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in: Campaign Three episodes, Campaign Three Arc 2

The Aurora Grows

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"The Aurora Grows" (3x49) is the forty-ninth episode of the third campaign of Critical Role. Bells Hells travel the aurora-filled skies of the Hellcatch Valley, concocting plans and gathering allies as the days tick down to the apogee solstice...

Synopsis[]

Announcements[]

  • Sam allows a glimpse behind the curtain of his life as the advertising genius of Critical Role, and the typical creation process he goes through crafting his finely-tuned ads — including for tonight's sponsor Thorum, makers of unusual handcrafted wedding bands. Use code "criticalrole" for 20% off.
  • No programming next week, but they'll be back with Campaign Three on March 2nd.
  • The Legend of Vox Machina Season Two is now out in full on Prime Video. Plus, the cast and crew's Watch Parties are on both Twitch and YouTube.

Previously on Critical Role[]

So, last we left off: Bells Hells had barely escaped the Fey Realm after leaving a twisted mass of arcana and metal behind that was once considered a Malleus Key, seemingly beyond reconstruction in the time window before the solstice is to arrive. You were chased into the woods as you reached for the Exandrian gate out of the Realm, by the flying fey dragon and its rider above, the Sorrowlord himself. You managed to dodge murder, have a bout of rhyming interactions with the keeper of the Exandrian gate, and then eject yourself through back to your home realm, which you found to be beyond the threshold of Aeshanadoor and actually within the old home turf of Imogen.

Upon deciding, with the solstice being within a short period of time, your best journey towards it would be to recall your airship as your port buddy was seemingly discovered, Planerider Ryn vanishing from communications while on site. You walked over towards Gelvaan, where you are from, interacted with your father to ask some questions, gauge the tension of that relationship, and through some conversation, managed to acquire a keepsake, a relic of your mother's. The airship arrived, spooked the bumpkins, as Captain Xandis called them, and you climbed atop the Silver Sun heading in a northeastern direction back toward the Hellcatch Valley, eleven days until the Solstice begins.

Part I[]

On the deck of the Silver Sun, Orym watches the faint colored energy drifting in the sky. He draws it to the attention of the others, but none of them (including Captain Xandis) know what it is. Chetney vaguely remembers something like it happening several hundred years ago.

The party brainstorms potential allies including Lord Eshteross (dead), Planerider Ryn (frozen), Keyleth (busy), the Grim Verity (some on other Planes of Existence), Jiana Hexum, the Nobodies, Ira Wendagoth, Percival and Vex'ahlia de Rolo, Orlana Sheshadri, Dorian, Nana Morri, Imahara Joe, and Imogen's mother Liliana Temult. Fresh Cut Grass reminds them that he is similar to the automatons at the Tishtan excavation site and suggests he might be able to infiltrate the location and act as a suicide bomber. There is some discussion of using the dusttra of the valley in the attack. When checking to see if she can tell if the party is being surreptitiously observed psychically, Imogen for the first time notices a faint static background buzz when she opens her mind. They decide to start contacting people. Imogen Sends to Ira, and he is enthusiastic about destroying the Malleus Key. He is at the Calloway Hideaway just east of Bassuras, which they should reach in six to seven days. FCG then contacts Imahara Joe, requesting a bomb and a single-rider vehicle, which the Calloways will pick up. FCG also Sends to Milo Krook asking him to reassemble the Nobodies and get them to Bassuras in six days, but Milo has no way to get there. Imogen then contacts Ebenold Kai but he is still on the Elemental Plane of Fire with no way to return.

Chetney suggests mounting a bomb on the ship itself that could be crashed into the Malleus Key as a fail-safe, last-ditch effort, and to that end, Fearne and Ashton volunteer to learn to sail the ship. As the day draws to a close, Orym contacts Dorian via the sending stone, warning him bad things are coming, but Dorian's in Tal'Dorei with the rest of the Crown Keepers and Opal is getting "a little dark."

Liliana Temult - Kiera James

Fan art of Liliana Temult, by Kiera James.[art 1]

As evening approaches, FCG casts Shared Dream on Imogen, Orym, and Fearne, and all four go to sleep so Imogen can seek out her mother. She finds herself in the familiar dream landscape, and almost immediately finds Liliana. Imogen tells her she needs her help, but as her mother's image becomes more material, she warns Imogen she shouldn't be there. When Imogen tells Liliana she's going to help destroy the world, Liliana responds that Imogen misunderstands what's happening; the world will be saved, not destroyed, and they'll be free. She sends a vision to Imogen of a massive glowing lattice in the sky pulling apart as thousands of voices join in freedom, without guidance or fate... and Imogen without her psychic powers. "He" is doing this for everyone, but Liliana is doing it for herself and Imogen. With that, she sends the Bells Hells group out of the dream.

