Breaking Point

"**Breaking Point**" (3x31) thumbnail featuring Sam Riegel.

"**Breaking Point**" (3x31) is the thirty-first episode of the third campaign of *Critical Role*. Bells Hells process their feelings as they work through moon mysteries, family conflict, and a shocking revelation about one of their own...

## **Synopsis**

### **Announcements**

* Sam didn't write a sketch for first sponsor **Nord VPN** this week because while attending a family reunion, he's become introspective about his video legacy, including light-up crotch costumes and eating shaving cream. So he delivers a moving message to his great-grandchildren, hoping they will find the loving and accepting friends that Sam has.
* Second sponsor is Ghostfire Gaming's **Sebastian Crowe's Guide to Drakkenheim** now on Kickstarter.
* Reminder there's no show next week. "A Stage Set" (3x32) will air 1 September 2022.

### **Previously on *Critical Role***

*So, last we left off: Bells Hells, in their search for Armand Treshi, encountered some interesting intrigue, encountered some betrayal, and eventually met up with the parents of Fearne Calloway, who themselves seem to have been caught up in this strange Ruidus business that you're beginning to unfurl at an escalating pace, discovering apparently that Fearne herself was a Ruidusborn. In the attempts to protect their child, they got involved a bit deeper than they intended to, before escaping into Exandria for a number of years. There have been some discussions about this disparity in the experience between the years that you were in the Feywild, wondering what they were up to, and the years that they experienced and passed here.*

*But traveling alongside Birdie across the desert lands of the Hellcatch, a brief encounter with some brigands from the Fist of the Ruiner and destroying them entirely, gathering some goods, some well-earned spoils from the battle, you headed off to the hideaway where the Calloways have been working with their ally, Ira Wendagoth, the Nightmare King. There, they have been constructing over time an apparatus that seemed to be constructed with the hopes of unveiling the nature of Ruidus, to give them some inclination as to what exactly is going on with this moon, as many different threads in the world seem to be converging towards this point in time in the specific astral entity.*

*Upon arriving and meeting Ollie, your father, and having a reunion with Ira, some questions back and forth seemed to cause some tensions, some reveals of history and timelines and intent led to some relatively heated conversation. But upon the Weave Lens that you were given by Morrigan as you left the Feywild being delivered to your parents and thus on to Ira, who installed it, the final piece of this machine, this scope that he had created, allowed it to engage. He showed a number of you sights you had not seen before, glimpses through a scope that could both read what appeared to be the larger magical leylines that slowly encompass and seem to be, in some way, drifting across the lands of Exandria. You got to look past the daylight into the stratosphere and beyond to get a glance at Ruidus cleanly, clearly, and where the texture of storms seemed to still swirl there upon its surface, you, Orym, and then passing on the honed vision to Imogen, you saw a flash of something that you swear looked like a city on the surface.*

### **Part I**

Ira demands to know what Orym and Imogen saw through the scope, but Imogen tells him they saw only the arcane cage around Ruidus. Ira immediately looks through the apparatus himself and begins chuckling. Fresh Cut Grass casts *Detect Thoughts* on him, reading curiosity and excitement, but when they try to push in further, they read nothing before a vision of Ira's face intrudes, inflicting psychic damage and bringing them close to unconsciousness.

After apparently having cast a *Wall of Force* around himself, Ira thanks everyone for helping bring his project to fruition, then rapidly scans with the scope, saying he wants to "watch their faces as they fail." When questioned, he admits he helped build the machine in the Feywild along with the Unseelie Court and their allies Otohan Thull and an older gentleman named Ludinus. They were close to finishing when the Calloways stole the Moontide Crown. Since the Court is now chasing the Calloways, Ira can't associate with them further. He pulls the Crown from the scope and places it on his head, bows, and disappears in a flash of purple energy.

