![[Bwimb.png|400]] **Archomental, Prince of Ooze Creatures** **Alignment:** Neutral Evil **Home Plane:** Paraelemental Plane of Ooze **Status:** Deceased **Also Known As:** Baron of Ooze, Lord of Ooze, the Mud Lord, Nakimas ### Overview Bwimb, the Baron of Ooze, was an ancient and malevolent elemental ruler who claimed dominion over the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze. Numbered among the paraelemental archomentals, he represented the corrupting and engulfing nature of mud, slime, and elemental ooze. His authority was recognised by ooze paraelementals, although his claim to rule the entire plane was never universally accepted. Despite his formidable position among the elemental powers, Bwimb's existence ultimately ended at the hands of Tenebrous, the undead remnant of the demon prince Orcus. Bwimb was an immense ooze paraelemental, described as a monstrous accumulation of sludge. His appearance is believed to have resembled a great mass of mottled violet slime, similar to the form later displayed by his daughter and successor, Bwimb II. Unlike elemental princes who possessed recognisable humanoid forms, Bwimb's nature was that of a living mass of paraelemental matter, associated with the stagnant and treacherous substance of his native plane. Although traditionally identified as an archomental, Bwimb's position among the great elemental powers was disputed. Some planar sages regarded him as a legitimate Prince of Ooze, while others considered him merely an exceptionally powerful paraelemental whose authority had arisen because few creatures considered his territory worth conquering. His title of Baron of Ooze reflected his claim to sovereignty, but neither his power nor his influence appears to have equalled that of the greatest Princes of Elemental Evil. Nevertheless, Bwimb possessed a history extending into the ancient wars between Law and Chaos. He was remembered as a cruel general who served the Queen of Chaos against the Wind Dukes of Aaqa. His involvement in that conflict established him among the ancient enemies of the forces of Law, and remnants associated with his armies survived long after the war had ended. Bwimb also maintained connections with other malevolent powers, most notably Ghaunadaur, the ancient deity of oozes, slimes, jellies, and subterranean creatures. His hostility toward Ben-Hadar, the Prince of Good Water Creatures, brought him into conflict with one of the benevolent archomentals, particularly because Bwimb repeatedly polluted the pure waters that Ben-Hadar sought to preserve. Despite his ancient history and elemental authority, Bwimb was eventually destroyed by a power far greater than himself. His death left the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze under the authority of his daughter, Bwimb II, who inherited his position and continued certain aspects of his malevolent influence. ### Domain and Influence Bwimb's domain was the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze, a vast and inhospitable region formed where the Elemental Planes of Earth and Water converge. Sometimes called the Swamp of Oblivion or the House of Chambered Madness, this realm consists of an immense expanse of mud, slime, stagnant water, and partially solidified elemental matter. Unlike the open waters of the Elemental Plane of Water, the substance of Ooze is thick and difficult to navigate. Travellers entering its depths may find themselves trapped within immense quantities of mud, unable to move or breathe without magical assistance. The plane's composition varies according to its proximity to neighbouring elemental realms. Toward Earth, the ooze becomes increasingly dense and filled with abrasive grit, while nearer Water it thins into liquid silt through which aquatic creatures may travel more freely. The plane contains occasional pockets of water, masses of solid stone, and other formations suspended within the surrounding mud. These provide temporary refuge from the otherwise suffocating environment, although many are isolated and difficult to locate. Numerous creatures inhabit the plane, including ooze paraelementals, ooze mephits, ooze sprites, and a remarkable variety of living slimes and jellies. Bwimb's authority was principally associated with the ooze paraelementals. These creatures acknowledged his position as their ruler and formed the most clearly established part of his following. Other inhabitants of the plane possessed their own interests and were not necessarily subject to his command. His position was therefore considerably different from that of the great elemental princes who sought to establish vast military dominions. Bwimb claimed lordship over the plane, but the full extent of his control remained uncertain, and the independent nature of many native creatures limited his influence. The Paraelemental Plane of Ooze was also inhabited or visited by other powerful