The Legend Of Vox Machina Season 4 Episodes 4, 5, And 6 Recap: Is Delilah Briarwood Dead?

Following the vicious attack of the cultists during Keyleth’s coronation ceremony, the fellowship of Vox Machina started their investigation to learn further about their latest opponents. Previously, led by leader Necro Ninja, the worshippers of the Whispered One launched a bloody assault on Asharis, and the leader took Keyleth’s father, Korrin’s eyesight. Vax’s role as the Champion of Matron of Ravens is hinted to be detrimental to the ploy of the cultists as his interference caused the cultists to flee. Taryon Darrington was able to identify the wands of the cultists to be made of Shadowstone, an extremely rare gem which is only mined in his hometown, Deastok. As the team decide to look into the background and true motive of the cultists, past secrets get revealed and heroes end up finding the harrowing extent of the influence of the cultists.

Spoilers Ahead

Howardt’s Shadowstone Syndicate

As the fourth episode of the latest season of “Vox Machina” begins, Taryon invites his new friends to his father, Howardt’s stately abode, and it appears his foolish demeanour has been a reason for headache for his old man. Howardt, a devious businessman, is a collector who has managed to obtain different kinds of relics of Exandria, which includes Ashari artefacts, even Chroma Conclave member Umbrasyl the black dragon’s skull, who was slain by Vox Machina. Chroma Conclave destroyed numerous lives, whereas greedy profiteers like Howardt benefitted from the elimination of competition. Given mining rare gems is the source of Darrington family wealth, the group ask Howardt about Shadowstone mining but he suspiciously evades any queries regarding that. As the team decide to probe into Howard’s belongings to learn the truth, Percy and Grog distract him in a conversation; Keyleth and Pike draw Howard’s personal assistant, Cleeves’ attention elsewhere, providing Vax and Vex a chance to search around Howardt’s office. They find evidence which suggests the regularly stolen Darrington shipments contained Shadowstone, contrary to Howardt’s statements.

Daryn learns about the investigation, and his craving for paternal validation prompts him to accompany the team to the mines to learn the truth in order to clear his name. Percy has to engage in a game of cards with Howardt with a deck of infinite possibilities, while the group infiltrates the Shadowstone mine. As it turns out, Howardt has been supplying Shadowstone to the cultists without alarming the authorities, and the attack on his convoys are deliberate ruse. Vox Machina decides to put an end to the Shadowstone mining operations, and Cleeves, who has become aware of their activities, engages in a battle with them in his advanced tech warsuit. It takes Taryon some time to realize that his father is not the honorable person he pretends to be, and he helps the team to take down Cleeves. Meanwhile, Pike, who had taken an Everlight amulet from Howardt’s collection, notices the amulet strongly reacting with Shadowstone ore, and sees a vision of a group of warriors fighting an Archlich known as the Whispered One. Howardt learns about the machinations of the team, holding Percy and Grog captive in his chamber, he confronts them and lambasts his son for incompetence. However, Taryon shows exceptional bravery by standing up to his father, making him realize how he ruined the family name in the first place. Holding him captive by using the kinetic gems, Taryon vows to restore the Darrington pride by undoing his vile deeds. Unfortunately, at Taryon’s most heroic moment, Doty, his robotic companion, is not present to chronicle the events. 

Breaking Inside Cobalt Blue Archive: Past Conflict With Whispered One

As the team leaves Deastok, Pike recognizes one of the warriors from her vision to belong to the warrior monk order of Cobalt Souls. However, from the available sources about the millennia old order, no mention of the Archlich known as Whispered One can be found, which prompts the team to visit Rexxentrum in order to make an attempt to infiltrate the heavily guarded, anti-magic mechanism laced Cobalt Blue archive. Percy comes up with a perfect plan, but the lack of proper coordination makes the entire operation a mess in no time. While evading capture from the guards along with his sister, Vax is shocked to learn that Vex had secretly married Percy in Whitestone, and he laments not being invited to her special day while revealing his mortal fears as his blight is progressing rapidly. Pike was supposed to read the particular account involving Whispered One thoroughly by using Potion of Comprehension, while Grog mistakenly consumes and goes through the archive while trying to escape the anti-magic mechanized guardian’s clutches. The team somehow escapes the order, and the mission is deemed to be a failure. However, Grog has managed to learn quite a bit about the past conflict against the Whispered One, and he mentions long ago, the dread sorcerer/ Archlich, Whispered One, challenged the god, prompting Prime Deities to send their champions to take him down.

