Critical Recap – Critical Role C3E6 “Growing Bonds and Teasing Threads”

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 6 Growing Bonds and Teasing Threads!

WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH THAT?

The group returns to the Spire by Fire and play a drinking game of Ashton’s called ‘What the Fuck is Up With That’, in which they roll a dice and ask questions about each other. Through the game, they learn a bit about everyone. Dorian is second in line to a wealthy, prominent family that he loved but left to make his own way. Ashton was in love a long time ago and used to run with a crew called the Nobodies, who all left town while Ashton stayed. Fearne is from the Feywild where she lived with her nana, Mori. Her thievery extends from her love of having trinkets from her travels and she’s been in Exandria for about seven months.

They also learn that Imogen thinks her father is happier now that she’s gone, as her abilities were hard on him, and that she left town two years ago with Laudna. Orym is on a fact-finding mission representing the Ashari but won’t reveal much more, yet. When Orym asks FCG for details about his past, the robot glitches out, unable to answer beyond knowing that Dancer created them and they were with her for two years. FCG does sleep when in stasis, but has never dreamed before.

As for Laudna, FCG asks if she’s dead. She thinks so! She’s between life and death, as she knows she died thirty years ago, when she was twenty. She’d always had innate magic – her farmer parents tried to give her a better life, but the Briarwoods killed her, instead. She recalls being hit with a necromantic blast and woke up alongside other corpses. Laudna spent a long time fixing up cottages in the woods and being run out by clerics. But now she has Imogen, who she loves dearly. One of the Briarwoods does talk to her in her head occasionally.

REPORTING BACK

That night, FCG attempts to dream, but his stasis is no different than normal. Laudna hears that voice in her head, warning her that some things are meant to be kept secret. Laudna is amused and flippant with “D”, telling her that she didn’t say anything that wasn’t public knowledge. She and Imogen discuss the voice, who has never hurt her but has threatened to take her gifts away. Laudna is hopeful that she’ll be able to strengthen her magical skills without D’s help. Thus, another reason for trying to get into the conservatory.

In the morning, the group returns to the Hubbatt Corsairs. They wake Yash up, informing him that they killed Duggar but have no lead on the brumestone smuggling. The Corsairs weren’t keeping that close of an eye on Duggar’s dealings, but are willing to look into the smuggling. Yash will also call off the people he had following them. Dorian asks about Eshteross, who Yash only knows about via the rumor mill. There are rumors that he killed Mistress Prudaj and others believe that he hides a dark secret. He never leaves the house and hires others to do his work.

The group reveals that they’re working with Eshteross and that he wants to do good in the world, which Yash doubts as Eshteross is a man of money. Money & influence is passed around by the faceless members of the Quorum, who the Corsairs work to expose. Dorian balks at the idea of all wealthy people being bad, getting the attention of a cloaked member of the group. The group’s faith in Eshteross leads to Yash being willing to discuss working with him with the rest of the Corsairs.

TRUST COMES SLOW

The party leaves and Orym tells them a little bit about the man he’s looking for – Oshad Breshio, known as The Anger. Ashton recognizes the nickname, explaining that The Anger was a famed mercenary who became a hired bodyguard to a Mahaan, or noble, house. They go to the Krook House to see if anyone there knows more. They meet Ashton’s friend Anni Aughta, who tells them that The Anger was hired as a bodyguard by the Lumas Twins of Mahaan Lumas.

Dorian has a bard battle with Anni, which he wins. Ashton finds a wax sealed letter in their room, the contents of which shake him. Asthon only says that he needs to go see Effid the Fallen, so they take the group to Effid’s net house. The older male eisfurra, whose winged arms are disjointed but not hindering his grace, informs them that he saw a wealthy-looking courier come through. Ashton gives Effid a bag of 50 gold and redacts some information from the letter before giving it to Imogen to read, but she’s unable to glean much knowledge from it.

They return to Eshteross and tell him the Corsairs are interested in a meeting but don’t like people with money. The Corsairs’ wariness of him actually makes him trust them more. However, the rumors that he killed Madame Prudaj upset him and he claims that he would never have harmed his friend. Ashton changes the subject to the Lumas Twins. Eshteross is trying to make an arrangement to speak with Oshad, who is still healing. A few weeks ago, there was an attack at Mahaan Lumas where the twins were killed by an assailant. Oshad was heavily wounded.

The group will wait for Oshad’s recovery in order to speak with him, so Eshteross points them to a possible job at Stuvan’s Dreamscape Theater. There has been a series of recent disappearances out of the theater that the Wilders have been unable to solve, but Stuvan Idrio can give them more details. Meanwhile, Eshteross will get the letter of recommendation for Imogen over to the Starpoint Conservatory.

ORYM’S THREAD

The group heads to Zhudanna’s home, seeking privacy so Orym can reveal what he knows. Zhudanna is a kindly elderly woman and former pottery maker that Imogen and Laudna have been staying with in the Windowed Wall. Once alone, Orym explains that six years ago an attack was made on the leader of Zephrah, his home. The strike came from out of nowhere and ended quickly. There were deaths on both sides, people that Orym knew and several of the assailants, whose bodies melted when they were killed. Recently, a friend in Whitestone heard a rumor that whatever attacked Breshio was similar to this same strange incident.

Orym was sent by his leader, the Voice of the Tempest, to see what he can learn about what happened that day. Unfortunately, there is nothing more they can do to follow that thread until they speak with Breshio, so the group heads to the Dreamscape Theater. They’re treated with light contempt by the ticket taker until Dorian reveals his wealth, securing them box seats and a much more accommodating attitude from management.

WYVERNWIND

As they take their seats, readying themselves to watch Kendra’s Flying Lauders, the usher arrives and informs Dorian that someone has asked to speak with him. Earlier, Dorian saw someone from the Corsairs following them, but he decides to go down and speak with the individual alone, taking a sending stone with him. However, it turns out that the person is Cyrus Wyvernwind – Dorian’s older brother.

Cyrus wants to talk with him later and Dorian is surprised to see that his brother has also left home. Cyrus thinks they might be meant to wander. Dorian returns to the others and a relieved Orym. As the show begins, he lies and tells them it was just a fan from a previous performance who recognized him.

That is it for Episode 6 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Holy shit y’all is Delilah Briarwood talking to Laudna in her head? What does this MEAN?!
• What was in Ashton’s letter? Who is it from? Another person he owes money to, maybe?
• Hello Cyrus Wyvernwind! Family is coming calling for our dear Dorian Storm…
• Also, Fearne discovered that FCG can be used as a thermos.

Anyway, catch Episode 7 on Thursday, December 9th at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole or a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?