, he's kind

456
00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,760
of looking side eye at Lord
Crumbleton.

457
00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:44,880
He almost gives like a long
measured look, not judgmental,

458
00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:49,760
but more familiar.
And he shakes Indiana.

459
00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:52,480
He shakes your hand and says,
I'm pine.

460
00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:55,080
And he looks over as he's
shaking your hand at Lord

461
00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:59,160
Crumbleton and goes, usually
people try yelling first.

462
00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:04,600
Gums come a little bit later.
And he turns back to you,

463
00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:09,920
Indiana, and says, I help keep
things moving when folks arrive.

464
00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:14,200
And again, looks over at Lord
Crumbleton and says loudly.

465
00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:18,480
And he glances at the fire and
then back at Lord Crumbleton and

466
00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:23,360
says, are you done testing it?
Guns come later.

467
00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:28,640
Is that a threat?
He raises his gun a little bit,

468
00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:32,600
not at him, but like in front of
his feet, kinda.

469
00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:38,560
He kind of nods at you once,
like he was expecting that

470
00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:43,240
answer, and he goes.
Fair that that won't work,

471
00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:47,120
though.
Nothing here does if if you're

472
00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:54,240
trying to scare it.
I don't need to scare, I just

473
00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:57,680
need to kill.
Killing is not necessary here.

474
00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:02,560
Is it necessary for someone to
have created a 7 foot

475
00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:06,120
gingerbread cookie?
That can talk and shoot.

476
00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:09,000
Is it necessary for me to drink
my own urine?

477
00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:11,800
No, but I do it anyway because
it's sterile and I like the

478
00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:16,680
taste.
For the players in my lobby

479
00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:18,320
right now that have no idea what
I'm talking about, I'm

480
00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:25,280
referencing dodgeball.
Oh yeah, I felt you.

481
00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:27,160
Can dodge a wrench.
You can dodge a ball.

482
00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,640
Punk.
Still one of my favorite movies

483
00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:32,600
anyway.
Yeah.

484
00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:38,760
So again, he he feels 0
intimidation.

485
00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:42,120
You know, he's 100% not fearful
of anything.

486
00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:55,360
You speak about the fire as if
it's living, as if it has its

487
00:33:55,360 --> 00:34:00,760
own consciousness.
Why is that?

488
00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:05,440
Say again, you were kind of
cutting out again.

489
00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:06,680
What was that last part you
said?

490
00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:10,960
I hate this phone sometimes, I
said.

491
00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:15,320
You speak about the fire as if
it has its own consciousness.

492
00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:22,239
Why is that?
Well, I mean, the fire itself

493
00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:31,880
represents warmth and happiness
it but it it doesn't choose to

494
00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:35,920
have a conscience.
And there's a small beat and he

495
00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:38,800
says it holds what people give
it.

496
00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:49,400
High 5.
He'll immediately just give you

497
00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:51,080
1 back.
Nice and soft though, because

498
00:34:51,080 --> 00:35:00,950
you are a cookie.
What the hell, right?

499
00:35:01,030 --> 00:35:05,990
Fire and I are friends.
Oh I'm sorry, were you were you

500
00:35:05,990 --> 00:35:11,160
giving the fire a high 5?
I apologize, you said it holds

501
00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:13,320
on to what it's given so I gave
it a high.

502
00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:14,960
Pine, I apologize.
I thought you were talking about

503
00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,920
pine.
You just for a moment just stick

504
00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:22,160
your hand in the fire and you
have just a small singe on your

505
00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:27,760
on your, you know, your hand.
It smells a little bit like

506
00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:34,600
burnt cookie.
Under Why suspicious?

507
00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:40,200
Give me an insight check.
That one.

508
00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:45,080
It's definitely not you.
Something smells like burnt.

509
00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:47,320
Cookie in here.
Somebody in this room farted and

510
00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:52,280
it smells like burnt cookie.
Just like cock, my head is

511
00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:56,160
cocked to the side this staring
at this damn cookie man.

512
00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:02,400
You're like, I'm so hungry.
A little bit, but also still

513
00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:04,960
petrified, like he just shot at
me.

514
00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:09,600
I don't think he's got all the
parts in his brain.

515
00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:16,960
He is a cookie.
Are you sure he even has a

516
00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:28,520
brain?
No, and as as Lord Crumbleton is

517
00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:34,680
burning himself and Estella is
about ready to start just like.

518
00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:38,560
She's having a mental break.
Indiscriminately killing people.

519
00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:41,760
Pine kind of looks all at all of
you.

520
00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:46,120
He saw all of you enter with
each other and says, just so you

521
00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:50,120
know, nothing you've done so far
disqualifies you from being

522
00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:58,800
here.
Disqualifies us as if this is a

523
00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:00,840
competition.
No, no.

524
00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:05,360
Disqualifies you just from being
here, from being in this place

525
00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:08,960
and being in this, you know, in
this building.

526
00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:14,800
You know this building
represents happiness and the

527
00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:18,840
ability to let go.
How come this place isn't on the

528
00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:27,320
map anymore?
Well, that depends on your your

529
00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:31,560
answer to this question.
You know, most people start with

530
00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:40,040
letting go of just very easy
things, but everyone has their

531
00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:43,920
stressors in life and has their
attention.

532
00:37:43,920 --> 00:37:46,240
What?
What would you let go of?

533
00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:57,920
I'm a living cookie.
I've been around for four days

534
00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:03,640
and I'm pissed off, so I suppose
maybe I'd give up a little bit

535
00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:10,040
of the anchor.
Any kind of gestures to the rest

536
00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:15,120
of you as almost like to
represent, you know, what about

537
00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:26,440
you?
Simo's definitely feeling a

538
00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:31,320
little Grinch like with all of
this warm familial atmosphere

539
00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:35,720
and holiday spirit.
That's not Simo's vibe, but he

540
00:38:35,720 --> 00:38:39,720
might give it a chance.
He can give up his miserliness.

541
00:38:43,240 --> 00:38:45,120
I'm sorry I zoned out for a
second there.

542
00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:49,600
What was the question?
Question is what would you give

543
00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:52,320
up essentially?
For what?

544
00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:55,280
What would you let go?
Stressors in life to.

545
00:38:55,360 --> 00:38:57,840
Ease your mind.
Right to clear your head.

546
00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:00,760
All right, now it'd be this
cookie.

547
00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:07,040
The cookie stresses you.
Yeah, it shot at me.

548
00:39:08,240 --> 00:39:11,520
But she said it like this girl.
Woof woof rah.

549
00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:17,680
Literally I put more of a wine
honestly like I I I'm I'm

550
00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:20,040
shaking it just to smidgens.
Yeah, yeah.

551
00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:22,960
You'll look at Lord Crumbleton
and just kind of let out that

552
00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:25,480
stereotypical wine, like I'm
afraid of it.

553
00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:30,760
Want to say I think she likes me
and I'll go pat her.

554
00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:33,080
I'll pat her on the head one
time.

555
00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:35,960
Like my head is like, my head is
going into my shoulders.

556
00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:38,120
The more you pat.
Like I'm like, you know, like

557
00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:40,520
you're touching me.
Yeah, I tell you what.

558
00:39:40,680 --> 00:39:47,840
I tell you what.
Give me a SO give me an insight

559
00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:49,240
check.
OK, don't.

560
00:39:54,850 --> 00:40:01,970
Worry little puppy, I won't let
anybody hurt you. 12. 12 Yeah,

561
00:40:02,370 --> 00:40:06,130
you're kind of indifferent.
Not necessarily like you're

562
00:40:06,130 --> 00:40:10,010
about to shit your drawers, but
also not like, you know, stop

563
00:40:10,490 --> 00:40:24,480
fucking touching me.
Brenna Nope, here I am.

564
00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:37,280
The dawn of the third day.
Hold up, hold up.

565
00:40:38,120 --> 00:40:41,000
Do we hear that?
No, we didn't hear it the first

566
00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,480
time either.
And we definitely didn't hear it

567
00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:47,000
this time.
Not in game, no.

568
00:40:56,790 --> 00:40:58,870
No.
All right, Sir, how exactly do

569
00:40:58,870 --> 00:41:02,910
we let go anger and holiday
resentment?

570
00:41:04,590 --> 00:41:06,550
Well, I mean, I said.
It and I don't feel like it

571
00:41:06,550 --> 00:41:08,270
happened.
What's the trick?

572
00:41:08,910 --> 00:41:12,070
I mean, well, he and he kind of
has like an almost like an

573
00:41:12,070 --> 00:41:16,400
apologetic smile and he kind of
gestures deeper into the shop

574
00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:19,720
where the aisles are narrow and
lights kind of softening.

575
00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:23,840
And he goes, depends.
Most people start with the

576
00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:26,320
wardrobes.
Some skip ahead.

577
00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:28,920
A few just sit until they're
ready.

578
00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:36,200
He kind of looks at all of you
as a whole and he goes, all of

579
00:41:36,200 --> 00:41:38,320
you don't strike me as the
sitting type.

580
00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:45,000
Ready for what exactly?
What lies at the end of this?

581
00:41:49,040 --> 00:41:59,720
Truth, happiness, stress free,
you, Everybody has their their

582
00:41:59,720 --> 00:42:03,320
answer to that question.
But in order to answer said

583
00:42:03,320 --> 00:42:09,120
question, you must understand
what this shop is and what this

584
00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:16,520
place is.
Mine, Sharon.

585
00:42:21,120 --> 00:42:25,840
That's not my story to tell.
Whose story is?

586
00:42:26,720 --> 00:42:36,440
Well, that would be.
Yours I'm not too interested in

587
00:42:36,440 --> 00:42:42,600
telling stories.
I think I've had about as much

588
00:42:42,600 --> 00:42:45,200
of these riddles as I can take.
I'm going to go check out those

589
00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:48,480
wardrobes.
I'm not sure Simo's ever heard

590
00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:51,040
of a wardrobe before.
You've never been to Narnia.

591
00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:52,880
What the hell?
He's a Yeti.

592
00:42:53,440 --> 00:42:54,000
He's a.
Yeti.

593
00:42:54,040 --> 00:42:58,840
He's a Yeti.
What's the guy's name is Crick?

594
00:42:58,840 --> 00:43:01,200
Is that who we're supposed to?
It's Crick's Emporium.

595
00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:03,800
What's the guy's name from the
Tavern?

596
00:43:05,280 --> 00:43:11,000
The one we're talking to.
Rick, are you?

597
00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:12,600
Who's the miss?
What's the name of the missing

598
00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:14,640
guy?
Merrick.

599
00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:17,680
Merrick.
And Stella, Stella the Baker and

600
00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:20,840
Merrick.
OK, where's Stella and Merrick?

601
00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:27,280
We don't know each other by
names per SE.

602
00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:31,120
We know each other from
experiences and.

603
00:43:33,200 --> 00:43:40,800
Where's the Baker then?
The Baker is here with the rest

604
00:43:40,800 --> 00:43:42,960
of us.
Yeah, where?

605
00:43:43,400 --> 00:43:49,960
He kind of points to right over
there and you see the Baker just

606
00:43:49,960 --> 00:43:55,080
kind of sitting there smiling,
enjoying a cup of hot chocolate,

607
00:43:55,560 --> 00:44:04,320
you know, a cookie, a fresh bun.
Damn cookies and I'm not

608
00:44:04,320 --> 00:44:12,080
supposed to be pissed off.
Well, I say we get her out of

609
00:44:12,080 --> 00:44:15,680
here.
We need Merrick too.

610
00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:19,600
But all these people, what are
they doing here?

611
00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:28,880
The people that are here are all
here for the same reason, you

612
00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:38,240
know, the the ability to let go
of life's miseries and stressors

613
00:44:38,240 --> 00:44:41,520
in life and just to have a happy
life.

614
00:44:43,120 --> 00:44:49,280
Did they forget them entirely?
They forget what they want to

615
00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:55,520
forget.
But that's life.

616
00:44:56,600 --> 00:45:00,480
Misery comes with a living.
I'll fetch up a female.

617
00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:02,200
I'll go check out those
wardrobes too.

618
00:45:07,560 --> 00:45:11,840
OK.
Excuse myself and go to Stella

619
00:45:12,440 --> 00:45:14,720
where she was pointed out and go
try and talk to her.

620
00:45:15,600 --> 00:45:26,770
OK, so you'll just got to walk
up and she'll just kind of smile

621
00:45:26,770 --> 00:45:33,450
kindly at you.
Indiana Scones offers her hand

622
00:45:33,450 --> 00:45:35,730
out to shake and says, I'm
Indiana Scones.

623
00:45:35,730 --> 00:45:37,810
I hear you're you're Stella the
Baker.

624
00:45:40,330 --> 00:45:47,520
Yes, I'm I'm Stella.
Does she try to shake hands or

625
00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:48,320
no?
Oh yeah?

626
00:45:48,320 --> 00:45:49,600
She happily shakes your hand.
All.

627
00:45:50,480 --> 00:45:52,960
Right.
Do you mind if I sit?

628
00:45:54,560 --> 00:45:59,080
Go right ahead, she sits.
Down and kind of straights out

629
00:45:59,080 --> 00:46:03,240
her outfit and says I just had
some of your delicious wares at

630
00:46:03,240 --> 00:46:06,600
your bakery, but people said you
went missing.

631
00:46:07,720 --> 00:46:10,280
Are you all right?
Oh dear, I'm fine.

632
00:46:11,080 --> 00:46:12,760
I I wouldn't consider it
missing.

633
00:46:12,760 --> 00:46:14,960
I feel more at home here than
anywhere.

634
00:46:14,960 --> 00:46:21,560
Else.
But what about your family?

635
00:46:22,120 --> 00:46:25,160
What about the bakery you left
loaves in the oven?

636
00:46:27,320 --> 00:46:33,400
The bakery and home, that's
where I worked, this place.

637
00:46:33,400 --> 00:46:36,080
And she gestures to the you
know, the room that you're in

638
00:46:36,080 --> 00:46:38,800
currently.
This place is where I stopped.

639
00:46:39,960 --> 00:46:43,080
She kind of glances at her
folded apron on the on the

640
00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:44,040
table.
She says.

641
00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:52,000
I didn't come here to nap.
Sorry, she didn't come here.

642
00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:53,240
To what?
Nap.

643
00:46:54,280 --> 00:47:01,520
Nap.
OK, So what did you come here

644
00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:12,840
for then?
I've spent my whole life setting

645
00:47:12,840 --> 00:47:19,600
timers, kneading dough, helping
everyone that I could.

646
00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:28,040
I know what I owe people.
I've just finished paying my

647
00:47:28,080 --> 00:47:40,680
responsibility.
So what will you do here then?

648
00:47:42,080 --> 00:47:48,880
Well, here I'm happy I'm I'm not
about to go and start another

649
00:47:50,640 --> 00:47:54,720
timer, she says.
That kind of is like a more of a

650
00:47:54,720 --> 00:47:57,520
euphemism than the actual
meaning of the word timer.

651
00:48:00,080 --> 00:48:16,350
Give me an insight check.
Yep, it'll be a dirty 20.

652
00:48:17,310 --> 00:48:20,190
Is a dirty 20.
You're able to see with a dirty

653
00:48:20,190 --> 00:48:27,440
20 that she means every single
word of what she's saying.

654
00:48:31,680 --> 00:48:39,480
You kind of get the the feeling
that she's not missing in her

655
00:48:39,480 --> 00:48:51,380
eyes, she is more home.
So you don't miss anyone from

656
00:48:51,380 --> 00:48:54,380
your life before.
Well, of course your.

657
00:48:54,380 --> 00:48:55,660
Family.
Your rough ones.

658
00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:06,880
You know, I know they missed me,
I know they miss me, but they

659
00:49:06,880 --> 00:49:15,560
would understand why I've come
to this wonderful place.

660
00:49:18,760 --> 00:49:27,080
Are you here to die?
Not per SE, more of I'm here to

661
00:49:27,080 --> 00:49:32,040
let go of a life that was
draining and demanding.

662
00:49:32,200 --> 00:49:39,360
And I was asked very, I was
asked of a lot.

663
00:49:41,680 --> 00:49:46,440
But you brought undeniably such
joy to the the people around you

664
00:49:46,440 --> 00:49:51,080
with your baked goods.
And surely the people who you

665
00:49:51,080 --> 00:49:54,200
cared for, who care for you
still are missing.

666
00:49:54,200 --> 00:49:57,480
You are are wanting you and
wishing for you to be there.

667
00:49:58,160 --> 00:50:00,120
Do you expect them to join you
here?

668
00:50:05,000 --> 00:50:12,880
And she kind of takes a moment
after that question and she

669
00:50:12,880 --> 00:50:23,160
says, I, I hope they don't
follow me here because if they

670
00:50:23,160 --> 00:50:28,000
ever wanted to come here, I
would want it to be because they

671
00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:32,280
chose to come, not because I, I
made it look easy.

672
00:50:32,920 --> 00:50:37,200
She kind of tilts her head
slightly at you and says, you,

673
00:50:37,400 --> 00:50:42,600
you don't bring family here.
You come when you've already

674
00:50:42,600 --> 00:50:54,240
loved them enough.
Could you leave of your own

675
00:50:54,240 --> 00:50:58,360
volition or is this a forever
space?

676
00:50:58,880 --> 00:51:02,240
I could absolutely leave anytime
I wish, but why would I leave

677
00:51:02,240 --> 00:51:06,680
this place that brings me
nothing but joy and there's

678
00:51:06,680 --> 00:51:20,120
nothing to worry me?
Except the pain and and lost

679
00:51:20,120 --> 00:51:22,320
you're causing the people you've
left behind.

680
00:51:25,880 --> 00:51:34,520
And if if they truly understand
who I am, and if they, as you

681
00:51:34,520 --> 00:51:38,840
say, truly love me, they would
understand my decision.

682
00:51:43,920 --> 00:51:47,760
Indiana kind of gives us creeped
outlook and she backs away, OK.

683
00:51:51,720 --> 00:51:53,640
You're you're back your way
completely like leaving.

684
00:51:54,600 --> 00:51:55,080
Yeah.
Oh yeah.

685
00:51:55,280 --> 00:52:07,800
OK, first time.
Are you joining everybody else?

686
00:52:07,800 --> 00:52:09,080
Go heading towards the
wardrobes.

687
00:52:09,120 --> 00:52:19,840
OK, OK, so as you are leaving
this welcoming area, the warmth

688
00:52:20,120 --> 00:52:24,440
doesn't follow you so much as it
almost allows you to leave.

