Post by Talon on Mar 15, 2009 9:38:49 GMT -6
Artemis Entreri or King Artemis the First
Age-mid 40s race-Calishite (partial shade) gender-male class-rogue, ranger, fighter, Assassin play by: Gerard Butler
Artemis Entreri is a ruthless assassin and the arch-nemesis of Drizzt Do'Urden. Portrayed as a cunning and tactical assassin, Entreri lives an empty life, devoid of any kind of pleasure, existing only to kill. Credited with being one of the best assassins in Faerûn, he is a highly composed and calculating man, with fighting skills rivaling those of his nemesis. Artemis Entreri is not very tall but compact with wiry muscles. He is possessed of angular features, striking high cheekbones, and prominant sideburns. Though he is usually clean-shaven, Artemis always seems to need a shave. His skin is a grayish hue resulting from an encounter with an extradimensional humanoid known as a shade, in which his vampiric dagger pulled the shade's life-force into his own. His raven black hair is thick and full, but his eyes are gray and lifeless, portraying the emptiness of his life and his soul. Though being about 40 years old, Artemis has the lean athleticism of a man half his age. Since travelling with the drow elf Jarlaxle, Artemis is often seen wearing a small-brimmed black hat. Artemis is a professional and always has an air of control about him. Every move he makes or word he speaks is calculated to achieve a desired effect. He never allows emotions or the circumstances, no matter how dire, to master him. In this, he is completely as determined as Drizzt. He tirelessly maintains himself in top condition, and constantly seeks to improve his martial skills, again just as his drow nemesis does. Artemis also is terribly cunning, able to out think as well as outfight his opponents. One aspect of his professionalism that is rare in a man whose business is killing is that Artemis usually never kills unless it is necessary or unless he's been hired to do so, although there has been the occasional exception. Artemis' first friendship would have been with Dwahvel Tiggerwillies with whom he spoke openly, sharing opinions and thoughts he shared with nobody else. He trusts her as a confident, informer and helper. When they part different ways, Artemis writes to her a very moving letter written in a way that Artemis himself found it hard to believe he was the letter's author. Artemis Entreri's greatest hatred and disgust is reserved for those who are willing to abandon or betray their children in an effort to save themselves. Humans age faster than elves, and thus Entreri feels the bite of age long before Drizzt does. It is revealed, however, that Entreri, having previously stolen the life-force of a Shadovar (shade), now appears to have reversed age a full decade, and his aging has slowed considerably. It is likely that he will now live as long as an elf or dwarf would. After their first meeting, Artemis knew that he and Drizzt were virtually equal in skill. The primary difference between himself and Drizzt noticed by Artemis was Drizzt's virtue, specifically Drizzt's caring and concern for his friends. Artemis, by contrast, had a life that could only be considered empty. He had no real friends and no loved ones. He considered such emotional connections to be hindrances, believing that the reason he was so skilled with his blades was because he had dedicated his life to being the best, and had done so to the exclusion of all other pursuits. But now here was somebody seemingly as good as he was, somebody with friends and loved ones and a full life. For Entreri to accept that Drizzt was his equal (or possibly his better) in fighting skill, he would be forced to accept that it was possible to be an effective fighter while still pursuing and finding friendship, love and happiness. If this were true, it would mean that Entreri had wasted his life. This was something the assassin vehemently refused to admit to himself. Thus he became obsessed with proving once and for all that he was the better fighter, and that he was the better fighter because he had chosen to forego such things as friendship and love. Entreri has said as much to Drizzt, although he was likely attempting to convince himself as well. He has taunted the drow by telling him that all one needs to do to manipulate him is threaten one of his friends and that he, Entreri, could never be manipulated in such a manner. Another factor is jealousy. Artemis was never able to trust anybody as a friend as he grew up, and developed a belief that the only person he could truly count on was himself. When Artemis looks at Drizzt, he sees the kind of person he might have become if things had gone differently in his life (Drizzt sees the same thing when he looks at Artemis). Artemis sees Drizzt has found friends he can count on and enjoy life with, and despite anything he may say to the contrary Artemis wishes, deep down, that he had also found friends like that. Artemis is a tactical master, taking every advantage offered him and seeking to create more. He'll often do this by taunting his foe into anger and mistakes. Artemis is also a very fast learner. Even if he observes a particular combat maneuver just once or twice, he is able to adapt it to his choice of weapons and duplicate it effectively in battle (these tend to be Drizzt's maneuvers, their styles and skill level being so similar). Artemis is also a consummate warrior, combining his ambidexterity, thieving training, and warrior's weapon skills to be one of the most dangerous swordsmen in the Realms. Few men indeed could have so repeatedly crossed blades with Drizzt Do'Urden and lived to tell of it. He specializes in a two-weaponed fighting style with the use of a dagger and a sword, equaling Drizzt in fighting capability. Entreri is an 18th level character, with twelve levels as a fighter, one level as an assassin, one level in ranger, and four levels as a rogue. This was as of the time he had his longsword, prior to stealing Charon's Claw. Entreri has had many adventures since and has risen in levels.
