Manus

Harper Manus is a polite human ranger who is part of the Harpers in Act Two. He is first found in Last Light Inn, patrolling the docks and stairway to the southern coastline of the sanctuary.

“

No god can protect you.

„

— Manus, ambushing the Absolutists

Involvement

Last Light Inn

If reaching the Shadow-Cursed Lands through Grymforge, Manus can be first encountered at the Last Light Inn, on the southern side of the sanctuary, patrolling the southern docks.

After the party talks with Jaheira, Manus, along with Branthos, Elindale, Lassandra, and Skywin will move to the bridge in front of Last Light Inn, waiting for the party so they can move in to intercept and ambush a nearby Absolutist convoy in order to acquire their source of protection against the Shadow Curse. Accepting the mission would have Manus cast  Light on his bow, follow his squad of Harpers, and move in to the Ruined Battlefield, where they'll lay in wait for the Absolutist convoy. The party can either go with the group immediately or catch up with them later, as the ambush site is marked on their map.

If the party immediately talks to Isobel and fights Marcus after talking with Jaheira, Manus would have already moved to the bridge, out of reach of the battle. Regardless, if Isobel is kidnapped, he and the rest of the squad will nonetheless turn into a  Shadow-Cursed Undead.

Ambush

Main article: Seek Protection from the Shadow Curse

Main article: Follow the Convoy

Talking to Branthos at the ambush site will commence the ambush and spawn in the encounter. Once the convoy arrives, the party can tattack immediately or hang back. If choosing to stay hidden and keep watching, Kar'niss kills Brawler Vez, one of the goblins in the convoy. From there, the party can either signal the Harpers or the Harpers will start the encounter themselves. After the fight, on the drider's corpse will be a Moonlantern.

Alternatively, the party can convince Kar'niss to relinquish the Moonlantern, and to lead the Absolutist convoy to its death, where they will eventually be cursed. Either way, Manus will depart along the rest of his squad, and return to Last Light Inn.

If choosing to reach the Shadow-Cursed Lands through the Mountain Pass route, a goblin greets the party and sends them to a rendezvous point to wait for their guide to Moonrise Towers, where the party will pass off as a True Soul. This starts Follow the Convoy.

Kar'niss, the guide, will ferry the party, as well as the rest of the convoy to Moonrise. During the trek, Manus, along with Branthos, Elindale, and Skywin will ambush the convoy. The party can choose to either turn on the convoy and help the Harpers, or protect the convoy in order to continue their cover as a True Soul.

If meeting the Harpers for the first time, and Branthos dies while siding with them, Manus can tell the party to head to Last Light Inn, where they can reacquire the same Moonlantern after speaking with Isobel. If the party sticks with the convoy, Manus will turn hostile, and be killed.

After the Ambush

If sided with and alive, Manus can later be found back on the southern coastline of Last Light Inn, where he can be seen gazing into the distance, just a few short steps away from where Meygan, Lassandra, and Karrow are mourning Yonas.

Assault Moonrise Towers

If the party successfully prevented Marcus from capturing Isobel at the Last Light Inn, and once the Nightsong has been freed from her cage and is headed for Moonrise, Manus will follow Jaheira to Moonrise Towers. However, Manus is killed during the fight against Absolute forces before the party can arrive. His corpse can be found in the Moonrise Towers Prison, surrounded by a Death Shepherd and a horde of Necromites.

Combat

Attacks and Abilities

 Ranged Attack ()   –  Shortbow

Normal weapon damage Make a ranged attack with your equipped weapon.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Hamstring Shot ()   –  Shortbow

Normal weapon damage Shoot an enemy in the thigh and possibly reduce their Movement Speed by 50%.

CON Save

 Range: Normal weapon range

Recharge: Short rest

 Piercing Strike ()   –  Dagger

Normal weapon damage

Stab an enemy and possibly inflict  Gaping Wounds.

Undead and Constructs can't receive Gaping Wounds.

CON Save

 Range: Normal weapon range

Recharge: Short rest

 Hunter's Mark ()

Mark a creature as your quarry to deal an additional 1d6Weapon damage whenever you hit it with a weapon attack.

If the target dies before the spell ends, you can use  Reapply Hunter's Mark to mark a new creature.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

Allies

• Harper Branthos
• Harper Elindale
• Harper Lassandra
• Harper Skywin

Loot

• Torch
• Leather Armour
• Dagger
• Shortbow

Related quests

•  Infiltrate Moonrise Towers
•  Follow the Convoy
•  Resolve the Abduction
•  Seek Protection from the Shadow Curse

Notes

• If Branthos is killed at any point in time during the convoy's ambush, Manus can take the lead in talking to the player instead and conclude the quest.
• Manus is the only Act Two Harper ranger that can cast Hunter's Mark.
• As of Patch 6, despite having Extra Attack, Manus is not able to attack twice during his turns.

External links

• Manus on the Forgotten Realms Wiki