Critical Recap: Critical Role C4E09 “To the Hounds!”

Hello and welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into Critical Role Campaign 4 Episode 9 To the Hounds!

IN DOL-MAKJAR

Two days after Thjazi’s execution, more than half of the Revolutionary Guard is dismissed by Harondus Einfasen, with Azune being one of the few Arcane Marshals kept working. Einfasen is pleased with Azune’s work and wants his efforts doubled against the city’s arcane threats. He questions Azune’s past military endeavors, but Azune keeps the details close to his chest.

At the Hallowed Round, Hal watches his theatre troupe rehearse the play he has written – KoTher’ai, a story that Hal describes as being one of renegades and heretics. It is about an ancient orcish warrior general named Vokjan Murzat, whose own rebellion against Azgra preceded the Shapers War. He tells his lead actor, Lash, not to play for pity and that to perform here in this place is a gift. Hal notices the unintentional coincidence between this general of the past and his own brother.

TACHONIS & HALOVAR

In Sloak’s public house, the Soldiers talk with two Hounds of the King, Hawkins and Dame Morgaine. Morgaine offers to let the Soldiers travel north alongside them, with the Soldiers agreeing. Tyranny asks Thimble if she feels better after her revenge. Casimir needed to die, but it didn’t make Thimble feel better. She’s seeing how big the conspiracy against Thjazi is, with Casimir being just a piece.

The Hounds speak to a group of dwarves, learning they recently uncovered an empty crypt of sunlight. Morgaine and Hawkins return to the Soldiers, revealing that they have been trailing House Tachonis, who may have found what they were looking for in this crypt. The Tachonis have only been moving into Timmony for the last two years.

In the Old Empire of Obridimia, the two priestly houses that served beneath the Royal House of Obridai were the Halovars and the Tachonis: the Halovars as the Speakers of Flame and the Tachonis as the House of Shadow and Night, who guided the passage from life to death to the afterlife. Now, the Tachonis oversee an endlessly expanding underworld and the Halovars usher in a new faith of light.

THE SUNDERED HOUSES

Dame Morgaine wants to return to Timmon’s Rock, where the Stag of Seven Tines can give them answers. Druids of Timmony belong to the Circle of the Stag, which mostly concerns itself with hidden lore and the movements of the undead, demons, and fairies. They will travel north to Tybry’s Lea together. Morgaine and Hawkins will assist the Soldiers to the edge of their duty in recovering Cyd, but cannot guarantee anything further without proof of a crime.

Wick confirms that he is not aligned with House Halovar’s intentions. Tyranny is proud of Wick for officially standing against his family. She encourages Wick to look for Armas, his former actress love who vanished when his engagement was announced, but he has no idea where to start.

Teor asks about the Halovar’s other allies, who would ostensibly be the other Sundered Houses. These were the houses whose wealth and magic outlasted the fallout of Tansul’s death. Houses Royce, Einfasen, and Cormoray were on the anti-god side, while Tachonis and Halovar were pro-god. After the war, the Houses agreed to help each other. Now, they use their shared power as a means of holding onto said power.

A FEY PATH

The Hounds and the Soldiers decide to travel the Miller’s Road, the stealthier of the two highway options. Morgaine and Hawkins lead them to a crossroads, where Morgaine asks for the road – it appears out of thin air, allowing them to travel under the effects of a pass without a trace spell. They discuss the Candescent Creed’s actions in Timmony, with them simultaneously building hospitals and stirring rebellion against King Gus. Wick is encouraged to right the wrongs of his family, even offering to cancel Tyranny’s contract. Tyranny does not want that, as it would send her back to The Pit: plus, she likes being here with him.

They rest for a night, then move from the mountains to farmland. They come upon a fierce group of fey cavalry that call themselves the Black Rabbits, in reference to their bunny steeds. Thimble makes friends with the cavalry and recognizes them as kettle-hobs, helpful fairies that can switch between their heads of thorn and heads of bloom depending on if a vow is kept or broken. They are seeking a garden to tend, so Thimble urges them to find Ulbid Morn and assist him. They inform Thimble of a rumor that House Royce has fallen, including those traveling to the Golden Orchard. The Black Rabbits leave the Soldiers with a bit of fairy luck (Heroic Inspiration).

