Hidden Truths

is the 26th episode of the third campaign of Critical Role. Bells Hells seek out allies and options in their evolving plan to infiltrate Paragon's Call...

Pre-show
Sam gets multiple pies in the face for a bit, the first of which is whipped cream, the second of which is shaving cream. Erika does accidentally eat some shaving cream.

Part I
Bells Hells takes their rest in the Raha Den. Fearne and Dusk talk about the Feywild and Dusk urges Fearne to try to get back there and to stop living under the rules and restrictions of the Material Plane. Fearne agrees to live life without boundaries. Dusk then goes to rest, but instead twists a ring on her finger, and is visited by Zathuda, Grove Captain of the Unseelie Court. Their accent changes, and Dusk reveals they are working for Zathuda to retrieve the Moontide Crown and end the Calloway line. She tells Zathuda that the Calloways have a daughter. He is unimpressed and urges her to hurry.

Imogen has a dream in which she is within the storm already. She still hears her mother's voice telling her to run, but also sees figures within the storm, clad in dark armor, including a feminine-seeming figure with gray hair and with dark eyes reminiscent of a bird of prey. They greet her, saying "How interesting", and when Imogen asks them who they are, reply only with "who are we?" at which point the group begins to step towards her. She wakes up and finds herself drawn to the window, and sees Ruidus flaring brightly. Imogen goes to Fresh Cut Grass, who is awake and sharpening his weapons, and asks him to sketch the person from her dream, which he does in Laudna's journal. As they do so, they urge Imogen to speak with Laudna about their ongoing argument. Imogen makes tea.

Orym takes the final watch and steals back the spyglass Fearne had taken from Xandis. The party then wakes up and discusses their options for the morning: they will need a place to keep Armand Treshi until the Silver Sun returns, so they should find some allies. As they have this conversation and go down for breakfast, a number of members of the Paragon's Call meet them and accuse them of sneaking around the Seat of Disdain. Eventually, Bells Hells convinces them that Ashton wanted to speak with Ratanish about the job offer. The Paragon's Call members reluctantly accept this but tell the party that if they do not make good on this claim, they will find them again the next morning.

Bells Hells splits up into three groups for their errands of the day: Laudna and Orym will continue, more carefully, to keep an eye on the Seat of Disdain. Ashton, Imogen, and Chetney will go to All-Minds-Burn where Ashton has allies who may be able to provide resources or information. Dusk, FCG, and Fearne will go to Finders Takers to speak with Esmer, someone FCG knew in their time in Bassuras. As the group splits up, Laudna threatens Ashton should any harm come to Imogen. Imogen also mentally messages Laudna that she had a bad dream the previous night.

Ashton, Imogen, and Chetney approach the palace that serves as the headquarters for All-Minds-Burn, a green castle that has not been particularly well maintained; the inside is dark and musty and smells of both rot and intoxicants. Ashton asks for Justi Pross, a red eisfuura and friend of his, when the group enters, and is directed to her. Ashton gives Justi the details of their situation. Justi offers to help them in the Run should their dispute end that way, which Ashton accepts in exchange for them owing the gang a favor. Meanwhile, Imogen uses her psychic powers to delve into Justi's mind. The surface thoughts feel as though they are underwater, and when Imogen goes deeper, she hears an immense static and a massive hivemind beneath the palace, which overwhelms her and gives her a nosebleed. After the trio exits, Ashton realizes Imogen tried to read Justi's mind, and tells her that All-Minds-Burn is often on a number of drugs; Imogen tells him about the hivemind, which he thinks sounds like what members sound like when they're somewhat sober. Ashton then explains the concept of the Deathwish Run, a no-holds-barred obstacle race on crawlers through the city, and they all depart to look for a car.

FCG, Dusk, and Fearne go to Finders Takers, which sells black powder, explosives, and weaponry. Prior to going in, they discuss how to bring up that Dancer was murdered, as she and Esmer had had a dalliance. There they meet Esmer. Esmer asks after FCG, who tells her about Dancer, which she dismisses as she had seen Dancer only a month ago, seemingly the same as always other than a metal arm. This is shocking to FCG Esmer is angry at Dancer for leaving her once again, and tells FCG she's probably at The Ends and that FCG should tell her she's an asshole. The group purchases some explosives and commissions a larger bomb, and Dusk and FCG exit. Fearne asks Esmer about FCG's glitching, but Esmer cannot help as this is outside her area of expertise.