history:Entreri reveals little about his past, but some is known about his early life. Artemis Entreri was born into the streets of Memnon, to a prostitute named Shanali, he was constantly abused by his 'father', Belrigger, and his uncle Tosso. Eventually, his mother sold him to a pedophile merchant who was, if anything, worse than his uncle; this must have been how he reached Calimport. This betrayal was enough to put a block on Entreri's emotions, making the man hide from the world by a sheer mental wall of rage and cynicism. In Calimport, he was taken in by the thieves' guild ruled by Pasha Basadoni. Basadoni taught young Artemis the tricks of the trade, teaching him the basics of fighting, and helping him master stealth. As Entreri practiced, he flourished, becoming the most efficient and deadly assassin in Calimshan and perhaps all of Faerûn. He was hired by many Pashas, his most recent employer being Pasha Pook. Pasha Pook hired Artemis to track down a halfling named Regis who had stolen an enchanted ruby from Pook. Entreri would chase Regis for several years, each time with Regis only escaping by a hair's breadth. Entreri eventually cornered Regis in the far north at the Spine of the World. Entreri then met Regis's friend Drizzt Do'Urden and became obsessed with defeating the drow after he was defeated by him. Entreri's hunt for Drizzt inevitably got him caught up with Jarlaxle Baenre and the drow, and his most recent ventures have been with them. Entreri became so skilled in his art that he was amazed upon meeting Drizzt, his only equal. Entreri wanted to test who was the better fighter and so eventually became obsessed with destroying or defeating the drow ranger. Artemis never really got the satisfaction of a proper fight, though the few times he and Drizzt did duke it out the elf usually won out, but not in the way the assassin would have preferred. When Artemis finally got his fight Drizzt won again. Earlier in the duel the combatants' heads had smashed together, causing swelling around Artemis' eye which increased as the battle raged on until his vision in that eye was completely gone. Drizzt finally took advantage of this to slash Artemis' wrist, depriving him of his sword, and a moment later grip his dagger arm with the other hand. Drizzt had considered the whole affair pointless, and again made his sentiments known to Entreri with his scimitar pressed to the assassin's throat. "So what have we proven?" the drow demanded. "Because my head connected in a favorable place with yours, limiting your vision, I am the better fighter?" But Entreri wanted it ended, one way or another, and told him to finish it. Nevertheless, Drizzt refused to kill Entreri. Instead he let him live, and so Artemis, desperate for death now that he had been conclusively defeated by Drizzt, cried out and charged Drizzt. Drizzt instinctively lashed out defensively with a shot that would have killed the assassin but for the outside intrusion of a psionicist, Kimmuriel Oblodra, who had covered Entreri with a protective shield of psionic power. The shield absorbed the power of Drizzt's shot, and when Entreri reflexively fired a punch at Drizzt, the kinetic energy of the shot was transferred into the ranger. The blast "killed" Drizzt, enraging Entreri all the more, for he wanted a fair fight. Despite his initial anger and chagrin at this conclusion, Artemis wound up living a happier life from there on, though, (to whatever degree you could call the assassin's existence happy) with Drizzt "dead." Whereas he had previously been obsessed with proving himself the better fighter, Artemis was now able to reluctantly put his rivalry with Drizzt behind him and concentrate on other things. No one told the assassin, but Drizzt was healed right after Entreri had been forcibly removed from the room where they had dueled. Since he acquired Charon's Claw, Artemis has not fought