- For the Exandrian moon, see Ruidus.
"Ruidus" (3x83) is the eighty-third episode of the third campaign of Critical Role. Bells Hells take their first steps on Ruidus and begin their investigation of the mysterious ruddy moon…
Synopsis[]
Announcements[]
- First sponsor is Snag, makers of sustainable, fully size-inclusive clothing including tights which Sam models from under the table, showing off his shapely calves before passing out from the blood rushing to his head.
- Second edition of For the Queen will release 14 May 2024 in Darrington Press Guild and CR stores.
- Candela Obscura's Circle of Tide and Bone concluded in January; now up on Twitch and YouTube.
- Midst Season 3 launches 14 February 2024.
- No 4-Sided Dive in February.
- Merch Alert! Chetney Pock O'Pea pullover hoodie and Candela Obscura blueprint t-shirts now available.
- Vox Machina Origins Series IV releases 29 May 2024.
Previously on Critical Role[]
So, last we left off: Bells Hells, after meeting with some of the various important Exandrian figures trying to plot along with you what is happening upon Ruidus and how to stop it, you put yourselves forward as the ones to do this intel mission to figure out as much as you can about the goings-on so the Exandrian forces can plan accordingly when the time is right. In doing so, you rallied yourselves, and with the help of the Voice of the Tempest, you snuck into the Tishtan excavation site once more, seeing them now bolstering their defenses, new technology being incorporated into the surroundings of the Key itself.
You stealthed past many members of the Ruby Vanguard and the Reiloran defenses. Attempting to climb to the Malleus Key, it seemed that combat was a necessity after some not quite as smooth stealth attempts had transpired, but overall you managed to climb toward the top piecemeal, somewhat rickety map piece of an advancement to the Malleus Key. But in doing so, you damaged and distracted a number of the surrounding guard in the vicinity. You fought the Thought Eater, one of the powerful mystic Reilorans that was guarding this spot behind Otohan Thull who had darted off towards the distraction that had been built by the remaining forces of the Exandrian mines. Upon climbing it, did so while also bringing along with you a possum-transformed Juggernaut. As you all found yourselves being thrust through the energy blast that is the Bloody Bridge, you found yourselves now standing on the surface of the Red Moon of Ill Omen, Ruidus.
Part I[]
The party is on a glowing portal in the middle of a makeshift encampment at the terminus of the Bloody Bridge on Ruidus, accompanied by a possum (a polymorphed Reiloran juggernaut) which Fearne and FCG quickly push into the Bag of Holding. They spot a couple of Reilorans casually conversing, and the party quickly moves away from the portal toward a tent, which Chetney's sense of smell reveals holds another Reilora. Behind them, the Reiloran thought eater they had battled moments earlier appears on the terminus point and floats above it, followed shortly by one of the juggernauts. Laudna casts Phantasmal Force on the juggernaut, making him believe he sees three of the party jumping over the surrounding fence, but the thought eater rings an alarm bell and they hear answering howls in the distance, approaching.
Laudna casts a cloud of Darkness at the entrance to the tent and the party begins stealthing through and around it to the surrounding encampment fence. While the juggernaut is initially drawn off by Laudna's spell, he quickly figures out it was a ruse and turns back. The Reiloran in the tent peeks out but quickly pulls back. As the party gathers at the wall, FCG uses the Staff of Dark Odyssey to cast Passwall and create an opening, which Orym moves through and rightward to behind a large rock. Ashton picks up FCG and moves through the opening as well, followed by an Invisible Imogen. The thought eater, however, telekinetically picks up a rock and throws it into the sphere of darkness, injuring Chetney, Laudna, Fearne, and Little Mister.
Fan art of the eyeless panthers, by ZioCorvid.[art 1]
Laudna gets through the hole as well, followed by wolf-form Chetney who makes it all the way to join Orym. (It is at this point that Sam realizes that by using the Staff to cast Passwall, it no longer has enough charges to cast Teleport.) More reilora arrive mounted on scaled eyeless panther-like creatures, and two Ruby Vanguard arrive from the Bloody Bridge. As a distraction, Imogen casts Seething Storm near the darkness area but the thought eater moves toward it and readies another boulder to throw telekinetically. FCG successfully Banishes it just before it can do so.
The other Reilora continue to converge on the darkened area, but a mounted one leaps over the wall and spots them (still in their Ruby Vanguard robes). FCG Commands him to keep quiet and successfully deceives him into believing they are allies. The alarm is spreading, however, and more enemy forces are gathering. The party tries to act casual and stealthily blend into the crowd, and FCG uses the Coin of the Changebringer to reroll a natural one and succeed. The group manages to reach a small empty tent a slight distance away and duck into it unseen. FCG recasts Telepathic Bond and they begin to shift into mist form using the still-active Wind Walk cast on them by Keyleth as their mission began. Laudna checks her orb attuned to the ring on Otohan Thull and discovers she is nearby somewhere. They can hear the search approaching as they begin fading into mist, with buildings being smashed. They become clouds and filter out from the tent, finding they are completely surrounded by soldiers. The wind is strong and there are dust storms approaching, about 20 minutes away.
Break[]
- Check out Snag, makers of sustainable, fully size-inclusive clothing including tights.
- Bells Hells Phunny Plushies now available.
- Merch Alert! Candela Obscura Core Rulebook, Chetney pullover knit hoodie, Candela Obscura blueprint t-shirts, Bailey's Green Dice Bag of Hoarding, The Mighty Nein Reunion: Echoes of the Solstice t-shirt, Ashton jacket and patches, Imogen and Orym dice sets, Jrusar joggers, Caper Cards: Bells Hells in all five CR shops.
- Intro to "Candela Obscura: Candles in the Dark" (CO3x03). Original Soundtrack now on digital music platforms.
- Promo for Midst Season Three.
- Welcome to Tal'Dorei and Welcome to Wildemount Critical Role soundtrack albums available now on all digital music platforms. Critical Recap every Wednesday on CritRole.com. Submit fan art and cosplay for possible inclusion in the weekly online gallery.
- Sam does ASMR promoting Critical Role Twitch subscriptions.
Part II[]
Fan art of the fart clouds, by Pyromeekorai.[art 2]
With Chetney and Orym leading the way, in fog form, they head roughly in the direction of the city they had seen from Exandria. With a storm fast approaching, they get as far as they can, spotting a small herd of six-legged multi-horned buffalo-like creatures running quickly into the storm. FCG and Fearne drop behind the others and get a closer look but eventually catch up as the storm nears them. The group finds a small shallow cavern in the base of the mountains to shelter in and revert to their solid forms.
The cavern shows signs of having been used for shelter previously by others. Chetney uses Grim Psychometry on the fire pit and has a vision of someone being attacked on the plains below by a creature coming up from beneath the surface. They all take a short rest and heal, while FCG bakes and Laudna resummons Pâté. Imogen notices a faint shimmer of red energy in the air surrounding her being drawn slightly toward Fearne, the other Ruidusborn of the group, like a tether. It feels similar to the sense she had at the activation of the Malleus Key of awakened energy. Out of character, Matt tells Laura that Imogen now has a new feature that allows her to share sorcery points and spell slots with other Ruidusborn. After being initially pleased that she and Fearne will have this ability, Imogen begins to wonder if Otohan Thull and her mother could also use it to involuntarily siphon magic from her.
Imogen hesitantly suggests she try to connect directly with Predathos. With the others' support, she opens her mind and tries to sense the God Eater, finding herself falling easily towards the presence of a slow, ancient snore with the same sense of welcoming connection she has felt previously, pulling her downward. When it notices her, she hears in her mind, "Welcome home. Join us. Wake us." Her defenses crumble and she allows the presence within. She is pulled onward, seeing hundreds of small red lights in the darkness of various brightness, perhaps two dozen as bright as her own (the Exaltant), all moving downward, connecting and networking, looking at Imogen and telling her, "Wake us." Imogen successfully resists going deeper, pulling free of the web and finding herself back in the cave, screaming, as her lightning marks brighten and then dim.
