Realms Personality: Malark Skyborn
A Web Enhancement for Lords of Darkness
By Sean K Reynolds
Born and raised in Amn, Malark Skyborn was the middle son of a moderately prosperous merchant house. Although primarily a trader of weapons, Malark's father did some business on the side smuggling Faerûnian drugs from Calimshan into the North, and through these contacts young Malark was exposed to some of the more disreputable characters of Faerûn. One of these was Kolis, a not-too-bright cleric of Cyric from the Dragon Coast. Kolis indoctrinated Malark into the church of Cyric, and although Kolis was killed in one of Cyric's many purges in the past decade, he fixed the teachings of Cyric (before his madness) in the mind of young Malark -- particularly the need for secrecy and glibness.
Malark traveled alone in the guise of a peddler and blacksmith, using his skills to create tools and weapons and sell them to people he met in various small towns. He used these travels to study people in detail. With his change self domain spell, he murdered lawful and good individuals in these towns in the guise of another one of the townsfolk. Later he spent time as a mercenary, concealing his spellcasting abilities and pretending to be a mere swordsman. Presenting a friendly and jovial air, he has many allies and acquaintances across Faerûn. Sheltered from the infighting of the main body of Cyricists, Malark never realized that bonds of family and friends were things to be avoided or exploited, so he can be genuinely affectionate toward these people, and he becomes angered when they are harmed.
Because he traveled alone (or at least without other Cyricists) for most of his early career, he escaped the many purges that Cyric inflicted upon his own worshipers, and so he is one of the more powerful Cyricist clerics not associated with any particular temple. Cyric prefers him to remain unassociated with any temple, and some Cyricist clerics resent this odd form of favoritism, which only cements his desire to avoid others of his faith. Malark remains a lone wolf (other than occasional hirelings), wandering about the world, killing enemies of Cyric, spreading lies, and avenging attacks on his friends and allies. He is particularly interested in the fate of his younger brother Marrik (N male human Ftr6), a mercenary who is unaware of Malark's religious inclinations. If something were to happen to Marrik, Malark would find the ones responsible and hunt them down (after arranging to have Marrik raised from the dead, of course).
Malark: Male human Clr12 of Cyric; CR 12; Medium-size humanoid; HD 12d8+24; hp 95; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 22 (touch 10, flat-footed 22); Atk +12/+7 melee (1d8+2/19-20, +1 unholy longsword) or +11 ranged (1d8+2/19-20, light crossbow with +2 crossbow bolts); SA Rebuke undead 4/day; AL CE; SV Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +16; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 12.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +8, Concentration +15, Craft (metalworking) +5, Diplomacy +7, Heal +7, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (Amn local) +1, Knowledge (religion) +6, Spot +6; Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Iron Will, Martial Weapon Proficiency (longsword), Power Attack, Scribe Scroll.
Cleric Spells Prepared (6/8/6/6/5/5/3; base DC = 15 + spell level): 0 -- cure minor wounds, detect magic, detect poison, light, mending, read magic; 1st -- bless, change self*, command, cure light wounds (2), detect good, divine favor, endure elements; 2nd -- bull's strength, cure moderate wounds, endurance, hold person, invisibility*, silence; 3rd -- cure serious wounds, invisibility purge, magic vestment (2), nondetection*, prayer; 4th -- cure critical wounds, divine power, greater magic weapon, mortal wound (see below), unholy blight*; 5th -- circle of doom, dispel good*, flame strike, healing circle, skull eyes (see below), slay living; 6th -- etherealness, heal, mislead*.
*Domain spell. Deity: Cyric. Domains: Evil (cast evil spells at +1 caster level), Trickery (Bluff, Disguise, and Hide are class skills).
Possessions: +1 full plate, +1 large metal shield, light crossbow, +2 bolts (10), cloak of resistance +1, gloves of dexterity +2, periapt of wisdom +2, potion of haste, potion of heroism, scroll of invisibility (6), scroll of raise dead, scroll of summon monster V, scroll of magic vestment (2), scroll of word of recall, skull blade (+1 unholy longsword, with holy symbols of Cyric on the blade and hilt), 1,400 gp.