Clasp

Official art of symbol of the Clasp, by Conceptopolis from Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, page 34.

## Basic Information

### Goals

Make profit through illegal means (kidnapping, assassination, smuggling, black market trade, etc.)
Preserve the function of civilization, so that it remains profitable

## History

### Formed

During the rule of the Kingdom of Drassig

## Relationships

### Enemies

The Myriad

“
When night is come and darkness falls;
Locks help not, nor do stone walls;
Slinking and hiding, like poison asp;
Close tight thy eyes, see not the Clasp.
”

–
Childhood rhyme in Clasp-infested towns
[edit]

**The Clasp** is a guild of thieves, assassins, black merchants, and contract dealers built upon the ruins of the old Winksman Thieves Guild founded under the rule of Drassig in Tal'Dorei. It operates on a relatively amoral code of honor and respect. Their influence is easily enforced, as most people know of the dangerous myths surrounding them, and they maintain an extremely high success rate on contracts taken.

The Clasp was also the driving force behind the plot of a non-canon, one-shot special episode: "Critical Role Extra – The Return of Liam!" (Sx15).

## **Organizational structure**

### **Leadership**

Leaders of the Clasp are called Spirelings. They are masters of networks and information. Spirelings wear a gold or silver signet ring engraved with the symbol of the Clasp. Spireling Shenn is the leader of the Clasp in Emon.

#### **Emon Spirelings**

* Spireling of Shadows Modeth Lai (deceased)
* Spireling of Secrets Shenn
* Spireling of Blades Warren
* Spireling of Shadows Zilloa (succeeded Modeth)

#### **Stilben Spirelings**

* Spireling Harrok
* Spireling Vikar

#### **Westruun Spirelings**

* Spireling Culwen (deceased)
* Spireling of Secrets Fetch
* Spireling of Shadows Gholesh
* Spireling Gideor
* Spireling of Blades Melchior (as of 836 PD)
* Spireling of Blades Oalan (as of 812 PD)
* Spireling Rook

### **Membership**

One does not apply to join the Clasp; worthy candidates are invited.

* Elisen, a healer working for the Westruun Clasp.
* Garthok, a member of the Emon Clasp.
* Kal, a member of the Westruun Clasp.
* L'Arkhelle, a tiefling Clasp enforcer and the bridge guard in Stilben.
* Lyre, a member of the Westruun Clasp, who was turned into a copy of Vex'ahlia by Spireling Gideor as punishment for failing one too many missions.
* Ro, a member of the Westruun Clasp.
* Vax'ildan, a member of the Westruun Clasp.

#### **Non-canon**

In a non-canon,[*citation needed*] one-shot special episode entitled "Critical Role Extra – The Return of Liam!" (Sx15), several of the characters were members of the Clasp in Emon: Spireling Shenn (non-canon); Delweth; Dren; Obby "the Rat"; and Tarvis.

### **Contracts**

To summon the attention of the Clasp for a contract, one must ask around until they find someone who has already dealt with them and persuade them to reveal the contract request drop-point.

## **Locations**

### **Emon**

The Clasp had a subterranean base located beneath the Graveyard District in Emon, with a secret entrance leading to it from the Diamond Nest Tavern. There was another entrance from the north end of Abdar's Promenade, but it was destroyed by the Clasp after talks for an alliance with Vox Machina broke down. An entrance from the Temple District was blocked after the Chroma Conclave's attack on Emon.

In 811 PD, the Emon Clasp was under the control of Shenn, Spireling of Secrets; Warren, Spireling of Blades; and Zilloa, Spireling of Shadows.

Over the following decades, there was sporadic gang warfare between the Clasp and the Myriad in Emon. But they held a tenuous peace as of 836 PD. By that time, the Clasp had a much-improved reputation in Emon for having saved lives and held the city together during Thordak's occupation. Its Spirelings showed themselves in public and sometimes openly did business with the Tal'Dorei Council.

Around 840 PD, the Clasp and the Myriad in Emon came to blows, and according to Poska, "no one really knows who won." She said that the Nameless Ones were those who were left.

