TEXT:  
  
   
  3!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  !Editorial 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    Page 3 
   
   The Hammer’s Stroke, Part V III  
   
   
   
    Page 4 
   
   Laborers of Toril, Part VI 
   
   
   
   
   
    Page 7 
   
   Folk of Faerûn: Shaundakul, Part III 
   
   
   
    Page 11 
   
   Untold Stories, collection VIII 
   
   
   
   
    Page 14 
   
   Sprites of Faerûn  
   
   
   
   
   
   
    Page 21 
   
   The Dwarves of the Dalelands:  The Village of Glen 
   
    Page 28 
   
   In the Footsteps of the Gods: Moonfire 
   
   
   
    Page 34 
   
   Unveiling Waterdeep’s Hidden Lords, Part IV 
   
   
    Page 40 
   
   Deep Gnolls, Part II 
   
   
   
   
   
   
    Page 48 
   
   Journal of an Apprentice Scribe: A History of Berdusk  
    Page 59 
   
   
   Credits 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    Page 65 
   
   
   
  Produced by 
   
  www.candlekeep.com 
  
   
  4!
  !
  !
  !
  elcome to the eighth volume of the Candlekeep Compendium. A collection of 
  the finest Realmslore selected from the shelves of Candlekeep and delivered 
  to us from our wandering scribes, forever seeking to further our knowledge o
  the Realms. 
  f 
   
  As always, our faithful, devoted scribes have been penning articles, filing reports and painting 
  the images of our beloved Faerûn, upon which to feast thine eyes.  Regular columns such as 
  The Hammer’s Stroke, Laborers of Toril, Untold Stories and Journals from an Apprentice 
  Scribe need no introduction and are here in all their glory.   
   
  Ongoing reports and articles have also become a regular feature in the Compendium, and the 
  latest installments regarding Shaundakul, the Hidden Lords of Waterdeep and a study of the 
  Deep Gnolls are also contained herein. 
   
  Furthermore, there are a three new articles appearing in this volume, which I’m sure ye will 
  find very interesting indeed.  Following on from the focus of our stout dwarven friends in 
  The Hammer’s Stroke, we have a report on the Dwarves of the Dalelands, in The Village 
  of Glen.   A new column entitled In the Footsteps of the Gods makes it’s debut in this volume 
  with coverage of Moonfire – Blessed Water of Eldath.   Last but certainly not least, is an 
  article entitled Sprites of Faerûn, which speaks for itself and is certainly very intriguing; I 
  must catch myself a few for a little entertainment and company. 
   
  I  certainly hope ye enjoy these latest articles and enjoy our new columns to the Compendium.  
  I’ll leave ye to peruse the writings herein, and hope they bring ye many hours of enjoyment. 
   
   
  - Alaundo of Candlekeep 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  5!
  !
  !
  Part VIII 
  By Kevin Liss 
  Illustration by Julius Petilla 
   
   
  onks of every world seek to 
  perfect their art and self 
  through 
  training 
  and 
  dedication.  This is as true in 
  the 
  Forgotten 
  Realms 
  as 
  elsewhere.  Many monks are 
  trained in Kara-Tur, although 
  their training and techniques have found 
  their 
  way 
  to 
  other 
  parts 
  of 
  Faerûn.  
  Seemingly improbable, dwarven monks are 
  not unheard of, and it is even rumored that 
  several schools exist in the realms of the 
  Underdark and high in the mountains of the 
  Spine of the World. 
   
  We will focus here on the world of the 
  dwarven monk: their methods, their ki, and 
  their powers.  As befits the Stout Folk, monks 
  of dwarven heritage do not train as other 
  races of monks do.  They are fundamentally 
  different, but no less effective. 
   
   
  Methods 
   
  The life of a monk is a strange one to most 
  dwarves, and rightfully so.  Monks are not 
  focused on the community at large, since 
  they dedicate their training to self-perfection.  
  This does not mean that they are of no value 
  to their fellow dwarf.  Several of the 
  Morndinsamman faiths utilize monks as 
  protectors of the faith.  They often fight as 
  hard and loyally as any; however, one cannot 
  attain perfection except by oneself. 
   
   
  Dwarven monasteries are virtual fortresses, 
  built to keep others out so that the monks 
  can train and meditate.  They are rarely 
  found near dwarven cities or communities.  
  Instead, they are built in secluded locations 
  to allow for privacy. Only those monasteries 
  dedicated to a dwarven god will be found 
  attached to large holds or cities, exclusively 
  of dwarven design.  This excludes the Silver 
  Marches’ dwarven citadels of cloisters, due to 
  the intermingling of races in these cities. 
  However, it does include most of the Great 
  Rift.  Larger monasteries and training schools 
  are thought to exist in both the Underdark 
  and along the Spine of the World.  These 
  inhospitable environments seem impossible 
  locations for any of the civilized races. 
  However, these schools are large enough, 
  with masters of such power, that few, if any, 
  attacks are made on their halls.  The more 
  advanced 
  students 
  are 
  believed 
  to 
  be 
  powerful Stonelords as well, crafting their 
  environment as well as themselves. 
   
  While the life of a monk is unusual for a 
  dwarf, the strict discipline needed is not.  The 
  lawful, 
  structured 
  life 
  of 
  a 
  dwarven 
  community prepares monk students for the 
  rigid life they will soon lead.  It also allows 
  for an easy transition back into dwarven 
  society if and when a monk seeks to rejoin 
  the community after a life of self-perfection. 
   
  Finally, the ki of a dwarf is wholly dwarven.  
  The energy the ki draws upon is the power of 
  the earth. This energy dictates the style and 
  method of all the powers and training that 
  they receive.  While many races teach 
  unarmed fighting methods that are graceful 
  and fluid, the unarmed fighting methods of 
  dwarven monks are earthy and rigid.  It is 
  angular instead of circular, powerful instead 
  of precise, the immovable instead of the 
  unstoppable.  Their powers are taken from 
  the gifts of the earth – diamonds, stones, 
  mithril, gold, and other bounties. 
   
  Ki 
   
  All monks draw upon the subtle energy called 
  ki.  It is the magic of monks that powers 
  their abilities and their fighting methods.  
  
   
  6!
  Dwarven monks are able to tap into the 
  power of the earth for their ki magic.  It is an 
  energy that is similar to other monks’ in that 
  it cannot be blocked with normal magic, since 
  the individual is trained in the use of the 
  energy, channeled as ki.  Every newly 
  attained level of self-perfection brings with it 
  new powers and abilities.  The ki utilizes the 
  essence of the gifts buried within the earth, 
  giving the dwarven monk these powers. 
   
   
  Again, the abilities and powers attained with 
  their ki cannot be taken away.  It is a level of 
  self-perfection 
  that 
  dwarven 
  monks work toward, and the 
  secrets of the earth are revealed, 
  in time, to those who seek them.  
  It is through this knowledge that 
  many dwarves are able to attain 
  the perfection they seek, but it is 
  by no means the only path for 
  them to follow.  Some dwarves are 
  able to study with a master that 
  guides them down other roads of 
  perfection.  The ki of the earth 
  is a unique way for the Stout 
  Folk to learn the way of the 
  monk. 
   
   
  Powers 
   
  The way a dwarven monk views their 
  abilities is the only difference they have with 
  any other monk, of any race.  Their abilities, 
  like their ki, are derived from earthly 
  sources.  
   
  Class Skills are unchanged.  However, some 
  skills will be more prevalent than others, due 
  to racial preferences and ability levels.  The 
  Charisma 
  adjustments 
  for 
  dwarves 
  can 
  influence the choice of some skills, such as 
  Perform and Diplomacy, although some 
  dwarven monks will choose these skills 
  because many of their fellows do not.  As 
  class skills, they may give a dwarven monk a 
  decided advantage over other dwarves.  
  Other abilities are: 
   
  Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Some of 
  the exotic weapons listed in the Player’s 
  Handbook will not be used by most dwarven 
  monks, although they are still allowed.  
  Monks seek self-perfection, and thus will use 
  any advantage they can to attain it.  As 
  dwarves, however, they do gain proficiency 
  with the light hammer. 
   
  AC Bonus: The sixth sense bonus to Wisdom 
  given to dwarven monks still applies.  The AC 
  bonus given at 5th level and every five levels 
  thereafter is unchanged, but explained as a 
  hardening of the skin, as one stone is harder 
  than another from its compacting in the earth 
  over time. 
   
  Unarmed Strike and Flurry of Blows: A 
  blow from a monk, their unarmed 
  damage, is a continuous forging of the 
  fists of a dwarven 
  monk.  The flurry 
  they can unleash 
  is 
  like 
  an 
  avalanche, or the 
  smith’s 
  hammer 
  falling repeatedly 
  and relentlessly. 
   
  Bonus Feat: The 
  usual choices for a 
  dwarven 
  monk 
  would be Stunning 
  Fist at first level and 
  Improved 
  Disarm at sixth 
  level, 
  with 
  no 
  particular preference 
  for either bonus feat 
  offered at second level.  
  These are not required, 
  just the most likely feats due to 
  race. 
   
  Evasion: Precious minerals are elusive to 
  many who seek them.  All monks are the 
  same, with the right level of training. 
   
  Fast Movement: When the circumstances 
  are right, the earth can move rapidly.  The 
  monks of the Stout Folk are no different, and 
  often explode with a similar force on those 
  who stand in their way, as would a volcano 
  or earthquake. 
   
  Still Mind: By muddying their minds, these 
  monks can resist the influence of others. 
   
  Ki Strike: Remains unchanged. 
   
  
   
  7!
  Slow Fall: While dwarves usually welcome 
  the earth’s embrace, there are times that 
  monks of the race use their abilities to keep 
  from violently entering her arms.  Every wall 
  is connected to the earth, at some point. 
   
  Purity 
  of 
  Body: 
  Diseases 
  affect 
  the 
  creatures of the earth, while the earth 
  remains unaffected.  Dwarven monks learn 
  from the earth how to avoid the blights of 
  living things. 
   
  Wholeness of Body: The earth heals itself 
  through the shifting of sand, soil, and rock.  
  Monks learn from this and use this ability to 
  heal wounds with their ki. 
   
  Improved Evasion:  Remains unchanged. 
   
  Diamond 
  Body 
  and 
  Diamond 
  Soul: 
  Diamonds, gifts of the earth. 
   
  Abundant Step: The earth is ever-shifting; 
  most creatures are not able to see or detect 
  this movement, yet later witness its affect.  A 
  dwarven monk is also able to slip from one 
  place to another with the right training. 
   
  Quivering Palm: Dwarves learn at an early 
  age to heed the deadly portents vibrations in 
  the earth bring.  Enemies of monks of the 
  race would do well to learn this lesson. 
   
  Timeless Body: The aging of the earth is 
  imperceptible to mortals, yet some dwarven 
  monks 
  learn 
  this 
  secret. 
   
  However, 
  everything changes eventually, and every 
  mortal creature will die. 
   
  Tongue of the Sun and Moon: The earth 
  hears all languages and understands. 
   
  Empty Body and Perfect Self: Those 
  dwarven monks who learn what they can 
  from the earth eventually seek wisdom 
  beyond the earth’s boundaries.  This way 
  they can achieve self-perfection. 
   
  All other monk restrictions and abilities still 
  apply to dwarves who train as monks.  The ki 
  power of the dwarven monk is a philosophy 
  of knowledge used to train dwarves in a way 
  that they understand and can embrace.    
   
   
  Stonelord Monks 
   
  Some dwarven schools of monks teach the 
  secrets of the Stonelords to their students.  
  The link between their ki and the whispers of 
  the earth to Stonelords is an easy one.  All of 
  the requirements for becoming a Stonelord 
  are attainable to any monk with the allowable 
  skills and feats.  The prestige class is so well-
  suited to dwarven monks that they are able 
  to continue advancing as a monk when they 
  take Stonelord levels. 
   
   
   
  !
  !
   
  
   
  8!
  !
  !
   
  Part VI 
  By Scott Kujawa 
  !
  First Reader, here is the sixth scroll of the project that you asked me to scribe for the records of 
  Candlekeep. 
   
  As I said in my other scrolls, some of this lore might or might not be true, and I had to distill the 
  details, lest they fill a whole tome. Besides, some of the information given to me was to be kept 
  secret, and I gave my word as a follower of the Binder. As usual, I’m tracking down other folk who 
  are willing to let me record what they do to make coin and survive.  
   
  After thinking about these scrolls and sending messages to you about them, I’ve decided to 
  change the knowledge about these laborers. Every scroll from now on will contain information 
  about laborers from the same settlement, instead of lore about laborers that span Toril and the 
  planes. 
   
  First Reader, there are days that I worry that I may be becoming too much like Volo, since his 
  chapbooks and my scrolls cover the same subject matter. Oghma be thanked that I have all of 
  you to keep me from falling as far as Volo has; I, for one, don’t want to spend my time as a 
  statue in someone’s garden.  
   
  This entry details some of the laborers of Corm Orp. 
   
  Scribe Lythrina Surstyn of Candlekeep 
   
  (Author’s Note: My thanks to Ed Greenwood and The Hooded One for answering my questions about Corm 
  Orp and halflings.) 
   
   
  +!+!+!+!
   
  Eilnys Merrymar (Chaotic Good, Female 
  Lightfoot 
  Halfling, 
  Expert 
  4/Adept 
  1, 
  Cyrrollalee, Sheela Peryroyl, and Yondalla) 
   
  Eilnys is the matriarch of the Merrymar clan 
  of halflings, who have resided in Corm Orp 
  for as long as anyone can remember. This 
  rotund halfling always had a wide smile for 
  me, especially when I banged my head, more 
  than once, on the ceiling of the clan’s 
  burrows, which are in built into the hills to 
  the east of the village. When she isn’t 
  molding and firing the red clay that the 
  halflings, gnomes, and humans of Corm Orp 
  turn into pottery, she can be found watching 
  over her clan. Her three husbands (or more, 
  since I’m not sure if she told me the truth 
  about how many she has) admire her and 
  look to her for wisdom and knowledge. 
  Myrver Merrymar, 
  her 
  second 
  husband, 
  doesn’t care about Eilnys’s intelligence and 
  wisdom; he told me that he enjoys the brown 
  hair on Eilnys’s feet, as well as the thick 
  brown hair that trails down her back. 
    
  Since Eilnys is a dedicated worshipper of 
  Cyrrollalee, Sheela Peryroyl, and Yondalla, 
  one part of their burrow has been turned into 
  a large shrine to those three halfling deities. 
  I also noticed a small section of the shrine 
  contained the symbols of Brandobaris and 
  Tymora.    
  
   
  9!
  Jeris 
  Merrymar 
  (Lawful 
  Neutral, 
  Male 
  Strongheart Halfling, Expert 6, Chauntea and 
  the halfling pantheon) 
   
  Jeris is an average-sized halfling, with curly 
  dark brown hair on his head and feet. 
  However, since he is a winemaker, his feet 
  are usually stained from the juice of the 
  grapes. At other times, his feet are stained 
  from the dirt of Chauntea, because of the 
  harvesting of the grape clusters that are the 
  size of a halfling’s fist. When Jeris isn’t 
  helping stomp grapes, he spends time with 
  Eilnys and the rest of the clan. This is Eilnys’s 
  first husband; they have one child together. 
  But Jeris and Eilnys are not together for 
  children – they stay together as companions 
  for comfort and long conversations, since 
  both of them like to discuss theology, the hin 
  race, deities, and other topics. 
   
   
   
   
  Myrver Merrymar (Chaotic Good, Male 
  Lightfoot Halfling, Commoner 3, Cyrrollalee, 
  Sheela Peryroyl, and Yondalla) 
   
  Myrver is a shepherd, tending the goats and 
  sheep that are kept in the hills overlooking 
  Corp Orp. This light brown-haired, almost 
  blond halfling is Eilnys’s first lover. The two 
  of them are together because Myrver was 
  someone with whom Eilnys wanted to have 
  many children, and because he fulfills her 
  physical needs.  
   
  Hollythana and Janstina are just two of the 
  children that Myrver and Eilnys have had, but 
  as I said at the end of this scroll, I didn’t 
  have the room to write about all of the 
  halflings in this clan.  
   
  Since Myrver spends a lot of time on the 
  hills, he is deeply tanned. His body, for a 
  halfling, is not pudgy – he is trim and fit. 
   
   
  Croglar Merrymar (True Neutral, Male 
  Lightfoot Halfling, Expert 2, Cyrrollalee, 
  Sheela Peryroyl, and Yondalla) 
   
  Crolgar is a slightly pudgy halfling that 
  enjoys showing off the dyes he makes by 
  dying his clothing various shades of colors. 
  The different shades of blue, green, red, 
  orange, and other colors make it hard to look 
  at him, and when anyone needs to find him, 
  it’s very easy to do so. He has no children 
  with Eilnys, because he is sterile. However, 
  he is still one of her lovers. When both desire 
  physical pleasure, they enjoy cross-dressing, 
  bondage and discipline, and playacting. I was 
  told, in considerable detail, that Crolgar’s 
  active 
  imagination 
  ensures 
  that 
  these 
  enjoyments are never the same. I swear by 
  the Binder that I learned more about halfling 
  pleasure then I ever wanted to know, and I 
  lost count of how many times I blushed as 
  Croglar went into great detail about what he 
  and Eilnys enjoy doing with each other. 
    
   
  Eilstine Merrymar (Neutral Good, Female 
  Strongheart Halfling, Commoner 1/Expert 1, 
  Eilistraee, 
  Waukeen, 
  and 
  the 
  halfling 
  pantheon)  
   
  Eilstine is Eilnys’s eldest daughter, and the 
  only daughter of Eilnys and Jeris. She is 
  named after Eilistraee because of a traveling 
  priestess 
  of 
  the 
  Dark 
  Maiden. 
  While 
  sheltering in the Merrymar burrows, the 
  halfling priestess spread the dogma of the 
  Dark Maiden to members of the clan. She 
  helped Eilnys with Eilstine’s birth, so Eilnys 
  decided, and Jeris agreed, to name their 
  daughter after Eilistraee. 
   
  Her wavy brown hair is kept in a braid, with 
  lose strands clipped to the sides. She 
  watches over the younger Merrymars, with 
  the help of her sisters. Arshim and Narsk are 
  her two husbands, but she doesn’t see Narsk 
  very often. She enjoys Arshim for his 
  intelligence. Narsk she enjoys because he 
  returns from his frequent travels with new 
  and interesting ways to pleasure her, which 
  he learns about in other lands. I said it 
  before – by the Binder, I really am not 
  interested in learning about these things! But 
  the halflings found it very amusing when I 
  blushed, and went to great lengths to give 
  me detailed explanations.  
   
  
   
  :!
  Hollythana 
  Merrymar 
  (Chaotic 
  Good, 
  Female Lightfoot Halfling, Commoner 1, 
  Cyrrollalee, Sheela Peryroyl, and Yondalla) 
    
  Holly, as she told me to call her, is the 
  second eldest daughter of Eilnys, and the 
  eldest daughter of Eilnys and Myrver. Since 
  the clan is so large, she also helps take care 
  of the other members of the clan. This black-
  haired halfling enjoys making pies and eating 
  them, which is why she is one of the more 
  stocky halflings of the Merrymar clan. She is 
  quiet and shy, so I didn’t get much 
  information from her. The other members of 
  the clan didn’t want to say much about her. 
  All I know is they are disappointed with her; 
  whatever she did to upset them involved a 
  dwarf and a gnome.  
   