689
00:52:25,440 --> 00:52:27,720
As you step away from the
hearth, the hum beneath the

690
00:52:27,720 --> 00:52:31,360
floor shifts.
Not louder, just a little bit

691
00:52:31,480 --> 00:52:35,600
closer, like a thought you've
almost remembered.

692
00:52:36,120 --> 00:52:41,560
The air changes first, less of a
pine smell and more of a linen

693
00:52:41,560 --> 00:52:44,720
and old paper lavender pressed
thin.

694
00:52:44,720 --> 00:52:49,240
By time the light begins to
narrow, the shelves give way to

695
00:52:49,240 --> 00:52:53,120
tall wooden frames lining a
quiet corridor.

696
00:52:53,360 --> 00:52:57,240
Wardrobes, each one standing
open just enough to be inviting,

697
00:52:58,000 --> 00:53:03,920
their interiors draped with soft
fabric, velvet or wood cotton,

698
00:53:03,960 --> 00:53:06,600
worn smooth by hands that knew
them well.

699
00:53:07,360 --> 00:53:12,160
Mirrors are set between them,
not polished for vanity, but

700
00:53:12,160 --> 00:53:15,880
just angled and observant.
They catch you from the side,

701
00:53:15,880 --> 00:53:18,880
from behind, from moments you
weren't watching yourselves

702
00:53:20,560 --> 00:53:23,560
inside.
The wardrobes are not clothes.

703
00:53:24,400 --> 00:53:32,960
They are more versions.
Outfits neatly arranged, tools

704
00:53:32,960 --> 00:53:35,520
set just where muscle memory
would reach.

705
00:53:36,080 --> 00:53:40,160
Coats worn thin at the
shoulders, aprons folded clean,

706
00:53:40,440 --> 00:53:45,640
uniforms pressed and ready.
Lives almost simplified.

707
00:53:45,880 --> 00:53:49,880
No one's blocking your path, but
no one's urging you forward.

708
00:53:50,640 --> 00:53:54,400
Pine's voice kind of drifts
after you, not following, but

709
00:53:55,000 --> 00:53:58,800
just drifting after you.
Most people slow down here.

710
00:53:59,000 --> 00:54:15,240
Please take your time.
I'd be inspecting a couple of

711
00:54:15,240 --> 00:54:19,720
these closely and kind of like
recoiling at how fancy and

712
00:54:19,720 --> 00:54:22,880
proper they are.
I don't think that's for me.

713
00:54:25,480 --> 00:54:29,160
So you're inspecting the the
wardrobes as kind of a whole,

714
00:54:29,160 --> 00:54:31,640
correct?
Yeah, like one at a time.

715
00:54:31,640 --> 00:54:34,880
Just kind of like looking at the
setup inside each of them and

716
00:54:34,880 --> 00:54:38,160
being like meh.
Can I look through pockets for

717
00:54:38,160 --> 00:54:41,400
cookies and snacks?
We'll come back to that in a

718
00:54:41,400 --> 00:54:42,880
minute.
Dang it.

719
00:54:43,000 --> 00:54:46,840
As Simo as you step closer, the
air kind of surrounding the

720
00:54:46,840 --> 00:54:50,720
wardrobe begins to change.
It's not colder, but more still,

721
00:54:51,360 --> 00:54:54,800
the fabric inside the nearest
wardrobe stirs not from wind,

722
00:54:54,800 --> 00:54:59,160
but more recognition.
The mirror beside it adjusts its

723
00:54:59,160 --> 00:55:04,280
angle with a soft, almost polite
Creek, catching your reflection

724
00:55:04,280 --> 00:55:11,880
kind of at a slant.
And how do I look?

725
00:55:12,120 --> 00:55:13,200
Are you going to look in the
mirror?

726
00:55:14,320 --> 00:55:18,000
I'm going to look in the mirror.
OK, for just a moment it doesn't

727
00:55:18,240 --> 00:55:21,640
reflect what you are wearing and
what you look like now.

728
00:55:21,880 --> 00:55:27,120
It reflects a version of you
that looks almost finished.

729
00:55:27,600 --> 00:55:29,360
Your armor.
What kind of armor are you

730
00:55:29,360 --> 00:55:32,600
wearing currently?
Leather armor.

731
00:55:32,720 --> 00:55:35,600
So leather, OK, And you're
holding like a shield or a

732
00:55:35,600 --> 00:55:37,880
sword, correct?
Yeah, shield in the short sword.

733
00:55:38,920 --> 00:55:42,880
Your armor is much simpler but
maintained, no longer polished

734
00:55:42,880 --> 00:55:45,920
for inspection.
However, your shield is resting

735
00:55:45,920 --> 00:55:48,440
against a wall instead of at
your arm.

736
00:55:48,680 --> 00:55:51,840
Your posture is much more
relaxed in a way that suggests

737
00:55:52,000 --> 00:56:00,960
nothing is coming next inside
the wardrobe.

738
00:56:00,960 --> 00:56:04,720
Where's the fun in that?
Inside the wardrobe as you

739
00:56:04,760 --> 00:56:08,360
inspected further.
Give me an investigation check.

740
00:56:15,040 --> 00:56:24,040
17 Inside the wardrobe arranged
in very careful precision as you

741
00:56:24,040 --> 00:56:27,680
look into this mirror kind of
angles down so you can see the

742
00:56:27,920 --> 00:56:33,320
the wardrobe as a whole.
You you see your gear cleaned

743
00:56:33,440 --> 00:56:38,840
and stored rather than carried,
your boots placed side by side,

744
00:56:38,840 --> 00:56:42,720
scuffled but repaired, your
shield properly maintained,

745
00:56:42,720 --> 00:56:46,320
leaning against the ward, the
inside of the wardrobe and a

746
00:56:46,320 --> 00:56:50,000
cloak folded neatly, worn thin
at the collar.

747
00:56:51,360 --> 00:56:55,920
Everything is ready for someone
who has stopped standing watch.

748
00:56:55,920 --> 00:57:01,600
And what was your investigation?
You said 15, correct 1717.

749
00:57:01,600 --> 00:57:05,240
My apologies.
A small tag is hanging from the

750
00:57:06,280 --> 00:57:10,240
inside with a from a hanger with
no name.

751
00:57:13,400 --> 00:57:17,120
Interesting.
I guess I would pull the tag

752
00:57:17,120 --> 00:57:21,040
closer and inspect.
Sure, there's really nothing

753
00:57:21,080 --> 00:57:23,720
like nothing on this tag.
Yeah, I mean, I'll use your 17

754
00:57:23,720 --> 00:57:27,280
roll on the tag.
It's just a single word written

755
00:57:27,280 --> 00:57:30,720
very plainly.
It says reliable.

756
00:57:34,520 --> 00:57:39,600
I do like the sound of that.
Yeah, the the warmth here now is

757
00:57:39,840 --> 00:57:42,400
gentler than it was at the
hearth.

758
00:57:42,400 --> 00:57:44,600
It's closer, almost more
personal.

759
00:57:45,480 --> 00:57:48,760
You don't feel all of a sudden
for the first time for justice

760
00:57:48,760 --> 00:57:51,680
split moment.
You don't feel any sort of pull

761
00:57:51,800 --> 00:57:56,200
towards any danger.
You don't feel compulsion.

762
00:57:56,720 --> 00:58:02,600
You only get the sense that this
version of you would be enough.

763
00:58:03,040 --> 00:58:06,520
So what does?
What do you do?

764
00:58:09,200 --> 00:58:11,880
Seems to me we're here to figure
out what's going on, right?

765
00:58:12,160 --> 00:58:16,400
What better way than to immerse
yourself, take in the sights,

766
00:58:16,400 --> 00:58:20,240
try out the activities.
This cloak looks pretty nice.

767
00:58:20,240 --> 00:58:23,880
Let's try it on.
OK, so as you touch the the

768
00:58:23,880 --> 00:58:27,800
clothing, the fabric is warm,
not magically so much as just

769
00:58:28,080 --> 00:58:32,920
used.
When you pull your hand back

770
00:58:32,920 --> 00:58:35,080
from touching the you said the
cloak that you were touching,

771
00:58:35,080 --> 00:58:36,680
correct?
Yeah.

772
00:58:36,720 --> 00:58:39,240
OK.
When you pull your hand back,

773
00:58:39,240 --> 00:58:42,800
the the fingers, your fingers
kind of tingle slightly like

774
00:58:42,800 --> 00:58:44,480
they do after setting something
heavy down.

775
00:58:44,480 --> 00:58:50,600
For the first time in a long
time, I'm going to send you

776
00:58:50,600 --> 00:58:55,280
something in DMS that you can
use as a little bit of a

777
00:58:55,280 --> 00:59:02,920
whisper.
Sounds good.

778
00:59:05,960 --> 00:59:13,400
OK, what does everyone else do?
I'm searching pockets.

779
00:59:14,200 --> 00:59:16,200
I'm gonna ask, you know, what
the hell he's doing.

780
00:59:17,000 --> 00:59:20,080
I I don't, I don't think this is
a good place to be.

781
00:59:20,080 --> 00:59:23,360
I think they're trying to kill
people or something else.

782
00:59:23,360 --> 00:59:25,160
I don't know.
But it's not good.

783
00:59:25,160 --> 00:59:26,760
Why are you putting that stuff
on?

784
00:59:28,320 --> 00:59:32,160
I'm skeptical, but I haven't
seen anything too nefarious yet.

785
00:59:32,640 --> 00:59:36,560
I've seen cookies and a warm
fire.

786
00:59:38,120 --> 00:59:43,040
People who are happy.
They are, but they're giving up

787
00:59:43,040 --> 00:59:46,400
their lives entirely.
They're leaving behind everyone

788
00:59:46,400 --> 00:59:49,760
they love and care about.
That doesn't seem entirely

789
00:59:49,760 --> 00:59:53,440
innocuous to me.
It's suspicious, to be sure.

790
00:59:57,160 --> 00:59:59,200
I'm remaining skeptical.
Don't worry about me.

791
01:00:03,080 --> 01:00:04,760
Well, we're here to figure out
what's going on, right?

792
01:00:06,440 --> 01:00:11,560
So let's let's Estella go
through hockets with cookies.

793
01:00:13,440 --> 01:00:18,720
Give me So as you're kind of
searching through the pockets,

794
01:00:23,120 --> 01:00:25,120
you're kind of running your
fingers along the pockets.

795
01:00:25,120 --> 01:00:29,080
The fabric gives easy, well
worn, softened by years of use.

796
01:00:29,880 --> 01:00:33,600
Whoever owned the the clothing
in the wardrobe that you're

797
01:00:33,600 --> 01:00:37,240
looking through didn't carry
much.

798
01:00:40,080 --> 01:00:45,320
Whoever owned Inside this pocket
you find one small, ordinary

799
01:00:45,320 --> 01:00:49,720
thing, a single scrap of paper
folded and unfolded so many

800
01:00:49,720 --> 01:00:52,240
times the creases have lost
their edge.

801
01:00:53,920 --> 01:00:56,000
It isn't the letter, it isn't
the spell.

802
01:00:56,080 --> 01:00:59,520
It's a list.
Not long, not dramatic.

803
01:00:59,520 --> 01:01:03,200
It says bread on Tuesdays.
Mend the hem, check the latch

804
01:01:03,200 --> 01:01:05,640
before bed.
And at the bottom, kind of

805
01:01:05,640 --> 01:01:09,400
written more lightly than the
rest, it says remember to rest.

806
01:01:12,240 --> 01:01:16,040
Remember to rest.
Who has to remember to rest?

807
01:01:16,040 --> 01:01:18,080
I'm assuming I'm out of dog form
now.

808
01:01:18,800 --> 01:01:19,960
Yeah.
Well, we'll, we'll say at this

809
01:01:19,960 --> 01:01:22,520
point you're on a talk form.
So what would you do with the

810
01:01:22,520 --> 01:01:25,400
paper?
Well, I'm going to hold on to

811
01:01:25,400 --> 01:01:27,880
it, OK, But I'm also, I'm going
to like, I'm going to turn to

812
01:01:27,880 --> 01:01:30,880
everybody and be like, do you
guys have to remind yourself to

813
01:01:30,880 --> 01:01:41,970
rest?
Occasionally Indiana cash drugs

814
01:01:41,970 --> 01:01:44,930
and so I, I suppose I get a
little bit of tunnel vision

815
01:01:44,930 --> 01:01:50,490
sometimes about following what
I'm going after, but on a rare

816
01:01:50,490 --> 01:01:55,360
occasion, yes.
So, and this definitely seems

817
01:01:55,360 --> 01:01:57,880
like a note that was probably
written to themselves, right?

818
01:01:59,560 --> 01:02:02,040
It's not addressed to anybody.
Give me an insight check.

819
01:02:02,920 --> 01:02:09,680
OK Yikes.
How about an 11?

820
01:02:15,600 --> 01:02:21,600
So this paper definitely looks
like it was written for somebody

821
01:02:21,600 --> 01:02:26,800
for themselves.
As you're kind of reading that

822
01:02:26,800 --> 01:02:31,520
paper just a little bit more,
the wardrobe starts to feel just

823
01:02:31,520 --> 01:02:34,840
a tad bit warmer and more
inviting than it used to be.

824
01:02:43,640 --> 01:02:49,520
Can I go in the wardrobe?
Yeah, I mean, you certainly can

825
01:02:51,960 --> 01:02:58,760
as you go to step in the mirror
kind of shifts fully and shows

826
01:02:58,880 --> 01:03:09,400
your your reflection.
So it's not necessarily happy,

827
01:03:09,840 --> 01:03:15,680
but more like relieved.
Not colder, but quieter, the

828
01:03:15,680 --> 01:03:19,760
sounds of the room dull, as if
padded by fabric and memory.

829
01:03:20,280 --> 01:03:23,680
The door doesn't close behind
you, but the world outside all

830
01:03:23,680 --> 01:03:26,160
of a sudden feels respectively
distant.

831
01:03:26,840 --> 01:03:31,920
The clothes inside are already
arranged and give me a

832
01:03:32,520 --> 01:03:43,200
perception check. 19.
As you look down, the clothes

833
01:03:43,200 --> 01:03:47,400
inside are already arranged for
your height, your reach, your

834
01:03:47,400 --> 01:03:52,320
hands.
You recognize these clothes,

835
01:03:52,840 --> 01:03:55,600
this clothing, as absolutely
yours.

836
01:03:56,040 --> 01:04:01,480
The armor or not the armor, the
clothing is yours, you see.

837
01:04:01,760 --> 01:04:03,880
What are you using for a
dramatic focus?

838
01:04:09,600 --> 01:04:11,280
Probably like a stick.
A stick.

839
01:04:12,280 --> 01:04:16,080
I think OK.
Let's say that you're using a

840
01:04:16,440 --> 01:04:20,000
branch of a, like a small branch
of a pine tree from.

841
01:04:20,600 --> 01:04:22,120
Like I have the corner staff.
Sure.

842
01:04:22,520 --> 01:04:23,960
Yeah, we'll, we'll say we'll use
that.

843
01:04:23,960 --> 01:04:27,160
So the, the, the the quarter
staff that you have is made out

844
01:04:27,160 --> 01:04:33,960
of the branch of a pine tree
from your childhood village,

845
01:04:34,000 --> 01:04:38,160
we'll say.
And this druidic focus is very

846
01:04:38,160 --> 01:04:42,680
worn, but also in pristine
condition at the same time.

847
01:04:42,680 --> 01:04:46,760
You have the sense that your
druidic focus was used many,

848
01:04:46,760 --> 01:04:50,000
many times in this instance.
And as you look at through this

849
01:04:50,200 --> 01:04:54,480
in in this mirror, throughout
the wardrobe, all of this, all

850
01:04:54,480 --> 01:05:00,080
of these belongings are yours.
And they don't have, they show

851
01:05:00,080 --> 01:05:05,080
you Estella almost without
urgency.

852
01:05:05,080 --> 01:05:06,880
It doesn't show you what you are
now.

853
01:05:07,520 --> 01:05:11,680
There's no armor tugging at your
shoulders, no weight that needs

854
01:05:11,680 --> 01:05:17,600
to be distributed for balance,
no feeling of wolfing out if you

855
01:05:17,600 --> 01:05:20,440
say.
Your stance now becomes much

856
01:05:20,440 --> 01:05:24,480
more relaxed, feet planted
because there's nowhere else you

857
01:05:24,480 --> 01:05:28,200
need to go.
Your hands are not empty, not

858
01:05:28,200 --> 01:05:30,880
because you lost anything, but
nothing's required of them any

859
01:05:30,880 --> 01:05:35,160
longer.
A quiet kind of quiet thought

860
01:05:35,160 --> 01:05:39,920
surface is kind of at the at the
forefront of your head and you

861
01:05:39,920 --> 01:05:43,760
have this not so much words, but
in feeling you have this thought

862
01:05:43,760 --> 01:05:49,280
of you've done enough and it's
almost a personal permissive

863
01:05:49,280 --> 01:05:56,120
thought.
Can I just sit down?

864
01:05:56,640 --> 01:05:59,200
Sure.
Actually, you know what?

865
01:05:59,200 --> 01:06:02,280
I want to lay down, Just stare
at the ceiling.

866
01:06:03,200 --> 01:06:05,280
There might not be enough room.
What the hell?

867
01:06:05,280 --> 01:06:06,640
We'll say this.
Yeah.

868
01:06:06,640 --> 01:06:09,440
You'll just kind of lay down.
I'm short, I'm short.

869
01:06:09,440 --> 01:06:11,640
I'm like.
Oh, that's right.

870
01:06:11,680 --> 01:06:12,000
Yeah.
Sorry.

871
01:06:12,040 --> 01:06:13,640
You're the short one.
Yeah, Yeah, that's true.

872
01:06:14,240 --> 01:06:17,680
You got to keep in mind there
are three, four different

873
01:06:17,680 --> 01:06:20,480
characters for every player in
this in this show.

874
01:06:20,920 --> 01:06:22,840
So it's like I I got to keep
track.

875
01:06:22,840 --> 01:06:24,720
I got to start writing shit down
anyway.

876
01:06:26,520 --> 01:06:31,560
Yep, I'm 22.
Sorry, I choked on my DM juice.

