Ashton Greymoore

* Level 10
* Level 3

Official art of Ashton, 2023 update, by Hannah Friederichs.

Official art of Ashton, by Hannah Friederichs.

### Causes of death

Exploded by the Quintessence Array absorbing the shard of Rau'shan (reversed by the Ring of Temporal Salvation)

## Appearances

### Stream

Campaign Three (74 episodes)

“
Well, you know... heaven to some, and hell to others.
”

–
Ashton to Fearne about the inside of his head.
[!h]

**Ashton Greymoore** is an earth genasi barbarian and a member of Bells Hells. Ashton is played by Taliesin Jaffe.

## **Description**

### **Appearance**

Ashton is 5'10" tall and has green stone skin and short, dark-purple crystal hair. They have a prominent hole in the left side of their head filled with slag glass, through which an opalescent brain can be seen, and the eye on the cracked side of Ashton's head is milky white, and it has been implied that it is no longer functional. There are cracks across Ashton's left side, patched together with what looks like slag melted gold (like kintsugi). Their blood is a very deep red, almost black.

Ashton has piercings made mostly of nails, carries multiple leather pouches, and wears a lot of well-worn leather with red fabric lining. The back of his hand-decorated jacket says "JUST DON'T". He carries a big glass hammer which has "FUCK OFF" engraved in it. On Ashton's pant leg is a patch with a symbol of the Clasp.

During the party's voyage on the *Crimson Abyss* ghost pirate ship, Ashton got a tattoo on the shoulders and back of a flaming bell and the primordial words, "From the earth, of the earth, to the earth." After Ashton's plunge into the lava pool within Athos Peak, the gold-filled cracks in their left side appeared to be somewhat healed, although the gold remained.

After Ashton absorbed the power of Rau'shan's shard, their entire body was destroyed and then reformed. The gold veins in their body became glowing orange before cooling to their original appearance, and their right arm was replaced by a larger, rougher, black stone arm, "halfway to an earth elemental's". When Fearne's touch awakened the Shard of Ka'Mort inside Ashton, they became one or two feet taller, stone spikes grew from their body, and their eyes became stone gray, with yellow vertical cracks acting as pupils. His legs trunked out at the bottom. Ashton was able to drop this effect and return to his normal appearance, but his right arm remained hard and gem-like. While transformed, his constant pain was almost unnoticeable, but returned when the effect dropped.

### **Personality**

When Campaign Three opened, Ashton was living in the Fownsee Hollow neighborhood inside the Core Spire of Jrusar, in what would be considered destitute surroundings by anyone of means. It is a location where people come or are thrown to be forgotten. However, they saw it as colorful and fun, and had decorated their room with cast-offs and bright trinkets of little actual value.

Ashton described himself as "cranky and unpleasant", and FCG immediately agreed with him. Ashton recognized that he could be difficult with people. He identified his main goals as self-reliance, and freedom to move about. He is not sure if he's ever been in love or not, but there are many different forms of love and he's had close friends in the past. On several occasions, Ashton has manifested an aggressive protectiveness towards members of Bells Hells, but they are also capable of being reassuring and understanding when necessary, even with complete strangers. After having spent a lot of time with the other adventurers, the genasi has become a little more hopeful too, being willing to become more heroic and inspiring.

On *4-Sided Dive*, Taliesin stated that Ashton has a complex series of rules that they live by, including "If you have a deal, you don't fuck with it. If you fuck with the deal, [there will be a] new deal and I get to make up what it is," "Don't put your hands on me if I don't know you," and "Whatever's happening right in front of you is the most important thing." His rules also apply to the people they care about; in fact, Ashton gets angry with himself when he realizes that he is starting to care about someone, because he is aware that he is exposing himself to betrayal or other hurt. Right now he has a general distaste for any form of authority, preferring to cause chaos wherever he finds it. That and other things are part of what the barbarian considers "fun", although he is aware that not everyone enjoys the same things as him. Despite the most recent positive feelings towards their friends, Ashton still considers themself romantically unlovable, not being really aware of being someone's crush when it happens.

Ashton has always taken pride on being a "nobody", but secretly wanted to have some sort of legacy. Prior to joining Bells Hells, they saw themselves as a person who always loses. After learning about the Hishari and their connection with Ka'Mort, the barbarian was both glad and annoyed by finally getting a past of their own, and being biased regarding their origins, deliberately ignoring some of the controversy surrounding the Hishari. After unsuccessfully attempting to absorb the fire elemental shard of Rau'shan, Ashton realized it had taken them less than a week to do exactly the same thing as their father Efterin had done in grasping for power, admitting they were both selfish and conceited.

## **Biography**

### **Background**

Although at the beginning of the Campaign Ashton only very vaguely remembered his early childhood, he was born part of a group called the Hishari in a village in Issylra, a commune built around a charismatic leader named Efterin, his father. At that time, Ashton was a normal-appearing child without the rocky elements that later became a part of their physicality.

The Hishari delved into esoteric elemental worship without fully understanding what they were playing with. As a child, Ashton was part of a climactic ceremony around a vibrant, glowing gateway, and watched a cataclysmic event rip everything apart. It was his last memory of his parents before he was found wandering the deadlands outside Bassuras and was taken to the Greymoore State Home in Bassuras. The people running the place "weren't that bad", but they always seemed to be exhausted. At some point, around age 10 to 12, Ashton began to slowly change into his present rocky form. Ashton attended school for a while, but before 835 PD he had already dropped out to do odd jobs and go on adventures, running with a crew called the Nobodies who had grown up together as kids in the Greymoore Home.

Several years before 843 PD, Ashton and the rest of the Nobodies broke into Jiana Hexum's home in Jrusar as part of a job. Jiana walked in on the attempted burglary and used magic to push Ashton back. They fell out the window and were gravely injured. Milo Krook was able to patch them up with "some weird chaos fairy magic bullshit". Specifically, Ashton still had a grip on a crystal vial of a magic-looking, shiny gray liquid he had found in a trapped crate inside the room, and when nothing else seemed to be reviving Ashton, Milo poured the contents of the vial into the hole in Ashton's head and sealed the wound with glass. This was later confirmed to be distilled dunamis, otherwise known as a Potion of Possibility. Ashton's arm was patched with the gold he would have received as payment for the break-in. Ever since then, Ashton is in constant pain whenever he moves.

The rest of the Nobodies left Ashton behind when they left Jrusar, and Jiana eventually was able to track down Ashton because of his distinctive head injury. Rather than turning them in to the authorities, she instead asked for their services as a means of paying off their debt to her. Ashton accepted.

As of "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03), Ashton was in debt with multiple third parties, which included Hexum.

Ashton claims to have done a lot of work with the Clasp. He mentions having done a lot of work with smuggling between cities, as well as brawling, breaking and entering, and work as a bodyguard.

Ashton has since lived in Jrusar for some time. A few months prior to the events of "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01), Ashton was hired by the Rayia family to investigate the disappearance of the Division of Public Benefit, who they hired a week before to clear out their silver mine from unknown monsters. Upon arriving at the assigned place, they discovered Fresh Cut Grass, along with several corpses of the other party members scattered across the camp.

### **Campaign Three**

#### **Arc 1: Jrusar**

The group that became Bells Hells first came together after being individually drawn into a fight against animated furniture in the streets of Jrusar, and through that making the acquaintance of Lord Ariks Eshteross. After the death of Bertrand Bell, Orym happened to mention his background with the Ashari of Zephrah to Eshteross, and Ashton immediately was struck by the similarity between that name and the name of his own childhood people, the Hishari. This was the first time he had heard anything that vaguely connected to his past, and it was at that moment he decided to stay with the group.

The day before Bells Hells infiltrated the Moon Tower, Jiana Hexum requested Ashton's assistance in a wager that she would be able to successfully steal a designated item from the Twilight Mirror Museum in the Heartmoor Hamlet owned by her rival Evon Hytroga. She promised to clear Ashton's debt if they were successful, and to pay extra if Hytroga were to be even further embarrassed. The party agreed, and met with Jiana eight days later to finalize the details. She offered them 500 gold apiece (minus Ashton) for the theft and double that if they embarrassed Hytroga. During the successful heist, Ashton noticed and felt strangely familiar with a suit of Hishari armor on display. He took the mask-like helmet with him. Afterwards, the group returned to Jrusar and collected their rewards from Jiana. She confirmed that Ashton's debt was paid.

Ashton admitted to having trouble remembering the events of the break-in they had been involved in at Hexum's manor, which had created the debt in the first place. Using *Detect Thoughts*, Imogen and FCG were able to allow Ashton to regain some of those memories. In flashes, he recalled a dark corner table in a tavern with figures (including Milo Krook) seated around it. One figure said, "These shipments she's getting are timed. There's something to it. I think tonight's our chance." Ashton saw himself in Hexum's manor crowbarring a crate open, as a woman named Sally hurried him. As he pulled a crystal vial free, dull red runes begin to glow on the floor of the chamber. He remembered falling from the balcony, frantic voices saying, "He's dead, just leave him," and blurred images. Then a bright unfocused light, flickering shapes lightly drifting, and Milo asking, "Are you okay?"

When the spell dropped, Ashton was furious. They told the others that Jiana had had one of those crates in her office while they were there. They also recognized all of the other figures in the memories. Ashton wanted to go to Bassuras, hoping that since the Nobodies met there, some some of them might still be there.

#### **Arc 2: Ruidus Rising**

When the party reached Bassuras, Ashton dealt with the crawler gang that met the skyship and they recognized his last name, "Greymoore", as indicating he was "from the House". Later, Laudna tearfully confided in him her ongoing tension with Imogen over the inadvertent destruction of the gnarlrock, and Ashton comforted her and suggested getting Imogen a new rock. Ashton also visited Justi Pross at All-Minds-Burn and got their pledge to help hide Armand Treshi should Bells Hells capture him. Justi suggested challenging Paragon's Call to a Deathwish Run. That evening, Ashton told Fresh Cut Grass that if anyone made FCG feel bad, Ashton would kill them.

In the morning, Ashton visited Paragon's Call where General Ratanish greeted them in a friendly way. He accepted Ashton's story of looking for casual work. Ratanish introduced Otohan Thull, and Ashton was awestruck to be meeting such a famous figure. Otohan told them they must must prove themselves either by fighting or by participating in the Deathwish Run. Ashton, as a local kid, chose the race, and Otohan set the time for dusk that evening. In the race, Ashton drove one vehicle, succeeding in almost reaching the finish line before crashing at a final trap set there. That evening, they stayed with FCG who was being repaired at Imahara Joe's, and Ashton was present there when Birdie Calloway arrived.

During the battle against the Fist of the Ruiner gang, Ashton healed Fresh Cut Grass from unconsciousness with a Potion of healing. He also pickpocketed a giant's thimble from Fearne as the battle was continuing.

After Ira Wendagoth stole the Moontide Crown and disappeared, Ashton asked Orym for the Weave Lens Orym had removed from the Veilscatter Scope. Aston, thinking that as a magical item it would be immune to damage, hit it with their hammer, shattering it. Laudna immediately cast *Mending* on it but the party was unsure if the enchantment remained. Later, Ashton urged the group to investigate what seemed like missing memories of Birdie and Oleander Calloway, and when they did, they discovered multiple blurred, tampered-with memories of their interactions with Ira. That night, Ashton fell asleep looking at the Hishari armor from the Twilight Mirror Museum heist, but only felt a tingle at the back of their mind.

When FCG went berserk and attacked the party physically and verbally, Ashton grappled him rather than attacking. When FCG recovered, Ashton realized that the horrific scene encountered on their first meeting could indeed have been created by FCG himself, remembering that one of FCG's ocular units was damaged when Ashton found him and had to be replaced, so that FCG could be the one-eyed monster he described as the attacker. Ashton told FCG, "I think, upon reflection of the day that we met-- I think that might've been-- I don't think that the cave is what killed your friends. I think you might've had an episode." Ashton also pointed out that any one of them except Orym could snap at any moment; it's happened before.

On the party's return to Bassuras and the Paragon's Call's headquarters, the Seat of Disdain, Ashton joined Laudna to retrieve the tracking ring used on Armand Treshi. On the way back, Ashton told Laudna he thought she was hiding a bunch of bad shit. Ashton had come to terms with being broken, but thought Imogen and FCG could still fix themselves. Laudna suggested they could give them the life she and Ashton never had. Ashton told her he worries about her, and suggested she communicate with everyone more. Her bullshit is adorable, but not all the time.

In the chaos created by the attack on the Seat of Disdain, Ashton managed to steal some of the Potions of Possibility being loaded onto a crawler for transport. In the initial action of the battle against Otohan Thull that followed, Ashton was brought from nearly full health to unconscious in one turn, but was fed a potion of healing by Orym. He was subsequently knocked out and healed back by Laudna, and was caught in Imogen's pulse of psychic energy, remembering:

“
Enveloped in shadowless infinity, too bright to blink nor look away, you are a child. You were worried as others rush to finish something you do not understand. You do not hear. Your elven father shouts orders without sound, pointing about excitedly. You look back to your saintly, strong mother, the fear within you growing with the tension in the air, but she touches your shoulder and kisses your head. She points ahead as the many people take their places around the vibrant, glowing gateway. Your mother steps to your father and hands him his vestments. He places his leather mask and headdress upon his face, the details curving upward as if reaching for the sparking opening. "It begins."
”

–
Ashton's vision.
[!h]

Later, Ashton told the party that prior to this, his memories of his early childhood had been unclear. He was originally a member of the Hishari, an elemental-centered tribe, and the leather ceremonial mask he took from the Twilight Mirror Museum was identical to the one worn by his father in the vision. That was the last day he spent with his parents. He was too young to be able to remember clearly, but he remembers "watching everything go, everything rip apart" in some kind of cataclysm. He woke up wandering the deadlands outside Bassuras and was placed in the Greymoore Home.

Once back in Jrusar, Ashton asked Imogen and FCG to jointly cast *Detect Thoughts* on them in an attempt to recover more memories of the night the Nobodies broke into Jiana Hexum's home and Ashton was left gravely injured or possibly dead. The memories were familiar, the story of their injury and repair, and the use of a Potion of Possibility sealed into their head. Pushing further, Imogen was blocked by a glass-like wall similar to the glass in Ashton's head. Gradually, it filled with swirling star-filled grey mist. She got flashes of disconnected images of Ashton, an infinite number of potential Ashtons, none of them the one they know, some injured, some not, some with normal skin rather than the stony earth genasi form. Ashton's nose began to bleed as Imogen experienced fear similar to the first time she ran from the red storm of her dreams.

