Salda Tal'Dorei
Empress Salda Tal'Dorei | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-player character | |||||||||||
Basic information | |||||||||||
Actor | |||||||||||
Race | Human | ||||||||||
Biographical information | |||||||||||
Pronouns | she/her | ||||||||||
Titles | Empress of Tal'Dorei | ||||||||||
Languages | Common | ||||||||||
Places |
| ||||||||||
Family | Tal'Dorei Royal Family | ||||||||||
Partner | Uriel Tal'Dorei II (husband) | ||||||||||
Children |
| ||||||||||
Affiliations | Kyor and Hunin (protégées) | ||||||||||
Status
| |||||||||||
Mechanical information | |||||||||||
Creature type | Humanoid | ||||||||||
Appearances
|
Empress Salda Tal'Dorei is the wife of the late Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei II and mother of their children. She barely survived the attack of the Chroma Conclave, thanks to Shaun Gilmore. Vox Machina evacuated her with her children to Whitestone.
As an NPC in Critical Role, Salda is played by Matthew Mercer. In The Legend of Vox Machina, she is voiced by Cree Summer.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Before Campaign 1[edit | edit source]
Shortly before Vox Machina arrived in Emon for the first time, there was an attempted assassination on the royal family, which was thwarted by General Krieg. Following the attempt on their lives, the family grew strange and withdrawn, keeping Uriel away from the Council of Tal'Dorei. Salda demanded to be present at all meetings, and was often seen whispering into Uriel's ear.[2]
Vox Machina went to the palace to speak with Uriel, but were barred entry. There they met Allura Vysoren for the first time, who was also trying and failing to enter. During their talk, Allura voiced her suspicions regarding the recent actions of Empress Salda.[3]
Allura took Vox Machina to her home, the Ivory Tower, where she and Keyleth scried on the palace. Their vision revealed that Salda and her children were all under the influence of a demonic force and had been addling the mind of Uriel to use him as a mouthpiece for their plot.[4]
After slaying Brimscythe—the draconic true form of General Krieg—Vox Machina returned to the palace, where Allura informed them that the evil feeding on the throne was growing more bold. With her help, Vox Machina infiltrated the palace as dark clouds began gathering overhead.[5]
As they entered the throne room, they saw Uriel sitting upon the throne, surrounded by his possessed family. Vox Machina managed to banish the shadows from within their bodies, but then the dais below the throne began glowing a deep red, causing the throne itself to crack.[6] A glabrezu named Juurezel emerged from beneath and Vox Machina did battle with it. During the battle, Pike was killed, and as soon as the fiend was slain the party hurried to a nearby temple of Sarenrae to resurrect her.[7]
When Vox Machina returned to the throne room, they discovered that the royal family was still lying catatonic on the floor. After inspecting their bodies, they realized that their souls were missing—and without souls, their bodies were failing. Remembering the four glowing orbs they had retrieved from the Clasp's headquarters after killing Modeth Lai, they identified the orbs as soul jars. Through a rigorous and intense evening, Vox Machina successfully restored the souls of the royal family.[8]
Campaign 1: Vox Machina[edit | edit source]
"The Feast" (1x24)[edit | edit source]
Salda attended the feast alongside her husband Uriel.
"In Ruins" (1x41)[edit | edit source]
While investigating the ruins of Gilmore's Glorious Goods, Vox Machina found Salda and her children hiding in the cellar, with Sherri and a wounded Gilmore. Salda told Vox Machina that she didn't think her husband made it, although she didn't see him fall. She explained that Gilmore saved them, and the party rushed to heal him. Gilmore explained that during the attack, his first instinct was the grab the children and get them to safety, which he did alongside their mother Salda, Tofor Brotoras, and Assum Emring. The latter two had both since left the cellar, Salda explained, trying to find other survivors. Salda had attempted to convince them not to, but was unsuccessful.
Vox Machina decided it would be best to escort the family back to Greyskull Keep, and stealthily lead them through the city. When Vox Machina mentioned that there was a secret passage way, the children were very excited, and Salda smiled for the first time since they'd arrived. Once safely situated within Greyskull Keep, Vox Machina offered their rooms to her and her family, and she was grateful for their hospitality.
