Critical Recap: Critical Role C2E132 “Aeor”

Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into our recap of Critical Role Episode 132 Aeor!

STEALTHING THROUGH THE SNOW

As the Mighty Nein trek through the snow on their way to the secret entrance to Aeor, Essek casts seeming on everyone, putting them in the white outfits of the outpost’s rangers. He also attempts to dispel Lucien’s brand on Fjord’s chest – Essek is unsuccessful, but Jester is able to finally dispel the magic, freeing Fjord from the hemocraft tether. Jester attempts to scry on Lucien, but a flash of red fills her vision and her scry fails.

Eventually, Caduceus begins to recognize the terrain as being similar to what he saw around the secret entrance. Essek contacts the rangers, who shoot up an arrow flare. The Nein scale down a cliff face and meet up with the rangers, as well as Dagen. They have not seen anyone approach, nor have they entered themselves. Since the rangers don’t have a way of communicating with the Nein should they see the Tombtakers, Essek gives Dagen a Sending Stone and keeps the second.

A GIANT PROBLEM

They examine the entrance for themselves, which is a two foot wide sliver in the wall of the icy cliff. Caduceus hears something behind them, and a massive blue hand erupts out of the ground, grabbing Yasha. Three undead frost giants emerge from the snow-covered terrain and advance on the party! The giants cause proximity cold damage and shoot an eye beam that freezes Jester. Fjord teleports her out of harm’s way with thunderstep while Yasha uses the attuned Holy Avenger, getting the killing blow on the first giant.

Caleb turns the second giant into a sloth with polymorph and Veth and Beau take down the third giant. They give the sloth to two of the rangers, asking them to take him to a farther away ravine and drop him off. The Nein take a short rest to heal and Fjord covers the evidence of their fight. Finally, the Nein venture into the entrance itself. Past the first chamber is a small tunnel that Veth scouts out, crawling 60ft to a broken opening. She notices old climbing gear and an ice-coated rope dangling into a dark pit.

Wanting to explore, Caleb polymorphs into an ice spider, carrying Yasha, and Veth spider-climbs her way down. The three eventually make it to the bottom, finding themselves in a large, broken courtyard. Yasha and Veth investigate a ruined and crumbling two-story tower. On the second floor, they find a crushed corpse wearing a shimmery robe, as well as a strange, undulating fuzzy shape on the wall. Veth walks away, but Yasha wants the robe – she tugs it out from under the corpse, but the motion causes the precarious tower to begin to crumble around her. She and Veth make it out unscathed, but the robe is ripped up (and decidedly non-magical.)

TRAP OPTIONS

Having heard the crash, the rest of the party joins the others at the bottom (carried down by a spider Jester and a flying Fjord.) Now that they have more light, they see that the cavern is covered in ice, as well as bones. There are patches of that same fuzzy brown shape, which Caduceus recognizes as brown mold – an odd fungus that is drawn towards heat and consumes it. The presence of the mold explains the unnatural cold in the chamber.

The Nein discuss placing traps with the intuit charges and the spell symbol. The intuit charges won’t work on Lucien, but they might work on the others – if the psychic damage can stun the group and cause them to plummet into the pit itself, the Nein could possibly take out several Tombtakers in one trap. They might even be able to weaponize the mold. Jester’s symbol spell has an option to cause Pain, which would possibly affect Lucien, but she is nervous about alerting the Tombtakers to their presence too early, thus putting them on their guard.

They decide to keep exploring before setting traps. Essek points out a metallic archway on the opposite side of the courtyard. He uses his ray of frost cantrip to carve a path through the brown mold and they approach the arch. There is writing on the arch, which Caleb must use comprehend languages to understand – it reads ‘Presidius Ward. Convocation Grounds. Central Deliberations.’ They enter the icy hallway, which resembles the hallway from A2 with its fallen and ruined tubing.

THE CAPTAIN & THE FIRST MATE

Jester wants to talk to Artagan, so they all stop for ten minutes so she can cast commune. Beau talks to Fjord, agreeing with him about setting the trap in the main chamber. The deeper they explore, the more of a trail they’re leaving for Lucien to uncover. Fjord thinks the courtyard is a gift with its line of sight and gravity. He just wants to take the Tombtakers off their guard and shake their confidence.

Beau wants to keep exploring to find some kind of ripchord, but Fjord doesn’t know where they’d go. This is the fight – there’s no leaving. They’re between Lucien and his prize and they’re going to fight and win. Beau is thinking about the others and their protection. Fjord knows they look to her and both vow to not disappoint the Nein.

Meanwhile, Caduceus has been keeping an eye out along the t-shaped hallway. He picks up on a shape in the ceiling – a hole, where something clambers out. He alerts the others and Fjord shakes Jester out of her ritual. The lizard-like creature is massive, with multiple limbs and a body that is covered in frost crystals. It drops to the ground behind them and the Nein prepare for a fight.

That is it for Episode 132 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Well, the Mighty Nein have certainly made it to Aeor – now they have to survive the things that got there before they did.
• Matt had them roll for their spells a few times and they were always fine but the anticipation of what might happen if they roll badly is distressing.
• The courtyard is a great spot for a trap, but just how far behind are the Tombtakers?
• Oh Mighty Nein.

Anyway, catch Episode 133 on Thursday, April 8th at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole or a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday, yet?