Duskmeadow (episode)

is the first episode of the fifth chapter of Critical Role. With Umbrasyl defeated, the Herd of Storms beginning a new chapter as part of the Rivermaw Tribe, and the city of Westruun restored to its people, Vox Machina journeys to Vasselheim as Vax'ildan confronts the heavy price of a bargain for his sister's life. After a short stay in Vasselheim, the party travels to Whitestone to meet old friends... and an old enemy?

Pre-Show
Before this episode aired on Twitch, a couple promotional videos aired. It is unlikely that they will be included in the final YouTube video of this episode.
 * Geek & Sundry promotional video, "17k and Ivan Breathes Fire", featuring Ivan Van Norman breathing fire as the reward to the channel's community for completing the challenge to reach seventeen thousand subscribers.
 * While the show was late to begin, a video aired that showcased the iam8bit art in the Geek & Sundry Twitch studio with a reference to iam8bit.com.
 * No Survivors promo on the canine-themed RPG Pugmire, featuring "Be a Good Dog" sung and performed by the No Survivors cast and guests.

Announcements

 * Late due to traffic in LA and E3.
 * Love, support, and solidarity with the victims of recent violence in the United States and the LBGTQ community.
 * LootCrate's dystopia-themed box will be shipping soon, so use the lootcrate.com/criticalrole to subscribe to LootCrate now.
 * Critter T-shirts will be made using designs from an upcoming contest.
 * Battle Chasers successfully kickstarted, and it was promoted on Critical Role in previous episodes.  The creator (Joe Madureira) made an exclusive art poster for Critical Role, which is being sold with cast signatures on pre-order for two weeks at Geek and Sundry's shop, and unsigned for three weeks. The signed version costs $200, and the unsigned version costs $40.
 * Taliesin will be at a con.
 * Laura and Travis voiced characters in Batman.
 * The live-action opening sequence that premiered in was played after the announcements.

Recap
"Vox Machina, the growing troupe of heroic misfits, having recently felled their first recent member of the Chroma Conclave, Umbrasyl the Hope Devourer, as well as destroying the current incursion of the Herd of Storms in the city of Westruun. They met with the remaining people of the town and began to decide a plan for its continued existence and the recovery of those that were displaced in these recent conflicts.

"Part of this process was meeting an individual named Kerrek, who was a blacksmith who had been in the town for a while, who unwittingly became part of this discussion. Grog had spoken with the remnants of the Herd of Storms that had essentially been disbanding from the name and moving west to join with the Rivermaw, which had stepped off from the Herd not too long ago.

"Vox Machina had a hot springs episode in the mansion. Scanlan had made his way back to Kymal, in which he, along with the aid of a few of his friends, figured out a plan in which the people who had been displaced could eventually return to Westruun, and also found Kaylie and spoke with her, and had his somewhat tearful reunion there. The party began to construct a subterranean portion of Westruun that would be protected from future dragon incursion, renovating and restructuring within the sewer system beneath the city.

"After this process was complete, they decided the next level of their trek—the next direction they would travel—would be towards the far northwestern continent of Othanzia, specifically the city of Vasselheim that they know oh so well. All of them stepping through a tree portal presented by Keyleth, they immediately step out into the snowy exterior of what seems like the outside of the Quadroads in Vasselheim."

Break

 * An updated Critical Role fan art video played during the break.

Post-Show

 * Geek & Sundry promotional video, "17k and Ivan Breathes Fire", featuring Ivan Van Norman breathing fire as the reward to the channel's community for completing the challenge to reach seventeen thousand subscribers.

New

 * Unnamed construction worker on Victor's roof.
 * Unnamed servant of the Raven Queen.
 * Deirdre:  Proprietress of the Sore Socket Haberdashery.
 * Loran:  Human member of the Slayer's Take.  Also named Voran or Oran, as variably remembered by the DM and players.

Returning

 * Allura Vysoren
 * Cassandra de Rolo
 * Drake Thunderbrand (mentioned only)
 * Realmseer Eskil Ryndarien
 * Hotis
 * Lady Kima of Vord
 * The Raven Queen
 * Raishan (mentioned only; used to live in the mountains outside Syngorn)
 * Shaun Gilmore
 * The Sun Tree
 * Thordak (mentioned only)
 * Vanessa Cyndrial
 * Victor:  All of the fingers on Victor's right hand are now gone—freshly gone.
 * Vorugal (mentioned only)