Growing Bonds and Teasing Threads

is the sixth episode of the third campaign of Critical Role. The group celebrates their success by getting to know each other better and looking into the background of Orym's contact in the city, but the past is following one of them closely...

Announcements

 * The Nordverse returns! And Robbie is befuddled because Travis (aka Number Two) looks like a cross between Frank-N-Furter and a BlackBerry Curve. Morpheus has been cyber-training Travis since the disappearance of blackwillow69@aol.com (the only man CryptonicOverride has ever loved) and the defeat of The Ultra Kodex. With the aid of Nord VPN, Number Two hax Robbie's generic tablet device so that when he plugs in, he is possessed by-- tune in next time to find out!
 * Second sponsor is Ghostfire Gaming's Fables, coming 1 January 2022, a subscription-based set of six-part D&D all-in-one adventures released monthly. Sign up before 31 December 2021 to get it for $10/month for the first 12 months.
 * Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin is available now at bookstores and CriticalRoleBooks.com.
 * Merch Alert! Limited Edition McFarlane Toys' 12" Shaun Gilmore figure, Whitestone joggers, Exandria post card set, Critical Role sticky notes, drink holders, and Percival de Rolo t-shirts now available in the Critical Role shops.

Part I
The group heads to the Spire by Fire for food and drink. Ashton orders a bottle of "whatever's cheapest" and they find a private room for a drinking game called "What the Fuck Is Up With That?" Each person must answer a question about themselves truthfully.
 * Dorian reveals he is second in line to inherit in a wealthy noble family. He is trying to fulfill expectations he's put upon himself that he wouldn't be able to fulfill within his family.
 * Ashton isn't sure if they have ever been in love before or not, but there are many different forms of love. They had a group of friends called the Nobodies, but all the other members left town.
 * Although Fearne has some regrets in her life, she's not comfortable talking about them. As an alternative question, she explains that Dorian, Orym, and she came to town to meet up with some friends, but takes another drink to go on to a third question instead: She steals because she likes having things.
 * Imogen is a little nervous about having had to give her father's name as collateral to the Hubatt Corsairs, but feels that it will probably be all right.
 * Orym is in town representing the people of his home, Zephrah, investigating a possible local link to an attack that took place there months ago.
 * Orym asks FCG if there are more like him and where he comes from, but when FCG tries to answer he glitches out, appearing to be unable to access the information beyond saying that Dancer created him and he was with Dancer for about two years. He has never dreamed.
 * Laudna isn't entirely sure if she's dead or not, but thinks so. She definitely died thirty years ago, and woke up a day or so later in Whitestone in a pile of other corpses. She wandered alone from town to town until she met Imogen about two years ago.

As the party winds down, Dorian plays a song and Laudna gives him a doll of Bertrand Bell she has crafted from chicken bones and Bertrand's hair. They spend the night at the Inn. As Laudna is dozing off, she hears the voice of Delilah Briarwood in her head warning her that some things should be kept secret, but Laudna is unperturbed. When Imogen asks, Laudna tells her that although Delilah has threatened to take back her gift, she has not yet done it. It strengthens their resolve to get into the Starlight Conservatory, however.

In the morning, they gather downstairs and discuss what to do next, eventually deciding to return to the Hubatt Corsairs. Their password gets them safe entry to the hidden safe house where they wake Yash Mangal and report that they killed Dugger. Yash says the Corsairs have confirmed that the party told them the truth and the Corsairs will now stop following them. When they mention Lord Eshteross, Yash tells them of the rumors that Eshteross killed Mistress Prudaj, or that he is a vampire. The group offers to set up a meeting between the Corsairs and Eshteross, but Yash is suspicious of people with money. He will think about it, however, and let them know if the Corsairs decide to move forward.

The party goes back outside. While trying to decide what to do next, Orym shares the name of the person he is seeking: Oshad Breshio. Ashton recalls that "The Anger" was a mercenary who made a name for himself breaking up violent bar brawls, and became a personal bodyguard to one of the Mahaan houses of Jrusar.

Break

 * Ghostfire Gaming presents Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun, coming 1 January 2022, a subscription-based set of D&D adventures.
 * Merch Alert! McFarlane Toys' 12" Shaun Gilmore figure available in the US, UK, and Australia shops; Whitestone joggers, Exandria post card set, Critical Role sticky notes, drink holders, and Percival de Rolo t-shirts now available in all four Critical Role shops.
 * Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep is available to pre-order now.
 * Critical Recap every Wednesday on CritRole.com.
 * Submit fan art for possible inclusion in the weekly online gallery at https://www.critrole.com/submit.
 * Sam demonstrates how not to do ASMR while urging the benefits of Critical Role Twitch subscriptions.

Part II
The party goes to the Krook House, the home of Ashton and FCG, where they encounter Anni Aughta. Anni tells them that the Anger used to work for the Lumas twins, members of one of the Mahaan houses. She and Dorian get into a musical competition which Dorian wins. As she storms out, she tells Ashton someone dropped something in Ashton's room: a letter which he reads and pockets. Joined by the others, he immediately walks a short distance to the abode of Effid the Fallen, a misshapen and strange older eisfuura. Effid saw a courier dressed like they came from money drop off the letter for Ashton, which seems to confirm Ashton's suspicions. At Imogen's request, Ashton allows her to read a redacted version of the letter: "I have an eight when you are ready."

