Scourge

Scourges were an exotic variety of whips.

"Personally, I find the scourge to be of great value in temple worship. It is also a great motivator."

- Leeahn, Priestess of Loviatar, Mistress of Pain

Description
Scourges were short, multi-tailed whips laced with barbs. A variety of sharp materials could be used for the barbs, such as bits of metal, broken shards of glass, nails, or even bone.

Weaponology
The barbs on scourges were often dipped in poisons that could be delivered through injury, such as greenblood oil, medium spider venom, and large scorpion venom. Beyond lashing opponents with them, scourges could be used to disarm someone.

Varieties

 * Cat-o-nine-tails : A scourge with nine thongs in which the barbs were replaced with tight knots.
 * Ebon lash : an enchanted type of scourge that was developed by the Red Wizards of Thay to inflict intense agony upon their foes.
 * Scourge of fangs : an enchanted type of scourge used exclusively by evil clerics. They had adamantine handles and five construct snakes in place of the normal cords.
 * Scourge of pain : a type of scourge typically known to be used by priestesses of Loviatar.
 * Scourge of Tiamat : a variant of the scourge of fangs that used vipers in place of standard snakes.

Notable Users of Scourges
"A scourge? Why would any self-respecting adventurer want one? Those dreaded things are most associated with torture, not combat. . . . carrying a scourge will probably mark someone as a follower of some cruel, torturing deity, or at the very least, as an evil person. Any adventurer with a shred of decency will avoid the scourge and get something that will put an enemy out of its misery, not prolong it!"

- Shang, a priest of Tempus

Groups

 * The Sunblight clan counted barbed scourges among their torture equipment, keeping some within the torture chamber of the fortress Sunblight.

Individuals

 * Quenthel Baenre

Religions

 * The goddess Beshaba was known to wield a scourge by the name of Ill Fortune.
 * Scourges were a favored weapon among cultists that worshiped the archduke Glasya, who held the weapon as her holy symbol and was known to wield one herself.
 * Loviatar was typically associated with the scourge. She bore the title of "Scourge Mistress," had the weapon as her holy symbol, and her specialty priests (Painteachers) typically fought with them. She was also known to be capable of manifesting at will a scourge that was in length.
 * Moloch was known to wield a six-tailed scourge made of rare alloys. And scourges were a favored weapon among cultists who worshiped the archdevil.
 * Drow priestesses of Lolth were typically known to wield scourges in combat.
 * The demon lord Malcanthet was known to wield an adamantine scourge named the Lover's Lash.
 * Painbearers, a form of speciality priest in the Church of Ilmater, were known to often be trained in the use of scourges.

Races & Sentient Creatures

 * Azer Taskmasters were known to wield scourges tipped with flames.
 * Balor were considered some of the most frequent users of scourges.
 * Derro savants were occasionally known to fight with scourges.
 * Ophidians were occasionally known to fight with scourges.
 * Pain devils were typically known to wield scourges.