Ghistpok

Lord High Chief Ghistpok was the leader of a great tribe of goblins that dwelled within the ruined mines of Dekanter during the mid–14 century DR. He was the intermediary for his subjects between the people of the world above Dekanter, and his tribe's dark god that dwelled further within its depths.

Description
Chief Ghistpok was massive for a goblin, having grown corpulent from the overindulgence he enjoyed as his tribe's leader. As his tribe starved from the ongoing conflicts they suffered within their mines, Ghistpok slowly lost the stores of fat his body held and he was left with sagging folds of orange skin that lent to a notably misshapen appearance.

Activities
"Ghistpok say drink wine. Ghistpok say dance. Ghistpok say sing. Ghistpok say Beast Lord come. Ghistpok say not-look, never look. Sheemzher look once."

- Sheemzher, on the rituals of the Dekanter goblins.

Ghistpok had manipulated his tribe into a cult that worshiped as a god the Beast Lord, an undead mind flayer that conducted bizarre experiments on the Dekanter goblins. The chieftain held bizarre celebrations that ended with his own goblins being rendered unconscious then taken further underground, and transformed into twisted mongrelfolk. These deformed Dekanter goblin would then serve the Beast Lord as "Takers", claiming more of their goblinoid brethren.

While Ghistpok's goblins deified the Beast Lord, it was a great irony that they abhorred the deformed creatures that their "god" created.

Relationships
According to Lord Amarandarisof Parnast, Ghistpok sold members of his own tribe to the Zhentarim ruler as slaves for future trade by their organization.

Ghistpok had many children, including at least one daughter named Elva. Elva was married by goblin tradition to the particularly intelligent individual named Sheemzher.

History
Ghistpok and his tribe took up residence within the amphitheater of the massive central chamber of Dekanter, some time after the, taking up residence within the destroyed garrisons that had been abandoned by the Zhentarim. Ghistpok's community languished during the years they served the Beast Lord, enduring starvation and amassing filth and garbage their surroundings could be considered nothing less than abject squalor.

In the, a group of humans led by Ghistpok's former son-in-law offered a dead horse as a meal to tribe, in exchange for passage further into the Beast Lord's domain. When they encountered one of the own tribespeople Grouze transformed into what they called a "demon", and brought his corpse back to their village the entire goblin community panicked. After a mage among the human group attempted to calm down the tribe with his charm magic, Ghistpok took back control over his tribe, and they resumed their feast of freshly slain horse.

Following the great feast, Ghistpok began the ritual to summon forth the Beast Lord. After the goblin's "god" arrived and prepared to feast itself upon the human outsiders, it was assailed by a band of living mind flayers, and absolute mayhem broke out. During the chaos an errant fireball exploded above Ghistpok and he burned to death where he stood.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * The Nether Scroll