Intervention

is the sixty-third episode of the second campaign of Critical Role. The Mighty Nein tell the Bright Queen about a potential attack on Xhorhas, and attempt to infiltrate a meeting at the Overcrow Apothecary.

Previously on Critical Role
''"Last we left off, The Mighty Nein had, after achieving a couple of fairly decent goals for the city of Rosohna and for the Kryn Dynasty, both returning one of their Luxon Beacons to the Bright Queen, and then after that completing a mission out towards a giant-infested mine and steelworks, managed to get the giants back to their home, free it of the incursion from some kind of seemingly-placed Abyssal assault, and returned to gain your prize. For this goodwill, you’ve been gifted with a house within the Firmaments. Upon returning that evening, you then decorated, bought furniture, made a tree in the tower, met some of the neighbors, went ahead and did some shopping, wandered the city a bit, and gathered some information, all leading to this supposed meeting point at the Overcrow Apothecary, where this individual you had scryed, who seemed to be involved with these Abyssal anchors that you found now in two locations in Xhorhas, was going to meet. You were preparing for this, went ahead and scryed again, and seemed to pick up more information. This figure, this individual, was peripheral to other individuals out of sight, who were discussing some sort of war plans. With this information, you had decided to go ahead and make your way toward the Lucid Bastion, in the center of the city, and inform the Bright Queen perhaps of what you heard."''

Part I
The Mighty Nein, after some discussion, go to the Lucid Bastion and are admitted to see the Bright Queen. They confusedly tell her that they believe there will be an attack on the Ashguard Garrison using three legions, which they learned about through scrying on the owner of a piece of fabric attached to a rift-creating device similar to the one they had found previously in Asarius. They tell her they saw a meeting that appeared to be with King Dwendal, and that the person they scryed on will be at the Overcrow Apothecary the next night. Beau says she believes the person they scryed on is a Scourger, that the Empire will be using Scourgers as a distraction, and that the Empire has also reached out to the Gold Chain Mercenaries. Essek Thelyss assures the Queen that he trusts the Nein. Beau suggests they evacuate the Ashguard Garrison, but the Queen tells her she has qualified military advisors.

When the Jester questions why the retaliatory cycle cannot be stopped, the Queen replies that the cycle cannot be broken until there is nothing living. She explains that, though people, and the Kryn specifically, have a "duty to keep those base designs at bay", there will always be someone who incites violence. She says that they cannot "bow down when others do not show that same will of understanding, or else [they] will lie slaughtered". So both sides must retaliate, until one can retaliate no longer.

Caleb tries to convince the Queen to use their knowledge of the Empire to go after those in charge, rather than all-out destruction of the people. She does not respond to this request. When he pushes, she says that she has not yet spoken on the matter, ending the topic. She asks about the Scourgers, and Caleb tells her they are mages, hidden spies, destroyers, and executioners.

The Queen asks them to bring her the individual who will be at the Overcrow, and they agree. On the way back to the Xhorhaus, the party agrees that the Queen is much more bloodthirsty than they had hoped, but that the best course is to prove their capability to her and then convince her to use them. They decide to go to the rendezvous at the Overcrow, and either kill or capture everyone. They also receive 15,500 gold pieces from the Bright Queen as a reward for giving her the information.

Deciding that since they don't know the time of the meeting it could be anytime after midnight, they go to the Overcrow and find an abandoned house across the street. Jester turns into an invisible moth to try to scout the interior of the Overcrow, but is defeated by her resulting low intelligence. The party sleeps in shifts while keeping watch.

Mid-morning, a tall male hobgoblin and a drow enter the Overcrow. Jester and an invisible Nott go in after them, and Nott sneaks upstairs past the hobgoblin on guard below while Jester distracts Maruo. A female dragonborn arrives on horseback, and Nott listens through the door to the sound of money changing hands, and pieces of their conversation mentioning "Bazzoxan". As the dragonborn exits, Nott breaks invisibility to Message, "Stop that dragonborn" to Caleb.

Part II
The drow casts a Charm on the now-visible Nott, telling her to guard the front door and attack anyone coming through. Following Nott's messaged instruction, the party tries to stop the dragonborn. Caleb kills the horse with Cat's Ire, and Fjord easily kills the dragonborn with Eldritch Blast. The fight moves to the Overcrow, where the drow and hobgoblin are now trying to escape. When Yasha enters, Nott shoots her. The drow looks at Yasha and says, "Orphanmaker," before grabbing the hobgoblin and attempting to teleport away. Fjord stops them with a Counterspell. The drow disappears into the rear storage room.

The party continues to attack the hobgoblin, and Nott continues to shoot at Yasha, who grapples her. Jester then uses Dispel Magic to clear the charm on Nott, while Fjord is outside keeping the locals calm by saying this is business of the Bright Queen. Nott follows the drow into the storage room, but it is empty. She goes out the window into the alley, which is also empty, joined by Beau. Both find no trace of the drow. Inside, the hobgoblin tells Yasha, "Orphanmaker. I've heard of you. You're a legend." Caduceus uses Sacred Flame to attempt to make the hobgoblin unconscious, but Yasha snaps his neck, killing him.

Detect Magic finds the invisible bugbear hiding in a corner. His job is to protect the boss, Maruo, who is hiding behind the counter. Maruo says she just rents the upstairs room to people who want a private place to meet. They drag the dragonborn's body inside. The pouch she had received as payment from the drow contains 50 platinum. The dead hobgoblin had a fairly nice magic great sword, which Yasha keeps.

Caduceus Locates the fleeing drow moving north, into the Ghostlands, and out of his range. Jester scrys on the mysterious blond man, who is in the same well-furnished room he was in the first time they saw him, reading and taking notes in the same book. Jester casts Sending to the fleeing drow, using a posh Vex-like accent to say, "Eyes are on you. You've left the rendezvous. What happened to the mission?" He replies, "I know you. But I appreciate your attempt at deception. If you are intent on following, come north. Bring her."

The Mighty Nein

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

Returning

 * Leylas Kryn
 * Essek Thelyss
 * Abrianna Mirimm
 * Maruo
 * Ben the Bugbear (later renamed)
 * "Greg" (Scrying spell by Jester)

Mentioned

 * Dairon

Quotations
Beau: We can help you break the cycle. Leylas Kryn: The cycle cannot be broken, until there is nothing living. All we can do is our best to keep it slow. Jester: Why can’t the cycle be broken? Leylas Kryn: Because life is pain for many. Jealousy, strife... Some need to conquer.
 * Caleb:I hope that as you protect your people and your kingdom, you will consider instead of utter destruction, there are people on the other side of those mountains who are not happy with the ones running the show. Use us. Use us for your ends. Use us to find this other missing relic. Use us and our contacts to help supplant the Cerberus.