Clash at Daxio

is the eighth episode of the sixth chapter of Critical Role. Vox Machina returns from the Elemental Plane of Fire, only to discover Fort Daxio under siege. With no word from Allura, they rush into battle to save as many of their allies as they can.

Previously on Critical Role
"The group of intrepid adventurers known as Vox Machina have been making their way through their quest to take down the Chroma Conclave, a group of chromatic dragons who have been terrorizing the countryside of Tal'Dorei under the rule of Thordak the Cinder King—a great, powerful, and seemingly elementally-charged ancient red dragon—who sits in the center of Emon.

"After gathering the rest of the artifacts [the party] had been seeking, called the Vestiges of the Divergence—the last one being found in the City of Brass upon the Fire Elemental Plane—[they] traveled back to Fort Daxio, a northern fort north of Emon, where [they] were planning a trap of some kind for Thordak.

"Upon arriving with two charges of [theirs]—two previously enslaved celestial-blooded boys that [they] found in the City of Brass—[they] all traveled across the planes with the help of Keyleth, back to Fort Daxio, to find the landscape scarred with recent flame and apparently a battle raging at the outer gate."

Part II
In the aftermath of the battle, the members of Vox Machina loot the bodies of their fallen enemies. Percy repairs the Animus but fails to repair the Bad News. Lady Kima tells them that Xanthras arrived at the fort alone earlier and was allowed entrance since Allura knew him.

Kima rushes the group to Allura, who they find in a frightened and near-feral state. Pike uses Greater Restoration to help her, returning her to herself. Allura tells the others that Syngorn has returned to the Prime Material plane and their forces are marching northward toward Fort Daxio.

Percy has Grog retrieve Xanthras' body so that Pike can cast Speak With Dead on it. They learn that they were spotted by a scouting party when entering Fort Daxio, provoking the attack. They also learn that there is a resistance to Thordak growing in the tunnels beneath Emon.

Vex uses the stone to meet up with the aasimar boys and brings them back with her into the fort. Keyleth learns from Allura that Xanthras had used a wand of Feeble Mind on her. Allura says that the army from Syngorn is a day away from Emon and has to pass by it to get to Fort Daxio.

After some deliberation, the party decides to rest for the night at the fort and then head for Whitestone in the morning via Teleportation Via Plants with Kima, Allura, and the aasimar boys. Cassandra agrees to find a place for the boys, and then leads the rest of them to the Ziggurat to meet with Seeker Assum and Raishan, in her true form. A burn-scarred Brom Goldhand is also present.

Vox Machina reports on the attack at Fort Daxio, and Assum gives an account of the grave situation in Emon. Many people have taken shelter in the tunnels with help from the Clasp, but the rising volcanic mass in the city is beginning to close those tunnels off. He also reports that Thordak's physical appearance has changed and he appears even more elemental-like.

Brom tells of Thordak's new lair burrowed beneath the Cloudtop District, from which he rarely strays. The dragon now seems completely insane and is therefore unpredictable. Brom says that a strike team of men were able to lure Thordak out and inspect the lair, where it is building something that it now finds more dear than the city itself.

Raishan advises using the amassed armies to break into the Cloudtop District and assault the dragon there, hopefully drawing it out of its lair. She also says that she has no idea what Thordak is building there.

They all discuss what forces are in Whitestone ready to aid in the fight. Allura says that either she or Gilmore would have to stay behind and maintain the barrier over Whitestone. Allura puts the decision in the hands of Vox Machina, who deliberate and choose Gilmore to go with them. The group resolves to begin the assault on Emon.

Featured Characters
{{div columns|line=true |col1=

Vox Machina

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

New

 * Unnamed ember roc
 * Unnamed female fire giant general

|col2=

Appeared

 * Cassandra de Rolo
 * Assum Emring
 * Brom Goldhand
 * Elle Gorgofon
 * Hunin
 * Lady Kima of Vord
 * Kyor
 * Raishan
 * Allura Vysoren
 * Gatekeeper Xanthas

Mentioned Only
}}
 * Shaun Gilmore
 * Zahra Hydris
 * Spireling Shenn
 * Thordak
 * Kashaw Vesh