Azalin Reviews: Darklord Malus Sceleris
Domain: Nosos Domain Formation: 732 BC Power Level:šā«ā«ā«ā« Sources: Domains of Dread (2e), Islands of Terror (2e)
It is said that Darklords are the reflections of their Domain and none more so than Malus. Malus Sceleris, whose name roughly translates to ātree crimeā, is the Darklord of Nosos, a stinking pile of refuse and burning coal.
Save for small patches of brown grass that grow in the estates of wealthy nobles on the outskirts of the city, no plant life can survive in the poisonous air and garbage choked earth of the disease-infested land of Nosos. In fact, Malusās people only survive by trading gold and coal produced by their numerous mines with other Domains.
Malus is the son of two Druids who dedicated themselves to the protection of the same forest. His mother died in childbirth, leaving his father to raise him on his own. Not an easy task, especially when one must raise a child to carry on their legacies while maintaining rule of their Dominion.
As the life of any ruler is divided between the rule of the land and their family, Malusās father spent little time with his child and the time he did spend was often times of instruction and discipline. A tale I am all too familiar withā¦
Malus did not take kindly to his constant discipline and the resentment that developed soon turned into poisonous hate. The young lad studied poisons and diseases until he came up with an elaborate plan to commit patricide.
He purchased old blankets that he contaminated with diseased wrappings from the terminally ill, dead bodies, and lepers. He then set up a lumber operation guarded by hired mercenaries, and instructed them to brutally tear down the trees of his fatherās forest, knowing his father would come to defend it.
The old druid defended his forest and was severely injured while doing so. Malus cared for his wounds, using the diseased blankets and wrappings he had gathered to do so. Then he sat by his fatherās side, silently watching as he died in agony.
With his father out of the picture, Malus opened a coal mine and set about deforesting the region. By the time the Mists came for him, the area was so choked in smoke that no one noticed.
As a Darklord, Malus continues to study disease and is said to be the most knowledgeable epidemiologist in all the Demiplanes. He can use a far more potent version of ācause diseaseā on any target and, though it causes him blinding headaches, he can use ācharmā as well. Otherwise, he is a well-guarded nobleman who uses his oily charisma to deceive his people into believing he wants Nosos to thrive and become the great area it once was, not the stinking garbage heap it now is.
Malusās Domain can appear at the edge of any other Domain he chooses. The last time he came near Darkon, I had to spend months and far too many resources cleaning out all the riversā¦
Is Malusās rebellion against his father worth a lifetime spent with the smell of refuse, constant plague, and depleting oxygen levels? He seems to pretend so. Enjoy your garbage heap, you greasy bastard. 1/5 Skulls.
