Family Gathering

is the seventy-first episode of the second campaign of Critical Role.

Pre-Show
Our fantastic Laura Bailey and Travis Willingham are Skyping in from San Diego Comic Con tonight. Matt thanks them for making it to their hotel room in time for the game.

Announcements

 * First, we do have our fantastic sponsor returning from the beginning of the campaign on until now: D&D Beyond!
 * Election Day for the D&D Beyond presidential election is Friday, August 2, 2019! Polls will open at the D&D Beyond website on Thursday, July 25, 2019 (because D&D Beyond believes in early voting) and will stay open until Friday, August 2nd at 8:00 pm Eastern (the start of Critical Role's live show at Gen Con).  The D&D Beyond president-elect will be announced at the end of the live show's intermission.  The two candidates on the ballot will be Sam Riegel and Liam O'Brien.  As part of D&D Beyond's "Get Out The Vote" efforts, you will get cool digital surprises when you visit the voting webpage and cast your ballot!  However, before you race to the polls next week, D&D Beyond is giving you one last chance to hear from the candidates and hear their positions on the most controversial D&D issues: the "D&D Beyond Master Debate 2019"...moderated by Dani Carr.  [Yes...the debate is being moderated by Sam's campaign manager.  Come on, this is the same man who created a deepfake video of his campaign rival engaging in treasonous collusion with a foreign power (aka Mark Hulmes), in an effort to influence the presidential election through unprecedented levels of political sabotage...are we really surprised that this whole debate is rigged from the start?]
 * San Diego Comic Con
 * Steamforged Games miniatures box sets

Previously on Critical Role
"So, last we left off: The Mighty Nein - after traversing the King’s Cage, losing their friend Yasha to the will of Obann, and narrowly escaping the danger of the Laughing Hand - you gathered yourselves, returned to Rosohna, informed the Bright Queen of what had transpired, and began to assess the best course of action going forward.

"You heard that the series of attacks that you seemed to have picked up via Scrying had seemingly gone on and been thwarted, thanks to the information that you provided, and a number of the assassination attempts by Scourgers were also thwarted, one of which was captured. You went ahead and attempted to make contact with them in the dungeon, and discovered it was not somebody you recognized.

"You returned to your house, figured out a bit of a plan where the next point of direction is to be, had a bit of a lore dump of Caduceus’s background and personal goals, and as you were taking a bit of time to relax and center yourselves at the Xhorhaus, the arrival of one Dairon (currently obfuscated in drow form) arrived, saw Jester upon the balcony, and then was notified of Beauregard being below. After which, she hopped down, approached Beauregard on the stoop of the Xhorhaus, and requested her attention to meet on the inside. And that is where we left off."

Part I
Beauregard tries to decide where she and Dairon should talk. She rules out the roof, because that's where Caduceus sleeps. Jester suggests the spa. Beau asks Dairon if this conversation is appropriate to have in a hot tub, to which Dairon gives a definitive no. Beau decides on her bedroom, and she and Jester lead Dairon upstairs. Sam asks why Marisha isn't suggesting the war room? "Fuck the war room," Marisha replies, "No WAY we are using that room for its intended purpose!"]

The Mighty Nein

 * Beauregard
 * Caduceus Clay
 * Fjord
 * Frumpkin
 * Jester Lavorre
 * Nott
 * Yasha Nydoorin (absent, mentioned)
 * Caleb Widogast

Returning

 * Luc Brenatto
 * Yeza Brenatto
 * Dairon
 * Yussah Errenis
 * Marion Lavorre
 * Essek Thelyss

Quotations

 * Nott: Maybe [Luc] would accept me. But I don’t know if I would. There’s still something that’s not right about this. This is not my body. It’s just not me. And people liking you is nice, and people accepting you is nice, but if you feel wrong inside your own skin, then you can’t be a good mother or a good wife, or a good anything, really.
 * Calianna's Letter: "My friend Magda tells me that every time I say something bad about myself, I am putting iron weights in my pockets. Sooner or later you’ll drag yourself down and not be able to get up. Be kind to yourself, Mr. Caleb. I don’t want your pockets to get too heavy."