Bab el-Mandeb is a fascinating character with an intricate story. At left is his original character sheet. His 19 (!) combined bonus points on ability scores rank him among the most powerful NPCs I've ever created. Bab el-Mandeb is a Bloodhound, which is a prestige class from the Masters of the Wild splatbook. He holds one of my favorite minor wondrous items, a Silver Raven figurine, which he used in-game to communicate with the Wildlanders. Like many of my prestige class NPCs, Bab el-Mandeb has a Rogue level, which is extremely useful for acquiring the necessary skill points to reach prestige status.
The story of Bab el-Mandeb and Yekuno Grazal was always one of my favorite threads in the Wildlanders campaign. According to his story page, he was on a mission tracking Yekuno Grazal on behalf of people alternately described as "desert nomads" and "desert tribesmen." Clearly, these desert people are at odds with with forces of Ras Dashen, whom they believe to be in league with Yekuno Grazal. Most interestingly, the threat from Bab el-Mandeb comes not from a potential armed conflict with the Wildlanders. Rather, it is written that if the Wildlanders obstructed Yekuno's mission in any way that Bab would have to report his that his mission failed due to the meddling of the Wildlanders. This would have led to a much different reception by the desert tribesmen for the Wildlanders when the heroes journeyed into the Wasteland.
No notes on the death of Bab el-Mandeb exist on his page. However, I recall that he was captured by forces loyal to Golodun (Wee Jas) and Governor Czarno, and that Bab was publicly executed for treason. One wonders whether this fate could have been avoided if he hadn't been rebuffed in his awkward attempt to communicate with the Wildlanders.
One other interesting note: the name "Diantha Doldo" appears at the top of Bab el-Mandeb's character sheet. This is an actual person! Obviously, the name was Tolkeinized to become "Diantha Noldo," the Loremaster of Bahar Dar.
The drawings of Bab el-Mandeb depict a soft-featured, thoughtful Half-Orc. The drawing on the story page appears to be some type of Halfling pipe-weed.
love the pipeweed sketch!
ReplyDeleteIt's actually one of a couple of different strains of pipeweed sketched in the book. Stay tuned for drawings of other varieties of pipeweed!
ReplyDeletewhat a formidable ally he woulda been if he'd approached us in person instead of going and getting himself killed. i like how his alignment isn't listed. no need to determine alignment if personality and motives are fully fleshed out. but i'm still curious.. Chaotic Neutral or Neutral?
ReplyDeleteBab el-Mandeb is treu Neutral.
ReplyDeleteVery few of the Bahar Dar NPCs have alignment delineated specifically, as they were very much three-dimensional characters (with personality and motives very much a part of much consciousness).
Mandeb & Thrym are kindred spirits
ReplyDeleteMy previous comment makes no sense, as I was typing hastily at work. It should read, "personality and motives very much a part of my consciousness."
ReplyDeleteThrym and Bab el-Mandeb are indeed kindred spirits. Bab el-Mandeb thought he was being clever and secretive by not revealing himself publicly. Ultimately, this miscalculation helped lead to his demise at the hands of Prester John.
yeah, he used e-mail to contact someone he'd never met and tell us not to interfere with someone else we'd never met. you can't use sense motive on an e-mail!
ReplyDelete