877
01:06:31,720 --> 01:06:39,800
OK.
As you as you lay down, you

878
01:06:39,800 --> 01:06:45,560
almost feel the world outside
again, respectfully more distant

879
01:06:45,560 --> 01:06:48,960
than you remember it.
And from outside the wardrobe

880
01:06:48,960 --> 01:06:52,800
you kind of hear Pine's voice
carrying softly, not urgent or

881
01:06:53,200 --> 01:06:57,200
not like a warning.
It's and he goes, my you.

882
01:06:57,760 --> 01:07:02,520
You can stay as long as you
like, just remember why you

883
01:07:02,520 --> 01:07:06,360
came.
Do you step back out or do you

884
01:07:06,360 --> 01:07:14,400
linger a little bit more?
I'm a linger a little bit.

885
01:07:16,320 --> 01:07:20,520
Sure, I'm going to send you a
quick DM.

886
01:07:21,480 --> 01:07:33,480
OK.
I hate everything about

887
01:07:33,480 --> 01:07:45,250
keyboards.
OK, OK, so you'll just kind of

888
01:07:45,250 --> 01:07:47,370
remain inside the wardrobe.
Nothing closes, nothing

889
01:07:47,370 --> 01:07:49,770
tightens.
Instead the fabric settles more

890
01:07:49,770 --> 01:07:53,570
fully around you, like the space
is learned that you're not

891
01:07:53,570 --> 01:07:56,770
leaving quite yet.
The mirrors reflection softens

892
01:07:56,770 --> 01:07:59,970
further.
The version of her inside or the

893
01:07:59,970 --> 01:08:03,250
version of you doesn't change
expression.

894
01:08:03,250 --> 01:08:08,160
It simply stops waiting.
And for a moment you feel

895
01:08:08,160 --> 01:08:10,480
something almost rare and
dangerous for yourself.

896
01:08:10,480 --> 01:08:14,640
You feel not peace, but
permission.

897
01:08:14,920 --> 01:08:18,200
You know, permission to stop
reaching, permission to be

898
01:08:18,200 --> 01:08:22,359
exactly what you are without
momentum.

899
01:08:23,319 --> 01:08:27,880
Wow that hits.
That's like IRL hits deep.

900
01:08:29,880 --> 01:08:33,399
Ouch from outside of the
wardrobe, you pine doesn't

901
01:08:33,560 --> 01:08:37,399
interrupt your your moment.
He just simply says gently.

902
01:08:37,399 --> 01:08:55,310
He goes all right
and also you will gain an

903
01:08:55,310 --> 01:08:58,990
inspiration.
OK.

904
01:09:01,600 --> 01:09:04,399
And what does everyone else do?
While Estella's kind of

905
01:09:04,399 --> 01:09:06,640
lingering in this wardrobe, she
found I.

906
01:09:08,680 --> 01:09:13,560
See the odd behavior?
Yeah, I'm a little freaked out

907
01:09:13,560 --> 01:09:18,000
by this because Sima was putting
on these old like worn out

908
01:09:18,000 --> 01:09:21,279
clothes and.
They seem nice to me.

909
01:09:22,040 --> 01:09:26,120
Estella is just going inside the
wardrobe to hang out and these

910
01:09:26,120 --> 01:09:28,920
people are just like leaving
their families behind.

911
01:09:29,520 --> 01:09:32,560
Like Indiana's freaking out a
little bit.

912
01:09:33,560 --> 01:09:38,200
She's she's going to leave the
the wardrobes behind and go back

913
01:09:38,200 --> 01:09:48,200
to the to Pine to talk to him.
OK.

914
01:09:48,680 --> 01:09:56,400
So as you as you kind of leave
the area, Pine is not

915
01:09:56,400 --> 01:09:59,120
necessarily back where he
started.

916
01:09:59,120 --> 01:10:04,440
He's more kind of a slow guide,
if you will, kind of hanging

917
01:10:04,440 --> 01:10:07,480
back.
So he he's just right outside

918
01:10:07,480 --> 01:10:13,120
the room and he notices you
before you actually reach him.

919
01:10:16,240 --> 01:10:19,800
He will kind of shift his weight
a bit, kind of giving you some

920
01:10:19,800 --> 01:10:26,240
space without stepping back.
And before you can even say

921
01:10:26,240 --> 01:10:28,800
anything, he kind of looks at
you and gently nods his head and

922
01:10:28,800 --> 01:10:43,150
says yes, the wardrobes do that.
I knew you said your job was to

923
01:10:43,150 --> 01:10:48,070
keep things moving.
What exactly are we moving

924
01:10:48,070 --> 01:10:56,110
towards?
You're you're moving towards

925
01:10:57,870 --> 01:11:02,120
something that's able to show
people what it would look like

926
01:11:02,120 --> 01:11:04,120
if nothing else was asked of
them.

927
01:11:04,960 --> 01:11:08,400
His voice is kind of low and
practical, but yet soft.

928
01:11:08,760 --> 01:11:13,320
That that tends to scare the
ones who still want things.

929
01:11:25,290 --> 01:11:28,130
So what is the end goal here?
Do people just stay here

930
01:11:28,130 --> 01:11:32,210
forever?
No, they they don't.

931
01:11:32,490 --> 01:11:34,490
They're not forced to stay here
forever.

932
01:11:35,210 --> 01:11:37,410
Not unless they forget why they
came.

933
01:11:40,880 --> 01:11:43,440
What happens to those who forget
why they came?

934
01:11:44,680 --> 01:11:50,520
Well, they they stay here in in
almost a a relaxing bliss.

935
01:11:55,990 --> 01:12:01,990
And if I wish to leave?
You may leave at any time but.

936
01:12:02,230 --> 01:12:04,790
But any kind of creatures that
attacked us?

937
01:12:06,710 --> 01:12:12,440
Well, those were the the souls
of of those who weren't quite

938
01:12:15,680 --> 01:12:23,920
respectful of others.
And he kind of looks at you and

939
01:12:23,920 --> 01:12:26,720
he goes again.
You're, you're free to leave at

940
01:12:26,720 --> 01:12:30,720
any time.
But this building doesn't take

941
01:12:30,720 --> 01:12:34,600
people.
It waits to see who wants to let

942
01:12:34,600 --> 01:12:48,320
go.
So after people have their tea

943
01:12:48,320 --> 01:12:52,480
and their cookies and they go to
the wardrobes, what happens

944
01:12:52,480 --> 01:12:54,720
next?
Where do they go after that?

945
01:12:57,840 --> 01:13:03,680
They go where they please.
Some people leave, but most of

946
01:13:03,680 --> 01:13:07,120
them do not.
They they keep.

947
01:13:09,320 --> 01:13:14,720
They keep their place warm.
They keep themselves unbothered

948
01:13:14,920 --> 01:13:25,680
and not be needed by anyone.
So there's just these rooms and

949
01:13:25,680 --> 01:13:30,440
that's it.
Yes, and he he looks at you and

950
01:13:30,440 --> 01:13:32,520
it's that's a very honest and
he's like, yes, I mean, you're

951
01:13:32,520 --> 01:13:38,240
free to explore and understand
this place if you wish, but you

952
01:13:38,240 --> 01:13:44,120
know, sometimes not the answer
may not be worth the question.

953
01:13:54,990 --> 01:13:59,070
Indiana kind of hums to herself,
and she heads back towards the

954
01:13:59,070 --> 01:14:01,910
rest of the group back in the
the wardrobes.

955
01:14:02,510 --> 01:14:08,270
OK, OK, what is everybody else
doing right now?

956
01:14:08,270 --> 01:14:11,190
Left.
We have Lord Crumbleton and

957
01:14:11,190 --> 01:14:21,720
Amelie left.
I feel like Emily is still in

958
01:14:21,720 --> 01:14:23,160
the wardrobe.
She's just kind of like

959
01:14:23,480 --> 01:14:25,280
wandering.
Her hands are brushing over the

960
01:14:25,280 --> 01:14:30,920
wardrobes and she's just looking
for names on the wardrobes.

961
01:14:37,600 --> 01:14:41,440
OK.
So as you're kind of searching

962
01:14:41,440 --> 01:14:47,360
the the wardrobes more closely,
you notice something almost

963
01:14:47,600 --> 01:14:50,000
subtle that you hadn't noticed
before.

964
01:14:52,440 --> 01:14:56,680
There are in all of these
wardrobes and ones that you're

965
01:14:56,680 --> 01:15:00,120
looking at.
There are tags, stitch marks,

966
01:15:00,680 --> 01:15:05,720
small carved grooves along the
wood, but no names, no family

967
01:15:05,720 --> 01:15:08,280
crests, no titles, no ownership
marks.

968
01:15:09,600 --> 01:15:14,320
Instead, each wardrobe appears
to bear almost a single word,

969
01:15:14,360 --> 01:15:17,760
worked into the grain so gently
it's easy to miss unless you're

970
01:15:17,760 --> 01:15:21,240
looking for it.
They're not identities, but

971
01:15:21,800 --> 01:15:30,200
descriptors.
OK, can I take a closer look at

972
01:15:30,200 --> 01:15:31,800
those?
Give me investigation check.

973
01:15:43,040 --> 01:15:48,600
That would be an 18.
With an 18 you kind of go from

974
01:15:48,600 --> 01:15:58,320
one after the other and the ones
that are left, one says steady,

975
01:15:59,520 --> 01:16:08,720
another says kind, another says
patient finished and enough.

976
01:16:19,610 --> 01:16:22,210
I think Emily is going to stop
with the patient one.

977
01:16:23,050 --> 01:16:25,410
Give me an insight check before
you do that.

978
01:16:26,290 --> 01:16:51,560
OK, come on, 19. 25 Sorry,
ignore that.

979
01:16:51,560 --> 01:16:59,760
OK, on a 25, you kind of
understand clearly that this

980
01:16:59,760 --> 01:17:04,320
place does not record who people
are per SE.

981
01:17:04,320 --> 01:17:08,720
It records more of what they
finally believe about

982
01:17:08,720 --> 01:17:18,300
themselves.
OK.

983
01:17:22,300 --> 01:17:24,700
And then you said you were going
to stop at which one?

984
01:17:25,940 --> 01:17:36,300
Patience.
OK, so at the Patience wardrobe,

985
01:17:38,200 --> 01:17:40,280
the wood.
The wood is carved deeper than

986
01:17:40,280 --> 01:17:43,800
the others, not sharper, but
more worn, like it's been traced

987
01:17:43,800 --> 01:17:47,680
over many times by hands that
needed it to stay.

988
01:17:48,440 --> 01:17:52,960
The door is already open.
Inside, the clothes are plain

989
01:17:52,960 --> 01:17:56,040
and durable, nothing ornamental
and nothing hurried.

990
01:17:56,680 --> 01:17:59,880
A long coat with reinforced
seams at the elbows, gloves

991
01:17:59,880 --> 01:18:01,680
mended carefully again and
again.

992
01:18:02,120 --> 01:18:05,400
Boots resold more than once,
built for distance rather than

993
01:18:05,400 --> 01:18:11,320
speed.
The mirror beside it in the

994
01:18:11,320 --> 01:18:17,600
wardrobe does not rush to show
you any sort of reflection, and

995
01:18:18,040 --> 01:18:24,720
when it finally does, it shows
you standing still in a in a

996
01:18:24,720 --> 01:18:28,240
storm.
Not untouched or not unhurt,

997
01:18:28,240 --> 01:18:33,960
just unmoving.
The version that you see in the

998
01:18:33,960 --> 01:18:37,640
mirror is older.
Not age per SE, but seasoned.

999
01:18:38,080 --> 01:18:40,920
The kind of, you know, the kind
of person people lean on without

1000
01:18:40,920 --> 01:18:43,440
realizing it.
The kind who waits because

1001
01:18:43,440 --> 01:18:46,960
someone has to.
Inside the wardrobe, neatly

1002
01:18:46,960 --> 01:18:57,000
folded, is a small cloth wrap
just kind of off to the to the

1003
01:18:57,000 --> 01:19:03,680
side.
Is there any way can I take the

1004
01:19:03,680 --> 01:19:09,880
mirror out of the wardrobe?
The graph all together.

1005
01:19:09,880 --> 01:19:11,320
Can I take the mirror out of the
wardrobe?

1006
01:19:14,520 --> 01:19:17,160
You can give me a strength
check.

1007
01:19:32,200 --> 01:19:51,650
26.
Did you hear me?

1008
01:19:51,730 --> 01:19:52,650
Yeah.
Well, I heard you.

1009
01:19:52,650 --> 01:19:59,170
I wasn't expecting a 26.
So you'll kind of grip the frame

1010
01:19:59,170 --> 01:20:02,130
and just pull.
And for the first time since

1011
01:20:02,130 --> 01:20:04,290
you've entered this room, there
is.

1012
01:20:06,200 --> 01:20:11,240
Resistance, not angry, not
violent, but more of a surprise.

1013
01:20:11,240 --> 01:20:15,200
Resistance.
The mirrors kind of shudder at

1014
01:20:15,200 --> 01:20:17,440
its anchor as its anchor is kind
of protest.

1015
01:20:17,680 --> 01:20:20,920
Wood groaning softly like
something that would expect it

1016
01:20:20,920 --> 01:20:24,160
to be left alone.
And then you just hear a slight

1017
01:20:25,840 --> 01:20:30,520
as the fast means give way.
The mirror comes free.

1018
01:20:31,280 --> 01:20:35,640
The sound it makes is not glass
breaking, it's more of a deep,

1019
01:20:35,640 --> 01:20:39,440
hollow note, like a breath being
knocked loose from the room

1020
01:20:39,440 --> 01:20:44,280
itself.
Pine closes his eyes and just

1021
01:20:44,280 --> 01:20:46,680
for a moment, and he says
quietly.

1022
01:20:50,240 --> 01:21:01,960
That doesn't happen very often.
And the mirror in your hands is

1023
01:21:02,640 --> 01:21:06,000
now much heavier than it should
be, not physically, but more in

1024
01:21:06,000 --> 01:21:09,560
a meaningful way.
It Are you going to look in the

1025
01:21:09,560 --> 01:21:11,720
mirror again?
I am indeed.

1026
01:21:11,720 --> 01:21:16,600
It no longer reflects the room,
it reflects just you as you are

1027
01:21:16,600 --> 01:21:18,880
now.
No simplification, no

1028
01:21:18,880 --> 01:21:22,240
completion, just motion, choice
and tension.

1029
01:21:26,280 --> 01:21:32,040
If you angle it towards the
wardrobes, they do not appear in

1030
01:21:32,040 --> 01:21:40,460
the surface of the mirror.
I think that Amelie at this

1031
01:21:40,460 --> 01:21:45,820
point would call out to Indiana
Scones and to Lord Crumbleton

1032
01:21:48,660 --> 01:21:52,340
like, hey guys, something's
going on here.

1033
01:21:53,980 --> 01:21:58,220
Oh no shit.
Enough with the SASS cookie.

1034
01:21:59,620 --> 01:22:01,420
Sorry.
We need to leave.

1035
01:22:04,600 --> 01:22:07,280
I say we torch it all, burn it
to the ground.

1036
01:22:08,120 --> 01:22:12,440
There are people in here.
They have free choice to leave.

1037
01:22:15,560 --> 01:22:18,480
I don't think they'll leave with
that kind of violence.

1038
01:22:19,680 --> 01:22:22,480
I don't know if anything will
convince them to go.

1039
01:22:24,480 --> 01:22:26,720
Little bit of force we.
Were sent here to do a job.

1040
01:22:26,760 --> 01:22:31,280
We should get it done, figure
out what's going on in this

1041
01:22:31,280 --> 01:22:34,800
place.
I'm ready to proceed to the next

1042
01:22:34,800 --> 01:22:41,920
room, I suppose, Delve deeper
into this bizarre building.

1043
01:22:43,080 --> 01:22:45,880
Hi.
We know where where we are.

1044
01:22:45,880 --> 01:22:50,360
We know this building exists.
People are looking for them.

1045
01:22:50,600 --> 01:22:56,200
They're choosing to be here.
I mean, we could just leave and

1046
01:22:56,320 --> 01:23:00,720
tell people where they went.
Are you still here?

1047
01:23:01,320 --> 01:23:03,560
About this.
Yes, I'm always here.

1048
01:23:04,640 --> 01:23:08,520
How many rooms is this place?
As many rooms as you wish.

1049
01:23:10,240 --> 01:23:14,920
Is there a last room?
There's always a last.

1050
01:23:14,920 --> 01:23:16,640
Room.
I'm gonna go there.

1051
01:23:17,600 --> 01:23:21,360
Point the ray.
He gestures to the only door

1052
01:23:21,800 --> 01:23:24,040
doorway out.
I'm walking.

1053
01:23:27,000 --> 01:23:28,760
Actually, I'm going to run.
I'm running.

1054
01:23:29,120 --> 01:23:39,120
You're running OK?
OK, so the corridor narrows

1055
01:23:39,120 --> 01:23:42,440
without feeling smaller.
The wardrobes fall away behind

1056
01:23:42,440 --> 01:23:45,160
you, their doors settling
softly, not closing so much as

1057
01:23:45,160 --> 01:23:48,800
no longer needing to be opened.
The hum beneath the floor

1058
01:23:49,200 --> 01:23:53,560
changes pitch again, slower,
deeper, like a breath that's

1059
01:23:53,560 --> 01:23:57,360
being held on purpose.
The warmth thins, not gone,

1060
01:23:57,360 --> 01:24:00,280
focused.
The floorboards are here.

1061
01:24:00,520 --> 01:24:02,440
I'm sorry.
The floorboards here are bare,

1062
01:24:02,800 --> 01:24:04,800
scuffed by years of careful
movement.

1063
01:24:05,320 --> 01:24:09,640
The air smells less of pine and
fabric and more now of oil,

1064
01:24:09,640 --> 01:24:15,200
wood, dust and old hands.
Work smells, human smells.

1065
01:24:15,800 --> 01:24:18,720
Stella, your your nose is going
crazy right now.

1066
01:24:21,800 --> 01:24:25,000
Ahead, light spills from a
single wide doorway.

1067
01:24:26,040 --> 01:24:29,960
Inside, you can hear.
You can hear it before you see

1068
01:24:29,960 --> 01:24:32,560
it.
Not music, not machinery.

1069
01:24:32,920 --> 01:24:36,000
Hands at work, measured,
delicate and unrushed.

1070
01:24:36,960 --> 01:24:40,680
Whatever weights beyond this
threshold is not resting.

