Critical Recap: Critical Role C3E1 “The Draw of Destiny”

Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. I’ll be bringing you episode recaps to help you stay on top of the main events! Let’s dive into our recap of Critical Role Campaign 3 Episode 1 The Draw of Destiny!

IMOGEN & LAUDNA

The story begins in 843PD among the tall mountain spires that make up the city of Jrusar in Marquet. These five spires rise up over the jungles below and are interconnected by bridges and cable cars. One such cable car transports Imogen (she/her, played by Laura Bailey), a shy human sorcerer, and Laudna (she/her, played by Marisha Ray), a spooky warlock/sorcerer, to the Aerie Spire. They return to the Starpoint Conservatory, a library that Imogen has been trying to access for research, where they receive a letter officially rebuffing her request.

Imogen is undeterred and asks what she needs to do to be allowed inside. She must be a student of the Conservatory or she can appeal to the Chandei Quorum – the governing body of Jrusar. When Imogen attempts to read the mind of the woman helping them, she is overwhelmed by the inner thoughts of the others in the conservatory. Imogen and Laudna leave, determined to figure out a way to incur favor with someone in the Quorum. They head to the market and Laudna accidentally terrifies some children with her attempts at playfulness.

ASHTON & FRESH CUT GRASS

Upon waking up late in the Krook House, Ashton (he/they, played by Taliesin Jaffe), a punk earth genasi barbarian, meets with Fresh Cut Grass (he/they, played by Sam Riegel), a cheerful automaton cleric. The two have only known each other for a few weeks but are enjoying the new friendship. They head off to the Spire by Fire tavern in search of work, as their other companions Milo and Anni Aughta have no jobs to offer them right now.

The two speak with the owner of the tavern, the katari (lion person) Ishir and ask if he has any work for them. Not yet, but this is Ishir’s first time meeting Fresh Cut Grass, or any construct like them. FCG is more of a thinker and a doer rather than a lifter. He prefers to heal people and especially wants to help those who are broken in some way. FCG can also eat various metals, which they demonstrate for Ishir. Worst case scenario, they can do that for money. Both FCG and Ashton are intrigued, but Ashton’s up for more options should they come available.

FEARNE, ORYM, & DORIAN

Meanwhile, a skyship docks at the skyport in Aerie Spire. Fearne (she/her, played by Ashley Johnson), a mischievous faun druid, Orym (he/him, played by Liam O’Brien), a steady halfling fighter, and Dorian (he/him, played by guest Robbie Daymond), a valiant air genasi bard, disembark the ship and board a gondola down to the Core Spire. Hailing from Tal’Dorei, they have come to Jrusar on a mission from the Voice of the Tempest, the leader of Orym’s people, to find someone in the city.

As they leave the gondola, Fearne steals an earring from a pachydan (elephant person), who is none the wiser. Dorian and Orym admonish her but Fearne promises that she doesn’t do this to everybody and besides, it was too beautiful for her to resist. Orym and Dorian agree to keep an eye on her. Dorian has been here before, so he knows his way around. He guides them to the Spire by Fire tavern as a place to stay for the night.

BE OUR GUEST

Laudna and Imogen are just leaving the market with a basket full of veggies when they see a flash of blue light impact a cart ahead of them. The cart crashes and objects such as a table, a kitchen knife, a broom, a rug, and others all begin to move of their own accord. This is right outside the Spire by Fire, so Ashton and FCG run out to see the commotion. At the same time, Fearne, Orym, and Dorian are approaching the thoroughfare. All three groups see the animated objects and are drawn into combat.

The objects attack and the groups attack back. Ashton rages, his barbarian abilities having a gravitational bend to them, and destroys a broom with a chaos burst. Sir Bertrand Bell (he/him, played by Travis Willingham), a bombastic fighter, joins the fray. Imogen fries the knife with a witchbolt and Laudna destroys the rug (which tried to smother SEVERAL people) with an eldritch blast. Another chaos burst from a raging Ashton takes care of the table.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

As the dust settles on the fight, an impressed Bertrand introduces himself to everyone. He is curious if they’re in the market for more work like that. Curiosity is piqued, so Bertrand leads them into the Spire by Fire, where he pays for drinks and rooms. He works for a man named Lord Eshteross, a philanthropist trying to do some good in Jrusar and looking to hire folks who can help him in that goal.

Introductions are made in full. FCG explains that he was created by someone named Dancer, along with several other constructs. They were working a job in a silver mine when they were beset by monsters. FCG was in stasis during the attack – when he came to, their friends were dead. Ashton was hired to find out what happened at the mine, which is where they found FCG.

Dorian claims that he and his friends are here sightseeing, but FCG picks up on the falsehood. Both Orym and Laudna are from Tal’Dorei, with Orym from the Air Ashari and Laudna from Whitestone. She calls it “a shitty place.” Ashton is local, just picking up odd jobs at the moment. They all agree to meet back up in the morning to go see Lord Eshteross.

REGROUPING

While the others stay at the Spire by Fire, Laudna and Imogen return to the place they’re renting with an older woman named Zhudanna. They ask her about Lord Eshteross and she says that he’s a recluse. She’s heard strange things about him. The two women agree that in the best case scenario, they’ll get money and possibly some recognition. Worst case, they’ll just leave.

At the tavern, Orym talks with Bertrand, asking if he knows anyone named Oshad Breshio or The Anger. Bertrand hasn’t heard those names, so Orym goes to his friends. The three agree to see what this offer is about, hopeful it might at least be a start. Point them in the right direction, maybe. Fearne and Dorian go back down to the bar while Orym goes to bed.

Dorian plays some music, but his songs do little to win over the crowd. FCG talks to Ashton, asking how he would feel knowing one of their new friends lied to them. Ashton is fine with that – it makes the others more interesting. Besides, now they’re curious about what FCG could uncover. Ashton plays cards, losing quite a bit of money while Fearne and FCG try and fail to help them. Everyone heads to bed, and FCG helps a drunkard into their room.

THE MANOR

The group meets back up in the morning and heads to Eshteross’s manor. Along the way, Laudna and Imogen explain that they’ve been friends for a couple of years and enjoy traveling together. They’re looking for answers, specifically from the Starpoint Conservatory. Imogen wants to know where her magic comes from. Bertrand claims to sponsor a section of the library and could help get her in, but it’s a fairly obvious lie.

They arrive at the manor, where they’re greeted by an elven woman, Evelyn Wress, who is Eshteross’s caretaker. She’s surprised to see Bertrand, but leads them through the dark and dusty house to Eshteross’s study. Eshteross, an older, dignified orc, greets Bertrand, but it is clear he’s not fond of the man.

Bertrand explains what happened in the marketplace and how impressed he was by everyone’s skills and courage. They can handle anything! Eshteross asks if they’ve come here to prove themselves, then tells them to show him. He rushes the group.

That is it for Episode 1 of Critical Role Campaign 3!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Happy campaign 3, y’all! So excited to see what shenanigans this new batch of would-be heroes will get up to!
• For those who are interested in the previous adventures of Fearne, Orym, and Dorian, check out Exandria Unlimited!
• Apparently Fresh Cut Grass was named after his associate Dancer’s favorite smells. The names of his fellow constructs are… quite varied.
• Love that we ended on a test of worth! Prove yourselves, unnamed party!

Anyway, catch Episode 2 on Thursday, October 28th at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole, or a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?