Critical Recap: Critical Role C3E25 “A Taste of Tal’Dorei”

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 25 A Taste of Tal’Dorei!

A “TASTE” OF “TAL’DOREI”

Bells Hells and their new friend Dusk head to A Taste of Tal’Dorei, a restaurant themed around the continent Tal’Dorei. On the way, they see a large, mismatched automaton accompanying an older woman. FCG tries to talk to the construct, but it ignores them. Imogen attempts to speak with the automaton through telepathy, but she too receives no response. The woman refers to the construct as a worker who does not speak or do anything without her command.

The group continues on to A Taste of Tal’Dorei, finding a wooden building that sticks out due to the Tal’Dorei style of its construction and decoration. The servers are all dressed as historical figures like Zan Tal’Dorei, King Warren Drassig, and Errevon the Rimelord and they all role play their parts. The group order themed drinks and snacks and watch a show where “Zan” and “Drassig” fight each other in a not-at-all historical re-enactment of prop swords and lighting cues.

CALLING THE CALLOWAYS

While interacting with the delights of the restaurant, Dusk explains that she is looking for the two people who helped her during her time in the Feywild. She shows them a locket with their portraits – Fearne’s parents, Birdie and Ollie Calloway. According to Dusk, she got separated from them when they came through a portal into Exandria together. Dusk doesn’t know how much time has passed, but they think that the Calloways are around here somewhere.

Fearne recognizes the portraits as copies of the ones from her Nana’s house. She hasn’t seen her parents in 90 years. The Calloways gave Dusk the locket but Dusk doesn’t remember how long ago. Time is so strange in the Fey Realm and memories get altered. The Calloways never mentioned having a daughter, but maybe they’re here looking for Fearne. Fearne explains that her parents are important figures in the Seelie Court and they left on an important mission.

Dusk’s memories are too hazy to recall anything, even getting their own tattoo, which is similar to Orym’s. Now that Imogen has seen a picture of Birdie and Ollie, she reaches out via sending to talk to them. Birdie answers, but she doesn’t trust Imogen until she proves that she is with Fearne and Dusk by mentioning things they would know. Birdie is overjoyed that Fearne is close – they are just a few days away from Bassuras and can meet them at Joe’s.

GIFT SHOP GAB

Since no one recognizes the name ‘Joe’, Fearne asks the bartender and learns that there is a place called Imahara Joe’s in the Ends. Joe is a tinkerer who works with the crawlers. Fearne trades a Lady of Whitestone teacup that she stole from a Byroden gift shop for a music box that’s hanging behind the bar. She takes the music box to Chetney and asks him to engrave ‘To Mama Birdie and Papa Ollie’ on it.

Laudna takes FCG to the gift shop and tells them all about her fight with Imogen and accidentally destroying her rock. FCG tells her that it was a mistake and they can talk it over together when everyone is feeling a little better. He’ll be happy to facilitate. All Laudna wants is to protect her friend, for Imogen to live a life free of the same burdens that Laudna had. She buys Imogen a Taste of Tal’Dorei branded pot holder and pencil.

Orym talks to Imogen, who also opens up about the fight. As time passes, she is starting to think that getting rid of the rock was actually a good thing, but she’s embarrassed by her reaction. It also hurts to see Laudna enjoying Dusk’s company, making Imogen feel like Laudna doesn’t care about her. Orym comforts her and reminds her that she does incredible things, like saving Dusk’s life and facilitating a reunion between Fearne and her parents. Laudna gives Imogen the pot holder and the pencil while the others also indulge in ToT gifts.

RENEWAL

After lunch, Bells Hells and Dusk follow the tracker ball to the Bank of Renewal, a bustling open air market with at least four dozen carts. The tracker leads them to a tent called The River of Renewal. FCG casts locate object, learning that the ring is definitely within. Dusk goes inside, with Imogen in her head. Two merchants are selling jewelry. The merchant shows her a wide variety of rings and Dusk finds Armand’s platinum ring. They cast suggestion on the merchant to make him tell her who pawned it. The merchant tells her about Armand Treshi, who he believes is hiding out with Paragon’s Call at their fortress, the Seat of Disdain.

Dusk leaves the ring in case Armand decides to come back for it at some point and rejoins Bells Hells. The group discusses options, like sending Ashton in since General Ratanish took a shine to him after beating them up. That feels dangerous, so they decide to go scope out the fortress first. Along the way, FCG spots another conversation-less automaton and bemoans his own lack of a soul and human features. They also see a large mammoth-crawler walking the streets, a metallic structure of three legs and various platforms, fast and strange and a little broken.

QUOKKA QUEST

They find the Seat of Disdain in the West Dregs. It is a well-defended three story stone and metal building with various ballistae and lookouts. A large wall surrounds the fortress, with one gate in front and one in back. After discussing options, the party splits to walk the perimeter. Fearne decides to turn into a quokka and sneak in to explore the interior. She digs under the gate, getting stuck before being assisted telekinetically by Imogen. She makes it inside, but is immediately spotted by a warrior who adopts her as a pet.

The warrior takes quokka!Fearne to the barracks and locks her in the room, intent on keeping her. Quokka!Fearne scratches and cries at the door, getting the attention of another guard but also getting adopted again. He takes her deeper into the barracks, where she sees General Ratanish in one of the rooms. The guard attempts to put her in his locker, but she struggles against him, waking another person who scolds him for breaking the ‘no pets’ rule. The guard takes quokka!Fearne out and tosses her past the gates, where she safely rejoins Bells Hells.

PLANS AND PLANS AND PLANS

Meanwhile, Dusk asks Imogen if she and Laudna are “a thing.” Imogen eventually says no, which relieves Dusk, who was getting some vibes. Ashton asks Laudna about the pot holder, recognizing an apology attempt when he sees one. Laudna bursts into inky tears and Ashton comforts her, encouraging her that it was just an accident and she could try apologizing with a new rock. Laudna is mostly just confused.

Fearne returns and tells them what she saw, giving a sense of the layout and the presence of Ratanish, but no sign of Armand. They discuss some infiltration options. Maybe a distraction outside, using a stolen crawler, that could get everyone to come out. Ashton suggests Deathwish, the crawler sport. FCG could control Ratanish with a spell and make him bring Armand out? The skyship will take a day to get to them, so they also have to figure out what to do with Armand in the meantime. Maybe the portable hole?

They decide to write a letter to Armand from the River of Renewal merchants, offering him a chance to buy back his ring. Imogen goes back to the tent and buys a ring with two intertwined snakes and a small ruby. She gets a receipt to have a sample of his handwriting and learns his name, Adon Hiro. According to Ashton, the Hiro family owns the entire bazaar. They return to the Raha Den and hold a contest to see who can forge Hiro’s handwriting the best – Orym wins outright. Dusk can run the letter over in the morning, so the party heads to bed.

That is it for Episode 25 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Okay first of all, Taste of Tal’Dorei, Zan did not fight Warren, she fought his second son Trist Drassig. Get! Your facts! Together!
• Poor Imogen and Laudna. At least they’re seeking out their friends and getting good (?) advice. And Imogen’s hair is growing back! That helps.
• Dusk knows the Calloways!! And they’re gonna see them in just a couple days!! Family reunion!!
• Kind of odd that Birdie didn’t mention Dusk when talking to Imogen. Might have just not had enough words for it, but… odd.

Anyway, catch Episode 26 on Thursday, July 7th at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole or a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?