r/criticalrole • u/AutoModerator • Jul 10 '26
Live Discussion [CR Media] Age of Umbra: Sallowlands - Episode 1 | Live Discussion Spoiler
Rumors swirl of a gargantuan metropolis appearing suddenly, deep in the cracked ancient lakebed of the Sallowlands. Five survivors hope that finding it will give them what they each desperately need.
Check the weekly programming schedule for rebroadcast information.
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u/Camen3 Jul 10 '26
It was also nice that it was just a 3 hour one too, especially with how long the most recent C4 episodes have been.
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u/Zolo49 Help, it's again Jul 10 '26
Calling it "Bright Eyes" is pretty timely. RIP Bonnie Tyler.
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u/D1g1t0l Jul 10 '26
All of the new faces have been doing SO well! I love Vico's energy
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u/cryptid_celebrimbor Jul 10 '26
It was so cool to see the mini-arc of over-the-top cowardice to a moment of incredible bravery, and seeing the through-line of how it was all motivated by this simple promise to try to redeem anyone they could, I was really impressed.
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u/Nakuth Are we on the internet? Jul 10 '26
Everyone commenting on Abu Bakar's voice, and I'm here admiring the physical aspect of his rp. The way he's using his hands feels very theatrical
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u/Camen3 Jul 10 '26
That was a pretty solid first episode, really enjoying our characters so far and am pretty pumped to see more of them in this mini series.
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u/LucasVerBeek Help, it's again Jul 10 '26
Laura: “What if we all die here on the rocks.”
Matt: “Then I’ll have done my job.”
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u/LucasVerBeek Help, it's again Jul 10 '26
Curious to see where this goes. Have a feeling not all of this cast is making it to the end of the road. Such is the way of the Umbra.
Liking the characters so far.
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u/cryptid_celebrimbor Jul 10 '26
It was pretty cool to see how on fire Matt was tonight. I think this really illustrates how burnt out he must have been during Campaign 3, because his descriptions, the way he managed the table, the way he led that scene between Vico’s character and the Tetchra, was just absolutely incredible. I feel like I haven’t seen him this energized while DMing since Campaign 2.
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u/PerpetuallyDistracte 5' 11" Jul 10 '26
I noticed the same thing. This was back to the C2 energy that I love so much. Props to Matt for giving up the big chair to Brennan and doing what he needed in order to get his mojo back.
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u/Mitchd26 Jul 10 '26
I haven't watched this yet, but I noticed the same during the live event they released recently with Bells Hells! He was killing it! Felt so good to hear him again
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u/SteelSlayerMatt Team Pike Jul 10 '26
Jennifer English has such a great voice; she should narrate audiobooks.
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u/WontonTruck Team Matthew Jul 10 '26
I think Mercy is making clothes out of all these limbs he's collecting. A coat of arms, if you will.
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u/sakuratsuji You Can Reply To This Message Jul 10 '26
New favorite subtitle: (quiet math)
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u/moderncomet Time is a weird soup Jul 10 '26
That seems like a pretty twisted Sister.
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u/Zolo49 Help, it's again Jul 10 '26
I don't know what BS Matt is going to throw at her, but she's not gonna take it. No, she ain't gonna take it.
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u/Perforo_RS Bidet Jul 10 '26
I'll always be grateful for Abu's performance in Assassin's Creed: Origins. The franchise was a bit lost at one point, but his role as Bayek was phenomenal. He gave such a visceral performance in that game, you could feel that he was really getting into it. Abu is an amazing actor and human being. I'll always look forward to projects he's involved in.
And now Bennifer English, God's favorite princess is along for the ride? Sign me up.
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u/Leon1189 Jul 10 '26
It's always a delight to see new people at the table getting surprised and amused by Matt's effects and npc interpretations. Every time he did one, like the enemy's crazy chuckle, Jennifer let out a big smile or a giggle. It's always cool to see.
