The Rematch

is the twenty-third episode of the first campaign of Critical Role. As Vox Machina prepares for the return to Emon, Grog demands a rematch against Kern to regain his honor. After some final errands, the party returns home to Greyskull Keep and a fan outside their home, but there's no time to rest with bad news on the horizon...

Announcements

 * Matt thanks Ivan van Norman for running last week's one-shot while he and Marisha were away.


 * Matt gives a shout-out to Scott from Boise, Idaho, who ran into him and Marisha at Burning Man.


 * Hasbro is accepting submissions for their new face-to-face party game at nextgreatgamingchallenge.com.


 * Welovefine is running a T-shirt design contest for Rage of Dragons (Demons?). Matt will be one of the judges for the contest.


 * Matt covers the weekly subscriber giveaway. This week, the giveaway includes a copy of a Pen to Paper Imaginary Friend book, a compilation of stories from kids who have been tutored at 826LA.


 * Last week, Matt and Marisha delivered the Critter community's donations to 826LA. A video compilation of the experience is in the works.


 * Matt thanks Jim Donnis for the cast's custom-etched glasses and quality drink for the evening.


 * Travis voices the main villain, Scabrous Scrotus, in the new Mad Max game. Orion voices Scab and various war boys. Matt is a war boy commander and various random NPCs. Laura, apparently, barfs a lot in it.


 * Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain just came out as well. Marisha plays one of the Diamond Dog soldiers, as does Matt.


 * Orion suggest following him on Twitch (Orionacaba) to watch him play the shit out of Mad Max.


 * In honor of the start of the 2015 NFL football season, Travis will be repping the Dallas Cowboys tonight.


 * Liam has a family commitment tonight, but is hoping to arrive late. Sam steals his seat.


 * There is a Kickstarter up for the third Mythica film, an indie-budget fantasy series. Matt plays Szorlok, the main villain, and several other friends are in the cast.

Previously on Critical Role
''"Vox Machina, after completing the trials of the Slayer's Take and acquiring their marking brand as evidence of them joining the actual guild itself, meeting the gynosphinx that is currently responsible for the development and the progression of the guild itself, they found themselves having Pike join them for about a week's time. The landscape of her temple to Sarenrae was being cleansed of a curse, and the group decided to follow through on their promise to aid Keyleth on her Aramenté, to find the Pyrah people to the far southwest of Vasselheim. [They] made their way to the mountains, eventually to the actual Pyrah tribe itself, where they underwent a trial through the Elemental Plane of Fire, battled some of the druids of the Pyrah themselves in elemental fire form, combated against time through a cinder storm as they attempted to escape, managed to do so with their lives, and in doing so, gained the blessing from the Aramenté for Keyleth from the Pyrah tribe, as well as a blessing from their main druid as well, a Sparkstone, and returned to Vasselheim. Pike then said her goodbyes again, returning to help the restoration of the temple of Sarenrae."''

The Vengeance of Philip
Scanlan rejoins the rest of the group, and they trade news. As they discuss their next steps, Grog decides he wants a rematch with Kern and, on the barest encouragement from Tiberius, immediately leaves to do that. The rest of the party hurry after him.

Although they find the Crucible empty in the middle of the day, news of the rematch between "Philip" (Grog's previous arena name) and Kern "the Hammer" spreads quickly. Kern is summoned, and a crowd gathers. The party place their bets, mostly on their friend, though Scanlan bets on Kern.

Kern arrives and leaps into the Crucible with Grog. Both go into a rage. Kern's punches show a discipline that he did not previously have; he has been training. Grog simply rages harder. From the sidelines, Scanlan yells inspiration at Grog and Cutting Words at Kern. Keyleth attempts to heal Grog from a distance, but gets caught by a nearby Bastion. She gets dragged away for cheating, along with Tiberius for trying to help her.

Kern, at this point, is badly hurt and desperate, but gathers the strength for a round of blows that would have knocked Grog unconscious. Grog pushes through with his Relentless Rage. Grog at last lands a final blow to knock Kern out of the fight. He is declared Grog "the Victorious".

