Riskel Daxio

Riskel Daxio
Non-player character
Basic information
Actor	Matthew Mercer
Race	Elf
Class	Fighter (Battle Master)
Biographical information
Full name	Riskel Daxio
Pronouns	he/him
Also known as	Lord Riskel Daxio Master of Commerce
Family	Mikael Daxio (adoptive father)
Profession	Former member of the Council of Tal'Dorei
Affiliations	Responsible for construction of Greyskull Keep The Briarwoods (allies) Jeffrey (servant) Remnants
Status Status Dead Cause of death Sentenced to death by Uriel and the Council for treason; beheaded by Grog; the corpse burned by guards.
Mechanical information
Creature type	Humanoid
Level	13 to 16
HP 157 to 179 AC 17 DC —
Appearances First seen "Shopping and Shipping" (1x14) Last seen "Echoes of the Past" (1x38) Stream Campaign 1 (4 episodes) Other works Pre-stream

Lord Riskel Daxio is an elven member of the Council of Tal'Dorei and the Master of Commerce in Emon. As an NPC, he is played by Matthew Mercer.

Description

Appearance

Riskel Daxio is an older individual, with a thin build, visible battle scars, and long, strawberry-blond hair worn in a tight ponytail. When he met Vox Machina, Riskel wore loose, decorative armor over dark clothing.

Personality

Daxio presented himself as a gentleman. He enjoyed watching Dr. Dranzel's Spectacular Traveling Troupe perform and tipped them well. He had earned Uriel's trust and played the part of a devoted Councilman while engaging in elaborate, long-term deception, and seemed to find Uriel's angst at his betrayal amusing. He was a completely devoted cult follower of Vecna who trusted him completely. He did not confide in his personal servant, Jeffrey, and had his room protected with anti-scrying glyphs and magical wards to prevent his treachery from being discovered.

Biography

Background

Riskel was a member of the Council of Tal'Dorei, serving as Master of Commerce, and had been a friend of Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei II since his youth. As the head of planning and construction, Riskel was responsible for the erection of Greyskull Keep for Vox Machina and accountable for the ostensible bridge proposed by the Briarwoods to be constructed between Tal'Dorei and Wildemount. He was also in charge of security within the Palace of the Sovereign. Unbeknownst to Vox Machina or the Council of Tal'Dorei, Riskel was a worshipper of Vecna.

"Reunions" (1x33)

While in Whitestone, Vox Machina discovered letters written by Riskel to Professor Anders. The contents of the letters revealed that Riskel was secretly working for the Briarwoods against the interests of Emon, to divert attention away from their Whitestone machinations. Some of the letters discussed planting information in Wildemount to fake the Briarwoods' deaths.

"A Musician's Nostalgia" (1x37) and "Echoes of the Past" (1x38)

Vox Machina informed Uriel of Riskel's betrayal, providing the letters as proof, which were verified by Assum Emring. Uriel sent his guards to arrest Riskel, only to learn that the traitor had already left three days prior. Vox Machina then tracked him down, finding him hiding beneath the city with the Clasp, a criminal organization that offered Riskel documentation and secure passage to escape from Emon to Ank'Harel.

However, his plans crumbled when Vox Machina made their way through the Clasp guard and beat him unconscious. He was dragged to the Palace of the Sovereign for the justice of Uriel Tal'Dorei. While on trial, Riskel stated he had no need to defend himself because as one of the few people chosen by Vecna, his death would be only the beginning of his new life gifted by the Whispered One. However, when Pike held her holy symbol, threatening to expel that evil from his body, Riskel revealed everything he was privy to. The ritual had been planned for Winter's Crest, when interweaving ley lines around the world swell with magical energy, making it the ideal time to conduct experiments and cast spells. The Whitestone Rebellion accelerated the Briarwoods' plans, forcing them to perform the ritual prematurely, and Riskel did not know if it had succeeded. Realizing he had said too much but hoping he had not lost favor with his god, Riskel then willingly offered his neck in self-sacrifice.

As Grog severed his head from his body in his first use of Craven Edge, Riskel's eyes opened with sudden realization, then he smiled.

Relationships

Vecna

Riskel called himself one of Vecna's chosen, part of his blood, one of the "many different pieces that make the whole". He believed that on his death he would be reborn.

Briarwoods

Lord Daxio worked with the Briarwoods in service to Vecna. He held the position of Master of Law on the Tal'Dorei Council, which proved useful to Briarwoods since each time they visited Emon, Riskel ensured most standard magical wards and defenses were removed or falsified.

Character information

Notable items

• Large glaive
• Symbol of Vecna

Feats

• Great Weapon Master

Abilities

• Fighting Style
• Second Wind
• Action Surge (once per rest)
• Martial Archetype: Battle Master
  • Combat Superiority
  • Student of War
  • Know Your Enemy
  • Improved Combat Superiority
• Extra attack (3 attacks)
• Indomitable (two uses per day)

Maneuvers

As a 13th-level Battle Master, Riskel knew seven combat maneuvers and had five Superiority Dice, which are d10s.

• Trip Attack

Appearances and mentions

• Pre-stream
• Campaign 1
  • "Shopping and Shipping" (1x14) (first appearance)
  • "The Feast" (1x24)
  • "The Path to Whitestone" (1x27), mentioned only
  • "Reunions" (1x33), mentioned only
  • "A Musician's Nostalgia" (1x37)
  • "Echoes of the Past" (1x38)
  • "Omens" (1x39), mentioned only
  • "In Ruins" (1x41), mentioned only
  • "The Coming Storm" (1x73), mentioned only
  • "Path of Brass" (1x74), mentioned only
• One-shots
  • "The Return of Liam" (OSx08), mentioned only

Quotations

• "Life is but a stage of our existence. And when you all will die, I will rise again. For I am his blood."
• "The deal with my master is power through not knowing. He is the one who knows all. The fact that he keeps it from us means that he trusts us."

References

Art: