Critical Recap: Critical Role C4E33 “Off-Balance”

Hello and welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Senior Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into Critical Role Campaign 4 Episode 33 Off-Balance!

AZUNE’S STAGE

In the early morning hours of Priest’s Day on the 35th of Trozemere, Azune wears Bolaire to his apartment so that Bolaire can gather his things. In Bolaire’s theatre, Azune watches a silent play of KoTher’ai before Bolaire coaxes him to tell a story of his own. Azune fills the stage with his lies and his truths, a collage of conversations with Harondus, Filoneus, Otto, and his friends. He focuses on the actor playing Murray, looking for suspicion in her: he spots a knife made of mirror held behind her back.

A young Azune rushes the stage, smashing the actors before taking the prop knife and stabbing it into the chest of the oldest Azune actor. Bolaire, who has emotionlessly gathered his things and returned to the Tintazi Woods, tells Azune to breathe for his own life and for others. They cannot lose him. Then Bolaire drops from Azune’s face.

MORNING SURPRISES

Wick and Tyranny wake up and discuss Wick’s guilt over killing an innocent woman. Tyranny tells him he had no choice, but he can atone by saving a life. She tells him her theory that the Luxes are unknowingly signing their souls over to her father, Ksha’aravi, and while Tyranny is in favor of soul selling, she thinks it should be voluntary and not based on a trick. Wick’s mother, Iris, arrives and tells Wick that he is expected to deliver a sermon today. He reluctantly agrees.

Hal wakes up to a terrifying surprise – Yanessa Halovar in his kitchen, cooking breakfast. She serves coffee in mugs that his children made long ago and the two put their animosity on the table, with Hal challenging her. They both put on shows. Yanessa says he doesn’t want this fight. She will enjoy making sure this city hates him before she kills him like Thjazi. Hal believes he has the city on his side, but Yanessa says she has cracked cities before. Dol-Makjar is afraid. Where Hal sees pride, she sees people seeing answers of the afterlife. They will take a lie over a question.

Yanessa warns Hal that by inviting people to be their better selves, they will only hate him. Hal just wishes she could have come to the show. She tells him to make his peace with his choices. While it is a privilege to destroy him, it will be a joy to destroy his life’s work. Yanessa fires an eldritch blast at his mugs, destroying his children’s homemade presents, blasts his door, and flies away. Hal recognizes her warlock spell, and reflects on how odd it is that Yanessa, a pampered noblewoman, made a perfect breakfast.

MORNING WORK

Murray attunes to the Kibbenimkedaz and casts legend lore on the gems Occtis gave her: she sees the Shapers Trozhna and Ilumi reaching out, communicating across vast distances. The spell sending is a lost magic, but it existed once. She realizes that spells like this aren’t lost, but blocked by some sort of chaotic interference. The gems are picking up something intangible but rooted in the planetary rings of Ilumi’s Blanket. Something that is interfering with the schools of magic. These gems are potent. There is something here in this magic that is part of what the Tachonis are seeking, something to do with Tansul and the cosmos beyond this planet. She needs more gems like this.

Azune finds a carriage of the Revolutionary Guard waiting for him – as a newly promoted captain, he now has a driver (Armond). He goes to the Brethren Hall and finds piles of paperwork. He needs to hire people for the Arcane Marshals. Missives have arrived, as well: Lord Harondus wishes to speak with him and Lord Filoneus urges him to personally investigate an arcane murder at the Mercanaud Couturier.

INFLUENCE

Each Schemer heads to Hal’s house, finding Hal anxiously cleaning and avoiding the pieces of broken mug. Azune and Misha fix the door while Hal tells them about Yanessa’s arrival. Wick claims to want to help from within the Creed, as he is currently in good standing, but Hal has trouble believing that. Wick thinks Yanessa craves Hal’s influence over the city. Killing Hal would only make him a martyr. Hal put his cards on the table with Yanessa, so he will only have to come at her harder. Artistic freedom is their strongest voice.

