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The Adventures of the Darrington Brigade

Critical Role・189 minutes read

Brian Foster hosts a Critical Role Live show in Texas, urging donations to OSD for military veterans instead of receiving cash gifts for his birthday. The event features an adventure with the Darrington Brigade, facing challenges, recruiting new members, and fighting a ducktopus named Quackthulhu.

Insights

Brian Foster hosts a Critical Role Live show in Texas, urging donations to OSD instead of cash gifts for his birthday.
Strict no-spoilers policy is enforced for the event recording airing later, with an emphasis on audience behavior.
Challenges faced by the Darrington Brigade, led by Taryon Darrington, include ridicule and mistrust as they recruit new members.
Taryon Darrington, a legendary figure in golden armor, leads the nonprofit mercenary group, the Darrington Brigade, on fun adventures.
Detailed combat sequences unfold, showcasing character abilities and interactions during challenging battles.
The group embarks on a mission to retrieve an object from the Cyrengreen Forest, negotiating a payment of 10 thousand gold.
The Darrington Brigade faces off against Quackthulhu, a ducktopus creature, in a tense battle with strategic maneuvers and magical attacks.
The adventure culminates in the group's success, with Taryon declaring them full members of the Darrington Brigade and honorary members of Vox Machina.

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Recent questions

What is the setting of the event?
Wildemount
Who is the founder of the Darrington Brigade?
Sir Taryon Darrington
What is the main focus of the Darrington Brigade?
Slaying dragons and aiding those in distress
What is the role of Hazel Copperpot in the Darrington Brigade?
Inventor and storyteller
What is the significance of the combat challenge in the sand pit?
Initiation process for new members

Related videos

Summary

00:00

"Brian Foster hosts Critical Role Live"

The event is a Critical Role Live show in Texas, with Brian Foster hosting.
Brian urges donations to OSD, supporting military veterans, instead of cash gifts for his birthday.
Strict no-spoilers policy is in place for the event recording airing later.
Audience is encouraged to cheer but not disrupt the show with outbursts or jokes.
The cast of Critical Role is introduced to the audience.
The setting is Wildemount, with Taryon Darrington leading the Darrington Brigade.
Challenges face the brigade, including ridicule and mistrust, as they seek new recruits.
The story unfolds as new recruits arrive at the Darrington estate in Deastok.
Taryon Darrington is described as a legendary figure in golden armor, with a touch of humor.
The scene is set for a fun and adventurous one-shot game with the Darrington Brigade.

20:21

"Mercenary group recruits diverse members for adventures"

A nine-foot humanoid figure made of bright gold, adamantine, and other metals, carrying a book, is seen walking.
A man in his early 50s, with graying black hair and a chin beard, quickly unlocks the gates to a manor, introducing Sir Taryon Darrington, founder of the Darrington Brigade.
Taryon Darrington, owner of the Darrington Brigade, a nonprofit mercenary group, welcomes travelers and explains their mission to slay dragons and aid those in distress.
The Owlbear, a man in his late 30s with an owlbear cowl and daggers, introduces himself as a fearsome figure known for his exploits.
Farriwen Breeze, from the Monastery of the Eternal Balance, seeks training from the Darrington Brigade and questions their nonprofit status.
Hazel Copperpot, an inventor and storyteller, showcases her Copperpot Crank Action Audiomatic device for recording stories and proposes to join the group on their adventures.
Hazel presents an audio recording of Taryon Darrington's battle with a kraken, adding flair and excitement to the tale.
Damian Vadoma, a member of an underworld organization, expresses interest in joining the Darrington Brigade for a change of pace and a less immoral path.
Damian, with flaming orange hair and tattoos, and Buddy, a nine-foot-tall ogre in a hat, introduce themselves as potential members of the group.
The group discusses the possibility of incorporating Hazel's storytelling device into their adventures, adding a new dimension to their exploits.

36:01

"Buddy the Ogre joins Darrington Brigade"

A large, hulking metal breastplate is worn by a character who appears to have vision issues.
A halfling is seated on a rough plank of wood tied to the character's shoulder.
The character, named Buddy, is introduced as a special ogre by another character.
Buddy struggles to locate individuals and is suggested ocular correction by the Darrington Brigade.
Lionel Gayheart, a member of the brigade, is introduced as a backup field commander who speaks fluent Duck.
Candidates for brigade membership are asked how they heard about auditions, with the majority responding to flyers.
The brigade is highlighted as a nonprofit group with a focus on early productivity.
Lionel initiates new members by outfitting them with branded materials and goggles for improved vision.
The initiation process involves acquiring magical items and culminates in a combat challenge in a sand pit.
Farriwen, a monk, engages in combat with Owlbear, stunning and inflicting damage on him with precise strikes.

