Scanlan Shorthalt

A gnome bard who leaves Vox Machina to spend time with his daughter and returns for the fight against Vecna.

Scanlan Shorthalt is a gnome bard who served as a core member of Vox Machina during their travels across the continent of Tal'Dorei in Campaign One. Portrayed by Sam Riegel, Scanlan was known for his flamboyant personality and musical talents. He temporarily left the group to focus on self-discovery and spend time with his daughter. His departure marked a significant shift in the party's dynamic during the Taryon Darrington story arc (episodes 85–99), though he eventually rejoined Vox Machina for the final battle against Vecna.

Quick Facts

Race: gnome
Class: bard
Portrayed by: Sam Riegel

Lore & Background

Scanlan Shorthalt's journey with Vox Machina began in the Kraghammer story arc and continued through their battles across Tal'Dorei. He was present during the defeat of the Chroma Conclave, where he helped the party search for the Vestiges of Divergence to gain the power needed to stop the four ancient chromatic dragons. During the Taryon Darrington story arc (episodes 85–99), Scanlan's use of an in-campaign illicit drug known as 'spice' and growing disagreements with the group led to a heated argument that shook the party. This conflict resulted in his departure from Vox Machina, allowing him time away to focus on self-discovery and reconnect with his daughter. Despite his absence, he remained a pivotal figure in the campaign's narrative.

Reader's Guide

Scanlan Shorthalt is a gnome bard portrayed by Sam Riegel. He travels with Vox Machina from the Kraghammer story arc (episodes 1–16) through the Vasselheim and Briarwood arcs. During the Chroma Conclave arc (episodes 39–84), he fought alongside the party against four ancient chromatic dragons while they sought powerful magical items known as the Vestiges of Divergence. His character faced a major turning point in the Taryon Darrington story arc (episodes 85–99) when his use of 'spice' and internal conflicts led him to leave the group temporarily. He returned for the final arc, the Cult of Vecna (episodes 100–115), participating in the climactic battle that stopped Vecna's ascension. After the campaign concluded on October 12, 2017, Vox Machina returned in one-shots such as 'The Search for Grog' and 'The Search for Bob', which portray an adventure on the plane of Pandemonium.