Tyranny shows them the soul fabric from the tailors and explains the demonic integration within the Luxes. She isn’t sure how the relationship between Ksha’aravi and Yanessa works. Murray knows that Iljaza, the Queen of Demons, was the wife of Azgra and has been missing since his death. Several of her loyal lieutenants were left in the Pit, with Ksha’aravi being one of those. During this discussion, a magpie arrives with a note: Romina is at the Seven Stars. Wick and Tyranny change clothes, and while they are gone, Hal quietly tells the others that he doesn’t trust them. Wick killed an innocent woman: what else might he do to save his own life?

The Schemers head to the Seven Stars, where Wick puts on a very chauvinistic voice, angering Lachmir. Hal and Romina head upstairs, with Romina telling him the Einfasens have returned to Riesingürtle. Lady Amariya Cormoray (who has bonded with Termina, Bolaire’s sister) requested the arrest of Arch Preserver Oscuro Milanti, causing chaos at the Archanade, and for extra security to be placed on Maridi Hall. The Gray Tower is also expanding their security, as members of the Revolutionary Council are traveling to Dol-Makjar in response to Yanessa’s motion of no confidence.

THE REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL

Romina leaves and the Schemers discuss the Revolutionary Council, which they know from Petra & Ryah’s letter is ⅔ aligned with House Tachonis. The Council consists of 9 seats, with many of the members living outside of Kahad. Day to day administration is handled by the Chamber of Lords-Advisory. The Revolutionary Council was created in the vacuum left by Azgra in Dol-Makjar and expanded to include the territories that fought the Shapers. The Council as it currently stands is a dysfunctional form of government. It worked during the Shaper’s War, but now it’s a relic of a previous era, overseeing Dol-Makjar, international aid, resource sharing, and the Barrowguard.

The original three seats were the three Rungjani clan leaders of Dol-Makjar: the Horn Clan, the Wall Clan, and the Forge Clan. These leaders were given the first three Pariah Blades. These are still the three local seats. Currently, these representatives are Agztash Splitknuckle (Wall Clan), a barbarian veteran of the Shaper’s War; Jekara Vodik (Forge Clan), a major in the Gray Battalion before it became the Barrowguard; and Ephina “Effie” Parvinas (Horn Clan), the first human elected and a former innkeep who wished to reform the Council’s dysfunction.

The other six seats are international. The representatives are as follows: Kahad is General Zamar Burukhazi. Ezir is Bela Tzezich. The Chamber of Lords-Advisory is Lord Gallicus Emedon, a vassal of House Cormoray. Kavros is Agrakor Zovakarzhna. Pact of Imlay is Magwyn Maybloom. Ennis Galwed is Terabh Lannery. The Pact of Imlay is a coastal alliance of halflings and gnomes, while Ennis Galwed is the Beastfolk homeland that was lost to the Barrowdell of Omra, the Hunter.

PLAYING POLITICS

The vote of no-confidence could be used to take power away from Dol-Makjar’s elected representatives. The Schemers trade gossip and knowledge about the members of the Revolutionary Council. Agztash is very ill and tended to by a member of the Creed. Jekara’s son, Uvrag, is engaged to Audessio Cormoray. Jekara was adamantly opposed to the Falconer’s Rebellion and was a strong voice keeping the Council from siding with the rebellion. Murray wants to talk to Effie, a big supporter of the people, but Hal knows that she isn’t popular in the Rookery, as she voted in favor of creating the Chamber of Lords-Advisory.

Azune wants to look into the voting records to see who might align with the motion. Bela and Gallicus are both Creed members. Kavros is a solemn place whose southern half was destroyed by the Stormwrack Barrowdell. Its representative, Agrakor, has become increasingly hostile to warlocks and is very anti-magic and anti-fey. General Zamar is a decorated commander of the Barrowguard focused on defending the perimeter. Magwyn is a former druid of the Circle of Ancients who left for politics. Bela owns the Southern Sails mercantile company and is married to Holbrook Tallamar, an Argosian diplomat. The Daridai Consortium, which is openly pro-demon, now rules Ezir, though the country was once ruled by pirates.