1071
01:24:40,680 --> 01:24:45,320
It's finishing something.
Pine stops a few steps short of

1072
01:24:45,320 --> 01:24:47,320
the doorway.
He doesn't follow you in because

1073
01:24:47,320 --> 01:24:50,560
he doesn't need to.
This is usually where people

1074
01:24:50,560 --> 01:24:53,960
decide what they're actually
here for, he says.

1075
01:24:54,760 --> 01:24:59,840
After this will be very hard for
you to pretend you didn't know.

1076
01:24:59,840 --> 01:25:05,680
And the room beyond the doorway
waits, not patiently, but

1077
01:25:06,440 --> 01:25:08,560
intentionally.
And with that, we're going to

1078
01:25:08,560 --> 01:25:10,440
take a quick break here on Crit
Happens.

1079
01:25:10,440 --> 01:25:13,240
We'll be back here to finish up
this story here in just a few

1080
01:25:13,240 --> 01:25:21,920
moments.
Ever Con 2026 is almost here and

1081
01:25:21,920 --> 01:25:25,240
this is a convention built for
gamers of every stripe.

1082
01:25:25,760 --> 01:25:28,840
Ever Con brings together
tabletop role-playing, board

1083
01:25:28,840 --> 01:25:33,640
games, card games, retro gaming,
live events and a packed shelf

1084
01:25:33,640 --> 01:25:37,480
floor full of creators and fans.
Open board gaming runs

1085
01:25:37,480 --> 01:25:40,280
throughout the weekend.
Magic the Gathering table stay

1086
01:25:40,280 --> 01:25:44,280
active day and night.
Cosplay welcome and encouraged.

1087
01:25:44,600 --> 01:25:48,480
Whether you go all out or keep
it simple, make time for Artist

1088
01:25:48,480 --> 01:25:53,640
Alley where handcrafted and hand
drawn art, dice, prints, minis

1089
01:25:53,840 --> 01:25:56,280
and custom creations are
available directly from the

1090
01:25:56,280 --> 01:25:59,240
artists who made them.
If you love supporting creators

1091
01:25:59,240 --> 01:26:02,360
or taking something unique home,
this is where you need to be.

1092
01:26:02,960 --> 01:26:06,320
Retro gaming stations bring the
classics back to life, giving

1093
01:26:06,320 --> 01:26:09,120
you a break from the dice while
still keeping the competition

1094
01:26:09,160 --> 01:26:12,240
alive.
This year Crit Happens is proud

1095
01:26:12,240 --> 01:26:16,880
to announce we will be recording
a live episode at Ever Con 2026.

1096
01:26:17,160 --> 01:26:22,520
No edits, no do overs, real
dice, real consequences with a

1097
01:26:22,560 --> 01:26:25,120
live special guest joining us at
the table.

1098
01:26:25,560 --> 01:26:29,000
You are not listening later, you
are there while it happens.

1099
01:26:29,360 --> 01:26:32,600
And if competition is your
thing, step into the ever con

1100
01:26:32,600 --> 01:26:37,280
gamers gauntlet. 20 competitors,
4 rounds, randomly drawn board

1101
01:26:37,280 --> 01:26:41,840
games, 3 rounds and four player
pods, followed by a final

1102
01:26:41,840 --> 01:26:44,480
showdown between the top four
point earners.

1103
01:26:45,120 --> 01:26:48,560
Games are announced Friday night
at 8 on the Ever Con stage.

1104
01:26:49,040 --> 01:26:53,120
One hour rounds, a lunch break
between rounds 2 and three, and

1105
01:26:53,120 --> 01:26:56,360
a champion crowned at the end.
The winner takes home a trophy

1106
01:26:56,360 --> 01:27:00,600
and an Ever Con swag bag, with
swag bags awarded to 2nd, 3rd

1107
01:27:00,600 --> 01:27:03,520
and 4th place as well.
Spots for the Gamers Gauntlet

1108
01:27:03,520 --> 01:27:06,520
are limited to 20 players, so
registration fills fast.

1109
01:27:07,000 --> 01:27:12,120
Ever Con 2026 is community,
competition, creativity and

1110
01:27:12,120 --> 01:27:15,600
chaos under one roof.
Get your Ever Con badges now at

1111
01:27:15,640 --> 01:27:19,400
evercon.org and we will see you
at the con.

1112
01:27:19,520 --> 01:27:22,120
Welcome back to Crit happens
here on Spotify, iTunes,

1113
01:27:22,120 --> 01:27:25,720
player.fmpoddirectory.com,
stitcher.com,

1114
01:27:25,720 --> 01:27:30,360
tuneinradioiheartradio.com,
SiriusXM Radio, and Pandora.

1115
01:27:30,760 --> 01:27:36,560
We are back to finish up the
holiday special as we have now

1116
01:27:36,560 --> 01:27:39,240
begun calling it because it is
way past Christmas at this

1117
01:27:39,240 --> 01:27:41,880
point.
Welcome back players, how was

1118
01:27:41,880 --> 01:27:44,160
your break?
Yeah.

1119
01:27:44,400 --> 01:27:47,480
Popcorn.
Yeah, popcorn, man.

1120
01:27:47,480 --> 01:27:49,800
I was thinking about getting
popcorn and then I was like,

1121
01:27:50,040 --> 01:27:52,120
that's going to take too long
and now I'm regretting it.

1122
01:27:52,720 --> 01:27:55,360
It's 15 minutes.
Are you are you cooking popcorn

1123
01:27:55,360 --> 01:28:00,320
on Neptune?
Yes, no, but we don't have we

1124
01:28:00,320 --> 01:28:02,240
don't have like ready made
popcorn.

1125
01:28:02,240 --> 01:28:04,840
You just pop in the microwave.
We have to actually like hand

1126
01:28:04,840 --> 01:28:06,800
pop it like the good popcorn.
So.

1127
01:28:07,640 --> 01:28:10,360
I tell you people, I tell you
people that live in the middle

1128
01:28:10,360 --> 01:28:14,800
of nowhere, just.
I have like a plastic or it's

1129
01:28:14,800 --> 01:28:17,920
like kind of rubber can popper
thing that goes in the

1130
01:28:17,920 --> 01:28:23,360
microwave.
So I use just kernels, the micro

1131
01:28:23,360 --> 01:28:26,480
ribbon.
I want to see this magical

1132
01:28:26,480 --> 01:28:29,120
kernel thing you have, but
that'll probably have to wait

1133
01:28:29,120 --> 01:28:33,200
till after.
I just put I'll just send an

1134
01:28:33,240 --> 01:28:38,760
Amazon link.
Do it not sponsored by the way.

1135
01:28:38,760 --> 01:28:47,480
All right, so as we again left,
you are just entering the the

1136
01:28:47,480 --> 01:28:55,840
room that smells more of wood
and working hands, and the room

1137
01:28:55,840 --> 01:28:59,640
is already awake.
Long work tables stretch between

1138
01:28:59,640 --> 01:29:02,960
warm hanging lights, their glow
steady and exact.

1139
01:29:03,480 --> 01:29:07,240
Tools are laid out with reverent
precision, scissors sharpened

1140
01:29:07,240 --> 01:29:11,640
and aligned, needles threaded
and waiting, wood shavings swept

1141
01:29:11,640 --> 01:29:14,640
into neat curls, not discarded
but saved.

1142
01:29:15,240 --> 01:29:19,240
This is not a place of rest,
this is a place of finishing.

1143
01:29:20,040 --> 01:29:23,040
And at the far table someone is
working.

1144
01:29:23,360 --> 01:29:27,040
Not curried or slow, but more of
a measured.

1145
01:29:27,520 --> 01:29:30,080
Hands are moving with the
confidence of long practice,

1146
01:29:30,080 --> 01:29:34,720
adjusting seams, tightening
joints, smoothing edges that no

1147
01:29:34,720 --> 01:29:38,760
one else would notice.
Whatever is being made is nearly

1148
01:29:38,760 --> 01:29:43,000
complete.
And then small boots Thunder

1149
01:29:43,000 --> 01:29:45,680
across the floor.
Lord Crumbleton bursts into the

1150
01:29:45,680 --> 01:29:49,760
workshop, gun raised, breath
sharp in his chest, coat flaring

1151
01:29:49,760 --> 01:29:52,600
behind him like a challenge
thrown too early.

1152
01:29:53,440 --> 01:29:59,520
But the sound is wrong here.
Every tool on the tables stills,

1153
01:29:59,840 --> 01:30:01,720
not magically, but more
respectfully.

1154
01:30:02,360 --> 01:30:05,760
The hands at the far table.
Pause, just pause.

1155
01:30:06,440 --> 01:30:12,280
The figure does not turn yet.
A quiet voice speaks, calm and

1156
01:30:12,280 --> 01:30:14,600
tired, carrying easily across
the room.

1157
01:30:15,880 --> 01:30:22,360
You're late, but not too late.
Only then does the figure

1158
01:30:22,360 --> 01:30:28,640
straighten and turn to face you.
The toy maker stands revealed,

1159
01:30:29,560 --> 01:30:34,560
old, careful and intent.
His eyes flicker briefly to

1160
01:30:34,680 --> 01:30:38,320
Crumbleton's weapon, then back
at the workbench, as if noting

1161
01:30:38,320 --> 01:30:40,240
an interruption rather than a
threat.

1162
01:30:41,400 --> 01:30:45,760
Please, he says gently, try not
to break anything.

1163
01:30:46,560 --> 01:30:48,720
And he gestures to the tables
around him.

1164
01:30:50,000 --> 01:30:55,080
Everything here is almost done
and I'm going to start with what

1165
01:30:55,080 --> 01:30:59,000
is Lord Crumbleton do because
you are bursting into this room.

1166
01:31:00,320 --> 01:31:08,600
What's he look like First off?
So the figure that stands in

1167
01:31:08,600 --> 01:31:13,040
front of you is smaller than you
expected.

1168
01:31:13,040 --> 01:31:16,280
He's not hunched, he's not
frail, he's just unassuming in

1169
01:31:16,280 --> 01:31:19,560
scale.
His hair is iron Gray, pulled

1170
01:31:19,560 --> 01:31:24,080
back loosely and tied with twine
that has clearly been reused too

1171
01:31:24,080 --> 01:31:27,480
many times to count.
A few strands have escaped and

1172
01:31:27,480 --> 01:31:30,320
fallen into his face, and he
hasn't bothered to push them

1173
01:31:30,320 --> 01:31:33,400
back.
His beard cleanly trimmed,

1174
01:31:33,400 --> 01:31:37,760
short, practical, flecked with
sawdust and thread lint.

1175
01:31:37,760 --> 01:31:42,200
Rather than neglect, he's
wearing a long, worn work coat

1176
01:31:42,320 --> 01:31:45,640
layered over simple clothes.
His hands are the things that

1177
01:31:45,640 --> 01:31:49,320
you notice last, and then you
can't stop noticing.

1178
01:31:49,920 --> 01:31:53,240
They are scarred, nimble but
steady.

1179
01:31:54,120 --> 01:31:58,000
Burn marks run across his
fingers, small cuts that heal

1180
01:31:58,760 --> 01:32:01,280
cleanly.
Callus is softened by constant

1181
01:32:01,280 --> 01:32:04,720
use, and these are the hands
that have made things, not

1182
01:32:04,720 --> 01:32:08,120
destroyed them.
When he looks at you, there's no

1183
01:32:08,120 --> 01:32:10,440
longer.
When he looks at you, there's no

1184
01:32:10,440 --> 01:32:15,400
hunger, no malice, No Fear.
Just a a craftsman's quiet

1185
01:32:15,400 --> 01:32:22,360
attention.
You say almost done.

1186
01:32:23,480 --> 01:32:27,880
Are they making toys?
Yeah, he's clearly making toys.

1187
01:32:28,720 --> 01:32:31,960
You said there's like a bunch of
tables and is it or is it just

1188
01:32:31,960 --> 01:32:33,200
him?
It's just him.

1189
01:32:34,040 --> 01:32:37,600
Oh OK, well it's almost done.
It should be a shame.

1190
01:32:39,880 --> 01:32:44,800
Someone.
And then he'll knock a toy off

1191
01:32:45,000 --> 01:32:47,080
one of the counters or the table
or whatever.

1192
01:32:47,320 --> 01:32:50,160
Like hard enough to make it
break intentionally.

1193
01:32:51,360 --> 01:32:53,640
So you are doing that?
Yeah.

1194
01:33:01,120 --> 01:33:05,320
So the toy tips.
Wood meets floor.

1195
01:33:06,160 --> 01:33:08,200
The sound is small.
A light clatter.

1196
01:33:08,360 --> 01:33:10,440
A piece meant to be handled, not
dropped.

1197
01:33:11,160 --> 01:33:13,960
It breaks away.
A seam splits, a joint twist

1198
01:33:13,960 --> 01:33:15,560
wrong.
Something that took hours to

1199
01:33:15,560 --> 01:33:19,800
align is suddenly off, and for
the first time since you entered

1200
01:33:19,800 --> 01:33:22,960
the workshop, Crick reacts
almost immediately.

1201
01:33:22,960 --> 01:33:29,280
Not with anger, but more reflex.
He steps forward, kneels and

1202
01:33:29,280 --> 01:33:33,720
gathers the pieces with careful
hands, as if they were fragile

1203
01:33:33,720 --> 01:33:35,920
in a way that had nothing to do
with material.

1204
01:33:36,640 --> 01:33:39,800
He kind of exhales through his
nose, a long practice breath,

1205
01:33:39,800 --> 01:33:47,280
and he looks up at you and just
says yes, that would be a shame.

1206
01:33:47,960 --> 01:33:51,200
He sets the broken toy on the
table, aligning the pieces out

1207
01:33:51,200 --> 01:33:52,800
of habit even though it won't
help.

1208
01:33:53,360 --> 01:34:00,360
But you did ruin it, you.
You've just proved why it is

1209
01:34:00,360 --> 01:34:03,280
here.
And he meets your eyes fully

1210
01:34:03,280 --> 01:34:06,720
now.
You think breaking things is

1211
01:34:06,720 --> 01:34:11,960
leverage, but I think it's more
of a confession.

1212
01:34:12,840 --> 01:34:15,280
And he gestures around the room,
not accusing, but more

1213
01:34:15,280 --> 01:34:19,480
explaining.
Everything you see here arrives,

1214
01:34:19,840 --> 01:34:24,240
arrived, already cracked.
I don't punish them for it.

1215
01:34:24,920 --> 01:34:28,080
And he gently pushes the broken
toy aside.

1216
01:34:29,760 --> 01:34:36,120
I finished them.
The tools on the table settle

1217
01:34:36,120 --> 01:34:38,080
again.
The hum beneath the floor

1218
01:34:38,480 --> 01:34:44,120
deepens.
A soft chime sounds once Crick

1219
01:34:44,200 --> 01:34:49,040
kind of straightens, brushing
his hands on his coat.

1220
01:34:51,080 --> 01:34:55,000
You can keep breaking things, he
says calmly.

1221
01:34:56,680 --> 01:34:58,680
Or you can tell me what you're
afraid.

1222
01:35:01,280 --> 01:35:04,840
Or you can tell me what you're
afraid of will happen if you

1223
01:35:04,840 --> 01:35:08,160
stop.
No, Crick.

1224
01:35:08,160 --> 01:35:11,560
What was that?
How would you finish me?

1225
01:35:11,880 --> 01:35:21,800
Oh, I'm no more than a toy.
He kind of begins.

1226
01:35:23,000 --> 01:35:27,880
No real soul.
He doesn't.

1227
01:35:29,160 --> 01:35:32,960
He doesn't answer right away.
He studies you in a way that a

1228
01:35:32,960 --> 01:35:36,320
Craftsman studies a warped
joint, not to judge it, but more

1229
01:35:36,320 --> 01:35:38,400
to understand how it ended up
that way.

1230
01:35:39,800 --> 01:35:45,760
And he just takes a deep breath.
I wouldn't, he says.

1231
01:35:46,320 --> 01:35:51,720
You're already finished.
He gestures gently to your gun,

1232
01:35:51,800 --> 01:35:55,200
your posture, your your urgency
that hasn't yet found a place to

1233
01:35:55,200 --> 01:35:58,080
land.
You're made of alarms.

1234
01:35:58,800 --> 01:36:01,480
You go off before anything
actually happens.

1235
01:36:02,040 --> 01:36:08,280
If, if you were here, he says,
almost choosing his words

1236
01:36:08,280 --> 01:36:11,840
carefully.
I wouldn't sand you down.

1237
01:36:12,720 --> 01:36:17,560
I wouldn't take anything away.
I'd I'd take the noise out.

1238
01:36:18,720 --> 01:36:24,760
No gun, no case, no reason to
keep standing between the world

1239
01:36:24,800 --> 01:36:28,360
and disappointment.
He tilts his head, just a bit

1240
01:36:28,360 --> 01:36:32,040
slightly.
You'd sit, you'd breathe, and

1241
01:36:32,960 --> 01:36:37,720
eventually, and he says with a
small shrug, you'd stop needing

1242
01:36:37,720 --> 01:36:42,640
to be so sharp.
Then he says, very plainly.

1243
01:36:43,520 --> 01:36:57,720
And that's why you won't stay.
Never planned on staying, I'm

1244
01:36:57,720 --> 01:37:04,320
glad we agree.
And he kind of gives a half,

1245
01:37:04,400 --> 01:37:11,280
like, chuckle, nods once.
I know, he says.

1246
01:37:11,440 --> 01:37:14,240
There's no disappointment in it.
There's no relief in it either.

1247
01:37:15,400 --> 01:37:19,120
People who plan on staying don't
announce it.

1248
01:37:19,800 --> 01:37:23,440
He turns back to the work table
and begins to adjust the half

1249
01:37:23,440 --> 01:37:28,480
finished toy again, hand steady.
You came here to make sure you

1250
01:37:28,480 --> 01:37:35,480
still had an exit.
That's not defiance, that's fear

1251
01:37:35,720 --> 01:37:39,440
doing its job.
He glances over his shoulder,

1252
01:37:39,840 --> 01:37:44,000
not quite meeting your eyes.
We do agree on one thing.

1253
01:37:46,040 --> 01:37:53,040
You never were meant to stay,
you're meant to leave changed as

1254
01:37:53,040 --> 01:37:57,640
he sets his tool down, whether
you notice it or not.