   
  Janstina 
  Merrymar 
  (Chaotic 
  Good 
  (Currently Chaotic Evil), Female Lightfoot 
  Halfling, Commoner 1, Cyrrollalee, Sheela 
  Peryroyl, and Yondalla (Currently Bane)) 
   
  There was something different about this 
  slim and muscular female halfling. I couldn’t 
  place it until I realized she had the look of 
  someone that is under a charm spell. I 
  discovered that she is under a spell because 
  her faded brown eyes have the glazed look of 
  those 
  under 
  mind-affecting 
  magics. 
  I 
  followed her one night when I saw her leave 
  the burrow, and I watched as she dropped a 
  missive under a stone. Later, using some 
  divination magic, I watched as a Zhent 
  wizard retrieved the missive.  
   
  Janstina 
  is 
  Eilnys’s 
  second 
  youngest 
  daughter, and the second daughter of Eilnys 
  and Myrver. Like her sisters, she helps take 
  care of the other members of the clan. She 
  has her mother’s brown hair, but hers is 
  straighter, shorter, and a little darker. 
   
   
  Arshim 
  Merrymar 
  (True Neutral, Male 
  Lightfoot Halfling, Commoner 3, Cyrrollalee, 
  Sheela Peryroyl, and Yondalla) 
   
  Arshim is Eilstine’s first husband. Trim and 
  fit, Arshim helps Myrver watch over the goats 
  and sheep of Corm Orp. He is Narsk’s 
  brother, and the two used to travel together 
  when Narsk came to Corm Orp. When Arshim 
  fell in love with Eilstine, he decided to settle 
  down and stay in Corm Orp while Narsk 
  continued 
  delivering 
  and 
  bringing 
  back 
  different goods. Arshim knows, or so he told 
  me, that he isn’t as intelligent as his brother, 
  but Eilstine loves him for his skills in 
  spanking and pleasure.  
   
  Arshim keeps his short black hair pulled back 
  in a small ponytail, and his blue eyes sparkle 
  and twinkle, like he is always thinking sexual 
  thoughts. Arshim and Eilstine care deeply for 
  their daughter, as does Narsk, because 
  Xyrnda is the only child any of them will be 
  able to have with Eilstine. Xyrnda’s birth was 
  hard on Eilstine, and the birth scarred her 
  insides too much for her to carry another 
  child.    
    
   
  Narsk Merrymar (Lawful Neutral, Male 
  Lightfoot Halfling, Warrior 2/Expert 4, the 
  halfling pantheon, and Waukeen) 
   
  This halfling surprised me because he is 
  world-wise. I shouldn’t have been that 
  surprised, since Narsk is a merchant. He is 
  short and stocky by halfling standards, 
  almost like a dwarf. Despite his wealth, the 
  only ornamentation on his green and brown 
  clothing is the gold stitching along the hems, 
  which signifies his dedication to Waukeen. 
   
  He is Eilstine’s second husband, having 
  married her a few summers after his brother 
  did. Narsk and Eilstine enjoy each other 
  because he brings her stories, news, and 
  information from the other lands. She also 
  values the coins he brings in from his wares.  
   
  He has a caravan of about half a dozen 
  wagons, 
  guarded 
  by 
  the 
  humans 
  and 
  halflings of Corm Orp. His caravans travel 
  northwest to Hill’s Edge, along the Dusk 
  Road, and south to Asbravn. From there, the 
  caravans follow trade routes to places west 
  and north of Asbravn, as well as to Berdusk 
  and Iriaebor in the south. 
   
   
  Xyrnda Merrymar (Chaotic Good, Female 
  Strongheart 
  Halfling, 
  Cyrrollalee, 
  Sheela 
  Peryroyl, and Yondalla) 
   
  
   
  21!
  This halfling child is the daughter of Eilstine 
  and Arshim. Since she is young, she is 
  carefree and allowed to run amok, though 
  Eilnys’s three sisters try to keep her from 
  causing more trouble in the burrows. Her 
  true appearance is hard to tell, because she 
  is usually covered in mud. I think she has 
  brown hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin.  
   
  The halflings of the Corm Orp are trying to 
  get her interested in learning how to make 
  Orthin cheese, but so far, she has resisted 
  their efforts. Of course, they are not trying 
  too hard to get her to pay attention; they are 
  letting her be the child that she is. 
   
  First Reader, Orthin cheese is a soft, buttery 
  yellow cheese that is never runny, and comes 
  without a heavy rind. I’m told that it is 
  named after a long-dead maker, but I’ll have 
  to research this some more. 
    
   
  Eiltranna Merrymar (Neutral Good, Female 
  Lightfoot Halfling, Commoner 1/Cleric 1, 
  Sheela Peryroyl) 
   
  Eiltranna is Eilnys’s younger sister, and the 
  mother of Kyrarn Merrymar. Eiltranna, like 
  her niece and sister, is named after Eilistraee 
  because of the follower of Lady Silverhair 
  that came through Corm Orp. Her only 
  husband died defending Corm Orp during an 
  attack by Darkhold, when Kyrarn was only a 
  few summers old. Ever since that attack, 
  Eiltranna 
  has 
  been 
  an 
  acolyte 
  at 
  the 
  Ladyhouse. When she isn’t helping keep the 
  gardens of the temple, she spends time with 
  her son, with the other members of the 
  Merrymars, and with the temple’s clergy. 
  Green robes cover her body, and many 
  flowers are woven through her dark brown 
  hair, which extends to her mid-back.  
   
  Eiltranna has a favorite hog, which she calls 
  Snort-the-Wise. She claims it is an avatar of 
  Sheela Peryroyl, and that it talks to her every 
  time she feeds it. No one in the temple could 
  prove or deny that Snort-the-Wise is really 
  what Eiltranna claims, so I’ll withhold my 
  judgment about this — because the deities 
  do work in strange ways.  
   
   
  Kyrarn Merrymar (Chaotic Good, Male 
  Lightfoot Halfling, Commoner 1/Bard 2, the 
  halfling pantheon) 
   
  Kyrarn is the only son of Eiltranna. He is 
  named after a male human of Corm Orp, who 
  died protecting the settlement during one of 
  the attacks by Darkhold. Kyrarn is a historian 
  and an apprentice bard. He specializes in the 
  tales of Corm Orp, and the history and songs 
  of the settlement’s halflings, humans, and 
  gnomes.  
   
  As a follower of two deities, he wears green 
  and brown clothing with fresh flowers, which 
  he picks from the burrow’s gardens. Unlike 
  most of his family, he has golden hair that 
  extends to his knees. He wears it loose, 
  except for the strands that he pulls back to 
  keep it out of his face.  
   
  He carries around a glaur, a gift from a male 
  human bard that passed through Corm Orp a 
  year or two ago. I suspect that Kyrarn might 
  be a member of Those Who Harp, or even a 
  member of the Moonstars. 
   
   
  First Reader, there are many halflings in this 
  clan, but it would have taken me many 
  months to write about all of them. I’m 
  leaving the rest of this clan for other scrolls 
  or for other scribes to research. My next 
  scroll may contain some lore about the 
  gnomes of Corm Orp, unless I get wanderlust 
  again — which is one of the reasons why you 
  ordered me out of Candlekeep. However, you 
  know the other reasons why you ordered me 
  out of Candlekeep, and we agreed to never 
  mention them again. 
   
   
  
   
  22!
  !
  !
  Shaundakul, Part III 
  By Doug Raas 
   
  * * * * 
  !
  I have learned that Shaundakul teaches us in many ways. We can learn from other faithful, 
  passing on what they have learned, or by watching an eagle soar and glide on the currents of the 
  winds. His words are sometimes softly spoken, like the gentle rustling of dried leaves in the 
  autumn, just before they fall from the trees. Sometimes his words are louder, whistling through 
  the rocks of a mountain pass, or snapping the sails on a traveling ship. Regardless of how his 
  words come to us, they are his words, make no mistake. Shaundakul speaks to all of us, but only 
  a few can truly hear him, and fewer still listen. I am writing these things down to try to help 
  others understand the voice. 
   
  From the journals of Dathal Rhain 
  27 Hammer, Year of Wild Magic 
   
  The Guiding Breeze 
   
  haundakul’s teachings are, 
  at their core, simple. Live 
  life and let it take you 
  where it will, letting the 
  wind guide you. Explore 
  your surroundings wherever 
  you are. The wind is not 
  from the sky, but from Shaundakul himself. 
  He will guide you. You should live your life, 
  and reasonably make your way in it.  
  Changes will occur, and you must trust in the 
  Helping Hand to help you make your 
  decisions wisely. While the world is large, 
  with many unknown lands far away, do not 
  be intimidated by this – relish in it. The world 
  has many riches, on the land, in the sea, and 
  in the air itself. Travel to the distant horizons 
  if you are able. Explore the world around 
  you. Meet the rising sun in the morning. 
  Climb to the peaks of hills and mountains, to 
  the bottoms of valleys, traveling where 
  others have not – and tell everyone about 
  your journeys. The world has many wonders 
  – see them, experience them, and share 
  them. 
   
   
   
  In addition to his core teachings, Shaundakul 
  would have his clergy spread knowledge of 
  his worship through direct example. Very 
  often his clergy and lay worshippers hire on 
  as scouts or guards for groups of explorers, 
  merchants, 
  or 
  mining 
  expeditions. 
  Sometimes they even lead such expeditions 
  for others, providing the know-how to ensure 
  success. This interaction is a sure way to 
  spread his teachings and faith to others. 
  Opening up new routes of travel across the 
  Realms is another way his clergy spreads the 
  faith. This often brings essential supplies, as 
  well as desired comforts, to areas more 
  quickly than had been possible before. This 
  may be as simple as blazing a trail through a 
  forest as opposed to traveling around it, or 
  as complicated as setting up regular cargoes 
  of goods for delivery to far-off lands more 
  easily reached by ship. Aiding and guiding 
  caravans also endears his priests to the hard-
  working people who spend their lives on the 
  road. These people are always very grateful 
  for any aid given, and many are willing 
  subjects for expositions on the ways of the 
  Helping Hand. 
   
  Shaundakul is very willing to share his 
  worshippers, understanding fully the degree 
  
   
  23!
  to which the people of Faerûn seek guidance, 
  counsel, and solace from many of the deities, 
  some on a nearly daily basis. Some deities do 
  not take this long view, preferring that their 
  worship is more solitary. As Shaundakul has 
  seen in the past, this view is not healthy, and 
  can lead to a deity being removed from the 
  pantheon. Shaundakul believes fully that this 
  diverse 
  polytheistic 
  approach 
  is 
  directly 
  responsible for him keeping his divinity 
  during his lowest points.  
   
  As Shaundakul’s followers have begun to 
  increase in numbers, another duty put forth 
  to them is to reclaim and rediscover the 
  ancient shrines dedicated to him. Sometimes 
  Shaundakul will send a vision or a windghost 
  to act as a guide when a priest gets 
  particularly close to a lost shrine. Re-
  sanctifying these shrines, and spreading the 
  knowledge of their locations, are additional 
  aspects of the spread of his faith, and a duty 
  of his clergy. 
   
   
  The Daily Zephyr 
   
  Clergy tend to live off the land, providing for 
  themselves and often for their companions as 
  well. A lot of the clergy hire onto caravans 
  traveling across Faerûn from the Moonsea in 
  the east all the way to the northern Sword 
  Coast, as well as points even further afield. 
  Many trading costers across the Realms will 
  put a traveling priest of Shaundakul up for a 
  night or two, hoping to persuade them to 
  accompany a caravan of theirs in the future. 
  Many of his priests take up a traveling, 
  adventuring lifestyle. These priests tend 
  towards groups that focus on expeditions of 
  discovery, or ones that seek out and explore 
  old ruins. Oftentimes these adventuring 
  priests lean towards leadership or guidance 
  roles inside these groups. Group affiliations 
  outside of the Church are not unheard of, but 
  are not common.  Of all the organizations, 
  the Harpers most likely have more faithful of 
  Shaundakul among their ranks than any 
  other. However, at least one follower is 
  working with the Zhentarim, and some 
  others at least peripherally deal with many of 
  the more good-aligned groups. Those groups 
  or individuals that seek to harm or disrupt 
  trade, those that seek to explore, but hide 
  those secrets they find, and those who would 
  oppose or prevent mining run at cross-
  purposes to those of Shaundakul’s followers. 
   
  Priests of Shaundakul not only seek out lost 
  shrines, they attempt to visit as many 
  existing shrines as they are able. They also 
  try to construct new shrines when they have 
  the means and are presented with a worthy 
  location. Such locations would include newly 
  discovered 
  valleys, 
  mountaintops 
  not 
  previously climbed, or new islands or lands 
  further away. Sometimes these shrines are 
  as simple as piled rocks in the form of a 
  crude throne, or as complicated as magically-
  crafted thrones. In areas of strong winds, 
  holes are sometimes drilled or shaped into 
  these shrines, to capture the winds and form 
  natural whistles. 
   
  Soon after the Time of Troubles, Shaundakul 
  began seeking out new worshippers again. 
  He was known at the time to appear to 
  rangers, fighters, wizards, and rogues of 
  non-evil alignment, whom he attempted to 
  sway to his worship. Many at the time had 
  never heard of him – but this soon changed. 
  Since he was not concerned with having to 
  share his worshippers with other deities, he 
  attracted many followers. After a period of 
  time, he decreased his own efforts at this, 
  relying on word of mouth from previously 
  approached individuals and new clergy. In 
  the years since the Time of Troubles, his 
  base of worshippers has spread greatly. 
   
  Shaundakul’s worshippers span most of the 
  major races of Faerûn. Obviously, humans 
  are the primary explorers, due to their higher 
  birthrate and naturally inquisitive nature. 
  Half-elves are also attracted to Shaundakul’s 
  worship, as they oftentimes do not feel 
  completely at home in either their elven or 
  human parents’ societies. Halflings who 
  prefer a more nomadic existence are also 
  drawn to Shaundakul’s faith. Some of the 
  more urban dwarves, especially those with 
  fewer ties to dwarven society, will often 
  gravitate to Shaundakul because of his 
  governance of miners among the human 
  deities. Of all the primary races, elves are 
  the least likely to venerate the Wind Rider, 
  but elven worshippers are not unheard of. 
   
  Worshippers pray in the mornings, as the sun 
  rises. They offer prayers to Shaundakul 
  
   
  24!
  whenever the winds significantly change 
  direction, and they also pray when the winds 
  are still, in an effort to bring the breezes 
  back. When traveling by sea, worshippers 
  often stay on deck during the trip, relishing 
  in the winds and breezes that propel the 
  ship. Worshipers revel in being under the 
  darkening skies before a storm hits, though 
  they will protect themselves from danger, as 
  well as the elements. Faithful sometimes feel 
  out of place below ground, where the winds 
  rarely blow. Many, however, use this time to 
  try and learn about the underground world, 
  as that is where mining takes place. 
   
  Singing is quite common with Shaundakul’s 
  worshippers, as is the playing of simple 
  woodwind instruments. Many prefer to sleep 
  outdoors when traveling, as opposed to using 
  a tent, but common sense dictates when they 
  protect themselves.  
   
   
   
  
   
  25!
  !
  !
  Collection VIII 
  By Chris Jameson!(Adventures I – VI)!!
  & Scott Kujawa (Adventure VII - XII)!
  !
  Being a collection of adventure hooks and starting tales for use in the Forgotten Realms 
   
  Authors’ Note for Hooks VII-XII: I hope 
  that these hooks are useful... I’m not sure 
  how many people have Monster Manual IV, 
  but I looked through it and noticed that some 
  of the monsters don’t have a “Monsters in 
  Faerûn” entry. So I wrote my own Faerûn-
  type entries for those monsters. 
   
  Adventure Hook!I!
   
  The most important person in the Alsevir 
  family is an imposter. 
   
  Though they lack the prestige of many of 
  Cormyr’s more well-known noble families, 
  the Alsevir family is one of the oldest noble 
  houses in the Forest Kingdom. Ennobled by 
  King Moriann for their service against the 
  goblins of Hlundadim, the Alsevirs have long 
  been loyal supporters of the crown. 
    
  In more recent years, the house’s loyalties 
  have become divided. The patriarch, Durann 
  Alsevir, owes his life to the late King Azoun 
  IV, and would sacrifice every coin of his 
  family’s wealth to ensure that the child king 
  Azoun V lives to take over a strong Cormyr. 
  Though not every member of his faction of 
  the Alsevir family is as loyal as he, all of 
  them support Steel Regent Alusair and the 
  Obarskyr family. 
   
  Sonrin Alsevir, Durann’s brother, cares not a 
  whit for the Dragon Throne. The very model 
  of a disloyal and discontented nobleman, 
  Sonrin would happily see the Obarskyr family 
  reduced to mere figureheads, with a stronger 
  noble class commanding the kingdom. Sonrin 
  feels that the crown has suppressed the 
  rights of the nobility long enough; it’s time 
  for the true strength of Cormyr to lead the 
  nation to glory. If this means selling part of 
  the kingdom to Sembia or allowing Arabel to 
  rebel once more, so be it – the rabble can 
  always be brought to heel when it is 
  advantageous to the ruling nobility. 
   
  Tangrym Alsevir supports his cousin Durann. 
  However, his influence is limited. Due to 
  youthful indiscretions, Tangrym was banished 
  from the family estates by Durann’s father, 
  more than two decades ago. The elder 
  Alsevir has since died, and Durann allowed 
  his cousin to return to the ancestral home in 
  Suzail. However, Tangrym is still disfavored. 
  He remains at the family manor, but he 
  knows that his relatives have long memories 
  and that he could easily be banished again, if 
  he crossed the wrong family member. 
   
  Tangrym also has a secret. He is the only one 
  that knows that the real Durann Alsevir was 
  killed seven years ago, in an apparent 
  hunting accident. Tangrym was with Durann 
  when he died, and realized that his death 
  would allow Sonrin to take over the family. 
  Durann did leave behind a son, but the lad 
  was barely three years old at the time of his 
  father’s death. With the patriarch dead and 
  his only son too young to lead the family, 
  there was nothing to keep Sonrin from taking 
  over the family assets and using them to 
  further his own rebellious goals. 
   
  With little time to waste, Tangrym had to act 
  immediately. 
  He 
  contacted 
  Kolssari, 
  a 
  doppelganger he’d met in his adventuring 
  days. 
  Kolssari 
  agreed 
  to 
  impersonate 
  Durann; for his own reasons, he wanted to 
  see the Obarskyr family last, and he owed 
  Tangrym a great favor. 
   
  
   
  26!
  With Tangrym’s quiet help, Kolssari has led 
  the Alsevir family to new prosperity. The two 
  have also been grooming Durann’s son, 
  Dolthan, to take over the family interests in a 
  few years, when he comes of age. It’s been a 
  long and difficult charade for Kolssari and 
  Tangrym, but both know their efforts will 
  benefit the family and Cormyr. 
   
  However, “Durann” disappeared from his 
  bedchamber three nights ago. Tangrym 
  doesn’t know where the doppelganger is, but 
  he is desperate to see that Kolssari returns to 
  resume his role as head of the family. He will 
  pay 
  the 
  PCs 
  handsomely 
  if 
  they 
  can 
  discretely find and return “Durann” to his 
  family. 
   
   
  Adventure Hook II!
   
  Romlin 
  Farhammer’s 
  disappearance 
  has 
  raised as many questions as his first 
  appearance. 
   
  Romlin Farhammer, a former Great Rift 
  skyguard 
  and 
  a 
  devout 
  follower 
  of 
  Marthammor 
  Duin, 
  first 
  arrived 
  in 
  Silverymoon about a tenday ago. He spoke of 
  having found a castle partially buried in the 
  frozen reaches of the High Ice. Though 
  seemingly deserted, the ice-encrusted castle 
  remained intact and full of treasure. As proof 
  of his claims, Romlin produced a short sword 
  with a blade formed of unmelting ice, and 
  several large gemstones – including a beljuril 
  the size of an ogre’s fist!  
   
