History TabletopGame / CriticalRoleCallOfTheNetherdeep

* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: It's possible to defeat the FinalBoss without killing them, though the boss is still going to try and kill the heroes. [[spoiler:Killing Alyxian or sparing him will end the ruidium corruption. If he wins, it will spread further and cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.]]

* ContinuityLockOut: Averted. While this campaign takes place in the world of ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'', knowledge of the show or the setting is not required to play the story to its completion. There are a few hints to the show here and there -- the Vestiges of Divergence play a role, and there's references to the Calamity and the Betrayer Gods. Even so, the story of the campaign is self-contained, and no significant characters from the show appear in the adventure.[[note]]The innkeepers at Bazzoxan, Delez and Prima Demona, appeared in Campaign Two, and the headmasters of the Allegiance of Allsight, James Cryon and Gryz Alakritos, appeared in Campaign One and Three respectively. However, none of these characters appeared for more than one episode, and each one was a minor NPC.[[/note]]

* JustifiedTutorial: The opening chapter is the Festival of Merit, where the party meets the rival characters and engages in competitions against them.

* BadMoonRising: Exandria's small red moon Ruidus prominently features in the adventure, at one point briefly cursing the player characters as its light flares while traveling from Jigow to Bazzoxan. [[spoiler:Ruidus also allegedly cursed Alyxian when he was born under its flare, causing his life to be filled with turmoil and misfortune. The ruidium however is revealed to be created by Alyxian himself, and isn't related to the Moon of Ill Omen beyond being its namesake.]]

* ContinuityLockOut: Averted. While this campaign takes place in the world of ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'', knowledge of the show or the setting is not required to play the story to its completion. There are a few hints to the show here and there -- the Vestiges of Divergence play a role, and there's references to the Calamity and the Betrayer Gods. Even so, the story of the campaign is self-contained, and no significant characters from the show appear in the adventure.[[note]]The innkeepers at Bazzoxan, Delez and Prima Demona, appeared in Campaign Two, and the headmasters of the Allegiance of Allsight, James Cryon and Gryz Alakritos, appeared in Campaign One and Three respectively. None of these characters appeared for more than one episode.[[/note]]

* ContinuityLockOut: Averted. While this campaign takes place in the world of ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'', knowledge of the show or the setting is not required to play the story to its completion. There are a few hints to the show here and there -- the Vestiges of Divergence play a role, and there's references to the Calamity and the Betrayer Gods. Even so, the story of the campaign is self-contained, and no characters from the show appear in the adventure.

[[CatchPhrase How do you want to do this?]]]]

->''[[TheStinger DISCLAIMER:]] [[EldritchLocation The Netherdeep]] contains magical elements known to cause life-changing discoveries of ancient artifacts, red crystals growing out of your skin, long swims in dark places, aberrant fish, and enemies-to-friends-to-enemies plots. Consult a cleric or Creator/MatthewMercer to see if the path to the Netherdeep is right for you.''

* RelationshipValues: Multiple different encounters can change depending on if {{The Rival}}s like you, hate you, or are indifferent to you. At the end of Chapter 1's race, the rivals will make sure you're okay if they're friendly or neutral to you after seeing the vision; if they're hostile to you, then they'll steal your prize and you're left to your own devices. Likewise, after leaving Jigow in Chapter 2, it's possible to try and catch up with the rivals if they left first. Friendly or neutral rivals will invite you into their camp, whereas hostile rivals will draw their weapons and make it clear that they're not interested in talking to you.

* TheCorruption: Ruidium causes people to slowly go insane. The player characters and the rivals are not immune to this effect, as using ruidium weapons or armor could potentially corrupt their bodies. It only affects physical appearance, up until Corruption Stage 6, at which point the corruption becomes so overwhelming that the creature dies with NoSavingThrow. The only way to remove ruidium corruption permanently is to defeat the BigBad, use a cleric's DivineIntervention, or with the Wish spell.

* EasingIntoTheAdventure: Chapter 1 of the campaign is the player characters competing in a giant city-wide festival in Jigow. This includes such things as pie-eating contests, arm wrestling, and swimming in a stream. The end of Chapter 1 is TheBigRace in an [[UnderTheSea underwater cavern]], wherein the party finds a jewel that reveals the BigBad and kicks off the main plot.

* HeroAntagonist: The rival team. They genuinely want to help and do some good for Exandria, but the leader is a GlorySeeker and in way over her head once she finds out about the scale and scope of the threat. That said, the rival team and the party coming to blows will see the rivals [[TheFettered try and avoid]] [[ThouShaltNotKill killing the players, if they can help it]]. Unless the players kill one of them first. Then, [[TheUnfettered all bets are off]].

* TheUnchosenOne: It's possible for the rival team to see the vision instead of the player characters at the end of Chapter 1. If that happens, then the rivals will be the heroes, and the players will be either hangers-on or people who try to claim their heroic destiny from the rivals instead.

