Vox Machina Go to Hell

is the seventh episode of the seventh chapter of Critical Role. Vox Machina descend into the Nine Hells and enter the City of Dis to find and destroy Hotis once and for all.

Pre-Show
The following pre-show content was removed from the final Geek & Sundry YouTube video:
 * The updated Critical Role fan art appreciation video.

Announcements

 * Sam Riegel is not here for reasons unknown to the rest of the cast. They think he might have told them why, but they don't really care.
 * Tonight's sponsor is Marvel Puzzle Quest. Because Sam is not here, Taliesin does his best to advertise the game.
 * Laura says there is stuff in the Geek & Sundry store; nothing more specific than that. She encourages the audience to go check it out.
 * Matt reminds everyone that WonderCon is coming up. The Talks Machina Live panel will be on April 1st at 2-3pm.
 * Taliesin talks about his other Geek & Sundry show, Wednesday Club. Next week they'll be talking vaguely about DC comics.
 * The episode of Signal Boost featuring David Nett just went up.
 * The Signal Boost theme can be downloaded as a ringtone on iTunes.
 * The first episode of CelebriD&D went up. It features Joe Manganiello. Marisha and Taliesin are also in the episode playing younger versions of Keyleth and Percy. Matt says the episode is technically in Exandria canon.
 * Matt reminds everyone that Talks Machina is on Tuesday at 7pm on Twitch and Alpha.
 * Laura tries to stall the beginning of the episode by showing off her dice bag shaped like a bear.

Previously on Critical Role
"Vox Machina—after completing their assault and destruction of the Chroma Conclave—they are tying up loose ends, various adventure hooks, and dangers that they left out in the open from earlier or during that whole adventure.

"After taking Keyleth to Vesrah to take her final trial of the Aramenté—her long, many-year journey to prove her ability to lead her people, the Air Ashari—[they] returned to Zephra, met her father, expressed that the trial was complete, and the ceremony took place in which Keyleth was given the mantle and official title as the Voice of the Tempest: the now-standing leader of the Air Ashari."

Part I
With Keyleth's ceremony complete, the Ashari celebrate with Vox Machina into the night.

Vex'ahlia asks Keyleth if she is allowed to leave now that she is the leader of the Air Ashari. The druid isn't actually sure, so she goes to ask her father Korren.

Korren tells her that her main duty will be to guide the Ashari when there is conflict or difficulty that requires the wisdom of a leader. Keyleth questions how well she was prepared for the Aramenté and the outside world. She admits that she sometimes feels angry about how Korren didn't tell her how cruel the world could be. He says that they tried to warn her of the dangers and challenges she would face, and then he admits that he had Keyleth followed and observed by scouts for the first part of her journey to make sure she was safe.

Keyleth asks what is next. Korren says that the civilizations of Tal'Dorei are merging and isolation might not be best for the Ashari anymore. Keyleth wonders if the Thordak incident might have gone differently if the Ashari had had allies to call upon, which Korren agrees with. The younger half-elf tells her father that she still needs time with Vox Machina, but she will return to Zephra when she is done. Korren accepts this and tells her that—while she is not bound to Zephra—it is her home.

Keyleth asks if she has to wear the Mantle of the Tempest all the time, since she feels it's kind of ceremonial and worries about tripping over it. Korren tells her that it's hers now, so she can do what she wants with it. After a bit of awkwardness Keyleth goes back to her friends.

The celebration dies down as the night settles in. After being led to some temporary accommodations, Vox Machina discuss their next order of business. They've decided that they'll be going to the Nine Hells tomorrow, but they still haven't really made a plan.

Keyleth confirms that she can use Plane Shift to get them somewhere within the City of Dis, where Hotis is supposedly located. Percy tells the party what he's learned of the Nine Hells and how the City of Dis is far from the worst. It is, however, highly structured. Percy suspects that there might be individuals within the city who would willingly help Vox Machina destroy Hotis.

Vex reminds the group that Highbearer Vord advised them not to make a scene. Vax'ildan reminds them that the last time they encountered a fiend he could see through their illusory disguise.

Grog suggests kidnapping the "president" of Hell and assuming his visage. Percy says they are not going to kidnap Asmodeus. Vox Machina will probably need to negotiate their way through Hell.

Percy explains the hierarchy system in the City of Dis, where each devil answers to a higher-ranked devil. Vex worries that they might be targeted by slavers, like they were in the City of Brass, but Percy knows that it is not uncommon to see mortals in the City of Dis as it is somewhat of a trading hub.

They decide that there will be no contracts signed, no deals made, and no hands shaken during their time in the Nine Hells. Grog doesn't quite understand and Taryon mentions that he has really good handwriting and has signed a number of contracts before. He is also good at reading contracts. Percy reminds Tary that his current contract with Vox Machina states that he cannot have another contract while he is signed with them. Tary double-checks this and sees that Percy is correct.

Keyleth asks where rakshasas fall in the hierarchy system. It seems that they actually exist somewhere outside the hierarchy, along with succubi, incubi, and fiends that travel between the Abyss and the Hells.

Vax asks how the Raven Queen comes into play regarding the souls in Hell. If a soul is under contract with a devil when it dies, it goes to Hell. A soul will also go to Hell simply if it was bad, whereas good souls are escorted to more positive planes of existence.

Percy wants to bring Pike along with them. Vax says they could probably wait another day if they want to go get her, but all of them realize that it would be difficult.

Keyleth guesses that if Hotis isn't part of the hierarchy system then maybe the other devils don't like him and wouldn't miss him. Percy says that no one likes anyone in Hell and they could probably make anyone disappear if they made it convenient.

