The Endless Atheneum (episode)

is the seventh episode of the eighth chapter of Critical Role. Vox Machina race against time to earn the blessing of the Goddess of Knowledge while Vecna continues to gain power.

Announcements

 * Guest star Darin De Paul returns!
 * The cast are still recovering from Comic-Con.
 * Merch update: new pencil pack with quotes from each Vox Machina character.
 * About 400 tickets left for the Gen Con live show in Indianapolis.
 * Chris Pramas from Green Ronin: demand for the Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting guide exceeded expectations, so pre-orders are no longer open, but more copies will be printed after the initial run. PDF is available in the interim.
 * The next batch of the Critical Role podcast is coming soon.
 * Talks Machina, Tuesdays at 7 PM Pacific with Brian Foster.
 * The fifth episode of Sagas of Sundry: Dread is up on Alpha.
 * Dread shirts are available in the G&S store.
 * The plastic combat platforms that Matt uses are back in stock at Paizo.com.
 * Look for Liam and Laura as AI characters in the game Lone Echo, by Ready at Dawn.

Previously on Critical Role
"Vox Machina had been finding their way through the realms to talk with various deities in hopes of getting information and perhaps a blessing or two to aid them in their coming battle against Vecna, the intent-to-ascend entity, the long-missing and recently returned archlich that plagued the end of the Age of Arcanum.

"Vox Machina have since discovered the location of his rebirth, followed him to the Shadowfell, through the city of Thar Amphala, took down his Tower of Entropis, did battle, and nearly fell. They escaped in time and in this recovery period have been seeking out information on how to stop him before this ascension occurs, and by what tools necessary.

"They've traveled to the Blessed Fields of Elysium where they met Pike's deity, the Everlight, Sarenrae, where she received her Blessing. They made their way to the Fortress of the Sun, where Vex'ahlia met with the Dawnfather, Pelor, took his challenge, and received his Blessing.

"They were then given information about the whereabouts of Ioun, the Knowing Goddess under the domain of knowledge, who had been hidden away since her wounding during the Calamity. The key to her realm was apparently hidden within not an object, but an individual.

"Given loose information about the whereabouts of this individual, Vox Machina tracked down a small home in the forested regions outside the Pools of Wittebak in the Cliffkeep Mountains. There they spoke with this individual, this Sprigg the Obnoxious, and then were immediately assailed by a number of assassins sent by the Whispered One, Vecna, apparently keeping watch on their current location and able to send such groups of assassins with vast haste.

"They did battle, managed to save the life of Sprigg the Obnoxious, and through conversation unveiled that he was indeed a key to this realm. Keyleth—by entwining her hands with the rest of the party and focusing on this strange magical essence hidden within Sprigg's form—completed her Plane Shift spell and Vox Machina found themselves suddenly within a dimension of an endless library: shelves of winding books and tomes that seem to spiral beyond sight.

"And in the midst of this amazing atmosphere, a voice called them to a central portion of the chamber, and there they've come across the Knowing Mistress, Ioun herself, awaiting their arrival."

Vox Machina

 * Taryon Darrington (absent; mentioned only)
 * Doty 2.0 (absent; not mentioned)
 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Scanlan Shorthalt
 * Grog Strongjaw
 * Pike Trickfoot (DM-controlled)
 * Trinket
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia

Returning

 * Delilah Briarwood (via Scrying)
 * Earthbreaker Groon
 * Ioun
 * Raven Queen
 * Sprigg
 * Vecna
 * Lady Kima of Vord (via Scrying)
 * Allura Vysoren (via Scrying)

Mentioned

 * Avandra
 * Bahamut
 * Sylas Briarwood
 * Brimscythe
 * Craven Edge
 * Demistrik
 * Dread Emperor
 * Shaun Gilmore
 * Zahra Hydris
 * Kas the Bloody-Handed
 * Kaylie
 * Kord
 * "Larkin"
 * Moradin
 * Pelor
 * Tharizdun
 * Yos Varda
 * Kashaw Vesh