Call of the Wild Hearts | Age of Umbra: Sallowlands | Episode 4 Part 2

August 11, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

“The entire swarm ignites in one final crescendo at the behest of Sister, and then all tumble into the dirt and surrounding dust. Just these little smoldering specks.”

That is how the party finishes off a swarm of skull beetles in the opening moments of this episode—but the real fire hasn’t started yet. The adventurers, having survived the ambush beneath the rock cover, press onward toward the Thread Bears mountain range, where the mysterious city of Morningstar awaits. What they find instead is a forest that should not exist, a community of transformed beast-folk who call themselves the Dova, and a reunion that raises more questions than it answers.

The Green That Should Not Be

As the party approaches the base of the Thread Bears, the landscape shifts dramatically. Where there was only “classically dull brown and gray” lifeless expanse, there is now “fresh forest growth, rapid and expansive.” Sister, moving with an almost supernatural grace, leads the group through terrain she seems to know instinctively. The air smells sweet, carrying “the softness of a breeze that only dense foliage can carry.” For characters who have spent their lives in the blasted Sallowlands, this is a sight none of them have seen before—possibly the first time for some.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:01) **Swarm Ambush & Blood Magic** - The party is attacked by a swarm of skull beetles under a rock outcropping.
2 (09:46) **Approaching the Threadbare Mountains** - The party notices unnatural, rapid forest growth in the previously lifeless Sallowlands.
3 (16:28) **Encounter with the Dova** - The party meets a caravan of beastfolk called the Dova, who are mutated but not hostile.
4 (25:13) **A Suspiciously Peaceful Camp** - The party enters the Dova's temporary community, which feels unnervingly peaceful and welcoming.
5 (34:56) **The Dova's Offer and the Grim Hunter** - The Dova leaders explain their transformation and offer the party a choice.
6 (40:52) **Questioning the Dova's Intentions** - The party probes for more details about the Grim Hunter and the Dova's practices.
7 (52:04) **Uncovering a Slaughter** - Alphonse uses his blood magic to see a vision of the past in this very spot.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Part 2

After escaping the Tower of Oxudos, the travelers continue across the Sallowlands, where they encounter a thriving community devoted to a new spreading faith...

DAGGERHEART: HOPE & FEAR
Explore new Daggerheart content seen in Sallowlands with the first expansion for Daggerheart! Hope & Fear comes out August 25th and features new classes (Witch, Warlock, Assassin, Brawler), transformation cards, adversaries, campaign frames, and much more. Visit https://www.daggerheart.com/pre-order to learn more, or head directly to Critical Role shops to place your pre-order!
US: https://shop.critrole.com
UK: https://shop.critrole.co.uk
EU: https://shop.critrole.eu
AU: https://shop.critrole.com.au
CA: https://canada.critrole.com

AGE OF UMBRA: SALLOWLANDS
A group of outcasts and survivors brave blasted lands in search of answers in Age of Umbra: Sallowlands. This 6-part Daggerheart mini-series features Game Master Matthew Mercer and players Laura Bailey, Jennifer English, Abubakar Salim, Vico Ortiz, and Zachery Renauldo. They’ll form an unlikely band of companions, who venture off the beaten path in search of answers in the Sallowlands, a new region of the Halcyon Domain filled with cracked badlands, dangers, and awe-inspiring secrets. What fragile hopes dare they cling to in this story of desperation and survival? Learn more at https://critrole.com/umbra

BEACON
Curious what happens when the camera turns off after an Age of Umbra episode? Watch the Cooldown episodes with the cast discussion after each episode, exclusively on Beacon! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to the shows you love completely ad-free! You’ll receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord.

CREDITS
See full cast and crew credits at https://critrole.com/sallowlands-credits/

Starring:
Game Master Matthew Mercer | @matthewmercervo
Jennifer English as Dillywin Hellekin | @jenniferjenglish
Abubakar Salim as Mercy | @abubakarsalim
Laura Bailey as Sister | @laurabaileyvo
Zachery Renauldo as Alphonse | @zachthebold
Vico Ortiz as Cagauma | @puertoricaninja

Art by:
Key Art by Daniel Jiménez Villalba | @Danieljimenezvillalba
Character Art by Strange House | @strange_house
Sallowlands Map by Marco Bernardini
Miniatures Painted by Keo Lacebal, Angela Basset, and Erik Lonnquist
Main Theme Song by Omar Fadel
Set Design by Shaun Ellis
Set Fabrication and Production Design by Noxweiler Berf

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