Before "Critical Role" became a titan on Twitch, the voice-acting friends held their "Dungeons & Dragons" adventure in their homes, playing every week as most do. Following their transition to the live-streaming platform, they released "The Story of Vox Machina," detailing their pre-streaming adventures.
During their earliest sessions, Scanlan Shorthalt (Sam Riegel) suggested that the mercenaries call themselves the Super High Intensity Team, which they used to enter an underground fighting ring. Although it came with an unfortunate acronym, the mercenaries made a name for themselves. However, as their adventures took them across Exandria, they needed something more professional and less poop-oriented as their services attracted more nobility.
During their visit to Westruun for the Winter's Crest festival, a white dragon attacked, freezing most of the townspeople. The mercenaries took matters into their own hands, chasing down and slaying the magical beast, saving the city, and freeing the people, including Sovereign Uriel, ruler of the Tal'Dorei Empire. Celebrations ensued, but the team needed a more professional name now that they frequently interacted with royalty. Although business was booming, the group couldn't continue introducing themselves as the Super High Intensity Team, leading Keyleth (Marisha Ray), Percy (Taliesen Jaffe), and Tiberius (Orion Acaba) to adopt Vox Machina as the team's new, permanent name instead.
