Archibald Desnay

This article is about the philosopher in Whitestone. For the High Paladin in Othanzia, see Archibald (paladin).

## Archibald Desnay

* Critical Role
* The Legend of Vox Machina

Fan art of Archibald Desnay, by Kileigh Gallagher.

Screenshot of Archibald Desnay from "The Legend of the Cast of *The Legend of Vox Machina*".

### Actor

* Matthew Mercer (*Critical Role*)
* Dominic Monaghan (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)

## Character Information

### Titles

* Chancellor of Whitestone (*Critical Role*)
* Leader of the Whitestone Rebellion (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)

### Race

* Human[*presumed*] (*Critical Role*)
* Dwarf (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)

### Age

* Very elderly (*Critical Role*)
* 20-30 (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)

### Family

* Father (cook) (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)

### Connections

* Former chancellor to Frederick de Rolo (*Critical Role*)
* Whitestone Rebellion (Leader) (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)
	+ Bryn (ally) (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)
	+ Yennen (ally) (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)
* Percival de Rolo (childhood friend) (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)

### Profession

* Chancellor (formerly) (*Critical Role*)
* Philosopher (*Critical Role*)

## Status

### Status

* Alive as of 810 PD (*Critical Role*)
* Deceased (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)

### Cause of death

Bisected by Goran Vedmire (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)

### Death episode(s)

* "The Tide of Bone" (LVM1x09) (*The Legend of Vox Machina*)

## Appearances

### First seen

* "Stoke the Flames" (1x30) (stream)
* "Spark of Rebellion" (LVM1x06) (animated)

### Last seen

* "The Tide of Bone" (LVM1x09) (animated)

### Television

*The Legend of Vox Machina* (3 episodes)

**Archibald Desnay** is a well-respected philosopher in Whitestone and was once the chancellor to Frederick de Rolo, Percy's father. As an NPC, Archibald was portrayed by Matthew Mercer.

Archibald Desnay appeared within *The Legend of Vox Machina*, where he was re-imagined as a young rebel leader voiced by Dominic Monaghan.

## **Description**

### ***Critical Role***

**Appearance**

Archibald Desnay is a very elderly man with a very thin, frail form. His weathered skin is dark and leathery, with liver spots all over his nearly hairless scalp. One of his eyes is clouded over in white. When Vox Machina first met him, he was wearing ragged robes draped over his body.

**Personality**

Archibald speaks with power, resonance, and confidence, giving off the impression that he is a man of great power and respect. He is stern and can be crotchety at times.

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

**Appearance**

Archibald was a young dwarf with red hair. After his left ear was torn off by Goran Vedmire, he wore a bloody bandage on his head.

**Personality**

Archibald was a very determined individual who did not hesitate to put himself in harm's way to help his friends and liberate Whitestone. He demonstrated great leadership skills and liked to lighten the mood through jokes, even in the heat of battle.

## **Biography**

### ***Critical Role***

**Background**

Before the Briarwoods seized control of Whitestone, Archibald had been the chancellor to Frederick de Rolo.

**Campaign One Arc 2: The Briarwoods**

Vox Machina met Archibald during their first visit to Whitestone. As they spoke to Keeper Yennen about the Briarwoods, Archibald entered the room and asked the group how they thought they could make a difference. Percy recognized him and dropped the disguise he had been wearing. The older man was both shocked and pleased to see him, having thought he had been killed. He informed Percy that his sister, Cassandra, also survived, and had been leaking information to the citizens of Whitestone. Archibald requested the help of Percy and Vox Machina in freeing the city from the Briarwoods and told them the known whereabouts of the New Nobles. Vox Machina then left to kill Count Tylieri.

After the Briarwoods fell, Cassandra apologized profusely to Archibald for feeding the Briarwoods the information he had relayed to her, but it took days before he was willing to even face her.

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

**Background**

Archibald grew up alongside Percy in Whitestone Castle, where his father worked as a cook. He and Percival de Rolo were good friends and often got in trouble together. At some point after the Lord Sylas and Lady Delilah Briarwood took control of Whitestone, Archibald became the leader of the resistance.

Shortly before Vox Machina arrived in town, Archibald was captured by Kerrion Stonefell and taken to the local prison, where Goran Vedmire tortured and questioned him. He was rescued by Vox Machina and they went to a safehouse while they rescued Percival's sister, Cassandra de Rolo. He later met up with them and tried to convince Percy to take over his role as leader of the resistance. As they were facing Delilah Briarwood's army of undead, Archie jumped in to protect Scanlan Shorthalt from Vedmire, and was killed.

## **Appearances and mentions**

* Campaign One: Vox Machina
	+ "Stoke the Flames" (1x30) (first appearance)
	+ "Reunions" (1x33), mentioned only

* *The Legend of Vox Machina, Season One*
	+ "Spark of Rebellion" (LVM1x06) (first appearance)
	+ "Scanbo" (LVM1x07)
	+ "The Tide of Bone" (LVM1x09)

## **References**

1. ↑ "The Legend of the Cast of The Legend of Vox Machina"
2. ↑ See "Stoke the Flames" (1x30) at 2:35:33.
3. ↑ Percy states that he and Archibald grew up together. Percy was a teenager when he escaped Whitestone, which was five years before the start of the series. It can be assumed that Archibald is around the same age.
4. ↑ See "Stoke the Flames" (1x30) at 2:34:03.
5. ↑ See "Stoke the Flames" (1x30) at 2:32:50.
6. ↑ See "Stoke the Flames" (1x30) at 2:33:40.
7. ↑ See "Stoke the Flames" (1x30) at 2:34:23.
8. ↑ See "Stoke the Flames" (1x30) at 2:34:03.
9. ↑ See "Stoke the Flames" (1x30) from 2:36:24 through 2:37:29.
10. ↑ See "Winter's Crest in Whitestone" (1x36) at 39:54.

**Art:**

1. ↑ Fan art of Archibald Desnay, by Kileigh Gallagher (source). Used with permission.
2. ↑ Screenshot of Archibald Desnay from "The Legend of the Cast of *The Legend of Vox Machina*". 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.