Daring Days

is the eighty-sixth episode of the first campaign of Critical Role. Vox Machina takes some time to bond with their new companion before setting sail for their next adventure.

Announcements

 * Tonight's sponsor is Loot Crate. Sam read a biography of "Ebenezer Lootacrata."
 * Weather permitting, Matt, Marisha, Travis, and Laura will be leaving tomorrow for Anime Milwaukee.
 * Merch update: Dice are sold out! However, other things are still available.
 * Signal Boost: Amy Dallen just had an episode. Eric Campbell is coming up next.
 * Taliesin will be talking comics with Amy Dallen and Matt Key on a new show called the Wednesday Club.
 * A new game called For Honor just came out; a couple of the Critical Role cast are in it.
 * Due to current green card difficulties, one of the crew members, Amandine, is going back to Switzerland. She will be missed!

Previously on Critical Role
"Vox Machina had just finished destroying the long-standing reign and terrorizing assault of the Chroma Conclave across the face of Tal'Dorei. As [they] finished that chapter, defeating Raishan and collecting the remnants of the necromancer's sanctum where the final battle took place, [they] returned with the unfortunately fallen corpse of [their] friend Scanlan Shorthalt.

"[They] succeeded in the resurrection, however upon returning from Vasselheim and Scanlan coming to consciousness, it was discovered that Scanlan was in a place in his life where he needed to take some time with his estranged and recently discovered daughter. Arguments ensued, and agreement was had that he would step away from Vox Machina to follow his own path.

"The group took a period to mourn and then began to decide what their next layer of plans were, what loose ends still were held out there, and [they] made [their] way to the city of Ank'Harel on the continent of Marquet to return the right hand of Ripley—the person responsible for assassinating a member of the Scarbearers within the Debt's Respite Tavern in the city.

"As [they] made [their] way past the bazaar towards the inn, on the outside [they] saw what appeared to be a large humanoid structure built of iron and metal walking on its own behind a very well-, flashily-dressed blond gentleman with [a] goatee and a braggardly demeanor, who managed to weasel his way into the company of Vox Machina and to continue his adventures alongside theirs, as his robot friend Doty continued to archive it in his book of his adventures."

Part I
Inside the Debt's Respite tavern, the group is greeted by Treev Bonebreaker. Grog extracts Ripley's mechanical hand from the Bag of Holding and hands it over. Treev accepts it and they stay for a drink.

Taryon's Background
The group quizzes Tary for a while, learning that he hails from Wildemount, where he was raised on his family's rich private estate. Much like Percy, he did a lot of reading in his youth and has become something of a tinkerer. He now has a list of adventures that he wants to complete and record for his book. Tary is rather condescending toward Percy, not realizing that he is also a tinkerer.

As the party heads to visit J'mon Sa Ord, they learn more: Tary built his automaton, Doty, a year ago, when he was 27 years old. He hasn't really had friends before, only tutors and books. His father is a businessman, dealing in real estate. Percy is able to observe that Doty runs on a combination of engineering and enchantment, which reassures Percy that Tary is not in fact smarter than him.

A Favor for Jarett
They arrive at the Cerulean Palace. Realizing that Scanlan had J'mon's medallion when he left, they instead present J'mon's flute and ask for an audience. The Grand Maven is brought to greet them. As J'mon is not available for audience, they ask her to pass along word that the last of the Chroma Conclave have been defeated. They also ask that Jarett's exile be re-examined.

Leaving the palace, Tary complains that not much adventure has happened so far. Vex tells him to cross off teleportation from his list of adventures, as Keyleth opens a tree portal. They rush through into Whitestone, much to Tary's delight.

Vex goes to check on Jarett, who is still visibly recovering from the Thordak fight. She tells him that the Grand Maven is working on clearing his name. Jarrett seems elated at the news. Vex also mentions that Scanlan has left Whitestone. Hearing that, Jarett asks her to hold on to something for him and hands over a small pouch. Vex prompts him about it, and he confesses that the pouch contains dangerous, highly illegal suude, which Jarett had procured at Scanlan's request. Vex thanks him and leaves.

The party escort Tary through Whitestone, to an area of unclaimed gardens behind the castle. There, Grog and Vax, who have decided that Tary needs to audition for his role in Vox Machina's adventures, suddenly assault Tary and Doty without warning.

The Hazing
Keyleth and Vax both dump some healing spells into Tary to give him a leg up. Tary, screaming, fingers fumbling, pulls a diamond off his ornate helmet to cast Prismatic Spray. Keyleth and Percy are reasonably impressed; Percy and Grog hold their attacks, while Keyleth decides to test Tary's dodging skills with a Fireball.