FCG saw Ashton's memories of that night through Ashton's eyes but found himself alone and trapped in a series of crystal chambers. Ashton, meanwhile, was trapped in the moment they saw the white flash of the trap in Jiana Hexum's home exploding. When FCG looked down, his body looked like Ashton's, and he realized that Ashton was in almost constant pain when they move. When Fearne looked into the glass in Ashton's head, she saw two tiny figures floating there. Ashton began to become aware of the invasion within their mind and tried to hit themself, but was too woozy and failed. Imogen *Commanded* "Wake up!" causing the glass around them to shatter and they all found themselves back in the tavern room. They realized the Potion of Possibility was what gave Ashton their powers.

When Keyleth transported the party to Whitestone to find help to return Laudna to life, Ashton angrily confronted Lord de Rolo about his refusal to help if there was a chance Delilah Briarwood might return with her. Percival told him not to lose his anger, but warned him that if they brought Delilah back, Percy would kill them all to protect his family and his city. When he left, Ashton angrily punched a statue and encountered three bears, one of them ancient. Ashton told the youngest bear that it must be nice to be able to growl at people and not have to explain yourself.

After Bells Hells returned to Jrusar they discovered that Otohan had killed Eshteross, and that they had inherited the Silver Sun from the orcish noble. With the ship they started their journey to Yios, and during that journey Ashton had an honest conversation with Orym in which he reminded the halfling that being "the good one" of the group was probably very stressful, and it was ok to ask for help. He even allowed the fighter to touch his arm and hug him, despite the barbarian's general dislike for physical touch.

Later in the journey Bells Hells went with the Gorgynei to Zha'Vrollo, a temple in the Gloomed Jungles where Chetney went through Sahyaadon's trial and transformed into a bigger and more terrifying incarnation of his wolf form. His friends had to fight him while the gnome tried to regain control. Ashton battled with enthusiasm, although constantly appealing to Chetney's mind, mentioning how they would prefer to face the blood hunter as himself, not as a mindless monster. Eventually, it was the earth genasi's angered speech that was the one that helped Chetney fully regain control, after which Ashton punched him for making the fight so hard for the group. The next morning, before the Silver Sun came to pick them up, Ashton convinced Annaline (who also fought with a hammer) to do some sparring, during which she gave them advice about how to confront Chetney if necessary.

After arriving to Yios Bells Hells went to a casino for a last night of fun before starting their mission in the city. Ashton bought custom drinks for all of them, and played different games; at some point, when Fearne told a guard she was a traveling professor, Ashton helped her by saying he worked for "Professor Calloway". When they were in their room, the genasi talked to Pâté de Rolo and asked him to protect Laudna; during the same conversation they also threatened Delilah Briarwood just in case she was somehow listening through the familiar, which left Pâté quite confused. While they were in the room Ashton also thanked Imogen and Orym for being the reason why the group was in Yios, since otherwise the barbarian would have never visited the city.

The next day, after Bells Hells fought Shithead, an undead bird that was chasing Fresh Cut Grass, they noticed that Ashton had left. When Imogen talked to them via *Sending*, the genasi said that he was "following a thing". After a brief journey to the Elemental Plane of Fire, Ashton's friends decided that they should travel to the Feywild next, and Imogen cast *Sending* to Ashton agreeing to meet at the Aydinlan Seminary. Ashton showed up covered in food and disguised with a magical glamour that he immediately dismissed, explained that he had run into Violet (a spellcaster that worked with him and Hexum in the past), ending up dragged into a chaotic mission against a local mob called the Baneful Brood, which led to interrogations, kenkus being kidnapped and the local sentries of the city arresting some of the criminals; Ashton explained that they had done all that so Violet wouldn't feel like the genasi owed her anything, and so she wouldn't cause trouble for Bells Hells (they also boasted of having obtained a valuable contact, only to realize that they weren't in their true appearance at the time).

Bells Hells divided into three groups: Chetney, Orym, and Ashton stayed at the entrance of the Seminary where the genasi updated them further on his separate adventures in Yios until they saw Ludinus Da'leth leaving the building. Worried about the rest of the group, Ashton helped Orym intimidate Carolle the receptionist into not giving them trouble as they rushed to Kadija Sumal's office, discovering that Ludinus had talked with Imogen and Fearne after cursing Professor Sumal and stealing documents from her. Ashton spoke calmly and soothingly to Kadija. Ashton also hit Orym after he made a joke about Exandria being flat so he wouldn't encourage that idea. When the party *Plane Shifted* to the Harrowcall Fens near the home of Fearne's grandmother Morri Calloway, both Ashton and Orym expressed how intense the Fey Realm seemed to them in the very short time they had been there. When Morri offered them a cocktail, Ashton eagerly accepted. The group stayed at the mansion for the rest of the day, and Fearne caught up with her grandmother, who, despite her sinister appearance, was very welcoming. The druid showed her friends her old room and (with Morri's permission), the Fatestitcher's collection; there Morrigan, who had previously showed interest in the genasi's damaged head, inspected it and was surprised when the magic within reacted to her. Ashton decided to show the hag their strange abilities by raging, manifesting powers that not even the rest of Bells Hells had seen before, surprising them all; in order to gain Morri's favor, the barbarian took the magical bust out of the portable hole and gave it to the old fey, who was pleased by this. The next day the adventurers said goodbye to Morri, who gave them directions on how to get to Unseelie territory and how to find a portal back to the Material Plane; grateful for the magical bust the mortals had given her, the hag gave them magical items and a substance to ensure their return to Exandria without suffering from the time warp. Ashton showed particular enthusiasm about the idea of receiving more drinks from the hag.

On the way to Sun's Shadow the adventurers met first Dr. Nesbitt (a bird friend of Fearne's who had followed them to say goodbye to her before leaving) and then a patrol of three nomadic centaurs who tried to capture them to sell them to the Unseelie Court; Bells Hells ended up fighting them, knocking two of them unconscious and killing the third and the animated tree they had summoned; during the fight Ashton used his dunamantic powers to ruin an enemy's shot, and after the battle was over, the genasi broke the arrows and briefly checked if centaurs had pockets (since he had always wondered).

As they were about to enter the Shiver Keep the party had to dodge an Unseelie patrol, and in the process Ashton became bogged down by a particularly sentient section of ground; although they were hidden by magic (including, ironically, Ashton's *Pass without Trace*), Chetney had to throw some ball bearings, making noise that attracted the fey enemies; meanwhile, Ashton managed to free their now bloody leg (since, as Morri had warned them, sometimes the earth takes its "iron tithe"), and Bells Hells entered the fortress. There, Laudna and Orym went ahead climbing the walls, and to get under a door Ashton used their portable hole, in which they locked up two guards until they suffocated, at which time the barbarian took the opportunity to put on the armor of one of them. Shortly after, during the sabotage of the Malleus Key, Ashton used his rage several times, skilfully fighting the creatures guarding the machine.

After destroying the machine Ashton and their friends fled through the forest, avoiding the Unseelie the best they could. When facing Terrosh, the portal guardian, the barbarian was the first to notice how they should interact with that entity, speaking in rhymes and later singing, and offering a porcelain thimble (that he had stolen from Fearne) as payment to use the portal, which the strange fey being accepted, sending him through it to Exandria.

When Bells Hells appeared in the Taloned Highlands, near Imogen's hometown, Ashton helped finding a place to rest, telling Fearne he had really liked her home. When FCG mentioned wanting to make a new recipe, and Ashton gave them a gift: ingredients he had stolen from a kitchen in Yios; the genasi expressed his interest in FCG cooking, and that if they could get the aeormaton to develop senses of taste and smell, it would be perfect if he could prepare his first meal himself. After some deliberation the group took the dead Unseelie guards out of the portable hole where Ashton had left them, sending them through the portal with a note, as "snacks" for Terrosh.

After Imogen, FCG, Laudna and Chetney traveled through dreams and found out Ryn had been petrified near the Malleus Key in the Tishtan ruins, Ashton asked about the experienced and expressed his concern about the possibility that the Planerider was being interrogated even in her current state. Later in the journey the genasi also wondered if Imogen was able to communicate with her reilora.

After one last night of rest the party arrives at Imogen's village, where Ashton was particularly protective of Laudna, making sure she felt safe in the village that had treated her badly in the past. When they met with Imogen's dad, Relvin Temult, Ashton advised FCG not to feel responsible for whatever that encounter may cause. However, despite the initial tensions, the father-daughter reunion proved relatively productive, and when the Silver Sun arrived FCG and their friends left Gelvaan in dramatic fashion.

While Bells Hells traveled to the Tishtan excavation site they noticed that there were strange multicolored lights in the sky, and trying to determine their nature Ashton raged, producing a small spark, but nothing beyond that to help him (they finally determined that the lights were the ley lines, visible due to the proximity of the apogee solstice). As the group discussed potential allies and plans to stop the Ruby Vanguard, Ashton dismissed the idea of Fresh Cut Grass blowing himself up, though they did appreciate the aspect of infiltrating as part of the excavation workers; the genasi suggested contacting his old group, the Nobodies, and FCG ended up asking Milo Krook to pass on information about their mission. Later, following a dream in which Liliana Temult had expressed to her daughter her confidence in Ludinus' plan to destroy the gods, Ashton eloquently reminded their friends that if the Ruby Vanguard were really doing something good they would tell people, but instead they moved in secret and made everyone who came in contact with their organization miserable.

Before going to bed Ashton and Laudna spent a while drinking together; the sorcerer congratulated the barbarian on their speech and inquired about their mysterious past; Ashton talked with her for a bit about their shared background, and expressed interest in the differences (both had been death, but the second time it happened to Laudna, she had woken up finding her friends still with her, unlike Ashton). The genasi admitted that while he hated everyone in Bells Hells a little bit, he loved them a little bit too; though reluctant, he told her about the few memories he had from his past, how he had witnessed a family member being torn to pieces, and how the only word he remembered from his childhood, "Hishari," had prompted him to join their current group when he learned that Orym was an Ashari. Laudna encouraged her friend to talk to the halfling, and they said they would do so after dealing with the solstice. Laudna helped him go back to bed.

In the following days Ashton used his contact with Hexum to find out where to get resources in Bassuras, he (as well as Fearne) also learned a bit from Xandis about how to fly their skyship, and during a dust storm they used their extraordinary strength to keep the mast instead. Ashton tried to apologize for whatever he said to Laudna while drunk, but she brushed it off, praising the vulnerable moment and reiterating that the barbarian should talk to Orym. While in Bassuras, Ashton, Imogen and Orym went to the shop of a dwarf called Yuni, from which they acquired materials and magical objects, although paying an immense amount of gold. When Bells Hells were dividing up their items (new and old) Ashton showed interest in using Imogen's Feywild shard, but after finding out it could only be used by a sorcerer they handed it over to Laudna.

In the last period of the journey Ashton suggested to Orym that in order to know more about his mysterious seed he should feed it, and thanks to that the group received a hopeful message from Keyleth, who wanted to join forces against Ludinus. After that Chetney expressed his confidence in their possibilities, being scolded by the barbarian for saying such things out loud. The night before their last day traveling to the ruins Ashton spent some time in their room, working on a project, but later they drank for two hours in the back of the ship, arguing with people who weren't really there.

On the last leg of their journey, Bells Hells reviewed their plan to infiltrate the Tishtan excavation site and try to destroy the Malleus Key by crashing the *Silver Sun* against it. They decided that Fearne and FCG would stay in the ship with Ira (who they still didn't trust, although Ashton was comfortable not trusting him) and Captain Xandis to be able to achieve that and then magically abandon the ship before impact; during that part of the flight the barbarian wondered if the Nightmare King had witnessed other solstices, and as they got closer to the ruins he also wondered about the effects the antimagic waves from the excavation might have on the ship. When Imogen, Laudna, Chetney, Orym and Ashton, disguised as members of Paragon's Call and the Ruby Vanguard, were about to leave infiltrate enemy territory, the genasi hugged Fearne, trying to steal something from her but she noticed; when they confessed they wanted to take something personal and irreplaceable, Fearne kissed them in the head, leaving the genasi briefly surprised, although shortly after he told her that she was really great.

After a short journey the adventurers reached the Tishtan ruins, where thanks to Imogen's confidence they were able to get in smoothly; however, a little further they were stopped since some of them looked suspicious, which led to a battle. Although Ashton started the combat immobilized by a mage's *Hold Person*, that spellcaster lost concentration after being attacked, so the barbarian started raging and attacking, feeling smug during the whole battle. Shortly after they met Beauregard Lionett and Caleb Widogast, two allies of Ryn who also wanted to stop Ludinus; during their conversation the wizard talked about the dunamis the Vanguard was using, and when he explained the nature of dunamancy, Ashton was really interested, recognizing the similarities with their own chaotic powers.

When the adventurers were joined by FCG and Fearne after a bit, Ashton proposed that while most of the team were hiding inside the defeated Warder (now under the cleric's control) a couple of them should stay outside as guides, and the party ended up doing that, with Imogen and Orym pretending to be a member of the Vanguard bringing a prisoner. However, one of the exaltants didn't believe the sorcerer, and a brief battle ensued, during which the barbarian managed to kill a half-giant; initially they kept a halfling as prisoner and interrogated him, but when they were leaving Ashton snapped his neck.

Because of the sabotage happening in the excavation, Ludinus decided to rush his plans with the Malleus Key, rallying his forces (and the captured Caleb and Beau) while delivering a speech, during which Ashton and Laudna went to another power source (using the barbarian's *Pass Without Trace* to be stealthy), and after avoiding the security glyphs they attacked it until the genasi decided to toss a stick of dynamite into the machine, after which they both left, returning to the main chamber.

#### **Arc 3: Separations and Explorations**

After the Malleus Key activated, Bells Hells were sent far away, and Ashton (who initially was convinced they had succeeded), Laudna and Orym appeared in a cliffside, in an area with geysers from which the beam of red energy hitting Ruidus was visible, although very far away. Ashton, after noticing how weird their new situation was, started laughing nervously, but ended up calming down. The three of them started climbing the cliff, led by Orym, who was using the warlock's immovable rod and some rope to assist the group; Ashton's earth genasi powers proved to be useful moving through that rocky surface, and he helped Laudna when she needed it. They were joined by Deni$e, a dwarven woman who had been sent there as well, but from Tal'Dorei, and the barbarian acted welcoming towards her when the rogue showed a personality similar to his own. Later, when they found a very scared Bor'Dor Dog'Son in the forest, Ashton was the first to accept the half-elf's offer of hospitality, even opening the portable hole and taking out the two corpses that had been forgotten inside. When a third person, Prism, joined the group, the genasi was annoyed by her sentient spellbook, Dynios.