Hondir identifies the arcane energy weave around Ruidus as similar to that of the Divine Gate while Orym recovers the now-inactive Weave Lens from the scope. Ashton immediately takes it and hits it with his hammer, thinking if it's magic it can't be harmed, but he's wrong - it shatters. Laudna *Mends* it but they are unsure if the enchantment remains. Birdie breaks into Ira's desk and they recover a pouch full of gems, a map of the Hellcatch Valley with written notes on it, and a pile of blank paper.

They discuss what to do next. FCG suggests Dancer could help them analyze the scope, while Laudna suggests telling Paragon's Call about it. Hondir says this information needs to get back to Yios (a week away on foot) as soon as possible, but Hondir himself intends to stay at the hideout indefinitely to stay out of sight.

Birdie again apologizes for leaving Fearne, reiterating they were only trying to keep her safe. Ashton is insistent the Calloways' memories have been altered and Ollie immediately agrees to let Imogen and FCG into his mind. They discover there are indeed areas of his memories of Ira that are blurred or missing. They try to force exploration of a partial piece of memory of Birdie crying, and see both Calloways angrily intent on leaving somewhere. Ollie begins to bleed from one nostril and they pull back.

Remembering they need to report back to Paragon's Call within a few days, they decide to search everything. Dates scratched into the rock show the movement of Ruidus over time as it nears apex at the coming apogee solstice. There is also the single Sylvan word "curiosity" on one stone toward the east-northeast direction.

Imogen pulls Fearne aside and tells her it's okay to be angry at her parents, and FCG joins in. They encourage her to verbalize her feelings about her parents to them. Chetney provides a wooden doll for Fearne to speak to. FCG realizes he should be talking to Dancer about his own feelings of abandonment, and Imogen realizes she feels the same about her own mother. Fearne pulls her parents aside and tells them how angry she is that she was left with Morri for so long. They acknowledge her feelings and she tells them about her "child", Little Mister. Fearne says she'll work at forgiving them and wants to know them better.

Laudna names Fearne's doll "Caviar" and they introduce it to Pâté. The two hit it off immediately and arrange for a threesome with Sashimi. Laudna sets up the dollhouse, shoves all three dolls within, and hangs a scrap of fabric over the door.

Orym takes Imogen outside and tells her they need to get to Yios soon. He encourages her, saying she's a born leader and offers to be a sounding board for her. She admits she's torn about contacting Otohan Thull and he tells her to trust herself. He also asks her to cast *Sending* to Keyleth with a message he has written down: "Tempest: Following threads. Dark fey influences. Members of the Cerberus Assembly. Power players in Marquet. One month out from trouble. Stay the course? Missing home." Keyleth replies: "I thank you for the message, whoever you are. This is disconcerting news. Stay the course carefully. I'll pull threads on my end. Stay safe."

Ashton pulls out the strangely familiar Hishari helmet from the Twilight Mirror Museum and goes to sleep staring at it. Orym checks in via sending stone with Dorian, telling him he misses him, and Dorian responds that he's keeping busy and misses them all, too.

FCG goes outside and casts *Sending* to Dancer, saying: "Dancer, Fresh Cut Grass reporting in. Awaiting designation and assignment. What is your current status?" After a long pause, the reply is: "How'd you find me? What do you want from me?"

When she thinks everyone is asleep, Fearne stealthily cuts down two of the purple gnarlrock shards in the first room, observed by Orym. She places one in Laudna's dollhouse with the dolls, and the other in Imogen's pouch, telling the watching FCG she's just returning something Imogen lost. Orym also watches her do this, but says nothing.

### **Break**

* **Sebastian Crowe's Guide to Drakkenheim** now on Kickstarter.
* **Merch Alert!** Jewel of Marquet beach towel in the US shop; Orym of the Air Ashari t-shirt and Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn in all CR shops; Bells Hells t-shirt in the US, Canada, and Australia; "Clue: Critical Role" game now in the US and Canada; Ankle socks in all shops except the UK.
* 3-pack of ankle socks is the first in the Beauty of Exandria in Motion collection.
* Excerpts from **"*4-Sided Dive*: From Dusk Till Faun" (4SDx05)**.
* ***Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn*** now available in all CritRole shops.
* **Welcome to Tal'Dorei** Critical Role soundtrack album available now on all digital music platforms.
* **Critical Recap** every Wednesday on CritRole.com.
* **Submit fan art and cosplay** for possible inclusion in the weekly online gallery at https://www.critrole.com/submit.
* Taliesin and Ashley stole the minis to promote **Critical Role on Twitch**.

### **Part II**

In the morning, Laudna looks inside the dollhouse and finds the gnarlrock shard. She tries to show it to Imogen but as she reaches for it, the approving voice of Delilah Briarwood creeps into her mind. Laudna pulls back and Imogen picks it up with her handkerchief and throws it across the room, shattering it. However, Delilah's voice returns, saying to Laudna, "You wander dangerous paths. Be warned, child. Not everyone's looking out for your wellbeing like I am. I'll keep you safe." Laudna goes outside and demands more information, and Delilah tells her she is watching from her "distant, forgotten perch" as Laudna wanders around dangerous magics. Laudna knows the impact they could have on her, and Delilah is just trying to keep her safe. "For if you die, I go, too." Laudna asks about Ruidus and Delilah admits she's researched the power of the celestial solstices. She herself had to cast a ritual before its optimum time and still achieved something great. She encourages Laudna to get as involved as she'd like. Surreptitiously, Orym tells Imogen that Fearne also put a shard in Imogen's backpack.

Fresh Cut Grass *Sends* to Dancer again, saying they might need her soon and asking where she is. Dancer's terrified voice responds, "Please, leave me alone. I barely got away. I hope I never see you again. You know what you did." FCG's mind fills with static and they take four stress points, going silent and limp. Imogen tries *Detect Thoughts*, but reads only stress and anger coming from a cacophony of hundreds of voices and thoughts built up through years. When she tries pushing further, she is repulsed and pulls back. Chetney tries to reset FCG by hitting them on the head, but FCG immediately attacks with their buzzsaw and casts *Spiritual Weapon* in the form of a chisel, shouting, "Why don't you shut up? Why don't you shut your fucking mouth?" Roll initiative!

Ashton grapples FCG, trying to keep them from doing more damage. Laudna, however, interpreting Delilah's message as, "Your friends are going to betray you," casts *Hunger of the Shadow*. She crits for 50 damage and for a moment feels warmth and life in her heart. When Fearne follows up with *Heat Metal*, FCG goes unconscious, shouting hurtful words at Fearne and Laudna that reflect their deepest fears and insecurities. Orym removes FCG's buzzsaw arm and strings them upside down by a rope hanging from the ceiling. Fearne heals them to consciousness.

FCG remembers nothing and is woozy and surprised to find himself hanging upside down, but he feels great and is his normal cheerful self. He heals Chetney, but is speechless when his actions are described to him. The group realizes that the horrific scene Ashton encountered when they first found FCG could indeed have been created by him. Imogen brings up the one-eyed creature FCG remembers, but Ashton realizes one of FCG's ocular units was damaged when Ashton found him and had to be replaced.

Imogen looks into FCG's mind (who does not resist), looking for the reasons behind the hurtful comments, discovering that the memory of the past few minutes has somehow been edited out. The voices she heard earlier in their mind were memories of things they've heard, folded into one moment. She hears Chetney say, "I love working with wood. I didn't feel I needed anyone," herself say, "I have this thing with crowds," Fearne say, "I have so many regrets," and Orym say, "Most nights I miss him, but the time we had was real good." Laudna says, "Andy," and Ashton says, "'Friends' is a complicated word; I try to avoid it."

