Dangerous Liaisons

 is the thirty-seventh episode of the second campaign of Critical Role. Live from New York! The Mighty Nein are taken aboard the Squall Eater, and Fjord learns more about his mysterious patron...

Announcements
Sponsor: DnD Beyond

All Work No Play Ep 2 debuts tomorrow 7pm PT

Between The Sheets airs Monday 7pm PT, Guest Starring: Liam O’Brian

Vox Machina Comic Book: Next 6 issues have a planned release date of summer 2019

Previously on Critical Role
"Last we left off: The Mighty Nein, in following a thread of information that may tie into some aspect of Fjord's curious history after he chest-vored a sphere, discovered that it was apparently a group of individuals who were hired to retrieve this item and bring it to a Captain Avantika, Upon following this thread you found your way to the city of Nicodranas on the Menagerie Coast, outside of the Dwendallian Empire. You met up with Yasha once more and happened to take care of a man who was bothering Jester’s mother… very thoroughly. 

''Coming upon this character Marius Lepual, who you’ve been following, you got into an altercation at the docks and accidently took their boat. However, you did manage to sneak your way back to Nicodranas the following day before it seemed there was much of an uproar searching for you. You stealth hired a crew including bringing Orly, the Tortle Bard on as your navigator and made your way out to sea towards this island called Urukaxl that you believe may have been the one based on this piece of a map that you had recovered within the ship ‘The Mist.’ ''

You then changed the name of the ship to ‘The Mistake’ You became Captain Tusktooth, following the map you made your way through the reef taking on a bit of water briefly but thankfully through some ingenuity, some quick repairs and the tenuous use of a magical tent you kept it from sinking and going towards the shore line of Urukaxl, There appeared to be another larger ship waiting in the nearest bay.

''Upon attempting to make your way possibly around it to run aground. The ship seemed to be cutting you off and fired a warning cannon shot across the bow. You decided it was best to stop and begin to gather yourselves as two small rowboats were making their way toward the outside of ‘The Mistake’ to whatever ends that may come to…" ''

Part I
The Mistake is boarded by a female ogre, a mostly bald gentleman in his late 30's, and a tougher-looking middle-aged woman. They are "requested" to come to the other ship (the Squalleater) immediately. Nott runs down to get Caleb, who comes on deck, but that means the Hut blocking the leak is gone and the Mistake begins taking on some water. The party goes in the rowboats over to the Squalleater.

On the Squalleater, they find a female elf with wild red hair who introduces herself as Captain Avantika, and asks the presumed Captain Jawgrasp (actually, Fjord in disguise) about the strange crew he has with him. They each introduce themselves using aliases. She realizes Fjord is using an illusion when she touches him. She takes possession of the Mistake, tells her crew to repair it, and tells the Nein to bring their things aboard, they're remaining. She interviews them in her quarters, asking if they have the item she requires. Fjord tells her it is on an island in Deeprow Reef, but she is not deceived. She tells them she hired Jamedi Cosko to scout the temple on the island-- does the name Uk'otoa mean anything to them?

Avantika is the chosen of Uk'otoa the great leviathan, the creation of Zehir the Cloaked Serpent. Uk'otoa was sealed beneath the ocean, and his temples defaced. Avantika intends to bring him back. Fjord tells her of his dreams and shows her an image of the sphere, and she smiles and says that Uk'otoa has spoken to him as well, and invites them to go to the temple with her. They are led to two guarded chambers, where they use Thaumaturgy to create white background noise, and talk.

Fjord tells them he sees visions of a giant eye, and hears a voice. The sphere reminds him of that eye, and he wants to know where the temple is. The rest of the team say they'll support him, and suggest maybe he can learn something about himself from Avantika. As they settle in for the night, Nott distracts their guards with a Silent Image and sneaks out down to the cargo hold, where she steals a keg of black powder and some fermented fruit. Avantika comes to their cabin and requests that Fjord join her in her quarters.

The Mighty Nein

 * Beauregard
 * Caduceus Clay
 * Fjord
 * Frumpkin
 * Jester Lavorre
 * Nott
 * Yasha Nydoorin
 * Caleb Widogast

New

 * Captain Avantika
 * Bouldergut
 * Jamedi Cosko
 * Vera

Returning

 * Gallan Westman

Mentioned

 * Captain Jawgrasp
 * Marius LePual
 * Orly Skiffback
 * Sabian
 * Uk'otoa ("The Great Leviathan")
 * Vandren

Inventory

 * The Mistake: ship owned and crewed by the Mighty Nein

Quotations
Fjord: "That is a wonderful story, one that I would love to share. You have the honor of being in the company of the Mighty Nein." Avantika: "But there are only seven of you."
 * Fjord: (to Avantika) "I must commend you on your perceptiveness. My balls are quite large."
 * Avantika: "Well, I guess now that we are out in the open, who the fuck are you and how did you come into possession of the Mist?.
 * Jester: (to Fjord) "I need to feel your abs."

Trivia

 * This was Critical Role's very first live, in-canon episode on the East Coast. It was broadcast from the historic United Palace Theater in Washington Heights. Due to the location and technical difficulties, the stream was broadcast on a one-hour delay (so even though the actual live show in New York City began at 9:00 pm EDT, the stream didn't begin broadcasting until 10:00 pm EDT).
 * Technical difficulties delayed the posting of the VOD for this episode.