"Seeking Sedition" (3x88) is the eighty-eighth episode of the third campaign of Critical Role. While seeking contact with the Volition rebellion, Bells Hells find themselves cornered with no way out of their underground hideaway as enemies close in...
Synopsis[]
Announcements[]
- The cast is celebrating nine years of Critical Role tonight! (Their first livestream on Geek & Sundry aired 12 March 2015: "Arrival at Kraghammer" (1x01).)
- Czepeku is a Patreon page offering subscribers more than 4000 beautiful battle maps for your favorite fantasy TTRPG. Sam has a new fragrance: "Maps" by Czepeku, which he advertises in a black and white art film demonstrating his overwhelming... personality.
- The Daggerheart open beta playtest is live now! Lots of how-to videos are now up on the Critical Role YouTube channel, along with the "Critical Role plays Daggerheart" (Sx83) one-shot. Go to Daggerheart.com for more info.
- Merch Alert! "You can certainly try" hoodie, green Critical Role dad hat, and plushies for Caleb, Jester, Frumpkin, and Sprinkle are now available.
Previously on Critical Role[]
Last we left off: Bells Hells, after arriving on Ruidus and sneaking, sometimes successfully, sometimes not so much. across the surface, amongst a few waypoints of civilization here on the surface of the Red Moon of Ill Omen, you eventually came to the city of Kreviris, or what you've come to know as Caeluma Kreviris, the top-facing surface city which seems to be at various levels of destitution and militaristic presence. A number of these thin, spire-like towers protrude from the top for viewing vantage points across the upper region of it, called The Banners. There's the main focus of the city that is referred to as The Clutch, that's where the majority of the populace that live here, do so. There's also The Crumble, which is the series of crevices and cracks where a number of ruins and falling elements vanish within-- you've been told that's the more dangerous region here of Caeluma Kreviris.
But in search of the Volition, the resistance against the Kreviris Imperium that holds sway over the entirety of this red moon and is currently one of the two major driving forces to releasing Predathos, the God Eater, you managed to get into a small scuffle in a street but managed to cover your tracks rather rapidly. You then, through some information you had gathered from some locals and some keen eyes, found your way to the Jagged Edge Glassworks, a glass smith building. You've seen this strange bluish-green glass that's been pushing its way through or existed in veins throughout the rock here, and you've seen a few examples of tools and weapons that use this glass, as well as parts of the housing structures. It's one of the main materials between bone, leathers, and other fungal-type materials that have been dried and stretched into a cloth fabrication.
There, you met with Zhesh and Jidoh, who looks to be the true purveyor of the establishment, who then stepped out to leave Zhesh some time to speak with you. You convinced them that you are no ally to the Vanguard, though you wear their colors, and that your intent was to find information in hopes of eventually helping the Volition. Zhesh wasn't forthcoming with them being a member necessarily, but an ally who occasionally helps out the Volition, and gave you some information as to where to locate where their current pass house haven might be: to search upon some of the highest spires, recommending the Overspoke, to look for the darkest deep blue coloration as a marker as to where the entrance would be. You went to take a rest in the subterranean basement of the Jagged Edge, and towards the end of this rest, you began to hear footsteps above, and were told to keep quiet as the entryway to this basement was closed. Laudna, you cast a sphere of Darkness within to plunge it into a void-like absence of light, and you all sit there in the quiet, listening.
Part I[]
The party crouches silently in the basement, within Laudna's Darkness sphere, listening to the oral half of half-telepathic conversations above. They gather that the new arrivals (six searchers including at least some reilora and an unidentified sniffing, slithering sound) are searching for a group that killed three on the streets. FCG Sympathetically Bonds to everyone but Fearne and Imogen, and the group discusses possible strategies, including booby traps, disguises, and the fact that if it comes to combat, none of the enemy should leave alive. Eventually the footsteps above reach the basement door. Laudna creeps up the ladder to use her immovable rod to wedge the door closed, but they hear threats and violence against Zhesh, who remains above, so she removes it and after she creeps back into the darkness, the door is opened.
Fan art of Imogen being chewed on by the slither, by Pyromeekorai.[art 1]
Standing in the doorway looking down is one of the tall, furry humanoids they encountered earlier. It whistles, summoning a familiar-looking creature, one of the spine-covered tadpole-shaped burrowers from the desert, but this one is as large as a person is tall and has been trained to respond to commands. The humanoid sends the creature, a slither, into the pit, where it begins tasting the air. Because of the Darkness, only Laudna can see it begin investigating the cellar. The party hugs the walls and stays as quiet as possible, and the creature fails to find them. As it is called back by its handler, two more burst out of the walls and one of them finds Imogen, biting down on her head. Despite the pain, she stays still as it continues to chew. Lauda uses her juggernaut finger to draw the slither off and Imogen tries to climb onto a box, but makes enough noise that the creature locates her again and charges. She tries to Inflict Wounds but misses in the dark, and it swallows the whole top half of her body. Roll initiative!
Laudna tells Fearne to wildshape into one of the slithers and and guides her to the ladder, while FCG Guiding Bolts the one chewing on Imogen. Fearne reaches the top of the ladder and hovers there, where the handler thinks she's his missing creature. She finds four more slithers, three reilora, the furry humanoid slitherlord plus a Vanguard member, and Zhesh, and she attempts to indicate that what they're seeking is outside somewhere. Meanwhile, Orym silently kills the slither biting Imogen, freeing her. The slithers and guards on the ground floor gradually move outside, trying to catch the scent Fearne is excitedly indicating. Once they're all gone, FCG casts Cure Wounds on Imogen.
Orym climbs up to Zhesh, who is roughed up but all right, while FCG harvests some spines from the dead slither before they stash it in the portable hole. Meanwhile, Fearne is with the Imperium and Vanguard troops, plus four other slithers, moving away through the streets, and she begins indicating a random doorway as the target. As the others investigate, she dives into the ground and away, but gets slightly lost underground. She mentally contacts the party and FCG casts Locate Creature to find her and direct her back to them.
Fan art of Orym Druidcrafting strawberries, by Elaine Tipping.[art 2]
With a bit of time until dusk, the party begins shopping Zhesh's wares. Zhesh is impressed with Ashton's glass hammer and they discover the Ruidian glass she works with glows faintly in the presence of one with psychic abilities. FCG asks her to make him a replacement buzzsaw blade from the glass, and they discuss various topics from the Ruidian economy and burial rites, to how to deal with bane worms. In exchange for a handful of gems from Ashton, she tells them to take what they need from the shop. Orym Druidcrafts her some strawberries in exchange for a shortsword. Imogen learns the glass-tipped wands they have seen carried must be occasionally recharged by one with psychic abilities, and Laudna gets a stiletto to have Chetney cut down for Sashimi's hands.
As sunset approaches, Zhesh finishes crafting a glass mood gem and a glass buzzsaw blade for FCG. Fearne takes the magically locked box they recovered from the reilorans they fought earlier in the street down in the cellar and casts Dispel Magic on it, and Chetney is able to pick the physical lock. Inside is a beautiful, refined-looking hexagonal device resembling those at the Malleus Key that generated magical dispel pulses. Using her Eyes of the Runekeeper, Laudna determines the runes engraved upon it are very, very strong disruptive abjuration magic, and that it is part of something larger, rather than a whole in itself. The runes are ancient, and she has seen them only one other place: inside FCG's chest. This is Aeorian technology.
Break[]
- Czepeku, makers of more than 5000 beautiful battle maps for your favorite fantasy TTRPG.
- Bells Hells Phunny plushes available now.
- Daggerheart Open Beta now running. Info at Daggerheart.com.
- Merch Alert! Candela Obscura Core Rulebook, "You can certainly try" pullover hoodie, Critical Role dad hat, Fearne duster kimono in all five CR shops; Fearne art nouveau and Chetney Woodworks t-shirts in all shops except Australia; Luxon beacon oversized d20 in the US, UK, and EU.
- Introduction to "Candela Obscura: Seeking Serenity" (CO4x01).
- Trailer for Midst Season Three podcast.
- Candela Obscura Original Soundtrack, Welcome to Tal'Dorei and Welcome to Wildemount albums available now on all digital music platforms.
- Critical Recap every Wednesday on CritRole.com. Submit fan art and cosplay for possible inclusion in the weekly online gallery.
- Holly Mistletoe and Seamus O'Shamrock experience the joy of Critical Role Twitch subscriptions.
Part II[]
.jpg){kind=link}
Fan art of finding the Volition safe house, by Rachel F. (TheWhaleLord).[art 3]
FCG inspects the device and learns it is intended to interfere with or prevent other types of magic but is unable to learn more. At sunset, Zhesh wishes them well and points them toward the Overspoke tower. Laudna checks the scry ball and learns Otohan Thull is somewhere beneath them, probably in the lower city, but doesn't seem to be approaching. Wearing their Ruby Vanguard clothing, they move openly through the city to the base of a large military tower with a winding external staircase. Imogen and Laudna approach in search of their contact Earot, but are intercepted by a young reiloran who seems to recognize Imogen, taking her for her mother, and lets them pass. When they reach the top, they find Earot and Imogen intimidates him into allowing them access to the lookout, to keep quiet about it afterward, and to let them borrow his spyglass. Since it's not quite dark, Laudna's darkvision allows her to find the purple flag marking the safe house of the Volition relatively quickly. When they descend again, a group of guards has gathered, wanting to get a glimpse of the famous Liliana Temult, but Laudna scatters them and the group is able to get away without being stopped. They head toward the location of the purple flag.
