House Tachonis is one of the most powerful Sundered Houses of Aramán, a family of sorcerers drawing their power from their connection with the dead and undead.
History[]
Before the Shapers' War, the Tachonises were one of the two priestly houses that served directly beneath the royal House of Obridai in the old Obridimian Empire; they were the priestly family of shadow, of the journey through night to the next day, gifted with the rites of funeral cremation and of moving from one realm to the other,[1] ushering souls to divine afterlives such as the halls of Tansul.[2] Along with House Halovar (the other priestly family), during the war itself they sided with the Shapers.[3]
Despite having lost land in the wake of the Shapers' War, especially where the Barrowdells of Stormwrack and Eternal Night overlapped (uniquely on Aramán) and created a particularly cursed area,[4] they are considered by many to be the most powerful of the Sundered Houses of Dol-Makjar,[5] with their influence steadily increasing in the years prior to the beginning of Campaign Four.[6] They have ties to the Penteveral, and in their ranks and bloodline there are spellcasters[7][8] and warriors.[9] If Lord Primus is to be believed, most of the House's heirs are sorcerers,[10] and their connection with death (strengthened by the fact they maintain a castle in the Tenebral Reaches) empowers their own dark magic.[11] Furthermore, in Occtis's visions of the realms beyond it was implied they have been amassing power and marching forces in the Underworld.
Although in public Houses Halovar and Tachonis appear as close allies, according to Wicander Halovar his family didn't really care what happened to the Tachonises.[12] In private, according to their leader the Photarch Yanessa Halovar, the Tachonis family had "the knives closest to their backs" precisely because they were their closest allies.[13] A few years before the beginning of Campaign Four, both houses started moving in the neighbouring country of Timmony: while the Candescent Creed used zealotry to weaken the public image of King Augustus Valian, House Tachonis started claiming control over some land, stealthily at first for about two years (moving through the country looking for old cairns and ruins),[14] and then through political marriage, taking advantage of impoverished nobility.[15] Both houses have a strong influence in Tybry's Lea in Gormalay, with constant presence in the newly built hospital.[16] Moreover, House Tachonis had a mysterious operation below Castle Delawney, petrifying people with a basilisk and then taking their statues away,[17] intending to go with them to Houndsport (where Trimus was), and then to the Bay of Gaerhithai (a plan stopped when the Soldiers stole the statues).[18]
By the year 71, House Tachonis was one of the leaders of the successful effort of the Chamber of Lords-Advisory of the Sundered Houses to have Thjazi Fang executed.[19] Both Loza Blade[20] and Photarch Halovar stated that the Tachonises were the ones who wanted Thjazi dead.[21] They were even dealing with one of Thjazi's former associates, Casimir Gavendale, bribing him with money and a stronghouse in Gormalay so that he would betray his old friend and steal a relic for them; this noble family sent agents to Timmony along with Casimir when he traveled north, chasing Talcydimir Pridesire.[22]
Fan art of the Tachonis patriarch calling Occtis to the Underworld, by Dispellogic.[art 2]
Shortly after the execution, House Tachonis led an attack on House Royce which succeeded in its intent to destroy not only that noble house but also their vassal House Davinos.[23] It also was successful in killing an recovering the heart of Occtis Tachonis while replacing it with the stolen Stone of Nightsong. However, although Raimond Davinos (the leader of House Davinos) was killed in the attack, Aranessa Royce (the leader of House Royce) survived along with her bodyguard Julien Davinos, eldest son of Raimond.[24] Around the same time, the Golden Orchard was compromised,[25] and it was implied that House Tachonis had also attacked the people living there.[26]
During those days, agents of the Revolutionary Council and Tachonis banners were seen by the Seekers at the Dvalmar Pass, although no recognisable member of the house was present;[27] presumably they were the same people that had been stopping the supplies of House Royce before they reached Dol-Makjar.[28]
Known members[]
- Deceased father of Primus Tachonis, he exists as a spirit in the Underworld
- Lord Primus Tachonis, head of the house and a powerful sorcerer
- Ethrand Tachonis, a sorcerer[29]
- Six unnamed children, one of them could be Trimus[30]
- Occtis Tachonis, a necromancer, the estranged eighth child[31] of Primus[32][33][34]
- Unnamed sibling or cousin of Lord Primus[35]
- Univere Tachonis, Doset's older sister, a powerful spellcaster of striking appearance
- Lord Doset Tachonis, briefly the Baron of Sloak through his marriage to the Baroness of this region
- Unnamed member living in Dol-Makjar, married to Lady Biteen, a gossip and a flirt who liked to visit the salons and spend time with the local bohemians[36]
Vassals[]
The vassal houses under House Tachonis include House Seremai, a family of martial power and minor sorcerous talents.
- Sir Aniko Seremai, a sorcerous knight serving Lord Doset. He was killed by Thimble during a mission in Timmony.
