The Legend of Vox Machina, the highly anticipated adult animated series, will premiere on January 28th. The Prime Video series is based on Critical Role, a troupe of voice actors who have been playing Dungeons & Dragons together since 2014. Her weekly broadcasts on Twitch include one of the most popular “real-play” experiences in the world – that is, a performance dedicated to actually playing D&D in real-time. The first season is based on the events of the first campaign, and is designed to be the perfect entry point for newcomers to an expansive multimedia adventure and a jumping off point for adventures never seen before.
For those looking to jump in blindly, know that the series has been specifically tailored to appeal to new viewers, and begins this new medium with a comparatively bite-sized story. But like creating a character for D&D, sometimes it pays to spend some time fleshing out the details and digging into the backstory. We’re here to answer your most basic questions about the series, including what will be featured in the opening episodes and what, if anything, you should know about getting in.
Where is the series set?
The Legend of Vox Machina refers to the group of adventurers known as the Vox Machina. It takes place on a planet called Exandria, more spec ifically on the continent of Tal’Dorei. Exandria – Home of gods, monsters and remarkably difficult doors
Elements of Exandria will feel familiar to D&D veterans who have campaigned in the Forgotten Realms – including deities resembling the gods of Faerûn and the presence of races such as elves, dwarves, gnomes and halflings, in addition to humans. Similarly, Exandria is linked to various planes of existence that might appeal to longtime players, including the Feywild, Shadowfell, the Astral Plane, the Elemental Planes, and more.
The animated series begins in the city of Emon, the capital of Tal’Dorei. Emon is an industrial center on the east coast of Tal’Dorei – the first campaign highlights that Tal’Dorei is on the cusp of technological innovation. Skyships are available for Emon’s overseas voyages to other Exandrian continents such as Issylra and Marquet, where magic and technology come together to create wonders. Emon is also home to attractions such as Gilmore’s Glorious Goods, the Alabaster Lyceum, the Ivory Tower and the Palace of the Sovereign, the seat of Uriel Tal’Dorei and the Council of Tal’Dorei, the ruling parties of the Republic of Tal’. Dorei.
What should I know about the characters that come into play?
At the heart of Critical Role has always been the bonds between characters. Vox Machina has seven core members – eight if you include the armored bear, Trinket. Trinket is the mate of Vex’ahlia “Vex” Vessar (Laura Bailey), a domineering, frugal ranger who is the twin sister of Vax’ildan “Vax” Vessar (Liam O’Brien), a wily, smug villain. Vex and Vax are inseparable, having been pulled away from their human mother at a young age by their haughty elf father. If you want to know more about the origin story of the twins, you can also check Critical Role: Vox Machina – Kith and Kin, the novel version of her story by Marieke Nijkamp. Polygon even has an exclusive snippet, which of course includes audio commentary from the original cast.
Though not twins or even siblings, Pike Trickfoot (Ashley Johnson) and Grog Strongjaw (Travis Willingham) share a close bond, having been raised together by Pike’s great-great-grandfather, Wilhand Trickfoot. Pike is a gnomish cleric of Everlight, the Exandrian deity of redemption and healing, while Grog is a goliath barbarian who loves beer. Pike was unavailable for several episodes of the streamed campaign due to Ashley Johnson filming conflicts at the time – which is partly why Pike often immerses himself in big story moments through astral projection.
Keyleth from Air Ashari (Marisha Ray), Scanlan Shorthalt (Sam Riegel) and Percival “Percy” Fredrickstein from Musel Klossowski de Rolo III (Taliesin Jaffe) round out the rest of the group. Keyleth, a shape-shifting druid, is perhaps the most powerful member of the group, although her clumsiness and insecurity often prevent her from being aware of it. Scanlan is Keyleth’s polar opposite when it comes to confidence – as a bard, he spends a lot of his time performing, singing songs, and generally trying to rip off the pants of anyone who looks his way. Percy is the group’s brooding, aristocratic gunslinger with a mysterious past that will unravel as the series progresses.
Matthew Mercer is scattered throughout the various Critical Role episodes as the voice of many NPCs. He pops up everywhere from bartenders to brawlers, populating the landscape of history.
Vox Machina are unlikely heroes in many ways. The group originally came together as mercenaries and spend most of their time in the Vox Machina origins Comic series looking for a job. They’re uncouth, disorganized, and quite unwelcome in high society during the course of the first campaign. You can get a taste of their unique brand of heroism here Live reading of a scene from the series at New York Comic Con, where they get drunk, wreak havoc, and get into a bar fight.
Which episodes of the filmed campaign or podcast should I watch before the series, if any?
The Legend of Vox Machina will begin with never-before-seen adventures, as we have already mentioned. After the first two episodes, the cast has indicated that the animated series will delve into the Briarwood arc of the first campaign, which will foreground Percy’s storyline and explore his relationship to his previously veiled Whitestone past.
The Briarwood arc references the couple of the same name: Silas and Delilah Briarwood (Matthew Mercer voices Silas). In a virtual panel For New York Comic Con 2021, Marisha Ray described the Briarwood arc as the “obvious starting point” for the series, with Sam Riegel adding that it was “the first time it felt like art in any way.” The Briarwood arc has lingering waves throughout the first campaign – which are also reflected in the events of the troupe’s current campaign, set many, many years after the first.
If you plan on giving yourself an edge over the series, we recommend starting with the following episodes of Critical Role, most of which fit the Briarwood arc of the streamed campaign. Note that all episodes after episode 24 of the first campaign Directly following the Briarwood arc, may contain spoilers for the Briarwood-centric events of Season 1 of The Legend of Vox Machina. We’ve also included a few extra episodes that will build the long-term dynamic between the NPCs and the party.
- Campaign 1, Episode 14: “Shopping and Shipping” — youtube and Spotify
- Campaign 1 Episode 16: “Enter Vasselheim” — youtube and Spotify
- Campaign 1 Episode 17: “Hubris” — youtube and Spotify
- Campaign 1 Episode 23: “The Rematch” – youtube and Spotify
- Campaign 1 Episode 24: “The Feast” – youtube and Spotify
- Campaign 1 Episode 25: “Crimson Diplomacy” – youtube and Spotify
- Campaign 1 Episode 26: “Consequences and Cows” — youtube and Spotify
- Campaign 1 Episode 27: “The Road to Whitestone” – youtube and Spotify
If you want to learn more about the making of the series and the voice actors behind the main characters, you can also check out The Legend of The Legend of Vox Machina” video series.
The Legend of Vox Machina, much like Critical Role itself, remains unique in its relationship with its viewers. Whether you’re starting out without having played a critical role before, or you’ve been hanging around since that time when Vox Machina became cows, there’s a good chance you can find something new.
