The Tortoise and The Dare

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

Previously on Critical Role
So, last we left off: The Mighty Nein, making their way to Eiselcross, lost their paid patron for this trip, Lady Vess DeRogna, as she was murdered, it seems, by Mollymauk, or whoever pilots the body. ''You've gathered the body of Vess and made your way northward with your guide, Dagen Underthorn. He is your guide northward. After coming across a number of dangerous and unique encounters in this southern region of Foren, you eventually found your way to "A5", the first of your Aeorian ruin excavations. You delved into the subterranean tunnels beneath, you searched for signs of life, signs of recent movement, uncovered bodies, some older, some newer, a still spider creature that you avoided and sealed off... mostly. You fought frozen elementals in a chamber, and one of you, Veth, slid through the open doors upon completing the puzzle of which led to the next chamber, which was a 270-foot pit, and you plummeted but caught yourself with some magical know-how, and then were immediately attacked by some black puddings that drew your attention. The rest of you-- some of you turned into eagles and others rode on them and you fought them in a giant lightless tunnel... D&D.''

''After making your way to the base of that pit, you discovered a hidden, mostly obscured entranceway to an elongated still-magically-lit tunnel. At the end of it, an arcane doorway, and beyond that, a somewhat circular chamber, where upon looking within, you discovered the tail end of a conflict, where it seems the Tombtakers have just finished off the last of their victims, of which Mollymauk, throwing the lifeless body of the individual that he was previously clutching to the ground, turned with a smile and said, "Oh, my apologies. You arrived early. I was hoping to tidy up a bit."''

The Mighty Nein

 * Beauregard Lionett
 * Caduceus Clay
 * Caleb Widogast
 * Frumpkin
 * Fjord
 * Jester Lavorre
 * Veth Brenatto
 * Yasha Nydoorin

New

 * Halfling Tombtaker - female, wild hair, wearing dark leather, crossbow
 * Goliath Tombtaker - male, carries a heavy maul
 * Human Tombtaker - female, longsword and shield, half-plate armor, long dark hair

Returning

 * Lucien
 * Cree
 * Dagen Underthorn
 * Essek Thelyss (via Jester's Sending)

Quotations
Lucien: There's a lot of things that are possible, up in Aeor's ruin. I sense you're one curious about possibilities as well. Caleb: Well, it's in my nature. Lucien: Well, then, you're going to have a lot of fun. There's so much to find.
 * Caleb: I am very curious. Are you looking to bring the past back to the present? Is that what this is about?
 * Lucien: If it helps put your feelings to rest, I am sorry, for whatever it's worth, that your... friend is gone. Whatever part of me they were is not of me anymore. Truly... gone. And I understand that can be challenging, and I'm sure even my presence now opens a wound.