Spoilers for Critical Role Campaign 2 Episode 26 (obviously). Check out the recap for Campaign 2 Episode 25 here.
Go check out the full episode at GeekandSundry.com!
The Mighty Nein awaken to find three of their number missing. As they investigate they meet a potential new ally, and lose yet another.
Previously
While adventuring in Hupperdook, they managed to find a new friend in Risa, and, in doing so, agreed to clear her father’s name. In the process, they defeated the clockwork warden created by Tinkertop and posted the bail of Glinda and Wallace Shuester. They sent Kiri to live with the Shuesters before heading onto their next adventure. During the night, Jester, Fjord, and Yasha were taken by a mysterious figure named Lorenzo.
Now
The remaining four members of The Mighty Nein wake up to find their companions missing. They search the camp, but find no sign of Fjord, Yasha, or Jester.
Caleb turns Frumpkin into a falcon. From the bird’s vantage point, he sees the area where they were captured. They draw their weapons and go to investigate. Molly spots a dwarven woman with a 5 o’clock shadow, a cigarette, and rusted, bloodied armor. She carries an axe in one hand and a hammer in the other.
Keg, the dwarven woman, spots them and asks if they’re ready to fight. Beau gets frustrated and asks for feedback on their stealthing. After deciding they’re not going to fight, Keg asks for a drink.
Nott: “Oh… Your flask runs out…?”
Nott giggles maniacally to herself.
After being poured a drink, Keg reveals that she knows who took Fjord, Yasha, and Jester. She says that they’re being taken to Shady Creek Run.
Keg: “It’s probably the least nice place you could all possibly go to.”
She explains that Shady Creek Run is filled with “pieces of shit” and The Iron Shepherds, the people who took the rest of the group, are the worst. They are slavers and murders, and they are the best at what they do.
Keg insists that traveling with her will mean killing every last one of them. Not just rescuing their friends. Molly buys into the plan with 20 gold. He immediately asks her to hire them for their services for 20 gold. She can also have an equal portion of their loot.
They try to follow the tracks, but quickly lose them. As they travel, they see an abandoned farmhouse. Molly suggests possibly stopping there for the night.
They investigate the house, finding nothing of interest. Outside, they hear something startle the horses.
Everyone draws their weapons and prepares for the battle. Beau sees a 9 foot tall insect with massive pincers. She manages to hit and stun it. The creature is an Ankheg, and more come out.
Molly rushes over to Beau’s side and slices the Ankheg in half.
The ankhegs begin tearing into the horses. The ones who live run away.
Keg jumps off of a horse, dual weilding her weapons. Both attacks hit.
Caleb casts haste on Beau. She rushes over to another ankheg and takes it down.
Molly kills another ankheg.
Keg, Beau, and Molly continue to attack the ankhegs until Beau kills the last one.
Nott goes over to inspect the horses. She cuts out a mostly dead horse’s tongue and eats it. Keg looks on in disgust. Three of the horses are still alive.
Beau begins to harvest the usable parts of the ankhegs. She manages to expertly extract the acid sac. They gain three vials of acid.
Beau climbs into a tree to see what is around them. She sees stone breaking through grass. They travel further into the forest and set up camp. Caleb puts up his silver thread. He and Molly take first watch.
Caleb sends Frumpkin ahead to investigate a fire in the distance. They see a firbolg woman and a young boy around the fire. As they approach, the firbolg woman stops them, telling them that they will not take any more. They quickly realize that they have a common enemy.
They decide to camp and subsequently travel with one another, sharing their stories and resources. Beau laments that Fjord is no longer there to be the face of The Mighty Nein.
Through their watches, they talk with one another, getting to know each other better.
They travel the next day through the freshly fallen snow. Keg explains to them that the people in the cages are broken and will not be able to help them if they do attack the snatchers.
On the road, they see the cart. They take the evening to plan their ambush. They move logs and find the best foliage to hide in. They spend the night huddled together.
When the cart begins to pass, the group attacks. Beau fells a dead tree onto the lead cart, successfully smashing it. Caleb casts slow, forcing some of the slavers to be hit by the tree. However, Lorenzo is one of the slavers that evades the spell.
The fight the battle, hitting and missing their blows against The Iron Shepherds. The battle crescendos when Mollymauk falls unconscious by his own blood maledict. Lorenzo strides over and pushes his blade into Mollymauk’s chest. Mollymauk spits blood into his face, his final act of rebellion before dying.
Keg begs for the fighting to stop.
Keg: “Make me the example! Stop! Just stop attacking them!”
Lorenzo tells Keg that he wants her to live for the memory of what happened that day. He calls the other slavers over. He warns them that next time he will not be so merciful.
The remains of The Mighty Nein are left defeated on the road with the body of Mollymauk Tealeaf.
To be continued…
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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!
