In case you haven’t joined the Critter community yet, Critical Role is our Dungeons & Dragons RPG show where a group of geeky voice actors roleplay fantastic and memorable stories. Though they’ve wrapped up their current adventure, the world lives on in the Critical Role sourcebook, our Chronicles of Exandria art book, the Vox Machina comic book, and in song through character playlists, like this one.

Fans of Critical Role will know that Keyleth left her village and her father, the headmaster of the tribe, to embark on a rite of passage known as the Aramente, a “noble odyssey” quest involving meeting other headmasters of the Ashari tribes. With the help of Vox Machina, Keyleth completed her rite of passage and learned about the world around her and its people. She may have started her journey naive and untested, but by the end she was a formidable force with the makings of a true leader.

Marisha Ray, who played Keyleth, compiled this playlist to sum up that full journey that she and the character went on together, and included her insights and commentary below.

Warning: minor spoilers below.

This last playlist was by far the hardest to complete out of the three. I think it’s because building it ended up feeling like a long and very difficult goodbye. Keyleth felt less like a character I created, and more like an imaginary best friend. In a way, we both grew up together. Her naivety mirrored mine as we both had to find our place in the world, and the leadership we could be capable of. But, like most childhood friends, ending this campaign feels like Keyleth is moving away up north because her dad got a job for a new tech company in Seattle, or something… Sure, we might share a few words online from time to time, but we both know we’re moving on, and it’ll never be the same.

Alas, change is good. Change is healthy. The entire group is growing more and more excited for the brand new beginning this next campaign will deliver. But, damn, I’m gonna miss the hell out of each and every member of Vox Machina, every guest character, and every brilliant NPC that Matt manifested in our imaginations each week. Thank you to my friends – my family, for the gifts in memory you gave me… but thank you most of all to Keyleth. Keyleth, you taught me more about myself than I could have ever imagined. Now, go forth and be that badass Voice of the Tempest that you are, and keep inspiring people the way you inspired me.

“Thunder Official Remix” by Imagine Dragons, K. Flay

I love this song for a few reasons. The first time I heard the original was when Liam dedicated it to me on my birthday. Then they teamed up with K. Flay to do this amazing remix, and the breakdown is so Keyleth. It feels like the duality between Keyleth and I wrapped into an almost overplayed top 40 song. Just remember, “It’s easy to jump when you know how to fall…”

“Cherry Blossom Girl” by Air

This song comes to mind whenever I think, or see art of the Aramente’ ceremony with the falling cherry blossoms. It just sets the mood so nicely! Plus: the bands name is Air. How perfect is that?!

“Grigio Girls” by Lady Gaga

Of course, Keyleth is more of a Shiraz girl, but this song goes out to Vex, Pike, and all of the bad ass women of the world.

“Into My Arms” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

It’s no secret that Percy and Keyleth didn’t end up in team #blessed at the end of it all. Keyleth had a hard time wrapping her head around the concept of having faith and/or trust in a god when she was surrounded by some of the most capable people in the world, all of whom she loved and would give her life for. That’s not to say that she didn’t pray. Keyleth did a lot of soul-baring and pleading on long, sleepless nights in those final months. It’s incredibly hard to find songs to quantify that type of hopeless beholden to a situation, or in this case, a deity, that you have no control over. This song and Nick Cave convey that type of beautiful melancholy perfectly.

“Carousel” by A Blaze of Feathers

Keyleth’s prayers were… unanswered. Hope and mourning are highly conflicting emotions. When is the right time to accept the sad reality and let that hope fade? Eventually, one has to protect themselves, and hope is a very vulnerable condition.

“Polymorphing” by Chairlift

Let’s bring the mood up a notch and talk about how amazing Scanlan, and therefore, Sam is! I’ve yet to dedicate a song to Scanlan, and I’m glad I waited for this one. Every time I listen to this, I see Scanlan singing and gifting this performance to Pike on their wedding night, destroying decor as he floated on Bigby’s Hand through the reception hall.

“Tokyo Sunrise” by LP

Vax. I have a hard time getting through this song without ending up in tears. But, with any final driving hope, necessary as it is contradictory, maybe as LP says, “Someday in the sky we’ll see the same sun on the horizon.”

“Last Leaf” by Tom Waits

Oh man, maybe this playlist is more tragic than I thought. Well, in any case, fast forward 1000 years, and there is little ol’ lady Keyleth. The last leaf on the tree. Oh Tom Waits, I love you so.

“Supercut” by Lorde

This song is dedicated to the entire six-year campaign. Thanks to this incredible experience I have these extraordinary memories that all feel as real as the rest of them. I look back at it all, and it plays like a supercut. Just as tangible as if I was leaning over one of our editor’s shoulders at the studio. Appropriate, considering this campaign is one of the greatest projects I have ever been, and ever will be, a part of in my life.

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Featured image: Jonesy / @drunken_pilot