This is it.
Coronation day.
If anyone was meant to don the Mantle of the Tempest,
it's your daughter.
I cannot wait to see her shine.
Weapons, please.
Of course.
As excited as I am to see our friends,
this event still feels very Whitestone-y.
At least in Zephrah, we're not the hosts.
For once, we can relax.
If you mean get shitfaced, I am right there with you, darling.
Remember, though.
No talk of orbs till we know more.
For once, I don't want to be this party's pooper.
Dis robe's itchin' ma nips. Is the ceremony almost over?
Grog, it hasn't even started.
Oh, hey! It's Vex and Percy.
Guys! Over here!
Oh, man. Wait till they hear about the flesh-eatin' gas
and that scary priestess.
Just like the old days.
Uh, well, maybe we hold off on all that.
I mean, this is a big step for Keyleth,
and she may not want to go back to the old days.
None of them may want to.
It's my honor to carry on this hallowed Ashari tradition.
"H-Hollowed"? No, "hallowed."
What does "hallowed" even mean?
"Really great tradition"?
You've bested far deadlier challenges, Kiki.
Everything's going to be fine.
Oh! "Fine." "This really fine Ashari tradition." Yes.
I'll leave you to it.
Really not the best time for a chat.
Wait. What is this?
No!
What's happening to them?
Since the day you first called on me, Champion,
I have been preparing you for what now begins.
Is this about the ceremony? Is Keyleth in danger?
Everyone is in danger. Soon, your realm will be...
Will be what?
- Hey, look, everybody's small still. - Hey, guys.
Look at us, together again.
Oh, man. How's Whitestone?
Must be nice not dealing with, you know, monsters and-and stuff.
- Actually-- - It's, uh, wonderful.
Uh, what sort of scrapes are you and Grog getting into on the road?
You know... ...nothing too exciting.
Just carousing with the common folk.
Basic sword-for-hire stuff.
Whatchu talkin' about, Pikey? We just got the shit beat out of us by this nun who--
Owed us money for that beer tab. I'm sure Lord and Lady Whitestone
don't want to hear about our lowly barroom brawls.
Oh... right.
- Mm-hmm. - Mm. Mm.
So... you wear shirts now.
Um...
- Is it just me, or-- - No, no, this is awkward as hell.
I'll, um, be right back.
And then I'm supposed to do the four elements ritual, which is like...
it's actually super tricksy, but if I can just get through that, then
it's just the speech, which, bleuuch.
Hmm?
- Vax? Are you listening? - All right.
It's been a while,
but I assumed you'd see the family resemblance.
- Vex'ahlia. - You came!
Wouldn't miss it for the world.
Why is he so jumpy?
Oh, I just, um, thought I saw something. A-A premonition.
Uh, wait, is this a Matron thing?
Let me guess, a vague portent of doom with little to no explanation?
Well... [sighs] ...yes, but, uh...
But nothing. This is Keyleth's big day.
You've got the combined might of the Ashari
plus motherfucking Vox Machina in attendance.
Don't be nervous. We've got you.
Keyleth.
We're ready.
It's good to see you, Stubby.
You too, brother.
Hah!
Headmasters, do you recognize Keyleth of the Air Ashari
as our people's representative?
We do.
And do you, Ashari, recognize your new Voice of the Tempest?
Hail the tempest!
That's right!
- What a sexy voice! - Fuck yeah, Kiki!
Oh, yeah! You earned that shit!
My wife, Vilya, set out on her Aramenté when Keyleth was little,
but fate had other plans.
Today, her destiny lives on in our daughter.
Our ancestors saw value in finding a single voice to speak for the many.
But my time with Vox Machina taught me that
the collective is mightier than any individual.
The Ashari may be four tribes,
but we are one people, and all our voices must be heard.
I am honored to carry on this fine tradition
the Ashari have kept for a minimum.
Millennium, I meant millennium.
Anyway, um, let's eat.
Woo.
Congratulations again. Korrin, you must be so proud.
You're too kind. Winds watch you.
Well, I did a loop, and I cannot find Scanlan anywhere.
They definitely invited him, right?
Hmm... Well, maybe he's just late?
Maybe he didn't want to come.
Well, I just mean, a lot can happen in a year.
I mean, you guys seem so happy.
Maybe he's happy, too, just somewhere else.
And you, Pike? Are you happy?
Well, I am now.
A toast.
To Kiki, the nature girl who brought us all--
- Together again! - Seriously?
How did you even get here?
A temerous tale for the telling, let me tell you.
Doty, take this down.
- No. - Please stop.
Take it down several notches.
Ah, trying to remain spoiler-free?
Okay, then let's skip to the toast.
Ah. To Vox Machina. My people.
Spike, Greg, Antler Queen, the little elf twins,
Percival Frederickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III,
and I, Taryon Darrington, Defenders of the Realm. Huzzah!
Tary.
That is potent.
I loathe this man.
Who the fuck...?
I should make sure they're on the guest list.
Well, the guys seem to know him.
Wait, is he on the team now?
Did they replace us already?
Is what the old Keyleth would say, not the new, kickass leader Kiki.
And as Voice of the Tempest, I order us to stop worrying and enjoy ourselves.
Congratulations, Voice of the Tempest.
And to the Ashari leaders.
For you will be the first pillar of the Old Order to fall.
