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Malus Thorm
| Overview | Combat |
Shar, and member of the Thorm family.[2]
“The objective of the scalpel, sisters, is to soothe, for a scalpel, indeed, is an extension of Shar.„
Overview[edit | edit source]
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.[3][4]
Having somehow kept his personality despite being in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, he believes graceful pain and calculated 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.
Interacting with Malus Thorm as well as Ketheric Thorm's other family members, grants the inspiration 
Thorm Family Secrets to party members with the 
Sage background.
Involvement[edit | edit source]
Arriving at the House of Healing and gaining entry to the surgery theatre, Malus can be found educating his undead nurses on a poor 'patient'. He possesses the 
Battered Lute which is needed to solve 
Wake up Art Cullagh.
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 urges to do the same to the party. Beyond attacking, there are a mix of Skill Checks that can be done instead:
- Examine the sisters and their implements. (DC 14)
- Their blades are uneven. Efficient surgery will require further training.
- 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.
- Recall what you know of Shar's teachings. (DC 14) (non-Cleric)
- Recall what you know of Shar's blasphemous teachings. (DC 14 ) (non-Shar Cleric only) (grants Did My Homework to party members with the
Acolyte background) - The sisters aren't ready. They'll make me sick instead of curing me. (DC 16)
If any of these checks are successful, Malus asks how to train the nurses properly, leading to two differing Persuasion checks:
- Why not have them hone their skills on each other? (DC 21)
- Sparring is vital to progress. Have them practice on each other. (DC 21 )
- Practice - that's how I got good with a blade. They should spar each other. (DC 21 )
- In my years of study, I have found no better teacher than example. Perhaps you could volunteer? (DC 21 )
- When the fist trembles, sometimes another is needed to steady it. A good master would volunteer themselves. (DC 21 )
- 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 )
- 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:
- I have read your treatise. Initiate the final lesson, or die by my hand. (DC 18)
- 'Only with sacrifice is mastery gained.' For the sisters to learn, you must submit. (DC 18)
If the nurses are convinced to fight each other, the inspiration Inhumane Trials is granted to party members with the 
Guild Artisan background, and the mad surgeon presses 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:
- I am not worthy! Please, show me how a master works - I would be honoured. (DC 21 )
- You do me an honour, but I am not worthy. Show me the way of Shar - I beg of you. (DC 21 )
- I am but a fumbling squire before a master swordsman. Please, demonstrate so that I might learn.. (DC 21 )
- My magic has blinded me - I see now that Shar is the only path. Show me how - I beg of you. (DC 21 )
- 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 )
- I would rather acquaint myself - if you show me how. (DC 21)
Awed by the party's diligence, Malus happily makes an example of himself, stabbing and killing himself through the eye.
Successfully making him kill himself grants the following inspiration:[5]
- An Apple a Day Keeps the Scalpel Away (
Soldier background) - Inhumane Trials ( Guild Artisan background)
- The Best Offence is Virtually Nonsense ( Soldier background)
- Under the Knife (
Haunted One background)
Combat[edit | edit source]
Loot[edit | edit source]
Related literature[edit | edit source]
URGENT: Request for Supplies, 
Sister Lidwin advises a Baldur's Gate surgeon of Malus's descent into madness under Shar
Written by Malus Thorm[edit | edit source]
Gallery[edit | edit source]
-
Model -
Concept model by Nikolai Chugunov -
Concept art by Tan Bur-Ci
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
- ↑ A
Tissue and Organ Register written by Malus Thorm found in the House of Healing refers to Ketheric as nephew, thus it can be safely inferred that Malus is indeed his uncle.
- ↑ Malus, compared to the other Thorms, does not have
Immune to Control Undead, meaning an Oathbreaker Paladin can control him with 
Control Undead (30% for a level 8 paladin). [verify]
- ↑
Patients' Registry
- ↑
URGENT: Request for Supplies by Sister Anna Lidwin
- ↑ If carrying the Sentient Amulet after dealing with Malus, regardless of directly fighting him or killing him with checks, the Monk's manifestation comments on it: Hehehehe - a horrific display. There is no red deeper than a Sharran's blood.
External links[edit | edit source]
Malus Thorm on the Forgotten Realms Wiki