beings. Ghaunadaur maintained a divine presence within the realm, while various elemental and extraplanar creatures travelled through its dangerous expanses. Bwimb's association with Ghaunadaur established a connection between the archomental and a deity whose concerns overlapped with his own. Bwimb's influence extended into the Elemental Plane of Water, where he repeatedly interfered with the work of Ben-Hadar. The Prince of Good Water Creatures devoted considerable attention to maintaining the purity of the waters surrounding his realm of Ssesurgass. Bwimb's contamination of those waters became a persistent source of conflict between the two. This hostility distinguished Bwimb from several of the better-known elemental princes. Ben-Hadar maintained a comparatively peaceful relationship with Olhydra, the Princess of Evil Water Creatures, and his greatest recurring difficulties instead arose from the activities of Bwimb. Bwimb's influence was not confined entirely to the Inner Planes. Ancient magical traditions upon Oerth preserved knowledge of an ooze power known as Nakimas, identified with Bwimb. The Suel people knew him by this name, and certain practitioners of forbidden elemental magic sought to summon or bind the entity through rituals preserved from earlier generations. Although his authority came to an end with his destruction, the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze continued to possess an evil archomental. Bwimb II inherited his position, although her control over the plane remained limited and was acknowledged primarily by the ooze paraelementals. ### Symbols and Icons  Bwimb's recognised personal symbol was a black sphere. This emblem was associated with the Baron of Ooze and appeared among the ancient remains connected to his service in the war between Law and Chaos. One such symbol survived within the tomb of Icosiol, a general of the Wind Dukes of Aaqa. A black sphere suspended within the tomb identified Bwimb and was associated with an ancient black pudding descended from creatures connected to his forces. The sphere's presence within a monument belonging to his former enemies demonstrates that Bwimb's name and insignia remained recognisable long after the ancient conflict. No separate, widely established set of ceremonial symbols is known for his worshippers. ### Followers and Servants Bwimb's most clearly established followers were the ooze paraelementals native to his home plane. These creatures acknowledged his position as Baron of Ooze and formed the principal body of servants associated with his authority. Ooze paraelementals are hostile and unpleasant beings composed of the thick, corrupt substance of their native realm. Their allegiance to Bwimb distinguished them from many other creatures inhabiting the plane, including ooze mephits and ooze sprites, whose relationships with the paraelementals were frequently antagonistic. The broader population of the Plane of Ooze included numerous living slimes, jellies, puddings, and other creatures associated with stagnant or corrosive substances. Although these beings inhabited Bwimb's claimed territory, their presence did not necessarily imply obedience to him. Bwimb's ancient military service also connected him to the armies of the Queen of Chaos. During the war against the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, he served as one of her generals and brought forces associated with elemental ooze into the conflict. Among the remnants of his ancient forces was an exceptionally old black pudding preserved within the tomb of Icosiol. The creature was identified as an elder spawn from the brood pits of Bwimb, establishing that his influence had extended to the creation or maintenance of particularly dangerous oozes during the ancient war. Bwimb's relationship with Ghaunadaur was another significant aspect of his influence. The deity, known as That Which Lurks, possessed authority over oozes, slimes, jellies, and other subterranean creatures. Bwimb was counted among Ghaunadaur's allies, although the precise terms of their relationship remain unknown. The surviving accounts do not establish an organised mortal priesthood devoted exclusively to Bwimb. His authority was primarily associated with paraelemental creatures, while his name also survived within dangerous summoning traditions practised by certain mortal spellcasters. The existence of these traditions demonstrates that mortals were aware of his power and attempted to exploit it, but does not establish that such individuals necessarily worshipped him as a deity. ### Powers and Abilities Bwimb possessed considerable supernatural power as a ruler of elemental ooze. His nature was closely connected to the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze, where the substances of Earth and Water combine into mud, slime, and other unstable forms of matter. Unlike the principal Princes of