Hello! Welcome to the new, exciting, written form of Critical Recap! It’s still me, Dani Carr, Production Coordinator and Lore Aficionado. Let’s dive into our recap of Critical Role Episode 89, Lingering Wounds!

DOWNTIME

The Mighty Nein are taking a couple days of downtime before they begin their parlay with the Bright Queen, and they each have their own ways of attempting relaxation. Yasha finds a garden to read her book from Fjord, though her peace is constantly disturbed by Clay working on and playing with his bone flute, a death whistle that mimics the sound of screaming, which is as terrifying and hysterical as it sounds.

Jester scrys on Kiri in Upper Hupperdook and is comforted by seeing her safe and sound. She casts Sending on the Plank King, who has no idea who she is. Her next message is sent to Beau’s dad, Thoreau. Spooked, he thanks her for helping get rid of the competition. Jester’s last Sending is to Jourrael, thanking her for helping them in the fight and offering to be her friend. She tells Jester that her appreciation for their hand in ending Obann’s dominance was shown by allowing them to live, and that their paths will not cross again.

RESEARCH

Caleb takes Fjord and Nott to the Soltryce Academy, where he muses on his former desire to be a teacher. He works with Halas’ notes, and determines that, though it is complex and will take a lot of time, he can figure out the transformation spell for Nott.

Beau goes to the Rexxentrum Archive to research the archaeological dig in Pride’s Call. She discovers that a sinkhole opened up into underground ruins, believed to be Shattengrod, a magical city. The ruins were claimed by the Cerberus Assembly, who, in fact, did discover a beacon down there. This excavation is corroborated by others within the Archive. This confirms that there are three beacons the Nein have interacted with: the one from Zadash that they returned to the Bright Queen, one that was stolen and experimented on in Felderwin, and the one found in Shattengrod. Oremid Hass and Trent Ikithon were in Zadash with the first beacon, while Martinet Ludinus Da’leth and Vess DeRogna were in Felderwin. Beau learns that the final number of the beacons is unknown, and that seeking out new beacons is a specific directive of the Luxon religion.

HEART TO HEART

Jester asks Beau if she’s been avoiding her, thinking that the monk is upset with her because Jester didn’t save her life under the cathedral. Beau promises Jester that she trusts her judgement in battle. Jester then tells her that she’s been messaging Thoreau, which rattles Beau. She asks her to stop, that despite it being endearing and sweet, she needs to be careful of poking people’s pasts without their permission. They discuss the fortune tellers that swindled Thoreau, and the conversation veers to Molly, who Jester believes could see the future with his cards. She is undeterred from these beliefs despite Beau’s logic. Beau gives the tarot cards to Jester, who excitedly resolves to learn to read them her way.

Fjord, Beau, Jester, and Yasha search for a fighting pit. A bartender directs them to the Stone Coffin, beneath the King’s Cut Butchery. The female half-orc butcher, Jakael, sets up matches for them: a bare-knuckles brawl for Beau, a steel fight for Fjord, and a bare knuckles champion fight for Yasha. The matches are set for the following night.

CALEB’S PAST

Caleb hides his spellbooks with a new spell called Widogast’s Vault of Amber, and heads to Astrid’s home in the Shimmerward. Astrid seems genuinely happy to see him, and they discuss their bittersweet past. Caleb claims himself a failure, but Astrid reassures him. She says that while her work is difficult, she has stopped terrible things and that her hard choices save lives. She hates that he has suffered and mourns for him, but is proud of who he has become. He tries to show her Trent’s failings, but Astrid sees Trent as an old man with the right connections and has no regrets, outside of Bren. The two part on good terms.

The next day, Beau returns to the Rexxentrum Archive with Caleb. She investigates the six approved gods, finding out that during the war with the Julous Dominion hundreds of years ago, Emperor Manfried tried to ban all religion in retaliation against the priests who were fighting him. This backfired, so he kept a few gods whose philosophies lined up with his own. Those who practice other religions are simply fined and allowed to practice in secret. She tries to research the Chained Oblivion’s shackles, but has difficulty finding much information, as most of it is locked down in Vasselheim.

FIGHT CLUB

Beau’s match is up first and she’s competing against an older half-elven man named Ovo. It is a brutal fight that Beau readily wins. She feels bad for the old man, and gives him some of her winnings. The second match is Fjord vs Darrow. Darrow beats him resoundingly, even charming the crowd in the process. Darrow is good-natured about it, though Fjord heads straight to the bar to drown his sorrows. The final match is between Yasha and the bare-knuckles champion, a dwarven woman named Kal. Yasha doesn’t rage and spends her fight taunting Kal and slapping her in the face while Kal attacks and Yasha calmly takes the hits. This tactic freaks her out, and though Kal wins, Yasha has left an impression on the woman.

Meanwhile, Nott has been robbing the hat store across the street. Because of course she has. She returns, loaded down with hats, and passes them around to the group. She got the wrong hat for Fjord, and returns to the hat shop, stealing him a cowboy hat. They all decide that it’s time for more drinks in a different bar.

That is it for Episode 89 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

I did not breathe one single time during the entire Caleb and Astrid scene, that shit was intense.

I know Caleb rolled a 27 insight on her, but I still do not trust Astrid one single bit.

Clay’s bone flute is eventually going to pay off in the best way, and I cannot wait to see it

Poor Yasha. I hope getting herself literally beaten up makes her feel like she doesn’t have to emotionally beat herself up anymore. That was tough to witness.

Where is the second beacon?! The one that was being studied in Felderwin?! That Trent is up to no good, lemme tell ya.

I, for one, desperately want to attend Jester Lavorre’s School of Tarot Readings. Both informative and fun.

Oh Mighty Nein.

Anyway, catch Episode 90 on Thursday, January 9th at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole, or a week later on our podcast! Is it Thursday, yet?