When three plant monsters attacked the party Ashton fought with great enthusiasm, displaying their chaotic powers, and at the end they praised Deni$e, a barbarian like them. After the battle the group prepared for the night, and using Bor'Dor's first bonfire and the two corpses Ashton had in the hole, Prism created an alarm system, casting *Magic Mouth* so that the corpses would speak if someone got too close to that area; when Bells Hells explained to their new friends their mission against Ludinus, the barbarian, who had initially been optimistic about their performance, declared that the group had failed to stop the archmage. During their watch, Ashton and Laudna talked for a bit, and he comforted her, noticing that she was trying really hard to keep her composure and not have a mental breakdown from being separated from the other half of Bells Hells; the genasi assured her that no matter what, they would keep their friends safe and reunite with the rest of Bells Hells.

While following the Outerwalk Road Ashton, who hadn't slept well, was not very willing to exploring more than necessary, and expressed that feeling when some of their friends showed interest about a creepy abandoned gallows. When the group arrived to Hearthdell the barbarian complimented the tobacco of a local man, Hender, buying some and making the old villager more willing to share information with them.

After talking to Elder Joan Abaddina Bells Hells joined a secret meeting in the Fairfroth Brewery, in which the townsfolk were planning how to drive out the followers of the Dawnfather who were occupying Hearthdell; during that reunion Ashton showed his willingness to fight for the people. It was decided that Orym and Bor'Dor would try to gain the trust of the bastions to send them to Marquet to face Ludinus instead of oppressing the villagers; while that was happening the earth genasi cast *Pass without Trace* to help Mother access the temple without being noticed. When things turned sour for the two diplomats on the team, Orym gave the warning, and the rest of Bells Hells and the villagers attacked the Sunrise Sanctuary, with Ashton charging at full speed.

During the battle Ashton raged, surrounding himself with a colorful dunamantic aura; however, shortly after he and Orym ended up paralyzed by Flameguide Kiro's *Hold Person*, until she lost concentration after being attacked by Prism. The genasi continued to attack the followers of the Dawnfather, while their rage altered the odds around them, making their allies' attacks more successful. The barbarian exchanged a few blows with the temple's Judicator and then, in order to hit the Dawnborn Angel summoned by Flameguide Kiro's dying prayer, he spoke in Primordial to the Earth Elemental that Elder Abaddina had summoned and which was still under the influence of the elemental eidolons; the entity threw him into the air, allowing him to hit the celestial warrior.

After the battle was over and the Sunrise Sanctuary was destroyed, Ashton advised Prism against tossing to the people the money they had found there to avoid a stampede. The genasi also talked to Laudna, sharing her negative feelings about the town and their situation with the temple, where they had felt very uncomfortable in front of the angel. When Bells Hells returned with Elder Abaddina to her cottage, they spoke for a bit about religion, spirituality, and how it all connected to Predathos and the elemental eidolons; Joan and Ashton also spoke briefly about the strange glass-like element in his head, although she wasn't able to provide any information about it. The next morning the old woman allowed Bells Hells to use her scrying well, and Ashton was surprised to see Dorian, describing him as "their bag of dicks".

While traveling through the Serratus Wilderness, Ashton decided he wanted to try meditating to connect with the elements and focus a bit more in his past. Orym tried to guide them through the process with his words and giving them a massage. During a rest, Bor'Dor cast *Calm Emotions* on the barbarian, allowing them to relax and feel the presence of the spirits of the land who accompanied them during their watch. The following day, when Bells Hells found a crater with a petrified skeleton in it, Ashton used his affinity with the earth to safely extract the remains, taking for himself the ring on one of its fingers. That night, feeling that Prism needed some confidence, the genasi let her use their Pipe of Remembrance, so its smoke would reproduce her biggest achievement (convincing a mage of the Cobalt Soul to let her return to Exandria with him); the next morning she thanked Ashton for the gesture, and they spoke for a bit about their own academic and adventuring experience. When Bor'Dor expressed concern about Bells Hells' chances against Ludinus and his plan, Ashton argued that if they did nothing, the results would be bad; later he tried to comfort the half-elf about the lack of news about his brother, and allowed him to use his pipe as well: the smoke showed Bor'Dor casting *Fire Bolt* surrounded by his new friends, feeling like he belonged."A Long Walk of Reflection" (3x62)

When the adventurers reached the Irriam Canyon, Ashton descended using Laudna's *Feather Fall*, and when they were in the bottom the earth genasi cast *Pass without Trace* so the group could avoid being noticed by a large sleeping creature camouflaged as a flowery hill; they entered a cave with an archway with inscriptions in Primordial that Ashton was able to read: "Within the Verdant Tomb, we keep her spirit enduring". The place was filled with crystalline formations, and when the adventurers were advancing, the barbarian was at the end of the line. When they tried to call Hevestro, Ashton made a half-hearted attempt in Primordial, but when they found a strange green obelisk, he became interested, finding some resemblance between the monument's material and the residuum (remembering Lord de Rolo and his words about that substance).

Bells Hells encountered Evithorir the Taker, a fey thief that had claimed the Verdant Tomb and its content and wasn't welcoming towards the adventurers; while the adventurers were speaking to them Prism *Prestidigitated* one of Ashton's rings to turn it colder, telling him about fey's alleged weakness to cold iron. When they started fighting the creature the genasi, surrounded by their gravity rage, focused their attacks on the red orbs Evithorir had summoned, specially after the Taker magically frightened them; when the adventurers managed to free Hevestro from his captor's shadowy grasp, Prism sent him to Ashton via *Dimension Door* for protection, which confused both Dynios and the barbarian, who despite everything picked the body to keep him safe.

After the fight Ashton took the chance to speak with Hevestro and ask him about the Hishari when the archdruid mentioned a similar term, learning a bit about the now destroyed town, as well as its charismatic leader. Later, when Deni$e started interrogating a very suspicious Bor'Dor he revealed that he had been lying to the group, and after revealing his true past and his connections, he attacked the group. Ashton used his hammer to hit the sorcerer, although focusing on stopping him rather than kill him; however, when it became obvious that Laudna was about to kill Bor'Dor because of his treason, the genasi pushed Prism away a bit and turned her around, so she wouldn't see the half-elf die. After everything was over Ashton tried to comfort a very shaken Laudna.

The next morning the barbarian took an interest in the crystals of the cave, and asked permission from Hevestro. He in turn asked permission from the spirit of the tomb, who granted it. Prism chatted with Ashton, confessing her desire to continue adventuring rather than return to her life with the Cobalt Soul, and accepting the genasi's advice on potential destinations, since he liked the idea of the wizard becoming an annoyance for important people, suggesting she go to Percival de Rolo in Whitestone. The shadar-kai ended up deciding she wanted to visit Marquet, which the genasi approved, and when they were preparing to leave and she asked for personal possessions of her new friends (to use for her *Scrying* spell) Ashton tried to give her a ring, but at the wizard's request he ended up giving shards of his amethyst-like hair.

When they arrived Prism stayed with them for a little longer, talking with her friends about her possible destinations; Ashton told her about the local Ascension's Rise University and gave her advice about lying, since the shadow elf wanted to start introducing herself as a high mage of the Cobalt Soul. When the group was traveling in a gondola with a gnome courier they tried asking him about the current situation in the city, and Ashton tried not to attract attention so as not to intimidate him more than he already was; later, when they were arriving at the Spire by Fire Inn the genasi mentioned they wanted to visit Milo with FCG.

When they found Team Wildemount Ashton used it as an excuse to show Ishir that he brought him new clientele, and the two groups started speaking and sharing anecdotes; during the conversation the barbarian tried to show their new ring to their friends, only to discover that Fearne had already stolen it, leading them to declare how much had they missed her, as well as to declare they needed more liquor. Ashton was who clarified to Prism that FCG was nervous around her because of her bird familiar.

Eventually it was decided that Prism, Deanna and FRIDA would do a research mission on their own to provide Bells Hells with valuable information, while the main party returned to the Tishtan excavation site. The two groups exchanged farewells, during which Ashton hugged the gnome cleric (with whom he had shared a moment of mutual understanding, since both worried about their respective aeormaton friends) and advised her about defining her own identity; he also wished Prism well, who, even though she had previously stated that she considered Orym her best friend, still valued her bond with the genasi, giving him a quill and some papers in case he wanted to try to meditate and relax through writing.

Once the seven original members of Bells Hells were left alone, Fearne mentioned to Ashton that she had a corset for them, and the group continued to share the information and discoveries they had made on their respective trips; however, Laudna was particularly irritated by how apparently enjoyable Team Wildemount's adventure had been, complaining about it, and when Chetney offered to sleep with Team Issylra to help them relax, Ashton admitted they, surprisingly, had missed the gnome. Seeing that the warlock urgently needed to relax a bit, the party agreed to put off their plans until the next morning and take the rest of the day to rest and make preparations. Fresh Cut Grass and Ashton visited the Krook House, talking to Milo about some updates for the barbarian's weapon. Ashton and FCG talked about FRIDA, and the former admitted he was very happy, since his friend had found in the gunslinger something he had been trying to give them for the very beginning: a reason to live. The genasi was behaving in a strangely positive manner, and he even asked Milo to check on the Nobodies if they could.

When FCG and Ashton returned with their friends the barbarian presented their friends with beer and orange slices (from the one fruit Imogen gave them), and Bells Hells shared their recent discoveries, and argued about how important faith was in their mission; Ashton explained that during their hard life they had prayed on occasion, but the closest thing they had had to an actual answer was when the Dawnborn Angel tried to kill them in Hearthdell, so they declared that so far they believed in their friends, and if the gods were interested in their success, they should approach the genasi themselves. The group had to stay one extra day, during which Milo was able to finish Ashton's request, improving his hammer with the crystals from the Irriam Canyon, a potential chaotic addition to the barbarian's equipment.

When Bells Hells arrived to Zephrah the wind started dragging some of them, and Ashton reacted immediately in order to help his friends. They were brought to a very weakened Keyleth, who asked them for their help healing her wounds (by fetching a special flower in the Grey Valley). When they left, Ashton was very interested in one of the tapestries showing an Earth titan and representing an event, "The Ascension and the Sealing"; outside, the group talked to Thollo, one of the Tempest Blades, and since he seemed to know some history the earth genasi used that chance to ask him about the Hishari, showing him the helmet they had, listening to the information they could offer (not unlike the one they already knew) and requesting more if he ever found it. After visiting Orym's mom the halfling and Ashton visited the local blacksmith, Torth, to ask for some equipment, although the barbarian ended up visiting Fanny Z, a designer who accepted his commission for a new, more inspiring outfit, since Ashton wanted to feel a bit more like a hero.

When Orym's sister-in-law, Maeve, sent Bells Hells to the Grey Valley with her magic, Ashton tried not to acknowledge Avandra's orientation through FCG's *Divination* spell. He used his *Pass without Trace* so that the group could move through that dangerous area more stealthily while they were looking for the flowers. When they finally found them, they were attacked by several undead and a devourer-like demon. Ashton attacked their enemies with their hammer, the use of portals produced by their rage, as well as the fire powers of their ring; at some point during the battle the barbarian noticed that Imogen was preparing to cast a spell, and suggested she should cast it through their modified hammer so the weapon would act like a prism, but the sorcerer rejected the idea because she didn't want to hit their friends by accident. Even without the experimental use of Ashton's hammer, Bells Hells were able to defeat all the enemies. The adventurers rested for a bit, and they talked about the gods (Ashton abstained from voting if he liked them or not); Laudna asked about the genasi's past and the Hishari, and during the conversation he admitted that he had joined Bells Hells after hearing for the first time the very similar term "Ashari".

After a brief fight with some vrocks the party reached the Iridon Bastion, which had been taken by demons that had killed some people and captured the rest in cages. The adventurers fought the fiends, and when Ashton approached they used their hammer, now combined with an immovable rod, to climb a tower. In combat the barbarian fought fiercely, hitting several demons and scaring some of them, as well as taking a special interest in Extovass, the leader of the demons, wanting to take its tusks as trophies. After the battle ended Ashton seemed very interested in the interactions between Fearne and Teven Klask, a champion of Asmodeus who had helped them during the fight.

The night they spent in the Grey Valley Ashton was curious about the blade Chetney had found, and when it presented itself as Graz'tchar, the Luminary Blade, the barbarian was suspicious, questioning the sword and eventually getting bored of its elusive answers. The following morning, thanks to Ashton's idea of using the portable hole to transport people, the party (including the rescued Ashari and the survivors from the Iridon Bastion) *Teleported* to Zephrah, and after Keyleth was successfully healed she spoke with the party about potential approaches to Ludinus and Predathos. When the Voice of the Tempest noted she was not a champion of any god, Ashton inquired about the source of her power, to which she responded alluding to the natural forces of Exandria; Ashton then pressed, asking about the Hishari, and eventually revealing their connection to them, asking more information that Keyleth provided. Suddenly interested, the leader of the Air Ashari asked Ashton to step forward and magically examined him, and she determined that he had a fragment of Primordial power within him, describing him not only as a genasi, but as a "titan of blood", and that this was an accomplishment of the Hishari, though it came at great cost. When the adventurer mentioned the strange power in his head, Keyleth was uncertain if it got along with Ashton's blood; she also confirmed that one of the symbols of his jacket was the symbol of the Hishari. After speaking about Efterin and the potential power of Ashton's connection with the elementals (which included talking to the entity Elder Abaddina had summoned in the Sunrise Sanctuary), Bells Hells wondered if they should look for Evontra'vir, the Great Tree of Atrophy, on the island of Kalutha in the Shattered Teeth, and maybe borrow power from it. That led to a conversation about how they could use Ludinus Da'leth's harness, and who could repair it; when FCG seemed unsure about if they should ask Dancer or D, Ashton suggested the latter, since Dancer was already angry with Fresh Cut Grass, and the aeormaton liked making new friends anyway.

Ashton decided to go back to Fanny Z's place to retrieve his new outfit, but he ended up hiding before arriving, having a panic attack after the huge revelations about his connection with the titans; as he regained his calm it seemed to him that the earth and stones around him moved in response to his mood and the rhythm of his pulse. When he arrived to the shop Fanny Z revealed she had finished early, and while she was busy with the last details of the outfit, she complimented Ashton by telling them that, since some of their notes for the clothing design had been so specific, they probably knew who they wanted to be better than they realized. The earth genasi felt good about their new look, like they were actually seen. After that they went back with their friends, following the noise and chaos of Chetney and Laudna battling in their skysails; when the gnome crash-landed, Ashton made sure to give him space (by preventing people from helping) and laughed at him. When the entire group was partying the barbarian got complimented for his new outfit, and Fearne also praised his newly discovered connection with the titans; she also confirmed that she still had the remains of Extovass, since Ashton wanted to do something with them. While they were celebrating Ashton also made sure to give silver pieces to FCG so he could join them while they were drinking.

