Stoke the Flames

is the seventh episode of the third chapter of Critical Role. The seeds of rebellion begin to take root in Whitestone! But as the members of Vox Machina make their move to bring the population to revolt, they learn that another de Rolo may still be alive...

Previously on Critical Role
"Vox Machina had an encounter with two individuals known as the Briarwoods, Lord and Lady Briarwood, who currently control Whitestone, the city that Percival once lived in and his family once essentially ruled before they were usurped and most of them murdered by the Briarwoods. So upon meeting them, a vengeance urge kicked up within Percival, the rest of the party following him to Whitestone to attempt to free the city from the clutches of the very, very, seemingly evil—and in some cases undead—Briarwoods, as Lord Briarwood appears to be vampiric in nature.

"After arriving they had some stealth missions, they went around, discovered a fair warning on the Sun Tree—one of the central items of Whitestone, a relic of Pelor from long ago that the city was built around—now dead and holding a series of bodies hung from it, all dressed and painted to look like members of Vox Machina. While they were here they managed to find and hole up in an abandoned tavern, closing the windows off, and after doing a little bit of digging spoke to the head of the Lady's Chamber, the temple to Erathis, to which Percival and most of the team seemed to be interested in starting a rebellion within Whitestone. They planted the seed there, to return to germinate at some point, then began to follow a couple of individuals, or at least an individual, who was partly responsible for the really, really, honestly shitty social atmosphere in Whitestone.

"Following him back to a home, it was discovered that Sir Kerrion, one of the individuals responsible for the death of Percival's family, was still part of the ruling class here. The party then snuck in through the bottom of the building, stealthed into a full surprise ambush upon him and his compatriots, and murdered most of them. They took his toadie, essentially, Vouk, and instead of murdering him, tore out his tongue and then burned the de Rolo family crest into his forehead before throwing him out the window. The party then escaped into the night rain, returning to their tavern."

Part I
As the sun begins to set, Vox Machina returns to the tavern they had previously stayed in. They head down into the cellar and Keyleth uses Hallucinatory Terrain to hide the entrance.

The party questions Percy about the smoke that emanated from his body in the previous battle, as well as the strange cough he's developed since entering Whitestone. Percy explains the dream he had about a year after the Briarwoods took the castle, where an entity asked him if he wanted revenge and the means to achieve it. In return, he would have to offer up the souls of those he killed. He says he woke up the next morning with an idea which he then built, creating his first gun. Percy defends himself, saying it was just a dream and it wasn't real.

Vax'ildan points out that it definitely was not just a dream, since they all saw the smoke. He asks if Percy has any theories, and the gunslinger says he doesn't know, he's never thought about it because it didn't matter. Vex'ahlia asks who the last bullet is for. When Percy doesn't answer for a moment, Vex says they don't want to lose him.

Percy says that he talked to the captain of one of the ships he spent some time on after leaving Whitestone. He showed the man what he was building and what he was intending to do. The captain said if revenge was what he was after, there would be no stopping it and there would be casualties along the way. He said Percy would have to gives things up, and to hurt people, and that was the price of revenge. Percy says that the last barrel is because there are not just five names: he is going to have to keep hurting people because it never ends. He has killed a lot of people on his journey with Vox Machina, more than five. The last barrel is to remind him that this is the path he has chosen.

Vax argues that they had a reason for killing those people. Percy counters that the names on The List also have reasons they should be killed. Vax agrees the Briarwoods and their allies need to die, but the level of violence displayed in the previous battle went beyond that.

Percy says that he no longer feels in control and he does not trust himself anymore. He doesn't expect anyone else to trust him either. However, he does trust Vox Machina.

Grog asks if Percy is afraid that he is going to hurt them. "No," he immediately answers. "I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you." Keyleth asks how he would do that. He thinks Vox Machina has come to Whitestone out of justice and maybe friendship, but he himself has not. Percy is here for revenge. He wants to hurt his enemies and he wants them to know it is him. He is grateful that there is justice to be found by doing this, but even if there wasn't he would still be here.

