#55 Umbrasyl

[little-miss-doe]

Here are some Damaging Facts™ about

Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III

He holds the Critical Role record for highest damage in a single turn, 197 in The Search For Grog special.

That record over took the previous record, also held by him, of 172 from the Campaign 1 episode 55 against Umbrasyl.

The most damage he does in a single session was in episode 114 with 576 points.

That is also the episode where he takes the most damage at 383 points.

... and the episode where he gets the most kills at 12.

On a misfire Animus does damage to it's wielder, this happened 10 times to Percy during Campaign 1 dealing at least 52 damage.

[utilitycaster]

The Twins in the Feywild

or, the adaptation is good, actually:

The thing about the Feywild arc in the Legend of Vox Machina is that it's not just a simple condensing of 20-ish hours into perhaps one hour; it's also at a notably different point in the story, and is changed to reflect that.

[as a sidebar: I am not tagging spoilers for Critical Role Campaign 1, as the episodes in question are 5+ years old. This post does have a large number of them, and in general, if you are new to CR and found this via the TLOVM tag, welcome! My blog will have spoilers for the campaign.]

In Campaign 1, after the Sunken Tomb and the encounter with Kamaljiori (who survives in the campaign, incidentally), all of Vox Machina heads towards Westruun. Grog has his (also different from TLOVM, also condensed in a thoughtful way that may be discussed in a separate post) struggles with Craven Edge, and they all encounter the Herd of Storms, deal with them, and kill Umbrasyl. The episode after they have killed the first of the four dragons responsible for the Conclave attacks, Umbrasyl the Hope Devourer, is aptly named Hope; they then go to Vasselheim where Vax formalizes his relationship to the Raven Queen, and then deal with Hotis back in Whitestone. The Deathwalker's Ward's flight power is also activated. Then they go to the Feywild, together (though Pike stays behind again due to Ashley's schedule.) In general, Vax has made peace with his decision, and the party is, for the most part, much more optimistic than they are here.

Here, all four dragons are still at large, Keyleth's spell was interrupted, Vax is still on edge, and the last thing they saw was Pike, impaled on Grog's sword. They are doing far worse.

So, understandably, Vax is in a sour mood the entire trip. This significantly changes his role, as he's less able to offer support for Vex. Keyleth is also more insecure.

The episode in Syngorn in the main campaign, which was also, notably, Critical Role's first ever live show with the tech hiccups and nerves that implies, is actually pretty funny. We do get the twins' encounter with Syldor - more on that later - but a large portion of the episode is dedicated towards stealing hats and trying to find a threshold crest for Garmelie (with Keyleth and Percy eventually outsmarting him on a technicality, in true Fey fashion); and the party accidentally implying and then fully leaning into implication that they are polyamorous and need a room so that they can have an orgy. I've seen indications that Syngorn was much grimmer than that; while the twins were understandably frustrated with it, it was far from a dark episode.

With the caveat that I have not read Kith and Kin, Syldor Vessar is one of the characters in Critical Role canon whom I feel the fandom has the most warped perception. He is a dick, to be clear; but on a scale of living character parents, he is treated with a vitriol the far worse Howaardt Darrington and Thoreau Lionett oddly dodge, and it says something that Tary and Beau never to our knowledge attempt to interact with their fathers again, whereas Vex maintains a distant and at times contentious but minimally cordial relationship with hers. (It's not unique for parents in this show to be given the madonna/whore treatment, as others have noted, and parents who fall most towards the middle of that false dichotomy tend to bear the brunt of it - see the Calloways and the Gentleman - but Syldor's treatment is, to be honest, inexplicable and weird.)

In "Heredity and Hats," Syldor is not warm or pleasant, but he does, in fact, apologize at length for his behavior and accepts that the twins have reason to hate him when he offers his assistance. (1x60, 47:58) He also accepts Percy's correction of Vex's title in full, and indeed, seems pleased by it (1x60, 55:22). He is not a good person, but he is, by the time the twins see him in the Feywild, a penitent one. And, in this episode, Vax is the one who is largely unconcerned with Syldor, with the implication he's already given up on him and doesn't particularly care, whereas Vex is much angrier.