Elemental Evil, whose individual magical abilities are extensively described, Bwimb's surviving history provides comparatively little information about his specific powers. His reputation as an ancient general and his position over the ooze paraelementals demonstrate considerable strength, but the full extent of his supernatural abilities remains uncertain. - **Paraelemental Form:** Bwimb possessed the nature of an immense ooze paraelemental. His body was associated with living mud and slime rather than conventional flesh, and accounts of his appearance suggest an enormous, amorphous mass of sludge. - **Authority Over Ooze Paraelementals:** Bwimb was recognised as a ruler by ooze paraelementals. These creatures formed his principal following and remained associated with his authority until his destruction. - **Ancient Military Command:** During the war between Law and Chaos, Bwimb served as a general under the Queen of Chaos. His participation demonstrates that he possessed sufficient influence to command forces in one of the greatest conflicts of the ancient multiverse. - **Connection to Powerful Oozes:** Bwimb was associated with the brood pits from which particularly dangerous ooze creatures emerged. An ancient black pudding originating from these pits survived within the tomb of Icosiol, preserving evidence of his connection to monstrous slimes from the Age Before Ages. - **Planar Manifestation:** Bwimb could be sought through powerful summoning magic. Ancient Suel rituals concerned with Nakimas, his name upon Oerth, were associated with attempts to bring his power into the Material Plane. - **Corruption of Elemental Waters:** Bwimb repeatedly polluted the waters protected by Ben-Hadar. This activity made him a persistent enemy of the benevolent water archomental and demonstrated his capacity to interfere with regions beyond his immediate domain. Bwimb's ultimate destruction also establishes the limits of his power. When confronted by Tenebrous, who possessed the terrible magic of the Last Word, the Baron of Ooze proved unable to defend himself. No reliable surviving account establishes a complete catalogue of Bwimb's offensive spells, magical resistances, or supernatural transformations. His nature and authority are known, but the precise abilities he could personally employ remain less clearly documented than those of the greater elemental princes. ### Relationships and Enemies Bwimb maintained several significant relationships with other powers of the multiverse. These connections included alliances with malevolent beings and a persistent rivalry with one of the Princes of Elemental Good. **Ghaunadaur** Among Bwimb's known allies was Ghaunadaur, the ancient deity of oozes, slimes, and subterranean creatures. Both possessed a connection to elemental ooze, although their authority was fundamentally different. Ghaunadaur was a deity, while Bwimb was an elemental ruler who claimed sovereignty over the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze. Their alliance is preserved among the accounts of Ghaunadaur's relationships with other powers. The exact nature of their cooperation is not fully established, and neither is known to have exercised absolute authority over the other. **Ben-Hadar** Bwimb's most prominent elemental opponent was Ben-Hadar, the Prince of Good Water Creatures. Their conflict arose from Bwimb's repeated pollution of the waters that Ben-Hadar sought to keep pure. Ben-Hadar maintained a comparatively peaceful relationship with Olhydra, despite her malevolent nature, but found Bwimb's activities particularly troublesome. The corruption of water was an offence against the protective responsibilities Ben-Hadar exercised within his realm. The rivalry continued beyond Bwimb's death, as Bwimb II maintained similar activities and remained a source of frustration for the Prince of Good Water. **The Queen of Chaos** Bwimb served the Queen of Chaos during the ancient war against the Wind Dukes of Aaqa. He was remembered as a cruel general whose forces participated in the conflict that culminated in the Battle of Pesh. His allegiance placed him among the enemies of the forces of Law and connected his history to the ancient struggle involving Miska the Wolf-Spider and the Rod of Seven Parts. **Tenebrous** Bwimb's final and most consequential encounter was with Tenebrous, the undead remnant of Orcus. Tenebrous sought the missing Wand of Orcus and received information suggesting that it might be hidden within the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze. His search brought him directly into contact with Bwimb. Believing the Baron of Ooze might possess knowledge of the wand's location, Tenebrous confronted him. Bwimb was unable to withstand the encounter and was destroyed by the ancient magic known as the Last Word. Tenebrous subsequently discovered that the information which had led him to the Plane of Ooze was false. Bwimb's destruction had therefore accomplished nothing toward recovering the missing wand. ### Myths and Legends Bwimb's history reaches back to the ancient wars of the multiverse and extends into the more recent struggles surrounding the return of Orcus. Although several events are well established, other traditions concerning his origins and influence remain uncertain. - **The Baron of Ooze:** Bwimb claimed authority over the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze and was recognised as its Baron. Certain traditions treated him as a genuine archomental, while others regarded him as a powerful paraelemental who had assumed an impressive title without possessing the strength of the greatest elemental princes. His claim was nevertheless acknowledged by the ooze paraelementals who followed him. - **The Age Before Ages:** Bwimb was remembered as a great and cruel general during the ancient period preceding many of the established civilisations of the planes. His name became associated with the conflict between Law and Chaos, in which he fought against the Wind Dukes of Aaqa. - **The Armies of the Queen of Chaos:** During the great war, Bwimb supported the Queen of Chaos and commanded forces drawn from his native element. His participation placed the powers of ooze among the many creatures and beings gathered against the armies of Law. - **The Battle of Pesh:** Bwimb took part in the ancient struggle culminating at Pesh, where the forces of the Queen of Chaos confronted the Wind Dukes. The battle became decisive when the Rod of Seven Parts was employed against Miska the Wolf-Spider. Bwimb's service in this conflict remained known long after the defeat of the Queen's forces. - **The Brood Pits of Bwimb:** Ancient accounts identify a black pudding preserved within the tomb of Icosiol as an elder spawn from Bwimb's brood pits. The creature survived for ages after the war, suggesting that powerful oozes originating from Bwimb's forces remained dangerous long after their master's military campaigns had ended. - **The Black Sphere of Icosiol's Tomb:** Within the burial chambers of Icosiol, a black sphere suspended from the ceiling bore the personal insignia of Bwimb. The sphere was enchanted to sustain the ancient black pudding inhabiting the tomb. Its presence preserved a connection between the victorious Wind Dukes and one of the evil elemental generals they had opposed. - **Nakimas, the Mud Lord:** Upon Oerth, Bwimb was known to the Suel as Nakimas. Ancient traditions associated the name with a powerful spirit of the marshes, although later accounts identified the entity as an elemental lord originating from the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze. - **The Secrets of House Malhel:** The ancient Suel House of Malhel possessed knowledge of rituals associated with summoning and binding the power known as Nakimas. Records connected to these practices eventually reached a stronghold within the Hool Marshes, preserving a dangerous connection between mortal spellcraft and the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze. - **The Fate of Baltron:** The wizard Baltron of Linth attempted to summon the entity associated with Nakimas while investigating forbidden magic within the Hool Marshes. His ritual ended in catastrophe when he failed to protect himself against the forces he had invoked. The resulting magical disturbance destroyed or removed him from the mortal world and left a dangerous planar breach associated with the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze. The precise nature of the entity manifested during the ritual remains uncertain, although later accounts identify Bwimb as the probable power involved. - **The Search for the Wand of Orcus:** Following his transformation into Tenebrous, the undead remnant of Orcus began searching for his missing wand. Having acquired the ancient magic of the Last Word, he became capable of destroying beings whose power would ordinarily place them beyond the reach of most enemies. Information suggesting that the wand lay within the Plane of Ooze led him to Bwimb. - **The Death of Bwimb:** Tenebrous confronted the Baron of Ooze during his search. According to the account preserved from Tenebrous's own recollections, Bwimb pleaded desperately for his life. The undead being regarded him with contempt and destroyed him without mercy. Only afterward did Tenebrous learn that the wand was not within the Plane of Ooze. Bwimb had been killed for information that proved worthless. - **The Last Word:** The power employed by Tenebrous was an ancient utterance capable of destroying even divine beings. Bwimb was among several powerful entities slain during Tenebrous's search, demonstrating the extraordinary danger posed by this magic and the vulnerability of elemental rulers when confronted by powers beyond their understanding. - **The Succession of Bwimb