Assum Emring

Screenshot of Assum Emring from "The Terror of Tal'Dorei - Part 1" (LVM1x01).

**Seeker Assum Emring** is a halfling ranger who held the title of Master of Information on the Council of Tal'Dorei in Emon. As an NPC, he is played by Matthew Mercer.

## **Description**

### **Appearance**

Assum wears ranger garb, a fine mail shirt, and a thick, dark, black cloak. He has tattoos covering one side of his face. Normally, his head is shaved bald, but since the attack of the Chroma Conclave, his hair has grown in and acid scarring has covered some of his tattoos.

## **Biography**

### ***Critical Role***

#### **Background**

Assum used to be a member of the Clasp, but was able to leave and erase almost all trace of his membership of the theives' guild. In his first meeting with Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei II, Assum's defiant demeanor almost had him arrested. However the next day, the sovereign instead offered Assum the position of Master of Information on the Tal'Dorei Council.

#### **Arc 1: Kraghammer and Vasselheim & Arc 2: The Briarwoods**

**"Shopping and Shipping" (1x14)**

Assum appeared alongside the other members of the Council of Tal'Dorei to decide what to do with the Horn of Orcus that Vox Machina brought back from the Underdark. Assum said little during the discussion, but his body language indicated that he had heard of illithid before and, like the rest of the Council, was worried about the Horn.

**"The Rematch" (1x23)**

After Vox Machina returned from Vasselheim, Assum informed Percy of a diplomatic dinner that the Council of Tal'Dorei was hosting with the Briarwoods, with one week for the group to prepare. He said he didn't trust the Briarwoods and wanted Vox Machina to attend in order to help him.

**"The Feast" (1x24)**

When Vox Machina arrived for the dinner, Assum saw through Percy's disguise and reminded Vox Machina that he was their ally and they could trust him. He told Vax'ildan—who had decided to sneak around the palace invisibly—to meet him outside the dinner once it started. Vax forgot to meet Assum and instead pursued the Briarwoods up to their chambers, where he was attacked.

**"Crimson Diplomacy" (1x25)**

Vax was nearly killed by the Briarwoods, but he managed to jump through the window with the Briarwoods in pursuit. Assum, it turned out, had been searching the Briarwoods' room during the feast, and he was hidden inside a dresser. Assum proceeded to jump through the window after Vax and the Briarwoods. He tried to pick up the dying Vax in order to drag him to safety, but Sylas Briarwood charmed Assum, forcing him to fight against Vox Machina.

**"Consequences and Cows" (1x26)**

Assum was still under the Briarwoods' charm when Vox Machina was kicked off the Council of Tal'Dorei. Keyleth managed to release him from the charm, but Assum pretended that he was still charmed so as to protect himself and investigate the situation as a double agent.

**"The Path to Whitestone" (1x27)**

Assum arrived at Greyskull Keep and explained that the Briarwoods had placed Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei II under a charm also. Having researched the Briarwoods, Assum found little information and decided to search in their claimed homeland, Wildemount, beyond the eastern curtain set up by Whitestone. Before Assum left, he agreed to teach Vex'ahlia in the art of stealth, since she was impressed by his ability and requested his training.

 **"A Musician's Nostalgia" (1x37)**

Assum was present for Uriel's apology to Vox Machina and then revealed what he knew of the Briarwoods and their illegal activity in Wildemount. He later found out along with Uriel that Riskel Daxio was a traitor through a letter.

#### **Arc 3: The Chroma Conclave**

**"Omens" (1x39)**

Assum was present at Uriel's abdication speech in the Cloudtop District when Emon was attacked by the Chroma Conclave.

**"In Ruins" (1x41)**

Vox Machina learned from Gilmore that Assum survived the attack, and Empress Salda Tal'Dorei mentioned that he was helping survivors.

**"The Frigid Doom" (1x64)**

Vox Machina did not see Assum again until they returned to Whitestone after their adventure in the Feywild. He supposedly arrived but hours before them. Although Matthew portrayed the character of Assum in this interaction, the actual entity Vox Machina spoke to here was Raishan, the Diseased Deceiver, having taken Assum's form to siphon information from Vox Machina, and infiltrate Whitestone to start discussions of an alliance to face The Cinder King.

**"Passed Through Fire" (1x69)**

After Vox Machina returned from Glintshore, Assum requested a private meeting with them in Castle Whitestone. There it was revealed that, ever since he had entered Whitestone, Seeker Assum Emring had actually been the dragon Raishan in disguise, leaving the real Assum's whereabouts unknown to Vox Machina.

**"Trust" (1x70)**

When questioned about the real Assum, Raishan said that he was still alive and working with the Clasp in Emon.

**"The Coming Storm" (1x73)**

Vox Machina later requested that Raishan go to Emon, find Assum, and bring him back to Whitestone. The dragon reluctantly agreed.

**"Clash at Daxio" (1x77)**

Assum Emring was taken to Whitestone by Raishan, bearing a few new scars from acid burns courtesy of Umbrasyl, but otherwise alive and well. He joined the rest of Vox Machina's allies in planning the attack on Thordak.

#### **836 PD**

Between Campaign One and Campaign Two, Assum stepped down as Master of Information; he was succeeded in that role by Odessa Tal'Dorei, whom he mentored.

### ***The Legend of Vox Machina***

Assum is present at the council meeting to discuss ongoing failures to deal with an unidentified threat (later identified as the dragon Brimscythe) razing the countryside. He is also present when Vox Machina presents themselves to Uriel and the council to take up the job of slaying this threat. Assum also attends the banquet Uriel holds to discuss dangers to the realm, attended also by the Briarwoods; this is also the first time he is identified as Seeker Assum Emring, Master of Information. All of his appearances in the series so far are non-speaking appearances.

