Omens

is the first episode of the fourth chapter of Critical Role. Vox Machina returns to General Krieg's home, learning about J'mon Sa Ord, ruler of Ank'Harel on the desert continent of Marquet. The group discovers a mysterious skull, and Vax'ildan questions the priorities of the group. Meanwhile, the city of Emon experiences a substantial political shift.

Previously on Critical Role
"Our intrepid adventurers, Vox Machina, having returned the traitor Riskel Daxio to Sovereign Uriel in the center of the town of Emon—Grog beheading him as part of his punishment for being such a traitorous worshiper of the evil entity known as Vecna. Upon going out for a pub crawl [they] came across Gilmore in a secret speakeasy, and managed to enjoy a Heroes' Feast at his expense. [Most of Vox Machina] got very drunk, Gilmore had a very intense conversation with Vax to ensure where they stood, and Keyleth vomited multiple times.

''"After which, the party found their way back to the Keep, where Dr. Dranzel and his Spectacular Traveling Troupe were drinking and expecting [them] to be there so they could converse and try to convince [them] of a little caper that they've been trying to get their head around for a while, and [the party] seemed to have an entry to this possible windfall of money. Scanlan, after courting this young pixie-haired gnome, was instead confronted within his bedroom by Kaylie, who revealed herself to be Scanlan's long unknown daughter, from many years ago, who had trained very hard as a bard at the College of the White Duke in Westruun, and honed her skills with the blade with the intent of finding [Scanlan] one day and disgracing [him]. Thanks to Scanlan's sudden realization, change of heart, and attempt to connect with his lost blood, broke a bit of the cold, honed exterior, and managed to prevent a very dangerous and possibly deadly encounter. She left, frustrated and confused, and hasn't been seen since.''

"The rest of [the party], gathering the next morning, discussed this endeavor with Dr. Dranzel and how they had found a home that had been long abandoned after being purchased by a collector—a home that [Vox Machina] had ransacked a little over a year before, after finding a portal within that led a dragon's horde, as the previous person who lived there, General Krieg, was actually a dragon who had infiltrated the Council. Brimscythe, the dragon, was slaughtered in this endeavor, however it has been over a year since. [Vox Machina] returned to this house, scoured it, found [their] way through the still-existing secret passage that led [them] to the now partially collapsed cavern which once housed Brimscythe and his horde.

"[They] found the tunnel itself freezing cold, the rubble of the partially collapsed cavern had been ravaged by some sort of large clawed entity that Vex had identified as another equally dangerous dragon, who seemed to have rummaged through and found the corpse of Brimscythe. [They] also found that a number of gold coins, a bit of his horde that had been buried, were now exposed by these strange smooth tunnels that were carved into the rock. Upon [Vex], Scanlan, and Trinket inquiring there, the rest of the party scattered: Pike and Keyleth went to find what seemed to be the owner of the house, now frozen in fright in a far alcove; and the rest of the group traveling towards the mouth of the cavern itself. The ground begins to rumble suddenly. Exploding from the rock and shale at the bottom of the cavern floor, [the party] managed to see before [them], piercing forth from the ground itself, a very very large, segmented, armored, worm-like entity, dark purple with rows and rows of teeth coming out of its eyeless face."