Trickfoot family

Trickfoot family
Organizational information
TypeFamily
BaseNear the Bramblewood Forest
Favored deitySarenrae
Membership
Notable members

The Trickfoots are a family of deep gnomes living near the Bramblewood Forest.

History[edit | edit source]

The Trickfoot ancestors were a family of deep gnomes with quite an unfavorable reputation. Thievery, destruction, and trickery left them with the curse of the last name of Trickfoot. With divine dream from Sarenrae, the goddess of healing and redemption, Wilhand, left his family at a young age after a dream that changed the course of the Trickfoot family. Wilhand devoted his life to Sarenrae, and pledged from then on that he and his family would live a life of service and devotion.

At some point, Pike's parents left her with her cousins Johann and JB and went across the sea to Wildemount.[1] Wilhand later adopted Pike, his great-great-granddaughter, to live with him at his home in Westruun.

One day, Wilhand was captured and almost killed by a group of goliath barbarians. One of the goliaths took a stand against the murder of the innocent gnome, and he himself was beaten, and left for dead, abandoned by his herd. Wilhand went to Pike for help. She healed this barbarian as best she could, bringing him back to life. When he awoke, she discovered his name was Grog Strongjaw. After that, he lived with them and they became best friends. When Grog was in trouble she left the family home to join an adventuring party called Vox Machina.[2]

JB Trickfoot was keeping record of Vox Machina's deeds and their location, hearing that the party often visits Whitestone. According to JB, they passed through Westruun, searching for them and meeting Wilhand, who shared that the party was doing well. Then Trickfoots set off to Whitestone.[3]

"Over four centuries ago, when our kin still occupied the city of Wittebak, up in the Cliffkeep Mountains, long before our bloodline took the name Trickfoot, there was a wily rock gnome called O.G. Pipemender. Now, O.G. grew jealous of his brother, Lons, and his business’ success and his marriage, apparently. So, seeking a means of balancing their standing, bringing Lons down a peg or two, O.G. plotted to undermine, shame his brother, and destroy his life. Now, he was successful in this plot, at least from what I’ve gleaned. Lons was ruined, but not before it was revealed to Lons that O.G. himself was the culprit.

Now, cornered and fearing for his life, O.G. lashed out and slew his brother. He fled Wittebak and wandered the mountains for weeks, scavenging to survive. On a full moon, he was visited by a vision of what is believed to be the Lawbearer, Erathis herself. At least, an aspect of her, at the very least. Now, this grave injustice he had committed did not go unnoticed by the Lawbearer and it required punishment. And a curse was set within the very blood of O.G. himself. One that lay dormant from generation to generation, unless those carrying the seed fell to extreme selfishness and wanton destruction of others.

Now, we Trickfoots may not have the best reputation, but what we do, we do it to survive. And we hurt no other in the process. Those that wander too far into the dark call up this curse and the shades within them slowly hollow them out, leaving a ravenous, selfish beast of a gnome."

— Ogden's story of the alleged family curse[4]

In 812 PD, Johann, Astra, Ogden, and JB visited Pike in Whitestone, and a small family reunion followed. Vox Machina entertained the Trickfoots, not fully trusting them. Over dinner, Pike talked to Uncle Ogden, who told her that there is a family curse. Every generation, one is born with the blood curse. One that carries the anger of someone slighted when they first became Trickfoots. Every one of these individuals died a horrible, painful death, screaming of a shadow that came for them. He told her that Theobold's died from it and that he had been having dreams of an angel of light swallowed by darkness. He explained that he has spent his life researching this curse, and once succeeded in exorcising it from Johann some years ago. Based on his research, he believed he can perform a ritual to cleanse Pike herself as well.[5] The ritual must be performed during a full moon, The elements to perform the ritual included: a diamond worth no less than 1000 gold pieces (represents refraction of moonlight), solid pound of dried lavender (to be burned and provide "a kind of a cage for the shadow" and detach it from Pike), a half of sulfur powder (represents the earth), and a jag of water blessed by a priest of the Moonweaver (water is the catalyst to launch the ritual). Ogden claimed that he has done this kind of ritual three times (two successful, the first one failed).[6]

The following day Vox Machina went through with Ogden's ritual even though they were skeptical about it, and traveled into the Alabaster Sierras to the Salted Bluffs. As Vox Machina prepared for a fight against whatever entity will be exorcised, Ogden began the ritual and chanted, the diamond in his hand disappeared, and a dark cloud emerged from Pike's form. The party fought as the Trickfoots scattered and hid. A number of hits landed, and the creature looked badly damaged, while landing no hits of its own. Vex recognized it as an illusion and notified the rest of the group. Tary broke Ogden's concentration, causing the smoke creature to abruptly vanish. encased by a force bubble, Ogden was carried to the edge of the cliff.[7]

Ogden revealed that he still had the diamond and confessed that they only came to try to get a portion of the fortune Pike has been enjoying. JB admitted that she was in on the ruse, but only wanted to use it as a chance to be friends with Pike again. Pike, emotionally devastated by the whole affair, gave Ogden, Johann, and Astra her entire purse of money, then told them she never wants to see them again. She asked for JB alone to stay. With that, the three gnomes traveled back down the mountain to their cart, leaving JB behind with Pike in Whitestone.[8]

Pike Trickfoot and Scanlan Shorthalt[edit | edit source]

Scanlan Shorthalt became smitten with Pike when they first met, but the cleric continuously brushed off his advances. Pike still cared about Scanlan in her own way. After the fall of Vecna, Pike and Scanlan began dating, just to see how things went between them. After a few successful years of dating, Pike committed to a future with Scanlan, though she offered him any space and freedom that he might desire. When Scanlan told her that he felt completely free just by being with her, Pike knew that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Pike would eventually ask for Scanlan's hand in marriage, which he accepted after receiving Grog's blessing.

After settling in Westruun with Grog, Pike and Scanlan had two children within a year of each other: Juniper and Wilhand'ildan. After their children went off to school, Pike and Scanlan decided to end their romantic relationship with the promise to remain best friends and occasional lovers.[9]

Known members[edit | edit source]

Family tree[edit | edit source]

Wilhand Trickfoot
two generations
Shorthalt familyPike's motherPike's fatherOgden TrickfootTheobold Trickfoot
Scanlan ShorthaltPike TrickfootJB TrickfootJohann TrickfootAstra Trickfoot
JuniperWilhand'ildan

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "One Year Later..." (1x95) at 3:04:11.
  2. "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04) from 0:50 through 17:21.
  3. "One Year Later..." (1x95) at 3:00:07.
  4. "Family Matters" (1x96) at 1:45:15.
  5. "Family Matters" (1x96) from 1:43:51 through 1:49:57.
  6. "Family Matters" (1x96) at 2:58:00.
  7. "Family Matters" (1x96) at 4:16:40.
  8. "Family Matters" (1x96) at 4:39:34.
  9. Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 6: "Allies and Adversaries of Tal'Dorei", p. 268.

Art: