Critical Role Character Backstories
" Ri ght ,l i s t enup.I fy ouhav eal e,t heny ouhav eaf r i endi nGr ogSt r ongj aw.Agol i at hoft ower i ng hei ghtands i z e,t hi sbar bar i anhasanappe t i t ef ort het wogr eatl o v esi nhi sl i f e:c ombat ,women, andal e.Wai t . . . Eas i l yt hebr ai nsoft hegr oup,Gr ogi sof t enc ons ul t edf orhi sv as tk no wl edg eofs hapes ,c ol or s , ands hi n yt hi ngs .Al s oal e. I nhi sear l yy ear s ,ar medwi t hhi st wohande dg r eata x e,Gr ogof t enenj o y edpr o vi nghi smi mi ght amongs tt her ank sofhi sf ami l y ' swan der i ngher d.Butaf t erc omi nguponanuns us pec t i ngel der l y gnomei nt hewoods ,heobj ec t edt ot hek i l l i ngofs uc hani nnoc entl i f e.Ac r eat ur eofi mpul s e, Gr ogf el tonl ypi t yf ort hi st er r i fi edl i t t l et hi ng.Hi sdi s obedi enc ec os thi m dear l y .Beat enbl oody an db ani s hedbyt h eh er dl ea de r ,hi sun cl eKe v da k ,Gr o gwa sa ba nd on eda ndl e f tt od i e. Ex i l edf r om hi sher d,i twast hent hatt her el at i v eoft hev er ygnomehef oughtt os av e,s av edhi m. I twa st h ek i n dne s so fagn omec l e r i cna me me dPi k et h ath ea l edGr Gr o g,b r i n gi n gh i mb ac kf r o m deat h' sedge.Andt he yha v er emai nedcl o sef r i endse v ers i nc e. Mos tni ght s ,Gr ogc anbef oundc hal l engi ngent i r et a v er nst owr es t l i ngmat c hes !Or ac c ompan y i ngSc anl a nt ot henear es thou sewher ey oupa yf or ,er ,l adyf a v or s .Al s oal e. "
" Afi r s ti mpr es si onofKe yl et hwoul dl eav ey ouwi t hl i t t l ei nf or mat i onont heHal f El v endr ui d.You mi ghte v ent hi nkt hathers oc i al a wk war dnes sduet ohers hel t er edupbr i ngi ngi sk i ndofs wee t .Of c our s e,i twoul dbeun wi s et ounder es t i mat ehe rbas edonfi r s ti mpr es s i ons .Unde rt hat uni nt i mi dat i ngpet i t ef r amei sav i c i ousbeas twai t i ngt obeunl eas hed,whos enat ur al power s ha v emadee v ent hefi er c es tofc hampi onspeet hei rpant s .Li t er al l y . Bor nt ot heAi rt r i beoft heAs har i peopl e,Ke yl et hwasr ai s edwi t hadeepl o v eofnat ur eandt he el ement al magi c s.I ti sherpeopl e' si nher entdut yt opr ot ec tt hedel i c at ear easi nT al ' Dor ei ,wher e t hef ourel ement al pl anesbegi nt obl eedwi t ht hi sr eal m.Si nc es hewasal i t t l egi r l ,s hehadqui t e ak nac kf orai rmani pul at i onandbeas ts hapi ngabi l i t i es .Wel l ,i fy ouc ons i derk i t t ensandfl yi ng s qui r r el st obel i t t l ebeas t s .Whi c h,Ido.An ywa ys ,i twas n' tl ongbef or et heheadmas t eroft he pel l i ng ?,r [ t r i be,herf at her ,Ko h r e ns ] eal i z edhert r uepr odi gi ousabi l i t i esands hewasi nv et er at ed
t os uc ceedhi m ast hene xtheadmas t er .J us tl i k et hat ,herj o vi al c hi l dhoodwass t r i ppedand r epl ac edwi t hendl es ss pel l memor i z at i on,t eac hi ngsf r om anc i entt r adi t i ons ,ande x ceedi ngl y hi ghe xpec t at i ons . Ev er ydr ui dl eadert obemus tembar konaj our ne yt os eekoutt hes i s t ert r i besi nor dert o i nt r oduc eandes t abl i s hr es pe ctamongs tt hef el l o w headmas t er s .The yc al l t hi st heAr ament e,or Nobl eOd y ss e y .Whenherf at herf el ts hewasr eady , hes etheront hepat ht ot r ul ydi s c ov e r i ng
her s el f .No tk no wi n gwhen,ori fs hewi l l e v err et ur n.Asshehi k e sdo wnt hemount ai n t o war d sSt i l l ben, s hemedi t at edont het as kah ead.Par toft heAr ament ei spr o vi n gy our s el fa s t r ongwar r i or ,av al i antpr ot ec t or ,andawi s eandc ompas si onat el eader .Wi t ht hi sknowl edg e, onet houghtpl a y si nr epeati nh ermi nd:i ss hee v enwor t h y ?"
