The Tunnels Below

is the fifteenth episode of the third campaign of Critical Role.

Announcements

 * Sam parts ways with his clunky toothbrush for a snazzy Quip replacement, but not without a nasty breakup brush... and a nastier get-together one. Get 25% off across the site by clicking the link above.
 * Customize the craft of Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R. R. Martin with the Elden Ring TTRPG. Check out the Elden Ring One-Shot for the Critical Role version.
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Previously on Critical Role
''Last we left off, the Bell's Hells had quite an eventful evening at the Quorum's event here at the top of the Core Spire, where there were fights. There were dances. There was subterfuge. There were encounters with monsters in the middle of the night. There were arrests. There were escapes. And as you all rushed back to the abode of Lord Eshteross, it became quickly apparent that Dorian's brother Cyrus had fucked up so deeply that both him and his brother have to skip town.''

''With Eshteross' help they were both given passage onto his personal skyship, which had just finished coming into port and offloading its goods, and decided to sent it over toward Tal'Dorei, at Dorian's request, where he feels he has some familiar friends to lay low with and hopefully figure out a way to fix these troubles from afar. In the interim, you had your own challenges to look towards, your own mysteries and dangers that lie ahead. As you watched him leave in the wee hours of the morning, you all went back to rest and decide what the next path lay for you.''

Part I
The party completes a long rest at Lord Eshteross's home. In the morning, Chetney presents Ashton with his gift, an articulated wooden hand with movable fingers. Fearne feeds Lord Treshi's ring to FCG for disposal, and Lord Eshteross assures the party that the replacement ring they placed on Treshi will allow Eshteross to track his movements.

They discuss the events of the masquerade ball:
 * Treshi was at the party with Lady Emoth Kade and Emoth was a "jelly beast" similar to Dugger.
 * Orlana Seshadri chatted with both Gavis Aranda and Treshi. She comes from a mid-level Mahaan house, one low enough in station that Ariks Eshteross didn't expect they would be involved with the Chandei Quorum.
 * Eshteross doesn't yet understand the connection between the Quorum and Paragon's Call.
 * Treshi seems to be uncomfortable with his connection to the Nightmare King.
 * Ashton shares that Ratanish knows the party was connected to the destruction of the Moon Tower.
 * Eshteross believes Ajit Dayal is a good person and may be a target.
 * Eshteross has analyzed the vial of shade creeper goo the party gave him and determined it is a lubricating excretion.

They discuss the mission Jiana Hexum gave Ashton to steal an item from her rival in the Heartmoor and decide to visit her to see if she can provide a means of traveling there.

A few minutes after leaving Eshteross Manor, they notice they are being flanked by the two Green Seekers (Gus and Olly) seen at the ball, who "invite" the party to join them for a private chat within a magical dome cast by Gus. Olly explains they've noticed the party's connection with some of the weird things happening recently around Jrusar, particularly the destruction of the Moon Tower.

After introductions, the party shares their recent experiences, including with the "jelly people" like Dugger. The Green Seekers immediately connect this with the recent incursions of shade creepers, and the party tells them they believe they need to investigate the tunnels into which the creatures disappear. The Seekers had discovered the Nightmare King's lair beneath the Moon Tower and believe there has been a cover-up by the government of Jrusar along with other underhanded political machinations. Eventually, the party persuades the Seekers that they are on parallel investigative paths and that they too are seeking to do the right thing. The Green Seekers agree to work with them for now.

The Seekers had also reached the conclusion that answers lie beneath the Spires of Jrusar, and the party agrees to join their investigation and postpone their trip to Heartmoor Hamlet. The Seekers want to bring back evidence of the strange shade creepers, preferably in the form of a living Lady Emoth. The entire group heads to the Smolder Spire and the Underrush Mining Operation Facility at its base. Once there, Gus reluctantly asks for Ogdes Friez.

Ogdes greets Gus, saying it's been some time. They have an uncomfortable conversation before Gus asks him for a favor. Equally awkwardly, Ogdes invites them inside the mine to talk.

Break

 * Bandai Namco Entertainment presents Elden Ring.
 * Crit Recap Animated for "Family Ties" Campaign 2, Episodes 92-112.
 * 7th Anniversary Broadcast 17 March 2022 at 7 pm Pacific in select theaters in the United States and Brazil as well as Twitch and YouTube. More info at critrole.com.
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 * Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep available now for pre-order in the Critical Role US shop.
 * Critical Recap every Wednesday on CritRole.com.
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 * President Gale explains the benefits of non-gooberhood by subscribing to Critical Role on Twitch.

Bell's Hells

 * Ashton Greymoore
 * Chetney Pock O'Pea
 * Fearne Calloway
 * Little Mister
 * Fresh Cut Grass
 * Imogen Temult
 * Laudna
 * Orym

Returning

 * Ariks Eshteross
 * Emoth Kade
 * Evelyn Wress
 * Gus
 * Olly

New

 * Ogdes Friez, half-elf foreman of Underrush Mines
 * Shotan Bruo, dwarven foreman of the Crownset Cavern Mines and writer of The New World Searchers

Mentioned

 * Ajit Dayal
 * Armand Treshi
 * Bertrand Bell
 * Dorian Storm
 * Dugger
 * Gavis Aranda
 * Ira Wendagoth
 * Jiana Hexum
 * Orlana Seshadri
 * Pretty
 * Ratanish
 * Underrush family

Quotations
Orym: How is your knowledge of wine? FCG: Oh, I'm an expert. Ashton: Ooh, I speak Marquesian! Which fucking problem, specifically? Because there's a lot of weird shit going on, so you actually would have to be a little fucking specific. I think I said that right, the Marquesian. Imogen: We became friends very quickly. Olly: Stayed over at his place last night. That's pretty close. Laudna: It was a good night. FCG: What's the real phrase? Pâté: I'm a bird in the beak, but a rat in the sheets.
 * Ashton: Who knew you could piss off so many people in one evening? It's fucking amazing. This feels like a record. Well, no, I take that back. This feels like a record at the pure amount of money that somehow we have pissed off. Normally, the people I piss off don't have anything.
 * Laudna: (as Pâté) Bird in the head, rat in the body. You know what I'm saying?
 * Fresh Cut Grass: I've never tasted anything before, so I'm just going to imagine what [the ring] tastes like. (Describes it with many vivid flavors). I don't know what any of those flavors are.
 * Gus: We've been contacted and hired specifically to figure out what-- and pardon the Marquesian-- the fuck is going on around here.
 * Olly: (interrogating) All of you were two separate groups of people at an event that all seemed to be one group of friends, as well as keeping proximity to Mr. Lord Ariks Eshteross.
 * Laudna: We're here to raise hell in the name of Bell.
 * Orym: Guys, I think we're deputy Seekers.
 * Laudna: (as Pâté) I remembered the phrase. I got it wrong.