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Gathering of Needs

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"Gathering of Needs" (3x95) is the ninety-fifth episode of the third campaign of Critical Role. Bells Hells take time to focus inwards on their grief and their healing, but inner demons threaten the harmony of their bond...

Synopsis[]

Announcements[]

Previously on Critical Role[]

So, last we left off, Bells Hells, after returning from Ruidus and reuniting with their old friend Dorian Storm are in the final throes of gathering what information, power, and allies they and the rest of Exandria can before trying to stop Ludinus Da'leth and the Ruby Vanguard through their alliance with the entities that control Kreviris and the surface of Ruidus from releasing Predathos, the God Eater. As such, you've learned a little bit of information about Ludinus not being on Ruidus at the moment, and it seems he's had some dealings with an ancient ruin of one of the many fallen cities from the realm of history known as the Age of Arcanum, particularly a place called Aeor. Some of you may have heard this a little bit in passing history, but more information can be gleaned. What you do know is that it apparently contains some ancient magical technology that is both dangerous as it's being understood, and is seemingly being funneled and repurposed through a lot of what the Ruby Vanguard is doing both here on Exandria and on the moon above. So, Ludinus is apparently present and having dealings within these ruins, last you heard.

After speaking with Keyleth and the Exandrian Accord, the alliance of all those who are wanting to stop those responsible for this, you were given, through a series of connections, an escort, who had some experience of these ruins, a mage of somewhat schlubby persona, but seemed to be somewhat knowledgeable in their connection with the Cobalt Soul. They had a lead on someone who is a member of the Cerberus Assembly, who might know exactly where in these ruins, or at least lead you in the direction of these ruins where Ludinus might be. Then, through Teleportation, you headed toward the city of Zadash in the Dwendalian Empire. The streets seem to have sustained some recent damage and there is a sense of tension in the air of some recent dangers that seem to have swept through. But, as you plug through the streets, getting to the exterior of an interesting little bookshop and trinket shop known as Chastity's Nook, selling all sorts of knickknacks, decor, and very wonderful smutty romantic books. You were led to the back room, where one of the more recent employees, Erma, had been sitting and reading a book. As this escort mage had spoken a phrase that "Bren sends his regards," immediately tension in the room built in what seemed to be a rapid-paced wizard battle, all of you rushing in and throwing whatever you can to subdue this figure. In the midst of this fray, your escort, this mage, threw down an antimagic shell which dispelled the illusion on your target and themself, revealing themself to be a dark elf mage of some esteem, and your target being an individual known as Astrid Becke, a member of the Cerberus Assembly and the Archmage of Civil Influence. Here, in this tense moment, as you hold the archmage back and this dark elf who named themself Essek Thelyss, an enemy of Ludinus Da'leth, you are in the right place to commence an interrogation and discover where you are to tread next.

Part I[]

Essek confronts Astrid, asking if she knows where Ludinus Da'leth is and what he's doing. She knows that he's been working on something in private, but she stayed out of it. Now that the Assembly is being blamed for events during the Apogee Solstice, Astrid has stayed out of sight, living like Essek as a fugitive from potential arrest. She believes Ludinus' projects took him to the Genesis Ward of Aeor, to something called the Occultus Thalamus. She requests that if their mission eventually succeeds, they let the Voice of the Tempest and other Exandrian Accord members know of her helpfulness. She also shares one small quirk she noticed in Ludinus: the back of his neck frequently seemed to itch. Astrid is aware that a large purple flaming phoenix recently attacked Zadash, damaging the city.

Ashton demanding shopping - Pyromeekorai

Fan art of Ashton demanding shopping, by Pyromeekorai.[art 1]

After buying several of Iva Deshin's spicy books, and promising to check up on her friend Yussa Errenis (who recently stopped replying to letters) if their travels take them to the Menagerie Coast, the group leaves the shop. They decide to go shopping for clothes and supplies, and Essek agrees to meet them later in the Pentamarket. They find the Emerald Curtain, a clothing shop, and everyone orders new outfits or supplies for crafting their own outfits, including cold-weather gear, that will in some way memorialize Fresh Cut Grass.

They then head to the Pentamarket and the Invulnerable Vagrant, where Pumat Sol's simulacra are happy to help them with magical purchases, but the prices are steep. Dorian notices the penniless Orym coveting a set of Zephyr Armor crafted by an Ashari, and gives him all of his own accumulated cash, 2500 gold pieces, towards its purchase. Eventually, by trading in virtually all of the party's cash and valuables, including most of the Ruidian glass weapons, the party was able to purchase multiple healing potions, a potion of invulnerability and potion of speed, Harp of Valor, Robe of the Midnight Rune, and Zephyr Armor.

