Cold Road Episodes 1 through 4

[@AnchorJG]

"Oh my God, is that a Sweet William Zombie?" "I DO EMOTIONAL DAMAGE!"

[@Ahrpigi]

Truly the longest lasting and hardest to heal kind of damage

[@Music_Engineering]

@@Ahrpigi Yeah, It can only be healed during downtime!

[@Fenizrael]

By far the best part.

[@Ankhakaru]

Bruh that part went so hard.

[@mayube9292]

The Cold Road is, in my opinion, the best campaign diary on youtube. It's not just clips from the sessions, and it's not just the DM talking to the camera and recalling what the players did in the session, it's a retelling of the story that took place in the session in a great format. I wish more people made campaign diaries like this.

[@1Ring42]

Fools gold is a pretty damn close second.

[@Vanquisher2000]

You'll probably like Demonac's TDDC series in that case

[@videogollumer]

Sometimes Projared shares stories of campaigns he's played or DMed for D&December.

[@toprak3479]

Well it's hard animating all this. Not everybody puts in the effort that Zee puts in these videos.

[@cannotthinkofaname7904]

@@videogollumer There's no reason to give a predator an audience

[@goldenreflection2811]

DM: Zee is recording a video. Neighbor: I cast Erratic Hammering.

[@javierpatag3609]

That's the problem with creating a spell, any kind of spell- it eventually gets used on you.

[@dogishappy0]

I thought the same thing!

[@sirreginaldfishingtonxvii6149]

"Thumbs down!"

[@fallbranch]

I just realized that the Kenku offered them to smoke that cigar. They would've been short one leg again.

[@drakox9603]

Or the healing one

[@SATELLITEDOWN7735]

​@@drakox9603no it swaps the hp of two creatures.

[@russellfisher1303]

It’s funny because he’d still be tied up, but they’d just be super pissed. :)

[@InsanoRider777]

I like the concept of a dude who's the supposed BBEG through sheer virtue of the fact that he's pissed the party off THAT badly.

[@perrycarters3113]

I love it too, but I think 90% of parties would kill them after the first time they managed an escape.

[@Suavek69]

@@perrycarters3113 that's why you make them lose the bounty if they do so. It's safe to assume that the party isn't the only team he pissed off

[@sirreginaldfishingtonxvii6149]

Fuck man, he pissed *me* off through this video.

[@merlinmeurer5339]

Dismemberment is not murder.

[@QuestionableObject]

"I DO EMOTIONAL DAMAGE" Oh it slays me all over again

[@crowsenpai5625]

“My neighbor is hammering something for no fucking reason.” He’s preventing you from ritual casting! Come on, you invented the spell “Erratic Hammering”!

[@quintindegroot7436]

"Oh, did you think this episode would have Healing Word in it? So did I!" gets me every time

[@videogollumer]

When I first watched it; I was expecting it to be cast when the black banded cigar was smoked.

[@GeminiOrion9]

That moment when you've accidentally taught your neighbor Erratic Hammering

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

*drumrolls with a pair of maces in anticipation of Ep 5*

[@squido8168]

I've already watched the first 4 multiple times, can't wait for this Friday!

[@master0fthearts894]

Something new to look forward to besides WandaVision. :)

[@YuriRamosBragaFerreira]

Dude i was just rewatching them this morning

[@stonebeard]

Same

[@booplesrooplez9572]

Same bro, same

[@dseray9494]

Basically exactly what I was going to say

[@thelordofpots933]

You know, the cold road campaign actually crossed my mind yesterday and wandered what happened to it. Its, by far, one of my favorite campaign settings and its so interesting. Thank you Zee!

[@hmcloud8487]

SAME

[@keytone333]

After seeing Sweet William, I got flashbacks from the Healing Word video and got chills. R.I.P Sweet William, a great soul and a great friend lost to ignorance and panic-mode.

[@DaussPlays]

Been waiting a long time for the next episode, I wasn't sure if you intended to do it. Looking forward to that.

[@gabrieldecock5050]

He's been animating it on his twitch channel.

[@chrisbovington9607]

Same. Excited now.

[@JSAVACADO]

So hype to see these bois tackle that cave full of wraiths again.

[@purpleblah2]

But what about the Sugary Billiams ghoul?

[@houdini72]

Liked for the classic Haruko pic alone. And, well, because I'm hyped, tok

[@JSAVACADO]

@@purpleblah2 He only does emotional damage, it'll be fine!

[@JSAVACADO]

@@houdini72 FLCL is, with no exxageration, my fav anime of all time. Thanks for recognizing best girl Haruko.

[@MrSoup-zs4rd]

"A toast to the Crow! May Sweet William feast on his bones!" The *right* way to react to your friend being killed and zombified (25:43)

[@mitchellslate1249]

Absolutely! Perfectly greatest reaction!

