Voss

Kith'rak Voss is a ruthless Githyanki knight in the service of his queen, Vlaakith. He rides a red dragon named Qudenos.

Background

Voss is a Kith'rak in githyanki society, a fearsome warrior captain who reports directly to the lich queen Vlaakith CLVII. Per Lae'zel and lore found in-game, Voss has been the right-hand knight of Vlaakith and her predecessors, dating back to Vlaakith I, who succeeded the first githyanki leader Gith thousands of years in the past. Qudenos the Red Dragon is his mount and closest comrade.

Voss is direct and brutal, expecting the deference due both his rank and possession of Vlaakith's personal silver sword. Other gith characters, including Lae'zel, hold him in esteem and may even be cowed by his presence. He still talks with - and may even be friendly to - non-gith, but githyanki party members or party members appearing as a githyanki using  Disguise Self have special interactions with Voss that reflect their place in gith society.

Involvement

Act One - Mountain Pass

For the transcript of Voss's Act 1 appearance, see Voss/Transcript.

During Act One, the party can first encounter Voss if they venture close enough to the Mountain Pass area to the northwest of Waukeen's Rest. A group of githyanki has just slain a Flaming Fist patrol, and Voss lands astride Qudenos to give orders to them.

If Kith'rak Voss or the other githyanki are approached by the party, he interrogates the player character about the object of his mission, the Mysterious Artefact, which he believes is a powerful weapon that can be used against Mind Flayers.

The interrogation is a gauntlet of ability checks.

The player character must first convince Voss not to kill them on the spot:

• [SLEIGHT OF HAND] Silently hold his stare and discreetly prepare to attack. (DC 15)
• [INSIGHT] You would've done so already if you didn't want something from me first. (DC 10)
• [INTIMIDATION] I just want passage - if I have to go through you, so be it. (DC 15)
• [BERSERKER] [INTIMIDATION] ROAR. (DC 18)
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] You'd sprain your wrist trying. (DC 18)
• [PERSUASION] I don't know you. I pose no threat. (DC 15)
• [DROW] Can't you muster a real threat, like flaying or blinding?
• [RANGER] [FIGHTER] Try it - let's see who walks away alive.

...followed by a DC 10 Arcana check check to perceive his casting of  Detect Thoughts, then a DC 10 Wisdom check check to resist it. Warlocks will recognize the spell and bypass the Arcana check, and will only need a DC 5 Wisdom check check to resist it. The interrogation can then end peacefully with a third successful check:

• [PERSUASION] I could help if you let me live - search for this weapon, perhaps. (DC 15)
• [INTIMIDATION] Why are you hesitating, then? Try it, I dare you. (DC 15)
• [PERSUASION] You ought to just *leave*. You've no right to decide my fate. (DC 15)
• [OATH OF DEVOTION] [PERSUASION] Did you not feel the devotion when inside my head? I could be an invaluable ally. (DC 15)
• [OATH OF THE ANCIENTS] [PERSUASION] You must've seen my knowledge of these ancient lands. I could be of use to you (DC 15)
• [OATH OF VENGEANCE] [PERSUASION] You saw how ruthlessly I pursue my goals. I can help you. (DC 15)
• [OATHBREAKER] [PERSUASION] My fate is my own. You will not take it from me. (DC 15)
• [BERSERKER] [INTIMIDATION] ROAR. (DC 15 )
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Give it a try. I'm hungry for a little fun. (DC 15 )
• [DETECT THOUGHTS] [WISDOM] Read his thoughts.
  • Don't be too hasty. I could prove very useful.

Failing these checks, or opting for violence, initiates combat with the gith soldiers.

If Lae'zel is allowed to speak for the party, there will be additional options:

• Mouth a silent command to Lae'zel: 'truth'.
  • Lae'zel will reveal her infection and Voss will order his githyanki to attack before departing.
• [PERSUASION] Mouth a silent command to Lae'zel: 'play along'. (DC 10)
  • Lae'zel will then make a Deception check, and success will result in Lae'zel lying to Voss and avoid a fight.
• Produce the artifact. You're looking for this, I take it?
  • Combat results with the patrol after Voss leaves.
• [GITHYANKI] Your death is at hand, traitor!
  • Only available to githyanki player characters; initiates combat.

Regardless of how the interrogation ends, Voss departs on Qudenos once the dialogue has finished. He does not participate in combat and, if preemptively engaged, immediately flies away with Qudenos at the first opportunity.

Lae'zel

If in the active party roster, Lae'zel leaves and approaches Voss on her own during this encounter. If the player character follows her, the event proceeds as above. If the party leaves, Lae'zel dies, Voss flies away, and the other githyanki under his command become hostile.

Campsite Visit

Once  Discover the Artefact's Secrets is complete, Kith'rak Voss makes a surprise visit upon the Party's first Fast Travel or Long Rest outside of the Crêche. He speaks directly to Lae'zel, attempting to reason with her about the truth of Vlaakith's tyranny after her own recent betrayal. Further, he claims to be opposing Vlaakith's reign, and that the occupant within the Artefact is the key to her being overthrown. A critical choice must be made:

• If choosing to listen to him and reason with Lae'zel, he urges the party to meet him again in Baldur's Gate at Sharess' Caress.
• Alternatively, it is possible to urge Lae'zel to attack him, leading to an optional boss fight. This has considerable consequences, yet earns the party Voss' Silver Sword. The Letter to Voss on his body directs the party to Sharess' Caress, continuing  The Githyanki Warrior questline.

