Critical Recap: Age of Umbra – Sallowlands Ep 2 “The Onyx Spire”

Hello and welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Jared Deiro, the Critical Role Junior Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into Age of Umbra Sallowlands Episode 2 “The Onyx Spire”!

FOLLY

With the Tower of Oxudos still about a day’s travel away, the survivors, along with their young companion, Bowen, decide to tend to their wounds and rest for the night. While Mercy gathers gory appendages to heal himself, Sister apologizes for everything he’s been through because of her. He tells her there is nothing to be sorry for, she gave him life and purpose. Mercy asks her why she travels to the city. Sister seeks hope and magic. The Veiled Sisters are struggling without nutrients and water to sustain them, and they can no longer help anyone who needs their aid. Mercy was their last. Mercy does not know what their hands did before they became whatever they are.

While Caguama takes watch, Alphonse tells them what they did was very dangerous and that it’s not how they save people from the Umbra. That Tatchra is gone and corrupted. How many people will it kill now that they let it go? If Alphonse is approached by something like that and there is an opportunity to save someone else down the line, he will always take the shot.

SWAP MEET

After having spent an evening in the rotten marshes, the next morning, the sick survivors traverse out of the Shallows and into the Sallow Opens towards the Tower of Oxudos. While they trudge through the wide rolling dunes, they’re bombarded by a massive sandstorm. Caguama climbs a spiked structure to look for some sort of cover, seeing a caravan of tents in the far distance.

They approach the caravan as the storm subsides, finding more than a dozen figures approaching them with their weapons drawn. Caguama recognizes them as a company they had traveled with long ago: Stygs’ Company.

One by one, the survivors drop items they’ve accumulated as Edra Stygs steps out of her tent. They quickly learn this is not a shakedown, but a trade, as the Company members offer goods. Members from both parties are taken aback when Caguama unveils a small, bird-like puppet named Mr. Beaks. Edra is ecstatic! Caguama trades Mr. Beaks for Bowen’s armor. Dilly takes a hearty bow, Alphonse takes an off-looking piece of junk, and Caguma takes a strange recipe for a healing salve. Alphonse and Mercy struggle to unfold the canvas junk into a makeshift glider (one they can’t refold).

After leaving Stygs’ Company and continuing toward the Tower, Alphonse asks what Bowen’s mission was. They were traveling north with a troupe for a few months to Edorodu, seeking prophetic texts from Xanthalos about Jeraydah. Unfortunately, the texts were taken by a wandering evangelist of the Orphid Smile. After finding nothing, they decided to return empty-handed, only to be slaughtered. Bowen is not eager to deliver this information to the Archons – this was Bowen’s rite of passage to becoming a full knight.

JUDGMENT

A behemoth obsidian and silver gothic cathedral-like tower looms over the survivors as a company of 20 armored Exemplar soldiers marches towards them. Bowen explains to the leader, the Archon, that the survivors come seeking shelter and to speak with the prophet. The Archon removes her helmet, and they see a red-headed elven woman with tattooed scripture across her face. Alphonse tells the Archon that he knows what it is to be ‘one who endures’, revealing the same tattoo of script around his wrist. The Archon introduces herself as Exemplar Archon Petra. They are guests for the night. Rest at their pyre.

After passing through the gates and being lifted to the rocky cliffside stronghold above, they continue to notice an unwelcoming air. Soldiers, refugees, herbalists, and workers fill the grounds of the condensed metropolis. Looking out toward the distant city of hope, Alphonse swears he sees something like a ship floating into the clouds and returning.

Upon the request of Sister, the survivors are taken to a local herbalist, Lorraine. She pours them a floral tea that empties their bodies of a greenish-yellow toxin. They ask Lorraine about the prophet, but she has not seen him since she was a young girl. She remembers him as a great man who was driven by fire and confidence. They found order and safety under Oxudos.

They hear a yell as a young elf runs through the crowd. Two Exemplars grab him and force him to his knees, pronouncing him a “Heretic.” Claiming he has been found with dark texts and blasphemy. The young elf refutes this, looking for help among the crowd. A girl turns away. “Horizon Speaker,” they call him.

Archon Petra arrives, burns his face with her hand, deeming him “Exile” – the man is then taken to the gate and thrown off the tower.

Thats allllll for Episode 2 of Age of Umbra: Sallowlands!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Edra Stygs bit was great, I love the tension break when everyone realized they were traders
• Can we EVER get a safe city with good vibes in this damn world?? Everyone’s always gotta be so sketchy!!!
• I am both terrified and in love with Archon Petra. I don’t know what to tell you, gang.

Catch Episode 3 of Age of Umbra: Sallowlands on Thursday, July 23rd 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!?