Vax'ildan

Vax'ildan, also known as "Vax", was a half-elf rogue/paladin, a member of Vox Machina, and the current Champion of the Raven Queen. He was played by Liam O'Brien.

Intro
"Never entirely welcome in the company of elves or men, Vax'ildan learned at a young age to skip past formality, preferring instead to invite himself in your door.

''Along with twin sister Vex'ahlia, Vax was born by a chance encounter between elven royalty and human peasantry. Raised by their mother in their early years, the twins were eventually sent off to their father in the elven capital of Syngorn. But their cool reception among the elves there never warmed, and their time in the capital didn't last. The siblings stole away one autumn night and set out on the open road.''

''After a few years of wandering, they eventually decided to return to their mother, and journeyed back to the lands of their youth. But instead of finding their childhood home, they returned to a pile of rubble. Their mother was gone, their home burned to ash. Pressing the townspeople for answers, they learned of the day the dragon came.''

''With their ties all severed, Vax'ildan and his sister set out to find their fortune together in Tal'Dorei. An outsider since birth, Vax quickly learned to solve life's challenges in his own particular way, often by sidestepping them entirely. And when his knack for circumventing adversity isn't enough, the way of blades the elves schooled him in more than makes up the difference.''"

Appearance
Like his twin sister Vex'ahlia, Vax was a twenty-eight year old half-elf. He was identical to his sister, albeit two inches taller than her, with long dark brown hair.

After joining the Slayer's Take, Vax had the brand of the guild on his right arm.

He got a pair of tattoos in Vasselheim after completing the Slayer's Take trial. On the inside of his left wrist were the sounds for "V" and "M" written in Elvish script. On the inside of his right wrist was an icosahedron.

Vax had a handprint-shaped burn scar on his back from where he asked Keyleth to burn away the Clasp's brand.

While spending a year with Keyleth at Zephyr, Vax got a tattoo of her antlers on his his upper right arm (as visually motioned by Liam).

During his resurrection ritual in Vesrah, a part of his hair was braided with Vex's blue feathers as part of her offering.

After his resurrection, Vax'ildan developed a dark, bruise-like mark over his heart as a symbol of the boon he received from the Raven Queen. After being disintegrated by Vecna, the Raven Queen made a deal with Vax to allow him to return to life until Vecna has been destroyed. Once Vax reappeared on the Material Plane, the dark mark on his chest had expanded to resemble a pair of wings.

Personality
Compared to his sister, Vax was far more focused and serious than Vex, but he was not without his moments of immaturity as he was quite fond of being a prankster. He could be incredibly deceptive, and often navigated through social situations with ease and occasionally coin.

Vax tended to wear his heart on his sleeve compared to Vex. He also had a habit of self-loathing and tended to brood when undergoing emotional crises. When he felt overwhelmed, he preferred to walk away when it became too much to bear instead of dealing with the problem. At times, he kept his emotions to himself, the only person he ever trusted for a long time being his sister. But he did open up towards those who earn his trust and, sometimes, his love.

For many years, Vax thought of himself as "lost and a wanderer", his goal being to find some purpose in his life. Upon encountering the Raven Queen when he exchanged his life for his dead sister, being fearful at first, he eventually accepted his new role as the goddess's champion. By accepting that role and coming to an understanding, Vax found what he had been lacking and became more at ease.

Vax's alignment was "chaotic good", like Pike and (currently) Vex.

Background
Vax, along with Vex, was born in the humble village of Byroden due to the union of a human woman named Elaina and an elven man named Syldor Vessar. The twins lived with Elaina for the first ten years of their life before they were sent to live in Syngorn, where their father lived. During this time, Vax had received training in the ways of the blade from his elven instructors.

After several years of cold reception from the Syngornian elves, the twins set off on their own. They returned to Byroden, only to see their childhood home destroyed and their mother gone. Vax honed his skills as a rogue, whereas Vex honed her skills as a ranger. At one point, he joined the Westruun sect of The Clasp.

For quite some time, Vax and Vex only truly relied on each other, but eventually the twins found their way to Stilben, where they met individuals that would later join them and become the foundation for the adventuring party Vox Machina.