* SequentialBoss: [[spoiler:The FinalBoss is one of these. However, the second form is the strongest. The third form is like a PostFinalBoss where the heroes either let Alyxian go or kill him.]]

* BittersweetEnding: The Neutral Ending, where the heroes kill the FinalBoss. There's quite a bit to be happy about, but the threat hasn't completely passed. [[spoiler:After Alyxian dies, the heroes manage to escape from his CollapsingLair, and the ruidium corruption ends across all of Exandria. However, the city of Ank'harel ends up in flames from Alyxian's wrath, its people screaming and fleeing for safety. Alyxian's voice, distorted and hateful, booms out, "Soon, all shall remember!"]]

* TheCorruption: Ruidium causes people to slowly go insane. The player characters are not immune to this, as using ruidium weapons or armor could potentially corrupt their bodies. It only affects physical appearance, up until Corruption Stage 6, at which point the corruption becomes so overwhelming that the creature dies with NoSavingThrow. The only way to remove ruidium corruption permanently is to defeat the BigBad, use a cleric's DivineIntervention, or with the Wish spell.

* TheHeart: Irvan Wastewalker is this among the rival team. A young human man of nineteen who wants to escape the burden that his name carries, hoping he can prove himself in spite of his family name instead of because of it. He wants to experience things he has never encountered before, fall in love with someone who doesn't know about his past lifetime, and appear mature despite his youthful appearance. Irvan is something of a romantic at heart, and the group values his companionship.

* MultipleEndings: There's three endings as written: the Best Ending, the Neutral Ending, and the Worst Ending. Which ending you get depends on if you apply what you learn to the FinalBoss, and manage to talk them down before the worst comes to pass.

* TheRival: A FiveManBand of them, and they're meant to be {{Hero Antagonist}}s to the players. They can be friendly allies, indifferent rivals, or hostile enemies. How the relationship between the players and rivals develops is dependent on the actions the players take in Chapter 1 that establishes their RelationshipValues with the rivals.

* VillainForgotToLevelGrind: Averted. The rivals get stronger as the adventure progresses, and have different tiers of difficulty, depending on when the party fights them.

* MultipleEndings: There's three endings as written.
** [[BittersweetEnding Neutral Ending]]: The heroes kill the FinalBoss. [[spoiler:After Alyxian dies, the heroes manage to escape from his CollapsingLair, and the ruidium corruption ends across all of Exandria. However, the city of Ank'harel ends up in flames from Alyxian's wrath, its people screaming and fleeing for safety. Alyxian's voice, distorted and hateful, booms out, "Soon, all shall remember!"]]
** [[GoldenEnding Best Ending]]: The heroes [[SheatheYourSword talk the Big Bad down]], setting them free only after their emotional scars are healed. [[spoiler:The ruidium corruption ends across all of Exandria without the dark power to sustain it any longer, but Alyxian is given a chance to start his life over. Ank'harel doesn't burn down, as Alyxian sees how beautiful that everything has become in his absence. Whether the heroes help him settle into his new life or leave him to his own devices, it's clear that the worst has passed and the threat of the Apotheon is over.]]
** [[DownerEnding Worst Ending]]: The FinalBoss kills the heroes, or the heroes set the BigBad free without talking him down. [[spoiler:After escaping from the Heart of Despair, the Apotheon races through the Netherdeep and erupts in Ank'Harel. Darkness fills the sky above the city, as if it were a moonless, starless night—and then Ruidus's light blazes abruptly, filling the inky sky with crimson ire, causing Ank'harel to erupt in flame. For the next year and a day, ruin comes to Exandria as Alyxian rules over it like a mad dictator, causing pain and suffering indiscriminately.]]
* RelationshipValues: Multiple different encounters can change depending on if {{The Rival}}s like you, hate you, or are indifferent to you.
** At the end of Chapter 1's race, the rivals will make sure you're okay if they're friendly or neutral to you after seeing the vision; if they're hostile to you, then they'll steal your prize and you're left to your own devices.
** After leaving Jigow, it's possible to try and catch up with the rivals if they left first. Friendly or neutral rivals will invite you into their camp. Hostile ones will draw their weapons and make it clear that they're not interested in talking to you.
** In Chapter 3, the rivals will be ordered to kill the players. Friendly rivals will just let you go, betraying their employer to do it. Neutral rivals will fight, but only to knock you out. Hostile rivals will fight to the death.
* TheRival: A FiveManBand of them, and they're meant to be {{Hero Antagonist}}s to the players.
** Ayo Jabe: TheLeader. A water genasi who has a short temper, and appreciates people who make decisions as impulsively as she does. She wants to become a hero like the ones she has read about in stories, make a friend she can be truly herself around, and kill a legendary monster.
** Dermot Wurder: TheLancer. The twelfth son of a poor goblin family in Jigow, and a fierce ally of Ayo Jabe. He wants to protect his friends, have a life-changing holy vision, and discover that he has value as himself instead of someone who can help others.
** Galsariad Ardyth: TheSmartGuy. A two-hundred-year-old drow that has studied magic for the longest time, and much more of a tactician than Ayo Jabe. He wants to match wits with an archmage, discover a magical secret no one else knows, and be respected by someone he respects.
** Maggie Keeneyes: TheBigGuy. A twelve-foot-tall ogre that is much smarter than her appearance would suggest she is. She wants to spar with a true tactical genius, write a song or poem that causes someone to weep with emotion, and be able to retire so she never has to kill anyone ever again.
** Irvan Wastewalker: TheHeart. A young human man of nineteen who wants to escape the burden that his name carries, hoping he can prove himself in spite of his family name instead of because of it. He wants to experience things he has never encountered before, fall in love with someone who doesn't know about his past lifetime, and appear mature despite his youthful appearance.