Drizzt. Entreri became close friends with a halfling by the name of Dwahvel Tiggerwillies, the guildmistress of a halfling guild based in the Calimport. He was able to confide in her, which was a rare thing indeed for the assassin. She became the first true friend Artemis Entreri possibly ever had. After Entreri aided Jarlaxle, Cadderly, and their companions in a quest to destroy the malevolent Crystal Shard, he traveled with the drow mercenary leader Jarlaxle to the Damara area in search of new adventures. In the short story "That Curious Sword" (which took place in Heliogabalus in the Bloodstone Lands in the Year of the Shield, or 1367 DR) in the Realms of Shadow anthology, Entreri was assaulted by a Shadovar who attempted to take Charon's Claw, claiming that it belonged to the Netherese. Entreri killed the Shadovar with his jewelled dagger and inadvertently drained some of the shade's life-force, thus becoming part shade (one infused with shadowstuff) himself. Since that encounter, his skin has taken a slightly gray pallor, and Charon's Claw feels a certain affinity toward him. In his most recent adventure, Entreri followed Jarlaxle to the vast land of Vaasa in search of a powerful artifact once belonging to the Witch-King Zhengyi. Following his defeat in an epic war decades ago, the evil wizard's many artifacts continued to plague Vaasa and the surrounding lands. One such item was a book that would generate a magical fortress, sucking on the life force of whatever unfortunate wizard activated it. The book had indeed been activated, and incidentally the tower generated held the item Jarlaxle sought. Thus the pair traveled to Vaasa, and infiltrated the "Army of Bloodstone." This elite mercenary band of warriors protected the neighboring kingdom of Damara from goblin and giant tribes in the Vaasan plain. While procuring the item, Jarlaxle and Artemis incidentally saved a local half-orc community from Zhengyi's tower, and the young wizardess who'd activated it. King Gareth Dragonsbane then bestowed upon him the title of Apprentice Knight of the Order. During the affair, Artemis discovered that a Idalia's flute, a magical artifact Jarlaxle had given him was manipulating his feelings. This was an effort on Jarlaxle's part to open up Artemis' heart. Uncomfortably, it caused the assassin to grow sudden strong feelings for the young half-orc wizardess Arrayan Faylin and a nobleborn captain in the Bloodstone Army. Jarlaxle claimed he was trying to give Entreri a reason to live besides killing, to give the man some peace in his troubled life. However, Jarlaxle's capricious nature has caused Artemis to take this claim with more than a degree of skepticism. The flute also causes Artemis to fall in "love" with the half-elf warrior Calihye. At some point during the Zhengyian adventure, he makes love to her, and their relationship develops throughout the whole ordeal. However, troubled by Artemis's role in the death of her friend Parissus, she later tries to kill him when he asks her to come with him and leave her home. Although Artemis is protected from injury by Kimmuriel Oblodra, the drow psionist acting under Jarlaxle's orders, and even though it is made clear that Calihye was under severe emotional turmoil and did not really want to hurt him, their relationship is obviously ended. After a conflict with King Gareth Dragonsbane of Damara, Artemis and Jarlaxle are exiled from the Bloodstone lands. Upon leaving, Artemis, again prompted by the flute, returns to his childhood home in Memnon. He then finds and kills his abusive uncle and the corrupt priest who likely fathered him, but learns that his mother is already dead. Artemis then goes separate ways with Jarlaxle. Still haunted by his childhood and struggling to accept what he has become since then, he breaks Idalia's flute and reveals that he is leaving for Calimport and says that he wishes to go home.