However, that's all very difficult to convey in TLOVM in under ten minutes, when Vex's upcoming showdown with Saundor hinges on her insecurity surrounding how she was perceived in the past and her ongoing struggles with powerlessness. So in that, Syldor is far more dismissive, and Vax, who is still, as mentioned, in a very angry place himself, is, well, angry. It is a different tack! It also is a very smart choice given that in a campaign that lasts hundreds of hours, the rule is show don't tell; and in an animated series that must compress this into a tiny fraction of that time, that rule is lifted. This is not a time for the subtle background of Vex's C1 arc. There is no time for the subtle background of Vex's C1 arc. What matters is that the adaptation is consistent within itself; achieves the general, for lack of a better term, vibes and major plot beats of the original campaign; and can reach an audience unfamiliar with the source material. We can't make Syldor fascinatingly complex and Vax blasé here, so we don't, so that we can understand why Saundor is able to cut so close to the core of Vex before she's able to pull away.

It's different! And, yes, as someone who does like something very long-form and subtle and show-not-tell, I do prefer the original! I also think that within the limitations of an animated show with 6-hour seasons, with the assumption that the Feywild arc starts here (that is, with Vax still where he is emotionally, Umbrasyl alive, and Grog, Scanlan, and Pike absent), trying to otherwise keep things the same would feel artificial and unsatisfying, and fail to serve Vex's story. It is changed to heighten it in a medium that needs heightening because there's no time for breadth, and you can dislike it, but criticizing it for not being identical to the original is a particularly egregious missing of the point.

(It's also worth keeping in mind: have you rewatched this arc recently? Are you even comparing it to the story as it was, or are you comparing it to the story you remember, because, like it or not, Vex's story was always very much about her relationships to Syldor, Vax, and Percy, and her need to be liked; her flaw was that she simultaneously desperately needed people and hated herself for it.)

[mendokayalways]

FUTURE TLOVM PREDICTIONS (Spoilers for Campaign 1 and TLOVM)

Okay I just finished binge-ing the first 6 eps of The Legend of Vox Machina with one of my best friends who is also a critter. We then spent half an hour with future predictions of what will happen. THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS.

On that CRAZY FUCKING CLIFFHANGER with the team split across the Feywild. We think this is how the next couple of storybeats will go:

Kraven Edge Arc - The half-elves and Percy will head to Syngorn while the gnomes and Grog fall to the water nymph that Grog met a while ago *see Vox Machina Origins and C1 E59*. The nymph helps heal Pike and they deal with sword. Meet up with the twins, Keyleth and Percy. 

Syngorn and Fenthras arc - they meet up with Syldor Vessar, maybe meet Velora. Fenthras arc with Perc’ahlia, Vaxleth, AND Pikelan moments shuffled throughout *see C1 E60-63* 

Westrunn, The Herd, and Umbrasyl - we meet Wilhand and Kaylie for the first time. We see The Killbox and get the Titanstone Knuckles. Deal with Umbrasyl. Move Back to Whitestone. More of Ripley’s movements, maybe some of Raishan’s cuz we know she’s in Whitestone now. Maybe show Seeker Assum. Get Mythcarver back. *see C1 E51-55*

Whitestone and Raishan reveal - The Councils of Tal’dorei and Whitestone start taking shape. Raishan is revealed. Vorugal does his sweep of Whitestone. They discover more about the Orb of Death in the basement. Learn of more vestiges (Whisper, Spire of Conflux, Cabal’s Ruin, Plate of the Dawnmartyr). More of Kaylie and Scanlan. Keyleth Rage. Potential reunion with Zahra and Kash.

Ank’harel, Glintshore arc (Last of S2) - CHARACTER LORE ABOUND - Gilmore Lore. Ripley Lore. Scanlan Lore. Percy Lore. Raishan Lore. Vecna foreshadowing. We follow Ripley’s tracks to Marquet and Ank’harel. Track her down. The THING happens. CLIFFHANGER END OF SEASON. Because you know they will. You know it. 

SEASON 3 - Second half of the Chroma Conclave

The Fallout - Pike’s first resurrection. Percy’s letter. Vaxleth happens. Hints of Perc’ahlia. Percy and Vax mend their friendship. Percy and Cass. 

The Frigid Doom - Mobilization of Vox Machina with special guest ~Larkin~, destruction of Draconia (?). Yenk v. Vorugal. Get the Spire of Conflux for Keyleth. Perc’ahlia. 

Fort Daxio and the Earth Ashari Trial - We get Keyleth to continue her Aramente by meeting up with the Earth Ashari, unlock new Wild Shape. Attack of Fort Daxio. 

The City of Brass and Vasselheim - we get the Plate of the Dawn Martyr for Pike and meet Senokir. We go to Vasselheim and do Senokir’s favor and Vax communes with the Raven Queen. 

The Cinderking - Follow the siege of Emon and the fight with the Cinderking. Follow Raishan and lose. Free Emon. Return to Whitestone and next steps.

The Diseased Deceiver - Track down Raishan. Kill her. Percy falls. Scanlan falls.

The Bard’s Lament - The fallout. The healing. The party splits. Hearts are broken. End of Season 3 with max Pain. 

There are major plotlines in there that are not being mentioned because I’m not quite sure how they’ll adapt it now that the timeline is well and truly mixed up from the campaign to tv show. If y’all have ideas let me know

[helleboresoul]

Sketches I did during Episode 55: Umbrasyl

[critrolestats]

Villains Gallery: The Chroma Conclave

We had an anonymous critter request a while back for us to create a list of villains and information about their intentions and deeds. There have been a lot of big bads over the course of 99 episodes, so many that we can't do them justice in one post. We're breaking them up by story arc, continuing with the dragons of the Chroma Conclave.

The Chroma Conclave

Thanks to @blacksalander for the art piece!

Thordak, The Cinder King

Ancient red dragon

Head of the Chroma Conclave

Originally from the Shifting Sands, was defeated by Devo’ssa after attacking Ank’harel and thought dead.

Washed up on the Opash’s island.

Was tortured and experimented on by Opash for years before overpowering the necromancer.

Found the knowledge of the rituals to become a dracolich, and set out for Tal’Dorei to gain more power and find arcane users powerful enough to perform the ritual.

Invaded Raishan’s territory, and made a deal to help her cure her Soul Curse in exchange for her allegiance

Invaded Tal’Dorei, razing the Verdant Expanse before being defeated by Kima of Vord, Allura Vysoren, Drake Thunderbrand, and their compatriots, and banished to the Fire Plane.

Destroyed Byroden, killing Vax’ildan and Vex’ahlia’s mother.

Spotted by VM on their trip to the Fire Plane during Keyleth’s AraMente

Grew larger and more insane during his 15 years in the Fire Plane before breaking out with Raishan’s help and destroying Pyrah.

Returned with a Heartstone implanted with an Ember Seed buried in his chest.

Raishan broke him out earlier than expected due to her concerns about his increasing insanity- Winter’s Crest rather than the summer solstice.

Razed the city of Emon and began turning the Cloudtop District into his lair, forcing the surviving citizens to serve him.

Was slowly turning the city into a volcano

Laid several elemental dragon eggs beneath the former castle, having reproduced asexually

Killed by Vax’ildan in a tunnel leading to his main lair.

Brimscythe, The Iron Storm

Young adult blue dragon

Served on the Council of Emon as a human with the name General Krieg Tristan.

Member of the Chroma Conclave.

Lair located somewhere in the Cliffkeep Mountains. Can be entered via a portal in the basement of his home in the Cloudtop District.

Killed by Vax’ildan after VM’s discovery of the portal to his lair.

Read More

[crtranscript]

LAURA: And you're itty bitty still! LIAM: I prefer raven-sized. [...] MATT: Okay. You guys make your way downward towards the bottom. Keyleth, you finish your concentration on the stone. Suddenly, you step through what seems like being pushed through a tunnel of blue light and energy, and for a moment, all you see before you is Vax's face, his tiny little raven-sized face. MARISHA: So cute!

