The Chase Begins

is the one hundred twelth episode of the second campaign of Critical Role.

Previously on Critical Role
So, last we left off: The Mighty Nein, after an intense dinner with Trent and some individuals from Caleb’s past, and making an arrangement with Vess DeRogna of the Cerberus Assembly to escort her northward toward the ruins and the excavation of what seems to be the city of Aeor, a Pre-Calamity mage-ocracy that has been long vanished...

''You made your way to Zadash, purchased some things, and began to enquire about the whereabouts of this individual Cree, that may have had some information about this "Nonagon" figure, Lucien and this history that seemed to have some weird connection with the visions you had while on the island of Rumblecusp. Upon checking, Cree seemed a bit dodgy and not wanting to respond, and then upon Scrying you found her pushing through a blizzard, someplace far from here.''

''Feeling a bit odd about these circumstances, you went to see if you could glean some information from the corpse of your friend, Mollymauk. You traveled to his resting site, where you had buried him, not too far from where he fell nearly a year ago, and upon inspecting the site, discovered the body was not there. In the midst of this, Jester, you decided to Scry upon where the body of Mollymauk might be, and were given a vision similar to that of Cree, another snow-covered, blizzard-battered space where you saw, walking, a familiar purple-skinned tiefling, bundled in furs and leathers, pushing his way through the storm, determined and grinning. And that’s where we left off.''

Part I
Jester tells the group that Molly is with Cree in the snow, alive, walking, and smiling. She immediately wants to send him a message, but the others agree that they need to wait until they know more before contacting him, in case he's no longer friendly to them. His presence in the far north means their need to get to Eiselcross has become much more urgent, however. They discover that the note that Caleb left in Molly's coat telling him how to reach them is gone.

Jester uses her Charm of Plant Command to ask a clump of crabgrass if it noticed anything. The crabgrass, which Jester gives the name "Henry Crabgrass", tells her that a small group of people came and dug out a guy under the ground about fifty days earlier, then began chanting to bring him back to life. It seems to the party that the group must be the Tombtakers.

They decide to talk to Vess DeRogna in person in order to try to find out what she knows about the Tombtakers. Caleb uses Teleportation Circle to return them to Rexxentrum, where Vess tells them via Jester's Sending that she'll be home in four hours. In the meantime, they go get mulled wine and visit the tailors making their cold weather gear, paying to expedite delivery to the following morning.

At Vess's tower, Fjord's curiosity about one of the paintings on the wall accidentally releases an imp, which flies up the stairs, followed by Vess coming down. The Nein ask her if she knows of the Tombtakers, and she recognizes the name as one of many groups she has hired in the past, but no longer uses because they had trouble staying focused on the job at hand. She does remember Lucien as part of the group. Vess is unworried by their competition in reaching her goals in the north.

Fjord asks if there are traps where they are going, and Vess responds that rather, there are malfunctioning remnants. Beau tells Vess (falsely) that the Tombtakers are now in the employ of the Kryn Dynasty, and Vess admits that if they have allied themselves with someone with more knowledge, then perhaps they should hurry their departure. She can be ready by evening, but the Nein ask to delay for two days since Caduceus's armor enchantment won't be finished till then. When she learns it is Pumat Sol doing the work, she tells the party she will speak to him and expedite the process.

The party teleports to the Cobalt Soul in Zadash, rejoining Yeza and Luc at the Lodge of the Eclipse where a lively burlesque show is underway which Beau stays downstairs for. Yasha and Jester head to the girls' room, which has two beds.

Jester suggests maybe Yasha and Beau would like to share one. Embarassed, Yasha says she'll sleep on the floor. She admits Beau makes her nervous. Jester offers to leave the room, and Yasha, totally flustered, says she doesn't know what to do. Jester shares that Beau likes Yasha, which adds to her confusion. Eventually Jester agrees to stay, and Yasha decides to sleep on the floor, but to ask Beau how she feels at a good opportunity. When Beau returns, they have a gloriously awkward conversation while Jester pretends to sleep and tries to smother her laughter.

In the morning, Veth uses Disguise Self to turn into Vess DeRogna, badly shocking Yeza. His fearful reaction makes the party question him further, asking if Vess threatened him. He hems and haws, finally settling on describing her as forceful and persuasive, and a terrible boss, but talks Veth out of killing her.

They head to the Invulnerable Vagrant to check on the status of Caduceus's armor. The shop appears closed, but when they knock, an exhausted Pumat answers and asks for twenty more minutes. They apologize for putting him in this position, and when they return, the armor is complete and Vess DeRogna is there, apparently having helped with the enchantment.

Caleb teleports Luc and Yeza to Yussa's tower in Nicodranas, then the party teleports to the Cobalt Soul in Rexxentrum. They pick up their winter gear and join Lady DeRogna at her home, where she Teleports them all to Palebank Village.

The Mighty Nein

 * Beauregard Lionett
 * Caduceus Clay
 * Caleb Widogast
 * Frumpkin (absent, not mentioned)
 * Fjord
 * Jester Lavorre
 * Veth Brenatto
 * Yasha Nydoorin

New

 * Captain Kem Liard
 * Ruega Timbercall
 * Henry Crabgrass

Returning

 * Vess DeRogna
 * Yeza Brenatto
 * Luc Brenatto
 * Pumat Sol
 * Yudala Fon (via Jester's Sending)
 * Wensforth (via Jester's Sending)
 * Zeenoth
 * Mollymauk Tealeaf/Lucien/Nonagon (via Jester's Scrying)
 * The Traveler
 * Avantika

Quotations
Henry Crabgrass: I don't think so. Do you want to give me one? Jester: Yeah. Henry. Henry: I'm Henry. Henry Crabgrass. Jester: I'll pet Henry. Henry: Consent, please. Jester: She's all warm and gooey on the inside. Yasha: Yeah, she is. Jester: Just like Yasha. Just like you. You're just a couple of marshmallows.
 * Jester: Do you have a name?
 * Yasha: (about Beau) I know she's tough on the outside, but...
 * Jester: Yasha. You can't feel guilty for how you feel. If she makes you feel happy, that's a wonderful thing. That's so rare!

Trivia

 * The animated intro was modified to reflect Molly's grave marker askew and his coat blowing away after the raven flies off. New NPCs shown rising from Matt's book at the end were: Trent Ikithon, Artagan, Reani, Twiggy and Spurt, Vilya, and Mollymauk/Lucien/Nonagon.