  Romlin also spoke of encountering many 
  strange undead, many of whom wielded 
  various cold-based powers as they attacked. 
  The Icy Ones, as he called them, seemed to 
  be guided by some fell intelligence, and it 
  was only luck that enabled Romlin and his 
  hippogriff steed, Sunseeker, to escape.   
   
  Romlin spent three days in Silverymoon, 
  trying to recruit adventurers to help explore 
  the castle and plunder its riches. Though he 
  kept its exact location secret, he offered to 
  provide transportation to the castle for any 
  that joined him, as well as equal shares of 
  the treasure. Several groups had expressed 
  interest in joining, and the Men of the Bladed 
  Behir had confirmed joining the planned 
  expedition. 
   
  Then Romlin disappeared. He’d retired to his 
  room for the evening, mentioning further 
  preparations to be done the following day. 
  The next morning, the innkeeper entered 
  Romlin’s room, only to find the dwarf missing 
  and a thin coating of ice covering everything 
  in the room. All of the dwarf’s possessions 
  were gone, as was his steed Sunseeker. 
   
  Three days later, Morli Farhammer came to 
  Silverymoon. As Romlin’s thunder twin, Morli 
  can sense that Romlin is somewhere to the 
  northeast. She doesn’t know if he’s healthy 
  or wounded, free or captured, but she is 
  certain that he is in trouble and needs to be 
  rescued. She recruits the PCs to help find her 
  errant twin. 
   
   
  Adventure Hook!III!
   
  A renowned bard has fallen silent. 
   
  Alariel Snowlark is one of the North’s most 
  renowned bards. A lovely half-elf from 
  Neverwinter, she is widely considered to 
  have one of the most beautiful singing voices 
  the gods have ever granted a mortal. Even 
  the famed bard Mintiper Moonsilver was 
  enchanted by Alariel. He composed a ballad 
  about her, “The Winter Lyrewing”, in which 
  he compared her to the intelligent songbird 
  bards often associate with love. The ballad 
  refers to Alariel’s voice as “liquid moonlight”, 
  and says that even the goddess Sune Firehair 
  is captivated by her singing. 
   
  In the cities of the North, Alariel is very 
  popular. Nobles and fine inns alike compete 
  for her attention, and her lodgings are often 
  provided by whoever was lucky enough to 
  win her regard. Alariel is favored by many 
  guilds, too, and receives most goods and 
  services – particularly clothing – at very 
  favorable prices.  
   
  The PCs are lucky enough to be staying in an 
  inn when Alariel arrives. She performs many 
  popular songs, including a haunting rendition 
  of 
  “Valira’s 
  Lost 
  Love”. 
  After 
  her 
  performance, she leaves the stage to partake 
  of a meal. She is joined by a handsome half-
  
   
  27!
  elf, and the two spend hours in quiet 
  conversation. As the night grows old, Alariel 
  retires to her room, accompanied by the 
  handsome stranger. 
   
  The next morn, Alariel awakes to find herself 
  alone. Her nocturnal companion is gone, and, 
  to her horror, so is her voice! She doesn’t 
  know when the stranger left, but she does 
  have a vague, dream-like memory of him 
  chanting over her in the middle of the night. 
  The 
  words 
  he 
  spoke 
  were 
  somehow 
  disquieting, and left an odd tingling in her 
  throat. 
   
  Alariel can’t provide the stranger’s name, 
  either. She has no memory of it, and 
  suspects that the handsome half-elf may 
  have charmed her in order to get close 
  enough to steal her voice. She has little 
  information more than this to offer. All of the 
  information she shared had to be written on 
  parchment, but her expression still reveals 
  the depths of her loss.  
   
  Alariel can’t offer the PCs much money for 
  their help, but having such a famous bard in 
  their debt can be worth far more than gold. 
   
  Note: I should like to thank Ed Greenwood 
  and his lovely assistant The Hooded One for 
  their assistance with this hook. Lyrewings are 
  a type of songbird that have not yet been 
  published in Realmslore; I thank Ed for 
  telling me of them, and the lovely Lady 
  Hooded One for acting as an email go-
  between. 
   
   
  Adventure Hook!IV!
   
  Paelitha Talns owes her life to a mysterious 
  stranger – and this frightens her. 
   
  Now a successful clothier in Neverwinter, 
  Paelitha 
  was 
  once 
  a 
  sword-swinging 
  adventurer. She and her companions had 
  enjoyed modest success, until finding a 
  ruined tower in the depths of the Lurkwood. 
  Paelitha was the only survivor of the ill-fated 
  attempt to explore the ruins; she and her 
  companions had been assaulted by relentless 
  waves of undead. Paelitha managed to 
  escape the tower, but was severely wounded 
  and almost delirious from the loss of blood. 
  After wandering in the forest for several 
  hours, she collapsed, exhausted by her 
  wounds and her exertions. She likely would 
  have died right there, but a mysterious 
  woman rescued her. 
   
  Paelitha never found out the woman’s name. 
  Her rescuer was a plain, dark-haired woman 
  in simple garb, accompanied by a trio of 
  foxes and a pair of ravens. The only 
  remarkable 
  thing 
  about 
  the 
  woman’s 
  appearance 
  was 
  a 
  soft 
  blue 
  glow, 
  a 
  shimmering of light that was hardly visible, 
  even in the shadowed depths of the forest. 
  The woman touched Paelitha’s forehead, 
  speaking a single word. Paelitha instantly fell 
  into a deep slumber.  
   
  When she awoke, hours later, the mysterious 
  woman was gone. She’d left a small fire, and 
  a simple but filling meal of roasted rabbit and 
  wild 
  berries. 
  Most 
  importantly, 
  all 
  of 
  Paelitha’s wounds were healed, leaving a 
  slight tingling behind, but no scars. Even her 
  clothing and equipment had been repaired.  
   
  Paelitha searched, but was unable to find any 
  signs of her benefactor. After a time, she 
  ended her search, and began the journey 
  homeward. When she reached Neverwinter, 
  she bought a small clothing store, and 
  resolved never again to leave the city unless 
  business demanded it. 
   
  This was over a decade ago. Paelitha has 
  since married a member of the guard, and 
  borne him a single son, Kaelin. To all 
  appearances, Kaelin is a normal boy, full of 
  the trouble and innocence only a child of 
  eight summers can muster. However, Kaelin 
  has begun to demonstrate some decidedly 
  un-childlike abilities. He can already speak to 
  and 
  understand 
  nearly 
  any 
  animal 
  he 
  encounters, and seems to enjoy conversing 
  with dogs and horses in particular. He also 
  seems able to cause small objects to float in 
  the air, and Paelitha once caught him trying 
  to make himself float in the air, as well. Most 
  worrisome for his mother, Kaelin sometimes 
  displays the same blue glow she saw around 
  her rescuer. 
   
  Paelitha doesn’t know how her son has come 
  by his new abilities, but she fears it is the 
  result of something done by her long-ago 
  
   
  28!
  rescuer. She hires the PCs to try to find the 
  mysterious woman, and to find out why her 
  son has these unusual powers. Though she’s 
  unwilling to leave the town herself, she can 
  provide a map to the ruined tower she had 
  escaped from before being rescued. 
   
   
  Adventure Hook!V!
   
  The halfling assassin Andulin Hollowthorn 
  fears only one person in the Realms – his 
  grandmother. 
   
  Andulin Hollowthorn was once a bright and 
  optimistic young halfling. He left his home in 
  Luiren almost two decades ago, seeking 
  adventure and wanting to see the wider 
  Realms. He traveled first to Calimshan, 
  where he was captured and sold into slavery 
  on trumped-up charges. He was sold to 
  Majiid el Akar, a powerful but unassuming 
  wizard, who trained Andulin to be an 
  assassin. 
   
  Andulin at first hated what he had become, 
  but found the magical ties placed by the 
  wizard too much to escape. After several 
  years, Andulin grew inured to his situation. 
  His youthful optimism replaced by grim 
  fatalism, the halfling barely noticed the evil 
  growing within himself. When el Akar died in 
  a duel, Andulin finally found himself free of 
  his arcane bonds. He left Calimport, but not 
  to return to Luiren, as he had once dreamed. 
  He instead wandered northward, seeking a 
  new home. He eventually found himself in 
  Sembia, where he realized that a skilled 
  assassin could earn much gold in a land ruled 
  by merchants. 
   
  Since settling in Sembia, Andulin’s renown as 
  a hired killer has grown. He has slain victims 
  as far north as Zhentil Keep, and as far south 
  as Chondath. He’s been very careful to insure 
  that none of his slayings can be directly 
  traced back to himself, avoiding justice while 
  driving up the demand for his services. 
  Murder for hire is a dark business, but 
  Andulin has done well for himself. 
   
  Perhaps 
  too 
  well. 
  Though 
  he 
  never 
  considered it, word of his deeds has reached 
  Luiren. 
  His 
  grandmother, 
  Lenalla 
  Hollowthorn, 
  is 
  horrified 
  at 
  what 
  her 
  grandson has become. A very formidable 
  woman, Lenalla has decided that her errant 
  grandson needs to face justice. She hires 
  Walder Greenthistle, a notable adventurer, to 
  bring Andulin home. 
   
  Walder describes himself as "The halfling who 
  leaves hearth and burrow so that others 
  don't have to." A capable warrior and priest, 
  Walder fears that his skills are not sufficient 
  to 
  capture 
  a 
  well-known 
  assassin 
  and 
  transport him home. Not wanting to fail 
  Lenalla, Walder hires the PCs to help him 
  capture Andulin. He can’t offer a large 
  amount of money, but assures the PCs that 
  Lenalla is quite well-connected and could find 
  ways to make their journey to Luiren 
  worthwhile. 
   
   
  Adventure Hook!VI!
   
  Not all Netherese cities drifted among the 
  clouds. 
   
  Those who know of the ancient realm of 
  Netheril know that many Netherese enclaves 
  floated in the sky, far above the land below. 
  Few 
  sages 
  realize, 
  though, 
  that 
  some 
  Netherese cities were located in far different 
  environs. One such city was Crossaer, a 
  small city founded several miles off the 
  Sword Coast, about a thousand feet beneath 
  the ocean’s surface. The city’s mythallar 
  created and sustained a large dome of 
  breathable air around the city, and also 
  prevented the sea’s inhabitants from entering 
  the city.  
   
  Life in Crossaer didn’t follow the frantic pace 
  of life in the enclaves. Crossaer’s arcanists 
  simply wished to pursue their research in 
  peace, unbothered by the affairs of the rest 
  of 
  Netheril. 
  Many 
  of 
  the 
  arcanists 
  experimented with sea life, finding ways to 
  grow 
  coral 
  buildings 
  and 
  weapons, 
  or 
  modifying the various creatures of the deep. 
  The few sages that know of the city believe 
  that selkies originated in Crossaer, though 
  their proof is hardly conclusive.  
   
  Despite its location, the Fall of Netheril was 
  just as disastrous to Crossaer as it was to the 
  flying enclaves. When the mythallar quit 
  functioning, the dome of air covering the city 
  
   
  29!
  collapsed. Thousands of gallons of sea water 
  rushed to fill the void. Most of the city’s 
  inhabitants were crushed by the pressure; 
  the unlucky ones drowned as water filled the 
  few remaining air-filled chambers and rooms. 
  Many of the city’s buildings were also 
  crushed, the pressure of the water crumpling 
  them into piles of rubble.  
   
  The city lay undiscovered on the bottom of 
  the sea for many centuries. Last month, the 
  Company of the Blinded Shrike discovered 
  that Crossaer still existed. Exploring an 
  ancient complex of subterranean chambers, 
  they found a portal leading to the city. There 
  are indications that the portal is no more 
  than a century or two old, and the chamber it 
  leads to appears to have been magically 
  repaired and filled with air. Notably, the 
  chamber is also warded against the intrusion 
  of undead. 
   
  The adventurers weren’t able to explore 
  much of the city, for they found it swarming 
  with undead. Many of the undead appeared 
  to be little more than skeletons, but they cast 
  fearsome spells and acted with a malign 
  intelligence. The Company of the Blinded 
  Shrike escaped with all of their members, but 
  it was a very close thing. They are quite 
  unwilling to return to “that underwater 
  deathtrap”, as they called it. 
   
  Many mages and adventurers are scrambling 
  to be the first to explore the lost city. The 
  PCs are hired to go into the city by Jandal the 
  Whistler, a priest of Mystra. Jandal believes 
  that the long-lost silver plates of Koss Yeldeni 
  can be found within the city’s temple to 
  Mystryl. It’s said that the silver plates hold 
  many secrets of magic lost to today’s 
  wizards. They are quite important to Mystra’s 
  faith, but there are many less than devout 
  wizards who would love to obtain such lost 
  lore. 
   
   
  Adventure Hook!VII 
   
  The High Mage Rhialonil has settled into 
  reclaimed Myth Drannor, where she is 
  researching the history of Moander for the 
  Sad Queen. The sun elf has been studying 
  the Rotting God from the time of Netheril up 
  to 
  his 
  death 
  at 
  the 
  hands 
  of 
  Finder 
  Wyvernspur. During her research, she has 
  come to believe that the briarvexes that have 
  spontaneously appeared in the High Forest 
  are remnants of the duel between Moander 
  and Finder. Rhialonil is actively seeking 
  information about the fell creatures; she can 
  draw upon Evermeet’s coffers to reward 
  anyone who brings her more information 
  about her studies, proof about her theory, or 
  information about what the briarvexes plan 
  to do in the High Forest. 
   
   
  Adventure Hook!VIII!
   
  Another secret that Lathander hid after the 
  Dawn Cataclysm failed was the creation of 
  the creatures now known as concordant 
  killers. Fearsome warriors, these half-fiend, 
  half-celestial beings appeared in Faerûn after 
  that event. Their only goal is to keep the 
  balance, and to make sure that Lathander 
  doesn’t cause another event like the Dawn 
  Cataclysm.  
   
  In recent years, many of these beings have 
  been seen gathering throughout Faerûn, in 
  places where Lathander’s faithful are more 
  concentrated. For now, the concordant killers 
  only watch and gather information – but 
  many of the faithful fear that the planar 
  beings are planning to attack and destroy 
  Lathander’s churches, to stop the dawn deity 
  from making another mistake. The few 
  faithful that have been brave enough to 
  speak with these beings have learned that 
  the killers speak of Lathander’s Deliverance. 
  What that is, no one seems to know – or at 
  least, they are not willing to discuss it with 
  the lesser clergy.  
   
  (Author’s Note: My thanks to Eric L. Boyd and Erik 
  Mona for the Deliverance passage in Lathander’s 
  entry in Faiths & Pantheons.) 
   
   
  Adventure Hook!IX!
   
  Now that Orcus has returned to his layer in 
  the Abyss, he has been gathering his forces 
  again. He captured many of Kiaransalee’s 
  faithful when she fled his realm; the corpses 
  of these unfortunates have provided fuel for 
  his experiments. Using his blood and his 
  
   
  2:!
  necromantic skills, he created pits of vile 
  essence from which a new breed of demon 
  emerged.  
   
  These new fiends, known as deathdrinkers, 
  have started appearing in Narfell. There, they 
  search for and try to free tanar’ri that have 
  been sealed away. The Witches of Rashemen 
  are also concerned, because many of these 
  fiends have been seen along the northern 
  borders 
  of 
  Rashemen. 
  The 
  leaders 
  of 
  Rashemen are willing to hire outsiders to 
  enter the lairs of these demons and remove 
  them from Narfell.    
   
  Additionally, 
  Orcus 
  has 
  sent 
  many 
  deathdrinkers to the Fugue Plain to gather 
  the souls of Kiaransalee’s faithful as they 
  cross over from Faerûn. So far, Kelemvor and 
  Jergal haven’t chastised Orcus for this, but 
  that may be because the devils have been 
  keeping the tanar’ri from becoming too 
  strong. 
   
   
  Adventure Hook!X 
  !
  It is believed that Loviatar visited Waterdeep 
  during the Time of Troubles. Before her 
  arrival in the City of Splendors, she visited 
  her temple in Zhentil Keep. While she rested 
  within the temple, she noticed some elf-like 
  fey residing in the city slums. After studying 
  them, she realized that these fey are bound 
  to the Ethereal Plane. As soon as the Time of 
  Troubles ended, she sent an avatar to the 
  fey. The deity and the fey came to an 
  agreement: she would protect them from 
  their old masters, the ethergaunts, and the 
  joystealers 
  would 
  drain 
  joy, 
  love, 
  and 
  happiness from the mortals that live in 
  Faerûn’s various cities. This would bring pain 
  to Lliira, one of Loviatar’s enemies. 
   
  In retaliation, Lliira formed the Scarlet 
  Mummers. Their duties, besides hunting 
  Loviatar’s clergy and protecting Lliira’s clergy 
  or lay worshippers, are to hunt down and 
  destroy joystealers. A band of Mummers has 
  recently settled in Crimmor in Amn, and has 
  the help of the Theater of Joy in hunting 
  down 
  that 
  city’s 
  joystealers. 
  Chynna 
  Crytrapper, the leader of the Theater, is 
  offering a reward of fifty gold pieces per 
  joystealer to any adventurer, or adventuring 
  band, who wishes to help the Scarlet 
  Mummers 
  destroy 
  the 
  joystealers 
  in 
  Crimmor. 
   
   
  Adventure Hook!XI 
   
  Lunar ravagers have been a bane to Selûne 
  ever since their birth during the battle 
  between the Moonmaiden and Shar. Shar 
  formed an alliance with these fey; they now 
  fight at the side of the Mistress of the Night. 
  On 
  nights 
  when 
  Selûne 
  is 
  full, 
  Shar 
  commands 
  her 
  lunar 
  ravagers 
  to 
  ride 
  moonbeams down to Faerûn to attack 
  Selûne’s clergy, wherever they could be 
  found. After they have collected enough 
  trophies from Selûne’s faithful, the ravagers 
  return to their lodges in the Shadow Plane to 
  celebrate their kills, rest, and to prepare for 
  another full moon. 
   
  With the pact that the Red Wizards have 
  formed with some of the lodges of the 
  ravagers, Shar has been watching the 
  ravagers train for an attack against Aglarond. 
  The Simbul has asked the Harpers and their 
  agents 
  for 
  any 
  information 
  on 
  the 
  weaknesses of these fey, so that she can be 
  better prepared for their inevitable attack. As 
  payment for the information, she is willing to 
  give a spell to a user of the Art or a few 
  minor magical items. If the adventurers 
  manage to get into Thay and destroy the 
  ravagers, she is willing to give more wealth 
  or a small plot of land where the adventurers 
  could create a stronghold. 
       
   
  Adventure Hook!XII!
   
  Since becoming a deity, Velsharoon has 
  continued to create new undead. Some of his 
  more vile successes are the creatures called 
  vitreous drinkers. One of these undead, 
  Olelvil, has settled into Silverymoon, where it 
  has taken up residence in a building west of 
  the Market. Since it is a spy, infiltrator, and 
  information broker, it has formed an alliance 
  with Xara Tantlor, the owner of The Shining 
  Scroll. 
  The 
  two 
  regularly 
  exchange 
  information. 
  However, 
  Olelvil’s 
  time 
  in 
  Silverymoon might be running out, because 
  
   
  31!
  the High Guard has been investigating why 
  many of the citizens of Silverymoon have 
  gone blind. When they learn that an undead 
  creature has infiltrated the city, they will ask 
  adventurers to find the evil creature and 
  remove it. The drinker’s treasure most likely 
  consists of books, missives about the people 
  of 
  Silverymoon, 
  and 
  other 
  goods. 
  The 
  adventurers are free to keep anything they 
  find, unless it is material that could cause 
  harm to Silverymoon and her citizens.  
  !
  !
  !
  !
  !
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  32!
  !
  !
   
