The Taryon Darrington story arc focuses on Taryon Darrington, an inexperienced aspiring author and adventurer that Vox Machina shortly meets in the city of Ank'Harel in the continent of Marquet after an abrupt exit by Scanlan Shorthalt from the group. Together with Taryon, Vox Machina travel to Vesrah to finish Keyleth's Aramente, to the Nine Hells to kill the Rakshasa Hotis and to Taryon's home Deastok in the continent of Wildemount to confront his father.
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Episode 84: Loose Ends
- The entire resurrection of Scanlan. Grog sings a song (to a melody that Travis hates, and that Sam has previously used to troll him), Pike reads a poem and offers the same doll that Scanlan gave for her own resurrection pre-stream, and Kaylee plays a piece on her violin and finally accepts Scanlan as a father figure. And all of it works thanks to Matt rolling a natural twenty for the completing of the ritual.
- After a harrowing first half of the episode, Vox Machina gets a much needed break, choosing to play pranks and honor their promise to Senokier, giving his wife a lovely, if paranoid, burial.
- Seeing Keyleth's moral panic over her vestige Lamor, one of Melora's devoted, tells her to keep it until she has no more need of its power. Lemor is very understanding about Keyleth's struggles, and does her best to comfort the druid.
Episode 85: A Bard's Lament
- Bittersweet, to be sure, but while everyone else argues with Scanlan, Grog just asks:Grog: What was your mother's name?
Scanlan: Juniper.
Grog: I'm sorry I didn't know that.
Scanlan: Thank you for asking.- Subsequently followed by Vex asking about his father.
- A very quiet, but very sweet moment between Percy and Grog:Percy: ...Grog?Grog: Yes?Percy: I know we don't always agree, and I know I can be unkind, but...you know you're family, right?Grog: I don't know much, but I DO know that.Percy: ...It's nice having an older brother again.
- Liam going over to hug Sam under the mistaken assumption that Matt was ending the session with Scanlan's departure. Upon being corrected, he amends it to "a mid-game hug".
Episode 86: Daring Days
- After a Cruel to Be Kind lesson, Taryon breaks down and admits he has family issues and really just wants to prove himself a hero to his father. Vox Machina immediately accepts him upon hearing he has daddy issues and offers to help him get the experience he needs.
- Vex consulting Percy in regards to how she should act with her position as Baroness, instead of just haggling people down like she used to.
- Grog refusing to let Keyleth scry on Scanlan because he wants Scanlan to have the time he needs.
- Vex trusting Grog to have the Deck of Many Things but keeping him to his promise not to look at him and discussing Scanlan's drug use with him.
- Percy informing Taryon that Vex is exempt from taxes, since she's a Baroness. Partly just to spite Taryon, of course, but it's still nice.
- Out of character, Liam and Taliesin taking a moment to praise Travis for constantly impressing them throughout the campaign with how consistently well he roleplays as Grog.
Episode 87: Onward to Vesrah
- Vax shadowing Grog because he knows he doesn't have Pike or Scanlan to hang out with.
- Percy admitting to Vex that he heard her confession during the resurrection ritual, that it was the only thing he heard, and he never would have thought she could love him if he hadn't heard it.
Episode 88: Tangled Depths
- Vax assures Keyleth of the progress she's made thus far the night before they face the kraken, telling her that she taught him how to be happy again. Keyleth in turn thanks him for his belief and faith in her. He then unfurls his wings, telling her they have one hour, and then... fade to feathers.
- Trinket's confusion at being underwater is hilarious. His trust in Vex when she says everything is fine? Heart-melting.Trinket: I trust you.Vex: I trust you, too. I love you.Trinket: I love you.
Episode 89: Curious Tides
- The resurrection ritual for Vax. It starts with Keyleth calling out to Pike via a magical conch shell, and she manages to arrive via astral projection. And then there's the contributions:
- Vex'ahlia braids her feathers into Vax's hair, saying that they're a reminder of when he got her through a dark time, and strikes a bargain with the Raven Queen to spare Vax's life, and in exchange Vox Machina would kill Orcus for Her. And the Queen accepts!
- Keyleth holds Vax to her chest, tells him that they promised to settle down and live happily together, and presses her hand on his back where her palmprint was burned into his skin, casts Daylight into it, and echoes Vax's confession to her.
Keyleth: I know you can hear me. I know you’re still in there. And I’m sure [the Raven Queen] can hear me, too. But your sister is right. You’ve held up your promise to her. And you’ve made a promise to me. We have to settle down and live happily together, remember? You promised me Zephra. So I want to give you a little bit of light to follow in the darkness. [...] And besides... you know I’m in love with you, right?- Grog reminds Vax that "no one kills [him] but [Grog]". He then thinks back to Vax saying he loves Grog, and replies in kind before slapping the hell out of his dead face.
