Goran Vedmire

Goran Vedmire was a goliath hired by the Briarwoods in Wildemount to assist in taking over Whitestone from the de Rolos. After the fall of Whitestone, he was given the title of "Duke" by the Briarwoods, lording over the denizens as one of the New Nobles. When Vox Machina liberated Whitestone, Vedmire continued living there to serve the community as penance for his crimes against the people. As an NPC, he is played by Matthew Mercer.

Appearance
As with most goliaths, he is a large, hairless, gray-skinned man of immense strength.

Personality
While he displayed cruelty during his reign as a noble, he also accepted his defeat and showed respect toward his adversaries. He agreed to serve the city as payment for his crimes and calmly acknowledged his defeat at the hands of Trisha in the arm-wrestling competition during the Whitestone Winter's Crest festival.

Background
Goran Vedmire was one of the mercenaries that the Briarwoods brought with them from Wildemount in order to seize Whitestone. When they had successfully taken over, Vedmire was given a title, land, and power over the citizens of the town.

Vox Machina first heard of Duke Vedmire from Archibald Desnay, who told them of the New Nobles living within Whitestone. Vedmire was supposedly left in charge of the temple of Pelor, but had let it fall into ruin. The party then made a plan for Scanlan to create a distraction at Vedmire's mansion while the rest went to attack Count Tylieri.

When Scanlan, in the form of a Polymorphed triceratops, broke into Vedmire's estate, he found the Duke waiting with eight armed guards prepared to attack. Scanlan ran into the next room, teleported to the roof, and began setting the building on fire. Vedmire chased him to the roof, but through the use of Bigby's Hand the gnome managed to shove the goliath off of the building. Scanlan then used that opportunity to escape from Duke Vedmire.

After the fall of the Briarwoods, Vedmire, along with Countess Jazna Graben, was presented for judgment by Keeper Yennen. Scanlan offered both of them the chance to help rebuild the city. Vedmire accepted, though Jazna refused and was executed.

One of the events during the celebration after the Briarwoods' defeat was an arm-wrestling match. Two Whitestone guards presented the deposed Vedmire as their proxy in the competition. He won his first match against an unnamed blacksmith, but was defeated in his second by a guard named Trisha. When she won, she told him, "You deserve that, and much more."

Abilities
When Scanlan Shorthalt attacked his mansion and guards, Vedmire was unable to do much aside from chase after the bard as his house began to burn down. Keeper Yennen claimed that Vedmire "wields a blade as long as his body".