Villains' Lorebook.pdf - Department of Political Science

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Halaster Blackcloak Human male 30th-level mage ARMOR CLASS: 6 MOVE: 12 HIT POINTS: 49 THAC0: 11 NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil STR 9, DEX 18, CON 25 (15), INT 20, WIS 19, CHA 9 Spells (7/7/7/7/7/7/7/6/6): 1st— audible glamer, cantrip, charm. person, color spray, grease, magic missile, mending; 2nd— flaming sphere, fog cloud, glitterdust, invisibility, locate object, mirror image, shatter; 3rd— fireball, gust of wind, haste, hold undead, nondetection, suggestion, wraithform; 4th— charm monster, Evard’s black tentacles, ice storm, improved invisibility, minor globe of invulnerability, polymorph other, shout; 5th— advanced illusion, dismissal, dream, false vision, Halaster’s grappling hand*, hold monster, teleport; 6th— anti-magic shell, contingency, eyebite, mass suggestion, mislead, Mordenkainen’s lucubration, repulsion; 7th— control undead, finger of death, phase door, prismatic spray, reverse gravity, spell turning, teleport without error; 8th— demand, mass charm, maze, mind blank, Otto’s irresistible dance, screen; 9th— gate, imprisonment, meteor swarm, prismatic sphere, time stop, wish. Weapons of Proficiency: Dagger, darts, staff. Nonweapon Proficiencies: Ancient history (Faerûn), ancient languages (Thorass, Ruathlek, Raurinese), astrology, engineering, gem cutting, herbalism, modem languages (Common, elvish, drow), navigation, reading/writing (Common and above languages), religion (Faerûnian, drow), spellcraft; in addition to the above, Halaster has much knowledge otherwise lost to the rest of the world. Equipment: In his caches hidden throughout Undermountain, Halaster has access to almost every type of mundane equipment and supplies. Magical Items: While Halaster possesses innumerable magical items, he has the vast majority of them stashed away in various caches-known only to him-around Undermountain. He’s known to always carry or wear (at the very least) a horned ring*, a ring of vampiric regeneration, 1d20 flying daggers*, and a robe of eyes. Combat/Tactics: While Halaster is insane, he’s also incredibly dangerous. Halaster possesses a vast number of magical items; has access to hundreds of lost, rare, and dangerous spells; and is the lord of the most dangerous dungeon ever built, Undermountain. When within the confines of his “home,” Halaster also has many magical constructs to protect him. These include, but are not limited to, crawling claws and helmed horrors. See the MONSTROUS MANUAL tome and the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM® Annual, Vol. I, respectively, for details. While his tactics will vary with his purposes, Halaster is one of the deadliest foes that face the heroes of the Realms today. Note that, among his many abilities, he cannot be surprised by any means. Allies/Companions: None currently known; however, if the Stardock adventure has been played through, it’s possible that Halaster owes the PCs a favor. (Saying any more would be frowned upon by the Mad Mage, who has his pride after all.) Foes/Enemies: Too many to list, but if the PCs have ever adventured in Undermountain, it’s entirely likely they’d consider Halaster to be their enemy. 29
30 Appearance: Halaster’s true appearance is that of a tall, gaunt, elderly man dressed in tattered brown robes under an equally ragged gray cloak. His hair is long and strikingly white, framing his thin face as it hangs from around his face to his shoulders. If viewed while in Undermountain, Halaster seems confused and distracted, not quite focused. He seldom looks directly at those addressing him, and multiple images (or “phantoms”) of him appear and disappear around continually. These images often seem to be engaged in their own activities and do not always seem aware of their immediate surroundings. Personality: While in Undermountain, Halaster seems constantly distracted, always chuckling and muttering to himself over people and happenings only he can discern (see Unique Abilities below). He also has difficulty holding the thread of