Act Three - Sharess' Caress

Voss can be found in Sharess' Caress in Wyrm's Crossing, which starts the  Help Kith'rak Voss quest. He is trying to make a deal with Raphael in the Devil's Den, but Voss has nothing to offer him. Raphael is in possession of the Orphic Hammer, a tool that can break the cage that holds Orpheus the githyanki prince and son of Gith.

A long time ago Orpheus knew that Vlaakith I had betrayed his mother. He led Gith's Honour Guard in a revolt and named himself the rightful king of the githyanki, triggering the War of the Comet. At the head of the Honour Guard mounted on red dragons, Orpheus fought Vlaakith's knights in a battle in the Astral Plane, where he praised Gith and accused Vlaakith. Yet he was overcome and defeated by Kith'rak Voss on Qudenos and imprisoned within the Astral Prism so that Vlaakith I (and now Vlaakith CLVII) could exploit the powers he inherited from his mother.

Years later Voss realised that Vlaakith does not act in the interests of githyanki, and swore to free Gith's rightful successor.

Act Three - Lower City Sewers

If signing the deal with Raphael, the party can immediately show it to Voss, who then gifts the party a Silver Sword of the Astral Plane, a precious cultural item of the githyanki. Voss then departs to prepare his forces to take on the Elder Brain.

If refusing the deal, Voss relocates to the Lower City Sewers near the Undercity Ruins waypoint. There, he waits for the party to show him the Orphic Hammer and after this, he grants them the silver sword before leaving to gather his forces.

If attacking him in the sewers, he calls the party traitors and teleports away on his turn, even if restrained, silenced, or incapacitated. He can still be killed if he is defeated in a single turn.

Act Three - Upper City

Voss confronts the party as they approach High Hall. His reaction varies greatly depending on the choices that the party made inside the Astral Prism after their initial loss to the Netherbrain:

• If freeing Orpheus and either Karlach or the player character becomes a Mind Flayer, then Voss is overjoyed at his prince's freedom. He then agrees to help them as part of the  Gather Your Allies quest.

• If freeing Orpheus and allowing him to sacrifice himself to become a Mind Flayer, then Voss initially believes they betrayed him and killed Orpheus. He is shocked and horrified to learn his prince sacrificed himself for the cause, yet still offers to help the party as part of the  Gather Your Allies quest.

• If trusting the Emperor and letting him or Karlach consume Orpheus, then Voss becomes enraged and the party must pass a DC 30 Persuasion check or DC 30 Deception check to prevent him from attacking them. If successful, Voss stands down and agrees to help the party as part of the  Gather Your Allies quest.

• If trusting the Emperor and the player character becomes a Mind Flayer and consumes Orpheus, then an additional DC 25 Persuasion check or DC 25 Intimidation check must be passed before the DC 30 Persuasion check or DC 30 Deception check to prevent Voss from attacking and secure his aid in the  Gather Your Allies quest.

Combat

Attacks and abilities

 Action Surge

Immediately gain an extra action to use this turn.

 Range: Self

Recharge: Short rest

 Astral Step ()

Surrounded by silver mist, you teleport to an unoccupied space you can see.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Blur ()

Attackers have Disadvantage on Attack rolls against you.

Doesn't affect creatures that don't rely on sight or that can see through illusions.

 Range: Self

 Main Hand Attack ()   –  Voss' Silver Sword

Normal weapon damage Make a melee attack with your equipped weapon.

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5  ft

 Wrathful Smite ()   –  Voss' Silver Sword

Normal weapon damage +

1d6 (1~6) Psychic

Your weapon absorbs your wrath as you strike, possibly  Frightening your target.

WIS Save

 Range: Normal weapon range

Allies

• Veteran Gish
• Veteran Raider
• Veteran Warrior
• Voss' Raider

Encounter - Rosymorn Monastery Trail camp

• Voss wields Voss' Silver Sword in this fight and killing him will prevent the party from acquiring Silver Sword of the Astral Plane unless they successfully disarmed him at the Mountain Pass.
• Voss is accompanied by Voss' Raider.

Encounter - The Upper City

• If the party completed the Help Kith'rak Voss quest or disarmed him during Act 1, then he will be wielding Voss' Silver Sword instead of Silver Sword of the Astral Plane.
• Voss is accompanied by Veteran Gish, Veteran Raider, and Veteran Warrior.

Loot

• Elixir of Heroism
• Githyanki Crossbow
• Githyanki Half Plate
• Letter to Voss
• Silver Sword of the Astral Plane or Voss' Silver Sword (depending on story/quest completion)

Related literature

• Letter from Voss

Gallery

• 

  Base model

• 

  During first meeting

• 

  During camp visit after the Crèche

• 

  Traded with in Sharess' Caress

• 

  Renders by Luna Wullaert

Notes

• Voss can be traded with in dialogue as early as Act One. Prior to Patch 6 he would also sell Voss' Silver Sword during Act 3.
• Despite being thousands of years old, Voss owes his somewhat youthful appearance to the unusual passage of time on the Astral Plane.

External links

• Voss on the Forgotten Realms Wiki