Lady Aranessa Royce[4] is the head of the Sundered House of Royce, and the widow of Thjazi Fang. As an NPC, Aranessa is played by Brennan Lee Mulligan.
Description[]
Lady Aranessa is an elegant woman in her forties. When she attended the funeral of her husband Thjazi Fang, she wore a gown of gleaming green adorned with jewels. She carried her wedding ring with her despite not having been together with her husband for a long time.[5] In the days after her husband's arrest and execution, followed by the attack against House Royce, the noblewoman had lost a lot of weight due to stress.[6]
Despite her status as a noble lady, Aranessa is close to those she considers trustworthy, no matter who they are, and is in touch with her emotions to the point where she breaks protocol.[7]
Biography[]
Background[]
Lady Aranessa was born as the granddaughter of Lord Royce around three decades after the end of the Shapers' War. As she grew up, she became friends with Julien Davinos, the son of a minor noble house.[8]
When she was a young adult she met Thjazi Fang, an orc who had become a hero during the War of Axe and Vine and was quite dashing, a rogue magic in his eyes. Aranessa fell in love with him, and they got married; two years later, however, Thjazi rose in rebellion, and Aranessa's grandfather chose to align with House Halovar and House Tachonis, standing against the rebels and causing the couple to spend many years separated.[9]
Eventually Sir Julien Davinos himself defeated and captured Thjazi, and at some point after that the latter got the chance to meet Aranessa; he asked her to run away with him, but she refused, despite still having feelings for him.[10] When it was finally announced that Thjazi would be hanged, Aranessa came into contact with his brother, Halandil Fang, and they started working on ways of saving Thjazi. As part of those efforts, Lady Aranessa visited Villa Aurora, the estate of House Halovar, with the intention of speaking with the daughter-in-law of the matriarch; however, she was kept waiting there for hours, to no avail,[11] and Aranessa blamed both the Halovars and the waning influence of her own house, affected by the loss of contact with Faerie.[12] She tried a similar thing with House Tachonis, also without success.[13]
"The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01)[]
When Thjazi was hanged Aranessa was supposed to be in one of the balconies of the Guardian Wall, with Sir Julien, but she wasn't able to go, and chose to hide instead. Hours later, when it was all over, she and her friend traveled together in a carriage to visit the home of the Fang family, in the Rookery, to pay their respects. On their way there she was crying, although she got some moments of distraction admiring how unexpectedly charming that neighborhood was. She spoke about Thjazi with Julien, and when the latter told her that her husband had chosen his pride over her love, while he was willing to protect her for anything, even her own pain, Aranessa stated that her pain was hers to feel.
When they arrived to their destination she took some moments alone in the carriage before coming out, being received by magically enhanced plants that grew greener in her presence (although withering wherever Julien walked). Inside Aranessa greeted Hal with a hug, not waiting for anyone to bow to her. She got distracted for a bit when she saw Wicander Halovar, mentioning her efforts to contact his mother and bitterly explaining how his families had increasingly better position and alliances, and even a religion of her own; when he left in a hurry with Tyranny, Aranessa saw Thaisha Lloy, and calmed down after one last joke about the Candescent Creed, hugging the druid and apologizing for her behavior. The widow spent some time next to Thjazi's body, crying and kissing his cheek and lips, saying out loud that he was gone; trying to comfort her, Thaisha mentioned that according to the Old Path, he was already back, his soul being part of the song of the world, being reincarnated. Aranessa spent some time with Hal, lamenting that she didn't know how long would her name mean anything given the situation with Tír Cruthú; she also expressed interest in visiting her husband's childhood home nearby, if it was as charming as Hal's. Then she, Thaisha, and Murray Mag'Nesson spent some time together talking about the status of each of the women there (with Aranessa shyly introducing herself as one of the nobles who were unexpectedly attending the funeral), and even drank some disgusting Yahrgraz Thjazi used to like (even though Julien tried to "save" her by drinking the first shot himself).
After dusk, when Vaelus arrived to the funeral and started asking about a holy artifact Thjazi had stolen, Aranessa correctly guessed that the elven woman came from the Mournvale, and admitted that her husband had, indeed, stolen a lot of stuff as a thief; Vaelus offered condolences and commented that if they had spent years apart, the noble would surely not be aware of everything Thjazi had done (causing Aranessa to murmur in frustration that she was sick of people telling her she didn't know her own husband). Shortly after other people attending the funeral intervened, and convinced Vaelus to calm down and be more respectful, so she wouldn't offend Aranessa or the Fangs further.