1255
01:38:02,120 --> 01:38:08,280
And while Crumbleton and the toy
maker are standing there, what

1256
01:38:08,280 --> 01:38:15,080
do the rest of you do?
I'm anticipating this breaking

1257
01:38:15,080 --> 01:38:18,200
out into a fight, so I would be
sneaking into the room as close

1258
01:38:18,200 --> 01:38:21,800
to the toy maker as I can get
with my Bugbear Stealth.

1259
01:38:32,320 --> 01:38:38,360
I'm just like cautiously, I
mean, I'm are, we're in the room

1260
01:38:38,360 --> 01:38:43,360
with him at this point.
So as of right now, like I said,

1261
01:38:43,600 --> 01:38:47,080
Lord Crumbleton was Usain
bolting it into the room.

1262
01:38:48,200 --> 01:38:52,880
The rest of you are, you know,
can sense a lot of you have a

1263
01:38:52,880 --> 01:38:58,000
lot of nerves.
I will say, you know, especially

1264
01:38:58,000 --> 01:39:02,040
of what, you know, Simo, Estella
and Amelie had just experienced

1265
01:39:02,600 --> 01:39:06,040
in the wardrobes and Indiana
Scones was kind of speaking with

1266
01:39:06,040 --> 01:39:08,120
pine.
You're a little leery of the

1267
01:39:08,120 --> 01:39:14,960
rest of this place.
I mean, but Stella didn't.

1268
01:39:15,440 --> 01:39:19,560
I mean, she's weary, but also
what she experienced was nice.

1269
01:39:22,720 --> 01:39:29,520
OK.
So like, she's not necessarily

1270
01:39:29,520 --> 01:39:31,800
all that negative about things
right now.

1271
01:39:33,920 --> 01:39:37,800
So she kind of will just walk in
looking around I guess.

1272
01:39:38,440 --> 01:39:47,680
OK, Amelie in Indiana.
Indiana is kind of approaching,

1273
01:39:47,840 --> 01:39:54,920
approaching really cautiously
because how to put this, have

1274
01:39:54,960 --> 01:39:58,360
you, have you seen pluribus?
I have it yet it's on my list to

1275
01:39:58,360 --> 01:39:59,960
start.
I just got Apple TV last night.

1276
01:40:00,760 --> 01:40:02,800
OK crap.
How to put this?

1277
01:40:04,240 --> 01:40:06,680
It.
There's definitely creepy vibes.

1278
01:40:06,680 --> 01:40:13,640
There's definitely something,
but it's not overtly

1279
01:40:13,640 --> 01:40:19,800
ridiculously malicious.
It's, it's almost a subtle lack

1280
01:40:19,800 --> 01:40:24,080
of just giving a shit about the
lives they left behind for all

1281
01:40:24,080 --> 01:40:27,560
these people and what's
happening to them while they're

1282
01:40:27,560 --> 01:40:29,920
here and where do they go from
here?

1283
01:40:30,640 --> 01:40:33,160
Like, so she's, she's definitely
suspicious.

1284
01:40:33,160 --> 01:40:37,160
She's not trusting it and she's
sneaking up towards towards that

1285
01:40:37,160 --> 01:40:40,360
door.
OK, Amelie.

1286
01:40:42,640 --> 01:40:47,120
I feel like Amelie would kind of
hang back kind of like in the

1287
01:40:47,120 --> 01:40:51,640
doorway, not like in the room
and just kind of like observe

1288
01:40:52,080 --> 01:40:56,880
because I don't think that she
wants to be up close and

1289
01:40:56,880 --> 01:40:59,520
personal.
She's not a big crowds person.

1290
01:41:05,470 --> 01:41:13,080
OK, so let's kind of break this
down 1 by 1.

1291
01:41:14,240 --> 01:41:17,920
The workshop, all of you.
The workshop does not feel

1292
01:41:17,920 --> 01:41:20,280
guarded.
It feels more attentive not

1293
01:41:20,280 --> 01:41:23,480
watching for danger.
It's watching more for

1294
01:41:24,120 --> 01:41:27,240
imbalance.
Let's start with Simo.

1295
01:41:27,680 --> 01:41:31,480
You're attempting to stealth
your way.

1296
01:41:31,480 --> 01:41:33,680
More or less.
Sneak into backup, sure.

1297
01:41:34,360 --> 01:41:37,640
Crumbleton, yes.
Sure, go ahead and give me a

1298
01:41:37,640 --> 01:41:45,760
stealth check.
Right, we got.

1299
01:41:46,280 --> 01:41:48,720
I got to check my modifier, I
think 21.

1300
01:41:49,120 --> 01:41:56,240
OK, so you'll move in actually.
OK, so you'll move in closer

1301
01:41:56,240 --> 01:42:01,880
than feels reasonable.
The toy maker does not look at

1302
01:42:01,880 --> 01:42:07,000
you, does not pause, but one of
the tools on the nearby table

1303
01:42:07,000 --> 01:42:14,160
suddenly rotates, no longer
pointing towards your path.

1304
01:42:15,840 --> 01:42:20,520
So you are, as of right now,
unseen but not unknown.

1305
01:42:22,120 --> 01:42:25,440
I'm going to send you a quick
DMRT.

1306
01:42:34,720 --> 01:42:38,920
OK, next we'll move to a Stella.
You're going to enter

1307
01:42:38,920 --> 01:42:42,520
cautiously, but you're also
carrying the memory of how good

1308
01:42:42,520 --> 01:42:45,920
it felt to be in that wardroom.
But just kind of stop for a

1309
01:42:45,920 --> 01:42:48,880
moment.
Give me an insight check please.

1310
01:42:56,440 --> 01:42:58,960
That one.
Oh boy.

1311
01:43:06,560 --> 01:43:19,760
Oh, I got to pull out a table.
Give me give me AD 12 roll

1312
01:43:19,760 --> 01:43:43,000
please. 3.
So you as a Stella would not

1313
01:43:43,160 --> 01:43:48,600
notice anything different, but
you as the player you're calm or

1314
01:43:48,600 --> 01:43:53,000
you're, you're almost mistaken
calm for safety.

1315
01:43:54,960 --> 01:43:57,680
So you are going to have
disadvantage on the next insight

1316
01:43:57,680 --> 01:44:00,720
check that relates to either the
toy maker or the workshop in

1317
01:44:00,720 --> 01:44:04,400
general.
OK, I'll just give you a.

1318
01:44:04,520 --> 01:44:07,080
Quick reminder.
Here Thanks.

1319
01:44:08,000 --> 01:44:11,160
Oh, I sent that to Archie.
Hey, congratulations, Archie.

1320
01:44:12,560 --> 01:44:14,360
I'm in the loop.
You're in the loop now.

1321
01:44:14,360 --> 01:44:20,440
All right, there you go.
OK, let's circle back.

1322
01:44:20,680 --> 01:44:22,880
So that is absolutely a fail, by
the way.

1323
01:44:23,600 --> 01:44:32,680
So you're the familiarity kind
of unsettles you not because

1324
01:44:32,680 --> 01:44:39,480
it's wrong, but it's it gets
more comfortable Indiana you are

1325
01:44:39,480 --> 01:44:44,120
reading the space for danger
that isn't like obvious to you

1326
01:44:44,120 --> 01:44:47,760
right away.
Give me a perception check

1327
01:44:47,760 --> 01:44:56,720
please that.
'D be a 15. 15 it meets it beats

1328
01:44:56,760 --> 01:45:08,920
all right so I'm going to send
you a a message I don't want to

1329
01:45:08,920 --> 01:45:12,720
advertly state this out loud but
I want you to keep that thought

1330
01:45:12,720 --> 01:45:17,320
in your head as we continue
going all of our audio

1331
01:45:17,320 --> 01:45:18,720
listeners.
I've quickly deafened.

1332
01:45:19,840 --> 01:45:23,600
I have just sent Indiana a
message that says no one here is

1333
01:45:23,600 --> 01:45:28,760
restrained, no one is begging,
and that's what's wrong.

1334
01:45:32,000 --> 01:45:35,600
All right, so you also notice
that there are no exits that are

1335
01:45:35,600 --> 01:45:40,560
being blocked because no one has
tried to leave there.

1336
01:45:40,760 --> 01:45:47,520
There is no exit.
You also will have the ability

1337
01:45:47,520 --> 01:45:56,040
to notice any shift, sudden
shift in the room or anything of

1338
01:45:56,040 --> 01:45:58,000
that nature.
I've also sent you as Adm

1339
01:46:00,640 --> 01:46:05,080
Amelie.
You're kind of just Alistair

1340
01:46:05,080 --> 01:46:07,040
leaning in the threshold, kind
of.

1341
01:46:07,640 --> 01:46:09,720
You're just kind of there to
observe.

1342
01:46:11,000 --> 01:46:14,280
So I'm going to give you a
choice.

1343
01:46:14,280 --> 01:46:17,800
I'm going to have you roll
either an investigation or an

1344
01:46:17,840 --> 01:46:20,600
insight check, whichever you
wish to roll.

1345
01:46:27,360 --> 01:46:43,440
I'm going to go with insight.
OK, that's a 21. 21 OK, So this

1346
01:46:44,000 --> 01:46:48,360
you, you kind of are taking a
look at the area in general of

1347
01:46:48,360 --> 01:46:55,880
where you're about to enter.
And this isn't a factory, it's

1348
01:46:55,880 --> 01:47:02,240
more of a threshold because
nothing leaves unfinished.

1349
01:47:07,400 --> 01:47:12,800
You realize that this room
exists to answer one question.

1350
01:47:14,480 --> 01:47:17,120
Is this who you are when no one
needs you?

1351
01:47:24,600 --> 01:47:37,480
OK.
OK, And we'll circle back to

1352
01:47:37,680 --> 01:47:39,800
Lord Crumbleton.
Do you have anything else you

1353
01:47:39,800 --> 01:47:52,200
wish to do?
Say again sorry.

1354
01:47:53,200 --> 01:47:58,240
I think I will look this dude in
the face like he's sitting at

1355
01:47:58,240 --> 01:48:00,600
his little table, right?
Correct.

1356
01:48:01,720 --> 01:48:06,640
So I'll, I'll lean over the
table and attempt to catch his

1357
01:48:06,640 --> 01:48:09,720
eyes, right, to catch his his
gaze.

1358
01:48:13,240 --> 01:48:18,520
And now I'm going to whisper.
I'm going to send it to you.

1359
01:48:18,520 --> 01:48:21,840
Sure.
Well, I just.

1360
01:48:21,840 --> 01:48:24,440
Can like maybe roll A roll of
whatever.

1361
01:48:24,440 --> 01:48:30,560
Yeah, let's, let's do this.
Everybody give me a perception

1362
01:48:30,560 --> 01:48:34,000
check.
I could roll stealth too maybe,

1363
01:48:34,000 --> 01:48:36,600
I don't know it's.
Would this be my disadvantaged

1364
01:48:36,600 --> 01:48:42,160
1?
Double check.

1365
01:48:45,480 --> 01:48:48,960
I could roll perception.
No, this is this is perception.

1366
01:48:48,960 --> 01:48:50,520
Yeah.
So just the insight one for you,

1367
01:48:50,520 --> 01:48:52,320
for the next for the
disadvantaged 1.

1368
01:48:52,320 --> 01:48:54,560
So everybody give me a
perception check.

1369
01:48:55,160 --> 01:48:57,120
Let me know if you roll
underneath a 15.

1370
01:48:58,000 --> 01:48:59,480
Me.
Who said me?

1371
01:48:59,600 --> 01:49:00,960
Stella.
Me.

1372
01:49:01,280 --> 01:49:04,760
Yeah, Stella.
I got a 12 but I am also getting

1373
01:49:04,760 --> 01:49:07,520
as close to him as possible.
I will give you advantage on the

1374
01:49:07,520 --> 01:49:09,200
roll, Simo.
All right.

1375
01:49:11,320 --> 01:49:14,200
Kind of Nat 20.
OK, Nat 20 for Patty.

1376
01:49:14,200 --> 01:49:17,400
What did you roll, Archie?
Then Devin, 16.

1377
01:49:21,600 --> 01:49:23,520
OK, that succeeds.
Amelie, what did you roll?

1378
01:49:24,480 --> 01:49:27,680
18.
OK so she doesn't know it yet

1379
01:49:27,680 --> 01:49:32,080
but I have server deafened A
stylist so she cannot hear this.

1380
01:49:33,760 --> 01:49:37,720
Go ahead.
And Lord Crumpledon, what are

1381
01:49:37,720 --> 01:49:47,120
you wishing to say?
Oh OK, I just need purpose.

1382
01:49:48,120 --> 01:49:50,600
What am I and why do I even
exist?

1383
01:49:52,200 --> 01:49:57,200
How do I get to where I belong
and how can I get rid of this

1384
01:49:57,200 --> 01:49:59,560
feeling of just wanting to kill
everything?

1385
01:50:02,720 --> 01:50:06,840
I don't know these people.
They've not done a thing for me.

1386
01:50:09,560 --> 01:50:16,280
So do I just abandoned them?
OK, I just need to live.

1387
01:50:16,920 --> 01:50:22,880
OK, so you kind of lean across
the table.

1388
01:50:22,880 --> 01:50:27,800
And I'm going to unmute Katie
now, so little Crumbleton.

1389
01:50:27,800 --> 01:50:31,320
You lean across the table, just
close enough that you could

1390
01:50:31,320 --> 01:50:35,360
smell the oil and wood mix
mixing in with cornite and

1391
01:50:35,360 --> 01:50:39,840
sugar, and you force the toy
maker to meet your eyes, not

1392
01:50:39,840 --> 01:50:42,960
violently, but desperately, like
someone bracing themselves

1393
01:50:42,960 --> 01:50:44,400
against the edge of something
deep.

1394
01:50:45,480 --> 01:50:48,280
Your voice kind of drops.
Your words are quiet, but the

1395
01:50:48,280 --> 01:50:53,040
room hears them anyway.
The tools stop moving, the hum

1396
01:50:53,200 --> 01:50:56,520
beneath the floor falters for
like, the first time, and the

1397
01:50:56,520 --> 01:51:01,600
fire you can feel the fire
almost seemed to lower its

1398
01:51:01,640 --> 01:51:04,840
breath.
And everybody hears it, except

1399
01:51:04,840 --> 01:51:09,680
for Estella.
The toymaker doesn't pull away

1400
01:51:09,680 --> 01:51:12,000
right away.
He doesn't flinch, he doesn't

1401
01:51:12,480 --> 01:51:15,280
correct himself.
He listens, and when he finally

1402
01:51:15,280 --> 01:51:19,160
speaks, his voice is barely
louder than Lord Crumbleton's

1403
01:51:19,160 --> 01:51:27,840
was.
You feel that because you were

1404
01:51:27,840 --> 01:51:33,840
made to stop things, endings,
threats, messes no one else

1405
01:51:33,840 --> 01:51:39,040
wants to touch.
And he's holding your gaze

1406
01:51:39,040 --> 01:51:46,920
steadily now, and no one ever
taught you what comes after, so

1407
01:51:46,920 --> 01:51:50,680
you keep mistaking motion from
meaning.

1408
01:51:50,680 --> 01:51:53,440
And he kind of straightens to
slowly.

1409
01:51:54,760 --> 01:51:59,480
You don't want to kill
everything, you want the noise

1410
01:51:59,480 --> 01:52:02,800
to stop.
And he kind of gestures gently

1411
01:52:02,800 --> 01:52:06,600
to your to your chest.
That feeling doesn't mean you're

1412
01:52:06,840 --> 01:52:09,680
broken.
It means you've outlived the

1413
01:52:09,680 --> 01:52:16,920
role that kept you alive.
And then he says purpose isn't

1414
01:52:16,920 --> 01:52:21,760
something you find, it's
something you stop hiding

1415
01:52:21,760 --> 01:52:26,640
behind.
And he looks at you not as a

1416
01:52:26,640 --> 01:52:31,360
Craftsman now, but more as a man
who has watched this moment

1417
01:52:31,360 --> 01:52:38,600
happen time and time before, and
belonging that comes after you

1418
01:52:38,600 --> 01:52:46,800
decide who you are when no one's
in danger in a single chime.

1419
01:52:46,920 --> 01:52:55,080
Sounds soft, acknowledging no
one reacts to the sound except

1420
01:52:55,080 --> 01:53:00,000
for Pine now, who closes his
eyes for 1/2 second longer than

1421
01:53:00,000 --> 01:53:07,680
necessary.
And what do the rest of you do,

1422
01:53:07,680 --> 01:53:11,240
having heard that?
Hurry, bye.

1423
01:53:14,840 --> 01:53:25,280
Exactly.
I'm gonna look around the room

1424
01:53:25,280 --> 01:53:34,740
at the toys, OK?
I feel like Emily would be

1425
01:53:34,740 --> 01:53:39,540
startled a little, like he'd
kind of jump a little and her

1426
01:53:39,540 --> 01:53:43,380
head would kind of whip towards
Kirk and then towards Lord, Lord

1427
01:53:43,380 --> 01:53:47,740
Crumbleton, and then like look
around for where everybody else

1428
01:53:47,740 --> 01:53:58,800
is located in the room, OK?
So there's nothing really to

1429
01:53:58,800 --> 01:54:04,520
notice as per SE right now.
The workshop doesn't necessarily

1430
01:54:04,520 --> 01:54:09,840
rush to answer or react to what
was just spoken.

1431
01:54:09,840 --> 01:54:11,880
It doesn't recoil, it doesn't
react.

1432
01:54:12,360 --> 01:54:16,240
It simply accepts the truth as
something that has finally been

1433
01:54:16,240 --> 01:54:19,440
placed on the table instead of
being carried on the back.

1434
01:54:20,040 --> 01:54:23,120
The toy maker exhales slowly,
the way that someone does after

1435
01:54:23,120 --> 01:54:27,320
setting down a tool they've been
gripping too tightly for too

1436
01:54:27,320 --> 01:54:31,200
long.
And he steps back, giving you,

1437
01:54:31,200 --> 01:54:34,000
Lord Crumbleton, some space.
Not retreating or yielding.

1438
01:54:34,000 --> 01:54:38,640
More just making room.
And around you, the workshop is

1439
01:54:39,000 --> 01:54:42,160
changing a way that's almost
imperceptible.

1440
01:54:42,680 --> 01:54:46,040
The tools on the table are no
longer laid out for work, they

1441
01:54:46,040 --> 01:54:49,320
are now laid out more for
decision.