The champions used divine magic and souls of the fallen to create the magic siphoning black orb which Percy is experimenting on in Whitestone. However, the Archlich had become too strong to be killed by the champions, and they sacrificed their lives to hold him captive in a dimension known as Thar Amphala. The single chronicle about the incident exists as a scar of necrotic soul which resides across the cave where the conflict happened, and in a scroll – location of both of which remain unknown as the effect of Potion of Comprehension wears off. For what it’s worth, they now know that the orb holds the key to unlock Whispered One from the dimension where he is imprisoned. Keyleth raises the proposition of letting Vax ask Matron about details of the past conflict, but Vax mentions things aren’t as straightforward with Matron as they are assuming. Percy has plans to shut down the orb for good by experimenting upon it using magic, and he invites the team to Whitestone. Pike decides to take a detour with Grog as she has recognized one of the warriors, Esree, to possibly be her ancestor. She needs to visit her great great grandfather, Wilhand Pikefoot, by visiting Westrrun. 

Pike’s Tragedy: Is Delilah Briarwood Alive?

At the Whitestone, while repeatedly trying and failing to absorb the orb’s magic with magic negating runic inscriptions as used by Cobalt Blue, Percy is confronted by Vax, who is miffed with him for not inviting him to his marriage with Vex. Taryon comes up with a way by offering his mystical enchanted gems to overcharge the orb instead of trying to siphon its magic, and uses Doty as a conductor/ stabilizer mechanism. The experiment works, the orb disappears and the gateway is sealed, and Taryon Darrington once again saves the day. However, the process exacts a hefty personal cost, as Doty turns ineffective in the aftermath, essentially ‘dying’ – much to Taryon’s grief. As Vax becomes candid about his predicament and his fear of mortality, Percy reconciles with him. It was Vax’s act of saving Percy’s life and soul which caused his blight in the first place. Percy will do whatever it is necessary to bring his friend back from the verge of death. Or, perhaps going through the experience of death is needed for Vax to truly become Matron’s champion?

Vex and Keyleth share their regrets, disdain with each other over a bottle, and in a drunken state, visit the Matron’s shrine nearby where Keyleth opens up about her fear of losing her loved ones. The scene shifts to Westrrun, where Pike and Grog find out Wilhand is in a relationship with Luisa, who helped him to take care of the local populace in the aftermath of Chroma Conclave devastation. Pike asks Wilhand about her ancestor, but he suspiciously denies knowing anything about a Pikefoot ancestor who fought Whispered One. Pike and Grog find out the local populace is still reeling from the corrosive impact of Chroma Conclave, as they are afflicted with Dragon Lung disease. Pike tries to heal a little girl, but due to her weakened connection with Everlight, she fails to help her. A distraught Pike finds comfort in the words of a local pheasant, Gideon, a leader figure who has proposed an alternate way to the locals to heal themselves. Listening to the chants uttered by Gideon and his followers which include Luisa as well, Pike is alarmed as it mimics that of the Whispered One cultists’ words. 

Pike and Grog decide to take Wilhand and get away, upon realizing the entire township has  been brainwashed, and back at his place, Wilhand, who is afflicted by Dragon Lung as well, connects with the duo. He hands Pike a scroll on Esree, the paladin with Mythcarver in her hand who fought against Whispered One. It should be mentioned that at this point Mythcarver is one of the Vestiges of Divergence which Scanlan, the only absent member of Vox Machina, wields as a champion of Ioun, aka the Knowing Mistress. Wilhand also acknowledges Grog as his own son, not only due to how his kindness ensured his and Pike’s survival in the past, he became a family through the years by building an emotionally resonant bond with the Pikefoots. Luisa and her associates track down the trio, and use dark magic to incapacitate Pike and Grog. Wilhand is taken to a sacrificial altar outside Westrrun, where a fanatic Luisa wants to perform the enhancement ritual on him in hopes of curing him from Dragon Lung. These townsfolk have been misguided by the likes of Gideon to turn against their Prime Deities, and worship Whispered One in a vain attempt to escape death. Pike and Grog manage to free themselves and fight with Luisa and her associates, when Grog gets injured and a severely weakened Wilhand tries to help him.

Right at this very moment, Necro-Ninja, the leader of the cultists, arrives, holding Luisa and the townsfolk accountable for trying to perform the rituals on their own, mercilessly slaughters them. Despite seeing Pike injured, the leader doesn’t engage her in a battle, merely leaves after taunting Grog and Wilhand’s predicament. Pike is devastated as she witnesses her great great grandfather breathing his last in her arms, following a sombre funeral attended by the townsfolk, she vows revenge against the architects of this calamity. In the final moments of the sixth episode, it is shown that Necro-Ninja answers only to her superior, who is none other than Gideon himself. It can be well assumed that he is not a mere mortal, and there is a chance that he is acting as a conduit of the Whispered One. Shockingly enough, Necro-Ninja is revealed to be Delilah Briarwood, whose glowing eyes convey that she has been brought back to life thanks to the powers of Whispered One. The upcoming episodes are going to be quite intriguing given that even though the team has secured means to stop the Archlich from escaping, champions like Pike and Vax are still not at their full potential. Scanlan’s absence has not been explained yet, and I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t return till the end of this season – in which case, like Chroma Conclave, Whispered One arc too is going to be a two-season affair. 

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