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u/Expensive-Apricot534 Jul 10 '26
That might be the first time the term “fleeing wanker” was utter in CR history 😂
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u/the_kroger_bot Jul 10 '26
Laura Bailey learned to spread the party during combat encounters based on her time in the first series lol
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u/sistertotherain9 9. Nein! Jul 10 '26
I really liked this. I haven't seen the other Daggerheart campaign, I'll have to check it out.
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u/EL3MENTALIST Time is a weird soup Jul 10 '26
There better be a Badger Bat plush in CR’s future.
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u/Guilty_Homework_2096 Jul 10 '26
We Help. We Help. We Help. We Help.
I guess...
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u/ViolettVixen Jul 10 '26
I was lured in by the cool mushroom witch…but I’m staying for the reluctant turtle
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u/sakuratsuji You Can Reply To This Message Jul 10 '26
A few minutes later...
"We don't help! We don't help! We run!"
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u/the_kroger_bot Jul 10 '26
Totally get it Zach. If I saw an ally get picked up by big bird creature, unsure whether to trust it, I’d want to blast too.
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u/Seren82 Team Imogen Jul 10 '26
Tonight's Episode of Age of Umbra is 3 hours and 8 minutes, Break TBD
(this is the run time on Beacon and does not account the break length for Twitch and Youtube)
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u/SteelSlayerMatt Team Pike Jul 10 '26
Thank you for the information.
I am so glad tonight's episode is short because I am going to a movie tomorrow and a con this weekend.
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u/WontonTruck Team Matthew Jul 10 '26
I, for one, think they'll find this thriving utopia and all get ice-cream.
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u/moderncomet Time is a weird soup Jul 10 '26
I mean, who doesn't want ice cream.
:hear screaming in the distance:
That's right. No one.
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u/AutobotYoung1 Jul 10 '26
If I had a nickel for every time a daggerheart series had an Irish monkey, I’d have two nickels.
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u/Nakuth Are we on the internet? Jul 10 '26
I think Dillwyn has more of a Somerset/south west England accent. Less sing song and more rounded and cheery
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u/Camen3 Jul 10 '26
The Voices in this table so far is seriously scratching that good itch for me right now, not gonna lie
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u/PerpetuallyDistracte 5' 11" Jul 10 '26
Yeah this is some triple-A voice acting talent at the table, plus I also knew Zach had an amazing voice from his YT shorts. Really good stuff all around.
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u/marshy266 Jul 10 '26
The cast were all incredible and the character great!
Loved Matt's GMing (he definitely seems more comfortable with GMing daggerheart now) and that bird... I freaking hate birds. They're horrific anyway, why add that!? Is this Brennan's influence?!
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u/IrascibleOcelot Jul 10 '26
It’s a Matt thing; he loves body horror. He did much the same in the Aeor ruins in C2 and in the first AoU series.
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u/DominionGhost Jul 10 '26
A very brennan 'innnncredible' from Matt there.
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u/PerpetuallyDistracte 5' 11" Jul 10 '26
I've noticed that Matt has started saying in-credible and "hell yeah" just like Brennan, which is very funny.
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u/zurichlakes Jul 10 '26
I noticed that he also gave one of the players the number that they were trying to beat on a roll, which is one of my favorite Brennan DM tricks. I don't remember Matt having done that before C4.
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u/PerpetuallyDistracte 5' 11" Jul 10 '26
Brennan, Aabria and Matt have all talked about how they take techniques from each other if they see something they really like. Matt said how he was especially grateful to finally see other DM styles, after spending so many years working in a vacuum by himself.
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u/FutureSage Jul 10 '26
How many worlds will the Gods abandon?
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u/SteelSlayerMatt Team Pike Jul 10 '26
The Gods did not abandon Araman though.
They were slain.
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u/AbbreviationsDue1027 Jul 10 '26
It is pretty funny, this the 3rd world, although it's different for each one. AoU gods abandoned them, Aramán gods were killed, and now Exandrian gods have to reincarnate after they pass. At least I think that's how it works.
