Athion Zathuda

Fan art of a disappointed Sorrowlord Zathuda, by Micaerys.

**Sorrowlord Athion Zathuda** is a powerful fey in the service of Sammanar. As an NPC, Zathuda is played by Matthew Mercer.

## **Description**

### **Appearance**

Zathuda is seven feet tall, with very pale skin, elongated ears, and black brows extending into the edges of his thick wavy long black hair. His eyes are dark grey, with big black pupils. He has magical tattoo markings framing his face, and wore dark armor with a hollow in it. The shoulders of the armor were wider than those of the ordinary guards present and clearly denoted someone of higher status. The Fatestitcher described him as "incredibly darkly handsome."

### **Personality**

Sorrowlord Zathuda was a brutal warlord that loved poetry, and he often found it in violence. He was dangerous, selfish and manipulative, and Morrigan specifically described him as "a strange one" when talking about him. Birdie Calloway said he was both beautiful and terrifying. He promised her much and delighted in her darker impulses, waxing poetic about taking the moon from the Moonweaver herself.

## **Biography**

### **Background**

Athion Zathuda was a powerful Unseelie noble known, among other things, because of his weapon, Dusk Hunger, the Blade of the Black Flame. At some point during his life he took a satyr lover, Birdie, to whom he made dark promises, keeping her with him, infatuated for a long time. During that period, Birdie got pregnant and Athion made sure that the birth happened in Exandria, during a flare of Ruidus. After that, the Sorrowlord's attention moved elsewhere, as his lover's usefulness faded. She, however, had fallen in love with a prisoner of the Unseelie, Oleander, and decided to free him and run away with him and her daughter. After that Athion tried to find Birdie and their daughter on several occasions, and when he knew the child was in Ligament Manor he sent agents, none of them powerful enough to deal with the Fatestitcher.

At some point during or shortly before his romance with Birdie he came into contact with Ludinus Da'leth and his plans to eliminate the gods. He became the person the members of the Ruby Vanguard talked to, and the one who supervised the process of building the Malleus Key in the Feywild.

### **Campaign Three**

#### **"Hidden Truths" (3x26)**

The voice of Zathuda contacted Dusk, asking for a report on her progress on locating the Moontide Crown and dealing with the Calloways. He was very interested when his spy mentioned the couple had a daughter, Fearne, but Dusk told him that the druid was in the Material Plane and had led her right to the Calloways. He responded that Dusk's dalliance in the mortal realm slowed her with distraction and weakness, and that "Sammanar grows impatient. You will not fail me, lest I find better use for you in one of the Yore Mirrors." Dusk responded that he would have the crown soon, and they would end the Calloway line.

#### **"The Fey Key" (3x47)**

When Bells Hells sought out the Malleus Key within the Fey Realm, Zathuda was present at the Shiver Keep where it was built. Otohan Thull was also briefly there and Zathuda informed her that Sammanar was at the end of their patience. He wanted Otohan to remind Ludinus Da'leth of their arrangement and that he could be quickly removed from it, and was scathing of Otohan's perceived lack of respect for him. Otohan told him that when the Moonweaver was gone, he would be more forgiving, and used a magical scroll to transport herself away. Zathuda summoned Gloamglut, mounted it, and flew off.

Later, after the loud destruction of the Malleus Key, Zathuda and his draconic mount returned to the keep, immediately attacking Bells Hells.

#### **"An Exit Most Fraught" (3x48)**

Zathuda pursued the adventurers on Gloamglut's back, burning different sections of the Sablecast woodlands while Unseelie guards searched on land for the intruders. Their hunt was interrupted by Morrigan the Fatestitcher, who, alerted by Imogen, came in the form of a gigantic dark bird to face the Sorrowlord, until Gloamglut struck her down with his dark fire. However, the hag managed to return to her home, leaving Zathuda with the expectation that she "made amends" for her actions. The Sorrowlord and his mount managed to reach Terrosh's portal just after Bells Hells passed through it, irritating the guardian, as the newcomers had not been invited there.

#### **"To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79)**

Birdie revealed to Fearne for the first time her background, her relationship with Zathuda, and Fearne's true parentage.

## **Relationships**

### **Sehanine**

The Sorrowlord seems to despise the Moonweaver, wishing her gone. Even in the early days of his conspirations with Ludinus, he was already making promises of taking the moon from the goddess.

### **Yu Suffiad**

Yu Suffiad works for Zathuda with the dual goal of recovering the Moontide Crown and dealing with Oleander and Birdie Calloway. The Sorrowlord wasn't afraid of threatening the changeling whenever they behaved too confidently.

### **Otohan Thull**

Zathuda works with Otohan Thull in connection with the construction of the Malleus Key within the Fey Realm. Their relationship seems tense, and Zathuda accused Otohan of showing a lack of respect.

### **Fearne Calloway**

Birdie Calloway revealed that Zathuda is Fearne's biological father. He organized her conception and birth so that she would be a Ruidusborn, and when she was taken away, he tried to retrieve her several times, sending agents that never came back.

## **Character information**

### **Notable items**

* Dusk Hunger
* Blue and black ocarina/whistle to summon Gloamglut

## **Appearances and mentions**

* Campaign Three
	+ "Hidden Truths" (3x26) (first appearance) voice only
	+ "The Fey Key" (3x47)
	+ "An Exit Most Fraught" (3x48)
	+ "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79), mentioned only
	+ "A Test of Trust" (3x80), mentioned only (unnamed)

## **Quotations**

* *(to Otohan)* "Sammanar sits at the end of their patience. I would have you remind Ludinus of our arrangement and the expediency with which we can remove his place in it. ... Your continuous lack of respect is noted, human."

## **Trivia**

* His name could be a variation of *atheon*, which derives from the Ancient Greek *átheos* (godless).
* It's very possible that the "Lightless Flame" referenced in one of his titles refers to his weapon.
* Although it isn't confirmed, it is possible that the Shiver Keep is his official settlement.
* According to Nana Morri, Fearne is his only biological child.

## **References**

1. ↑ The cast started referring to him as an archfey, but Matt didn't confirm it.
2. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 0:45:43.
3. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) from 1:50:28 through 1:52:36.
4. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 1:27:41.
5. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 1:26:29.
6. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 1:27:57.
7. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) from 0:41:27 through 0:50:16.
8. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 1:23:28.
9. ↑ See "Hidden Truths" (3x26) at 0:25:28.
10. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) from 1:50:15 through 1:56:06.
11. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) at 4:08:25.
12. ↑ See "An Exit Most Fraught" (3x48) at 2:08:55.
13. ↑ See "An Exit Most Fraught" (3x48) at 1:07:33.
14. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) at 1:53:18.
15. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 0:44:07.
16. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 1:23:28.
17. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) at 1:54:00.
18. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) at 1:52:46.
19. ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 1:26:52.

**Art:**

1. ↑ Fan art of a disappointed Sorrowlord Zathuda, by Micaerys. Work contributed to the Critical Role Wiki by the artist.
2. ↑ Fan art of Zathuda riding Gloamglut, by Lap Pun Cheung (source). Used with permission.
3. ↑ Fan art of Morri facing Gloamglut, by Sam Rusk (source). Used with permission.