Fan art of Imogen reaching out to Predathos, by Elaine Tipping.[art 4]
Imogen explains Predathos isn't yet fully alive. She doesn't think she'd be able to pull free again, though. Orym tells her that she is their best chance of understanding what's happening, and Laudna intervenes, telling him he's pressuring her. Imogen explains her mother has told her to run from this her entire life, but Orym strongly feels this is something Imogen is going to have to do eventually. Ashton agrees, telling her it's only a matter of whether it's on her terms, or involuntarily. Chetney suggests the Ruidusborn may need Imogen in order to wake Predathos, so maybe they should keep her far away and safe. Imogen realizes she can now sense where the network of Exaltant and Ruidusborn was gathering.
The storm clears, and Laudna puts Pâté into the Bag of Holding to scout for the possum-juggernaut, but he finds nothing. Eventually, Laudna reaches in for the juggernaut and finds he has died from lack of air but since he is no longer a possum he is too large to come out. FCG cuts him into pieces and they pull most of him out, leaving the torso in the cave but keeping the limbs and head. Ashton brings up the Brood Pit, the seed given to Imogen by All-Minds-Burn back in Bassuras, but Imogen thinks it should be buried deeper down since it's a fungus. FCG passes out his baked apple fritters for 4 temporary hit points each.
The party transforms back into mist and flitters off, traveling as quickly as possible toward the Ruidusborn network. Eventually, they see the lights of a village of ranches holding many of the buffalo-like beasts. Another storm is approaching in the distance, so they scout the area still in mist form, finding the population is about 1000, scattered among different homes in the mountains. Only about 20% is Reiloran, and the rest are mostly shorter and more squat, a new and different race. There are no Ruby Vanguard, but several Reiloran are wearing similar armor and keeping watch, ordering the people around.
Ashton tries to look like a dirt devil but only draws attention to himself. As night falls, they decide to send their most charismatic members, Imogen and Laudna, into town to approach a resident. Eventually they find one of the short, squat figures tending to his animals, and they all go into his storage shed. Everyone but Orym and Chetney begins changing out of cloud form as the figure finishes his work, approaches, and enters the shed, lighting up a medallion so he can see. Imogen and Laudna urge him not to scream and he asks, in Common, who they are.
Featured characters[]
Quotations[]
- Marisha: (choosing which class to level up in) I'll take sorcerer. I feel like there's not much left for me as a warlock.
Matt: Delilah would disagree. - Orym: Imogen, I believe you, and I'm guessing you're not wrong, but what they're all gathering here to do, they're going to make it happen one way or another, and you're our best shot of getting close and understanding.
Imogen: You want me to go back in.
Orym: I need you here with us, and we need to get-- we need to keep going.
Laudna: You don't have to do anything you don't want to do.
Orym: Of course she doesn't have to, but you know what's at stake.
Laudna: You're still pressuring her, though. [...]
Orym: (to Imogen) What you just did was dangerous, and we know more now than we did ten minutes ago. But this is going to test you, and the risk, you're right, it's real. But I don't even want to think of the alternative. (to Laudna) So does she have to do it? No. But I am pressuring her to do it.
Inventory[]
| Adjustment | Count | Item | Source | Destination | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquired | 1 | Bone cestus | Dead juggernaut | the party | |
| Acquired | 2 | Spiked shoulder pauldrons | Dead juggernaut | Chetney and FCG | |
| Acquired | Juggernaut limbs and head | Dead juggernaut | the party | ||
|
Crafted Transferred |
4 | Apple fritters | FCG | Laudna, Fearne, Imogen, and Orym |
Trivia[]
- Bells Hells reached level 12 just before the break this episode and rolled for hit points.[1]
- Chetney rolled an 8 and took a level in Blood hunter.
- Laudna rolled a 5 and took the level in Sorcerer.
- FCG rolled a 2 and took another Cleric level.
- Fearne also rolled a 2 and took her third level in Rogue, choosing the Arcane Trickster archetype.
- Imogen rolled a 4 and took the level in Sorcerer.
- Orym rolled a 5 and took another Fighter level.
- Ashton rolled a 6 and continued taking Barbarian levels.
- Sam's jerrycan has a picture of Robbie[2] labelled "What's Robbie looking at? Wrong answers only."[3]
References[]
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of the eyeless panthers, by ZioCorvid (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of the fart clouds, by Pyromeekorai (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of the sandstorm, by SuzySnoo (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Imogen reaching out to Predathos, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
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