Test of Pride

is the thirteenth episode of the fourth chapter of Critical Role. Scanlan tries to plan a safe escape for his daughter Kaylie, while Grog makes his way to the center of Westruun for the final confrontation with his uncle Kevdak.

Announcements

 * The episode began an hour and eight minutes late due to technical difficulties.
 * T-shirts
 * Wyrmwood Gaming
 * Opening sequence from

Previously on Critical Role
"The party, having found their way back to the city of Westruun, which had been overrun by the herd of roving nomadic tribal barbarians and other such brigands that wander the landscape of Tal'Dorei—that Grog once belonged to—had swooped in and taken Westruun after the Chroma Conclave dragon attack across this countryside. The party have devised a plan to find their way into the town—or at least one of them would—distract a cluster of these individuals, these goliaths, pulling them out of the city into a large pit that had been hidden after being carved by the druid Keyleth.

"Scanlan went in to be the distraction, becoming invisible, leaping into the center of the main town square, right in front of the Margrave's house, where apparently the leader of this clan, Kevdak—who has a long history with Grog—resides. As part of this distraction, Scanlan released a Thunderwave, and in doing so unknowingly also revealed himself as the Invisibility spell went away. He had an entire cluster of very angry looking individuals bear down on him, managed to escape thanks to Dimension Door, twice, and made his way into the partially ruined Temple of Erathis, where he came face to face with a number of refugee Westruun villagers, and Dr. Dranzel, and Kaylie."

Part I
With a brief reunion with Kaylie and Dr Dranzel, Scanlan realizes that the guards are coming for the temple. They start pushing through the door and Scanlan has the refugees hide in the partially collapsed building. Asking for his daughter's assistance and help, Scanlan fills the room with fog and cats minor illusion of Stonejaw Strongjaw's head. A goliath and human enter to see Stonejaw's disembodied head. Kaylie creates the voice of Stonejaw, being fed information by Scanlan and declares that he cannot go onto the other side until he avenges his death. The goliath backs off but the human throws his axe through the illusion but they tell him his head is only a projection and that they must send Zanror to the main gate to fight. The human flees with a bit of fumbling..

With the guards gone, Kaylie says they have to get the townspeople out. Dranzel says they rest of his team are still on their way back from Kymal. Scanlan is unsure of how to get them out and asks about using the sewers. They decide to wait until they see if their plan has worked.

Meanwhile the rest of Vox Machina are outside of the city, waiting and hearing the bells going off. Vex'ahlia uses Hide in Plain Sight on the group. Keyleth drops her bird form to say that she can see doubling down of defenses and is unsure how Scanlan's distraction worked. Six figures are coming this way. Grog mentions that Zanror was in a group of the Goliaths that party previously encountered, taking the edge off their undead Grog plan. Grog reminds them to keep their distance when fighting against any of the herd.

Percy, in bird form, tries to get a look and see if Zanror is coming. Instead he spots two eagles heading their way. A group of nine rush towards the gate. Grog steps out of cover. Grog does his best impression of undead Stonejaw which spooks some and some of the other guards move forward. Their trap springs and only two of them manage not to fall into the 180 foot pit, and a few are still holding on the edge. Percy lands and Keyleth drops his polymorph and he tacks to trick push shots at the remaining guards. The bullets push both over the side, one to the bottom and the other joining three others on the side hanging on. Vex'ahlia casts Hail of Thorns on the cluster of them, hitting two of them. Vax'ildan hits another with a dagger.

They hear a screech and one of the eagles attacks Keyleth, throwing Keyleth off the wall and she manages to change into raven to keep herself from being injured. Two remaining guards get out of the whole. Keyleth flies back to make a loop around town. Grog, keeping up his impression, walks towards them asking for Kevdak. Grog recongizes one of them as Suda, who in return sees through his Stonejaw impression.



Vox Machina

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

New

 * Suda:  A goliath, a little younger than Grog, with a heavy scar stretching from his chin down his neck and sternum.  He recognized Grog despite Grog's deceptive impersonation of a dead Stonejaw Strongjaw.  Killed by Grog.
 * Seer Greenbeard:  One of the older seers, who has one eye that is completely clouded over, white, with a pus-filled socket that has been perpetually infected over time.  He has a thick, moss-like crust that has gathered under his neck due to his infection, leading to his name of "Greenbeard".

Returning

 * Dr. Dranzel
 * Kaylie

Quotations

 * Travis, in Grog's voice:  "I'm no fuckin' Gungan!"
 * Grog:  "It would be such a shame...  It seems all of you would be missin' out on the greatest show of your life.  You see, in this bag, I carry the very thing that would topple the mighty Kevdak.  You know what I remember?  I remember a herd that nations used to part for.  I remember a herd that towns used to quake and run from.  I remember a herd that was so proud and dangerous they would never hole up in a shit-stink city like this!  But what do I see when I come here?  Kevdak—prancing up in a place like this, and what?  Bending a knee to a dragon?  How far you have fallen.  Now, if you have any honor in you at all, you'll take me to Kevdak, and you will see what I have for him, and then maybe, just maybe, you can call yourselves warriors again instead of piss-pot squatters!"