Spoilers for Critical Role Campaign 2 Episode 14 (obviously). Check out the recap for Campaign 2 Episode 13 here.
Go check out the full episode at GeekandSundry.com!
The Mighty Nein meet The Gentleman.
Previously
The Mighty Nein, aligned with The Knights of Requital, sought to shift the political power in Zadash. In their mission, they left the High Richter dead, but the death was quickly followed by a invasion in the city. Fleeing to the sewers, they met one of the drow involved with the attacks. Though he fled after fighting The Mighty Nein, he met his demise shortly after. The group managed to take the dodecahedron beacon away from the guards and disappear into the city. After meeting up with the others from The Knights of Requital, they went to The Evening Nip to investigate The Gentleman. Upon arriving, a tabaxi recognized Molly, calling him “Lucien.”
Now
The Tabaxi hugs Molly, saying it has been far too long. Molly agrees, laughing, as the others look on in confusion. Molly asks for a table and drinks.
They look around the bar. They see several threatening looking figures. Above them, hooded figures carry rifles.Fjord counts thirteen total people in the bar.
Molly pats Fjord on the back. He whispers to the half-orc, apologizing, and telling him to pass onto the others that his name is Lucien.
As he backs away from Fjord, he sees Yasha standing directly behind Fjord. Molly immediately greets her, implying that she may not remember him. He says his name is Lucien and they met two years ago. She nods and tells the others that she was right behind them the whole time.
Nott asks if she should change her name as well. They wonder if they should all change their names. Molly becomes increasingly worried about keeping up the lie.
The tabaxi waves them over to a table. Calling Molly Nonagon, she asks what happened when they last saw one another. She explained that they watched him die.
Molly: “That is a story for another day and another drink.”
Molly asks the tabaxi what she saw. She explains that everything went belly up. They scattered and later buried who they thought was “Lucien” outside of the hideout.
She continues that one of their own took the book and left, saying it was hers by rught. Molly asks about the others. She explains that one “met with the axe of the law” and the others are scattered across the empire. She offers to send out word he is alive. However, Molly stops her and says they are working on something delicate.
Caleb asks for the Tabaxi’s name. She says it is Kree.
Kree asks Molly how much the others know. Nott and Yasha both lie, saying they know a lot. Kree explains that they were both part of the same order before they splintered off. Nonagon, she explains, had another idea in mind for them. They went north to Shady Creek Run and started The Tomb Takers.
Molly says again that he is there undercover. Kree leans into the table, asking if that meant that “it” worked.
Molly: “That’s… Again, mixed company and public company.”
Nott: “You can tell us about the… Ritual? Ritual.”
There’s a look of recognition from Kree.
Nott: “Yes! It was successful. Remind me what it was again.”
Molly: “Mixed results.”
Fjord asks about the people with the rifles. She says that they are a part of The Gentleman’s group. She adds that she is as well. In the far back corner of the chamber they see a female goliath sitting with her arms crossed at a mahogany table. She glares in their direction. Sitting beside her in a high-backed chair, wearing a deep blue coat is The Gentleman. He has light teal skin and jet black hair with a dark goatee. His feet are up on the table and he grins at them.
The Gentleman suddenly claps his hands.
The Gentleman: “So! We have company. Strangers in our midst. Please, come before me. Presents yourselves. I want to know who has graced us with their majestic presence.”
Everyone holding their rifles suddenly points them at the group.
Molly saunters over to the table. He sits down. The others follow.
As they approach, they see a crazed-looking gnome hanging off to the side of the balcony. He laughs softly at them as they get closer. The Gentleman asks them to introduce themselves. Fjord says that they are The Mighty Nein. The Gentleman happily declares that he predicted their identities correctly.
Fjord says that they were seeking an audience with The Gentleman, but they had hoped for a warmer reception. The Gentleman gives the signal, and the rifleman move their guns into a more relaxed position. Fjord says that they would like to offer their services to The Gentleman, either for the betterment of the city or other purposes.
The Gentleman asks how they found their way in. Beau says that she’s an enthusiast of the underworld, which is there she got her information. She says that the order of bloodroot was received and winks at The Gentleman. She says that Dimidon was clumsy with his information.
The Gentleman: “Equally dangerous. Good to know.”
The Gentleman, since they know the way into his hideout, asks that they each give him a bit of their blood. He claims that this will help their trust go both ways. He says that locating others is Kree’s specialty. They each cut their fingers and Kree draws blood into tubes, which she places in an alchemist’s kit.