[@adriaanschoombie8573]

I really like the wraiths speaking afrikaans. Nice to hear my native language in a video.

[@danstadler3752]

I’m really interested in what the wraiths are saying

[@adriaanschoombie8573]

@@danstadler3752 I'm sure you read the subtiltles but it said "under the great iceburg lays the icefather. A drop of his blood is enough to freeze the ocean. If he could not escape, how can you?"

[@Clonewolf369]

i was thinkin... is that fries... sounds kinda like it... but no its afrikanas :P

[@danstadler3752]

Oh wait... subtitles 😑

[@niconicer6463]

Oof I could of sworn that it was Dutch

[@wrenmackenzie-fraser8656]

having them wake up in a sun beam to inspire them to use the sheilds was so cool, thats quality DMing

[@zeebashew]

Wades player/VO actor streams here: www.twitch.tv/vaporlocke81

[@Hotlne565]

This is honestly amazing I just found your channel but your really good

[@matthewlafee5165]

Great timing I’m glad I’m early to one of these uploads where I didn’t save it for later enjoyment love u guys

[@pitchforksdragon1252]

You taught your neighbor erratic hammer?

[@pitchforksdragon1252]

You taught your neighbor erratic hammer?

[@maxaurdunpow7313]

love the content mate

[@jamesflowers1295]

"I do emotional damage" that shouldn't make me laugh as hard as it did.

[@patricklabreche]

"I do emotional damage" is still my favorite bit. It's just so good.

[@zenkdare1600]

Sees thumbnail: gets excited. Sees title: sad noise. "Next episode Friday": GETS EXCITED.

[@zoroearc2582]

I’m surprised that you’re still making these. The way you talked about the first episode it seemed like it was a few days after the session where it took place. The actual events sound like the place over a few weeks in real life, so the fact you remember enough of it to make videos years later is pretty impressive. You must take real thorough notes.

[@topogigio7031]

Pretty typical note-taking if you're not a poser. 3 hour session typically results in 3 pages. Tbh I've found that the fakers that don't buy the books just wing it each week until they dropout to jump on the next Big Bang Theory fad.

[@jaceylessthan3]

@@topogigio7031 How did the Grognard get out of one of the Game Store episodes to gatekeep in the comments?

[@hilkmeister1382]

@@topogigio7031 A page an hour? Sounds reasonable if it is an eventful hour.

[@hilkmeister1382]

@@jaceylessthan3 How is this gate keeping? Seems to me a page an hour seems reasonable if you are a decent note taker.

[@ellisworcester2568]

@@topogigio7031 Fuck off, gate keeper

[@jabronijones90]

I've missed Wades-in-Shadows so much!!! :D

[@videogollumer]

He is a lovable character, isn't he?

[@jameshenderson8321]

Bullshit for sure is one of the most relatable map doodles ever.

[@TheKingsPride]

Hell yeah! I love Cold Road, I’ve been waiting for the fifth episode.

[@lexibyday9504]

my favorite part of this whole story is "Oh... that's what that does."

[@donovandrobina4398]

I appreciate that he didnt waste any time saying episode 5 is coming out this Friday. 11 seconds in and the thing I hoped to find out from this video most has already been said.

[@TransientWitch]

I actually credit this series of stories with really hooking me into trying Dungeons and Dragons again. Glad my friend introduced me to this channel! I'd always liked the worlds and ideas that were in D&D but my experience was always...Lacking. Mostly only played video games based off of it, but I was never able to find any kind of steady table-top group to play with, but that's changed and I'm quite glad! Glad I stuck with it, and glad I kept encouraging my friend to give his ideas a go after coming to this channel.

[@crowsenpai5625]

27:42 I’m shocked this party, while drunk, turned down two platinum bars.

[@justsomejerseydevilwithint4606]

20:51 And that's how Wades-in-shadows became a pact of the blade warlock.

[@videogollumer]

...of the Great Old One!

[@dogishappy0]

I would have let the kenku die to the wolves. Knowing how this story goes though, something else would have happened. And knowing you as a DM, those things would still be very story worthy.

[@rickrollerdude]

Yeah, I think they would have been able to track the wolves down and get his luggage, and; if anything, I feel the right thing to do was to leave him injured, maybe nurse his leg a bit the old-fashioned way so as to keep him alive, but definitely make sure he stayed crippled and weakened.

[@mitchellslate1249]

Goblins would have found the wolves or something. The spearhead and Shifty Wick is obviously mixed up with that cult.

[@Vairrion]

Ooooh excited for Friday. Was just going through and rewatching a bunch of animated spell books. Which have helped me get people into the game with the creative uses you show for some of them

[@MadDemon64]

Ah, the long awaited return of Sweet William and his emotional damage.

[@gendygoblin8391]

If you made a series based on your DND games, I would binge the shit out of those. Love your art and animation style and a series would be so cool.