Hal wants to send KoTher’ai tickets to the three local council members. They can get the invitations enchanted by Tsul’rekshi. Hal is considering running for the Council, as Agztash is getting too old and infirm. Azune and Murray want to talk to Effie, who can possibly appeal to the locals. They split into two teams, with Azune and Murray going to Effie and Hal, Wick, and Tyranny going to Tsul’rekshi. Hal sends out magpies: one to the library requesting the voter records, one to Varen to post soldiers at the roads, one to Olgud to set up VIP boxes, and one to Elodie to protect the girls.

THREE FOR THREE

Wick and Tyranny take Hal to the Knife and Palette Pigments, where Hollis is star-struck upon meeting Hal. Hal invites Hollis to KoTher’ai, delighting him. They go to the workshop and Hal meets Tsul’rekshi. She knew Thjazi and gives Hal her condolences. She liked his self-possessiveness. Tyranny requests the invitations and Tsul’rekshi is willing to make a deal. She wants a guided tour to the Villa Aurora, three guests for three invitations. Wick agrees, making a blood pact with her.

Tsul’rekshi invites Tyranny to some one on one time in the future. She wants Tyranny to know she isn’t alone. She gives Tyranny a bat in a bottle, telling her to release the bat when she wants to see her. Wick asks if she could make a poisoned version of Filament. She would need enough Filament to weave a disguise. As they leave, Hal tells her that he is happy to take Thjazi’s place at her table. She tells him not to be a stranger, and that he has her vote.

THE COUNCILWOMAN

Azune and Murray go to the Napping Tabby Tavern in Caravan Hill, where they find a line of cityfolk outside Effie’s office. Azune pulls rank with the Einfasen guards and Murray hands out gold to the people in line, getting most of them to leave – money tends to solve problems. Orus Blade leaves Effie’s office and Azune casts message, asking what to expect: a silver tongue will meet a brick wall.

Now, it is Azune and Murray’s turn. Effie has heard of them both. She asks Murray how things are at the Penteveral after the Marketplace banned arcana. Murray answers honestly: it’s a shitshow. Effie apologizes for that, but there was a great deal of arcane theft. They note her Einfasen guards and Azune casts message, asking if she would prefer her own people protecting her. Effie scolds him casting magic, but dismisses her guards for a private conversation. She clearly has a different perspective on the world than Azune and Murray do.

The two claim to have wanted to voice their confidence in the Council. Her seat could be in jeopardy as part of a larger plot from House Halovar and House Tachonis. A coup is brewing. Effie thinks that’s a strong word. The Chamber of Lords-Advisory is why the city works. This is a big city that runs on compromise. The Penteveral is upset about the Marketplace, the Photarch saved thousands from starving and put people in homes. Her guards were hired by the Halovar. Effie herself ran on a motion of no-confidence. This is all legal and will be settled by the Council.

WRONG TURN

Azune can tell that, despite her bravado, Effie is nervous and giving a brave answer to two strangers. She asks Murray if this is about Professor Theodoro being let go – this is news to Murray, who is alarmed. Professor Theodoro Roserand is the head of the Abjuration department and practically vice dean of the Penteveral.

Effie cuts to the chase: what brought them here today? There was an assassination attempt on King Gus. She knows, and it was prevented. The Revolutionary Guard were at the gala. She has a lot of Creed members in her ward and she respects the Photarch. Murray casts message – would she believe that the entire assassination attempt was a ploy? This second display of telepathy angers Effie, who kicks them both out. They are not welcome in her head, and these are actions that could see the Marketplace rule expand.

Outside Knife and Palette, Hal receives messages from his magpies. Olgud is preparing, Varen has the soldiers ready, Byrindra Moss at the library has pulled the records. But it is Elodie whose message carries the heaviest weight. Hero has been expelled from the Penteveral.

That is it for Episode 33 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• So what is Yanessa’s deal? Warlock with a breakfast patron?
• My heart broke in TWO hearing that Hero was expelled. That poor girl!!
• A vote for Hal Fang is a vote for Dol-Makjar! Let’s go POLITICAL INTRIGUE!!!

Catch Episode 34 of Critical Role Campaign 4 on Thursday, September 10th 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?