Beginning credits: In This Moment - "In The Air Tonight" [Official Lyric Video]
Title Card: Threshold, Vatermont 26, 1000 AC
Establishing shot of the Juggling Ogre. Weather: Mostly cloudy.
Inside the inn, Clarion begins her morning devotions, but the outcome is disheartening. She appears deeply troubled as she checks on Fleetwood and Greegan. Fleetwood remains under a magical sleep, while Greegan is unconscious, pale, and coughing. Clarion attempts to pray, but her mind flashes back to the earlier encounter with the ghouls, where her divine power failed her. This memory sows doubt, and the divine light does not come. Frustrated, she rummages through Fleetwood's pack and finds the potion given by the druid. She administers some to Greegan, who shows signs of improvement, though he remains unconscious. She stops the bottle and returns it to Fleetwood's belongings.
Frustrated, she walks downstairs, glowering at anyone who gets in her way. Felonious is at one of the tables, reading from a large, heavy tome with arcane symbols on the covers. He looks up from the book as Clarion comes down.
Background: Cozy Tavern | D&D/TTRPG Tavern/Inn Music | 1 Hour
Felonious: "Clarion! How goes it?"
Clarion: "Not well. I can't focus. I just keep thinking about what happened - how I doubted. And I just keep doubting."
Felonious: (Calmly reassuring) "Everyone has doubts sometimes. I'm sure there are days when even your Patriarch doesn't know whether Chardastes will answer or not."
Clarion: "It's not Chardastes I don't trust. It's me. I failed you all. Failed… him." She sits down glumly next to Felonious.
Felonious: "I don't think you failed anybody. I couldn't even cast a spell with that stench. At least you tried."
Clarion: "It still won't work. Chardastes still won't hear me."
Felonious: "I'm not exactly an expert, but maybe you just need to clear your mind. We're here in town. Why not go to your temple?"
Clarion: "And let them hear how I doubted?"
Felonious: "If need be, yes."
Clarion silently chews on this thought.
Felonious: "Whatever you're going to do, I suggest you do it soon. Silverleaf has gone to keep an eye on the comings and goings at Mistamere."
(Fade out)
Mistamere
Weather: Remains cloudy
Under a gloomy sky, the camera reveals the crumbling towers of Mistamere. It then shifts to a smaller cluster of ruins nearby, which appear to be of the same age and condition as the castle. Silverleaf approaches the ruins, her face contorting in disgust as she notices the infestation of pulsating giant fungi, attracting various insects and pests. Despite the repulsive sight, the ruins themselves seem peaceful. Soft sunlight filters through gaps in crumbled walls, casting golden hues on the overgrowth. The faint sound of trickling water echoes through the air, accompanied by the occasional croak of a frog or the whisper of the wind. Fireflies flit gently around, their glow creating a serene yet surreal atmosphere. Recognizing the medicinal properties of the fungus, Silverleaf collects a portion and places it in a bag. The ruins appear to be uninhabited, save for the fungus.
Unfortunately for Silverleaf, she has barely taken up a position within the ruins when she is spotted by some Iron Ring thugs, servants of Bargle.
Slaver: "Come out with your hands up."
Silverleaf attempts to shoot the slavers with her bow, but one of them sneaks around the ruins and strikes her on the back of the head with the hilt of a sword. The blow leaves her slightly dazed. She struggles to fight the slavers but is ultimately ensnared by their nets. The scene fades to black as the slavers laugh and gloat over capturing a beautiful elf maid, discussing the high price she will fetch in the slave markets of Fort Doom.
Cut to one of Lord Verdance's farmhands, who has been watching all of this in horror. He drops his pitchfork and runs toward Threshold. (Fade Out)
Threshold
Fade in on Threshold. The weather remains cloudy. Clarion sits outdoors alone, cross-legged, in a posture of prayer.
Clarion: (Prays in Celestial)
She doesn't gain any divine guidance. She sighs in frustration. It is then that Verdance's man finds her.
Farmhand: "Sorry to be interrupting your devotions, Lady Clarion, but I have news about your elf friend."
Cut to inside of the Juggling Ogre, where Felonious and Clarion are discussing how to rescue Silverleaf.
Felonious: "We need Fleetwood and Greegan if we're going to rescue Silverleaf."
Clarion: "Maybe you need another cleric. A real cleric."
Felonious: "We don't have time to get another cleric. And you’re a real cleric, aren’t you? Our friends need you to buck up and take your calling seriously."
Clarion: "I don't know if I have enough faith."
Felonious: "Our friends have faith in you."
Drawing a deep breath, Clarion gets up from the table and walks up the stairs to the rooms they have secured for Fleetwood and Greegan. Sitting down next to Fleetwood's sleeping form, she closes her eyes.
