Critical Recap: Critical Role C4E05 “Branching Paths”

Hello and welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into Critical Role Campaign 4 Episode 5 Branching Paths!

THE BEGINNING

In the darkness of the Dvalmar Pass, four people on horseback, a fairy in flight, and a wolf at their sides flee Dol-Makjar in search of Casimir Gavendale, the man who betrayed Thjazi Fang. Thimble focuses on the purpose of her revenge and how it distracts her from her grief over Thjazi’s death. Teor thinks of Casimir, his former friend, and of his brother Cyd; how little he knows about Cyd now but how much he fears for his safety.

Wick watches the lights of his home, the Villa Auorora, fade as he clings to Tyranny’s tail and hopes that truth will clear his path ahead. Tyranny is realizing how different the wilds are from her comforts in the Villa and questioning the rewards of doing the right thing. Kattigan revels in returning to the wilds and to Timmony, excited by the prospect of the hunt ahead of him.

DEAD/UNDEAD

It has been two days since the execution of Thjazi Fang by the Chamber of the Lords-Advisory, which is made up of members of the Sundered Houses.

Now, Occtis Tachonis lies in the garden of the estate of the Lloy home, his soul having just returned to his dead body through the combined magical efforts of Murray and Bolaire. What they did was impossible, but the strange series of events of the evening led to this pseudo-resurrection magic working and interrupting a different ritual in process. The Stone of Nightsong has been removed from Occtis’ chest and the group argues over who will take it.

Azune approaches Julien and the two step outside for a tense conversation in which Azune attempts to reach out to Julien about the past, encouraging him to trust the others. Azune was there when Julien arrested Thjazi and remembers everything about the day very clearly. He offers Julien an exchange – to give the others a chance and, in return, Azune would let Julien dictate the story of that day with Thjazi. Julien merely congratulates Azune on getting to witness the fall of the Davinos family, as that’s what Thjazi would have wanted.

SEEKERS & SCHEMERS

Hal is focused on what to do next. The Tachonis will know that something happened to Occtis, so he needs to leave the city. Occtis describes his undead visions, which include Tachonis flags under a black sky, a lone orcish warrior and a sign of the Barrowguard. Thaisha and Hal worry that the warrior is their son, Alogar. Julien, who trained the soldiers of the Barrowguard, demands to go wherever Occtis does so he may enact his revenge on House Tachonis.

Occtis also saw sandstone columns, which speak of the Fallen Empire of Obridimia and Venatus – the lands of House Tachonis, also known as the Eternal Night. Aranessa believes that the attack on House Royce was Tachonis declaring that they were merely a name after the gates to Faerie closed. She wants to travel east with Occtis and asks Vaelus to accompany them. Thaisha refuses to leave Occtis, calling him family, and Julien will protect Aranessa and wait for his revenge. These are the Seekers and they will head east.

Azune recalls the Shapers War and how the Houses divided themselves for the gods and against them. Halovar and Tachonis fought for the Shapers; Royce, Cormoray, and Einfasen fought against them. Now the Houses are acting independently once more – Cormoray is coming for the Archanade, Einfasen for the Revolutionary Guard, and Tachonis for the Penteveral. Azune does not believe they are working together, but in parallel, and thinks they can turn the Houses against each other. Those who stay in Dol-Makjar will plant these seeds – Murray, Hal, Azune, and Bolaire. The Schemers.

A NEW DAY

Occtis gives Bolaire his signet ring and Murray reminds him that his thesis is still due. Occtis thoroughly refutes that due to having died, but promises to share his notes with her. The two part with respect shared. Hal asks Thaisha to find their son and bring him home if he is in danger. Thaisha really thought she could stay longer this time. The Stone of Nightsong is given to Vaelus. The Seekers procure horses and head east.

The Schemers, now alone, realize they all have work in two hours. They decide to meet again soon, at a place where Hal and Bolaire like to meet and discuss art. Hal is hurt that Bolaire never told him the truth, but Bolaire makes it clear that Thjazi wouldn’t allow that. Bolaire let Vaelus into the city because he hoped she would take care of Thjazi or get him in enough trouble so he could escape their deal. He promises he had nothing to do with Thjazi’s execution.

Bolaire returns to the Archanade to give a tour. Azune returns to the Brethren Hall, where whispers of the Palazzo Davinos are already beginning. Murray returns to the Penteveral for the new Dean’s inaugural address. Hal returns home and sees a nest on his windowsill – a magpie hatching from an egg. Hal takes hope from this new life and this new day.