  By Jorkens 
  Illustration by Tiziano Baracchi 
   
   
  About Sprites and Faeries 
    
  hrough 
  the 
  turning 
  of 
  thousands of seasons, the 
  inhabitants 
  of 
  the Seelie 
  Court 
  have 
  spread 
  themselves into innumerable 
  worlds, creating new myths 
  and 
  societies. 
  From 
  the 
  court of the mythical Titania and Oberon, 
  they have fluttered and played through 
  green-canopied forests and winding river 
  valleys where few others have wandered. The 
  children of the Seelie Court were named by 
  one of the esteemed monks of far off 
  Candlekeep 
  the 
  “true 
  nomads 
  of 
  the 
  dimensions”, a designation I find quite 
  appropriate. 
   
  As each turn of the seasons comes to a close, 
  the king and queen of the Seelie Court 
  encourage thousands of their whimsical 
  sylvan subjects to leave the gigantic oaken 
  halls that comprise their throne room. For 
  those about to leave, the gates that by now 
  bind nearly every world and dimension in the 
  multiverse to the gardens of the faeries are 
  opened. By means of these gates, it is 
  guaranteed that the bonds between these 
  wanderers and their homeland are not 
  broken. Titania’s realms are now without 
  borders any mortal mind can detect, and her 
  subjects more numerous than the drops of 
  the sea. 
   
  Those that have traveled through wizardly 
  gates or by the magic of dragons into the 
  secret realms of the Seelie peoples feel as if 
  they are spanning the reaches of time and 
  wonder itself. These travelers know that it 
  can be extremely frustrating and demanding 
  to associate with the innumerable inhabitants 
  of these magical realms. If there is one 
  common characteristic among the children of 
  Titania and her court, it is an extreme 
  reluctance to worry about the troubles of this 
  world. The children of the Seelie Court live 
  for the happiness that life offers, not its 
  sorrows. 
   
  The same tendency to look away can be seen 
  as one travels between worlds, but in a 
  different form and for different reasons. The 
  fey races are possessed of a shifting and 
  highly magical nature that makes them quite 
  susceptible to impressions, both from their 
  surroundings and from other beings. The 
  Seelie races will, to a far greater degree than 
  other living beings, be shaped by the 
  influences of the world and can, with time, be 
  changed right to their very core. This 
  explains why one often will meet faeries, 
  sprites, 
  elves 
  and 
  nature 
  spirits 
  that 
  outwardly look identical to others one has 
  seen, but that in manner and behavior can 
  be diametrically opposite. Other times one 
  will stand before a creature seemingly unique 
  but that will proclaim, unflinchingly, to be a 
  member of a people bearing little or no 
  likeness to it. It is my belief that the children 
  of Titania do not put as much thought into 
  form as others do. They will therefore count 
  themselves among the people to whom they 
  feel the most mentally similar, and will break 
  with these for reasons of the mind, not the 
  body. 
   
  In my mind, the clearest – and at the same 
  time most frightening – example of this is the 
  existence of the Unseelie Court. This dark 
  empire and its ruler, the poetically named 
  Queen of Air and Darkness, have servants 
  spread out among nearly as many realms as 
  the Seelie Court. These creatures, which I 
  would almost describe as the anti-faeries, 
  usually follow in the tracks of the faerie 
  races. They take great pride and pleasure in 
  creating as much chaos and mischief as 
  possible, both among the natives of other 
  worlds, and among the Seelie races. In no 
  land are the faeries safe from the whispers of 
  the 
  Queen 
  and 
  the 
  temptations 
  she 
  
   
  33!
  represents, and in her wake, once-laughing 
  faeries now travel as bloodthirsty shadow-
  beings. 
   
  The 
  Unseelie 
  threat 
  has 
  also 
  provided 
  another constant for the Seelie people: the 
  mistrust of the dwarven races. In the minds 
  of the faeries, it is impossible to forget that 
  the bearded ones under the mountains were 
  responsible for the corruption of Titania’s 
  sister, 
  when 
  they, 
  in 
  their 
  ignorance, brought forth the 
  Black Diamond. I will not 
  dwell on this legend here, 
  as this treatment has 
  the 
  sprites, 
  more than the 
  Seelie Court as 
  whole, 
  as 
  its 
  subject. 
   
  The instability 
  of the faerie 
  nature 
  has 
  been 
  seen 
  by 
  some 
  sages, 
  particularly 
  among 
  the 
  great 
  schools 
  of 
  Chondath 
  and 
  the 
  earlier writers 
  of the Shoon, 
  as a sign of 
  their 
  incompleteness 
  as 
  living 
  creatures, and 
  therefore 
  a 
  sign 
  of 
  weakness. 
  I 
  disagree 
  with 
  this 
  notion… 
  Only 
  in 
  the 
  arrogance 
  of 
  the unknowing 
  can one race 
  define what is a 
  whole creature from the terms the gods have 
  laid out for themselves. I will assert that this 
  instability is the key to their success, and 
  that the ability to change with the demands 
  of the world has been their greatest weapon 
  for survival trough the ages. Most Seelie 
  creatures will easily forget sorrows, and 
  easily remember pleasures, in a life that to 
  them is always moving forwards. Only the 
  greatest of tragedies can break this image in 
  the mind of faeries, and this ruin will leave 
  their minds open to the Queen of Air and 
  Darkness. 
   
  The Seelie state of 
  unworried bliss also 
  extends into the feys’ 
  love life, particularly for 
  the 
  faeries. 
  The 
  faeries love easily 
  and will multiply 
  in 
  uncountable 
  forms, 
  both 
  with other 
  children 
  of Titania, 
  and 
  with 
  any 
  other 
  creatures 
  that make 
  it 
  possible 
  for the fey 
  to love them. 
  If 
  surroundings 
  necessitate 
  a 
  change to the 
  Seelie 
  creatures’ 
  form, 
  breeding 
  and magic will let 
  them take these 
  new forms in a 
  very short time. 
  With travel back 
  and 
  forth 
  through 
  the 
  portals of realities 
  and 
  dimensions, 
  these forms will 
  again spread to 
  other worlds and 
  back to the Seelie 
  court. 
   
  This 
  has 
  created a nightmare 
  of chaos worthy of a demon of the southern 
  lands for any sage or learned scribe wanting 
  to put the Seelie people into a form of 
  system or classification. To best preserve 
  one’s sanity, it is advisable to simply take a 
  
   
  34!
  Seelie creature’s word for what it is, and let it 
  be with that. 
   
  For an example of this diversity of form, one 
  can look at the family of sprites. This 
  grouping of small-sized fey creatures, usually 
  viewed as the truest children of Titania, have 
  in reality few common denominators. Even 
  wings are not universal among all the sprite 
  races. No scribe has ever found any certain 
  links between pixies, nixies, grigs, sprites, or 
  water sprites, and the faeries themselves 
  have not been known to offer much help on 
  the subject. To the fey, the questions of 
  sages and scribes have generally been 
  golden opportunities to play tricks on “the 
  lumbering giants”, and the information they 
  have 
  given 
  has 
  varied 
  between 
  the 
  somewhat 
  dubious 
  to 
  the 
  absolutely 
  unbelievable, in every sense of the word. 
   
  It should also be noted here that any 
  sage trying to find a path trough this 
  bramble of lines and likenesses would 
  also have to discard, or at least 
  downplay, the likenesses and links to 
  leprechauns, brownies, flower faeries, 
  tree spirits, nymphs, kilmoullis, etc. 
  To put it simply, the faeries are a 
  magical race, and no mortal can have 
  more than a marginal understanding 
  of them.   
   
  I will here concentrate on the sprite proper. 
  You can, for simplicity’s sake, stop worrying 
  about these definitions, as I will not return to 
  the subject in this article. 
     
   
  The Abilities and Appearance of 
  Sprites 
    
  Abilities 
    
  When most humans see a small, winged, 
  elflike being, they think of the legendary 
  pixies. But among the family of sprites, the 
  most common and important members are, 
  well, the sprites, not the more well-known 
  pixies. The creatures that have given their 
  name to this tangled grouping are more 
  flighty, 
  and 
  according 
  to 
  some, 
  more 
  primitive and shyer than the pixies, and 
  therefore have less influence on the lands. 
  But if you ask, you will find that most druids, 
  rangers and elves can bear witness to the 
  fact that the sprites are far more commonly 
  met in the woodlands than most other fey 
  races. Most people of the woodlands have 
  learned to look for signs of the sprites; for 
  those that know the sylvan lands, sprites are 
  a common sight in forests safe for passage. 
  By safe passage, I mean any place not made 
  uninhabitable by the ravages of dragons, 
  orcs, and such. The lands of the sprites may 
  hold plenty of danger, but they are not 
  deathtraps. 
   
  The frequency of the sightings is not solely 
  because the sprites are a numerous species. 
  They also differ from pixies in that invisibility 
  is not their natural state. Like many other 
  faeries, 
  they 
  have 
  the 
  ability 
  to 
  turn 
  themselves invisible when danger threatens, 
  but this is not a natural form for them, and 
  no sprite would ever live his or her life in 
  such a state. In fact, one of the most 
  important differences between the sprites’ 
  and pixies’ abilities is that the sprites are not 
  able to see each other in their invisible state. 
  Therefore it becomes a state of isolation, 
  only entered on fear of death. A person’s first 
  encounter with sprites will probably be as a 
  victim of their tricks, but if that person were 
  to come near the sprites, they would have a 
  good chance of actually catching a glimpse of 
  them. 
   
  To summarize on the subject of the sprites’ 
  invisibility: I have already said that they are 
  not naturally invisible creatures, even if they 
  can enter the state with little effort. It is 
  therefore an ability, not a state. One of the 
  best arguments supporting this theory is that 
  the sprites are not able to negate the 
  invisibility towards each other, something 
  that is common – and in fact a necessity – 
  among most invisible creatures. I would 
  therefore point out the fallacy inherent in 
  statements such as “no, that was not my 
  hand on your backside, it must have been an 
  Invisible Stalker trying to find its mate!” 
  Allow me to give warning: that the next 
  person that tries that joke on me will be in 
  dire trouble. 
   
  In my studies of sprites, I have more than 
  once come across evidence of them being far 
  less magical creatures than pixies, even if 
  their abilities are substantial. There are, in 
  
   
  35!
  fact, great variations in ability between the 
  various members of the sprite family. Even 
  though the pixies have given them all a 
  reputation for being highly magical creatures, 
  most of them do not form their lives around 
  their inborn magic. The elves of Eaerlann had 
  a theory about the strength of fey magic 
  being reduced by a species’ ties to the 
  physical world; I find this theory interesting, 
  but I can not say that I have seen clear proof 
  of its validity. 
   
  I should also point out that I am not referring 
  to magic as it is commonly utilized by human 
  wizards, mages, symbol-makers and rune-
  casters. Traditional wizards have been known 
  to exist among the sprites, but this has little 
  to do with the abilities that to sprites are as 
  much a part of them as our breath, our 
  digestion, or our movements. The arcane 
  talents of sprites are not something upon 
  which they dwell or give much thought, and 
  these talents are not tied to the symbols and 
  writings 
  used 
  by 
  most 
  practitioners 
  of 
  Mystra’s Weave. Nor do sprites have to 
  spend years learning to use these talents; 
  they usually manifest their magical abilities 
  before they are able to control them. Sprite 
  parents will eagerly await the first signs of 
  manifestations, and even make bets about 
  what the child will do first, take its first steps 
  or turn invisible. 
   
  When it comes to the sprites’ incredible and 
  well-known ability to detect the intentions of 
  others, there have been, through the learned 
  circles, round upon round of discussions. The 
  debate centers on whether this is a magical 
  ability, 
  a 
  form 
  of 
  telepathy, 
  or 
  just 
  uncommonly strong deductive abilities when 
  it comes to other creatures. 
   
  Most of people to whom I have spoken that 
  have studied the subject hold that it is a 
  primitive form of mind reading, but I myself 
  would call it a weak form of soul reading. I 
  have discussed this with the druids of both 
  Mistledale and of the deep valleys of the 
  Thunder Peaks, and have in both cases been 
  told that the sprites have an ability to detect 
  imbalances in other intelligent creatures. I 
  have judged this to mean that they are 
  referring to the dreams and ambitions that 
  put us above most normal animals and – in 
  the eyes of the druids – have weakened the 
  natural balance upon which the world rests.  
   
  In general, the elves I have met have shown 
  little interest in discussing the magical 
  abilities of both elven and Seelie creatures, 
  but one gold elf I met on a long travel a 
  couple of years ago told me that the fey can 
  detect the dark fingerprints of evil upon the 
  souls of other creatures. If this is true, the 
  sprites detect the prior actions of a creature, 
  not their future plans. In this case, it would 
  seem that it is more of a precaution based on 
  earlier actions, rather than foresight, which 
  leads the sprites to decide which creatures 
  they will appear before.  
   
  The sprites may detect uncaring lives of 
  murder and rapine, or it may be they sense 
  the underlying conscience, or that they feel 
  the madness evil brings with it. I must admit 
  that I have not been able to find a definitive 
  answer to the question of the sprites’ ability 
  to sense others’ inner beings. The one thing I 
  have found to more or less be certain is that 
  the ability is tied to the two antennae on the 
  sprites’ forehead, and that these feelers 
  somehow gather information about other 
  forms of life. I mostly base this on the fact 
  that there is no other logical reason for the 
  antennae that I can see. The sprites’ senses 
  in general are not exceptional, if one 
  discounts their capability for sensing the 
  motives of other creatures. 
    
  I will warn any reader of this text to not 
  judge 
  the 
  actions 
  of 
  sprites 
  by 
  the 
  information I have given above. They do not 
  always react out of spontaneous feelings 
  towards evil, even if this is a rumor that I 
  have met many times in both my journeys 
  and my studies. Both elves and druids can 
  attest that the sprites have been known to 
  plan far ahead and base their actions upon 
  both experience and historical knowledge. 
  Few sprites, for example, will attack an elf or 
  a druid, though these have been known to 
  bear the marks of cruelty as clearly as any 
  others. Conversely, few sprites will let a 
  goblin pass unharmed, no matter how far 
  from his mind evil comes. With experience 
  and knowledge there also comes a degree of 
  paranoia. It is important to remember that 
  sprites in general are more intelligent than 
  the average human, even if their somewhat 
  
   
  36!
  whimsical and inquisitive natures can lead 
  one to think the opposite.  
   
  Sprite attacks on goblins, orcs, and other 
  such 
  creatures 
  have 
  led 
  some 
  people, 
  especially earlier sages of the halls of 
  Berdusk and some of the lesser schools of 
  Turmish, to conclude that the fey have a 
  hatred for all things ugly and unaesthetic, 
  and that they will seek to preserve beauty in 
  all its forms. I find this only slightly more 
  believable 
  than 
  Agramondth 
  of 
  Hlath’s 
  ridiculous theory that the fey are elemental 
  manifestations 
  of 
  feelings, 
  incapable 
  of 
  thought and reacting out of instinct. I would 
  also point out the idiocy of the teachings of 
  Araxaran, the sage of Cimbar, when it comes 
  to this subject, and I hope time will bury his 
  words as well as it has buried his body. The 
  earlier writings of Turmish and the drunken 
  mistakes 
  of 
  Agramondth’s 
  addled 
  brain 
  should not be used to excuse today’s 
  Sembians and Chondathans ravaging the fey 
  lands. 
   
  It is my belief that these stories are more a 
  result of the all-too-human tendency to liken 
  evil and ugliness. The creatures that threaten 
  lives and existence over generations will 
  usually not become an image of beauty. 
   
  Now, let us take a closer look at the sprites… 
    
   
  Appearance 
   
  Sprites closely resemble elves, as do most 
  other Seelie creatures. Most sprites stand 
  between eight and twenty-four inches tall. 
  This varies from world to world, and any 
  single 
  group 
  of 
  sprites 
  will 
  be 
  rather 
  harmonious in size. The sprites in the Seelie 
  Court itself are about twelve inches tall. My 
  description here will be of the standard 
  Faerûnian sprites.  
   
  Their builds are uniformly slender and elflike, 
  one of the few constants among the sprites. 
  Their faces share elven features, but with 
  much larger eyes, even if these do not reach 
  the dimensions of pixies. Sprites have 
  mammalian eyes, unlike the multifaceted 
  eyes of the grigs. Among the sprites of 
  Cormanthor, the eyes are warm and brown, 
  with slightly oval faces that give them a 
  rather catlike expression. In contrast, the 
  sprites of the Wood of Sharp Teeth have 
  sharp features and cold blue eyes. Most 
  Faerûnian sprites are somewhere between 
  these two extremes.  
   
  Their pupils are usually rounded, but there 
  are stories in some areas of sprites having 
  elongated pupils, in the manner of cats. This 
  seems to stem from having a more night 
  active life. I have not seen these sprites 
  myself, but the stories originate in the area 
  between the river Chionthar and the borders 
  of the Shaar, so there might be something to 
  them. The pigments of hair, skin and eyes 
  vary as much as between different human 
  peoples, but lighter colors are the most 
  common among the sprites of Cormanthor 
  and Cormyr. Like the atomies, their heads 
  are crowned by two small antennae that arch 
  gently sideways, away from the forehead. 
   
  From their backs extend two large wings, 
  reminiscent 
  of 
  a 
  butterfly’s 
  wings. 
  In 
  proportion to their bodies, the wings are a 
  little small, a bit shorter from point to point 
  than the length of the sprite’s body. There 
  has to be some kind of magic involved in 
  keeping the sprites flying, with the wings 
  acting more as a means of steering. The 
  shape of the wings resembles a cross 
  between the wings of a butterfly and the 
  wings of a dragonfly. In contrast to most of 
  their relatives, sprites have delicate markings 
  and beautiful coloration on their wings. I can 
  not describe in words the beauty of sunlight 
  sparkling on multicolored wings. 
   
  The wing-markings of a sprite are usually 
  highly individualistic, but often bear signs of 
  family and heritage, helping sprites identify 
  each other at a distance. Some groups even 
  have markings so characteristic that when 
  traveling between worlds and communities, 
  whole towns or even larger communities can 
  be identified by their wings. 
   
  I will now be very careful when it comes to 
  describing the clothing of the sprites, out of 
  fear of giving the impression that there is any 
  sort of uniformity in this. As with humans, 
  elves 
  and 
  any 
  other 
  people, 
  culture, 
  individual taste and availability play as large 
  a role as heritage. 
   
  
   
  37!
  As is natural is for creatures with such 
  diverse habitation, sprites’ attire are strongly 
  influenced by the climate and fashions of the 
  lands they inhabit. The main difference 
  between sprites’ clothing and the clothing of 
  the non-sprites around them is usually the 
  material itself, as sprites are somewhat more 
  resistant to cold than humans. They will also 
  favor close-fitting clothes, as larger, loose 
  items get in the way of their wings while 
  flying. Light tunics are common, even in 
  harsh weather. Breeches are uncommon, and 
  soft leather boots are popular in the winter 
  months. In contrast to pixies, sprites will 
  seldom wear any form of headgear, as these 
  interfere 
  with 
  the 
  antennae 
  on 
  their 
  forehead. If they live near pixies, sprites will 
  wear pointy shoes. 
   
  Sprites, like elves and most other of the 
  sylvan races, use clothing mainly for practical 
  reasons, not modesty. I have met individual 
  sprites 
  that 
  have 
  fallen 
  in 
  love 
  with 
  fashionable clothing, and own large and 
  colorful wardrobes. 
   
  In 
  the 
  warmer 
  climes 
  south 
  of 
  the 
  Greenfields or during the summer months, 
  the sprites will often wear very little or no 
  clothing. A sprite at play will have little use 
  for any article of clothing, but a hunter will 
  find it practical to wear at least a belt for 
  bags, food pouches, etc. A loincloth will be 
  used to protect private areas if the sprites 
  plan to descend down into the undergrowth 
  of the wild lands, but more clothing is neither 
  practical nor necessary. 
   
