Malus Thorm

Malus is the undead master surgeon of the House of Healing, and twisted follower of Shar. Having somehow kept his personality despite being in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, he believes graceful pain and calculating mutilation are the key to truly embracing the ideals of his dark faith. At his depraved hospital, he tirelessly works to train his Undead Nurses to hone such skill, yet their hollowed state leaves them lacking in ability beyond being dutiful assistants.

Overview

Background

In life, Malus directed a shift in the House's purpose from tending to the sick and injured among the populace of Reithwin to exclusively serving the Dark Justiciars of Ketheric Thorm's army, as he believed keeping the latter healthy would help them serve Shar while the rest were better off left to her oblivion.

Quests

He plays the role of obstacle in the quest Wake up Art Cullagh, holding the quest item the Battered Lute.

Involvement

Arriving at the House of Healing and gaining entry to the surgery theatre, Malus will be busy educating his undead nurses on a poor 'patient'. While cordial at first seeing the talking party members as a new students, preaching his view of Absence being the way to understanding Shar. After mutilating the 'patient' he will urge to do the same to the party. Beyond attacking, there are a mix of Skill Checks that can be done instead:

• A DC 14 Investigation check with advantage for Rogue to check nurses tools and point out that they're unusable
• A DC 14 Investigation check will lead to pointing out the nurses aren't skilled enough for surgery.
• A DC 14 Religion check will let the party use the ways of Shar to counter Malus own views.
• A DC 16 Persuasion check will suggest the nurses aren't ready and just make the party sick instead of 'curing' them.

If any of these checks are successful, Malus will ask how to train the nurses properly, leading to two differing Persuasion checks.

• A DC 21 with advantage for Monk or Bard to suggest that Malus offer himself up to be practiced on by the nurses, which he gleefully accepts. After a bloody scene in which they blindly hack away at his body, the nurses will become passive, and the master surgeon very much dead.
• A DC 21 with advantage for Rogue or Fighter to convince Malus to have the Sisters test their skills against each other, leading to a bloody brawl between them.

If the party read the Surgery and Physiology: A Sharran's Primer book in the room behind Malus, two additional options are available, both of which are instead DC 18, and both of which result in the nurses killing Malus:

• A DC 18 [Intimidation]] check: 'I have read your treatise. Initiate the final lesson, or die by my hand.'
• A DC 18 Persuasion check: 'Only with sacrifice is mastery gained.’ For the sisters to learn, you must submit.'

If the nurses were convinced to fight each other, the mad surgeon will press to tend to the party next. He can be attacked, proving much easier to defeat without the support of his nurses. Alternatively, he can be convinced to kill himself:

• A DC 21 Persuasion check, requesting that Malus perform the procedure on the party.
• A DC 21 Deception check with advantage for Sorcerer, Cleric, Fighter, or Druid asking that Malus bless the party with the blinding procedure.

Awed by the party's diligence, Malus will happily make an example of himself, stabbing and killing himself through the eye.

Combat

Attacks and abilities

 Claws ()

2d8 (2~16) + Strength or Dexterity modifier Slashing

Lash out with deadly claws.

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5  ft

 Request Surgical Instrument ()

Request a tool for advanced surgery. Grants  Surgeon's Chosen onto one of the undead nurses, having them lend a unique Instrument of Loss for him, allow Malus to perform powerful and debilitating attacks. The surgical tools are the following:

•  Instrument of Loss: Bonesaw -  Bloody Bonesaw
•  Instrument of Loss: Syringe -  This Won't Hurt A Bit
•  Instrument of Loss: Trepan -  Terror Trepan
•  Instrument of Loss: Leech -  Lethal Leech

 Range: 8 m / 25 ft

Recharge: Per turn

 Bloody Bonesaw ()

8d8 (8~64) + DEX modifier Slashing

Hack at a target and possibly  Slow it.

DEX Save

 Range: 2.5 m / 8 ft

 This Won't Hurt A Bit ()

8d8 (8~64) + Dexterity modifier Piercing

Jab a foe with a syringe and  Poison them.

DEX Save

 Range: 2.5 m / 8 ft

 Terror Trepan ()

8d10 (8~80) + Dexterity modifier Piercing

Bore into a foe's brain and  Frighten them.

CON Save

 Range: 2.5 m / 8 ft

 Lethal Leech ()

8d8 (8~64) + Dexterity modifier Piercing

Suckle a foe with hundreds of piercing teeth, making them  Bleed.

DEX Save

 Range: 2.5 m / 8 ft

 Lovely Assistant ()

The Surgeon reanimates the corpse of one of his nurses.

 Range: 8 m / 27 ft

Allies

• Sister Anya
• Sister Geanne
• Sister Hunna
• Sister Vanessa

Potential allies (if Malus revives them with  Lovely Assistant):

• Sister Clara
• Sister Inessa
• Sister Julia
• Sister Patricia

Notable loot

• Surgeon's Subjugation Amulet
• Battered Lute

Quotes

“	The objective of the scalpel, sisters, is to soothe, for a scalpel, indeed, is an extension of Shar. See how the patient reacts when I but stroke the right nerve. Hear its comfort. Hear the melody of mercy. Pray, sister, show us the extent of your beneficence.	„
	— Malus Thorm instructing the Undead Nurses in their "medical practice."

Gallery

• 

  Concept model by Nikolai Chugunov.

• 

  Model.

Related literature

• Surgery and Physiology: A Sharran's Primer
• URGENT: Request for Supplies, Sister Lidwin avails a Baldur's Gate surgeon of Malus's descent into madness under Shar

Notes by Malus Thorm

• Reithwin Necrology
• Surgeon's Memorandum

Books by Malus Thorm

• Surgeon's Research Notes

External links

• Malus Thorm on the Forgotten Realms Wiki