Ice and Fire

is the one hundred twenty-first episode of the second campaign of Critical Role.

Previously on Critical Role
So, last we left off: The Mighty Nein, making their way through Eiselcross, had managed to hit up two of the satellite Aeorian ruin segments, the excavation sites of small pieces that had fallen from the ruined city before it collided with Foren itself.

''After exiting the last one with a massive threshold crest in your collective hands, you managed to escape the depths of this ruin, you brought forth-- I wouldn't say a new friend, per se, but the survivor of a previous expedition, Iver, who oddly found reason to quickly mistrust you. You kept him along with you for safekeeping and journeyed for an hour beyond the ruin to rest for the night. Before your night's rest could complete, Caduceus found that you had been found yourselves by the Tombtakers, who had been aware that you had beat them to the A2 ruin, and taken what seemed to have been their quarry and reason for traveling there. So instead, they beelined it to you to have a conversation.''

''Through some odd trickery, Lucien dispelled your protective dome, and as you all sat there gathering yourselves in the snow, a brief conversation led to you agreeing to travel together. Perhaps along this journey, share some information; perhaps align the interests that you carry; and perhaps find a way for them to acquire what it is they need from you.''

The Mighty Nein

 * Beauregard Lionett
 * Caduceus Clay
 * Caleb Widogast
 * Frumpkin
 * Fjord
 * Jester Lavorre
 * Veth Brenatto
 * Yasha Nydoorin

Returning

 * Lucien
 * Cree
 * Zoran Kluthidol
 * Otis Brunkel
 * Tyffial Wase
 * Dagen Underthorn

Mentioned

 * Allura Vysoren
 * Yussa Errenis
 * Essek Thelyss
 * Vess DeRogna

Quotations
Lucien: That wasn't me. That was an aberration. Beau: Same dick. Lucien: I have the perspective of not just myself, not just these fine companions, nor the perspective of nine quite frankly batty as shit individuals from a long time ago, but many, many minds of that period. And there's plenty of disagreement. Veth: Well, and then the worst part is, if we come out the other side and we survive or win or whatever it is... then it's goodbye. Caleb: I don't want to think about that. Veth: Well, then, good, think about your guilt, and I'll think about mine. Caleb: (pulling her in for a hug) I love you. Veth: I will always love you.
 * Lucien: Then I found a secret. I found a little peek into something beyond, (indicating the city in the Astral Sea) something that promised knowledge. And when I looked in, it looked back. So at that point, Lucien became more of... more of a costume. The Nonagon became more of the presence.
 * Jester: (to Lucien) We've seen you with food on your penis. [...]
 * Lucien: (about the journal) When I started reading it, it was just for fun. But then the dreams started coming. Something was spilling into them, and it wanted my help. The extremely different mind came to me: Luctis, Gaudeus, Ira, Vigilon... One by one, the Somnovem came to me and showed me what the city was: a collection of minds finding emergence, becoming one, under these eyes of nine. With each visit, they gave me one of these. (indicates his eye tattoos) That's when I knew it was real and I had to follow, had to learn that which they promised to show.
 * Caduceus: (to Lucien) We have something that you are clearly in dire need of. We have perspective. When was the last time that you had anybody who didn't just agree with you all the time? How are you ever going to work anything out? [ ... ]
 * Caleb: I feel like it's going to be threading a needle to come out the other side of this, all of us-- any of us.

Trivia

 * This episode marked the beginning of the fourth year of the second campaign of Critical Role, which began January 11, 2018.