  I have also met sprites, mostly in the areas 
  of the central and northern Sword Coast, that 
  spin cloth out of bog cotton and the silky 
  threads of butterfly cocoons. These clothes 
  are modeled on those of the elves and 
  humans that lived in the area in millennia 
  past, and the sprites of this area are seldom 
  seen naked. I have heard that these sprites 
  also live closer to the local pixies and 
  brownies, 
  something 
  that 
  may 
  have 
  influenced their habits. One sage, Barnsdall 
  of Crimmor, has theorized that these sprites, 
  who 
  also 
  show 
  a 
  larger 
  degree 
  of 
  organization and “civilization” than most 
  other sprites, may be a separate species or a 
  group of immigrants from another world. I 
  have not had the chance to verify these 
  rumors, so I can not speculate further on the 
  lives of these peoples.  
   
  In times of war or when expecting combat, 
  some of the more ferocious sprites will wear 
  armor made out of leather or, in rare cases, 
  mithril. This is more common among sprites 
  used to fighting other sprites (glorious wars 
  with very few casualties), or when fighting 
  flying creatures. Most sprites prefer to fight 
  from a distance and from ambush, making 
  armor more of a hindrance than a help 
   
  When seeking contact with races outside 
  their territory, sprites will often don clothing, 
  to avoid offending the modesty of other 
  people. They have, in my experience at least, 
  little understanding of this modesty, and find 
  it slightly comical that the naked body should 
  offend others. Still, most sprites will make 
  the effort, out of courtesy. Be warned, 
  though, if they should find it desirable, a 
  sprite will remove every garment in as short 
  a time as it takes a Sembian courtier’s wife 
  to work up a fake blush. 
   
  I have already said that the sprites prefer 
  lighter clothing, so it should therefore come 
  as no surprise that the sight of a sprite in the 
  winter time is a rare one. I have also 
  mentioned that the sprites are somewhat 
  more resistant to the elements than humans 
  – but their bodies are not immune to the 
  winter, even if they handle the cold better 
  than most races. If they leave their homes 
  during the winter, it is necessary for them to 
  dress in clothing that makes it impossible to 
  fly. Their large winter coats are made out of 
  rodent skin, and completely cover their 
  wings. In these winter times, travel in the 
  tree branches is the only available option for 
  the sprites, as they will never go down on the 
  ground without the ability to take wing and 
  flee swiftly.  
   
  Leaving their homes in winter is seldom 
  necessary for the sprites. All settlements will 
  carefully build up a store of winter food, large 
  enough to last the inhabitants through the 
  winter. Large amounts of honey, nuts and 
  dried fruits will be stored inside the trees 
  where the sprites dwell. Firewood is not 
  necessary, as the sprite community seems to 
  have some form of collective ability to heat 
  their living areas enough to keep them in 
  
   
  38!
  comfort. I suspect this to be some sort of 
  magical blessing, shared by those native to 
  the dimensions of the Faerie court, but I 
  have no proof of this. A sprite will go out into 
  the cold out of boredom a couple of times 
  each winter, but for the most part, they 
  socialize, eat from the stores, and sleep in a 
  state of near-hibernation. 
    
  Once, during the last days of the Council, I 
  traveled through the woods near Hillsfar. I 
  was seeking a group of sprites under the 
  queen Malibriinza; Syluné of Shadowdale had 
  told me about them. Eager and unlearned as 
  I was at the time, I went in the late harvest. 
  By the time I had reached the glens she 
  named as the faeries’ home, the first snow 
  had already fallen. For two months I combed 
  the 
  woodlands 
  of 
  northern 
  Cormanthor 
  without the sight of a faerie, before giving up 
  and traveling north to Hillsfar. Syluné gave 
  me a good taste of her sweetest laughter the 
  next time we met; she had heard of my 
  search during the winter months. The sprites 
  were there, she told me, watching me the 
  entire time. One of them had visited her, in 
  fact, and told her about this crazy human 
  female 
  traveling 
  through 
  the 
  snow-clad 
  lands, seemingly at a random. 
   
  Now, dear reader, I hope you will forgive me 
  for saying that all of what I have written thus 
  far has no relevance whatsoever upon one 
  aspect of the sprites’ lives. For, in the event 
  of a party in the dimensional realms of 
  Oberon and Titania, there are no dressers 
  flashier than the sprites. In their ceremonial 
  attire and silver-spun cloaks, they are the 
  very image of the impractical dandies and 
  ladies-in-waiting. 
  Few 
  sights 
  can 
  be 
  compared with that of a procession of 
  hundreds of these tiny people, dressed in the 
  finest clothes that can be made from the 
  combined divinities of our world. Here you 
  will see costumes inspired by any insect, 
  flower or bird you can imagine. These 
  costumes are especially extravagant in the 
  warm 
  interior 
  of 
  Cormanthor 
  and 
  the 
  woodlands south of the Vilhon Reach, where 
  tropical bird feathers and orchids turn the 
  faerie procession into a sight comparable to 
  that of the olden kings of Durpar.  
   
   
  By Lady Dhamina of Deepingdale 
  Marsember, the Year of the Lion 
  Theories and facts collected during the travels   
  of the Star’s Tear 
  
   
  39!
  !
  !
  The Village of Glen 
  By Jared Rascher 
  Illustration by Lucian Barasu 
   
   
  hen a storyteller or historian 
  mentions the Dalelands, one 
  often thinks of humans and 
  elves, 
  or 
  occasionally 
  pastoral 
  halflings. 
  Rarely 
  does 
  one 
  think 
  of 
  the 
  dwarves in conjunction with 
  the Dales, as they are usually associated with 
  the lands of the Savage Frontier or with the 
  Great Rift far to the south. But there is a 
  village in Mistledale known as Glen, which is 
  a bastion of dwarven culture. It was founded 
  by Ammarindar dwarves that first migrated 
  to Myth Drannor, then settled this region 
  after the City of Song fell. 
   
  Glen (Village); Conventional; AL NG; 200 
  gp limit (see below); Population 701 (631 
  dwarves; 63 humans; 7 halflings) 
   
  Authority Figures: Baern Thunderstroke, 
  head priest of the shrine of Marthammor 
  Duin 
  (NG 
  shield 
  dwarf 
  male 
  druid 
  5, 
  Marthammor Duin); Gwarr Goldenthrone, 
  head 
  priest 
  of 
  the 
  shrine 
  of 
  the 
  Morndinsamman (LG gold dwarf male cleric 
  5); Fyrfar Snowsbattle, Chief Elder of Glen 
  (NG shield dwarf male expert 10). 
   
  Important Characters: Brongulf Ironfurrow, 
  member of the Council of Elders and head of 
  the Ironfurrow merchant clan (N shield dwarf 
  male rogue 7); Chorn Stoneturner, chief 
  caravan guard and bodyguard to Brongulf 
  (NG shield dwarf male ranger 10); Wulgar 
  Browniefriend of Hillsafar Hall, adventurer 
  and betrothed to Brongulf's daughter Yrend 
  (LG shield dwarf male Fighter 10); Maegar 
  the Addled, “hedge wizard” and spellcaster 
  for hire (NG shield dwarf male wizard 7); 
  Iolar Honedaxe, adventurer and dragon egg 
  merchant (LN shield dwarf male ranger 8); 
  Shalagha Ironfurrow, proprietress of the Dark 
  Door Inn, cousin to Brongulf (NG shield dwarf 
  female expert 6). 
   
  Notable Imports: Ores (from Cormyr, via 
  Ashabenford), wood (via other communities 
  in Mistledale), trade animals (via the western 
  Mistledale ranches). 
   
  Notable Exports: Various in-ground crops, 
  including potatoes, pumpkins, turnips, and 
  most especially mushrooms (the last being a 
  year-round crop and one that is produced in 
  a great deal of variety), various spirits 
  distilled from the above crops, masterwork 
  trade 
  goods 
  (including 
  mithril 
  and 
  adamantine goods, imported from the Long 
  Road, and only sold to various trustworthy 
  clients), dragon eggs (sold to an even more 
  select, narrowly-defined group of customers). 
   
  * * * 
   
  In a dale full of rural villages, Glen is 
  noteworthy in that it is comprised mainly of 
  dwarven farmers. It is further noteworthy 
  due to the fact that the dwarves seem to 
  have a very “Dalesmen-like” attitude about 
  them. They are fairly friendly, especially to 
  those from the Dales proper. It should be 
  noted, though, that much like any inhabitant 
  of the Dales, the dwarves of Glen take note 
  of Sembian or Moonsea accents, and keep a 
  closer eye on those that hail from those 
  areas. 
   
  Glen was founded in the years after the fall 
  of 
  Myth 
  Drannor, 
  as 
  survivors 
  banded 
  together to make a new home and to defend 
  one another. The dwarves that settled Glen 
  were native to Myth Drannor by way of 
  Ammarindar in ages past. Far from their 
  homeland, and orphans of two fallen realms, 
  the dwarves of Glen, while greatly respectful 
  
   
  3:!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Map by Lucian Barasu
  of their dwarven roots and traditions, feel 
  greatly at home among the folk of Mistledale.  
   
  They have learned to love the open air and 
  their simple farming lives, though they 
  haven't given up on traditional dwarven 
  pursuits entirely. 
  
   
  41!
  he Government of Glen 
  len itself is governed by a council of six 
  lders, one from each of the major dwarven 
  milies in the town. Each elder is chosen 
  uring Shieldmeet, and either affirmed the 
  ext Shieldmeet or replaced at that time. The 
  hief Elder is chosen from the elders that 
  rved during the last term, and if need be, 
  is family places a new elder onto the council 
  eaning that one family always has a Chief 
  lder and a member on the council of elders. 
  his causes few problems, given the small 
  ze of the town and the relative lack of 
  olitical ambition within the families). The 
  nking priests of Marthammor Duin and 
  oradin Soulforger each have an honorary 
  ut respected) position on the council, as 
  ell.  
   recent years, the dwarves have allowed 
  e human families in town to appoint their 
  wn elder from amongst themselves to 
  present them on the council. The dwarves 
   general consider Glen a dwarven town, but 
  lso 
  consider 
  themselves 
  citizens 
  of 
  istledale, and have no problem with a 
  uman sitting on the Council of Elders. 
  essaneer Bellowburrow (NG halfling male 
  expert 5) has grumbled a bit that the 
  halflings in the town have no representation 
  on the council, but there are only seven of 
  them in the town. This may soon change, 
  though, as Tessaneer has relatives that were 
  visiting during the tragedy that struck 
  Stumphill, and may be living with him 
  permanently. Still, this would only double the 
  halfling population in the end. 
   
  Despite their assimilation into Mistledale’s 
  culture, most of Glen’s dwarves, as with 
  many 
  dwarven 
  communities, 
  are 
  fairly 
  competent with an axe or hammer. There is 
  no formal village guard to speak of, bu
  of the elders can call upon the young 
  dwarves of his clan to defend the village or 
  the Dale if they are ordered to do so. While 
  no dwarf has ever joined the Riders of 
  Mistledale, several dwarves have joined the 
  militia for various stints, and a few dwarven 
  rangers from Glen have served as scouts for 
  the Mistledale Militia long term. 
   
   
   
  The Dwarves and Their Gods 
   
  The dwarves of Glen pay homage to their 
  ancestors and to the Morndinsamman, but 
  the town itself is dedicated to the spirit of 
  their patron, Marthammor Duin. While the 
  rest of the dwarven pantheon shares a 
  shrine, Marthammor has his own grove just 
  on the edge of the “bowl” that houses the 
  town itself. Near this grove is a small house 
  maintained by Baern Thunderstroke, a druid 
  dedicated to Marthammor, and his three 
  attendants (3rd level druids themselves). 
  Baern also runs an apiary and sells honey in 
  town to help supplement the upkeep of his 
  home and the shrine, although the dwarves 
  of Glen would never let their patron's shrine 
  fall into disrepair. Baern's druidic tradition, 
  and the veneration of Marthammor Duin as 
  patron, is rooted in the dwarven culture as it 
  was influenced by the other inhabitants of 
  Myth Drannor.  
   
  Gwarr Goldenthrone is the gold dwarf that 
  mans the shrine to the Morndinsamman. 
  None of the dwarves of Glen are specifically 
  devoted to the Soulforger, but they all 
  greatly revere the dwarven gods. As such, 
  Gwarr, a dwarven cleric from the Great Rift, 
  traveled north on the Long Road (see below), 
  in order to ensure that there is proper 
  observance of the various dwarven rituals 
  and holy days. If asked about the presence of 
  a gold dwarf in a town of shield dwarves, 
  Gwarr only says that he is a traveler from the 
  Great Rift who has settled in the town to tend 
  to their spiritual needs, which is not, in all 
  honesty, a lie. 
   
  The Dwarves and Magic 
   
  The Moonsea Ride runs through the southern 
  part of town. Near it is a house that stands 
  rom the rest of the town. This is the 
  home of Maegar “the Addled.” The dwarves 
  in Glen collectively maintain a running joke 
  with Maegar, concerning those who visit the 
  town. 
  The 
  dwarves 
  constantly 
  make 
  disparaging comments about Maegar and his 
  addled wits, and refer to him as a lackspell 
  hedge wizard of minor power, useful for a 
  few cantrips. In truth, Maegar is the last of 
  an Ammarindar clan that was trained in 
  powerful magics. While Maegar himself isn't 
  exceptionally powerful, he has hidden in 
  T
   
  G
  e
  fa
  d
  n
  C
  se
  h
  (m
  E
  T
  si
  p
  ra
  M
  (b
  w
   
  In
  th
  o
  re
  in
  a
  M
  h
  T
  t each 
  apart f
  
   
  42!
  nt a great 
  any powerful items from Ammarindar and 
  rus Stoneblood, a promising young 
  warven wizard, recently fled from the school 
   aware, due to 
  e scheming of Bethryn Orediver. 
  epression in 
  which Glen is built, is
  hat appears to be a 
  small mine, with ver
  ttle activity. When 
  asked about this particular mine, most of the 
  inha
  rly 
  oor run of iron ore in it, but it is not played 
  nd his own bodyguard, Chorn 
  toneturner, often lead these expeditions. 
  tor that leads to the staging 
  rea can easily be disabled, leaving only a 
  few ot
  ad to 
  oor ir
  long 
  secret chambers in his baseme
  m
  Myth Drannor. Maegar's brother still lives, 
  and has actually started a secret school for 
  training dwarves in their “lost” arcane 
  traditions. This school is located just north of 
  Cormanthor, roughly equidistant from Hillsfar 
  and Voonlar. 
   
  Uldred's 
  school 
  is 
  essentially 
  its 
  own 
  community, and is home to many small 
  families plying their normal trades while 
  learning arcane skills. One particular family, 
  the Stonebloods, has elected to stay at the 
  “clanhold” for an extended period of time. 
  Eventually, the hidden school-hold might 
  become a more formal dwarven town. At the 
  moment, however, it has other concerns. 
  Theode
  d
  to Melvaunt, due to various accidents that 
  maimed other students. What Uldred is 
  unaware of is that Bethryn Orediver, a well-
  liked female student, is no dwarf at all, but a 
  Red Wizard spy. She tricked Theoderus into 
  various dangerous experiments, as well as 
  divulging the fact that Uldred's family holds 
  the Key of Xothol, an artifact said to be able 
  to open the lost school of Ammarindar's 
  wizards. 
   
  Uldred does not hold the Key of Xothal. When 
  he 
  departed 
  Glen 
  to 
  form 
  the 
  secret 
  clanhold/school, Uldred left the Key of Xothal 
  with Maegar in Glen, just to be safe. Uldred 
  is quite unlikely to reveal anything about the 
  Key, but at the same time, he is in grave 
  danger of which he is not fully
  th
   
  Maegar himself might take on one or two 
  apprentices from time to time. For the first 
  time, he has a human student, Olrand 
  Realithan, the youngest son of Glen’s current 
  human elder, as well as Thrindel Honedaxe, 
  cousin to the adventurer and dragon egg 
  merchant Iolar. 
   
  The Deep Mine and the Long Road 
   
  Outside of town and south of the Moonsea 
  Ride, on the upswing of the d
   w
  y li
  bitants of Glen will say that it has a fai
  p
  out. They send in miners when their stocks 
  get low, but would rather only put the effort 
  into the bad ore when trade with Cormyr for 
  such things isn't flowing fast enough for their 
  needs. In truth, the Deep Mine is actually the 
  access point for trade missions into the 
  Underdark.  
   
  The various dwarven families in Glen sell 
  their own crops and spirits, as well as trade 
  goods from the World Above. They pick up 
  fine dwarven and deep gnome goods from 
  the Underdark for their own use and for the 
  use of a few trusted customers in the Dales. 
  Brongulf Ironfurrow makes contacts in the 
  dale for these trade missions, and also 
  arranges for guards to travel with the 
  caravans of trade goods into the Underdark. 
  Both 
  his 
  daughter's 
  betrothed, 
  Wulgar 
  Browniefriend, a
  S
   
  The mouth of the Deep Mine does appear to 
  be a true mine, and there are several shafts 
  with various elevators not far into the mine 
  itself. One of these elevators actually lowers 
  into the staging area for the Long Road. This 
  staging area has craftsmen to repair armor, 
  weapons, and wagons, as well as stores of 
  preserved food for the long trips into the 
  Underdark. There is also an unstaffed shrine 
  to Dumathoin here, where many dwarves 
  heading into the Underdark stop and pray 
  before their trip. 
   
  The shaft eleva
  a
  her elevators that do indeed le
  p
  on ore deposits. There is also a 
  passageway from the basement of the Dark 
  Door Inn that winds to the staging area of 
  Long Road. This passage is only known to a 
  handful of those in the Ironfurrow clan's 
  favor. Beyond the ability of the dwarves to 
  cut off the elevator to the Long Road, the 
  dwarves of Glen have had to from time to 
  time refute the existence of the Long Road. 
  To those that are knowledgeable about such 
  things, the dwarves of Glen often laugh off 
  such a road, saying that anyone that knows 
  the Lands Below knows that the Underdark 
  beneath the Dalelands does not directly 
  
   
  43!
  rea that has several branching 
  aths that lead to various portals. The main 
  sh through 
  e portal nexus under the Abbey of Swords 
  g to the 
  owerdark and a community of mind flayers, 
  of note is controlled by the 
  veals its location to no one. Iolar and his 
  d homes” for such eggs. Long 
  go, the Honedaxe clan found a portal to 
  is 
  ustworthy and will treat the dragon well, 
  ase. The Honedaxe family 
  ould pay well to find out how the Cult of the 
  setting out on the Long Road, and has 
  connect to the far southern reaches where 
  the Great Rift exists. 
   
  Portals on the Long Road 
   
  The Long Road winds for several days to the 
  south, with many smaller passages, until it 
  comes to an a
  p
  portal, and one that is guarded by several 
  gold dwarf warriors, leads to the “Southern 
  Leg” of the Long Road, which then winds for 
  several more days into the Great Rift. At 
  least one other side passage leads to a portal 
  to the svirfneblin city of Dakkurabund, which 
  has been steadily trading with Glen for years, 
  though from time to time they seal off their 
  side of the portal. 
   
