Devexian

Fan art of Devexian, by Lap Pun Cheung.

**Devexian**, also known as **D**, is an aeormaton that the Mighty Nein found in the ruined city of Aeor. He was given the name **Charlie** while he couldn't remember his true designation; later, in the time of Bells Hells, he took on the moniker "**D**", under which guise he sold Fresh Cut Grass to Dancer. As an NPC, Devexian is played by Matthew Mercer.

## **Description**

Devexian is tall, masculine-presenting, and roughly humanoid, made of dull, brass-like metal with intricate filigreed engraving and gold trim. He has no nose, but does have eye sockets, a mouth, and jaw, and a "deepish" voice. When the Mighty Nein found him, his legs had been heavily damaged.

In his guise as "D", Devexian passed for an organic humanoid, wearing a "really intricate metal mask" (in reality, probably simply his face) and a dark hooded cloak. He walked alongside a crawler-pulled cart and wore leather boots.

## **Biography**

### **Campaign Two: The Mighty Nein**

When the Mighty Nein found Devexian among the bodies in the amphitheater within the ruins of Aeor, the power crystal in his chest was cracked. They replaced it with one taken from another aeormaton, repowering the aeormaton and causing him to function again.

The aeormaton noted he had sustained injury to numerous parts of himself. He sometimes stuttered or got "stuck" while speaking and seemed to have significant gaps in his memory, including his previous designation. Caduceus named him "Charlie", and Charlie told them that his damaged systems might be able to be repaired in the Genesis Ward. Charlie was able to either learn or recall Common almost immediately. He noted that he had no offensive or defensive capabilities, but was a companion. Because his legs were so damaged, Jester carried him on her back.

The party later found a repair facility within the Genesis Ward, and when Charlie entered it, it apparently functioned properly. When he emerged, his memory had been restored (along with his name, Devexian) and his personality became much more confident and assured. Although he provided the party information about the city and where to potentially find the destination of the Tombtakers, he was unwilling to accompany them there, indicating that he needed to find his associates.

Since he was brought back online, Devexian went about bringing many other aeormatons online.

### **Campaign 3: Bells Hells**

By 843 PD Devexian was known as "D" and was selling to buyers in Marquet various bits and pieces of ancient pre-Calamity arcane machinery he said he found buried in the Rumedam Desert. At Imogen Temult's suggestion, FCG hesitantly contacted D via *Sending*, asking where he was found and if there were more like them. The answer was warm and immediate, telling FCG that it was a wonderful surprise to hear from him. D had pulled FCG from "the wreckage", and FCG's future was his to make. "There are more of you, and more to come."

When Fresh Cut Grass encountered F.R.I.D.A. in the Crystalsands Tundra they discovered that they had both been reactivated by D. FRIDA believed they were nonfunctional for a long time before D found them and woke them up, although they did not remember talking to D or getting any explanation or instructions from him. After FCG and Imogen delved into FRIDA's memories, witnessing the last moments before Aeor's destruction, FRIDA had a memory of being pulled out of rubble by D, completely ruined, and being repaired by him before being set free to find their own path.

After the apogee solstice, when the party was wondering who could fix a special harness that once belonged to Ludinus Da'leth, FCG cast *Scrying* on D, finding him near the sea in an area Chetney Pock O'Pea identified as the Menagerie Coast. A few days later, when they tried to *Scry* on him again, the spell showed him in a coastal city with polished cobblestones and a three-legged automaton pulling his cart, but no location-specific details. Dancer told FCG that D had something of a mystique because he "gets around quick", sells unique pieces, and constantly wears a metallic mask. She knew D made good money, although she wasn't sure what he did with it.

## **Relationships**

### **Veth Brenatto**

Veth was the one to replace Charlie's power core, making him functional again, though damaged and with large memory gaps. When he was repaired and remembered his past life and real name, she was attracted to his voice and self-confident demeanor.

### **Aeromatons**

* Fresh Cut Grass: He rebuilt them, repaired them, and reactivated them.
* F.R.I.D.A.: He found them and sold their pieces in Bassuras; after being contacted by them again, he was happy to know they were living their life.

