Blood and Dust

is the 33rd episode of the third campaign of Critical Role. Surrounded by chaos, Bells Hells act quickly to secure their quarry, but their attempted escape leads to an unexpected confrontation with a deadly foe...

Part I
Visibility in the ongoing sandstorm is limited. Laudna asks Orym about Artana Voe's presence, and the group splits in half to use this opportunity to take Armand Treshi. Fearne, Ashton, FCG and Laudna stay to appear to help defend the crawler and shipment (while also investigating the shipment), and Orym, Chetney, and Imogen head towards the basement and Treshi.

Outside, one of the walls of the Seat of Disdain has been taken over by the unknown assailants, and the shipment crates containing masonry and vials are scattered. Ashton and Fearne head towards the crates, while Laudna goes to the crawler, casting both Mirror Image and Spider Climb on herself as she does. Fearne and Ashton are able to seemingly unnoticed take some of the contents of the crates as they also help move those crates inside, including some of the vials reminiscent of what Ashton saw at Jiana Hexum's manor. Meanwhile, another explosion hits the crawler, with Laudna clinging to the underside of it. She hears Imogen telepathically call to her, having heard the noise. Fearne asks Little Mister to get to Laudna, which he does, as Laudna emerges from under the crawler. Laudna asks Mister to find a black crate, which causes him to run back to Fearne. FCG looks into the storm, having considered casting Spare the Dying on one member of the Paragon's Call before becoming nervous and deciding against it, looking at the attackers. They are able to see that the assailants seem fairly nondescript, with cloth wrapped around them.

Meanwhile, Chetney uses his Crimson Rite as the other group heads into the basement. They pass a heated discussion in the Seat of Disdain's war room, and realize that the fortress likely contains far more people than Rockmond had told them there were. They find the grate already unlocked.

Chetney fails to notice a trip wire and falls down the stairs, despite Imogen's attempt to use her telekinetic powers to pull him back. Orym and Imogen avoid the wire. They all come upon an unconscious guard, whose keys appear to be taken, and they head towards Treshi's cell, Imogen and Orym leading the way. Upon turning the corner they are immediately fired upon by guards. They yell that they're here to help, but get no response. Imogen mentally asks them if Treshi has been compromised, which they do not respond to either, but they fire not upon her, but in the direction of Treshi's cell. One of the guards then falls, having been hit by a bolt to the forehead from the direction of the cell.

Orym rounds the corner with his sword out and is immediately slashed, and looks up to see Artana. She is then hit by the other guard, but fires back at him with her crossbow and the second guard falls. Imogen takes advantage of this to cast Psychic Lance on Artana, and Orym uses that opportunity to tie Artana's legs while she is incapacitated. Chetney begins to pick the lock on Treshi's cell, as Treshi, standing on his bed, tells Imogen he'll give her whatever she needs. Imogen throws the Portable hole on the ground in front of him, but he refuses to go in. Orym tries to disarm the partially-disabled Artana, and is able to take away her sword. The two scuffle briefly, but Orym tells her that she is coming out with them, and she momentarily appears to give in.

Imogen Commands Treshi to jump into the hole, but he still refuses. Chetney intimidates him into jumping in, though Treshi tells him that "She'll kill you, as easily as she'll kill me," and Chetney then folds up the hole. Artana goes invisible and escapes Orym, asking them where they plan to take Treshi. Orym tells Artana that the intent is to bring Treshi home to Jrusar, at which point she relaxes somewhat and tells him that their goals are at least somewhat aligned before reappearing.

Back outside, the half of Bells Hells there begins to look for a ride, somewhat disjointedly, as the attack on the Seat of Disdain continues. FCG obtains a skirmish crawler and begins hesitantly driving it, flipping their newly-obtained coin of the Changebringer to decide the direction they will go. He finds Ashton, who, raging, jumps on. Fearne notices them and joins them.

Meanwhile, Laudna uses her Spider Climb to climb up the walls of the fortress to plant the ring on Otohan Thull, who is watching from the balcony, and casts Darkness, through which she can still see. Otohan attacks three times, but misses due to the mirror images, and tells Laudna the timing seems strange. Laudna jumps from the balcony and casts Feather Fall on herself to land near the crawler and join the rest.