They all head to Lord Eshteross's manor and tell him the Corsairs are tentatively slightly interested in making his acquaintance, and they'll let him know if they hear more from them. Laudna tells Lord Eshteross about the rumors that he killed Mistress Prudaj, which he vehemently denies. He confirms that Oshad Breshio worked for the Lumas twins. Oshad is still recovering from injuries suffered during an internal attack made on Mahaan Lumas a few weeks ago in which the twins were killed. Eshteross believes the twins weren't involved in anything too nefarious, being more interested in geological and scientific pursuits. He also suggests Orym would already be familiar with the pattern of the attack.

Orym offers that the group would be happy to help if Lord Eshteross needs anything done, and Eshteross tells them of a series of mysterious disappearances from the Dreamscape Theater in the Core Spire. Before they leave, Imogen reminds Eshteross about the letter of recommendation he promised them for the Starlight Conservatory, and he promises to start working on it and deliver it directly to the Conservatory.

When they leave, the other party members confront Orym about what he knows about the attack on House Lumas, but he's reluctant to talk about it in public. Laudna and Imogen take them to their rented room at Zhudanna's, where they introduce her to the party and she makes them lunch. They all crowd into Laudna and Imogen's bedroom, where Orym shares that six years ago, an attack was made on Zephrah and specifically on Keyleth, their leader, coming from out of nowhere and immediately disappearing. Those of the assailants who were killed, evaporated. Recently, a friend to the Ashari in Whitestone had heard a rumor from a friend who had been to Marquet and spoke to Breshio. The attack on the Lumas twins was similar to the attack in Zephrah. Orym was therefore sent by the Voice of the Tempest to investigate.

They decide, for now, to follow up on the disappearances at the theater. There, a matinée performance is beginning soon, and the eclectic audience is arriving. They ask about a box seat overlooking the audience, but are told those are sold out until Dorian gives the ticket seller ten platinum, which Fearne partially pickpockets back. Both employees they ask deny any knowledge of disappearances.

While they are waiting for the performance to begin, the usher returns and tells Dorian there is a patron present who wishes to speak to him, alone, downstairs. Reluctantly, Dorian goes, and is met by a hooded leather-clad person: his brother, Cyrus Wyvernwind. Cyrus says that he got away the same way Dorian did, by following his lead. They need to talk; if not now, soon. Promising to meet later, Cyrus disappears back into the audience while Dorian collects himself and rejoins the party, telling them it was nothing. The house lights dim, music begins, the stage lights with arcane magic, and the performance is about to begin.

Player characters

 * Ashton Greymoore
 * Fearne Calloway
 * Fresh Cut Grass
 * Imogen Temult
 * Laudna
 * Orym

Returning

 * Anni Aughta
 * Evelyn Wress
 * Ariks Eshteross
 * Cyrus Wyvernwind
 * Delilah Briarwood (voice only)
 * Dorian Storm
 * Heron
 * Ishir
 * Yash Mangal
 * Zhudanna

New

 * Effid the Fallen
 * Evaan (unnamed), halfling ticket-taker at the Dreamscape Theater
 * Siran, dragonborn usher at the Dreamscape Theater
 * Teena (unnamed), human ticket-taker at the Dreamscape Theater

Mentioned

 * Bertrand Bell
 * Dancer
 * Dugger
 * Dr. Nesbitt, a bird friend of Fearne's
 * Ephred
 * Jiana Hexum (unnamed), writer of Ashton's letter
 * Keyleth
 * The Lumas twins (Balan and Zeyar Lumas), deceased members of Mahaan house Lumas
 * Morrigan
 * Oatmeal, Apple Pie, and Pussy, former automaton companions of FCG
 * Oshad Breshio
 * Ovalia, brass dragonborn shopkeeper at the Root Trader Alcove
 * Mistress Prudaj
 * Relvin Temult, Imogen's father
 * Stuvan Idrio, owner of the Dreamscape Theater
 * Sylas Briarwood

Quotations
Laudna: Oh! Oh, hello, it's been so long since I've heard from you. What have you been up to? (Delilah sighs) Oh, come on, D, just tell me. Delilah: Please. Just be careful. Laudna: I didn't say anything that's not public knowledge. So back off. Yash: If you are making coffee, but of course, please! Fearne: Well, is there someone I can ask? Yash Mangal: Trouble. Lord Eshteross: Eclectic. Zhudanna: (laughing) Just the sweetest.
 * Fearne: (to FCG) Do you have a small wonder flap somewhere? I'd love to see your insides.
 * Delilah Briarwood: (to Laudna, menacingly) Careful, dear. Some things are meant to be kept secret.
 * Dorian: [The rich] tend to isolate themselves from everyone. I think the only people that rich people fear more than poor people is other rich people.
 * Fearne: Would you like some coffee or something?
 * Laudna: (to Yash Mangal) What is the first word that pops into your head when you look at us?
 * Laudna: (to Lord Eshteross) When you look at us as a group, the first word that pops into your mind? Don't overthink it.
 * Imogen: (to Zhudanna) When you look at us, what's the first word that pops into your head?

Trivia

 * The party's Level 4 stat cards were shown at the beginning of the episode:
 * Dorian's stats were unchanged other than a hit point increase, suggesting he took a feat.
 * FCG increased Constitution and Intelligence.
 * Fearne increased Wisdom and Charisma.
 * Imogen took a feat which increased her Dexterity by 1.
 * Orym increased his Dexterity by 2 to 20.
 * Ashton increased both Strength and Dexterity.
 * As a multiclassed character, Laudna did not qualify for an ASI this level.