Trial of the Take: Part 3

is the fourth episode of the second chapter of Critical Role. Like their companions before them, Keyleth, Vax'ildan, and Tiberius begin their contract for the Slayer's Take along with a driven and mysterious young cleric named Kashaw and a hardened dwarf by the name of Thorbir. The group's mission—to track down and kill an elusive rakshasa that has been preying on wealthy travelers within the city—leads to the Velvet Cabaret, an exotic establishment in the Duskmeadow District...

Announcements

 * For every 100 channel subs tonight, there will be a giveaway of a signed cast photo and Player's Handbook, plus a poster drawn by the official Critical Role artist, Kit Buss.
 * There are two new guest stars this week: Wil Wheaton and Will Friedle. Wil apologizes in advance to Liam for the proximity curse that will be affecting his dice rolls tonight.
 * Matt is flying out to Columbus, OH tonight for Matsuricon.
 * Orion recently started his own Twitch stream for video games: @orionacaba
 * Wil Wheaton is having dinner with his wife tomorrow, after which they will be playing a new game he got called Lanterns.
 * Will Friedle is now engaged to be married, having recently popped the question to his girlfriend of four years, Susan. Wil Wheaton offers to induct him into the Society of Men Who Married Way Above Their Stations.

Previously on Critical Role
''"Vox Machina, throughout its adventures, found itself in the city of Vasselheim as of late. They came to seal away the Horn of Orcus they had torn from the head of the beholder, K'Varn, deep in the Underdark. Once they had completed this journey, they spent some time in the city just trying to figure out what could be done there, preparation for possibly Keyleth making a venture out to one of her Ashari tribes, during which Grog entered a fight ring and lost. Then the party saw that there was some sort of hydra-like being that had been harrying the walls of the outskirts of the city of Vasselheim. Being the adventurers they are, they took it upon themselves to leap out into the forest of the Vesper Timberland, found and hunted down this hydra, fought it, and upon slaying it discovered that there was another group also hunting this hydra. An actually sanctioned group, and hunting this hydra is considered illegal in Vasselheim unless you had actually been contracted to do so. So in breaking the laws of Vasselheim they could have been tried for it, but instead chose to return to the city with this group of hunters and be brought before their guild master, Huntmaster Vanessa Cyndrial. Basically they were given a choice: they could go to trial, or they could undergo their own personal trial to join the guild, the Slayer's Take, which is essentially a guild that takes on contracts to hunt various requested creatures down, harvest elements of their physical bodies to then be sold or returned to these individuals and be paid for it. If they manage to complete these trials, they will be absolved of breaking the law because they will now be within the confines of it and be members of the guild. So, choosing that, they were then also notified that they would be splitting up into two different groups, much to the chagrin of Vex and Vax, our twins."''

Part I
Back at the Bellows' Respite tavern, Tiberius, Keyleth, and Vax commiserate over their separation from the rest of the party—particularly Vax, who dislikes being away from his sister. They decide to look for healing potions before starting their trial. They find the tent of Forscythia, a fortune teller whom they recognize. She sells Tiberius a few potions. Vax purchases a vial of potent poison in return for an unspecified future favor. With that, they proceed to the Slayer's Take guild hall.

At the hall, they are introduced to Kashaw Vesh, a human cleric, and to Thorbir, a dwarf fighter and current member of the guild. All five of them sign on for a contract to hunt down a rakshasa.

The group begin their search in the Duskmeadow district, in a small mask shop, where the owner confides that there have been a few strangely violent deaths inside the city over the past few years. Next, they find a couple of Bastion members to consult about the strange deaths. The Bastions tell them that a high-profile merchant was recently murdered by some manner of lycanthrope-like creature. The merchant, one Lord Tyrell, had been staying at the Velvet Cabaret, a fancy establishment in the Quadroads. They decide to go there next.



Part II
The party outfit themselves in somewhat nicer clothes than their usual before heading to the Velvet Cabaret. There, they are greeted by Hosin, a dwarf who calls himself the manager of the establishment. Vax and Keyleth introduce themselves as "Scanlan and Coralin Shorthalt", owners of a shoe empire and currently seeking membership at the cabaret. Hosin brings them to meet Vince Seanor, the owner.

The conversation with Vince nearly comes to blows as he sees through their deceptions. It comes out that Vince is a figurehead leader only; the establishment is being run by Hosin, whom they see peeking through the door before running off. Keyleth and Tiberius chase after him while Vax knocks out Vince. As guards approach the room, Hosin escapes, and Tiberius disguises himself as Hosin to tell off the guards when they arrive.

With Hosin gone and the guards appeased, the group take some time to investigate the room they are in. They find an adjoining bedroom with a hidden passageway under the bed, which brings them to an underground tunnel. Proceeding down the tunnel for a while, they go deeper underground, eventually finding themselves in some manner of smelly underground refuse heap. There, they are attacked in the dark by an unknown creature.

Vox Machina

 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo (absent)
 * Scanlan Shorthalt (absent)
 * Tiberius Stormwind
 * Grog Strongjaw (absent)
 * Pike Trickfoot (absent)
 * Trinket (absent)
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia (absent)