Critical Recap: Critical Role C4E13 “Seeking Sanctuary”

Hello and welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into Critical Role Campaign 4 Episode 13 Seeking Sanctuary!

THE PLAY’S THE THING

14 years ago, at a small harvest festival, Bolaire is being worn by a soldier named Castep, who is fighting against House Royce. His companions are wary of Bolaire the mask and his effect on Castep. Bolaire stops to watch a play being performed. This play is telling the story of the Shapers War, specifically the mystery of the Tricker’s death. Bolaire panics, as this is the first stage he has seen he and his siblings wrote a trickster goddess out of reality, proving to her that she cannot exist. Stages are for murder.

The play begins with a man in a glorious red wig declaring that Rauwyn the Trickster must have abandoned godhood and turned mortal for love. A stock character of a knight, Clyneheld, is tested three times by the trickster, and each time he overcomes the test with friendship, kindness, and honor. The goddess and Clyneheld kiss, she becomes mortal, and the two leave this world for the stars. Bolaire is fascinated, but knows the story is a lie.

Bolaire talks to a woman named Eunice, who believes that true love conquers all and honorable men fare well. The world just needs kindness. Bolaire wants to find out if she is right. Who is he without a war? He thanks Eunice and apologizes to Castep – he can never have his body back, as Bolaire has had a change of heart. He will fight for Castep’s cause, then start over. Bolaire will be a better story, someone kind and clever and himself. But first, all of those soldiers have to die in their sleep. Then Bolaire’s story can begin.

AN ODD WELCOME

In the present day, the Seekers are welcomed by Lord Otto Einfasen into Castle Klippenblicke, with Einfasen vowing that no harm will come to Aranessa. He will resolve the issue of House Royce’s falsely imprisoned men, and invites the group to stay within the Schneffenkeep. However, they must stay in the keep, as trust has been broken. Aranessa notices that Einfasen is being advised by two ministers and requests to speak with him privately. She and Einfasen leave the others to find their chambers in the keep.

Vaelus, Thaisha, and a disguised Occtis go to Schneffenkeep. Vaelus and Thaisha enjoy a bath in the grotto pools while Occtis seeks a private chamber to finally drop his disguise. Julien, however, heads off to find the Eyrie in order to send a letter to the Golden Orchard. An Einfasen knight follows him, demanding that he returns to the keep. Julien, suspicious, asks the knight to send the letter for him. The knight agrees and Julien follows him.

Instead of the aviary, the knight goes to the room where Einfasen and Aranessa are conversing. He gives the letter to a minister, who reads it and tells the knight to wait. When nothing happens, Julien goes to the Eyrie. There, he entrusts the bird keeper with a letter to send to the Golden Orchard – are his mother and sister safe, and can they go somewhere safer?

BATHTIME AND BONDING

Vaelus and Thaisha enjoy their soak in the pools. Vaelus keeps her veil on and explains that it is a mourning veil that all the sisters wear. She understands now just who Thaisha is – the Lloys are the smiths who forged the Pariah Blades. Thaisha clarifies that the Pariah Blades were made for Azgra alone. Others created their own weapons after his death. It was the Last Arrow that felled Sylandri. Vaelus doesn’t fault her; she merely thought it was funny. Thaisha thinks her family’s work was honorable, but it doesn’t apply to her. She seeks to find her own honor.

Thaisha asks Vaelus what she is still searching for now that the Stone of Nightsong is hers again. Vaelus wants an answer. She found a thread tied to Occtis that she wants to follow. Thaisha has her suspicions, but is willing to assist Vaelus for now. Vaelus leaves and encounters Pincushion, who Occtis sent for Thaisha. Vaelus returns Pin to Occtis and the two discuss the Stone of Nightsong, as well as the experiments Occtis used to create Pin.

Occtis was the eighth child of House Tachonis, but he had no sorcerous powers. He barely knew his siblings, and his family was entirely focused on their roles and their power. Occtis was useless to them, and he only got out because of Thjazi. Occtis and Thimble were childhood friends. Thjazi brought him a basic spellbook and asked Occtis to figure it out. When he did, Thjazi convinced his parents to send Occtis to the Penteveral. He has no idea why Thjazi wanted the Stone of Nightsong, having been focused on his studies.

ROYCE POLITICS

Julien finally arrives at the Schneffenkeep, where he takes a bottle of wine to his chamber and breaks down. He has been robbed of an opportunity to make his father proud again. Julien recalls being 13 or 14, signing up for duels with hedge knights in order to gain respect for his skills. Raimond gave him a crash course in fighting dirty. The crowd will boo, but he will live. Julien fought the knights and finished third. He was ashamed, but his father was cheering. The winner was 19, while Julien was 13. He made his father proud. Raimond forged Julien a sword with his cracked tooth in the pommel, showing Julien his own blade with its own tooth. Julien still wields that blade. It was one of the last days he made his father happy.

