Critical Recap: Critical Role C3E62: “A Long Walk of Reflection”

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 62 A Long Walk of Reflection!

FIRE AND EARTH

Team Issylra begins their journey to the mountains, guided by the air cougar summoned by Elder Joan Abaddina. They encourage Bor’Dor to practice his powers, which he claims only come out when he’s scared. They eventually rest and Ashton asks Orym to teach him how to meditate, which he does. Ashton has been thinking about the Hishari, and where their life has led them. Orym says that the best thing they can do right now is pick each other up when they fall.

They settle into their evening, with Deni$e hunting, Bor’Dor foraging berries, and Orym giving Ashton a massage for their pain. Prism carves one of the Judicator’s runes in Bor’Dor’s crossbow to see if it will enchant it. She channels dragon’s breath into the rune, which gives the crossbow a flame burst effect. It can only be used once, but the runes are effective.

They set up a dummy for Bor’Dor to practice on – he casts firebolt, setting the dummy aflame to the excitement of his friends. Bor’Dor casts calm emotions on the group for sleeping and meditation before successfully cuddling with the wind cougar. Ashton takes their first watch while attempting this meditation and is able to focus, sensing the presence of the earth and the spirits around them all.

STONE AND SHADOW

On the second day of travel, they discover a large, overgrown crater in the ground. Within is a petrified humanoid skeleton embedded in stone. Ashton is able to partially step into the rock itself. He and Deni$e free the skeleton’s head, which is elongated. Prism casts identify – it is the skeleton of a Githserai, a being from the Astral Sea. They are standing in an impact crater; the body, fused with the stone, was seemingly sent here as a punishment long ago.

The skeleton only has one item, a hematite ring that Ashton takes. It is a Ring of Volcanic Flesh that allows its wearer to reduce fire damage and attack with fire damage. Travel continues and Pâté finds them a place to rest. Dynios encourages Prism to be more sassy, assertive, and confident during her growth as a wizard. Ashton and Prism share a pipe together. The magical pipe causes the smoke to reenact her most impressive achievement.

This achievement is when a mage visited the Shadow Realm. Prism made herself indispensable to him and he invited her back to the Cobalt Soul, allowing her to escape the gloom of the shadows and chase something important. Prism hopes that her mother isn’t upset with her for leaving. Laudna thinks Prism’s mother would be proud of her. Prism hopes that one day she can see her mother again and hear her say that leaving was worth it.

SPIRITS AND MAGIC

Orym takes the first watch for the evening’s rest. He notices glowing eyes on the horizon, but they’re oddly comforting and gentle. He sees dozens of sprite-like spirits moving through the fire’s smoke. Orym wakes Prism, who realizes that these sprites are local forest spirits who are comfortable with the group. Prism casts a skeletal hand, lifting Orym so he can dance with the spirits in a beautiful connection with nature. Beauty in a dangerous world. Breath before fear.

They have an easy third day of travel. Bor’Dor asks Laudna about Imogen. She explains that they have a special friendship and that Imogen saved her, and Laudna saved Imogen. Laudna just hopes that she’s okay. Imogen is Ruidusborn, but she’s not evil: that’s just superstition. Orym encourages the others to split off before they find their friends, because they are heading back into the thick of danger. Deni$e wants to find Dariax, but Prism is up for saving the world.

They encourage Bor’Dor to have Prism scry on his brother with the sling. Deni$e jokes that maybe Bor’Dor doesn’t have a brother. Prism scries using a mirror that Joan gave her and sees an empty wooden cabin. Bor’Dor explains that the cabin is where his brother stays, but no one is there. Bor’Dor is extremely confused. Tomorrow they’ll reach the mountain – maybe Hevestro can help. At night, Prism attempts to scry on Ludinus, but he is protected from that magic.

GOALS AND STRENGTH

Bor’Dor asks Laudna, Orym, and Ashton if they really think they are strong enough to kill a god killer. That’s not really the goal. Ludinus has been planning this for centuries. They crashed a ship onto the Malleus Key, so hopefully they mitigated part of his plan. Bor’Dor asks if they are trying to stop a god or a man whose followers believe in him. Ashton wants to stop Ludinus, not because of his goals, but because that’s not who Ashton wants leading in a vacuum.

They wonder if they should accept that Exandria needs to change, but not allow it to change for the worse. Bor’Dor asks if they’re tired of fighting. Maybe they should just find their friends and leave. Laudna thinks they know too much now – they have to do something. Ashton can’t walk away, as he needs this to all be worth something. Bor’Dor doesn’t know if they’re strong enough to do any of this and can’t promise he’ll be with them in the end.

Deni$e is pro-retirement but Prism feels invigorated by this experience and wants to make a difference. Orym wants to get back to their people and get rid of Ludinus. The deities don’t matter, but Ludinus has to go. Bor’Dor and Ashton take first watch and Bor’Dor uses the pipe – his most impressive achievement is the firebolt against the dummy; finally feeling like he belongs. Meanwhile, Orym prays to the Wildmother: he can’t discount the good the gods have done and asks her if she can spare a miracle. They could use some help down here.

THE VERDANT TOMB

On the fourth day of travel, they come upon a wide canyon – Irriam Canyon. The wind cougar leads them down a sheer drop, which Orym glides down using an enlarged Mother the raven, and the others leap down with Laudna’s featherfall. The cougar leads them along the bank of a river, where they come upon a waterfall, a mossy hill, and an opening in the cavern wall with bright blue bushes in an oasis patch.

Prism senses something off about the hill. Pâté scouts and informs them that the flowers that adorn the hill are illusory. He also inspects the crack in the cavern wall, which is an entrance that has writing around it in Primordial. They avoid the hill, which seems to be breathing, and follow the cougar to the cavern entrance. Ashton reads the Primordial: “Within the Verdant Tomb, we keep her spirit enduring.” The wind cougar dissipates.

They notice veins of prismatic crystals in the cavern wall. Bor’Dor pries one out and Prism casts a ray of frost into it – the ray refracts out in nine different directions. The damage is lessened, but it was separated into nine rays. Deni$e could take more of the crystals with her stonecutting tools, but she is uncomfortable stealing from this place. Within the cavern is a central chamber with branching tunnels. There is furniture and living quarters, but no signs of recent life.

THE EMERALD TREE

Deni$e and Prism pepper Bor’Dor with random questions, getting him to reveal that his brother’s name is Jesper. They move deeper into the cavern and find a massive set of stone steps that lead to a glowing green obelisk, like a monolithic pointed crystal. There is a shade towards its center, like an empty space or the outline of a body. They see ritual markers on the walls, glyphs, and runes that channel and power magic energy.

This room is a shrine that was prepared for an event – possibly the solstice. Ashton realizes that the green stone looks a lot like residuum, but residuum is processed, while this is natural. It is likely this is the Emerald Tree that Hevestro watches over. Orym looks up and spots a face on the ceiling. The face smiles down at him.

That is it for Episode 62 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Hahahahaha cool cool cool tight tight tight that face on the ceiling isn’t creepy AT ALL.
• Deni$e stole something from someone, but only Matt knows what she stole.
• There is a lot of suspicion falling on Bor’Dor. Is his brother Jesper okay? Is his brother even real? What’s going on with him?
• Orym dancing with the nature spirits is such a beautiful image.

Catch Episode 63 on Thursday, June 22nd at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole or a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?