Critical Recap: Critical Role C3E48 “An Exit Most Fraught”

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 48 An Exit Most Fraught!

HIDE AND SEEK

Bells Hells hide beneath two of the stealth-assisting Harrowcall Veils in the woods outside of the Shiver Keep as Gloamglut the fey dragon flies overhead with Unseelie general Sorrowlord Zathuda on its back. FCG heals Fearne to consciousness and Imogen distracts Gloamglut by using catapult to launch some rocks in another direction. They run, though find it hard to orient themselves in the area now due to the lack of Ruidus in the sky.

Gloamglut returns, flying overhead and shooting down a beam of black flame. Laudna is knocked unconscious by it, but FCG brings her back up. Chetney uses the Horn of Silent Alarm to send Gloamglut in a different direction, allowing Bells Hells to run. They try to find the gate that will lead them back to Exandria, but have a difficult time navigating the unfamiliar area.

In desperation, Imogen messages Nana Morri and tells her they are in dire straits and need directions to the exit. Nana doesn’t respond. Orym climbs a tree and spots a dense thicket a mile and a half away that might contain the portal, as well as the returning dragon. They run and hide again, but this time are surprised when a massive, hawklike creature arrives and attacks Gloamglut – it’s Nana Morri to the rescue!

RHYME TIME

Bells Hells race to the thicket while Nana fights Gloamglut. Eventually, she is hit by the dragon’s beam and tumbles to the forest, but Fearne believes she’ll be fine. Gloamglut has seemingly lost their trail for the time being and the group finds the portal in an archway between two twisting trees. It is protected by a cyclops-like creature wearing patchwork clothing that mocks royal prestige. This is Terrosh the Lidless Slumber, and he likes to rhyme.

Both a toll and a rhyme are required in order to pass through the gate. Ashton successfully rhymes, offering the thimble that he stole from Fearne. Before Ashton exits, everyone uses the cream from Nana Morri that will combat the effects of the time change. Imogen’s rhyme and offer of a Taste of Tal’Dorei pot holder is not accepted, causing the monster to grow and the shadows to lengthen.

The others all successfully rhyme, their offers of burning oil, the fake journal of Vespin Chloras, ginger snaps, and a rocking horse all accepted. Imogen and Fearne are the only ones left, the others tossed through the gate. Imogen again rhymes poorly, but her offer of a Harrowcall Veil is accepted. With Fearne the last to go and the dragon returning, she rhymes and offers a skeleton key. Terrosh tells her she is always welcome home before throwing her through the portal.

IMOGEN’S PAST

Bells Hells find themselves back in Exandria with little time displacement, emerging on this side of the portal through a soundless waterfall. Imogen and Laudna quickly recognize the area as the Taloned Highlands. They are only two days from Imogen’s hometown of Gelvaan. FCG encourages Imogen to see her father, in hopes of reconciliation and to learn more about her mother, but she is against the idea.

She and her father worked for Master Farramore, running his stables. Imogen rescued Laudna by revealing her powers to the people of Gelvaan, which resulted in them going on the run together. Her father didn’t help, as he had been distancing himself from her for years. Imogen believed that it bettered his reputation if she wasn’t part of his life. He never wanted to talk about her mother and he kept his distance when Imogen couldn’t control reading his thoughts.

Imogen messages Planerider Ryn, letting her know that they destroyed the Fey Realm’s Malleus Key. Ryn says that other Verity allies are working on the Shadowfell Key and that she is currently at the Tishtan Excavation Site. There are many vanguard here, guardians and golems, and everyone is adjusting things in a last-minute scramble. Ryn is expecting to meet some Verity friends if all goes well. Suddenly, Ryn swears and the message ends.

THE QUESTION MARK

Bells Hells are worried about Ryn, but can’t help her from here. It will take a few days for their skyship to reach them, then a week to get to the excavation site. Chetney convinces Imogen to return to Gelvaan and see if her father has anything of her mother’s that could help sway the battle. Imogen messages their skyship captain Xandis, who will meet them in Gelvaan as soon as possible.