Part II
Laudna and Orym purchase inexpensive white linen clothing to disguise themselves for their stakeout of the Seat of Disdain. Orym asks Laudna to pretend he's her child as cover, though Laudna is confused by him choosing the name "Nancy". As they watch the building, Orym asks Laudna how she's doing, as he'd spoken to Imogen about their fight. Laudna tells him that her advice from FCG and Ashton was not always clear, and she's still figuring out how to approach it. They continue their watch for much of the day, and eventually see Treshi emerge, flanked by other members of the Paragon's Call. He smokes a pipe nervously on the roof before returning inside. Laudna tries to Message Imogen, but Imogen is well out of range.

Imogen uses Sending to tell FCG that they are headed to The Ends to Imahara Joe's, and the two groups meet. As they do, FCG notices a drone, and two people in The Ends seem interested in taking FCG apart until they speak and scare them off. FCG recalls that Dancer thought of Imahara Joe as a rival. The two separate groups update each other on what they learned today, and Ashton is both incredibly excited for the Run and shocked by the revelation that Dancer is alive, as he saw dead bodies around FCG when the two first met. FCG then contacts Laudna to let her and Orym know to come to The Ends as well.

With all of Bells Hells reunited, they knock on Imahara Joe's, which is protected by multiple complex locks. They meet Imahara Joe, a human man in his 40s. Ashton gets off somewhat on the wrong foot, but Dusk smooths it over, and Imahara Joe welcomes them in when they say they're looking for crawlers. He is surprised that they're not affiliated with any gangs, but talks through the details of the Deathwish Run: it goes past the Carmine Wall and through the ravines that surround the city, to the Bone Tree; setting traps along the course is encouraged, and it is extremely dangerous for both competitors and onlookers. He expresses some concern that Bells Hells may not survive the run, but they shrug it off. He also indicates that he's fascinated by FCG

Imahara Joe shows them some skirmisher crawlers he is working on that he could have ready within a day or two, and the party pays a down payment for them. FCG offers themselves as collateral, but Imahara Joe is uncomfortable given the sentience FCG has shown. Ashton offers that they have dinner together instead during which Imahara Joe can ask any questions he wishes. The group then asks Imahara Joe about the Calloways, and he tells them that both Birdie Calloway and Oleander Calloway have been coming in for a couple of years to purchase arcane batteries, and that they pay well and are good customers. He then recognizes FCG and asks them if they were one of Dancer's crew, which F.C.G confirms. Imahara Joe expresses that he'd seen FCG when he first was up for sale as a pre-Divergence aeormaton and had wanted to purchase him, which stuns FCG, who thought he'd been built from scratch by Dancer. Imahara Joe tells him that he is definitely Aeorian, and provides some context: aeormatons had begun appearing again in Exandria a few years ago, though no one is sure why. FCG tells Imahara Joe they'd love to learn more later. The group leaves, and FCG tells the rest that they need to find Dancer and learn more, both about how she survived and about their own history. The party tells him that perhaps they can find out more about his ancient programming and what Dancer did.

Laudna tells Dusk that the arcane batteries in Imahara Joe's shop seem similar to the ones the Nightmare King had. Fearne then brings up that her parents sent her postcards from Aeor, which FCG identifies as having been hand-drawn, probably by one of her parents. They wonder if there's a secret message within the postcard. Ashton then brings them all to the Undercarriage, a subterranean caravanserai, since their presence at the Raha Den was known to Paragon's Call, and they prepare for their night's rest.

Bells Hells

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

Returning

 * Dusk

New

 * Esmer, owner of Finders Takers
 * Imahara Joe
 * Justi Pross, eisfuura member of All-Minds-Burn
 * Tanvir the Rake, member of Paragon's Call
 * Zathuda, Grove Captain of the Unseelie Court

Mentioned

 * Armand Treshi
 * Birdie Calloway
 * Dancer
 * Liliana Temult
 * Ollie Calloway
 * Pocket, member of the All-Minds-Burn
 * Ratanish
 * Sammanar

Trivia

 * This episode was apparently filmed on June 29, 2022, Matthew's birthday.