The Legend of Vox Machina (season 2)

The finale of the last season had several dragons descending on the capitol city.  They lay waste to the city, forcing Vox Machina to flee to their stronghold.  While considering what to do next, a dragon attacks their keep.  A desperate escape follows.  The dragons are the Chrome Conclave.  They are led by a red dragon who has plans beyond mere conquest, but those are held close to his scales.  Vox Machina determines that they need help and go to the city of the gods (has temples for each) to request help: denied.  However, they do learn that they need to collect powerful artefacts known as the Vestiges of Divergence.  While they are hunting for artefacts, one of the dragons is hunting them.

The season provides additional background for many of the characters.  Percy was effectively the central focus last season and received lots of attention.  Pike also got a lot of attention with her crisis of faith story arc.  This time, the twins departure from the elfin city is shown as a prelude to their return.  It is not a happy reunion.  The elf father is not so keen on his half-elf children.  Also, the first meeting of Vex and her animal companion, Trinket the bear, is shown.  Elsewhere, there are the events that led to Grog's exile from his tribe - called the Herd, which neatly leads into his strong ties to Pike the gnome.  Even Keyleth the druid gets some more backstory as she encounters her father and completes part of her 'Aramente' related to fire.  Huh, it almost sounds like she is a variant of Ang the Last Airbender.  She is an Air Ashari who needs to gain proficiency in each of the elements to complete her Aramente.  Hmm.  Even Scanlan has some interesting developments.  Heck, he proves to be the hero in more than one battle.

The combat is hyperactive.  The characters are always running, flying, flipping, jumping, or otherwise moving around the battlefield.  The party has no one who stands toe-to-toe with the enemy, except maybe for Grog.  Granted, it is hard to stand toe-to-toe with a dragon, but the lack of a tank character is peculiar.

Good popcorn fun and recommended.  Can hardly wait for the next season.

The Legend of Vox Machina

The kingdom of Tal'Dorei is beset by some unseen terror that is wiping out farming communities.  The latest band of heros that were sent to defeat it were all killed.  Thus, the king sent out a call for a new set of adventurers.  Enter Vox Machina, a rowdy band who volunteer - not out of the goodness of their hearts but for the reward.  Not at all your typical adventuring party.  There are the half-elf twins: Vex the ranger with her bear companion, Trinket, and Vax the Rogue.  There is the half-elf druid, Keyleth.  Then there are the gnomes: Scanlan the randy bard and Pike the cleric.  Rounding out the party are Percy the human gunslinger (I didn't realize there was such a class) and Grog the goliath barbarian (goliath must be something like a half-giant in this setting).  It is odd that this party has no tank character.    In any case, the king accepts this quirky party and has them escorted to the area that has seen the trouble.  The party soon encounter a dragon, utterly failing to injure it but managing to survive the fight themselves.

The dragon adventure is only the beginning of this season of epic adventure.  No sooner have they gained their reward - a rundown keep where they can live until the kingdom needs them again - than Percy's past arrives in town.  The Sylas and Delilah Briarwood arrive in the capitol from Whitestone.  It was they who slaughtered Percy's family and he means to take he revenge.  Of course, Sylas is a powerful vampire and Delilah is an even more powerful necromancer.  It will take at least 10 exciting episodes for the party to overcome such a cable duo and their various minions.

Though visually attractive, the story is often weak.  There are times when the characters seem to be abysmally stupid.  In one battle, the party finds themselves fighting several iron golems that prove entirely immune to all of their attacks.  However, the man controlling the iron golems is standing out in the open and talking smack while no one thinks to attack him.  Right.  Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.  The party is off to fight the undead, but their cleric is indisposed.  Um, yeah, that's really not a good idea.  Wait for the cleric.  To the good, there is a lot of roleplaying here.  These aren't paper cutout characters.  They all have strengths and flaws, they have cliques among themselves and don't walk in lockstep.

As for the world of Exandria, it has that multicultural mix that is required today.  Yes, the king of this European-like country is black.  The citizens are a mix of this and that.  I wonder if the Africa-based continent has a white king with mostly black subjects.

Good popcorn fun.