# Nathlum

### History and Description

The Nathlum is wholly and strongly evil; its protective magics cannot be dispelled (at least, not by the spell commonly known as dispel magic), and these protections cause all creatures of alignment and instinct deemed "good" to suffer blinding, burning pain in the eyes and head. (Elminster offers a confusing description of the symptoms which need not be detailed here but can be interpreted thus: Anyone of good alignment will suffer 2-4 points of damage per round that the book is held or perused.) Its origin and the reason for its name are unknowni its first definite identification is in the catalog of Tymor Threeshields, the inventory of the booty he brought back from the Orcfastings war, but hints of it can be traced through the scanty written records of the orcs under the leadership of Wund, and Orfidel writes almost four hundred years ago of his meeting with the evil mage Lethchauntos the Black, who went to dwell among the orcs, and describes what could well be the Nathlum in Lethchauntos's possession. From Tymor's hall, the volume went to Neverwinter as part of the dowry of Tymor's daughter Nulauznee (Elminster suspects that Tymor wished to be rid of it), and nothing more is heard of it until the Nathlum passes unexpectedly into the hands of Phrandjas of Port Llast (a northern town), a thaumaturge whose careful and exacting studies enabled him to subsequently rise quickly in the ranks of the Art.

### Contents

Phrandjas takes characteristic pains over his notes regarding the Nathlum; we learn that it appeared to be complete when he received it, and held sixteen recipes for poisons, four glyphs of warding set down nowhere else, and the formula of the spell maze. Phrandjas, despite the pain caused him by perusing the book (because he was good), copied certain of the recipes for later sale to the alchemists of the town, and all of the glyphs, and Elminster has passed on some of this information.

The poison recipes have not been made known by Elminster; in his words, "They are largely simple to make, and recipes will undoubtedly fall into the wrong hands, given your sometimes too efficient communications." For adventurers, however, he has provided the means of identifying the substances.

Lhurdas (also known as "the yellow death" and"Beltyn's Last Drink") is a wine-based poison. It has a sharp, dry white-grape wine taste, and will readily mix with such wine. It reacts with the digestive acids in the stomach (and is effective in human, orc, and elvish body chemistry) to eat away internal organ tissues. Ingestion produces rapid (within two rounds) nausea, convulsions, and terrific internal cramps and burning pain, doing 1-6 points of damage in its first effective round, 2-12 in the second, and 1-4 in the third. Thereafter it will do no more damage, regardless of dose, and further exposure to Ihurdas will cause discomfort and inhibit healing, but cause no greater damage to the body for a period of 3-24 days. It is ineffective if applied externally. (Save for half damage.)

Varrakas iis a black, thick syrup. To avoid detection, single drops are usually added to gravy or dark sauces, but the effects increase with the dose ingested. Varrakas has a slightly oily taste, but no strong flavor. Every drop of varrakas does 1-4 points of damage when it enters the bloodstream (it passes the digestive system masquerading as a nutrient), and does not act for a period of 18-24 turns after ingestion. Varrakas is harmless if applied externally, and is effective in all mammals. (Save for half damage.)

Prespra (also known as "Mother's Bane") is an odorless, colorless liquid that mixes readily with all drinkables except milks and products made from them, from which it separates. Effective only in humans and only when ingested, it causes sudden dizzy spells and visual distortion, beginning 1-3 rounds after contact and lasting for 112 rounds. During this time the victim moves unsteadily and fights at -2 to

hit, +2 (worse) on AC if having onl~ normal (distorted) vision, or -1 to hi~ and + 2 on AC if endowed with infravis ion or heightened visual senses. At th r same time the victim endures 1-2 point . of damage per round as surface blood vessels burst all over the body (giving blotched, reddened appearance to th skin). Each round a successful savi throw will avoid such damage, but the victim suffers an injury throug , combat or misadventure during th round, no saving throw is allowed (th cause and shock of the injury aggrivates the sudden fluctuations in blo~ flow and pressure prespra causes; works by alternately and erraticall~ constricting and expanding blood ves sels throughout the victim's body).

Belpren is a luminescent blue, acidic substance that does 1-12 points of dam age instantly upon contact with skin or internal tissues. (No save.) Furthel applications of belpren to affectec areas will not cause any further harm but the damage given above is for a roughly hand-sized area of body exp sure; for each additional such area skin affected, an additional 1-12 poinb of damage will be suffered. Howeve no additional damage from ingestion possible; immediate and involuntar vomiting will be induced by any furthe belpren applied to affected internal areas. Belpren will not corrode met nor will it harm cloth or cured leather It dries and becomes ineffective in jus~ over one round when exposed to a~r and so cannot be used on weapons. Belpren can be neutralized by the appli cation of lamp oil. It is effective on creatures.

Orvas is a translucent liquid wit . green cast and a bittersweet taste. . does 1-6 points of damage upon ent~ ing the bloodstream (immediately if insinuation, which must be through scrape or wound, or in 18-24 turns if ingestion), and 1-4 points of dam each round for the following tw rounds. A successful saving thro . means that orvas is ineffective aga~q the target creature. Orvas is an antid~L to varrakas (see above) if introduced into the bloodstream before varrakas has run its course. Orvas works in all mammals.