The Gentleman asks how lucky they think they are. They respond that they are all relatively lucky. The Gentleman suggests that they gamble, to see how lucky his new allies are. Fjord agrees to be the one to gamble.
The gnome swings down to them and begins to shuffle cards. Fjord and The Gentleman place their 50 gold bets on the table. Molly and Beau keep an eye on the game. They begin to play Gambit of Ord, a Marquesian card game.
They bet, putting more and more money on the table. Fjord even goads The Gentleman into adding another 150 gold to the pot right at the end of the game.
They reveal their cards. Fjord beats The Gentleman. The room tenses for a moment before The Gentleman begins to heartily laugh. He congratulations Fjord and gives him the gold in the pot.
The Gentleman asks about their skills and past deeds. They explain what happened in the sewers. They see Kara from The Knights of Requital emerge as they tell of their deeds.
The Gentleman explains that, due to the nature of their work, they usually work stealthily and outside of the view of the law.
Nott: “We’re very strong. As you can see, Yasha is very strong.”
The Gentleman laughs and reiterates that their reputation proceeds them. He talks of their recent mission in The Tri-Spire, which Nott immediately denies. However, the others admit their involvement. The Gentleman warns them that they were noticed near the scene of the High Richter’s murder.
He says that he likes them and would like a relationship, but he mostly deals in trade. He asks them a favor. He leans forward and condensation drips down his face. Nott tries to offer him a napkin, but Molly shoos her hand away.
The Gentleman gives them directions to a strange wall uncovered by time. They sent a team of infiltrators. Inside, they found a purple light and an abandoned research facility. The men, superstitious and scared of what they could uncover, fled the facility and collapsed the entrance behind them. He asks them to return to the site and clear the space of any dangers. In return, he will throw the suspicion off of them for the murder of the High Richter. He even offers to give them some of the spoils.
Nott asks if The Gentleman would be interested in taking a test of trust for them as well. The Gentleman laughs and says that she intrigues him. He asks what her trial would be. She asks for three empty vials, which she is readily given.
Nott: “If I were to fill two of these vials with alcohol and one with something else, would you be able to tell which is which?”
The Gentleman agrees to the challenge. Nott fills two of the vials with alcohol from her flask. The other she fills with acid. She adds a splash of alcohol for color. She quickly mixes up the vials.
Nott: “If you die, I’m sorry.”
The Gentleman takes the vials. He tells points out the two that are alcohol. He announces that the third is acid before uncorking it and drinking its contents.
Though it clearly hurt The Gentleman, he still drinks it. He rolls the vial across the table. Nott drinks the other two vials. She says that he passes the test.
Fjord asks The Gentleman if he could help smuggle Horace out of the city. Beau assures him that Kara can vouch for Horace. The Gentleman tells them Horace’s escape from the city can be added to their reward.
They agree to the plan. The Gentleman says that they will have to blindfold them to lead them to the tunnels when they decide to leave.
Yasha asks about their blood. He says that he will keep it until he trusts them.
Beau and Fjord go over to the group who abandoned the research facility. Beau steals Caleb’s ale and places it in front of them. She asks why they abandoned the mission.
They said that they signed up for it to make money–not to deal with the undead. They explain what they saw when they went inside. They entered into a chamber and little lights came out of the walls. Whatever the lights were, they didn’t think they were friendly. The lights shocked one of the group. They ran out, collapsing the wall behind them.
Beau rubs her hands against some fabric to build up some static electricity. When they leave, she shocks the man who had been shocked by the lights. They are unamused. Still, they shake Fjord’s hand as well.
Meanwhile, Yasha advises Molly to deal with the issue with Kree. He walks over to the tabaxi. He asks how everything ended, admitting that the spell he used allowed him to escape far earlier than it seemed at the time. She said that Molly acquired the tome with the ritual spell needed to reach the city. The ritual was preformed, Molly gave a speech, they ate a meal, and they got ready in the forest.
She continues that they wouldn’t be able to tell if the spell worked or not. When they checked on Molly, he wasn’t breathing. For over an hour, Molly lay dead. Eventually, the sun began to rise, and nothing changed. Following his instructions, they left without a trace.
Molly admits to her that the ritual was never going to work because somebody was working against him. He doesn’t know who, but he says that he can’t trust anyone. He furthers the lie, begging her to keep everything quiet. He promises to tell her everything eventually.