Magical Items
Manshoon
Age-approximately 141 race-human gender-male class-wizard, epic, archmage play by:
Manshoon was the founder of the Zhentarim, also known as the Black Network, until he was "slain" by Fzoul Chembryl, his ally, and Lord Orgauth in 1370 DR. However, it transpired that Manshoon had created a dozen or more clones that the murderous duo then found themselves facing. There are currently three clones in existence. For years Manshoon was the lord of Zhentil Keep and leader of the Zhentarim. Completely fitting the archetype of the sly-tongued, sinister and decadent master spellcaster, Manshoon ruthlessly crushed revolts within his own ranks of the Black Network, easily slaughtered his rivals and weeded the weak out of the ranks of the young and ambitions by sending upstarts on nigh-impossible suicide missions. Hated and mistrusted by Fzoul, Manshoon manipulated him much as he did all others - remaining arrogant, untouchable in his power and faintly amused by it all. Manshoon was born in Zhentil Keep in 1229 DR to Harlshoon, the first lord of Zhentil Keep. Manshoon, his brother Asmuth and the son of their father's chief rival, Calkontor named Chess were sent off together to prove themselves worthy of being lords like their fathers. While his sons were away, Harlshoon was poisoned by Calkontor but with his dying breaths he threw Calkontor out of a tower window. The trio's father's places were usurped by a pair of opportunists (and blamed on foreign assassins) while the lord-princes continued their adventures together. One such adventure was the quest to take a magical sword from a barrow, a goal shared by a trio of female harpers. Asmuth was blinded and Manshoon had one of his hands blown off when he carelessly grabbed for the sword. Chess saved both their lives and the three fled when the sword animated itself appearing to attack the harpers. They came across a party of adventurers and murdered them all in their sleep. Manshoon recovered a wand and a spellbook. He traded the wand for his hand to be restored but kept the spellbook, secretly planning to study the Art, inspired by the magic of the sword. After a few more adventures they headed home, learning about their sires and their usurped positions in an inn somewhere in the Dalelands. Manshoon made sure his blind brother Asmuth fell off of a bridge to his death before they returned to the keep where he and Chess planned to dispose of the usurpers. One of them had gone to fight some mages from Thar and had died in the conflict while the other remained in the keep. The two were attacked by banite priest/assassins upon their arrival but were saved by Manshoon's magic. However, unknown to him, Chess would defect in exchange for his father's seat on the council. It was, however a doublecross! Chess, Manshoon and their childhood friend Fzoul Chembryl killed the usurper. They claimed their rightful council seats and supported Fzoul's rise through the ranks of the banite priesthood. Feeling exposed, Manshoon immediately set about creating a cabal of mages, his Blackcloaks, to protect him, recruiting Fzoul early on. In 1261 DR, not long afterwards, he founded the Zhentarim. Knowing the priests to obey Bane over anyone else and assuming the wizards were just as ambitious as he was, Manshoon held little trust for any of his new allies, he sent out spies and was determined to raise his powers in the arcane far above anyone else in Zhentil Keep. Some of his spies came out from Teshendale talking of a flying hollow rock. Manshoon investigated personally, hoping to find powerful magic. Instead, he discovered the beholder Xantriph. The two canny individuals joined forces, claiming the rock was a conduit to the gods. Banite priests flocked to the place where Xantriph instructed them all to do as Manshoon commanded. With the banites taken care of, all seemed well, but although many things went well for Manshoon's Black Network, many things went wrong as well. In 1370 DR, Manshoon was "slain" by Fzoul and Lord Orgauth, who then found themselves facing around a dozen clones that the wizard had created. Each of the clones was convinced that he was the real Manshoon and was inexplicably compelled to slay his rival clones. Most of these perished in the ensuing battles. The caches of magical items formerly hidden by Manshoon were scattered throughout the Realms. Three clones, who mastered this killing compulsion by means of spells and devices, survive with the one that returned to the Zhentarim appearing to be 'the' Manshoon. Used to ruling and manipulating from behind the scenes and relived of responsibility of administering to the Black Network, he seems to have learned a lesson in caution and patience. He has since redoubled his arcane research, seeking ways to transfer his consciousness from one clone to another at will.
Age-mid 40s race-Calishite (partial shade) gender-male class-rogue, ranger, fighter, Assassin play by: Gerard Butler