Orym's thank you - Elaine Tipping

Fan art of Orym's thank-you, by Elaine Tipping.[art 2]

On the way out, one of the Pumats warns them of the various dangers in the area in addition to the purple phoenix: the Labenda Swamp is flooded and merfolk have reclaimed the region; there's a massive sinkhole in the middle of the Cyrengreen Forest and the surrounding trees have begun to blacken; Druvenlode's dead have been rising; Rexxentrum has been experiencing phantom explosions and devilish entities roaming the streets at night.

Orym thanks Dorian for the gift of the funds to purchase his armor while Imogen hugs Chetney for acting as the treasurer and broker of funds for the transaction. Essek, in his disguise as Seth, finds them in the Pentamarket and leads them toward an inn for the evening.

Break[]

Part II[]

Essek takes them to the Lodge of the Eclipse, a decent-sized inn with entertainment that has two rooms left for the night, using magic to get a better price. Fearne convinces Essek to join them for a while to watch a bit of the burlesque and vaudeville acts in the main room. Eventually Fearne and Laudna get up to go upstairs, and as Ashton hugs Fearne he pickpockets a bit of her lace. Chetney and Dorian are having a great time watching the show, including Madame Feathered-Face, a Dwarven fan dancer.

Essek inspecting Ashton's head - Rann

Fan art of Essek studying Ashton's head, by Rann.[art 3]

When the performance is over and they are in their room, Ashton shows Essek the hole in his head, filled with dunamantic magic. Essek is fascinated and casts a spell which creates a small dark pearl-like bead which he holds to Ashton's head, causing sparks to whirl within the glass. He explains a bit about dunamancy, the Luxon, and the Luxon beacons. Ashton is a unique biological source of this magical energy and a dangerous entity, and Essek urges Ashton not to share this information with anyone else and to trust no one. Ashton has been trying an experiment lately, redefining his definition of love and friendship.

Most of the group is doing alterations and crafting their new outfits. Orym quietly asks Chetney for the Bag of Holding and inconspicuously removes Ishta, the blade taken from Otohan Thull, then goes outside to "get some air". Laudna notices and calls after him, but he ignores her. Imogen asks Essek if Ludinus knows a lot about time and Essek admits his involvement in providing information to the Cerberus Assembly via the powerful artifacts he spoke of earlier. The knowledge he provided is at least partially responsible for Ashton's condition. He shows them an image of a Beacon, telling them its power was distilled into the potion that was incorporated into Ashton's head. Imogen shares that Ludinus had a beacon at the activation of the Malleus Key, which explains its power. Essek believes Ludinus must still need something from Aeor, however. Knowing dunamancy is at the heart of maintaining the Bloody Bridge could allow Essek to assemble other dunamancers and perhaps disrupt it.

Essek leaves to go to his room, and Laudna continues crafting, but begins to zone out somewhat as everyone chats and sews. Meanwhile, outside, Orym finds a park, sits, and lays the sword across his legs, remembering the times he saw it in the past killing his friends, father, and husband, and considering all the death it has been responsible for. He holds it out, testing the feel, and slowly steps into the Zeph'aeratam, moving faster and faster until he is exhausted. He remembers Ludinus is out there somewhere, and slowly puts the sword next to Seedling on his back, vine tendrils creeping out to create a sheath. A gentle rain begins, and he feels the presence of the Wildmother around him, supporting him.

Inside, Laudna is running out of time to finish her outfit and casts Animate Objects on everything she can think of to help, also introducing Pâté to Dorian. Eventually Fearne goes in search of Orym, finding him in the park. She thanks him for helping her against her father. Dorian joins them, the three original members of the Crown Keepers before coming to Marquet. They reminisce a bit before Fearne excuses herself to leave Orym and Dorian alone. Dorian reassures Orym that he can't protect everyone, and that he doesn't need to, before taking his hand to take him back inside.

Laudna studying Ishta - Jenny Dolfen

Fan art of Laudna studying Ishta while Orym sleeps, by Jenny Dolfen.[art 4]

The others gradually finish their crafting and one by one go off to sleep. Laudna is the last to finish, and she notices Otohan's sword on Orym's back, which unnerves her. Delilah's voice creeps into her mind, reinforcing what a terrible choice it is to carry the sword, and suggesting that it is cursed and sentient. Perhaps it took over Otohan, and will take over Orym as well. To tell, Delilah would have to hold it. She admits she once knew Ludinus when they were both members of the Assembly, commenting that he doesn't have friends, only tools to be discarded when no longer useful. Laudna creeps closer to the blade on Orym's back and studies it, then touches it, feeling its age and dark past. She casts Darkness on the room, then tries to Wither and Bloom to kill the vines holding the blade in place, but misses and hits Orym, waking him to absolute darkness. He hits out blindly with Seedling, hitting Laudna and pushing her back. She Spider Climbs onto the ceiling and Mage Hands the sword away from him, and as she holds it, Delilah tells her it is indeed cursed and must be destroyed... and she will do it. Thinking it will protect Orym, Laudna agrees but he attacks again, causing her to drop the magical darkness.

The others (except Chetney) are all now awake and can see what's happening. Orym sends out a Grasping Vine from Seedling but Laudna Counterspells, so he does a disarming attack to knock Ishta from her and then Action Surges to recover it and hold it ready, pointed at her. Laudna drops from the ceiling and tries but fails to cast Phantasmal Force on Orym. Confused and angry, Orym asks her what the fuck is going on, and Laudna tells him he's not safe; the blade is evil and will corrupt him. Wielding it is the wrong choice. The others in the room believe her, asking Orym why he's attacking her and telling him to put down the sword, but he responds that putting it through the guts of the man responsible for this makes sense to him. He vines it back onto his back, telling Laudna he doesn't need the help of some dark force and is willing to be convinced, but being attacked by her in the middle of the night isn't very convincing. Laudna responds that was an accident; she was just trying to remove the sword and although he now says he's willing to talk, he took the sword without talking to any of the others.

Fearne volunteers to Identify the weapon, and Orym places it on the table. Imogen tries Detect Thoughts on Laudna, learning she feels 100% justified, but Imogen senses Delilah may be involved. Fearne Identifies the blade and learns it has a long and bloody history, but senses no sentience within it, so she wakes Chetney and asks him to use "the thing where you see geometry and stuff." When he uses Grim Psychometry, he also sees it is a very dark and deadly blade with a long history, but nothing more.

Laudna confronting the party - Rann

Fan art of Laudna confronting the party, by Rann.[art 5]

The others turn to Laudna, who continues to maintain that hurting Orym was an accident. She uses Mage Hand to open the window as they talk. Laudna asks the sword be given to her to absorb its energy and destroy it, since it doesn't matter if it's in Orym's hands or within her body; both ways it will fight Ludinus. Orym tells her he doesn't plan to use Ishta, but he is saving it for Ludinus. Ashton has Imogen telepathically warn Fearne to stand by the open window, but Laudna then opens the door. At a stalemate, Orym places the sword back on the table and turns to the others. Dorian thinks Orym should keep it; it's just an object. When Laudna suddenly tries to Mage Hand the sword, Imogen holds it and tries to pull it away. Although Delilah's presence is strong within Laudna, it does not have complete control, and she listens to Imogen telling her she doesn't think it's Laudna who wants this, but Delilah.

Meanwhile, Chetney pulls out Otohan's other weapon, the dagger Scream Needle, suggesting that Laudna could absorb it instead, while Orym keeps the sword. It's his do what with what he chooses. Slowly, Laudna accepts Scream Needle, then Spider Climbs out the window. Imogen Flies after her, and Laudna assumes her Form of Dread which now appears exactly like Delilah Briarwood. As Imogen approaches, Laudna sinks the dagger into her own chest, absorbing it with a pulsing purple light that tendrils out and pulls the dagger in, and there is an exhale of relief and satiation that is not Laudna's. Imogen asks her why she gave Delilah more power, and Laudna says coldly and with a ghostly overlay of a second voice, "It must be done. For you. For us. The fate of the world. What else do I have to give except myself?" Imogen, devastated, tells her she loves her, and as Laudna responds in kind the image of Delilah around her slowly fades. She protests she didn't lie to them by concealing how much power Delilah still held over her. When she asks if Imogen still loves her, Imogen sadly tells her, "I'll always love you, Laudna. I just don't know what to do with it." Forlorn and alone, they hold each other.

Featured characters[]

Bells Hells

Returning

New

  • Damid, a goliath tailor at the Emerald Curtain
  • Keith, a human apprentice tailor at the Emerald Curtain
  • Madame Feathered-Face, a dwarven performer from Hupperdook
  • Prudence, a cat at Chastity's Nook and Astrid's familiar
  • Tooms, human proprietor of the Emerald Curtain

Quotations[]

  • Pumat I: Should any of us be disenchanted or destroyed, we would probably return to snow, but that's not a thing we like to think about often because it sends us into an existential spiral, and that's a real dark place to go for beings that were created and crafted from nothing and will return to the nothing.
  • Essek: So much of our history tells us that pain is what gives purpose. But as a wise man once told me, it is not pain that makes people. It's love.
    Imogen: Well, as a wise one once told me, it's good to make every day a smiley day.
  • Ashton: I met FCG-- I was paid to go check out something that had gone wrong in a mine. People were supposed to clear it out, and the people that got called, if I recall-- it was a long time ago-- never came back. Found an absolute fucking slaughter, everything was a mess, except for one machine who reactivated, helped me clear it out, and was irritatingly nice about the whole process. And in that moment I realized I found the perfect roommate, who would do so much work to keep the place clean and not ask for rent.
  • Orym: (accepting Ishta) I can't help but think of the people just trying to live their lives in the face of the impossible and how that's something worth fighting for. It makes it so that the weight of the blade on my back is not too heavy to carry.
  • Dorian: (to Orym)I do think that life will drag you down regardless of what you try to stop happening. You have to rely on the mooring and buoys of the people you meet along the way. You can't protect everyone all the time. Look at me. I'm here now, and it might hurt to say, but without you. You don't have to save everyone.
  • Laudna: You should help me more. We made a deal.
    Delilah: You should give me more, and I'll help you.
  • Dorian: What would it have mattered if she cut him down with a handaxe or a stick from the street? It was not the thing that did the action. It was the person.
  • Laudna: (to Imogen) I didn't lie to you. I've never lied to you. I love you. Do you still love me?
    Imogen: I'll always love you, Laudna. I just don't know what to do with it.

