‘Exandria Unlimited: Calamity’: Episode Three, “Blood and Shadow” recap
The Ring of Brass duel with devils and break some engines. The gloves come off in Exandria Unlimited: Calamity!
Exandria Unlimited: Calamity, Episode Three, “Blood and Shadow” aired June 9, 2022
Squad battles
The Ring of Brass square off against Lacrytia Hollow’s mages and devils– one of whom has just destroyed the helm (you know, the thing responsible for driving the floating city). It’s the first set battle of the game, and it is very personal. Like a nemesis from the Real Housewives of Avalir, Lacrytia wants Patia dead.
She shoots two high level spells at Patia, but thanks to counterspell, Patia not only survives, she sets a trap of her own. (Counterspell was so clutch this episode!) Seconds before Lacrytia fires off circle of death, (which would have killed Patia, Nydas and Zerxus) Patia seals her in a magical dome. The spell backfires, and Lacrytia is destroyed.
Zerxus makes a friend
No one dealt more damage this battle than Zerxus, which made it so odd that all the bad guys were looking at him like an ally. One of the devils told Zerxus that it will be an honor to serve him. And she said it in infernal– a language that he supposedly doesn’t speak– while stealing his blood. The mystery surrounding Zerxus is thickening by the minute… and the other members of the Ring of Brass have no idea!
Memories lost and returned
In the midst of battle, Cerrit’s mind is penetrated by a detect thoughts spell. One of the Lacrytia’s mages searches his memories to find the location of Cerrit’s office– looking for Vespin’s things (Exandria Unlimited: Calamity, episode 1). Nydas, meanwhile, steals the memories of a different mage, giving the Ring of Brass a hint as to what might be coming next.
But the memory that had everyone on the edge of their seats, was the one Patia returned to Zerxus. Answering some questions about what really happened to Evandrin.
Experiments gone wrong
As we suspected, Laerryn had originally tested her plane-crossing engine on Evandrin. She insists that everything should have worked. Evandrin crossed the planes, but something went wrong when she tried to bring him back. It’s what caused the fading. His death. Which is where Patia comes in.
Scouring the banned-book section of her library, she found a spell from a primordial god for True Resurrection. It is so powerful that they could bring Evandrin back to life– no body needed. Zerxus was desperate, begging her to do it, saying he will do anything to get Evandrin back.
The spell was perfect. But it failed. And in the throes of heartbreak, Zerxus asked Patia to take the memory. She did, but even though she returned it, the trust between them is broken.
The ring of brass cracks
As the Ring of Brass reels with personal revelations, Cerrit leaps into detective mode. He’s clearly on edge, and forcibly brings everyone back to the problems of the present. It’s obvious Vespin Chloras needs the city on the ground, and if he wants that, then Cerrit wants to know if they can stop the city from landing. Laerryn says it’s possible, but she doesn’t know how.
It’s a lie, and Cerrit knows it.
He looks at his brilliant friend, investigator’s instincts on high alert. She knows how to abort the landing, but if she does so, her experiment will be ruined– and her hopes of sending Avalir to the Celestial Plane with it.
Cerrit is livid. She sent Evandrin across the planes, and he died. And now Laerryn wants to send the entire city across the planes– with all of their friends and family? No. Cerrit, is done with them, burning them for their selfishness before flying off to try and get his kids out of the city. It’s a well-deserved scolding that simply bounces off Laerryn.
The Tree of Names
The remaining members of the Ring of Brass head to the Arboreal Calix (Exandria Unlimited: Calamity, Episode 2). They get to the engine, open it and find the Tree of Names floating in the cavern. And in its branches, Laerryn’s model toy. The toy that she thought she sent to the Celestial Plane.
All the information coalesces: the Tree of Names’ purpose is to prevent travel between planes. And while the city crosses the world, it has been inscribing protections across the face of the earth below– something Patia learns when she touches the tree.
But Laerryn doesn’t know that the tree is writing a vast protection spell. All she knows is that her experiment failed– Evandrin died– because of the tree. A tree that has just stabbed both Patia and Loquacious.
She casts blight.
The tree sunders. And from the crack in the trunk, comes Vespin Chloras side by side with the Lord of the Hells.
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Episode Highlights:
- Brennan gave a breakdown of the energy drains that have occurred so far… seems like there might be just enough for a jump across planes, if everything truly hits the fan.
- Anyone else have a sinking suspicion that someone was listening when Zerxus was promising the world in return for Evandrin? Something red, horned and devilish?
- Also, how has no one grilled Zerxus for information? He hasn’t told anyone about his conversation with the Lord of the Hells– and claims total ignorance about why the devils were so interested in him!!
- The Tree of Names scene was so intense! Nydas tried to stop Laerryn and her automaton almost disintegrated him.