- Although ultimately nothing came out of it, Taryon had offered to try and help bring Vax back during the resurrection ritual, in whatever way he could. The mere gesture could definitely be seen as an early turning point in Tary's character development.
- Taryon launches into a story about meeting a gnome that is clearly Scanlan, and Pike chimes in that "(Scanlan) sounds like someone that she would love tremendously."
- Keyleth's excitement over completing her Aramente as well as gaining the power to use Shapechange.note
- Keyleth giving joyrides to her comrades and the people of Vesrah as an adult bronze dragon.
- Taryon learning to refer to Vox Machina by their first names via Pike being Team Mom and making him learn. Pike also refers to Grog as her very best friend.
- Grog's simple response to hearing that Percy influenced him to save Taryon, he asks Tary if he's glad to be alive and moves on.
Episode 90: Voice of the Tempest
- Vex is rather upset that she used her Cloak of Elvenkind as part of Doty's disguise and it wound up with glue all over it. At the tavern where they all meet up later, Percy goes to find some alcohol and meat grease and works to remove the glue from the cloak, and promises Vex that they'll get it cleaned.
- Vex and Keyleth got new dresses for the coronation, and Vex intentionally got hers in the colors of Whitestone.
- Since goliaths are a rare sight in Zephrah, Grog has kids climbing all over him. He's initially awkward, observing that they're "really little"...and then Vex observes that they're kind of like gnomes. Grog lets out a delighted gasp and is perfectly fine after that.
- Before the coronation, Vax stops Korrin briefly to basically tell him how amazing Keyleth is and how proud he hopes they all are of her.
- Everyone's full support of Keyleth rings true in this episode, which Keyleth herself returns in kind in her speech during her coronation.Keyleth: I didn’t think I’d make it here. I couldn’t have done any of this without not only the support of every person in Zephra, and every person of the Ashari tribe, members of Emon, Tal'Dorei, Marquet... even Wildmount. In my journeys I’ve learned being a leader is a global effort, one that takes the wisdom of many. Most importantly, I couldn’t have done any of this without Vox Machina. And the pieces of them that I’ve taken away and have desperately tried to emulate in each one of them over the years. Each one of them with qualities that I admire and strive to embrace. Grog, with his strength and his unyielding loyalty. Vex, with her self-confidence and utter fearlessness. Vax, who is one of the most compassionate people I think I’ve ever come across and one of the most brave, even if it’s maybe foolish. Percival, with your intelligence and your sensibility, who is always there to be my balance. Scanlan, with his charisma and his wit. Pike... (sniffs) Pike. Her generosity and her authenticity, always true to herself. And even Tary. Taryon Darrington, whose blind faith in Vox Machina and perseverance, entrusted us even though he probably shouldn’t have. (laughs) All of these things that I learned and couldn’t be a leader without. Vox Machina makes up me. Zephra makes up me. The Ashari people, and all of greater Exandria. I don’t know if I’m the leader you deserve, or a good leader, but I’m willing to dedicate the rest of my life to doing whatever I can for all of us, as long as Vox Machina stands by my side.
Episode 92: Deals in the Dark
- Percy is considering signing a contract with a devil that will forfeit his immortal soul should it be broken, on the grounds that "there will already be many things fighting over [his] soul when [he] dies anyway." Vex adds "I'll be one of them", to which Percy replies "bless you."
Episode 93: Bats out of Hell
- Upon the horrible realization that Keyleth's death in the Nine Hells would mean losing their only means of escape, Vox Machina scrambles to keep her alive, including Vax and Vex using their most potent means of healing (a Potion of Superior Healing and a 4th-level Cure Wounds, respectively) and Taryon casting Sanctuary on her to prevent her from taking more damage. Much like in the battle with the kraken, Vox Machina proves once again that they will go to any lengths to ensure the survival of everyone in their family.
- The little moments between Vax and Keyleth during the battle with Utugash and their prison escape, showing how much they love each other.
- After Hotis has been killed for good, Tova elects to stay in the hells in order to find and rescue the friends she came with, rather than escape to the safety of the material plane with Vox Machina. Tary casts an invisibility spell on her and Vax gives her his ring of invisibility to help her once the spell wears off.
Episode 94: Jugs and Rods
- Vox Machina helping Taryon mourn Doty being left in pieces in the city of Dis and after Taryon says Doty was his Only Friend, Percy immediately counters "He was your oldest friend, not your only friend." showing that the group has fully accepted him.
