Clasp

The Clasp is a 200-year-old guild of thieves, assassins, black merchants, and contract dealers in Tal'Dorei that operates on a relatively amoral code of honor and respect. Their influence is easily enforced, as most people know of the dangerous myths surrounding them, and they maintain an extremely high success rate on contracts taken.

The Clasp was also the driving force behind the plot of a non-canon, one-shot special episode: .

Leadership
Leaders of the Clasp are called spirelings. They are masters of networks and information. Spireling Shenn is the leader of the Clasp in Emon.

Emon Spirelings

 * Modeth Lai (deceased)
 * Shenn
 * Warren

Westruun Spirelings

 * Rook

Membership
One does not apply to join the Clasp; worthy candidates are invited.
 * Garthok is a member of the Clasp in Emon.
 * Vax'ildan gained partial membership to the Westruun sect of the Clasp and was branded with their symbol before the events in the Critical Role stream.

Non-canon
In a non-canon, one-shot special episode entitled, several of the characters were members of the Clasp in Emon:  Spireling Shenn (non-canon); Delweth; Dren; Obby "the Rat"; and Tarvis.

Contracts
To summon the attention of the Clasp for a contract, one must ask around until they find someone who has already dealt with them and persuade them to reveal the contract request drop-point.

Emon
The Clasp has a subterranean base located beneath the Graveyard District in Emon, with a secret entrance leading to it from the Diamond Nest Tavern. There was another entrance from the north end of Abadar's Promenade, but it was destroyed by the Clasp after talks for an alliance with Vox Machina broke down. An entrance from the Temple District was blocked after the Chroma Conclave's attack on Emon.

Westruun
There was also a chapter of the Clasp in Westruun, which is how Vax encountered and became a member of the guild.

Drugs
There are two illegal drugs in Tal'Dorei. Oloore root is a heavy psychedelic used by druidic cultures, and suude is refined from arcane residuum and causes head rush and enhances senses/magic. The Clasp traffics oloore root.

Sex Trafficking
Based on the Clasp's contract with Vex's stalker, it is implied that the Clasp has at least some business in the kidnapping and trading people for forced labor or sexual slavery.

The Story So Far
The Clasp was responsible for sending the blue crystal that contained Skysunder to Westruun.

Several members of the Clasp ambushed Pike and Vax'ildan in Emon, knocking them unconscious in an alleyway and taking them back to their headquarters. Spireling Modeth spoke with them, explaining that the Clasp had been watching the home of Sir Gregory Fince in order to stay aware of Emon's political climate. When they saw Vox Machina leaving the building, they decided to bring them in to interrogate them. Vax then revealed that he was a member of the Clasp sect in Westruun. Modeth called for a test of their skills and intent, forcing Pike and Vax into a battle against a chained chimera in the Clasp's arena. Although the two of them managed to slay the creature, Modeth was still not convinced and decided to detain them overnight. However, Vax and Pike managed to escape that night and reunited with the rest of their group.

Vox Machina later returned to the Clasp's headquarters and ended up fighting Spireling Modeth. After killing him, they discovered that he had been keeping four strange glowing crystals, which they then took for themselves. As the party tried to leave, they were stopped by a group of Clasp members and another Spireling. Scanlan managed to convince the Clasp to let them go safely and Vox Machina left before their deeds could be discovered.

Vax'ildan and the Clasp
At some unknown time during Vox Machina's adventures, Vax discovered that his twin sister Vex had a stalker. Vax followed the stalker one night, as the stalker followed Vex, in Westruun. This led to Vax discovering the Clasp, as the stalker met with his Clasp contact. Vax discovered that the stalker had paid the Clasp to retrieve Vex for him.

Vax met with the Clasp and made an exchange for Vex's life. First, the Clasp ordered Vax to get "a body": a child rapist. A Clasp mage then used a stick made of human tongues to turn the rapist into a copy of Vex. The Clasp then gave the false Vex to the stalker...thus, allowing the Clasp to fulfill their contract.

In exchange for perpetrating the ruse, Vax was conscripted into the Clasp. The Clasp's symbol was branded on his back, and Vax was forced to swear that he would serve the Clasp whenever he was called upon.

Trivia

 * Vax'ildan's initial run-in and partial membership with the Clasp was part of the plot from a one-on-one session between Liam O'Brien and Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer after Liam missed a regular game session with the rest of the group.