‘Critical Role’, Episode 21, “Fight at the Museum”
Is anyone else a little worried after that one?
Critical Role 3×21, “Fight at the Museum,” Aired April 21, 2022
Golems in the Museum
“Fight at the Museum” sees our intrepid adventures at the heart of the Twilight Mirror Museum. The Wind Folly earring sits on a dais, ready for the taking. Too bad it’s behind an unbreakable glass box.
As they struggle to break open the case, a pair of giant clay constructs emerge from two alcoves on either side of the dais. And these museum guards are not amused. Good thing Imogen has a spell for that. She casts command and the constructs are forced to grovel.
It buys the Bells Hells enough time to break the case open and grab the earring, but the spell fades before they can escape. All too soon, the monsters are back up. Laudna gets punched twice and goes unconscious (and is brought back by Imogen).
Fight at the museum
Chetney grabs the earring and the Bells Hells make a run for it. There are two doors out of the chamber– one is unknown, but the other leads back to where they came. That chamber is small, riddled with traps and fit with a great stone lion which obviously does… something.
The Bells Hells head for the door– and the danger–they know. But the lion room’s exit is blocked. They have no choice but run for the other door, facing the two constructs as they do. It’s a grisly fight, and they soon find that the only way past these museum guards is through them.
Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice…
With the constructs reduced to rubble, the Bells Hells take a moment to rest and regain some health. They also take a moment to plan. Escaping the museum won’t be easy, not with the rival adventuring party outside– and blocking their only known exit.
They creep to the other door, only to find a second–identical–lion chamber. Chetney speaks up with a good plan: make the Verdict come to them. The Bells Hells know which of the museum’s floor tiles are trapped, so as soon as they hear the Verdict enter the room, Imogen will use her telepathy to trigger the trap.
And boy does that plan pay off. Not once, not twice, but three times a sorcerer. The lion statue spews fire onto the Verdict, forcing their retreat. It is perhaps too effective. Feeling slightly (okay, very) guilty, the Bells Hells follow the Verdict to a safer part of the museum and heal them.
Shopping Spree
Ashton is less than pleased with the museum’s owner, Evon Hytroga. And for good reason; Evon did say that nothing there could kill them, a claim that was obviously untrue. So like any good adventuring party, they decide to liberate some of the museum’s artifacts.
They also search Hyrtoga’s office to look for dirt on him. And they do find something interesting: a locked drawer filled enchanted documents. They don’t think twice, swiping the papers before leaving the museum to claim their prize (and a commemorative magical selfie!)
Leaving the Heartmoor
Fearing that Hytroga might notice the documents they stole from the museum, the Bells Hells spend what’s left of the night camping out in the jungle. The next morning, they return to town to stock up on supplies, grab their horses and get out of dodge.
They’re just about to leave when the group is hailed down by Estani. Having taken the night to think about everything the Bells Hells told him, Estani has decided to go out on a limb and share some information– a clue that might help solve the murder of the Lumas twins.
Shortly before their deaths, the twins joined a group called the Grim Verity– a society dedicated to investigating conspiracies. Estani doesn’t think that the Grim Verity is behind the murders, but thinks it possible that something the twins discovered with the Verity put the twins in danger.
Saying goodbye, Estani gives them a letter of introduction to an old friend of his, Ebinold Kai. Kai is a professor at the Aydinlan Seminary in Yios– at the very archive the twins were so interested in before they died.
On the road again
The trek back to Jrusar is relatively easy. Thanks to some awesome survival checks this time around, the Bells Hells don’t encounter any trouble. They even have time to break the enchantment on the mysterious museum papers, but more on that is sure to come.
‘Fight at the Museum’ wraps with the group approaching the city gates, papers in hand, ready to collect their winnings.
Watch Critical Role on Thursdays at 7pm PST on Twitch and YouTube.
To catch up on the heist, check out this article
Episode Highlights:
- Chetney has some history with the hamlet’s toymaker! They both apparently know and fear someone called Oltgar, an individual from Chentey’s hometown of Uthodurn. Can’t wait to dig into this one.
- What is up with those papers? They weren’t just documents connecting the museum with the Clasp (a criminal syndicate based in Tal’Dorei), but information Hytroga dug up on Ashton’s patron, Jiana. That plot is sure to thicken.
- And is anyone else worried about episode 22? The Bells Hells think they’re about to head out for Yios, but I have a sinking feeling that Jrusar isn’t quite done with them yet.
