Marlin Stormserpent was a noble from Suzail in the late 15th century DR. He conspired to wield blueflame ghosts against the Crown.[2]
Relationships[]
He was the son of Narmitra Stormserpent and nephew of Mhedarlakh Stormserpent; his father was long-dead.[3] his siblings were named Elgrym Stormserpent, Rondras Stormserpent, and Nethglas Stormserpent. He had a pet stirge named Thirsty.[2]
Possessions[]
Of note, Marlin managed to seize two relics of the Nine: the Flying Blade and the Wyverntongue Chalice, as well as an enchanted hand axe also made by the Imprisoners, which held Mirt, a moneylender.[2] One of his amulets rendered him largely immune to the special attacks of most undead.[4] He also bore some sort of ironguard-like protection, a potion of neutralize poison, and when out for trouble, a high gorget that thwarted stranglings, possibly through magic.[2]
History[]
Prior to Council[]
After his older brother Nethglas Stormserpent stole the Wyverntongue Chalice, he bragged about the theft before he came to fear possible consequences, and swore all his younger brothers to silence on the matter. He later slew Elgrym for speaking about it with Nael Rowanmantle, and gave his two remaining brothers a thinly veiled warning that's what had happened. After his older brother's death in 1437 DR, Marlin poisoned his other brother, Rondras, out of an obsession with possessing the Flying Blade.[2]
In the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, Marlin was conspiring regularly with Lothrae, a figure he knew little about, about seizing blueflame items to control deadly blueflame ghosts. Lothrae warned him that the War Wizards were getting suspicious about his actions.[5] Marlin Stormserpent was one of the guests at the Open Feast in Mirtul 26 of the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, where he received a brief inquiry about a project of his' by Mellast Ormblade.[6]
He excused himself from the Open Feast as soon as Ganrahast did, heading down Dragontriumph Hall, where a number of War Wizards were asleep after he'd contrived to drug the wine served by the cellarer, Jamaldro. He then met up with a band of blades he'd hired, and headed for the Haunted Wing. There, after fighting a few undead, he neared the Dragonskull Chamber.[4] He did not enter it at the time.[7]
After finding the Wyverntongue Chalice hidden close by, Marlin came across a patrol of Purple Dragons, whom his men slew, aided by his pet stirge, Thirsty.[2] He left through a tunnel that opened under the Old Dwarf, but there, his underling Verrin had locked the tunnel gate, accompanied by Marlazander, Rothglar Illance's bodyguard. Marlin had Thirsty slay Verrin, and Marlazander ran; the man was then cut down by the death knight Targrael, who gave him the keys to the gate, letting him out.[8] Back at Stormserpent towers, he slew his hirelings.[9]
At a later date, Marlin had breakfast at the Old King's Favorite's, an eatery, where he learned that his previous actions were attributed to an invading army at the castle.[10] He decided to head to Dragonskull once more, to practice the use of the blueflame ghosts.[3] Once there, he was able to call upon Treth Halonter's ghost, and then Relve Langral's. He sent them after Seszgar Huntcrown before returning to his place in Stormserpent Towers.[11]
After Broryn Windstag was kicked out of the Dragonriders Club for drunkenness and assault, his posse headed to Marlin's home. There, Marlin told them he had a plan to gain control of Cormyr.[12] The blueflame ghosts soon made their way back to him.[13] Later, he hired Jharakphred to paint the likenesses of Lords Gariskar Dauntinghorn and Draskos Crownsilver; he had the artist slain afterwards, and had his blueflame ghosts memorize the likenesses and go out to slay. Shortly after, at the Old King's Favorite, he learned from the mage Oskrul Meddanthyr that another blueflame item was a largish hand axe. Almost instantly, he informed his co-conspirators that the axe was to be found as soon as possible.[14]
Marlin Stormserpent was later awakened at an ungodly hour by the Purple Dragons, to tell him about how his servant Gaskur was found dead, and the word "Talane" was drawn next to him. He was shaken up badly by the realization, and used his blueflame ghosts to keep watch over himself while he slept.[15] He contacted Lothrae, whose contacts were growing more sparse, then, and asked for advice; he got nothing much.[16] After Broryn Windstag, Delasko Sornstern, and Kathkote Dawntard brought him the requested hand axe, he immediately tried to invoke its ghost.[17] Rather than a ghost, he got Mirt; after in their disappointment, they tried to shake him up for money, he gave them a good shellacking and fled.[18]
Though frustrating, Marlin continued to plot with his companions; he made the call that some of them would attend the Council, and the rest would remain behind, ready to reach out to any noble that appeared dissatisfied. He then called for a playpretty.[19] Together with the playpretty came Arclath Delcastle, a fellow noble young lord, who appeared to know entirely too much about the conspiracy. Before he could return to the playpretty after dismissing Arclath, Elminster appeared to confront him; the old mage said the blueflame ghosts were about to lead the Purple Dragons back to him if he didn't stop them immediately.[20]
After the Council[]
Marlin Stormserpent was snatched from Stormserpent Towers by Manshoon, who was at the moment controlling two death tyrants; he overexerted himself, and was thus unable to properly relieve Marlin of the Flying Blade and Wyverntongue Chalice.[21] Marlin sought succor at Broryn Windstag's home, Staghaven House; there, he met with Traevyn Illance, who was recruiting nobles to a treacherous cause.[22] Lord Illance hatched a plot for him, where he'd set his blueflame ghosts to menace the King, Foril Obarskyr I, and then pretend to save him.[23] He put the plan in motion.[24]
His ghosts were repelled, and returned to him at Stormserpent Towers. He immediately decided to flee Suzail.[25] Taking the Way of the Dragon, he headed into the King's Forest, where he spent the evening; he used his blueflame ghosts there to find evenfeast. They brought him a bear, unable to hunt much else.[26] He reasoned shortly after that he would go to the Windstag family hunting lodge, have his bullyblades kill everyone there, and go there. Though they did, he was soon slain by the sorceress Cymmarra, the Lady of Ghosts, at the hunting lodge. Her blueflame ghosts sliced off his arms, and then she choked him to death carelessly, despite her original intention of interrogating him about any other blueflame ghosts and the vampire archmage Manshoon.[1]
Rumors & Legends[]
Unknown to Marlin, Elminster knew about his plans even before he knew of Elminster at all.[27]
Rather than tell his trusted nobles of his control of blueflame ghosts, Marlin preferred to pretend he was in cahoots with at least one powerful mage, and that he had access to a lost Obarskyr potential heir.[12] He meant to present one of the blueflame ghosts as the true Obarskyr, if it came to that.[13]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ed Greenwood (2011). Bury Elminster Deep. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 28, pp. 263–266. ISBN 0786958154.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 9, pp. 96–102. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 18, pp. 185–187. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 7, pp. 72–81. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 4, pp. 43–45. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 6, p. 69. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 9, pp. 93–94. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 12, pp. 126–129. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 12, pp. 130–132. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 18, pp. 183–185. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 20, pp. 205–212. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 23, pp. 237–241. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 23, pp. 245–247. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 25, pp. 258–267. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 29, pp. 302–308. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 31, pp. 324–325. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 32, pp. 340–342. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 33, pp. 343–346. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 35, pp. 366–369. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 35, pp. 371–373. ISBN 978-0786957996.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (2011). Bury Elminster Deep. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 13, pp. 122–123. ISBN 0786958154.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (2011). Bury Elminster Deep. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 14, pp. 132–135. ISBN 0786958154.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (2011). Bury Elminster Deep. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 15, p. 141. ISBN 0786958154.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (2011). Bury Elminster Deep. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 17, pp. 155–156. ISBN 0786958154.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (2011). Bury Elminster Deep. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 20, pp. 188–192. ISBN 0786958154.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (2011). Bury Elminster Deep. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 25, pp. 237–239. ISBN 0786958154.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 1, pp. 20–21. ISBN 978-0786957996.