Artemis Entreri is a ruthless assassin and the arch-nemesis of Drizzt Do'Urden. Portrayed as a cunning and tactical assassin, Entreri lives an empty life, devoid of any kind of pleasure, existing only to kill. Credited with being one of the best assassins in Faerûn, he is a highly composed and calculating man, with fighting skills rivaling those of his nemesis. Artemis Entreri is not very tall but compact with wiry muscles. He is possessed of angular features, striking high cheekbones, and prominant sideburns. Though he is usually clean-shaven, Artemis always seems to need a shave. His skin is a grayish hue resulting from an encounter with an extradimensional humanoid known as a shade, in which his vampiric dagger pulled the shade's life-force into his own. His raven black hair is thick and full, but his eyes are gray and lifeless, portraying the emptiness of his life and his soul. Though being about 40 years old, Artemis has the lean athleticism of a man half his age. Since travelling with the drow elf Jarlaxle, Artemis is often seen wearing a small-brimmed black hat. Artemis is a professional and always has an air of control about him. Every move he makes or word he speaks is calculated to achieve a desired effect. He never allows emotions or the circumstances, no matter how dire, to master him. In this, he is completely as determined as Drizzt. He tirelessly maintains himself in top condition, and constantly seeks to improve his martial skills, again just as his drow nemesis does. Artemis also is terribly cunning, able to out think as well as outfight his opponents. One aspect of his professionalism that is rare in a man whose business is killing is that Artemis usually never kills unless it is necessary or unless he's been hired to do so, although there has been the occasional exception. Artemis' first friendship would have been with Dwahvel Tiggerwillies with whom he spoke openly, sharing opinions and thoughts he shared with nobody else. He trusts her as a confident, informer and helper. When they part different ways, Artemis writes to her a very moving letter written in a way that Artemis himself found it hard to believe he was the letter's author. Artemis Entreri's greatest hatred and disgust is reserved for those who are willing to abandon or betray their children in an effort to save themselves. Humans age faster than elves, and thus Entreri feels the bite of age long before Drizzt does. It is revealed, however, that Entreri, having previously stolen the life-force of a Shadovar (shade), now appears to have reversed age a full decade, and his aging has slowed considerably. It is likely that he will now live as long as an elf or dwarf would. After their first meeting, Artemis knew that he and Drizzt were virtually equal in skill. The primary difference between himself and Drizzt noticed by Artemis was Drizzt's virtue, specifically Drizzt's caring and concern for his friends. Artemis, by contrast, had a life that could only be considered empty. He had no real friends and no loved ones. He considered such emotional connections to be hindrances, believing that the reason he was so skilled with his blades was because he had dedicated his life to being the best, and had done so to the exclusion of all other pursuits. But now here was somebody seemingly as good as he was, somebody with friends and loved ones and a full life. For Entreri to accept that Drizzt was his equal (or possibly his better) in fighting skill, he would be forced to accept that it was possible to be an effective fighter while still pursuing and finding friendship, love and happiness. If this were true, it would mean that Entreri had wasted his life. This was something the assassin vehemently refused to admit to himself. Thus he became obsessed with proving once and for all that he was the better fighter, and that he was the better fighter because he had chosen to forego such things as friendship and love. Entreri has said as much to Drizzt, although he was likely attempting to convince himself as well. He has taunted the drow by telling him that all one needs to do to manipulate him is threaten one of his friends and that he, Entreri, could never be manipulated in such a manner. Another factor is jealousy. Artemis was never able to trust anybody as a friend as he grew up, and developed a belief that the only person he could truly count on was himself. When Artemis looks at Drizzt, he sees the kind of person he might have become if things had gone differently in his life (Drizzt sees the same thing when he looks at Artemis). Artemis sees Drizzt has found friends he can count on and enjoy life with, and despite anything he may say to the contrary Artemis wishes, deep down, that he had also found friends like that. Artemis is a tactical master, taking every advantage offered him and seeking to create more. He'll often do this by taunting his foe into anger and mistakes. Artemis is also a very fast learner. Even if he observes a particular combat maneuver just once or twice, he is able to adapt it to his choice of weapons and duplicate it effectively in battle (these tend to be Drizzt's maneuvers, their styles and skill level being so similar). Artemis is also a consummate warrior, combining his ambidexterity, thieving training, and warrior's weapon skills to be one of the most dangerous swordsmen in the Realms. Few men indeed could have so repeatedly crossed blades with Drizzt Do'Urden and lived to tell of it. He specializes in a two-weaponed fighting style with the use of a dagger and a sword, equaling Drizzt in fighting capability. Entreri is an 18th level character, with twelve levels as a fighter, one level as an assassin, one level in ranger, and four levels as a rogue. This was as of the time he had his longsword, prior to stealing Charon's Claw. Entreri has had many adventures since and has risen in levels.
history:Entreri reveals little about his past, but some is known about his early life. Artemis Entreri was born into the streets of Memnon, to a prostitute named Shanali, he was constantly abused by his 'father', Belrigger, and his uncle Tosso. Eventually, his mother sold him to a pedophile merchant who was, if anything, worse than his uncle; this must have been how he reached Calimport. This betrayal was enough to put a block on Entreri's emotions, making the man hide from the world by a sheer mental wall of rage and cynicism. In Calimport, he was taken in by the thieves' guild ruled by Pasha Basadoni. Basadoni taught young Artemis the tricks of the trade, teaching him the basics of fighting, and helping him master stealth. As Entreri practiced, he flourished, becoming the most efficient and deadly assassin in Calimshan and perhaps all of Faerûn. He was hired by many Pashas, his most recent employer being Pasha Pook. Pasha Pook hired Artemis to track down a halfling named Regis who had stolen an enchanted ruby from Pook. Entreri would chase Regis for several years, each time with Regis only escaping by a hair's breadth. Entreri eventually cornered Regis in the far north at the Spine of the World. Entreri then met Regis's friend Drizzt Do'Urden and became obsessed with defeating the drow after he was defeated by him. Entreri's hunt for Drizzt inevitably got him caught up with Jarlaxle Baenre and the drow, and his most recent ventures have been with them. Entreri became so skilled in his art that he was amazed upon meeting Drizzt, his only equal. Entreri wanted to test who was the better fighter and so eventually became obsessed with destroying or defeating the drow ranger. Artemis never really got the satisfaction of a proper fight, though the few times he and Drizzt did duke it out the elf usually won out, but not in the way the assassin would have preferred. When Artemis finally got his fight Drizzt won again. Earlier in the duel the combatants' heads had smashed together, causing swelling around Artemis' eye which increased as the battle raged on until his vision in that eye was completely gone. Drizzt finally took advantage of this to slash Artemis' wrist, depriving him of his sword, and a moment later grip his dagger arm with the other hand. Drizzt had considered the whole affair pointless, and again made his sentiments known to Entreri with his scimitar pressed to the assassin's throat. "So what have we proven?" the drow demanded. "Because my head connected in a favorable place with yours, limiting your vision, I am the better fighter?" But Entreri wanted it ended, one way or another, and told him to finish it. Nevertheless, Drizzt refused to kill Entreri. Instead he let him live, and so Artemis, desperate for death now that he had been conclusively defeated by Drizzt, cried out and charged Drizzt. Drizzt instinctively lashed out defensively with a shot that would have killed the assassin but for the outside intrusion of a psionicist, Kimmuriel Oblodra, who had covered Entreri with a protective shield of psionic power. The shield absorbed the power of Drizzt's shot, and when Entreri reflexively fired a punch at Drizzt, the kinetic energy of the shot was transferred into the ranger. The blast "killed" Drizzt, enraging Entreri all the more, for he wanted a fair fight. Despite his initial anger and chagrin at this conclusion, Artemis wound up living a happier life from there on, though, (to whatever degree you could call the assassin's existence happy) with Drizzt "dead." Whereas he had previously been obsessed with proving himself the better fighter, Artemis was now able to reluctantly put his rivalry with Drizzt behind him and concentrate on other things. No one told the assassin, but Drizzt was healed right after Entreri had been forcibly removed from the room where they had dueled. Since he acquired Charon's Claw, Artemis has not fought Drizzt. Entreri became close friends with a halfling by the name of Dwahvel Tiggerwillies, the guildmistress of a halfling guild based in the Calimport. He was able to confide in her, which was a rare thing indeed for the assassin. She became the first true friend Artemis Entreri possibly ever had. After Entreri aided Jarlaxle, Cadderly, and their companions in a quest to destroy the malevolent Crystal Shard, he traveled with the drow mercenary leader Jarlaxle to the Damara area in search of new adventures. In the short story "That Curious Sword" (which took place in Heliogabalus in the Bloodstone Lands in the Year of the Shield, or 1367 DR) in the Realms of Shadow anthology, Entreri was assaulted by a Shadovar who attempted to take Charon's Claw, claiming that it belonged to the Netherese. Entreri killed the Shadovar with his jewelled dagger and inadvertently drained some of the shade's life-force, thus becoming part shade (one infused with shadowstuff) himself. Since that encounter, his skin has taken a slightly gray pallor, and Charon's Claw feels a certain affinity toward him. In his most recent adventure, Entreri followed Jarlaxle to the vast land of Vaasa in search of a powerful artifact once belonging to the Witch-King Zhengyi. Following his defeat in an epic war decades ago, the evil wizard's many artifacts continued to plague Vaasa and the surrounding lands. One such item was a book that would generate a magical fortress, sucking on the life force of whatever unfortunate wizard activated it. The