Vokodo

Vokodo
Fan art of Vokodo, by Mike M.
Type	NPC
Actor	Matthew Mercer
Character Information
Name	Vokodo
Also known as	Avocado Guacamole
Creature type	Aberration[presumed]
Race	Morkoth[presumed]
Alignment	Chaotic Evil
Languages	Telepathy
Place	Rumblecusp
Appearances
First seen	"Ghosts, Dinosaurs, and Stuff" (2x102)
Episode count	1

Vokodo is said to be a great fire god living on the island of Rumblecusp. Its worshipers live in the Vo village.

Fan art of Vokodo, by HeartofPack.

Description

Appearance

The villagers refer to the great volcano of Rumblecusp as "Vokodo," stating that Vokodo both exists within, and is that. Vokodo lives within the mountain itself and is rumored to be a great, fiery beast, an entity that resembles and encompasses the creation of the world and its eventual destruction. Viridian described it as the mountain, and yet a projection of its essence within the mountain. "You see fire and flame, but there is water. There are caverns, woven, plants. It’s a place of life, brimming with creation within. And in the midst of that is where Vokodo is.”

In reality, Vokodo is a massive (20-feet in diameter) black-fleshed creature with multiple tendrils and thick tentacles. Beneath the cracked edges of its blackened flesh is an underlying glowing yellow-orange layer of flame or lava. Its jaw holds rocky black teeth, and from the inside of its mouth, a bright fiery light emerges. Atop its head are four separate orbs of eyes, also orange and red, with slightly pointed red pupils. Massive red rocks or gems jut from its body, and heavy pseudopods like thick legs dangle beneath. Across its back is a hoard of treasure of all kinds. The body has four massive tentacles and many smaller ones that occasionally emerge from the body to snatch things nearby and then recoil within. It is covered in small cilia or fingers that are capable of moving coins up its body and into the hoard on its back.

Personality

Vokodo is openly greedy and demands "precious things". Despite the vast hoard of treasures it has accumulated during its habitation of the island, its avarice knows no bounds and Vokodo is quick to anger with those who come before it who are reluctant to part with their precious goods. In such an instance it will slowly increase the temperature of the water about them towards scalding point, presumably to "encourage" more generous offerings or kill those who are not forthcoming.

Biography

The Vo villagers of Rumblecusp believe that Vokodo provides them what is necessary to survive, and they give back to Vokodo as part of a blessing cycle. Their gifts include gems, mined metals, and other precious and shiny objects. All newcomers to the village must meet with Vokodo at least once and be accepted.

"Mysteries, Memories, and Music" (2x101)

When Jester asked The Traveler if Vokodo was actually a god, he said that he was "not feeling a god-type presence from the island".

"Ghosts, Dinosaurs, and Stuff" (2x102)

The Mighty Nein made their way through the jungle with the help of Viridian and traveled into Vokodo's lair. There, they asked for and were given permission to hold TravelerCon on the island, but before Vokodo would allow them to leave, it forced them to make "offerings". When it deemed Veth's offered items not acceptably valuable, it caused the water around her to reach scalding temperature. When each party member had relinquished something of great value, Vokodo allowed them to leave, on the understanding that the expected visitors to the island would be similarly brought before it.

Lair

Vokodo's underwater lair lies deep under the volcano of Rumblecusp Island, reachable by only a few hidden and guarded passageways. Viridian led the Mighty Nein through the one that she was aware of, which passed through an area of poisonous gas before reaching a pool filled with breathable water. Beneath the pool was a tunnel lined with dangerous torch blooms from the Elemental Plane of Fire that led downward to a gargantuan (at least a hundred feet across) underwater chamber of rough black glassy volcanic rock broken by heavy patches of torch bloom giving off pockets of light. Vents of of gas bubbled forth from breaks in the rock, gathering in the ceiling and then vanishing through small cracks. Heavy stalactites descended from a forty-foot ceiling, some almost touching the ground, a jagged forest of upside-down rock coming from above. Some of the rock walls themselves glowed faintly orange with heat from the proximity of the volcanic activity. Throughout the chamber were platforms of rock that were either built up over time from gathering minerals, or fallen from the ceiling. On the opposite end, just within sight because of a nearby torch bloom glow, was a large pillar of twisted rock that rose up about twenty-five feet before leveling off. The torch blooms lining the tunnel through which they entered closed it off once they were within the chamber.

Character Information

Notable Items

• Skingorger
• Flask of Perpetual Booze
• Dwueth'var 
• Amulet of Proof against Detection and Location
• Dagger of Denial
• A bag of suude
• Elven chainmail
• Periapt of Wound Closure

Quotations

• Viridian: “Just like any creature, there is light and there is dark. Vokodo protects, and Vokodo is the beating heart and heat of this island. Vokodo keeps things that threaten this way of life at bay. But Vokodo also, like all of us, requires sustenance, requires worship, requires something to maintain this good cause. And in the past, though not in my time, when such things were to the wayside, wrath could occur.”
• Vokodo: "Yes! Presentsss!"
• Vokodo: “Look upon the Lord of this island, the Lord of Exandria. And offer. You have such shinies.”
• Vokodo: “One does not walk into the heart of a god, and present paltry gifts. I accept offerings, or I can take what is insufficient.”

Trivia

• Many of the strange phenomena found on Rumblecusp, such as the dreamlike atmosphere, seemingly unrelated creatures together on one island, and items becoming misplaced while the owner is resting, match the regional effects of a morkoth's lair, indicating that Vokodo may be a morkoth. Other attributes of morkoths displayed by Vokodo include its greedy nature, tentacled appearance, and breathable water in its lair. 

References

Art: