Shadows at the Gates

is the fourth episode of the first season of The Legend of Vox Machina. After ruining Sovereign Uriel’s diplomatic dinner, Vox Machina is confined to their Keep under house arrest. While they stave off boredom, Keyleth convinces Percy to open up about his dark history and Pike fears she has lost her connection to her deity. Meanwhile, a looming new threat is on its way to confront Vox Machina.

Plot summary
Sovereign Uriel angrily chastises Vox Machina for disrupting the feast and potentially ruining diplomatic relations with the Briarwoods, and asks for his guards to arrest them, but Allura diffuses the situation and tells Uriel she will deal with them. Vex'ahlia tells Allura that the Briarwoods have affected Uriel's mind. Allura asks if she has proof, somewhat skeptically but acknowledging that Uriel's behavior does seem a little impulsive. Vex tells her she can get it if necessary, but Allura decides in the meantime to put Vox Machina under house arrest in their keep.

Meanwhile, in the carriage on the way back to Whitestone, Delilah Briarwood panics as she realizes her book has been stolen. Sylas reassures her that she can easily get it back.

Jarett Howarth and his troop confiscate Vox Machina's weapons and Scanlan's lute, and lock them in the keep. Pike is preoccupied with her dimmed holy symbol and sits in the corner as Grog exercises, Keyleth creates flowers, Percy plans, and Scanlan attempts to read Delilah's book. Vax'ildan worries aloud if he might be a vampire but is assuaged when he sees his reflection in the window.

Vex confronts Percy, asking him what his outburst was about, and Vax and Keyleth echo her concerns. Percy tells them that the Briarwoods originally came as allies, but killed his parents and turned their tutors against him and his siblings, torturing them for weeks. Percy and his sister Cassandra attempted to escape, but Cassandra was killed in the attempt. Percy swears his revenge, and Vex asks him what his plan is.

The Briarwoods stop in a graveyard so that Delilah can perform some necromantic magic to summon undead and get back her book.

Back at the keep, Percy finds a secret passage so that Vox Machina can escape to go to Whitestone. Pike is unable to light the way, and Keyleth struggles as well, but it does not matter as when they reach the end they run into Jarett, guarding the hidden exit. Jarett splits up the party into groups and locks them in rooms.

The twins, in a room with Scanlan, discuss running away as they had in Syngorn, abandoning the group, since they know they are sufficiently stealthy to do so, but decide not to do so.

Pike attempts to reach The Everlight with prayer and meditation in the shrine in the room she is sharing with Grog. She finds herself in an empty dark space with light at the horizon, but is unable to receive an answer. Grog inadvertantly interrupts her, and Pike becomes frustrated, then begins crying. Grog comforts her, and tells her that perhaps she should apologize to the Everlight.

Two of the guards outside the keep notice a shadow, but before they can investigate they are killed by the undead wraiths. As this happens, Keyleth tries to talk to a reticent Percy. She tells him that she may never see her family again, as she can't return until she has proven herself in her Aramente and she is unsure whether she ever can. Percy tells her that she at least still has living family, and that he does believe her to be worthy.

More of the guards are attacked in the courtyard of the keep, with only Jarett surviving. After noticing the sounds of the combat, Grog breaks down the doors so that Vox Machina can fight the wraiths that have entered into the keep. Jarett asks Vox Machina what they've done to his guards, but the wraiths then attack them all and they retreat from the courtyard back into the keep. Jarett gives them back their weapons, although not Scanlan's lute. Keyleth, however, was attacked by one of the wraiths phasing through the wall and they attack the party inside, extinguishing all the lights and draining the life from everyone. Jarett establishes that light weakens the wraiths, but they are able to blow out his torch. After some panicking, Keyleth finds the strength within herself to create bright sunlight, at which point Vex leads the charge and the rest of Vox Machina attack and defeat the wraiths that have been weakened by Keyleth's magic.

Jarett asks the party if they intend to go after the person who killed his guards, and they tell him that they do. He tells them that they are free to go. The next morning, Percy turns to leave, but Vox Machina tells him that they will all be joining him to help retake Whitestone. Jarett returns Scanlan's lute.

Pike tells the party that she has lost her connection to the Everlight and needs to go to a temple to regain it. She hugs Grog and encourages Keyleth, and then stays behind as the rest start the journey to Whitestone.

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

Crew

 * Written by - Ashly Burch
 * Directed by - Young Heller
 * Producer - Tony Salama
 * Co-Producers - Jennifer Muro, Eugene Son
 * Art Director - Arthur Loftis
 * Editor - Todd Raleigh
 * Storyboard artists - Morgan Hillebrand, Cassey Kuo, Sheldon Vella

Vox Machina

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

New

 * Jarett Howarth

Returning

 * Sovereign Uriel
 * Allura Vysoren
 * Delilah Briarwood
 * Sylas Briarwood

Trivia

 * This episode was written by Ashly Burch, who has appeared as Keg in Campaign Two: The Mighty Nein, and in several other Critical Role productions.
 * The episode adapts, as well as elements of and.
 * During Campaign One, Ashley Johnson (and therefore her character Pike) frequently had to be absent due to her starring role in the NBC series Blindspot. Pike's absence during this time was due to her decision to remain in Vasselheim to aid in the restoration of the temple of Sarenrae there. In The Legend of Vox Machina, her absence is explained as due to her efforts to repair her bond to her goddess rather than the temple.