"Bittersweet Reunions" (3x93) is the ninety-third episode of the third campaign of Critical Role. The Crown Keepers endure a battle for their lives and the very heart of their team, with dire consequences for every move...
Synopsis[]
Announcements[]
- The Nordverse is back! Cryptonic Override and GaleBoss69 defend the universe from the bro-bots with the aid of NordVPN.
- The finale of Candela Obscura: Circle of the Crimson Mirror is now up on VOD.
- Tickets now on sale for the Candela Obscura Live Show May 25th in Los Angeles; streaming on Twitch and YouTube Thursday, 30 May at 7pm Pacific.
- Merch alert! Dorian Storm camp shirt and dice set now available in all CritRole shops. Real world whiskey "Sandkheg's Hide" now available for three weeks only at SandkhegsHide.com.
Previously on Critical Role[]
Previously, on the finale of the Crown Keepers' Saga, you all were making your way southeast from where you were laying low from Kymal, hopefully to get to Zephrah to find the Tempest. Yet, only a couple days out from where you were keeping cover, Opal had a bit of a moment and exploded out a bunch of gems and spiderwebs, triggering the forceful conversion by the Spider Queen of Opal into "Opal the Twice-Crowned Champion of the Spider Queen". Opal, your friends love you so much, and they are currently fighting to the death to save you.
Part I[]
The Crown Keepers[]
Fan art of Opal the Twice-Crowned, by Sabira Langevin.[art 1]
The transformed Opal has grown taller, has three sets of arms, and is told her purpose is to shake off the others so she can take her place in the service of the Spider Queen, and appears to Dariax to be a massive drider. Opal tries to negotiate with the Spider Queen, hating this, asking what exactly is required of her, and receives a sudden vision of something monstrous within Ruidus which all of the gods primally fear. The Spider Queen offers a bargain: kill two of the Crown Keepers and the others can walk away.
Morrighan attacks the spiders and despite taking damage from a counterattack, maintains her Haste. She reaches out to the Matron of Ravens seeking help or advice, and the Matron asks why she is fighting. The Matron tells her of a monster that followed the gods that now threatens to return, and all of the gods are fighting for their lives. When Opal chose to wear the Circlet of Barbed Vision she knew what it would entail. The Matron tells Morrighan she should run and leave Opal; her Champion is not meant to fall in battle here.
Dorian moves to defend his brother Cyrus against an attacking spider by pulling the last of the diamonds from his chest piece and using it to cast Chromatic Orb. However, the thunder damage also hits Cyrus, and Dorian immediately flies to his side. Fy'ra Rai calls out to the Wildmother, offering herself to her in return for the ability to save Opal. However, the Wildmother will not explain what that would entail and indicates her kinship with the Spider Queen in this matter. Opal is concealed by magical darkness, so Fy'ra Rai attempts to cast Fireball but is Counterspelled by Opal. She calls out to the Wildmother, "I accept," and the orb of darkness around Opal vanishes.
Opal casts Mass Suggestion on the party which affects Dariax and Dorian. Hoping to save their lives, she tells them to walk away, to go see Orym. Ted and the Spider Queen attack Morrighan, damaging her significantly and poisoning her, then Opal casts Banishing Smite but fails to hit. Dariax tells the others that Opal wants them all to go find Orym and that she must know best, then casts Mass Cure Wounds on the party (except Fy'ra Rai) and starts moving off. The massive spider attacks Cyrus, sending him unconscious, while the smaller ones attack Morrighan and Fy'ra Rai or crush more of Opal's memory gems. Suddenly, a new creature appears: a gigantic and corrupting spider. Cyrus fails his first death save. Opal tells the Spider Queen, "I think you need me more than I need you," but fails to intimidate her, and acting through a spider, the Queen attacks Cyrus, killing him.
Distraught and furious, Morrighan attacks and destroys the spider, then gathers more of the memory gems. She then leaves, accompanied on her journey by the spirit of Cyrus because as the Champion of the Raven Queen, she helps to facilitate the passage from life to death.
Still under the compulsion to leave, Dorian struggles against it due to the pain of his brother's death, but is unable to throw it off. Filled with purest anger, he casts Geas on the horrifically large spider, telling it to kill its mother. Dorian flies to join Dariax, and the Spider Queen taunts him as he goes.