any conversation. If he’s ever removed from Undermountain, he regains his lucidity. At these times Halaster is fastidious, meticulous, and quite proper, though still thoroughly evil. Halaster can be honorable, and even noble in a way. He brooks no insolence in any case, and remembers any slight or aid given him. Locales Frequented: The myriad, deadly environs of Undermountain, the huge dungeon complex beneath Mount Waterdeep. History: Halaster, the Mad Mage of Undermountain, is the designer of that insane, chaotic maze of deathtraps, monsters, and disreputable be- ings of all shapes and sizes. This man’s given name was Hilather, but he changed it to the grander Halaster as more befitting a powerful mage. The date and place of his birth are unknown, but he’s rumored to be older than even Elminster. Regardless of his origins, Halaster left off his dealings with most of humanity more than 1,000 years ago. Accompanied only by his seven apprentices, Halaster came to the base of Mt. Waterdeep to build his new home. He summoned and bound fell creatures from other planes to build this tower and complex, as well as smaller towers for his apprentices. Once finished, even his apprentices saw less of their master. As he dealt less and less with humans and more with the vile creatures from other planes, Halaster changed. He grew grim and became prone to long, sullen silences, broken by sudden, violent rages. He had his servant creatures dig storage areas and additional laboratories beneath his tower, and this work went on for decades. Finally, his servitors broke into an area Halaster called the Underhalls. These tunnels had been dug by the dwarf Melairkyn clan, named after its founder, Melair. This clan had discovered mithral. The dwarves eventually died or were scattered by incursions of duergar and drow. When the mithral mines were played out, the duergar left, but the drow remained. Halaster is thought to have wiped out the last of the drow after they had been weakened in a war with the surface elves. The mage’s apprentices believed that Halaster kept some of the drow, magically trans- formed them, and held them as his new slaves. In any case, Halaster soon faked his death, banished his otherplanar servants, and abandoned his complex on the surface, moving all to these underways. Halaster soon began “testing” his servants and traps against his seven apprentices. Only one survived, named Jhesiyra Kestellharp, who later became the Magister. The Magister’s writings provide what little is currently known of the Mad Mage. Now alone with his surviving servants, Halaster began his monstrous menagerie by visiting other planes and kidnapping creatures. He also built his network of gates to move them around his new home. Over time, Undermountain has slowly become what it is today, a reflection of its creator’s madness. Halaster was actually visited in his sanctum sanctorum recently by the adventurer Artek the Knife and others who were using a horned ring in an at- tempt to escape Undermountain. Motivations/Goals: Halaster views Undermountain as his own deadly playground, a means to bring him entertainment as well as new companions, knowledge, and magical spells and items. He seems content to rule his demented but lethal domain, constantly tinkering with its contents, inhabitants, and the network of gates he maintains there and beyond. Campaign Uses: Halaster is a mystery and a terror to those who know he still exists. DMs should ensure that he remains an enigma in their campaigns; most adventurers, even those who are brave (or depraved) enough to call Undermountain home should never meet Halaster, though many claim to have seen the strange “phantoms” of an aged wizard who observes much in Undermountain. Halaster is mad and evil, a terrible combination when one is as powerful as he.
Page 2 and 3: Villains’ Lorebook by Dale Donova
Page 4 and 5: Table of Contents INTRODUCTION . .
Page 6 and 7: ter has been known to cast in the p
Page 8 and 9: Aballister Bonaduce Human male 12th
Page 10 and 11: ehind those openings.) If Alzegund
Page 12 and 13: mation of one so young by his foes.