Vax was a close-ranged combat fighter and often used a deadly combination of sneak attacks, magical weaponry, items, agility, and various abilities when in combat. He was naturally the sneakiest member of Vox Machina and often scouted ahead for the group when in dangerous situations.

Vax occasionally mentioned his instructors in Syngorn, one of whom is named Master Tharindriel.

Vax was the first one out of the group to kill an illithid in.

Vax'ildan was bisexual. He showed interest in both men and women, specifically Shaun Gilmore, a human sorcerer, and Keyleth, a half-elven druid and fellow member of Vox Machina.

Before the Stream
Vex and Vax ran into their father, Syldor Vessar, in Emon. The conversation was frosty, and the twins discovered that they now have a half-sister named Velora Vessar.

Vax was able to land the killing blow on a blue dragon, Brimscythe. Brimscythe had assumed a human form as General Krieg for some time, and after Vox Machina discovered Krieg's secret, he revealed his true nature to them. After a long fight, Vax ran up a wall and sunk his daggers into Brimscythe's neck, sliding down and slowly killing him.

Pike purposely injured Vax when she found out he had been a "peeping tom" by stepping on his foot. She dealt one point of nonlethal damage.

Arrival at Kraghammer
Upon arriving in Kraghammer, Vox Machina sets about finding lodging for the night. Upon arriving at the Iron Hearth Tavern, Vax personally pays the barkeep, Adra, a sack of gold and buys all the patrons in the tavern a round. After obtaining information from her, the party splits up to pursue different goals. Vax and Vex'ahlia themselves choose to scope out Nostoc Greyspine's manor, the rogue offering that the two of them pose as a married couple. Vex, grossed out, shoots down the idea immediately. Inquiring with the Carvers, they find out more about the Greyspine manor and then they are escorted away. Vax manages to sneak away, but Vex is not so lucky.

Upon gathering again at the tavern, Vax suggests that they try the diplomatic approach with Greyspine. Suddenly, Adra informs them that Trinket is downstairs about to get into a fight with Balgus. Vax tries to knock him out after Keyleth conjures a Fog Cloud, but the elderly dwarf is too tough as he grabs Vax's arm. The rogue manages to slip out of his grip. As Keyleth entertains Balgus with her bear form and Vex acting as her "trainer", Vax grabs some ale for him. The crisis is soon after averted, and Vox Machina retires for the evening.

The next day, the party heads to the manor and is told that Nostoc is in the Greyspine Quarry. They go there and present the Balgus Brewery wine that was given to them the other day to the guards. They are soon after granted an audience with Nostoc. During the discussion where they agree to take care of Nostoc's problems, Vax tries to steal some of the wine but is caught. He then quickly takes what he stole and refill's the quarry owner's goblet. Soon after, alarm bells are rung and the quarry ends up under attack by goblins, ogres, and a hideously malformed naga. After a tough battle, the party emerges victorious and Nostoc fills them in further about Lady Kima of Vord and the goings-on within the mines. Before turning in for the night, they try and fail to negotiate with Lord Thunderbrand and then purchase additional supplies from the Value of Valor.

Into the Underdark
The next day, as they progress through the quarry, the party finds themselves traversing into the Underdark. After a nasty fight against two umber hulks and a small ambush party comprised of duergar and an intellect devourer, Vax and Vex interrogate the last surviving dwarf. Upon milking her of all the information she could provide, Vex threatens that they will rescue Kima and kill their god and then Vax finishes her off. After managing to save Grog from his loss of intellect, they march on past a goblinoid village where they discover that the population died from puncture wounds on their foreheads followed by their brains having been sucked out.

Crossing a chasm, Scanlan goes off to scout ahead. When he returns, he informs the party of a warcamp of duergar and a strange being with tentacles coming out of its maw, a being referred to as a "mindflayer" or "illithid". They come up with a plan to draw out as many as possible and have them fall off the edge. Vax offers himself as bait. He manages to get their attention, but as he makes his leave he is stunned by the illithid from earlier. He begins to fall to his death but is saved by Tiberius. After a heated debate. Vex and Keyleth steal the carpet and eventually return with another illithid, who introduces himself as Clarota. After some discussion, they decide to make an alliance with him.