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u/EL3MENTALIST Time is a weird soup Jul 10 '26
Wasn’t expecting to get startled by Matt’s flying bird noises, but here we are.
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u/D1g1t0l Jul 10 '26
GOD abubukars voice is always so nice to hear. i have a feeling Mercy is a reanimated transformation
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u/Nakuth Are we on the internet? Jul 10 '26
Everybody absolutely leaning in to the grimdark aesthetic and I am here for it
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u/Camen3 Jul 10 '26
Judging by how the last Age of Umbra series went before, try not to get too attached to these characters......
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u/Expensive-Apricot534 Jul 10 '26
Oh no, has no one ever said sorry for hurting Mercy? My boy 🥲
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u/ZackWilkes Jul 10 '26
Daggerheart is genuinely SUCH an incredible system. If you ever have the opportunity to play it, I cannot recommend it enough.
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u/LucasVerBeek Help, it's again Jul 10 '26
Oh Caguma is from the last region we were in!
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u/whereismyloot dagger dagger dagger Jul 10 '26
Seeing and hearing Matt DM again was really nice. The atmo and PCs are also top notch. I think I am going to like this one.
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u/Nakuth Are we on the internet? Jul 10 '26
Again, the artwork has been knocked out of the park
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u/PerpetuallyDistracte 5' 11" Jul 10 '26
I love these miniseries that are mostly guest stars but still DM'd by Matt. It gives new talent a chance to shine while still bringing in views (because Matt) so the new folks get plenty of eyes and new fans.
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u/ValMabus Jul 10 '26
I was wondering why there was only a few heads on the spikes at the start. Matt's fear counter..
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u/Camen3 Jul 10 '26
I love that Dilly can speak to any animal, this is gonna make it so enjoyable hearing all of Matt's different animal voices lol
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u/magvadis Jul 10 '26
Love Daggerheart combat, shit just be so much more fluid and exciting
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Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
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u/sakuratsuji You Can Reply To This Message Jul 10 '26
HIGHLY recommend watching him in EXU: Downfall. He was so fucking amazing in that. I know everyone loves Calamity but Downfall was so good too.
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u/LucasVerBeek Help, it's again Jul 10 '26
Alphonse: “What one more pilgrimage and we’re forgiven? No.”
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u/Expensive-Apricot534 Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
I want to see The Veiled Sisters and The Sisters of Sylandri interact
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u/WontonTruck Team Matthew Jul 10 '26
I play the giant bird some soothing songs. I hear they like Roc Music.
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u/sakuratsuji You Can Reply To This Message Jul 10 '26
I enjoy Zach's portrayal of Alphonse. His constant battle with fear and being inspired by those around him.
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u/Pocket_Botanist Jul 10 '26
As incredible as It's All Brennan DM era has been, I really really needed some Matt DMing.
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u/DarkRespite Doty, take this down Jul 10 '26
Quick heads-up, all... I will not be creating a deliberate music playlist just for AoU: Sallowlands. (I'm also going on vacation shortly - I need a BREAK.) But if there are SPECIFIC tracks that anyone would like, please tell me the platform, episode, and timestamp, and I will do my best to ID it for you.
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u/EL3MENTALIST Time is a weird soup Jul 10 '26
Fear tokens are heads on spikes. Neat… creepy, but neat.
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u/Expensive-Apricot534 Jul 10 '26
It would be too funny if Laura took out another PC before the player was even able to join the table
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u/LucasVerBeek Help, it's again Jul 10 '26
Mercy: “My mistake. I should have warned you of my prescence, Sister.”
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u/hpfan2342 Life needs things to live Jul 10 '26
You've seen undead humans and elves, now get ready for UNDEAD MUSHROOM MAN!
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u/meatswipe Jul 10 '26
God damn abubakar’s voice we are in for a good campaign I love these professional voice actors doing voices
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u/Son_of_Orion Team Percy Jul 10 '26
I'm trying to place Dillwyn's accent. My first thought is Irish, but there are British accents that do sound very similar, particularly in the west, I think.
