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.

“

The objective of the scalpel, sisters, is to soothe, for a scalpel, indeed, is an extension of Shar.

„

— Malus Thorm instructing the Undead Nurses in their "medical practice."

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:

• [INVESTIGATION] Examine the sisters and their implements. (DC 14)
  • Their blades are uneven. Efficient surgery will require further training.
• [ROGUE] [INVESTGIATION] Cast your gaze over the blades of the sisters. (DC 14 )
  • Your blades are in an atrocious condition - no way you'd make a clean cut with those.
• [RELIGION] Recall what you know of Shar's teachings. (DC 14)
• [CLERIC] [RELIGION] Recall what you know of Shar's blasphemous teachings. (DC 14 ) (non-Shar Cleric)
• [PERSUASION] The sisters aren't ready. They'll make me sick instead of curing me. (DC 16)

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

• [FIGHTER] [PERSUASION] Sparring is vital to progress. Have them practice on each other. (DC 21 )
• [ROGUE] [PERSUASION] Practice - that's how I got good with a blade. They should spar each other. (DC 21 )
• [WIZARD] [PERSUASION] In my years of study, I have found no better teacher than example. Perhaps you could volunteer? (DC 21 )
• [MONK] [PERSUASION] When the fist trembles, sometimes another is needed to steady it. A good master would volunteer themselves. (DC 21 )
• [BARD] [PERSUASION] I take joy in performing with a master of my craft - I'm sure the sisters are the same. Why don't you volunteer? (DC 21 )
• [PERSUASION] They need a better subject to practise on first. Not a student, but a master. (DC 21)

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 result in the nurses killing Malus:

• [INTIMIDATION] I have read your treatise. Initiate the final lesson, or die by my hand. (DC 18)
• [PERSUASION] 'Only with sacrifice is mastery gained.' For the sisters to learn, you must submit. (DC 18)

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:

• [BARD] [PERSUASION] I am not worthy! Please, show me how a master works - I would be honoured. (DC 21 )
• [CLERIC] [DECEPTION] You do me an honour, but I am not worthy. Show me the way of Shar - I beg of you. (DC 21 )
• [FIGHTER] [DECEPTION] I am but a fumbling squire before a master swordsman. Please, demonstrate so that I might learn.. (DC 21 )
• [WIZARD] [SORCERER] [DECEPTION] My magic has blinded me - I see now that Shar is the only path. Show me how - I beg of you. (DC 21 )
• [DRUID] [DECEPTION] I sought purpose in the natural world - I see now that Shar is the only path. Show me how - I beg of you. (DC 21 )
• [PERSUASION] I would rather acquaint myself - if you show me how. (DC 21)

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

 Bloody Bonesaw ()

8d8 (8~64) + DEX modifier Slashing

Hack at a target and possibly  Slow it.

DEX Save

 Range: 2.5 m / 8 ft

 Claws ()

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

Lash out with deadly claws.

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5  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

 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

 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

 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

Honour Mode

 Legendary Action: Grasping Appendage

Once per round, Malus Thorm can use his Legendary Action to  Grasp a creature and pull it closer.

 Legendary Action: Wail of Loss

Once per round, Malus Thorm can use his Legendary Action after being attacked to make every assistant cast  Wail of Loss simultaneously.

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

• Battered Lute
• Surgeon's Subjugation Amulet

Related literature

• URGENT: Request for Supplies, Sister Lidwin advises a Baldur's Gate surgeon of Malus's descent into madness under Shar

Written by Malus Thorm

• Blood Bank Log
• Notice (Malus Thorm)
• Reithwin Necrology
• Surgeon's Memorandum
• Surgeon's Research Notes
• Surgery and Physiology: A Sharran's Primer
• Tissue and Organ Register

Gallery

• 

  Model

• 

  Concept model by Nikolai Chugunov

• 

  Concept art by Tan Bur-Ci

Notes

• If carrying the Sentient Amulet after dealing with Malus, regardless of directly fighting him or killing him with checks, the Monk's manifestation will comment on it: Hehehehe - a horrific display. There is no red deeper than a Sharran's blood.
• Malus, compared to the other Thorms, does not have  Immune to Control Undead, meaning an Oathbreaker Paladin can control him with  Control Undead.^{[Needs Verification]}

External links

• Malus Thorm on the Forgotten Realms Wiki