Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer (Overwatch) took to social media last week to warn Critical Role fans that the final episode of the live-streamed Dungeons & Dragons series was fast approaching, a promise that will come to fruition this week. On Tuesday, Critical Role’s official Twitter account shared that the Thursday June 3 stream would serve as campaign two’s finale and clock in at a whooping 7 hours and change.

For those curious, we will have one scheduled break that starts at around 3 hours and 42 minutes into the broadcast.

— Critical Role (@CriticalRole) June 1, 2021

Campaign two introduced fans to The Mighty Nein, just three-months after campaign one wrapped, in 2018. Collider broke down the over three-year, one-hundred- and forty-one-episode campaign as “100 hours of battle, 440 slain villains, and 530 total hours of dice-roll-driven adventuring.” Comicbook notes that this epic adventure has clocked in at nearly one-hundred hours longer than Critical Role’s first campaign of Vox Machina, though a large portion of that story pre-dated the game becoming a streaming series.

Critical Role fans – affectionately known as Critters – who have followed The Mighty Nein on their journey week-to-week, must now brace themselves for the adventure to come to a seven-hour ending. As Critical Role is an actual-play Dungeons & Dragons series, long episodes are to be expected, but seven hours constitutes a whole new level for Critters.

The tweet announcing the pre-recorded finale let Twitch and YouTube viewers know to expect a scheduled break “at around 3 hours and 42 minutes into the broadcast.” While Collider points out that “for seasoned D&D players, such marathon sessions are not uncommon — and even the norm among some playgroups,” the cast has still encouraged fans to take Thursday’s episode piecemeal if needed.

Strap in and maybe brew a pot of tea… https://t.co/apG8aIEsSW

— Taliesin Jaffe (@executivegoth) June 1, 2021

Across social media, the Critical Role crew offered advice to fans preparing for Thursday’s sure to be emotional finale. On Twitter, Mercer suggested plenty of caffeine for those who intend to power through the finale, with Taliesin Jaffe (Hellsing) specifically recommending a pot of tea on his Twitter. As the Twitch and YouTube stream begins at 7 PT, Laura Bailey (The Last of Us: Part II) has encouraged Critters to don their “coziest pjs” to settle in for campaign two’s conclusion, via Twitter. “Just make sure you enjoy it however you see fit,” Mercer concluded his tweet on the matter “and in a healthy manner.” Mercer additionally encouraged fans not to spoil for others, especially those who wait to watch the Monday uploads of the stream on YouTube.

Like I said… bring your caffeine! Or take it in smaller viewing sessions (and avoid socials until done)! Just make sure you enjoy it however you see fit, and in a healthy manner. <3 https://t.co/CSdFhegIog

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) June 1, 2021

As with Critical Role’s first campaign, or any years-spanning role-playing game among friends, tears can be expected from both fans and players alike as campaign two wraps. Liam O’Brien (Carmen Sandiego) tweeted to this effect, inquiring for a lengthy Zemnian word to ascribe to the feeling.

Zemnian friends, is there one of those super long words in our tongue for the emotions one feels at the close of a years long D&D campaign?

Asking for a Freund.

— Liam O’Brien (@VoiceOfOBrien) June 2, 2021

Emotions aside, Comicbook points out a few scheduling adjustments that fans preparing for the finale should keep in mind. While the stream will begin on Twitch and YouTube at 7 PT on Thursday, “instead of re-broadcasting at 12 AM and 9 AM PT on Friday, Critical Role will instead start its broadcasts at 2:30 AM and 10:30 AM PT.” This change is due to the super-sized nature of Thursday’s final episode. As for the later-YouTube upload of the episode, though many fans have requested and earlier upload for fear of spoilers, it appears that the session will still publish on Critical Role’s channel on Monday as usual. Bleeding Cool also reports that “there will be a final wrap-up edition of Talks Machina hosted by Brian Foster next Tuesday, June 8th at 7pm PT.”

Not every question need be answered, and not every thread needs to be closed… such things are always ripe for the picking down the road (or in your home game). If Vox Machina’s story was any indication, this won’t be last we see the Mighty Nein.

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) May 21, 2021

When announcing that campaign two would soon end, Mercer promised fans that there would be more stories to come of The Mighty Nein down-the-line. A comic line exploring the origins of each character has already gotten underway and it’s possible that the Critical Role gang will revisit their characters in further adaptations of the campaign, akin to Vox Machina’s books and upcoming Amazon animated series. Of course, the beloved characters of Vox Machina continued to appear in one-shots and other content on the Critical Role channel, a fate that will likely await The Mighty Nein.

Though Mercer has promised The Mighty Nein will return, the mystery of campaign three now looms in the minds of Critical Role fans. While nothing has been announced from the Critical Role team, Bleeding Cool insists “we’re sure the cast will be returning for a third campaign.” While wrapping up storylines of the characters fans have grown to love over the past three years will be the focus of Thursday’s finale, Critters will certainly be hoping for an announcement regarding Critical Role’s future.