Critical Recap: Critical Role C2E130 “The Calm Before the Storm”

Written by on March 24, 2021

Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into our recap of Critical Role Episode 130 The Calm Before the Storm!

PARENTS TRAPPED

The Gentleman welcomes the Mighty Nein and their families to his establishment. His employees are doing their best to make the shady bar presentable for Marion and the Brenattos. The Gentleman speaks with Jester privately and Jester explains how dire the situation is, promising him that she wouldn’t have come here with her mother and a child if it wasn’t her only option. Her father trusts her and agrees to keep Marion and the Brenattos safe.

Yeza offers his alchemical skills to the Gentleman, an offer that is readily accepted. Jester and Veth spend time with their families while the others disguise themselves as the Spice Girls, a very famous adventuring party from Marquet, to go shopping. While at Pumat’s, the Spicy Nein notice a hooded figure hanging around the shop, so Beau mentions their plans to go to Darktow, hoping to throw any eavesdroppers off their scent.

Meanwhile, the Gentleman and Marion are too nervous to speak to each other, so Jester keeps her mother company. Marion can tell that the Nein are gearing up for dangerous things. Marion is proud of her, but she doesn’t want a martyr for a daughter and asks Jester to come back home if things get too dangerous. Jester promises she will and convinces Marion to go upstairs and talk to the Gentleman.

Veth and Yeza discuss chemicals and the future. She wants to stay here with them and hopes this will be all over soon. Veth can’t imagine anything bigger than this fight and promises Yeza that in two weeks, they’ll start their new life together. They make a couple fluffernutters together. As the Nein return from their shopping excursion, Caleb hears Trent in his mind, asking why he runs like he carries a guilty conscience. Caleb tells him that things are bigger than Trent’s own machinations and to take some time off. To Caleb’s surprise, Trent stays quiet.

A MOTHER’S CHOICE

Their next step is to go to the Blooming Grove and see if they can decipher what the Wildmother wants Caduceus to see. Jester messages Yussa, wanting to make sure he’s okay, but the response she receives is the sound of thousands of voices screaming. The Nein worry that Yussa might be trapped in the Living City and unable to return to his body, but none of them understand astral projection well enough to deduce what’s possible.

Veth takes Caduceus aside, thanking him for saving her son and asking for his advice about whether to go or stay. Cad, speaking as a non-parent but a former child, tells her that every parent eventually leaves and she can’t completely protect her son from the world. However, she has imparted good lessons to Luc and is working to keep the darkness at bay. Veth asks if Caduceus needs her; his confirmation seals her decision to leave with the Nein.

Caleb teleports the Nein to the Blooming Grove. It is blossoming now that the corruption is kept at bay by the purple crystalline structures that wrap around the graveyard’s perimeter. Cad leads them to the temple, where they’re greeted warmly by his parents and sisters. He brings his family up to speed on what has occurred and they in turn reveal their own visions that have warned of a looming danger. These dreams all seem to be connected to Caduceus. Calliope does not want him to go and her insistence causes Cad to storm out.

VISIONS PAST AND PRESENT

Calliope joins her brother by the stream. She just wanted to be honest and doesn’t expect him to listen to her. The two siblings discuss their frustration over who got to see the world. Calliope knows now that she wasn’t ready. Caduceus never wanted to leave in the first place and doesn’t want to leave now, but Calliope trusts his instincts. Cad isn’t sure that he will return, so he asks her to make sure his name is placed in the Grove and to take care of herself – her destiny is not to stay here.

Caduceus is ready to hear from the Wildmother. He explains that after everyone left, time lost its meaning. He began eating the petals of the lilies, the first plants of the Grove, in an attempt to induce visions from the Wildmother. This led to strange dreams of eyes in the forest and the sky, and nine butterflies drinking from the grave’s flowers. Soon, the Nein arrived, and he believed that to be the answer. But there is more for him to see.

Caduceus wades into the pond, eats a lily petal, and submerges, casting commune. He asks for clarity and sees the Wildmother’s sad face overlooking her seed-like souls as the screams of the City filter in. The souls blink out one by one, and he watches the Wildmother fade and wither away. The scope of what awaits them is clear to him now. Cad and Calliope go inside and he tells the others about the visions of eyes that he had before he met them. He understands that there is no getting out of this for any of them – this is fate at work.

CONNECTIONS

Cad invites everyone to take a walk, including Calliope. They walk the perimeter and inspect the crystals. Ever since the crystals were planted, the Grove has been cleansed of corruption, but the forest beyond their borders remains unchanged. They recognize the similarity to the corrupted trees of the Arboretum in Aeor, but the Savalirwood’s corruption stems from the city of Molaesmyr. Once the center of Elven culture hundreds of years past, something went wrong one day and the city was destroyed, corrupting the Savalirwood in the process.

Jester thinks the elves of Molaesmyr were trying to tap into ancient magic and opened a door to the Somnovem, perpetuating the endless cycle of powerful mages attempting to become more powerful. Cad casts commune again, confirming that the two forests are connected, but they are running out of time to find more aid.

Beau meditates on her tattoos, but ends up communicating with Lucien instead of the Somnovem itself. He tells her they had to double time but are keeping a schedule. Lucien asks her to imagine what she can see with three eyes but she breaks away when she feels him exert his will.

Jester and Fjord take a walk together. Jester tells him that she lied to her mother about coming back should things turn south. She didn’t want to worry her and is hoping to return safely. Fjord agrees with that. Getting to see her parents together made Jester realize that Fjord never found Vandran. Jester offers to message him or scry, but Fjord asks her not to – planning to see Vandran himself drives Fjord to ensure that he’ll make it back.

STORMY WEATHER

Caleb finds a spot away from the temple and sits in his dome, keeping dry from the rain. He summons Frumpkin, telling him that they will do their best to keep these families together. If they make it back, he plans to let Frumpkin go. Frumpkin is a good boy, but he is not truly his cat. His cat is dead. Caleb touches Frumpkin, turning his coat white, before writing in his second book and going inside.

Yasha takes a walk in the rain. She plucks a lavender flower and eats a petal from it. She talks to the Stormlord, asking him to walk with her. She takes out the Holy Avenger, letting the rain fall on it, wanting to learn how to wield it. Frustrated when nothing happens, she eats the rest of the flower, since that’s what Caduceus did. She continues to meditate, thinking back on her life and the storms she has weathered, as a real storm grows around her.

When she opens her eyes, she is standing among broken, open badlands. Broken weapons litter the ground but she cannot find her own blade. Lightning strikes the horizon and she heads towards it, intent on following. As she runs, she sees the Stormlord in the clouds. He asks her who she is and Yasha tells him – she is his champion. The Stormlord calls her Chain Breaker, Angel Reborn, Punisher and Redeemer. The Stormlord tells her to show him.

That is it for Episode 131 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

  • That’s right, Yasha, SHOW THE STORMLORD WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT!!
  • Frumpkin feels. So many Frumpkin feels.
  • The Nein need a win and they need a win very soon. They’ve had a hard few days. Weeks. A hard time of it, just in general.
  • Oh Mighty Nein.

Anyway, catch Episode 131 on Thursday, March 25th at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and youtube.com/criticalrole, or a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday, yet?



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