Last we left off on The Legend of Vox Machina; Vox Machina managed to slay a dragon (thanks to some expert throat-cutting by Vax’ildan (Liam O’Brien)! For their heroism (and exposing General Krieg’s (David Tennant) draconic identity), Sovereign Uriel Tal’Dorei III (Khary Payton) proclaimed them honorary members of his Council and gifted them their own castle keep in Emon.
For their first official act as part of the Council of Tal’Dorei, the party is invited to party! The Sovereign summoned several dignitaries to Emon to discuss the kingdom’s security. A banquet is being held in honor of these lords and ladies. A couple of those up-and-coming nobles are arriving in Emon very soon.
Be warned that this recap contains SPOILERS, so continue reading at your own risk! If you haven’t gotten the chance to catch up on the action, we suggest heading over to Amazon Prime and checking it out!
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Still here? Then get ready to shout your safe word and leap into action! The Legend of Vox Machina is about to get particularly dark and ferocious.
In a fancy dining room, a family of nobles laugh and play. The mother reads to her young brown-haired son. Suddenly, the scene flashes back and forth to violent and bloody images. The smile starts to fade as he sees himself, now with white hair, tortured with a knife. He flees through a forest, dragging a girl behind him. He notices two men enter the dining room with crossbows. A hooded woman stabs his father through the back. One of the crossbow-wielding men fires two bolts into his mother’s neck. Two arrows in her back kill the girl in the forest. The white-haired boy looks up and sees a shadow rushing towards him!
In the newly-christened Grey Skull Keep, Percival de Rolo III (Taliesin Jaffe) jolts awake in his bed. What an ominous beginning.
At breakfast the next morning, Percy scolds Vax’ildan and Grog Strongjaw (Travis Willingham) for their childish pranks and games. He tries to encourage Vox Machina to practice restraint, but Vex’ahlia (Laura Bailey) argues that emotions shouldn’t be bottled up and Percy needs to let loose at some point.
Arcanist Allura Vysoren (Indira Varma) arrives to remind the Protectors of the Realm that they are expected at tonight’s banquet. Percy is eager for a “proper” evening of civilized protocol. Allura stresses that it is more than just a formal dinner. Sovereign Uriel needs to convince the visiting dignitaries to sign his security pact. Vax promptly pranks Grog back as Percy reassures Allura that he will instruct the group in all the charm and manners needed to be “dignified.”
Arriving at the feast in their fanciest outfits, an exasperated Percy tells the group to follow his lead. Vox Machina checks in their weapons at the palace entrance, and the group joins the festivities. Unsatisfied with their lackluster introduction by the herald (Darin De Paul), Scanlan Shorthalt (Sam Riegel) adds several “honorifics,” shocking Allura and the other guests.
Despite Percy’s best efforts, the group splits up to do their own thing. Grog and Pike Trickfoot (Ashley Johnson) mistake champagne for “fancy shots,” downing entire glasses. Scanlan calls a noble a “libertine” and a “cad” just for asking where the palace privy was. But, despite Vox Machina’s vulgar behavior, Percy is eager to rub elbows with nobility from across the continent. Then he hears the herald announce Lord and Lady Briarwood (Matthew Mercer and Grey Griffin) from Whitestone. For a moment, Percy is frozen in shock. Then he instinctively reaches down for his absent gun.
Vex inquiries what is wrong and Percy reveals to the group that they are Lord and Lady Briarwood. Whitestone was Percy’s home until the Briarwoods “took everything from me.” Vax proposes going to Sovereign Uriel, but Percy can’t risk revealing who he is to the Briarwoods. Not to mention the Briarwoods are diplomatic guests.
Vex notices the carriage driver, Desmond, carrying a heavy trunk upstairs. Realizing the Briarwoods are staying overnight, Vax volunteers to slip into their room and discover what they might be planning? Scanlan insists they should have a safe word, so the rest of the group knows to come and rescue him. Grog proposes “Jenga.”
While he does that, the rest head to the dining room. Lady Kima of Vord (Stephanie Beatriz) complains that Vox Machina somehow look worse in formal wear than how they usually dress. Allura notes Vax’s absence, but Scanlan claims he is sick. To Percy’s anger, he is seated across the table from the Briarwoods. As Sovereign Uriel Tal’Dorei III introduces everyone at the table, Vox Machina tries to get Percy to talk to them. Grog tells Percy to attack the Briarwoods, but Vex encourages everyone to wait until Vax brings back intel.
Upstairs, Vax evades detection by the palace guards and uses his magic snake belt to lure the others away. With the coast clear, Vax picks the lock and enters.
Downstairs, Sovereign Uriel shares that he was surprised that the Briarwoods accepted his invitation. The last messenger was sent to Whitestone months ago, and he still hasn’t returned. Sovereign Uriel hears troubling rumors that no one is allowed to enter or leave the northern city. Lady Delilah Briarwood dismisses the rumors as spread by drunks and scoundrels. The Briarwoods attendance is proof this can’t be true.
However, Sovereign Uriel still considers sending a military garrison to verify her claims. Lord Sylas Briarwood touches Sovereign Uriel’s hand and both of their eyes briefly glow yellow. Sylas tells the Sovereign that he doesn’t need to do that, and the Sovereign agrees. Sylas declares that Whitestone must be protected and the charmed Sovereign echoes the words back.