Inventory[]

Adjustment Count Item Source Destination Notes
Transferred 1 Small wooden disc Chetney Astrid Carved into it were the words, "Farts are funny."
Acquired 1 Tusk Love Chastity's Nook Chetney
Acquired 1 Guard of My Heart Chastity's Nook Imogen
Acquired 1 a plain brown leather book Chastity's Nook Fearne Allegedly written by a priest from Vasselheim, it contained illustrations of various sexual positions.
Acquired 1 Yellow thread Emerald Curtain Fearne
Acquired 1 Jeweler's tools Emerald Curtain Dorian
Acquired Potions of Healing Invulnerable Vagrant the party 3 greater, 2 superior
Acquired 1 Potion of Invulnerability Invulnerable Vagrant the party
Acquired 1 Potion of Speed Invulnerable Vagrant the party
Acquired 1 Zephyr Armor Invulnerable Vagrant Orym
Acquired 1 Robe of the Midnight Rune Invulnerable Vagrant Imogen
Acquired 1 Harp of Valor Invulnerable Vagrant Chetney
Relinquished 1 Slickshimmer oil Chetney Pumat Sol
Relinquished Ruidian glass sword and dagger Orym and Laudna Pumat Sol
Pickpocketed 1 Lace trim Fearne Ashton
Consumed Scream Needle Chetney Laudna Laudna absorbed the blade into her body, feeding its essence to Delilah Briarwood.

Trivia[]

  • Marisha Ray brought back her black fan, this time with the phrase "HOT BOI", a reference to Essek Thelyss.[1].
  • In The Lodge of the Eclipse, when a performer from Hupperdook called "Madame Feathered Face" was announced, most of the cast got excited assuming it was Kiri, but it turned out to be a dwarven woman with a feathered beard, and Matthew Mercer reminded his friends that even if years had passed since Campaign Two, Kiri would still be a child.[2]
  • When Chetney Pock O'Pea woke in the middle of the fight, he rolled his d100 to see if he had died of old age during the night. Chetney would die if he rolled a 000; he rolled a 001.
  • "Occultus Thalamus" is Latin, translating roughly to "secret chamber" or possibly "chamber that conceals".

References[]

  1. ↑ See "Gathering of Needs" (3x95) from 20:10 through 21:10.
  2. ↑ See "Gathering of Needs" (3x95) at 2:45:40.

Art:

  1. ↑ Fan art of Ashton demanding shopping, by Pyromeekorai (source). Used with permission.
  2. ↑ Fan art of Orym's thank-you, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
  3. ↑ Fan art of Essek studying Ashton's head, by Rann (source). Used with permission.
  4. ↑ Fan art of Laudna studying Ishta while Orym sleeps, by Jenny Dolfen (source). Used with permission.
  5. ↑ Fan art of Laudna confronting the party, by Rann (source). Used with permission.
v • d • e
Campaign Three Arc 4 episodes
<< Arc 3: Separations and Explorations Arc 4: Ruidus to Aeor (Episode 76-98) Arc 5: Downfall >>
"A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76) • "The Promise and the Price" (3x77) • "Fractures" (3x78) • "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) • "A Test of Trust" (3x80) • "The Eve of the Red Moon" (3x81) • "Rush for the Bloody Bridge" (3x82)
"Ruidus" (3x83) • "Red Rural Revelations" (3x84) • "Intense Interrogations" (3x85) • "Doorways to Darker Depths" (3x86) • "Arrival at Kreviris" (3x87) • "Seeking Sedition" (3x88) • "Divisive Portents" (3x89) • "Mission Improbable" (3x90) • "True Heroism" (3x91)
"Broken Roads" (3x92) • "Bittersweet Reunions" (3x93) • "Where The Red Fearne Glows" (3x94) • "Gathering of Needs" (3x95) • "Shadows New and Old" (3x96) • "Ancient Sins" (3x97) • "The Nox Engine" (3x98)
v • d • e
Campaign Three Arc 4
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