The Streets of Ank'Harel

is the ninth episode of the fifth chapter of Critical Role. Vox Machina travels to Marquet in search of Cabal's Ruin, the next Vestige on their list. They explore the city of Ank'Harel, get involved in some questionable activities, and eventually find themselves standing before the mysterious ruler of the city...

Pre-Show
The following pre-show content was removed from the final Geek & Sundry YouTube video:
 * The updated Critical Role fan art appreciation video.

Announcements

 * Matthew Mercer, Marisha Ray, and Taliesin Jaffe will be gone next week (Thursday, 2016-09-01), so Liam O'Brien will lead a one-shot in lieu of .  Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Ashly Burch will join the cast for the special episode,.
 * LootCrate continues their sponsorship of Critical Role with $3 off a subscription when using the promo code "criticalrole", which Sam Riegel humorously explained by mathematical analogies.
 * The English cast video for Final Fantasy XV was officially released, with Matthew Mercer playing Cor Leonis.  (Mercer's part in the video begins at 4:24.)
 * Deus Ex:  Mankind Divided came out recently, with Matthew Mercer scattered throughout the game as various characters.
 * Critical Role has been nominated for a Streamy in the "Gaming" category.
 * Also, Muzzled the Musical was nominated for a Streamy in the "Indie" category.  It was co-created by Matthew Mercer, directed by Sean Becker (who also directed Marisha Ray's Signal Boost!), and starred Ashly Burch.
 * Travis Willingham announced that the Dallas Cowboys were, at the time of airing, playing the Seattle Seahawks.
 * The 50th anniversary live-action opening credits aired after the announcements.

Recap
"Our band of adventurers, Vox Machina, in raising an army, hopefully, of allies and powerful artifacts to face the Chroma Conclave, a gathering of powerful, dangerous chromatic dragons that have been tearing through the countryside of Tal'Dorei and distant Wildmount.

"They have recently found some information, had a close call with the Frigid Doom known as Vorugal, the white dragon, flying over, did not pierce through the apparent illusionary barrier that was placed with the help of Allura, Gilmore, and Pike there in Whitestone. The party then decided to go ahead and—using that cue before the dragon returned to its current roost that it has created over the ruins of the city of Draconia—they traveled across to the continent of Wildmount.

"They had a meeting with the Ravinites, apparently a rather subverted and long-enslaved offshoot species of dragonborn kin, tailless and now surviving amongst a recent winter that seems to have come with the ruin the dragon brought. They also discovered that most of Draconia and its royal elite have been slaughtered as a means of the dragon establishing its dominance, and the worship of the Ravinites that survived the fall of Draconia.

"Vox Machina made a deal with Tooma—apparently the current clan leader of the remaining Ravinites—that they would aid in destroying this dragon—basically the master that they replaced the Draconians with—when it came. However, to ensure the party's help there is a two week time limit, and if they do not return before then, the Ravinites would see them as not keeping their end of the deal, and they would instead direct the dragon towards what was going to be Whitestone, until Scanlan altered Tooma's memory, which she recalls now as Emon.

"Before they could find their way home, one of the corpses upon one of the ice spikes outside of the dragon's new nest Percy saw to be the remains of Vox Machina's long-traveled friend Tiberius Stormwind. The party had a fateful farewell, set him to rest within the ruins of the nearby library fallen from the islands of Draconia, said their goodbyes, and then—upon prepping a bit, plotting and planning—found their way back to Whitestone to continue the next leg of their adventure."

Part I
Late into the night in Whitestone as the sky turns to dusk, as Vox Machina is resting from the harrowing day that they had after returning from Draconia, Vax'ildan stands in his room with Keyleth by his side after she had knocked on the door and asked if she could be with him for the night. Together, they quietly stare up into the ceiling for a while before Vax breaks the silence and says to Keyleth, "We really fucked things up, haven't we?" The young druid asks for him to clarify, but Vax then goes on to say what has been on the forefront of his mind regarding his acceptance of the Raven Queen, his sister Vex'ahlia consistently teasing the two of them whenever they tried to share a word together, and his own confused thoughts that had plagued him for weeks, after which he admits that he had been pushing everyone in the group away, Keyleth most of all because he was afraid. He then apologizes to her, saying that she didn't deserve the treatment she had received.

