A Desperate Call

"**A Desperate Call**" (3x36) thumbnail featuring the cast, without Marisha.

"**A Desperate Call**" (3x36) is the thirty-sixth episode of the third campaign of *Critical Role*. Bells Hells magically arrive in the city of Whitestone and meet a few legendary heroes in their search to save Laudna, but discover that her soul is not so easily retrieved...

## **Synopsis**

### **Announcements**

* Ludo McGillicutty is back on behalf of **Quip's** new gum, now 30% off, and for his apotheosis (it's an unstated B-story) into a sunflower. Somehow, he involves Matt in a call-and-response improv to avoid issues with his first two choices for the bit.
* ***The Legend of Vox Machina*** is back, babies! Season two will premiere in January 2023, and they've been renewed for a third season, to allow them to expand the Chroma Conclave arc into its full amazing glory.
* **Merch Alert!** Mollymauk and Jester's Oracle deck, Witchy Trio t-shirt, and 8-bit Villains sweatshirt now in the Critical Role shops.

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

*So, last we left off: Bells Hells, recovering from their encounter with Otohan Thull, the deadly Legend of the Peaks, who seems intent on this strange psychic connection with Imogen, tore through your group, killing two of you and mortally wounding Laudna before being pushed away by some sort of unleashed force within Imogen. Upon triggering a series of memories, some locked, some unseen, you all returned and found Laudna now expired. You managed to recover Fearne and Orym, but Laudna remained dead and beyond your abilities.*

*You called the airship to bring you back to Jrusar where you turned in Armand Treshi for quite a bounty. You traded information with Lord Eshteross and prepared for what coming dangers might come to anyone involved in this circumstance. You also reached out to your champion, Keyleth, the Voice of the Tempest, back from Zephrah, who has, amongst her own challenging chaos, found a moment to come and aid you, traveling through a tree within the city of Jrusar and guiding you all to a destination of your choosing, being the Tal'Dorein city of Whitestone. As the doorway opens in the trunk of this tree, you look past into this neighborhood. As you all step through, emerging from where you once were across Exandria, to instead, this city in the center of the Parchwood.*

### **Part I**

As the party and Keyleth step through the tree into Whitestone, they are greeted by several of the Pale Guard, but Keyleth leads them unescorted towards the castle. On the way, Fresh Cut Grass asks if she is a holy person and if the gods are trustworthy, but her response is guarded although she reveals she has met several of the gods. She is able to determine that the blade that killed Laudna did not contain the toxin that prevented the resurrection of Derrig and Will.

When they reach the castle, they are met by members of the Whitestone Rifle Corps including Captain Kynan Leore and Keyleth requests an audience with any member of the Chamber of Whitestone present. While Cassandra de Rolo is currently in Lyrengorn, the Lord is in. Keyleth receives a *Sending* calling her away, so the party quickly fills her in on what they've learned about Ruidus and the danger to those investigating it. However, she has many irons in the fire at present with the coming of the Apogee Solstice. She asks them to prepare a written report, as currently her main focus, with the other Ashari leaders, is a rogue faction in Issylra. FCG quickly asks about the Changebringer and is told she is one of the good gods (although Keyleth hasn't met her), and Orym asks Keyleth to tell his family he misses them.

They are admitted to Lord de Rolo's office where Keyleth briefly introduces the party and asks him to treat their requests as coming from Zephrah before taking her leave. Percival greets them formally, then notices his daughter Gwendolyn de Rolo slip into the room and allows her to remain. Orym explains that their fallen comrade, Laudna, is a native of Whitestone that Lord Percival has encountered before. She was brought to a dinner by a woman named Delilah and hung from the tree in the center of town. They are seeking his aid to bring her back, but he is reluctant to interfere with the natural order. Finally, he decides not to decide but refer the choice to the person with the ability to grant their wish. He tasks Kynan to summon Pike Trickfoot to the castle.

Chetney admires and asks about the clock tower, and suggests he and the party may be able to help Lord Percival and his friends. However, he succumbs to a coughing fit when Percy explains that he works mostly with metal and mechanisms. Chetney gives Gwendolyn a tiny wooden rocking horse with a wolf's head. Percy then leads the group to the castle's entry hall. There, they are passed by a pair of bickering half-elven teenagers (Wolfe and Leona de Rolo) followed by their mother Vex'ahlia de Rolo. Vex'ahlia stops and introduces herself, and Imogen explains they are the group who sent Bertrand Bell's body to them.