1442
01:54:49,560 --> 01:54:53,360
The half finished toy on the
bench now turned outward.

1443
01:54:53,600 --> 01:54:56,520
It seems visible, its flaws
unhidden.

1444
01:54:57,240 --> 01:55:01,000
It's close enough to completion
that anyone here could finish

1445
01:55:01,000 --> 01:55:07,000
it, or ruin it or leave it
exactly as it is.

1446
01:55:08,240 --> 01:55:10,840
The toy maker speaks again, but
this time he kind of addresses

1447
01:55:10,840 --> 01:55:13,560
all of you.
Not just as the man, or not just

1448
01:55:13,560 --> 01:55:17,880
the man who spoke.
This is where it always ends up,

1449
01:55:19,200 --> 01:55:24,040
not with what someone deserves,
but what they're willing to

1450
01:55:24,040 --> 01:55:27,360
carry next.
And he kind of gestures once,

1451
01:55:27,360 --> 01:55:31,120
encompassing the room, the fire
beyond it, and the people who

1452
01:55:31,120 --> 01:55:35,440
chose to stop.
No one here is trapped.

1453
01:55:37,280 --> 01:55:41,480
No one here is rescued.
His eyes kind of settle on each

1454
01:55:41,480 --> 01:55:49,480
of you in turn.
Someone stays, someone leaves,

1455
01:55:50,440 --> 01:55:55,000
and someone decides whether the
work continues at all.

1456
01:55:56,240 --> 01:56:02,880
So tell me, what do you believe
happens to people who are

1457
01:56:02,880 --> 01:56:07,920
finished with who they were but
not ready to disappear?

1458
01:56:26,680 --> 01:56:29,520
Indiana kind of speaks up a
little, and she's like, do they

1459
01:56:29,520 --> 01:56:34,040
just work here?
Do they rot away?

1460
01:56:37,640 --> 01:56:41,920
Are they suspended in time?
And he kind of takes the toy

1461
01:56:41,920 --> 01:56:45,360
maker Grand takes a look at you
Indiana, and he doesn't answer

1462
01:56:45,360 --> 01:56:48,760
right away.
He looks down at the workbench,

1463
01:56:48,800 --> 01:56:53,960
at the the half finished toy,
and at the careful joints that

1464
01:56:53,960 --> 01:56:56,480
will never be seen once it's
whole.

1465
01:56:57,800 --> 01:57:00,760
They don't rot.
He says quietly.

1466
01:57:01,880 --> 01:57:06,440
They don't work either.
Not in the way you mean.

1467
01:57:06,920 --> 01:57:08,560
Finally, he looks back up at
you.

1468
01:57:08,560 --> 01:57:12,200
Indiana, and he says they they
finish.

1469
01:57:13,480 --> 01:57:16,640
He gestures gently towards the
warmth beyond the workshop,

1470
01:57:16,640 --> 01:57:18,800
towards the rooms that you've
already walked through.

1471
01:57:19,960 --> 01:57:26,320
Some of them sit, some of them
talk, some of them help the

1472
01:57:26,320 --> 01:57:30,600
person, the next person who
comes in shaking from the cold.

1473
01:57:32,480 --> 01:57:39,680
Some of them leave once they
remember how, and some of them

1474
01:57:39,680 --> 01:57:43,800
stay until they don't need to be
anyone anymore.

1475
01:57:46,240 --> 01:57:51,360
Nothing here decays, nothing
here is preserved.

1476
01:57:53,040 --> 01:57:59,160
Time doesn't stop here, it just
stops demanding things.

1477
01:58:00,080 --> 01:58:03,160
And he kind of studies you,
Indiana, not unkindly.

1478
01:58:05,000 --> 01:58:09,480
And that's what scares people in
the workshop.

1479
01:58:09,480 --> 01:58:15,360
Homme studies again, no chime,
no shift, just confirmation.

1480
01:58:29,560 --> 01:58:39,530
Indiana kind of froze her brown.
She goes kind of, you know, hums

1481
01:58:39,530 --> 01:58:46,330
to herself a little.
So where does this all come

1482
01:58:46,330 --> 01:58:49,410
from?
The food, the drinks, the fire,

1483
01:58:49,410 --> 01:58:52,730
the wardrobes, the clothes?
Where does this all come from?

1484
01:58:52,730 --> 01:59:01,240
Do you make it all?
Is this your creation?

1485
01:59:02,800 --> 01:59:06,400
He let's have a small breath
through his nose, not

1486
01:59:06,400 --> 01:59:08,640
necessarily a laugh, but more
recognition.

1487
01:59:09,720 --> 01:59:13,960
No, I couldn't even if I wanted
to.

1488
01:59:14,760 --> 01:59:17,560
He kind of runs a thumb along
the edge of the work table,

1489
01:59:17,560 --> 01:59:21,360
feeling a a nick in the table
that he's felt 100 times before.

1490
01:59:22,760 --> 01:59:26,120
Nothing here is created from
nothing.

1491
01:59:27,840 --> 01:59:30,360
He kind of gestures loosely
towards the room behind you.

1492
01:59:31,680 --> 01:59:34,520
The food is what people remember
how to make.

1493
01:59:35,280 --> 01:59:37,800
The drinks are what they know
how to pour.

1494
01:59:38,760 --> 01:59:41,920
The clothes are what they
stopped needing to wear out.

1495
01:59:43,760 --> 01:59:46,040
Every thread was once carried
in.

1496
01:59:46,720 --> 01:59:51,400
Every button belonged to someone
who decided it didn't anymore.

1497
01:59:52,360 --> 01:59:57,960
Then he taps the table lightly.
I don't supply this place.

1498
01:59:59,040 --> 02:00:04,600
I I rearrange it.
People bring in what they have

1499
02:00:04,600 --> 02:00:11,840
too much of time, skill, care,
objects they don't want to throw

1500
02:00:11,840 --> 02:00:16,880
away but don't want to carry.
And he meets your eyes again,

1501
02:00:16,880 --> 02:00:20,640
Indiana.
That's how it sustains itself,

1502
02:00:20,640 --> 02:00:26,800
not by taking, but by being
where things are finally set

1503
02:00:26,800 --> 02:00:39,480
down.
You asked a question, I'll

1504
02:00:39,480 --> 02:00:46,040
answer it there A fire in this
place, like a fireplace.

1505
02:00:46,360 --> 02:00:49,600
Yeah, there's just a slight
fire, not nearly as large as the

1506
02:00:49,600 --> 02:00:51,920
one that was in the beginning
room, but yes.

1507
02:00:52,880 --> 02:00:57,480
Lord Carmelton will approach it
and kind of stand, stand in

1508
02:00:57,480 --> 02:01:00,880
front of it like silhouette ish.
Very cinematic, right?

1509
02:01:03,960 --> 02:01:07,320
You asked what do you think
happens when people who are

1510
02:01:07,320 --> 02:01:11,080
finished with who they are but
not ready to disappear yet?

1511
02:01:14,120 --> 02:01:21,720
Well, when a soul's done wearing
its old name but refuses the

1512
02:01:21,720 --> 02:01:26,400
comfort of a grave, it wanders
into a place the map forgets.

1513
02:01:28,800 --> 02:01:32,160
You can find him at the edge of
the fire light like I am here,

1514
02:01:33,200 --> 02:01:36,480
where the road turns quiet and
the wind starts asking personal

1515
02:01:36,480 --> 02:01:40,040
questions.
Not a ghost, not yet, not a

1516
02:01:40,040 --> 02:01:48,240
hero, not anymore.
Not even close to a villain in

1517
02:01:48,240 --> 02:01:51,360
the Taverns.
A Bard might call it losing

1518
02:01:51,360 --> 02:01:56,520
yourself.
Clerics, a trial, Wizards call

1519
02:01:56,520 --> 02:02:00,120
it metamorphosis because they
they're allergic to normal

1520
02:02:00,120 --> 02:02:07,840
words.
But a Ranger, A warrior, they

1521
02:02:07,840 --> 02:02:12,760
might call it Chrysalis Rd.
I'm not who I was.

1522
02:02:13,280 --> 02:02:17,360
I'm not who I will be.
I have shed my skin but kept my

1523
02:02:17,360 --> 02:02:20,400
bones.
I fear the void, yet I refuse

1524
02:02:20,400 --> 02:02:22,280
the mask.
What am I?

1525
02:02:24,000 --> 02:02:28,160
I'm someone in the threshold and
I'm looking for permission

1526
02:02:29,680 --> 02:02:34,040
Permission to move forward.
Do I have it?

1527
02:02:40,670 --> 02:02:46,270
And as you stand in front of the
fire, he doesn't interrupt.

1528
02:02:46,390 --> 02:02:50,470
He lets every word finish
settling like a dust after a

1529
02:02:50,470 --> 02:02:53,390
long walk.
And when you fall quiet, the the

1530
02:02:53,390 --> 02:02:58,110
fire between them, between you,
lowers, not dimmer, but more

1531
02:02:58,110 --> 02:03:02,510
attentive.
The toymaker steps forward to to

1532
02:03:02,510 --> 02:03:06,560
you, Not the fire.
You're right about the

1533
02:03:06,560 --> 02:03:10,320
threshold.
That part you named perfectly.

1534
02:03:11,200 --> 02:03:15,280
He kind of studies your face the
way he would study a piece that

1535
02:03:15,720 --> 02:03:20,200
finally might be ready.
You're you're not lost, you're

1536
02:03:20,880 --> 02:03:25,960
not unfinished.
You're between.

1537
02:03:26,960 --> 02:03:30,560
He gestures once, not at the
fire, but the floor underneath

1538
02:03:30,760 --> 02:03:34,400
you.
This place doesn't exist to give

1539
02:03:34,400 --> 02:03:40,320
permission, it exists so people
can hear themselves asking.

1540
02:03:42,080 --> 02:03:45,880
If I told you yes, you'd still
be waiting.

1541
02:03:47,360 --> 02:03:50,800
If I told you no, you'd still be
angry.

1542
02:03:52,240 --> 02:03:57,200
The moment you named yourself as
someone in motion, that was the

1543
02:03:57,200 --> 02:03:59,840
answer.
He kind of stops back.

1544
02:03:59,840 --> 02:04:03,240
Even you some space.
The threshold isn't something

1545
02:04:03,240 --> 02:04:07,280
you cross.
It's something you survive.

1546
02:04:09,160 --> 02:04:13,320
You don't need permission to
move forward, you just need to

1547
02:04:13,320 --> 02:04:18,760
stop asking places like this to
hold you still while you decide.

1548
02:04:19,920 --> 02:04:26,160
And the fire pops once.
Not as approval or refusal, just

1549
02:04:27,040 --> 02:04:34,000
acknowledgement.
And what do you do when you

1550
02:04:34,000 --> 02:04:47,310
realize no one is stopping you?
What do I do?

1551
02:04:55,310 --> 02:05:06,030
Well, I suppose I've been
treating this doorway like a

1552
02:05:06,030 --> 02:05:13,640
judge when it's just a doorway.
The guards, they're imaginary.

1553
02:05:16,480 --> 02:05:23,080
The real villain here is choice,
responsibility, the terror of

1554
02:05:23,080 --> 02:05:26,360
freedom, and not having an enemy
to blame.

1555
02:05:31,160 --> 02:05:39,360
Suppose I pick a direction,
forget destiny, and take that

1556
02:05:39,840 --> 02:05:58,790
single small irreversible step.
And the toy maker nods just once

1557
02:05:58,790 --> 02:06:04,230
at you, and he says that's it.
Not as approval, but more

1558
02:06:04,350 --> 02:06:09,070
identification.
You're right, Doors don't judge.

1559
02:06:09,750 --> 02:06:12,390
They just remind people they can
move.

1560
02:06:12,390 --> 02:06:15,790
And you kind of glances briefly
at the fire, then back at you.

1561
02:06:16,720 --> 02:06:21,960
Choice feels cruel when you're
when you've been pointing at

1562
02:06:21,960 --> 02:06:28,440
enemies for a long time.
Freedom feels like a threat when

1563
02:06:28,440 --> 02:06:33,000
no one's left to blame.
But the moment you named

1564
02:06:33,000 --> 02:06:37,120
responsibility as the thing
you're afraid of, you've already

1565
02:06:37,120 --> 02:06:40,960
took the step.
He gestures not forward, not

1566
02:06:40,960 --> 02:06:44,080
back, but down to the floor
beneath your boots.

1567
02:06:45,560 --> 02:06:47,640
Irreversible doesn't always mean
loud.

1568
02:06:48,520 --> 02:06:53,080
Sometimes it's just deciding who
you won't pretend to be anymore.

1569
02:06:56,000 --> 02:07:04,800
He gives a small, tired smile.
You don't need to walk through

1570
02:07:04,800 --> 02:07:09,720
anything dramatic.
Just don't turn back to who you

1571
02:07:09,720 --> 02:07:17,880
were to feel safe.
A couple things just going to

1572
02:07:17,880 --> 02:07:22,360
sit on the ground kind of just
in thought.

1573
02:07:26,600 --> 02:07:29,520
And as you sit down on the
ground, crossing your

1574
02:07:29,520 --> 02:07:34,960
gingerbread legs, you're just
choosing not to stand.

1575
02:07:34,960 --> 02:07:39,640
The cold of the stone reaches
you first and then fades as your

1576
02:07:39,640 --> 02:07:44,200
breath kind of evens out.
You're frostbite gun resting now

1577
02:07:44,200 --> 02:07:47,520
beside you, not discarded, not
gripped, but simply just there.

1578
02:07:48,040 --> 02:07:56,640
And for the first time since
you've known him, it isn't doing

1579
02:07:56,640 --> 02:08:02,360
any work.
The workshop is standing still.

1580
02:08:02,360 --> 02:08:07,840
No tools are moving, no doors
are opening, no chime sounds.

1581
02:08:08,560 --> 02:08:12,160
The toy maker watches you for a
long moment and then turns back

1582
02:08:12,160 --> 02:08:15,920
to the table.
He resumes his work, not because

1583
02:08:15,920 --> 02:08:18,560
you no longer matter, but
because the question has been

1584
02:08:18,560 --> 02:08:22,520
answered.
Pine is remaining where he is,

1585
02:08:22,560 --> 02:08:26,840
arms folded loosely.
Say nothing, Not guarding but

1586
02:08:26,840 --> 02:08:29,080
witnessing.
The fire.

1587
02:08:29,080 --> 02:08:35,920
Holds shape and time for once.
Doesn't ask anything of anyone.

1588
02:08:38,280 --> 02:08:43,080
So as Lord Crumbleton sits there
thinking, what are the rest of

1589
02:08:43,080 --> 02:08:51,540
you doing?
How did I find of the toys?

1590
02:08:54,580 --> 02:09:03,100
Give me an investigation check.
12.

1591
02:09:05,580 --> 02:09:06,780
With a 12.
Wrong.

1592
02:09:06,780 --> 02:09:09,260
So mid today it's not even
funny.

1593
02:09:09,820 --> 02:09:14,880
Mid or low?
With a 12, I mean nothing that

1594
02:09:14,880 --> 02:09:19,000
you haven't already witnessed.
There's really nothing extra toy

1595
02:09:19,000 --> 02:09:20,680
wise.
There's just, you know, pieces

1596
02:09:20,680 --> 02:09:25,120
of different parts wood, you
know, the little wood jimmies

1597
02:09:25,120 --> 02:09:27,840
that they make, the joints, they
put the joints together with

1598
02:09:30,520 --> 02:09:37,120
just your standard kind of
Christmas workshop materials, if

1599
02:09:37,120 --> 02:09:50,200
you will.
Simo Amelie, what are you guys

1600
02:09:50,200 --> 02:09:54,920
doing?
I think I'm still just hiding

1601
02:09:54,920 --> 02:09:57,600
and observing more or less.
Sure.

1602
02:09:58,040 --> 02:10:01,320
I don't know about engaging with
this old man shenanigans.

1603
02:10:03,800 --> 02:10:06,080
I'm a skeptic of the things he's
saying.

1604
02:10:07,520 --> 02:10:12,960
Sure.
I feel like Emily would take a

1605
02:10:12,960 --> 02:10:16,640
couple steps into the room.
She's still keeping her

1606
02:10:16,640 --> 02:10:26,440
distance, but she's more curious
about this man now.

1607
02:10:35,170 --> 02:10:40,050
OK.
So Sima, you're just getting

1608
02:10:40,050 --> 02:10:43,490
kind of stepping around, you
know, slower and not necessarily

1609
02:10:43,490 --> 02:10:46,370
hiding from sight, but more from
disruption.

1610
02:10:47,800 --> 02:10:56,070
Give me a stealth check please.
3020.

1611
02:10:57,350 --> 02:11:02,550
Is a 3020, so you're able to get
close enough to the toy maker

1612
02:11:02,550 --> 02:11:08,350
without, again, necessarily
causing any suspicion or alarm.

1613
02:11:09,270 --> 02:11:13,150
But you notice that the toy
maker's kind of favoring his

1614
02:11:13,150 --> 02:11:15,990
left hand slightly when aligning
the pieces.

1615
02:11:16,920 --> 02:11:21,960
Every tool is returned to the
exact same place it was before,

1616
02:11:23,000 --> 02:11:27,400
and his breathing never changes,
even when people are moving

1617
02:11:27,400 --> 02:11:32,640
behind him.
And then you realize, give me an

1618
02:11:32,640 --> 02:11:34,600
insight check.
It's pretty low DC, but I'll

1619
02:11:34,600 --> 02:11:40,640
have to make the check anyway.
We got a 1313.

1620
02:11:41,400 --> 02:11:47,720
OK, the toy maker's not
necessarily watching the room.

1621
02:11:48,040 --> 02:11:51,800
The room is more adjusting
around him.

1622
02:11:57,220 --> 02:12:03,620
Oh boy, I don't know the best
way to communicate that to the

1623
02:12:03,620 --> 02:12:05,380
team, so I'm probably just going
to keep.

1624
02:12:05,540 --> 02:12:07,180
Yeah, watching.
OK, well, I'll say we'll come

1625
02:12:07,180 --> 02:12:10,540
back to that in just a moment.
Amelie, you take a few careful

1626
02:12:10,540 --> 02:12:14,220
steps into the workshop.
The air feels a lot different

1627
02:12:14,220 --> 02:12:17,420
than it was in the threshold.
It's less symbolic and more but

1628
02:12:17,420 --> 02:12:20,560
more practical.
You're close enough now that

1629
02:12:20,560 --> 02:12:22,400
where you can see the toy
maker's hands clearly.

