Don't play dumb.
It won't end well for you.
Just tell us how to access the secret
under Whitestone, and this will all end.
Please.
I told you.
I don't know what you're talking about.
I do love it when they hold out.
Sadly, that may leave a mark.
Mm.
- I'll need his sister.
Let's try again.
- Doctor... - Percy, wait!
Percy, what are you doing?!
She's unarmed!
So was my family.
Percy, she may have something we can use.
They kept her alive for a reason.
Um. Mind telling us
who the hell this is?
Dr. Anna Ripley.
Another Briarwood pawn
I'm about to remove from the board.
And here I thought you were the intelligent one.
We're both engineers, Percival.
We know the value of knowledge.
You must be curious as to the information I possess.
Not that curious.
- Brother, wait. - Why should I?!
I've been with the Briarwoods for years,
and I know next to nothing about their motives.
Fine.
Interrogation.
Then she dies.
Speaking of burning questions, uh, quick little sidebar here?
Percy, hey, love ya pal,
but we got to deal with this smoke thing. I mean,
you are legit fucked up.
Not this again.
It's been getting worse.
Pike, eh... can you divine anything?
If Percy will let me.
Percy?
Look at me, please.
Percy?
I don't know what it is!
But something is clouding your soul.
We need to get you to a temple.
Really? With rebels at the gates
and the Briarwoods in this castle?
Have you all gone mad?
But if something is wrong with you...
Your concerns are appreciated, truly.
But we must press forward.
As soon as this is over, I will sort it out.
Will you?
I swear on my family's name.
All right, talk.
You work for the Briarwoods.
Why would they imprison you?
Would you believe
I had moral objections to their plans?
It was a simple transaction.
They needed an engineer, I needed a patron
to fund my experiments.
When my job was complete,
I thought it was time to leave.
They disagreed.
And why am I not simply shooting you,
heading to the throne room, and doing the same to them?
Because, Percival, they aren't there.
Their concerns lie with the ziggurat.
Da what?
Oh! The-the zippertwat!
That-that thing in the Skin Book of Evil!
It all makes sense!
- It does? - No, not really.
Their ritual, whatever it is, it'll happen there.
And the ziggurat is not up.
It's down.
Ah, the dark power I sensed
through the Sun Tree's roots.
I think she's telling the truth.
I don't trust a word she says.
Then trust me.
If you let me live, I can take you there.
Fine.
We're only sparing your life because you're useful to us.
For now.
I'll need my bag.
Wait.
What's this?
You've been busy.
Shall we go, then?
Never thought you and I would work together.
At the moment, you are the luckiest person in Whitestone.
'Cause you're at the bottom of my list.
Not a soul crosses that line!
The Dawnfather shall stand as a flame in the darkness.
Whitestone is our home, and today,
we take it back!
- To the castle!
So, uh...
Cassandra, was it?
Seeing as how we're two unattached adults...
No.
Interesting company you keep.
I recall you having more digits last time we saw each other.
Innovation is dangerous.
Especially when you mix science and magic.
This ziggurat.
- You found it for them?
Not just found, restored.
Improved.
At the Briarwoods' request,
I was able to augment the structure
with a particular mineral.
Residuum.
But to what end is anyone's guess.
- What are you...
Mm, worked even better than my design.
Perhaps I should take the lead?
By all means.
Easier to keep an eye on you.
Mm?
Uh, buddy?
Whoa. I mean, you feel real.
I am, Grog.
I'm just... not entirely here.
Right.
So it worked?
I mean, you said sorry?
Well, I had things I needed to figure out.
And once I did...
Let's just say I know who I am now.
Well, duh.
You're my best friend.
Except now you glow in the dark!
Ooh!
How are those wounds?
I've survived worse.
Hmm.
I warned you those vines have thorns.
Yeah, yeah.
Such a well-constructed weapon.
Do the barrels rotate by gear or wheel?
Come now, you must be dying
to talk shop with an intellectual equal.
Your friends seem pleasant enough, but...
your mind is on another level.
She has a point.
Your mind is unlike any I've come across.
Thank you, Cassandra.
Not a compliment.
This way.
We're getting closer.
For your sake, you best hope so.
Stand back!
That stone person's armed!
Uh, that's a grave.
Where are we?
Our family tomb.
It holds generations of de Rolos.
We've got visitors.
Wait a second.
Did Lady Briarwood raise all the dead?
Uncle Nathaniel?
Hi!
I'm Keyleth, friends with your nephew.
Oh, God, you smell like shit.
This is wrong.
Oh, I know. Isn't it great?
How long's he gonna stay like that?
No telling, really.
Drop it, Ripley. Now.
You still think you can do this without me?
Percival, I'm not what you should be worried about.