[buttflap-of-my-soul]

This is a piece I like to call Reactions to Fisting the Wound

[soullistrations]

I just watched Vax become a paladin in episode 55 of campaign 1, and first of all, what a gorgeous moment. Liam, that dramatic bastard, has clearly been holding onto the level-up for at least the first hour of the episode, if not since he decided that the coolest way to multiclass into paladin would be in the belly of a dragon. And Matt gave us just...such beautiful imagery. Way to take a dice roll and turn it into an iconic turn in the story.

I have to admit, though, the circumstances surrounding this moment were nothing like my expectations. Going in, I expected a triumphant moment for Vax, bursting out of Umbrasyl’s stomach (maybe after being eaten in combat?) in a dramatic flurry of feathers, longsword in hand, clearly a changed man. And that would have been cool, but what happens is so much more meaningful.

Instead, we get a Vax thwarted at every turn. His plan worked--for a little bit--but in the process, Vax put himself in a position where he was largely ineffectual in this fight, as he was squished between two walls of muscle, turned around, two feet tall, and barely able to extend his sword. Even when he can land a hit on the dragon that’s crushing him, he’s unable to use his rogue capabilities (like sneak attack) to inflict the kinds of damage he usually does. He only finds the outside of the dragon thanks to a last minute arrow from Vex. Even the iconic “emerges as a paladin of the Raven Queen” is less an emerging and more of a forcible ejection hundreds of feet above the ground.

So Vax is falling. Up to this point, despite his best plans and attempts to use his skills, he has been at the mercy of forces (whether dragon, god, or gravity) he can’t hope to counter. He is literally about to hit rock bottom. And there’s nothing left to do but pray.

And here is where I’m reminded of Grog’s fight with Kevdak (and earlier with Earthbreaker Groon). Because here’s the thing: Vax prays for wings, and the Raven Queen gives them to him. But she doesn’t put the wings on his back. Instead, she points him toward his friends.

It’s a recurring theme for this show--our strength is in our friends, in the people we take with us on our journey through life. And in Grog’s fight in episode 52, we see him admit that when he calls on Vox Machina for aid. Maybe he’s not strong enough to defeat Kevdak alone, but that doesn’t diminish his glory in the victory. In fact, sharing this fight brings the party closer together.

When Vax needs a way to enact this plan, he calls on Scanlan to help. When he is stuck, it is his sister that gives him a way out. When he is falling, it’s Grog and Scanlan that catch him. His strength is in his friends. Though the Raven Queen doesn’t say it in so many words, it’s clear she sees that, too.

[luckthebard]

For those of us who love combat episodes, episode 86 was top-tier! It made me think about some of my other favorite combat-heavy episodes, and what made them work. I think there are some that just hit the sweet spot for cool D&D mechanic combat moves, as well as great narrative and RP moments.

Some of my personal favorites include:

C1, E52 “The Kill Box” (KevDak fight)

C1, E54-55 “In the Belly of the Beast,” and “Umbrasyl” (Umbrasyl fights)

C1, E57, “A Cycle of Vengeance” (Rakshasa in Whitestone fight)

C1, E68, “Cloak and Dagger” (Ripley fight)

C1 E71, “Vorugal” (Vorugal fight)

C1 E83, “The Deceiver's Stand” (final Raishan fight)

C1 E114, “Vecna, the Ascended” (final C1 battle)

C2 E28-29, “Within the Nest” and “The Stalking Nightmare” (finishing the Iron Shepherds)

C2 E43, “In Hot Water” (Avantika fight in Darktow)

C2 E55, “Duplicity,” (Assarius demon fight)

C2 E69, “The King’s Cage” (Laughing Hand fight)

C2 E86, “TBD” (Pelor Temple fight)

Based on what levels Vox Machina were at for some of my personal favorite fights, we’re about to hit the sweet spot for the kind of combat I love in the Mighty Nein story, and I can’t wait!

[estelanel]

personal top 10 dragon encounters on Critical Role, a stream about dungeons and dragons (up to c2e75). yes I ranked them (bottom to top).