"Broken Wing" (4x02)[]
Lady Aranessa and Sir Julien stayed in the funeral for a while, and after a noise was heard on the second floor of the house, the noblewoman wasn't very impressed when his companion proposed to leave if the source of it was something dangerous. Eventually it was the moment for them to leave, and she said goodbye to Hal, making sure he was ok and commenting that Thjazi would have loved the drama surrounding his Farramh; she also expressed her concern about facing dramas within her own house, and mentioned that Julien's father was waiting for them. As they were leaving, she asked the knight if he had presented his respects to the dead, and he confirmed it.
The next day Lady Aranessa had a meeting with General Raimond Davinos and Sir Julien about rumours surrounding a plan to rescue Thjazi Fang before his execution, House Tachonis, and their missing member, Occtis; it was Aranessa's opinion that they should find the young noble first, since he might be in danger. During that conversation General Raimond asked his liege lady if they should cancel the gala House Royce was organizing, she refused, and replied that if anything, they should invite more people, to keep appearances.
"The Snipping of Shears" (4x03)[]
When Julien finally brought Occtis to the Palazzo Davinos (along with Vaelus), Aranessa welcomed them and told the young wizard that his father had been looking for him, and that it would be safer for him to stay in an unknown location, offering that castle as an option. After Occtis agreed and Vaelus apologized for her bluntness during the funeral, Aranessa took the former with her to bring him to a more private space; on their way there they talked about his magical studies, praising his creation of Pincushion as proof of him finding a way to wield his family's magical legacy without being a sorcerer.
In the room Aranessa asked Occtis if he was involved in the rumored plan to rescue Thjazi, or if he knew anything about House Tachonis interfering with caravans coming in and out of Dol-Makjar. She also mentioned how the Tenebral Reaches were overflowing with necromantic energy, something that had weakened her own house (since Faerie had closed its doors to protect itself) while enhancing the dark powers of Occtis's kin. Occtis did share with her that he and Thaisha had brought a box to the city because Thjazi had asked them to, and the rebel's widow confirmed she knew about his project of locating certain objects.
Fan art of Aranessa opening the door, by Megzilla87.[art 3]
Shortly after that someone knocked at the door and Aranessa opened it, saying it was probably the night clothing for her guest; instead, they found several ghouls accompanied by Ethrand Tachonis holding the Stone of Nightsong. The sorcerer, after casting Silence, commanded his undead soldiers to immobilize his brother.
"Stone-Faced" (4x04)[]
A ghoul threw Aranessa to the ground and another pinned her down, causing the woman to struggle and resist, even going so far as to bite one of the monsters, growling audibly when the Silence spell finally ended, as Ehtrand cut Occtis open to take his heart and leave the stone instead. Lady Aranessa managed to get up and although one of the undead scratched her, she ran downstairs calling for help; however, Ethrand commanded his minions to catch her, and tauntly commented how good the views were from the balcony as she was being moved there. Understanding the danger, she cast Entangle, causing vines to grow around Occtis and her, letting herself being trapped by the plants in the ground, and making the ghouls move more slowly. With some effort, the monsters managed to free Aranessa from the vines, but she, encouraged by Julien's voice calling for her, blasted one of the ghouls with green energy and answered to her knight; when Thaisha arrived Aranessa tried to give her some information, but the druid was paralyzed shortly after by the ghouls' claws. Lady Aranessa Royce, realizing how serious the situation was, lamented how they could not continue to suffer losses, and cried for help: her plea was answered by a flock of invisible fairies of death, who manifested to confront the undead spirits who were still trying to reach Palazzo Davinos, preventing them from crossing the veil. When Julien finally reached his liege lady, she commanded him to defend his home as she cast Haste on him; then, with eyes gleaming green with some hope, she kicked some ghouls, they were paying attention to the extremely fast an angry warrior that was now killing them. In the meantime, Aranessa moved away and cast Healing Word on Thaisha, asking Julien to help her too, after which she broke a varnished desk to be able to access its wood and start Druidcrafting a sapling out of it; when Thaisha got closer to her the noblewoman told her they could take Occtis's corpse with them, but asked her to find a destination first (with her own magic, the druid identified an ash tree nearby, where the veil between worlds was stronger). They, along with Julien, moved there when Aranessa cast Tree Stride, and then started running towards the bridge, with the sorcerer urging them to keep running (since Julien and Vaelus were both staying behind to fight the undead shades).