Soon after, Pike Trickfoot ends up reuniting with the party. As they discuss how to tackle the warcamp, Vax offers the idea of blinding the illithid Scanlan saw with a bucket of goblin refuse. After resting for the evening, the plan is put into action with Vax and Scanlan going invisible and sneaking into the barracks. After several minutes of tense waiting, the attack starts with Scanlan blinding the illithid and Vax managing to slay it. Despite the sudden appearance of a bulette mid-battle, the party emerges victorious as they question the general. After the interrogation, the general is slain by Clarota. However, the warcamp is soon alerted to their presence. After a very rough escape attempt, Vox Machina and Clarota retreat into a tunnel.

After resting, the party continues on and find themselves in combat with two ogres and a black pudding that ends up being freed from a glass container due to an explosive arrow fired by Vex that was made by Percy. The party survives the battle and, after discovering that they essentially went around in circles, traverse downward into a tunnel they previously disregarded. They soon after make their way to the Emberhold fortress that was mentioned by the duergar general. The party finds their way into the fortress by means of a secret entrance. Making their way downstairs, they find and rescue Lady Kima. Soon after, a tenuous alliance is made between herself and Clarota due to her mutual distrust of illithid after having seen her companions slain by them.

The Menace Within Yug'Voril
Making their way through the fortress, they get into combat with King Murghol and Queen Ulara. The king is slain, but Ulara manages to dominate and capture Grog. The queen even destroys the ceiling of the throne room, with hot magma pouring down. The party scrambles to escape, Vax himself falling unconscious and having his foot briefly submerged in the magma. Fortunately, he is pulled out before he is incinerated and the party retreats into a secluded hideaway. While resting for the evening, due to a heated argument between Keyleth and Kima, the paladin informs the group more about why she is in the Underdark in the first place. She was driven to go due to a vision granted to her by Bahamut, her deity, to find and retrieve one of the two Horns of Orcus that was claimed by K'Varn, the being itself deep within Yug'Voril, Clarota's colony.

After some trouble dealing with another abomination, the party manages to rescue Grog. K'Varn, speaking through Ulara, taunts the party before killing her. As the party and their allies gather around a campfire, as soon as Kima is drawn away by Scanlan, Keyleth vents about her distrust of the paladin. Vax, noticing something about Keyleth's demeanor, raises an objection towards the druid's suggestion to just leave the Underdark right away. He then tells her that he has noticed the struggles she has been going through, telling her that she is not alone and that she has a family with her. And as they traverse further towards Yug'Voril, Vax himself starts to realize that he may be developing feelings for Keyleth.

After a few more harrowing encounters, a plan is hatched to assault the temple where K'Varn and the enslaved elder brain resides. The plan is put into action and after a long battle which temporarily claimed the life of Grog, the dastardly beholder is slain and then slain again after he is brought back as an undead, the horn of Orcus ripped from its body by Tiberius. Despite this victory, the party is then betrayed by Clarota as he and the entire colony begin to descend on them. Managing to persevere, the party manages to escape from Yug'Voril alive with the horn in tow.

Return to Emon
After resting up in Greyskull Keep, Vox Machina meets with Allura Vysoren, the woman who hired them to find Kima in the first place. The arcanist and the paladin are joyfully reunited, Tiberius thinking that they are more than just friends. They then meet with the Tal'Dorei Council, which they are also members of, and discuss what to do with the horn. Eventually, a consensus is made for the horn to be transported to The Platinum Sanctuary in Vasselheim. Looking to get resupplied, the party heads to Gilmore's Glorious Goods. It's there that Vax is reunited with the owner, Shaun Gilmore. He offers to take Gilmore out on a "date" while Vex and the others discuss business with Sherri, Gilmore's assistant. During their "date", Vax confides in Gilmore about the recent troubles and brushes with death he's had, and tells him that he wouldn't be alive today if not for Gilmore's assistance. Returning to the shop, they divvy up their new items and spend the next couple of days preparing for the trip to Vasselheim. Vax in particular finds Pike, who manages to repair her fragile connection to Sarenrae, the Everlight. She then heals Vax's foot to perfect health.

