- For the location, see Holy Cradle.
Welcome to Holy Cradle!
Holy Cradle is the ninth episode of The Secret in the Forest. It aired on June 6, 2020.
Synopsis[]
The team finds the lost city of Holy Cradle, isolated from the world between the forest. There, they meet their strange habitants and the myths and threats hidden there.
Summary[]
Arriving the gates of Holy Cradle, the team notices a dark figure jumping in front of them. When Liz, Thiago, Cesar, Joui and Arthur prepare to attack, The Gatekeeper, a man of gray skin and black eyes, presents himself unexpectedly friendly. He is perplexed, trying to understand how they managed to find the village on their own and answers the group’s questions. The Gatekeeper then explains that the city lives isolated from the rest of the world and that usually new inhabitants only find it with the help of a pilgrim, who guides them there.
Soon, the six cross the rustic streets of Holy Cradle to the Smithy. There, they are received by The Helper, and then by the leader of the community, The Blacksmith - a gray-skinned bearded giant. He is also confused by the arrival of foreigners, called ignarii by the people of Holy Cradle, but welcomes them festively, inviting them to a great event that occurs in the city at that time: the Trial.
Suspicious, the agents of the Order head to the Woods, where dozens of local residents, called Lusidii, reunites to celebrate the conversion of a new member. On the way, the Blacksmith notes the weapons carried by the newcomers and warns them that "Holy Cradle doesn't like fire".
The team is surprised, however, to find that the new converted to the city is Murilo, the worker on the Hotel that attended them at Carpazinha. Already with his Lusidii appearance, Murilo is happy to see them, without explaining exactly why he left his life, including his girlfriend and his family, behind, only stressing how happy the Holy Cradle is making him. The Blacksmith explains that on that day, Murilo, now known as The Collector, will cut down one of the Woods' trees and return after three years to plant it back in place as part of a local tradition. Liz, Thiago, Cesar and Arthur remain skeptical of everything they hear, whispering to each other about what they think might actually be happening there, but Joui seems to be amazed at the city.
From the Woods, the five are taken to the house of the Doctor, the village medic. The Helper accompanies them throughout the tour and reveals to be the Doctor’s son. The team is surprised once again to see a familiar face of Carpazinha: the nurse Cibele. She also shows herself glad in her new role in Holy Cradle as The Nurse. The Doctor soon notices the injuries left on the foreigners by their last battle and offers to treat them with a strange green healing crystal. Everyone seems rather afraid, except for Joui, who promptly volunteers to have the huge wound on his face healed, which in fact happens. Intrigued, Thiago cites his deafness of one ear and the others almost go into shock when the Doctor manages to fix his hearing.
The Blacksmith asks if they are hungry and takes them to the Tavern. There they meet another giant, The Miner, and The Tailor, who criticizes their clothes and immediately proceeds to measure them in order to sew new garments. When The Tavernkeeper offers drinks to the group, Joui is the first to try them and finds it to be the best thing he’s ever had drank. He tries to make Liz taste it, but this one throws the drink on the floor in disapproval. The Blacksmith is angered by her lack of courtesy, but she remains adamant until Joui writes something on her pad and her attitude strangely changes to a more docile and cheerful one towards Holy Cradle.
The Helper shows to the group his favorite food: Buttered Butter, that Joui once again describes as something sublime. The other visitors of the Tavern go out to attend the Trial, and the Blacksmith suggests the members of the Order to visit the Holy Cradle Farm. On the way, however, they become curious about the strange labyrinth in the center of the village, and the Helper offers to guide them inside. It is explained that the inhabitants of Holy Cradle do not pay much attention to the labyrinth, because it is a local legend. According to legend, the center of the labyrinth is almost impossible to find - only the five guardians, whose statues surround the site, were able to find it, and have been waiting for the chosen ever since.
Thiago and Joui accompany the Helper and, after about twenty minutes inside it, they realize that it doesn't follow any logic. They also discover that the exit appears as soon as those inside want to leave the place, returning from where it came. The group reunites, and while the Blacksmith was explaining something to them, Thiago goes out to smoke a cigarette. However, when he lights his lighter, a strong fog comes out of the labyrinth and covers Holy Cradle, starting what the Lusidii call The Night.
The Blacksmith instructs the Helper to fetch his weapons. The city is desperate, hiding and guarding their animals, while evil creatures appear. Soon, the group is surrounded by Nideres, by a Figure and an Ooze Horse. Liz, Thiago, Joui, Cesar, Arthur and the Blacksmith fight with their own hands against each of them, which, at great cost, end up defeated. Arthur ends up injured and is rushed back to the Smithy. However, when they enter the scene, they face the dead body of the Helper, with the Spiral Symbol drawn with blood next to him.
Episode cast[]
- Cellbit - Game Master
- Rakin - Thiago Fritz
- Luba - Joui Jouki
- Guaxinim - Arthur Cervero
- Calango - Cesar Cohen
- Gabi Cattuzzo - Elizabeth Webber
- Felps - The Helper
Trivia[]
- This is the first time in the series that a non-main character is played by another player other than the master.
- By the first time in the series, a dialogue between two characters was omitted from the audience during the stream. This occurred at the request of Luba and Gabi, who wanted to keep secret about the note that Joui made in Liz's notepad. Something similar occurred later in the episode, when Cellbit wanted to explain to Felps how the labyrinth works.
- The isolated village of Holy Cradle and the ritualistic nature of the Lusidii seems to be a reference to the drama Midsommar (2019). According to the master, it was just a big coincidence.
- In the episode's outro, the fourth and last photo is added, being the photo taken on the episode 8, where everyone from Team H was in the Ape Hangers bar.
References[]
- ↑ The Secret in the Forest - Episode 9 (watch on YouTube at 0h8m38s)