That night while camping, Orym asks FCG if they’re okay, as they’ve been on edge and overly helpful while ignoring their own issues. FCG has new clarity with the Changebringer. If he won’t learn anything more from his past, then it’s time to make a new future. All FCG has to go on is this coin. Orym thinks it’s possible that FCG could learn more one day, but FCG thinks the Changebringer is telling him to look forward and not worry about the past.

FCG feels like a big question mark, but Orym reassures them that everyone feels that way; even Orym. After all, he doesn’t know his purpose in the world, either. FCG reminds Orym that he has a purpose in protecting Keyleth and doing right by his husband and father. What happens if Orym succeeds in those things? That’s the question mark – what comes next?

DREAMRIDERS

In the morning, with twelve days to the apogee solstice, Imogen messages Nana to thank her and see how she is. Nana is just fine. FCG messages Xandis, who is a day and a half away. Imogen leads them on the road to Gelvaan before camping again for the night. With still no response from Ryn, Imogen messages Keyleth, updating her on everything. Keyleth informs her that the Ashari are beneath Terrah, as the earth elemental rift is in danger. There might be a connection.

Imogen wants to use her dreams to look for Ryn, so FCG, Laudna, and Chetney join her via shared dream. Surrounded by the red storm, Imogen directs herself to Ryn and finds herself drawn to the excavation site. There are several automatons walking around on patrol. The people are focused on moving the arcane cores underground, due to the destruction of the Fey Malleus Key. This key is built onto the spire and is far larger than the one in the Fey Realm.

Imogen finds Ryn turned to stone, left in front of the key like a trophy or a warning. FCG realizes that the machinery around the tower is familiar to them in its design. They suddenly spot Otohan Thull’s eyes — everyone tries to wake up, but only Imogen and Laudna are successful. Chetney and FCG are left behind and Otohan punishes them with a psychic attack. They both wake up with a point of exhaustion.

FATHERLY WISDOM

In the morning, Bells Hells arrive in Gelvaan. People recognize Imogen and Laudna and give them a wide berth. They can see the Silver Sun skyship in the distance, so they quickly look for Imogen’s father, Relvin, at the stables. Relvin is finally willing to talk about her mother. He believed that telling Imogen she was dead would be easier than the truth. He doesn’t know when her powers started, but suspects she had them before they met, keeping them a secret out of either fear or shame.

Relvin thinks Liliana left because the mystery of her gift was stronger than their life together. A year or two after Imogen was born, she was having constant dreams and was afraid that Imogen would follow in her footsteps. That was when she told Relvin about her powers. Imogen explains that Liliana is involved in something bad and that they’re trying to help her fight it, but Imogen doesn’t know her. Does he have anything that could help them pull her back?

Relvin hasn’t seen Liliana in over twenty years. He remembers her as smart, sweet, and strong-willed. She knew she didn’t belong here, but he’d hoped they would leave this place together. Fearne asks if he kept anything of hers, causing Relvin to bristle at her interruption and accuse them of lying. Imogen scolds him, saying that Liliana is lost and struggling and Imogen wants to help her find a path back.

HOMECOMING

Swayed, Relvin leads Imogen back to their small farmhouse. He produces a silver locket – within it is a tiny fingerprint and the words ‘The better halves become a better whole.’ He warns Imogen to stay out of trouble and that she should leave soon, as the tales about her have only grown. Imogen telepathically tells him she never wanted him to be afraid of her. Neither does he. Though they are cordial, there is still a gulf between father and daughter.

Imogen returns to the group and shows them the necklace. The skyship descends and they make a big deal of Imogen as they leave Gelvaan, with Chetney calling her councilwoman. The town is in awe of the skyship and Xandis grandly introduces Bells Hells. The group boards and Imogen flies up to the ship, showing off in front of the people who shunned her. As they fly away from Gelvaan, they notice a faint, barely visible aura in the sky.

That is it for Episode 48 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• What were those random d20 rolls about? And Matt only asked Liam and Marisha for them. Liam rolled a 3, 13, 18, and 13, while Marisha rolled a 3, 13, 15, and 4. Hmm…
• Poor Imogen. Parental confrontations are not always the best medicine. Hopefully the necklace helps.
• In good news, Flora the horse received many pets.
• We all knew Nana Morri was a badass, but fighting a whole dragon so her granddaughter could escape was utterly iconic.

Catch Episode 49 on Thursday, February 16th at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole or a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?