[@Slanderbot]

This is still one of the best animated dnd stories to date, I've watched it so many times. I'd love to see more adventures with Zee in his incredible style of storytelling.

[@MarkKottelenberg]

Going up again The Falcon and the Winter Solider. Bold Move Cotton

[@1Ring42]

Honestly more hyped for cold road

[@Wraithninja1]

Been anticipating the 5th one for a while. Tis a good series. So many hours and hours of campaign streams online. It's great to see artful summaries.

[@traviscarey7615]

I must say this your ability to tell a story in d&d is phenomenal not even just the description of the enemies what they're doing it's more than that there's an overarching story and a world building in the background and I know more about this entire world through these stories that I do some of my own campaigns. I freaking love these stories and I look forward to episode 5 coming up this Friday

[@TheHawkhead1HunterK]

Zee, you're an amazing animator, and I FREAKING LOVE THIS STORY! I cannot wait until Friday to see the next episode, I know it's going to be awesome.

[@rockspoon6528]

How much bloody brainpower does it take to realize you should securely tie up the master escape artist while interrogating him?

[@johngleason4376]

Yes! Me and my friends always come back to the cold road. It's such a good watch. Hyped for the next episode!

[@Viper4146]

Now that's what i call timing, watched them for the first time yesterday!

[@CommissarMitch]

"I am not mad. I am just extreamly pissed off and disapointed" Me looking at past me.

[@clockworkombrology8555]

I'm so excited to see the conclusion to this story! I've been following this since it's first episode!

[@zantai5466]

Sounds like someone's casting Erratic Hammering

[@newt1izard969]

I subscribed BECAUSE of cold road. So excited for episode 5!

[@BLKDEVX]

I love this channel, and this story. So much appreciation for the hard work. This really helps me find humor and avoid burnout

[@davididiart5934]

Sweet William's death still gets me where I live.

[@Rexxy06]

Zee Bashew, you are hands down my favorite DnD content creator. Thank you for everything you've done, whether it be through your animations, your livestreams, or explanations of mechanics, you have made me a better GM and player. So sincerely, thank you.

[@schonnj]

I had forgotten how foreboding the last episode ended. I'm super psyched to see how this proceeds.

[@angrytoaster2697]

Thank you so much for putting these videos out man. Your videos are always the highlight of my day. Can't wait for more!

[@linghaoguan4672]

May as well add the 5th one in this... More convenient for me when I listen to this for the 9th time.

[@nowhorror2251]

22:27 poor sweet William But I loved the "I do emotional damage!"

[@MrBeenReadyy]

I think you might be proud to know Shiftywick has appeared in my games and has inconvenienced my players many times because of this series.

[@jamestrevelyan1268]

Incredibly excited to hear the fifth episode is coming soon! I’ve rewatched all the other episodes multiple times, and now it’s all in one place, which is fantastic!

[@williamfalls]

Man... Who would have thought that a sober mage would outwit the drunk drummer that questions why they're even there?

[@JackieKog]

"In preparation for Cold Road Episode 5 later this week" You've made me a very happy lady, Zee. I've loved this series and rewatched it a number of times and have been thinking about when there may be an episode 5. Thank you for this to make rewatching it easier as well!

[@Stembacca]

I have listened to The Cold Road multiple times. I think this kind of content would be wildly popular with the combination of your animation and narration style. Very well done

[@swimister]

I stumbled across Zee Bashew's animated spellbook videos one day and binged them in an afternoon. Then I discovered this campaign diary and absolutely fell in love with the telling of the story. Zee Bashew, I love your animation style and I completely related to your rabbit hole of new software with episode 5. Keep up the amazing work and I hope for your continued success with this series.

[@camerongunn7906]

My War Cleric: Y'all Muthafukas need me.

[@1Ring42]

*running around screeching in unbridled excitement for more cold road*

[@HansHammertime]

I was listening to the wraiths and was amazed that I could actually understand what they were saying! I speak Dutch, but I believe it’s South-African, right?

[@dutchgirlmaan2958]

Same. It really surprised me when I suddenly started to understand large parts of what they were saying.

[@videogollumer]

It's called Afrikaans.

[@tehguybro]

Yup, that was straight Afrikaans. Sounded like an old episode of Liewe Heksie.

[@ronanstander3022]

very good my man its afrikaans native to south africa i speak a bit of german and i can understand a bit of dutch cause i speak afrikaans its weird how many languages sound the same holand also speaks similarly to us all

[@PlushLordOfTheSeas]

love this series so much

[@jhorn2855]

Excited to see what happens in Episode 5! :D

[@cameronkubeil5892]

Thanks for putting all these in one video. I just sat through them again, but I love them! Cannot wait for part 5!!

