Fate's Journey

is the fifth episode of the first season of The Legend of Vox Machina. Vox Machina journeys to Whitestone to confront the Briarwoods and help Percy reclaim his family home. As they travel, Scanlan studies Delilah Briarwood's mysterious spell book to uncover clues. But the team's first road trip is interrupted when the Briarwoods send horrific monsters to retrieve their missing book.

Plot summary
Vax, Vex, and Keyleth as a squirrel dodge from guards in Emon and break into Gilmore's Glorious Goods. Before they can gather supplies, Gilmore magically traps them. They explain their situation and assure him they will pay. Vex finds a number of enchanted arrows, and Vax finds a stake. Gilmore also offers the group holy water help fight vampires.

They meet up with the rest of Vox Machina, excluding Pike, in a stolen horse cart driven by Percy. Vex sits by Percy as lookout and teases him about his bitchface as Scanlan and Keyleth attempt to decipher Delilah Briarwood's book. Together, they determine she is planning something to do with a ziggurat. Vax notices Grog sitting at the back of the cart, upset that Pike has stayed behind, and comforts him.

As they continue towards Whitestone, the forest becomes darker and stranger. Vex notices some strange wolf-like creatures tracking the cart and tells Percy to stop. At first, Keyleth tries to communicate them, but they reveal strange, multi-jawed mouths and long tongues. Percy deduces they were sent by Delilah. One of them steals Scanlan and the book he is holding. Vox Machina give chase. Keyleth uses magical vines to provide Percy bridges over the deep chasms, and the rest fight off the creatures. The creature with Scanlan intends to jump with him over a cliff. Vex shoots an arrow with a rope for Scanlan to grab onto, and they bail from the cart before it goes over the cliff. The rope turns out severed, but Scanlan reveals that he has rescued himself with Scanlan's Hand. However, the supplies purchased from Gilmore's are lost as is the book. The front half of the creature picks itself up and takes the book.

In Whitestone, the creature returns the book to Delilah as she and Sylas discuss residuum refining for the ritual with Byron Anders and Kerrion Stonefell. Seven villagers, including a small child, are brought into the castle as "dinner guests", and Delilah tells the child that they are there for something very special.

Back in the forest, Vox Machina set up camp. Scanlan reads a scroll he had taken from Brimscythe's lair, to Grog's great amusement, and gains the ability to change shape into different forms. Keyleth and Vax talk together as Vex watches with suspicion.

Pike travels to a temple of the Everlight and tells the cleric that since she was attacked, she has felt cut off from the Everlight's power and fears that she is cursed. The cleric warmly invites her in.

Vox Machina tell each other stories of previous kills, with Vax starting with his tale of defeating a rakshasa and the rest going around. When it comes to Percy's turn, he merely speaks of the Briarwoods, leading Grog to comment that he's being a buzzkill. Vex pulls Vax aside as everyone gets ready for bed and warns him against Keyleth. Vax responds that simply because they've been betrayed before doesn't mean they can't trust anyone. The party then goes to bed, although Percy stays up, spinning the barrels of The List. Names are written across the barrel, including Stonefell, Sylas, and Delilah.

In the morning, Percy describes how Whitestone once appeared, telling Vox Machina that the Sun Tree is believed to have been planted by the Dawnfather himself. His wonderful description is quickly proven no longer true as the party arrives in a run-down town with terrified villagers. Percy tells Vox Machina that they need to find Keeper Yennen, if she's alive, as she'll know what to do. They walk through the streets, hiding from the guards and stone giants, but Percy suddenly freezes as he notices the Sun Tree strung with corpses. They see the seven "dinner guests" dressed to look like the members of Vox Machina. Keyleth, horrified, remarks, "It's us."

Cast
End credits list main cast, then guest cast in alphabetical order.

Crew

 * Written by - Jennifer Muro
 * Directed by - Alicia Chan
 * Producer - Tony Salama
 * Co-Producers - Jennifer Muro, Eugene Son
 * Art Director - Arthur Loftis
 * Editor - Todd Raleigh
 * Storyboard artists - Jasmine Groggins, Karen Guo, Sinae Jung, Richard Suh, Erin Won

Vox Machina
These characters are Vox Machina and their adventuring companions.
 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Scanlan Shorthalt
 * Grog Strongjaw
 * Pike Trickfoot
 * Trinket
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia

Returning
These characters previously appeared in an episode of The Legend of Vox Machina.
 * Delilah Briarwood
 * Sylas Briarwood
 * Gilmore
 * Byron Anders (first identified)
 * Goran Vedmire (non-speaking appearance)
 * Kerrion Stonefell

New
These characters have not previously appeared in The Legend of Vox Machina, though they may have been previously mentioned.
 * Hotis (not named)

Mentioned

 * The Everlight
 * The Dawnfather
 * Keeper Yennen
 * Syldor Vessar (not named)

Quotations
Grog: I know that. She's stronger than all of us. I'm more worried about us without her. Vax'ildan: Me too, Grog. Vax'ildan: Hmm. Yeah? Screw that place. And Father. Whole thing nearly broke us. Vex'ahlia: Nearly. But it didn't. Because we stuck together. (as they watch Keyleth) We didn't let ourselves get distracted by pretty things. Careful, brother. Those vines have thorns. Vax'ildan: You're imagining things, Stubby. No one will ever come between us. You know, sometimes courage is knowing there could be trouble and taking the chance anyway. Vex'ahlia: So is stupidity.
 * Vax'ildan: Dagger, dagger, dagger... wooden stake.
 * Vax'ildan: Pike is going to be fine.
 * Vex'ahlia I keep thinking about when we left Syngorn.

Trivia

 * Sam Riegel's daughter Kestrel Riegel appears in this episode as the little girl.
 * This episode adapts, ,.
 * Some of the kills described over the campfire are adapted from portions of Campaign 1 before Vox Machina's visit to Whitestone: Hotis from for Vax, a duergar in  for Keyleth, and a bulette in  for Grog.
 * As a surprise for Matt, the design team intentionally designed a character model that looked like him to appear in each episode. The character appears leaning against an alley wall in Whitestone shortly after Vox Machina arrives.