Meanwhile, Laudna has backed slowly into a corner. Ashton points out that any of them except Orym could snap at any moment; it's happened before. Chetney protests it was one bite. Laudna *Mends* the dents in FCG's head that her spell created, and she is obviously shaken by the damage she caused. The party believes they need to talk to Dancer, but without FCG. Ashton admits that Ashton thinks FCG might indeed have caused the bloody deaths of their prior adventuring party. Both Ashton and Orym ask the entire party to commit to be better together by reining in any member that falls out of line.

They all agree that talking to Dancer and hopefully bringing her to inspect the broken scope is now a must. Orym lowers the still-hanging FCG, who immediately removes their bolt-thrower and grapple cannon and hands them to Orym, but Orym returns the weapons. He reiterates they will do what they have to do to protect themselves if it happens again, and they all pledge to work together to try to protect FCG from that happening.

Birdie will return to Bassuras with them, while Ollie and Hondir stay at the hideout. As they leave, Imogen tells Laudna she knows that Delilah was talking to her earlier, and Laudna says Delilah wanted the other rock, the one that Sashimi gave birth to, and told her that they would all betray her. Imogen reassures her that Delilah is evil, and that Laudna was indeed alive and had a life. She promises they will get through this, and get Delilah out of Laudna's head.

The group gathers on their two skirmish-crawlers and tear off into the early morning toward Bassuras.

## **Featured characters**

### **Bells Hells**

* Ashton Greymoore
* Chetney Pock O'Pea
* Fearne Calloway
* Fresh Cut Grass
* Imogen Temult
* Laudna
* Orym

### **Returning**

* Birdie Calloway
* Delilah Briarwood (voice)
* Dorian Storm (via sending stone)
* Hondir
* Ira Wendagoth
* Keyleth (via *Sending*)
* Oleander Calloway

### **Mentioned**

* Andy, Laudna's one-time crush
* Armand Treshi
* Bertrand Dwendal (indirectly)
* Imahara Joe
* Liliana Temult
* Little Mister
* Ludinus Da'leth
* Milo Krook
* Morri Calloway
* Oatmeal
* Otohan Thull
* Pussy
* Yu Suffiad

## **Quotations**

* **FCG**: You don't have to hit all your problems.
Ashton: A lot of them, though. An awful lot of them require being hit.
FCG: Not every problem requires a hammer.
* **Imogen**: *(to Fearne, about her parents)* It's okay to be mad, and maybe that's what they need is to be yelled at, and that's how you can get past it.
FCG: I feel like part of your advice, what you're saying to her might be applicable to me. I got to talk to Dancer!
Imogen: And me, too! Your creator's not dead! My mom's alive! What the fuck is going on here? We should just hurt them all.
Fearne: Should we? Should we just call it a day and just wipe them all out?
Ashton: Are we fucking our parents up? What are we fucking doing? We're hitting parents? I want to hit a parent.
* **Fearne**: *(to her parents)* I would like to try to maybe get to know you both.
Birdie: At your own pace, dear. I mean, to your point, we've had a lot taken from us, each other.
Fearne: Yeah, I would certainly like to go at my pace because if we go with yours, it's going to be a very long time.
* **Orym**: *(to Imogen)* They all really listen to you. You have an amazing head on your shoulders. I don't know if you see it the way the rest of us do, but you do. And I know leadership. And I know that you're carrying a lot and figuring out a lot, and I don't know how to fix it, but if you need to lean on anyone, well, I'm really short and I know how to do that. Sometimes I feel like you get overwhelmed, and I see a little bit of wrath, too. And I get it, a little bit, in my own way. But I know there is more than that with you, and I just want to say I'm a fan.
* **Delilah Briarwood**: I'm just paying attention from my distant forgotten perch, my dear. You continue to wander around things that hold all manner of delightful and dangerous magics. You know the impact they can have on you. You know the impact that magic has had on you. I claim responsibility myself. So just consider this recompense. Trying to keep you safe. For if you die, I go too.
* **FCG**: *(after Chetney hits him)* I guess I'll just buzzsaw him.