49:20

"Intense Combat: Flurry of Blows and Fire"

The glyphs start glowing orange, leading to a punch in the small of the back near the kidneys.
Damage is rolled, resulting in 16 points of damage, followed by additional ki point spending for Flurry of Blows.
Two more strikes are executed, with a natural 20 hit resulting in 22 points of damage, and a subsequent hit dealing 9 points of fire damage.
The character backs up 50 feet while the opponent is stunned, preparing for the next move.
The opponent rages, moves 40 feet towards the character, and throws two daggers with advantage, dealing 16 and 8 points of damage.
The opponent is stunned again after failing a constitution saving throw, leading to the character's bonus action of Flurry of Blows.
Two more attacks are made, with 18 points of damage from a Flame Strike and 9 points from a second attack.
The opponent is left unconscious, and the character levitates up in the air to take a bow.
The character impresses the onlookers, leading to discussions about her potential selection.
A new pair of combatants, Hazel and Buddy, engage in a fight where Hazel casts Confusion and Color Spray spells, causing confusion and damage to Buddy.

01:02:18

Hit points determine spell effects, not damage.

Hit points determine the creatures affected, not damage.
Buddy has more than 39 hit points, so the effect doesn't impact him.
Buddy is a tougher ogre than usual.
The spell only affects a specific number of hit points of creatures.
Buddy rolls a d10 and remains confused, not moving or taking actions.
Hazel uses Shatter at 3rd level on Buddy, dealing 20 thunder damage.
Hazel moves back 50 feet after the attack.
Buddy regains control after a saving throw, expressing a desire for friendship.
Hazel attempts to cast Modify Memory on Buddy but fails.
Buddy attacks Hazel, hitting her twice and causing damage.

01:16:23

Fiery battle in sandpit leads to dinner

Mac and Damian are asked to roll initiative for a fight in a dusty sandpit.
Damian produces flames from a sword and attacks Macaroni, dealing 17 points of damage.
Macaroni retaliates with Flame Strike, causing fire and radiant damage to Damian.
Damian casts Giant Might on herself, doubling her size for the fight.
Macaroni casts Spirit Guardians, dealing 22 points of necrotic damage to Damian.
Damian attempts to attack Macaroni but misses, leading to a banishment spell cast by Macaroni.
Macaroni's banishment spell fails, and the fight continues.
The group is welcomed into the Darrington estate, where they are assigned rooms to stay in.
The group gathers for a communal dinner prepared by Tary's mother, Maria.
Maria welcomes the group and expresses her hope for their safety and enjoyment during their stay.

01:31:33

"Magical dinner leads to mysterious quest"

Sam thanks his mother for the meal and invites everyone to dig in.
Buddy has already eaten one third of the food.
Travis casts Mass Healing Word to heal everyone before dinner.
Marisha offers to play a concerto as a blessing for the meal.
A shooting star crosses the sky as they toast to it.
A rumble is heard in the distance, prompting them to make a wish.
A loud knock comes at the front door the next morning.
Taryon meets Master Doolan Tversky, who hires them to retrieve an object from the Cyrengreen Forest.
They negotiate a payment of 10 thousand gold for the job.
The group prepares to embark on the adventure, skipping breakfast to gather their things.

01:44:38

Breakfast skipped, forest adventure begins

Travis expresses concern about skipping breakfast due to Buddy getting hungry
Taliesin suggests having an adventure for brunch instead
The group jokes and exchanges one-liners
They discuss borrowing horses from the stable
The party heads south through the city of Deastok towards the Cyrengreen Forest
As they enter the forest, it becomes darker and more ominous
Tary leads the group through the forest, avoiding dangerous spots
They come across a strange phenomenon in the forest with flattened trees and a crater
The group discusses approaching the crater and checking for traps
Despite attempting to be stealthy, the group makes noise and attracts attention from animal shapes

01:58:36

"Perception checks reveal mysterious extraterrestrial threat"

Taliesin asks for perception checks
Owlbear, Damian, and others roll perception checks
They notice an impact zone that used to be a duck pond
Taliesin encourages Lionel to use his feelings for revenge
Lionel falls to his knees in distress
Taliesin finds opalescent rock slivers in the crater
He collects the slivers in his tinder box
Taryon inspects the slivers and speculates they are extraterrestrial
They hear growling and encounter dire wolves with glowing shards
They prepare to defend themselves against the wolves

02:12:07

"Brian's Arrests, Game Battles, and Late-Night Show"

Brian got arrested twice.
Merry advises to be merry, bring joy to others, and refuse the game soul.
Travis and Brian engage in a video game battle, with Travis getting a quad kill.
Brian struggles with the controls of the game but claims they are winning.
Travis and Brian engage in a duel in the game, resulting in Brian being the last man standing.
Will Friedle announces a new late-night talk show called Mini Primetime on Critical Role's YouTube channel.
Liam encourages viewers to subscribe to Critical Role on Twitch or Twitch Prime.
Matt resumes a story involving snarling beasts in the Cyrengreen, setting up a battle map.
The group rolls initiative for the battle, with Owlbear going first and facing attacks from two creatures.
Owlbear dodges one attack but gets bitten by the other, taking 14 points of damage and needing to make a strength saving throw.

