"Nice" (3x69) is the sixty-ninth episode of the third campaign of Critical Role. Bells Hells take some time to enjoy Zephrah before resuming their search for answers and aid in their fight against Ludinus and the Ruby Vanguard...

Synopsis

Previously on Critical Role

So, last we left off: Bells Hells, upon coming to Zephrah and finding the Voice of the Tempest, Keyleth herself, still ailing from the unhealing wounds left by Otohan Thull during the solstice event, you discovered a possible way to help heal these wounds, traveled to the Grey Valley to recover the flowers that could be used to make this herbal balm, defeated demons that had torn through. Fearne made a pact with a devil. Managed to save some survivors of both the overthrown bastion in the Grey Valley, and some of the original volunteers of the Air Ashari that had gone out to try to do this beforehand.

Gathering these things, as well as an interesting weapon that seems to be talking to you, you recovered over a night's rest, returned to Zephrah, and watched as indeed Keyleth was able to recover the majority of her strength within a short time, and speaking out to the people of Zephrah, giving thanks to your troop and specifically to you and those of Zephrah that put their lives on the line as well. Receiving a new title, and celebration ensuing here in the middle of Zephrah, you all spoke with her and figured out a number of possible paths in the future, one that involved discovering the strange broken harness that was found in the old tower of Ludinus over in Molaesmyr as well as strange power that seems to reside within Ashton that has a strong tie to the Primordial Titans that existed even before the gods arrived. Taking these possibilities in hand, you stepped out into the celebration of Zephrah.

Part I

The party decides to take the rest of the day to do errands, make visits, and celebrate, and also decide their immediate goal is to fix Ludinus's broken life-extending harness so they can go to the Shattered Teeth to suck up some energy to charge it. Chetney, Laudna, and Imogen decide to try out the skysails, Ashton goes off on their own to pick up their ordered new outfit, and Fearne and Fresh Cut Grass go with Orym to visit family.

On the way to Fanny Z's, Ashton has a panic attack, but picks up their new outfit which features the Hishari symbol prominently. Orym, Fearne, and FCG visit his mother-in-law Nel. FCG asks her advice on making decisions. She agrees to visit Derrig and Will's graves with them. There, Orym tells Derrig how much he misses his guidance and example and admits he doesn't know if he'll survive the coming battles. He greets Will, and tells him how good it was to briefly see him when Orym was slain by Otohan Thull. He admits he is scared by what lies ahead, and tells Will he'll see him soon.

Meanwhile, Laudna, Chetney, and Imogen head to a platform from which the skysails are launching and speak to the trainer, Ulli, about flying them. He eventually agrees to take Laudna and Chetney up individually in a training craft. As Laudna prepares to take off with him, she tells Imogen that if she dies doing this, Imogen should move on and find someone else, blurting out to Chetney that Imogen's her girlfriend now. Laudna does reasonably well with the trainer, but while they're gone, Chetney steals another skysail and takes off solo, joined by Imogen who has cast Fly on herself. Laudna wrests control from the trainer and gets into a dogfight with Chetney, who goes into a dive and is unable to pull out of it. Imogen flies after him, but this time Laudna isn't strong enough to get control away from her trainer. Balked, she uses Infestation to cast bees into his face and dives after Chetney as well, narrowly avoiding a collision. Chetney crashes into a henhouse, destroying the skysail, and Laudna successfully lands near him where the trainer sends them away.

The party rejoins and decides to go drinking at the Airy Eyrie. On the way, Orym picks up his new armor, which provides a bit more coverage than previously. Once at the bar, he buys the drinks and they all down them, with Ashton providing a stack of silver coins for FCG to ingest as well. They chat a while, and discuss FCG finding out in the past few months that he is not unique, as he had thought. There is more talk of the gods and the various interactions they've recently had with them, but Ashton and Laudna both express that they want to pursue the Primordial path more. They talk a bit about the Titans and Ashton's link to them.

Laudna slips out to watch the sunset, focusing on the purples and greens. Under her breath, she says, "Delilah? Are you still there? I felt... a little pulse back in Issylra. So just curious." There is no answer. Imogen joins her, and Laudna admits the god talk made her want to check if Delilah Briarwood is back. In turn, Imogen admits that when Laudna died, Imogen reached out to Delilah for help and found her pretty useless. They experimentally call out to the Moonweaver but nothing happens. After sharing a kiss, they watch the darkness gathering over the village. Laudna feels a cold sensation on her shoulders and hears a voice in the back of her mind: "No matter who you pray to, no matter who you reach for, you are, and will always be, mine."

Part II

The party continues drinking, while FCG and Fearne try smoking more cigarettes. When Chetney pulls his sword to use as a lighter, he again hears its voice in his mind, praising him as a great warrior and suggesting he's being duped by the dubious leader of the village, a member of the corrupt Council of Tal'Dorei. Graz'tchar warns him to be ready for anything.