Eventually they reach what appears to be the waste pile of a recent excavation, and are accosted by a guard with one of the glass-tipped wands, who steps out from the structure the purple flag is affixed to. He tells them to step away from the Dust Pit unless they're here on Imperium business, but Orym name-drops Zhesh. The guard, however, thinks Imogen is Liliana and is initially terrified, but eventually is persuaded she is not her mother. He invites them in for conversation, and they explain they're trying to find the Volition in order to stop the Imperium's plans, and they may have common interests. Amido, the guard, tells them they should talk to Rashinna of the Golden Hammer, the current head of the Volition, and Gaz Tomo. He admits them through a gate, and advises them to enter one at a time rather than as a group. In gratitude, Orym gives him several blueberries.
The group passes through the gate one at a time, removing their Vanguard uniforms, entering into a mine tunnel illuminated with lights that come on as they pass. When they are eventually stopped by another guard, Laudna pulls out the juggernaut head to prove their bona fides. The guard escorts them to a large wooden door, where they are admitted to a large cavern with multiple tunnels leading out and 35-40 hooded, armed figures immediately surround them. They are of all races, including Exandrians such as one heavily armored dragonborn.
A figure approaches, a female reiloran, armored and carrying a hammer, who appears to be highly respected by the others. She speaks to them, asking who their leader is. Orym pushes Imogen forward, and the female recognizes her as the daughter of Liliana Temult, which Imogen admits. Imogen tells her they want to destroy Ludinus Da'leth, Otohan Thull, and her mother, along with everyone who seeks to control the people of Ruidus. If the Imperium serves Ludinus, they would see it destroyed as well. After consideration, Rashinna accepts this and leads them further within, to a chamber with a glass wall. When she raises her hand, the glass goes from opaque to translucent, revealing a view of an immense underground chamber, filled with bridges, structures, and archways in a network of caverns holding a large city. They realize they are looking at the actual city, the heart of Kreviris. Rashinna tells them, "What we want is inside there. The five minds that have enslaved us for hundreds of years. That... glowing heart of this city. We aim to bring it down."
Featured characters[]
Bells Hells
New
Returning
Mentioned
- D
- Gaz Tomo
- The Golden Hammer (Rashinna's father)
- Imahara Joe
- Liliana Temult
- Ludinus Da'leth
- Otohan Thull
- Predathos
- Planerider Ryn
Quotations[]
- FCG: We're not going to kill anyone though, right? I mean, we're the good guys here.
Chetney: Never have. Not yet.
FCG: We'll just talk to them and convince them...
Imogen: We don't kill people.
Ashton: We power them down.
FCG: Put them in sleep mode.
Ashton: For a very long time. - Imogen: We want to destroy Ludinus. We want to destroy Otohan Thull. We want to destroy my mother, and everyone who would seek to control the people of Ruidus.
Inventory[]
| Adjustment | Count | Item | Source | Destination | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquired | some | Slither spines | the dead slither | FCG | The spines are tooth-like. |
| Acquired | Ruidian glass buzzsaw blade | Zhesh | FCG | ||
| Transferred | a handful | Gems | Ashton | Zhesh | |
| Acquired | 1 | Ruidian glass shortsword | Zhesh | Orym | |
| Crafted | 1 | Legendary toy | Chetney | Chetney | |
| Acquired | 1 | Ruidian glass necklace | Zhesh | Ashton | |
| Crafted | 1 | Vine sheath | Orym | Orym | Orym Druidcrafted it to hold his new shortsword alongside Seedling. |
| Crafted | 1 | Mood gem | Zhesh | FCG | Mounted on FCG's chest, it displays their current stress level. |
Trivia[]
- Sam's jerrycan says "Nein" in large yellow letters with little "9"s stuck along them[1].
- The black negligée FCG found in their inventory[2] was purchased from Catlyn's Clothier in Uthodurn, meant as a gift for Laudna.[3]
References[]
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of Imogen being chewed on by the slither, by Pyromeekorai (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Orym Druidcrafting strawberries, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of finding the Volition safe house, by Rachel F. (TheWhaleLord) (source). Used with permission.
| |||||||||||||||||