Mourngrym Amcathra

Mourngrym Amcathra was the lord of Shadowdale from 1353 DR until 1375 DR.

Appearance
Mourngrym was a 6'4" (1.9m) tall, athletic man with neatly trimmed brown hair and a similarly maintained mustache.

Personality
Mourngrym was a cautious but shrewd leader and able diplomat. He was authoritative and had abundant foresight. While he liked to think of himself as benevolent and protective, he came off more smothering and overly paternalistic as well as condescending.

As a leader, he always personally led battles Shadowdale was involved in, feeling the weight of responsibility for his subjects. He sought to inspire his troops and protect the vulnerable and those in danger. When he was in combat shoulder-to-shoulder with his wife Shaerl, Mourngrym always took a defensive position to shield her from harm.

Lord Mourngrym preferred close combat with the biggest and most powerful blade available, as he had disdain for ranged weapons.

Abilities
As a competent fighter and adventurer, Mourngrym knew how to use broadswords, short swords,long swords, daggers, heavy lances, and footman's mace. As a lord, he was familiar with etiquette, heraldry, and horseback riding, and he possessed skills from his adventuring days, such as armor-making, hunting, snare and trap making, and gambling.

Possessions
In 1358 DR, Mourngrym typically wore a suit of plate mail armor and a ring of protection +1. In addition, he carried a broadsword +3, a shield +1, and a knife that was enchanted to transform into a short sword on command.

By 1375 DR, he tended to wear mithral chainmail +1 instead of the heavier plate mail. Furthermore, he bore a greatsword +1 and a well-crafted composite longbow instead of his former sword and shield.

Relationships
Shaerl Amcathra, his wife, and Scothgar "Scotti" Amcathra, his son, were the most important people in Mourngrym's life.

Wizards Khelben Arunsun and Elminster were his close friends and allies, along with Harpers and the sellsword hero Alias.

The Zhentarim, fiends of Myth Drannor, and the Cult of the Dragon were his sworn enemies.

As of the early 1370s DR, Gormstadd the Rerisen, leader of the temple to Cyric in nearby Voonlar, claimed that Mourngrym was a wanted man in Waterdeep and that the so-called "Lord of Shadowdale" was a thug and a terrorist. Gormstadd offered a reward of 10,000 gold pieces to anyone bringing him Mourngrym Amcathra, dead or alive.

Early Life
Mourngrym was born to the noble Amcathra family of Waterdeep. As a child, he had everything he ever needed as well as lots of friends and a good knowledge of how Waterdeep worked. Still, he felt unfulfilled, as if he wasn't doing enough to make himself useful. In his early teens, he began training to use weapons which served him well when he ended up aiding an associate of Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun. Khelben watched the youth with interest from then on and noticed his martial skill and his ability to remain persuasive under duress.

Knight of Myth Drannor
Mourngrym became affiliated with the Harpers and, through them, Khelben encouraged him to join Doust Sulwood, the current lord of Shadowdale in his adventures. He became an important member of the Knights of Myth Drannor.

Lord of Shadowdale
In 1353 DR, when Doust Sulwood gave up the rule of Shadowdale to return to adventuring, he chose Mourngrym to be his successor, and Mourngrym accepted. Although Mourngrym had been sent from Waterdeep by Khelben Arunsun for other reasons, Doust recognized and admired his honesty and ambition to help protect Shadowdale, and was inspired to pass on the lordship.

A few years later, in 1355 DR, a diplomatic envoy from Cormyr named Shaerl Rowanmantle was sent by Vangerdahast to investigate why the last two lords of Shadowdale were both "chosen" by Khelben. Shortly after her arrival in Shadowdale, Mourngrym fell in love with the young spirited and beautiful thief. The Lord's feelings were reciprocated but Mourngrym could not approve of Shaerl's profession. That conflict led the couple to drift apart. Subsequently, Shaerl and Mourngrym found themselves facing against an overwhelming horde of fiends from Myth Drannor. The beautiful and brave thief sacrificed her life to save Mourngrym's, and with her gone, he came to terms with his deep love for Shaerl. He avenged her death and embarked on a long quest to have his love resurrected. Eventually, he succeeded and was reunited with Shaerl. Soon after in 1355 DR, they were married.

In 1357 DR, Mourngrym became acquainted with the hero Alias and her companions Olive Ruskettle, Akabar Bel Akash, and Dragonbait, after the adventurers broke Shadow Gap's occupation by the Iron Throne. The mountain pass was guarded by a monstrous Kalmari, effectively stopping the trade with Shadowdale. Lord Mourngrym extended Alias the gratitude of Shadowdale. In 1358 DR, three years after their marriage, Shaerl was pregnant with Mourngrym's son. One night, the Lord of Shadowdale was busy supervising Elminster and his new guests: Dwalimar Omen and Foxilon Cardluck. During the meeting, Foxilon wandered off inside Elminster's Tower and accidentally released a magically trapped assassin. Mourngrym and Elminster's guests were holding the hulking creature off when he attacked very pregnant Shaerl and attempted to take her hostage. The assassin did not expect the woman to be able to defend herself. The Lady of Shadowdale elbowed the assassin in the stomach and knocked him out with a punch. The stress of the fight caused her to go into labor shortly after. Luckily, her husband, Elminster, and Foxilon were able to deliver her child. The baby was named Scotti.

Mourngrym was nearly killed by the avatar of the god Bane when the second battle of Shadowdale broke out during the Time of Troubles that same year. The lord of Shadowdale was saved by his sergeant-at-arms Mayheir Hawksguard.

When the adventurers Midnight and Adon were brought in under suspicion of murdering the Old Sage Elminster following the battle, Mourngrym was devastated but fulfilled his duty and presided over their trial. While he wound up serving as a witness by their defender in court Thurbal. In the end, Mourngrym found them guilty and sentenced them to death. Fortunately, the adventurers escaped their fate when they were "rescued" by their companion Cyric.

Mourngrym finally met his match in the summer of 1375 DR when his body was possessed by Yder Tanthul. Despite his rescue from this state, Mourngrym became depressed at his inability to protect himself and his people and offered to step down as lord of Shadowdale. He handed the Pendant of Ashaba over to Azalar Falconhand and rejoined the Knights of Myth Drannor.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Marco Volo: Arrival • Marco Volo: Departure • Marco Volo: Journey • Shadowdale: The Scouring of the Land &bull; Tantras (adventure)
 * Novels
 * Azure Bonds • Song of the Saurials • Avatar series (Shadowdale, Tantras) • The Sorcerer
 * The Summoning
 * Comic Books
 * Dragonspawn • Dragonsmoker • Dragons (and Other Beasts)
 * Dragonspawn • Dragonsmoker • Dragons (and Other Beasts)