The next morning they traveled with Keyleth to Yios to look for Dancer, and after picking her up and finding out that she needed Imahara Joe's help to fix their harness, the group started looking for a tree. Shithead attacked them, and after FCG destroyed it some guards came over, drawn by the ruckus. Ashton intimidated one of them, Stanley, by saying that he would remember him, before leaving thanks to Keyleth's *Transport via Plants*. The group went to Imahara Joe's discovering him and his friend, Verna, being held by General Ratanish and six members of Paragon's Call. A battle ensued, during which Ashton started fighting a monk that ended up being killed by the *Erupting Earth* cast by one of the mercenaries; after that they focused on an enemy rogue, and when the spellcaster allied with Paragon's Call (a desert warden druid) took the form of a giant eagle to fly away with Joe and Verna, Ashton used their chaotic powers to hit the druid from a distance and immediately teleport there, grabbing Imahara Joe and preventing him from taking too much fall damage.

The combat ended when Ratanish, who had been *Banished* by FCG at the very beginning, returned to the Material Plane, being mercilessly attacked; Orym disarmed him and made him fall to the ground, leaving him exposed for Ashton, who crushed the goliath's chest with his hammer.

With Ashton's help the group and the rescued tinkerers went to Hondir's abandoned home, where they started inspecting Ludinus Da'leth's arcane harness. However, after some time, Ashton left with Imogen. The barbarian tried to find a former associate, Pocket, without success, so they visited the All-Minds-Burn instead, finding Shady Sally (a member of the Nobodies) there; the genasi, after a brief confrontation (during which they used their time powers to mess with their former friend) told her to gather the other members of the group, since they would be needed to help save the world, and then went with Justi Pross; the eisfuura guided the two adventurers to the bowels of their headquarters, where she introduced them to the strange entity that personified the All-Minds-Burn: a mucous mass that connected the minds of all the members, being the source of their psychic powers, and that kept the bodies and part of the essence of those who had already died. They had a psychic conversation during which Ashton offered the entity to connect with his own mind, although admitting that he didn't know how dangerous could it be; despite that, by the end of the conversation the two adventurers had won the entity and its crawler gang as allies, taking the Brood Pit (some sort of seed) with them.

After they left, Ashton and Imogen exchanged impressions of that meeting and he admitted that he was aware of the strange presence behind Justi's group, as well as the past of her parent with the mucous entity; the genasi and the Ruidusborn talked about how satisfied they were with the current situation, and told to each other how special they were. When they returned to the group, however, they were met by a panicked Laudna who believed the barbarian had kidnapped the sorcerer. When they were leaving Ashton used *Pass without Trace* to make sure the group wouldn't get unwanted attention in the streets.

After Keyleth sent them all to Slival, Ashton behaved cautiously, mistrusting their surroundings and advising the rest of Bells Hells about the best route to follow and the best place to camp, so they would be protected in case of an attack. After a night of sleep the adventurers discovered that FCG had befriended the local dolabos, and although they were somewhat unsure about the plan, they followed the tiny creatures' instructions to light a bonfire that would attract Toriz. However, the monster known as Bari Mondolo came first, so they fought for a bit until Jirana and her giant toad-like creature arrived. Ashton introduced himself for the first time as "Ashton of the Hishari" (as a parallelism of his friend being "Orym of the Air Ashari"), and asked Jirana questions about the Great Tree of Atrophy, his people, and the titans; she provided all the information she could, including the names of the two titans whose deaths destroyed Domunas: Rau'shan and Ka'Mort. Before they left, the genasi expressed how glad he was for FCG accepting the galapa's wisdom (even though she had told them the same things Bells Hells had repeated to the cleric several times), and asked her how to grieve something you don't know you have lost; the old woman told them that time could mend many things.

Bells Hells used *Speak with Dead* to interrogate the desert druid warden and General Ratanish, after which Ashton took any useful equipment they still had and destroyed the rest. When the adventurers summoned Captain Urlu Novos and his *Crimson Abyss*, the undead pirate sent his crew to kill them and a battle ensued. The barbarian used their chaotic rage powers to attack their enemies, and also helped Laudna recover from the unwanted effects of FCG's Turn Undead. After Captain Novos agreed to provide transportation in exchange for his old compass and Graz'tchar, Ashton talked to Chetney and agreed to give him Ratanish's Boots of Speed, receiving the gnome's Ring of Temporal Salvation. The genasi then spent some time talking to Cyrillia, the undead fire genasi navigator of the *Crimson Abyss*, telling her about Ruidus and its strange activities (which she confirmed, since she hadn't seen the red moon for weeks) and the possibility of the gods disappearing. After that he went below deck with the rest of his friends.

During his time on board the genasi approached Vendallo, the tattoo artist, and with some assistance from Orym convinced him (appealing to his pride as an artist since his tattoos would never be known if no one outside the *Crimson Abyss* had them) to tattoo the tough skin of his back: an inscription in Primordial reading "From the earth, of the earth, to the earth." The process was long and painful, but the barbarian was very satisfied with the result, and during the dance party on their last day in the vessel, they admitted to Laudna that the experience with the crew had been better than any attempt of organizing a mutiny.

When Bells Hells arrived on Kalutha, Ashton immediately felt like they were in the right place, and whispered in Primordial hoping the Great Tree of Atrophy would know they were there. The group climbed into a cavern where they were attacked by a basalt caecilian, and the barbarian managed to kill it by smashing one of its heads. He immediately smashed it again just to make sure it stopped twitching. While searching for Evontra'vir Bells Hells encountered a river, and using Laudna's Immovable rod and Ashton's hammer they used a rope to cross it; the latter would help the former when she fell into the water, although Fearne would end up using her magical ring to telekinetically move both out of the river. During the night, the genasi and Chetney got distracted, allowing shadow creatures to get close and attack Orym and Laudna. Ashton woke up their friends, and held Laudna so FCG could Turn Undead and send those monsters away. The following morning the cleric tried to use the barbarian's connection to earth to *Find the Path* to Evontra'vir, and failing; not long after, when they were encountered by Aishio hunters, Ashton spoke to them, explaining the intentions of their visit, and although the locals allowed them to continue, the Hishari was unable to persuade them to help them.

“
You bear the dormant strength of the Empress.
”

–
Evontra'vir to Ashton.
[!h]

When they finally found the Great Tree of Atrophy, inside a dark sinkhole between mountains, Fearne and FCG *Guided* and *Enhanced* Ashton as he approached. The former Gau Drashai shared its knowledge with Ashton, explaining the nature of his power (a shard of the Empress of Earth), telling him how Efterin (his father) had been following all the steps leading to the doom of the Hishari and Ashton's creation, revealing the existence of the spark of the Rau'shan, the Emperor of Fire in the Chynes Maw on the island of Igthuldus, and allowing him to use his Pipe of Remembrance so they could see Evontra'vir's most heroic moment in life; during the conversation the barbarian stated that he was not an important person, but the former archdruid argued that few "nobodies" managed to reach that place. The Tree also answered some of the questions of the others adventurers, emphasizing that their collective chaos and Ashton's potential could stop Ludinus, although warning the genasi that attempting to use the power of two primordial titans alone could kill him.

After Bells Hells were sent to Igthuldus they found a crack in the stone and, with some difficulty and magical assistance (including Ashton's influence over the earth) they managed to access a chamber with several magma mephits and a pool of melted rock. After learning the spark of Rau'shan was in the lava, the genasi dived into it, using their rage and their magical ring to reduce the damage, and been strengthened by FCG's powers. With Fearne's help he took the crystal-like relic out of the magma, after which the group started wondering what to do with it; Ashton considered trying to absorb it somehow, although he was also willing to give it to Fearne, since using the spark and the shard might kill him. Soon after Ludinus and his allies appeared, and (after Chetney took the artifact to hide it) the barbarian focused on killing their enemies, moving a Reilora near the lava and allowing Orym to finish it, and attacking the archmage, who had Fearne imprisoned with *Telekinesis*. Once the battle was over (and after it was revealed that Ludinus was, in fact, a *Simulacrum*), Ashton urged his friends to leave that place as soon as possible, so FCG *Teleported* them to Whitestone.

#### **Arc 4**

Bells Hells went to Whitestone Castle, retrieving the newly repaired Quintessence Array and confirming it worked. Ashton showed Allura Vysoren the spark of Rau'shan and asked her (purposely ignorning Lord de Rolo) about the possibility of infusing himself with that power, knowing he already had the dormant shard of Ka'Mort inside himself. Allura adviced them against it, so Fearne became the preferred candidate. The faun was ok with it, and willing to help the genasi activate his own shard of primordial titan, although she seemed slightly confused when he said he had always wanted a sister. After that Allura asked about the glass in Ashton's head, and they shared the information they had about it (including the drawing of a device Ashton sometimes saw in dreams), receiving in return the revelation that the barbarian's head contained something very similar to a Luxon beacon, a "half-beacon", something very new, and with strong dunamantic potential; Ashton became very interested in visiting the Kryn Dynasty in the future after the explanation. In the following meeting in the war room, Bells Hells offered to do a scout mission to Ruidus, and Ashton asked Percival de Rolo for any protection they would need in the red moon. After that conversation the adventurers talked briefly about seeking allies among the followers of the Betrayer Gods, and the barbarian proposed to search in weird places.

Ashton ended up going with Chetney and Orym to the Altar of the Raven, to see if they could communicate with the goddess of fate. In a basement under the temple they encountered Othinon the tombkeeper and five empty sarcophagi; after a brief conversation Ashton had an idea, and put himself inside a sarcophagus, so his friends did the same. They ended up having a shared vision of the Raven Queen, and although it was scary and disturbing, it ended with the feeling that they were noticed, and oddly appreciated. As they were leaving the Greyfield they walked in front of a temple of Pelor, and the genasi threw some copper in its direction as an offering and an indirect insult, since Orym and them had dealt with hostile followers of the Dawnfather in Hearthdell. When Bells Hells reunited in front of the Sun Tree Ashton purchased the crepes that the witches had commissioned to Andrew the crepe seller without actually buying them, and after that, the whole group returned to the castle to rest. Ashton acquired a book about the de Rolo family, in order to learn about Whitestone's recent history.

The following morning, after Ashton played for a bit in the snow with FCG, he and Fearne went to visit the Heart of Whitestone. There they had a candid conversation, during which the barbarian confessed his attraction to her, and also his trust, asking her to defend his decisions if it was necessary during their future challenges; the faun ran away after admitting she found the genasi attractive too, so they stayed there alone, watching the clock and how it worked.

That same day, after a meeting, Bells Hells went to the ziggurat under the castle to use the harness in a controlled environment, and while the rest of the team was distracted (thinking Fearne was about to absorb the power of Rau'shan), Ashton did it instead, after kissing Fearne. After some seconds it became evident that the elemental power of the Emperor was too much, and it started destroying the genasi's body. The rest of the adventurers came back, and with Fearne's help started using magic to maintain their friend alive and whole, although his physical form was cracking and getting dangerously warm, as he raged repeatedly trying to reduce his own damage. Their entire body exploded at some point, restoring itself immediately thanks to the Ring of Temporal Salvation, but the process continued, even after the Quintessence Array left their body. Eventually Ashton's body recovered, seemingly accepting the new power inside of it (and leaving him with a new volcanic-looking arm); the barbarian was relieved, but his friends were extremely angry about his recklessness, and Fearne even kicked him in the head.

Fearne then tried to hit Ashton with their hammer and break the weapon itself. Ashton's mind (which Imogen read) was filled by the obsessive thought that he had repeated his parents' mistakes barely a week after learning about them. Moreover, he felt as if his connection with earth had grown stronger, but the fire inside of him was becoming unbearable, and he vomited a new crystal containing the elemental spark that had rejected him, leaving him physically weaker in the process. Ashton admitted to the remaining members of Bells Hells that he had been trying to connect with the legacy of his family, and how, in the time he had been "gone", he imagined what would have happened if he stayed with his parents. It wasn't a good life, they weren't good people. Ashton told their friends that, despite what it looked like, they did care about them and what they thought, and that they saw similarities between FCG and themself. Afterwards Ashton went outside and found Lord Percival observing the windows Fearne broke, thinking Gwendolyn was responsible. Percy offered Ashton advice, since he himself had been tormented by his own demons and guilt in the past, saying that although Ashton should feel free to wallow in guilt, he shouldn't let it affect the others. Later, when the barbarian apologized for what he had done, Chetney told him he should leave if he wasn't sure he could control his own impulses, especially now that he had hurt Fearne. Ashton returned to the group in the morning, when the werewolf, wanting to check if the new rock arm had new abilities, sparred with him for a bit (the arm, however, didn't display anything special, although it resonated with the rock around them somehow). When they went to retrieve Laudna she was wary of being near Ashton, so Ashton was told to stay away; however, when the entire group finally reunited, he and the warlock had a sincere conversation and she gave him a present: a doll meant to represent him (made with vandalized wood, a chipmunk's skull, and some quartz), that the genasi actually loved. They also had a conversation with Fearne, in which both expressed regret for what had happened, although the faun admitted it would take time for her to like them again. The group reconciled (with some tension), and since they needed to reconnect with each other before going on their next mission, they decided to travel (with Allura) to Ligament Manor, so they could recover without wasting time on the Material Plane.

Orym spoke later with Ashton in private, expressing his concern about the genasi's most recent actions, but told them they had a soft heart and should be focusing their energy on the battles ahead. Ashton was willing to share details of recent events with Nana Morri regarding the elemental shards, which seemed to fascinate the hag. When Allura was explaining what she knew about the Fatestitcher, Ashton was suspicious about how sincere the arcanist was being about the reputation of Fearne's grandmother. During the team-building exercises organized by Fresh Cut Grass and the Fatestitcher, in the phase about honesty Ashton confessed their guilt about the day when the Nobodies abandoned them, as well as the most recent incident hurting Fearne's feelings, and their fear of one of the adventurers turning against the rest; they also tried to interrogate Pâté to see if he was controlled by Delilah. They walked blindly guided by Fearne and Imogen during the phase about communication, but the thunder wasps made them fall into the void despite their attempts to return to the narrow path. In the phase about trust he was one of the less suspicious players, helping his friends whenever they were in trouble and trusting them for the most part (he even found one of the three branches, although a fey thief stole it and Chetney had to recover it); they all ended up trusting each other, and successfully completed the task.