Fan art of the sisters, by Elaine Tipping.[art 3]
Telepathically, Opal tells Fy'ra Rai to damage her as much as possible before she goes. Fy'ra Rai, however, is determined to try to either get the crown off Opal's head, or go with her into her service to the Spider Queen. When she tries, though, she realizes that if the crown is removed, it will kill Opal. Holding the crown in both hands, she asks Opal what she wants. Opal immediately tells her to go, but then realizes that Fy'ra Rai is now as devoted to the Wildmother as she is to the Spider Queen, and that the gods are united in their purpose to defeat Predathos. The two could remain together in pursuit of their mutual goals. Opal and Fy'ra Rai are able to convince the Spider Queen to allow them to stay together, as the monk believes she has no purpose without someone to protect.
Meanwhile, Dariax moves into sight of Cyrus' corpse. Shocked, he sees Dorian moving away, and remembering Opal's instruction to leave, follows him. They travel southeastward toward Zephrah together, and Dorian admits that what he wants now is revenge. Dariax is befuddled by the concept and Dorian drops the subject, teaching him to play the lute (as an apprentice bard) in addition to the recorder as they travel. After some thought, Dariax tells him that although he's not in a place to be fighting gods and monsters, he can help those who are. Or at least write songs about them. Along the way, Dorian tells Dariax to go play in a tavern for the first time, and when he's a distance away, casts Invisibility on himself. Dorian leaves quietly, seeking the Tempest alone. Eventually he reaches Zephrah, and Keyleth.
Break[]
- Three piece Uk'otoa mini now available at WizKids.
- Candela Obscura Live May 25th in Los Angeles. Tickets now on sale.
- Daggerheart Open Beta now running. Info at Daggerheart.com.
- Merch Alert! Dorian Storm camp shirt and dice set, Candela Obscura dice tray, dice set, and hoodie, "You can certainly try" hoodie, Critical Role dad hat, Fearne duster kimono in all five CR shops; Mighty Nein and Bells Hells hoodies in all shops except Australia.
- Darrington Press will be at the UK Games Expo May 31 - June 2.
- Introduction to "Candela Obscura: Into the Abyss" (CO4x03). Candela Obscura Core Rulebook now available.
- Trailer for Midst Season Three podcast.
- Candela Obscura Original Soundtrack, Welcome to Tal'Dorei and Welcome to Wildemount albums available now on all digital music platforms.
- Critical Recap available Wednesdays on CritRole.com. Submit fan art and cosplay for possible inclusion in the weekly online gallery.
- Jester and Duplicate Jester definitely don't draw dicks for Critical Role Twitch subscriptions.
Part II[]
Keyleth greets the still-invisible Dorian, who immediately drops the spell and shares with her that he is emotionally lost and looking for guidance. He also begs her to have his brother's body retrieved, and due to his friendship with Orym, she agrees. He is welcome to stay in Zephrah as long as he likes, to wait for Orym, Fearne, and the rest of Bells Hells to return from their mission.
Dorian spends the afternoon getting to know Keyleth a bit and recovering somewhat from the trauma of the past days before being shown chambers within the great hall. That night, alone in his room, he hears the voice of Orym, Sending to him: "We're home. Can you hear me? I'm northeast of Bassuras. Can you get there? I'm... struggling. Sorry. Can you get here? Fuck, I miss you." He responds immediately, "I'll be there." An hour or two later, Keyleth knocks on his door and tells him she needs to leave for the Hellcatch Valley where forces are gathering to prevent the release of the god eater within Ruidus. Orym and his friends have been on Ruidus, helping. Dorian immediately asks to join her, and she agrees.
Fan art of Orym greeting Dorian, by noxarcanaart.[art 4]
Keyleth leads the way to a blossoming cherry tree and creates a gateway through to the military encampment outside the Tishtan excavation site where the Malleus Key and the Bloody Bridge are. As they walk through the camp, the massive gates open and seven figures walk through: Bells Hells, but without Fresh Cut Grass. The party spots Dorian as well and Orym launches himself into a bearhug, joined quickly by Fearne, and then the others. Keyleth is happy and relieved they're back alive, and the party sadly tells her of FCG's death. Evoroa is also with Bells Hells and gathering stares from those around the group. She is introduced to everyone before Keyleth offers them rest. They will talk and make their report in the morning. She does confirm their forces were able to locate the portal to Ruidus through Lake Umamu in Issylra's Caramarin Reach.
