A Dark Balance

is the 38th episode of the third campaign of Critical Role.

This episode was a Halloween episode, and the cast wore costumes. This year's theme was characters from X-Men except Sam, who was Mister Fantastic. Bells Hells return to safety from the treacherous shadow realm with renewed hope to save their lost friend...

Pre-show
Everyone's dressed as X-Men...or members of the Fantastic Four, in Sam's case! The Tales of Exandria: The Bright Queen is now out in trade paperback.

Part I
Bells Hells awaken in Pike's cottage from the Astral Projection spell. Pike asks them how it went, and checks Laudna again. She tells the party that Delilah Briarwood is significantly weakened, though not entirely gone, and resurrection might sever the connection or might still bring back Delilah, though it is far less likely that will occur now. Vex is somewhat concerned, but Bells Hells beg Pike to go forward with the resurrection ritual, which, after confirming with Vex and warning the party of the risk and the potential for failure, she does.

Orym is first to speak in the resurrection, and tells Laudna that the party needs her, and that she deserves to have a life outside of Delilah. He uses Druidcraft to create poppies in her hair. His offering is a success.

Fresh Cut Grass goes next, and praises Laudna's love for the party. He casts Compulsion, telling Laudna that he knows she might not wish to return, but that he cannot let her do that. The offering fails.

Imogen goes last. She tells Laudna that she saved her life, and that the time with her has meant everything. She acknowledges how much of a burden Delilah has been on Laudna, and tells Laudna that no matter how she feels without Delilah, she will be there to support her. Imogen tearfully tells Laudna that she can't make the choice for her, and that Laudna must decide whether to return or not, but that she loves her. The offering fails.

Pike completes the ritual, and at first is unsure whether it succeeded. After verifying with Imogen that Laudna doesn't breathe much, Pike slaps Laudna, who awakens. Bells Hells ask her to say something only she would know. Laudna asks Imogen if she's found her mother yet, and Imogen hugs her. FCG casts Detect Thoughts and finds that Laudna is somewhat confused and overwhelmed, but seems normal. She appears as she always has.

Bells Hells then notice that Pike is holding out her symbol of the Everlight, and Vex has a dark green bow with an arrow nocked. Vex tells Laudna not to move or she will shoot. Pike approaches Laudna and holds out her symbol to confirm the soul is hers, not Delilah's. After a moment, she tells everyone that it is indeed Laudna, and that she does not sense Delilah. Vex stands down and introduces herself to Laudna. Laudna is taken aback by being in Whitestone, but Imogen comforts her, telling her that it's been renewed in the time since the rule of the Briarwoods. She asks how long it has been, and, after Chetney jokes that it's been years, Orym confirms it's only been a few days.

As they go to leave Pike's cottage, several invisible members of the Whitestone Rifle Corps appear within the room. After Vex invites Bells Hells to stay at the castle for the evening, she opens the door, revealing several dozen more Rifle Corps members, about 50 of the Pale Guard, and Percy with a sniper rifle ready. Vex confirms to Percy that Laudna is not Delilah, and everyone stands down. Laudna sees Whitestone in its current state, similar to the way it was in her childhood, rather than the corrupted version she had fled. She asks to go to the Sun Tree, overwhelmed by all the changes. She has a brief conversation with a child, who appreciates her "fun-scary" nature. She then leans against the Sun Tree, which is warm, and invokes her Form of Dread, but embodies the shape of the tree rather than the veiled figure that had represented Delilah.

Percy approaches shortly after she drops the Form of Dread, and introduces himself and apologies for the harm she had incurred in her youth in Whitestone. Laudna, in turn, introduces him to Pâté de Rolo, which he finds somewhat confusing. Laudna then asks him if he's communicated with the tree. He tells her that Keyleth does so, but he hasn't, before reluctantly placing his hands against it. He then goes back to Whitestone Castle.

Imogen thanks Vex, who tells her that she is welcome, and that perhaps Bells Hells will owe them a favor. Fearne thanks Pike and asks her for a hug. She tries but fails to steal Pike's holy symbol, after which Pike says her goodbyes and goes to leave, but not before Laudna, using her Pact Boon, casts Find Familiar and brings Pâté to life as a winged rat with the skull of a bird, his voice very similar to the voice she used to use when he was a puppet. Pâté excitedly and randily introduces himself to Bells Hells. FCG admits that Pâté does remind them of their issues with birds, and might need to very slowly acclimate to him.

