Kazgaroth

Kazgaroth, also spelled Kazgoroth, was an aspect of Bhaal who was a powerful, intelligent, evil beast opposed to the balance and the influence of the Earthmother on the Moonshae Isles. It would periodically ravage the land until it was defeated, only to return several years later, in the mid–14 century DR.
==Description==
Kazgaroth's natural form was that of a massive "tyrannosaurus", but it could shape-change to other forms, including those of people whom it killed and devoured before impersonating.
==History==
Kazgoroth was born from the Darkwell, a moonwell corrupted by Bhaal, in the . It drew power from that moonwell, which was also a place where Bhaal's avatar entered the Realms.
Afterward, Kazgaroth took several guises. The first few were a cow, which attracted a bit too much attention, and a woman named Meridith, who drew too much attention because Kazgaroth used its powers to make her body more attractive. The Beast's first victim was a man named Erian who was a guard for the prince Tristan Kendrick of the Moonshaes, whom Kazgoroth transformed into a werewolf to subvert one of the Earthmother's defenses, the Pack. Afterwards, he changed into a dryad in order to lure the druid Trahern of Oakvale. His next victim was Thelgaar Ironhand, king of Oman's Isle, of whom he took the identity so he could command the army of Northmen in their attack on the southern Moonshae Isles, mainly the city of Caer Corwell. Kazgoroth was finally forced to retreat back to the Darkwell, where it was slain by Prince Tristan Kendrick and his companions, though its heart was recovered by Trahern.
==Appendix==
===Discrepancies===
Niles' own sourcebook, Moonshae (1987), describes Kazgaroth as an "aspect of Malar", which agrees with many of Kazgaroth's properties, including the ability to spread lycanthropy and its strong opposition to druidic balance, but almost all later works identify Kazgaroth as an avatar or minion of Bhaal. That is, Hall of Heroes (1989) refers to Bhaal knowing the goals of "his avatar, Kazgaroth." However, the use of the word 'avatar' would seem to mean "agent" here, as the rest of the text suggests that Kazgaroth is an independent being with its own goals (which Bhaal happens to know of). Heroes' Lorebook, refers to Kazgaroth as a "manifestation of Bhaal's influence" but also refers to them as separate entities. Villains' Lorebook (1998), refers to Kazgaroth as a "minion of Bhaal". Given that Malar was initially subservient to Bhaal it is not impossible that both claims are true.
Dungeon #196: "Backdrop: Moonshae Isles" refers to Kazgaroth as an "aspect of Malar" as well as a "divine servant of Malar" but was written during the time period between the Time of Troubles and the Second Sundering, when Bhaal was dead.
===Appearances===
===References===
Category:Tyrannosaurs
Category:Aspects
Category:Worshipers of Bhaal
Category:Shapechangers
Category:Inhabitants of the Moonshae Isles
Category:Inhabitants of West Faerûn
Category:Inhabitants of Faerûn
Category:Inhabitants of Toril
Category:Inhabitants