Per c ywast het hi r dc hi l dofs ev enc hi l dr en,bor nt oanobl ef ami l ywhol i v edf art ot henor t hi nt he anc i entc as t l eofWhi t es t one.Wi t hs oman ys i bl i ngst os har et hebur densofl or ds hi p,Per c y t ur nedhi sat t ent i ont ot hes c i enc es ,engi neer i ngandnat ur al i s m. On ed a y ,amy s t e r i o usc ou pl e ,n ame dL or da ndL ad yBr i a r wo od ,c a met oc o ur t .Du r i n gaf e as t hel di nt hei rhonour ,t heBr i ar woodsv i ol ent l yt ookc ont r ol oft hec as t l e,k i l l i ngori mpr i s oni ng e v er y o newh owo ul ds t a ndi nt h ei rwa y . Pe r c yawo k ec ha i n edi nt hed ung eo n,o nl yt obef r e edb yhi y s oungers i s t er .T oget hert he yfl ed, c has edb yt heBr i ar woods ' me n.Ast he yr an,Per c y ' ssi s t ert ookse v er al ar r o wst ot hec hes tand f el l .Per c yk eptr unni ng,e vent ual l yj umpi ngi nt oaf r eez i ngr i v erandfl oat i ngunc ons ci oust o f r e ed om.Hed i dn o tr e me mb erwa k i n gu po nafi s h i n gb oa t .Heb ar e l yr e me mb er e dt h en e x tt wo y ear s ,ashes l owl ymadehi swa yasf ars out haspos s i bl e. Th eno neni g ht ,Pe r c yha dad r e am.Ar o ar i n gc l o udofs mo k eo ff er e dh i mv e n g ea nc ea g ai n s t t h os ewh od es t r o y edhi sf a mi l y . Wh enh ea wo k e,Pe r c ybeg ant ode si g nh i sfi r s tg un
" Pi k egr e w upi nt heout s k i r t soft o wn,neart h eBr ambl e wood.Heranc es t or swer eaf ami l yof deepgnomeswi t hqui t eanunf a vor abl er eput at i on.Thi ev er y , des t r uc t i on,andt r i c k er yl ef tt hem wi t ht hec ur s eoft hel as tnameofT r i c kf oot . Sar enr ae,t heg oddes sofheal i ngandr edemp t i on,hadot herpl ansf orPi k e ' sgr eat g r eat gr andf at herWi l hand,whol ef thi sf ami l yatay oungageaf t eradr eam—adr eam t hatc hangedt he c our s eoft heT r i c kf oo tf ami l y . Wi l handde vot edhi sl i f et oSar enr ae,andpl edgedf r om t henont hat hi m andhi sf ami l ywoul dl i v eal i f eofs er v i c eanddev ot i on. Asac hi l d,Pi k es eemedt ohav eanaffini t yt oheal .Whet heri twasani mal s ,peopl e,ore v en fl o we r s ,s h ef e l ts h eh adap ur p os ei nma k i n gt h i n gswh ol et h ath ado nc eb ee nb r o k e n.Sh e s t udi edandl ear nedt hewa y st oheal t hr oughdi v i nemagi c .Shel i v edapeac ef ul l i f e,qui e tand s i mpl e,unt i l oneda y ,Wi l handwasc apt ur edandal mos tk i l l edbyag r oupofgol i at hbar bar i ans . On eo ft h ego l i a t h st oo kas t a ndag ai n s tt h emur d eroft h ei n no ce ntg no me ,a ndh eh i ms el fwa s beat en,bl oodi ed,andl ef tf ordead,abandonedb yhi sher d. Wi l handwentt oPi k ef orh el p .Shepr a y ed,andheal edt hi sbar bar i anasbes ts hec oul d,br i ngi ng s i c ] h i mb ac kt ol i f e .Wh enheawo k e ,s h ed i s c o v e r e dh i sn amewa sGr o gSt o ne j a w [ .Af t ert hat ,