Keyleth knows that she can use Alter Self to disguise herself; because it is a transmutation spell, not an illusion, creatures will not be able to see through it. She considers disguising herself as a tiefling, which Percy confirms there are many of in the City of Dis. Taryon can also use Alter Self.

Vax suggests that for once Vox Machina should be completely honest and just explain why there're in Hell and what they came there to do. He thinks that without Scanlan Vox Machina's chances of deceiving anyone have drastically dropped. Percy, Keyleth, and Grog agree.

Vex begins handing out the potions that Taryon bought for her in Vasselheim. Vax gets the Superior, Tary gets a Greater, Vex keeps a Greater for herself, Percy gets two Regulars, Keyleth gets two Regulars, and Grog gets a Greater and two Regulars that he'll probably end up feeding to his teammates.

Vax asks "Freddy" (Percy) what languages they speak in Hell. He answers that they speak Infernal; meanwhile the conversation devolves into discussion of Percy's various names, which leads to Grog coming up with the nickname of "D-Roll".

Vox Machina discusses what to do about languages because none of them speak Infernal. Percy suggests hiring a guide. Vex asks Keyleth if there are any tieflings in the Air Ashari. There are two: one is a six-year-old child, the other is a gardener. Because they've been talking late into the evening and it is now past midnight, they decide to go talk to the tiefling in the morning.

Before they go to bed, Vox Machina share their individual plans for what they'll do after finishing up this last quest. Grog doesn't really plan ahead, and that usually works out for him. Vex would like to build a small house on the land she owns in Whitestone. Percy mentions that the Grey Hunt will happen eventually. Keyleth asks him what the "Grey Hunt" actually is. He tries to deflect the question by asking about Keyleth's plans.

After some prodding from the others Percy finally explains that the Grey Hunt part of Vex's title refers to an event that happens during Winter's Crest festivals that Vex will have responsibilities for. Basically she will have to go into the woods alone, kill a very specific animal, then bring it back. Doing so will give her the right to look after the woods and regulate the hunting in Whitestone.

Percy isn't entirely sure what he is going to do when Vox Machina takes a break. He'll go back to Whitestone and do some work there. He would like to make Whitestone great again. Keyleth proposes that the Ashari and Whitestone help each other out, which Percy agrees with.

Vox Machina goes to rest for the evening.

The next morning Keyleth and Vax go to talk to the tiefling gardener, Whitney. Keyleth asks if she can help them learn Infernal. Whitney hasn't had to use the language in a long time so she's pretty rusty, but she manages to teach them a few basic words.

Keyleth and Vax head back to the others and relay what they've learned. Grog tells Tary that the Nine Hells are seven times more dangerous than the Kraken, causing him to question if they all have to go. Grog replies that Tary has to come if he wants to become a full-fledged, permanent member of Vox Machina. Taryon immediately accepts.

Keyleth Plane Shifts Vox Machina into the Nine Hells. During the shift, they see a tangled lattice of burning, divine fire that they pass through: the Divine Gate.

They find themselves in a dark alleyway surrounded by dark stone buildings. The air, walls, and floor are all extremely hot. Roiling piles of molten flesh—lemures—pass by the mouth of the alleyway. Two spiny, ash-white bone devils follow behind them, lashing out at the lemures with whips. All of them pass by seemingly without noticing Vox Machina.

Winged shadows fly across the cloudy and dim green sky. Lightning cracks occasionally. The party's attention is suddenly drawn to an impossibly tall tower of black iron and lead that stretches hundreds of miles into the sky before disappearing into the dark clouds. Turning around, the exact same tower stands in the other direction. No matter where they look, that tower appears on the horizon; the Iron Tower, the throne of the archdevil Dispater.

Break

 * Laura realizes they didn't have a Heroes' Feast before going to Hell.
 * Matt announces the giveaway for a Wyrmwood dice tray. To enter the giveaway, type "Doty" into the Twitch chat during the break.
 * The cast leave to take their break.
 * A commercial for Marvel Puzzle Quest is shown.
 * The Critical Role fan art gallery is shown.
 * Geek & Sundry's video advertisement for Tabletop Day on April 29th, 2017 is shown.
 * The audio cuts out at this point.
 * The commercial for Marvel Puzzle Quest is shown again, without audio.
 * The beginning of the Critical Role fan art gallery is shown again, without audio.
 * The fan art gallery is restarted with audio this time.
 * The cast return from their break.
 * The winner of the Wyrmwood giveaway is Thaign.

Vox Machina

 * Keyleth
 * Percival de Rolo
 * Grog Strongjaw
 * Pike Trickfoot (absent; mentioned only)
 * Trinket (within Raven's Slumber; not mentioned)
 * Vax'ildan
 * Vex'ahlia

New

 * Ipkesh
 * Whitney

Returning

 * Taryon Darrington (DM-controlled)
 * Doty
 * Hotis (seen through Scrying spell)
 * Korren

Mentioned

 * Asmodeus
 * Craven Edge
 * Lillith Daturai
 * Dispater
 * Zahra Hydris
 * Jurazel
 * Raven Queen
 * Scanlan Shorthalt
 * Utugash
 * Highbearer Vord

Quotations

 * Keyleth: "I'll talk into a mirror for a little bit, practice some—y'know, some things tieflings might say." (to Percy) "What are things tieflings say?" Percy: (dryly) "'Oh god, I'm a tiefling. What happened, why has this happened to me?'" Keyleth: "'Oh god! I'm a tiefling. What happened, why is this happening to me?'" (excitedly) "See?"