kicks off with the party—a dysfunctional group of misfits who bicker constantly—being hired by the sovereign of Tal’Dorei to kill a mysterious monster. After a disastrous first mission (and a legendary bar fight), they are reluctantly tasked with defending the kingdom from a sinister duo: Lord and Lady Briarwood. These necromancers have a dark, tragic history with the city of Whitestone, and Vox Machina must confront not only zombies and vampires but their own personal demons.
In the landscape of adult animation, few stories are as unlikely—or as triumphant—as that of The Legend of Vox Machina . What began as a home-brewed Dungeons & Dragons campaign for a group of voice actors has evolved into one of Amazon Prime Video’s most popular adult animated series. It’s a bloody, profane, and surprisingly heartfelt love letter to fantasy, friendship, and the chaotic joy of rolling a natural 20. From the Living Room to Kickstarter The story of Vox Machina is inextricably linked to Critical Role , the web series that turned tabletop role-playing into a global phenomenon. In 2015, a group of nerdy-voiced actors—including Matt Mercer, Laura Bailey, Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, Liam O’Brien, Marisha Ray, Ashley Johnson, and Taliesin Jaffe—began livestreaming their home D&D game. The first campaign followed the adventures of Vox Machina , a motley crew of mercenaries with a drinking problem and a heroic streak.
In a rare move, the original voice actors from the D&D game reprise their roles. This means the chemistry, the improvised-sounding banter, and the genuine emotion are all intact. Laura Bailey’s scream of rage or Sam Riegel’s perfectly-timed joke feel authentic because they’ve been playing these characters for a decade.