* VillainForgotToLevelGrind: Averted. The rivals get stronger as the adventure progresses, and have different tiers of difficulty, depending on when the party fights them.

* ExperiencedProtagonist: Downplayed. The adventure begins with the player characters at level 3 instead of level 1. The DM's guide for the adventure even suggests a small homebrew adventure for the party to get to know each other if they want to work to level 3 instead.

** At the end of Chapter 1's race, the rivals will make sure you're okay if they're friendly or neutral to you after seeing the vision; if they're hostile to you, then you're left to your own devices.
** After leaving Jigow, it's possible to try and catch up with the rivals if they left first. Friendly or neutral rivals will invite them into their camp. Hostile ones will draw their weapons and make it clear that they're not interested in talking to you.
** In Chapter 3, the rivals will be ordered to kill the players. Friendly rivals will just let you go, betraying their employer to do it. Neutral rivals will fight to knock you out. Hostile rivals will fight to the death.

* TheCorruption: Ruidium causes people to slowly go insane. The player characters are not immune to this, as using ruidium weapons or armor could potentially corrupt their bodies. It only affects physical appearance, up until Level 6, at which point the corruption becomes so overwhelming that the creature dies with NoSavingThrow. The only way to remove ruidium corruption permanently is to defeat the BigBad, use a cleric's DivineIntervention, or with the Wish spell.

* RelationshipValues: Multiple different encounters can change depending on if {{The Rival}}s like you, hate you, or are indifferent to you. At the end of Chapter 1's race, the rivals will make sure you're okay if they're friendly or neutral to you after seeing the vision; if they're hostile to you, then you're left to your own devices.

* TheCorruption: Ruidium causes people to slowly go insane. The player characters are not immune to this, as using ruidium weapons or armor could potentially corrupt their bodies. It only affects physical appearance, up until Level 6, at which point the corruption becomes so overwhelming that the creature dies with NoSavingThrow. The only way to remove ruidium corruption permanently is to defeat the BigBad.

* TheCorruption: Ruidium causes people to slowly go insane. The player characters are not immune to this, as using ruidium weapons or armor could potentially corrupt their bodies. The only way to remove the corruption permanently is to defeat the BigBad.

* HeroAntagonist: The rival team. They genuinely want to help and do some good for Exandria, but the leader is a GlorySeeker and in way over her head once she finds out about the scale and scope of the threat. That said, the rival team and the party coming to blows will see the rivals [[TheFettered try and avoid]] [[ThouShaltNotKill killing the players, if they can help it]]. Unless the players kill one of them first. Then, [[TheUnfettered all bets are off]].

** [[GoldenEnding Best Ending]]: The heroes [[SheatheYourSword talk the final boss down]] instead of killing them. [[spoiler:The ruidium corruption ends across all of Exandria without the dark power to sustain it any longer, but Alyxian is given a chance to start his life over. Ank'harel doesn't burn down, as Alyxian sees how beautiful that everything has become in his absence. Whether the heroes help him settle into his new life or leave him to his own devices, it's clear that the worst has passed.]]
** [[DownerEnding Worst Ending]]: The BigBad kills the heroes, or they set the BigBad free without talking him down first. [[spoiler:After escaping from the Heart of Despair, the Apotheon races through the Netherdeep and erupts in Ank'Harel. Darkness fills the sky above the city, as if it were a moonless, starless night—and then Ruidus's light blazes abruptly, filling the inky sky with crimson ire, causing Ank'harel to erupt in flame. For the next year and a day, ruin comes to Exandria as Alyxian rules over it like a mad dictator, causing pain and suffering indiscriminately.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[TagLine Can you change fate?]] That depends on your choices.\\

* MultipleEndings: There's three endings as written: beating the FinalBoss with violence, talking them down with non-violence, or losing the final fight.