Vax goes on to assure Keyleth that despite all that had happened, nothing has changed about how he feels towards her and laments on the near-misses they had endured and now experiencing a true death in their ragtag family due to having found Tiberius' frozen corpse outside of Vorugal's lair. He goes on to say that death is unavoidable, that it's all the more reason for life to be lived. He then states that it does not matter whatever he and Keyleth have between them, that he'll consider himself lucky if she spends any time with him at all.

As Vax goes on to tell her that she is very dear to him, Keyleth interrupts, saying that he's talking too much. She then admits that she hadn't been making herself very accessible either, and that the fault lies with both of them. Keyleth then goes on to make her point, that for the longest time she was outright terrified of losing Vax whether it be due to death, the Raven Queen, or even to himself. She then recounts the discussion that she had with Pike before they departed for the Feywild, and she points out that the cleric's words had struck a chord within her, that some people just have more of themselves to give. Keyleth then admits that she realized that she was afraid of losing him to a future that ultimately has not yet been set in stone, which they both admit is stupid. She then concedes that Vax was right, that they have nothing to lose. With that, she says something that she wanted to say for a very long time.

Vax begins to chuckle, completely stunned by Keyleth's confession, and apologizes, which Keyleth returns in kind. He then admits his love for her once more, and the two half-elves seal it with a high-five, after which Vax tackle-hugs her into the bed. The two then spend the night together in each other's company, the two of them as well as the rest of Vox Machina in their respective rooms reminiscing about their journey thus far, trying to figure out where they are as individuals and where their story will lead them going forward.

The next morning, they gather in the dining room for breakfast that is mercifully free of chicken, but initially lacking in bacon. Zahra Hydris soon enters the room and joins them for breakfast and they begin filling each other in on recent events. Percy inquires about Zahra's family and whether they can be counted on as allies, but the warlock informs him that they will get no help from them, especially due to her having an "estranged" relationship with them. Before she leaves, Percy then inquires as to where Kashaw may be, but she tells him that she hasn't seen him for days due to her continuing research on the Ziggurat beneath the castle.

As Zahra leaves the room, the party discusses what their next course of action may be. The general consensus leans towards going to Marquet to hunt down Cabal's Ruin. As they go through their options, Scanlan points out that before they go to Marquet, they really need to consider a plan to wrangle a beast large enough to attract the Frigid Doom, and he recalls that its most recent prey was that of a remorhaz, a dangerous burrowing creature with a body and blood that burns on contact. Percy goes on to say that they need the beast that they find to be able to wear down Vorugal enough so that the party can go in for the kill. Scanlan argues that they need to return to Draconia to find such a beast, but Percy's rebuttal is that they can send a letter to the Slayer's Take so that they can figure out what creatures can be provided for the plan to work. Scanlan then suggests that instead of Marquet, they need to talk to the Take right away, but Percy suggests sending a letter to save time and that Kashaw would be the one to bring the letter with him back to Vasselheim so that they are not doing everything themselves. Coming to a consensus, the party leaves the castle to go find the cleric.

Not far from the base of the pathway that leads to the city, the party sees a bunch of guards and civilians training in order to bolster the defense of Whitestone should it be needed. They then spot Kashaw serving as an instructor for the civilians, training them in using spears and shields effectively. Vex notes that they shouldn't really send Kashaw since he's training their army, but Percy notes that they are not an army but just a bunch of people that will die horribly no matter how hard they try, a cynical response that Keyleth agrees with for a change. She then goes on to say that perhaps Kashaw may not be so keen on being their messenger. Scanlan and Vex convince her that it's not just about sending a message, but also about defeating a dragon. After further arguing about what to do regarding whether to return to Draconia or return to the Slayer's Take, Keyleth urges them to just talk to Kashaw already.