Imogen is confused. What if destroying the gods isn't a bad thing? But Orym responds that his family died for her brighter tomorrow. Imogen is still shaken. Although FCG's faith in flipping his Changebringer coin is shaken when it seems to indicate the goddess is evil, it does indicate she wants them to succeed. Ashton points out that if the project's goal was indeed good, they'd be telling people about it, not killing people.

Ashton and Laudna - Suraelis

Fan art of Ashton and Laudna, by Melissa Hahn.[art 2]

The group separates. Chetney realizes the auroras in the sky are the Exandrian ley lines beginning to glow and shift as the apogee solstice approaches. Laudna joins a heavily-drinking Ashton with a bottle and asks directly who they are and where they come from, but Ashton answers there isn't much to know. Ashton is a blank slate with no past and is jealous of the others because Ashton knows loneliness they don't. Laudna points out she spent 30 years alone in a forest. She knows loneliness. The willingness of the others to die to try to bring her back a second time from death still haunts her. Ashton asks her what it was like to have them still there when she came back from death, because when Ashton died their friends left, but Laudna responds that it was great because it wasn't like that for her the first time she died, either. She asks him directly about the Hishari helmet from the Twilight Mirror Museum, but Ashton repeats that they have almost no childhood memories, just that there was an accident and their family was torn to pieces. Ashton joined Bells Hells because Orym mentioned the word "Ashari", which was similar to the one word Ashton remembered from childhood, "Hishari". The increasingly drunken Ashton admits they were trying to put the others in their debt enough that they would help Ashton down the line. Ashton remains reluctant to open up fully to the others.

Meanwhile, Fearne pulls Orym aside. She asks what they should do if Imogen decides "to go to the other side of things." Orym shares her concern. If it comes to that, Fearne will be with him. They just need to watch her, and if the worst happens, Orym will try to distract Imogen while Fearne does "the thing." Fearne is doubtful, but agrees.

Break[]

Part II[]

Xandis and the auroras - PryingBlackbird

Fan art of Xandis watching the ley auroras, by PryingBlackbird.[art 3]

The skyship journey continues northeastward toward the Hellcatch Valley. Fresh Cut Grass Sends to Pike Trickfoot asking for her help, and she hesitantly says she'll see what she can find. Imogen sends to Jiana Hexum asking for contacts in Bassuras and she advises them to visit Yunis. Fearne and Ashton learn to fly the skyship, while Imogen checks in with Nana Morri, learning she is injured and feels strongest at home, but will be watching and do what she can. FCG warns Dancer to get somewhere safe for the solstice. Imogen suggests FCG try to contact "D", the mysterious merchant who sold the aeormaton to Dancer, and FCG hesitantly does so, asking where they were found and if there are more like them. An answer comes: "A wonderful surprise. That is my gift to you: a return to your own path. I pulled you from the wreckage, and your future is yours to make. And there are more of you, and more to come."[1]

Several days into the voyage, they hit a massive dust storm that delays them a day. Ashton apologizes to Laudna, claiming not to remember what he said while drunk, but she calls his bluff. Orym contacts Dorian again asking if he can also see the now-visible ley lines from Tal'Dorei, and he can. They also message the Calloways that they're coming and to go pick up the items Imahara Joe is working on for them, and message Ira with their expected arrival time.

Finally, they arrive at Bassuras around midday, but sail past to the Calloways' hideout. Birdie Calloway greets them and welcomes them in. Ira Wendagoth and Ollie are working on the Veilscatter Scope, but Hondir also greets them and shows them the bomb Imahara Joe prepared for them. Ira is pleased they've arrived, and explains he was the creator of the Malleus Key in the Fey Realm, but was fired by Ludinus Da'leth after its completion and now wants revenge. He is happy it's been destroyed and lets them look through the Scope at the Tishtan excavation site where Paragon's Call and the Ruby Vanguard are both present and construction is proceeding on the Key there. Suddenly, the vision fades, and Ira explains that approximately once a minute the site sends out a burst of anti-magic.

Ira is unsure of the exact purpose of the Key, although it definitely has to do with Ruidus. He believes if the Moontide Crown were to suddenly surge in the device it would be destroyed, although recently the power sources on the device have been hidden. Ira has also prepared a second bomb, in addition to the one from Joe. Imogen tells Hondir that Planerider Ryn has been turned to stone, saddening him. Fearne passes on to Ira Nana Morri's greeting, and he responds immediately and with maximum creepiness to tell her "Hi" as well.