Vax wants to know what happens after the last of Percy's targets are killed. Percy says he's never had to think of it before. He thinks Vox Machina will either have to save him or finish him.

Grog says that if Percy gets out of control, they'll just bop him on the head and take him to a temple. Vex says that's actually a pretty good plan. The two of them also agree that Percy looked pretty awesome wreathed in smoke, although Vex is quick to point out that she doesn't like how dark the situation became. Grog gives Percy a thumbs-up from behind her.

Scanlan says he doesn't understand why everyone is so upset about what happened; the whole point of their mission was to assassinate Sir Kerrion. Vex says that ripping Vouk's tongue out went a bit too far. Percy agrees that it got out of hand. He says he hopes Vox Machina will restrain him if he starts acting like that again, and the moment he threatens any of the party is the moment he is no longer in control. Vex walks up to Percy and kisses him on the cheek.

The group begins discussing plans for their rebellion. Scanlan suggests waiting to see the citizens' reactions to their first strike against Sir Kerrion. They decide to rest for the night and plan to visit a magic shop known as The Alcove in the morning, as Percy is familiar with the owner. Vex senses for undead presence within the town and feels there are more around than there were before. They seem more active after Sir Kerrion's house was set ablaze.

Vox Machina heads down into the tunnel Keyleth previously dug out around the roots of the Sun Tree and settle down for the night. Percy and Scanlan take first watch, using Grog's Firebrand Warhammer as a light source. Grog and Vax take the second watch.

As the night goes on, the temperature steadily drops. A low mist begins to form within the tunnel. Vax wakes up his sister. Grog is convinced the fog is just normal fog and steps closer to prove it. As he leans in, the fog begins to form into a humanoid shape and reach for him.

Three pale, feral-looking humanoids with elongated fangs emerge from the mist. The one in front of Grog quickly moves to his side and grasps onto his armor, pulling him in. It attempts to bite into the goliath, but its fangs catch and deflect off of the little bit of chainmail around his neck, given to him by Scanlan.

The second vampire also grapples Grog, reaching up with its claws to move the chainmail out of the way, and then bites into his neck.

The third vampire heads for Vax, raking both of its clawed hands at him. The first swipe hits, but he manages to dodge the second.

Vex shouts "Wake the fuck up!" Scanlan, Keyleth, Percy, and Trinket all jolt awake. Vex casts Hunter's Mark on the vampire attacking her brother. Using her Blazing Bowstring, she shoots an arrow at it which ignites in the air, dealing significant damage. As she fires at it a second time, the creature manages to swipe the arrow out of the air before it can hit.

Vax ignores the vampire in front of him, clicks his Boots of Haste, and throws three daggers at one of the two surrounding Grog. All three sink into the chest of the vampire, who screeches in pain and glares at Vax.

As the daggers embedded in the vampire blink back to their wielder, Grog goes into a rage, raises the Firebrand Warhammer, and slams it into the creature's chest. Fire wreaths around its torso and it is slammed into the wall. As Grog makes his second swing, the vampire manages to duck out of the way and the warhammer wedges itself into the wall of dirt. Grog begins struggling to pull it free.

One of the vampires near Grog begins heading towards Percy, who is still waking up and prone on the ground. The remaining vampire next to Grog attempts to grapple him again, but the goliath just slaps it away as he continues to dislodge his warhammer. The vampire then strikes with its claws, but Grog easily dodges and laughs in its face.

The vampire next to Percy lifts him up by the front of his shirt, opening its jaws with a hiss. Percy gasps in pain as the creature sinks its fangs into his throat, a cold sensation pulsing through his body as the blood is drained from him.

The vampire in front of Vax grabs him and leans in to bite, but the rogue was prepared for this and shoves a dagger towards its face, causing it to back off.

