Enter Vasselheim

is the sixteenth episode of the first campaign of Critical Role. After this episode, the cast appeared in a panel at the Nerdist Conival at San Diego Comic-Con 2015:.

As Vox Machina completes the journey across the Ozmit Sea, Lady Kima of Vord arrives and prepares the group for the culture shock awaiting them in Othanzia's capital city of Vasselheim.

Pre-Show

 * The 4200 subscriber giveaway winner is LL1973. They win a signed Player's Handbook of D&D 5e as well as a signed photo cast. The next giveaway, with the same items, will be held at 4250.
 * Critical Role will be skipping next week due to the San Diego Comic-Con. Matthew & Laura are on the Geek and Sundry panel from 1-2. The Critical Role panel is from 4-5. The panel will also be filmed.
 * Critical Role will also be skipping the week after next because Matthew and Marisha are going to New Zealand for Armageddon but the rest of the cast will be there to hang out and play some other game.
 * Liam will be joining on Skype from upstate New York.
 * Instead of 826LA this week, during the break Critical Role will have a special presentation for GameChangers, a cancer charity in partnership with Square Enix to raise money.
 * Sam & Taliesin are stuck in traffic.

Announcements

 * There are technical difficulties with the intro video so Matt jumps right into the show.

Part I
As Vox Machina completes the journey across the Ozmit Sea, Grog finally succeeds in getting a bit of beard to grow under the effects of the Belt of Dwarvenkind. Vax'ildan assists by gluing a bit of frayed rope to Grog's chin as a goatee. Tiberius again tries to convince Scanlan to trade him the Circlet of Concentration in exchange for Tiberius's Ioun Stone by giving a math workshop, and Scanlan finally agrees. Keyleth explains that Vasselheim, their destination, is near Pyrah, the home of the Fire Ashari, and that she should probably complete that stop on her aramenté while they are on the same continent. She reveals that her mother, Vilya, disappeared years ago while on her own aramenté.

They arrive in the country of Othanzia: cold, bleak, and ominous. Lady Kima is nervous, and prepares the group for the culture shock awaiting them in the ancient capital city of Vasselheim, which is about thirty miles inland. The airship touches down, and Scalebearer Yon, a representative from the Platinum Sanctuary, arrives to escort them (carrying the Horn of Orcus in its platinum container), through the chilled streets to the head of their order: Highbearer Vord himself.

As they walk, Yon explains that Vasselheim is an ancient and very holy city, and that arcane magic of any kind is not allowed, since it tends to corrupt and destroy from the inside. With Keyleth flying overhead in eagle form, they reach the Platinum Sanctuary, the sacred temple of Bahamut. Keyleth sees trees moving in the distance and leaves the group to check it out, observing a large, serpentine, multi-headed creature being fought off by the town guard. When she flies back to the Sanctuary and enters through a window, she is immediately arrested, shackled, and escorted to the rest of the group, who reassure the guards that she's with them.

Highbearer Vord greets them and confirms they bear one of the Horns of Orcus. He suggests sealing it in the chamber that once held the Star of Exaltation, a crystal born from the tear Bahamut shed for the sacrifices his first devoted made in the Great War of the Beginnings, the Dawn War. Unfortunately, the chamber has been infested with some manner of foul subterranean spider creature.

The task is laid before them: enter the Hall of the Exalt, an ancient vault below the Platinum Sanctuary; evade the traps laid to prevent trespassers and exterminate the invading vermin; seal away the reliquary containing the dreaded Horn of Orcus; and return safely. Easier said than done, as some of the Hall's defenses are active and the party is forced to traverse a number of deadly traps in hopes of being rid of the evil artifact once and for all. Vex manages to disarm one of them by shooting an arrow into a very tiny hole, and they take a short rest.

Part II
Following their short rest, the party continues descending down a long stairway, encountering spiderwebs and eventually, strange large spiders which they exterminate after a brief battle. They continue onward to the Hall of the Exalt, a large central platinum chamber covered in spiderwebs, with more phase spiders off to one side. Kima opens a recessed vault within the chamber, made of platinum and sapphire. The scalebearers place the ark containing the Horn of Orcus within the glowing vault, and as its doors begin to close, they all squeeze back out.

The phase spiders begin approaching and are driven off, but blue energy begins cracking through the floor and walls, eventually reaching and illuminating the ceiling. It reveals, recessed into the ceiling, four large platinum-armored humanoid entities held aloft. As the platinum golems descend, the party flees, with only Kima taking damage as they are pursued to the doors. Kima re-seals them closed.

Upon returning to the Platinum Sanctuary, Highbearer Vord gives them a reward and mentions a recently uncovered temple to Sarenrae in the city, long forgotten and in disrepair. Pike feels that she must stay to help restore the temple, and says a tearful farewell to the rest of Vox Machina, promising to return to them when she can.

Vox Machina

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

New

 * Highbearer Vord
 * Scalebearer Yon
 * Gesyra

Returning

 * Damon
 * Scalebearer Desona
 * Lady Kima of Vord
 * Scalebearer Vorack

Mentioned

 * Teera
 * Vilya