Flashback
Title Card: Temple of Chardastes, Six Weeks Ago
We see a number of townsfolk gathered in the open-air gazebo temple of Chardastes. Several priests and priestesses flank Patriarch Sherlaine as he stands at the pulpit, giving a benediction to the crowd. The congregation listens in rapt attention, but suddenly there is a commotion. The crowd parts as Fleetwood staggers up the aisle, carrying the limp form of Aleena in his arms. Patriarch Sherlaine looks horrified.
Fleetwood tenderly lays Aleena at the foot of Chardastes' statue. He rises, a look of absolute rage on his face, and turns to Sherlaine.
Fleetwood: (Snarls) "Bargle." The Patriarch runs to Aleena, checks her pulse, listens for breathing, but it is obviously too late. The Patriarch wails in utter sadness and despair.
Title Card: A week later
Still at the Temple of Chardastes. Clarion serves alone, ministering to the sick and wounded. Fleetwood comes in the back. He is clearly agitated.
Clarion: "How can I help you, good warrior?"
Fleetwood: "You know who I am, Adept Clarion."
Clarion: "You brought back our oath sister, Aleena, after she was murdered by the wizard Bargle."
Fleetwood: "Yes. I saw it happen. That's not the worst of it." He is literally shaking. "After he murdered her he… enchanted me. What me made me do…" His hands clench into fists. "If I could lay my hands on him, no amount of magic would save him."
Clarion: "Bargle should be made to pay for his crimes."
Fleetwood: "I need you to help me."
Clarion: "Me?"
Fleetwood: "I also know you, Adept Clarion. The best of Sherlaine's students, and the only one aside from Aleena that can channel the power of Chardastes. You're the one I want at my side."
Clarion: "Bargle has disappeared into the coils of the underworld. How do you intend to find him?"
Fleetwood: "I know a guy."
Cut to a scene of Greegan, looking even more disheveled than usual, sitting in a cell in the Tower of the Watch
Fleetwood and Clarion enter, and Fleetwood gives a sack of money to the guards.
The one of the guards hands Fleetwood a paper, and he signs it.
Guard: "He's your problem now." He opens the cell and yanks Greegan out.
Fleetwood: "I've just paid your debt. The hangman will not own your boots this time. Now it's your turn to help me."
Greegan: "Mate, for that I'd cross Bargle himself."
Fleetwood: "Funny you should mention him…"
Clarion: "Can we trust this… person?"
Fleetwood: "According to your oath sister he's exactly what we need on a quest like this."
Greegan: "Of course I am, love."
Fleetwood: "I've arranged a bit of a test of how well we all work together. The Silverstream Mill."
Greegan: "That old dump? Rats and centipedes and who knows what else."
Fleetwood: "The owner has hired us to clear those pests out. Us and someone named… Felonious."
Greegan: "With a name like that, you think I'm the untrustworthy one?"
Fleetwood and Clarion: "Yes."
Greegan: "I'm gonna get bit by a rat. I'm gonna get the bloody plague."
Present time
The flashback ends. Clarion opens her eyes, now somewhat more relaxed. She looks again at the sleeping form of Fleetwood.
Clarion: (Prays in Celestial)
"Chardastes, gentle guardian of the wounded and the weary,
We call upon your boundless mercy and light.
Guide our hands to mend what is broken,
Our hearts to offer solace where there is pain,
And our minds to seek wisdom in service to others.
Through your grace, may the suffering find peace,
The lost find their way,
And the world be touched by the healing power of your love."
Clarion is rewarded with the vision she has been seeking - a vision of her oath sister Aleena putting her hand on Clarion's shoulder and smiling. Her hands glow with a healing light, and she places them on Fleetwood's chest. The light suffuses his body, and he wakes up, rubbing his head.
Fleetwood: "Clarion?" She hugs him warmly. Then both look a little embarrassed. "What happened?"
Clarion: "You fell asleep on duty."
Fleetwood: "I must have needed a nap. I feel better. I hope I don't get demoted." She smiles.
Clarion: "Get dressed. Duty calls. We'll discuss you demotion later."
Clarion turns back to Greegan. She lays her hand upon him and this time healing light suffuses him as well. His color improves and he stops coughing. After a couple of minutes his eyes flick open.
Greegan: " Feels like I've bloody been drinking Darokin whiskey." He looks around. "Why isn't Silverleaf tellin' me I look like I drank Darokin whiskey?"
Cut to a scene of the four party members together at a table in the Juggling Ogre. Greegan has a map of Threshold on the table and is pointing to it.
Greegan: "The Iron Ring likes to hide out in the Weeping Hollow. It's where they buried the dead from the Marilinev rebellion when the Thyatians came. Most people don't go there on account of trespassing on sacred ground - as if anything's sacred after the Ring touches it." He doesn't look like he pays much mind to the local superstition.
"Anyways, there's crypts and caves enough for them to hide their slaves in, and no one will hear them cryin'."
Fleetwood: "It will be the Iron Ring who's crying if they've hurt Silverleaf."
(Fade out)