book had indeed been activated, and incidentally the tower generated held the item Jarlaxle sought. Thus the pair traveled to Vaasa, and infiltrated the "Army of Bloodstone." This elite mercenary band of warriors protected the neighboring kingdom of Damara from goblin and giant tribes in the Vaasan plain. While procuring the item, Jarlaxle and Artemis incidentally saved a local half-orc community from Zhengyi's tower, and the young wizardess who'd activated it. King Gareth Dragonsbane then bestowed upon him the title of Apprentice Knight of the Order. During the affair, Artemis discovered that a Idalia's flute, a magical artifact Jarlaxle had given him was manipulating his feelings. This was an effort on Jarlaxle's part to open up Artemis' heart. Uncomfortably, it caused the assassin to grow sudden strong feelings for the young half-orc wizardess Arrayan Faylin and a nobleborn captain in the Bloodstone Army. Jarlaxle claimed he was trying to give Entreri a reason to live besides killing, to give the man some peace in his troubled life. However, Jarlaxle's capricious nature has caused Artemis to take this claim with more than a degree of skepticism. The flute also causes Artemis to fall in "love" with the half-elf warrior Calihye. At some point during the Zhengyian adventure, he makes love to her, and their relationship develops throughout the whole ordeal. However, troubled by Artemis's role in the death of her friend Parissus, she later tries to kill him when he asks her to come with him and leave her home. Although Artemis is protected from injury by Kimmuriel Oblodra, the drow psionist acting under Jarlaxle's orders, and even though it is made clear that Calihye was under severe emotional turmoil and did not really want to hurt him, their relationship is obviously ended. After a conflict with King Gareth Dragonsbane of Damara, Artemis and Jarlaxle are exiled from the Bloodstone lands. Upon leaving, Artemis, again prompted by the flute, returns to his childhood home in Memnon. He then finds and kills his abusive uncle and the corrupt priest who likely fathered him, but learns that his mother is already dead. Artemis then goes separate ways with Jarlaxle. Still haunted by his childhood and struggling to accept what he has become since then, he breaks Idalia's flute and reveals that he is leaving for Calimport and says that he wishes to go home.
Magical Items
- Vampiric Dagger or Jeweled Dagger--emerald-studded dagger is Entreri's signature weapon, and is the most recognized and feared weapon in Calimport. With a single strike, the magical weapon could suck the life force of the victim and use it to heal the wielder. The blade can also emanate a white, fiery light. For a time, the dagger was taken by Regis after Drizzt defeated Entreri and left him to die at the edge of a cliff. Regis later gave this weapon to Catti-brie to assist her in her search for Drizzt in the Underdark. Entreri retrieved his dagger after he captured Cattie-brie in Menzoberranzan. In battle, Entreri's favorite wielding technique with this dagger is to wield it as a main-gauche in his left hand with a sword or saber in his right. His common interrogation technique is to force the victim's palm open and use the dagger to make a single blood-drawing tear on it, thus starting the life-draining magic. He usually doesn't have to wait long before the victim yields and pleads for him to stop. When Entreri is seriously hurt and under pursuit, he would commonly use the dagger to heal himself at the expense of a poor beggar or drunkard who happens to pass by.
- Charon's Claw--a sword and gauntlet combination, the perfect weapon when battling a wizard. Entreri stole the weapon from its former master Kohrin Soulez. He had a fake duplicate of the gauntlet created and then switched it for the real one during a duel with the Charon Claw's former wielder, Soulez being killed by the sword itself. The sword is a sentient artifact, Entereri could only wield it with the protection of the gauntlet. The gauntlet, however, was destroyed when Entreri braved a lich's tower with his partner, the dark elf Jarlaxle. Although Entreri could still suppress Charon's Claw through sheer willpower, he had lost the formidable defenses against magic and psionics that the gauntlet had granted him. Anyone who touches the blade or handle of this sword unprotected must compete with it in a battle of wills. However, Jarlaxle has the gauntlet "repaired" by his lieutenant Kimmuriel and gives it back to Entreri later.
- Artemis’ Hat--Artemis received the small-brimmed black hat from Jarlaxle. Though looking inconspicuous, the hat like every item of Jarlaxle has beneficial properties, magical and mechanical in nature. It has the ability to chill it's wearers body temperature to better help hide from eyes seeing in the heatsensing spectrum and it has a wire inset into the band that holds the hat in place on top of Artemis' head even when falling off a horse.
- Nightmare--The black figurine of a horse was given to him by Jarlaxle. When summoned from the Lower Planes it turns into a Night Mare with flaming hooves. Smoke and fire also emits from the horse's mouth, nostrils and eyes. The summoned horse never tires and is resistant to most non-magical attacks. The Night Mare can be dispelled by powerful counter magic and temporarily sent back to the Lower Planes. The steed is fearless and charges forward with reckless abandon.
