Myriad

The Myriad (also known as "The Many") is an organized crime syndicate originating in Wildemount. While they are only just becoming known in Tal'Dorei, they are the greatest organized crime ring on their home continent.

Background
The Myriad began as a small shipping company in Yrrosa, a city in the Dwendalian Empire of Wildemount. Originally selling exotic goods and services, over time it became more profitable to exploit illegal curiosities from the region of Othanzia and the city of Ank'Harel. Through years of establishing their underworld contacts and employing tactical blackmail, the Myriad evolved from illegal smuggling to a powerful and well-veiled criminal faction.

The Myriad then began spreading into eastern Tal'Dorei, keeping mainly to coastal cities and towns such as Stilben. This has led to a rivalry with Tal'Dorei's native crime syndicate, the Clasp.

Campaign 1
Vox Machina's first official encounter with the Myriad was after being hired by Fendril Vas in Stilben. Fendril wanted the party to investigate new competition in Stilben called "The Myriad".

The party would later re-encounter the Myriad in Wildemount, after Tary was kidnapped by K'ryyn, on orders from Tary's father: Howaardt Darrington. Howaardt revealed the extensive debt that the Darrington family had incurred, especially with several large loans from the Myriad. Vox Machina decided to help resolve the Darrington debt and met with Korshad, a representative for the local Myriad sect in Deastok. Korshad agreed to forgive the debt if Vox Machina could clear out the infestation of a Myriad-controlled platinum mine.

After fighting a swarm of ankhegs and symphior (a corrupted and deformed planetar baby), Vox Machina were able to complete their task. Tary was able to negotiate that in exchange for clearing out the mine, the Myriad would grant the Darrington family their estate, enough taxes to maintain a modest income, and a small farm adjacent to the estate's grounds (to provide food for the family and crops for additional income). Korshad agreed, though he refused Tary's proposal to share a percentage of the platinum mine's profits.

Between campaigns
In, Dairon stated that The Myriad was thought to have been destroyed almost two decades ago (in approximately 816 PD), but that they still permeated both the Menagerie Coast and the outskirts of the Empire. The Dwendalian Empire scored a major victory against the Myriad in 820 PD when they discovered and raided the central Myriad stronghold in Yrrosa, forcing the surviving leadership to scatter across the continent. The Myriad emphasized the narrative of its own fall in order to keep a low profile, though in fact it retained most of its power. In (which took place in 826 PD), it was mentioned that the supposed arrests of high-ranking Myriad leaders and the following dispersal of the criminal organization in the Empire still left much mistrust and rumor-mongering.

Campaign 2
The Mighty Nein had several encounters with the Myriad through their interactions with The Gentleman and his troupe.

Exandria Unlimited
Around 840 PD, the Clasp and the Myriad came to blows in Emon, and according to Poska, "no one really knows who won." She said that the Nameless Ones were those who were left.

Leadership
No one knows who the true leadership of the Myriad is. Its actual heads originally resided in Yrrosa, their identities unknown even to other members. The Myriad operates as a loose network of localized cells, each run by its own gang boss and without direct oversight from Myriad leadership. Known local leaders of the Myriad include:
 * Iris Bethelas: An elderly and beloved pillar of the community in Rexxentrum who is secretly one of the masterminds planning the return of the Myriad. Insightful, clever, and unhesitating in her cruelty, Iris has long been considered the driving force behind the Myriad's success.
 * Lustran Zeth: A textile baron in Stilben (publicly), this Myriad mastermind runs the Stilben cell and acts as a double agent inside the Clasp (secretly)
 * Korshad Seddiki: Runs the Deastok cell (secretly) and owns a platinum mine outside the city (publicly)
 * Ophelia Mardoon: Became the leader of the Myriad in Zadash a few years after 836 PD, succeeding the Gentleman.
 * Tully "the Conclave of One" Dezzeram - A gold dragonborn boss of Emon since 833 PD.

Current
The dangerous aspirations of the Myriad are driven by a curiously scattered collective of intelligent liars.
 * Doctor Waldorf Perifeather - A talented physician and healer, Waldorf travels between Port Damali and Zadash tending to affluent patients with rare diseases, using his access to secretly act as a key information broker for the Myriad.
 * Chessia Wakiam - A talented songstress and dancer renowned throughout the Menagerie Coast and a popular performer in many opulent social circles across Port Damali. She weaves her way into the lives of politicians and guild masters to steer them toward Myriad interests.
 * Sylker “the Millionaire” Uttolot - A former underling of the crime families from Shadycreek Run, now running the Myriad in Kymal.
 * Galessi - An Ashari waverider in Stilben who joined the Myriad.

Former

 * Babenon Dosal, a.k.a. The Gentleman: Realizing he was tied to his life of crime and that it would keep him apart from Marion, Babenon waited a few years after 836 PD and faked his own demise, allowing Ophelia Mardoon to take over his operation in Zadash and reuniting with Marion in Nicodranas under an assumed identity.

Contracts
Howaardt Darrington took out several loans with the Myriad to aid the family's financial troubles. Howaardt had offered the Darrington Estate and their feudal lands and taxes as collateral. Thus, when Howaardt was unable to pay back the loans, the Myriad seized the Darrington lands and fortunes. Unwilling to challenge the powerful crime syndicate that ruled Wildemount in all but name, Howaardt had no choice but to comply.

Vox Machina later made a deal with the Myriad in Deastok, that in exchange for clearing out an infested platinum mine, the Myriad would forgive the Darrington family's debts, return the Darrington Estate and the surrounding grounds, allow enough taxes to provide a reasonable income, and provide a small farm adjacent to the Darrington Estate.

Emon
Despite the high Clasp's influence in Tal'Dorei, the Myriad is relentlessly dismantling their networks in Emon.

Stilben
A sect of the Myriad existed in Stilben, where it competed against the local chapter of the Clasp.

Kymal
The Myriad's branch in Kymal owns a casino named the Wishing Well, competing against the local chapter of the Clasp.

Deastok
A sect of the Myriad existed in Deastok, where as in much of the rest of Wildemount, the sect ruled in all but name.

Zadash
Around 806 PD, The Gentleman became the leader of the Myriad in Zadash. Managing his troupe of criminals, he remained in this position until "a couple of years" after 836 PD. The Gentleman then faked his demise, leaving the reins of the Myriad's operations in Zadash to Ophelia Mardoon.

Activities
The Myriad are known for displays of opulence and social grace, preferring to misdirect, discredit, blackmail, and/or frame those who cross them. The Myriad tends to avoid overt violence (as it draws unwanted attention), but quickly resorts to kidnapping and assassination when manipulation fails.

The public front for the Myriad involves businesses similar to its humble beginnings: dealing in antiquities and shipping exotic textiles. However, the Myriad also runs an efficient black market; among the products they deal in are illicit substances, weapons, slaves, and magical beasts.

Slaves
In addition to running black markets that deal in slaves, enslavement is one of the punishments meted out to Myriad satellites for failing to funnel tithes and information to Myriad leadership.

Illicit substances
In Tal'Dorei, Kymal is the epicenter of the drug trade for the Myriad, leading to conflicting interests with the Clasp.

Quotations

 * "There's one way out of this... but a Myriad of ways to die." (common Myriad threat)

Trivia

 * The Myriad was one of the first Critical Role concepts created by Matthew Mercer, as they and the entire Fendril Vas storyline in Stilben were all part of Liam O'Brien's birthday D&D game. The story (and thus the continuation of the campaign) would pick up weeks later in Westruun after Grog went missing (see "The Story of Vox Machina").