02:25:40

"Characters face challenges and triumph in battle"

Taliesin does not have access to his special strength abilities yet because he is not raging.
Taliesin successfully avoids being dragged to the ground by a creature biting his leg.
Liam's character, Buddy, easily deflects an attack from a creature.
Farriwen gets hit by a creature and takes 19 points of piercing damage.
Farriwen successfully resists being dragged to the ground by the creature.
Taliesin's character, Owlbear, becomes frightened by a creature's ability and must make a wisdom saving throw.
Owlbear fails the saving throw and is frightened until the end of the creature's next turn.
Owlbear successfully rages, overcoming the fear effect.
Owlbear makes two successful attacks on a creature on the ground.
Macaroni casts Freedom of Movement on Buddy and attempts to use Sacred Flame as a bonus action but realizes it is an action.

02:36:23

"Combat tactics and abilities in action"

Character is knocked to the ground by an attack, but can continue due to lack of Sentinel ability.
The opponent's reaction is a bite attack that trips the character.
Character can use movement to get back up after being tripped.
Getting up before attacking avoids disadvantage on the first attack.
Character uses a ki point for a Stunning Strike, dealing 13 points of damage.
Despite a successful Stunning Strike attempt, the opponent resists it.
Character continues with attacks using a dual glaive, dealing 11 points of damage.
Flurry of Blows is used for two more strikes, one hitting for 10 additional points.
Another character successfully shoves a monster into a hole, causing it to fall prone.
A character commands a companion to attack a wolf, dealing 19 points of damage with an Arcane Jolt.

02:48:24

"Blind Strikes and Fiery Blades"

Taliesin attacks two enemies, taking advantage of their blindness.
He deals a critical hit on the first enemy, doubling the damage and adding sneak attack damage.
The first enemy is defeated after sustaining significant damage.
Taliesin then attacks the second enemy, inflicting a good amount of damage.
He disengages from the second enemy and moves towards another target, throwing a dagger on the way.
Taliesin deals additional damage to the second enemy before moving on.
Travis casts Bane on three remaining enemies, affecting two of them.
Ashley's character, Damian, attacks a blinded enemy, dealing significant damage and igniting it with a flametongue stiletto.
Farriwen uses Fist of Unbroken Air to defeat an enemy and then attempts a Flurry of Blows, but is unable to execute it.
Buddy attacks an enemy, causing severe damage and circling around to flank it with another character.

02:59:17

D&D Group Battles Mutated Creatures in Forest

Sam imbues a shot with an Arcane Jolt to heal Lionel by 4d6, healing him 10 points.
Fist of the Unbroken Air is clarified as an attack, not a spell, by Laura.
The group discusses game mechanics and actions, with Laura seeking clarification on Flurry of Blows.
Taryon infuses The Owlbear's cowl with cowl of the bat, allowing him to fly like a bat in dim light or darkness.
The Darrington Brigade defeats giant wolfie beasts, with Boty using Thunderclap on one of the wolves.
Hazel's Thunderclap spell causes a loud noise, alerting creatures within 100 feet.
The Owlbear Batman engages in combat, dealing damage to the remaining creature.
Macaroni casts Sacred Flame, dealing 13 points of radiant damage to defeat the last beast.
The group notices the wolves had extra eyes and tentacles, speculating on the source of their mutations.
The group follows webbed footprints leading south, with Lionel sensing unease and the absence of other birds due to Hazel's Thunderclap.

03:12:17

Tracking, healing, and magical discoveries in Wildemount.

The group spots tracks and decides to follow them, heading southeast.
Concerns arise about injuries, with some members being hurt and discussing healing spells.
The group debates resting but ultimately decides to continue forward on their mission.
Practical advice on healing spells is shared, including different types and durations.
A member uses a healing spell on another, showcasing practical application.
Financial motivations are mentioned, with a plan to donate earnings to the people of Wildemount.
Practical tools like teleportation boots and a Pipe of the Sewers are infused with magical abilities.
The group discovers a large stone in a cavern, similar to the shards found earlier.
Members position themselves strategically in the cavern, preparing for potential danger.
As the stone begins to move, tension rises, and the group braces for potential consequences.

03:23:23

"Quackthulhu Emerges: Battle of the Ducktopus"

A massive duck-like creature with ill green feathers and flesh, burning eyes, and four tentacle limbs emerges from the sparkling stone.
Referred to as Quackthulhu, the creature is described as a ducktopus.
The group decides to protect the creature at all costs, with one member rolling initiative against Quackthulhu.
Initiative order is determined, with Lionel having the highest dexterity and going first.
Lionel is possessed by Quackthulhu and attacks Buddy, dealing damage that is partially deflected by a defensive rune.
Damian, also known as Buddy, enlarges himself and attacks the creature with flaming blades, dealing damage.
Owlbear, played by Tary, rages and throws two daggers at Quackthulhu, successfully hitting and dealing damage.
Buddy accidentally activates a tesla coil on his chariot, firing lightning at Quackthulhu and dealing significant damage.
The creature attempts to evade the attack by going underwater, but still takes some damage.
Buddy wades into the water, getting closer to Quackthulhu as the battle continues.

03:36:06

"Creature attacks, heroes resist, battle ensues"

The creature makes two attacks, targeting Buddy, Macaroni, and Damian.
The first attack hits Damian, dealing 11 points of bludgeoning damage and requiring a strength saving throw.
Damian successfully resists being grappled by the creature's tentacle.
The second attack on Damian inflicts another 11 points of bludgeoning damage, with Damian making another strength saving throw.
Damian successfully resists being grappled again.
The creature then targets Macaroni, hitting with a 30 to deal 24 points of bludgeoning damage.
Macaroni successfully makes a strength saving throw.
Macaroni attempts to flee using an ejector seat but is hit for 14 points of bludgeoning damage and makes a successful strength saving throw.
Farriwen attacks the creature, dealing damage and attempting to stun it, but the stun fails.
Farriwen then casts Slow on the creature and Lionel, successfully slowing Lionel.
Tary casts Haste on Farriwen and moves closer to the battle.

03:47:59

Battle unfolds as allies face powerful foe

Lionel takes 16 points of slashing damage and maintains the slow spell with a spell save of 17.
Damian attacks the creature, dealing 16 points of damage with the first hit and 28 points with the second hit.
Damian's third attack hits for 21 points of damage.
Owlbear charges at the creature, jumps on its back, and starts stabbing it, dealing 22 points of damage.
Owlbear gets thrown off the creature's back but lands safely.
Buddy uses a potion, hits the creature twice, dealing 11 and 12 points of damage, then uses action surge to hit twice more, dealing 12 and 13 points of damage.
The creature uses Ground Slam, forcing Owlbear, Farriwen, and Buddy to make strength saving throws.
The creature uses Soul Wrenching Quack, paralyzing everyone within 60 feet except for Lionel.
Hazel activates her cloud rune to protect those within 30 feet from attacks.

03:59:40

"Paralysis and Combat Mechanics in D&D"

Failed individuals are paralyzed until the end of the creature's next turn.
Paralyzed characters cannot move or cast spells.
Paralysis is distinct from fear.
Attacks of opportunity are granted to all characters.
Spiritual weapons do not receive attacks of opportunity.
Characters can be grappled and suffer bludgeoning damage.
Strength saving throws are automatically failed while paralyzed.
Characters can use bonus actions to regain health.
Athletics checks may fail due to slippery surfaces.
Characters can redirect attacks to other nearby creatures using specific abilities.

04:11:27

Intense Battle: Laughter, Damage, and Chants

Liam barely hits, causing laughter.
Ashley deals 22 points of bludgeoning damage.
Matt initiates a second attack on Buddy.
Mighty Ducks chant "Quack, quack, quack!"
Matt inflicts 18 points of bludgeoning damage.
Buddy is still standing, despite being heavily injured.
Taryon is attacked with an auto-crit due to being paralyzed.
Taryon takes 30 points of bludgeoning damage.
Farriwen is attacked with a 19 to hit.
Hazel attempts to cast Dissonant Whispers, dealing 6 points of psychic damage.

04:23:22

Tary's Epic Adventure with the Darrington Brigade

Travis decides to use Cure Wounds at 5th-level on Buddy, healing 24 and 27 hit points.
Tary casts Branding Smite at 4th-level on his weapon, dealing 29 points of damage with his first attack and an additional 18 points with Arcane Jolt.
Tary finishes off the enemy with a second attack, dealing six points of damage and another 18 points with Arcane Jolt.
Tary's final strike causes the enemy to explode into green sludge, covering everyone in the cavern.
Tary declares the group as full members of the Darrington Brigade and honorary members of Vox Machina.
The group retrieves the stone, hands it over to Lionel for a walk of remembrance, and returns to the Darrington Estate.
Tary plans to record the adventure on a wax cylinder for his first audio book, intending to give away all the money earned.

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