Oh, gods. The Matron was right.
You pound the drum of tradition to hold onto power,
then surrender that power to fate.
Letting "heroes" determine whether you live or die.
Groveling before the whims of nature.
You dare insult the Ashari!
You believe you crowned a new leader today,
but the Children of Truth see her for what she is,
another blind follower.
Cerkonos!
The old ways must die,
that we may seize control of our destiny.
These vines won't last long. We've got to get up there.
No. We can handle this, Keyleth.
You're the Voice of the Tempest now. You're too important.
I am also a member of Vox Machina, and we don't run.
Tell the Fire warriors to lead the counter-attack.
Earth and Wind, provide defense
while the Water Ashari help the wounded escape.
- But you need-- - The Tempest has spoken.
- Holy shit, am I glad to see you guys. - Who the fuck are these people?
If the Matron is to be believed, no one good.
You had a vision about this?
Any other prophecies you want to fill us in on?
Well, they look kinda like dat priest lady who wouldn't stay dead.
Wait, what did you say?
In Whitestone, we fought a nasty bugger who kept reviving, too.
Well, why didn't you tell us?
I was waiting till we knew more. What's your excuse?
Well, I was waiting for the right time.
Guys, are we gonna argue...
or are we gonna fuck shit up?
About time.
- Let's go! - I'll fetch the weapons.
Wait for me, Sir Percival.
You've made a grievous mistake today.
Looks like you've refined your table manners, Stubby.
And you're still eating with your hands.
Eh, just didn't have the right salad fork.
Are you two related?
- How could you tell? - Normally, people don't banter this much.
De Rolo's coat flaps in the wind
as he happily hurls himself into peril,
confident that his daring and handsome comrade-in-arms will aid him.
No one asked for your aid.
Of course not. For Taryon Darrington needs no reason to be a hero.
He just is one.
Locked. I don't suppose you have a gem that could get us in?
No. I have many!
But which would be most dramatic?
Can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss Scanlan.
En garde!
Get the fuck away from him!
Why are you hurting these people?
Not hurting. Helping.
Like you.
What the...?
Everyone out. Move.
Hey, helmet hair!
Incoming!
Aw. Is that it?
Goodie.
Perhaps... No. Mm-mm.
Ah, maybe. Aha! [sighs] Eh. Mm-mm.
Just pick one!
Ah! The Battering Ram, which is a bit of a pun, because--
Do it, you gold-plated git!
"Battering Ram." I get it.
Now, is it the boy elf or the girl elf that throws the daggers?
Hand over the child.
There's no way you survive this.
We do not fear death.
No!
Are you okay?
Survival is clearly not part of their goal, so what are they after?
Only one way to find out.
You missed me, didn't you, brother?
Not as much as you missed me.
Ah, shit, we do banter a lot.
Damn it. Where is she going?
Hey.
What wise words does the Voice of the Tempest wish to share?
How about "surrender or die"?
Aren't you sick of this?
The endless cycle, the meaningless traditions
chaining you to the past.
You have the power to change things.
You need not sacrifice in vain,
as your mother did.
My mother died protecting the ones she loved.
Keyleth!
But will they do the same for you?
Kiki!
Let's find out.
No! Stay away from him!
- I got you. - Thank you, child.
Oh, no. Grog.
Go. I'll be fine.
Almost had him.
I know you did, buddies.
Grog!
Had enough?
Guess who finally showed up with our party favors.
- Me! - Tary!
Cover me.
One for you, and another for you, and, oh, I didn't forget about you.
Truly the tides had turned, thanks to that persistent portmanteau,
Taryval DeRollington.
Absolutely not. Nice work, though.
Oh, yeah. Good as new.
Who's the big one now?
Uh-oh.
Vax?
Vax!
I'm here.
Are you okay? I thought she was coming after you.
I'm fine. We're fine.
The guests are clear, Tempest.
And the assassins are on the ropes.
The Matron's warning was averted.
When that freakshow started talking about sacrificing loved ones, I thought...
Wait.
Where's my father?
No! Dad!
Tempest, wait!
This realm is built
- on hollow institutions... - No.
...would-be saviors,
and false gods.
Today, we bestow on you a great gift, Ashari,
the ability to see the truth.
- Dad! - No!
The Ashari are part of a flawed system
that must die and be reborn.
A new champion?
Yah!
Another time, then.
Dad!
Okay, ugly, let's finish this.
Huh?
Oh, fuck. Oh, thank the gods.
Answers. Now.
What was your motive? Who do you work for?
We are his blood.
Wait!
- Tary... - Perhaps we'll just edit this part out.
No. No, no, no, no, no.
I'm so sorry, I... I can't bring his eyes back.
What the fuck just happened?
Whoever these "Children of Truth" are,
I'd wager Pike's priestess, Vex's beast
and his "master" are part of it, too.
But to what end? Where did they come from? Why did they retreat?
Why blind the Ashari leaders instead of killing them?
We've got nothing close to a real lead.
Not so.
Shadowstone.
An extremely rare gemstone only found in the mines near Deastok.
And Deastok is what now?
Well... 'tis my home.
Then that's where we start.
And we don't stop until every last one of 'em pays.
Matron, if that was what you were preparing me for,
you could've been a bit more specific.
The Matron of Ravens has chosen a new champion.
We must act now.
Chirp.