Critical Recap: Exandria Unlimited Divergence – Episode 2 “Seven of Them”

Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into our recap of Exandria Unlimited: Divergence Episode 2: Seven of Them!

A HARD JOURNEY

The group continues their dangerous trek through the desiccated forest as Erro leads them to the safe haven of Torm’s Hill. The rain that had been so welcome is now making them sick and making travel more difficult. Everyone but Crokas is exhausted and one of their own has already fallen. Crokas now wears his gift from the Stormlord, the Stormgirdle belt (which raises his strength to 21). Fiedra’s exhaustion only rises in a wilderness she doesn’t understand and she can no longer walk, so Erro carries her.

More days pass. When Erro begins to lose strength, Crokas carries Fiedra so that their leader can continue to guide them. Garen isn’t sure they can trust Erro’s directions, but Nia’s faith in him is unshaken. Erro tells Crokas that he was taught to survive in the wild by a family friend and that one day he will teach Crokas. Fiedra, at 5 points of exhaustion, barely survives the night – but she does survive, refusing to die like this.

SAFE HAVEN

It took them 9 days, but they reach Torm’s Hill. Erro recalls that this was once a small village surrounding a small dwarven settlement and led by two halfling and goblin wives, Klasara Bandy and Nez Pilch. It was hidden away and tiny – but now it is open and packed. There are 1200 people crammed into the area, refugees of the Strife Emperor’s reign of terror. It is chaos, but there is order as Klasara and Nez are still in charge.

Fiedra and Nia are sent to see Klasara in the medical stronghold. Fiedra is tended to and allowed to finally rest and heal. Klasara instructs Nia to rest, as her medical abilities are needed, so they need her at her best. Crokas is thanked by Celeste, the dragonborn mother, for saving her children. He will always be family to them. Erro and Crokas rest near the medical area, with Erro still on alert for any issues.

Garen explores the dwarven fortress and discovers a hidden room containing 12 barrels of ale and salted beef and pork. It has been hidden for years and has all kept from spoiling thanks to dwarven craftsmanship. Garen taps a keg for the first time in a hundred years. He quietly informs Nez of the hidden cache so she can organize its dispersal without causing a riot, as the many new faces make it difficult to trust everyone.

BUILDING BRIDGES

After a good night’s rest, the party is cured of their exhaustion. Fiedra is alive, to Crokas’ great relief. She tells her bodyguard how proud she is of him. To their surprise, they reunite with Otto and Taveen of the Roach Gang. They survived the destruction of Rybad-Kol by hiding in the stew pot. Kephekedriel was with them, but rejoined with his former, more intense gang. Marlath introduces himself to Fiedra, hoping to ally with her and usher in a new order.

Nia reunites with her friend Luz, a tiefling follower of the Moonweaver. She reveals that Liana, Nia’s sister, received a vision and headed northwest for the Snowgrave Pass – the same mountain that Erro was directed to by the firefly on his map. Nia flirts with a water genasi, Ondetra, but is put off by Ondetra’s clear distaste for the gods.

Garen assists with damming a flood that has trapped a group of foragers. He teaches the small team how to build a dam to last. A group of brothers arrive with stolen tools and supplies, with Marlath assigning himself the task of tracking everything in his ledger. The dam is successfully built, rescuing the foraging party and allowing access to the game-filled forest. Bulray, the bugbear that Garen works with, tells him how he once worshiped the Strife Emperor since it was all he was allowed. But he learned the difference between a ruler and a leader in that time.

RISE AND FALL

Their conversation is interrupted by screams in the village. Seven soldiers of the Strife Emperor have arrived, demanding that they return to serve his rule. They have already killed several people in their attempt to take over Torm’s Hill. Erro has no patience for this and steps right up, breathing fire in the faces of the soldiers. He yells to the people – 7 overlords or 1200 of us – this inspires the people to join in the fight.

Fiedra, the Roach Gang, and Nia join the fray. Luz also joins the fight, despite Nia trying to keep her away. The Captain strikes down Luz and Erro, who says ‘change is coming’ before he falls. More commoners join the fight, inspired by the fighting spirit of the group. Crokas activates the Stormgirdle and becomes a storm avatar, using his formerly broken breath weapon to spew lightning energy on the Captain. The lightning hits Garen’s hammer and he strikes the Captain.

Nia takes Luz’s Moonweaver symbol and uses it to kill the Captain. She feels sorry for him – he could have helped, but he chose to be an obstacle, instead. She casts inflict wounds, becoming a 1st level Cleric as she tells the dying Captain “Change is coming, and I am change.” Crokas is struck down by a soldier, but a Nat 20 death save results in a lightning strike awakening him as a 1st level Monk. Fiedra kills another soldier, becoming a 1st level Rogue. Nia heals Erro, who is now a 1st level Ranger.

RESPONSIBILITY

Nia and Garen both fall, but Fiedra rallies more commoners, mobbing the last soldiers; Crokas kills the final one. He continues to beat the dead body of the soldier, until the dragonborn children he carried calm him down and tell him he doesn’t have to be scared. Celeste speaks Draconic to him, but Crokas doesn’t speak it. The children translate – he saved them. Erro heals Nia and Garen is stabilized by Nez. Unfortunately, Luz dies before anyone can heal her.

Nia tries repeatedly to resuscitate Luz but is unable to. She blames herself, though Erro tries to comfort her. Nia finds the moon in the cloudy sky and tells the Moonweaver she can have Luz, but to leave her sister. The rain subsides and a bonfire is built as hope enters the camp once more. Marlath approaches Fiedra and the Roach Gang, informing them of the ledger he has kept and the debt the people owe. He wants to establish ownership of the homes and rent them to the people as tenants. Fiedra will speak to him at sundown.

Garen and Erro rest together, with Erro telling him that he trusted Garen the moment he saw them – and he is normally very slow to trust. He then goes to see Nia, who is making a pouch for Luz’s holy symbol while Crokas cleans off in the river. Crokas and Nia talk about family – Crokas was raised by Fiedra from an egg. He has no idea who his parents are. Nia misses her family and wants to leave immediately. Erro will help her go anywhere she wants. Nia takes dirt from Luz’s grave and presses it into her locs, then agrees to stay two more nights.

REST COMES AT LAST

Garen takes a small barrel of ale to Fiedra and the others. Fiedra is a survivor and these are her people. She feels a responsibility to them all. At sundown, she and Crokas and the gang meet with Marlath. He wants to hire the Roach Gang to be his enforcers and trap the people into a five year housing plan. Fiedra lets him talk, then tells him they look after their own. He talks too much – so she cuts out his tongue and takes his ledger.

Garen talks with Nia, asking her to tell him about Luz. She speaks of Luz and Liana, how Luz taught them about the Moonweaver and how they always promised to meet on the moon. Luz and her endless dreams are the reason Nia still had so much hope. The crescent moon comes out, bathing them all in the natural light. Sleep comes and Garen is visited by his memories of the dwarven halls of Uthtar and the guidance of the All-Hammer. He seeks wisdom, and does not level up – but does find some truth in the world.

Erro sleeps near the river, watching the sunrise for the first time in a long time as the world, reshaped by the footfalls of the Wildmother and the Stormlord, is made anew by nature once again.

That is it for Episode 2 of Exandria Unlimited: Divergence!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Level ups!! A ranger, a cleric, a rogue, a monk, and… a guy!
• “Change is coming and I am change” is up there as one of the most metal lines in all of Critical Role.
• We all thought Crokas was OUR baby, but it turns out he’s Fiedra’s baby.
• Collective action! Community! They can’t stop us all!!!

Catch Episode 3 on Thursday, February 27th 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 a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?