The party approaches Kashaw as he is still training the civilians, utterly exasperated. He notices Vox Machina approaching and asks the recruits to take thirty and greets them in his usual deadpan demeanor. The party then asks if he wants to return to Vasselheim to give the Slayer's Take the letter. Kashaw, despite his griping about returning to "frozen-ass Vasselheim" to give the letter to the Huntmaster which he is glad to be away from, accepts the request. Percy then agrees to draft the letter as soon as possible. The party then debates about what to add to the request to sweeten the pot.

Keyleth and Vax both notice Grog getting bored with the discussion continuously going in circles. Vax then picks up a wooden sword and smacks him as hard as he can on the small of his back to attempt to give him an outlet to get rid of his boredom, the attack itself sending a jolt of pain through the goliath. Grog turns around as Vax attacks again, the blow this time having no effect. Grog asks if Vax has a death wish, but the rogue insists that he's doing him a favor. Percy walks away, intent on finishing the letter. Vax then picks up a gauntlet and attempts to throw it, but pulls a muscle and drops it. Seeing the humorous "battle" take place between them, Scanlan jumps up on a chair and gets the recruits' attention.

The forty-five armored recruits all then turn towards Grog... and just freeze, and then turn towards Scanlan and whisper amongst themselves. Looking at Grog, they then slowly inch towards him, spears and shields at the ready. Grog, amused at this, smashes the Titanstone Knuckles together and casts Enlarge, becoming much larger. The recruits, upon seeing this, immediately back away. Kashaw notices this and yells to the students that Scanlan is messing with them and that everything's fine, and then turns to the gnome and remarks that that was pretty funny before asking the party to not kill them. Scanlan nervously asks Grog if he was really planning to kill them, to which Grog replies in the affirmative.

The goliath then turns to Vax, who tries to dodge out of the way of the incoming retaliatory strike but is too slow as Grog kicks him across the way, the rogue tumbling and skidding to the ground about thirty feet away. Vax, stunned and in much pain, mutters that he feels so alive. Grog then checks if the knuckles have changed from kicking a friend in the face, but is disappointed when there is no change. The recruits, thoroughly shaken by the display, all flee from the training area. Vex walks over to help her brother up, who then says that it was worth getting his ass kicked so that Grog wouldn't be bored.

As this spectacle comes to an end, Percy finalizes the letter which summarizes the situation they are in, and that the Slayer's Take will be well compensated for their aid, and that it must be finished within fourteen days. A confused Scanlan notes that they need to ask them for their aid in finding a beast, which Percy points out is already in the letter. Vex notes to Scanlan that that is part of "listening". Percy jokingly asks if there was a way to enchant his voice with Scanlan's so that the bard could actually pay more attention. He then offers the letter to Kashaw, who is asked by Vex to not mention Whitestone's existence to anyone. They then plan to have Keyleth send him back to Vasselheim through the Sun Tree with Transport via Plants. They wonder how he will plan to get back, but Kashaw assures them that he'll find a way. Keyleth and Kashaw then head to the Sun Tree. After they leave, Scanlan and Vex ask Vax why he's not going with them, the former along with Percy joking around and claiming that the cleric has eyes for him, something that Vax is quick to dismiss as he doesn't want to encourage it due to his recently established relationship with Keyleth.

When the two arrive at the Sun Tree, Kashaw awkwardly asks Keyleth for a drink when the situation with the Chroma Conclave is finally resolved. Keyleth, embarrassed and flustered, asks about what kind of drink he had in mind, to which Kashaw replies that she already answered her own question. Unable to come up with a response, Keyleth mentions that she's trying to allow herself to feel things now but Kashaw, not knowing about her confession to Vax, remarks that it doesn't work out for anybody. Unable to come up with a proper comeback, and unable to say outright that she has to turn him down, Keyleth puts a pin on his request, casts the spell, and shoves him through before she can say anything else.

The rest of the party (minus Pike) meet up with Keyleth. Scanlan thinks that they should rest before heading to Gilmore's house, but the others remind him that they have no time to waste due to their time limit and that they are leaving right now. So they make their way to Gilmore's house. As they come to the front door, they knock but there is no response. After worrying a bit, he responds and after a while, the barrier flickering and then strengthening, he finally answers the door looking a little worse for wear. Keyleth gleans a little into his exhausted state. The party asks him for his help in getting to Marquet. Or more specifically, his hometown of Shandal, a small oasis village south of Ank'Harel. He agrees and then invites them into his house for some tea. They inquire with Gilmore about Marquet, to avoid a repeat of what happened in Draconia, and he informs them that while he doesn't know what to expect from there considering he had left fifteen years prior to seek his calling, he does tell them about Marquet's customs and laws and how to avoid causing a ruckus.

The party then inquires with him about the current owner of Cabal's Ruin, but he's unable to come up with anything useful. They consider bringing along Jarett for the trip. Scanlan and Vax then ask Gilmore if they can do anything for him, such as saying hello to someone he hadn't seen in a long time, to which the wizard gives Vex a silver locket saying that when they find "them", they'll know. Keyleth then asks if Gilmore is alright, noticing how worn out he is, and he admits that keeping the barrier up has been tiring, especially without Allura around. He then requests the party to hurry and deal with the Conclave quickly so that he can set up shop again, which the party agrees to. They then leave Gilmore's abode, intent on getting proper desert wear and speaking with Jarett. As they leave, Sherri shows up with breakfast for Gilmore, and Vax asks her how he's doing. Sherri admits that she's noticed his weariness as well and expresses her worries, and she also asks the party to hurry with their business before heading inside the house. They then head off to look for Jarett.

The party heads back to the castle and finds the mercenary doing his job, crossbow at the ready. They then inquire about his own knowledge of Marquet. According to Jarett, he had left the continent ten years prior, not under the best terms as he mentioned that he would've been jailed if he stayed, hinting that he had been a criminal in the past as he also mentioned that breaking the law in Marquet is quite severe. He offers advice to Vox Machina as he adamantly refuses to return there for fear of being imprisoned. He mentions the Scarlet Prison (otherwise known as the Scarlet Oubliette) and the Cerulean Palace of Ank'Harel, where the Hand of Ord (the city's peacekeepers) and the ruler of the city itself, J'mon Sa Ord, reside. He highly recommends that the party (especially the twins) not steal anything unless they are damn sure nobody knows it. They also ask if he had ever heard about the unscrupulous Den of Druja that is tried to Cabal's Ruin, and Jarett mentions that they were a rather serious gang running violent activities within the city about seventy to eighty years ago before Jarett's time and that they have not been around for the past fifty.

The party asks about the current ruler, and Jarett mentions once again J'mon Sa Ord and that they brought the city together four hundred years ago, and that there are many rumors as to their identity. Jarett's personal belief is that J'mon Sa Ord is in reality many people, that the name is more of an office or station of power, titles passed on from person to person. They also inquire some more about Shandal, Gilmore's hometown, and that it is very small in comparison to and located southwest of Ank'Harel, which is a day's travel away and is even larger then Emon.

Upon being asked if he had heard of a one-eyed merchant warrior, referring to Mistress Asharru who is the current owner of Cabal's Ruin, Jarett draws a blank and upon being asked if he can't go with the party to Marquet, he again vehemently mentions that he will not go, not even with the temptation of titles, and that he is much more valuable in Whitestone. They do learn, though, that water is very valuable there, as much as coin is if not more so, and that the general greeting is "Be pleased" with a small bow. They are also told that as long as they follow the laws, they should have no trouble. And despite his strong refusal to join the party, he does make a request of them to bring back a special spice harvested only in Marquet known as fusaka that is used for cooking. Keyleth than requests that he keep an eye on Gilmore in their absence.

Upon saying their farewells to Jarett, the party divides to gather additional waterskins and changing into proper clothing for their upcoming trip, such as Keyleth grabbing a set of clothes that she received from the Fire Ashari and Percy grabbing a white silk cloak for Vax who was breaking into a cold sweat about being extremely warm in his armor. Before they return to Gilmore's house, Scanlan begins scrying to determine the whereabouts of Kaylie. He sees her hustling a bunch of other individuals in a game of cards and winning big. As one of them threatens her, Dr. Dranzel intervenes and as the guy leaves, the two performers fist-bump. The vision fades, leaving Scanlan feeling extremely proud of his daughter.

The party then returns to Gilmore's house, where the wizard starts casting his Teleportation Circle spell. Upon completion of the spell, the party jumps through one after another. Gilmore quickly accepts Vex's thanks as the portal shuts behind them. Upon arriving on the other side, the party finds themselves completely crammed inside a tight, dark space the size of a cupboard or closet. Desperately trying to find a way out, Vex takes her dagger and undoes the lock, the six of them stumbling out of the large closet. Looking around, they notice that they are in a room coated with dust and cobwebs. Percy tries to will the nearby carpet to fly, but to no avail. Looking outside, they see a simple street below them with buildings made of fine wood and thin palm trees. Based on the belongings left behind, they deduce that they are in Gilmore's old room, presumably on the second floor of the house they are in.

Leaving the room, they notice signs that there are still people living in the house. As they head downstairs, they are greeted by an elderly couple eating and sitting at a table. They greet the spooked couple, mentioning Shaun's name. Upon hearing the name "Shaun", they become more friendly as they talk about his accomplishments. The couple introduce themselves as the Geddmores, Gilmore's parents. Noticing the different name, they discover that Shaun had changed his name when he sought his calling in Tal'Dorei. Knowing that time is off the essence, the party asks for directions to Ank'Harel, which Mr. Geddmore eagerly gives to the best of his ability. Vex then gives them the locket that Gilmore had given her, the contents of the locket containing a small picture of him when he was younger. The couple then ask the party to let Gilmore know they are doing. When they ask for fusaka, the party starts assuming that the spice may not be legit despite Jarett's words. Before they leave, Grog uses his Alchemy Jug to fill up the Geddmores' well. Keyleth then casts Wind Walk so that the party can get to Ank'Harel much faster compared to walking all the way there. As they depart, three kids watch on in awe as one by one they transform into mist, with Keyleth telling them to "stay in school" and Vex scarring them for life.

As they cruise in their mist forms, they arrive on the outskirts of Ank'Harel long after dusk. After scoping the outside walls as well as the interior from high up, they head down to the ground and after reverting to their normal forms, Scanlan wants to sneak inside in their mist forms, but the rest of the party convince him to use his Magnificent Mansion spell so they can camp within it for the night. After Scanlan finishes his incantation and the door to the mansion is created, they enter one after another beginning with Keyleth and Vax and then Grog. Soon after, only Scanlan, Percy, and Vex remain as they are approached by members of the Hand of Ord, one of them expressing their nervousness and distrust about the "strange magic" that was just used and that the party should keep its usage outside of the city. The guard then mentions that there will be twelve guards outside the door in case anything else strange happens. Apologizing for the confusion and that there won't be any funny business, the remaining members of the party enter the mansion to rest for the night with the plan to enter Ank'Harel the following day, with Vex holding onto Fenthras and mulling over the words that Saundor had said to her.

Break

 * The Loot Crate plug made by Sam during.