t he ywer et hebes toff r i ends ,ar at herunl i k el ypai r .Li t t l edi ds hek nowt hati naf ewy ear st i me, Gr ogwoul dsoonr e t ur nt hef a v orandbr i ngherbac kf r om t hecl ut c hesofdeat h. Af t erbei ngk i l l edi nbat t l e,Pi k ef el tangr y .Shewant edt obes t r onger ,s ot hati twoul dnev er h ap pe na ga i n .Sh es p en tf o urmo nt h sats e a,t r a i n i n gwi t ht h eme na ndwo me na bo ar das hi p ok enHowl c al l edTheBr .Gr i ppi ngherhol ysy mbo li nonehand,andhermor ni ngs t ari nt heo t her ,
t hi st i me,Pi k ei sr e ady . "
" Oh,y ouha ven' thear dofSc anl anShor t hal t ?Wel l ,gi r dy ourl oi ns ,l adi es ,bec aus ehehashi s e y eo ny o u.At al ent edmu si c i a n,ma s t e ro fd i s gu i s e,an dd as hi n gl yhan ds omei nhi sownmi n d, Sc a nl a ns i n gss o ng sal mo s ta smu c ha shes i n gsh i so wnpr a i s e s . Bo r nap oo rGn ome ,Sc a nl a nu s edh i sen dl e s sc h ar ma nds o ar i n gt e no rv o i c et oc r o onf o rc o i n andsuppor thi ss i ngl emo t her .Oneda yhewasdi s c ov er edbyahal f or cpr omo t er ,andj oi ned Dr . Dr anz el ' sSpec t ac ul arT r av el i ngT r oupe wh er ehel ea r n edt h ewa y soft h ewo r l d ,a ndho ne dh i s s ki l l sasabar de x t r aor di nai r e. Al onermuc hofhi sl i f e,Sc anl anhasnev erqui t ec omet ot er mswi t ht hev i ol entdeat hofhi s mo t heratt hehandsofaGobl i ni n v as i on.Wh i l ehi sy ear sont her oadp r o vi dedman y ,s hal l we s a y ,educ at i onal e x per i enc eswi t ht heoppos i t es e x,deepdo wnSc anl any ear nsf ort heonet hi ng he' sne v erk no wn:t het r uel o v eofaf el l o wg nome. St i l l ,Sc anl anc ons i der shi ms el fal ov erfi r s t ,per f or mers ec ond,andfi ght erdi s t antt hi r d.Ont he bat t l efi el d,he' l l s uppor thi sal l i es ,butr ar el ydr awsbl oodunl es si t ' st opr ot ec tf el l owGnome,Pi k e. CountonSc anl anf orahear t yl augh,ar ol l i c ki ngs ong,andat wi nk l ei nhi sey et hatmel t shear t s a n dma k e st h ef e ma l e ss wo o n. "
" Ne v erent i r el ywel c omei nt hec ompan yofel v esormen,Vax ' i l danl ear nedatay oungag et os k i p