After a tour of the city from Vex, Bells Hells reconvene at Castle Whitestone for a dinner of potato soup after a last-minute word from Imogen regarding the dinner that the Briarwoods had served to Laudna. Before dinner is served FCG asks Percy for directions to the Horizon Temple of the Changebringer in the city, and offers Percy therapy. Percy refuses the second, but tells FCG he is impressed by his vocabulary, given Doty's much more limited one. Fearne, meanwhile, asks Percy for a gun for Little Mister. Percy is somewhat taken aback, but Vex points out something like their childrens' pop-guns might be appropriate, at which point Percy goes to get one and Vex goes to alert the kitchen staff about the menu. Alone in the dining room, Bells Hells talk briefly. Orym sets up a plan for guard shifts outside Laudna's room, and they all discuss telling the de Rolos about the residuum, Ruidus, and their other concerns.

After dinner, they all go to discuss Bells Hells' business. Ashton reminds everyone that the trust is tenuous, and Orym tells Vex and Percy that they had already reported some of this to Keyleth. Bells Hells presents the residuum, and Percy and Vex confirm that they believe there is some trade going through Wildemount and had been hoping it was not tied to the Cerberus Assembly, but that it sounds as though it is.

Imogen then asks about the apogee solstice and tells the de Rolos about Otohan Thull, then brings up the lattice around Ruidus and the city on the moon. Percy sketches a pattern that Imogen recognizes as similar to the one around Ruidus, and he tells her that it is that of the Divine Gate. Imogen asks about the two lost deities, and while Vex and Percy are not familiar, they offer to bring this to some allies in Vasselheim for research, although Orym warns them about the Gray Assassins. Meanwhile, after FCG reveals their continued belief that Exandria is flat, Percy recommends they go to Tary to have their gears checked.

Chetney then compliments Percy on the clocktower, and the party discusses how they can get home without Keyleth. Percy offers to charter them a boat before Bells Hells remembers Manaia Turei and decides to contact her in the morning. Percy then goes to leave with the residuum, but Fearne says that it's the party's; after some discussion, Percy leaves Bells Hells with a very small amount for emergencies and proof of their findings. Vex apologizes for Percy's brusqueness, and offers her Ring of Protection to Laudna before leaving as well.

Bells Hells all welcome Laudna back. She asks them if they wouldn't mind sleeping outside by the Sun Tree rather than in the castle, and they agree.

Part II
As they do before every long rest, FCG casts Shared Dream, and finds themselves in Imogen's dream. Imogen and FCG are within the storm already; while Imogen can just make out her house through the dust, she does not hear her mother nor does she see Otohan. However, she does see the figure of a larger, masculine warrior, though she cannot see their face clearly. Imogen tells FCG that she's worried it's Eshteross. As the wind gets stronger, Imogen, inspired by FCG asking her if she can cast in the dream, takes FCG and kicks off the ground to fly, and finds that she has some control over her abilities in the dream without needing to cast specific spells. FCG, as as visitor in the dream, cannot cast.

Imogen wills the storm to part, and the ground below appears cracked, not like the Taloned Highlands. After trying and failing to message Eshteross, she returns to the ground with FCG. The bright red darkens to maroon, and the storm dies down. Above them, Imogen and FCG can see a dark sky full of stars, and when FCG asks where they are, Imogen surmises they are on the moon. The stars then begin to fade, and they wake up as things go dark.

In Whitestone, Laudna attunes to her new ring and tells Imogen she can keep the Bloodwell Vial. Fearne casts Speak with Plants on the Sun Tree, who talks back to her. She asks them if, when they were planted, there was only Catha in the sky and the Sun Tree says that they always remember there being two moons. They also tell her that the Apogee Solstice tickles. The Sun Tree cannot open a door in itself.

Imogen casts Sending to Eshteross, who does not respond. She tells Bells Hells about her dream, and that they need to get back to Jrusar after they run some final errands in Whitestone. They all have brunch in the castle and then go find Vex at the archery range to ask about the shops in town. Chetney gives Imogen the gift he owes her: an intricate wooden horse that can move, with no metal pieces in it. Vex is impressed by the craftsmanship.