- Taryon reading out the last thing he had Doty write before they went to the city of Dis was how he knows that the group was hesitant to accept him initially but has come to see him as one of them and would die for him. He feels the exact same way and considers their friendship worth 210,000 gold.
- Vox Machina helping Taryon get laid since he's never slept with a woman before. He also reveals that his only romantic experience was with a man who was his tutor and they don't judge him for a second.
- Both Taryon and Grog are sleazy with their trying to hit on the barmaid Shauna, but she still helps Taryon get laid and gives him advice on how to chat up women. Later she accepts Vex's apology on their behalf later with no hard feelings.
- Percy uses Keyleth's Scrying Eye to secretly scry on Scalan and Kaylie and finds them to be perfectly content, performing for a group of peasants around a bonfire in the Turst Fields. After the heartbreaking departure of Scanlan from Vox Machina, it's nice to know that he has found some semblance of peace with his daughter.
- Percy reveals why he gave Vex the title of Mistress of the Grey Hunt. It's a title that must be earned after proving oneself, something Vex has tried to do all her life. He also has complete faith that Vex will succeed in earning the title and was the right person for the job.
- Pike puts on her earring every night to talk to Scanlan and just tells him about her day, and how much she misses him.
- Vax helping Vex to bed, saying how proud he is of her and that he would love for her to come to Zephra with him and Keyleth but knows that Whitestone is her home. They both hate that they'll be apart but they want the other to be happy in their respective homes and relationships and will always be with one another.
- VM comes across the Celestial boys playing with Uriel's children and enjoying themselves, a far cry from how the group first found the pair. They find out that Uriel's family have taken the pair in and have even agreed to bring them to Emon with them.
Episode 95: One Year Later...
- The fact that during an entire year of peace, things had gone so well for Vox Machina and that they kept in touch throughout. Also, a vacation on the beach in Marquet!
- In the aftermath of his massive prank, there's a brief but noticeable moment where Trinket is on top of Vax and the rogue is just so cheerful despite the predicament he had found himself in. For a large part of the campaign, Vax had been tormented and gloomy, but it's such a relief to see the old Vax that fans had warmed up to back in the Kraghammer arc again.Vax: (to Trinket) I'm back, Trinket. I'm fucking back.
- As shady as they are, there's no denying that Pike's cousins love her so much that they came to Whitestone to try to protect her from the Trickfoot curse.
- How close Taryon and Vex ended up being after the year, with the 'Little Elf Girl' nickname becoming more endearing and Vex calling Tary 'Goldie'.
Episode 96: Family Matters
- Wilhand tells Pike how proud he is of her, and everyone's heart melts.
- The fact that Percy chose Kynan to be the head of Whitestone's Riflemen. He is obviously trying very hard to be worthy of the second chance he was given.
- Both Vex (in-character) and Laura (out-of-character) are furious on Percy's behalf when they find Astra cutting up some of Percy's sisters' old gowns to make clothes for herself.
- Vex bonding somewhat with J.B who had never had a home and was amazed at Vex's library. Vex also says how she loves finally having a real home somewhere.
- After the Trickfoot clan's con to try and weasel more money out of Pike is out in the open, J.B apologizes and says she just wanted to see Pike again and didn't want to be part of the con. Pike gives her a second chance and says that J.B will stay with Pike but the rest are dead if they ever come back.
- Percy helps with this and says that if they ever return he will have them shot on sight. No one fucks with his family.
Episode 97: Taryon, My Wayward Son
- We learn that, over the timeskip, Allura and Kima got married.
- After learning from Taryon's father that he wants Taryon to marry the daughter of a rich family, the party minus Grog (Who doesn't really understand arranged marriages) all veto the idea and say that Tary would be miserable in the marriage and his father's mistakes aren't Tary's to fix.
- Vex's instinctive response, emphasizing her support for Tary in the face of his hesitation when he hears about the debt, is an indignant "You can't marry that bitch!" It's Percy who quietly changes the tone of the conversation by pointing out that this whole arrangement is just as unfair to the young woman in question, and puts an end to the hostility being directed toward her for something no more her fault than Tary's.
Episode 99: Masquerade
- Tary finally standing up to his father shows just how much Tary has grown as a person in his year with Vox Machina.
- In his speech he explains how each member of Vox Machina has taught him what a real family is. This includes Tary mentioning that Percy has shown him the type of man he would like to marry one day.
- Vex hugging the crime boss Aes Adan, because she knows he's actually Scanlan.
- Even though most of the others are upset with him for various reasons, Scanlan is Easily Forgiven by the twins because they've been down the road he traveled before.