Courtiers and personnel[]
- Carl, a soldier, killed after his petrified body was broken by Teor Pridesire under Castle Delawney[37][38]
Estates[]
- Obrimus Manor, in Dol-Makjar[39]
- A castle in the Tenebral Reaches[11]
Trivia[]
- Some of the current members of House Tachonis have names based in Latin, with the head of the family being Primus (the first) and his eighth son having a name presumably derived from octavus (the eighth). Alexander Ward has confirmed that there is a pattern to the family names. He called the theory that it was based on numerical roots "sort of right", although "Ethrand" doesn't quite fit.[40] A fan theory is that the names are based on hydrocarbon prefixes.
- During a conversation about Occtis and his necromancy, Loza Blade declared that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", referring to other necromancers within House Tachonis.[41] Brennan Lee Mulligan (who according to Alexander Ward was the one who created House Tachonis) remarked their focus on undead and necromancy when he was explaining the Sundered Houses to the cast before the campaign started (a concept that caused Ward to want his own character to be a member of the family).[42]
- It has been implied that late members of House Tachonis (such as the father of the current Lord Tachonis) inhabit their castle in the Underworld, still speaking and thinking for themselves, even in death.[43]
References[]
- ↑ See "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) at 3:36:55.
- ↑ See "To the Hounds!" (4x09) at 0:49:06.
- ↑ See "Branching Paths" (4x05) at 1:18:13.
- ↑ See "Make Merry" (4x11).[citation needed]
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 2:17:17.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 3:43:20.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 2:54:09.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 3:44:16. Lord Primus's presence darkens the area around him, his power is described as "effortless" and "inherited" magic.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 0:06:28.
- ↑ See "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) at 0:53:03.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 See "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) at 4:46:16.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 1:51:15.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 2:16:59.
- ↑ See "To the Hounds!" (4x09) at 0:47:16.
- ↑
CR Cooldown C4 E007 at 2:46 (subscription required) (Transcript).
- ↑ See "To the Hounds!" (4x09) at 2:12:48.
- ↑ See "Blood for Blood" (4x10) at 2:40:30.
- ↑ See "Make Merry" (4x11).[citation needed]
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 0:06:28. See also at 0:12:37.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 1:22:51.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 2:17:29.
- ↑ See "Branching Paths" (4x05) at 2:23:31.
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 0:59:56. See also at 5:06:51 where Aranessa Royce confirms that their attempt was successful.
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 5:06:25. Both Julien and Aranessa survived.
- ↑ See "To the Hounds!" (4x09) at 1:42:50.
- ↑ See "Blood for Blood" (4x10) at 2:41:24. A member of House Seremai was wearing magical bracers that belonged to Callowyn Royce.
- ↑ See "Make Merry" (4x11).[citation needed]
- ↑ See "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) at 4:44:53. See also "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 3:04:56.
- ↑ See "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) at 4:58:54.
- ↑ See "Make Merry" (4x11).[citation needed] When Thimble was reading a document containing the name Brennan noted that the pixie assumed such a name belonged to a Tachonis.
- ↑ See "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) at 4:36:42.
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 3:45:10.
- ↑ See "The Fall of Thjazi Fang" (4x01) at 1:41:50.
- ↑ See 'Critical Recap: Critical Role C4E01 “The Fall of Thjazi Fang”' (October 8, 2025) on critrole.com.
- ↑ See "On the Scent" (4x07) at 3:26:32. Brennan refers to Doset and Univere as the cousins of Occtis, meaning their parent is either the sibling or the cousin of the necromancer's own father.
- ↑ See "Make Merry" (4x11).[citation needed]
- ↑ See "Blood for Blood" (4x10) at 1:44:21.
- ↑ See "Blood for Blood" (4x10) at 1:48:55.
- ↑ See "The Snipping of Shears" (4x03) at 1:01:31.
- ↑ See "Fireside Chat LIVE With Alexander Ward" (subscription required) at 19:25. "'Question: Was Occtis named because he's the 8th child? Did Primus name his brothers based on a numerical system?' You're sort of right. There is a pattern, but I'm not going to tell you what it is. The only sibling that you've heard is Ethrand, which does not fit that pattern, or at least the pattern of numerical children. So keep Ethrand in mind, keep Occtis in mind, and you might figure out what the pattern is and what the names link to."
- ↑ See "Broken Wing" (4x02) at 1:37:45.
- ↑ Fireside Chat LIVE With Alexander Ward at 28:55 (subscription required).
- ↑ See "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 2:15:07. See also "Stone-Faced" (4x04) at 4:57:50.
Art:
- ↑ Official art of Occtis Tachonis, by Loren Hontanilla (source). 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.
- ↑ Fan art of the Tachonis patriarch calling Occtis to the Underworld, by Dispellogic (source). Used with permission.