After the trials Bells Hells spoke for a bit and Ashton stated that they felt like the whole group had the potential to make mistake as big as theirs in the right circumstances, but that was one of the reasons why they worked as a team. Fearne decided she was ready to take the shard and after some preparation in the garden (during which the barbarian gave her their Ring of Volcanic Flesh), the Quintessence Array began to absorb the spark of Rau'shan; Imogen also took that chance to approach Ashton and kiss his cheek, apologizing for making him feel like he couldn't share his plans with them before. Fearne took a lot of damage, but with her friends' help she managed to survive (Ashton, specifically, allowed FCG to drain his own health to give it to the druid). After that, following the rest of Bells Hells' advice, Ashton and Fearne shook hands, making his own elemental shard react, granting him his own benefits (as well as a vision of primordial earth at the beginning of time), and making both adventurers extremely excited, and for the genasi specifically, the feeling that he was complete.

Ashton and Fearne left for a while, running around and playing with their new powers, even trying them with each other, and being generally excited about it, with the barbarian being somewhat reluctant to boast about his new abilities, but noticing that they affected his perception of chronic pain. Eventually both of them changed back to their less elemental-like forms, they hugged, she returned his ring, and more comfortable around each other, they returned together to Ligament Manor. There, Ashton showed approval when they knew Chetney had made a deal with her Nana, finding the whole idea (and the potential consequences) hilarious. Later, when FCG cast *Shared Dream* to bring Bells Hells to Imogen's dream in Ruidus, the genasi was one of the members of the team that joined, getting the chance to see the red moon under its surface. The following morning Fearne had a small reunion with many of her animal companions in the manor, giving them permission to use her room, but only if they shared (since Dr. Nesbitt wanted it for himself). Bells Hells had breakfast together, and Fearne talked to her parents, being praised by her new powers, that apparently had given her a reputation in the nearby swamps already. After exchanging promises with the druid about spending more time together in the future, the Calloways said goodbye to their daughter.

Bells Hells returned to Exandria with Allura (the very same day they had left) and met with Percy de Rolo, Keyleth, and other relevant figures allied against the Ruby Vanguard before leaving with Keyleth to get closer to the Malleus Key; during that period of preparation, Ashton organized the content of the Portable hole so that everything would be easy to find.

When they arrived at the ruins, the adventurers found a nervous young member of the Vanguard in a tent, and Imogen (with some help from Ashton) convinced him to go fight so he wouldn't bother them. Bells Hells continued their mission, interfering with their enemies' plans on the way to Bloody Bridge, and when they encountered two reilora who didn't believe Imogen and her friends were part of the Vanguard (despite their performance pretending to capture Chetney as an intruder), there was a confrontation in which Ashton shove one of the enemies over the edge of the pit after Orym used *Grasping Vines* to pull it away. The adventuring party faced two more reilora in order to rescue a prisoner, and the barbarian managed to kill one and leave the other seriously injured. When they were closer to the Malleus Key and its red beam the adventurers, knowing people in the excavation were increasingly alert, used a diversion, and Fearne and Laudna helped detonate two bombs Imogen *Catapulted* into the air. A brief battle with reilora and members of the Vanguard ensued, during which the members of Bells Hells touched the Bloody Bridge one by one; after FCG and Laudna left Ashton decided to hurry the rest, and grabbed Orym and Fearne throwing them into the red beam before following them, leaving only Chetney and Imogen behind. Eventually the entire group reached the Moon of Ill Omen.

## **Relationships**

### **Fresh Cut Grass**

*Main article: Relationship between Ashton and Fresh Cut Grass*
Ashton was hired to investigate the disappearance of the party of adventurers who had gone missing and discovered Fresh Cut Grass and their comrades' corpses. Ashton emotionally supported FCG and helped him bury his dead comrades, and FCG followed Ashton to their home. The two have remained close ever since, with the genasi being quite willing to hurt whoever made the aeormaton feel bad.

However, Ashton also believes that, while FCG means well, they are, in their own strange way, selfish in their generosity, being willing to risk and/or harm other in the process of "helping"; the barbarian finds his friend's desire for martyrdom particularly concerning, and that's why he stays with him. All the time they had been together the genasi truly wanted to give the aeormaton a true reason to live, being exhausted by their destructive tendencies; they have also expressed their frustration when FCG took advice from a new person, despite being the same type of advice Ashton and their friends had been offering the cleric all along. In the same way, after the barbarian showed similar dangerous tendencies, FCG scolded him for it.

### **Fearne Calloway**

*Main article: Relationship between Ashton and Fearne*
Ashton and Fearne enjoy each other's mischief. The two have a form of good-natured flirtatious pick-pocketing game going on between each other. Ashton began this game by pickpocketing her when they first met, stealing a large earring of the Allhammer's symbol, which Fearne herself stole from a pachydan priest she met on her first day in Jrusar. She then countered and stole the earring back, offering it to Preio Madali as payment for a bottle of Elvish alcohol. In return, Ashton stole a chamber pot with a flower growing out of it (which she originally lifted from Dugger's house) when she was blinded by electric shock. At some point, she offered to let Ashton drink some of the liquor out of her hair after Bertrand Bell accidentally threw it at her.

Despite it being unclear if the two feel any attraction towards one another, other than just platonic attraction, both characters do seem to be fascinated with one another; with Fearne frequently finding Ashton beautiful despite their broken appearance and Ashton finding Fearne's eccentric personality and fey lifestyle captivating. Ashton, despite their intense dislike of physical contact due to their chronic pain, frequently seeks physical connection with Fearne, usually to commit mischief. He is the only person within Bells Hells who pickpockets Fearne, and often seeks her out during moments of levity, as seen during the end of the crawler chase when he called her name and fell within the same hole she had accidentally fallen in earlier. Ashton hugged Fearne, then tried to pickpocket her, before the group disbanded to battle the activation of the Malleus Key. When she caught Ashton, Fearne asked what they had wanted from her, to which Ashton responded that they had wanted "something personal and irreplaceable". Fearne then kissed them on the forehead, with a surprised Ashton responding, "Well, fuck, now that's just really hard to steal back."

Many days later, after a conversation during which Ashton referred to the faun as a potential "sister" she was confused, so he clarified that he didn't mean it, and that he actually considered her very attractive; they had a candid conversation which ended when Fearne called him hot and ran away. That same day, Ashton kissed Fearne (officially stealing her kiss back) before using the Quintessence Array to absorb the elemental power of a titan. This process almost killed them, and although the druid had helped keeping them alive with her magic, when the process was over she angrily kicked their face, shouting, "I am never listening to you again!" Ashton later felt terrible for what had happened and talked to the faun; although they reached an agreement despite the tension, Fearne told him that she didn't like him at the moment.

### **Jiana Hexum**

Jiana became one of Ashton's first clients after the Nobodies left town to pay off their newly acquired debt.

Ashton considers her a powerful person, even if he doesn't like her, and he's willing to be in debt with her again if he knows that she can help him.

### **Laudna**

Unlike various other members of the party who seem to find Laudna scary or off-putting, Ashton immediately takes a liking to her and is fond of her particular aesthetics, reacting favorably to her showing off of the dead rat puppet Pâté de Rolo and even going as far as to call the performance "amazing". In turn, Laudna seemingly appreciated their enthusiasm and, following a prank in which a drink was spilled over Bertrand Bell's clothes, cast *Prestidigitation* to pour the alcohol into their glass (even though the prank did not involve them).

As they became closer Ashton grew aggressively protective of the warlock, to the point of confronting and threatening people if he thought that could benefit Laudna. In a private conversation with her they stated that while both shared similar experiences facing extreme lonelyness and death, the barbarian was actually jealous of Laudna's second demise, since when she was revived her friends were around her, worried, while in Ashton's case most of his previous group had abandoned him. The barbarian and the shadow sorcerer would maintain this cordiality between them, and when they were separated from half of Bells Hells (including FCG and Imogen, their closest friends respectively), Ashton reassured the anxious Laudna that they would bring Bells Hells back together.

After Ashton tried to take the power of Rau'shan for himself, Laudna considered it a betrayal, and struggled dealing with those feelings. However, the following morning the barbarian, worried, spoke to her, and was surprised when she gave him a doll that represented him, stating that he was like a child and needed to find his childish joy again. Despite the previous tensions, Ashton was moved by the gift, and Laudna was very glad they liked the doll.

### **Orym**

Orym was the reason why Ashton joined Bells Hells, since the halfling's Ashari background sounded very similar to "Hishari", the only word the genasi remembered from their past. The fighter has always been a member of Bells Hells whom Ashton has seen as morally superior, making comments about it as if it were an irritating trait, though not a bad one. The two coordinate well in combat and come up with strategies, but outside of battle, while Ashton continues to maintain their tough demeanor, he has begun to show a softness and concern for Orym, because of the pressure the halfling puts on himself.

Despite their general rejection of physical contact, Ashton has tolerated it on several occasions when it came from Orym, and never seemed to mind when the halfling initiated it first than the genasi; specially when Orym would hug Ashton to have them open up more emotionally with the rest of Bells Hells, or when the halfling would seek physical contact in distressing emotional moments. Orym always tries to be careful whenever such contact occurred, or was allowed, to which Ashton always seemed to appreciate.

When a child in Whitestone called Orym an "old man" Ashton was more than willing to throw a snowball with a rock in the center at them. After Ashton almost died trying to absorb the power of Rau'shan, Orym kept his opinion about it to himself for an entire day, but when he finally spoke to the barbarian he was gentle and efficient with his words, reassuring them and even kissing their forehead.

### **Percival de Rolo**

Although Ashton finds Lord de Rolo's resources useful, they don't really like each other, and the barbarian has been actually dismissive and disrespectful in his presence just to annoy him.

According to Taliesin, the reason for this mutual disliking is that both Percy and Ashton are very similar, having a lot of family trauma, ego, and they usually feel like they are the only adults in the room.

After Percy gave Ashton some advice about how to deal with mistakes and regret, the barbarian was genuinely thankful, declaring they now owed the lord a favor.

## **Character information**

### **Notable items**

* Magic glass hammer with the words "Fuck off" engraved around the base. It was made by Milo Krook from the glass left over from the repairs to Ashton's head. Milo later added an Immovable rod to the handle and a green spell-splitting crystal was infused into the glass which allows a spell cast by another into the hammer (with an ability check using the spellcasting modifier and a DC of 6 plus the spell's level) to be split, with one rebounding on the caster).
* Chain knuckles (Ashton's weapon of choice before he obtained his glass hammer)
* A knife
* Chamber pot with flowers in it stolen from Fearne
* Slightly damaged Hishari ceremonial cured leather mask with leather tendrils curling up in the back like a flame stolen from the Twilight Mirror Museum
* Portable hole given to him by Fearne.
* Belt of Momentum
* Ring of Volcanic Flesh
* Pipe of Remembrance
* The Brood Pit
* A doll made by Laudna

#### **Former items**

* A sending stone given to Dorian
* Immovable rod, taken by Ashton after Laudna's death; returned by FCG
* Immovable rod, taken by Ashton after Bor'Dor's death and later combined with Ashton's hammer.
* Green crystal taken by Ashton from the shrine of Oma-Dua and later fused with Ashton's hammer.
* Ring of Temporal Salvation acquired from Chetney in trade for the Boots of Speed. It was destroyed when it brought Ashton back from death when he absorbed the power of the second elemental shard.

### **Abilities**

#### **Feats**

* Crusher
	+ The episode after leveling up Ashton asked Annaline for some training with their hammer, very likely as a way to explain the recently gained feat.
* Unnamed Shard of Ka'Mort-related elemental feat: Grants Ashton several earth-related benefits (some of which cost at least one point of exhaustion), including:
	+ Can meld into unworked stone or earth and move through it as though it were water (including vertically), surfacing to breathe and even carrying someone while "half-submerged"
	+ Enlarges Ashton and changes his appearance into a creature of diamond-like skin, with his chronic pain becoming muffled

#### **Proficiencies**

* **Skills**: Athletics, Intimidation, Sleight of Hand, Stealth.
* **Tools**: thieves' tools, disguise kit

#### **Genasi abilities**

* Subrace: Earth Genasi
	+ Earth Walk (move across difficult terrain as if normal)
	+ Merge with Stone (cast *Pass without Trace* 1/Day; know the *Blade Ward* cantrip).

#### **Barbarian abilities**

* Danger Sense
* Primal Path: Path of Fundamental Chaos
	+ Chaos Burst:
		- Add 2d4 extra damage to an attack with a melee weapon twice a day. Damage increases to 2d6 at Level 6 and again at Level 14. Damage type depends on a rolled die and includes lightning, force, cold, fire, psychic, thunder, and acid.
	+ Erratic Defense: At Level 10, when a target hits Ashton, Ashton can roll a d4 for one of four possible random effects. Recharges on a short rest.
		- Space: Ashton gets resistance to the damage and pulls the enemy through a portal, teleporting them 30 feet away.
		- Time: The attacking creature suddenly slows down and is tipped over, missing their target and falling prone.
	+ Four Rage builds, determined randomly by rolling 1d4 whenever Ashton begins raging: Ashton's rages gain additional abilities as he levels up.
		- 1, Gravity: The glass inside Ashton's head start to dim, and everything gets dimmer around them. The light seems to bend around Ashton's form, and the area around their head becomes black and white, and gravity seems to have more of a pull for everyone in the room.
			* Orbital Decay: Ashton generates an aura of heavy gravity. All creatures that start their turn within 15 feet are pulled up to ten feet towards him and suffer disadvantage on attacks against creatures other than Ashton until the beginning of their next turn.
			* Density Well: Ashton cannot be be knocked prone, pushed, pulled or forced to move, and when he hits with a melee attack, he can burn a Chaos Burst to do additional damage. If the target doesn't succeed a strength saving throw, they get knocked prone.
		- 2, Space: When raging, Ashton's head becomes "less there" and their brain becomes slightly transparent underneath the glass. The glass becomes transparent all the way through their head, like a bad photoshop effect.
			* Violent Gateway: Whenever Ashton brings a creature to zero hit points he falls into a portal and teleports up to 60 feet away.
			* Wormhole Strike: Ashton can burn a Chaos Burst to make a ranged attack of up to 60 feet through a portal with additional damage. Ashton can also put their arms through the portal and use their strength to move objects.
		- 3, Time: When raging, Ashton begins flickering with blue and red after-images, and the timing of their movements become erratic. They don't provoke opportunity attacks.
			* Temporal Morass: At the beginning of their turn, a target within fifteen feet must make a Constitution saving throw to avoid having their speed halved and losing their reactions until the beginning of their next turn.
			* Hyper Rage: Ashton can burn a Chaos Burst to enter Hyper Rage, becoming a red and blue blur. They can move twice their normal speed, and gain an additional attack.
		- 4, Luck: When raging, the crystal in Ashton's head flashes with rainbow sparks.
			* Probability Matrix: Ashton and each ally within 10 feet of him can add a d4 to attack rolls and saving throws.
			* Dreadful Misfortune: When a target misses Ashton, he can burn a Chaos Burst to trigger Dreadful Misfortune, which forces an enemy to attack themself against their own AC. If the target hits themself, they take half damage.

