Guenhwyvar is a 600-lb.(272-kg) black panther who resides on the Astral Plane. She is summoned to the Prime Material Plane by the use of an onyx^[1] Figurine of Wondrous Power. This figurine is currently in the possession of Drizzt Do'Urden who treats Guenhwyvar as his Ranger animal companion. She can be summoned to her master's side for up to 6 hours every other day.^[2] When summoned, the figurine emits a gray mist which quickly solidifies into the panther shape.^[1] Due to her nature as an astral being not of the Prime Material Plane, she is highly resistant to biological poisons and quite resistant to physical injuries as well.

HistoryEdit

Guenhwyvar's figurine was crafted by the finest Dwarven craftsman in the Cormanthor region and enchanted by Anders Beltgarden, a 75 year old human Ranger/Wizard who lived not far outside Myth Drannor in 253 DR.^[3] It was to be a parting gift for Anders' friend, the Bladesinger Josidiah Starym before Anders died of old age^[4] but Josidiah saw an intelligence in the giant panther's eyes that he felt should not be caged, let alone killed so that it's body to could be enslaved to magic and a master's command.

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The elf's arguments eventually appealed to the ranger in Anders and he couldn't go through with the slaying, letting the cat go, only to follow the cat to a hill where Josidiah was under attack by a trio of giants and several dozen orcs. With the help of the panther and Anders, the monsters were defeated, but the cat was dying from it's wounds after single-handedly killing one of the giants. The pair rushed her back to Anders' tower in a portable hole and decided to carry out the enchanting ritual before the panther died of her wounds. Anders was to call the cat 'Whiskers', but Josidiah thought the name not noble enough. Anders suggested 'Shadow', but Josidiah decided on the high elven word for shadow, 'Guenhwyvar'. This, he realised was the panther's true name all along and when the ritual was complete, the magic also absorbed that of the portable hole Guen was lying on. When she was called forth to test the rituals success, the panther was not a slave like a normal Figurine of Wondrous power would produce, but the same panther, with all its intelligence intact. Also, the figurine summoned Guen rather than transforming into her as a normal figurine would, making the magic item truly unique.^{[citation needed]}

Josidiah used the figurine after it was gifted to him but when he returned from his quest in the Underdark he no longer carried Guenhwyvar's figurine with him.^{[citation needed]}

Its previous master before Drizzt was Masoj Hun'ett who mistreated Guenhwyvar. After he killed Masoj, Drizzt took the figurine from his corpse, having had established a bond with the summoned animal. After spending some years with Guen as his only companion, Drizzt and Guen became more than just master and servant. They became friends and eventually Guen became a sort of animal companion.^{[citation needed]}

NotesEdit

On page 182 of The Crystal Shard (of The Icewind Dale Trilogy Collector's Edition), Salvatore referred to Guenhwyvar as being male while Guenhwyvar is commonly referred to as being female.

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} R.A. Salvatore (July 2003). The Thousand Orcs (Mass Market Paperback), p. 30. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 978-0786929801.
2. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition, p. 177. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
3. ↑ Various (December 1995). Realms of Magic, p. 8-31. TSR, Inc. ISBN 0-7869-0303-1.
4. ↑ Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves, p. 37. TSR, Inc. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.