  There are other portals that are less well-
  known in this section of the Long Road. It 
  isn't fully known if one of the side passages 
  leads to a different portal, or if one of the 
  passages extends under Battledale, but 
  dwarves traveling the Long Road have 
  clashed with a goodly number of House 
  Jaelre scouts, as well as a few other drow 
  expeditions. These skirmishes have been 
  ongoing for years, beginning long before the 
  Jaelre drow made their major pu
  th
  a few years ago. The clashes have died down 
  a bit since then, although a few drow 
  expeditions come through from time to time. 
  Recently a portal was found leading to an 
  unnamed duergar community; the gray 
  dwarves have been sending a few probing 
  teams into the Long Road, as well. There is 
  also assumed to be a portal leadin
  L
  and the dwarves of Glen are looking for some 
  trustworthy adventurers to find this portal 
  and seal it off. 
   
  The Honedaxe Portal 
   
  The last portal 
  Honedaxe family. Iolar Honedaxe handles all 
  travel through this particular portal, and 
  re
  family have a standing relationship with a 
  mist dragon named Ulvastergristashast, who 
  is renowned among dragons as running an 
  “orphanage” of sorts. When a dragon kills a 
  rival, but does not wish to raise the offspring 
  of its defeated foe, or when a dragon feels 
  that it will be unable to care for a clutch of 
  eggs that it has produced, such eggs are 
  often taken to someone that can facilitate a 
  “surrogate” to raise the dragons, since even 
  the most vicious evil dragons are loathe to 
  see 
  draconic 
  numbers 
  dwindle.  
  Ulvastergristahast is known as a dragon that 
  can find “goo
  a
  Ulvastergristashast's 
  domain, 
  and 
  the 
  dwarves managed to forge a fairly good 
  relationship with the dragon. The Honedaxe 
  clan has never tried to find the geographical 
  location of Ulvastergristashast's lair, and they 
  do not even divulge the source of their 
  dragon eggs to the other dwarves of Glen.  
   
  The Honedaxe family spends a great deal of 
  time watching and listening to visitors that 
  seem like they may be interested in buying 
  dragon eggs. If the consensus of the various 
  agents of the family is that the visitor 
  tr
  then Iolar or one of his kinsmen will strike up 
  a conversation to further ascertain the 
  motives of the would-be dragon buyer.  
   
  In years past, some of the Honedaxe eggs 
  have made it into the hands of agents from 
  Impiltur, and recently agents of Cormyr have 
  made contact with Iolar and his agents. At 
  the moment, this relationship is somewhat 
  strained, however, because Dragon Cultists 
  ambushed the Cormyrean agents shortly 
  after their purch
  w
  Dragon managed to find out about the 
  transaction. Though they have no proof of his 
  complicity, the Honedaxe family has become 
  wary of anyone that claims a tie to the 
  merchant 
  Jarwain 
  Evensword 
  of 
  nearby 
  Ashabenford. 
   
  The Ironfurrow Clan 
   
  Brongulf Ironfurrow is a charismatic retired 
  adventurer. When he retired, he brought with 
  him several members of his clan to settle in 
  Glen. Brongulf is a true rogue and a skillful 
  merchant. He has contacts throughout the 
  Dales, and is friends with Iolar Honedaxe and 
  anyone of great importance in the town. 
  Brongulf organizes most of the caravans 
  
   
  44!
  ment of Dakkurabund. 
  hile Glen normally has a gold piece limit of 
  200 
  can 
  rocure 
  much 
  more 
  expensive 
  goods. 
  lore and stories. She also 
  as a head for business figures, and works 
  Chorn, 
  s that 
  rongulf h
  pulate 
  a 
  ts of 
   major 
  lven 
  Crusade 
  ecause 
  e locals still refer to their town as Glen, the 
  several contacts in the Great Rift as well as in 
  the svirfneblin settle
  W
  gp, if one knows Brongulf, he 
  p
  Virtually anything can be obtained in the 
  Great Rift, but this takes several tendays to 
  return to Brongulf's hands. Less expensive 
  items can be obtained from Dakkurabund, 
  and such goods can be back to Glen in less 
  than two tendays. While generally a fair 
  merchant, 
  Brongulf 
  is 
  a 
  master 
  at 
  manipulating others to do what he wants 
  them to do, and has a somewhat malleable 
  view of the truth. 
   
  Brongulf's daughter, Yrend, is a bookish girl, 
  fascinated by old 
  h
  on her father's books. When she was sent 
  with a caravan to the Great Rift to check on 
  some discrepancies, she was possessed by 
  the spirit of a duergar psion fleeing her 
  oppressive clan. Brongulf, not wanting to 
  deal with the scandal of his daughter's plight 
  due to the fact that he sent her on such a 
  dangerous mission, sent for a newly arrived 
  dwarven adventurer, Wulgar Browniefriend, 
  who lived in Ashabenford. Brongulf arranged 
  for his daughter to be attacked by a 
  “runaway” automaton, forcing Wulgar to save 
  her. 
   
  The two became betrothed. Soon after, 
  Wulgar found out that Yrend was sharing her 
  mind with the duergar psion, and he felt 
  obligated to aid in retrieving the duergar's 
  body so that she could leave Yrend in peace. 
  In the end, Brongulf ended up with his 
  daughter hale and healthy, and a new 
  caravan leader in Wulgar, who found it only 
  proper to work for the father of his future 
  wife.  
   
  Brongulf's bodyguard, know
  B
  as a tendency to mani
  others, and sometimes worries at Wulgar's 
  open acceptance of his employer. Chorn has 
  taken it upon himself to keep an eye out for 
  Wulgar, to make sure Brongulf doesn't push 
  the dwarven adventurer too far. 
   
  Shalagha Ironfurrow, Brongulf's cousin, runs 
  the Dark Door Inn, and the two of them 
  commissioned some dwarven stoneworkers 
  to aid in creating a tunnel leading from the 
  basement of the Dark Door to the staging 
  area for the Long Road. Only dwarves in the 
  employ of the Ironfurrow clan are allowed 
  access to (or even know of) the passage 
  leading from the Inn to the Road. 
   
  Surrounding Areas  
  (and Dwarven Stubbornness) 
   
  A few miles north of Glen, where the bowl 
  that contains the town levels back out again, 
  two taller walls rise on either side of the 
  trade road. Just up the side of the Moonsea 
  Ride is a small human community. This 
  community also called their town Glen, as 
  reference to the fact that their town looks 
  down into the valley on the road below. This 
  rankled the normally easygoing dwarves of 
  Glen.  
   
  For years the dwarves tried to convince the 
  humans of this “other” Glen to change their 
  name, and eventually the town itself called 
  itself Glenwatch, to differentiate it from the 
  dwarven town. Despite this, the residen
  Glenwatch often refer to their town as Glen. 
  Any time the dwarves of Glen hear about this 
  naming 
  convention, 
  they 
  are 
  often 
  aggravated. 
   
  The dwarves were so aggravated by this that 
  they brought the matter up at Shieldmeet in 
  1372 
  DR, 
  wanting 
  to 
  have 
  a 
  formal 
  recognition of the name of Glen as belonging 
  to the dwarves of Glen, and the town of 
  Glenwatch being formally named Glenwatch 
  in all Mistledale records. Ulwen Sharin, the 
  representative of the eastern farms of the 
  Dale, granted this request, though she was 
  dubious about the need for it. 
   
  A
  battle was fought during the E
  to the south of Glenwatch. B
  th
  battle has been called the Battle of Glen, 
  which 
  further 
  drives 
  the 
  dwarves 
  to 
  distraction. For their part, during the Battle 
  of Glen, the dwarves were busy holding off 
  forces that had circumvented the village of 
  Glenwatch and came down the wall onto the 
  Moonsea Ride to march into Ashabenford. 
  
   
  45!
   
   
   
   
  ater of Eldath 
  Moonfire, Blessed
  By Ch
   
  “To strive for the higher ideal – to nurture rather than destroy, to calm rather than enflame, and above 
  all, to teach the wisdom of resolving problems throu
  the Quiet One. The waters of Moonfire not only sy
  inside themselves to find new courage to step clos
   W
  ris Boor 
  gh 
  mbol
  er to 
  earn
  searc
  s
   chu
  her secrets of the priesthood, 
  to wi
  e, a 
  ep 
  words rather than actions – that is the way of 
  ise the ideal, they allow those willing to look 
  true harmony.” 
  ing I have been studying locations holy to the 
  h, I have persuaded several priests, or other 
  ites. Whilst there, I was also able to extract 
  ches, and ot
   
   
  – Selm Fletwaral, priest of Eldath 
   
  First Reader, during my time at the Leaves of L
  various clergies of Faerûn. In pursuit of my re
  worshippers, to take me to some of these sacred 
  further information about the workings of the
  through questioning, and was fortunate enough 
   
  This first offering details my visit to Moonfir
  Shadowdale. 
   
  Scribe Jostyn Falmoot of Candleke
   
  r
  tness and even participate in some rituals. 
  pool sacred to Eldath, located northwest of 
   
  s I recall, it was the start of 
  the first tenday of Mirtul, 
  my studies. I thanked Tessele, and 
  m Selm. He 
  grave importance or moments of passion. His 
   me as he said this, 
  ut I thought there was a hint of sadness – 
  e whole area 
  round it, with the help of phosphorescent 
  road. I learned he spent a lot of time in the 
  service 
  of 
  his 
  goddess. 
  He 
  was 
  quite 
  almost two tendays into my 
  stay 
  at 
  the 
  Leaves 
  of 
  Learning, when Lorekeeper 
  Venturer 
  Whitehorn 
  interrupted my research to 
  inform me that she currently had a guest she 
  believed 
  could 
  be 
  useful 
  to 
  me. 
  She 
  explained that a priest of Eldath was making 
  a brief visit to the temple, and that she 
  believed he would probably be willing to aid 
  me in 
  followed her from my chamber to be 
  introduced 
  to 
  Selmwell 
  Fletwaral. 
  I 
  introduced myself, saying I was pleased to 
  meet him and that I would appreciate any 
  help he could give me in my study of holy 
  sites. He promised me he could do better 
  than that: he would show me one, but only 
  on the condition that I called hi
  explained that the only person allowed to call 
  him by his full name was his elven love, and 
  even then only in certain situations of either 
  blue-grey eyes smiled at
  b
  perhaps longing – in them, too. 
   
  He informed me he would take me to 
  Moonfire, a pool touched by his goddess, 
  located in the woods to the northwest of 
  Shadowdale. It is an area of outstanding 
  beauty, tended by the Eldathyn clergy who 
  regularly visit it for contemplation and the 
  serenity it offers. When Selûne is full, he 
  said, the moon lights up th
  a
  mosses that grow under the water. Filled 
  with excitement about the chance to visit a 
  place that sounded so full of wonder, I 
  eagerly hurried back upstairs to pack for the 
  road, remembering to pick up some fresh 
  parchment from the Tower of Tomes – I was 
  running low, and felt I had a good chance of 
  learning much from this trip. 
   
  My companion was already dressed for the 
  
   
  46!
  rthcoming 
  with 
  information 
  about 
  the 
  church, and was an amiable companion as 
  we spent the next few days travelling north 
  towards Shadowdale. I found that I knew 
  little of the Green Goddess, perhaps one of 
  the 
  forgotten 
  deities
  pantheon. I thought he
  by other nature deiti
  followings, such as Silvanus and Mieli
  ith Tempus’s role as Lord of Battles ever-
  e Da
   the 
  ldathy
  . My 
  xperiences with the clergy were limited, but 
  s the common folk I spoke to supported his 
  his was demonstrated when we stopped for 
   coup
  rmer having problems getting water to 
  ach the higher parts of a field. Selm helped 
  i
  channels could 
  enough water f
  something they 
  the clergy of Ch
  this, the farme
  Eldathyn are res
  uter peace is certainly an attractive one. 
  The rest of our journey passed pleasantly, 
  talking about politics and happening
  in the 
  Dales, a topic my guide seemed most 
  knowledgeable 
  about. 
  We 
  reached 
  und evenfeast, and 
  ntinuing onwards. It 
  irly clear night, which 
   said was the best time to view the pool. 
  As we partook of a hearty meal at the Old 
  e 
  en 
  shy, beautiful maiden with 
  auburn hair was enjoying a walk through the 
  forest of Cormanthor. Of course, back then, 
  the forest was much larger then that it is 
  ly 
  along, 
  her 
  bare 
  feet 
  leaving 
  no 
  trail 
  shoulder she bore a clay vessel, simple but 
  finely crafted, filled with water said to be so 
  pure and sweet that one drop could refresh a 
  dying man.” 
   
  d 
  ne. Maybe 
  fo
   
  of 
  the 
  Faerûnian 
  r often overshadowed 
  es with much larger 
  kki. 
  W
  popular in the eternal warfare that plagues 
  various realms of Toril to a lesser or greater 
  degree, I supposed it might be easy to forget 
  that a goddess devoted to peace could exist. 
  However, Selm informed me that the folk of 
  th
  les and elsewhere acknowledge
  E
  n for the useful role they play
  e
  I soon came to realise that they play a crucial 
  role in tending natural environments and 
  waterways, and providing lore regarding their 
  maintenance. If they are under-appreciated, 
  it is due to scribes not extolling their virtues, 
  a
  view of the work of the church of Eldath. 
   
  T
  a
  le of hours one morning, to aid a 
  fa
  re
  to irrigate the f eld properly, explaining how 
  be made to make sure 
  lowed to the right places, 
  had been working on with 
  auntea. Whilst he was doing 
  r’s wife explained that the 
  pected for the work they do 
  cleaning up after others and nurturing 
  growth. “They just don’t harp on about it the 
  way some other folk do,” she explained while 
  preparing 
  a 
  delicious-smelling 
  vegetable 
  stew. At this point, the other two came in. 
  Selm and the farmer’s wife traded tips on 
  seasoning, and the couple refused to let us 
  be on our way without us staying for lunch. 
  Selm seemed quietly pleased with the 
  encounter, and if I didn’t know better, I 
  would suspect my companion of setting the 
  whole thing up just to prove his point. 
   
  It struck me that behind his cheerful, easy 
  manner 
  lay 
  a 
  strong 
  moral 
  core 
  and 
  determination to work for the benefit of all, 
  something I came to learn was common to 
  the Eldathyn. This model of both inner and 
  o
  s 
  Shadowdale town aro
  decided to eat before co
  seemed likely to be a fa
  Selm
  Skull Inn, he told me the history of Moonfire. 
   
  “Many, many centuries ago, before the tim
  of men – but after the peak of the elv
  nations – a 
  today, and the woman had been enjoying 
  this walk for many days, exploring the area, 
  befriending the animals she encountered, 
  and taking in its beauty. Clad all in white, she 
  carried herself with grace and strolled easi
  discernable to even the best rangers. On her 
  Surmising that the woman was Eldath, I told 
  Selm of my belief. 
   
  “Quite so,” he agreed, seemingly please
  that I had worked it out. “Anyway, no matter 
  how many creatures she offered a drink from 
  the jug, it remained ever-full. Whenever she 
  encountered travellers, she hid and watched, 
  aiding them quietly; and when those who 
  would do her harm approached, she hid and 
  quietly tidied up after them.” 
   
  “Why did she not confront them and try to 
  get them to change their ways?” I asked, for 
  I had learned that was an important part of 
  the Eldathyn doctrine. 
   
  “A worthy question. Maybe she deemed what 
  she did the best course of action. Maybe she 
  was simply enjoying the tranquillity she was 
  spreading. Or perhaps it was something 
  beyond your knowledge and mi
  you should commune with Oghma and see 
  what he knows,” he added with a wink. 
  Smiling, I bid him continue. 
  
   
  47!
  ” 
  elûne 
  merged from behind a cloud and shed her 
  ell met, Verenne,” said Selm, embracing 
  ting some pretty white 
  owers growing on the trunks of some of the 
  e this magical 
  ower blooms in the winter and ensures 
  out. 
  e ground in front 
   
  “This pattern of events went on for some 
  time, until during a foray into the forest not 
  far from here, she came across a small dip in 
  the land. Dwelling there, she found a mated 
  pair of deer and their fawns, and spent a 
  pleasant afternoon relaxing with them. No 
  sooner had she left the deer family, when 
  Malar the Beastlord, who had been watching 
  them the whole time, jumped out on her. 
  Surprised and frightened, Eldath dropped her 
  jug, which smashed into pieces. The water, 
  far more than the jug’s capacity, spilt 
  everywhere. Hearing her scream, the stag 
  ran to her aid and challenged the hunter. 
  Unwilling to fight, and in no position to do so, 
  Eldath used the time the stag gave her to 
  flee. The stag paid with his life. 
   
  “Instead of seeping into the earth, the water 
  collected into the pool that we know as 
  Moonfire. A gift from Eldath, albeit an 
  unplanned one, it is to be treasured. So it is 
  that we look after it, keeping its waters as 
  clean and pure as they always have been.
   
  I thanked him for the tale, though I decided 
  to see if I could verify the story in any way or 
  get another perspective on it. One must 
  always keep an open mind about such myths, 
  though only a fool would deny that it was 
  assuredly possible. Although young at the 
  time, I remember the Time of Troubles and 
  have read much about it in the years since. 
   
  After we had finished eating, Selm led me 
  through the forest to Moonfire. I was 
  instantly stricken by the unspoilt beauty of 
  the place, secluded as it was in a small dell. 
  The pool of water was as clear and clean as 
  any I’ve seen, perhaps even more so. I could 
  certainly believe Eldath herself may have had 
  something to do with its creation. Trees grew 
  sporadically around it on three sides, the 
  remainder being clear of any growth other 
  than grass and ferns. Nearby were patches of 
  many different herbs and flowers, as great a 
  variety as I have seen growing in the same 
  place. As I took in the surroundings, S
  e
  light on us. The waters of the pool shone 
  silver, and I saw how it came by its name. 
  Beneath the surface of the water, I could see 
  a strange moss glowing with a green light, 
  giving a slight tinge to the whole area. 
   
   
  So absorbed was I that I am ashamed to say 
  I did not notice a woman had appeared from 
  the undergrowth until she bid us both 
  welcome. She appeared motherly and I 
  would put her age at about forty, though I 
  am by my own admission a poor guesser of 
  such things. She wore a loose green shift 
  over leathers, and her chestnut hair fell 
  limply to her shoulders. 
   
  “W
  her. “This is Jostyn, a scribe who has been 
  staying 
  at 
  the 
  Leaves 
  of 
  Learning 
  in 
  Deepingdale. He wishes to learn about our 
  faith.” We exchanged greetings, and Verenne 
  told me that she watched over the pool and 
  tended the area. 
   
  “What does that involve?” I enquired. She 
  explained to me that she made sure the 
  waters 
  remained 
  clean 
  and 
  tried 
  to 
  encourage both flora and fauna to be at 
  home here. She confirmed my suspicions 
  that the vast array of plant species around 
  was due to her efforts. 
   
  “Any luck with the snow orchids yet?” asked 
  Selm. 
   