At this point, they are six days from the Solstice and still four to five days of travel distant from the Malleus Key site. Orym, Ashton, and Imogen head into Bassuras and the general supply shop of Yunis which Jiana Hexum had recommended. Yunis doesn't acknowledge the name until the door is safely closed and locked. They are able to purchase two greater healing potions, and several magic items at the cost of all their gold and gems. They safely return to the hideaway.

Hondir asks about the other members of the Grim Verity and opts to remain behind. He discourages them from sharing their information with the temples of Vasselheim, since Ludinus Da'leth has been careful to hide his tracks until very recently and they would not be believed. The party decides to head out immediately with Ira on their skyship, further northwest toward the Tishtan excavation site. While they travel, Laudna paints large symbols of the Cerberus Assembly at several places on their ship. Orym contacts Dorian and warns him to get the group underground and stay there. Dorian responds it's "a little hairy" there, too, but he'll do his best.

The Silver Sun and the Ley Lines - Lap Pun Cheung

Fan art of the Silver Sun amid the glowing ley lines, by Lap Pun Cheung.[art 4]

The next day, they lose another day of travel to an arcane wind, triggered by the shifting of the ley lines, bringing fierce lightning. The nights are growing brighter with the aurora light produced by the shifting ley lines, as the face of magic across Exandria changes. With four days till the solstice, they encounter yet another dust storm, and Orym notices a shadow in the storm and hears the sound of wings as a massive black and purple fiery bird begins pursuing them. They dive the ship and Imogen Commands the creature to "Leave!" but when it wears off, it circles back. They throw a couple of spells at it that hit but don't faze it, but then Fearne successfully Polymorphs it into a goldfish and it blows away.

At three days till the solstice with two more days of travel, Orym feels a pulse in his side pouch and discovers it is coming from the seed given to him by Thrascuur[2] back in Niirdal-Poc. FCG Identifies it as a Message Bloom seed, so the party plants and waters it, and it blooms to deliver a message from Keyleth. The leader of the sect she was helping to fight against in Terrah escaped shouting about the Ruby Vanguard, and she needs to know where the Vanguard is so the Ashari can help the party's stand against them. Imogen immediately Sends to Keyleth telling her they should arrive in two more days and that their destination is the point where the ley lines are converging northeast of Bassuras.

The next day, the ley lines are continuing to grow in strength. The static in Imogen's mind when she opens to it is also louder. While Orym is meditating on deck, Imogen approaches and asks if his tattoo of the moons ever feels tainted by events. Orym replies that it doesn't; the tattoo represents him and Will, and it only makes it seem as if he was meant to be there. Imogen replies that she's grateful they were brought together, and Orym tells her he's not worried about her.

Imogen and Laudna's conversation - cvleart

Fan art of Laudna and Imogen's conversation, by cvleart.[art 5]

Imogen then goes to talk to Laudna. She admits that this is scary as hell, and she feels like they haven't talked since Laudna came back. But she is uncertain as to whether this is the right thing to do. Laudna tells her they always have the ability to make choices, even with the gods, and that whatever Imogen decides, Laudna will be there to support her. They hug each other, telling each other they love each other, and Imogen pulls out the locket. It reads, "The better halves make a better whole," and Imogen has decided that means you have to love it all, including their powers. They go to sleep sharing the bed.

The glowing ley lines fill the night, on the night before the apogee solstice begins. In the morning, the Silver Sun begins its final day of travel.

Featured characters[]

Bells Hells

Returning

New

Mentioned

Quotations[]

  • Orym: (to Imogen) If I had a daughter like you one day, I'd be real proud.
  • Liliana: Imogen, you shouldn't be here.
    Imogen: I know. You keep saying that. Tell me there's still part of you that cares.
  • Liliana: I think you misunderstand what's going on here. The world will be saved at the end of this, and we'll be free.
    Imogen: The world will be eaten at the end of this, and we'll be gone.
  • Liliana: The cries of history snuffed in a moment, and the beginning of something new and beautiful. Like endless possibility without guidance, without fate. Without this gift. [...] I'm doing this for both of us, and he's doing it for everyone. I know change is hard, but we've been toys since the beginning.
    Imogen and Orym - Melissa Hahn

    Fan art of Imogen and Orym, by Melissa Hahn.[art 6]