Tary takes the hit hard, but doesn't quite go down. Vax calls off the fight, warning Tary that this is the sort of thing he will be facing if he sticks around.

At this point, Vex, coming from her conversation with Jarett, catches up and demands to know what's happening. Tary breaks down in tears. He confesses that he has not been forthright; that his father intends for his sister to inherit the family business, unless Tary can prove himself worthy. He had hoped, by becoming an adventurer, that he could earn his father's respect, but it will never happen.

The twins, seeing Tary's vulnerability, and sympathizing strongly with his daddy issues, start to like him a little more. They welcome him to the family and everyone goes to get a drink in celebration.

Getting to Know You
They run into Pike on their way to the bar. Pike is leaving with Allura and Keeper Yennen to go back to Emon, where skilled healers are needed in Thordak's wake. Tary asks if Pike is Grog's girlfriend; he nearly gets punched out for it, but Grog shows uncharacteristic restraint.

Over drinks, more comes out about Tary's family. His father, Howaardt, is a rotten cheat of a businessman, and his sister, Maryanne, is a bullying jock. Percy offers to show Tary his library at some point, and does show off the mechanism of Bad News. Tary, remembering his fee, writes Vox Machina a check for 16,000 gold (50,000 originally, minus expenses). Eventually, they all go to bed.

In the morning, Percy gives Tary a tour of his tinkering workshop, and they begin to form a fast friendship. Vex talks to Grog privately, telling him that she has secretly kept his Deck of Many Things. She gives him back the real one, feeling guilty for having lied to him. Grog completely fails to understand what is happening and gets very confused by her confession, but does end up with the Deck back in his possession.

The First Adventure
The next item on Vox Machina's agenda is a trip to the Water Ashari, to complete Keyleth's aramente. To that end, they take a tree portal to Terrah, hoping the people there will know how to find Vesrah. They are greeted there by Rockcaller Dryden and two others, who take them to Headmaster Pa'tice. Pa'tice advises them to take a boat or airship across the Ozmit Sea to Vesrah. Grog convinces Tary to eat a mouthful of dirt, saying it's a local custom.

Keyleth transports them from Terrah to Greyskull Keep in Emon. They make their way to the docks, consult with the Dockmaster Abban, and are directed to one Captain Adella. She offers to take them to the Vesrah for 150 gold a day, estimating that it will be a six or seven day journey. They agree. Tary, excited, tells Doty to take down everything that happens on the ship. With that, they set sail aboard the Drensala Vis.

Vox Machina

 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Grog Strongjaw
 * Pike Trickfoot (DM-controlled)
 * Trinket
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia

Appeared

 * Dockmaster Abban
 * Captain Adella
 * Rockcaller Dryden
 * Headmaster Pa'tice

Mentioned

 * Uvenda, the Heart of the Tides

Appeared

 * Treev Bonebreaker
 * Taryon Darrington
 * Doty
 * Grand Maven Gameshega
 * Shaun Gilmore
 * Jarett Howarth
 * The Sun Tree (used as transportation; did not speak)
 * Allura Vysoren
 * Keeper Yennen

Mentioned

 * Mistress Asharru
 * Captain Damon
 * Cassandra de Rolo
 * Cerkonos
 * Hotis
 * J'mon Sa Ord/Devo'ssa
 * Lady Kima of Vord
 * Korrin
 * Raishan
 * Anna Ripley
 * Sarenrae
 * Scanlan Shorthalt
 * Thordak

Quotations
Vax: We're going to take a little time for a day, and then we're going to take you to hell. How does that sound? Tary: Are you speaking metaphorically? Grog: No, no. Literally hell. Jarett: No, I procured them for him at his request. Vex: Is this why you were expelled from Marquet? Jarett: (unconvincingly) No. Tary: What's going to happen? Grog: And take your other hand, and you either make a boulder, a piece of paper, or a pair of shears. Right? And we do it on three. Percy: To be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure what's happening either. Keyleth: You've never played Boulder, Paper, Shears? Keyleth: We never -- no. Tary: I know that you all look at me and you just see the armor and the handsomeness -- Percy: The armor, yes. Tary: -- and the bravado. Percy: The armor. Tary: And you think, "He has it all." Percy: It's very nice armor.
 * Tary: So far, we've delivered a dead body part to someone, and had a brief conversation with a guard. Is this what you all are about?
 * Vex: Jarett, you sold Scanlan drugs?
 * Grog: So put out your hand like this.
 * Tary: I know that you thought that I was an adventurer.
 * Vax: The truth is, you never stop being afraid. Being brave doesn’t mean you stop being afraid, it means you learn to compartmentalize it. You just live with it. So that feeling you’re feeling? You’re not gonna lose that.