The Terror of Tal'Dorei - Part 2

is the second episode of the first season of The Legend of Vox Machina. Vox Machina tells Sovereign Uriel of the monstrous culprit behind the village attacks, and track the creature back to its lair. Vox Machina must rise to the occasion and go face-to-face with a beast that is seemingly impossible to kill.

Plot summary
General Krieg rallies the Arms of Emon at their military encampment. However, during the night, the blue dragon attacks, killing most of the soldiers.

In Emon, Vox Machina reports back to the council that the unknown threat is a blue dragon, though the council already knew this. The council expresses little faith in them, and Krieg suggests mustering Emon's troops instead. Against Kima of Vord's protests, Sovereign Uriel approves this plan. Vex feels the painful twinge again. Outside, Vex tells the group that someone on the council is working with the dragon, and they suspect Gregory Fince. They split up to prepare.

Seeking information on a dragon's weaknesses, Pike and Vax visit Gilmore's Glorious Goods, where Shaun Gilmore greets them and flirts with Vax. Cautioning that most lore on dragons is fanciful and useless, Gilmore reads an excerpt from a book: dragons will be killed where two rivers meet. Vax thanks him and tells Gilmore he owes him dinner.

Meanwhile, Grog and Scanlan sees Fince while drinking in the town square and track him to a large estate. They notify the rest of the party, and they sneak into the estate, which turns out to be Krieg's home. They suspect that Fince is trying to assassinate Krieg. Descending into the cellar, they find Fince stealing scrolls and accuse him of trying to kill Krieg. As Fince tells them he is gathering evidence, Krieg suddenly kills him. The party realizes that Krieg must be working with the dragon. Krieg disappears into the next room, and when the party follows, they do not find him.

The group searches the room for a hidden exit. Keyleth notices a rug depicting five chromatic dragons. Grog gets distracted by a pin-up tapestry of a red dragonborn woman, and Keyleth disgustedly tells him to stop staring. She throws a book at Grog, and it passes through the tapestry, revealing it as a portal. The party goes through it, though Scanlan is reluctant to do so. The portal takes them to a cold cavern high in a distant mountain. They come upon a huge amount of treasure and begin to gather it before they realize it is a dragon's horde. They are seen by someone looking through an ominous orb, which promptly collapses.

Krieg appears before them, and Vex realizes that he wanted Emon's army mustered so that they could be destroyed. Krieg declares that it is time dragons ruled Exandria once again and transforms, revealing himself to be the blue dragon, Brimscythe the Iron Storm. Vox Machina struggles to fight him, but Vax realizes that the "two rivers" refers to the veins in a dragon's neck. Vex gathers the party and plans to make the fact they don't know what they're doing work for them. They appear before Brimscythe, arguing amongst themselves how to proceed. When Brimscythe attacks, Scanlan reveals that it was an illusion. The party successfully attacks Brimscythe's throat, and Grog deals the killing blow. With Brimscythe dead, the lair crumbles, and they escape with only a very small amount of treasure.

Uriel rewards Vox Machina with an honorary membership on the council and ownership of a nearby keep, meant to keep them close by to defend the city from threats. He informs them that the council suspects Krieg was part of a conspiracy, so an upcoming banquet has been arranged to discuss this. Vox Machina is invited, and various dignitaries are already traveling to Emon to attend.

Outside of Emon, a carriage driver, Desmon, informs Delilah Briarwood that the road is blocked. She instructs him to go around, but Sylas Briarwood exits the carriage to personally clear the road. He is accosted by bandits, but he easily tears them apart. He re-enters the carriage, and they continue on towards Emon.

Cast
Billing order lists main cast, then guest cast in alphabetical order.

Crew

 * Written by - Brandon Auman
 * Directed by - Alicia Chan
 * Producer - Tony Salama
 * Co-Producers - Jennifer Muro, Eugene Son
 * Art Director - Arthur Loftis
 * Editor - Todd Raleigh
 * Storyboard artists - Morgan Hillebrand, Cassey Kuo, Sheldon Vella

Vox Machina

 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Scanlan Shorthalt
 * Grog Strongjaw
 * Pike Trickfoot
 * Trinket
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia

New

 * Shaun Gilmore
 * Raishan (unnamed)
 * Desmond Otham
 * Delilah Briarwood
 * Sylas Briarwood

Returning

 * General Krieg
 * Uriel Tal'Dorei II
 * Gregory Fince
 * Kima of Vord
 * Allura Vysoren

Quotations

 * Gilmore: (upon noticing customers in his shop) You have entered a realm of mystery, of magic, of marvel. Welcome to Gilmore's Glorious Goods! Enchanted curios and magical artifacts at discounted prices. I take gold, silver, platinum. (notices Vax) Why it isn't the mysterious Vax'ildan hohoho. I was hoping you would swing back through again.
 * Krieg: The age of man is coming to an end. There was a time when dragons ruled all of Tal'Dorei, when we ruled the entire world!
 * Uriel: Vox Machina, for your selfless heroism, I proclaim you all protectors of the realm and honorary members of the council of Tal'Dorei. I know, I can hardly believe it myself.

Trivia

 * The episode adapts the parts of narrated by Travis, Sam, and Marisha.
 * Though the episode was announced to be releasing at midnight PST on January 28, 2022, it released eight hours early at midnight UTC (or GMT) instead.
 * The two soldiers simultaneously killed by being dropped by Brimscythe were voiced by Matthew Mercer and Marisha Ray, who joked that it was "romantic".
 * Gilmore's Glorious Goods featured several Easter eggs hidden around the shop: lanterns from the Campaign Three set, a stuffed red weasel resembling Sprinkle, a copy of Tusk Love with Jester Lavorre and Fjord on the cover, an item strongly resembling the Happy Fun Ball, and Gary Gygax's sandal.
 * The real sandal was won in a charity auction by Chris Prynoski, the president and founder of Titmouse, who held onto it for a year and presented it during the Tavern Keeper Build Q&A.
 * While searching General Krieg's room. Keyleth notices a carpet on the floor bearing the emblem of the Chroma Conclave, the antagonists of Campaign One Arc 3: The Chroma Conclave.