The Trio Nefarious, or Khov'Anilessa in Elven, were three greater nycaloths summoned by the Netherese archwizard Aldlas Sodhese who had heard that the Nether Scrolls lay somewhere in Cormanthor. His plan was to use the yugoloths to wreak havoc among the elves as a distraction while searching for the scrolls.[1]
History[]
Aulmpiter was a master strategist, Malimshaer a stealthy warrior, and Gaulguth a terrible berserker.[1]
While in the Blood Rift, they all served under the fallen solar Malkizid, but the trio would argue and compete against each other almost constantly.[2]
Conversely, in destroying the Elven villages they were single-minded and, under the direction of Aulmpiter, wiped out whole tribes of satyrs and centaurs and at least two green dragons. Aldlas believed that he had complete control over all three of them, though he was actually being manipulated into that belief by Aulmpiter. The four together were unstoppable until they came within a few hundred yards of Cormanthyr where the Elves had arrayed an organized army. The battle lasted for a whole day but eventually Gaulguth and Malimshaer were almost slain, Aulmpiter was subdued and Aldlas had been killed in a spell duel with the Grand Mage of the city.[1]
The nycaloths were imprisoned using the N'Quor'Khaor ritual which created an invisible, undetectable sub-dimensional prison high above the city. The three yugoloths were trapped there, unable to do anything at all, none of their abilities worked and all of their equipment became inert and useless. A sequencer key was set up to the prison with the condition being that a "red dragon that never knew malice or greed in its heart flies over the Coronal's throne." would release the prisoners. Floating a mile above Cormanthyr they were forced to watch as the city grew and their names were relegated to stories meant to frighten children.[3]
Army of Darkness[]
Over 1800 years later, a mage named Saevel Ammath procured a dragon's egg and altered the unborn hatchlings physiognomy and innate nature. He hatched a red dragon with the physical characteristics of a blue dragon and the mixed magical natures of both. He also made sure it would be a lawful and good creature so as to be a friend of the elves. He named it Garnetallisar[4], Garnet for short. The two were the closest of friends and nigh inseparable, often flying above the forest to keep up to date on news from the outlying settlements. Unbeknownst to them, this act was continually weakening the prison that held the nycaloths until it was weak enough for them to shatter it. A flind shaman, living north of the Dragon Sea enacted a summoning ritual at roughly the same time as their escape. The yugoloths teleported to it immediately upon escaping so that none would realize that they were gone. After eight months, they had slain the shaman that summoned them after misleading him that they were under his control. They immediately set upon putting a plan into action that they had been working on for nearly two millennia.[1]
The trio organized a massive army of orcs goblinoids, trolls, and gnolls from Thar and the northlands, training them into strict military precision. They summoned lesser yugoloths to act as officers, creating a horde that numbered in the thousands. It was called the Army of Darkness.[1]
In a three-year long war known as the Weeping War, all of the generals on both sides of the conflict were killed.[citation needed] Aulmpiter was the last to die and the remaining members of the Army, now without their leader, descended upon Myth Drannor in a rage. No tactics, just complete annihilation on their minds.[1]
Although the Trio Nefarious had been slain, they had precipitated the fall of Myth Drannor and got their revenge for being imprisoned for 1800 years.[5]
Members[]
Aulmpiter[]
The Grand Commander and most powerful of the Trio Nefarious, Aulmpiter was the strategist of the three.[citation needed]
On Flamerule 15, in the Year of Doom, 714 DR, during the battle known as Banes' Duel, Aulmpiter was slain in battle by Captain Fflar, five days before Myth Drannor was to fall to the remains of the Army.[1]
Mantle Stone of Vhyridaan was a small stone that floated around the wearers head like an ioun stone and which reflected low-level spells. It also stored a limited number of spells for the caster. The stone was shattered when Keryvian, wielded by Fflar, made contact with the stone during Banes' Duel, causing an explosion that killed both combatants.[6]
Gaulguth[]
The field commander of the Trio Nefarious, Gaulguth was a nycaloth berserker that led from the front line of the Army of Darkness. Gaulguth earned his fearful reputation by personally slaying any lesser officers who failed him; General Khitax, a mezzoloth serving Aulmpiter directly, or one of the other Khov'Anilessa could sometimes get him to spare the life of an underling, though he rarely did so.[citation needed]
On Hammer 29-Midwinter, in the Year of the Firedrake, 713 DR, Gaulgath died during the battle of The Lost Trench at the hands of Anthan Narlgold, the half-dwarf heir to Clan Nargold.[7]
Heartcleaver was a massive axe that dripped a translucent green poison. The ichor nullified healing magic applied to any of the wounds it inflicted. The weapon lay somewhere in the ruins of Myth Drannor[8].
Malimshaer[]
The nycaloth in charge of gathering information and planning surprise attacks for the Army of Darkness. His missing right eye did not affect his duties in the slightest. Malimshaer was known for slaying a black dragon and subjugating the dragon's horde of orcs.[1]
On Greengrass, 713 DR, Malimshaer and Gaulguth were held back by the Line of Light. While Gaulguth escaped with only the loss of his left eye and one of his left arms, Malimshaer attempted to capture Symrustar Auglamyr, an elven Chosen of Mystra, who burst into silver fire and burned away the nycaloth commander at the cost of her own life.[9]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 13. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jeff Crook, Wil Upchurch, Eric L. Boyd (May 2005). Champions of Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 155. ISBN 0-7869-3692-4.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 14. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), p. 39. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 47. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 47–48. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 32–33. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.