The tipsy group returns to Alma's cottage where she welcomes them for the evening. Fearne Scrys on Dancer with an interpretive dance, finding her drunkenly walking in a city that Fearne recognizes as Yios. FCG immediately decides that's where they'll go in the morning after talking to Keyleth. Orym unsuccessfully tries once more to use the Sending Stone to reach Caleb Widogast, and Laudna confirms the tracking ball shows no sign of Otohan Thull nearby. They all fall asleep.

In the morning, they go to Keyleth's home, and the sword once more warns Chetney not to trust her. They tell her their plans, and she suggests they consider doing a secret reconnaissance mission to Ruidus to gather intelligence. Meanwhile, Graz'tchar continues to whisper in Chetney's ear, suggesting he could end this right now, and that he should take his shot if he catches her alone. Keyleth suggests she could travel with them to Yios, then send them to their next destination from there. FCG continues to insist D didn't repair them; Dancer did. But since FCG chopped off her arm and killed her friends, getting her to help them will be a challenge. Keyleth reminds them she can repair severed limbs, and they agree to her plan. She leaves them to prepare.

The group confronts Chetney, who has been looking angrier and angrier, but he denies anything is wrong. The sword warns him to calm down. Keyleth returns and changes her appearance into a human woman, and FCG uses the Staff of Dark Odyssey to attempt to Teleport the party, but fails woefully and they all take damage before a second roll gets them to pre-dawn Yios. FCG casts Locate Creature and leads the way to a simple hostel where Dancer is apparently asleep upstairs. Imogen knocks, waking Dancer, who opens the door. As soon as she sees FCG, she attempts to shut the door again but fails, and FCG casts Calm Emotions on her. He attempts to convince her he's changed. Imogen adds they can regrow her arm, if she wants, but Dancer tells them she doesn't need to be fixed. FCG admits he can't move on unless he can close this chapter of his life. Dancer tells him she's moved on and he needs to do the same, but agrees to help repair the harness if she can, and FCG casts Lesser Restoration to help her hangover.

Along with her automatons Pussy II and Cookie, they go downstairs for coffee. Chetney shows her the broken harness, but it's beyond her ability to repair alone. However, she suggests Imahara Joe might be able to help, if they can transport her to Bassuras. While she's preparing to leave, Laudna introduces Pâté to Pussy, but it shoots a fire beam at him. They go outside to find a tree large enough to transport them, but on the way they hear an avian squawk from above, and the mangy form of Shithead flies toward them and defecates on FCG's head. Fearne kills it with Scorching Ray but it stirs back to life. FCG tries to eat it, but it's too large, and Imogen kills it again with Shocking Grasp. They frantically try to figure out how to kill it permanently, and Fearne casts Speak With Animals while FCG casts Identify, finding a very strong necromantic power within it. It tells Fearne FCG just seems unworthy and pisses him off. Its master is gone and it can't die, so it just shits on FCG, and it remembers its name: Gargo. It breaks free and FCG uses Turn Undead, killing it forever, but the effect also hits Laudna, who barely succeeds in resisting it.

FCG has destroyed their nemesis, and takes this as a sign. They've reconnected with Dancer and the personification of their guilt is gone forever. FCG takes a few feathers and wears the drying birdshit as a victory badge.

The party reaches the Aydinlan Seminary where a guard stops them due to the pre-dawn hour but points them to another tree. Keyleth opens a portal and they all charge through into the faintly red-hued city of Bassuras.

Featured characters

Quotations

• Nel: The wonderful thing about Derrig, and one of the reasons I fell in love with him, was he didn't always get it right, but he was always willing to admit when he was wrong and learn from it. He didn't always know the right thing to do, he didn't always know the right choice to make, but he still made a choice.
• Orym: Life's messy.
  FCG: Yeah, but it's really great! I know that they're gone, but think how lucky they were. Both of them. All of them in the cemetery. Because even if you're poor, you still get to enjoy food and smell beautiful smells, and even if you're lonely, you get to see the beauty of the world and enjoy breathing. And these folks, they had you to know. They knew you! What a treat. Every single day, they knew you.
  

  

• Laudna: (to Imogen) If anything happens to me, promise me you'll move on.
  Imogen: Nothing's going to happen to you.
  Laudna: Find somebody else and-- (to Chetney) Imogen's my girlfriend now!
• Chetney: (his toast) Fuck chickens.
• Chetney: Bells Hells. Still figuring it out.
  Laudna: That's our tagline.
• Delilah: (to Laudna) No matter who you pray to, no matter who you reach for, you are, and will always be, mine.
• Imogen: (to FCG) You're a good person.
  FCG: Thank you, Imogen. I guess I got to figure that out for myself, though.
  Imogen: I trust you.
  FCG: Should you?
  Imogen: As much as you should trust me.
• Keyleth: (to Bells Hells) You're all very strange, and this is fun. It's been a little while since I've been amongst this much chaos, and I miss it.

Inventory

Trivia

• The episode's title is a reference to the internet meme of people responding to instances of the number 69 (jokingly referred to as "the sex number" in reference to the sex position of the same name) with "nice".^[1][2]
• Sam's jerrycan shows what purports to be "Orym's Family Tree" with "Chetney?" as Orym's potential father.^[3]

References

Art: