Wakanga O'tamu (pronounced: /wɑːˈkɑːŋgɑː oʊˈtɑːmuː/ wah-KANG-gah oh-TAH-moo[2]) was a merchant prince in Port Nyanzaru during the late 15th century DR. He was an information broker of sorts, offering lost lore and arcane knowledge as well as dealing in magical items.[1]
Description[]
Wakanga was a wealthy Chultan merchant[4] and the only arcane spellcaster among Port Nyanzaru's merchant princes.[1] He was often described as a wizard[5] who had a masterful command of his Art.[6] He was capable of quickly learning ancient and powerful Chultan spells.[7]
Personality[]
He enjoyed life's luxuries, especially pleasures of the flesh.[6] He was a dandy who was easily seduced by smart women, though this was possibly only a carefully constructed public image.[1] Those who called on him at his villa might find him absorbed in gilded tomes and disinterested in speaking until he had finished his reading.[6]
He was quick to embrace friends of his friends,[8] and if he took an interest in a visitor to Port Nyanzaru, he might grant them certain protections within the city.[3] He discouraged explorers from entering the jungle without hiring one of Jobal's guides.[9]
Activities[]
Business[]
Wakanga held a monopoly over the sale of magic items in the city of Port Nyanzaru, which mostly meant potions and spell scrolls[1] and only the occasional wondrous item.[10] As it was illegal to buy or sell such items without his approval in the city, he had complete control over prices and rarely extended credit (although he was willing to trade for gemstones and jewelry as part of his payment).[1] In partnership with fellow merchant prince Ekene-Afa, he also received a cut of all sales of enchanted weapons and shields as he was paid to provide the enchantments.[4] For explorers intending to travel underwater, Wakanga had a selection of items to offer, including potions of cold resistance, scrolls of freedom of movement, and scrolls or potions of water breathing.[10] He was also known to procure specific items or relics for special clients.[3]
In addition to selling magic items, he was a loremaster[11] and dealt in the sale of information, maps, and ancient or lost lore.[1][3] For example, this included knowledge of things such as the sites of long lost shrines to Ubtao, testimonials and rituals of ancient Chultans, or the locations of hidden treasures. He was well-versed in Chultan history—such as the theories surrounding Ubtao's abandonment of Chult—as well as current events of relevance to his city—such as the headquarters of certain pirate groups. He knew relatively little about lands to the north of Chult, although he knew by reputation of such cities as Neverwinter[3] and Waterdeep.[5] He likewise knew little about the lost city of Omu, although he was familiar with their Nine Trickster Gods and even honored those spirits to some extent.[3]
Governance[]
As a merchant prince, Wakanga was part of the council that ruled Port Nyanzaru from the palace of Goldenthrone.[4] He took it upon himself to hire mercenaries to protect merchant ships from pirates (especially those containing his own goods), to send explorers into the jungle in search of trade routes, and to hire adventurers to keep the surrounding lands safe. In some cases, adventurers were rewarded for their service with valuable maps from his library.[3]
Personal[]
Wakanga maintained a personal collection and library of magic, lore, maps, and books (including spellbooks), some of which he was willing to gift, trade, or loan with adventurers.[1][3] He became interested if he learned of any powerful magic items in the possession of those who entered his city,[12] and he was known to hire adventurers to retrieve new treasure maps, to explore ruins for magic items, and to delve into ancient temples to acquire idols or carved glyphs said to hum with Ubtao's magic.[3]
He was known to cooperate with historians seeking to learn more about Chult's past.[3]
Possessions[]
Prince O'tamu at his villa.
He had an opulent and well-fortified villa in Port Nyanzaru. The walls were beautifully painted and decorated with hanging rugs. The mansion was lit by continual flame spells and by drifting balls of light, with magical music playing softly all throughout.[1][6] The front doors could magically open on their own,[6] while the interior doors to private rooms were protected with arcane lock spells. Many decorative items were in fact defensive measures, namely flying swords hanging on the walls and rugs of smothering on the floors.[1] An outer courtyard contained a shrine to the gods.[3]
His villa further had garden courtyards with innovative water features[8] and housed his impressive menagerie.[3]
He had his own fast boats in the harbor that could quickly ferry his agents out to sea.[3]
Relationships[]
Wakanga was one of seven merchant princes who ruled Port Nyanzaru. Of the others, he had attracted the ire and jealously of Ifan Talro'a but was on good terms with Ekene-Afa[4] and Jobal.[9] He was regarded as a "trickster" by the beggar prince Pock-Marked Po.[13]
He had a business partner whose daughter, Teyileri Siwifi, spent much of her idle time at his villa enjoying his menagerie.[3]
Wakanga was acquainted with Niles Breakbone of the Order of the Gauntlet.[3] He was a sympathizer to the efforts of the Harpers and allowed them to use his villa as a safehouse. He was a friend of Syndra Silvane, who was likewise an ally of the Harpers.[1][14] Wakanga also became acquainted with Volo and Minsc during the late 15th century DR.[3]
Wakanga was cousin to Bwayes O'tamu, a weretiger that lived with a group of vegepygmies within a wrecked ship in the middle of the jungle. As a child, Wakanga was quite close with Bwayes.[15]
At his villa, a blacksmith named Tamrat Dejenhiwot had a forge in the outer courtyard.[3]
He had an agent named Obaya Uday, a priest of Waukeen who travelled to Waterdeep to procure magic items and spellbooks.[5]
History[]
By the time that Port Nyanzaru gained its independence from Amn in the late 15th century DR, Wakanga had become one of the richest people in Chult.[4]
Wakanga befriended Syndra Silvane during her many visits to Port Nyanzaru, and when she was afflicted by the death curse many years later,[note 1] she stayed with him when she traveled back to Chult seeking a cure.[1][14] Wakanga had already familiarized himself with the curse, but did not know much about it. While he was willing to help adventurers attempting to end the curse, he was unlikely to bend his his rules to gift them magic items or to extend credit.[1] However, he was willing to part with a journal in his possession that provided hints to the location of Vorn.[1][9] When adventurers from Neverwinter arrived in the city also seeking to end the death curse, Wakanga provided them with a small compound from which to plan their expedition.[3]
When Idrianne Smoke attacked Port Nyanzaru with her army of fiendish pirates, Wakanga sought to retrieve a powerful ancient spell scroll from beneath the ziggurats of the Old City that would allow him to embolden the entire city's defenders at once.[6][7]
At some point, Wakanga acquired an artifact from an unreputable merchant that was in fact being sought by a tribe of Batiri goblins. The goblins stormed the city alongside a tyrannosaur and besieged his villa in an attempt to take it from him.[3]
As of 1492 DR,[note 2] he was interested in acquiring magical treasures from the Sword Coast, and on his behalf, Obaya Uday began sponsoring expeditions into Undermountain.[16]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Canon material does not provide a year for the events described in Tomb of Annihilation (or its tie-in media), however it is understood to take place sometime between 1488 DR and 1492 DR. The earlier date is based on the fact that Port Nyanzaru is stated to have gained independence from Amn nine years prior to the start of the adventure (p 15), which would be 1488 DR at the earliest given the city was firmly under Amnian control as of 1479 DR (as described in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, p 102). The later date is based on the presence of Volothamp Geddarm, who is promoting the in-universe Volo's Guide to Monsters during the adventure (p 24) but is stated to have concluded his promotional tour and begun a new book as of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (see pp 5, 24), which is understood to be set in 1492 DR. Unless a canon source states otherwise, this wiki will use this range for events related to this sourcebook. The adventure is also assumed to take place concurrently with or slightly after the events of Storm King's Thunder based on the subplot involving frost giants in the service of Jarl Storvald (p 13).
- ↑ Canon material does not provide a year for the events described in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, but Christopher Perkins answered a question via Twitter and stated the year was 1492 DR. Corroborating this, Dragon Heist page 20 refers to events of Death Masks (set in 1491 DR) as being "last year". Unless a canon source contradicts this assertion, this wiki will use 1492 DR for events related to this sourcebook and Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage (which is referenced on pages 5 and 98 of Dragon Heist).
Appearances[]
Adventures
Video Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 27. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 Cryptic Studios (July 2017). Neverwinter: Tomb of Annihilation. Perfect World Entertainment.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 25. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Christopher Perkins (November 2018). Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 7. ISBN 978-0-7869-6626-4.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Will Doyle (2016). Peril at the Port (DDEP07-01) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 10.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Will Doyle (2016). Peril at the Port (DDEP07-01) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 11.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Robert Adducci (2018). Cauldron of Sapphire (DDAL07-17) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4.
- ↑ Benoit de Bernardy (2018). A Lesson in Love (DDAL07-11) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8.
- ↑ Benoit de Bernardy (2018). A Lesson in Love (DDAL07-11) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 3.
- ↑ Will Doyle (2016). Peril at the Port (DDEP07-01) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 84. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.