II:** Following Bwimb's destruction, his daughter inherited the position of ruler over the ooze paraelementals. Known as Bwimb II, she became the Paraelemental Princess of Ooze. Certain rumours claim that she formed directly from the remains of her father's sludge-like body, although this account has never been conclusively established. - **The Alliance with Juiblex:** Bwimb II eventually established an understanding with Juiblex, the demon lord of slimes and oozes. The precise terms of their relationship remain unknown. This alliance belongs to the history of Bwimb's successor rather than to the established activities of Bwimb himself. ### Encounters with Bwimb's Influence Although Bwimb was destroyed by Tenebrous, remnants of his influence survive through ancient magical sites, elemental creatures, and the authority inherited by Bwimb II. These connections preserve his name within the histories of the Inner Planes and the Material Plane. - **The Paraelemental Plane of Ooze:** Bwimb's former domain remains a dangerous expanse of mud, slime, and stagnant elemental matter. Ooze paraelementals continue to inhabit the plane and acknowledge the authority of his successor, while numerous other creatures remain independent. - **The Followers of the Baron:** The ooze paraelementals once loyal to Bwimb provide the most direct connection to his former authority. Their allegiance subsequently passed to Bwimb II, preserving the position originally occupied by her father. - **The Tomb of Icosiol:** Ancient remnants associated with Bwimb survive within the tomb of the Wind Duke Icosiol. A black sphere bearing his personal symbol and an elder black pudding from his brood pits preserve evidence of his participation in the war between Law and Chaos. - **The Hool Marshes:** The marshlands of Oerth contain the remains of magical activity associated with Nakimas. The failed summoning undertaken by Baltron left a dangerous planar disturbance, while ancient records preserved the rituals once employed to contact the power believed to be Bwimb. - **The Legacy of House Malhel:** The surviving traditions of this ancient Suel house demonstrate that knowledge of Bwimb extended beyond the Inner Planes. Its members possessed rituals intended to summon or bind the Mud Lord, illustrating the dangers associated with attempting to command powerful elemental beings. - **The Realm of Ben-Hadar:** Bwimb's former interference with the waters protected by Ben-Hadar remains part of the history of Ssesurgass. His successor has continued the pollution associated with his activities, perpetuating the hostility between the rulers of Ooze and the Prince of Good Water. - **The Influence of Ghaunadaur:** Bwimb's alliance with Ghaunadaur connects his history to the ancient deity of slimes and subterranean creatures. Although Bwimb himself is dead, the divine power with which he was associated remains an important presence among beings connected to elemental ooze. - **The Reign of Bwimb II:** The Paraelemental Princess of Ooze continues to occupy the position inherited from her father. Her influence is greatest among ooze paraelementals, while her association with Juiblex has provided a connection to powers beyond her native plane. - **The Legacy of Tenebrous:** Bwimb's destruction remains one of the known consequences of Tenebrous's search for the Wand of Orcus. His death demonstrates that even ancient elemental rulers could fall before the Last Word, whose power threatened divine and planar beings throughout the multiverse. ### Conclusion Bwimb was an ancient and malevolent ruler of the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze, recognised as the Baron of Ooze and numbered among the lesser evil archomentals. Although his claim to authority was disputed by some planar scholars, he commanded the allegiance of ooze paraelementals and possessed a history extending to the war between Law and Chaos. His service under the Queen of Chaos, his association with Ghaunadaur, and his persistent pollution of the waters protected by Ben-Hadar established his influence beyond his native plane. His name was also preserved within ancient Suel magical traditions upon Oerth, where he was known as Nakimas, the Mud Lord. Despite these connections, Bwimb's power proved insufficient to protect him against Tenebrous. His destruction during the search for the Wand of Orcus brought an abrupt end to his reign and demonstrated that the authority of an archomental offered no guarantee of survival against the most dangerous powers of the multiverse. His daughter, Bwimb II, inherited the title and authority of the Paraelemental Princess of Ooze, continuing the malevolent influence once exercised by her father. Through her rule, the remaining ooze paraelementals, and the ancient sites associated with his activities, Bwimb's legacy persists even though the Baron of Ooze himself has long since perished.