Part II
Early the next morning, while everyone else is still asleep, Vax begins sneaking out of Keyleth's room after having spent another night together with her. However, he doesn't get very far as Vex comes out of her room, still drowsy and with a bedhead, and notices her brother just having left the druid's room. Seeming mock-horrified and pretending to gag, Vex gives him a thumbs-up and begins to go back to her room. Vax, however, stops her and asks if he can have a word with her. Reluctantly, she lets him in and sits down, taking a full minute to digest what happened and get over it. A minute passes and she calms down, with Vax remarking that she should've gone into acting, that it was her calling. Vex then mentions how happy she is for her brother, as foul as it may be, and then asks what is on his mind.

Vax then gets to the point of his wanting to talk to his sister. He brings up his thoughts about their encounter with Saundor and the things he had said to Vex, namely about "the dagger". Vex's demeanor immediately turns sour, unable to believe that her brother is pressing her about it. Vax mentions that despite her earlier words that she was fine, he can't help but think that she was lying to him. Vex tries to drop the subject, but Vax reminds her that he could be dead the next day and asks her to elaborate. Vex admits that Saundor knew a lot about her faults, and that he was not completely wrong, especially about "the dagger". Vax, shocked at hearing this and feeling like his heart is breaking, tries to convince her that the corrupted archfey was not right, that her strength of character runs deep and that she has always been stronger than that. He goes on to say that she has always been a good person and that everyone knows it. Vex expresses her thanks, saying that it makes her happy to see her twin happy, something that Vax had forgotten the feeling of. The rogue continues to press her about "the dagger", and then she finally reveals the one thing that she had never told her brother: the truth regarding how she first met Trinket.

When they were younger some time after they left Syngorn, Vex was kidnapped by a couple of poachers and was taken to their camp where she discovered that Trinket's mother was being harvested. What she still didn't mention to Vax was that they had specific plans for Vex. When the ranger found an opportunity, she broke free, killed her captors, and saved the young cub by bringing him back to their camp.

Vex then mentions that more than anything, the fact that Saundor knew about that memory frightens her and she doesn't know how he did. Vax asks why she is so upset, but Vex affirms that she is not. Vax mentions that since she did come back to him, it couldn't have been wrong, a sentiment that Vex agrees with as she breaks down in tears. Vax then hugs her fiercely, saying that she would have to do something very terrible for him to feel disappointment in her, and that she hadn't done so yet. He then tells her one more time that she is a good person and he had always seen it, and begs her to see it as well.

Vex mentions that it's good to self-reflect once in a while, and that she needed it. She goes on to say that while she knows that her heart is always in the right place, she fears sometimes that actions speak louder than intentions, and that if things she had done could be read the wrong way, then perhaps she needs to change what she does. Vax tells her that she's always been bold, that it is not a crime. Vex, once again, affirms that she is fine. Vax remarks that he feels like a boy again, and Vex pleads with him to not worry about her. Vax, going in circles, concedes and tells her he loves her and that even if she doesn't have to talk to him about everything, if she ever needs him, he's there for her. He then apologizes for earlier in the hall and shortly after leaves Vex's room to go take a shower.



New

 * The Geddmores (Gilmore's parents)
 * J'mon Sa Ord
 * Treev

Returning

 * Dr. Dranzel
 * Kaylie
 * Jarett Howarth
 * Kashaw Vesh (DM-controlled)
 * Shaun Gilmore
 * Sherri
 * Zahra Hydris (DM-controlled)

Quotations
Vax'ildan: "Maybe so." Keyleth: "But you’re ultimately right. We have nothing to lose. I love you, Vax. I have for a long time. And I’m sorry for being me and that it took me this long to say it."
 * Keyleth: "For the longest time I was… terrified... that I was going to lose you. First to death and then to the Raven Queen – which is still kind of like death – and then ultimately to yourself. And then, I had an interesting talk with Pike here recently. And she said something that really stood out to me, and that was that some people just have more of themselves to give. And I realized this whole time that I was afraid of losing you to a future that ultimately has not yet been written, which is… stupid."
 * (After Liam O'Brien rolls two Natural 1s in a row) Marisha Ray: (to Liam) "You are so walk-of-shaming right now!"