Critical Recap: Critical Role C3E42 “The City of Flowing Light”

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 42 The City of Flowing Light!

FINAL LESSONS

After a night of streaking in the moonlight, Bells Hells awaken in the morning after a good long rest. While Chetney is not a member of the Gorgynei, he is an ally, and the door is open for him to become an official member one day if he returns and trains further with them. Annaline explains that the trial from Sahyaadon was so that the group could learn how to help Chetney through the burden of the change. Chetney will always be a wolf, so there will always be a risk – but his friends will help him through it.

Imogen messages Captain Xandis to pick them up outside the temple and FCG learns to clean and cook game with Manad. Orym plays with his upgraded sword (which allows him to cast grasping vine and gives him a few feet of reach) and Uther encourages him to name the blade, since it was a gift from Will and is so important to him. Ashton learns some hammer tricks from Annaline and she gives them notes on combining discipline with chaos. Annaline talks to Chetney, encouraging him to not carry this burden alone and to take care of where he sleeps.

Laudna asks Fearne to teach her a fire spell that can target multiple people, so Fearne teaches her fireball and takes on the moniker Professor Callaway. They discuss how Laudna is feeling. She’s still afraid that Delilah is lurking somewhere inside her. Fearne and the others will do all they can to keep her away from Laudna. Fearne feels terrible about flipping a coin for Orym and Laudna’s lives, but Laudna supports the decision. They can blame the Changebringer.

ON THE WIND

Their skyship arrives and Bells Hells depart from the Gorgynei. FCG learns how to cook from Denalia as they fly through fair weather over outposts of Aeshanadoor and follow the river to Yios. Orym gives Chetney the completed wolf figurine that he showed him during the trial. Chetney thinks the figurine is awful, but it’s the thought that counts. He gives Orym a finesse hook chisel to help him with his basics. The gifting went as well as Orym expected.

Orym shows Chetney his newly blessed sword. Orym is delighted to know that the gods are watching and explains what happened at the statue of Serataani, the Wildmother. Orym reveals that the sword’s name is Seedling, the Wayward Pilgrim. He wanted to name it something that spoke to him, to Will, and the blessing. Chetney doesn’t know much about the gods, but he is glad that they’re paying attention to Orym of all people.

As the skyship flies over a massive lake, they see a city in the distance, sitting on the lake and comprised of three rings on the three-tiered lake. Yios is built of bridges and towers and as night falls, the lake begins to glow a bioluminescent blue. Bells Hells understand why Yios is known as the City of Flowing Light. The skyship docks at the Lakecap Skyport and Lounge, which is also home to a casino. They pay for the skyship to stay a week and head into the casino.

THE LOUNGE

Imogen is uncomfortable being back around so many people’s thoughts and is nervous to be in the city where her mother might be, so Ashton grabs personalized drinks for her and the group. They all decide to stay at the Lounge and gamble for a while, with Chetney hoping they’ll get a room comped. The clientele is varied, though most are dressed well and seem to be here for both business and pleasure. There are also armed guards keeping an eye on everything.

Ashton, FCG, and Fearne go downstairs to take a look around, finding more game tables that are a little more crowded. FCG casts detect thoughts, hearing one person think about their colleague’s complaint about something hunting the Winepebble Shores, another person’s excitement for the solstice and their viewing party, and another person thinking about Stratos spies caught outside Doan.

Fearne speaks with a guard, claiming to be a traveling professor coming to work at the Aydinlan Seminary – he tells her that the school is in the city’s Dominion Ring, the northernmost ring. The others are the Endeavor Ring, which is more business-oriented, and the Venture Ring, which is mostly neighborhoods and the harbor. Ashton asks the guard where he can find some fun, but the guard tells them the city is a place of learning.

FANCY FUN

Laudna wants to help Chetney cheat at cards, but Orym and Imogen warn them that they’re being watched right now by the guards, since they’re very new. They play a couple games, like Griffon’s Wall (a dice-based variant of Blackjack) and Fork of the Storm, a variant of the game Gambit of Ord. When FCG plays, they ask the Changebringer what to do for their hand and casts divination. She tells him to fold, which he does after the others raise. Fearne cheats, but Chetney wins. When the group plays Griffon’s Wall, nearly every person rolls a 21.

While the others continue to gamble, FCG and Fearne get a fancy suite for the group. They convince the concierge to assist them in pretending that the room was comped, to make Chetney happy. A handsome uniya man named Landon Kreshawl introduces himself to the group and offers himself as a host and tour guide to Yios. They decide to let Landon show them around in the morning and drunkenly go to their suite for shrimp and charcuterie.

Ashton talks to Pâté, telling him that they want to keep Laudna safe, but he distrusts Pâté. If that’s Delilah in there, Ashton will murder her. But Pâté is great! Pâté returns to Laudna, saying he was threatened, but Laudna tells him that’s how Ashton makes friends. Ashton, Fearne, and Laudna dress up Pâté as an apology.

SEARCHING

Chetney draws a private bath for Imogen, wanting her to relax. Imogen uses the privacy to cast invisibility and leave out the window. Orym notices her leaving, but she tells him she’ll be back and he lets her go. She jumps out the window and casts fly on herself, soaring over the city. As she revels in the lack of voices in her mind, she casts sending to her mother, telling her that she is in Yios and asking for her guidance.

Her mother responds, telling Imogen to stay in Yios and stay safe. Liliana understands the need for answers but all that matters is that Imogen stays safe. Imogen tells her that the storm is coming and she can’t keep running away. She’s going to get swept up in it. Liliana tells her that if she keeps running towards her, then she will definitely get swept up in it. She tells her daughter to run. Imogen stays in the sky for a while before returning to the suite and her friends.

TOUR GUIDE

In the morning, Bells Hells decide to head to the Aydinlan Seminary, hoping to find three individuals: Kadija Sumal, who was the head of the study that Imogen’s mother took part in; Ebenold Kai of the Grim Verity; someone who can look at FCG and tell them more about their past. They meet with Landon, who guides them to the Seminary and points out places of interest along the way.

Here in the Endeavor Ring, there is the Tri-Bridge Plaza, the center of the city’s three main bridges. Numerous canals and ferries run by the Ferry Guild cut through the rings. Landon points out buildings that are in construction that were damaged during the Apex War. They see a statue of an orcish warrior named Exemplar Mani Drogidon, hero of the Apex War and seneschal of the Court of the Lambent Path.

Landon continues to point out shops and architecture, like an arcane lift for boats, as they head to the Dominion Ring. Here is the Seat of Valor, the home of the Court of the Lambent Path. Nearby is the Yios Library of the Cobalt Soul. They make their way to the massive campus of the Aydinlan Seminary and Landon explains the school’s rivalry with the Tatrial Conservatory in the Endeavor Ring.

THE UNEXPECTED

Upon arriving at the steps of the Seminary, the group decides to hire Landon for the day. He’ll be in the gardens if they need him. Bells Hells head up to the main building, but as they walk, they hear the sound of a bird. FCG is immediately terrified and for good reason – as they all look around, they spot a mangy bird peeking from behind a gargoyle. It launches itself down towards FCG. Shithead has arrived!

That is it for Episode 42 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Seedling! The sword was a gift from Will and the shield was from Derrig. Liam O’Brien got me in the tear ducts again, y’all.
• What is up with Imogen’s mom?? She doesn’t seem to be in Yios, so where IS she?
• I cannot BELIEVE that Shithead is real. How has FCG managed to offend a random bird??

Catch Episode 43 on Thursday, December 22nd at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole or a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?