Summary (TL;DR)
In Syngorn, a tense reunion with their father Syldor leaves Vex and Vax feeling unwelcome and belittled. Percy attempts to counter Syldor’s coldness with support for Vex. Seeking the Vestige Fenthras, Vox Machina ventures into the Shademurk Bog, encountering the manipulative Archfey Saundor. Vex refuses Saundor’s bargain, defeats him with Percy’s gift, and claims the bow. Meanwhile, Pike and Scanlan bring Grog, weakened by Craven Edge’s corruption, to her great-great-grandfather Wilhand. After a peculiar treatment, Grog is free from the sword’s influence but still frail, prompting the party to seek the gauntlets in Westruun – held by his treacherous uncle, Kevdak.
Daddy Dearest
Percy, Keyleth, and twins Vax’ildan (Vax) and Vex’ahlia (Vex) quietly walk through the streets of Syngorn, with Garmelie as their guide. They keep a low profile while avoiding the guards on patrol. Keyleth wonders how a city could teleport to the Fey Realm, and Vex explains the Elven nobility use magic to move the city in times of danger. Eventually, the guards confront the party. Vex requests an audience with Ambassador Syldor Vessar, and Vax reluctantly adds they’re his children.
The party minus Garmelie are taken to Syldor’s home. While they wait, Percy is impressed by the Ambassador’s expensive taste. Vex says her father always had a gold standard — except when it came to her and Vax. She asks Percy if she looks like she comes from nobility. “I’ve known many people with money and titles, and they’re definitely not worth you,” Percy says in response.
Devana Vessar, Vex and Vax’s step-mother, warmly greets the party. She introduces Vex and Vax to their step-sister Velora, who is adorable. They were having a nice family reunion until Syldor speaks, his voice like ice, when he says he might have been happy to see them if they gave advance notice they were coming.
It doesn’t take long for Syldor to start belittling the twins. He mentions the Elves teleported Syngorn to the Fey Realm when Emon fell and were preparing to fight the dragons. When Percival says they too were fighting the dragons, and they needed help finding the bow Fenthras, the Vestige of Divergence. Slydor coldly dismisses the idea, preferring to complain about the drain their visit was having on the family. Vax loses his temper but Vex graciously asks if their father could aid them in any way.
When Slydor gives them a decree that will give them safe passage through the city, Percy asks for the decree be amended to include Vex’s title: Lady Vex’ahlia, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt. Syldor tells Percy the title is meaningless, and his trick is beneath his dignity. Vex finally loses her temper, saying Vox Machina won’t fail — which is more than she can say about his parenting skills. Syldor’s response is that if they return with Fenthras, he’ll show them the welcome they think they deserve.
Enter Saundor
The group is joined by Garmelie outside the city. Percy apologizes to Vex for giving her a noble title, but she is happy, because before him, Vax was the only person willing to stand up for her. Percy gives Vex a mechanical arrowhead as a gift. The group travels to a gloomy area where Keyleth senses despair, and they hear whispers from a cursed Archfey named Saundor. Garmelie urges them not to listen to the voice, but it singles out Vex. A terrified Garmelie disappears, saying the group will never see him again.
The group enters the Shademurk Bog and comes across a giant tree, where Vex is drawn into it by Saundor. Vax, Percy, and Keyleth are ensnared in vines while Saundor shows Vex memories of her childhood. He offers to give her the bow she seeks in exchange for her heart. Vex refuses, saying, “My heart is someone else’s” and they engage in battle. Meanwhile, the rest of the group escapes the vines, only to be blocked by tree creatures. They’re able to turn things around when Keyleth transforms into a fire elemental. In the end, Vex kills Saundor with Percy’s gift, retrieves Fenthras, and the group is able to leave the tree.
As the group leaves the tree, Vex admits she’s not ready to speak with her father any time soon. Garmelie returns, praising the group for entertaining him. He says they’re going home, and creates a portal that will take them back to Tal’Dorei. It isn’t until Vox Machina has left that Garmelie transforms into the archfey Artagan, wishing them safe travels.
Doctor Trickfoot
Pike and Scanlan bring the weak and corrupted Grog to Wilhand Trickfoot’s cottage, who is her great-great-grandfather. After looking Grog over, Wilhand creates a large “pill” to help him recover. Grog is hesitant to take it, because he doesn’t think he can swallow it, but that’s not how the pill is consumed. Scanlan takes charge and shoves it into Grog anally.
Even though the “pill” rids Grog of Craven Edge’s corruptive magic, he is still weak. Wilhand suggests Grog needs significant stimulation to awaken his muscles. Pike recommends the party head to Westruun in search of the gauntlets Scalan saw in his vision of the Vestiges. Grog knows who has the gauntlets — his uncle, Kevdak, who’d used them to kill Grog.