Caleb comments to Fjord on the large sum he wagered. He asks Fjord if it was their earnings from the other night.
Caleb: “I was wondering if you waged the party’s funds on a calculated risk.”
Fjord assures Caleb that he was only gambling with his own money.
Caleb: “Do you know I would be all right if you had [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][gambled with the party’s funds]? I am a fan of calculated risks.”
Fjord takes note of this information about Caleb.
When Molly returns to the table, the others immediately begin to ask about his name and his relationship with Kree. He avoids the questions, saying they can discuss them later. Nott interrupts, saying they should be interrogating Yasha instead. Yasha simply says that she needs to leave sometimes, and she will be with them for a while. She explains that she was in the city the whole time, though she was dealing with personal business.
Nott explains that the people from Xhorhas are now dead. She asks Yasha if she knows anyone from there. Yasha tells Nott that she is from Xhorhas. Nott brandishes her beer at Yasha.
Molly begs them to stop talking about their personal lives in a seedy bar that’s very interested in them.
Fjord: “Are you afraid that The Myriad will overhear?”
Molly, a little drunk, doesn’t immediately remember who the Myriad is, disappointing Fjord.
Kara comes over to the group. She says that they’ve done their business, and none of them have done anything wrong. She tells them that they have nothing to do with the Crick attack on the tower.
Fjord asks if her relationship with The Gentleman is one of debt or convenience. She says it is convenience. She says it beats begging on the streets. After some prodding, she says she’s worked her way up in his organization over eight years.
The Gentleman, she explains, wouldn’t want big attacks like this. There’s less security when things are predictable. She adds that what they do doesn’t hurt those in need or physically affect anyone.
Beau asks what Kara was getting out of The Knights of Requital. Kara says that she got a connection to a powerful person if Dolan was able to gain a political position.
As Nott starts to get bored, Fjord suggests Nott go talk to the ogre by the door. Nott nervously declines, but Caleb promises to go with her. They swing by the bar to refill Nott’s flask before going over. Jester heads over with them.
The 10 foot tall male ogre stands by a door with his maul. He looks down at Nott and Caleb.
Caleb: “I am sorry to bother you, but I think that we are loosely connected through work relations now.”
He introduces Nott and Jester to the ogre. The ogre says his name is Kutha. He begins to talk about their work with The Gentleman when Nott loudly interrupts with the set up of her joke.
Nott: “What do you call a deer with no eyes?”
There is no response.
Nott: “No eye deer!”
The ogre doesn’t seem to understand the joke.
Caleb asks if he likes working for The Gentleman. Jester pulls out her wand of smiles and uses it on the ogre. He angrily begins to claw at his face.
Nott quickly rushes them all away.
They all exit the bar. Going back outside, they see that it is almost dusk. They head back to The Leaky Tap. When they arrive, they meet back up with Horace.
They explain that they have arranged for him to be taken out of a secret entrance. However, he will need to be blindfolded. He thanks them, even with the terms they presented.
Fjord distributes the gold they earned from the The Knights of Requital among the party members.
Nott shoos Horace away and demands that Molly tell them everything about himself. Molly begins to start, but he immediately stops. Yasha assures him he doesn’t have to open up, and he thinks on it.
The others assure him that they also have shady pasts. Nott shows Molly the vials she stole from The Gentleman.
Fjord points out that Kree has blood abilities similar to Molly. Molly says that it’s interesting, and they should perhaps ask questions instead of trying to tell the entire story.
Caleb asks Molly why he has so many names.
Molly: “I woke up without any names, or any past, buried in the ground two years ago.”
Nott: “Were you dead?”
Molly: “Obviously not.”
He says that his first memory is dirt in his face.
Jester casts zone of truth.
Jester: “I would like to play truth or dare, but without the dare.”
Molly elaborates, saying that it’s only a vague memory–what he’s been told. Whatever happened before, he claims, was not him. He says that he is happy to leave Lucien behind him. Almost immediately, he began to tattoo himself and joined the circus.
He says that his first memories are of brightness and learning how to speak. He doesn’t know who Kree–or even Lucien–is.
After a few months, Molly discovered his blood magic.
Molly tells them that he did not want to engage with whatever went on before he woke up in a grave.
He lets it slip that his first (and only) word was “empty.” He doesn’t know its significance.
Fjord asks if, when Molly prays over his swords, he is actually doing anything. Molly asks how much Fjord knows about The Moonweaver. The swords, he explains, are not special.