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Delilah notices Percy glaring at her and she coyly asks if they have met before? Vex interrupts that they haven’t met, prompting The Briarwoods to introduce themselves, as a furious Percy shatters his wine glass in his grip.
In the Briarwoods’ room, Vax surveys the room before recovering his snake belt and investigating the trunk. The trunk seems to contain only clothes, but Vax discovers a hidden chamber in the lid. Within the secret compartment are fragments of green glass, vials of what appears to be blood, occult symbols and a book.
As dessert is served, Sylas admits to Sovereign Uriel that they are not originally from Whitestone. “Of course, you’re not,” Percy growls, speaking at the table for the first time. Delilah shares that the official story of the De Rolo family’s demise is that they all succumbed to a rare disease. Delilah goads Percy by claiming that the sad truth is that the De Rolos had grown bored with ruling. The De Rolos abdicated, raiding the city treasury and leaving its people lawless and penniless.
At Lady Briarwood’s insults, Percy can no longer contain his anger and publicly declares her a liar! At this outburst, the Briarwoods decide to skip dessert and retire for the evening. Delilah thanks Sovereign Uriel for such “refined” company before heading out. Vox Machina excuses themselves from the table as well. Vex reminds Percy not to bottle up his emotions, but Percy angrily states they don’t understand. Pike points out they can’t understand if Percy won’t tell them what’s happening! Percy reveals that the Briarwoods murdered his entire family when they seized Whitestone.
Upstairs, Vax continues reading, coming upon a reference to “The Whispered One.” He hears the Briarwoods approaching from the corridor as Sylas states they got what they came for: Uriel was easier to charm than anticipated. Delilah reminds him that “the boy” being here was unexpected and changes their circumstances. Vax quickly seals the chest back up and tries to leave, but the Briarwoods catch him. Caught off-guard, Vax attempts to masquerade as one of the palace servants. The Briarwoods are not fooled and Sylas pins Vax against the fireplace. Their eyes start to glow yellow.
Downstairs, Keyleth (Marisha Ray) demands to know why Percy never told them about the Briarwoods?! Percy explains that before he met Vox Machina, no one would ever believe him. They quickly realize that Vax is upstairs alone and head upstairs to help him out. Scanlan decides to stay behind and distract the banquet guests by playing his risqué song “Pull My Beads of Love.” (Oh, Scanlan…)
In the Briarwoods’ room, Sylas tells Vax he looks “delicious.” He bites Vax’s neck, revealing Lord Briarwood’s true nature as a vampire! Fortunately, doing so breaks the concentration of the charm long enough for Vax to break away. He leaps out the window. “Jenga,” he groans. Vox Machina hear the safe word and rush to get their gear before heading out to find an almost unconscious Vax.
Upon seeing Percy, Delilah taunts that the “pup” is all grown up now. A battle ensues as Pike heals the unconscious Vax. Keyleth and Vex go after Delilah while Percy backs up Grog’s attacks on Sylas. Unfortunately, Lord Briarwood’s vampirism makes him inhumanely strong and hard to kill. Sylas laughs at the so-called “Protectors of the Realm” and summons an onyx greatsword.
As the sword cuts Grog, it suddenly soaks up Grog’s blood, changing to become even larger and more jagged. Pike casts Bless to enhance Grog’s attacks, but Delilah rushes to her husband’s aid. Delilah breaks Pike’s concentration with a powerful necromantic spell leaving her shaken and her holy symbol broken. Without Bless, Sylas easily defeats Grog. But, before Sylas can land a killing blow on Pike, Keyleth saves them with Grasping Vines.
The Briarwoods see that guards have noticed the battle, so Delilah calls for their carriage. Throwing out Desmond Otham (Max Mittelman), the nobles make their getaway. Unfortunately, Keyleth’s vines cut off Vox Machina from the carriage, so Percy blasts his way through. Delilah continues to taunt Percy, encouraging him to visit his home in Whitestone.
Angry that his family’s murderers slipped through his grasp, Percy rages against Keyleth for “letting them getaway.” Despite Pike’s pleas, the glow fades from her holy symbol of The Everlight.
Then Percy’s rage turns on Desmond, reloading his gun. He begins to interrogate Desmond, demanding to know why the Briarwoods would leave Whitestone? They’ve never left before! Desmond honestly doesn’t know! Shadowy smoke rises from Percy’s gun, creeping up his arms until he is wreathed in shadows. Percy takes out a long-beaked mask, shaped to look like that of a dark bird.
Desmond insists he just drives the carriage and he claims innocence. Percy fires and blows away most of the fingers on Desmond’s left hand. Desmond desperately crawls away. Percy ignores the pleas of his friends to stop. In an otherworldly voice, Percy tells Desmond that his soul is forfeit. Before he can continue his attack, Sovereign Uriel arrives and orders the guards to arrest Vox Machina for assaulting diplomatic guests.
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Well, now you all have met the Briarwoods! What did you think of this dark and murderous couple? How will Lord Briarwood’s charm on Sovereign Uriel affect the Kingdom of Tal’Dorei? What did you think of Percy’s smoke show? Sorry, Vex: I don’t ever want to see Percy “let loose” ever again. More episodes of The Legend of Vox Machina are releasing next week, so keep an eye on Geek Girl Authority for more The Legend of Vox Machina!
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