## **Character information**

### **Abilities**

#### **Halfling abilities**

* Lucky
* Brave
* Halfling Nimbleness
* Subrace: Stout
	+ Stout Resiliance

#### **Other abilities**

Skirmisher's Stealth: If Assum starts his turn hidden from a creature, he can use a bonus action to make a Stealth check to hide again at the end of his turn.

## **Appearances and mentions**

* Campaign One
	+ "Shopping and Shipping" (1x14) (first appearance)
	+ "Skyward" (1x15)
	+ "The Rematch" (1x23)
	+ "The Feast" (1x24)
	+ "Crimson Diplomacy" (1x25)
	+ "Consequences and Cows" (1x26)
	+ "The Path to Whitestone" (1x27)
	+ "Reunions" (1x33), mentioned only
	+ "A Musician's Nostalgia" (1x37)
	+ "Omens" (1x39)
	+ "The Frigid Doom" (1x64), mentioned only
	+ "Trust" (1x70), mentioned only
	+ "Path of Brass" (1x74), mentioned only
	+ "Clash at Daxio" (1x77)
	+ "The Siege of Emon" (1x78), mentioned only
	+ "What Lies Beneath the Surface" (1x81), mentioned only
* Campaign Two
	+ "Titles and Tattoos" (2x84), mentioned only
* *The Legend of Vox Machina*
	+ "The Terror of Tal'Dorei - Part 1" (LVM1x01), unnamed
	+ "The Feast of Realms" (LVM1x03), non-speaking appearance
	+ "The Darkness Within" (LVM1x12), non-speaking appearance

## **Trivia**

* Assum's name being so similar to the word "assume" has been a running gag by the cast throughout Campaign 1.
* In "Titles and Tattoos" (2x84), when the Mighty Nein ask Yussa Errenis if he knows of any members of the Tal'Dorei Council besides Allura, he names Assum. If he is correct, then at least two members of the Council remain through campaigns 1 and 2.
	+ This turns out to be incorrect, as Matt states in "Critical Role Campaign 2 Wrap Up" (Sx56), at some point before Campaign 2, Assum stepped down as Master of Information. He mentored his successor, Odessa Tal'Dorei.

## **References**

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting*, p. 36.
2. ↑ See "Shopping and Shipping" (1x14) at 1:01:25.
3. ↑ See "Shopping and Shipping" (1x14) at 1:01:25.
4. ↑ See "Shopping and Shipping" (1x14) at 1:00:59.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn*, p. 161.
6. ↑ See "The Rematch" (1x23) at 3:03:59.
7. ↑ See "Shopping and Shipping" (1x14) at 1:00:59.
8. ↑ See "Shopping and Shipping" (1x14) at 1:01:09.  The tattoos are on the right side, according to Matt's hand gesture.
9. ↑ See "The Frigid Doom" (1x64) at 30:42.
10. ↑ See "The Rematch" (1x23) from 3:04:43 through 3:06:50.
11. ↑ See "The Feast" (1x24) from 2:52:43 through 2:53:50.
12. ↑ See "The Feast" (1x24) from 2:53:53 through 2:54:08.
13. ↑ See "The Feast" (1x24) at 2:39:00.
14. ↑ See "Crimson Diplomacy" (1x25) at 28:10.
15. ↑ See "Crimson Diplomacy" (1x25) at 38:03.
16. ↑ See "Crimson Diplomacy" (1x25) at 52:33.
17. ↑ See "Crimson Diplomacy" (1x25) at 54:22.
18. ↑ See "Consequences and Cows" (1x26) from 53:40 through 56:15.
19. ↑ See "The Path to Whitestone" (1x27) at 1:23:30.
20. ↑ See "The Path to Whitestone" (1x27) at 1:41:03.
21. ↑ See "A Musician's Nostalgia" (1x37) from 1:01:01 through 1:05:00.
22. ↑ See "Omens" (1x39) at 3:24:44.
23. ↑ See "In Ruins" (1x41) at 2:30:40.
24. ↑ See "The Frigid Doom" (1x64) at 28:36.
25. ↑ See "Passed Through Fire" (1x69) from 2:44:20 through 2:48:48.
26. ↑ See "Trust" (1x70) at 24:12.
27. ↑ See "The Coming Storm" (1x73) from 2:32:45 through 2:34:28.
28. ↑ See "Clash at Daxio" (1x77) at 3:48:30.
29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 See "Critical Role Campaign 2 Wrap Up" (Sx56) at 4:06:47.
30. ↑ See "The Terror of Tal'Dorei - Part 1" (LVM1x01) at 1:31.
31. ↑ See "The Terror of Tal'Dorei - Part 1" (LVM1x01) at 8:55.
32. ↑ See "The Feast of Realms" (LVM1x03) at 8:25.
33. ↑ See "The Path to Whitestone" (1x27) at 2:39:22.  Despite Matt describing Skirmisher's Stealth as a "ranger ability", no such class feature exists in Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. There is however a similar 14th-level feature called Vanish, which allows a ranger to take the Hide action as a bonus action.
34. ↑ See "The Frigid Doom" (1x64) at 0:28:36.

**Art:**

1. ↑ Screenshot of Assum Emring from "The Terror of Tal'Dorei - Part 1" (LVM1x01). 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 Assum, by Kileigh Gallagher (source). Used with permission.