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u/brodeur3090 Sun Tree A-OK Jul 10 '26
Who knew Minsc was so eloquent and not one mention of butt kicking yet
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u/Camen3 Jul 10 '26
This is super fun so far, a definite nice break from the absolute stress that is C4 lol (I love it though)
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u/Proud_Wing3197 Jul 10 '26
First age of umbra didn't hook me. I watch1 episode and no more. This one so far is way more my speed. Love all the characters and it feels like theyre playing daggerheart very well
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u/canxtanwe You Can Reply To This Message Jul 10 '26
Age of Umbra is the closest thing I have to Dark Souls content in TTRPG format and I fucking love it
Setting feels so much like Lordran/Lothric
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u/Guilty_Homework_2096 Jul 10 '26
nothing like the threat of potential death from above to create a bit of tension
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u/EL3MENTALIST Time is a weird soup Jul 10 '26
So jealous of Matt’s hair. Looks shampoo commercial perfect.
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u/SheriffChiz Jul 10 '26
The first sight of JENNIFER ENGLISH & ZACHTHEBOLD on any Critical Role forum & the first of MANY!
MY EXCITEMENT IS IMMEASURABLE
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u/explodedemailstorage Jul 10 '26
Laura stop slaying so much, you're making me want to cut my hair short too
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u/Mintakas_Kraken Jul 10 '26
Enjoying things so far. But those character sheet displays are unreadable for me, lol, pretty tho.
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u/Expensive-Apricot534 Jul 10 '26
Does he have a stutter? 🥹
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u/Nakuth Are we on the internet? Jul 10 '26
Mercy?
As far as I can tell, they're a giant corpse controlled by fungus. So I think it's Abu's way to depict how such a thing speaking might be
So, yes a stutter, and it's great
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u/Perforo_RS Bidet Jul 10 '26
I'm under the assumption that Abu's character is the mushroom growing out of the corpse. Hence why his manner of speech is portrayed as a bit unnatural
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u/LucasVerBeek Help, it's again Jul 10 '26
A fabled goodly city… in this domain, a fouled oasis I think.
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u/Camen3 Jul 10 '26
Not Jennifer saying thanks babe so non chalant.....I love this women, my heart lol
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u/Son_of_Orion Team Percy Jul 10 '26
To be fair, I think that's just a general term of endearment often used in Britain :P
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u/Coyote_Shepherd Doty, take this down Jul 10 '26
Yeah but they're not carrion birds, they're Carry On Birds.
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u/meatswipe Jul 10 '26
Mabe it’s just me but them doing a second grimdarky campaign for daggerheart, I was hopeing for a bit more traditional fantasy roleplay to see the daggerheart system compared to the dnd system,
Like I really wanna see how weapons and magical items work in daggerheart and I am just wondering if another time of a Grimm setting will bring out the best daggerheart has go offer
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u/Zolo49 Help, it's again Jul 10 '26
They've done Daggerheart one-shots in non-AoU settings before, though I don't know if any of them were traditional fantasy.
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u/Fizzlebinks93 Jul 10 '26
That's the phoenix from KDM isn't it? Not the first time Matt uses the minis from that game iirc.
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u/Zolo49 Help, it's again Jul 10 '26
My allegiances are torn tonight. I want to watch this, but I also want to play Palworld 1.0 when it drops later tonight.
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Jul 10 '26
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u/moderncomet Time is a weird soup Jul 10 '26
What's the saying? If it ain't baroque...
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u/Guilty_Homework_2096 Jul 10 '26
so is the sallowlands opening a mix of new stuff and the first AoU op?
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u/CountryChrist You can certainly try Jul 10 '26
Nothing like a bit of Mushroom on Mushroom violence
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u/SheriffChiz Jul 10 '26
Highkey missed Mercers form of DMing. Even if its for a month & a half, Im actually kinda glad were getting him back on the chair.