Umbrasyl (episode)


 * For the ancient black dragon, see Umbrasyl (character).

is the seventeenth episode of the fourth chapter of Critical Role. In the midst of battle against Vox Machina and the Herd of Storms, the ancient black dragon Umbrasyl retreats to Gatshadow Mountain after sustaining heavy damage. With Scanlan Shorthalt and Vax'ildan trapped inside the dragon and Grog Strongjaw hanging from a chain attached to an axe embedded in Umbrasyl's scaled flesh, the party must somehow survive and choose whether to follow the dragon into its lair or wait for another opportunity to slay it later.

Pre-Show
On the Twitch stream, a Critical Role fan art slideshow played before the episode began, but it was not included in the final YouTube video of this episode.

Previously on Critical Role
"The intrepid party of adventurers known as Vox Machina, after recently freeing the town of Westruun from being occupied and ruled by the roving Herd of Storms, which Grog once hailed from, cut down their brutal leader Kevdak and temporarily restored power to a combination of himself and Kevdak's son, Zanror. An accord was made between the two of them to agree to go after and destroy the ancient black dragon Umbrasyl, member of the Chroma Conclave and mark for the party to eventually destroy anyway, but who had currently made a deal with the Herd, in exchange for goods, gold, and ruling over the town, would let them live essentially undisturbed, seemingly.

"They gathered an army, they forged a plan, and an ambush was set for the next time the dragon swooped down from atop the mountain Gatshadow to retrieve its package. At this time, the trap was sprung, the dragon held fast by hooks and chains, a giant metallic trap designed and orchestrated by Percival, and everything was going great. The dragon had sustained quite a bit of damage and seemed to be in a rough place, until it broke free and left much of the Herd fallen, dissolving and screaming.

"Also, Scanlan and Vax Dimension Door'ed into the inside of the dragon and have spent a number of rounds now deciding how to get out of it maybe? Tiny Vax, thanks to a potion that does that. Scanlan managed to go ahead and put in an Immovable Rod within its stomach, which held it up for a moment, before it decided to truly gain the advantage it needed to escape the circumstance, allowed it to tear through its body, as well as an arrow that was shot by Vex, towards her brother, in the hopes of, I don't know, being a symbol of hope? Or to put him out of his misery, I'm still trying to figure it out.

"At this point in time, Umbrasyl took to the sky and began to coast off towards Gatshadow, seemingly the domain that it's carved for itself in this region. On its way out, Grog had thrown his newly-acquired Bloodaxe, and the Chain of Returning, into the dragon, left it, and is now being dragged behind it now, dangling, as it flies off."

Part I
As Umbrasyl heads towards its lair, chased by Vex'ahlia on her broom and Percy and Pike on the back of giant eagles, Keyleth beginning to focus on the Gatestone to teleport to Vax'ildan. As Grog attempts to climb up the chain to reach the dragon, Vax'ildan, still in his reduced form, manages to cut through the hide of the dragon and squeeze his head and an arm out. Scanlan escapes by punching through Umbrasyl's stomach with Bigby's Hand and hangs onto it. The dragon also takes damage from a shot by Percy. Umbrasyl shakes Grog off, and Vax is pushed out of its side; the dragon then turns invisible. As he falls, Vax calls out to the Raven Queen. He sees a burst of dark feathers briefly fill the air around him, forming a trail as he falls. Grog attempts to make a parachute out of a fancy robe he found in his Bag of Holding. Scanlan catches him with Bixby's Hand, then polymorphs Grog into a giant eagle and sits on his back. They nosedive towards Vax, who hears a voice whisper in his ear to reach towards his left, and he grabs unto Scanlan's cloak. Grog starts to descend slowly towards the ground, carrying Scanlan and Vax'ildan. Keyleth, still in her earth elemental form, finishes concentrating on the Gatestone, and appears in the sky next to them. She immediately plummets to the ground like a meteor, her fire hands lit up. She slams into the base of Gatshadow mountain and forms a huge crater. Grog, Scanlan and Vex land next to her, soon followed by Vex'ahlia, Pike and Percy.

Vox Machina's reunion is interrupted by Shale, an elder goliath woman with one missing arm, who emerges from the forest. She recognizes Grog, and seems surprised to see him so big, as she remembers him being "puny". She informs the group that she was with a scouting party from the Herd of Storms heading to spy on Umbrasyl, but fell behind. When she caught up to them, they were all dead. She wishes to join Vox Machina to kill Umbrasyl. The group decides to head up the mountain as fast as possible, carried by giant eagles, to reach Umbrasyl's lair before he can heal himself.

Part II
The battle against the dragon began inside the creature's lair.

Weakened from its encounter with Vox Machina and the Herd of Storms in, Umbrasyl finally falls to Vox Machina and Shale, with Grog's Bloodaxe dealing the killing blow.

Shale, then, comes back to her companions of the Herd.

Vox Machina

 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Scanlan Shorthalt
 * Grog Strongjaw
 * Pike Trickfoot
 * Trinket
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia

New

 * Shale

Returning

 * Umbrasyl (slain)
 * Worra
 * Zanror

Quotations

 * Vax'ildan: (as Umbrasyl pushed him out of his body) "When I went into this dragon, I was lost, and a wanderer. As I am shat out its side, I come forth a paladin of the Raven Queen." I have multiclassed and leveled up. And the last thing I’m thinking as I shoot out this hole in its side is: "If you have any wings to lend me, now is the time."