Vex'ahlia seems far more welcoming than the sterner Percival as Imogen and Orym explain Laudna's situation, but she heads upstairs to change from her hunting attire. After an uncomfortable but brief wait, Pike appears, jogging, and greets Percy casually. They all introduce themselves, and Pike introduces herself as a baker, to the party's confusion. They explain what they need and Pike pulls out her holy symbol. In the subsequent conversation, it's revealed that Pike, too, has met a god in person, and has the ability to raise the dead, although she's not making any promises. Percival tells Pike that Laudna was on the Sun Tree, which is overheard by the entering Vex'ahlia as well. Vex tells Percy they have to help Laudna, since Vox Machina was the reason Laudna was on the tree in the first place.

Pike asks about how long Laudna's been dead, and the party explains a few days, but that's after walking around for decades. Pike gets diamonds from Vex and prepares a ritual to bring life back to Laudna. As she concentrates, nothing happens at first, but then the ground and the sigil around Laudna lights up in vibrant gold. Laudna's body lifts into the air as Pike explains that she can feel her soul, adrift but not yet beyond reach. But there is something else there, holding Laudna back. Pike suddenly pulls back her hand, the light vanishes, and Laudna falls to the ground. In confusion, Pike says, "Percy? There's two souls bound to this body, and I can't separate them. And one of them is Delilah Briarwood."

### **Break**

* **Merch Alert!** Mollymauk and Jester's Oracle of the Moon deck, 8-bit Villains sweatshirt, Pâté de Rolo hanger plush, and Nott the Brave windbreaker in all five Critical Role shops; Witchy Trio t-shirt in the US, EU, and UK.
* ***Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn*** digital version now available in all CritRole shops.
* Audio excerpts from **"*4-Sided Dive*: Fun Scary" (4SDx07)**.
* **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.
* Marisha unboxes the benefits of subscribing to **Critical Role on Twitch**.

### **Part II**

Percival pronounces: "Then it is done. She is to remain gone." The party argues, but he is adamant that they don't understand what they might be releasing and he will have no part in it. Pike tells them that she can't even talk to Laudna because Delilah is in the way. If she finishes the ritual, she doesn't know which one will come back, but at Vex'ahlia's urging she offers to research possession and spiritual tethering. Percival sternly tells them to tell him if they find "a way that is satisfactory", but to do nothing without his approval. Delilah is to stay gone. He leaves the room.

Ashton follows him. He angrily confronts Lord de Rolo, saying he's not satisfied with the ending of that conversation. There's a lot of very weird and important shit happening right now and Laudna is an important and necessary part of it. Percival tells him not to lose that anger, but warns him that if they bring Delilah back, he will kill them all to protect his family and his city. He leaves the room. As Ashton goes to leave as well, he angrily punches a statue and hears a growl behind him. Turning, he sees three bears, one of them ancient and half-asleep. Ashton kneels, telling the youngest bear that it must be nice to be able to growl at people and not have to explain yourself. He then hurries to rejoin the others on their way to Pike's house in town.

Pike's thatched cottage is homey, warm, and welcoming, filled with knickknacks and paintings. As Pike goes upstairs to search for information, Imogen thanks Vex'ahlia for her help. Vex apologizes for Percival's brusqueness, saying he's "a complicated man" who carries a lot of trauma from suffering at the hands of Delilah, but Vex is hoping for the best outcome here. Nothing is worse than losing someone close to you.

Pike returns with books and scrolls. She has found a possibility: an older ritual that enables a spirit journey to another realm. The party could travel there and separate Laudna and Delilah long enough for Pike to banish Delilah and bring Laudna back, but Pike's not sure where "there" is, since Laudna's soul doesn't seem to be where the recently deceased normally are but in a cold, separate place that feels strongly of Delilah. If they do this, their bodies will remain in the Material Plane, but their souls will join Laudna's, connected by a cord joining them to their bodies. If that cord is cut, they will die. While Delilah seems diminished from Vox Machina's prior encounters with her, she shouldn't be underestimated. Since Pike's not sure if non-magical weapons will work where Laudna is, Vex loans Orym a +1 shortsword.

