Skyward

is the fifteenth episode of the first season of Critical Role. With the arrival of the envoys of Bahamut and the holy container in which to transport the evil Horn of Orcus, Vox Machina prepares to travel to the distant and ancient city of Vasselheim.

Announcements

 * Subscriber goal giveaway winner, Valmoncen.
 * Facebook initiative: post on the Geek & Sundry Facebook page with the hashtag #CriticalRole and a reason why people should watch the show to enter a giveaway.
 * New limited edition tshirt design by Matt Abernathy.
 * Soul Hunters RPG mobile game launched today, including voice work from Matt. There will be keys for the game given away tonight.
 * Marisha showed off a bottle of scotch given to the cast (and the rest of G&S) by critter Prometheus Theus.
 * Taliesin is on his way but stuck in traffic.
 * Liam is skypeing in from New York.

Previously on Critical Role
''"The party had just recently completed an extensive quest through the Underdark beneath the dwarven city of Kraghammer, in which they battled with mind flayers, and duergar, and eventually a giant crazed beholder that was possessed by an ancient artifact called the Horn of Orcus. Upon defeating the [beholder] and making a dramatic escape thanks to Tiberius, back to their home town of Emon, they met with the Council of Tal'Dorei, which they are a part of, to discuss what they should do with this great ancient evil artifact, the Horn of Orcus. The Council discussed it, most of the knowledge seemed to be that it could not or there is no known way to destroy it, and the best means of dealing with it would be to reseal it in a place where it would be safe, forgotten, and hopefully never rediscovered. It was decided amongst the Council that the safest place to do that is on the distant land of Othanzia, where there is a capital city known as Vasselheim. There, supposedly, is the most well-known and holiest and oldest place of Kima's order of worship, of the great platinum dragon Bahamut, of which she is a paladin, and supposedly they have facilities or means of sealing it away. So it was decided that they would send away for a holy container that could contain this evil without any worry of corruption or escape, carry it then via skyship over the ocean to the distant land of Othanzia, to Vasselheim the capital city and seal it away. After which they went on a shopping spree to Gilmore's Glorious Goods, and met everyone's favorite mage and item-creator extraordinaire."''

Part I
The party finishes their necessary purchases within the city of Emon and doles out the goods:
 * a sword for Pike
 * a Ring of Protection for Keyleth
 * a Dagger of Life-Stealing for Vax'ildan
 * a Manual of Quickness of Action for Percy
 * a Pearl of Power for Vex'ahlia
 * Coldsnap Leather Armor for Scanlan
 * And a Belt of Dwarvenkind for Grog, who is quite excited at the prospect of growing a beard with it.

Scanlan also commissions a scrying potion from Gilmore. Vex commissions new armor for Trinket to be made from the bulette hide they obtained earlier.

Percy begins tinkering a "tazing implement for direct contact," and makes a grappling arrow and three explosive arrows for Vex. Pike spends time in the temple and reconciles with Sarenrae, and then fully heals Vax's foot. Tiberius begins enchanting the earring he'd previously made, and asks Allura to complete it after the party leaves. Grog and Scanlan intimidate the patrons of the Laughing Lamia tavern and ask if there have been any other goliaths around. One man says he's seen roving bands of them up north on the Silvercut Runway on the way to Westruun.

The next morning the party heads to the palace. Two envoys of Bahamut, Scalebearer Vorack and Scalebearer Desona, have arrived with the holy container in which to transport the evil Horn of Orcus. Vox Machina are granted permission to travel by skyship with them across the Ozmit Sea toward the distant city of Vasselheim—the world's oldest surviving stronghold of civilization—on the continent of Issylra to the west of Tal'Dorei. The party boards the skyship Deera, meets with Captain Damon, and departs for Vasselheim.

Break

 * Zac Eubank and Marisha plug donating to 826LA.
 * Zac says if they hit 4000 subs by the end of the night, he will come up with a "Vox Moronica" song and make a music video for it.
 * The Critical Role intro video and character background videos are played.

Part II
During the journey, Keyleth and Vax make scrolls for the party and Vex flirts with Captain Damon. At the beginning of the third day, the ship lurches violently to the side. Grog makes sure the Horn of Orcus is still secured, and finds Kima and the scalebearers still guarding it. The party rushes up to the deck and sees several winged creatures being ridden by humanoid figures assailing the ship. Three of them are wyverns and one is a griffon. The flying creatures begin picking up deckhands and throwing them overboard.

In the ensuing battle, Keyleth Polymorphs one of the wyverns into a rabbit, causing it to fall to its death below, but its rider uses a grappling hook to climb to the deck. Vex and Vax suffer terrible poisoning wounds from wyvern stingers. Keyleth is picked up and thrown overboard, but transforms into an air elemental and uses its Whirlwind ability to fling one of the riders overboard instead. A wyvern attempts to do the same to Captain Damon, but Percy shoots it down and saves him. One of the riders uses a harpoon-like weapon on one of the ship's large crystals, causing its enchantment to fail and the ship to list hard to one side. Vex uses a grappling arrow on another of the riders, a halfling woman. One of the remaining guards kills the griffon with one of the ship's ballistae. Tiberius uses Telekinesis to fling daggers at one of the wyverns, nearly severing one of its wings. Grog throws another of the fallen riders overboard, and the party makes quick work of the remaining enemies, leaving only the grappled halfling alive.

Grog holds her over the edge and asks why they were attacking the ship, and she tells them that they're pirates, and they were just looking to steal whatever riches they were carrying. Grog throws her over, but Vex catches her with the grappling arrow embedded in her arm and pulls her back up. Pike heals her, and the party tells her that she can earn her keep aboard the ship. Percy rushes below deck to check on the Horn of Orcus, and Kima confirms that it's still secure.

Vox Machina

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

New

 * Karen
 * The Everlight
 * Scalebearer Vorack
 * Scalebearer Desona
 * Damon
 * Teera

Returning

 * Shaun Gilmore
 * Allura Vysoren
 * Tofor Brotoras
 * Assum Emring
 * Lady Kima of Vord

Mentioned

 * Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei III
 * Highbearer Vord

Quotations
Lady Kima: "Ah, it's fine." She reaches up and touches her head, you can see there's a slight warm glow of divine energy and the blood flow stops. Percy: That almost feels like cheating.
 * Percy: (to the injured Lady Kima) Do you need anything, is everything all right?