Vox Machina Origins III 5

Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins III #5 is the seventeenth issue of Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins and the fifth issue of Vox Machina Origins Series III. It is written by Jody Houser and Matthew Mercer with art by Olivia Samson and cover art by Jonah Baumann. It was published by Dark Horse Comics on February 9, 2022.

Plot summary
Vox Machina speaks to Eskil Ryndarien, who is imprisoned under suspicion of freeing Skysunder. They believe him innocent and ask for suspects, but Eskil believes none of his rivals would endanger all of Westruun. Grog, saying he owes Eskil a favor, offers to break him out, but Eskil declines. Eskil tells Vox Machina that Skysunder was sealed below the Frostweald by the Arcana Pansophical at the end of the Icelost Years and identifies the blue stone Vex gives him as a now-deactivated fragment of a threshold crest. Vax gives Eskil the letter to the Margave Atrix, and Eskil magically traces the letter to an unknown Clasp member. Vax tells the party that he can track down the person in question and, despite their protestations, slips away.

Vax descends into the the sewers and is able to enter the Clasp hideout by showing his own Clasp brand. Vax overhears one group talking about how Fetch delivered Skysunder to Atrix.

Meanwhile, the rest of Vox Machina walks the streets of Westruun, unsure where Vax has gone. Keyleth thinks she's found the missing dwarf child, but she is mistaken. However, a woman overhears her apologizing and says her own daughter went missing about a year prior. Shortly before her disappearance, the girl made friends with a boy with black hair and golden eyes, who was also never seen again.

Vax notices he is being followed. He lures the person into a backroom and attacks him, but Vax loses the upper hand. The man noticed Vax spying on the others and asks what he's heard. Vax relays the story about Fetch and, when questioned further, tells the man that he was in town when the stone froze it. The man reveals himself to be Spireling Fetch. Fetch tells Vax he delivered the stone but has no interest in freezing the city as it's bad for thievery. Vax suspects whoever was responsible was willing to frame the Clasp as well as Eskil. Fetch has no information about the sender because he was paid so well that he asked no questions. However, he says the stone was sent via the Emon Clasp headquarters, and rumor is that someone high-ranking in Emon is involved. Vax tells Fetch that Eskil was also framed and he is trying to clear Eskil's name. Fetch offers to help, although Vax will owe him a debt. Vax agrees. Impressed with Vax's skill, Fetch offers job opportunities with the Clasp, but Vax declines.

Vax meets back up with Vox Machina. He evades Vex's question of where he had been and, suspecting the situation will quickly change, says they should check on Eskil. Upon arriving at the prison, they find Eskil being escorted out by Atrix, who is apologizing for the misunderstanding. As a gift of thanks, Eskil gives Vax the Boots of Haste.

Percy asks if he discovered who freed Skysunder, but Vax only has the information he got from Spireling Fetch. Grog asks if the party should go to Emon to follow up on the lead, and Percy and Pike agree that it would be a good idea. Pike and Grog say goodbye to Wilhand, and they all start out on the road to Emon.

Returning

 * Grog Strongjaw
 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Pike Trickfoot
 * Scanlan Shorthalt
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia
 * Trinket
 * Eskil Ryndarien
 * Atrix
 * Wilhand Trickfoot

New

 * Spireling Fetch

Mentioned

 * Skysunder
 * Dread Emperor (unnamed)

Development
The comic was originally scheduled for publication by Dark Horse Comics on January 5, 2022. Due to the 2021–2022 global supply chain crisis and unidentified circumstances with creative teams, all Critical Role titles were delayed, some multiple times. The issue was delayed to February 9, 2022.