Fresh Cut Grass, however, is convinced he can't go because he doesn't have a spirit, although Imogen points out they need a backup able to cast *Sending* if she were to be pulled out of the plane. Pike offers to check whether FCG has a soul or not, and the entire party bets that she will find that he does. Fearne holds his hand as Pike touches him. FCG suddenly finds himself surrounded by light and Pike is a burning silver ember with fiery wings. When he looks down at his own body, he sees only semi-translucent light: his soul.

As Pike begins preparing the ritual, Imogen gives her the gnarlrock shard to research while they're gone. Pike points out to Vex'ahlia the 6600 gold worth of components required and Vex starts out to get them, but FCG mentions the residuum dust they have and Vex is immediately alert. She agrees, however, to put off hearing where they got it until later. She thinks her husband will be very interested.

The ritual complete, Pike casts the spell and the party finds themselves in a mysterious fog-filled place built of silvery gold material surrounded by deep shadow. The fog moves as they do and they are surrounded by sourceless faint whispers. The terrain grows more jagged as they press on. The stony spikes rising upward begin to grow branches until they resemble a forest of trees, and the whispers gradually grow louder and form words. Ahead, they see a flame in the window of a small ramshackle hut, and among the whispered words they hear, "The witch is here!" Chetney assumes they mean Delilah but when he creeps closer he sees the body of a rat on a table with a flickering black Laudna-shaped flame next to it. The whispers become shouts of "Burn her!". The Laudna-shape looks up and disappears as the cabin begins to burn.

At that moment, Orym sees three billowing collections of what looks like black shadowy cloth drift from between the trees and swiftly move toward the cabin. Imogen *Witch Bolts* two of them, while an invisible Chetney scoops up the dead rat and bird skull from the now-flaming cottage before exiting. Ashton goes into a "Possibility" rage (allowing their teammates within ten feet to add a d4 to attack and saving throws) as the creatures attack, creating a freezing cold dome of Tormenting Shadow (which slows and causes necrotic damage to those within it) and utilizing *Life Drains* to suck health and spirit from their victims and add it to their own. They are resistant to fire damage but take full damage from magical weapons, and Ashton is able to kill one with their hammer.

The other two, however, continue to attack. Chetney fails a con save against a *Life Drain*, which not only causes necrotic damage (which is restored to his attacker) but also reduces his maximum hit points by the same amount. Both creatures then sink into the ground and disappear, although Imogen's *Witch Bolt* stays up and active. The party holds their attacks, waiting for the creatures to reappear. When they do, they attack Imogen and Chetney, and FCG's taking of half the damage inflicted on Chetney results in FCG losing 10 maximum hit points. One of the shadows then disappears again, but Fearne's *Ice Knife* kills the other. When the remaining shadow finally reappears, Ashton kills it with a hammer blow. Fearne casts *Tidal Wave* to extinguish the spreading flames from the hut, and when they investigate they find a root-tangled tunnel beneath it.

Chetney is badly hurt and Orym has used most of his abilities, but the party decides against a short rest. Chetney scouts ahead down the tunnel, Ashton casts *Pass Without Trace* on the party, and they stealthily descend. The dark tunnel winds on for a long time and its gravity is very odd. Chetney picks up the scent of wind and a faint hint of green light. He creeps forward as the tunnel opens, looking down into purplish sky, filled with trees or roots. Stepping forward, the gravity flips upright and he finds himself emerging from the ground in another forest-like realm. Ahead, he sees a partially crumbled wall and rooftops, and beyond, a massive leafless tree looming over the shaded city, with a faint bit of green light drifting out like a mist.

## **Featured characters**

### **Bells Hells**

* Ashton Greymoore
* Chetney Pock O'Pea
* Fearne Calloway
	+ Little Mister
* Fresh Cut Grass
* Imogen Temult
* Laudna (body)
* Orym

### **Returning**

* Keyleth
* Kynan Leore, captain of the Whitestone Rifle Corps
* Percival de Rolo
* Pike Trickfoot
* Trinket
* Vex'ahlia de Rolo

### **New**

* Charlie
* Gwendolyn de Rolo
* Leona de Rolo
* Wolfe Kristoff de Rolo

### **Mentioned**

* Bertrand Bell
* Cassandra de Rolo
* Delilah Briarwood
* Derrig
* Galdric
* Leeta, daughter of Derrig
* Ollie and Birdie Calloway
* Otohan Thull
* Simon, Castle Whitestone cook
* Sylas Briarwood
* Will (unnamed)

