Hubris

is the first episode of the second chapter of Critical Role. Parting ways with one of their members, Vox Machina is now adrift in a strange and unfamiliar city. After Grog dukes it out in a fighting pit, Vox Machina rushes to help against an attacking beast outside the city, which ends up setting a chain of events in motion.

Announcements

 * Matt and Marisha give a shout out to the New Zealand critters at Armageddon Expo.
 * Tonight's subscriber giveaway will be a Player's Handbook and cast photo, signed by the cast, plus Espionage nail packs. You can follow them on Twitter at @espionagemakeup. The first winner has already been announced.
 * A critter has offered to craft and send an eight-foot-tall Trinket teddy bear if the 5000 subscriber mark is reached tonight.
 * Thanks to those who came to the Comic Con panel; there was a great turnout. The panel is available to watch on the G&S website.
 * Ashley Johnson, who plays Pike, is away in New York for the time being.
 * Critical Role supports 826LA, a charity for kids in K through high school. Viewers are encouraged to donate.
 * Thanks to Felicia for the new Critical Role neon sign.
 * Friend of the show Joré is visiting the set tonight, an artist who has done drawings for both Matt and Travis. His page can be found on Facebook.
 * Thanks to Kit Buss and Wendy Doodles for the character art used on the show. One of them may be involved in a project related to the Vox Machina pre-stream backstory.
 * Orion plugs his Monday evening show with Jessica Merizan, in which they play Final Fantasy XIV.
 * Laura and Travis will be at Otakon this weekend, in Baltimore.
 * Taliesin notes that the Ant-Man movie is quite good. If anyone plays the Ant-Man pinball game, they can hear Taliesin as the voice of Ant-Man in that game.

Previously on Critical Role
''"The party completed the venture of taking the Horn of Orcus to a place of safety and sealing it away, hopefully for eternity, with the help of Lady Kima and two of the Scalebearers. After heading to the basement of the Platinum Sanctuary in the city of Vasselheim, they succeeded in doing so. Vasselheim—which is a city to the far northwest of the continent they're used to—this city is a very devout, religion-based city, and currently considered the oldest bastion of civilization in the known civilized world. After taking a skyship across the ocean to get there, sealing the Horn, [they] also discover upon doing so that the long forgotten ruins of what appears to be an ancient temple to Sarenrae were recently discovered, and while Sarenrae does not have a strong following in this city, the few that are trying to raise it asked for Pike's help, to stay back and help build it and bring it to its former glory and hopefully reestablish a basis of worship in this city, and she decided to do so, to help these folks. The party then steps away from the ruins of the tower, sad but understanding of the circumstance."''

Part I
After an extremely long, bare-fisted fight between Grog and Kern, the half-orc is kept from the brink of defeat by the passive racial ability Relentless Endurance. While staggered at but a single HP, Kern lands the knockout blow against Grog and leaves Grog with 1GP and many bruises as he leaves the ring a victor. Upon gaining consciousness, Grog drowns his sorrows in the familiar comforts of ale and whores.

Part II
As Vox Machina are taking breakfast the next morning, they hear a horn blast signaling an attack on the city. They barely glimpse a creature assaulting the city wall before it disappears into the Vesper Timberland. After consulting with one of the Bastions, the party decide to hunt down the creature and claim any contract it may have on its head.

Vex tracks the creature out into the woods, where the party encounter a massive hydra. However, their fight is interrupted by the arrival of another party of adventurers who claim the hydra as their mark. The two groups together finish off the hydra, with Tiberius getting the killing blow.

As the hydra falls dead, the leader of the newcomers, a human called Aldor, confronts Vox Machina. He explains that he and his team work for the Slayer's Take guild and are under a magically binding contract to slay the hydra—a contract which Vox Machina have now violated. To resolve the situation, Aldor takes them back to the guild hall to meet his Huntmaster, Vanessa Cyndrial.

Vanessa makes them an offer: They may undergo a trial to become fully-fledged guild members, and thereby be retroactively written into the contract for the hydra. Otherwise, they will be prosecuted as poachers. Vanessa further notes that they will be split into two parties for the trial; Vex, Percy, Scanlan, and Grog will be given one contract, while Vax, Tiberius, and Keyleth will be given another, along with some other prospective members. Each group will be given three days to complete their contracts.

Vox Machina accept the deal and agree to return the next morning to begin their trials.

Vox Machina

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

New

 * Aldor
 * Murtin Cyndrial
 * Vanessa Cyndrial
 * Kern the Hammer
 * Siren

Quotations
"Here is where the hunters gather, keen eyes and blades at ready. We cease the unknown's cackling laughter. Our will is strong, our members plenty. We stand against the tide of darkness. We do the deeds few men can handle. Reap forth a trophy from the carcass. We are your strength, we are your candle."

- Slogan on the door of the Slayer's Take guild hall