Vasselheim
Two days later, Vox Machina sails via skyship to Vasselheim across the Ozmit Sea. Despite a surprise attack by wyvern riders, the skyship Deera still manages to arrive at her destination. Kima acts as their guide to the Platinum Sanctuary, and upon arrival the party converses with Highbearer Vord about sealing away the horn. Traveling underneath the Sanctuary, the party eventually succeeds in overcoming the traps beneath and sealing away the dangerous artifact. However, upon returning, they are notified of an ancient temple of the Everlight herself, after which Pike chooses to stay behind and help restore.

Fallen Friends and Found Love
After returning to the Prime Material Plane, and narrowly avoiding a confrontation with Vorugal the Frigid Doom, Vax and Percy have a conversation about Vex within the newly created temple to the Raven Queen. The two agree to bury the hatchet, but Percy requests that he not trust him.

After a lengthy debate, Vox Machina travels to the continent of Wildemount to the city of Draconia in the hopes of discovering the fate of Tiberius. After an encounter with the Ravenites that nearly resulted in violent conflict, the party sees the remains of their fallen friend impaled on a spike of ice, a symbol of Vorugal's dominion over the dragonborn. Vax prays to his patron to usher Tiberius' soul to the afterlife, and he is given comfort from his patron that he did indeed cross over safely.

After returning to Whitestone, Vax is greeted by Keyleth outside his door, the druid asking if she could stay with him for the night. As he lets her in, he reflects on the misfortunes that have befallen them all and deeply apologizes to the woman he loves for how he treated her by remaining distant. Keyleth, however, tells him that she is just as guilty of being distant as he is. She then confesses that she had been terrified of losing him to death, the Raven Queen, and even himself. But after some time, she came to realize that those fears were holding her back and that they truly have nothing to lose.

Happy beyond measure, Vax confesses to her once more and the two spend the night together, the two half-elves finally becoming one.

The Clasp
Sometime after leaving their father but before returning to their home town, Vax'ildan learned that his sister Vex had a stalker and the stalker had paid the Clasp to get her for him. Vax gave the Clasp a child rapist, who was then transformed to look like her, allowing the Clasp to meet their contract. In exchange for sparing Vex's life, Vax was branded with the Clasp's mark and sworn to serve the Clasp whenever he was called upon.

After talks with the Clasp to help the survivors of Emon after the Chroma Conclave attack broke down, Vax asked Keyleth to burn away the brand on his back.

Grog

 * &rarr; Main article:  Relationship between Grog and Vax'ildan.

Vax and Grog Strongjaw, a goliath barbarian and a fellow member of Vox Machina, had a playfully antagonistic relationship, the two of them occasionally playing pranks on each other. Aside from that, they were close friends who had each others' backs.

Keyleth

 * &rarr; Main article:  Relationship between Keyleth and Vax'ildan.

Vax and Keyleth were romantic partners. He started developing feelings for Keyleth while Vox Machina was adventuring in the Underdark on their mission to rescue Lady Kima of Vord and subsequently defeat K'Varn the Mad.

Vax eventually admitted his love for Keyleth and kissed her after they took down Professor Anders. Keyleth, however, hesitated to explore her own love for the rogue due to uncertainty and fear, but after Vox Machina discovered the corpse of Tiberius Stormwind and returned to Whitestone, the druid admitted her love for him, and that she had loved him for a long time. The two since established a close relationship, and Keyleth never stopping loving him even after his death following Vecna's defeat.

Kynan Leore
Vax first met Kynan outside of Greyskull Keep upon their return from Vasselheim, during which he personally crushed the boy's dream of joining Vox Machina by telling him that he was not ready for the life that they live. Later on, when Kynan was revealed to be working with Anna Ripley, Vax took it upon himself to talk some sense to the boy, convincing Kynan that despite what he had done while working with Ripley, he could still find redemption. He later gave him two daggers he had bought from Gilmore's shop in addition to his Keen Dagger, and then later gave him his Serpent Belt, telling him that he earned his second chance. Vax reclaimed the Serpent Belt after a year, having seen that Kynan was a leader in the Whitestone forces but knowing he would not need it as much as him.

Percy

 * &rarr; Main article:  Relationship between Percy and Vax'ildan.

Percy and Vax were once very trusting of each other, but ever since Vex's death due to the gunslinger's own negligence, as well as other events, the two have not been able to see eye-to-eye. Eventually, they had a discussion and Percy told Vax that he wants to be in the rogue's good graces again, but for the time being requests that he "never trust him". After several events, the two ended up on good terms once more and later become like actual brothers, especially after Vex marries Percy.