## **Appearances and mentions**

* Campaign Two
	+ "The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) (first appearance)
	+ "The Genesis Ward" (2x135)
	+ "Hell or High Water" (2x136), mentioned only
* Campaign Three
	+ "What Dreams May Come" (3x34), mentioned only (first mentioned)
	+ "The Aurora Grows" (3x49), via *Sending* (first appearance)
	+ "Far From The Others" (3x52), mentioned only
	+ "Escape From The Past" (3x58), in FRIDA's memory
	+ "For The Tempest" (3x68), via *Scrying*
	+ "Nice" (3x69), mentioned only
	+ "Kindling the Spirits" (3x73), via *Scrying*
	+ "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76), mentioned only

## **Quotations**

Campaign Two: The Mighty Nein
* "Hello. My designation— There is no record of that designation. Please offer a designation."
* "I must ask permission from my associates. *(looks around)* I do not recall my associates, so I will be my associate. You will be my associate. Charlie will come with you."
* "The process of creation is different between purely organic creatures and those of artifice, but much like two of you might create a child, I was indeed created, but through intellect, through power."
* "I may not be of much help, but if I can manage to locate or discover some means of freeing associates of mine, maybe they can be of aid, if not in time, should you fail, to be a second wave of defense against this."

Campaign Three: Bells Hells
* *(to FCG, via Sending)* "A wonderful surprise. That is my gift to you: a return to your own path. I pulled you from the wreckage, and your future is yours to make. And there are more of you, and more to come."

## **Trivia**

* Devexian's name may have multiple possible origins: The suffix "-ian", when applied to a word, means "from/belonging to, relating to, or like". The English word "devex" means "bending down" or "sloping", from the Latin word "devexus". "DevEx" is an abbreviation of the term "developer experience". This can refer to either "a developer's feeling about their tools, processes, constrains etc, and how it impacts productivity", or a user experience from a developer's point of view. "Vex" means "to make someone feel annoyed/frustrated, or to cause distress to". The prefix "de-" means "from, away from, reversal, removal, etc.". Thus, to "devex" is to make someone less distressed/to make them feel better. This may relate to the Harmonious Aeormatons and/or The Care and Culling.

## **References**

1. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Kiss and Tell" (4SDx16) at 0:42:12.
2. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Kiss and Tell" (4SDx16) at 0:42:12.
3. ↑ See "The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) at 1:43:48.
4. ↑ See "A Stage Set" (3x32) at 1:23:25.
5. ↑ See "The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) at 1:43:48.
6. ↑ See "A Stage Set" (3x32) at 1:23:25.  Later, at 2:06:22, Imogen used *Detect Thoughts* on Imahara Joe to actually view his memory of seeing D.
7. ↑ See "Contentious Company" (2x120) from 1:48:11 through 1:50:54.  Two gems, one octagonal and orangish-yellow, and one red and spherical, are harvested from the downed automaton.
8. ↑ See "The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) at 1:44:50.
9. ↑ See "The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) from 1:47:26 through 1:49:42.
10. ↑ See "The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) at 1:51:07.
11. ↑ See "The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) at 1:51:28.
12. ↑ See "The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) at 1:51:52.
13. ↑ See "The Genesis Ward" (2x135) from 2:11:58 through 2:27:59.
14. ↑ See "Critical Role Campaign 2 Wrap Up" (Sx56) at 3:30:27.
15. ↑ See "A Stage Set" (3x32) at 0:49:04.
16. ↑ See "The Aurora Grows" (3x49) at 2:34:32.
17. ↑ See "Far From The Others" (3x52) at 1:34:41.
18. ↑ See "Escape From The Past" (3x58) at 3:11:02.
19. ↑ See "For The Tempest" (3x68) at 3:17:42.
20. ↑ See "Kindling the Spirits" (3x73) at 0:20:14.
21. ↑ See "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76) at 1:31:36.
22. ↑ See "The Genesis Ward" (2x135) at 2:13:25.
23. ↑ See "The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) at 1:47:52.
24. ↑ See "The Streets of the Forgotten" (2x134) at 1:50:25.
25. ↑ See "The Genesis Ward" (2x135) at 2:17:46.
26. ↑ See "The Genesis Ward" (2x135) at 2:25:20.
27. ↑ See "The Aurora Grows" (3x49) at 2:35:17.

**Art:**

1. ↑ Fan art of Devexian, by Lap Pun Cheung (source). Used with permission.
2. ↑ Fan art of Charlie and Sprinkle, by ArtByMikuTee (source). Used with permission.