Critical Recap: Critical Role C2E134 “The Streets of the Forgotten”

Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into our recap of Critical Role Episode 134 The Streets of the Forgotten!

FOLLOWING THE TRAIL

The Mighty Nein assess their current situation – the hallway is caved in and Lucien and Cree are getting further away, but Zoran, Tyffial, and Otis are dead. Much of the Nein are low on spell slots, so sleep will be needed soon, but they decide to try and figure out where the Tombtakers are headed first. Caduceus is also interested in examining that blue dome more closely, to possibly try and get another ally in this fight. They take the heads of the dead bodies with them and carve a path through the rocks, eventually getting to the other side.

As they crawl through, Essek receives word from Dagen – some rangers were lost and others were wounded in the confrontation with Lucien. Once again on the edge of the Presidius Ward, Jester discovers drops of blood, leading deeper into the ward. They follow this blood trail until it thins and stops outside of a damaged building that was once an opulent temple. Fjord uses Divine Sense, picking up on something within the structure and Caleb gets a hint of Necromancy via detect magic.

CHOOSING A PATH

Veth calls a check-in, arguing that whatever is in there is probably not what they’re looking for. She and Beau decide to scout the continuing path and see where it goes. While they head off, Cad disguises himself as Cree and pulls out Tyffial’s head for speak with dead. He learns that the road, not the temple, is the correct path and that it took about a day or so to reach their destination when the Tombtakers were here previously. Caleb casts comprehend languages and learns that the temple is a mausoleum, called ‘The Mausoleum of the Forgotten’.

Meanwhile, Beau and Veth walk down the road, eventually stumbling upon two massive dead bodies – muscular, gorilla-like creatures with bear faces, green fur, and long claws. They were clearly dispatched by Lucien’s blades (though Veth gives the credit to Cree.) The road itself continues, but the cavern ceiling has crashed down and cut it off from the rest of the city. Once Beau and Veth return, the Nein head to the amphitheater (the Presidius Discussion Coliseum) since they’re confident now of the Tombtakers’ direction.

HELLO CHARLIE

Now investigating the coliseum, they see what Caduceus saw during his flight – hundreds of bodies and a glowing dome on a raised platform, containing an officious woman with her arms raised. There are bodies by the dome, one of which is a mostly intact automaton. Cad speaks with one of the bodies and learns that the woman was a great mage named Brashaar and that the people had gathered to ask for her protection. She was an architect and one of many who doomed them by angering the gods.

Theories about the dome and its inhabitant abound. Were the domes sent by the gods? Did they mark who was important? Were they a last ditch effort to survive the calamity? The dome is beyond even Essek’s understanding and neither he nor Caleb can ascertain the intentions of the woman within. Before they leave, Veth examines the automaton. She notices that the gem in its chest is cracked, so she replaces it with the one she took from the previous broken robot.

The robot comes to life, asking to be given a designation. Cad names him Charlie. Charlie explains that he is an Aeormaton citizen of Aeor. He has sustained injury and doesn’t remember what happened, but thinks that if they take him to the Genesis Ward, he can reboot and present himself. The Genesis Ward is in the direction they were already heading, so the Nein agree to take him. Essek is distrustful and warns Caleb to remember that many things in Aeor were designed for warfare against the gods. Just be on guard.

SECURITY STOP

Back on the road, Jester (who is carrying Charlie on her back) asks if he knows where the Cognouza Ward is. He thinks, but then fritzes. He recalls the Cognouza Ward as part of Aeor, but his damage prevents him from accessing any more information. Eventually they find a large crack in the wall of the collapsed ceiling that opens to the other side. They walk through to a much chillier passageway and find more blood droplets that confirm their correct path.

Ahead is a smaller chamber with a faint, thrumming blue light and two hallways leading out. Beau and Yasha step inside, finding a raised pillar topped with a twenty foot spire – as the spire thrums, the energy surrounding them pulses and their hair rises and falls. Electricity jumps between them as they share a kiss in the room. Charlie explains that the room is a security checkpoint and that people approved may pass without getting zapped.

Caleb uses Allura’s staff to cast globe of invulnerability, which successfully keeps him from getting hurt when he crosses the room. He runs back to the others, encasing them in the globe, and they run into the room – but as they do, they hear a roar from behind them. One of the gorilla creatures is giving chase! They dash to the left hallway, but another creature is there in wait. This one is a panther-like creature with an eye on its tail.

WILD MAGIC

The Nein launch into the fight against the two Aeorian creatures, both of which are immune to radiant and necrotic damage. The panther creature is an Aeorian Absorber and the gorilla creature is an Aeorian Reverser. Beau kills the Absorber, but Fjord finds another one in the second hallway. The Reverser heavily injures Caleb, but Veth pulls him away and kills the creature. Attention turns to the second Absorber, who is killed by Jester’s thrown hand axe.

The others discover that while fighting, Fjord got hit with a bout of Aeor’s wild magic due to his spellcasting – what they thought was hair growing over his body is in fact the hair on his head and face falling out. Fjord is now bald (or bjald) and puts on his tricorn to cover it. The Nein move into the hallway and decide to take a rest under the dome. Yasha notices heavy brass doors at the end of the hallway, which Charlie thinks is the entrance to the Genesis Ward.

CHECKING IN

Jester scrys on Cree, finding her and Lucien bandaging their wounds. Jester can hear splashes of water and notices they’re sitting on a marble floor, the room cast in a faint yellow hue. It reminds Jester of A2’s laboratory – industrious and professional. They discuss feeling close to their goal and Lucien mentions that ‘they’re’ close too, mentioning that ‘they’ are lost without their king and without focus. But the Nonagon will be reborn greater and will be their savior, as they were his. He also mentions his hope in finding something that can patch them up faster within Aeor. He tells Cree to rest while he keeps watch.

Jester tells the others what she saw and thinks Lucien knew she was watching – his words sounded like a performance. As everyone beds down, Beau and Caleb have another dream. Surrounded by darkness, they hear Lucien’s voice. He knows that Jester was watching and tells them they’re a thorn in his side. He is not here to kill them, not yet. He’s just here to open a door and take his reign – ‘long may it be.’ Lucien welcomes them to watch, if they can keep up. His words dissolve into voices and screams and the sound of incessant static.

That is it for Episode 134 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Did I swear very loudly when Lucien mentioned his long reign? Why yes, yes I did.
• So was Lucien talking about the Somnovem or about Beau and Caleb? Or both?
• Charlie, please stay with the Nein forever, you perfect adorable robot. He says he’s just a companion without defensive or offensive capabilities, and I just think the Nein could really use a buddy right now.
• Oh Mighty Nein.

Anyway, catch Episode 135 on Thursday, April 22nd at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole, or a week later on our podcast! Is it Thursday, yet?