THE BLACK HERON

As the sun rises, the Soldiers choose to travel the Dahapshnee Wood, assuming that Cyd chose that route over one of the two roads. They find an inn, The Black Heron, to tie up their horses so they can move more easily through the forest. Outside the inn, a man imprisoned in a gibbet makes conversation with the group about the Candescent Creed and Wick gives his name as ‘Nick’ Halovar.

Thimble and the prisoner recognize each other – this is Abalang Howl, a fellow thief. He stole from a Creed caravan heading for Timmony. He always liked Thjazi and is sorry he’s gone. Thimble unlocks the gibbet, freeing Abalang, and tells him that they’re looking for the people who betrayed Thjazi. Abalang saw Tachonis carriages heading up the King’s Highway, with one driven by a Crow Keeper. Tyranny says that if anyone asks, he was imprisoned at the order of Nicander Halovar.

They give him money and their horses and Abalang says that if they use his name at the Fiddle and Drum, they’ll have a place to stay. He also mentions a lookout tower – an eccentric arcanist named Ulbid Morn lives there and is a friend. Abalang leaves and Thimble worries about Occtis, now that it’s confirmed that Casimir was working with House Tachonis.

THE FAIRY IN THE WATER

They travel into the forest and eventually stop to rest. Thimble spots a naiad hiding beneath the water of a brook. The fairy asks if Thimble is in danger and pulls her into the water to talk more. Thimble promises that these Big People are her friends, but the naiad, whose name is Brookmeadow, is surprised to see two nama in twenty-four hours. The one yesterday looked frightened and was heading north.

Brookmeadow asks if Thimble is looking for Hawthorn’s Glade, a sanctuary for the fae folk left on this side of the closed gates to Faerie. Big People are not allowed in Hawthorn’s Glade, which is another day or two north before the border. She warns Thimble to get out of the woods before nightfall to avoid the dead. Thimble gives Brookmeadow a button, who gladly takes it and promises that they’re going to make it.

Thimble returns to the others and claims to have found black fur belonging to Cyd, who was very stressed and heading north. Yes, she got all that from his fur.

THE TOWER

After a few more hours of travel, the Soldiers find the lookout tower that Abalang mentioned. Strangely, they see a tattered banner with gnomish writing and water damaged fireworks outside. As they approach, a nail glows and a goat hits an alarm.

Out comes Ulbid Morn, an older gnome man. He is kind and welcoming, pleased to learn they are friends with Abalang. He feeds them and sets out straw mats for sleeping. Ulbid is a widower who lives here studying the clouds and the weather to keep track of the storm patterns within the Barrowdell of the Stormwrack. He sometimes watches the roads, having once seen a tree fall and separate a Halovar wagon, which was pounced on by bandits. He shows them his telescope and the King of Timmony’s banners heading south.

Thimble noticed little mechanical and wooden toys higher in the tower. They belonged to his daughters. She asks if they had any toy soldiers with swords and he promises to look. He lights a lantern outside and fixes the banner, causing the group to wonder if they can trust him.

WELCOME HOME

Kattigan and Teor take watch rotations, with Teor first. He watches Ulbid adjust the banner and the lantern again and asks what the banner says: “Welcome home”. Ulbid explains that his three daughters, Cerebel, Demuruel, and Elandel, left fifteen years ago for the Falconer’s Rebellion and haven’t returned. He has considered leaving to look for them, but worries about not being here if they returned. Now, he attends to the banner just in case. It keeps hope alive for him.

Teor promises to keep an ear out for those names and will tell them that their father is waiting for a visit.

On Kattigan’s watch, he takes a worn doll from upstairs and sits with it outside as he listens to the moans to the moans in the forest. When the sun rises, he throws the doll off the tower behind the chicken coop. He goes inside and sees Tyranny perched on Wick’s chest like a sleep paralysis demon.

That is it for Episode 5 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Welcome to the Realm of the Laudna, Occtis!
• Seekers, Schemers, and Soldiers, they have been divided!
• Ulbid Morn, you are the sweetest man in the whole of Aramán.
• So what do y’all think that doll meant to Kattigan?

Catch Episode 6 of Critical Role Campaign 4 on Thursday, November 11th at 7pm Pacific on beacon.tv, where Beacon members get access to the entire episode, podcast included! The episode will also release on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole and in two parts on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?