Villains' Lorebook.pdf - Department of Political Science

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doesn’t trust LORD ORGAUTH OF ZHENTIL KEEP,
Manshoon is allowing the warrior to supervise the
reconstruction of Zhentil Keep—although work is
progressing too slowly for the creator of the Black
Network’s liking.
Further expansion of the Zhentarim’s trading is
also a priority. Controlling important routes such as
the one to Waterdeep that runs through Anauroch is
vital to strengthening the Black Network’s presence
and power in the western Heartlands of the Realms.
Expanding into southern Faerûn is also a goal of
Manshoon’s. He’s heard many tales of the wonders,
both magical and natural, of the lands south of the
Great Sea-the lands its natives call Zahkara. A sea
route to one or more of Zahkara’s northernmost port
cities would bring much gold to the Zhentarim’s coffers
and much power to the hands of that group’s
leader.
Campaign Uses: Manshoon is not an NPC player
characters are likely to meet personally. First (like
many of the high-level villains described in this
book), he’s likely to overwhelm all but the most
powerful parties of PCs. Second, he’s a behind-thescenes
manipulator, not a mage who normally leaps
into battle with his foes. The circumstances must be
extreme for Manshoon to leave the center of the
web of evil he’s spun over the last 100 years.
Manshoon can play a part in any campaign, especially
one where the PCs have made long-term foes
of the Zhentarim as a whole. Manshoon stays well
informed on the heroes of the Realms who attempt
to thwart the efforts of the Black Network, and a
chess game of moves and counterstrokes could develop
between this cunning mage and a group of
smart, lucky, and determined player-character heroes.
Of course, no single PC group can halt a significant
portion of the Zhentarim’s wide range of villainous
acts (even the Harpers have been unable to
do that), but certainly they can become a thorn in
the side of the Zhentarim’s leader.
Sources: Ruins of Zhentil Keep boxed set and
cameo appearances too numerous to list.
The Mouth of
Moander
Saurial (finhead) female 14th-level**
priestess
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 12
HIT POINTS: 35 (Due to her degraded physical condition
from Moander’s rotting effect and the sheer
exhaustion she felt from trying to resist the deity.)
THAC0: 12
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil (CG normally)
STR 8, DEX 11, CON 17, INT 14, WIS 18**, CHA 10
** Coral’s experience level and Wisdom score
were boosted by Moander’s corrupt presence in her
mind and body. While this boosting allowed Coral/
Moander to cast all Moander-oriented spells, the
Rotting God did not deign to grant her the additional
spells normally due a priest with an 18 Wisdom.
Presented here are her spells, abilities, etc.,
during the time of her possession.
Coral’s true Wisdom score was 15 and her experience
level before the Darkbringer’s insidious infection
of her being was 9th level.
Spells (6/6/6/5/3/2/l): 1st— cause fear, cause light
wounds, command, entangle (×2), putrefy food &
drink; 2nd— enthrall, handfang*, hold person (×2),
snake charm, wyvern watch; 3rd— destroy food &
water, plant growth, snare, speed rot*, spike growth,
summon insects; 4th— cause serious wounds, giant insect,
hold plant, plant door, sticks to snakes; 5th— rising
rot*, seed of Moander*, spirit trap of the Darkbringer*;
6th— roots of the assassin*, tentacle of withering*;
7th— creeping doom.
Weapons of Proficiency: Club, dagger (Moander’s
influence again), footman’s flail, footman’s
mace, sling.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Agriculture, ancient
history (Moander), brewing, endurance, herbalism,
religion (Moander, Tymora, or her saurial equivalent
before possession); 4 open.