[@KuzuTomoki]

I was *just* watching through the series last week, wondering if part 5 would be coming out. I AM HYPE I've also wondered what happened to a lot of older episodes, sometimes I remember an episode and go to rewatch it but it's not there... ;u; I crie

[@RuneScapeShadoma]

Im so happy to see the cold road return, I love your storytelling!

[@justsomejerseydevilwithint4606]

I think they might have lost sweet willaim's invisible dagger _without_ wick's help.

[@videogollumer]

I still must say that I found the beginning of Episode 4 touching, especially the part where Daveh laughed at 25:22. After seeing him and Wades injured and miserable at the beginning of episode 3 after losing yet another friend, it was nice to see them casually enjoy themselves for once. The music was also beautiful and fitting; it just made the whole scene feel so cozy. ^_^

[@phoenixdzk]

Oh awesome! We're finally getting a part 5! Been making so many theories about what happens to that priest dude

[@demolisherman1763]

Thanks for compiling it all into one video, makes it very easy to watch

[@Sichuanbeef]

Can't wait to watch part 5. I've watched the first four parts with my 10 year old daughter.

[@northernnonesuch5572]

Comment Bump! The tone and composition of these episodes is fantastic. I love the punk sounding music for Sweet Williams wake.

[@PolyGlitchM]

I was not ready for wraiths speaking Afrikaans xD much love from ZA

[@tophatjoe5042]

Thank you Zee, the Cold Road is actually my favourite series of your videos, even higher than Animated Spellbook! Can't wait to see this campaign dairy through!

[@Ahrpigi]

I'd like to hear more about the invisible dagger and blink arrow

[@boxcarsbilly]

Thank you for putting this together!!! I have watched the other videos quite a few times while I use the elliptical machine. It will be so much easier playing one video.

[@alexmedina5279]

Zee: Part 5 is dropping this Friday. K thanks. Bye. Me: (Internal Screaming) YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS

[@antonakesson]

Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! Truly blessed news. Thanks for your work great Gnome. Looking forward to Friday even more then I already do.

[@Shrubbery.]

Why’d you make the “Erratic Hammering” spell if you didn’t want people to use it

[@WisdomThumbs]

Plot twist: he learned it from them.

[@danstadler3752]

I DO appreciate the sweet william blossoms in Sweet William’s lapel. Nice touch Zee!

[@fhuber7507]

I was beginning to think we'd never get anither episode of the Cold Road...

[@utopia2112]

Hilletje Moller Bashew's voice is the bomb. I loved her work in Animated Spellbook - a goblin assistant IIRC? So funny!

[@unknowndragonborn1428]

I just have to say when i watched this i was so shocked and convulsed when thy started speaking in Afrikaans (aka the primordial language)

[@howmuchbeforechamp]

They speak my home language in this ? Now i dont have to decide if im gonna watch the whole thing.

[@rockytoprecordingreviews4167]

I was just the other day thinking about this series of stories! Loved watching them when you first shared them! And they're just as great now! Well, better as they're all in one place! Thanks for such great videos. Looking forward to Friday's continuation!

[@moodyfingers7301]

Ok it's happening. DON'T PANIC, everybody stay calm.

[@MisterSmith00]

What’s the procedure? STAY F*CKING CALM!

[@connorr-w9133]

I hope to one day be as good a storyteller as you are with your players, sir. Sincerely, these videos (all of your content really) are so inspiring!

[@tuopi27]

dungeons and dragons? more like death and depression! *cries in nat1 death save*

[@jujutherabbit8061]

This might be my favorite piece of D&D content, I watched the original videos a bunch of times already and I keep finding inspiration in them

[@Bloodnight_Suckmetal]

Number 5 on Friday?! Now this, my gamers, is a poggers moment.

[@recursionexe8327]

I have been deeply involved in this story for longer than I care to admit and to see more of it come out is very satisfying

[@researcherchameleon4602]

The reason I didn’t immediately watch this is because he uploaded it smack in the middle of my school day, I am using my break between classes to post this comment

[@Ansonr]

I am so glad you're doing more of these!

[@knf5]

Looks like it is time to re-watch and secretly cheer for Shifty Wick.

[@defensivekobra3873]

sweet bird baby did not deserve to get impaled like that

[@andusz5518]

One of my favourite animated series and youtube and definitely my favourite DnD series! Thanks for all the awesome content Zee!

[@lindseys3708]

AHHHH EPISODE ON FRIDAY. I am hype!

[@JohnCollinsIsAWizard]

this is so FREAKIN cool. the way you recount these stories is super inspiring -- this vid has given me a few great ideas for my own campaign. can't wait for the next one.

[@zidanetribal1406]

Sounds like someone cast an erratic hammering spell during the outro, disrupting your recording ritual

[@cammo353]

I have known this Wick character for 3 minutes and 30 seconds, and I despite the little bastard