Vandran

Vandran is the human captain of the Tide's Breath, mentor of Fjord, and former warlock of Uk'otoa. He is presumed dead at the beginning of Campaign 2 after the Tide's Breath was sabotaged and sunk.

He entered into his warlock pact many years before the beginning of the campaign, while a pirate of the Revelry. He and his lover Avantika sought to release Uk'otoa as instructed, but Vandran changed his mind and fled. After starting a new life as a merchant sailor, he hired Fjord and soon became paternally protective of him. When the Tide's Breath sank, Vandran was shipwrecked on Bisaft Isle, where he lived for the entirety of the campaign.

As an NPC, he is played by Matthew Mercer.

Description
Vandran is a human man in his early 50s by Campaign 2. He has long ashen blond hair that reaches his shoulders, a receding hairline, and a beard that goes to about his clavicles. His skin is tanned and battered from years at sea, and one of his ears (presumably the right, based on Matt's gesture) is slightly cauliflowered, apparently from a fight. His eyes are deep blue-green and described as very pretty, and his face is said to be not one that would be considered classically handsome but is a kind but hard face of someone who has seen much of the world. Before the sinking of the Tide's Breath, he was a big, broad, and imposing man. When Fjord saw him in, after Vandran had been shipwrecked and living on Bisaft Isle for more than a year, he was thinner and more weathered, and his face was more wrinkled but softer.

Vandran speaks with the same Texan accent that Fjord once used.

Personality
Fjord described Vandran as a stoic leader with a voice that could carry to the rest of the crew. While what Vandran showed Fjord was "not necessarily kindness", he treated him well and showed him attention and care when no one else did.

Early life
Vandran is from Stilben, Tal'Dorei. He became a smuggler, then a pirate of the the Revelry. He became a known captain among the Revelry, one readily remembered many years after his disappearance from Darktow, though he claimed he was not of significantly high standing. He developed a romantic relationship with Avantika, his boatswain, and they sailed together for many years.

Warlock service
At some point, he and Avantika had a disagreement with another Revelry pirate, who had acquired a Cloven Crystal. They killed them, arranging it to appear an accident, and Vandran took the Cloven Crystal. Vandran said that he was soon afterward contacted by Uk'otoa in his dreams, and he eagerly accepted what Uk'otoa offered and entered into a warlock pact. Fjord had a vision that Vandran killed the Cloven Crystal's previous owner and magically absorbed the crystal after having already entered his pact. Vandran kept his pact and newly gained abilities initially secret from others on Darktow, and he used them to improve his standing in the Revelry and at sea.

He eventually shared his secret with Avantika. After she was marked with an eye of Uk'otoa, he showed her a ritual that caused Uk'otoa to communicate with her in dreams as well. Together, they sought to release Uk'otoa as instructed, and Vandran acted as a guide for her. They made plans to visit one of the temples of Uk'otoa, searching for the one at Urukayxl. (Avantika indicates that she discovered the temple was on Urukayxl only after Vandran fled.) Before they could do so, Vandran grew distrustful of the promises Uk'otoa made to them and of the dreams they received. He ultimately felt "more like a puppet than an entrusted herald" and grew weary and hesitant. For his "weakness", Avantika attempted to "gift" him to Uk'otoa by sacrificing him. He escaped to Port Damali, taking the only Cloven Crystal between them at the time.

Merchant sailing years
Vandran apparently found a way to have the Cloven Crystal removed from himself, and he had it auctioned off in Port Damali because he "just wanted to be done with it". Apparently, unbeknownst to him, Avantika stalked the collector who bought it to an unknown island, killed him, and took the crystal. Vandran further attempted to rid himself of his pact blade, the Sword of Fathoms, and of his recurring visions from Uk'otoa. He was unsuccessful, so he used his magic to keep himself safe from those pursuing him and to "keep his affairs in order".

Using the money from the sale of the Cloven Crystal, he bought the Tide's Breath. For a number of years, Vandran captained it as a merchant ship throughout the Menagerie Coast with Port Damali as its home port. During this time, he hired Fjord onto the ship, and he shortly grew paternally protective of him.

He obtained a second Cloven Crystal at some point after purchasing the Tide's Breath, which he kept hidden in his quarters. He unsuccessfully attempted for many years to rid himself of his pact blade and visions, though he continued to use his magic to protect himself from those who pursued him. Shortly before Campaign 2, Vandran had completely cut himself off from Uk'otoa, and the relationship was deeply strained. The pact was finally severed when the Tide's Breath sank after sabotage by Sabian and Vandran was presumed certain to drown, pushing Uk'otoa to forge a pact with the simultaneously drowning Fjord to replace him.

Vandran survived the sinking of the Tide's Breath and washed ashore at Bisaft Isle. He was, however, presumed dead in wharfmaster records.

Campaign 2: The Mighty Nein
Fjord experienced a vision of Vandran when he touched a Cloven Crystal. Fjord saw Vandran, younger than Fjord remembered him, standing over the body of its previous owner and pushing the Cloven Crystal into his chest in the same manner that Fjord was compelled to do; Vandran then summoned the Sword of Fathoms to his hand. When questioned afterwards, Fjord identified Vandran to the Mighty Nein. He subsequently became interested in visiting the Menagerie Coast to begin investigating Vandran's connection to the Sword of Fathoms, which Fjord now used himself.