### **Jorenn Village**

Around 807 PD, Vax'ildan was contracted by Spireling Gideor of Westruun to steal a ring, Fracture, from the Shadewatch of Jorenn Village. He discovered a notebook in Shademaster Derowen's office that contained evidence of the Shademaster and her brother, Spireling Culwen, skimming profits off silver they smuggled for the Clasp. Vax learned that Gideor was concerned about Culwen's power following an incident in Kymal, where he made a bargain for Derowen's life. To protect his assets, Culwen killed Derowen, and shortly after, Vax killed the Spireling.

### **Westruun**

Around 807 PD, a Westruun nobleman (presumably Lord Berin Abenard) put out a Clasp contract to kidnap Vex'ahlia. Vax'ildan foiled Lyre's attempt to fulfill the contract, and asked to be brought to Spireling Gideor. He negotiated a new contract: he would join the Clasp and fulfill a contract for Gideor in Jorenn Village. In exchange, Gideor would find a solution to the contract to kidnap Vex, and would provide work in the future. His solution was to turn Lyre, who had messed up one too many contracts, into a copy of Vex'ahlia using a stick made of human tongues, and to hand him over to the nobleman. During this time, Spireling Culwen was absent from Westruun, and was killed by Vax'ildan in Jorenn Village. When Vax'ildan later returned from Jorenn, he was initiated into the Clasp by Gideor and Kal with a brand between his shoulder blades.

By 812 PD, the Westruun Clasp was under the control of a new trio of spirelings: Fetch, Spireling of Secrets; Gholesh, Spireling of Shadows; and Oalan, Spireling of Blades. By 836 PD, Fetch and Gholesh still held those positions, but there was a new Spireling of Blades, Melchior.

### **Stilben**

By 836 PD, the Clasp had been struggling with the Myriad for control of Stilben for three decades, and the port town had been thoroughly corrupted in the process.

## **Activities**

In addition to thievery, blackmail, assassination, and sabotage, the Clasp is involved in various kinds of trafficking.

### **Drugs**

There is a variety of illegal drugs in Tal'Dorei.

* *Oloore root* is a heavy psychedelic originally used by druidic cultures. Trafficking oloore root is a major source of income for the Clasp.
* *Suude* is refined from azuremite or arcane residuum, causes head rush, and enhances senses/magic.
* *Zeal* is a contact drug that briefly enhances strength and instills courage. It is made from the ichor of demons.

### **Sex trafficking**

Based on the Clasp's contract with Berin Abenard, it is implied that the Clasp has at least some business in the kidnapping and trading people for forced labor or sexual slavery.

## **History**

The Clasp was responsible for sending the blue crystal that contained Skysunder to Westruun.

Several members of the Clasp ambushed Pike and Vax'ildan in Emon, knocking them unconscious in an alleyway and taking them back to their headquarters. Spireling Modeth spoke with them, explaining that the Clasp had been watching the home of Sir Gregory Fince in order to stay aware of Emon's political climate. When they saw Vox Machina leaving the building, they decided to bring them in to interrogate them. Vax then revealed that he was a member of the Clasp sect in Westruun. Modeth called for a test of their skills and intent, forcing Pike and Vax into a battle against a chained chimera in the Clasp's arena. Although the two of them managed to slay the creature, Modeth was still not convinced and decided to detain them overnight. However, Vax and Pike managed to escape that night and reunited with the rest of their group.

Vox Machina later returned to the Clasp's headquarters and ended up fighting Spireling Modeth. After killing him, they discovered that he had been keeping four strange glowing crystals, which they then took for themselves. As the party tried to leave, they were stopped by a group of Clasp members and another Spireling. Scanlan managed to convince the Clasp to let them go safely and Vox Machina left before their deeds could be discovered.