SEASON’S FEASTINGS

The Soldiers arrive in the town of Tybry’s Lea at sunset, where they are greeted by a celebration – it’s Candle Feast, a Candescent Creed holiday celebrating the autumnal equinox. They learn from a nun that the Earl of Gormolay, Gauntry Tallkeep, is mourning his late wife and that the area is under the grip of bellows fever, a strange illness of the lungs. Luckily, Lux Arathea has healed many of the fever at the new Creed hospital.

Thimble talks to three children, who inform her that they saw a woman fitting the description of Lady Univere Tachonis – her carriage went to the hospital. One of the Tachonis carriages got stuck in the mud due to how heavy it was. Morgaine and Hawkins greet another Hound, Sir Felltower, who agrees to assist Teor as his brother is a traveler being held in Timmony. The Hounds reveal that they were once knights who fought for their homeland against the gods. They made oaths to defend the king in this world and the next. But after they passed, there was no next world. They did not want to renege on their oath, so the Circle of the Stag helped them return to proudly and happily serve again. The Soldiers toast to the Hounds as they depart.

HOSPITAL VIBES

The Soldiers explore Tybry’s Lea, with Wick and Teor attempting to go shopping while Kattigan, Tyranny, and Thimble investigate the hospital. Before separating, Wick prays over Tyranny and says he believes in her and the good within the Creed. Wick and Teor strike out on finding a present for Thimble due to the oppressive anti-fairy sentiment of the town. There is joy here, though, and food and medicine for the peasants. The Creed is doing some good.

At the hospital, Kattigan, Tyranny, and Thimble watch Lux Arathea interact with her many patients. Arathea is informed that someone is coming and bringing the lady, surprising her. Tachonis guards come from the castle, escorting an injured guard whose arm is covered in claw marks. Kattigan thinks the hospital is unnatural and wants to return here, but not before informing Teor about this clue to Cyd’s whereabouts.

Kattigan and Tyranny bond over both having bad fathers and Kattigan encourages her to disguise herself as whatever she wants to be right now: she picks the form of a sweet 10-year-old girl with brown hair. She uses this disguise to tease Wick when the two groups meet back up. Kattigan voices his fear that the Halovars are using this hospital to raise the dead, though knows that necromancy is limited in how the undead can return to life.

CELLAR DOOR

Suddenly, the Earl of Gormolay arrives with the coffin of his dead wife. He is officially converting to the Candescent Creed. He wants the soul of his wife to know the Light. Kattigan thinks this is much worse than his wife becoming a sexy zombie. Luckily, this is a great distraction that the Soldiers utilize to infiltrate Castle Delawney. Thimble flies over the keep’s walls and sees numerous Tachonis carriages, as well as Univere and Doset Tachonis. The Tachonis plan to leave tonight.

The Soldiers use the Chanter’s Egg that turns them invisible, sneaking through the courtyard and into the cellar. Wick can sense Teor’s magic, but is still unsure of what exactly Teor believes and what is powering his magic. He can tell it is celestial in some way. They find a room with no exit and Kattigan talks to a rat, who says that this place isn’t safe. Those that come here vanish, but they don’t die and they don’t rot.

Thimble finds a false wall, opening it to a hidden passage. Thimble can see a cage at the end of the passage. The door opening alerts a guard, so Tyranny disguises herself as Occtis. She enters the room and sees numerous guards, as well as the Knight of Seremai. He has a basilisk and knows that Occtis is supposed to be dead. The basilisk’s eyes glow and Tyranny feels herself begin turning to stone.

That is it for Episode 9 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Kattigan mentioned Teor always having a spark – where does his paladin magic come from?
• Surely the Golden Orchard hasn’t fallen, too… right?
• Ahhh! Basilisks! Nooooo!

Catch Episode 10 of Critical Role Campaign 4 on Thursday, December 18th 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?