Marek Malcanus

Name: Marek Malcanus

Race: Halfling

Gender: Male

Bestows Quest(s): Vault of Night (story arc)

Affiliation(s): Laughing Knives

Locations:

• House Kundarak, just north(west) of the airship tower, at the foot of stairs leading up to the northeast ziggurat and bank.
• Vault of Night, at the starting area

Description: Marek is the rogue and leader of the Laughing Knives. He asks your help to reunite the gang after they failed to breach the Vault of Night.

House Kundarak Enclave

If you try to talk to him while at level 4 or lower, he will reply:

• Marek Malcanus: Sorry, friend. The services of my Laughing Knives are for more powerful people than you.

If you are at level 5 or higher, however, he will reply:

• Marek Malcanus: It can't end like this... I won't let it!
• You: End like what?
• Marek Malcanus: I won't let the Laughing Knives end with failure, that's what! We were the most notorious mercenaries in Xen'drik—we can't split up just because of a single failure!
• Marek Malcanus: We were so close to getting past the Vault of Night's security too! But it beat us, and now the other Knives have disbanded. They won't even listen to me!
• Marek Malcanus: Say... maybe they'll listen to an outside perspective. Maybe you can talk to them, make them see that if at first you don't succeed, use the Resurrection Shrine!
  • You: These Laughing Knives sound interesting. All right, I'll help you regroup them. (Bestow chain)
  • You: I want to know more about the Laughing Knives.
    • Marek Malcanus: We were the best, if I do say so myself.
    • Marek Malcanus: Dirge was the muscle, Orphne had the magic, Veil gave us cunning, and Haywire brought the exploding toys. I was the mastermind, of course.
    • Marek Malcanus: We could infiltrate any fortress, get past any security—up until House Kundarak hired us to test the Vault of Night's security.
    • Marek Malcanus: We almost beat it too... in the end it broke the Laughing Knives. But I'm going to put us back together for one last job—I won't let us end on a failure!
      • You: These Laughing Knives sound interesting. All right, I'll help you regroup them. (Bestow chain)
      • You: I don't think so. Good bye (Walk away)
  • You: I don't think so. Good bye (Walk away)

Laughing Knives: The Weapons Master

After getting the chain, he will assign you your first objective:

• Marek Malcanus: Dirge of Karrnath was our weapons-master. He could take out an ogre as easily as you or I could handle a kobold.
• Marek Malcanus: But his weapons didn't do him any good in the Vault of Night. I remember his anguished scream when his axe broke....
• Marek Malcanus: Now he just spends all his days watching the games at the Tharashk Arena here in the House Kundarak Eenclave. Talk to him. Whatever it takes, bring him back to the Laughing Knives.
  • You: Very well, I'll go see Dirge of Karrnath. (Advance chain)
  • You: I want to know more about the Laughing Knives. (See above)

After you successfully completes Tharashk Arena, he will say:

• Marek Malcanus: Dirge came by, twirling around that new axe of his and howling like a madman. Scared me half to death, he did.
• Marek Malcanus: But it's good to have him back with us and ready to lay down a boat-load of wrath.
• You: Good, are the Laughing Knives at full strength yet?

Laughing Knives: The Arcanist

After getting the chain, he will assign you your second objective:

• Marek Malcanus: Orphne is a sorceress from a far-away land called Sarlona. She's got powerful magic like nothing I've seen before, or since.
• Marek Malcanus: She was the heart and soul of the Laughing Knives. Honestly, I don't think the others would have left if she was here, but she just outright vanished after the Vault of Night. She's the key to putting the Laughing Knives back together.
• Marek Malcanus: She had a servant named Shen Kulle -- followed her around like a puppy. He's here in the House Kundarak Enclave. Maybe he could tell you how to find her.
  • You: Very well, I'll talk to Shen Kulle. (Advance chain)
  • You: I want to know more about the Laughing Knives. (See above)

After you successfully completes The Prisoner, he will say:

• Marek Malcanus: You do good work! Orphne sent me a letter escribing how you saved her. She's also promising her full support to the Laughing Knives as soon as she's on her feet.
• Marek Malcanus: Heh, I shouldn't complain. Orphne can do more from her sickbed than any member of the Twelve on his best day.
• You: Good, are the Laughing Knives at full strength yet?

