Labenda Awaits

is the twentieth episode of the second campaign of Critical Role.

Announcements

 * Tonight's sponsor is the consistent and amazing: D&D Beyond! Sam lets us know that Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes is now out, and can be obtained through the D&D Beyond website. Sam then starts doing a Rhody Slater skit, before stopping half-way, unable to continue. He feels like he can do so much more, and that at this point in his career, he would be doing "serious shit, like Ibsen or O'Neill". He also worries about all of his skits being on the internet forever, and that his kids will watch them later and think he is a loser. At that point, he gets a phone call from his agent, where he finds out that he has booked a two-spot local radio campaign for Lord of the Wings, the new wings place in Chatsworth. This revitalises him, as he is now "a real actor again", and he launches back into his Roder Slater persona, finishing strong.


 * The hardcover collection of Vox Machina: Origins will be on sale next week, May 31st. It is so shiny and beautiful, and Sam rebukes Laura for putting her fingerprints on it. Marisha says that it smells so good, which everyone else agrees with. All information on the sale of the comic can be found at critrole.com.


 * The Stream of Many Eyes, hosted by D&D: Wizards Coast, is coming up June 1st through 3rd, which a bunch of the cast will be going to. All information and tickets for the event can be found at dnd.wizards.com/some.


 * A reminder to those with Amazon Prime accounts: you can connect it to your Twitch account with Twitch Prime and get a free monthly subscription to the Twitch channel of your choice.


 * Talks Machina will be talking about tonight's episode next Tuesday (May 29, 2018) at 7:00 pm PDT, once again hosted by the fantastic Brian W. Foster. Ashley gives a very quiet woo-hoo, as she is currently distracted by "hiding" the Vox Machina: Origins comic book under her shirt. The others call her out on it, with Travis saying "The Cube 2.0". Ashley counters that "this is [her] body, leave me alone". Liam comments that she looks very "boxy".


 * The Critical Role Live dice set, as well as the Vox Machina d20 die, are both back in stock in the store for a limited time.
 * A partnership with Stack Up was announced at the beginning of the game. They are a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping veterans and those in active duty. They will be giving away specific Critical Role challenge coins, as well as art by the fantastic Critter artist, Amy King. All other information can be found at critrole.com.

Previously on Critical Role
"Last we left off, The Mighty Nein, after spending quite some time in the central city of Zadash had found that war had made its way to the Empire with the far eastern region of Xhorhas and the Kryn dynasty. Upon this conflict, you decided that perhaps it would be best to leave the central urban environment. 

"You decided to dodge a few opportunities brought to you, especially that by the Lawmaster of the city, and instead went and made a conversation with your friend The Gentleman beneath the city in his Underworks. There, he offered two possible work opportunities in which you accepted both. The first of which is going to send you towards the swamp town of Berleben, to the north-northeast. Then from there, head far northeast to Shadycreek Run to converse with and retrieve an ally of his that he had not been able to do business with in a while. 

"So, you gathered your materials, got your wagon and horses, made your way northward on the Bromkiln Byway towards the Labenda Swamp. Along that path, you managed to encounter a shack-living hermited orc of some unknown background. 

"Continuing northward, you slept in a cluster of trees where you were ambushed by a wandering troupe of goblins and ogres. Upon escaping their clutches and defeating most of them - only one, I believe, got free - you gathered what information you could. Managing to keep out of the rain, you slept beneath your cart and awaited the next morning."

Post-Show

 * Matt announced that Mark Hulmes would guest on Critical Role on May 31st.

The Mighty Nein

 * Beauregard
 * Fjord
 * Frumpkin
 * Jester
 * Nott
 * Mollymauk Tealeaf
 * Caleb Widogast
 * Yasha

New

 * Alexander
 * Dent Bonswallow
 * Febron Keyes
 * Kiri
 * Kord
 * Maximilian

Trivia

 * Sam's giant flask bears a message in this episode that reads "Do NOT follow @SideBySamuel", with a cartoon of a child.