Drath Mephruhn

Drath Mephruhn
Non-player character
Official art of Drath Mephruhn in his original form, by Olivia Samson from Vox Machina Origins II 2.[art 1]
Basic information
ActorMatthew Mercer
RaceLich
ClassWizard
Biographical information
Full nameDrath Mephruhn
Pronounshe/him
LanguagesAbyssal, Common[1]
PlacesGatshadow Mountain
AffiliationsAlabaster Lyceum
Status
StatusDestroyed
Cause of deathPhylactery destroyed by Eskil Ryndarien in ritual
Mechanical information
Creature typeUndead

Drath Mephruhn (spelled "Mephrun" in an earlier work[1]) is a dying mage who briefly achieved lichdom by placing a phylactery in Grog Strongjaw's chest. As an NPC, Drath is played by Matthew Mercer.

Description[edit | edit source]

Appearance[edit | edit source]

Screenshot of Drath Mephruhn controlling the Strongjaws from "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04) at 1:34.[art 2]

Although Drath is described as a "dying mage" and a "shade", he had a nearly skeletal appearance, like a corporeal undead. He was shown with glowing eyes, with wisps of shadow rising from within his tattered, hooded robes.[1][2] Pike described him as "almost like a lich, but not quite".[3]

When he possessed Grog's body, the violet glow of his eyes was transferred to Grog.[4]

Personality[edit | edit source]

Drath looked down on others to an extreme degree, describing the adventurers who interrupted his ritual as "worthless cattle".[1] He called Grog's body "this behemoth's shell", and in his final fight he gloated and expressed contempt for his opponents constantly.[4]

Biography[edit | edit source]

Realmseer Eskil Ryndarien remembered Drath being a young student at the Alabaster Lyceum, "long ago" as of 809 PD, who was expelled for dabbling in the dark arts.[3]

Drath Mephruhn raised Stonejaw Strongjaw from the dead and magically compelled Stonejaw's son Grog, then in Stilben, to travel to Drath's lair, which is a crypt in a subterranean city deep within Gatshadow Mountain. There, Drath began a ritual to embed a phylactery in Grog's chest so that he could achieve lichdom and possess Grog's body.[5][2]

Several of Grog's fellow adventurers arrived during the ritual. They fought the mind-controlled Grog, the reanimated Stonejaw, and some skeletons, and they seemingly destroyed Drath, but not before he could complete the ritual. Grog was freed from Drath's domination, but the angry scar on his chest caused him growing discomfort, and the party sought advice on what to do about it. Eskil Ryndarien told them that Drath would return to his phylactery within weeks.[3] To remove the phylactery would kill Grog, and likely interfere with attempts to resurrect him, unless a particular ritual was performed, and to that end he sent the adventurers to collect the needed components.[6]

Official art of Drath possessing Grog's body, by Olivia Samson from Vox Machina Origins II 6.[art 3]

They collected the components, but time ran short. As Eskil was performing the ritual, Drath took control of Grog's body, and the rest of the adventurers had to contain him until the ritual was completed. Eskil finally extracted the phylactery, trapped Drath within the ritual components, and destroyed the components along with Drath.[4][7]

Character information[edit | edit source]

Notable items[edit | edit source]

Abilities[edit | edit source]

Given that Drath was a student at the Alabaster Lyceum, studied necromancy deeply, and had aspirations of lichdom, he was a wizard.

Appearances and mentions[edit | edit source]

Quotations[edit | edit source]

  • "I will drown you in suffering!"[1]
  • "This behemoth's shell is now mine to command."[4]

References[edit | edit source]

Art:

  1. Official art of Drath Mephruhn in his original form, by Olivia Samson from Vox Machina Origins II 2. 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. Screenshot of Drath Mephruhn controlling the Strongjaws from "The Story of Vox Machina" (Mx04) at 1:34. 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 Drath possessing Grog's body, by Olivia Samson from Vox Machina Origins II 6. 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.