The crowd falls silent as an older, muscular man, who has been watching the fight, throws back his hood and gives Grog a respectful nod before leaving. Clerics arrive and administer to the fighters. Grog rejoins the rest of the group, and they collect their winnings from the bookie. Grog then goes to shake Kern's hand, promising him another rematch someday.

Meanwhile, Tiberius and Keyleth have been brought to a Bastion holding facility. Vex tracks them down and claims that they are escaped mental patients. Scanlan, under the name of Burt Reynolds, esquire, backs her up. They persuade the guards to release their friends for a 500-gold fine. The party retires to Bellow's Respite Inn for drinks.

Final Errands in Vasselheim
Vex asks the bartender about the hooded man who watched Grog's fight and learns that he is Earthbreaker Groon, the Dawn Marshal. The party split up to run errands.



Percy goes with Keyleth and Tiberius to look for ammunition supplies. Though black powder is not a commonly-sold commodity in Vasselheim, Percy manages to find one eccentric older man who sells it. Delighted to learn that his black powder is of value to someone, the merchant, who calls himself Victor, sells Percy a hogshead of it. He then directs Percy to his friend Samson to buy ore.

Grog goes with Scanlan and the twins to the Trial Forge to talk to Earthbreaker Groon. Groon recognizes Grog and has heard of Vox Machina. Grog offers the services of Vox Machina to Groon if they are ever needed, and Groon replies that such a day will come.

Their business in Vasselheim concluded, Tiberius opens a teleportation sigil back to Emon.

Checking In at Greyskull Keep
The party emerge in the Alabaster Lyceum and fill out the necessary paperwork for their use of the circle. From there, they decide to visit Greyskull Keep. Outside the keep, they find that a young man has been camping outside the front door for the last two weeks. He introduces himself as Kynan Leore and asks to join Vox Machina, insisting that he has been training to fight for months.



As Kynan is speaking, Vax, to make a point, strikes him with the pommel of a dagger and knocks him out in a single hit. When Kynan wakes up, Vax tells him he is not ready to deal with beholders and dragons. Kynan is heartbroken, but Vax tells him to go train and return when he is ready, offering to personally mentor him when he returns. Kynan swears to make him proud and runs off.

The party go into the keep and are greeted by Laina, the housekeeper. She tells them that Seeker Assum Emring has business to discuss with them, and sends off a note to notify Assum that they have returned. The party rest for a while in their home. Scanlan, missing Pike, takes a moment to scry on her. He sees her at work in the recovered temple of Sarenrae.

Seeker Assum arrives while the party are eating dinner. He tells them that a dinner is to be held within the week with one Lord and Lady Briarwood of Whitestone, celebrating the construction of a bridge between Tal'Dorei and Wildemount. Assum noticed Percy's discomfort the last time the Briarwoods were mentioned, which matched up with Assum's own reservations about the couple. Assum invites them all to attend the dinner. Percy excuses himself to work on something downstairs, and Assum leaves.

Vox Machina

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

New

 * Earthbreaker Groon
 * Kynan Leore
 * Victor

Returning

 * Cordell
 * Erwen Dastell
 * Assum Emring
 * Kern
 * Shayne Tranter
 * Laina Yor
 * Lockheed

Quotations
Percy: An attorney at small. Attorney at small. Percy: Had I? I hadn't noticed. Assum: Well, I did.
 * Grog: I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder. Would you mind terribly if I maybe went out to the street and picked a fight?
 * Scanlan: I'm Burt Reynolds, Esquire. I'm an attorney at large. I represent all manner of escaped mental patients.
 * Assum: Now, while you were gone, a venture has been put into motion. In celebration of the agreed-upon construction of a grand bridge across the Shearing Channel to the eastern continent of Wynandir, a dinner is being held here within a week. This venture is helmed by one Lord and Lady Briarwood of Whitestone, as the bridge would be set at the edge of the Alabaster Sierras. They are probably en route as we speak. The bridge shall open trade routes with the kingdom of Wildemount across the way. I'm here because few things escape my eye. Percival, when last we were company, you had shifted so very uncomfortably at the mention of these two. May I ask why?