1630
02:12:22,400 --> 02:12:26,240
The scars, the steadiness of the
hands, the care taken was

1631
02:12:26,240 --> 02:12:28,160
something no one else has yet
claimed.

1632
02:12:29,120 --> 02:12:31,360
I need you to give me an insight
check please.

1633
02:12:42,840 --> 02:12:47,840
21.
OK, you understand almost

1634
02:12:48,000 --> 02:12:55,600
immediately that no one in this
room has actually asked who this

1635
02:12:55,600 --> 02:13:00,480
person is.
This man is not hiding his name,

1636
02:13:00,720 --> 02:13:06,760
he simply doesn't lead with it.
You don't sense any deception,

1637
02:13:06,800 --> 02:13:12,480
No performance, just someone who
assumes people will ask when

1638
02:13:12,480 --> 02:13:19,960
they're ready.
OK, heads up in your in your

1639
02:13:19,960 --> 02:13:27,640
DMS, Kenzie.
OK, And the the toy maker

1640
02:13:27,640 --> 02:13:29,560
himself, he just continues
working.

1641
02:13:29,680 --> 02:13:36,400
After a quick moment, without
looking up, he says not to

1642
02:13:36,400 --> 02:13:39,040
anyone in particular, but more
just the room.

1643
02:13:39,280 --> 02:13:46,600
He goes.
You don't have to sneak, but I

1644
02:13:46,600 --> 02:13:51,880
won't stop you.
Some people think better when

1645
02:13:51,880 --> 02:13:55,280
they move.
He doesn't ask any questions, he

1646
02:13:55,280 --> 02:13:59,880
doesn't demand attention.
He's just letting the truth sit

1647
02:14:00,000 --> 02:14:17,520
where it landed.
Like.

1648
02:14:17,520 --> 02:14:18,880
Simo would take.
Oh, sorry.

1649
02:14:18,880 --> 02:14:20,800
Go ahead, go ahead.
Go ahead.

1650
02:14:21,480 --> 02:14:24,080
Because Simo would take a deep
breath and step out from his

1651
02:14:24,080 --> 02:14:30,440
hiding place and be like, all
right, then explain to me, if I

1652
02:14:30,840 --> 02:14:36,200
already live alone in a cave, I
wouldn't be here.

1653
02:14:36,200 --> 02:14:38,280
If I wasn't needed, I would be
back home.

1654
02:14:39,640 --> 02:14:45,520
So how?
How does this benefit me in any

1655
02:14:45,520 --> 02:14:46,760
way?
I don't see the point.

1656
02:14:47,840 --> 02:14:54,480
Bah humbug.
And as you step out from your

1657
02:14:55,640 --> 02:15:01,960
hiding, he looks fully up, this
time at you, not startled or

1658
02:15:01,960 --> 02:15:03,520
defensive, but more just
attentive.

1659
02:15:03,920 --> 02:15:06,480
He studies you, Simo for a long
moment, the way someone

1660
02:15:06,480 --> 02:15:09,480
evaluates weights and balance
before speaking.

1661
02:15:10,840 --> 02:15:18,160
You're right, he says.
If you already live alone, if

1662
02:15:18,160 --> 02:15:22,720
you've already chose quiet, then
this place isn't for you.

1663
02:15:25,160 --> 02:15:29,560
This doesn't benefit people who
know how to leave.

1664
02:15:30,520 --> 02:15:34,760
It benefits people who don't
know how to stop being needed.

1665
02:15:35,800 --> 02:15:37,320
Any gestures around the
workshop?

1666
02:15:37,560 --> 02:15:42,560
Everyone here came because the
world only ever wanted one thing

1667
02:15:42,560 --> 02:15:48,080
from them, and they couldn't
figure out who they were without

1668
02:15:48,080 --> 02:15:51,440
that demand.
And he meets your eyes directly

1669
02:15:51,440 --> 02:15:54,720
now.
You don't belong here because

1670
02:15:54,720 --> 02:15:58,560
you're lonely.
You belong out there because you

1671
02:15:58,560 --> 02:16:05,400
already know how to be alone.
This place doesn't give purpose,

1672
02:16:07,160 --> 02:16:11,560
it removes obligation.
And if obligation isn't what's

1673
02:16:11,560 --> 02:16:14,560
breaking you, then you're
wasting your time.

1674
02:16:17,440 --> 02:16:18,960
But that's not but.
You see?

1675
02:16:19,200 --> 02:16:24,040
But that's not a failure.
Oh, OK.

1676
02:16:24,480 --> 02:16:35,400
What do you mean by that?
I didn't come in here thinking

1677
02:16:35,400 --> 02:16:40,000
that I had failed, frankly.
I came here to investigate some

1678
02:16:40,000 --> 02:16:44,760
mysterious disappearances and I
have a strong suspicion that you

1679
02:16:45,280 --> 02:16:49,840
are at the center of them.
He tilts his head kind of back

1680
02:16:49,840 --> 02:16:52,799
at UC MO, and he doesn't soften
his voice any more than he

1681
02:16:52,799 --> 02:17:01,280
already has.
That this place doesn't need to

1682
02:17:02,240 --> 02:17:07,280
justify itself to you, and you
don't need to justify yourself

1683
02:17:07,280 --> 02:17:09,719
to it.
Failure would be staying

1684
02:17:09,719 --> 02:17:13,200
somewhere that solves a problem
you don't have.

1685
02:17:14,559 --> 02:17:20,280
Failure would be mistaking quiet
for emptiness or thinking

1686
02:17:20,280 --> 02:17:23,600
usefulness is the same thing as
worth.

1687
02:17:25,160 --> 02:17:30,000
You've already chosen a life
where being alone isn't a

1688
02:17:30,000 --> 02:17:33,879
punishment.
That means you learned something

1689
02:17:33,879 --> 02:17:37,520
most people don't.
So if you walk out of here and

1690
02:17:37,520 --> 02:17:41,040
feel nothing pull at you, that's
not rejection.

1691
02:17:42,120 --> 02:17:44,879
That's proof this place wasn't
meant to keep you.

1692
02:17:45,920 --> 02:17:52,719
And then, almost as a an aside,
some doors are exits, some doors

1693
02:17:52,719 --> 02:17:55,120
are mirrors.
And he looks back down at his

1694
02:17:55,120 --> 02:17:58,520
work.
You figured out which one this

1695
02:17:58,520 --> 02:18:09,280
is.
I'm afraid I can't just leave

1696
02:18:09,280 --> 02:18:14,799
alone, though.
Others are counting on me to

1697
02:18:15,680 --> 02:18:21,160
bring the people who have called
volunteered to stay.

1698
02:18:23,760 --> 02:18:31,080
And yeah, until we've gotten
that sorted, I think I am needed

1699
02:18:31,080 --> 02:18:34,920
here.
This is the place for me for

1700
02:18:34,920 --> 02:18:45,160
now.
And he kind of half chuckles at

1701
02:18:45,160 --> 02:18:48,920
himself.
That makes sense, he says.

1702
02:18:48,959 --> 02:18:50,840
He doesn't smile, he doesn't
frown.

1703
02:18:50,879 --> 02:18:55,559
He simply just adjusts his
understanding of you, Simo.

1704
02:18:55,559 --> 02:18:58,680
The way someone updates the plan
when the variable changes.

1705
02:18:59,440 --> 02:19:01,959
You didn't choose this place
because you need it.

1706
02:19:02,080 --> 02:19:04,639
You.
You chose it because someone

1707
02:19:04,639 --> 02:19:08,080
else might.
That's different.

1708
02:19:10,040 --> 02:19:13,040
He gestures towards the room.
Not inviting, not excluding.

1709
02:19:13,600 --> 02:19:17,760
Then yes, for now, this is a
place you can stand.

1710
02:19:18,639 --> 02:19:23,160
But don't confuse staying with
belonging.

1711
02:19:24,799 --> 02:19:27,080
Belonging would ask you to stop
watching.

1712
02:19:28,680 --> 02:19:32,520
You haven't where others are
sorted.

1713
02:19:32,760 --> 02:19:35,320
As he turns back to the table
and resumes working on the the

1714
02:19:35,320 --> 02:19:45,160
toy, you'll feel it, and you'll
leave without asking, and the

1715
02:19:45,160 --> 02:19:48,040
floor in the workshop begins to
steady.

1716
02:19:48,040 --> 02:19:51,080
The hum begins to steady a bit
more.

1717
02:19:55,520 --> 02:19:59,520
With that said, what I think we
had Indiana left.

1718
02:19:59,520 --> 02:20:01,840
What?
What would What would you do?

1719
02:20:04,640 --> 02:20:07,440
Indiana kind of crosses her arms
and looks at him and she goes,

1720
02:20:07,440 --> 02:20:18,940
Who are you exactly?
And he sets his tools down and

1721
02:20:20,820 --> 02:20:24,820
he doesn't answer right away.
He finishes what he's doing,

1722
02:20:25,100 --> 02:20:28,460
aligns the seams, tightens the
joint, wipes his hands clean at

1723
02:20:28,460 --> 02:20:31,420
a cloth that's been that's seen
better years.

1724
02:20:31,920 --> 02:20:34,720
Only then does he put down his
tool and look up at you.

1725
02:20:34,720 --> 02:20:46,280
Indiana, My name, who am I?
I'm Shelvin Crick.

1726
02:20:46,920 --> 02:20:50,240
Just that.
No title, no flourish.

1727
02:20:51,200 --> 02:20:54,560
I used to make toys for children
who still believed someone was

1728
02:20:54,560 --> 02:20:58,600
coming for them.
Then I started making things for

1729
02:20:58,600 --> 02:21:03,920
people who realized no one was.
And he glances around the

1730
02:21:03,920 --> 02:21:07,520
workshop, not proudly, not
defensively.

1731
02:21:08,880 --> 02:21:12,320
I don't run this place.
I don't own it.

1732
02:21:13,320 --> 02:21:18,960
And he meets your eyes again.
I stay here because someone has

1733
02:21:18,960 --> 02:21:23,160
to be willing to finish things
without deciding what they

1734
02:21:23,160 --> 02:21:26,320
worth.
That's that's all I am.

1735
02:21:35,960 --> 02:21:40,960
The townspeople told us that you
leave and then come back.

1736
02:21:43,280 --> 02:21:47,160
Does someone take your place in
between those times?

1737
02:21:55,890 --> 02:22:00,930
He he nods once, kind of
acknowledging the accuracy

1738
02:22:00,930 --> 02:22:04,130
without the pride.
Yes, he says.

1739
02:22:04,610 --> 02:22:11,320
I, I leave and yes, I come back.
He got to rest his hands on the

1740
02:22:11,320 --> 02:22:16,680
edge of the table, thinking how
to phrase the rest of it without

1741
02:22:17,160 --> 02:22:21,720
dressing it up.
No one replaces me.

1742
02:22:23,520 --> 02:22:26,840
He kind of glances at the door
that leads back to the the the

1743
02:22:26,840 --> 02:22:28,760
warm rooms with the wardrobe and
the fire.

1744
02:22:29,720 --> 02:22:31,560
Because nothing here needs a
keeper.

1745
02:22:32,160 --> 02:22:38,160
Every moment when I'm gone, the
place does what it always does.

1746
02:22:39,360 --> 02:22:43,840
People sit, people talk, people
decide.

1747
02:22:45,920 --> 02:22:50,280
I only come back when someone
reaches the part where finishing

1748
02:22:50,480 --> 02:22:54,080
matters.
A quieter admission.

1749
02:22:55,880 --> 02:23:00,200
Sometimes that's a person,
sometimes it's a question.

1750
02:23:01,880 --> 02:23:05,480
He kind of shrugs.
There's nothing to finish.

1751
02:23:06,560 --> 02:23:12,000
Well then I become unnecessary.
This place doesn't fall apart

1752
02:23:12,280 --> 02:23:17,440
when I leave, and it doesn't
belong to me when I stay.

1753
02:23:19,360 --> 02:23:25,640
That's why I can go.
If someone ever needed to take

1754
02:23:25,640 --> 02:23:29,880
my place, it would mean I stayed
too long.

1755
02:23:31,440 --> 02:23:34,120
Does that satisfy your your
curiosity?

1756
02:23:39,520 --> 02:23:41,640
She's a kind of not.
Oh, she's a Bach I.

1757
02:23:42,480 --> 02:23:50,640
Got her.
Indiana kind of rubs her chin a

1758
02:23:50,640 --> 02:23:55,480
little and says I think that's
the best answer I'll get.

1759
02:24:01,640 --> 02:24:05,320
And she turns towards Simo and
says, I think we need to take

1760
02:24:05,320 --> 02:24:12,320
these people and leave.
Sounds good mate to me.

1761
02:24:16,320 --> 02:24:26,440
And as you say that to Simo, he
doesn't argue, he doesn't try to

1762
02:24:26,440 --> 02:24:28,680
keep, he doesn't try to keep
anyone.

1763
02:24:28,680 --> 02:24:32,920
He only nods once, slow and
deliberate, the way that someone

1764
02:24:32,920 --> 02:24:35,800
does when a conclusion has
finally been reached.

1765
02:24:37,680 --> 02:24:40,840
That's usually how it goes, he
says, kind of quietly.

1766
02:24:41,440 --> 02:24:44,400
He looks past you, toward the
room, the warm rooms beyond

1767
02:24:44,400 --> 02:24:48,480
where the others sit and wait.
Not trapped, not resisting, just

1768
02:24:48,800 --> 02:24:52,680
present.
You can tell them you're

1769
02:24:52,680 --> 02:24:59,080
leaving, he says, or you can
just open the door, and he meets

1770
02:24:59,480 --> 02:25:01,640
Simo, your eyes for a brief
moment longer.

1771
02:25:02,440 --> 02:25:10,960
Either way, they'll choose the
path back is exactly where it's

1772
02:25:10,960 --> 02:25:15,280
always been, but he returns to
his work.

1773
02:25:24,750 --> 02:25:26,590
Well, I think are we just going
to try to, like, physically

1774
02:25:26,590 --> 02:25:28,630
carry these people out of here?
Yeah.

1775
02:25:28,950 --> 02:25:33,870
That's what that's my goal is to
to, to drag them out of here 1

1776
02:25:33,870 --> 02:25:37,150
by 1 if we have to, at least the
people we're looking for.

1777
02:25:38,710 --> 02:25:42,160
Well, I can see what I can shape
into.

1778
02:25:42,760 --> 02:25:47,760
I got Bayer nice strong.
Zemo's big enough to carry one

1779
02:25:47,760 --> 02:25:50,840
person over each shoulder, and
then Snowman Zemo could probably

1780
02:25:50,840 --> 02:25:58,820
do the same.
On the way.

1781
02:26:01,540 --> 02:26:07,940
What were you doing?
She's following along.

1782
02:26:11,440 --> 02:26:14,120
She's not going to drag nobody.
She's going to try to convince

1783
02:26:14,120 --> 02:26:16,600
somebody to go with her
willingly because these people

1784
02:26:16,600 --> 02:26:19,240
came here willingly of their own
volition.

1785
02:26:19,240 --> 02:26:21,480
She's not going to force them to
leave if they do not wish to

1786
02:26:21,480 --> 02:26:27,640
leave.
Lord Crumbleton.

1787
02:26:32,840 --> 02:26:39,720
Lord Crumbleton, I'll stand up,
kind of brush off his his coat

1788
02:26:42,080 --> 02:26:47,080
holster is weapon for what seems
like the first time in a long

1789
02:26:47,080 --> 02:26:56,280
time, Undo his belt and toss it
and the holster and the gun in

1790
02:26:56,280 --> 02:27:05,480
the fire and just say, I get it,
you can take them.

1791
02:27:06,960 --> 02:27:16,040
Maybe we should, but they'll
just find their way back.

1792
02:27:19,040 --> 02:27:23,600
That's what I did.
That's what I'll do.

1793
02:27:26,440 --> 02:27:37,890
I think I'll stay.
If that is your choice.

1794
02:27:50,360 --> 02:27:59,830
OK, so Lord Crumbleton, we'll
start with you.

1795
02:28:00,910 --> 02:28:04,870
You will.
Actually, we will end with you.

1796
02:28:05,670 --> 02:28:14,510
So when all of you return, you
leave the workshop sans cookie.

1797
02:28:18,080 --> 02:28:24,760
You all return to the first room
where you met Pine and the rest

1798
02:28:24,760 --> 02:28:29,320
of the patrons that are in this
establishment.

1799
02:28:32,800 --> 02:28:39,640
When you go to, when you move to
lift them, the resistance is

1800
02:28:40,080 --> 02:28:44,360
immediate.
Not a struggle, not panic, but

1801
02:28:44,360 --> 02:28:49,440
more of weight.
The kind that comes from someone

1802
02:28:49,440 --> 02:28:53,960
who has already decided to stay.
No one is screaming.

1803
02:28:54,200 --> 02:28:58,400
No one's fighting back.
That's what makes it hard.

1804
02:29:01,040 --> 02:29:09,680
Estella, we'll start with you.
I need you to give me and you.

1805
02:29:09,720 --> 02:29:11,720
You are wild.
Shaping into a bear, correct?

1806
02:29:14,000 --> 02:29:16,800
Yeah, I mean, there's no point
in me trying to stay.

1807
02:29:16,800 --> 02:29:18,960
Sure, you're just going to make
me move?

1808
02:29:18,960 --> 02:29:32,220
Go ahead and give me an an
athletic check please. 14 OK, so

1809
02:29:32,460 --> 02:29:36,340
you know that you can physically
lift and carry two people that

1810
02:29:36,340 --> 02:29:41,220
are not actively resisting.
So the people you try to lift

1811
02:29:41,580 --> 02:29:44,700
don't cling, they simply just go
limp.

1812
02:29:45,800 --> 02:29:49,160
Not unconscious, but more of a
resolution.

1813
02:29:51,240 --> 02:29:55,680
If you wish to carry one person
out, I will allow you, but it

1814
02:29:55,680 --> 02:29:57,720
will cost you a level of
exhaustion.

1815
02:30:00,480 --> 02:30:03,160
Can you repeat that?
Which?