pas tf or mal i t y ,pr ef er r i ngi ns t eadt oi n v i t ehi ms el fi ny ourdoor . Al ongwi t ht wi ns i s t erVe x ' ahl i a,Vaxwasbor nb yac hanc eenc ount erbet weenel v enr o y al t yand humanpeas ant r y . Rai s edb yt hei rmo t heri nt hei rear l yy ear s ,t het wi nswer ee v ent ual l ysentofft o t hei rf at heri nt heel v enc api t al ofSy n g o r n.Butt hei rc ool r ec ept i onamongt heel v est her ene v er war med,andt hei rt i mei nt hec api t al di dn' tl as t .Thes i bl i ngsst ol eawa yoneaut umnni ghtands et o uto nt h eo pe nr o ad . Af t eraf ewy ear sofwander i ng,t he yev ent ual l ydec i dedt or et ur nt ot hei rmot her ,andj our ne y ed bac kt ot hel andsoft hei ry out h.Buti ns t eadoffi ndi ngt hei rc hi l dhoodhome,t he yr et ur nedt oa pi l eofr ubbl e.Thei rmot herwasgone,t hei rhomebur nedt oas h.Pr es s i ngt het owns peopl ef or an swer s ,t he yl e ar n edoft h eda yt hedr ag onc ame .
Wi t ht hei rt i esal l s ev er ed,Vax ' i l danandhi ss i s t ers etoutt ofi ndt hei rf or t unet oget heri n T al ' Dor ei .Anout s i ders i nc ebi r t h,Vaxqui c kl yl ear nedt os ol v el i f e' schal l engesi nhi sown par t i c ul arwa y ,of t enb ys i des t eppi ngt hem ent i r el y .Andwhenhi sk nac kf orc i r c umv ent i ng adv e r s i t yi s n' tenou gh,t hewa yofbl adest heel v e ss c hool edhi mi nmor et hanmak e supt he di ffer enc e. "
" Li k es oman yhal f el v es ,Ve x' ahl i ahass pentmos tofherl i f es uff er i ngt hec ool r ec ept i onofa peopl ewhodon' tf ul l yac c epther . Bor nofahumanmot herandanel v enf at her —whoonl yl at eri nl i f et ookani nt er es ti nt hei r e xi s t enc e—,Ve x' ahl i aandhert wi nbr ot herVax ' i l danqui c k l yr eal i z edt heonl ypeopl et he yc oul d t r ul yr el yoni nt hi swor l dwer eeac hot her . I twasatt heag eoft enwhent het wower et ak enf r om t hei rmo t her ,andbr oughtt ol i v e i nSy n g o r n,t hei s ol at edel v enc i t yf orwhi c ht hei rf at herwasanambas sador .Hequi et l yt ookt hem i n,butal wa y sk eptani c ydi s t anc e,andaf t ert ooman yy ear sofdi s dai nf ul l ook s ,t hepai rdec i ded t ol ea vehi si ndi ffer enc ebehi nd,ands etoutont hei ro wn. Vaxt ookt ot hec i t i es ,s t eal i ngs mal l t r i nk et sandl ear ni ngt hewa y soft het hi ef ,whi l eVe xk eptt o t hewoods .Shepr ef er r e dt hei s ol at i on .Al wa y st hek e enobs er v e r ,s hel ear nedt ohunta ndt o t r ac k ,t os pyandt os hoot .Andt hr oughas er i esoff at ef ul e vent s ,ear nedher s el fac ompani oni n t hef or m ofabear —herowns t ol enT r i nk et ,t ofi ghtal ongs i deherandpr ot ec therfi er c el y . Al s o,he i sador abl e,andgi v e sex per tmas s ag es . "