Weeks later, Avantika informed Fjord of Vandran's history with Uk'otoa, possession of a Cloven Crystal, and abandonment of the quest to release Uk'otoa. Fjord attempted to lie to her, claiming that he did not know Vandran, but she caught the deception and forced Fjord to tell her where the Tide's Breath sank. Fjord and the Mighty Nein further learned of Vandran during his service to Uk'otoa through Avantika's journal. At the trial before the Plank King Wyatt Maranoss, she tried to invoke Vandran's name, which was recognized by many of the Revelry pirates. She attempted to claim that Fjord had blown up the Tide's Breath to murder Vandran, though Fjord had not told her of the explosion on the ship. After opening the second seal imprisoning Uko'otoa, Fjord hoped for another vision of Vandran and was disappointed that this did not happen. Hearing this, Caduceus Clay asked Melora what Vandran was doing and received a response: "Staying out of sight. Making amends.

Months later, Fjord asked Jester Lavorre to contact Vandran for him using Sending. She told Vandran that Fjord was looking for him, and Vandran responded that he was was glad to hear that Fjord was okay. He is retired on an island with good people. Fjord, who was mimicking Fjord since the sinking, subsequently decided to end his pact and no longer mimic Vandran. He expressed that he believed Vandran was not concerned about him and seemed to be at peace, in contrast to how Fjord himself felt.

Fjord did not speak of Vandran again for some time, until Jester asked if he wanted to contact him before they arrived at Aeor. Fjord concisely remarked that speaking to Vandran was a motivated to make it home alive. Immediately after, Jester privately checking on Vandran using Scrying and saw that he was living in a makeshift driftwood hut and reading Tusk Love. She contacted him using Sending and asked if he wanted to send Fjord a message. Vandran wanted to tell Fjord to take care of himself. She reported this to Fjord, who was again motivated to find him. Fjord asked her to Send to Vandran again and ask where he was. Jester did so, adding that Fjord missed him, and learned that Vandran was near Bisaft Isle.

Upon their return, Fjord, with Jester's support, visited Vandran on Bisaft. Vandran promptly recognized Fjord, and the two discussed their relationship, Vandran's personal history, and his relationships with Uk'otoa and Avantika. Though he told Fjord that he is content living quietly and slowly on the island and that he no longer has it in him for long trips at sea, he agreed to sail with Fjord aboard the Nein Heroez for a time so that they have opportunity to catch up with one another.

Avantika
Avantika served as Vandran's boatswain during his time as a pirate of the Revelry, and they eventually began a romantic relationship. Avantika wrote in her journal of Vandran guiding her towards being closer to Uk'otoa, giving her the ritual that started her dreams of a great eye. Avantika considered him leaving the quest cowardly and a betrayal.

Fjord
Fjord has described Vandran at various times as a "mentor" and "father figure". Fjord thought he had known Vandran very well during the years working for him. The revelations that Avantika and other pirates on Darktow Isle knew Vandran seemed to take him by surprise. Seeing that someone looted Vandran's quarters after the Tide's Breath wrecked seemed to make Fjord angry. Vandran seemed happy to hear that Fjord was ok when Jester spoke to him via a Sending spell.

Sabian
Vandran hired Sabian along with Fjord as crew of the Tide's Breath. It is unknown if Sabian intended to hurt or kill Vandran specifically by sabotaging the ship or if he had other reasons. Vandran is unsurprised to learn that Sabian survived the sinking of the ship, and he contemptuously described Sabian as "a coward and a survivor", remarking that such people are difficult to kill.

Uk'otoa
Vandran entered a pact with Uk'otoa after he took a Cloven Crystal from another member of the Revelry that he killed. He eagerly accepted what Uk'otoa offered him and used his new abilities to better his standing in the Revelry. Though he was initially committed to releasing Uk'otoa, he began to see that their agreement was unsound and understand himself to be a puppet instead of a herald. Vandran ultimately abandoned the quest. He unsuccessfully attempted for many years to rid himself of his pact blade and visions, though he continued to use his magic to protect himself from those who pursued him. Shortly before Campaign 2, Vandran had completely cut himself off from Uk'otoa, and the relationship was deeply strained. The pact was finally severed when the Tide's Breath sank and Vandran was presumed certain to drown, pushing Uk'otoa to forge a pact with the simultaneously drowning Fjord to replace him.

Notable items

 * Copy of Tusk Love
 * Tobacco pipe
 * Cloven Crystal, apparently two at various times
 * First taken from a member of the Revelry, magically absorbed. Sold at auction in Port Damali, apparently having been successfully removed.
 * Second apparently acquired afterward and kept hidden in a metal box in his quarters on the Tide's Breath. Lost when the ship sank.
 * Sword of Fathoms, lost when his pact was severed

Warlock abilities
If Fjord's vision in is accurate, Vandran had at least three warlock levels. Vandran still had his warlock abilities, his pact blade (the Sword of Fathoms), and pact for many years after abandoning the quest to free Uk'otoa, despite attempting to rid himself of them and despite the great strain in his relationship with Uk'otoa. The pact was finally severed when the Tide's Breath sank and Vandran was presumed certain to drown, threatening the Sword of Fathoms to be lost at sea and pushing Uk'otoa to forge a pact with the simultaneously drowning Fjord to replace him.
 * Otherworldly Patron: Hexblade
 * Pact Magic (Charisma-based spellcasting)
 * Eldritch Invocations (at least 2)
 * Pact Boon: Pact of the Blade

Appearances

 * Campaign 2

Mentions

 * Campaign 2

Quotations

 * Vandran: My sailing days are over, Fjord. I ain't a captain of any ship anymore, don't want to be. Life here is nice and slow. I take it in my own pace. I don't want to swab a deck. I don't want to hoist a sail. But maybe I could go on a trip or two. In case you need repairs or some fine cooking. Fjord: We do have a pretty lax stowaway policy. Vandran: For a time. I'm not a man for long lengths at sea anymore, but it wouldn't hurt to catch up proper. Fjord: I would really like that.
 * (to Fjord) "You know, that power, it'll eat you in time. Uk'otoa's a hungry beast."