1816
02:30:03,480 --> 02:30:07,600
If I want to try.
Yeah, if you wish to still try

1817
02:30:07,600 --> 02:30:11,120
to carry one person out, I will
allow you to, but it will cost

1818
02:30:11,120 --> 02:30:18,800
you one level of exhaustion.
I'm pocket, let's go for it.

1819
02:30:24,560 --> 02:30:30,440
OK, Simo, I need you to make me
an athletic check as well,

1820
02:30:30,440 --> 02:30:38,240
please.
All right, we got 15.

1821
02:30:38,800 --> 02:30:47,680
OK, so one of the people you
lift gently remove themselves

1822
02:30:47,680 --> 02:30:51,160
from your grip.
Not with a shove, not angry,

1823
02:30:51,680 --> 02:30:58,280
just with a quiet Please don't.
You still may carry one person

1824
02:30:58,280 --> 02:31:05,880
out, but not 2.
Sorry bud, shops closed, time to

1825
02:31:05,880 --> 02:31:09,600
go home.
I start carrying the guy outside

1826
02:31:10,160 --> 02:31:18,000
again.
OK, and then Amelie, you are

1827
02:31:18,000 --> 02:31:20,080
going to give me a persuasion
check.

1828
02:31:22,680 --> 02:31:25,760
Now I tell you what, before you
give me a persuasion check,

1829
02:31:26,200 --> 02:31:27,920
let's role play this this part
out.

1830
02:31:29,120 --> 02:31:31,400
What would you say to the
person?

1831
02:31:37,850 --> 02:31:43,530
I think I would look at them and
say, come on, there are people

1832
02:31:43,530 --> 02:31:47,450
out there who miss you.
There is more life to be lived.

1833
02:31:48,160 --> 02:31:51,720
I understand that here is where
you are comfortable, but

1834
02:31:51,720 --> 02:31:53,520
sometimes life is not
comfortable.

1835
02:31:54,200 --> 02:31:58,320
Sometimes we have to do hard
things in order to see the good.

1836
02:31:59,400 --> 02:32:02,840
Let's go.
OK, time to go back to reality.

1837
02:32:03,080 --> 02:32:04,320
Give me a persuasion check
please.

1838
02:32:11,840 --> 02:32:14,680
Who?
That's a Nat 20 + 2 is 22.

1839
02:32:17,960 --> 02:32:25,500
OK.
Hell yeah, babe.

1840
02:32:26,140 --> 02:32:35,660
Now as who was first was that
Estella, as Estella begins to

1841
02:32:35,660 --> 02:32:41,820
lift the person to carry them
out, Lord Crumbleton, you will

1842
02:32:41,820 --> 02:32:47,460
straighten, and everyone else.
For the first time since you met

1843
02:32:47,460 --> 02:32:50,620
him, there's no weapon in his
hands.

1844
02:32:51,240 --> 02:32:56,440
He's undone, undone his belt.
Slowly, the leather creaks.

1845
02:32:57,000 --> 02:33:00,320
The holster comes free, and he
weighs at once, thoughtfully,

1846
02:33:00,960 --> 02:33:02,720
and then tosses it into the
fire.

1847
02:33:02,760 --> 02:33:05,040
The leather blackens, the metal
warps.

1848
02:33:05,560 --> 02:33:08,280
The fire does not flare.
It accepts.

1849
02:33:09,280 --> 02:33:14,840
He gives a long and even exhale,
and he says, I get it.

1850
02:33:15,920 --> 02:33:18,240
He looks at the people being
lifted, the ones resisting

1851
02:33:18,240 --> 02:33:22,000
without struggle.
You can take them.

1852
02:33:22,160 --> 02:33:26,480
Maybe we should, but they'll
just find their way back.

1853
02:33:27,760 --> 02:33:32,440
That's what I did, that's what
I'll do, and I think I'll stay.

1854
02:33:33,520 --> 02:33:36,920
No one stops him.
No one asks him to.

1855
02:33:39,520 --> 02:33:45,560
Who do you actually succeed in
taking with you, and who do you

1856
02:33:45,560 --> 02:33:59,360
leave behind?
And as all of you begin the

1857
02:33:59,360 --> 02:34:07,880
process of taking people out
almost against their will, when

1858
02:34:07,880 --> 02:34:11,160
you move to take them, the room
does not resist you.

1859
02:34:12,120 --> 02:34:14,520
They do.
Estella.

1860
02:34:14,600 --> 02:34:20,280
You reach for 2/1, slips free,
just stepping back, eyes gentle

1861
02:34:20,280 --> 02:34:27,960
and resolute, not unconscious,
just decided, and you haul them

1862
02:34:27,960 --> 02:34:32,240
up anyway.
Your muscles burn immediately,

1863
02:34:32,240 --> 02:34:37,760
your breath growing heavy.
This isn't how you wanted to use

1864
02:34:37,760 --> 02:34:41,760
this strength.
The exhaustion sets in even more

1865
02:34:41,880 --> 02:34:43,520
even before you can take a
second step.

1866
02:34:44,280 --> 02:34:49,320
But you don't let go, and you
carry 1 Simo.

1867
02:34:49,320 --> 02:34:52,480
You lift 1 cleanly when you
reach for the second the person

1868
02:34:52,480 --> 02:34:56,920
gently takes your wrist.
No anger, No Fear, just a quiet

1869
02:34:57,160 --> 02:35:00,720
please don't and they step out
of their grasp on their own.

1870
02:35:01,520 --> 02:35:06,520
Simo, you carry one out and know
that in your bones that you

1871
02:35:06,520 --> 02:35:10,160
could not have carried more
without breaking something that

1872
02:35:10,160 --> 02:35:13,720
mattered.
Amelie, you don't reach, you

1873
02:35:13,720 --> 02:35:17,840
just speak.
You don't promise safety.

1874
02:35:18,000 --> 02:35:24,840
You don't promise consequence.
You offer choice about leaving,

1875
02:35:26,520 --> 02:35:32,960
about leaving being allowed,
about staying, being real, about

1876
02:35:32,960 --> 02:35:36,160
how deciding later is still
deciding.

1877
02:35:37,640 --> 02:35:40,600
The person you're speaking to
listens.

1878
02:35:40,600 --> 02:35:43,360
They really listen.
And then they nod.

1879
02:35:44,320 --> 02:35:49,560
They stand up on their own, and
they walk out beside you.

1880
02:35:49,760 --> 02:35:51,920
Amelie not rescued.
But choosing.

1881
02:35:52,000 --> 02:35:56,000
This matters more than the
others combined.

1882
02:35:57,680 --> 02:36:00,400
There's no alarms, no pursuit,
no judgement.

1883
02:36:02,720 --> 02:36:10,720
Lord Crumbleton stays behind.
That's because no one argued.

1884
02:36:11,760 --> 02:36:16,480
No one needed to.
What about Indiana?

1885
02:36:20,320 --> 02:36:24,480
Did I miss Indiana?
I'm so sorry, Indiana.

1886
02:36:24,480 --> 02:36:30,120
What is your action here?
Sorry, I was trying not to

1887
02:36:30,120 --> 02:36:34,200
interrupt you.
This would be a persuasion I

1888
02:36:34,200 --> 02:36:40,320
would go for.
OK, what are you attempting to

1889
02:36:40,320 --> 02:36:44,680
persuade exactly?
To to leave.

1890
02:36:45,320 --> 02:36:49,280
Specifically to leave.
OK.

1891
02:36:49,720 --> 02:36:52,120
Are you're attempting just with
one person or?

1892
02:36:54,960 --> 02:36:58,240
I'm going to try with one
person, yes, because I can see

1893
02:36:58,240 --> 02:36:59,840
that how everyone else is
struggling.

1894
02:37:00,440 --> 02:37:02,480
OK.
Are you doing a person

1895
02:37:02,480 --> 02:37:04,880
particular or just any one
person?

1896
02:37:07,320 --> 02:37:10,560
I'm going to do it with Stella.
The Baker was missing.

1897
02:37:14,440 --> 02:37:24,440
OK, what would you say to her?
I kind of, I'm pretty sure, so I

1898
02:37:24,440 --> 02:37:26,280
don't have to bend down to get
her at my level.

1899
02:37:29,160 --> 02:37:36,800
I pause and I look at her, and I
say The beautiful thing about

1900
02:37:36,800 --> 02:37:46,760
choice is that it is continuous.
The choice to be here will still

1901
02:37:46,760 --> 02:37:52,000
exist after you leave.
But wouldn't it be better to say

1902
02:37:52,280 --> 02:37:56,800
goodbye, To explain yourself to
the people you love, to those

1903
02:37:56,800 --> 02:38:02,320
who care?
Life has so many different

1904
02:38:02,320 --> 02:38:05,800
options and choices, and if you
feel burdened by the one you've

1905
02:38:05,800 --> 02:38:10,600
made, you can always change it.
You can always come back here.

1906
02:38:10,600 --> 02:38:18,240
But leaving is more difficult.
I hope you'll consider going

1907
02:38:18,240 --> 02:38:24,640
with me.
OK, give me a persuasion check.

1908
02:38:28,080 --> 02:38:32,840
That's a 23.
OK, so as you are speaking to

1909
02:38:32,840 --> 02:38:40,600
Stella, Merrick overhears you as
well, and you speak where they

1910
02:38:40,600 --> 02:38:47,080
can both hear and Stella's hands
still smelling faintly flour.

1911
02:38:47,720 --> 02:38:51,680
Merrick mug cradle but untouched
eyes call them in a way that

1912
02:38:52,080 --> 02:38:56,760
took years to earn.
They don't argue that Stain is

1913
02:38:56,760 --> 02:38:59,040
wrong.
Stella talks about unfinished

1914
02:38:59,040 --> 02:39:02,920
connections, about towns that
don't collapse when one person

1915
02:39:02,920 --> 02:39:07,240
rests but do hollow out when too
many never come back.

1916
02:39:09,400 --> 02:39:12,600
I won't pretend this place
didn't help us.

1917
02:39:13,200 --> 02:39:17,360
I just don't want it to be the
last place anybody remembers

1918
02:39:17,360 --> 02:39:24,960
UPS.
And Merrick is almost slower.

1919
02:39:24,960 --> 02:39:29,440
He stares into his mug for a
long time, then finally sets it

1920
02:39:29,440 --> 02:39:33,240
down.
I didn't think anyone would ask

1921
02:39:33,240 --> 02:39:37,120
me to come back, he admits to
you, and he kind of glances at

1922
02:39:37,120 --> 02:39:39,920
the door.
Not because they needed me, but

1923
02:39:40,880 --> 02:39:45,480
because they remembered me.
He stands, not hurried, not

1924
02:39:45,480 --> 02:39:52,600
regretful.
All right, I'll walk, just not

1925
02:39:52,600 --> 02:39:57,080
fast.
And both Stella and Merrick

1926
02:39:57,720 --> 02:40:05,560
leave under their own power.
Indiana kind of slowly walks

1927
02:40:05,560 --> 02:40:12,040
with them and quietly tell tells
them both how they were hired to

1928
02:40:12,040 --> 02:40:15,960
find them, that people cared
that they were missing, but they

1929
02:40:16,480 --> 02:40:19,360
people are waiting for them to
come back, that they worry for

1930
02:40:19,360 --> 02:40:25,680
them.
And they just kind of nod with

1931
02:40:25,680 --> 02:40:32,160
you, Indiana, as you all walk
out of the Emporium together.

1932
02:40:32,960 --> 02:40:43,400
And as you exit the emporium,
you all of you feel this almost

1933
02:40:46,400 --> 02:40:56,480
weight of a burden per SE that
were they truly happy?

1934
02:40:56,640 --> 02:41:06,840
Were they?
Were they finally succumbing to

1935
02:41:07,520 --> 02:41:09,320
someone who was no longer
needed?

1936
02:41:10,400 --> 02:41:14,120
And that weight kind of stays
with you for quite a long time.

1937
02:41:19,840 --> 02:41:25,560
And weeks pass.
Snow is still falling in the

1938
02:41:25,560 --> 02:41:30,200
hamlet, but it's it no longer
lingers in the same places.

1939
02:41:30,960 --> 02:41:35,600
The chairs and Branacoil's
Tavern are no longer kept empty

1940
02:41:35,600 --> 02:41:38,480
on purpose.
Some nights they are filled,

1941
02:41:38,720 --> 02:41:42,960
some nights they aren't.
The town has learned to live

1942
02:41:42,960 --> 02:41:46,960
with that again.
Stella the Baker opens her shop

1943
02:41:46,960 --> 02:41:50,280
late now.
Not every morning, not every

1944
02:41:50,280 --> 02:41:53,000
day.
When she does, the bread is

1945
02:41:53,000 --> 02:41:56,840
simpler.
Fewer loaves, fewer promises.

1946
02:41:57,800 --> 02:42:01,720
People learn to arrive when the
door is open instead of

1947
02:42:01,720 --> 02:42:05,720
expecting it to be.
The oven runs slower.

1948
02:42:06,440 --> 02:42:10,000
The timer's tick still tick, but
she lets them ring for just a

1949
02:42:10,000 --> 02:42:13,080
moment longer.
She never pretends the work

1950
02:42:13,200 --> 02:42:15,880
doesn't tire her.
She also never pretends she

1951
02:42:15,880 --> 02:42:18,920
didn't choose it.
One of the people you carried

1952
02:42:18,920 --> 02:42:22,200
out never quite settles.
They try, truly.

1953
02:42:22,200 --> 02:42:24,760
They sleep, they eat, they laugh
when they mean to.

1954
02:42:25,480 --> 02:42:30,600
But eventually, on a morning
with fog too thick to argue,

1955
02:42:31,600 --> 02:42:35,360
they leave again.
No note, no apology.

1956
02:42:35,640 --> 02:42:38,280
They find their way back to
warmth.

1957
02:42:38,280 --> 02:42:40,960
That doesn't ask the town.
I'm sorry.

1958
02:42:40,960 --> 02:42:44,680
That doesn't ask.
The town learns that rescue is

1959
02:42:44,680 --> 02:42:49,360
not the same as return.
The one Amelie spoke to, the one

1960
02:42:49,760 --> 02:42:51,600
who walked out under their own
power.

1961
02:42:52,200 --> 02:42:55,040
They don't go back.
They just take longer routes

1962
02:42:55,040 --> 02:42:57,040
home.
They sit in the cold.

1963
02:42:57,880 --> 02:43:02,160
When asked about the emporium,
they only say it helped me

1964
02:43:02,160 --> 02:43:06,080
remember how to decide.
And that's enough.

1965
02:43:06,480 --> 02:43:10,400
Estella feels the exhaustion for
days, not the ache of muscle,

1966
02:43:10,400 --> 02:43:14,120
but the deeper fatigue that
comes from carrying someone who

1967
02:43:14,120 --> 02:43:18,720
didn't want to be moved.
She recovers, but she remembers

1968
02:43:18,720 --> 02:43:21,760
the cost.
Simo, you never speak of this

1969
02:43:21,760 --> 02:43:25,080
moment when a hand gently stops
yours.

1970
02:43:26,160 --> 02:43:30,120
But from then on, when you
choose to stay somewhere, you,

1971
02:43:30,200 --> 02:43:33,040
you do it.
You know you do it with your

1972
02:43:33,040 --> 02:43:35,320
whole body, not just your
strength.

1973
02:43:36,520 --> 02:43:40,160
Indiana You're remembered by
name, not as a savior, but by

1974
02:43:40,800 --> 02:43:43,680
someone who asked the question
out loud when it mattered.

1975
02:43:45,000 --> 02:43:48,560
And somewhere beyond the edge of
town, where the Lantern light

1976
02:43:48,560 --> 02:43:54,320
ends and the roads narrow into
something less certain, the

1977
02:43:54,320 --> 02:43:58,640
Emporium waits.
Not open, not closed.

1978
02:43:58,640 --> 02:44:02,920
Just there.
And inside, Lord Crumbleton

1979
02:44:04,400 --> 02:44:08,720
Molassaker sits by a fire that
does no longer judge him.

1980
02:44:10,160 --> 02:44:13,480
He is not finished, but he's no
longer running.

1981
02:44:14,280 --> 02:44:18,560
He thinks that, for now, is
enough.

1982
02:44:19,240 --> 02:44:24,400
And not every door is meant to
be closed.

1983
02:44:26,680 --> 02:44:33,840
Some are meant to be understood,
and some are meant to be walked

1984
02:44:33,840 --> 02:44:37,840
away from without ever needing
to be locked.

1985
02:44:37,840 --> 02:44:43,120
Behind you, snow falls softly
outside.

1986
02:44:43,400 --> 02:44:46,840
The Carol drifts on, gentle and
endless.

1987
02:44:47,600 --> 02:44:52,440
Somewhere, a toy clicks into
place and Christmas stays warm.

1988
02:44:53,960 --> 02:44:57,680
And that's where our story ends.
The snow keeps falling, the fire

1989
02:44:57,680 --> 02:45:02,240
stays warm, and the choice that
was made will never stop

1990
02:45:02,840 --> 02:45:05,600
echoing.
Thank you for listening to Crit

1991
02:45:05,600 --> 02:45:09,000
Happens and for sharing this
special holiday story with us.

1992
02:45:09,000 --> 02:45:13,800
The toy makers regret the tale
about comfort, exhaustion, and

1993
02:45:13,800 --> 02:45:18,280
the quiet weight of deciding
when enough is enough, And we're

1994
02:45:18,280 --> 02:45:20,720
grateful you stayed with us
through every moment.

1995
02:45:22,560 --> 02:45:24,040
This concludes the holiday
special.

1996
02:45:24,120 --> 02:45:27,880
Thank you so much for listening.
We will be back next week to

1997
02:45:27,880 --> 02:45:33,960
finish up our UNIT episode as
well as moving on with our main

1998
02:45:33,960 --> 02:45:40,120
campaign with new stories to
tell, but for now, we hope this

1999
02:45:40,120 --> 02:45:42,480
one lingers a little bit longer
than most.

2000
02:45:43,280 --> 02:45:46,520
From all of us here at Crit
Happens and the P3 Podcast

2001
02:45:46,520 --> 02:45:49,960
Network, I am Spencer Hart
wishing all of you a Merry

2002
02:45:49,960 --> 02:45:53,080
Christmas and a very happy New
Year.

2003
02:45:53,400 --> 02:45:56,600
Take care of yourselves, take
care of each other, and

2004
02:45:56,600 --> 02:46:00,080
remember, sometimes rest is a
gift too.

2005
02:46:01,360 --> 02:46:02,080
Good night everybody.