The Sunken Tomb

is the sixth episode of the fourth chapter of Critical Role. In hopes of defeating the Chroma Conclave, Vox Machina sets out to recover the Vestiges of the Divergence—ancient armor, weapons, and other items of immense power. They learn the location of one Vestige, the Deathwalker's Ward, interred with an ancient Champion of the Raven Queen... at the bottom of a lake.

Continuity
The regular episode for 2016-02-25 was replaced due to cast illnesses and attendance at a funeral, airing instead.

The regular episode for 2016-03-03 was cancelled due to Matthew Mercer and Marisha Ray being in Ireland for Kaizoku-Con.

This episode celebrates the one-year anniversary of Critical Role, which is 2016-03-12.

Announcements

 * Tor Books is the sponsor of tonight's episode. Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson is their newest release.
 * Matthew Mercer and Marisha Ray give thanks and a shoutout to those at Kaizoku-Con in Ireland.
 * Dwarven Forge is providing some dungeon tiles for future episodes of the campaign. The Kickstarter for a "castle builder" set of modular pieces to build and customize individual castles went up last week.
 * The Order of the Lycan Bloodhunter received minor tweaks, clarifications, and balances last night.
 * Marisha has a new show on Geek & Sundry called Signal Boost airing Tuesday.
 * Laura Bailey is in Gears of War 4.
 * Liam McIntyre started a Kickstarter for a new card game called Monster Lab 15 days ago and they are aiming for stretch goals now.
 * Taliesin Jaffe is the new voice of Crazy Dave in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.
 * Mary Elizabeth McGlynn thanks everyone at CoastCon for a wonderful time.
 * Liam O'Brien has been cast as Doctor Strange by Marvel Animated.
 * Wyrmwood Gaming is still offering the code "critrole" to have free shipping off of a purchase.
 * Mark Whitten has a Dungeons and Dragons-based web series starting tomorrow called Rolling High.

Previously on Critical Role
"Vox Machina, our intrepid band of adventurers, after dealing with the horrible attacks by the dragon circle known as the Chroma Conclave destroying cities all across Tal'Dorei, the party escaped, sent the refugees they could, as well as allies, back to Whitestone—seemingly not on the radar of this attacking front of dragons at the moment. They made their way toward Vasselheim to find allies, Pike staying behind to help with the refugees at the moment.

"Upon going to Vasselheim, [they] managed to encounter a number of old friends from the Slayer's Take and enlist them for the time being to help [them] with the refugees and [their] current wanderings in the city proper. At the same time, [they] encountered Lady Kima, who also has agreed to help with the events in Whitestone and this entire dragon attack towards the east. After wandering the city for a bit and retrieving these allies, [they] followed Grog into the Trial Forge, where [he] had a conversation with Earthbreaker Groon—and by conversation I mean a full-on, drag-out sandpit battle to prove [his] worth to him. In which case [he] was given information about these things called the Vestiges of the Divergence—artifacts of great legendary power that existed from previous wars that had wiped out most of society multiple times. These Vestiges have been scattered around the world, many of them lost to the history books, or passed down as symbols of power through various bloodlines or government positions, or stolen and haven't been seen for hundreds of years.

"[The party] found the location of two of them: one of which was the Titanstone Knuckles, and the other happened to be some sort of leather, the Deathwalker's Ward that belonged to a Champion of the Raven Queen. This exists in, apparently, the Champion's tomb, which used to exist to the west of Vasselheim, until it eventually sunk into the ground as the topography shifted over time, and resides beneath a lake known as the Marrowglade Loch."