Alone within their guest quarters in the encampment, the party catches up. Dorian tells them his brother died and his two best friends became Champions of the Matron of Ravens and the Spider Queen. Bells Hells tells Dorian more about FCG's death, and Laudna gives him the carved statue of a dancer she bought in Kreviris. They also share what they know of Predathos and the events that have occurred since Dorian left with Cyrus for Tal'Dorei. Imogen asks if he plans to stay with them, and he does, if they'll have him. Everyone welcomes him happily, but Dorian admits that what he is seeking now is revenge.
Ashton manages to find some wine and liquor, but while they're outside looking for it they see Keyleth and Evoroa deep in conversation. Ashton breaks in, apologizing to Evoroa for his past behavior. He returns to the tent armed with alcohol where he is happily greeted and a celebration of sorts commences while the talk continues.
Featured characters[]
Quotations[]
- Opal: I think you need me more than I need you.
Spider Queen: I don't know if that's true.
Opal: You've taken everything from me. I have nothing else to lose.
Spider Queen: That's definitely not true. - Morrighan: (to Opal) I just want you to know that no matter what you do here, you can always come back. No matter what. I know you don't mean it. And I know that you'll never ever be her abomination. You don't need to be. This is bigger than all of us.
Opal: I love you.
Morrighan: I love you, too. And I'm sorry. - Spider Queen: Don't you have a sister to go kill?
Fy'ra Rai: No. I have a sister to walk beside. - Fy'ra Rai: (to the Spider Queen) I have lost one sister completely on this planet. I was born to be a protector. I was not born to walk alone for solitary purpose. This is my sister now, and if you take her, you will have to let me come beside her in some way.
- Dorian: I want revenge, Dariax, badly. Do you think you can take revenge against the universe? Do you think you can fight back against gods and monsters?
- Keyleth: We have many wonderful sages and caretakers and philosophers, and anyone that you wish to tell your troubles to--
Dorian: What about armorers?
Keyleth: We have those as well. Are you sure you don't know where you're going?
Dorian: Perhaps I don't know where. But I'm starting to believe I know why. - Keyleth: We're here to save the world, I think, again, and I wish to save a friend.
Dorian: Well, what's the point in saving the world if there's no one there to write a song about it?
Fan art of Bells Hells reunited, by Shara Maestache.[art 5]
- Chetney: Wait, wait, wait, nothing is as it seems. Say something only Dorian would know.
Dorian: Chetney, I'm surprised of everyone here to see you alive.
Chetney: It's Dorian! - Dorian: I never thought there was real evil in the world. Not real evil. I think there are bad people who do bad things, but what we've seen these last days is... irredeemable. I think for the first time in my life, I'm a bit angry.
Orym: So [Opal] wasn't able to get rid of [the Circlet].
Dorian: That's true. Another failure, so they say.
Laudna: No. An opportunity.
Dorian: For what?
Laudna: Redemption.
Dorian: Right now, I'd prefer revenge.
Laudna: I like that.
Inventory[]
| Adjustment | Count | Item | Source | Destination | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gathered | Memory gems | the battlefield | Morrighan | Morrighan gathered all she could of the gems holding Opal's memories, in order to protect them. | |
| Transferred | 1 | Lute with hidden Moon-Touched scimitar | Dorian | Dariax | It was Dorian's main instrument until he decided Dariax was ready to "graduate" as a bard. |
| Transferred | 1 | Ruidian glass statue of a dancer | Laudna | Dorian | Laudna had purchased it in Kreviris. |
Trivia[]
- Opal, Morrighan Ferus, and Dariax Zaveon appeared again in "A New Age Begins" (3x121), the final episode of Campaign Three.
- Due to Sam Riegel's absence at the table, Robbie Daymond took his place next to Marisha Ray when Dorian Storm re-joined Bells Hells. From "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) through "In Too Deep" (3x14), Robbie was placed between Travis Willingham and Marisha. Ashley Johnson moved back to her normal position next to Laura Bailey as prior to "Mission Improbable" (3x90).
- During this session Anjali Bhimani wore makeup similar to her character Fy'ra Rai's golden facial tattoos.
- In this episode Erica Lindbeck wore a different set of bunny-like ears on her head from the ones from the previous episode, similar to Morrighan Ferus' lagomore ears.
- Kyle Shire made a brief cameo during the episode, bringing tissues to the table after Cyrus was killed.[1]
References[]
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of Opal the Twice-Crowned, by Sabira Langevin (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Fy'ra and Opal, by Zeth (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of the sisters, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Orym greeting Dorian, by noxarcanaart (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Bells Hells reunited, by Shara Maestache (source). Used with permission.
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