Critical Recap – Age of Umbra E07 “Escape from the Reach”

Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into our recap of Age of Umbra Episode 7: Escape from the Reach!

PRAYERS AND DREAMS

Idyl reels from the strange words the boy spoke before returning to normal. He tells the boy’s sister to keep the healing to herself and returns to his friends, where they drink and rest for the night. Misty plays her music, inspiring Snyx to pray that Skreev forgives him for killing Adelia and returns to them. Idyl, too, prays: “In dream, I saw the Pyre walk through ash and flame and veiled talk. A gift the world should never know, a heart that burns where gods ne’er go. They hide their light in humble shell to keep the Pyres from ringing bell. But even quiet fires glow bright when stars are known by absence of night.”

Sleep comes to all, with Misty dreaming of August and Idyl dreaming of the strange visions he’s been experiencing. He wonders whether he is broken or destined and neither answer is comforting. In the morning, they speak to Commander Kieran Tolas, who warns them of the movements of the Umbra winds. They must move swiftly. As they leave, they are followed by Enduring who wish Brixton to stay and heal them. She gives an impassioned speech about divinity and community, but the begging continues as Snyx leads their group out and to the Cinnabar Quarter.

PAST AND PRESENT HORRORS

The Cinnabar Quarter, home of the Damask Queens, welcomes them with blood and skeletons at the gate itself. Inside, Brixton spots a ghost entering a house. They follow and discover a family of skeletons who died when they accidentally locked themselves in their cellar. Idyl casts a spell on the mother, speaking with her and learning that they tried to protect their magical youngest child by hiding away. They stayed safe for many years, but their luck ran out. She warns them about the shifting forest that is alive in its own way and recognizes Misty as a vessel from the past.

The group leaves the house, deciding to burn it as a distraction while they make their way through the neighborhood. They come upon a horrifying carriage of chains and bones – Farrah, the Damask Queen, who is celebrating another of her birthdays. Snyx climbs the wall of the gate and drops a rope, allowing them to escape the notice of the birthday girl’s entourage. The exterior gate proves a little trickier, but they are able to scale the wall. They spot the Astrofoundry’s silver and jade tower amongst the trees of the Aurumweald and know they are close to their destination.

THE WINDING WOOD

The group treks through the Aurumweald’s dark and dense wilds for hours. They feel as if they are on the right path, but the forest itself does not want them to leave. Snyx talks to a very rude raccoon named Keenosh, Eater of Balls, who does eventually point them in a helpful direction. They encroach on more mountainous terrain before spotting a ruin in the center of the forest with a golden spark in the center of it. Idyl is immediately distrustful, able to feel the natural power of the forest and the twisted aetherweave within that golden spark.

Before they can act, roots tear free with old pieces of armor, forming a massive forest guardian with the spark at its center – this is a fane warden, a guardian spirit of the Aurumweald. The group fights this corrupted guardian, but realize they have an opportunity to try and heal its sickness. Idyl successfully heals the fane warden, which roots itself and becomes a massive tree with healthy green leaves.

HOPE ANEW

Hope sparks within them thanks to this victory in beating back the darkness. The forest path bends for them, leading them directly to the base of the Idol Hollow peaks. After a few more hours of walking, they find themselves outside the hidden archway that leads to the Barrow of Blind Repose. Their hope now lies within that tomb and the blessed branch that may or may not be in there at all.

That is it for Episode 7 of Age of Umbra!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Can you imagine if after all this, they go inside and there is no blessed branch? Rough.
• What is going on with Idyl! All these visions and his “divine reach”!
• This was a great episode for prayers and speeches, as well as clutch Snyx wall scaling.

Catch Episode 8, the finale of Age of Umbra, on Thursday, July 24th 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 a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?