I have more than enough worry to go around.
Fine.
But you'll regret this.
Mind giving this a shove, big man?
Oh, I'm sorry.
Could you say that again?
Oh, gods. Oh, Grog.
You are so mighty and I am so weak.
How ever can little old me
survive without you?
Well, since you asked so nicely.
Whoa.
Some of my best work.
This far below Whitestone, it took ages.
- I don't trust her. - You don't trust anyone.
Well... except you.
Funny way of showing it sometimes.
Oh, gods.
Hey, uh, just to point this out
before we go get ourselves killed, we do have evidence now.
We could drop this whole thing.
You know, go back and fight our day in court.
Oh, and abandon the revolution we caused?
No, whatever the Briarwoods are planning down there,
we must end it.
Right, right, yeah, yeah.
Dumb suggestion, Keyleth.
Yeah, I'm really disappointed in you, Keyleth.
Wait, what? No, Scanlan's the one who said...
Okay, uh...
Percy?
Any idea what we're looking at?
It's a drug factory!
We just hit the jackpot.
Anybody have a pipe?
I'm fairly certain that would be an unpleasant trip.
This is residuum.
The pipes must carry acid
for its chemical refinement process.
Looks like they're making a lot of it.
Why so much?
This was Anders' domain.
I only helped them with the ziggurat.
Uh, what the heck is this for?
Cassandra!
No.
Percy.
Tell your sister to quit taking the piss
before I forget my manners.
Cass, what are you doing?!
Excellent work, dear.
Bit of a slow learner.
No!
Brother!
Why are you doing this?
You did this to yourself, Percy.
The day you left me lying in the snow,
choking on my blood like a hunted animal.
My brother abandoned me.
I have a new family now.
One that transcends death.
One that will never leave me.
I am a Briarwood.
You!
I'm just as trapped as you are.
I must say, I'm quite surprised to see you
out of your cage, Anna.
A delight that you've gone and gotten yourself recaptured.
Poor Ripley.
Always the unlucky one.
Stop! If you value your lives,
you'll let my brother go!
I'm afraid life is far more valuable
to you than it is to us.
Don't fret.
We'll take excellent care of him.
Be a lamb, would you?
- An acid trap?
Oh, real fucking original!
Vax! Brother!
Wake up! It's me!
Wake up!
Wait! C-Come, come on!
Don't you at least want to see Grog die?
Hmm?
Uh, guys?
There must be a way out of this.
Anyone have a plan?
- Vex? - Why are you looking at me?
Percy, a little help?
Right, well...
um... try to stop the acid!
Uh... fuck, uh, ooh! Pike!
Can't you just, you know, pass through walls?
I'm not a ghost, Scanlan.
If I break the connection, there's a chance
I won't be able to come back.
Then let's get to smashing!
Welp, I'm out of ideas.
The feed pipe.
If we can cut it off, it might buy us some time.
And how do you propose we do that?
Ah, yes!
- Nice!
- Now we're talking! - Not bad, Keyleth.
Uh, fam?
Oh, shit.
Oh, not what I was going for.
Your castle has lousy plumbing, Percy.
All right, new plan.
Stay out of the acid!
Scanlan's Hand!
Come on, pile on!
Percy, get over here!
Aw, great, Percy's broken.
Come here, you limp noodle.
It won't hold for long, so unless you want
to go swimming, we need to come up with something fast!
Percy, snap the fuck out of it!
We came here risking our lives for you.
Be here for us.
What's the point?
She's gone again.
Maybe.
But the people in this room, we're not.
We will never abandon you.
You want your sister back.
And I want my brother.
But if we're to have a chance of saving them,
you have to save us first.
Right. Scanlan, can you get us
- to the ceiling? - What? How?
You fuckers are too heavy!
Wait, that's it.
Heavy.
Ah, the mechanism that controls the walls...
There!
Oh! Heck yes, Percy!
- Got it! - Pike!
The switches are interconnected.
There appears to be a third to pull simultaneously.
Yes, exactly.
We need to triangulate its location.
There's no visible controls on the outer walls.
The drain.
The stopper!
In the acid?
You have to be insane to go in...
I'm going in!
Grog, wait!
I'll heal you!
No!
Ready?
Now!
Good to have you back, Percival.
Since I helped out, don't you think I earned my freedom?
If you're lucky, you've earned another hour of life.
- There you go.
You okay, Grog?
I don't know.
Is... is Captain Winky still there?
Uh, still hangin' low, buddies.
Ooh, then I'm good.
Let's go!
Oop, forgot my drawers.
Where does this lead?
The ziggurat.
Cassandra.
The ritual requires a blood sacrifice.
Now we're spoiled for choice.
Chirp.