Aranessa comes to speak with Thaisha. Einfasen wants to see her, as a representative of the Circle of Ancients. House Tachonis works fast, but they aren’t good liars. She learned that a gala was thrown at the Palazzo Davinos, claiming that House Royce had returned to Faerie. They wonder when House Tachonis’ plan went wrong and what they were trying to do. Aranessa, Julien, and Occtis were supposed to die. Oddly, Raimond was killed first but Aranessa was an afterthought. Why were they so sure she would die?

Thaisha refers to Aranessa as her sister and Aranessa weeps, regretting choosing her family over Thjazi. Aranessa is so worried for her larger family, but Thaisha reminds her to focus on the bite-sized chunks. Thaisha is taken to see Einfasen, who tells her that he has two different stories. Aranessa says House Tachonis slaughtered her family, while Primus says his son Occtis was killed by House Royce. Aranessa cannot leave, but those restrictions are not on Thaisha. He respects her Circle, and asks if the Circle of Ancients has an official stance on this issue. Thaisha answers that they do not, as they stay out of the politics of Houses. Einfasen accepts that answer and dismisses her.

A HASTY RETREAT

Aranessa goes to see Julien and Occtis and the three agree they don’t feel safe here. Aranessa does not want to leave their captured men behind. She hopes that Einfasen is guided by a desire to protect his own house, rather than betrayal. What if they showed Einfasen that Occtis is alive, or at least showed that he was here and sheltered by Einfasen. Occtis goes to his room and writes a letter thanking Einfasen for letting him stay, then burns arcane sigils into the floor and summons an undead cat to make a mess.

Julien and Aranessa discuss the Golden Orchard. It was given to House Royce as a home for their family. If their family is gone, it might not stand any longer. It is the last piece of Faerie left in this world, and if House Royce dies, that thread is severed. Aranessa writes a letter apologizing for their retreat, claiming that fey forces have availed themselves and she is returning to the Golden Orchard and that her men at arms are expected there, as well. Thaisha leaves to get their horses, while Occtis will assist the others in exiting the tower. Occtis’ vulture arrives, having caught the pigeon on its way back. Its destination was very close by.

Thaisha leaves out the front doors and sees a Tachonis carriage pull up. Two twin women emerge, both tall and gaunt – these are Occtis’ eldest sisters, Petra and Ryah. Thaisha retrieves the horses after a horse conversation and a hold person on a stable hand. Vaelus, Araness, Julien, and Occtis leap out the tower window, with Occtis casting featherfall on them. They mount the horses and Thaisha warns Occtis about the arrival of his sisters. The five of them ride away, with Thaisha leading as the horn of warning sounds.

UNWELCOME

Forced to choose between trying the potentially closed front gate and a druidic sanctuary, Thaisha decides to take her friends to the shrine of Schongarten. They enter the beautiful mountain grotto monastery for the Circles. A door is always left unlocked for those seeking sanctuary. Thaisha speaks with an older dwarven man, Mozor of the Circle of Stone, who welcomes her and her companions. Mozor notices Occtis and is unnerved by him, but Thaisha promises that Occtis is a mystery, but not trouble.

They descend into the Sanctuary to find beds in the Wanderer’s Bunk. There are several bunkhouses, with some waving banners to denote the attendance of their Circles. The Circle of Seasons (who focus on healing Barrowdells) and the Circle of the Hunt (a grave and fearsome Circle) are here. Thaisha embellishes a symbol of the Circle of Ancients to denote her own presence.

The group finds beds, then Mozor arrives, asking Thaisha to come speak with a couple of the other druids. One is an imposing and elderly bearfolk woman named Amadah Toadstool and a wild eyed elf partially made of wood. They want to talk about Occtis, specifically saying that Thaisha has brought something into this camp that needs to die.

That is it for Episode 13 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• The Aviary Keeper noticed something strange behind Julien – could it be that shadow that’s been haunting him since Thjazi’s death??
• Aranessa mentioned that House Tachonis now refers to themselves as the Masters of Undeath. Creepy! (Creepy cool)
• Oh boy oh boy I really hope the Golden Orchard still stands.
• I’m sure Occtis will be fiiiiine.

Catch Episode 14 of Critical Role Campaign 4 on Thursday, February 5th 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?