Huld (also called "Leap" or "Deathdance") is an odorless oil that is effective on non-humanoid creaturesÑexcept for demi-humans and humansÑand works only by insinuation. Its effects are the same regardless of dosage, and appear 14 rounds after the application. (Save for no damage.) Huld causes severe muscle spasms involving nausea and the loss of motor control, balance, and speech, lasting for 1-6 rounds. During this time a victim is helpless but by no means an easy target for physical attack, since he or she is usually thrashing and moving about rapidly and wildly. ~lental processes are entirely unaffected (i.e., psionic or other communication can be initiated or will continue, and in some cases can be used by the victim, as well as others, to control the poison's effects). A particular individual will be 95% resistant to huldfor a period of 10-21 days after an exposure to it, and thus repeated dosages in a single encounter will almost always not be effective. Huld is generally thought to affect all individuals, but some apparent immunities are reported and conjectured.

Jeteye is a glossy (i.e., reflective) black liquid that affects all mammals upon ingestion. (Ineffective if insinuative contact only; save for half damage.) It causes the pupils of the eyes to go black (although this does not affect vision) and causes 1-8 points of neural damage immediately. No pain is felt by the victim, however, for Jeteye kills all pain and tactile sensation for a period of 9-16 rounds (the "black eyes" sign will be of the same duration as this anesthetic effect). Jeteye is sometimes voluntarily used before torture or immediately after battle injuries (preventing a system shock survival roll). It has a bitter, black walnut-like taste and is hard to conceal in food or drink.

Ulcrun is a milky-white, viscous liquid that is effective on all warm-blooded creatures, by insinuation only. (No saving throw.) l~o rounds after contact, it causes 1-4 points of muscular damage, weakening and softening tendons, ligaments, bones, and cartilage. On the following round it causes 1-12 points of damage, and 1-4 points on the round thereafter, whereupon its effects pass. Until healing processes (natural or magical) counter its effects, the creature affected will have lost 1-4 points of Strength and one point of Dexterity.

DwarfBane is a rare, gummy oil that is poisonous only to dwarves. Insinuative, it is commonly smeared on weapons. It does not dry out, but prolonged exposure to air lessens its potency; it is effective only for 26-31 days. Upon contact, dwarfbane does 1-8 points of damage with a pain "like blazing skewers,' and a further 1-6 points on each of the following three rounds. (A successful saving throw will halve all damage suffered.)

The glyphs of warding found in The Nathlum reflect its evil nature. All may be used only by those of evil alignments, and will harm only those of good alignments. Anyone of good alignment may pass a glyph's location unharmed by speaking its name or by destroying the glyph. The passage of neutral or evil characters will not trigger any of these glyphs. They are as follows:

Zuth can be cast only by a cleric of 6th or higher level. It is cast upon a door or the frame of an opening; anyone of good alignment passing through or under the portal will suffer 2-12 points of electrical damage arcing from side to side of the frame at many points around it, across the opening.

Yammas can be cast only by a cleric of 8th or higher level. When activated, from 11-18 screaming, chittering mouths will appear all about the glyph, and shoot forth on long (up to twenty feet) snakelike necks to bite at the creature activating the glyph. The victim must save against each manifestation or be struck by it, suffering 1-4 points of damage. The fangs dig in, much as a lamprey attacks, and the mouths drain 1 hit point of blood each per round thereafter until they or the victim are destroyed. Each can be severed by inflicting 7 points of damage on it (as long as at least the seventh point is caused by an edged weapon), or by the victim pulling free of its grasp. All are AC7. Any character with a Strength of 16 or more is allowed to attempt saving throws against three of the mouths each roundÑif a particular save is successful, the mouth's grip breaks, it does not drain blood on that round, and it shrinks back into the wall or hangs lifeless. This glyph does not vanish after one activation; it will retract its surviving mouths and wait for the next victim, until all the mouths have been destroyed.

Hlack can be cast only by a cleric of gth or higher level. This functions as a magical barrier preventing those of good alignment from passing. This barrier of force will stand until the actual area on which the glyph was cast is destroyed, thus breaking the glyph, or until a knock, erase, or similar spell is employed. Anyone of good alignment will strike an invisible wall and suffer 16 points of electrical damage. Further contact with the barrier will cause 1-6 points of electrical damage per round (no save).

Curtal can be cast only by a cleric of 10th or higher level. Attempts to pass this glyph will cause arms of fire to burst from its three pointed ends and strike the creature or creatures attempting to pass, each arm doing 4-16 points of damage. Each arm of fire will strike a different target if there are three or more targets available; otherwise two will strike the nearest target and one another, or all three will strike at a solitary target. (Save for half damage.) Activation of this glyph always alerts a guardian, sometimes summoning a demon or devil to the spot instantly, but more often warning spellcasters or beast-keepers to ready their charges. The glyph remains until erased, striking out with its arms of flame every time it is activated. Dispel magic will cause one of the arms of fire to shrink back and not strike for that activation. In each round that creatures stand before the glyph but do not speak its name (ie. not having passed it, but within 15 feet), curtal will activate--so slow-moving creatures could be struck several times.

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