Laughing Knives: The Assassin

After getting the chain, he will assign you your next objective:

• Marek Malcanus: Nobody crossed us and got away unscathed when Veil was around. She's the most wily Drow I've ever met, and that's saying a lot.
• Marek Malcanus: But after the Vault of Night, she completely lost confidence in herself. I think I can talk her into coming back to the Laughing Knives, if someone can just find her.
• Marek Malcanus: She used to daddle with a drow named Clipse here in the House Kundarak Enclave. Maybe he'll know where Veil is.
  • You: Very well, I'll go find this Clipse. (Advance chain)
  • You: I want to know more about the Laughing Knives. (See above)

After you successfully completes Jungles of Khyber, he will say:

• Marek Malcanus: Whatever happened out there between you and Veil has completely restored her confidence!
• Marek Malcanus: She practically demanded to rejoin the Laughing Knives... I didn't have to sell her on it at all, he, he.
• You: Good, are the Laughing Knives at full strength yet?

Laughing Knives: The Gadgeteer

After getting the chain, he will assign you your fourth objective:

• Marek Malcanus: when I first met Haywire, he was on the run from House Cannith. Since then, I can't count the number of times Haywire got us out of a jam with one of his clever gadgets. The Vault of Night was the first time his ingenuity failed...
• Marek Malcanus: Now he's paranoid that the Houses or some-such folk are after him. He's locked himself away in his workshop!
• Marek Malcanus: Haywire has a Warforged assistant here in the House Kundarak Enclave. You could get Arlsie Forr to let you in, and then you can talk some sense into him.
  • You: Very well, I'll go talk to Arlsie Forr. (Bestow quest)
  • You: I want to know more about the Laughing Knives. (See above)

After you successfully complete Haywire Foundry, he will say:

• Marek Malcanus: So Haywire knocks on my door... and next thing I know, he's sleeping on my couch and eating my food.
• Marek Malcanus: What happened to his workshop? Never mind, I don't want to know.
• Marek Malcanus: But Haywire's eager to do another job with the Laughing Knives so he can afford a new home to blow up. Thanks for your help.
• You: Good, are the Laughing Knives at full strength yet?
• Marek Malcanus: We're back together again! Nothing can stop us now! Baw-ha-ha-har... -cough- excuse me.
• Marek Malcanus: Dol Dorn has smiled on us—the moment they heard the Laughing Knives were back, House Kundarak came running to hire us again! Apparently their own security won't let them in anymore, and they need us to break it—the irony!
• Marek Malcanus: With all you've done for us, I'm making you an honorary Laughing Knife. You're welcome to come into the Vault of Night with us. I won't lie, it'll be hard, so no pressure if you're not up for it. But if you are, talk to Barrow d'Kundarak here in the House Kundarak enclave.

After you successfully completes Plane of Night, he will say:

• Marek Malcanus: Har, ha, hah! You sure showed House Kundarak, not to mention the Aurum and that ugly dragon!
• Marek Malcanus: It's been a pleasure working with you, <name>. Now that we've conquered the Vault of Night, the Laughing Knives can truly retire with an unblemished record.
• Marek Malcanus: Sure, it'll be sad, but now I can write my memoirs. I'll be sure to mention you!

The Vault of Night

Marek is found at the center of the starting room entrance. When you approach him, he will say:

• Marek Malcanus: We took out the baddies here—they're Aurum flunkies! But, they infected the Vault with some kind of zombie contagion. If any of the undead escape, we'll have a full scale zombie apocalypse in Stormreach!
• Marek Malcanus: I'm going to hold the Laughing Knives here to keep anything from escaping. You'll have to find and eliminate whoever planned this attack.
• Marek Malcanus: Don't worry, you won't be going into the Vault of Night empty-handed. talk to the other Laughing Knives; they have equipment that can help you.
  • You: What can you tell me about the Aurum?
    • Marek Malcanus: They're an alliance of greeyd, selfish, power-hungry lords from Khorvaire. I know, I know, sounds familiar, right?
    • Marek Malcanus: Well, these blokes are actually competent, a cut above the baddies you're used to dealing with.
    • Marek Malcanus: Who knows what they're after in the Vault of Night, beyond the obvious valuables stored in here.
  • You: What's this 'zombie contagion'?
    • Marek Malcanus: It's something called Necrotic Touch. If you get it while zombie-killing, you might turn into a zombie yourself.
    • Marek Malcanus: Orphne knows more about it, so I'd talk to her.

The Prisoner

Type: Halfling (List)

Race: Halfling (List)

Monster Manual classification: Halfling

Alignment: Unknown

Boss: Orange Named - Mini boss

CR:  ●♥31Epic Hard ●♠46Epic Elite

Special Qualities: None

Habitat: 

• The Prisoner

Description: Illusory forms of Dirge of Karrnath, Haywire, Marek Malcanus, Shen Kulle, and Veil only spawn on Epic Hard and Epic Elite difficulties. They appear at the end fight once Orphne's Shadow has attacked. They do not have to be killed for the quest to complete.