## **Quotations**

* "Once the Clasp *fastens* on to you, you're through." (popular Clasp saying)

* "[B]etrayal is all too common to many of us, but an organization such as ours cannot flourish if we do not trust one another. We cannot be successful without loyalty." (Spireling Gideor)

## **Trivia**

* The Clasp's name comes from the group's reputation as the "clasp" that holds civilizations together (often acting as a shadow government and black market in cities where the group operates).
* Vax'ildan's initial run-in and membership with the Clasp was part of the plot from a one-on-one session between Liam O'Brien and Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer after Liam missed a regular game session with the rest of the group.
* When Vax told the story of how he joined the Clasp to Vex, he claimed that the Clasp ordered him to get a "body" and Vax was forced to kidnap a child rapist. In this version, the child rapist was the one *Polymorphed* into a copy of Vex. Matt later explained during the Fireside Chat that the Vex doppelganger was actually the Clasp agent who had failed to kidnap Vex due to Vax's intervention.[*citation needed*] Though it is plausible that the Clasp agent was also a child rapist, this article assumes Matt's version is canonical, as Liam admitted that he was struggling to remember the details as he was retelling the story.
* Ashton Greymoore has a patch with the symbol of the Clasp on the left thigh of their Campaign Three character art.
* There are several Mastermind and Inquisitive rogues in The Clasp, with the Spirelings usually being more similar to the former.
* In *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn* there is a Clasp Member background.

## **References**

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting*, p. 34.
2. ↑ See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting*, p. 92.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Some of the information on this page was imported from Matthew Mercer's *Vox Machina Wiki* article, "The Clasp".
4. ↑ Spirelings were referenced in Matthew Mercer's background story provided to *Critical Role Transcriptions*.
5. ↑ See "In Ruins" (1x41) at 1:00:55.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 48.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 293.
8. ↑ See "Dangerous Dealings" (1x42) at 2:37:42.
9. ↑ See "Dangerous Dealings" (1x42) at 2:37:42.
10. ↑ See *Vox Machina Origins Series I*, Issue #3, p. 4.
11. ↑ See "A Cycle of Vengeance" (1x58) at 2:08:30.
12. ↑ See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 294. See also p. 351.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 42.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn*, p. 54.
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 46.
16. ↑ See "In Ruins" (1x41) at 0:59:25.
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 351.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn*, p. 68.
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 54.
20. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) at 0:10:01.
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, pp. 352–353.
22. ↑ See "A Musician's Nostalgia" (1x37) at 1:48:30.
23. ↑ See "In Ruins" (1x41) at 1:02:11.
24. ↑ See "Dangerous Dealings" (1x42) at 2:58:36.
25. ↑ See "In Ruins" (1x41) at 1:02:11.
26. ↑ See "The Nameless Ones" (E1x01) at 1:11:51.
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1  Critical Role (@CriticalRole) on Twitter: "Check out our updated timeline featuring ALL of our epic adventures throughout Exandria -- including Campaign 3! ⚔️" (2021-10-28).
28. ↑ See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 60.
29. ↑ See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 295.
30. ↑ See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 294.
31. ↑ See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 317.
32. ↑ See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 318.
33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 320.
34. ↑ See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 49.
35. ↑ See *Critical Role: Vox Machina - Kith & Kin*, p. 52.
36. ↑ See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting*, p. 131.
37. ↑ See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn*, p. 53.
38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn*, p. 85.
39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 Marisha Ray and Matthew Mercer inform the rest of the cast that oloore root is one of two illegal substances traded in Emon, that the Clasp makes a lot of money from it, and that Keyleth has used it like "an ayahuasca tea" to have a vision: "Critical Role ComiCon Panal" on YouTube
40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting*, p. 55.
41. ↑ From Matthew Mercer's Reddit comment on oloore root.
42. ↑ See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting*, p. 86.
43. ↑ From Matthew Mercer's tweet on Tal'Dorei drugs.
44. ↑ See "Dangerous Dealings" (1x42) at 2:25:36.
45. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) at 5:47.
46. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) from 9:26 through 10:36.
47. ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) from 12:39 through 13:13.
48. ↑  Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins #3 on Dark Horse Digital
49. ↑ From Liam O'Brian's Q&A on Reddit (source).
50. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Fly Into The Danger Zone" (4SDx03) at 1:05:28.
51. ↑ See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn*, pp. 181–182.

**Art:**

1. ↑ Official art of symbol of the Clasp, by Conceptopolis from *Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting*, page 34. 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 Spireling Shenn and agents of the Clasp from "Dangerous Dealings" (1x42), by Thomas Brin (source). Used with permission.
3. ↑ Official art of a Clasp member, by John Anthony Di Giovanni from *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn* pg. 182. 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.