Vex shoots an arrow at the vampire looming over Percy, but can't get a clear shot and the arrow misses. Percy breaks free from the grapple, draws out his new rapier, and stabs at the vampire in a blind panic. The first stab hits, catching it off guard, but Percy's inexperience with the weapon and the pain in his throat allow the creature to grab the blade and pull Percy towards itself. Vex fires again at the vampire, the arrow sinking deep into its side.

Scanlan gets up, turns to face the wall, and begins urinating. As he does so, he pulls out his Wand of Magic Missiles, firing two missiles at each vampire. All three of them turn towards him and give him a strange look as they see what he's doing. Then Scanlan inspires Grog.

Grog finally pulls the warhammer out of the dirt wall, slightly embarrassed that it took him so long. The vampire in front of him laughs, so he recklessly attacks it, grinning as he slams the hammer directly into its face. He pulls back and repeats the attack, dislocating the creature's jaw. The vampire, now looking scared, claws at Grog as the goliath backs up against the wall to clear some space.

Vax rapidly jabs all three daggers into the abdomen of the vampire in front of him. Grinning in its face, he says "Vampires ain't shit".

The wounds on the vampires are slowly sealing themselves, the flow of blood slowing as they heal. The one that had its face smashed in by Grog moves over to join its comrade in attacking Percy. It rakes its claws across him, but as it swipes again Percy manages to dodge out of the way, only to be grabbed by the second vampire and shoved against the wall. As the vampire leans in for a bite, the gunslinger jams his pepperbox into its mouth, forcing it to pull back.

Keyleth finally gets to her feet as the rest of the party assure her that this is not a dream; they are fighting real vampires. She positions herself in order to line up with the two attacking Percy, shouts to the party "Shield your eyes!" and casts Sunbeam. Gathering the nature-based energy in her hands, she feels the presence of the Sun Tree, and fires out a burst of sunlight energy that slams into the vampires surrounding Percy, immediately turning them to ash. Turning to the final vampire, Keyleth wraps a Grasping Vine around it and yanks it away from Vax, slamming it into the opposite wall.

Vex pulls out a wooden stake and jams it into the vampire's chest. The creature yells in pain, but manages to pull the destroyed stake from its chest and angrily hisses in Vex's face.

Percy lifts up his sword and stabs the vampire three times. He backs away as the vampire, hurt but still fighting, swipes at him and misses. Vex wonders if they should try asking it questions, but Percy thinks they should just kill it.

Scanlan turns, still urinating, and casts Vicious Mockery, taunting the vampire. "What's up? What's up toothy? Hey! Bite me!" The urine streaks across the vampire as it turns to face him, and Grog instinctively smashes it into the ground with his hammer. Scanlan is pretty sure that his "running water" is what killed the final vampire.

Grog informs the group that the fog is bad and they should probably find a new hideout. The twins agree with him. Percy tries to persuade the party to get a full night's rest first, but Scanlan suspects that the vampires might be spawning from the Sun Tree.

Vax tries to settle the discussion with a coin flip, the result being that Vox Machina will search for another place. Vex and Percy ask Keyleth to tunnel them under the city, but she doesn't have enough energy to cast the required spell. Grog and Vex point out that they don't want to be traveling out in the open at night when the town is full of vampires.

The party decides to stay in the tavern, moving into the cellar as Keyleth blocks up the tunnel with a Wall of Stone. They open up one of their many bottles of "expensive-ass" wine to share. Vax and Keyleth take the first watch. Vex also stays awake because she doesn't want the two of them to be alone together. The other half of the party goes back to sleep. Grog and Trinket take the second watch and the night passes without incident.

As they all wake the next morning, Percy feels more corrupted than before. He's having difficulty controlling his sadistic tendencies, and he now aims to torture his enemies before their deaths.

Scanlan once again uses Seeming to disguise Vox Machina as a bunch of peasants. Percy is wearing his Hat of Disguise as an extra precaution. The party prepares to split up, Vax and Scanlan going to talk to the townsfolk while the rest search for a new hideout. They decide to use the code word "dorito" if anything goes wrong, then head out into town.