Break
Several Geek & Sundry promotional videos aired during the break. <!-- building with thordak on top (all in shadow) conclave crush (line art, no color) vax stabbing camera, vex behind with arrow nocked butt pike vax and percy mercer mask off reveals damaged eye pike on grog's shoulders gilmore action shot percy masks vex and trinket vax and vex pike mad chroma conclave bit-art vax and vex osysa keyleth vax vex vax shave grog vax/keyleth true love burn master comic, keyleth shot down as bird continuation of comic, keyleth shot down as bird third continuation fourth continuation Percy with gun/mask/diplomacy scanlan gird your loins ladies grog i would like to rage vax pencil vox machina as animals Gilmore keyleth and vax holding/healing hands Lady Kima striking a pose lady kima as a person-of-color Keyleth showering under waterfall samurai lady kima afro sketches (worms in top left) grog head with big teeth Lady Keyleth intense expression with green magic Vax and Vex hug vax and vex like liam and laura Pike praying zahra percy scanlan bigby's hand lady kima Jarett Cassandra and Percy watching family ghosts in courtyard Gilmore with arms folded across chest and closed smile grog with craven edge the emperor tarot card the hermit keyleth fire hands w/one leg in air vex teaching percy to shoot arrow illithid masterpiece theatre presents "The Kiss" gilmore kashaw and keyleth vex pushes percy against wall pie-eating contest pike on grog for one-armed pushup burt with business card lady kima and clarota line art of allura and ??? - on tumblr? lady allura? on tumblr? reading on a bed mug with steam pike and half-shaven grog allura w/bird on shoulder and kima spireling shen with clasp people behind him Gilmore girl trinket, vex, and vax isitthursdayyet with grog/craven edge characters (vax with knife in table at top left)-->
 * International Tabletop Day:
 * The Doubleclicks played music and sung the message in this promotion for International Tabletop Day on 2016-04-30.
 * Information about this event is available at tabletopday.com, Geek & Sundry's website, and through "#TabletopDay" on social media.
 * Geek & Sundry will feature a 24-hour livestream on Twitch from midnight until midnight (PDT) on 2016-04-30. Hosted by Ivan Van Norman and featuring Felicia Day and Wil Wheaton, there will be special guests and many different tabletop games throughout the day.
 * The livestream will raise funds for charity.
 * Notably, one of the graphics in this promo featured an owlbear, after owlbears were spotted by Vox Machina earlier in this episode of Critical Role for the first time on stream.
 * Signal Boost! With Marisha Ray:
 * Marisha Ray introduced her new Geek & Sundry series (not the same promo that aired with this episode of Critical Role).
 * Super Fun Awesome Party Game Time:
 * Hosts Jesse Cox and Jessica Marzipan introduced their show, which features hosts and guests playing classic board games with a twist.
 * In this episode, guests Chloe Dykstra and Jason Horton joined the hosts to play the game Thin Ice—with teams, blindfolds, and punishments for the losers.
 * Critical Role Fan Art:
 * Per tradition, this video slideshow of fan art begins with an expression of gratitude from the cast and crew of Critical Role to the Critters for sharing their art.
 * The corresponding fan art article/gallery from 2016-03-10 includes the art featured in this slideshow.
 * Featuring the art of:
 * Laurie Hobbs (@FrommetoyouMaps)
 * @Blupervillain
 * @brinmataujall
 * @bullethail
 * @clarifioris
 * @damage_ko
 * @elfenceres
 * @firestashe
 * @fl0werb0ys
 * @hushpiper
 * Luelinnet on Tumblr (@linnetblue)
 * @nursethalia
 * @oninevikart
 * Alika Gupta (@capefoxalix)
 * Allison Tyree (@Ahrrie)
 * Collaboration of three artists:
 * Alika Gupta (@capefoxalix)
 * Mel Eisvogel (@MonarchFisher)
 * Nicklas Andersson (@nyvinter)
 * Amanda Oliver Elm (@flyboy_elm)
 * Amanda Oliver Elm (@flyboy_elm)
 * Amanda Oliver Elm (@flyboy_elm)
 * Amanda Oliver Elm (@flyboy_elm)
 * @Takayuuki_art
 * @Takayuuki_art
 * @urukaiboy / siriusdraws.tumblr.com
 * @urukaiboy / siriusdraws.tumblr.com
 * @urukaiboy / siriusdraws.tumblr.com
 * @urukaiboy / siriusdraws.tumblr.com
 * @urukaiboy / siriusdraws.tumblr.com
 * Bronwyn Moore / @sootttea / soottea.tumblr.com
 * Bronwyn Moore / @sootttea / soottea.tumblr.com
 * Brandi York (@BrandiYorkArt)
 * Charlie T Segerstedt (@sweetfr0st)
 * Charlie T Segerstedt (@sweetfr0st)
 * Charlotte Sandmael (@Cah_C_San)
 * Charlotte Sandmael (@Cah_C_San)
 * Charlotte Sandmael (@Cah_C_San)
 * Charlotte Sandmael (@Cah_C_San)
 * Diego dos Santos (@deeego)
 * Ellie Vyle (@whispersdivide)
 * Darragh R. Farrell (@CaptainNimoy)
 * Joré Escalera (@Joreto)
 * Kat Winslade (@kwwins)
 * Lexie Hotton (@CaptainLexieZoe)
 * Jack Lawrence (@JLawrence_Art)
 * jaynehogan on Instagram
 * Jade Liebes (@phaselocks)
 * Jade Liebes (@phaselocks)
 * Jesse Larsen (@jessejlarsen)
 * Jesse Larsen (@jessejlarsen)
 * Joma Cueto (@ForgingMeanings)
 * Joma Cueto (@ForgingMeanings)
 * Meghan LeVaughn (@TheAnimeDreamer)
 * Steve Armstrong (@stv_armstrong)
 * Jenny Franklin (@_dovaquiin)
 * Jenny Franklin (@_dovaquiin)
 * Ogrefairy (ogrefairydoodles on tumblr)
 * Megan Moran (@meglm)
 * T. Allen Sievers (@TKM_Madness)
 * Meg Simmons (@Megzilla87)
 * Meg Simmons (@Megzilla87)
 * Meg Simmons (@Megzilla87)
 * Mel Eisvogel (@MonarchFisher)
 * Mel Eisvogel (@MonarchFisher)
 * Nicklas Andersson (@nyvinter)
 * Nicklas Andersson (@nyvinter)
 * Sebastian Reuter (@sebastianeylir)
 * Sebastian Reuter (@sebastianeylir)
 * Sebastian Reuter (@sebastianeylir)
 * Sebastian Reuter (@sebastianeylir)
 * Sebastian Reuter (@sebastianeylir)
 * Sebastian Reuter (@sebastianeylir)
 * Sebastian Reuter (@sebastianeylir)
 * Wendy Sullivan Green (@WendyDoodles)
 * Wendy Sullivan Green (@WendyDoodles)
 * Yengchee Thao (@YinYengArt)
 * Darragh R. Farrell (@CaptainNimoy)
 * Ends with a "Thank you!"

Post-Show Promo

 * Game Master Tips with Matt Mercer:
 * Episode 7: "Rewards!"

Vox Machina

 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Scanlan Shorthalt
 * Grog Strongjaw
 * Pike Trickfoot (absent)
 * Trinket
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia



New

 * Benjamin Cole: A staff member at a book collector's shop in Vasselheim.
 * Purvan Suul (corpse): One of the highest champions of the order of the Raven Queen. When he swore himself to the Raven Queen, his name was given to the Raven Queen as a gift. Like her other champions, he therefore became nameless, referred to by other people only as "The Champion".

Returning

 * The roc from : Observed flying over Marrowglade Loch while the party camped in the trees during the night.
 * Zahra Hydris
 * Lady Kima of Vord
 * Kashaw Vesh

Trivia

 * This episode marks the first time that Vex'ahlia has died.
 * This is the second on-stream death of a player character, and the third overall.