* Rage
* Reckless Attack
* Unarmored Defense (AC is 10 + DEX + CON)
* Extra Attack
* Fast Movement (speed increase of 10 feet)
* Feral Instinct (advantage on initiative)
* Brutal Critical (1 extra damage die on crit)
* Relentless Rage (drop to 1 HP instead of 0 on a CON save)

## **Appearances and mentions**

* Campaign Three, every episode except:
	+ "Axiom Shaken" (3x43), via *Sending* [DM]
	+ Absent in "Bawdy Basement Belligerence" (3x44), "Far From The Others" (3x52), "Ripples" (3x53), "Treacherous Toys" (3x54), "Hope Within History" (3x55), "By Goat or By Boat" (3x56), "The Sorrow of Molaesmyr" (3x57), and "Escape From The Past" (3x58)

## **Quotations**

* **Ashton**: Never take copper. You never take copper. That's just kicking someone while they're down. You take silver if they're an asshole, and you take gold regardless.
* **Ashton**: I like getting paid and living.
* **FCG**: What is the thing that you're trying to get to, that you think that you want, maybe?
**Ashton**: That's a very interesting question. Self-reliance. A certain amount of freedom to move about.
* **Ashton**: "Friends" is always a complicated word. I try to avoid it. It implies a layer of trust that is not necessarily healthy.
* **Ashton**: *(introducing himself to Chetney)* I'm Ashton. I hit things for money.
* **Ashton**: (*to Dorian, after finding out Dorian gave the other sending stone to Cyrus)* I'm not disappointed, I'm just angry.
* **Ashton**: When you leave the site of an explosion covered in blood, there is nothing more suspicious than saying, "I didn't hear or see anything!" Just say, "Yeah, that shit was crazy, and I don't know what the fuck happened, but we're bleeding and going home." We're going to get caught, motherfuckers.
* **Ratanish**: *(during his fistfight duel with Aston)* The offer still stands. When this is over, if you want work, I could put it to you.
**Ashton**: *(panting)* We'll talk later.
**Ratanish**: But first, you understand I have to finish the show.
**Ashton**: I'm not backing down. That'd be rude.
* **Ashton**: *(to Laudna)* There's always a lesson to be learned, and I feel like it's one of my favorite lessons today, which is: sometimes there's no lesson to be learned. Sometimes shit's just fucked up, and the only thing you can do, because you didn't do anything fucking wrong, is get the fuck back up and do the exact same thing all over again, knowing that there was nothing to learn.
* **Ashton**: I haven't said "yes" to a lot of stuff in a while, and this group has made me want to say "yes" to things, and that's the only way to ever get the fuck out of this kind of place. [...] Sometimes you just don't want to find out that the problem isn't the city. That maybe the problem is you.
* **Fearne**: *(after catching Ashton's failed pickpocketing of her)* You can always just ask. What do you want?
**Ashton**: I want to not ask.
* **Ashton**: I'm having this moment where I'm realizing that perhaps one of the reasons why I allow myself to get the shit kicked out of me is in the hope that people are actually fucking watching.
* **Ashton**: I don't like people trying to kill me. That was not part of this fucking deal.
**Imogen**: Sure, but sometimes you've just got to get over the shit and make it better, right?
**Ashton**: No, no, sometimes you've just got to hold a fucking grudge.
* **Ashton:** (*advising the group to not attempt to steal from Jiana Hexum*) Yeah, "don't steal" is usually a suggestion; "don't get caught" is a rule, that's my philosophy.
* **Ashton:** *(to Jiana Hexum after her conversation with FCG about her playing the violin)* Thank you for the violin. That was - beautifully unsettling.
**Jiana**: Good. I'm trying to achieve such an effect, hopefully. So that is high marks in my mind.
**Ashton**: Everyone loves to be seen.
* **Ashton**: I love smuggling! It's basically a vacation someone else pays for.
* **Matt**: *(Describing Ashton's existence)* There is strength, but there is pain. There is pain, but there is strength.
* **Ashton**: *(to Percy, about Laudna)* I have lost fucking everything, everybody. I have had a lifetime of bad hits, problems, lost people, promises fucking broken, people died. It is the background of my daily life. I have died. This - *(points to their head)* - is madness up here. This is not something that just fucking happens. This is what happens when the universe really doesn't like you and decides it wants to keep you around for a little while longer. At least that's what I used to fucking think. And then I met these fucking people and life changed in a very intense way. And I know you think I'm just going to be like, "I found love again," all of that bullshit. Fuck no. The world got weird and there is weird shit happening out there. And suddenly, I'm feeling very small in a very big world, as opposed to small in a very small world, which is where I'm usually so fucking comfortable. But it got really big out there, and for some strange fucking reason, that body down there, as fucked and as corrupted as it may be, and it is, believe me, seems to be a part of this. So hope, and joy, and love, and all of that shit, I don't give a fuck. That is not what I'm down there for. I'm there 'cause it's important, and it's necessary, and I have lost so many people. And I am not here begging for fucking any of them. Many, I've known longer than her. This is not about that. This is important. Clearly, someone you don't fucking like thought it was fucking important so maybe you should just pay the fuck attention.
* **Ashton**: *(to Imogen, about Lord Eshteross)* That letter, we're the fucking legacy. We are not what fucking killed that man. We are the thing he set into motion to make sure it mattered as little as possible. We are his eventual victory. We are his fucking revenge. We are all these things. We are not the cause. We are -
**Imogen**: I'll be his revenge.
**Ashton**: I have no fucking doubt.
* **Ashton**: *(while being escorted through town by the Green Seekers)* Killed a tavern owner. Don't regret it!
* **Ashton**: *(slurred to Imogen in a suite at the Lakecap Skyport and Lounge, Yios*) If it wasn't for your deeply intense personal issues, I would never have gotten to see this, so thank you for being a bit of a mess.
* **Ashton**: *(to Bells Hells about the Ruby Vanguard)* See, this is what happens when you start externalizing every fucking problem you have. Easy to take a look at. There's a bunch of people who are treating other people like they're fucking nothing, like they're fucking pawns. It doesn't matter what the fuck they want. They are doing it wrong. It is not hard to see. *(points to Imogen)* You're being fucked with. We're all being fucked with. Whatever the fuck they say that they're doing, that's where I draw the line. If they had such a great idea of what the world was supposed to be and what that thing was, they could just tell people. But instead, they're making everybody miserable. They're killing people. Fuck that. Fuck them. I'm going to be more than happy to drop a fucking ship on them..
* **Ashton**: We don't leave people behind. That's just the rule. You do not leave people the fuck behind.
* **Ashton**: *(to Laudna in Joan Abaddina's Homestead)* That was literally my worst nightmare.
**Laudna**: What? Pick a thing from the evening. The shit in armor, the demon from blood.
**Ashton**: Not my first shit in armor. [...] That was my very first divine intervention. The gods saw me. A god saw me. I was not invisible, and it was not hungry, it wasn't fearful, it wasn't-
**Laudna**: It wasn't a god. It was an angel.
**Ashton**: It was a messenger, it was sent, and it told me what I really didn't want to hear. She does not fucking care; that I might as well be fucking gone; that I'm a mistake.
**Laudna**: You mean the whole consecration, leave or you will be judged situation?
**Ashton**: I have been judged by better shit than that. Fuck them. Fuck him and my whole fucking life. I may have given away all of the money. Prism helped. It was her idea. I'm not apologizing.
* **Ashton**: *(discussing the gods)* I feel like there's a lot of vague conjecture about the blowing of wind and the flipping of coins and a lot of things that just happen. (sighs deeply) I've had a life. I think a lot of us here have had a life. I can count the really good days practically on two hands. I've had bad shit happen. My first fucking memory is one of the worst things that ever happened to me. One, I fucking watched my parents get ripped to bits in a fucking maelstrom of god-knows-fucking-what. I was dumped into a desert where I crawled until I nearly died, to only be picked up and saved by shitty people who then threw me in a fucking orphanage where I stayed. It was more or less what you'd expect. Fought a lot, shit happened, made some friends, got out, lived the best we fucking could. Fell out of a window and lost everyone I cared about. Woke up damaged and in pain that has never stopped since that fucking day. There were little sections of my life where I prayed and I begged for anything to all of them, to any of them. The only time they've ever spoken to me was the one who tried to fucking kill me less than a week ago. So, I'm here to save us. I'm here to save the people who live here. Hell, I had one fucking word that I spoke to a giant pile of earth that was more responsive and made me feel better and connected me to something bigger than anything in my fucking life. Just the ground itself did more. So yeah, you know what? I am all for faith, and I'm not going to pick a god. They can pick me. It'll be the first one that actually praises me and then maybe I'll fucking answer. I'll wait. They can fucking beg. And I will listen, which is more than they ever fucking did.
* **Ashton**: *(inspecting his enhanced hammer)* This is good. I need chaos. I have faith in chaos.
* **Imogen**: Ashton, you're so special.
**Ashton**: I know. That's why I am fighting for you. It's because you're fucking special too, and we all know it.
* **Ashton**: *(presumably to Evontra'vir, after arriving at Kalutha)* I'm here. I'm looking for you.

## **Trivia**

* Taliesin chose the name *Ashton* because it sounded "punk and genderless", taken from the name of a friend, Ash. He chose the name *Greymoore* because it sounded Dickensian; other names he created were also intentionally Dickensian, such as Milo Krook, Justi Pross, and Pocket.
	+ While it is not clear if it was intentional, his name could be interpreted as a rock pun ("Ashton" sounds similar to "a stone"). By itself, the name comes from the combination of the Old English terms *æsc* (ash tree) and *tūn* (enclosure/settlement), and it refers to a town with an abundance of that specific species of tree.
* Apparently Taliesin Jaffe created this character with the help of his therapist.
* Taliesin describes Ashton as punk. The character was inspired in part by Henry Rollins and by the documentary *The Decline of Western Civilization III*.
	+ While potentially a coincidence, Ashton being punk and an earth genasi could be interpreted as a pun on the "punk rock" music genre, as he is a literal "punk rock".
* The animation on his stat card appears to be a red-hued meteor shower.
* Ashton returns to the trend, broken by Caduceus Clay, of Taliesin playing classes or subclasses created by Matt Mercer in the main campaigns.
* Ashton and FCG's "session zero" included the scene at which Ashton discovered FCG and the aftermath of whatever violence befell Dancer and the other automatons.
* Ashton suffers from intense chronic pain, so they try to avoid touching people as much as possible, or be the one to initiate it first; such as when they decided to crush Chetney Pock O'Pea on the gnome's bed after Bells Hells rented rooms in the Core Spire, or when they picked up Orym after the halfling was shaken up from falling off the Silver Sun. When fighting and hitting things they can ignore the pain and their Rage actually relieves some of it. Overtime, Ashton has tolerated physical contact from a few of the Bells Hells members; like seeking contact from Fearne in order to pick pocket her, or accepting of whenever Orym would initiate contact with them like when the halfling massaged him to relieve him of some of their chronic pain or hug them when the group had moments of closure and/or joviality.
* The night Ashton and Bells Hells played "What the fuck is up with that?" for the first time was one of the most relaxing moments in his life.
* There are two geometric symbols that Ashton drew on the back of their jacket that they saw in their "crazy technicolor dreams". As of their return from Issylra, Ashton started to figure out what one of them represents: "four triangles in a row, two up and two down on the back, with a little circle." Keyleth confirmed it to be the symbol of the Hishari people.
* Although it is still unclear in which circumstances Ashton lost his family and got a fragment of primordial power, the fact that Keyleth described his condition as being a titan "of blood" suggests that maybe the Hishari intended to put the power of the original Empress of Earth (made of the literal element she represented) in a new body of flesh and blood.
	+ Matthew Mercer explained that he started developing the idea of the titan of blood after learning about Ashton's elemental transformation in his backstory, at the beginning of Campaign Three. Interestingly, a critter also had an earth genasi connected to a titan in their own home campaign, and Matt joked about having watched those sessions for inspiration.
* Ashton's favorite type of rage is "Time".
* The Matron of Ravens is the only deity Ashton truly respects, because she keeps her promises and doesn't lie.
* He considers himself a good dancer, even if the style is unusual.
* Ashton likes a popular figure called "Captain Emon". They particularly like the third Captain Emon.
* He treasured every toy he had as a child (none of which were made of wood) mostly because they were uncommon among the orphans, as they usually caused fights. He, specifically, never had a doll of his own.

## **External links**

Bells Hells Playlist: Ashton Greymoore (April 1, 2022)

## **Art gallery**

Fan art of Ashton, by Nathaniel Himawan (ninesicks).Fan art of Ashton, by Clara.Fan art of Ashton, by Cael Lyons.Fan art of Ashton, transformed, by Zei.
## **References**