"Jugs and Rods" (1x94)[edit | edit source]
While walking the streets of Whitestone, Vox Machina encountered a caravan, where they saw the Tal'Dorei children playing with Hunin and Kyor. Salda was also there, dressed plainly and looking happy. She greeted Vox Machina respectfully, explaining to them that they were returning to Emon and taking the aasimar boys with them, and was thinking of enrolling them in the Alabaster Lyceum. Vax asked after the Tal'Dorei childrens health, and Salda assured him that they were well. She'd done her best to shield them from everything that was going on. Keyleth warned her that Emon wouldn't be the city she was used to, and Salda said that it couldn't be worse that the state they left it in.
Salda thanked Vox Machina for everything, and just before she departed, she noticed the addition of Taryon Darrington to the party. Tary immediately blurted out that he had just lost his best friend. Salda offered him some words of comfort, and said it would get better when surrounded with good people. Tary thanked her for her advice, and she left.
The Legend of Vox Machina[edit | edit source]
In The Legend of Vox Machina, which has its own continuity distinct from that of the core canon of Critical Role,[9] Salda attended the feast at which her husband hosted the Briarwoods.[10]
She was later seen with her three children behind Uriel as addressed the people of Emon, and she came forward to hold his hand as he abdicated the throne and turned governance to the Council of Tal'Dorei.[11] The speech was interrupted by an attack by the Chroma Conclave. Salda and her children successfully fled to Allura Vysoren and were protected from Raishan's poison breath. However, Salda noticed Uriel was not among the group and saw him succumb to the poison fog.[12] She was last seen with this group as Umbrasyl buried them in falling debris.[13] Salda's fate is unknown, but Allura and Kima of Vord, also in the group, are known to have survived.[14]
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- The final design for Salda in The Legend of Vox Machina was changed from the original teaser trailer.
- Salda's voice actress Cree Summer also voiced Raishan. Salda's only speaking lines occur in a scene with Raishan, who then kills Salda's husband.
Appearances and mentions[edit | edit source]
- Pre-stream
- "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04)
- Campaign 1
- "The Feast" (1x24) (first appearance)
- "In Ruins" (1x41)
- "Dangerous Dealings" (1x42)
- "Loose Ends" (1x84), mentioned only
- "Jugs and Rods" (1x94)
- The Legend of Vox Machina
- "The Feast of Realms" (LVM1x03), non-speaking appearance
- "The Darkness Within" (LVM1x12), non-speaking appearance
- "Rise of the Chroma Conclave" (LVM2x01)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "In Ruins" (1x41) at 2:23:09.
- ↑ "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04) from 7:29 through 7:56.
- ↑ "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04) from 11:19 through 12:07.
- ↑ "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04) from 12:08 through 12:38.
- ↑ "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04) from 15:19 through 15:41.
- ↑ "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04) from 15:42 through 16:00.
- ↑ "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04) from 16:00 through 17:21.
- ↑ "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04) from 17:23 through 17:51.
- ↑ Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) on Twitter: "The Animated Series is it's own "adaptation" with its own canon, though we include as much of the OG canon as we can. :) However, the actual campaign/stream still remains and is the original, core canon." (January 28, 2022). (backup link)
- ↑ "The Feast of Realms" (LVM1x03) at 7:55.
- ↑ "The Darkness Within" (LVM1x12) at 24:09.
- ↑ "Rise of the Chroma Conclave" (LVM2x01) from 2:28 through 3:13.
- ↑ "Rise of the Chroma Conclave" (LVM2x01) at 3:55.
- ↑ "Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05).
Art:
- ↑ Screenshot of Salda Tal'Dorei from "The Feast of Realms" (LVM1x03). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
- ↑ Official art of Initial design of Salda Tal'Dorei for The Legend of Vox Machina teaser trailer, by Titmouse from The Legend of Vox Machina teaser trailer. This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.