AI Summary
5 min readThe party has survived the fall of the Embertol, the vanishing of the city of Hook Row, and a desperate battle against the demonic Hecatomb Legion in the newly-formed Hellscar. Mercy, their fungal companion, gave his life to destroy the Legion's priest, becoming a beautiful tree of mycelium in the process. Now, wounded and processing loss, the group stands at the edge of a vast, glowing crater, the source of a raw, electric magic that tastes like a nine-volt battery on the tongue. A presence begins to push into their minds, offering visions—not of threat, but of a verdant past, a loving community, and a figure in red robes who fought against the old gods.
The Usurper's History
The visions reveal the story of the "usurper in red," a figure from before the Age of Umbra who challenged the pantheon of gods. His punishment was not death, but entrapment: his people were smote from above, buried and screaming in darkness, while he was sealed away, undying and conscious, in a lightless prison. The city of Hook Row was revealed to be a traveler between realms, a "multidimensional city" that had passed through countless worlds. The usurper, sensing its arrival, saw it as his chance. He called out, and the city came, taking root in his domain. But the city's true masters were far darker than any old god—terrible, demonic lords with their own plans for the world.
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What you'll learn
- 1 Age of Umbra: Sallowlands | Episode 6 Part 1 — Timestamped Outline
- 2 (02:20) **Finale Setup & Announcements** - The episode opens with announcements about the "Road to Nowhere" zine, Daggerheart content, and merchandise before transitioning into the finale.
- 3 (09:01) **Episode Recap: The Hellscar** - The DM recaps last session: the party escaped Hook Row, watched the city vanish via a massive arcane sigil, and now stands at the edge of a broken crater filled with raw magic.
- 4 (13:20) **Aftermath of Mercy's Sacrifice** - The party processes Mercy's death and the defeat of the priest, with characters mourning and collecting items from the fallen.
- 5 (19:49) **Encounter with a Survivor** - A runner from above descends and reports on the battle raging above between beast folk, Oathwell faithful, and other unknown forces.
- 6 (22:22) **Comforting the Corrupted** - The party discovers the corrupted exemplars are young, terrified people, and attempts to comfort one while the other leaps to their death.
- 7 (27:25) **Vision Through the Priest's Remains** - Dilwyn uses death connection on the priest to glimpse memories of what lies below, discovering demons were digging for something beneath the city.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
Part 1
As rival factions descend into the ruins, the travelers uncover something ancient beneath the scars...
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!
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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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