  “They’re definitely starting to come through,” 
  she replied, indica
  fl
  largest trees. “Though I’ll have to wait and 
  see if they have the desired effect.” The 
  desired effect, I found out, was to attract 
  bastet hummingbirds, a tiny, sparkling green 
  little bird found across Cormanthor, in order 
  to increase pollination of the plants. The 
  snow orchids of Miliiran are crucial to 
  attracting the birds, becaus
  fl
  them a supply of nectar all year. I marvelled 
  at her careful planning and cultivation and 
  discovered another facet of Eldath’s followers 
  that I had not known ab
   
  Selm then asked me if I wanted to take part 
  in a ritual, which I took as a great honour, 
  and eagerly accepted this invitation. He told 
  me that swimming was a major part of 
  services to Eldath and that all Eldathyn are 
  taught to swim from an early age. Verenne 
  gathered some giant leaves from a flotissa 
  plant and spread them on th
  
   
  48!
  f the water. Then we all stripped off and 
  nvironments. 
  is prayer ended, a peaceful silence settled 
  reaching harmony and peace 
  orest more, but still 
  isiting the pool regularly. But over the 
  attacked 
  – 
  how 
  could 
  nybody want to destroy its beauty? 
  ount a hunt through 
  ormanthor, wreaking destruction as they go 
  nd in the last couple of years, without the 
  ire or Verenne. 
  fter this we lapsed into silence; I did not 
  o
  ventured into the water. It was not as cold I 
  had expected, which I was rather relieved 
  about! After swimming in silence for a while, 
  we all got out and I followed their lead by 
  rolling around on the leaves. Verenne then 
  bid me lay face down and massaged 
  something sweet-smelling into my back and 
  shoulders, before doing the same to Selm. I 
  later found out it was a potion made of the 
  nectar and juices of various flowers. Then, 
  using 
  a 
  vibrant 
  blue 
  dye 
  made 
  from 
  bluebells, she drew patterns on my back. 
  Selm then did the same for her, and we all 
  lay down again. As we stared out across the 
  water in contemplation, Selm gave thanks to 
  Eldath for her kindness in helping nurture 
  new life and create peaceful e
  H
  over us. How long we lay there, I really have 
  no idea – so absorbed was I in my own 
  thoughts. It must have been at least a couple 
  of hours, for when Verenne finally got up, 
  she bid us goodnight. Very at ease with 
  myself, I easily fell into a contended sleep. 
   
  The next day I learned more about the 
  everyday work of the Eldathyn. This involves 
  a lot of nurturing growth, helping things grow 
  and achieving systems of life that work 
  because the right numbers and types of 
  plants 
  and 
  creatures 
  were 
  present. 
  A 
  surprisingly complex system, but one that 
  nature tends to assert by itself. 
   
  “It is sad that we have to encourage such 
  systems,” explained Selm, “because normally 
  they would occur naturally. However, people 
  do not always live well with the land, and we 
  do our best to educate them and to address 
  any imbalances created.” 
   
  Verenne, I found, is a not infrequent visitor 
  to Shadowdale, where she and the clergy of 
  Chauntea advise Lord Mourngrym on how 
  best to work with the land, though she told 
  me she preferred to intervene less than the 
  followers 
  of 
  the 
  Grain 
  Goddess. 
  She 
  explained that she felt compelled to put this 
  view across after the Shadowdale druids’ 
  circle disbanded. She feels living with the 
  land as it comes is more important than 
  working it and turning it to human needs, so 
  wanted her voice to balance against the 
  Chaunteans, p
  in all aspects of life. 
   
  She also told of how the Shadowdale circle 
  used to watch over Moonfire and guard it 
  against damage from aggressive beings, and 
  how she came to fulfil that role after it broke 
  up. 
   
  “I used to wander the f
  v
  years, 
  I 
  felt 
  increasingly 
  like 
  settling 
  somewhere, so the departure of the other 
  druids made me want to take greater 
  responsibility for the area’s welfare.” 
   
  I was a little surprised to hear the pool would 
  occasionally 
  be 
  a
   
  “Ah,” said Selm with a sigh. “You remember 
  the story of how Moonfire came into being? 
  Well, the pool is sacred to my goddess, but it 
  remains a place of pilgrimage, if one can 
  really call it that, for Malarites. A couple of 
  times a year they will m
  C
  and making sure they visit here.” 
   
  “A
  strength of the circle, the attacks have 
  become more frequent,” added Verenne. 
  “Fortunately, there is a guardian here.” 
   
  In spite of myself I looked about, for I had 
  seen no sign of any guardian. Sensing what I 
  was looking for, she smiled, but it was a 
  smile tinged with sadness. “Prince will no 
  doubt be roaming further afield, but rest 
  assured he’ll be here if I need him. His 
  loyalty knows no bounds. Even in death,” she 
  added. 
   
  “The stag?” I asked quietly. She nodded. I 
  was pleased by this discovery, for I would 
  not wish harm upon Moonf
  A
  wish to break it. 
   
  We had a simple highsun meal before 
  Verenne asked Selm if he would be coming 
  ‘trealing’ with her this afternoon, to which he 
  replied he would, and that he was sure I 
  would wish to help. Eager to acquire new 
  knowledge, I agreed, though with no idea 
  
   
  49!
  y 
  ould offer prayers to Eldath and place their 
  ate sent him 
  ack for yet more. I was left with the 
  ack to the trees. I 
  sked if such healing could be done to stop 
  be altered.” 
  wer, and bringing them 
  ack to life?” 
  lity in bringing plants or animals back to 
  fe because it can have more repercussions 
  indness 
  wards her and the young ones. Yet if we 
  en lead 
   them needing a much larger supply of 
  enfeast, a 
  holesome soup of many different greens. 
  hem, 
  here we stayed until I drifted off to sleep. 
   more than once, and then we were 
  ff. 
  about the town, seeing the 
  ights. However, I gave Elminster’s Tower a 
  what it was I had to trust it wouldn’t be 
  dangerous. When I enquired as to what 
  ‘trealing’ involved, Selm laughed. 
   
  “It’s an abbreviation of ‘tree healing.’ As I 
  understand it, it was first used in the High 
  Forest by priestesses of Shiallia, and has 
  been adopted by not only our clergy, but also 
  that of Mielikki. Silvanites frown upon it 
  because they see it as frivolous.” 
   
  “So,” I posed, “does that mean you also refer 
  to tending plants and flowers as ‘plealing’ 
  and ‘flealing’?” He fixed me with a stare, the 
  laughter gone. 
   
  “No, that just sounds silly,” he said seriously, 
  though I’m sure there was a sparkle of 
  mischief in his eyes as he said it. 
   
  As it turned out, the process was similar to 
  something I had read about. Verenne and 
  Selm would carefully inspect the trees, 
  tapping the trunks for hardiness and signs of 
  disease. If there were any problems, the
  w
  hands over the unhealthy part of the tree, 
  pouring new life into it. 
   
  This went on for some time, and I must 
  confess that I became distracted watching a 
  male berrygobbler scurrying to and fro trying 
  to collect enough food to feed his family. 
  Every time he returned, his m
  b
  impression of the local rarecrown throwing 
  her beleaguered husband out to sleep in the 
  cold again after one more misdemeanour. 
   
  “Enjoying yourself?” asked Selm. I nodded, 
  and turned my attention b
  a
  trees losing their leaves or, ultimately, dying. 
  Although I assumed it would go against the 
  tenets of the faith, one thing I have always 
  been taught is that there are always 
  examples that break the rules. “The ability to 
  do so possibly exists,” he replied, “but Eldath 
  would not grant it except in the most unusual 
  of circumstances, and it would take a truly 
  devout worshipper to channel that sort of 
  power. The natural lifecycle is important; we 
  preserve things as best we can, but all things 
  have a natural lifespan and that cannot really 
  “Much like the differences between healing 
  people using the Po
  b
   
  “Quite 
  so,” 
  he 
  agreed. 
  “Aiding 
  life, 
  particularly when it has been unnaturally 
  affected, is a noble goal, but there is a 
  mora
  li
  than you may realise.” He gestured to where 
  the poor berrygobbler was still running 
  backwards and forwards. “If your friend there 
  got eaten by something, his mate would soon 
  find herself in trouble, and to bring him back 
  to life would certainly be an act of k
  to
  were to bring back every berrygobbler that 
  ran afoul of larger creatures, we would soon 
  be overrun with them, which would th
  to
  food. It’s like a huge web, where there is a 
  balance between the different plants and 
  creatures that are part of it. One species 
  dying out or coming to dominate can 
  potentially affect all of the others.” 
   
  I nodded in understanding, and reflected on 
  this as we went back for ev
  w
  Afterwards, we swam once more. This night 
  Selm enlarged some of the water lilies 
  floating atop the surface of the water so that 
  they were large enough for us to lie on t
  w
   
  In the morning we departed back for the 
  Leaves of Learning. I thanked Verenne for 
  being such a kind host and for involving me 
  so much in the ways of the Green Goddess. I 
  promised to come and visit her again, for the 
  beauty of Moonfire is something that should 
  be seen
  o
   
   
  Selm said he had business in Shadowdale 
  with an old acquaintance, so we stopped 
  there on the way home. While he went off, I 
  enjoyed a stroll 
  s
  wide berth after reading the signs that 
  promised a quick end to one’s life if the Old 
  Mage was unnecessarily interrupted. Instead, 
  I spent my time talking to the villagers about 
  what they knew of Moonfire. 
   
  
   
  4:!
  e took out 
  om his pack a delicate crown of moss, 
   its natural 
  ght property, as well as putting the wearer 
  rs, who had spoken well of 
  erenne, but nobody I spoke to had actually 
  to be taken 
  terally, but that a wise man would probably 
  s, I asked Selm if it was true. 
   
  We went back to the Old Skull for lunch, and 
  Selm showed me something he had been 
  keeping as a surprise for me. H
  fr
  which I recognised as the glowing type that 
  grew under the waters of Moonfire. He 
  explained that sometimes it was carefully 
  harvested to be enchanted into these items,  
  which were given to lucky members of the 
  clergy, allowing them to harness
  li
  more in touch with their surroundings. 
   
  Impressed, I told him what I had learned 
  from the village
  V
  been to visit Moonfire themselves. Selm 
  laughed when I mentioned Elminster’s Tower, 
  saying it was probably not meant 
  li
  choose not to meddle in his affairs anyway.  
   
  I told him that one of the farmers, an elderly 
  man who called himself Luth Mlennon, said it 
  was well known that Moonfire’s greatest 
  secret is that it hides a nymph’s grotto 
  somewhere beneath its waters. Although I 
  was told by others that he was prone to 
  telling tall tale
   
  “A church has to keep some secrets,” he 
  answered with a wink. 
   
   
  Moss Crown 
   
  This thin circlet of moss is carefully harvested 
  from 
  the 
  naturally 
  glowing 
  vegetation 
  beneath the waters of Moonfire by the clergy 
  of Eldath. It is then fashioned into a simple 
  crown shape and enchanted. When worn 
  upon the head, it grants the wearer +1 
  natural armour and a +2 competence bonus 
  to Knowledge (nature) checks. Additionally, 
  the wearer can cast faerie fire 3/day and 
  calm animals 1/day. 
   
  Caster 
  level: 
  3rd; 
  Prerequisites: 
  Craft 
  Wondrous Item, barkskin, calm animals, 
  faerie fire; Market Price: 5,000 gp; Weight: 
  1lb. 
  
   
  51!
  !
  Wanderer, Mirt the Moneylender, Larissa Neath
  Scheiron, Sammareza Sulphontis, Texter, Kyria
  Ed Greenwood’s short story “A Slow Day in Sk
  Mirt’s lady Asper as another Lord of Waterdeep
  Par
  By Chris
   
  Of all the forms of government found in the Rea
  unique system. With the exception of a brief 
  been ruled by a hidden council of Lords for ove
  Lords have ruled fairly and justly, putting the 
  desires. 
  t I
   Jam
  lms,
   is as intriguing as Waterdeep’s 
  and 
  iod, the City of Splendors has 
  r three centuries. With 
  need
  that
  orers
  n hu
  uled 
   ex-H
  rable turmoil within the 
  2-55) list
  ord Piergeiron the Paladinson, Brian the Sword
  al, K
  ni Ag
  ullpo
  und in Realms of the Underdark, listed 
  . The Siege, the second book of the Return of the 
  Archwizards trilogy, named another Lord, Deliah the White. 
   
  With fifteen of the twenty Lords named, Dungeon Masters are free to create their own Lords, 
  filling their own needs. Here is one possible Lord DMs can use. Following the tradition of past 
  Waterdhavian supplements, only a minimal stat block is given. 
   
  V 
  eson 
   perhaps none
  tumultuous per
  one exception, Waterdeep’s 
  s and concerns of the city ahead of their own 
   they have been drawn from all walks of life. 
   have all served as Lords. Lordship is not 
  man, there have also been elven, half-elven, 
  by sixteen Lords. However, the number was 
  arper caused conside
   
  Another of the unique qualities of the Lords is 
  Wizards, nobles, merchants and common lab
  restricted by race; though most Lords have bee
  and halfling Lords. 
   
  The citizens of Waterdeep believe they are r
  secretly increased to twenty in 1364, after an
  city. City of Splendors: Waterdeep (pages 5
  s the following individuals as Lords: Open 
  master, Caladorn Cassalanter, Durnan the 
  helben “Blackstaff” Arunsun, Nymara “Kitten” 
  rivar, Brianne Byndraeth, and Nindil Jalbuck. 
  rt”, fo
  L
   
  Sierkan Dahl 
  Sierkan Dahl  
  Male Chondathan Human, Warrior 3/Psion 12 
   
  History 
   
  ierkan 
  Dahl 
  is 
  a 
  man 
  without a past. 
   
  He does not remember his 
  parents. 
  He 
  can 
  recall 
  nothing of his childhood, or 
  of his adolescence. Even the 
  details of his early adulthood are lost to him. 
  All he has are vague memories, and the 
  tattoo of a sword and sunburst on his right 
  shoulder. 
  Up 
  until 
  twenty 
  years 
  ago, 
  Sierkan’s past is a mystery. 
   
  Sierkan’s earliest memory – what he regards 
  as the beginning of his current life – is of a 
  warm Kythorn night, in the Sembian city of 
  Saerloon. 
  He 
  was 
  confused 
  and 
  dizzy, 
  surrounded on all sides by silent darkness. 
  Some unseen force suddenly struck him in 
  the chest, propelling him backwards. Wooden 
  boards shattered and broke as he struck 
  them, flying through a wall and landing in the 
  street. In front of him was a warehouse, with 
  flames visible through the opening his 
  inadvertent exit had created. Within minutes, 
  the entire warehouse was consumed in 
  flames. Guards frantically doused nearby 
  structures with water, trying to keep the 
  flames from spreading. 
   
  Sierkan watched the warehouse collapse in 
  on itself with a roar. His earlier dizziness had 
  
   
  52!
  faded, but his confusion remained. He had no 
  knowledge of who he was, where he was, or 
  what he was doing there. He gave no protest 
  as 
  the 
  guards 
  detained 
  him. 
  He 
  questioned, 
  but 
  eventually 
  the 
  gua
  released him. 
  ntually fell in with a group of 
  , a retired 
  nowledge of martial weapons. The only 
  eapons Narel had were daggers, bu
  gladly gave one to Sierkan and trained h
  its use. Sierkan excelled in his trai
  g his mentor in ability.  
  arel fully intended to teach Sierkan how to 
  use a sword, but 
  chance. With 
  o 
  income, 
  sw
   
  beyond 
  their 
  ate reach
  money, both me
  It was hard, strenuo
  ut it gave 
  them a chance 
  themselves.  
   
  The two had bee
  p, some distance 
  nd never even heard the commotion 
  as his friend lost his life. It was only much 
  later that night, when he tried to find Narel, 
  erkan learned the fate of the former 
  nturer. 
   was once more alone. This time, 
  at least knew where he was and 
  woodcarver’s shop, leaving behind his time 
  hours. Many nights, after leaving his job, 
  gods themselves walked the land, 
  this, little changed on Saerloon’s 
  docks. Ships were still arriving and departing, 
  argo still had to be loaded, unloaded, 
  , and moved. For Sierkan and most of 
  ther dockworkers, the Time of Troubles 
   hours, before going 
  eir separate ways.  
  was 
  rds 
   
  The young man had nowhere to go. Knowing 
  no one and having no money, he could not 
  call on anyone for assistance. With no other 
  options available to him, he had to live on 
  the streets. He found his way to the docks, 
  and eve
  homeless people sheltering in an abandoned 
  warehouse. 
   
  It was here that he met Narel, the man who 
  gave Sierkan a name. Narel
  adventurer, had himself fallen on hard times. 
  Seeing something of himself in Sierkan, he 
  took the young man under his wing and 
  began teaching him how to survive. Narel 
  taught Sierkan how to scrounge for food, 
  how 
  to 
  avoid 
  the 
  guards, 
  and, 
  most 
  importantly, how to use a dagger.  
   
  Both were surprised to discover that Sierkan 
  was already an accomplished hand-to-hand 
  fighter. Though he could easily hold his own 
  against larger opponents or even small 
  groups of attackers, Sierkan seemed – to 
  Narel, at least – to be strangely lacking in 
  k
  w
  t he 
  im in 
  ning, 
  quickly surpassin
   
  N
  never had the 
  n
  ords 
  were
  immedi
  . In an attempt to earn 
  n took jobs as dockworkers. 
  us work, b
  to make a real life for 
  n working on the docks for 
  just a few weeks when Narel was killed in an 
  accident. He was helping unload cargo from a 
  ship when an overloaded net gave way, 
  dropping several crates. Narel was crushed 
  by the falling crates, dying instantly. Sierkan 
  was working on another shi
  away, a
  that Si
  adve
   
  Sierkan
  however, he 
  how to get by. Though disheartened by the 
  death of his friend, Sierkan went on with his 
  life. For the next year, the young man 
  continued working on the docks. He was 
  eventually able to rent a small room above a 
  on the streets.  
   
  It was not a good life. Working on the docks 
  was difficult, requiring both strength and long 
  Sierkan was too tired to do more than choke 
  down a cheap, unappetizing meal before 
  returning to his small, vermin-infested room. 
  Sierkan longed to find a better life, but had 
  neither the time nor the skills to pursue one. 
   
  Then came the Time of Troubles. It was a 
  time of dramatic upheaval for many, when 
  even the laws of magic and nature went 
  awry. The 
  and all across the Realms, people found their 
  lives changed.  
   
  Despite all 
  and c
  stored
  the o
  was a distant thing, one that didn’t affect 
  them. They were mostly right. But, by 
  chance, the crisis affecting the Realms was 
  what gave Sierkan a chance at a new life. 
   
  Stopping in a tavern for his dinner, Sierkan 
  met a shopkeeper named Fesgan Himmer. 
  Fesgan had just arrived in Saerloon that 
  afternoon, coming in by ship from Westgate. 
  A crafter of jewelry, Fesgan left Westgate 
  when his shop was destroyed by a spell gone 
  awry. The jeweler intended to open a new 
  shop in Saerloon, and asked if Sierkan knew 
  of any good locations. Sierkan did not, as he 
  spent most of his time near the docks. The 
  two conversed for a few
  th
   
  
   
  53!
  small room to prepare for the 
  ext day. 
   tire, Sierkan was thinking of 
  turning to his bed – but then he heard a 
  o he 
  ffered Sierkan the best thing he could: a job 
   a shop of his own. Sierkan 
  adily accepted this offer. 
  xpert gem cutter, and learned 
  ow to ascertain the value of gems and 
  his tiny room over the 
  oodcarver’s shop, and get a home near the 
  s forgotten past. 
  ierkan also consulted with the various 
  r’s 
  and. She had left that group after a dispute 
  ierkan was intrigued. Not only was Aera 
  quite attractive, but she professed to abilities 
  Over the next several days, Sierkan didn’t 
  think much about the garrulous merchant. He 
  went about his normal routine, loading and 
  unloading ships from dawn until dusk. Each 
  night, he visited the same tavern, then 
  retired to his 
  n
   
  One night, nearly two weeks after meeting 
  Fesgan, Sierkan found himself restless and 
  unable to get to sleep. He got up and got 
  dressed, leaving his room for a nocturnal 
  stroll. He wandered around the city almost 
  aimlessly, content to just walk. Finally 
  beginning to
  re
  cry for help.  
   
  Sierkan heard the sounds of struggle coming 
  from a nearby alleyway. Fully aware that it 
  could be a trap, he cautiously approached. 
  When he reached a position to see into the 
  alley, he was surprised to see several thieves 
  assaulting Fesgan. Without thinking, Sierkan 
  rushed to the man’s rescue.  
   
