Critical Recap: Critical Role C3E113 “Assault on the Malleus Key”

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 113: Assault on the Malleus Key!

LAST NIGHT

Scanlan tells his Silver Saddles group that he has to leave, apologizing for abandoning their ride across Wildemount in order to rejoin Vox Machina. Dr. Dranzel says he will keep them in check while Keg takes charge and gets the ride back on track. Scanlan informs the others that he intends to remain a centaur for a while, since he doesn’t want to waste the power of true polymorph. His centaur body gives him numerous benefits, though his stealth is an issue.

They return to Vasselheim via tree and find lodging for the night in the Birthheart. Keyleth talks to Percy and Vex, asking if they are sure they want to go through with this fight. They reassure her that they understand the risks and know that their children will be okay, especially as they have eldest sister Vesper to guide them. Percy assures Keyleth that she is family and he wants her to guide their family for generations to come. Vex is devoted to saving her brother Vax.

Scanlan and Pike discuss their children Juniper and Wilhand’ildan (or Wax). Juniper is in seminary and Wax is doing great in school. Pike encourages Scanlan to bring Wax on the trip with him, centaur and all. Kaylie, Scanlan’s daughter, is running his business in Ank’Harel. Everything is going well, but there is still clear tension between Pike and Scanlan. He misses her. She allows him to sleep in the same room as her and Grog, to the delight of #1 Scanlan fan Cerkonos.

RALLY

After a long rest and a Heroes Feast, Vox Machina head to the Platinum Sanctuary, where they see allies like Dev’ossa the dragon and the Earth Ashari, as well as army banners side by side with those of former enemies. Exandria has truly come together to face this threat. The three priestesses of the Matron’s Coven of the Veil arrive. Lieve’tel Toluse (she/her, played by Liam O’Brien), the head of the coven, wishes to join them for this endeavor. She has history with Vox Machina, having joined them before after the loss of Vax’ildan. She wishes to save the Matron’s champion.

Vox Machina welcome Lieve’tel in, with varying degrees of warmth. Keyleth is still clearly uncomfortable around her, but Cerkonos is smitten. The armies of Exandria gather below the Platinum Sanctuary and the High Heirophant makes a speech that extols the gods and vows to protect them and the future of Exandria. Keyleth makes her own speech, one that is less religious in nature. They are united against an existential threat and they will overcome this power play. Exandria belongs to everyone and they will reclaim that ownership for all. FUCK SHIT UP.

Keyleth’s words bring the crowd to cheers and exaltation, as well as temporary hit points for everyone. Vox Machina will be arriving at the Hellcatch Valley via skyship. There will be a five minute buffer once the first soldiers depart, then they will follow into the storm. Mages will assist them down into the fortress itself. Vex asks Trinket if he wants to join her in battle one more time. If she is going, he is going. He must protect her.

READY, SET…

Vox Machina are approached by two figures – Archivist Seth Domade (who is really Essek Thelyss in disguise) and his brother, Taskhand Verin Thelyss. Essek asks after the Mighty Nein’s safety and Keyleth assures him that they were safely accompanied by Allura Vysoren. Essek will be helping them in his own way. He introduces Verin, who is leading a Kryn Dynasty skyship team. Verin wanted to make sure that Vox Machina met him before the battle, so they recognized each other as allies. He shows them his helmet and asks Keyleth to sign his book of Air Ashari poetry. She does, to Essek’s embarrassment and Verin’s delight.

Allura arrives, informing Keyleth that they have received word from Bells Hells to begin the assault. Allura sends a flare, triggering the symbol of war and launching the soldiers. Percy puts his faith in Keyleth, telling her he would follow her lead to the ends of the world. Lieve’tel gives even more temporary hit points to Vex and Keyleth, casting Death Ward on them both, before joining Cerkonos to board the skyship. Cerkonos, having gotten Scanlan’s advice on flirting, compliments her skin.

ATTACK!

Captain Xandis welcomes Vox Machina aboard the Key Breaker. Portals open ahead as the skyships begin to join the fight, with their own joining the valley dust storm. Magic lights their way, showing the fortress just ahead and below. Siege weapons attempt to disable the skyships via Dispel Magic beams and strange wyvern-like creatures cut through the air, attacking. The silver dragon Athudashionus attacks these creatures, staving off their attacks.

Vox Machina see a skyship incapacitated by a dispel beam. They align their skyship with the listing one and aid in the safe transfer of the passengers, which includes Verin and multiple Kryn soldiers. Keyleth, Cerkonos, and other Air Ashari keep the ship from plummeting, while Vex, Verin, Grog, and Percy work on ferrying people over. They’re able to rescue everyone before the ship crashes into the fortress. The war below rages, with thousands of soldiers surrounding the fortress and fighting massive vidulches. This is Vox Machina’s stop.

FUCK SHIT UP

The group leaps overboard, aided down by arcanists casting featherfall. They land and see that the outer fortress wall has been breached. Vox Machina leaps into action, fighting as a team again for the first time in thirty years. Scanlan casts reverse gravity, Keyleth becomes a fire elemental, Percy uses some new toys, Lieve’tel summons a three-headed raven as a planar ally. They see the ghostly image of a Reiloran psychically powering a dispel tower remotely and realize the Weave Mind is behind these towers, all the way from Ruidus.

Kryn soldiers join the fray as two massive vidulches enter. Keyleth and Grog focus on the vidulches and Keyleth transforms into an earth elemental. The group is surprised when winged devils come to their aid, led by Opal the Twice-Crowned, Champion of the Spider Queen. Vox Machina begin to focus on getting past this fight so they can get closer to the Malleus Key. Grog kills a vidulch (though Scanlan credits Cerkonos in order to impress Lieve’tel).

Dev’ossa the bronze dragon arrives, bringing renewed energy to the fight. Demons and judicators hold the line and Opal fells the second vidulch before encouraging Vox Machina to keep moving forward. They push through, finding the core of the Malleus Fortress and the tower that holds Vax’ildan captive just ahead.

That is it for Episode 113 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Wow Verin Thelyss seems like a really cool, interesting, fun, strong, brave, brilliant person. He appears in Call of the Netherdeep as an NPC and also, in my heart always.
• Grog made Scanlan shoes, which means we have finally gotten actual Grog-made shoes in Critical Role!
• Such a chaotic and intense fight and this is just the beginning!
• OPERATION SAVE VAX LET’S GO!!!!!

Catch Episode 114 on Thursday, November 14th 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?