Domestic Respite

is the sixty-second episode of the second campaign of Critical Role. The Mighty Nein explore their new keep while anticipating the meeting at the Overcrow Apothecary...

Previously on Critical Role
''"Last we left off: the Mighty Nein, upon returning from your journey towards the Penumbra Range, helping to free a group of surviving stone giants from a demonic incursion in their cavern, and in doing so, also helping free one of the local mines and steelworks of the Kryn Dynasty from the scourge of these giants, you returned to the city of Rosohna. You retrieved your reward for this venture, and towards the end of taking some time to scout out some of the locations within the city, were greeted by Essik, and presented, as the other half of your gift of helping the Dynasty with the retrieval and return of one of the Beacons, a home. So, with this abode, loosely furnished but open to whatever customization features you’re able to look into, interested, and can afford, it is your house to make of it as you wish." ''

Part I
The Mighty Nein explore their new house, claim rooms, and decorate. Caduceus uses his tree token to grow a 60-foot tree out of the top of the tower, drawing much interest from the neighborhood. He and Jester install fairy lights in the tree, a doorbell, and a hot tub in the basement. Fjord is very concerned with security, and installs wooden shutters in his room. He talks to the neighbor, Lord Bilan, a stuffy sort. Jester paints a mural of wildflowers in Yasha's room. Caleb builds an alchemical lab for Nott and Yeza, sharing space with his study, and transcribes Teleportation Circle into his spellbook, with circles for Nicodranas, Asarius, and Rosohna.

Caleb asks Nott about the letter Nott said she sent to Astrid. Nott calls in Jester, and together they piece together that they gave the Pillow Trove as a return address, so Jester uses Sending to contact the Pillow Trove. There is a package from Calianna waiting there for her, and an offical-looking letter from the Soltryce Academy. Since they used the name "Lavorre", Caleb is worried for Jester's mother. Jester asks Caleb if he likes Astrid, and he says he did, but it was a long time ago.

Caleb urges Beau to let Dairon know what's going on. He want to take out the Cerberus Assembly, and wonders if the Cobalt Soul would be willing to fill in the void left by that. Beau is torn. She wants to tell Dairon, but is afraid of her reaction.

Nott crafts a smoke bomb, three flare crossbow bolts, a tanglefoot bag, and a fluffernutter bomb. Yasha commissions an enchantment on her bracers to improve her armor, which will take ten weeks to complete, although she can pay extra to have it speeded up. Essik visits the Xhorhaus, and despite his low rolls teaches Caleb two dunamancy spells, Fortune's Favor and Gift of Alacrity.

Caleb corners Fjord in his room, telling him he knows Fjord's been using a fake accent. At first, Fjord denies it, but then admits that he loves his new persona and doesn't want any part of his old life. He asks Caleb to give him time to tell him about his past, and Caleb agrees.

The Mighty Nein

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

New

 * Lord Bilan
 * Enchanter Yun

Returning

 * Essek Thelyss
 * Yeza Brenatto
 * Luc Brenatto
 * Old Edith
 * Bryce Feelid
 * Maruo

Mentioned

 * Astrid
 * Dairon
 * Shakäste

Quotations
Jester: Do you like Astrid? Caleb: I did, ja. For a while, she was the one. But that was a long time ago.

Caleb: I want the Cerberus Assembly to burn, but the Dynasty is not going to stop if they do, and we need something to fill that vacuum if we have even a chance of doing that. Are Dairon and your Cobalt Soul willing to fill that vacuum? To keep the Empire going if we rip the cancer out as we have spoken of? Beau: I have been going to sleep every night trying to figure that out. I don’t know what we’re doing. I’m... I’m an initiate. I’m more or less in training to be an Expositor. I– I– Caleb: I think you may have graduated ahead of time, Beauregard. Beau: Yeah, I think so too. I don’t know if Dairon would hug me or kill me if she knew what was happening. And I can continue to spin it. I can do that. I can continue to spin it. And let her think that we’re continuing to walk the line here, and continue to report. But everything I report is going to have to be cherry-picked and strategic, and the more information I give up, the more it can jeopardize everything we’re doing. Caleb: But neither of us are traitors to the Empire. Beau: Not yet.

Fjord: I found myself... reinvented when I woke up on that shore. When I wake up at night spitting up water, it’s a reminder of a time when the rest of my life no longer mattered. It didn’t apply. I didn’t care for that life. I didn’t care for me. I prefer to leave it in the past. It’s not that I’m hiding anything from you. I don’t want to bring things from my old life into this one.

Beau: It’s not the Empire that I care about. I just think the more and more that I’m on the ground, and I’m walking, and I’m seeing the faces of people from city to city... and everyone’s the fucking same. I mean, sure, people look different, have different customs and beliefs, but everyone’s miserable. Everyone’s just trying to survive. Everyone’s just trying to fucking make a living and raise a family.