Agent Bittermaw (once Thebadoux)

Steel Realms
Bittermaw was once a minor officer of Dundaria named Thebadoux that took up the Cold Bargain of the Lich Lords when they took the north. The name is not known outside the Hinterlands, but he/it is known to be a relatively intelligent ghoul agent of his masters. He/it was once a powerful occultist, and was known as some sort of ‘special operative’ for a thousand years or more before his standard became a common one on the battlefields of Kaald. Thebadoux was not a member of any occult order, having apprenticed his craft to a master lost to history, and perfected it choosing the path of illusion.

Knowledge/Facts About Bittermaw

Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore

Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/accessibility. If nothing is indicated, assume it is Pervasive.

Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty

Little can be said about the Thebadoux’s Wondrous Monocle that is not tied to Thebadoux himself (though little exits in regards to its maker). The item is said to offer its wearer the ability to see into the mystic pattern, and weave marvelous illusions.

Bittermaw was once a minor officer that took up the Cold Bargain of the Lich Lords when they took the north. The name is not known outside the Hinterlands, but he/it is known to be a relatively intelligent ghoul agent of his masters. He/it was once a powerful occultist, and was known as some sort of ‘special operative’ for a thousand years or more before his standard became a common one on the battlefields of Kaald. Known for his cleverness, this forces were smaller in size, and his command was used to stop any northern forces from achieving any deep breakthroughs. His master believe him to be patrolling the north edges of their domain, tracking weather in the mountains ranges east as they attempt to channel more force/influence in that direction. Thebadoux was not a member of any occult order, having apprenticed his craft to a master lost to history, and perfected it choosing the path of illusion.

Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty

He is known to be a summoner of evil fiends, and to have carried out many attempted (and a few successful) assassinations of northern commanders.

His spell book is said to radiate the stench of evil, even in the far north cold climes. It is thoroughly evil, and those who seek to learn from him or it will have their essence tainted.
> This is detailed in an adventure as: Bittermaw’s Spell Tome

Uncommon Knowledge / Average Difficulty

He uses tactics of deceit. He was an illusionist when alive, and though necromancy was what he leaned into under his undead masters, his deception talents we was already a master of when he was alive.

Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty

Thebadoux was a well known wizard of the court of Dundaria when it fell. Though a private citizen, he was often sent by the king of Dundaria on diplomatic missions. He was known to travel as an entertainer, and use his mastery of illusions. He had a penchant for the dramatic, and would tell embellished stories or great mirth and practice comedy and practical jokes at inappropriate moments – though never maliciously. Institutions and nobles everywhere looked forward to the visits of Thebadoux. When the north fell, he was in the capital of Oerdney. Despite attempts to persuade otherwise, he returned home, leaving behind his Wonderous Monocle such was his addled state. News of his death was grim, but eventually was confirmed years later.

Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty

Bittermaw the commander in the Winterhost found the burial place of Fedairin the Page-Walker – something called to him. The Rastillions Diabolique book buried with him was not destroyed, though the satchel of Mog and all else was. He took it and had the dream of the eye! The visions of ‘the eye’ drove him to find the burial place and the book to which it was connected to in CY 8909.

In CY 8909 he called forth from the Fields of Blood three bodies. The “Three Bittermen” – Wights – were once buried once with a Kaaldian chief to protect his body from despoil – their duty is more powerful than lich lords call. They failed in their charge, Bittermaw tricked their spirits to let him by as he was not alive. He looted the barrow mound of the book. He charmed the spirits into believing their failed duty should pass to him, and gave them new bodies to walk beyond the confines of the grave and “protect the world of the living from the dangers of the tome” (Bittermaw was not living). They serve him now as soldier wights since CY 8909. He detailed his in Bittermaw’s Greater Key Journal.

In his states where he was disconnected from his masters, the eye would come. It opened his eyes and he performed a ritual, removing one of his own eyes permanently. Looking through his Wonderous Monocle, he followed the beacon to the place where the Ur-Ducateon came to Helca. The eye was insistent he could drop the blue wall and pull from it the power to connect and draw power from the “Eyentity”. There was something about it that, or some place in it or on it, that needed to be fouled and corrupted – destroyed if possible and its power siphoned off.

Obscure Knowledge / Near-Impossible Difficulty is not available in known references; It is not necessarily Forbidden Knowledge.
Bittermaw has learned how to hide his thoughts and actions from his undead masters. He rips his own skull open and places a chunk of brain in his own mouth in order to fool the vision of the Dead’s Duty that his masters rely on – it reflects his memory of where he was when placed in his mouth. He has learned to not swallow his deception magics despite his ghoulish urges. He has been hoarding items and knowledge away from his masters in order to make a personal play for power and freedom. It all came to a culmination in the ADVENTURE: Hoarwind Summoning.

Realm's Aptitude Powers: Divine, Occult, and Psychic