Inside, Artana fights off guards until Imogen tells her to play along, and tells the guards that she, Orym, and Chetney have subdued Artana. The guards throw manacles to Imogen and tell her to lock up Artana. Imogen tells her that she will not actually lock the manacles, and puts them on Artana. Artana meanwhile tells the group that she hopes they have a plan, as hers was to escape from the balcony, which is not possible in a large group. Laudna then Messages Imogen and the two groups get up to speed with each other. As Imogen, Orym, and Chetney pass the war room, Ratanish meets them and notes approvingly that they'd captured Artana. Imogen throws Artana towards Ratanish, hoping Artana will understand the ploy, and Artana goes invisible. Ratanish tells everyone to look for her.

Outside, everyone attempts to open the back gate, with Fearne using Stonky's Ring and Ashton using his strength. It takes some maneuvering to push away the bars, and Orym, Imogen, and Chetney catch up as the rest open up the gate. They do not bother to close it after them as it would be difficult to do so. Half the party - Imogen, Laudna, Fearne, and Orym - jump on the crawler, as the rest begin running, with the intention of meeting at Imahara Joe's.

As they turn a corner, they are suddenly met by Otohan. She hits the crawler with four attacks, exploding it and throwing the party members off it. She asks them for a conversation, as three copies of herself in gray armor emerge from under her cloak.

Part II
The party prepares for a fight as Otohan asks them who sent them. Orym recognizes the shadows as the assassins who attacked Zephrah. Imogen casts Hungry Torrent on Otohan and her assassin doubles, and Otohan, after taking some damage, psychically extracts from Orym that Bells Hells had been sent by Ariks Eshteross, and states that she will pay him a visit. Otohan seems to recognize Imogen and her powers, and calls the rest of the party worthless sheep. Combat ensues.

The combat is brutal and lethal. Ashton is immediately knocked unconscious by multiple attacks before they can rage. Chetney transforms into his wolf form, and Imogen mentally tells Laudna to run before Misty Stepping into the Seat of Disdain. The party quickly agrees to run, with some members, particularly Chetney, Orym, and Imogen, attempting to buy time for the others to escape. Multiple party members go unconscious.

With much of the party unconscious, Imogen casts Fly on herself and psychically screams at Otohan to end it, but Otohan does not seem to respond. The rest of the party is brought up via FCG and Fearne's healing, Laudna's Wither and Bloom, and Delilah Briarwood giving Laudna the strength to come back to consciousness. Ashton gains a significant distance from combat.

Otohan then targets Orym and kills him. Orym had been reaching for the Sending stone, of which Dorian has the other half, and feels a sense of having failed in his mission upon his death. As Orym dies, he thinks of seeing Will and Derrig again. She and Orym acknowledge that they have met before. Ashton misses a final attack against Otohan, keeps running, then ducks out of sight. Otohan, moving on to Fearne, notes that Fearne also has "the seed" of Ruidus, but not as strong, and knocks her unconscious. Imogen screams again for Otohan to stop, but Otohan only smiles. Laudna attempts to persuade Otohan to stop as well, and offers up their knowledge of Ira Wendagoth, his possession of the Moontide Crown, and the party's information about ley lines. Otohan dismisses it as information she already knows. FCG hides behind the downed crawler, hoping to be able to Revivify Orym when Otohan is gone.

Otohan then kills Fearne, whose last thought is "Boy, that was a hell of a run." Little Mister vanishes as she dies. Otohan then knocks Chetney unconscious and attacks his body. Imogen begins to feel a storm in her belly which seems to call to her. She tells Otohan that she will not lose her friends only to give in to her, and casts Witch Bolt. Otohan tells her that Imogen is not surrendering to her, but to her own nature. Imogen succeeds on a Wisdom save against the call of the storm, and mentally tells FCG to save them, to which FCG responds "I know". Laudna uses Wither and Bloom again to bring Chetney back up, and Otohan looks at Laudna and asks Imogen if Laudna is her favorite. She then attacks Laudna, knocking her unconscious and taking two death saves with the next attack.

Imogen tells Otohan that she'll go with her, and Otohan tells her to give in. Imogen fails her second wisdom save against the storm, and feels pulled under into it. Everything around her freezes in place and turns deep red, and Otohan cheers for it. Imogen screams, and everything goes white.

Player characters

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

Returning

 * Armand Treshi
 * Artana Voe
 * Little Mister
 * Otohan Thull
 * Ratanish

Mentioned

 * Ariks Eshteross
 * Derrig
 * Ira Wendagoth
 * Will

Quotations

 * Orym: "There's a heavy sense of failure. But I'll see Will and Derrig again." (last words)
 * Fearne: "Boy, that was a hell of a run." (last words)