Saundor

Saundor was an archfey living in the Shademurk Bog in the Feywild and the former owner of Fenthras. Betrayed and forgotten by his lover, Saundor was left to his own despair, corrupting the Shademurk Bog. Residing inside an enormous tree in the middle of the bog, Saundor longed for someone to heal his wounds and cleanse his heart: a companion, a friend. As an NPC, he was played by Matthew Mercer.

Appearance
Saundor was a thin, elf-like individual covered in a mass of plants, leaves, and thorns. The only flesh-like portion of his body was his face. His eyes glowed bright yellow. He could connect his body to the tree he resided in through tendrils of plant matter that attached to his back and shoulders.

While in the Shademurk Bog, as part of Vox Machina's preparations to enter the cancerous tree rumored to contain Fenthras, Keyleth cast Commune with Nature to learn about the tree. Asking the environment what was fueling the tree, she heard the name "Saundor" for the first time.

The next day, the group approached the tree, with Scanlan Shorthalt announcing the group's presence to Saundor under the pretense of seeking his blessing as his devotees. Keyleth cast Speak with Plants, asking if Saundor could hear her, but she was met with silence. She then announced herself as an Ashari druid and asked if he was present, and an ominous voice replied in her head, "I'm here." Keyleth responded, "We would like to see your heart." The vines and bark opened, and a small, dark passage into the tree opened before her, and the group entered. Keyleth realized that Saundor was watching them.

Saundor took a special interest in Vex'ahlia, seeking to relate to her and establish a bond.

Vex'ahlia found Saundor's behavior strange and creepy, but also seemed emotionally disturbed by his insight into her inner turmoil. When Saundor proposed a bond between himself and Vex'ahlia, seeking her heart in return for power, she drew her bow. Then Saundor asked for her answer; Vex'ahlia answered with an arrow to his chest, beginning combat between Vox Machina and the corrupted archfey.

Combat
Despite his initial interest in Vex'ahlia, Saundor became angry at her rejection and assault. Eventually, he succeeded in knocking her unconscious. When Scanlan's Healing Word returned her to consciousness, Saundor used a legendary action to attack her again and cast a spell at her.

Frustrated by Saundor's mobility keeping him out of melee range, Grog casually walked in front of Vex'ahlia to shield her with his own body. The goliath turned toward Saundor and admonished him for succumbing to corruption due to a mere broken heart. At that point, Grog hurled his Javelin of Lightning at Saundor, impaling the archfey through the jaw. After the physical impact, the javelin's lightning burst outward, blasting pieces of Saundor's upper body across the room.

After Saundor's death, the black ichor that seeped out of the plants of the Shademurk Bog ceased flowing and started hardening like amber.

Abilities
Saundor exerted control over his natural environment as an extension of his consciousness, covering himself in natural armor and commanding the nearby vines and treants, as well as ejecting arrow-like, viney spikes from his hand as ammunition for his bow, Fenthras. He was able to stride through the tree that constituted his lair. Saundor regenerated his form during combat. Additionally, he possessed the following abilities:
 * Lair Actions:
 * [unknown]: A gas cloud covering an approximately 10-foot radius, requiring a Constitution saving throw.
 * [unknown]: A gas cloud covering an approximately 20-foot radius. While Cloudkill and Stinking Cloud require a Constitution saving throw, and Incendiary Cloud requires a Dexterity saving throw, this spell required a Wisdom saving throw.
 * [unknown]: Vines from the nearby walls of the tree whipped out and grabbed nearby targets.
 * Legendary Actions:
 * [unknown bow attack]
 * [unknown spell]: Required a Dexterity saving throw; cost two legendary actions; successfully prevented by a 5th-level Counterspell.
 * Blight
 * Reverse Gravity
 * Legendary Resistance: Allowed Saundor to automatically succeed on a failed saving throw.
 * Special Attacks:
 * [unknown attack]: Saundor's fingers curled up into "giant, extremely hard, petrified root clusters".
 * Bramble Shot: Saundor shot viney arrows that erupted upon contact as thorny vines, wrapping around their target. This ability was likely the Bramble Shot from Fenthras.
 * Spells:
 * Blight

Notable Items

 * Fenthras

Quotations
Saundor: We all have, in some degree, yes? Vex'ahlia: Is that why you are what you are now? Saundor: I don't even remember. I just know that I'm alone and she left me there. Vex'ahlia: 'She'? Who is she? Saundor: The memories have faded. I just want someone to understand me, that's all. Can you understand me? Vex'ahlia: And what would you ask in return? Saundor: Your heart. Vex'ahlia: My heart is someone else's. Marisha Ray: No, he was a fucking cock!
 * Saundor: (to Vox Machina) Why do you come here, children of the lost? What purpose brings you to Saundor's madness and pain?
 * Saundor: (to Vex'ahlia) You all come here, but one of you is the reason. You&hellip; sweet, broken Vex'ahlia. Unwanted daughter, unproven ally, selfish and cruel—you drive those you would call family into danger and death for your own gain. I understand you. [There's a softness and sadness to his face.] You are lost, without form, without knowing who you are, child. You stand shattered by expectation, presenting an illusion of confidence. Behind it, you never left that bloodied girl, dagger in hand, body at your feet. You are a killer, run as you may. The tears you cry are not in vain, my sweet&hellip; my dear Vex'ahlia. You can rise above your trembling destiny. I have lived a thousand years and a day. I have seen many things; I can grant many gifts.
 * Saundor: (to Vex'ahlia) You have things I do not. Companionship&hellip; I have been without for so very long.  And the ones I've let in have hurt me so very deeply.
 * Vex'ahlia: You've been betrayed?
 * Saundor: I will give you the means to protect them&hellip; your home&hellip;
 * Saundor: (after being shot by Vex'ahlia) Then I am to be alone&hellip;
 * Saundor: (after being shot by Vex'ahlia} Your choice is made. Become another memory here, and keep me company in oblivion!
 * Laura Bailey: (after initiating combat with Saundor) I feel so guilty.

Trivia

 * Matthew Mercer's character sheet for Saundor was briefly shown in "Behind the Screen", the ninth episode of GM Tips with Matt Mercer, with his name spelled as "Sondur". The character sheet was written before, and after that episode, Matt stated twice on Twitter that the correct spelling is "Saundor". This wiki uses the more recent "Saundor" spelling.
 * Travis Willingham speculated that the tree used to be a person whose heart was broken, which was not far from the truth.
 * If Vex'ahlia had accepted a bond with Saundor, she would have changed her creature type from Humanoid to Fey, gaining the benefits of a perpetual Barkskin (AC never drops below 16, regardless of what armor one is wearing) and other fey abilities, but with the major drawbacks of gaining vulnerability to fire damage and having the not-so-good Saundor as her archfey patron.