Editing Malus Thorm

{{Infobox creature
| name = Malus Thorm
| image =
<gallery>
Malus Thorm.png|Portrait
Malus Model.png|Model
</gallery>
| va = [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0048917 Sean Baker]
| title = Shar's Scalpel 
| family = [[Ketheric Thorm]] (nephew){{cite text|Tissue and Organ Register|Malus Thorm}}<br> [[Thisobald Thorm]]<br> [[Gerringothe Thorm]]<br> [[Isobel]] (grandniece)
| hometown = [[Reithwin Town]]
| race = Undead, former, [[elf]]
| full name = Malus Thorm
| size = Medium
| type = Undead
| ac = 18
| e hp = 193
| hp = 276
| t hp = 358
| movement m = 9
| weight kg = 100
| level = 7
| str = 14
| dex = 18
| con = 14
| int = 14
| wis = 16
| cha = 8
| wis save prof = Proficient
| dex save prof = Proficient
| t prof bonus = +4
| resistances = slashing resistant nm, piercing resistant nm, bludgeoning resistant nm, fire resistant full
| t conditions = Legendary Resistance: Incapacitation
| passives = Magic Resistance, Multiattack: Wounded (Malus Thorm), Opportunity Attack, Turn Resistance
| h passives = Legendary Action: Wail of Loss, Magic Resistance, Multiattack: Wounded (Malus Thorm), Opportunity Attack, Turn Resistance
}}
'''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.

{{Q|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."}}

== 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 Justiciar|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.{{cite text|Patients' Registry}}{{cite text|URGENT: Request for Supplies|Sister Anna Lidwin}}

=== 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 Check|Skill Checks]] that can be done instead:

* A [[Difficulty Class|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 ===
{{Feature box|Claws (Malus Thorm)}}
{{Feature box|Request Surgical Instrument}}
{{Feature box|Bloody Bonesaw}}
{{Feature box|This Won't Hurt A Bit}}
{{Feature box|Terror Trepan}}
{{Feature box|Lethal Leech}}
{{Feature box|Lovely Assistant}}

=== Allies ===
* [[Sister Anya]]
* [[Sister Geanne]]
* [[Sister Hunna]]
* [[Sister Vanessa]]

Potential allies (if Malus revives them with {{SAI|Lovely Assistant}}):
* [[Sister Clara]]
* [[Sister Inessa]]
* [[Sister Julia]]
* [[Sister Patricia]]

=== Notable loot ===
*{{RarityItem|Surgeon's Subjugation Amulet}}
*{{RarityItem|Battered Lute}}

==Gallery==
<gallery heights="300px">
Nikolai-chugunov-malus-thorm-nikolai-chugunov-tex-02a.jpg|Concept model by Nikolai Chugunov.
Malus Alt Model.png|Model.
</gallery>

== Related literature ==
* {{MdRarityItem|Surgery and Physiology: A Sharran's Primer}}
* {{MdRarityItem|URGENT: Request for Supplies}}, [[Anna Lidwin|Sister Lidwin]] avails a Baldur's Gate surgeon of Malus's descent into madness under Shar

=== Notes by Malus Thorm ===

* {{MdRarityItem|Reithwin Necrology}}
* {{MdRarityItem|Surgeon's Memorandum}}

=== Books by Malus Thorm ===
*{{MdRarityItem|Surgeon's Research Notes}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|text}}

== External links ==
* {{FRWiki|Malus Thorm|long}}

{{Reithwin Town}}
[[Category:Undead]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Characters in Reithwin Town]]
[[Category:Characters in Act Two]]
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Bosses]]