Page 14 and 15: lose and will close with enemies if
Page 16 and 17: .dark leather armor, and a deep cri
Page 18 and 19: leader, a 15th-level mage named Cur
Page 20 and 21: to seduce Deirdre to the cause of s
Page 22 and 23: Morkai. Dendybar is next seen when
Page 24 and 25: Personality: Once spurned by all he
Page 26 and 27: childhood incorporated into her as
Page 28 and 29: the god Oghma to have Rinda the scr
Page 32 and 33: Sources: Ruins of Undermountain, St
Page 34 and 35: Personality: Hobarth is petty, crue
Page 36 and 37: Jander Sundstar Elf male 8th-level
Page 38 and 39: Rumors have reached certain Faerûn
Page 40 and 41: Kaverin Ebonhand Human male 11th-le
Page 42 and 43: Kierkan Rufo Vampire; formerly a hu
Page 44 and 45: History: Kymil was responsible for
Page 46 and 47: King Manferic III Lich; formerly a
Page 48 and 49: sistance (if any) and a -4 penalty
Page 50 and 51: Equipment: Both before and after he
Page 52 and 53: Personality: He seems to be a simpl
Page 54 and 55: Sememmon Human male 15th-level mage
Page 56 and 57: Magical Items: Szass Tam has access
Page 58 and 59: Appearance: Victor Dhostar is in hi
Page 60 and 61: hands-once the wand that controlled
Page 62 and 63: are controlled by the phaerimm that
Page 64 and 65: Chosen One Result of Thayan magic C
Page 66 and 67: trol (loses consciousness, etc.). T
Page 68 and 69: Errtu A Balor tanar’ri CLIMATE/TE
Page 70 and 71: Ice Spire ogres are very well adapt
Page 72 and 73: attack roll (for the creature’s m
Page 74 and 75: Kazgaroth can be struck in combat o
Page 76 and 77: The Blood Riders (Blood Warriors) C
Page 78 and 79: After leaving the Flight, Mist sett
Page 80 and 81:
grasping solid objects within reach
Page 82 and 83:
Deities of both good and evil play
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Minions of Bhall clashed with the p
Page 86 and 87:
The Shadevari are beasts from the l
Page 88 and 89:
The Xanthar's Thieves' Guild may be
Page 90 and 91:
The human assassin Artemis Entreri
Page 92 and 93:
What is it about the pursuit of mag
Page 94 and 95:
An evil gnoll lies dead at the feet
Page 96 and 97:
Kierkan Rufo, the former priest now
Page 98 and 99:
Habitat/Society: Small groups of pt
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Shadowmasters, a.k.a. the Malaugrym
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Below are a few shadowmasters known
Page 104 and 105:
while unlikely, the possibility tha
Page 106 and 107:
“promoted” to become a pit fien
Page 108 and 109:
ound. A yochlol must eat at least e
Page 110 and 111:
might. Tremendous amounts of treasu
Page 112 and 113:
Special Equipment: Jaylnfein’s co
Page 114 and 115:
The Kraken Society Enemies of the N
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Leaders/Important NPCs: Undarl (NE
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VIII. Shapechange?: 1d10 1-3 Shapec
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Thayan culture, such as it is, make
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quer Rashemen. Nevron’s legions a
Page 124 and 125:
The Zhentarim The Black Network Org
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While Darkhold’s public purpose i
Page 128 and 129:
Magical Items & Spells Many of the
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The trigger activating a given dagg
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centrating, the arachnids are free
Page 134 and 135:
directly into Thay to gather intell
Page 136 and 137:
Special Wizard spells Some of the w
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The spell can be cast only in darkn
Page 140 and 141:
This spell creates a burning lance
Page 142 and 143:
e used by the creature. A ghoul can
Page 144 and 145:
Nybor’s Gentle Reminder (Enchantm
Page 146 and 147:
Ray of Ondovir (Enchantment/Charm)
Page 148 and 149:
Transport (Alteration) Level: 7 Ran
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at -4; others within the radius sav
Page 152 and 153:
Decay (Alteration) Level: 3 Sphere:
Page 154 and 155:
Rising Rot (Evocation Necromancy) L
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slip into a coma, lose 4d4 hit poin
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Zin-Carla (Necromancy) Level: 7 Sph
Page 160:
Novels & Short Stories All Shadows
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