Pike

 * &rarr; Main article:  Relationship between Pike and Vax'ildan.

Pike, as a person and as a cleric of Sarenrae, was respected by Vax and he originally planned to follow in her footsteps and become a paladin of the goddess, even sewing a symbol of her patron to his glove as a reminder of his bond with his friend. But due to his deal with the Raven Queen, he became fearful that the gnome cleric would shun him for turning away from Sarenrae's light and actively tried to avoid her. When Pike confronted him about his avoiding her, the two came to an understanding, with Vax still believing that despite their differing patrons, he's still following in Pike's footsteps.

The Raven Queen
After offering his life in exchange for Vex's soul, Vax began having dreams about the Raven Queen, who referred to him as "fate-touched", which only served to confuse and frighten him. He soon accepted his new role as Champion of the Raven Queen when he managed to survive being inside Umbrasyl's stomach and while in free-fall. He later went to the Raven's Crest temple in Vasselheim to commune with the goddess, during which She answered many of Vax's questions about Her purpose as a goddess of death and his role as Her champion. After this communion, Vax became more at ease. And ever since, his faith in Her has grown, though he still fears Her. After the battle with Vecna the Raven Queen claimed his soul.

Scanlan

 * &rarr; Main article:  Relationship between Scanlan and Vax'ildan.

Vax and Scanlan Shorthalt, gnome bard and former member of Vox Machina, had a strong bond of friendship. At times, Scanlan was able to offer words of advice to Vax.



Shaun Gilmore
Vax and Gilmore enjoy flirting with each other and spending time together. In, Vax asked out Gilmore to a meal and a walk, which is the first time in the game that this has happened. Vax also seems to view Gilmore as a confidant, as he told him about Vox Machina's struggles in the Underdark and about the Horn of Orcus, which the party had agreed to keep a secret. After defeating the Briarwoods and returning to Emon, Vax took a moment to sit down with Gilmore and explain that he was in love with someone else. Gilmore, although saddened by the news, took it very well, and after a final kiss the two parted amicably. They remained close friends and still loved each other platonically until Vax's death.

Trinket

 * &rarr; Main article:  Relationship between Trinket and Vax'ildan.

Vex has a companion bear named Trinket. If she is Trinket's adoptive mother, then Vax was his uncle.

Vex'ahlia

 * &rarr; Main article:  Relationship between Vax'ildan and Vex'ahlia.

Vax and Vex both usually worked together when scouting and ambushing opponents. They hadn't been separated for very long since birth, at least until after the events of, where they were forced to work with different groups of people.

Quests
Vax'ildan, along with his sister Vex'ahlia, was on a quest to kill Thordak, the ancient red dragon that killed their mother when it destroyed their home town of Byroden. This has since been fulfilled with Vax slaying the Cinder King during the siege of Emon.

After his death at Thar Amphala, Vax agreed to the Raven Queen's offer of returning as a revenant so that he could fulfill his charge of sealing or defeating Vecna. He, along with Vox Machina, finally succeeded in banishing him and at the end, Vax willingly returned to his patron's side and died for the last time.

Current Items

 * Blinkback Belt
 * Boots of Haste
 * Brooch of Living Essence
 * Clarota's Helmet
 * Dagger of Lifestealing
 * Dagger of Venom
 * Deathwalker's Ward (obtained by Vox Machina and given to Vax)
 * Earring of Whisper (made by Tiberius)
 * Flametongue Dagger
 * Symbol of Sarenrae embedded in his glove (has some kind of connection to Pike, a cleric of Sarenrae; ruined but still present after Vax submitted himself to the Raven Queen)
 * Whisper (obtained from Kynan Leore; Vox Machina briefly debated who would keep it, but eventually it was given to Vax)

Former Items

 * Cape of the Mountebank (taken from Count Tylieri's coffin; lost after using it to help close the rift to the Elemental Plane of Fire)
 * Cloak of Displacement (given to Keyleth who later gave it to Kerrek)
 * Cloak of Elvenkind (given to Vex'ahlia)
 * Keen Dagger (given to Kynan Leore)
 * Ring of Invisibility (obtained by Vox Machina from the treasure horde of Vorugal and later given to Vax; Vax loaned the ring to Kerrek, Kerrek returned it after Raishan's death; finally given to Tova)
 * Serpent Belt (named Simon after Simon Brist; given to Kynan. He later took it back from Kynan after having the knowledge of Simon not being fed; later given to Velora as part of her successful resurrection)

