Vandran

Vandran is the human captain of the Tide's Breath, mentor of Fjord, and former warlock of Uk'otoa. He is presumed dead at the beginning of Campaign 2 after the Tide's Breath was sabotaged and sunk.

He entered into his warlock pact many years before the beginning of the campaign, while a pirate of the Revelry. He and his lover Avantika sought to release Uk'otoa as instructed, but Vandran changed his mind and fled. After starting a new life as a merchant sailor, he hired Fjord and soon became paternally protective of him. When the Tide's Breath sank, Vandran was shipwrecked on Bisaft Isle, where he lived for the entirety of the campaign.

As an NPC, he is played by Matthew Mercer.

Description
Vandran is a human man in his early 50s by Campaign 2. He has long ashen blond hair that reaches his shoulders, a receding hairline, and a beard that goes to about his clavicles. His skin is tanned and battered from years at sea, and one of his ears (presumably the right, based on Matt's gesture) is slightly cauliflowered, apparently from a fight. His eyes are deep blue-green and described as very pretty, and his face is said to be not one that would be considered classically handsome but is a kind but hard face of someone who has seen much of the world. Before the sinking of the Tide's Breath, he was a big, broad, and imposing man. When Fjord saw him in, after Vandran had been shipwrecked and living on Bisaft Isle for more than a year, he was thinner and more weathered, and his face was more wrinkled but softer.

Vandran speaks with the same Texan accent that Fjord once used.

Personality
Fjord described Vandran as a stoic leader with a voice that could carry to the rest of the crew. While what Vandran showed Fjord was "not necessarily kindness", he treated him well and showed him attention and care when no one else did.

Background
Vandran is from Stilben, Tal'Dorei. He became a smuggler, then a pirate of the the Revelry. He became a known captain among the Revelry, one readily remembered many years after his disappearance from Darktow, though he claimed he was not of significantly high standing. He developed a romantic relationship with Avantika, his boatswain, and they sailed together for many years.

Warlock service
At some point, he and Avantika had a disagreement with another Revelry pirate, who had acquired a Cloven Crystal. They killed them, arranging it to appear an accident, and Vandran took the Cloven Crystal. Vandran said that he was soon afterward contacted by Uk'otoa in his dreams, and he eagerly accepted what Uk'otoa offered and entered into a warlock pact. Fjord had a vision that Vandran killed the Cloven Crystal's previous owner and magically absorbed the crystal after having already entered his pact. Vandran kept his pact and newly gained abilities initially secret from others on Darktow, and he used them to improve his standing in the Revelry and at sea.

He eventually shared his secret with Avantika. After she was marked with an eye of Uk'otoa, he showed her a ritual that caused Uk'otoa to communicate with her in dreams as well. Together, they sought to release Uk'otoa as instructed, and Vandran acted as a guide for her. They made plans to visit one of the temples of Uk'otoa, searching for the one at Urukayxl. (Avantika indicates that she discovered the temple was on Urukayxl only after Vandran fled.) Before they could do so, Vandran grew distrustful of the promises Uk'otoa made to them and of the dreams they received. He ultimately felt "more like a puppet than an entrusted herald" and grew weary and hesitant. For his "weakness", Avantika attempted to "gift" him to Uk'otoa by sacrificing him. He escaped to Port Damali, taking the only Cloven Crystal between them at the time.

Merchant sailing years
Vandran apparently found a way to have the Cloven Crystal removed from himself, and he had it auctioned off in Port Damali because he "just wanted to be done with it". Apparently, unbeknownst to him, Avantika stalked the collector who bought it to an unknown island, killed him, and took the crystal. Vandran further attempted to rid himself of his pact blade, the Sword of Fathoms, and of his recurring visions from Uk'otoa. He was unsuccessful, so he used his magic to keep himself safe from those pursuing him and to "keep his affairs in order".

Using the money from the sale of the Cloven Crystal, he bought the Tide's Breath. For a number of years, Vandran captained it as a merchant ship throughout the Menagerie Coast with Port Damali as its home port. During this time, he hired Fjord onto the ship, and he shortly grew paternally protective of him.

He obtained a second Cloven Crystal at some point after purchasing the Tide's Breath, which he kept hidden in his quarters.

Vandran was presumed dead after Sabian sabotaged the Tide's Breath and it exploded.

When Fjord pushed the yellow eyelike orb into his chest, he was transported into a vision where he was Vandran. In the vision, Vandran pushed the same orb into his chest while standing over the body of its previous owner. He summoned the same falchion Fjord wields.

When questioned afterwards, Fjord described the vision and mentioned Vandran as his mentor who he had not seen since sabotage sank the ship they were on. Fjord had never seen Vandran with an orb like this or his falchion, yet Vandran had both in the vision. Fjord realized Vandran in the vision looked younger than Fjord remembers him, implying his vision may have been of the past.

Captain Avantika told Fjord that the one who introduced her to Uk'otoa was Vandran, and that he had wielded a sword that was just like Fjord's. She also said Vandran had an amber stone just like the one she and Fjord carried within them. Vandran referred to his falchion as the "Sword of Fathoms".

Fjord attempted to lie to Avantika, claiming he did not have a connection to Vandran. She was able to see right through his deception, leading Fjord to point her to the location where Vandran's ship sank.

Caleb Widogast used Comprehend Languages to read Avantika's coded journal describing traveling with Vandran and his leaving her.

During the trial held by the Plank King, Avantika invoked Vandran's name, which many of the surrounding pirates recognized. She attempted to claim that Fjord had blown up the Tide's Breath to murder Vandran, though Fjord had not told her of the explosion on the ship.

Fjord hoped for a vision of Vandran when he inserted a Cloven Crystal, but only saw Uk'otoa and expressed his disappointment afterwards.

Caduceus Clay asked The Wildmother what Vandran was doing using the spell Divination. The Wildmother responded that he was laying low and trying to make amends.

Fjord, using Minor Illusion, showed Jester an image of Vandran so she could send a message to him. Jester cast Sending, telling Vandran Fjord was looking for him. Vandran responded that he was was glad to hear that Fjord was okay. He is retired on an island with good people.

Jester used a Scrying spell to see what Vandran was up to. She saw him sitting in a makeshift driftwood hut in a jungle, reading Tusk Love, and when she used Sending to contact him and ask if he wanted to tell Fjord anything, Vandran replied to tell him to take care of himself. Later, through another Sending spell, Vandran revealed he was somewhere near Bisaft.

Fjord, with Jester's support, visited Vandran on Bisaft. Vandran promptly recognized Fjord, and the two discussed their relationship, Vandran's personal history, and his relationships with Uk'otoa and Avantika. Though he told Fjord that he is content living quietly and slowly on the island and that he no longer has it in him for long trips at sea, he agreed to sail with Fjord aboard the Nein Heroez for a time so that they have opportunity to catch up with one another.

Avantika
Avantika served as Vandran's boatswain during his time as a pirate of the Revelry, and they eventually began a romantic relationship. Avantika wrote in her journal of Vandran guiding her towards being closer to Uk'otoa, giving her the ritual that started her dreams of a great eye. Avantika considered him leaving the quest cowardly and a betrayal.

Fjord
Fjord has described Vandran at various times as a "mentor" and "father figure". Fjord thought he had known Vandran very well during the years working for him. The revelations that Avantika and other pirates on Darktow Isle knew Vandran seemed to take him by surprise. Seeing that someone looted Vandran's quarters after the Tide's Breath wrecked seemed to make Fjord angry. Vandran seemed happy to hear that Fjord was ok when Jester spoke to him via a Sending spell.

Sabian
Vandran hired Sabian along with Fjord as crew of the Tide's Breath. It is unknown if Sabian intended to hurt or kill Vandran specifically by sabotaging the ship or if he had other reasons. Vandran is unsurprised to learn that Sabian survived the sinking of the ship, and he contemptuously described Sabian as "a coward and a survivor", remarking that such people are difficult to kill.

Uk'otoa
Vandran entered a pact with Uk'otoa after he took a Cloven Crystal from another member of the Revelry that he killed. He eagerly accepted what Uk'otoa offered him and used his new abilities to better his standing in the Revelry. Though he was initially committed to releasing Uk'otoa, he began to see that their agreement was unsound and understand himself to be a puppet instead of a herald. Vandran ultimately abandoned the quest. He unsuccessfully attempted for many years to rid himself of his pact blade and visions, though he continued to use his magic to protect himself from those who pursued him. Shortly before Campaign 2, Vandran had completely cut himself off from Uk'otoa, and the relationship was deeply strained. The pact was finally severed when the Tide's Breath sank and Vandran was presumed certain to drown, pushing Uk'otoa to forge a pact with the simultaneously drowning Fjord to replace him.

Warlock abilities
If Fjord's vision in is accurate, Vandran had at least three warlock levels. Vandran still had his warlock abilities, his pact blade (the Sword of Fathoms), and pact for many years after abandoning the quest to free Uk'otoa, despite attempting to rid himself of them and despite the great strain in his relationship with Uk'otoa. The pact was finally severed when the Tide's Breath sank and Vandran was presumed certain to drown, threatening the Sword of Fathoms to be lost at sea and pushing Uk'otoa to forge a pact with the simultaneously drowning Fjord to replace him.
 * Otherworldly Patron: Hexblade
 * Pact Magic (Charisma-based spellcasting)
 * Eldritch Invocations (at least 2)
 * Pact Boon: Pact of the Blade

Notable items

 * Copy of Tusk Love
 * Tobacco pipe
 * Cloven Crystal, apparently two at various times
 * First taken from a member of the Revelry, magically absorbed. Sold at auction in Port Damali, apparently having been successfully removed.
 * Second apparently acquired afterward and kept hidden in a metal box in his quarters on the Tide's Breath. Lost when the ship sank.
 * Sword of Fathoms, lost when his pact was severed

Appearances

 * Campaign 2

Mentions

 * Campaign 2

Quotations

 * Vandran: My sailing days are over, Fjord. I ain't a captain of any ship anymore, don't want to be. Life here is nice and slow. I take it in my own pace. I don't want to swab a deck. I don't want to hoist a sail. But maybe I could go on a trip or two. In case you need repairs or some fine cooking. Fjord: We do have a pretty lax stowaway policy. Vandran: For a time. I'm not a man for long lengths at sea anymore, but it wouldn't hurt to catch up proper. Fjord: I would really like that.
 * (to Fjord) "You know, that power, it'll eat you in time. Uk'otoa's a hungry beast."