Critical Recap: Critical Role C3E111 “The Nein Hells”

Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into our recap of Critical Role Campaign 3 Episode 111: The Nein Hells!

MIGHTY BELLS

Introductions abound between the Mighty Nein and Bells Hells. Most importantly, Pâté and Sprinkle the Weasel meet and are quickly exchanged between their owners, Laudna and Jester. They decide to have dinner together in order to compare notes about Ruidus, but Braius recognizes Jester as the one who vandalized the Platinum House in Zadash and ruined Braius’ life. He is incredibly angry, but Jester tries to convert him to the Traveler. Yasha offers to fight Braius for Jester’s honor.

Caleb notices Ashton’s head, having heard about them from Essek. Both teams connect the dots, realizing that they are linked through Essek, having met Beau and Caleb in the Tishtan Ruins. They discuss the Weave Mind and the Reilorans before deciding to travel to Ruidus tonight and rest in Caleb’s magical tower for the evening. Jester goes to Braius and properly apologizes for her actions, explaining that she was trying to impress her own god. The two bond over their shared artistic abilities and Jester messages Braius’ ex-fiancee Suzy Greene, telling her that Braius is great. Suzy, however, just wants to be left alone.

Orym says goodbye to his sisters and the Ashari hold the water of Lake Umamu back so that Bells Hells and the Mighty Nein can cross the lake and enter the portal. They successfully cross the portal and arrive on Ruidus, where they split up and teleport into the basement of the Jagged Edge. There, Caleb sets up his Nein-Sided Tower, an extradimensional space, and invites them all inside for a Heroes Feast and some rest.

TOWER TIME

Caleb’s tower is comfortable and inviting, with a hundred spectral cat butlers. Laudna explores the tower via the tower’s cat tunnels while Jester and Caduceus set up a heroes feast. Dorian and Yasha provide music and Veth continues to flirt with Braius, though she runs off before she can give into temptation. Caleb casts mind blank on Yasha and himself before talking to Orym. He encourages the quiet halfling to open up to his friends and not be afraid of burdening them.

Ashton asks Yasha for relationship advice, but she claims to have no game and sends him to Jester, instead. Jester is only too happy to give Ashton advice on how to get with Fearne, giving them a copy of her favorite romance novel Tusk Love. Then Jester joins Fearne as magical cats to explore the tower. Beau and Fjord discuss their opinions on Bells Hells, feeling that the group is unlikely to make it and hoping they won’t have to clean up their mess. They agree to focus on their own team and keep an eye on Bells Hells, to see how it goes.

Caleb, meanwhile, reveals to Chetney that he has been a huge fan of his toys since childhood and is a bit of a collector, having several animals and a wooden egg. He asks Chetney to engrave a shield with ‘Nein Hells’, which Chetney is happy to do. Fearne tries to steal Caleb’s egg, but is unsuccessful. Beau and Yasha head to bed, inviting Imogen and Laudna, but this offer is rebuffed.

WHEN TO LEAVE

Caduceus talks to Braius and the two discuss faith and Braius’ conflict. Braius wonders how to know that his faith is directed in the right location without a clear sign. Caduceus asks what brought Braius to his faith and he explains that he felt betrayed by the Platinum Dragon and found solace in his grief and anger by worshiping the Lord of the Hells. Now, though, he feels pointed back to the Dragon. Braius isn’t sure whether to believe his heart or his friends.

Caduceus is surprised that those are two different things for Braius. Sometimes, bad things happen because people are at the mercy of the winds. It is possible that it wasn’t the Platinum Dragon that failed Braius, but rather people – a concept that is harder to get comfortable with. The Lord of the Hells was a good place for Braius to heal, but it’s not a place to get stuck. Caduceus tells Braius he’ll know he’s healed when he realizes it’s time to leave.

When Caduceus first joined the Nein, he was incredibly overwhelmed, but realized that the group was exactly what he needed and exactly what they needed, too. He has faith that Braius is exactly what the Hells need. Braius can be a paladin of Bells Hells.

POSSIBILITIES

Before bed, Caleb takes Imogen and Laudna up to the top floor of his tower. This room is a starscape that mirrors the interior of a Luxon Beacon and shows echoes of the room’s inhabitants. Caleb knows who Imogen is and her connection to Liliana. It is impossible to know what will happen out of the numerous possibilities of tomorrow, but the most important thing to do is focus on her own heart and the ones around her. Imogen knows what’s at stake. Caleb recognizes her raw talent. She has her work cut out for her dealing with Ludinus.

Caleb gives her an intuit charge (basically a psychic bomb) from Aeor. He hopes it will help. Imogen tells him about the Matron’s trial and how she chose to trust her mother, which was a bad call. She isn’t sure if she should trust Liliana and is at a loss. Caleb doesn’t know, but she can find that answer inside herself. Laudna tells Imogen to trust her own instincts. One day, they’ll celebrate together at the Taste of Tal’Dorei in Bassuras.

Meanwhile, Fjord reassures Jester that he doesn’t want to rush their wedding just because they might die on the moon. It gives him more confidence to know they have something to look forward to in their future. He then accidentally kills Pâté, who poofs away. The two of them hope that Laudna will understand in the morning and still return Sprinkle to Jester. Chetney stays up working on the shield and finishes it in the early morning hours.

COMFORT

Dorian goes to Orym’s room and Orym confesses he’s been trying to gather the courage to go see him. Orym admits to having feelings for Dorian and is so grateful that the two are here together again. Dorian says the world has kept them apart, but Orym is the reason he is here and has always been the reason he is here. This feeling is new to Dorian and he isn’t sure what it is, but he asks to hold Orym and comfort him for once.

Orym curls into Dorian’s arms and the two slowly fall asleep together, feeling their feelings and their dreams of what could be and the slow release of guilt and responsibility as they hold each other until morning.

That is it for Episode 111 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Bells Hells leveled up to Level 15! And the Mighty Nein are still Level 20.
• Fearne tried to Identify the Matron mask, but it’s too divine and cool for anyone to understand. WILD.
• Someone in Vox Machina has to be a C-Popper, too. Who are we thinking?
• The combo of Robbie Daymond and Liam O’Brien is too much for my tear ducts to take.

Catch Episode 112 on Thursday, October 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?