Vex, polymorphed into a red dragon, in c1e104 (because of Vex’lan solidarity)

four ancient chromatic dragons at once, in c1e39/40 (with Matthew Mercer showing off his various dragon minis, casually demolishing the largest city on the continent)

nameless young blue dragon, in c2e45 (I’m putting this before the Chroma Conclave for the sheer amount of dumbness present in the string of events that unfolded for the M9 to meet that dragon. accidentally finished off by Twiggy on her way out. may they rest in peace.)

J’mon Sa Ord / Dev’ossa, ancient brass dragon, in c1e113 (with me being super scared about undead J’mon for a heartbeat before they swooped in with a bunch of wyvern riders like Gandalf and the Rohirrim)

Gelidon, ancient white dragon, in c2e75 (with a surprisingly well thought-out exit strategy that effectively had the dragon right outside a 10 by 10 foot shark cage threatening the M9 for a whole minute while Caleb was drawing chalk circles)

Rimefang, adult white dragon, in c1e19 (with Trinket, Burt Reynolds, and the loudest librarian on God’s green earth)

Umbrasyl, ancient black dragon, in c1e54/55 (with the galaxy brain moment of teleporting the bard and the rogue inside of the dragon - which, in all fairness, also probably deserves a spot in the top 10 dumbest plans VM ever came up with. it’s right up there.)

Raishan, ancient green dragon, in c1e (with the most poetic use of Feeblemind, finishing off VM’s arguably cleverest antagonist at an INT of 1)

Vorugal, ancient white dragon, in c1e71 (with Scanlan casting a 9th level spell to summon and then dominate a giant fucking demon straight from the Abyss)

Raishan, ancient green dragon, in c1e69 (with one of the biggest plot twists of campaign 1 that I entirely did not anticipate. yes I’m putting her reveal above her final battle. fight me. :D)

bonus points for c1e70 (because there wasn’t actually any dragon present but the Kima-Raishan slip-up will forever be fondly remembered by me as also one of the dumbest things VM ever did) and for Raishan’s guest appearance in c1e71 (because a) I wasn’t going to put three Raishan moments, and b) it was less of a Raishan and more of a Vax moment anyway, but also, when will Larkin return from the war).

[watchingcr]

I’m watching the Q&A + battle royale, may comment in some stuff idk, later I’ll watch 55 “Umbrasyl” dun dun duuuuuuuuun

[justanotherspeaker]

Three sex jokes within the first 37 minutes of this episode 😂

Umbrasyl | Critical Role Campaign 1 Ep. 55

Sorry about the poor quality, I’m learning.

[wren-hawk]

Campaign 1, Episode 55

A  first time watch and live commentary three years too late.

tl;dr: Vax and Scanlan manage to not be digested, no one plummets to their death, Shale is old and awesome, and Grog fulfills his destiny.

Laura actually forgot her dice. Truly we are on the edge of total collapse. Awww, Travis being the good husband and going to find them/enabling her addiction. Remember this moment three years from now.

Travis is doing the ad read?? This is so wrong. Oh thank God, Sam is here just in time. Dodged a bullet. The bullet being actually hearing about the sponsor. 

I can shorten that recap for you Matt: Everything was great. Until it wasn’t. 

12, 13, and 13. Great initiative rolls guys. Really boding well for the night.

Oh god, is Umbrasyl trying to shit them out?! Oh no, he’s just going to puke them out and eat them again. Like a dog.

Scanlan as a snake is trying to go into a wound. There’s something really wrong with that and I just can’t put my finger on it. 

“Oh, did you want to chase after them?” Really Matt?! That’s a question?! “Eh, fare thee well comrades. We’ll meet again some sunny day.”

Air is queefing out of the slit opened in the dragon. Is this the origin story of Arsequeef?

“I would like to fist the wound.” Amazing. Matt’s face is a landscape of both hatred and giddiness at the same time. I feel like that is a common experience with DMs. Are you fisting or fingering though Sam? Get it right!

Travis’s Nat 1 failure on the chain of returning a turn ago might have saved his life.

Taliesin’s face when he remembers he lost Hex:

Vax is trapped in the wound. My visual is essentially a baby halfway through being birthed.

Well, Scanlan fists the wound once more creating a whole that he leaps through as Bigby’s hand catches him. My favorite thing right now about watching these old episodes is imagining what these scenes could look like animated some day. This whole episode has been a real visual so far.