Jester sheepishly asks Molly if he can really read fortunes. He explains that he uses fortunes to tell people what he sees in them. Sometimes, however, he tells them his intuition. Yasha says that she thinks Molly has a legitimate talent for it. Beau is concerned that it’s still misleading people.
Molly: “I left every town better than I found it.”
Nott asks about Molly’s tattoos. He shows them that some of the markings are red. They also bleed each time he uses his powers. He says that they aren’t tattoos, so he inked tattoos around them.
In the last minutes of the spell, Jester asks Caleb if he shaves his butt. He does not.
With the spell fading and the conversation ending, Molly explains that whoever had his body before him is gone. He is Molly and that is all there is to it.
Nott: “I feel like we should do this every night.”
When the spell fades, Nott, a moment too late, tells Yasha to tell them everything.
They go to bed for the evening.
The next morning, they meet downstairs for breakfast. Fjord concentrates on his weapon. It disappears for a moment, and then returns wet and coated with barnacles. He thinks that any of his weapons will have this ocean essence.
Nott suggests bringing Yasha to meet Pumat Sol. Caleb agrees to grab throwing stars or darts from Pumats’. She demands no lesser substitutions.
Beau: “Do not fuck me, Caleb. Do not fuck me.”
Fjord, Caleb, Molly, and Yasha go to Pumat Sol’s.
They enter The Invulnerable Vagrant. Two individuals are doing business with Pumats. They introduce themselves to Yasha. Pumat Prime comes out to assist them in their shopping.
Pumat Prime, surlier than the other Pumats, explains to them that they do not carry throwing stars or darts. He suggests they go to a blacksmith’s. However, he does have holy water, which may help in their mission.
Fjord buys a cloak of protection for a hefty sum of money. Pumat Prime loses much of his surliness. He throws in a discount for Yasha’s healing potions as well. Caleb gets ink.
Pumat Prime goes back into his chamber.
After they leave, they head over to the blacksmith. They pick up Beau’s throwing stars for several copper each.
Caleb hands Yasha to pay for the weapons, explaining that Beau would prefer if she bought them. Yasha asks why, and Caleb lists many reasons why Beau doesn’t seem to like him very much. He adds that he thinks she likes Yasha, however.
Yasha takes one of the gold and pays for the throwing stars.
As they walk back through the city, they notice that there are townsguard stopping people to question them. Molly goes back to The Evening Nip to hide out for a while. The others pass by without incident.
When they return to the tavern, they give Beau her throwing stars. Caleb explains that Yasha got them for her.
They bring Horace to The Evening Nip. Mollymauk is waiting for them at a table. They decide to wait an hour after they leave to smuggle Horace out of the city. They say goodbye and assure him that everything will be fine.
The Mighty Nein are blindfolded by Kara and Dweez, the gnome they met the day before. They are led away from the bar.
Caleb passes his sight into Frumpkin.
They are looped through the room a few times before being led down a ladder. Their feet touch soft, packed dirt. A latch closes behind them.
Caleb watches through Frumpkin as they’re led down a tunnel. He hears growling coming from a pit and cages. They pass figures, tunnels, and stairs. Finally, they hit a dock. There’s an entire underground river in front of them.
At this point, their blindfolds are removed. Kara thanks them for their patience. She gives them the rest of the directions to their destination. She wishes them luck.
They load into two rowboats. One has Fjord, Jester, Molly and Beau. The other has Yasha, Caleb, and Nott. Nott puts on her ring of waterwalking.
As soon as they step off the dock, they are pulled along the current of the river. They follow the river into darkness. Caleb casts dancing lights to light their way. They draw their weapons, preparing for whatever is coming.
To be continued…
We have a shiny new Patreon! Your support can help us create more awesome D&D and nerdy content for everyone!
Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to see when we post and for all kinds of other cool nerdy shit.
Remember to tune into Critical Role Thursdays at 7pm Pacific on Geek and Sundry’s Twitch Channel.
And don’t forget to check out Talks Machina every Tuesday at 7pm Pacific on Alpha or on Geek and Sundry’s Twitch Channel.
Is it Thursday yet?
About the Artist: Nick Uroseva (@Nick_Uroseva)
Nick is a professional graphic artist from Youngstown, Ohio. He has a BA in Multimedia Technology. When he isn’t doodling for one thing or another, he spends is his time writing and Dungeon Mastering several D&D games, enjoying craft beer, shooting zombies with Nerf blasters, and tweeting about #CriticalRole. Buy him a coffee![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
