Tova


 * This page is about the blood hunter from the Vox Machina campaign. For the child singer from the Wildemount campaign, see Toya.

Tova is a dwarven blood hunter and a werebear. She is played by ND Stevenson.

Appearance
Tova has dark auburn hair with a shock of white-gray in it and is shaved on the sides of her head. Her left ear is torn to shreds and she has multiple claw marks across her face. She gained her scar in "an unfortunate home chemistry set accident" that she did not initiate.

Background
Tova came to the Nine Hells with a group of friends to save Kalin's soul they sold to a devil, which Tova thought was a very bad idea. Most of them were killed, when only Tova and her two surviving companions (Kalin and Bellamy who helped Tova to control her curse of lycanthopy and became a blood hunter) were imprisoned in Mentiri, the underground prison in the City of Dis. She was eventually purchased from the prison by the pit fiend Utugash, who took her to his stronghold and proceeded to torture her in an attempt to corrupt her soul.

Vox Machina found Tova unconscious and shackled to a table when they infiltrated the stronghold. When she came to, Vox Machina told her they'll help her if she stays quiet and she readily agrees. Vex healed her and helped Vax unlock her manacles. The party explained they were here to kill someone and Tova agreed to help them if they get her gear back. In the meantime, Grog gave her a greatsword.

As they were talking, a devil arrived, and they immediately attempted to hide, Tova pretending to be still shackled to the table. The devil was not deceived and attempted to call for help, initiating combat. During the fight, Tova transformed into her werebear form, which greatly impressed Vox Machina. Keyleth asked if she was also a druid, which Tova denied. After clearing this section of the stronghold, the party attempted to locate Utugash. Tova used her bear senses to confirm that he was in the next room.

Tova joined Vox Machina in the fight against Utugash, and eventually landed the killing blow on him, ripping his chest open and asking "How do you like me now, asshole?" She then spat on his corpse and reverted to her dwarven form. The group searched the stronghold and found Tova's gear, returning it to her. She asked Vox Machina why they were here, and Percy claimed they had a grudge they were looking to settle, which Tova easily accepted. In exchange, Tova told them her story and how she ended up in Utugash's stronghold. Vex asked if she knew much about the Bastion of Flesh, but she wasn't sure as her jailers never told her much. She could make her way back to where her friends were kept, and she refused to leave without them. Tova allowed herself to be arrested alongside Vox Machina.

Vox Machina were escorted to the Prison of Mentiri and locked up. As promised, a guard delivered them their equipment and directions to Hotis, and the group quickly freed themselves from their chains. As they made their way through the prison, Tova realized she had no idea what these people want, where they were leading her or even where she was, and if she continued to followed them she may end up leaving her friends behind. They successfully found and slew Hotis, and the group asked Tova if she was coming with them. She declined, saying she could't leave her friends. As guards were closing on their position including a chain golem, they offered her magical assistance and she accepted Vax's Ring of Invisibility. She waved goodbye, equipped the ring and disappeared from view as the party Plane Shifted away.

Notable items

 * Ring of Invisibility: given to her by Vax'ildan)
 * Greatsword (given by Grog)
 * Maul (lost in Utugash's stronghold but recovered after his defeat)

Blood hunter abilities

 * Hunter's Bane
 * Blood Maledict (3/rest)
 * Blood Curse of the Marked
 * Blood Curse of Mutual Suffering
 * Blood Curse of Binding
 * Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting
 * Crimson Rite
 * Rite of the Frozen
 * Blood Hunter Order: Order of the Lycan
 * Heightened Senses
 * Hybrid Transformation
 * Feral Might
 * Resiliant Hide
 * Predatory Strikes (1d8)
 * Bloodlust
 * Lycan Regeneration
 * Beastly Precision
 * Extra Attack
 * Stalker's Prowess

Appearances and mentions

 * Campaign 1
 * One-shots
 * One-shots
 * One-shots
 * One-shots
 * One-shots

Trivia

 * Tova is one of five guest player characters (the others being Zahra Hydris, Kerrek, Shakäste, and Twiggy) to have earned a "How do you want to do this?". She got hers when she landed the killing blow on Utugash.Joana-carvalho-noelle-tova-small.jpg
 * Trinket has shown romantic interest in Tova (at least in her bear form).
 * Though the specifics of her interactions with Trinket and company aren't canonical, it was shown in the one-shot Trinket's Honey Heist that she escaped the Nine Hells. In the one-shot, she made it to Westruun, where she caught Trinket in the middle of him and some other bears attempting to steal jars of honey from an inn.
 * Tova's appearance in the Honey Heist trilogy, as well as her female co-stars in Honey Heist 3, have the characters resemble Debbie Ocean and her ensemble from the 2018 film "Ocean's 8".
 * Tova's survival was again confirmed in the Talks Machina Wrap-Up.