  • Imogen: What if it's not that bad? What if what we're doing is just fighting change?
    Orym: Well, Imogen, I wish my family didn't have to die for her brighter tomorrow.
  • FCG: (to the Changebringer, flipping his coin) Are you good? (looks at the result and his eyes widen) Maybe I phrased that wrong. Are you neutral? (flips again, and looks horrified) Are you bad? (flips again, and looks shocked) Oh, boy. Got to get this thing checked tomorrow.
  • Ashton: It's easy to make a nice world if you keep killing everybody who fucking disagrees with you.
  • Laudna: (to Ashton) I was alone in the woods for 30 years. I know loneliness. I made a dead rat my best friend, so I wouldn't go fucking mad.
  • Ashton: I've spent way too much of the last chunk of my reality trying to convince that bloody robot to not sacrifice themselves at every waking turn because they're going to get everybody killed in their desperate attempt for martyrdom. You can't trust somebody who just wants to die all the time. And I love them, but they are very dangerous, and not for the reasons they think.
  • Orym: (discussing Imogen possibly turning to the dark side) I don't think it'll come to that. But if it does, Fearne, are you with me?
    Fearne: Always.
  • Orym: (about his tattoo) This is us. That's me and him. That thing has been in the sky for a long time. A lot of people have laughed and wept under it, had children, put their parents in the ground. None of that is meaningless and that's true for me, too. If anything, it makes it seem like I was always meant to be here right now.
  • Laudna: We still have the chance to live a normal life. If you wish to have a quiet life in a cozy cottage in a field, raise horses, and just be, no gods or fates or destiny can keep you from that. Can keep us from that. The gods have never kept us from our ability to have choice. You have a choice. [...] I know we haven't talked much here recently, but I think in a way, it's just-- I feel so comfortable and so bonded with you. We transcend words, our relationship. You always have me. I'll always be there to support you. No matter what you choose. And you don't have to make these choices alone.
    Imogen: (hugging Laudna)) I love you so much.
    Laudna: I love you more than anything.[...]
    Imogen: You're my tether, Laudna. Sometimes I feel like I'm about to float away, but as long as you're there...
    Laudna: You quite literally pulled me from darkness and death. That tether... goes beyond this realm and this life. You've got this.
    Imogen: We've got this.

Inventory[]

Adjustment Count Item Source Destination Notes
Acquired 2 Greater healing potions Yunis The party All items bought from Yunis together cost 13000 gold plus 1000 gold in gems.
Acquired 1 Amulet of Health Yunis Laudna The wearer's Constitution becomes 19.
Acquired 1 Circlet of the Hidden Eye Yunis Imogen Protects the wearer from telepathy and divination.
Acquired 1 Belt of Momentum Yunis Ashton Allows additional damage after 25 feet of movement, and pushes the target.
Expended 1 Message Bloom Orym Delivered a message from Keyleth.

Trivia[]

References[]

  1. ↑ It is very widely speculated that "D" is Devexian, the aeormaton repaired by the Mighty Nein while in Aeor. See "The Genesis Ward" (2x135) at 2:12:26. D's voice was very similar to Devexian's.
  2. ↑ See "The Gift Among the Green" (E1x06) at 2:38:28.
  3. ↑ See "The Aurora Grows" (3x49) from 56:10 through 56:30.

Art:

  1. ↑ Fan art of Liliana Temult, by Kiera James (source). Used with permission.
  2. ↑ Fan art of Ashton and Laudna, by Melissa Hahn (source). Used with permission.
  3. ↑ Fan art of Xandis watching the ley auroras, by PryingBlackbird (source). Used with permission.
  4. ↑ Fan art of the Silver Sun amid the glowing ley lines, by Lap Pun Cheung (source). Used with permission.
  5. ↑ Fan art of Laudna and Imogen's conversation, by cvleart (source). Used with permission.
  6. ↑ Fan art of Imogen and Orym, by Melissa Hahn (source). Used with permission.
v • d • e
Campaign Three Arc 2 episodes
<< Arc 1: Jrusar Arc 2: Ruidus Rising (Episodes 24–51) Arc 3: Separations and Explorations >>
"The Hellcatch Valley" (3x24) • "A Taste of Tal'Dorei" (3x25) • "Hidden Truths" (3x26) • "A Race for the Prize" (3x27) • "The Deathwish Run" (3x28) • "Dark Portents" (3x29)
"Reunion & Revelation" (3x30) • "Breaking Point" (3x31) • "A Stage Set" (3x32) • "Blood and Dust" (3x33)
"What Dreams May Come" (3x34) • "Pyrrhic Return" (3x35) • "A Desperate Call" (3x36) • "From the Boughs" (3x37) • "A Dark Balance" (3x38)
"The Momentum of Murder" (3x39) • "Compulsions" (3x40) • "Call of the Wild" (3x41) • "The City of Flowing Light" (3x42) • "Axiom Shaken" (3x43) • "Bawdy Basement Belligerence" (3x44) • "Ominous Lectures" (3x45)
"Night at the Ligament Manor" (3x46) • "The Fey Key" (3x47) • "An Exit Most Fraught" (3x48) • "The Aurora Grows" (3x49) • "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) • "The Apogee Solstice" (3x51)
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