Abilities
As an assassination rogue, Vax'ildan excelled at dealing high damage very quickly, especially while stealthed, while evading and minimizing damage to himself. After reluctantly becoming a Champion of the Raven Queen, Vax eventually multiclassed as a paladin, granting new abilities and proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons. With his second paladin level, he also gained access to paladin spells and Divine Smite. With his third paladin level, he took the Oath of Vengeance, which granted him additional abilities and spells. He later took the Resilient feat with his fourth paladin level, to further improve his fortitude.

Vax took a level in druid before his death. As a character with multiple spellcasting classes, this granted him an additional second level spell slot.

Half-Elf Abilities

 * Darkvision
 * Fey Ancestry

Fate-Touched

 * Fortune's Grace (grants an additional use of "Lucky")

Revenant Abilities

 * Returns to life within 24 hours after death
 * Knows the distance and direction between himself and Vecna while they are on the same plane of existence
 * Oxygen and food are no longer necessary
 * Hit points slowly regenerate when below half health

Feats

 * Dual Wielder
 * Lucky
 * Resilient (Constitution)
 * Sharpshooter

Weapon Damage
Vax'ildan had an assortment of daggers, some of which also deal additional damage of the following types:
 * Fire (Flametongue Dagger)
 * Poison (Dagger of Venom)
 * Necrotic (Dagger of Life-Stealing)
 * Psychic (Whisper)

Class Features

 * Cunning Action
 * Expertise
 * Evasion
 * Reliable Talent
 * Roguish Archetype: Assassin
 * Assassinate
 * Bonus Proficiencies (Disguise kit, poisoner's kit)
 * Impostor
 * Infiltration Expertise
 * Sneak Attack (7d6)
 * Thieves' Cant
 * Uncanny Dodge

Class Features

 * Aura of Protection
 * Divine Health
 * Divine Sense
 * Divine Smite
 * Extra Attack
 * Fighting Style: Defense (+1 to AC when wearing armor)
 * Lay on Hands (30 points)
 * Sacred Oath: Oath of Vengeance
 * Channel Divinity
 * Abjure Enemy
 * Vow of Enmity
 * Oath Spells
 * Spellcasting (Charisma-based ability)

Oath Spells
Vax had access to the following spells, which did not count against the number of spells he could prepare.

1st-level

 * Bane
 * Hunter's Mark

2nd-level

 * Hold Person
 * Misty Step

Paladin Spells
Vax had access to paladin spells up to 2nd-level. As a 6th-level paladin, he could prepare up to 5 spells per day.

1st-level

 * Bless
 * Compelled Duel
 * Heroism
 * Shield of Faith

2nd-level

 * Locate Object
 * Zone of Truth

Druid Abilities

 * Ritual Casting
 * Spellcasting (Wisdom-based ability)

Druid Spells
Vax had access to druid spells up to 1st-level. As a 1st-level druid, he could prepare up to 3 spells per day.

Cantrips

 * Druidcraft

1st-level

 * Faerie Fire (not used during campaign)
 * Fog Cloud (not used during campaign)

Trivia

 * It was revealed on Talks Machina: After Dark that at one point, he and Keyleth became intimate with each other, and that he was her first. But it was also explained in a later episode that, although intimate emotionally, their relationship was mostly asexual.
 * In the Critical Role Major Arcana Tarot Card Set, he represents XII - The Hanged Man.
 * Vax has a small rivalry with Percy, though it is later stated (in What Lies Beneath the Surface) that it is more of a brotherly one. This rivalry comes full circle when they become in-laws, through Percy's marriage to Vax's sister, Vex'ahlia.
 * Interestingly, parallels can be made between Vax'ildan and DC Comicbook superhero: Batman. Both have tragic backstories (by losing at least one beloved parent), connections to a sordid organization (The Clasp and League of Shadows), a colorful villains gallery as well as a beloved cast of side heroes, and lastly: a tendency to dress in black and be very stealthy.