Potentate Sammanar, They-Who-Walk-Unseen, is an Archfey of the Feywild, Keeper of the Sun's Shadow, and Master of the Unseelie Court.
Description[]
Appearance[]
Like other members of their court, Sammanar looks elven in appearance, although lithe and with longer and thinner limbs, pale white-gray skin,[2] and completely black eyes framed by long eyelashes and longer eyebrows. The rest of their head is hairless, and it is adorned with blue markings, a darker blue gem in the forehead, and a silver headdress in the shape of a crescent moon, in the center of which floats a black orb that reacts to their magic and emotions. Sammanar's ears are pierced by two long thorn-like pieces that extend from behind their head. They dress in black and blue.
When Potentate Sammanar is angered, their black orb glows blue and then produces bolts of black energy, while their features transform and becomes more terrifying (their teeth become sharper, their nose narrows to two slits, and their face becomes more skeletal).[3]
Personality[]
They are considered a rare sight in general, and described by Morrigan as moody, the watcher of the twilight, the stiller of violent emotions, and "a bit of a prick."[4]
Biography[]
Background[]
Sammanar is one of five Archfey who has been identified by the Arcana Pansophical.[5] They hate Lady Elmenore of the Seelie Court, but despite this, they collaborate to make sure the portals to Exandria are only used by those allowed to travel between realms.[6]
Campaign One: Vox Machina[]
During Vox Machina's one-year break, Keyleth, Vax'ildan, Vex'ahlia, Pike, and Tary visited the Feywild and snuck in to watch a performance of the Royal Troupe of the Unseelie Court at the Theater; at the end they apparently saw an "entity" step back into a doorway. Only later did they learn from Percy just how dangerous their trip was, as the Unseelie Court is "the shadow court" and "the thing that the Feywild is a little sketchy about and a little worried about."[7]
Campaign Three: Bells Hells[]
In 843 PD, while Sorrowlord Zathuda was talking to Yu Suffiad, the Unseelie agent chasing the Calloways, he stated that Potentate Sammanar was impatient about the mission.[8]
Weeks later, when Otohan Thull met with the Unseelie captain in the Shiver Keep, he mentioned again Sammanar's impatience, this time regarding Ludinus Da'leth's project and the presence of his allies in Unseelie territory.[9]
The Tales of Exandria: Artagan[]
At some point around 846 PD,[10] the Unseelie and Seelie archfey gathered on the same place to preside over the trial against Lord Artagan of the Morncrown for his plays for false godhood. Sammanar and Elmenore expected the rogue archfey to take the accusations and the potential punishment (which the Potentate summoned) seriously, and to explain himself, but he kept joking, which angered them both. After a failed attempt to flee, Unseelie and Seelie soldiers made Artagan stay in the room while the trial continued.
They allowed Artagan to justify himself by explaining his first visit to Exandria, but when Elmenore summoned Gol (Artagan's alleged first mortal friend) and Sammanar asked him to share his thoughts about the accused, he explained how chaotic and detrimental the archfey had been to his village. After that, both Sammanar and Elmenore seemed to agree that the accused was deluding himself into thinking that his destructive actions had good intentions, and although Artagan claimed to have recently performed good deeds, the Seelie and Unseelie rulers had several potential witnesses prepared to confirm or deny him. When one of them (an elven actor who had played the accused in a play that he ruined) finished speaking, the others began to argue over who should testify next, and although Lady Elmenore tried to impose order, a fight broke out. One of those attending the trial jumped on the table where the Unseelie and Seelie leaders were, pushing away Sammanar, who became enraged; as Artagan tried to escape using that distraction, he ran into the Potentate, and immediately changed direction to avoid dealing with them.
Sammanar and Elmenore's sentence, by Aviv Or and Cris Peter from The Tales of Exandria: Artagan #4.[art 2]
When the accused returned (accompanied by Jester Lavorre) he surprised both archfey, and when Jester and Keyleth of the Air Ashari showed themselves willing to defend Artagan, Potentate Sammanar reluctantly allowed it, declaring it was the Traveler's last chance. After the persuasive argument of the defense and the statement of the accused assuring that he was a changed man, Elmenore announced a pause so that the judges and jury could deliberate. Upon their return, Sammanar announced that the accused would be exactly what he claimed to be, and they applied the sentence by hitting the gavel, sending Artagan to Exandria as what he claimed to be: a changed man (mortal and powerless).
Appearances and mentions[]
- Campaign Three: Bells Hells
- "Hidden Truths" (3x26), mentioned only (first mentioned)
- "The Fey Key" (3x47), mentioned only
- "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79), mentioned only
- "Where The Red Fearne Glows" (3x94), mentioned only
- "Unseelie Interrupted" (3x106), mentioned only
- "Under the Arch Heart's Eye" (3x107), mentioned only
- "Looming" (3x108), mentioned only
- The Tales of Exandria: Artagan
Trivia[]
an angered Sammanar, by Aviv Or and Cris Peter from The Tales of Exandria: Artagan #1.[art 3]
- The concept of Sammanar as a non-binary archfey was created by James Haeck in 2016, for Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting.[11]
- Given one of their titles ("Watcher of the Twilight"), it is possible that their official settlement is the Twilight Citadel.[12]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 123. Alternatively, see Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn at page 220.
- ↑ See "One Year Later..." (1x95) at 0:43:47.
- ↑ The Tales of Exandria: Artagan #1
- ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 1:24:49.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 123. See also Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn at page 220. The five archfey are Saundor, Artagan, Elmenore, Sammanar, and the Keeper of the Moontides.
- ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 1:42:31.
- ↑ See "One Year Later..." (1x95) from 41:39 through 46:12.
- ↑ See "Hidden Truths" (3x26) at 0:25:28.
- ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) at 1:52:46.
- ↑ See Dani Carr's tweet about it. Credit to Kasia for her assistance.
- ↑ See Haeck's tweet.
- ↑ See "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) at 1:25:14.
Art:
- ↑ Potentate Sammanar, by Aviv Or and Cris Peter from The Tales of Exandria: Artagan #1. 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.
- ↑ Sammanar and Elmenore's sentence, by Aviv Or and Cris Peter from The Tales of Exandria: Artagan #4. 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.
- ↑ an angered Sammanar, by Aviv Or and Cris Peter from The Tales of Exandria: Artagan #1. 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.
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