Tales of ogre mages (or oni) have inspired fear in both children and adults throughout Faerun. And among these fearsome creatures, few inspire greater terror than the massive fiend known as Barsh. Filled with dark hunger, Barsh' superior strength allows him to rend his foes with his harp claws or, when facing foes beyond close range, to wield a long hafted magic glaive that lashes out with deadly precision.

An ogre mage's true powers, however lie in his magical skill. Gifted with the power of enchanged flight, Barsh often takes to the skies, blasting his enemies with a frigid cone of cold or, when outnumbered by strong enemies, escaping their attacks by assuming a gaseous form. If any foes manage to wound him, he can rely on his powers of regeneration to quickly recover. Against the most formidable enemies, however, the ogre mage will put aside mundane weapons in favor of his wand of war mage, a powerful magic item that helps ensure his victory when casting deadly spells.