All of them managed to flee successfully, and took refuge in the Lloy Estate. Out in the garden, while Thaisha tended to Occtis's body, Aranessa told her everything she remembered of what had happened in the room, and noted with concern that House Tachonis had remained very quiet until now. They were joined by Bolaire Lathalia, Murray, Hal, and Azune Nayar, and when they learned about what had happened, they tried to help Occtis: combining Bolaire's tools with Murray's Mage Hand and Portent, and supported by Hal's Bardic Inspiration and Thaisha's Guidance, they successfully removed the Stone of Nightsong from inside Occtis, and he started breathing again as the ground shook and his body started repairing itself. Everyone was happy, but when Sir Julien, furious about the events of that night, faced the resurrected necromancer and demanded answers from him, Aranessa moved; she stepped between the knight and Thaisha when she saw that the former was about to stab the latter. Aranessa told Julien that even if both of their houses had fallen and their "allies" had betrayed them, they still had strength, resources, and fights ahead of them, and that they would find answers (as she spoke she hit a boulder, and from the leaves nearby she summoned golden moths and butterflies). Then, in a calmer manner, she asked Occtis to share with them whatever he remembered from his time on the other side of the veil, since that would help everyone.
"Branching Paths" (4x05)[]
In the period before dawn, the group discussed Occtis's status and the implications for House Tachonis, as well as the repercussions for other political forces in the city; they gradually defined a plan, with the newly resurrected necromancer leaving Dol-Makjar with an escort to seek answers about his post-mortem visions, while the rest stayed behind to sound out the Sundered Houses and look for ways to weaken them. During that conversation Aranessa asked questions to the others, and was particularly surprised by the absence of clues or bodies in the Palazzo Davinos; she also encouraged Occtis to share the information he could about his visions. When Azune reminded the others that the Sundered Houses weren't always allies and that they could weaken them, she agreed, but pointed out they needed to be careful about who among those nobles would be willing to declare House Tachonis as an enemy; moreover, she pointed out that the attack against her house and her vassals seemed like a gambit with weeks of preparation at most, so she wanted to find out if the Golden Orchard and other Royce relatives were still ok. In any case, she declared her willingness to stay with Occtis and travel eastward with him seeking answers; she also asked Thaisha, her former sister-in-law, to accompany them, and showed her approval about Vaelus carrying the Stone of Nightsong during the journey. With that, and Julien's confirmation that he would stay with his lady and with Occtis, the five of them prepared to leave with the steeds Rohor brought them; as Azune said goodbye to Sir Julien and formally introduced himself to him, Lady Aranessa realized that they would have to think of pseudonyms.
Relationships[]
Julien Davinos[]
Aranessa and Julien were friends for a long time, but given his position as a vassal of House Royce there was always a dynamic of reverence towards her, which led to him becoming her protector. She spoke honestly in front of him, even if she knew they disagreed about certain subjects, particularly regarding her husband; moreover, she apparently didn't blame Sir Julien for his capture.[14] However, she did seem to dislike his sometimes too practical attitude, when he didn't even try to appear chivalrous.[15]
During their journey together he prioritized her well-being over his own, giving her most of the food available.[16] She felt more confident about having him by her side.[17]
Thimble[]
Aranessa initially met Thimble as one of the fairies of her garden, chosen before her own wedding to act as a "present" for Thjazi, to signify the protection of the fey extending to him too. Aranessa assured the groom that Thimble had free will and had consented to be part of that traditional gift, but Thjazi still made sure that the pixie was comfortable with the situation; they bonded very quickly, and Thimble informed Lady Aranessa that she was going to like him very much.[18] When Thjazi became a rebel two years later Thimble stayed with him when he left Aranessa's side.
Thjazi Fang[]
Aranessa fell in love with Thjazi when he was a young war hero of excellent reputation, even if he wasn't noble; some attributed this to the orc's moxie and impressive "cut of his jib".[19] Aranessa herself considered that in many ways that decision was "ill-advised", but that didn't stop them, and they got married anyway.[20] However, when he rebelled against the noble houses, he and Aranessa got separated for many years; even if the relationship grew cold, she never got rid of her wedding ring.[21] Although she refused to run away with him when he asked, she later regretted that decision and wasn't strong enough to face his execution, spending the rest of that day remembering, crying, and aggressively expressing the legitimacy of her feelings for Thjazi, as well as her frustration against those who questioned them or contributed to his execution.[22]
Thaisha Lloy[]
Via Aranessa's marriage with Thjazi and Thaisha's marriage-like relationship with Halandil, they were close, and considered each other friends.[23] Even after both relationships came to an end, there was still cordiality and respect between them, and the noblewoman still saw the druid as a sister-in-law, in a way.[24]
In the days following their departure from Dol-Makjar, the two of them slept on the same bed, and Thaisha worried about Aranessa getting enough food and warmth.[25] They bonded over their memories of Thjazi, and talked about him potentially reincarnating as a falcon.[26]
Character information[]
Notable items[]
- Wedding ring[27]
Abilities[]
According to Brennan Lee Mulligan Aranessa "has moves";[28] hers is the house of fae magic, with their own sorcerous bloodlines,[29] and she's not only an example of this, but is also able to call for help from across the doors of Faerie, even if they're closed.[30] When her magic manifests, it is often accompanied of shining moths and butterflies.[31]
Spells[]
| Spell level | Spell | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0 (cantrip) | Druidcraft[32] | |
| 1st | Entangle[33] | |
| 1st | Healing Word[34] | |
| 3rd | Haste[35] | |
| 5th | Tree Stride[36] |
Appearances and mentions[]
- Campaign Four
- "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) (first appearance)
- "Broken Wing" (4x02)
- "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) (first identified as Aranessa Royce)
- "Stone-Faced" (4x04)
- "Branching Paths" (4x05)
- "Fanged Revenge" (4x08)
Quotations[]
- (to Julien Davinos, about Thjazi Fang) "Love doesn't go away so easily; it stays. Even if people turn their back and walk away. They leave some part of themself. It's what loving someone is."[37]
- (about the situation of her house) "Step by step, wound by wound, we are made less. I will not have it."[38]
- "Greed destroys the world, but it also destroys itself."[39]
Trivia[]
- Thimble's similarities with Tinkerbell,[40][41] from J.M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan, have some ramifications affecting other characters surrounding her. She is the constant companion of a dangerous trickster with a supernatural shadow (Thjazi/Peter Pan),[42] who antagonized a dark-haired man with a metallic hand (Sir Julien/Captain Hook) and was involved with the daughter of a good family (Lady Aranessa/Wendy).
- General Raimond Davinos called her his "liege lady",[43] and she called him her vassal,[44] implying she might be now the head of House Royce.
- Based on her comments, she had never visited the Rookery until Thjazi died.[45]
- After the events of "Stone-Faced" (4x04) Brennan Lee Mulligan revealed that he was very happy with the results of some of the dice during combat, because otherwise Lady Aranessa would have ended up thrown from the balcony. He also explained that part of the reason the situation improved for her was that Ethrand got cocky and, in order to speak to Occtis one last time, ended his Silence spell early, without considering that a sorcerer from a rival house was still in his presence.[46]
References[]
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 1:02:37.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:16:15.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:16:47.
- ↑ See
Critical Recap: Critical Role C4E01 “The Fall of Thjazi Fang” on CritRole.com . Dani Carr confirms Lady Aranessa still uses her maiden name.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:16:08.
- ↑ See "Fanged Revenge" (4x08) at 0:01:37.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:39:23.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:16:47.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) from 3:23:25 through 3:25:22.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:43:35.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:36:33.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:43:10.
- ↑ See "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) at 4:47:05.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) from 3:23:25 through 3:26:37.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at ever valorous, sir juliens 26:25 ever valorous, sir julien.
- ↑ See "Fanged Revenge" (4x08) at 4:00.
- ↑ See "Fanged Revenge" (4x08) at 9:33.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 1:01:36.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) from 1:14:59 through 1:15:33.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) from 1:01:35 through 1:04:04.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:16:33.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) from 3:35:02 through 3:38:51.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:39:23.
- ↑ See "Branching Paths" (4x05) at 1:22:57.
- ↑ See "Fanged Revenge" (4x08) at 1:15.
- ↑ See "Fanged Revenge" (4x08) at 6:50.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:16:33.
- ↑
CR Cooldown C4 E003 at 23:17 (subscription required) (Transcript).
- ↑ See "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) at 4:36:25.
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) from 1:46:48 through 1:47:53.
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 1:50:50. See also at 5:08:25.
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 2:20:53.
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 1:21:03.
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 2:05:06.
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 1:50:18.
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 2:34:26.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:25:04.
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 5:07:45.
- ↑ See "Branching Paths" (4x05) at 1:24:04.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 2:25:54.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 4:14:45.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 0:07:23. Thjazi was able to use shadows during combat, and Peter Pan's shadow moved with a will of its own.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 3:02:30.
- ↑ See "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) at 4:35:46.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:55:43.
- ↑ CR Cooldown C4 E004 at 16:50 (subscription required) (Transcript).
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of Lady Aranessa Royce, by Odd (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Lady Aranessa, by Cryntart (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Aranessa opening the door, by Megzilla87 (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Aranessa and Thjazi dancing, by elisipkl (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Aranessa's magic, by elisipkl (source). Used with permission.
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