- Artemis received the instrument from the dragon sisters Tazmikella and Ilnezhara. It is a small and rather ordinary-looking flute made of wood. It is said, that Idalia put a key inside this flute to unlock any heart. For Artemis, playing the flute helps to clear his thoughts.
Manshoon
Age-approximately 141 race-human gender-male class-wizard, epic, archmage play by:
Manshoon was the founder of the Zhentarim, also known as the Black Network, until he was "slain" by Fzoul Chembryl, his ally, and Lord Orgauth in 1370 DR. However, it transpired that Manshoon had created a dozen or more clones that the murderous duo then found themselves facing. There are currently three clones in existence. For years Manshoon was the lord of Zhentil Keep and leader of the Zhentarim. Completely fitting the archetype of the sly-tongued, sinister and decadent master spellcaster, Manshoon ruthlessly crushed revolts within his own ranks of the Black Network, easily slaughtered his rivals and weeded the weak out of the ranks of the young and ambitions by sending upstarts on nigh-impossible suicide missions. Hated and mistrusted by Fzoul, Manshoon manipulated him much as he did all others - remaining arrogant, untouchable in his power and faintly amused by it all. Manshoon was born in Zhentil Keep in 1229 DR to Harlshoon, the first lord of Zhentil Keep. Manshoon, his brother Asmuth and the son of their father's chief rival, Calkontor named Chess were sent off together to prove themselves worthy of being lords like their fathers. While his sons were away, Harlshoon was poisoned by Calkontor but with his dying breaths he threw Calkontor out of a tower window. The trio's father's places were usurped by a pair of opportunists (and blamed on foreign assassins) while the lord-princes continued their adventures together. One such adventure was the quest to take a magical sword from a barrow, a goal shared by a trio of female harpers. Asmuth was blinded and Manshoon had one of his hands blown off when he carelessly grabbed for the sword. Chess saved both their lives and the three fled when the sword animated itself appearing to attack the harpers. They came across a party of adventurers and murdered them all in their sleep. Manshoon recovered a wand and a spellbook. He traded the wand for his hand to be restored but kept the spellbook, secretly planning to study the Art, inspired by the magic of the sword. After a few more adventures they headed home, learning about their sires and their usurped positions in an inn somewhere in the Dalelands. Manshoon made sure his blind brother Asmuth fell off of a bridge to his death before they returned to the keep where he and Chess planned to dispose of the usurpers. One of them had gone to fight some mages from Thar and had died in the conflict while the other remained in the keep. The two were attacked by banite priest/assassins upon their arrival but were saved by Manshoon's magic. However, unknown to him, Chess would defect in exchange for his father's seat on the council. It was, however a doublecross! Chess, Manshoon and their childhood friend Fzoul Chembryl killed the usurper. They claimed their rightful council seats and supported Fzoul's rise through the ranks of the banite priesthood. Feeling exposed, Manshoon immediately set about creating a cabal of mages, his Blackcloaks, to protect him, recruiting Fzoul early on. In 1261 DR, not long afterwards, he founded the Zhentarim. Knowing the priests to obey Bane over anyone else and assuming the wizards were just as ambitious as he was, Manshoon held little trust for any of his new allies, he sent out spies and was determined to raise his powers in the arcane far above anyone else in Zhentil Keep. Some of his spies came out from Teshendale talking of a flying hollow rock. Manshoon investigated personally, hoping to find powerful magic. Instead, he discovered the beholder Xantriph. The two canny individuals joined forces, claiming the rock was a conduit to the gods. Banite priests flocked to the place where Xantriph instructed them all to do as Manshoon commanded. With the banites taken care of, all seemed well, but although many things went well for Manshoon's Black Network, many things went wrong as well. In 1370 DR, Manshoon was "slain" by Fzoul and Lord Orgauth, who then found themselves facing around a dozen clones that the wizard had created. Each of the clones was convinced that he was the real Manshoon and was inexplicably compelled to slay his rival clones. Most of these perished in the ensuing battles. The caches of magical items formerly hidden by Manshoon were scattered throughout the Realms. Three clones, who mastered this killing compulsion by means of spells and devices, survive with the one that returned to the Zhentarim appearing to be 'the' Manshoon. Used to ruling and manipulating from behind the scenes and relived of responsibility of administering to the Black Network, he seems to have learned a lesson in caution and patience. He has since redoubled his arcane research, seeking ways to transfer his consciousness from one clone to another at will.
