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Tal'Dorei Royal Family

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Tal'Dorei Family - LoVM

Screenshot of the Tal'Dorei royal family from "The Darkness Within" (LVM1x12).[art 1]

The Tal'Dorei Royal Family were the human rulers of the Tal'Dorei Empire and the capital city of Emon, until the assault on Emon by the Chroma Conclave.[1]

Known members[]

Family tree[]

Zan
generations
Odellan
Uriel IISalda
OdessaIlliyaGren

History[]

Zan Tal'Dorei[]

Zan Tal'Dorei was a rebel, she quickly rose from harried streets of Syngorn to leading the scattered rebels. After Neminar Drassig's defeat at the battle of the Umbra Hills leaders of the Verdant Expanse assembled a council, but people were accustomed to a single leader, so council chose Zan, she humbly accepted and insisted on being addressed as Sovereign.[2]

Odellan Tal'Dorei[]

Odellan Tal'Dorei was the Sovereign of the Kingdom of Tal'Dorei c. 792[3] or 793 PD.[4] During this time, the red dragon Thordak came out of hiding and started attacking trade caravans in the Rifenmist Peninsula and Verdant Expanse, the latter of which sent for aid and protection against a "nightmare of fire and malice". Odellan considered it a misuse of resources to send reinforcements that far south to "outsider" communities without confirmation of the threat. Two years later, c. 794 or 795 P.D., the Council of Tal'Dorei heard reports of a great red dragon and began to take the threat seriously.[5]

Uriel Tal'Dorei[]

Tal'Dorei royal family - Kileigh Gallagher

Fan art of the Tal'Dorei royal family, by Kileigh Gallagher.[art 2]

Uriel Tal'Dorei II ruled Tal'Dorei alongside his wife Empress Salda, until the assault on Emon by the Chroma Conclave.

In 809 PD, during the Winter's Crest festival in Emon, there was a staged assassination attempt thwarted by General Krieg. Following the attempt on their lives, the royal family grew strange and withdrawn, keeping Uriel away from the Tal'Dorei Council. His wife Salda demanded to be present at all meetings, and was often seen whispering into Uriel's ear.[6] In actuality, the family was possessed by demonic forces.[7] These demonic forces had been addling the mind of Uriel to use him as a mouthpiece for their plot.[8]

When the evil feeding on the throne was growing more bold, Vox Machina and Allura Vysoren infiltrated the palace.[9] As they entered the throne room, they saw Uriel surrounded by his possessed family. Vox Machina managed to banish the shadows from within their bodies causing the throne itself to crack.[10] A glabrezu named Juurezel emerged 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.[11] 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 their bodies were failing. Vox Machina successfully restored the souls of the royal family.[12]

Uriel thanked the party for the bravery and heroism, and for saving him and his family, and possibly all of Emon. As thanks, Uriel offered Vox Machina a place on the Tal'Dorei Council and told them that he would be throwing another Winter's Crest Festival to make up for the previous being ruined by an assassination attempt. He told them that they would be celebrated as heroes, and that he had commissioned the construction of a keep for them just outside the city.[13]

A week later, during the festival, Uriel's son Gren was kidnapped by the Dread Emperor. Vox Machina chased after them, killed the Dread Emperor, and returned Gren to his family, along with many of the other kidnapped children.[14]

In 810 PD Uriel invited the Tal'Dorei Council, the Briarwoods and some other nobles to a banquet to discuss trade routes and a bridge between Emon and Whitestone. During the meal, Lord Briarwood charmed Uriel.[15][16][17] Due to the charm, he was more suspicious of Vox Machina after the confrontation with the Briarwoods, and ordered that they see him for a proper investigation the next day.[18] Still under the charm effect of Lord Briarwood, Uriel acted against Vox Machina and ordered that they be banned from the Council until further notice so until the end of the investigation for the attack, as well as placing them under watch.[19] Vox Machina then proved themselves to still be on the side of good by dealing with a Roc that had been attacking the local farms.

