Taskhand Verin Thelyss is a drow soldier in command of the Kryn Dynasty's forces at Bazzoxan and the younger brother of Essek Thelyss.
Description[]
Fan art of Shadowhand Essek and Taskhand Verin (right) of Den Thelyss, by @JustHustina.[art 2]
Verin is taller and more athletic than his brother Essek[5] and is the youngest soul in Den Thelyss.[3] In Call of the Netherdeep, he is depicted with long white hair and wears a suit of insectile half plate typical of an Aurora Watch soldier and a purple cape. He wields a glaive in combat.[4]
He is described as having a bright and youthful demeanor, though one made melancholic by the weight of responsibility,[4] and greets helpful visitors to Bazzoxan with warmth, gentle concern, and courtesy.[6] He is less ambitious than his brother, but he has a keen sense of honor and justice.[3] He firmly believes in the Dynasty and in the faith the Luxon religion and the idea of it gives to others, but he personally only "partially" believes in the Luxon and doesn't evangelize the faith. Matthew Mercer described Verin as "the himbo of the family", suggesting that he is not perceived as intelligent by the other members of his Den.[5] Outside of his family's assessment, he is otherwise considered a talented leader,[3] and he has become a beacon of hope to the people of Bazzoxan. He cares considerably about Bazzoxan, and the constant threat to its citizens wearies him.[4]
Biography[]
Verin was born into Den Thelyss as the son of its Umavi, Deirta,[7] and as the youngest soul in the Den.[3] His father disappeared in labyrinths beneath Bazzoxan an unspecified amount of time before 836 PD after a dispute with Essek.[8]
Verin is an acclaimed soldier and as a talented leader, and by 836 PD, he achieved the rank of Taskhand in the Kryn Dynasty military. Shortly before 836 PD, he was given charge of the Aurora Watch in Bazzoxan, where he maintains martial law due to constant threat of incursions from the Abyss.[3][9][10]
Relationships[]
Essek Thelyss[]
Fan art of Verin with Essek, by Giulia Valentini (kurocyou).[art 3]
Essek is Verin's older brother.[3] Verin was the only person who understood and got along with Essek in a family that Essek was otherwise at odds with, making Verin the only bond Essek had before meeting the Mighty Nein.[5] Essek named Verin as one of the potential allies he would trust to assist with fighting Lucien.[10]
Character information[]
Notable items[]
Abilities[]
Drow abilities[]
- Fey Ancestry
- Trance
- Keen Senses
- Subrace: Drow
- Superior Darkvision
- Sunlight Sensitivity
- Drow Magic (DC 14)[4]
- Dancing Lights (at will)
- Darkness (1/day)
- Faerie Fire (1/day)
- Levitate (1/day)
Echo knight abilities[]
- Multiattack: Verin makes three attacks with his glaive.[4]
- Manifest Echo: As a bonus action, Verin creates an echo of himself within 15 feet. The echo has AC 17 and 1 hit point. Any attack Verin makes can originate from the echo's space. It lasts for 1 minute or until destroyed, is more than 30 feet away from Verin at the end of his turn, if Verin manifests another echo, or if Verin is incapacitated.[4]
- Reposition: As a bonus action, Verin and his echo magically swap places.[4]
- Parry: As a reaction, Verin adds 3 to his AC against a melee attack that would hit.[4]
Appearances and mentions[]
- Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Figures of Interest entry
- Campaign Two: The Mighty Nein
- "A Walk to Warmer Welcomes" (2x124), mentioned only, unnamed
- Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep, statblock and narrative NPC
Trivia[]
- The abilities in Verin's statblock are derived from the Drow Elite Warrior statblock in the Monster Manual.[11] Most notably, this grants him the ability to cast Levitate, the one of his four spells not available to player characters using the drow racial stats.[12] However, the spell does figure as one of the benefits of the Drow High Magic feat.[13]
- During a charity fundraiser after the Campaign, Matthew Mercer was asked to relate an anecdote from Essek's childhood, perhaps including his best Verin impression. His response, in character as Essek, was: "Well, in certain childhoods, it can grow a bit... challenging having a brother. Especially one who is a bit rambunctious and does not necessarily appreciate your studious studies. So, when you go to read to yourself silently in the morning, before-- not playing with the children that avoid you in various open play spaces, and you find that your study book has been filled with jam, it's a bit frustrating. And when you find out, or assume, that it is your brother Verin who did so, and you go and tell him, 'Please, do not put jam into my books,' and he turns to you and says, 'Well, that wasn't me. That would be ridiculous. What do you think? That's so funny nyah nah nah.' I still hate him. I still-- I don't really hate him. He's sweet, and a bit misguided. But nevertheless, I think back to that, and to this day, I realize that that was where I began my appreciation for jam. Not that I like the flavor, but because it reminds me of my brother. We've been apart for some time, so when I have the opportunity, I will thank him for it."[14]
References[]
- ↑ See Call of the Netherdeep, p. 51. Chapter 3: Bazzoxan. "No Time for Pleasantries". Verin's abilities in his stat block are analogous to the Echo Knight subclass.
- ↑ Essek, who is older than Verin, is about 120 per "Stone to Clay" (2x91) at 0:32:22 and his Figures of Interest entry in Explorer's Guide to Wildemount.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 41. Chapter 2: Factions and Societies. "Kryn Dynasty: Figures of Interest".
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 See Call of the Netherdeep, p. 51. Chapter 3: Bazzoxan. "No Time for Pleasantries".
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 See "Critical Role Campaign 2 Wrap Up" (Sx56) from 1:36:40 through 1:37:42.
- ↑ See Call of the Netherdeep, p. 51.
- ↑ Verin is described in the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount and in "A Walk to Warmer Welcomes" (2x124) at 3:24:37 as Essek's brother without qualification, implying Verin is also the son of Deirta.
- ↑ See "Stone to Clay" (2x91) at 0:58:36.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 134. Chapter 3: Wildemount Gazetteer. "Wastes of Xhorhas: Bazzoxan".
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 See "A Walk to Warmer Welcomes" (2x124) at 3:24:30.
- ↑ See D&D: Monster Manual, 5th ed., p. 128. Elves: Drow. Note especially the spellcasting and parry.
- ↑ See D&D: Player's Handbook, 5th ed., p. 24. Chapter 2: Races. "Elf".
- ↑ See D&D: Xanathar's Guide to Everything, 5th ed., p. 74.
- ↑ See the Twitch VOD of Voiceapalooza! on the chadfallout76podcast channel, broadcast 26 June 2022.
Art:
- ↑ Depiction of Verin Thelyss, by Hunter Severn Bonyun from Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep pg. 51. This page contains unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
- ↑ Fan art of Shadowhand Essek and Taskhand Verin (right) of Den Thelyss, by @JustHustina (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Verin with Essek, by Giulia Valentini (kurocyou) (source). Used with permission.
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