Scyllua Darkhope

Scyllua Darkhope is the Castellan of Zhentil Keep, the High Captain of its armies and its acknowledged champion. Under her leadership the Zhents are recovering from the destruction of their city and marshaling their strength in their home territory.

She rides a white nightmare called Targaraene.

Appearance
Scyulla is lean and athletic, possessed of a fierce charisma that both inspires and frightens. She leads the Zhent raids in person upon Targaraene.

Personality
She is determined, persistent and intelligent, wading into battle with joyous abandon. A zealous agent of Bane, she is a enemy of all good.



History
Scyulla grew up in the Dalelands and was taken as a slave to Zhentil Keep along with her mother while still a child. Her mother attracted the attention of a Zhent noble, cousin to Teldorn Darkhope of Mintar, and they were taken into his household. Scyulla took his surname for her own, but hated the circumstances in which she grew up. She became a member of the army of Zhentil Keep but, at the same time, devoted herself to Tyr—intending to bring justice to the Zhentarim by leading the common folk against them.

In 1368 DR, Cyric leveled Zhentil Keep for its perceived faithlessness. Scyulla rose quickly through the ranks in that time, proving herself time and again in personal combat. By the end of the siege on the city she was one of its foremost champions and an outspoken critic of the ways of the past. Because the Zhentarim mostly abandoned the Keep during the siege, she set her sights on Lord Orgauth, determined to penetrate the corruption and evil around him. She finally cornered him in the winter of 1370 DR. He surrendered to her, offering to right what he had wronged and Scyulla listened. He was in fact a pit fiend of great power—and thus began her fall.

Led deeper into corruption by Orgauth, Scyulla repudiated her work for Tyr, becoming a blackguard of Bane. While Orgauth taught her of Bane and how to serve him, his consort Desmonda (an Erinyes in disguise) jealously told many lies about Orgauth to the young blackguard, telling her just enough truth to make Scyllua hate her new tutor once more. As the final act of her fall she turned on Orgauth and destroyed him. Afterwards, she was approached by Fzoul Chembryl and bought willingly into the Zhentarim—the very thing she had fought to destroy.

Scyllua became Fzoul's best captain and was the obvious choice to lead the campaign against the Dalelands and Myth Drannor late in 1374 DR. However, once she learned of a rebellion in recently conquered Shadowdale, she returned under light escort via the Ethereal Plane to quickly take command of the garrison there, only to be slain in the skies above her troops by the adventurers behind the rebellion.

Equipment
Scyllua carries an incredibly sharp magical bastard sword which is particularly effective against those of a chaotic alignment. She wears a magical suit of black full plate mail that protects her most vital areas more efficiently and a ring that allows her to float to the ground if she falls from a height.