Uriel was cleared of the charm spell placed upon him after Lord Briarwood was killed and apologized to Vox Machina. He asked for news of Whitestone, and agreed to send help across there. He then was told of the betrayal of Riskel Daxio, and placed a bounty on Riskel's head. Vox Machina captured Riskel and brought him back, where Uriel ordered the execution of Riskel.[20] Due to the frequency and severity of his leadership becoming compromised in recent years, Uriel decided to abdicate his position as ruler of Tal'Dorei. He delivered an abdication speech in the Cloudtop District to the city's leaders and nobles, but his speech was interrupted by the sudden and catastrophic assault of the Chroma Conclave.[21] When Raishan used her poison breath, the toxic fumes hit the nobles including Uriel.[22][23]

Odessa Tal'Dorei[]

Odessa Tal'Dorei was mentored by Assum Emring and eventually succeeded him as the Master of Information on the Tal'Dorei Council.[24]

Trivia[]

  • While not explicitly confirmed in the show, the rule of succession in this family seemed to be absolute cognatic primogeniture, which means that the firstborn child becomes their parent's heir, regardless of gender.
  • Following Zan's wishes, all the monarchs of the Tal'Dorei Empire have been addressed as Sovereign. However, with time this decision, while well intended (because Sovereign Zan wished to remain close to her people), turned out to be ironic, specially in the case of married sovereigns, such as Uriel II, because their consorts would use the title Empress or Emperor, which is hierarchically superior.

References[]

  1. ↑ Gilmore stated that he found Uriel's lifeless body after the Chroma Conclave's attack.  See "In Ruins" (1x41) at 2:30:15.
  2. ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 10.
  3. ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, pp. 11–12. Odellan was Sovereign two years before forces rallied against Thordak. Thordak was sealed for 16 years before the Chroma Conclave attacked Emon. The attack takes place days after Winter's Crest, with one additional Winter's Crest taking place before "The Final Ascent" (1x113), in which the date is said to be Misuthar 812 PD. Two plus sixteen plus two is 20. Twenty years before 812 PD is 792 PD.
  4. ↑ Allura Vysoren says reports of a massive red dragon appeared in Tal'Dorei "about 15 years" before this episode, which takes place just after the Chroma Conclave attacked Emon.  See "Desperate Measures" (1x40) at 2:36:36.
  5. ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 11 (Chapter 1: Campaigns in Tal'Dorei).
  6. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) from 0:07:26 through 0:07:56.
  7. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) at 0:15:05.
  8. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) from 0:12:08 through 0:12:38.
  9. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) from 0:15:19 through 0:15:41.
  10. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) from 0:15:42 through 0:16:00.
  11. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) from 0:16:00 through 0:17:21.
  12. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) from 0:17:23 through 0;17:51.
  13. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) from 0:17:51 through 0:18:27.
  14. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) from 0:18:27 through 0:19:59.
  15. ↑ See "The Feast" (1x24) at 3:12:13.  Uriel enters the feast
  16. ↑ See "The Path to Whitestone" (1x27) at 1:17:54.
  17. ↑ See "Echoes of the Past" (1x38) at 00:06:13.  Matt recaps and mentions that Uriel was charmed.
  18. ↑ See "Crimson Diplomacy" (1x25) from 2:20:50 through 2:21:52.
  19. ↑ See "Consequences and Cows" (1x26) from 56:58 through 57:53.
  20. ↑ Uriel orders Riskel's execution.  See "Echoes of the Past" (1x38) at 00:18:22.
  21. ↑ Uriel abdicates the throne.  See "Omens" (1x39) from 3:25:38 through 3:29:05.
  22. ↑ Raishan uses her poison breath on the crowd.  See from 3:37:27 through 3:39:07.
  23. ↑ Gilmore stated that he found Uriel's lifeless body after the Chroma Conclave's attack.  See "In Ruins" (1x41) at 2:30:15.
  24. ↑ See "Critical Role Campaign 2 Wrap Up" (Sx56) at 4:06:47.

Art:

  1. ↑ Screenshot of the Tal'Dorei royal family from "The Darkness Within" (LVM1x12). 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.
  2. ↑ Fan art of the Tal'Dorei royal family, by Kileigh Gallagher (source). Used with permission.
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