* **Delilah Briarwood**: You see, at the end of all things, only yourself can be relied on, when all love is taken.
* **FCG**: *(to Fearne)* Your parents don't like you. They never did, and that's why they got rid of you. And you know what? They were fucking right!
* **FCG**: *(to Laudna)* You were never alive.
* **Orym**: Every one of you guys is carrying around some kind of awful, and every one of you has fucking snapped, just like [Ashton] said. We don't have time for any of that, to drag any one of us down. We have to be better together. Have to. If Letters flips out like that again, if you shred the person next to you, if you turn into *Night of the Living Dead*, if you go ham and smash anything, if you keep going on thieving runs... And we already talked last night. I need all of you to try to be better together than you are alone. Because we are in a spot that nobody else is in, and nobody is seeing all this shit the way we are right now. So we're either better together and solve it, or it all goes off the rails and it all falls apart. So moving forward, if one of us falls out of line, the rest of us bring him back in. I need that commitment from all of you moving forward.
* **Orym**: Just know that if that happens again, we're going to do what we have to do to stop you. That's what everybody has to be willing to do to everyone else in this circle.
Imogen: I'm willing to kill all of you if it means protecting the rest of us.
Orym: You're dead to me.
* **Imogen**: Laudna, [Delilah's] an evil bitch who hung you from a tree. She's not going to say anything that helps you. You know that she's using you. ... You have one of the biggest sparks I've ever seen. You don't need a pulse for that.

## **Trivia**

* This marks the first time a main cast player character has appeared as an NPC in a later campaign.
* Sam's jerrycan initially says "Hey Chat" and later "Let’s Play" but the episode ends before we figure out exactly what that means.

## **References**

1. ↑ See "Breaking and Entering..." (3x20) at 1:28:54.
2. ↑ See "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21) at 2:07:48.
3. ↑ Delilah is referring to the ritual performed on the ziggurat as Vox Machina approached in "Race to the Ziggurat" (1x34). Because it was initiated before the optimum date, Delilah was at first unsure if it had succeeded, but later learned from Vecna that it had. See "Talks Machina: Campaign Wrap-up" (Sx31) at 1:01:47.
4. ↑ See "Behind the Curtain" (3x07) at 3:44:38.
5. ↑ See "On the Trail of a Killer" (3x04) at 3:27:44.
6. ↑ See "Growing Bonds and Teasing Threads" (3x06) at 0:30:12.
7. ↑ See "Heart-to-Heartmoor" (3x17) at 3:41:59.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 See "Thicker Grows the Meal and Plot" (3x09) at 3:20:23.  Laudna says that as a young girl she had a crush on a boy in Whitestone named Andy.
9. ↑ See "The Threat Between the Walls" (3x05) at 1:10:49.
10. ↑ During the heist of the Twilight Mirror Museum Chetney succumbed to his Order of the Lycan bloodlust and attacked Orym.  See "Breaking and Entering..." (3x20) from 3:12:14 through 3:13:33.
11. ↑ See "**Breaking Point**" (3x31) at 0:53:07.
12. ↑ See "**Breaking Point**" (3x31) from 3:23:50 through 3:24:00.
13. ↑ See "**Breaking Point**" (3x31) from 3:50:00 through 3:50:15.

**Art:**

1. ↑ Fan art of Imogen and Orym sharing news of the city on Ruidus, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
2. ↑ Fan art of Laudna and Delilah, by @cpprcoyote (source). Used with permission.
3. ↑ Fan art of the one-eyed monster, by Lap Pun Cheung (source). Used with permission.
4. ↑ Fan art of Fresh Cut Grass hanging upside down, by cvleart (source). Used with permission.
5. ↑ Fan art of the party, by Melissa Hahn (source). Used with permission.