Darklord Menashga (died MS 5070) was a Darklord and Lord of Nadgazad.
Appearance[]
Menashga was a beast of a man with a wild mane of tangled fur that ran the length of his spine and covered his head completely. He was eleven feet tall and had bright, unkept yellow fur, in contrast to his armour and weapons, kept scrupulous.[1]
Personality[]
Menashga was a solitary Darklord who dutifully focused on his military, particularly as Nadgazad sat on the border between the Darklands and the Freelands, meaning any attack would likely strike him first. His compound in Helgedad focused on training the Drakkarim, a rare case where a Darklord used their compound for non-indulgent purposes, winning him favour from Vashna and contempt from his fellow Darklords. Menashga did not participate in the political jostling within Helgedad, knowing he would not survive the attempt. However, his control over Nadgazad made him invaluable, and no Darklord plotted against him. Unc was one of the few Darklords he would support, due to an ancient debt.[1]
Menashga was one of the greatest military tacticians of the Darklords. In battle, Menashga was an exceptionally gifted fighter, preferring the use of his massive black iron bow, but was just as dangerous with a sword.[1]
Biography[]
Menashga arrived on Magnamund with his fellow Darklords in MS 3072. He was given the ruins of the ancient city of Madgadoria by Archlord Vashna during the War of Desecration, and Menashga built the fortress-city of Nadgazad, completed in MS 3265. Menashga then invaded the Stornlands. To his great disappointment, the Stornlands resisted until the Sommlending arrived in Northern Magnamund, and Menashga was forced to stop his attacks in order to prepare for the First and Second Black Musters. However, Menashga managed to turn Magador into a puppet-kingdom for the Darklands.[1]
His Nadziranim performed evil experiments to create new mutated beasts to help defend Nadgazad. This led to the creation of the Anapheg and Xlorg in MS 4362. Several of these escaped southwards from Nadgazad, but many remained.[1]
In MS 5062, aided by the Tanoz-tukor, allowing the Darklords to operate freely outside of the Darklands, Menashga invaded Eldenora on his own accord. With the help of defections, Eldenora quickly fell.[2] In MS 5063, he moved to threaten Palmyrion, which was also being attacked by Darklords Kraagenskûl and Chlanzor. His army was confronted by Lord Ardan and Hal Morkarn at Silverstone Castle. Lord Ardan's magic proved to be incredibly potent against Menashga's army, but Menashga himself entered the battle. Ardan had barely enough time to cast a spell of invincibility on Hal Morkarn, who engaged Menashga in battle. Although he was not able to kill the Darklord, he bought enough time for Menashga's forces to be defeated. Menashga eventually slew Hal Morkarn, and Ardan fell into a coma from his efforts.[3]
In MS 5064, Menashga and the newly-elected War Marshal met with the Cener Druids, who offered their help in exchange for the blood of Darklord Unc, for a ritual. The two forces agreed, and led a pincer attack on Palmyrion. However, Dorier was able to prevent the blood from being delivered, leading the Cenerese to abandon their help. Menashga faced the leader of Palmyrion Cearmaine, who had received a blessing from the Thalis Altar, and was defeated once again by a mortal, and his forces were driven away.[4]
With these two defeats, in MS 5065, the angered Archlord Gnaag ordered Menashga to one final mission of redemption. Darklords Chlanzor, Zhanshal, Shebnar and Menashga were ordered to attack Talestria, Palmyrion and Slovia together, with the demands that they fall. Finally, between MS 5067 and MS 5070, Menashga and Darklord Chlanzor were able to take Talestria and Palmyrion.[5]
Menashga died in MS 5070, after Lone Wolf destroyed the Transfusor, causing the Tanoz-tukor to stop working, meaning he could not survive for long outside of the Darklands. For his failure, his spirit was trapped and tortured in the Plain of Despair by Naar.[6]
In the gamebooks[]
Menashga is not encountered in the gamebooks. A Menashga Medal can be obtained in Dead in the Deep,[7] but it has no use.
Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Hahn, August [2004] (2011). "Darklords, Demons and Gods of Darkness: Menashga, Lord of Nadgazad", The Darklands, Dever, Joe, Second Edition, Mongoose Publishing.
- ↑ Jonathan Stark and August Hahn (2023-12-??). Episode 13: The Darklands War (Part 1 of 2). Journeys Through Magnamund. Holmgard Press. Timestamp: 33:27
- ↑ Jonathan Stark and August Hahn (2023-12-??). Episode 13: The Darklands War (Part 1 of 2). Journeys Through Magnamund. Holmgard Press. Timestamp: 36:00
- ↑ Jonathan Stark and August Hahn (2023-12-??). Episode 13: The Darklands War (Part 1 of 2). Journeys Through Magnamund. Holmgard Press. Timestamp: 57:49
- ↑ Jonathan Stark and August Hahn (2024-01-04). Episode 14: The Darklands War (Part 2 of 2). Journeys Through Magnamund. Holmgard Press. Timestamp: 34:18
- ↑ Vincent Lazzari (2024-06-03). Vincent Lazzari on Discord regarding the fate of the Darklords."I can assure you that this specific scene in LW20, in the Plain of Despair, did not feature all the villains Lone Wolf canonically slew during his adventures. Simply because there are too many spirits who were specifically punished by Naar for their failures, Lone Wolf couldn't see all of them. And so, among them, you do have Darklord Zagarna, even if not mentioned. As well as the other Darklords that Lone Wolf didn't know personally (considering Claws of Helgedad is not canon in the main continuity). All were judged supreme failures by Naar and punished the same way - this is the fate of the champions of Darkness who don't succeed in their conquests. You can think about all the major servants of the God Naar slain by Lone Wolf - they are here, somewhere in the Plain of Despair, suffering terrible tortures. Cadak was a notable exception, his soul being sold and bound to the Lords of Decay."
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §318
| Archlords | Vashna • Zagarna • Haakon • Gnaag |
| Darklords | Chlanzor • Dakushna • Ghanesh • Ghurch • Gnaag • Haakon • Khatellu • Kraagenskûl • Menashga • Mrugor • Nhorg • Shebnar • Slûtar • Taktaal • Tomogh • Unc • Vashna • Xog • Zagarna • Zhanshal |
| Domains (and capitals) within the Darklands | Helgedad • Aargataag (V'taag • Argazad) • Dajaraa • Dajdorza • Ghargon (Gournen) • Gourizaga (Gourzaa) • Hourdast • Iznogdazokim (Aarnak) • Jegdazok (Dugazogak) • Kagzizad (Nadgazad) • Luurvad • Maarkaag (Kaag) • Northern Skaror (Gazad Helkona) • Tar Ogashaar (Ogvast) • Yr-Naoga (Naargarod) • Zutzinozaga (Mozgôar) |
| Media | The Darklands • Terror of the Darklords |