Travis with his whole bro look this episode talking about his love for Harry Potter fills me with joy.

And now they’re plummeting out of the dragon. Sophie’s Choice for Scanlan. Sophie chooses Grog. 

HAHAHAHAHA Grog is smarter as the eagle. That’s amazing.

Good job Keyleth. Way to be on time to the party as she finally is able to gate stone to the party. Marisha is now debating about whether or not to take the fall damage as an earth elemental... Guys, I think we should have seen the Keyfish incident coming. 

Chris Perkins! I like that he’s playing an older woman, we don’t really get to see older characters in TTRPGs unless they’re a magic class )or a monk). Probably for obvious reasons as you probably don’t have a long lifespan as an adventurer.

Vax is still tiny. I still don’t understand what the reasoning was for that.

Matt is a liar and a bringer of death and he smiles at you while he does it.

Seriously Travis, you’ve got it at least half damaged, Chris Perkins is here judging you, saddle up chosen one.

Thank god for Pass Without a Trace. These are some low stealth rolls even with that +10.

Pretentious asshole Percy. Schmutz him up Vex!

Only men name their weapons. Testify Shale. Testify.

Shale whacks Vax. I love her. 

Vex bemoaning the lack of a plan. To be fair though Vex, your plans fall apart in 2 seconds anyway, so what’s the diff?

Old rocks, as old as Shale. None of those rocks (or magic) you learn in a hoity-toity tower that those damn millennials are so obsessed with.

“He’s a mad little one isn’t he?” Shale says as Vax runs into the invisible Umbrasyl.

Oof, a 20 and a 1 as Percy’s other gun breaks. Bad News broke earlier and Percy right now is kind of screwed.  

Oh god, acid bees! This is the worst!!!

“Oh shut up you flying suitcase.” Shale is my old cantankerous French grandma and I love her.

Second Vax/Vex screw up of the night. Sam plans to roll Vix as his next character; I hope Vix is an some sort of weird aunt to Vax and Vex that sells some weird merchandise that’s super eclectic and only 4 people in the world are interested in like fossilized faerie farts or something. Maybe that’s my first ever D&D character.

 Ah ha you stupid dragon, I hope you vomit your guts out due to Stinking Cloud farts.

Wow, Sam actually advocating for Trinket to get an attack. We’re in new territory here.

Nat 20 on Pike’s anal probe on the dragon! Spiritual Weapon is good too, but I’m so used to Jester’s chainsaw lollipop that a meathook just doesn’t measure up. Sorry Pike.

Faerie Fire! Yay Keyleth! Underrated spell.

Grog! 64 points with 1 round! Awesome!

Scanlan fingers the wound again. I have closed captioning up and I did originally read it as “anally jams the finger back into the wound” so there’s that.

“Have you ever had sex?” Super awkward pause. Let’s just let that hang for as long as possible.

Holy shit Percy, go to fucking town with this sword! 172 points of damage John Wu style! That’s hot. Even with the smoke. (Especially with the smoke?)

I love when everyone starts to sing along to the inspiration songs. Or in this case, chant the ‘who? who who who?’ for ‘who let the Grogs out?’

Ugh, eye stuff, eye stuff! This sucks!

Everyone is starting to look so tired. Kill this guy!

“Did you add Sneak Attack? Oh no, because nothing hit.” Way to rub salt in the wound Matt.

Just as everyone reminds Laura about Hunter’s Mark, it’s nice to see her reminding Travis about necrotic damage.

Yes!!! HDYWTDT!! And Laura’s reminders about necrotic damage pay off! Jesus, Travis is a poet with these finishing blows.

Good job recovering from that horrible position of last episode. 1 down, 3 to go!

[geekylainelove]

“Oh Percy, I didn’t notice your baldspot there.“

Everyone pauses, waiting.

Episode 55 Umbrasyl

[perc-ahlia]

“If I’m doing this I’m doing it right....lighting myself on fire and going meteor.”

JFC Marisha

[cyborgpotatogifs]

Umbrasyl | Critical Role RPG Show Episode 55