## **Quotations**

* **Keyleth**: I don't think I've ever met an automaton with so much personality.
FCG: Oh, I get that a lot. It's because I was created as an ancient killer a thousand years ago, an assassin, by a long gone land or civilization. But I forgot all that and now I'm just trying to be helpful. [...]
 Keyleth: Good luck with your not murdering people.
FCG: It's been, I think, six days since I've tried to murder anyone.
* **Percival**: I have little interest in the power of the divine, but it does occasionally serve its purpose.
* **Vex'ahlia**: *(to Percy, on learning Laudna was her double on the Sun Tree)* We have to help them. We did this to her. We're the reason she was on that tree to begin with.
* **Percival**: *(to Ashton)* Don't lose that anger. But the urge to destroy can be a very powerful one. My advice to you as one a few years your senior is see if you can refocus it instead to build, create, and then protect it with every fiber of your being. Nothing else matters more. My children will not grow up in a world where that woman exists. [...] You're a small fish in a big, big pond. Make some waves.
* **Ashton**: *(to the bears)* It must be nice having people just do what you need them to by growling at them and having them not expect you to have to explain yourself. I'm jealous. He's an asshole. I'm sure he's fine for you, but would you do me a favor? If you're ever feeling it, shit somewhere inappropriate and think of me. You're a nice bear.
* **Vex'ahlia**: Whatever happens, whatever occurs here—and I hope for the better outcome, I really do. Nothing's worse than losing someone very close to you.
* **FCG**: *(when they see their soul in a vision)* What does it mean?
Pike: It means you're alive. And from the look of it, you already have eyes on you. *(points to FCG's medallion of the Changebringer)*
* **FCG**: If I have a spirit, that means I have to live. I've watched all of you and so many others for so long... it seems kind of hard.
Imogen: You've kind of already been doing it.
FCG: But to find a purpose and find people to depend on, and not disappoint—that's a lot of—
Orym: I don't understand. What's the difference between now and yesterday?
FCG: Well, now it matters.
* **Vex'ahlia**: To be perfectly honest, and not to brag, but I'm used to blowing minds.
* **Vex'ahlia**: *(about Percy)* He's a complicated man. No one knows better than I do just how complicated he is, but he's a good man, if a bit prickly, and sometimes up his own ass.

## **Trivia**

* This episode marked the first appearances in Campaign Three of Vox Machina members Pike, Trinket, Vex'ahlia, and Percival de Rolo. It featured a conversation between Ashton Greymoore and Percy, both player characters created by Taliesin Jaffe.
* This episode aired almost exactly seven years after "The Sun Tree" (1x28), in which Vex'ahlia first saw Laudna's body hanging from the Sun Tree.
* Sam's jerrycan shows a missing person poster for Marisha with the caption: "MISSING! Answers to: Ray, Ginger Queen, Boss Lady, & Kentucky. Warning! Will Fight You. $100 REWARD". Liam's response is "Yeah, I've sat next to her. That's true."

## **References**

1. ↑ See "Promise and Potential" (3x22), "A Taste of Tal'Dorei" (3x25), and "A Race for the Prize" (3x27) for the evolution of the sunflower.
2. ↑ See "The Sun Tree" (1x28) at 2:40:21.  "Next to that, you see what appears to be another woman, dressed in dark blacks and browns, leathers, some furs across the top, dark hair, dangling."
3. ↑ See "**A Desperate Call**" (3x36) from 1:17:05 through 1:17:20.

**Art:**

1. ↑ Fan art of Orym guarding Keyleth in Derrig's footsteps, by Jenny Dolfen (source). Used with permission.
2. ↑ Fan art of Percival and Gwendolyn, by Jackie Webber (source). Used with permission.
3. ↑ Fan art of Bells Hells, Pike, and Vex, by Lap Pun Cheung (source). Used with permission.
4. ↑ Fan art of the making of Pâté, by Carlie McCoy (source). Used with permission.
5. ↑ Fan art of Laudna's hut in flames, by Clara (source). Used with permission.
6. ↑ Fan art of Percy and Ashton, by Kaitlyn Leeds (source). Used with permission.