‘Critical Role’ 3×29 recap: Dark Portents
Dusk is unveiled and a Ruidusborn is confirmed on Critical Role!
‘Critical Role’ recap: Campaign 3, Episode 29 “Dark Portents” Aired August 4, 2022
Birdie and Dusk
The cat is out of the bag: Dusk is really Yu Suffaid, an assassin sent by the Unseelie Court to hunt down the Calloway family and recover the Moontide Crown. But before they can complete their mission, Birdie Calloway turns invisible, and tries to slip away. Tries. But the Bells Hells aren’t having it.
There are too many questions that need answering, starting with why Birdie and Ollie stole the crown in the first place.
Ruidisborn
Seven years ago, Birdie and Ollie came to the Material Plane from the Feywild and gave birth to their daughter, Fearne, during a Ruidus flare. That’s right, Fearne is Ruidusborn! At first Birdie and Ollie didn’t think anything of it, afterall, Ruidus doesn’t exist in the Feywild (Huh… Who knew?) But when they returned to the Fey, Ruidus was there too.
But no one in the Feywild seemed all that concerned. Not even when Ollie had a vision of disaster and ruin, of Ruidus destroying the Feywild and Fearne at the center. (Probably because the vision was, uh… pharmacological in origin, lolol)
The Unseelie Court
Laughed out of the Seelie Court, Bridie and Ollie went to the Unseelie court, but the dark side of the Feywild wasn’t concerned about Ruidus either. They were looking to exploit the magic of the moon and they’d built a machine to do it, with the Moontide Crown at its center. And helping the Unseelie Court? None other then Otohan Thull (Critical Role 3×26).
Birdie and Ollie couldn’t let the power of Ruidus simply fall into the hands of the Unseelie Court, so they stole the crown, and fled. Now they’re on the run, hunted by both the Seelie Court, the Unseelie Court and the Keeper of the Moontides. Their whole focus the past seven years has been on re-creating the mysterious machine and uncovering the truth of Ruidus.
Uneasy Alliance
Yu Suffiad listens to this all completely unamused. If Birdie and Ollie were such heroes, why did they leave Fearne for ninety years? (Ninety, not seven. Time in the Feywild can flow differently, but that’s a huge disparity) Why did they ally themselves with the Nightmare King? (Remember him from C3x11) And do they really think that Yu is the only assassin the courts will send?
After some fast talking, the Bells Hells convince Yu to hold off on collecting the bounty. Give them 1 month– 1 month to finish the machine and figure out what the moon has to do with their daughter. After the month, they will come with Yu willingly.
It’s enough for Yu. They leave, but promise to be checking in soon.
The Grim Verity
Birdie takes the Bells Hells to meet with her friend, Hondir, a researcher in hiding from the Grim Verity. In hiding because the Grim Verity and everyone researching the Ruidus has been disappearing one by one.
They explain that the machine will have its best shot at working successfully if they can complete it in time for the Apogee Solstice (remember that from EXU: Calamity??) a time when magic is wildly powerful and the barriers between the plans are at their most thin.
Ruidus origins
Hondir also admits that the Grim Verity (Critical Role 3×21) stole some ancient texts which prove that Ruidus didn’t always exist. Two gods (that have now been forgotten) disappeared from the official record at the same time that Ruidus appeared. Remember, the only way we know of gods disappearing is when they’re unseated and their powers usurped by mortals. (Exandria Unlimited: Calamity)
The documents– as well as a Grim Verity researcher who specializes in other planes of existence are now in Yios. It’s the very place the Bells Hells were planning on going after they finished their business in Bassuras. But it seems the city isn’t done with them.
As the Bells Hells set out to meet with Ollie and the Nightmare King, this writer is dying to know how all these threads connect!
Watch Critical Role Thursdays at 7pm PST on Twitch and YouTube! Check out last week’s Critical Role recap here, or watch me talk about all the highlights and theories here!
Critical Role Episode 29 Highlights
- Fearne is Ruidusborn?!? I thought Imogen had to be Ruidusborn. Could they both be? Are they all Ruidusborn?
- Laura got one hell of a whisper from Matt when she insight checked Bridie! I wonder how much more she uncovered!
- Yu mentioned that more shadow assassins would come– are these the same assassins that attacked the Lumas Twins and killed Orym’s husband?
- Okay, can we all just agree that The Nightmare King is definitely going to betray the Calloways the moment the machine is completed? I mean he has a history with Otohan Thull.
- Hondir knew Imogen’s mother!!! And she had the same powers the Imogen does.
