Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into our recap of Critical Role Campaign 3 Episode 100 Downfall: Part Two!
LOVE & FAITH
The mortal avatars of both Prime and Betrayer Gods prepare to leave the temple for their respective missions: Asha, The Emissary, Tishar, and Zaharzht are looking for the Obtenebrator (the engine disguising the city from divine sight). S.I.L.A.H.A., Umleta, and Emhira are searching for clues to the Erevox Protocol. This protocol is the failsafe for the Factorum Malleus – should a threat be discovered, the knowledge of the weapon would be sent to the minds of Aeor’s wizards to ensure that the knowledge is not lost. Trist and Ayden are joining Milo and Arcadia to look for a more secretive passage into the Genesis Ward.
The Emissary speaks to his mother, the Lawbearer, who asks him to tell Asha of her love. They should not love what they must do, but know it is justice. The Lawbearer loves this world, but she must honor the agreements that were made. Meanwhile, Trist discovers that someone has prayed to her in this place recently. She finds a book of ancient songs for the gods and hears the prayer of an archmage, begging for intercession for her sickly son, Hallis. There is still divine faith in Aeor.
A GROWING SEED
Asha, The Emissary, Tishar, and Zaharzt board the tram. Asha sits with The Emissary and tries to reach the Lawbearer, saying how she made a forest with rules as a gift for her. The Emissary explains that the Lawbearer isn’t here, but would be if she could. Asha confesses that seeing her wife again was meant to be her reward for getting through this. Even now, all they do is break things. Only the Lawbearer understood.
The Emissary shows Asha the seed growing in his hands: “her first forest for you”. Asha acquiesces that it’s a better gift. She found home, stewarded this world in chaos, but now there are stone buildings and mortals bound by rules who are forgetting nature. A mother’s gifts tossed aside for a life without gratitude. Asha is hurting, and she is forever hungry. In this world, everything everywhere is so hungry.
A PLACE OF BEAUTY
S.I.L.A.H.A., Umleta, and Emhira go to the Ars Elysia, a speakeasy of art and beauty that S.I.L.A.H.A. created within the Ars Ward. It is a stealthy temple to the Arch Heart (the Aeormaton denizens literally refer to S.I.L.A.H.A. as The Chosen One, y’all). Umleta, annoyed, leaves to do her own investigating while S.I.L.A.H.A. waxes poetic on weaving their own end and the beauty of the finite. Emhira says she can provide the end they seek. Emhira did not work an entire lifetime for it to end before she can experience the infinite.
Emhira argues that this place is beautiful, but its destruction will allow the Arch Heart to create again and again. A couple gets engaged and S.I.L.A.H.A. grows wistful, knowing their love will be gone when the Arch Heart “creates” again. The imp in Emhira’s stolen amulet makes his presence known, introducing himself as Slitch. He is happy to pledge himself to Emhira’s service in the hopes that he’ll live forever and with another little lie (the gods are racking those up), Slitch returns to the amulet a happy camper.
After asking the 8 armed Aeormaton bartender if there’s been anyone of celestial persuasion around, S.I.L.A.H.A. and Emhira are pointed to a cloaked planetar at the bar. The planetar attempts to flee, but S.I.L.A.H.A. traps him within the very door to Ars Elysia. The door itself is an Aeormaton named ZVX who holds an entrance to an extradimensional space – this is where S.I.L.A.H.A. and Emhira can speak in private with their captive audience.
HEAL/HURT
Milo, Ayden, Trist, and Arcadia go to the Exceleter Hospital to find the infirm child. There, they meet Archmage Cassida Previn, Hallis’ mother and the secret worshiper of the Everlight. Trist heals Hallis of his disease and Cassida realizes that Trist IS the Everlight, here in person. Elsewhere, Milo and Ayden argue over the place of mortals in their family. Milo leaves and Ayden heals people in the hospital ward and prays to his father, hoping to be a new dawn.
Cassida tells Trist that she has ensured that this hospital for the poor has continued operating, particularly so her son can receive care. She eagerly reveals that she is the lead designer of the Factorum Malleus. That Cassida, in conjunction with a secret group of like-minded mages called the Society of Primes, planned for the device to be used to kill the Betrayer Gods so that the Prime Deities can win the Calamity.
FAITH OF THE WILD
Meanwhile, Asha, The Emissary, Tishar, and Zaharzht arrive at a courthouse, where a thrumming onyx central spire draws their attention. This likely marks the Obtenebrator below. Asha goes to a withering tree, the only nature she has seen in the city, and finds a bird’s nest. She feeds the birds of Aeor with the maggots of an apple and awakens the tree, whose roots can feel the vermin. These are the Wildmother’s followers, and they are many.
The tree grows, its roots cracking the pillar wide enough for them to enter. The Emissary is impressed, knowing now what his mother sees in her. They enter the pillar and locate a pipe that the roots have cracked open. Asha can feel the presence of something powerful below, so Tishar cleaves through the sewer pipe to allow them passage. As they enter the central engine, two Spellguard Constructs bar the way, with a mage providing backup. They launch into combat, which the others hear over the telepathic connection.
SACRIFICE
S.I.L.A.H.A. and Emhira are in the midst of their interrogation of the planetar, named Garathran – he came here following his solar commander Acastriel, a lieutenant of the Dawnfather. Many of the celestials have grown frustrated with the truce, having been created to fight fiends. The Calamity is a squabble to the gods, but life and death to the celestials. Garathran says that if the celestials were meant to serve the gods, then the gods should not have made them good, and kills himself rather than answer more questions.
Unfortunately for Garathran, he has died in the presence of Emhira. She casts speak with dead and takes her true form as the Matron of Ravens. She calms the terrified and apologetic Garathran, who reveals that there is a hidden elevator to the base of Aeor that is controlled via passcode. Ataro, a shadow dragon, reached out to Acastriel and aligned fey and fiends to the cause of the celestials. Acastriel knows the gods are in mortal form.
If the Magistri knows the gods are here, they will unleash the Factorum and they will not hold back. Finally, Garathran reveals that there is a Scribe beneath the Obtenabrator that is transcribing the research for the Factorum – this Scribe is the stop gap for the dissemination of the Protocol when it is released. Garathran is terrified of what lies beyond the threads of fate. The Matron tells him not to be and releases him to discover the beyond for himself.
REALITY BREAK
The other gods (and Cassida, ready to go full traitor – oh honey) quickly join via magical means. S.I.L.A.H.A. destroys the Scribe below, ripping out the scrolls and absorbing the information; they discover that the weapon is transcribed via a poem so beautiful, it can “convince reality to kill a god”. Trist discovers a magical slingshot in her pocket, slipped in when her son Topher hugged her goodbye. Asha kills the archmage and Tishar destroys the Obtenebrator.
The gods began and ended the battle in a single round. They escape through Emhira’s arcane gate, returning to the safety of the Ars Elysia before other archmages can teleport in and survey the damage. Their actions have blown their cover and time is of the essence.
That is it for Episode 100 of Critical Role!
FINAL THOUGHTS
- Umleta taunted S.I.L.A.H.A. to take responsibility for them all being here. The Arch Heart is the god who gave the knowledge of arcane magic to the mortals.
- Laura Bailey out here with the Boots of Haste. I see you, Vex’ahlia. Your boots too fast, your sibling rivalry too strong.
- Oh Cassida. Poor Cassida. Faith in Aeor and faith in the gods… could the two ever mingle peacefully?
Catch Part Three of Critical Role: Downfall, aka Critical Role Episode 101 on Thursday, July 25th 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?
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