The Elephant in the Room

is the seventy-second episode of the first campaign of Critical Role. Fresh off of slaying Yenk and Vorugal the Frigid Doom, the weary members of Vox Machina take time to catch their breaths and set about gathering what spoils they could find from both the corpse of the wyrm and his treasure trove before resting and returning to Whitestone for their next course of action...

Announcements

 * Sam does a Backblaze ad read in the form of a word game.
 * Matt mentions the game Masquerada and recommends it
 * First episode of the new GM Tips is out
 * Matt plugs a Kickstarter for Open Legend RPG that he is contributing to
 * Laura mentions #CriticalCostumes and that Halloween is the last day to submit, they will announce a winner the next week.

Previously on Critical Role
"Vox Machina, our heroic players and characters, have been fighting their way across the land of Tal'Dorei against the Chroma Conclave, a gathering of ancient chromatic dragons that have torn the current civilization asunder.

''They've gathered a number of artifacts of old called the Vestiges of the Divergence and recently made allies with one of these dragons: Raishan, the green dragon of the Conclave, apparently interested in revolting against the Conclave's leader, Thordak the Cinder King. A tentative alliance has been forged, and to prove both the stalwartness of that alliance, as well as to further their agenda against the Conclave, they all traveled back to Wildemount, to the ruins of Draconia.''

''With the help of the Ravenites, they set a trap for Vorugal the Frigid Doom. They summoned—using their single Gate scroll—from the Abyss, Yenk the goristro, a great and powerful siege demon, and basically caused it to battle with the white dragon.''

''Partway through, the encounter got even more intense. They all rushed into the fray, got the crap kicked out of them in a lot of cases, but-—when all was said and done—with the aid of Raishan they felled Vorugal, the final shot being landed by Vex'ahlia herself.''

They have now taken a moment, they have discussed with Raishan to meet back in Whitestone, after which she reverted form and vanished, and they have now begun to collect their spoils and gather what they can off the battlefield."

Part I
Vox Machina is recovering after their battle with both Vorugal and Yenk. A group of them start to harvest from their fallen enemies. A tree is growing from Vorugal's body as part of the enchantment of Fenthras. Keyleth starts her harvesting with the help of Scanlan. Vex carves a bear into the tree. Scanlan tries and fails to pull a scale off the dragon, settling to pick one up off of the ground, calling out for Tooma. Grog takes off running towards the lair with Scanlan in eagle form in tow. Vex'ahlia, frustrated, asks Keyleth and Percy to get her something she can wear around her neck from the dragon and flies after Grog and Scanlan. Vax and Pike head into the mansion to rest. Dragonborn greet Grog and he directs to the others, still running. Percy and Keyleth greet the Ravenites as they are carving up the dragon. The Ravenites start assisting in the harvesting to get some hide and meat.

As Grog, Scanlan, and Vex reach the lair, they can see more Dragonborn including Tooma climbing the throne. Vex warns Tooma about the seeing stones and she calls them back. Scanlan un-polymorphs and confirms that the dragon is dead. Tooma thanks them for freeing her people. Scanlan requests that they would be willing to aid in the final fight. Tooma says they do not have a stake in Thordak's fight and they are not an army. Grog is running around in the background, looking for loot. Vex'ahlia tells her that this is an opportunity to become part of the world. Scanlan says they can do what they will with the lair but requests that they create a tomb for Tiberius on the hill where Vorugal slept with a statue with the words "I Encourage Peace". Tooma agrees and says they will rebuild from this ruin. Grog asks for Scanlan's help looking for loot and Scanlan finds treasure and coin locked in feet of ice, pointing it out to his friend. Grog starts slamming using Siege against the ice.

