The Endless Burrows

is the fiftieth episode of the second campaign of Critical Role. The Mighty Nein follow the tunnels of the Kryn's burrowing worms, but find much more than caverns and rocks await them down in the underground...

Previously on Critical Role
Last we left off: The Mighty Nein had found their way back from the Menagerie Coast; to check in with some friends and the general chaos that seemed to be brewing based on the conflict between the Empire and the Kryn Dynasty.

''Upon traveling and making your way towards the city of Felderwin (a city which seemed to be involved with Nott's history) you discovered that this apothecary that had burned to the ground belonged to a male halfling, who has now gone missing, and discovered that Nott had a little boy. And after learning about Nott's history, you learned more than that. You learned that Nott at one point was, indeed, a halfling. And through a vengeful plot by the goblins that stalk the southeastern regions of the Empire's Marrow Valley, she managed to help her family escape; but was drowned and then reincarnated by some sort of a hooded, powered figure that had an alliance with these goblins (it seemed), brought back as a goblin, and has been living as such for the better part of two years now.''

''Upon asking around the city and getting some information you discovered that the husband of Nott, or Veth if you will, has been apparently taken by the Kryn and had some involvement with his alchemical studies with the Cerberus Assembly and the study of Dunamis. You acquired a few objects from a subterranean basement laboratory that was mostly trashed, apparently during the razing of the city.''

''You then decided to go ahead and inspect the tunnels where these Kryn emerged from, one of them apparently still somewhat intact. And deciding to not be balked by a sheer wall of stone and rock, Jester proceeded to twice Polymorph herself into a dire honey badger and burrow her way through hundreds and hundreds of feet of rock, emerging on what appeared to be the rest of this un-collapsed burrowed tunnel of a large worm creature they had used to attack without warning the city of Felderwin.''

As you, the Mighty Nein, had made your way beyond that boundary and began to step into this subterranean cavern, stalking and seeking the path these individuals took here, underneath the surface, we begin tonight's game.

Part I
Jester worries that the Mighty Nein's plan to travel underground to Xhorhas might not be the smartest idea. Fjord suggests turning around, but Nott reminds him about her husband and that they spent three months searching for "your backstory". The tunnels range from brief bits of open caverns to following the carved worm-tunnels (which are about 10 ft. wide). Fjord and Jester lead the party through the darkness (with Jester keeping an eye out), as they march deeper underground for hours.

They come to a cavern filled with broken crystals of many colors, from milky white to a few purple amethyst, and Caduceus casts Light behind the crystals creating a beautiful effect. Caleb, Jester, and Nott scoop up a few each. The party decides to sleep there in Caleb's hut covered by Stone Shaped by Caduceus. Jester sends to Yussah in Nicodranas, telling him they're taking the dodecahedron to Xhorhas. He replies that he doesn't think they should give it up or pull it out of the bag, but (sarcastically) who is he to keep them from taking an artifact into the heart of danger?

The next morning, they press on, passing through a chamber which seems to be under a large body of water, in which Jester creates a shrine to the Traveler. Suddenly, Fjord notices two of the stalagmites unfurl tentacles and reveal themselves as ropers, which he Eldritch Blasts to alert the rest of the party. The ropers use their tentacles to grapple multiple party members (all but Fjord), and they take significant damage while struggling to hit the heavily-armored ropers. Finally Beau stuns one, Caleb Slows both, and Jester Banishes the other. They are able to kill the one still in range before the Banished one can get back to them, and they kill that one with ranged attacks.

The party is then able to clear the rocks blocking the tunnel on the other side of the cavern, and continue on, stopping to sleep at night with the Hut covered in stone like the night before, and additionally Caleb sends Frumpkin out to keep watch. Jester Sends to Yeza, asking if he's being moved, and he responds that they have gotten out of the underground and he is being held in a room in the city. During the night, Frumpkin spots a creature scooting along the ceiling, similar to the ropers but smaller, but it keeps moving and doesn't bother them.

The next day, they entertain themselves while continuing to travel through the tunnels by singing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall". Once an hour, Caleb tells them the time. At the end of the day, they set up camp and Jester Sends to Yeza again, asking how long he was in the tunnel, and saying that they're on the way and his wife misses him a lot. The only response is a stifled, "I can't." Fjord apologizes to the panicking Nott for dragging her onto the water given her previous drowning.

On the fourth day, Beau reads Jester's smutty book aloud to entertain the party, to mixed reactions. They reach a point where it appears the giant worm's path intersected some existing tunnels, and the party discusses using one to reach the surface but decides against it. Caduceus casts light on a ribbon they tie to Frumpkin's neck, and Caleb sends him ahead to scout, finding a larger, foul-smelling chamber intersected by multiple tunnels, which holds a caged small bedraggled-furred creature. He returns and Caleb sends him down a different tunnel, where he discovers two small kobolds, who notice the glowing cat and investigate. One confronts Fjord, who yanks his spear out of his hands, but the other runs off shrieking in alarm and the party hears the echoing sound of lots of claws scurrying through nearby tunnels.

Part II
As the two kobolds alert the rest of the pack, Jester turns herself into a huge kobold. Caleb completes casting Tongues, so he can understand the kobold.

The Mighty Nein

 * Beauregard
 * Caduceus Clay
 * Fjord
 * Frumpkin
 * Jester Lavorre
 * Nott
 * Yasha Nydoorin (controlled by Matt & Travis)
 * Caleb Widogast

New

 * Bex
 * Sivel
 * Spurt

Returning

 * Nugget

Quotations
Spurt: "Eleven days!" Nott: "How long do kobolds live?" Spurt: "Eleven days!"
 * Beauregard (reading a book): "'It was a glistening night. The snow fell on the winding path'...'It was chilly. She could feel her nipples getting HARD'?!?!? IT STARTS SO SOON, IT STARTS SO SOON!"
 * Jester: (casting Banishment on a roper) "Get the fuck out of my temple!"
 * Jester: "Hey, Spurt? How long have you lived down here?"