1. ↑ See "Hidden Truths" (3x26) at 1:37:47.  All wards of the state raised in the Greymoore orphanage are given the last name "Greymoore".
2. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 45:51.  Taliesin introduces Ashton using he/they pronouns.
3. ↑ See "Mist and Whimsy" (3x71) at 3:12:12.
4. ↑ See "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) at 0:13:41.  Ashton's father is confirmed to have been Elven
5. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 2:00:34.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 CritRoleStats stated that Matt was referring to the name of Ashton's subclass in "Quick Answers 88".
7. ↑ See "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21) at 2:09:26.  Ashton's Hishari village was destroyed "a couple decades ago" when he was very young.
8. ↑ See "Crisis of Faith" (3x61) at 1:03:40.
9. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 1:49:56.
10. ↑ See "A Haunted Past" (3x63) from 1:53:29 through 1:55:50.  Ashton's vision in "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) at 0:13:26 established that their father was the leader of the Hishari, and his name is given here.
11. ↑ See "Roots Between Worlds" (3x74) at 3:11:01.  Ashton's parentage is confirmed.
12. ↑ See "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) at 2:57:43.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 0:47:56.
14. ↑ See "Growing Bonds and Teasing Threads" (3x06) at 19:49.
15. ↑ See "Level Up: Bells Hells Roll Hit Points For Level 7!" at 0:00:18.
16. ↑ See "Level Up: Bells Hells Roll Hit Points For Level 8!" at 0:00:27.
17. ↑ See "Level Up: Bells Hells Roll Hit Points For Level 9!" at 0:00:28.
18. ↑ See "Level Up: Bells Hells Roll Hit Points For Level 10!" at 0:00:26.
19. ↑ See "Level Up!" on TikTok.
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 See "Fractures" (3x78) at 0:31:03.  Ashton's CON was permanently reduced by 2 when he unsuccessfully attempted to absorb the flame shard at Level 11.
21. ↑ While wearing the Ring of Volcanic Flesh.
22. ↑ Reduced by 1 when Ashton's Constitution lowered. 10 + Dex 3 + Con 3 + 1 Ring = 17
23. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 37:02.  At level 3, his DC is 13 (8 + Proficiency + CON).
24. ↑ Reduced by 1 when Ashton's Constitution lowered. 8 + Proficiency 4 + Con 3 = 15
25. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 2:30:32.
26. ↑ See "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21) at 1:13:05.
27. ↑ See "Phantasmal Parley" (3x72) at 3:25:03.
28. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 45:50.
29. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 33:46.
30. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 46:09.
31. ↑ See the portrait tweeted by the official Critical Role account.
32. ↑ See "Kindling the Spirits" (3x73) at 0:54:44.
33. ↑ See "An Ancient Flame" (3x75) at 1:57:26.
34. ↑ See "The Promise and the Price" (3x77) at 4:26:13.
35. ↑ See "Fractures" (3x78) at 0:31:59.
36. ↑ See "A Test of Trust" (3x80) at 3:43:50.
37. ↑ See "A Test of Trust" (3x80) at 3:45:50.
38. ↑ See "The Eve of the Red Moon" (3x81) at 38:00.
39. ↑ See "The Eve of the Red Moon" (3x81) from 39:48 through 40:40.
40. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 43:38.
41. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 3:02:22.
42. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 0:55:54.
43. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 0:54:56.
44. ↑ See "Growing Bonds and Teasing Threads" (3x06) at 28:18.
45. ↑ See "Ominous Lectures" (3x45) at 2:35:02.  Ashton interacts with the cursed Kadija in a very careful and calm way.
46. ↑ See "Aid of the Tempest" (3x66) at 1:53:20.
47. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Party of NPCs" (4SDx02) at 0:24:36.
48. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: A Very Special Six-Sided Dive" (4SDx14) at 1:11:39.
49. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: A Very Special Six-Sided Dive" (4SDx14) at 1:00:05.
50. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Night of the Living Bits" (4SDx17) from 0:59:17 through 1:00:01.
51. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Shard Candy" (4SDx19) at 1:28:02.
52. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Anxiety Game Gauntlet" (4SDx18) at 0:12:10.
53. ↑ See the Rose City Comic Con podcast at 15:05.
54. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Anxiety Game Gauntlet" (4SDx18) at 1:41:50.
55. ↑ See "Fractures" (3x78) at 0:24:40.
56. ↑ See "Fractures" (3x78) at 0:39:09.
57. ↑ See "A Haunted Past" (3x63) from 1:53:29 through 1:55:50.  Ashton's vision in "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) at 0:13:26 established that their father was the leader of the Hishari, and his name is given here.
58. ↑ See "Bloody Flowers" (3x67) at 0:28:11.  Ashton remembered he was 7 or 8 years old.
59. ↑ See "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) from 2:55:54 through 3:01:54.
60. ↑ See "Bloody Flowers" (3x67) at 0:35:56.
61. ↑ See "Heart-to-Heartmoor" (3x17) at 3:00:53.
62. ↑ See "A Long Walk of Reflection" (3x62) at 1:44:45.
63. ↑ See "Ghosts, Dates, and Darker Fates" (3x10) at 2:44:41.  Ashton indicates that his head injury was from a few years back.
64. ↑ See "Ghosts, Dates, and Darker Fates" (3x10) at 2:17:56.
65. ↑ See "Promise and Potential" (3x22) at 3:54:21.
66. ↑ See "Pyrrhic Return" (3x35) at 4:10:54.
67. ↑ See "Ghosts, Dates, and Darker Fates" (3x10) at 2:18:11.
68. ↑ See "Pyrrhic Return" (3x35) at 4:04:08.
69. ↑ See "Ghosts, Dates, and Darker Fates" (3x10) at 2:13:17.
70. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 0:55:22.
71. ↑ See "A Race for the Prize" (3x27) at 2:39:43.
72. ↑ See "A Woodworker's Quandary" (3x08) from 2:20:06 through 2:20:14.
73. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 2:54:51.  Ashton says "a couple months ago, at this point."
74. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 2:55:57.
75. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: That's Just Right" (4SDx09) at 0:48:55.
76. ↑ See "Ghosts, Dates, and Darker Fates" (3x10) at 1:41:48.
77. ↑ See "Chasing Nightmares" (3x11) at 3:07:42.
78. ↑ See "Heart-to-Heartmoor" (3x17) from 54:15 through 57:25.
79. ↑ See "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21) at 2:07:48.
80. ↑ See "Promise and Potential" (3x22) at 1:00:16.
81. ↑ See "Promise and Potential" (3x22) at 4:03:35.
82. ↑ See "Promise and Potential" (3x22) at 4:10:44.
83. ↑ See "The Hellcatch Valley" (3x24) at 1:08:26.
84. ↑ See "A Taste of Tal'Dorei" (3x25) from 3:41:31 through 3:46:12.
85. ↑ See "Hidden Truths" (3x26) from 1:21:12 through 1:31:46.
86. ↑ See "A Race for the Prize" (3x27) at 1:35:12.
87. ↑ See "A Race for the Prize" (3x27).
88. ↑ See "The Deathwish Run" (3x28).
89. ↑ See "Reunion & Revelation" (3x30) at 1:40:38.  See also at 1:46:57.
90. ↑ See "Breaking Point" (3x31) at 0:38:53.
91. ↑ See "Breaking Point" (3x31) at 1:00:59.
92. ↑ See "Breaking Point" (3x31) at 2:20:10.
93. ↑ See "Breaking Point" (3x31) from 3:06:32 through 3:36:20.
94. ↑ See "A Stage Set" (3x32) from 4:07:11 through 4:12:33.
95. ↑ See "Blood and Dust" (3x33).
96. ↑ See "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) at 0:13:26.
97. ↑ See "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) from 2:55:54 through 3:02:59.
98. ↑ See "Pyrrhic Return" (3x35) from 3:41:05 through 3:53:38.
99. ↑ See "Pyrrhic Return" (3x35) from 3:55:15 through 4:18:48.
100. ↑ See "A Desperate Call" (3x36).
101. ↑ See "Compulsions" (3x40) from 0:42:14 through 0:47:47.
102. ↑ See "Call of the Wild" (3x41).
103. ↑ See "Axiom Shaken" (3x43).
104. ↑ See "Ominous Lectures" (3x45).
105. ↑ See "Ominous Lectures" (3x45).
106. ↑ See "A Haunted Past" (3x63).
107. ↑ See "Reunited" (3x64).
108. ↑ See "Reunited" (3x64).
109. ↑ See "Bloody Flowers" (3x67).
110. ↑ See "For The Tempest" (3x68).
111. ↑ See "Mist and Whimsy" (3x71).
112. ↑ See "Phantasmal Parley" (3x72).
113. ↑ See "Kindling the Spirits" (3x73).
114. ↑ See "Roots Between Worlds" (3x74) at 3:24:47.
115. ↑ See "Roots Between Worlds" (3x74).
116. ↑ See "An Ancient Flame" (3x75).
117. ↑ See "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76).
118. ↑ See "The Promise and the Price" (3x77).
119. ↑ See "Fractures" (3x78).
120. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79).
121. ↑ See "A Test of Trust" (3x80).
122. ↑ See "The Eve of the Red Moon" (3x81).
123. ↑ See "Rush for the Bloody Bridge" (3x82).
124. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 2:55:39.
125. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Previously On…" (4SDx11) at 1:35:19.
126. ↑ See "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65) at 0:58:58.
127. ↑ See "Mist and Whimsy" (3x71) from 4:04:59 through 4:07:02.
128. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 2:29:39.
129. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 1:30:26.
130. ↑ See "Thicker Grows the Meal and Plot" (3x09) from 1:18:13 through 1:19:57.
131. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 1:15:12.
132. ↑ See "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) at 1:21:38.
133. ↑ See "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) at 1:22:08.
134. ↑ See "The Promise and the Price" (3x77) at 3:12:28.
135. ↑ See "The Promise and the Price" (3x77) at 3:51:09.
136. ↑ See "The Promise and the Price" (3x77) at 4:27:06.
137. ↑ See "Fractures" (3x78) at 3:20:49.
138. ↑ See "Ghosts, Dates, and Darker Fates" (3x10) at 2:13:17.
139. ↑ See "The Promise and the Price" (3x77) at 2:37:37.
140. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) from 0:58:35 through 1:04:12.
141. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Anxiety Game Gauntlet" (4SDx18) at 1:01:35.
142. ↑ See "Fractures" (3x78) at 1:33:30.
143. ↑  Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) on Twitter: "Str bonus + Rage bonus + Magic Weapon bonus (folks got to pick starting magic items to match the level of the EXU arriving chars)" (2021-11-21) — in reply to @KyosukeDei: "There are plenty of classes that do way more damage early on, @executivegoth just rolling well!. That said, some of us are confused about how he could've have rolled 27 to hit... and he says his plus damage is +7 at level 3?"
144. ↑ Taliesin says that damage is +7 at "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 1:59:03 while Raging. With the calculation per Matt of Strength modifier (+3) plus Rage bonus (+2) plus weapon bonus, that leaves +2 for the weapon. However, a 27 to hit at "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 0:25:13 would require a natural 20 on a +2 weapon: die roll (20) plus Strength modifier (+3) plus proficiency (+2) plus weapon bonus (+2). However, there was no declaration of one.
145. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 47:25.
146. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Party of NPCs" (4SDx02) at 45:33.
147. ↑ See "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65) at 3:50:44.
148. ↑ See "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65) at 3:51:08.
149. ↑ See "The Eve of the Red Moon" (3x81) at 36:07.
150. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Party of NPCs" (4SDx02) at 0:47:31.
151. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 55:17.  Ashton threw the knife at Bertrand. See also "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 1:12:55 where Bertrand gave it back.
152. ↑ See "A Dance of Deception" (3x13) at 32:47.  Ashton also mentioned a dagger, but it is unknown if the dagger and the knife are the same item.
153. ↑ See "Thicker Grows the Meal and Plot" (3x09) at 3:41:17.
154. ↑ See "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) at 2:58:28.
155. ↑ See "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21) at 2:07:48.
156. ↑ See "The Aurora Grows" (3x49) at 3:55:26.
157. ↑ See "A Long Walk of Reflection" (3x62) at 1:17:55.
158. ↑ See "A Long Walk of Reflection" (3x62) at 1:24:00.
159. ↑ See "Embattled in Bassuras" (3x70) at 4:15:50.
160. ↑ See "Fractures" (3x78) at 3:07:14.
161. ↑ See "The Threat Between the Walls" (3x05) from 1:14:47 through 1:15:14.
162. ↑ See "Growing Bonds and Teasing Threads" (3x06) at 3:47:20.
163. ↑ See "The Threat Between the Walls" (3x05) at 3:48:42.
164. ↑ See "Pyrrhic Return" (3x35) at 2:55:10.
165. ↑ See "Call of the Wild" (3x41) at 2:05:59.
166. ↑ See "A Haunted Past" (3x63) at 3:47:44.
167. ↑ See "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65) at 3:50:44.
168. ↑ See "A Haunted Past" (3x63) at 3:31:00.
169. ↑ See "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65) at 3:51:08.
170. ↑ See "Phantasmal Parley" (3x72) at 3:22:39.
171. ↑ See "The Promise and the Price" (3x77) at 4:12:52.
172. ↑ See "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) from 2:25:38 through 2:25:53.
173. ↑ See "Level Up: Bells Hells Roll Hit Points For Level 8!" at 0:00:24.  It increased Ashton's Constitution by 1.
174. ↑ See "The City of Flowing Light" (3x42) at 0:41:10.
175. ↑ See "The Eve of the Red Moon" (3x81) at 31:17.
176. ↑ See "A Test of Trust" (3x80) from 3:46:15 through 3:47:23.
177. ↑ See "The Eve of the Red Moon" (3x81) from 30:30 through 31:00.
178. ↑ See "The Eve of the Red Moon" (3x81) from 37:51 through 40:40.
179. ↑ See "The Tunnels Below" (3x15) at 3:34:20.  Ashton rolls a 27 total for an Athletics check. This is only possible with a natural 20, giving them 20 + 4 (their Strength modifier at the time) + 3 (their proficiency bonus at the time).
180. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) at 3:54:53.  Ashton gets a total 25 Intimidation check, which must be utilizing his Strength (+4) rather than Charisma (-2) bonus.
181. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) at 3:10:05.
182. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) at 0:55:10.  Ashton rolls a Natural 1 for 17 (Pass Without Trace 10 + Dex 3 + Proficiency 3).
183. ↑ See "Thicker Grows the Meal and Plot" (3x09) at 1:56:17.
184. ↑ See "Night at the Ligament Manor" (3x46) at 3:50:15.
185. ↑ See "Night at the Ligament Manor" (3x46) at 3:24:10.
186. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 2:50:55.
187. ↑ See *D&D: Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse*, 5th ed., p. 17. Although *Blade Ward* is an earth genasi ability in *Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse*, so far there hasn't been confirmation Ashton has this ability.
188. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 2:39:23.
189. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 2:00:34.
190. ↑  Matthew Mercer (@) on Twitter: "Something special we cooked up together. ;)" (2021-10-22) — in reply to @Jake70928358: "but @matthewmercer what subclass is @executivegoth playing?"
191. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 2:00:26.
192. ↑  Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) on Twitter: "Its a consideration! He’s rolled really high so far, but his “burst” damage is +2d4 twice a day, which is comparable/less than the Zealot Barb which is +1d6+Half Barb lvl once every round. The other abilities are largely utility/situationally helpful. We shall see as it goes!" (2021-11-19).
193. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 29:27.  Matt clarifies that Chaos Burst requires a melee weapon to use.
194. ↑ See "From the Boughs" (3x37) at 1:49:52.  Taliesin reads out the ability. "Increases when you reach certain levels in the class. 2d4; at 6, 2d6; at 14.... okay 2d6"
195. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 2:19:19.
196. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 1:58:34.
197. ↑ See "The Threat Between the Walls" (3x05) at 2:54:28.  Ashton's Chaos Burst deals cold damage
198. ↑ See "Behind the Curtain" (3x07) at 3:08:16.
199. ↑ See "Behind the Curtain" (3x07) at 2:46:33.
200. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 0:29:16.
201. ↑ See "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) from 2:39:48 through 2:40:04.
202. ↑ See "Aid of the Tempest" (3x66) at 3:50:57.
203. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Why, Matthew?! Why?" (4SDx15) at 2:06:02.
204. ↑ See "Aid of the Tempest" (3x66) at 3:50:56.  "I got space, so I have resistance against the attack"
205. ↑ See "Aid of the Tempest" (3x66) at 3:52:00.  "I grab its tentacle, a portal opens up in front of me, I pull it straight through, and it goes thirty feet in that direction"
206. ↑ See "Embattled in Bassuras" (3x70) at 3:58:23.  "I'm going to take it and erratic defense... "It's time, she just goes very very slow and I just tip her over"
207. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 1:58:37.
208. ↑ See "The Hellcatch Valley" (3x24) at 2:41:53.  (At Level 6) “Let me just pull it up because I've got a bunch of new \*\*\*\*.”
209. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Party of NPCs" (4SDx02) at 0:16:12.  "Time, Space, Gravity and Luck. Those are the four."
210. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 1:59:28.  Taliesin: “The crystal, the glass inside my head starts to get a little dim and light just seems to get a little dimmer around me.” Matt: “The broom begins to immediately act like it’s being pulled slightly towards you”
211. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 3:18:15.  “Yeah, the light kind of bends around and everything gets a little black and white around my head.”
212. ↑ See "Reunion & Revelation" (3x30) at 1:10:45.  “So as I get going, I get that weird black and white, the color starts to fade and everything starts to pull towards me as the gravity hits.”
213. ↑ See "Reunion & Revelation" (3x30) at 1:32:00.
214. ↑ See "Behind the Curtain" (3x07) at 2:31:48.
215. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 1:59:22.  See also 2:18:38 regarding disadvantage.
216. ↑ See "The Deathwish Run" (3x28) at 1:07:00.  “You generate an aura of heavy gravity. All creatures that start their turn within 15 feet of you are pulled up to 10 feet directly toward you and have disadvantage on attacks"
217. ↑ See "The Threat Between the Walls" (3x05) at 3:01:17.  “I'll also say that, technically, he has disadvantage on hitting anyone but me as well.”
218. ↑ See "The Deathwish Run" (3x28) at 2:38:32.  “If I burn a Density Well and just slam the brakes once, can I become a big, bloody wall for that thing behind me for a brief moment before accelerating again? … Can I pour Density Well into that and get a little extra damage?”
219. ↑ See "The Deathwish Run" (3x28) at 2:09:40.  “Can I apply my Density Well to those \*\*\*\* who are currently… which means I cannot, normally I cannot be knocked prone, pushed, pulled or forced to move and when I hit with a melee attack, I can burn a Chaos Burst to do additional damage. If the target doesn't succeed a strength saving throw, they get knocked prone.”
220. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 0:19:32.  “Two… It’s Space.”
221. ↑ See "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) at 2:24:17.  “First, of course, I am going to @#$% rage. Yes yes! We got a number two. Oh wow, now we're playing with portals.”
222. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 0:23:22.  (Before Dropping Rage and Re-Raging) “For a second, my head seemed to get less there. Like there was almost a transparency underneath the glass in my head wound.”
223. ↑ See "To The Skies" (3x23) at 2:29:16.  “So the crystal in my head starts to almost become transparent, but all the way through my head, like it's a little bit of a bad Photoshop effect, including the hammer gets a little weird that way where there's almost a lens in the center.”
224. ↑ See "Embattled in Bassuras" (3x70) at 2:42:42.  Ashton uses the name "Violent Gateway" for this action.
225. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) at 3:53:47.  "Oh, wow. This is going to be fun, then. Okay, I take the hammer, and reel it up. As I reel it up, it seems like the hammer almost becomes translucent completely. Except it seems like it's off kilter a little bit. As I roll down, and hit him again, as he cracks, I fall into the hole."
226. ↑ See "Blood and Dust" (3x33) at 2:53:04.  “Cool thing though is I have Space up right now. Which is why I'm slightly translucent. That swing gives me just enough power to teleport. … Yeah. So I'm going to take 60 feet in that direction.”
227. ↑ See "To The Skies" (3x23) from 3:20:06 through “I'm going to float right into a portal.” … “As I'm falling, I'm going to fall right into a portal and I'm going to teleport right next to that ballista up there and start getting ready to load some chain.”.
228. ↑ See "Blood and Dust" (3x33) at 1:27:07.  “I'm going to do a Wormhole Strike at the top one and try and see if I can knock it either out or break it, try and knock it out of it”
229. ↑ See "Blood and Dust" (3x33) at 3:15:30.  (75 feet away) “I’m going to step fifteen feet towards this \*\*\*\* I'm just going to take a wild swing. I'm going to swing and hit the ground in an attempt to just make a shockwave towards this \*\*\*\*. But of course a portal opens, and the hammer disappears, and it's going to hit her right in the back of the head.”
230. ↑ See "To The Skies" (3x23) at 2:29:35.  “I'm going to kind of just charge up and a portal is gonna open in front of me. I'm going to just toss my hammer straight down into it, and a small portal above that \*\*\*\* is going to come down.” “What’s the range on that attack?” “60 feet” “That rolls a chaos burst”
231. ↑ See "To The Skies" (3x23) at 2:30:16.  “Where does that live? Fundamental Force, yeah sorry, That’s an additional 1d10. … Bludgeoning and then one force damage.”
232. ↑ See "Blood and Dust" (3x33) at 1:27:18.  “If you want to as opposed to a weapon, you can portal your arms up to it and try to lift it from a distance”
233. ↑ See "The Shade Mother" (3x16) at 0:51:38.  "Yeah, all right, I got a three, so we're still sticking. Maybe I'm going to try a different d4 next time, since it really likes the number three."
234. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 0:24:31.
235. ↑ See "A Test of Trust" (3x80) at 1:06:18.
236. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 2:17:20.  After raging, at the beginning of Dugger’s turn “Before anything, I want to cast Temporal Morass.”
237. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 0:36:46.
238. ↑ See "The Tunnels Below" (3x15) at 3:50:55.  "Also, if he's starting his turn within 15 feet of me, it's a constitution save. So yep, his speed is halved and out of a reaction until the beginning of his next turn.”
239. ↑ See "The Hellcatch Valley" (3x24) at 3:09:07.  “I'm going to spend a point for Hyper Rage.”
240. ↑ See "A Test of Trust" (3x80) at 50:42.
241. ↑ See "Call of the Wild" (3x41) at 3:16:36.  “TALIESIN: I'm also going to, just because I've got to give myself a little distance, I'm going to go into hyper rage, so I'm just a blur now. Just a blur of red and blue.”
242. ↑ See "Call of the Wild" (3x41) at 3:17:41.  “But you can go twice your speed.” “I can go 80 feet, so I can go anywhere I want.”
243. ↑ See "Night at the Ligament Manor" (3x46) at 1:14:40.  “In one place, I’m just going to move around four squares. 160 feet in one round.” (Using the Dash Action to move double their speed)
244. ↑ See "The Hellcatch Valley" (3x24) at 3:10:28.
245. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Party of NPCs" (4SDx02) at 0:16:12.  "Time, Space, Gravity and Luck. Those are the four."
246. ↑ See "From the Boughs" (3x37) at 2:53:34.  “Okay. I'm going to rage like a \*\*\*\*, and ooh yeah! That's a four, so the rainbow lights start going off in the head. Rainbow lights start going off in the hammer.”
247. ↑ See "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21) at 19:27.
248. ↑ See "The Aurora Grows" (3x49) at 4:18:23.  “I tap my hammer down on the ground and the rainbow sparks start and there is a probability matrix now around us as well.”
249. ↑ See "Night at the Ligament Manor" (3x46) at 4:04:14.  “TALIESIN: Oh wait, and I also get a d4 on this, too. That's right.”
250. ↑ See "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21) at 22:24.
251. ↑ See "A Desperate Call" (3x36) at 3:00:21.  Ashton repeatedly asks if people are within ten feet to gain the extra d4.
252. ↑ See "Compulsions" (3x40) at 1:30:11.  “Anyone within 10 feet of me right now, I get to roll a d4 for their attack rolls and save rolls.”
253. ↑ See "Crisis of Faith" (3x61) at 2:26:00.
254. ↑ See "Night at the Ligament Manor" (3x46) at 3:59:01.  As a reaction, Ashton uses "Dreadful Misfortune". "The one that did, let's pick one. The one that's furthest away. I'm going to use my reaction to trigger Dreadful Misfortune. So... you have to make the attack roll against their own AC. Yeah, they take half damage." (Both Centaurs attacked Ashton and missed)
255. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 1:59:12.
256. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 0:25:13.
257. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 3:48:20.
258. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 1:41:07.
259. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) from 54:46 through 55:07.
260. ↑ See "The Threat Between the Walls" (3x05) at 1:10:51.
261. ↑ See "A Woodworker's Quandary" (3x08) at 0:30:59.
262. ↑ See "Thicker Grows the Meal and Plot" (3x09) at 0:51:46.
263. ↑ See "Chasing Nightmares" (3x11) at 2:26:57.
264. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 43:34.
265. ↑ See "The Shade Mother" (3x16) at 3:46:29.
266. ↑ See "The Shade Mother" (3x16) at 3:48:43.
267. ↑ See "Heart-to-Heartmoor" (3x17) at 2:59:09.
268. ↑ See "Heart-to-Heartmoor" (3x17) at 3:00:25.
269. ↑ See "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21) at 2:11:17.
270. ↑ See "Promise and Potential" (3x22) at 0:25:21.
271. ↑ See "Promise and Potential" (3x22) at 1:19:24.
272. ↑ See "Hidden Truths" (3x26) at 1:36:07.
273. ↑ See "Pyrrhic Return" (3x35) at 4:05:16.
274. ↑ See "A Desperate Call" (3x36) at 1:41:44.
275. ↑ See "The Momentum of Murder" (3x39) at 0:20:00.
276. ↑ See "The Momentum of Murder" (3x39) at 0:53:18.
277. ↑ See "The City of Flowing Light" (3x42) at 3:03:01.
278. ↑ See "The Aurora Grows" (3x49) at 1:43:03.
279. ↑ See "Somewhere Out There" (3x59) at 3:37:57.
280. ↑ See "Crisis of Faith" (3x61).
281. ↑ See "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65) from 3:19:57 through 3:22:45.
282. ↑ See "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65) at 3:52:29.
283. ↑ See "Embattled in Bassuras" (3x70) at 4:23:15.
284. ↑ See "Kindling the Spirits" (3x73) at 2:52:14.
285. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Why Are You Like This?!" (4SDx08) at 0:39:28.
286. ↑ See "San Diego Comic-Con 2023 - Critical Role Fireside Chat & Cast Q&A" (Sx77) at 0:30:16.
287. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Fly Into The Danger Zone" (4SDx03) at 1:08:24.
288. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: From Dusk Till Faun" (4SDx05) at 48:10.
289. ↑ See "Promise and Potential" (3x22) at 0:20:34.
290. ↑ See "To The Skies" (3x23) at 3:29:12.
291. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Why Are You Like This?!" (4SDx08) at 1:00:42.
292. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: A Very Special Six-Sided Dive" (4SDx14) at 0:48:05.
293. ↑ See "San Diego Comic-Con 2023 - Critical Role Fireside Chat & Cast Q&A" (Sx77) at 0:23:17.
294. ↑ See "For The Tempest" (3x68) at 2:34:53.
295. ↑ See the Rose City Comic Con podcast at 49:38.
296. ↑ See the Rose City Comic Con podcast at 29:54.
297. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Anxiety Game Gauntlet" (4SDx18) at 1:46:25.
298. ↑ See "*4-Sided Dive*: Night of the Living Bits" (4SDx17) at 1:01:25.
299. ↑ See "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76) at 3:00:24.
300. ↑ See "The Promise and the Price" (3x77) at 2:21:27.
301. ↑ See "Fractures" (3x78) at 3:07:33.

**Art:**

1. ↑ Official art of Ashton, 2023 update, by Hannah Friederichs (source). 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. ↑ Official art of Ashton, by Hannah Friederichs (source). 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.
3. ↑ Official art of Ashton, by Hannah Friederichs (source). 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.
4. ↑ Official art of Ashton, 2023 update, by Hannah Friederichs (source). 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.
5. ↑ Fan art of Ashton, by MateuszWilma (source). Used with permission.
6. ↑ Fan art of Laudna and Ashton in the dust storm, by Cha Cha Rae (source). Used with permission.
7. ↑ Fan art of Ashton's potential, by Cha Cha Rae (source). Used with permission.
8. ↑ Fan art of Ashton and Laudna, by Melissa Hahn (source). Used with permission.
9. ↑ Fan art of Fearne and Ashton's goodbye, by Pyromeekorai (source). Used with permission.
10. ↑ Fan art of Ashton's attack, by Cha Cha Rae (source). Used with permission.
11. ↑ Fan art of Prism moving the body, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
12. ↑ Fan art of Prism's best friend, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
13. ↑ Fan art of Orym giving Ashton a "gift", by Cha Cha Rae (source). Used with permission.
14. ↑ Fan art of Ashton getting his tattoo, by Cha Cha Rae (source). Used with permission.
15. ↑ Fan art of Ashton overlooking Kalutha, with the three peaks in the background, by SuzySnoo (source). Used with permission.
16. ↑ Fan art of Evontra'vir, by Niko Vanhala (source). Used with permission.
17. ↑ Fan art of Fearne and Ashton with the shard, by Sech Bravo (source). Used with permission.
18. ↑ Fan art of Allura, Ashton, and Percy, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
19. ↑ Fan art of Ashton kissing Fearne, by Agata Fiszer (source). Used with permission.
20. ↑ Fan art of Ashton after taking Rau'shan's power, by Edu Benavente (source). Used with permission.
21. ↑ Fan art of Ashton and the shard, by Melissa Hahn (source). Used with permission.
22. ↑ Fan art of Ashton and Fresh Cut Grass, by Bunchu (source). Used with permission.
23. ↑ Fan art of Ashton's conversation with Fearne, by Melissa Hahn (source). Used with permission.
24. ↑ Fan art of Ashton and Orym, by Cha Cha Rae (source). Used with permission.
25. ↑ Fan art of Ashton's doll, by Misha Leigh (source). Used with permission.
26. ↑ Fan art of Ashton using Temporal Morass, by Nikki Dawes (source). Used with permission.
27. ↑ Ashton's Time rage, by Kamille Areopagita and Kevin Areopagita from "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76). Used with permission.
28. ↑ Fan art of Ashton, by Edu Benavente (source). Used with permission.
29. ↑ Screenshot of the back of Ashton's jacket (source). 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.
30. ↑ Fan art of Ashton, by Nathaniel Himawan (ninesicks) (source). Used with permission.
31. ↑ Fan art of Ashton, by Clara (source). Used with permission.
32. ↑ Fan art of Ashton, by Cael Lyons (source). Used with permission.
33. ↑ Fan art of Ashton, transformed, by Zei (source). Used with permission.