He manages to release some of the hoard from the ice. A few Ravenities are able to use Dragon's Breath and melt some more ice. Scanlan detonates his fireballs into the path. Grog asks if it is okay to take some of the treasure and Tooma consents. The trio looks if they can find some weapons with Scanlan singing to Vex to inspire her. Grog finds a painted war mask, licking the cold mask and it sticks before he rips it off. He also finds a pretty black stone and gold. Vex finds a ruby gem and a plated gold ship mast as well as a vial of liquid that is not freezing in the cold. She finds a pair of brown leather boots. Scanlan finds a platinum bracelet set with a sapphire, a vial with yellow and black swirling liquid and a braided band. He notices a handle and pulls out a platinum greatsword which he gives to Grog. Ravenites start getting sacks of gold and Vox Machina gets 18,00 gold pieces and 12,000 platinum pieces. Scanlan says the others don't have to know, proposing the three of them run off but loses Vex. Grog is clearing out the bag of holding which is mostly armor and dead chunks, telling Tooma she can have any of this.

Meanwhile, Vax has been combing blood out of Pike's hair and talking about their gods. He's putting fun buns in her hair. Vax says they should go find Larkin and Pike tells him he will be alright. Percy and Keyleth have managed to get 150 pounds of hide, Kima helping out where she can. They get 20 teeth, 6 talons and three vials of dragon blood. Once they finish harvesting, they go to the mansion to sit down and rest. Grog wants to destroy the orbs but Vex and Scanlan caution against it, not wanting to alert Thordak. Vex checks out the mast. They head back to the mansion. Percy works on fixing his guns and gets Animus and Bad News functioning again.

Vox Machina reunites and Keyleth and Grog start trying to put the roll in the Bag of Colding, but it won't fit. Grog shows off his mask and greatsword. Percy reads the symbols on the sword which are about the unity of Gods and creation. Grog gives it to Kima and she meditates with it. Scanlan checks out Grog's stone and determines it is a rare black sapphire. Scanlan looks at the boots Vex found as well, finding that it has an enchantment on them. They rest and start attuning to their new items. Keyleth identifies the potions with the yellow and black one being a Potion of Speed and the other one being a Potion of Invulnerability. The boots are Boots of Feral Leaping and Vex gives them to Grog. The braided band is a Ring of Invisibility. Kima happily tests out her new Holy Avenger. Keyleth goes down to the training area to test out the Spire of Conflux. Percy offers to attach the mask to Grog's hat. Vax and Vex head to the wine room while the rest of the group head to the training area. Keyleth starts with a fireball and shows off. She summons an earth elemental and then turns into one herself. They try to attack Grog and fail.

Meanwhile, Vex picks out a wine and the twins start drinking what appears to be chicken wine. Vax'ildan tells her that he is proud of her and feels more optimistic about being able to win the fight. Vex'ahlia tells him she's glad he didn't die out there. Vax asks how long she is going to keep torturing herself for and she avoids the question by flying up. Vax calls her down and she comes back down. He tells her that he is known for a while about her feelings

He tells Vex she could be dead tomorrow. Vex says she doesn't think he is thinking about her that way. Vax explains that all they have in this world are moments with others and he wants his sister to be happier. Vex is worried about it being awkward and says she is happy with her brother and Trinket. He continues to press into her that life is short. Vax points out on a side note that Percy is a little fucked up and only listens to Vex, which she denies. Vax says Percy needs impulse control and Vex'ahlia could do that. A wine drunk Vax goes to go see Keyleth's training. Vex pops Trinket out and casts Speak with Animals, talking to her friend for a little while.

Part II
Percy and Keyleth manage to meld the mask to Grog's helmet, inscribing it with "Kick Me" in Elvish. Keyleth turns into an elephant with Percy on his back. She fails to slam through the door and the rest of the party start to hear the noise. They gather to find the elephant breaking through the door and Scanlan and Grog try to attack her. Grog pushes Scanlan aside and slashes into Keyleth. She retaliates by trying to gore Grog, who manages to duck out of the way. She does manage to slam through the archway. The rest of the party sees Percy and Grog tries to get him to roll off. Percy deadpans asking for help. Scanlan launches a fireball damaging Keyleth, Grog and Percy. Grog tries to hit Keyleth again and gets two hits. Vex and Vax are watching from a distance in disbelief. Keyleth's elephant form drops and Percy lands on the ground. Keyleth tells Grog that the elephant ate her and he saved her. They give Grog his helmet which he puts on.

Scanlan says he should make a list of house rules. Percy proposes they sleep and then check out the ship before heading home. Pike is currently resting and the rest of the group go to bed. When the half-elves wake up, they find bills under their doors which they all rip up or throw away. The group heads to the lair and see that the Ravenites have continued their excavation. They have been working on the ship and it is not a full ship, just pieces. It seems like an old keepsake that Vorugal has been bringing from lair to lair. Pike is able to read the mast as it is written in Dwarvish. It reads the name of the ship, which is the Floebreaker. Keyleth uses Flaming Sphere to try and melt through and Grog starts his punching again. He causes a crack and portion is sliding down. Grog and Keyleth don't manage to get out of the ice in time and get buried. Most of the site is collapsed.

Vax finds the stones and now there are only two stones. Vax, invisible, goes to find Vex and tells her about the seeing stones. The stones were near the collapse. They go to tell Tooma that they are leaving and thank her for her help. Keyleth offers to attempt to revitalize the plant life before they leave. Vex explains about the stones and warns them that Thordak might come. Keyleth starts Plant Growth and helps to cast aside snow from the cropland. While waiting for Keyleth, Scanlan Vax to a peeing in the snow contest. Kima and Grog spar together. Vex'ahlia asks Percy to go for a walk in the forest. Vex asks how Percy's doing after dying. He's trying not to think about it and knows he won't be able to rest for a while with the whole Thordak and Raishan situation. Vex says she has to tell him something and asks if he knows what Fenthras means, which he doesn't. She tells him it means growth and protection, saying it was strange that Saundor had it. She thinks he focused so long on his betrayals that he became them and he wanted to do the same thing to Vex. She refused but she could feel the self-doubt and loathing echoing in her mind after their encounter. Percy's trying not to dwell on things anymore and Vex says that is precisely what she wanted to talk to him about. She was surprised by him telling Ripley that he forgives her and pulls out Fenthras, showing the carving she did and he recognizes it means 'Forgive'. She says that is the key the everything and Percy says he is trying to forgive. He said it felt good to forgive and it wasn't about Ripley, it was about him. Percy knows he can't go back and fix everything. Vex tells him that he has to forgive that boy who did all of those things to get revenge because it made him who he is today. She believes he is brilliant and the fact he could forgive means he will never be overtaken by the darkness that sometimes clouds his vision.

Percy thanks her for her words and that they are all better than they think. He knows that he has to forgive himself, even if he is not quite there yet. He likes who they are right now and what they are doing. Vex'ahlia's carving is to remind herself that her attacks are not of vengeance. She asks if he saw the bear carving she did on the tree and he says he was impressed. Before Percy walks away, he kisses Vex, promising they will talk later before walking away.

Vox Machina

 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Scanlan Shorthalt
 * Grog Strongjaw
 * Pike Trickfoot (DM-controlled)
 * Trinket
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia

New

 * Korsa

Returning

 * Lady Kima of Vord
 * Skork
 * Tooma

Quotations
Percival: Thank you. I would like to think we’re all better than we think we are. Except maybe your brother. I think he’s just a mess. ... I know I have to forgive myself. I’m not quite there yet, but I can see a path. I like where we are and what we’re doing. I think that we’re the right people in the right place and the right time. Laura: There’s no room, we’re in the woods. Taliesin: Oh, no room, we’re in the woods. Yeah, all right. Percy: As I walk away, I walk up. I kiss her. "So we’ll talk later". And I walk away. Liam: (singing) Anything can happen in the woods.
 * Vax: What the fuck do we have in this world except for moments with each other? That’s all we’ve got.
 * Vex'ahlia: Whoever that boy was that created those things, that suffered such horrors that he felt they were justified? You have to forgive him, too. Because everything you’ve suffered and endured and created in that time has made you into the person you are now. And you have a brilliant mind. And any darkness that might cloud your vision on occasion, the fact that you found it within yourself to forgive her means that it will never overtake you.
 * Taliesin: What room are we in, out of curiosity?