Critical Recap: Critical Role C4E16 “Visions of Shadow & Stone”

Hello and welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Jared Deiro, the Critical Role Junior Lore Keeper! Let’s hop into Critical Role Campaign 4 Episode 16 Visions of Shadow & Stone!

BARFLY

In a small shepherd’s hamlet within the Kavrosi Mountains, Tyranny and Kattigan share a drink in The Caller’s Perch. Tyranny, with eyes glued to Jasavi’s shimmering and reflective blade in her hand, sees a beautiful woman, a parent calling out for someone named “Esmé” –

Kattigan breaks her focus, he asks about the knife. Tyranny compliments Kattigan’s workmanship on the thoughtful gift. Although she still feels guilty, she must remind herself that the knife is a symbol to not steal and that she has a responsibility to not hurt people who are nice to her.

Suddenly, Tyranny unknowingly hears Kattigan’s thoughts. She stares at the knife and receives another vision, one where a wounded Kattigan is in Teor’s embrace. She hears Kattigan whisper the name “Marienna”. Tyranny asks Kattigan if that name means anything to him. Quickly, Kattigan takes the knife from her and looks into the blade, only to see the reflection of an old, haggard, drunken man staring back at him. Kattigan shuts down and continues to drink, for drinking is the quickest way to escape.

As the two sit in silence in this humble hamlet, Wulferic nuzzles Tyranny and noses the knife at the table.

THE SHADOWLIGHT WAYPOINT

The Seekers arrive at the Shadowlight Waypoint, a druidic campsite at the edge of day and night on the border of the Eternal Night barrowdell. Here, a number of members of the Order of Roses ready themselves to accompany a shipment of filament heading to the city of Venatus. Julien and Obzaz Claw, an orcish paladin of the Order, gather supplies for the trek ahead as the others speak with Masha Thorn, an elderly orcish druid, about the Barrowguard heading to Tannesar.

Thaisha confesses to Masha about Occtis, unsure of how to tackle her beliefs and her bond with him. Masha sees wisdom in Thaisha doing what she had to do. But the wheels have begun spinning – could she stand before the Circle of the Ancients and say that it should be allowed to call back those who leave at unjust times? Thaisha will stand up for her truth and defend what she did, but it doesn’t change what she believes. Thaisha learns that in wise council, she will eventually have to explain herself, and she may have to leave the Circle.

Julien grills Vaelus and Occtis over their loyalties to the group, along with their aligned goals, to which Occtis reminds Julien that he is speaking with a noble of a Sundered House. Julien understands that he is lashing out, and Occtis clarifies that no part of him is trying to stop Julien from enacting his revenge.

Thaisha steps away to speak with Doctor Amry Talter, a halfling scholar of the Totality embarking on her first in-field study with the Order of Roses – unfortunately, Occtis realized the prophecy she is attempting to fulfill was resolved over 600 years ago, so now Talter lacks purpose. Thaisha thinks that Talter needs to find the beginning of a new story. She tells Talter they’re going to Tannesar. Talter pauses. “The Place of Wings – I think I found the clue,” thunder rolls in the distance as her eyes glow white, and she collapses.

Talter awakens after having a vision of “a Barrowguard warrior in front of a sunken holy site defending against undead” in the Place of Wings. Thaisha is delighted. Talter is coming with them!

INTO THE NIGHT

Roaming through the fields, the road simply ends as they ride forward into the fallen Obridimian Empire, and into the freezing Eternal Night. The Seekers travel across Titan’s Bench, the Tiria Via, over the sands, and into ancient quarries.

After roaming for hours, Julien is attacked by a strange being in the shadows. The party repeatedly hear each other asking for torchlight, while a shadow continues to follow and attack Julien. Thaisha casts Detect Magic and sees that Julien is surrounded by specters pushing in on him. Eventually, the group sees a fractured temple in the distance, and they push forward to escape their shady situation.

As the Seekers settle in the broken temple, Occtis opens the Kibbenimkedaz, the Stone tome gifted to him by the druids. The stones tell him of a robed ancient sorcerer, of the Sundered and broken house of Kalystra (a house either in hiding or dead). Occtis sees a young priest of House Halovar speaking to Tansul, as the god gifts the followers a place to make a celestial in his image – a place that may be needed “for a day MAY come where Tansul is gone, but a day WILL come where he will return.” This celestial can only be made with a sacrifice – Tansul points to the priest’s heart. Occtis returns from the memory.

The next day, they ride into a canyon of ancient stone structures, toward enormous obsidian obelisks, with a temple made of volcanic glass at the base of an ancient quarry. At the bottom, they find torn banners of the Barrowguard.

The grounds of the temple are littered with bodies. Fallen warriors. Vaelus notices a bannerman moving. As she approaches, she notices over a dozen eyes meet hers. Something twitching inside the helmet – Then all at once, a hundred nightingales blast out of the helm and surround Vaelus, lifting her into the air.

That is it for Episode 16 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Doctor Amry Talter and the resolved prophecy was so genius. I got a hearty chuckle out of that one.
• That psychological shadow play was incredible! I love seeing the players get irked out by the landscape of the game.
• OPE!! A heart needed for a celestial of Tansul!? That doesn’t sound good!

Catch Episode 17 of Critical Role Campaign 4 on Thursday, February 26th at 7pm Pacific on beacon.tv, where Beacon members get access to the entire episode, podcast included! The episode will also release on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole and in two parts on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?