As they walk to the center of town where the shops are, FCG casts Sending to Manaia and, after some misunderstanding, asks her to bring them back to Jrusar from Whitestone in two hours. He then separates from the party to go to the Horizon Temple. The rest of Bells Hells goes to the Whitestone franchise of Gilmore's Glorious Goods and are met by Jerry, a newly trained associate. They purchase several healing potions and an enchanted toy griffon, and Ashton purchases some ball bearings at a general store. Meanwhile, FCG goes to the temple of Avandra, and meets Guide Osli Kamyda. FCG asks for some direction, as they do not know much about religion, or life, in general. Osli tells him that he only needs to ask for guidance, and that the symbols might be vague or interpretive, but that he will become more comfortable with interpretation over time. Osli also tells them that all roads are holy places of the Changebringer, and emphasizes the central tenet of free will within the Changebringer's teachings. FCG then asks Osli to cover his ears so he can pray privately, and gives a small offering of incense and powdered silver. They ask Avandra to give them a sign that she hears them. Osli provides some final encouragement as FCG leaves the temple to rejoin the rest of Bells Hells.

Manaia brings the party back through to the Parlor of the Collective in Jrusar, where it is very early in the morning. They all go to Eshteross Manor. Imogen tries Sending again but receives no response, and Orym does not see any signs of entry to the house. FCG's Locate Creature is successful and finds Eshteross within the house, unmoving, but the party is unsure if this means he is alive or not. Laudna offers to send in Pâté, and Chetney, casts Invisibility and knocks on the door before picking the lock. After he opens the door, Pâté flies in. Immediately, Pâté notices many of the traps had been triggered and that the entire house shows signs of a considerable struggle, with gashes in the walls and pools of blood on the floor. Chetney, hiding just inside the door, can smell the blood and recognize some of it as Otohan's. He does not notice anyone in Jrusar watching the house. Pâté follows the blood trails upstairs as Laudna Messages Chetney to follow, as the traps seem to have been set off. He sees Eshteross's cane on the floor, and Eshteross's grievously wounded body lying face down, one arm reaching underneath the bed. Eshteross appears to not be breathing, and has no pulse. Chetney confirms to the party that Lord Eshteross is dead.

Chetney then reaches for what Eshteross had been trying to get, and triggers a trap, but is able to get a small iron lockbox. The lock is complex, but he is able to find the keys on Eshteross's body and open the box. Inside are a number of letters, one each to Evelyn Wress, Lex Emenar, Chief Wilder Namin Oros, Ajit Dayal, Orlana Seshadri, Manaia Turei, and Bells Hells. Chetney opens the one to Bells Hells and reads it.

Chetney also finds a recipe for Eshteross's maple ginger cookies, and Eshteross's will to the party:

''To the Variant Coinstores of Duman: On behalf of Lord Ariks Eshteross, Heir to the Prudaj fortune and business. In the eventual event of my demise, I leave to the members of the band known as Bells Hells- Ashton, Laudna, Orym, Imogen Temult, Fearne Calloway, Letters, and that odd older gnome fellow- my trusted weapon Turmoil, and the ownership of the skyship, the Silver Sun. I also will upon the crew of the Silver Sun, under the guidance of Captain Xandis, a sum of one year's worth of payment for their services under Bells Hells for as long in accordance to our previously agreed upon wage contract.''

Chetney picks up Eshteross's walking stick, which he believes is what was referred to by "Turmoil", and tells the party that there are a number of other letters as well. Orym checks the cane and is able to smell the same toxin that had been used in the attack on Zephrah. The party decides to go to the Soot and Swill to discuss their next steps.

Bells Hells

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

Returning

 * Ariks Eshteross (in a dream, corpse)
 * Little Mister
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Pike Trickfoot
 * Vex'ahlia
 * Sun Tree
 * Manaia Turei

New

 * Pâté de Rolo, as familiar
 * Jerry, employee at Gilmore's Glorious Goods's Whitestone branch
 * Osli Kamyda, cleric of Avandra in Whitestone

Mentioned

 * Ajit Dayal
 * Avandra
 * Bertrand Bell
 * Delilah Briarwood
 * Doty
 * Ellia
 * Evelyn Wress
 * Keyleth
 * Lex Emanar, shopkeep
 * Chief Wilder Namin Oros, of the Wardens of Jrusar
 * Orlana Seshadri
 * Shaun Gilmore
 * Shithead
 * Taryon Darrington
 * Xandis