Whispers of War

is the eighteenth episode of the second campaign of Critical Role. The end of the Harvest Close Festival brings a victory overshadowed by the bigger problems of the Empire...

Announcements

 * The cast wished Marisha a happy birthday!
 * Matt's gunslinger class is now available on DnD Beyond. To celebrate, Sam recites a top 10 for awesome Percy attributes.
 * Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is out now.
 * The cast is heading to Gen Con 2018.
 * Over $100k has been raised for 826LA.
 * If you have Amazon Prime, you have Twitch Prime and can subscribe for free.
 * Talks Machina is every Tuesday.
 * The online shop has more d20s in stock.

Previously on Critical Role
''The Mighty Nein, upon clearing their names, making some new friendships in the city [of Zadash ] and taking some time for themselves in preparation for the coming Harvest Close Festival, found themselves wandering through the streets of celebration. They partook in a number of various games of chance and skill, got some fine snacks and food, challenged themselves, got thrown by their other party members, won some trinkets and toys, and then ended up signing up to the Victory Pit, the grand tournament that ends the Harvest Close festival. [ Nott ] managed to catch a few phrases off to the side of the initial lounge [they] were signing up in, where [she] discovered that war had been declared by the king on the eastern region of Xhorhas, that information was to be held back until the festival was over.''

''[They] were held below with the other competing teams, and then one by one [the teams] were each presented into the center of the Victory Pit tournament where each [team] has to battle a challenge of a creature or creatures in a three tier structure. Whoever survives all three bouts gets to share in the final pot prize.''

''Currently two of the other teams have been knocked out, and it only remains to be [the Mighty Nein] and one other. [The Mighty Nein is] up first. [They are] pulled into the center and announced as The Mighty Nein's final round. Knowing the Stubborn Stock is watching from behind the distant doorways that lead into the central arena, [the members of the Mighty Nein] all scattered about the sands as the sun begins to get close to dusk, shouting out [their] various plans and then abandoning them last minute. [They] found places as these heaping, heavy thuds start quaking the ground in arrival before the door swings open. Out from behind it, roaring, a frenzied, angry hill giant, complete with pierced thorns jammed into each side of the body to drive it to a point of absolute anger and fury, comes bashing into the center of the arena, knocks over one of the large pillars, and this is where we begin.''

Break

 * "Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire -- You Control Critical Role!"
 * How to Play Sparkle*Kitty
 * Starter Kit: Numanera
 * How to Play Wonderland
 * How to Play Action Cats!

The Mighty Nein

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

New

 * Jasna Bree
 * Captain Jeremiah
 * Madeer

Returning

 * Darrow
 * Starosta Wyatt Fedar
 * Oremid Hass
 * Trent Ikithon
 * Kara
 * Jermai Kull
 * Madam Luenna
 * Pumat Sol
 * Orentha Stonegrasp
 * Dolan Thrym
 * Voloshin

Mentioned

 * Astrid
 * Lunidus Da'leth
 * Vess DeRogna
 * Eodwulf
 * The Gentleman
 * The Hawker
 * Jenna Iresor
 * Zivan Margolin
 * Ruby of the Sea
 * Doolan Tversky
 * Athesius Uludan
 * Leofrid Widogast
 * Una Widogast

Inventory
Grace of the Wilds

Quotations

 * Beau and Nott: "Message received!"

Trivia

 * Sam's giant flask bears an Austin Powers meme in this episode that reads "WHO TAUNTS A GIANT? HONESTLY."
 * At the end of this episode, the party reached level 5.