CrafD&D: The Champion's Challenge Recap Index
Story Arc:
Forrnest | Volkhanom | Lordpact | Elemix | Conjuria | Hemoarloch | Undercove
Episode:
E8: Silent Night, Deadly Knife | E9: Precarious Politics | E10: Pact or No Pact | E11: The Dark Magician of Fraygle Coast
Story Arc:
Forrnest | Volkhanom | Lordpact | Elemix | Conjuria | Hemoarloch | Undercove
Episode:
E8: Silent Night, Deadly Knife | E9: Precarious Politics | E10: Pact or No Pact | E11: The Dark Magician of Fraygle Coast
Air Date: 5/13/2022
Disaster struck Lordpact shortly before Passione enters it: the local champion has been killed by the slime creatures haunting the party throughout their journey, and the city is in an uproar about what to do next. Fortunately, one of those creatures has been captured, and after gathering a sample of it for study, the party separates for the day to grow acquainted with the town and find some answers to some pressing questions. Along the way, they become familiar with the dichotomy between two potential successors for the Lordpact champion: Helena and Angelo.
Tropes Found in This Episode:
- Call-Back: When recalling the slime creatures' attack on Lordpact, Angelo describes seeing a large one with a grotesque, swollen arm. He's undoubtedly talking about Roid the Red, which implies just how proactive the higher-ranking members of this evil force are in fulfilling their plans.
- The Don: Osra seeks out information on the person who cursed her father. In a history book, she discovers that is none other than Don Matriarchy, a powerful Undercove crime lord. Unfortunately, the book only discusses Matriarchy in broad strokes; she doesn't even have a photo on her page, as she's kept herself well-hidden from the public eye.
- Butt-Monkey: The meek Angelo tends to be pushed around by the rougher residents of Lordpact—especially Helena, who exclusively addresses him as "the Nerd" and soon has Passione doing so behind his back. Topping it off, upon visiting Angelo's study to research the slime creatures, Calum shoves everything off of Angelo's desk and onto the floor to make room for his equipment. Kayden clarifies that this is done unconsciously rather than out of real malice, and he has Calum help return Angelo's workspace to what it was after he's finished studying.
- Death Glare: Just as Passione exits Patience's store, Cera spots Patience's Granny leering at her intently from her rocking chair. It makes her feel more unsettled than she was with Patience's snake fixation alone. For added effect, Kirbies imagines a horror sting playing as Granny stares.
- Election Day Episode: This episode kickstart a plot in which Passione sets up an election to determine Lordpact's new champion. Typically, when a champion retires or—in this case—dies, a single successor would take their place. However, the Lordpact Champion has two potential candidates, Helena and Angelo; under these circumstances, an election must be arranged and held by any visiting challengers, and whoever wins the majority vote becomes the new champion. No one in passion is thrilled with either candidate ruling alone, but they eventually realize that there's a third option: in the event of a tie, both candidates will become the city's champions. It just so happens that Helena and Angelo complement each other's strengths and weaknesses, so Passione devises a plan to equalize Lordpact's public opinion on them to legally force a tie.
- Fangirl: Patience, the shopkeeper who lives with her Granny, has an undying love for all things snake-related. The moment she meets Cera, she becomes intensely—but respectfully—interested in Cera's snake half. Even with Patience exercising restraint, Cera is deeply confused and mildly uncomfortable.
- Brick Joke: Late into the session, the Renegade Rangers finally catch up with Passione in Lordpact, having been greatly delayed since the last episode thanks to a prank held by Cera and Unda. Asole is the first Ranger to appear, storming into Passione's current Inn, looking Cera dead in the eye, and declaring his utter contempt for her. His teammates—sans Fergus—follow suit, with Unda exchanging congratulatory Finger Guns with Cera.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Ophelia and Fergus cross paths in a different bar from where most of their parties are staying, and they immediately exchange verbal blows. It doesn't take long before Ophelia starts tearing Fergus down quite a bit for his controlling and bullying tendencies, and she even goes as far as attacking his daddy issues the moment he reveals them. Each of Ophelia's words strike Fergus' nerves harder than the last, leaving the other players gobsmacked.