  He couldn’t remember his hand-to-hand 
  combat training, but Sierkan’s forgotten 
  instructors had trained him well. Though the 
  merchant’s assailants were armed with clubs 
  and daggers, three of them fell to Sierkan’s 
  assault before he had to pull his own dagger. 
  Within minutes, all of the thieves had either 
  fallen or fled. 
   
  Fesgan was immensely grateful for his 
  rescue. He had little to offer in reward, s
  o
  as an assistant. Fesgan’s own apprentices 
  and assistants had been killed when his shop 
  was destroyed, so he needed the help. 
  Additionally, Sierkan had already proven he 
  could act as a bodyguard, if necessary. 
  Fesgan would pay him well, and would also 
  instruct Sierkan in his craft, so that he could 
  one day have
  re
   
  Fesgan’s shop was successful almost from 
  the beginning. Catering mostly to successful 
  but not wealthy patrons, the shop very 
  quickly developed a large customer base. 
  Within months of opening, Fesgan had to hire 
  more assistants to help fulfill orders and to 
  run the store. 
  During this time, Fesgan kept his promise to 
  train Sierkan. Sierkan became skilled in 
  working with both gold and silver. He also 
  became an e
  h
  jewelry through careful examination. After 
  five years, Sierkan’s skills were nearly the 
  equal of Fesgan’s, and the two were more 
  like business partners than master and 
  apprentice. 
   
  As Fesgan’s business became profitable, 
  Sierkan’s personal income increased. He was 
  able to leave 
  w
  North 
  Market. 
  He 
  was 
  able 
  to 
  start 
  frequenting finer inns and taverns, as well. 
  However, his newfound prosperity didn’t 
  change one fact: he still had no knowledge of 
  his past. He had managed a few vague 
  impressions, but the events of his life before 
  the warehouse fire were still unknown to 
  him.  
   
  As time permitted, Sierkan visited the 
  temples of Mystra and Azuth, as well as the 
  shrines of Tymora, Tempus, and Lathander, 
  seeking any clerical aid to restore his lost 
  memories. Though many clerics tried to aid 
  him, none could restore hi
  S
  mages living in the city, even the sinister 
  Veldadin the Dark, hoping that arcane magic 
  would succeed where divine magic had failed. 
  Again, Sierkan knew only disappointment. 
   
  One night, while in the Blue Cow Inn, Sierkan 
  met someone who could possibly help him. 
  Aera Foxmane was a slender half-elven 
  adventurer, formerly of the group Halde
  B
  over division of treasure, and was now 
  looking for a new group to join. As she and 
  Sierkan talked, he found out she practiced a 
  strange kind of mental magic called psionics. 
  While a skilled psionicist could do many of 
  the same things as a wizard or cleric, their 
  power came from within, instead of from the 
  Weave or from deities. And unlike most 
  spellcasters, 
  psionicists 
  could 
  far 
  more 
  readily delve into the depths of someone’s 
  mind. 
   
  S
  
   
  54!
  onic talent was, in some 
  ay, connected to his past, it still wasn’t 
   her well, but it 
  asn’t the area of psionics in which she had 
  ard. It took little time for his 
  op, the Golden Sunburst, to become 
  in his lost past. It 
  as a challenge, and the old man loved 
  of matter, and to a lesser 
   method he employed, Tayn was 
  nable to penetrate the veil that lay over 
  women with false pasts, mysterious 
  ttoos, and a unique heritage. Once she’d 
  of 
  hapeshifters operating in Waterdeep. Long 
  havians who had been replaced by 
  hapeshifters. Tayn knew he had to act 
  that could help him regain his past. He 
  immediately hired her, hoping she would be 
  the one that unlocked the mysteries within 
  his mind. This also kept her nearby and gave 
  him an excuse to spend time with her, a 
  desire that had little to do with her psionic 
  talents. 
   
  For the next several months, Aera and 
  Sierkan worked together, trying to discover 
  his past. Aera was able to uncover a few 
  partial memories – little more than additional 
  vague impressions – but that was all she was 
  able 
  to 
  do. 
  However, 
  she 
  did 
  begin 
  instructing Sierkan in the harnessing of his 
  own mental energies. Though he felt that his 
  own burgeoning psi
  w
  enough for him to recover his lost memories. 
   
  Finally, Aera suggested that Sierkan seek out 
  her own former instructor. Tayn Silbur, she 
  explained, was not only more powerful than 
  she, but also a more skilled telepath. Her 
  own telepathic abilities served
  w
  concentrated her studies. Tayn, with his 
  knowledge and wisdom, could surely help 
  Sierkan more ably than Aera. 
   
  Sierkan agreed, and the two journeyed to 
  Waterdeep. Sierkan, following in Fesgan 
  Himmer’s footsteps, opened a jewelry store 
  in the North W
  sh
  profitable. Wealthy merchants and nobility 
  frequented 
  his 
  store, 
  and 
  by 
  listening 
  carefully to their complaints and comments, 
  Sierkan began to learn quite a lot about 
  Waterdeep and its people. 
   
  Meanwhile, Aera located her old mentor, 
  Tayn Silbur. Tayn, an elderly but highly 
  skilled psionicist, was delighted at the 
  prospect of teaching Sierkan how to use his 
  new talents, and equally delighted at the 
  thought of helping him rega
  w
  challenges. 
   
  Under Tayn’s tutelage, Sierkan’s psionic skills 
  developed at a rapid pace. Though he did 
  learn some telepathic abilities, he found his 
  talents and his interests lay more in the 
  manipulation 
  extent, the body. Tayn tried to instruct 
  Sierkan in farseeing skills, but this was an 
  expertise that Sierkan couldn’t master. 
   
  Despite 
  Tayn’s 
  efforts, 
  the 
  secrets 
  of 
  Sierkan’s past still remained a mystery. Tayn 
  tried repeatedly to help his student reach his 
  lost memories, attempting several different 
  techniques. No matter how often he tried, no 
  matter what
  u
  Sierkan’s earliest history. It was almost as if 
  Sierkan didn’t have a past before the 
  warehouse fire… Tayn had encountered such 
  a phenomenon before, in one of his other 
  students. 
   
  Sapphire was a tall, redheaded woman with a 
  fiery personality. A former courtesan, she 
  had also come to Tayn seeking to recall lost 
  memories. Unlike Sierkan, she had proven to 
  be part of a unique sisterhood: a group of a 
  dozen 
  ta
  met one of her sisters and learned the truth 
  about 
  herself, 
  Sapphire 
  had 
  stopped 
  searching for her past and embraced her 
  future. She studied the ways of telepathy and 
  farseeing, becoming greatly skilled at both. 
  As a courtesan with such unique abilities, she 
  became a valuable asset to Tayn. 
   
  Tayn Silbur was a man of much knowledge, 
  and many secrets. One secret he shared with 
  students was the presence of a group 
  s
  before 
  Volothamp 
  Geddarm’s 
  public 
  revelation of the doppelganger presence at 
  the Hanging Lantern festhall, Tayn had 
  discovered that the business employed many 
  mirrorkin. Careful investigations revealed 
  that the doppelgangers were part of an 
  organization, 
  and 
  that 
  their 
  plans 
  for 
  Waterdeep were less than benign. 
   
  As his students developed sufficient skills, 
  Tayn shared with them everything he had 
  learned of the Unseen and the threat they 
  posed to Waterdeep. With several students 
  conducting their own investigations, Tayn 
  began to uncover the identities of several 
  Waterd
  s
  against 
  the 
  Unseen, 
  but 
  their 
  greater 
  
   
  55!
   had, through his own observations 
  nd investigations, uncovered the identity of 
  ierkan and Aera prevailed, but at great cost. 
  e evil bard’s 
  owers. Eolann lived, but lost much of who 
  apphire had also been friends with Aera; 
  he Unseen did not rest during this time, nor 
  s of having his own consciousness 
  side in the body of another. 
  kan. 
   
  numbers and established plots gave them the 
  advantage. 
   
  Not all plots uncovered by Tayn’s students 
  were connected to the Unseen, however. A 
  psionically 
  gifted 
  bard 
  named 
  Valson 
  Halfmoon
  a
  one of Waterdeep’s Hidden Lords. Eolann 
  Westril, a respected swordcaptain of the 
  Watch, was also a Lord of Waterdeep. After 
  discovering this, Valson used his abilities to, 
  bit by bit, mentally dominate Eolann, until 
  little of the Watch officer’s own will remained. 
   
  After learning of Valson’s actions, Sierkan 
  and Aera took it upon themselves to free 
  Eolann. A great battle ensued, taking place 
  on both the psychic and material planes. 
  S
  In killing Valson, Aera used so much of her 
  own strength that she was unable to cope 
  with the physical and mental wounds she’d 
  received. Soon after seeing their foe collapse, 
  Aera followed him into Kelemvor’s halls.  
   
  Tragically, Eolann Westril was not entirely 
  saved by her sacrifice. Too much of his mind 
  had been destroyed by th
  p
  he originally was. No longer able to serve 
  Waterdeep, Eolann was sent to Goldenfields. 
  Now more suited to a simple life of farming, 
  the former Watchman was happy with his 
  new life. He missed serving the people of 
  Waterdeep, but the damage to his mind was 
  such that he never realized how much he had 
  lost. 
   
  Sierkan was disconsolate over Aera’s death. 
  S
  the loss that she and Sierkan both felt served 
  to draw them closer together. As the two 
  worked through their shared grief, their 
  friendship began to grow into something 
  deeper. Many months passed, and their 
  attraction grew. More than a year after 
  Aera’s death, Sierkan and Sapphire became 
  lovers. 
   
  As they’d grown toward this point, Sierkan 
  learned a valuable lesson from Sapphire: 
  though the past shapes us, it is the present 
  we live in, and the future we strive for. 
  Finally at peace with himself, Sierkan quit 
  worrying about his past, and focused his 
  thoughts on what was still to come. 
   
  T
  did Tayn. He realized that his actions, and 
  those of his students, would eventually be 
  noticed by their shadowy foes. He began 
  planning for several contingencies, including 
  the one he saw as the most inevitable: his 
  own death and replacement at the hands of a 
  greater doppelganger. Using methods both 
  arcane and psionic, he started researching 
  ways to separate his consciousness from his 
  body. He also researched the consequences 
  of such disembodiment, and investigated the 
  possibilitie
  re
   
  Tayn and his students had been successful in 
  keeping their conflict with the Unseen out of 
  the eyes of most of Waterdeep’s power 
  groups. However, Sierkan and Aera’s actions 
  against Valson Halfmoon were known to 
  Waterdeep’s Hidden Lords, mainly because 
  one of the Lords was involved. Eolann’s fate 
  made the Lords realize that the Hidden Art 
  was not something they could afford to 
  ignore. Khelben chose to have his own 
  agents observe Sierkan and Aera, and soon 
  discovered the shadowy war they and the 
  Unseen were fighting.  
   
  Without tipping his hand or revealing his 
  involvement, Khelben lent aid to Tayn and 
  his students. His background actions helped 
  the 
  small 
  group 
  of 
  psionicists 
  stay 
  undiscovered by the Unseen, and his magical 
  assistance supported Tayn’s goals in ways 
  the latter never realized. Considering him a 
  potential Lord, Khelben also manipulated 
  Sierkan, challenging the man to test his 
  loyalties and his abilities. In matters both 
  great 
  and 
  small, 
  the 
  Blackstaff 
  was 
  impressed with what he saw of Sier
   
  Early in the Year of the Tankard (1370 DR), 
  Tayn’s fears were realized. He’d dug too hard 
  for information, and though the Unseen 
  didn’t know if he acted alone or with 
  someone, they definitely knew that Tayn was 
  the hidden foe that had challenged them for 
  the past few years. Ganyos, a greater 
  doppelganger, was dispatched by Hlaavin to 
  kill Tayn and assume his identity.  
  
   
  56!
  confronted Tayn. Slipping into 
  ayn’s home, the greater doppelganger 
  was 
  fraid of what could now happen, but even 
   Now wholly within the alien mind of his 
  pponent, the psionicist continued his assault 
  rderer was himself slain, as Tayn’s 
  nsciousness overwhelmed and destroyed 
  seen. He 
  ad 
  found 
  the 
  way 
  to 
  infiltrate 
  an 
   audience with 
  helben, and Tayn used Ganyos’s memories 
  as quite intrigued by 
  is opportunity. 
   but 
  e agreed to take the Lordship. 
  ose forces 
  nless absolutely necessary, but he believes 
  Ganyos feared the battle that could result if 
  he directly 
  T
  waited, dagger in hand, to ambush his prey. 
  Tayn returned home late that night, his mind 
  dwelling on information he had just that day 
  received. Due to his preoccupation, he didn’t 
  notice the lurking mirrorkin until it was 
  almost too late. As the dagger entered his 
  throat, 
  Tayn 
  frantically 
  cast 
  his 
  consciousness out of his body. He wasn’t 
  sure whether or not his mind could survive 
  without his body, but he had no choice but to 
  trust in the abilities he’d developed. 
   
  His body had not even stopped twitching 
  when the doppelganger began eating his 
  head. After consuming Tayn’s brain, Ganyos 
  used a ring of spell storing to disintegrate the 
  psionicist’s remains. Once he’d disposed of 
  the evidence, Ganyos assumed Tayn’s form. 
  In a matter of minutes, the Unseen had 
  destroyed one of their most implacable foes, 
  and replaced him with one of their own 
  members. Tayn’s lingering consciousness 
  a
  greater than his fear was his rage at what 
  had just transpired. 
   
  Without 
  thinking 
  or 
  considering 
  the 
  consequences, 
  Tayn 
  launched 
  a 
  psionic 
  attack 
  against 
  his 
  slayer. 
  Ganyos, 
  unprepared for such an assault, was stunned. 
  He fell to the ground, the limbs of his 
  assumed form unable to support him. Taking 
  advantage of his foe’s weakness, Tayn sent 
  his consciousness into the doppelganger’s 
  body.
  o
  on the mirrorkin. 
   
  Though not without mental abilities of his 
  own, Ganyos was sorely unprepared for 
  psionic combat. The mental powers of 
  greater doppelgangers are more suited to 
  reading minds, not battling them. Ganyos 
  tried to resist, but there was no way he could 
  best a trained psionicist in mental combat. 
  The mu
  co
  his own. 
   
  Tayn 
  found 
  himself 
  alone 
  in 
  the 
  doppelganger’s body. With some effort, he 
  was able to assert control over it. Getting up 
  from the floor, Tayn realized that he was now 
  in the body of a member of the Un
  h
  organization dedicated to infiltrating and 
  controlling his own society. He was now in 
  the best position possible for working against 
  the Unseen. 
   
  Tayn spent the next several hours learning 
  how to use his new body. Once he felt 
  confident in his abilities to fool the Unseen, 
  he arranged to meet with Sierkan. Revealing 
  all that had happened, Tayn instructed his 
  student 
  to 
  contact 
  Khelben 
  Arunsun, 
  reasoning that the archmage would be very 
  interested in having an agent among the 
  Unseen. Sierkan left to seek an
  K
  to return to the Unseen’s lair and report to 
  their leader, Hlaavin. 
   
  Sierkan gained an audience with Khelben, 
  and spent the next several hours explaining 
  everything that had happened. He spoke of 
  the conflict with the Unseen, not realizing 
  that some details were already known to the 
  Blackstaff. Next he spoke of the attack on 
  Tayn Silbur, and the fact that the psionicist 
  was now able to infiltrate the Unseen by 
  using one of their own against them. As 
  anticipated, Khelben w
  th
   
  Khelben then surprised Sierkan. Not only did 
  he agree to make use of Tayn as an agent, 
  but he also gave Sierkan an unexpected 
  opportunity: the chance to be a Lord of 
  Waterdeep. Recent events had shown that 
  psionics could be a threat to Waterdeep and 
  its Lords, and Khelben wanted to be able to 
  counter and prevent that threat. Sierkan had 
  already proven himself to Khelben, and the 
  knowledge he and Tayn possessed could 
  prove invaluable. Sierkan was shocked,
  h
   
   
  Current Status 
   
  Sierkan has become comfortable in his role 
  as a Lord of Waterdeep. Though his primary 
  area of expertise is psionics, Sierkan is a 
  strong proponent of Waterdeep’s armed 
  forces. He doesn’t wish to use th
  u
  
   
  57!
  business 
  r his position as a Lord, but still finds 
  es that call Waterdeep 
  ome. 
  lso suspects that Mirt and 
  urnan know of this, but he is not certain. 
  ifty winters. Sierkan’s eyes are 
  lso grey. He maintains a serious air, and is 
  is instructions, as his 
  aining has proved valuable to a number of 
   Sierkan keeps for himself.  
  believes also 
  ates back to his time as a soldier. 
  in keeping them well-trained and well-
  provisioned, ready for any contingencies. 
  As someone who worked his way up from 
  society’s lowest rungs, Sierkan is quite 
  mindful of the common folk, and also of the 
  merchants. He supports almost anything that 
  keeps life orderly and comfortable for these 
  folk. Conversely, Sierkan has little love for 
  the nobility. Though some nobles frequent 
  his jewelry shop, he has little use for the 
  nobility as a whole. He feels that anyone who 
  isn’t willing to earn their position in society 
  does not deserve that position. He tries not 
  to let his feelings interfere with his 
  o
  himself favoring the Waterdeep’s working 
  class over the nobility. 
   
  Despite her frequent teasing, Sierkan quite 
  likes Kyriani. He has great respect for Texter 
  and Piergeiron, and tends to follow their lead 
  with most issues. Sierkan isn’t entirely 
  comfortable with Sammareza Sulphontis or 
  Ralser Kepp, since he considers the morality 
  of both men to be questionable. Sierkan has 
  recently befriended Taethen Caliel; Taethen 
  is helping Sierkan overcome his ignorance of 
  the demihuman rac
  h
   
  Through Tayn Silbur, Sierkan knows that 
  Nindil Jalbuck has been replaced by the 
  greater doppelganger Hlaavin. He shared this 
  knowledge 
  with 
  Khelben, 
  but, 
  at 
  the 
  Blackstaff’s urging, has kept this information 
  from the other Lords. He is not comfortable 
  with his enforced silence, but he trusts 
  Khelben implicitly. He suspects that Khelben 
  is using the false halfling Lord to manipulate 
  the Unseen. He a
  D
   
  Recently, Sierkan discovered that Valson 
  Halfmoon had somehow returned to life. The 
  dark bard apparently has no memories of his 
  prior actions in Waterdeep, but Sierkan is 
  closely watching him, anyway.  
   
  Appearance and Personality 
   
  Sierkan is a short man, standing barely five 
  and a half feet tall. His closely-trimmed hair 
  and beard are steely grey; these features, 
  along with the lines on his face, indicate an 
  age of over f
  a
  rarely seen relaxing. He has not shown a 
  preference for any particular colors, and 
  prefers loose-fitting clothing that is finely 
  made but simple in detail.  
   
  Despite his apparent age, Sierkan is in 
  excellent shape. He exercises regularly, and 
  often spends time in combat practice with 
  Waterdeep’s soldiers. At least once a tenday, 
  he 
  conducts 
  informal 
  unarmed 
  combat 
  training with any willing soldiers. There is 
  talk of formalizing h
  tr
  Guardsmen.  
   
  Sierkan has a passion for military history, 
  and he is becoming something of an expert 
  on past conflicts in the North. He also collects 
  daggers; many of the soldiers he trains have 
  given him fine daggers in gratitude for his 
  instructions. Sierkan is occasionally seen 
  buying gemstones. Many of these stones go 
  to the Golden Sunburst to be made into 
  jewelry, but some
   
  Though Sierkan has stopped trying to recall 
  his 
  past, 
  his 
  vague 
  recollections 
  and 
  impressions have given him a very rough 
  idea of his life before the warehouse fire. He 
  is fairly certain he was a soldier, and recalls 
  serving someone he thought of as the prince, 
  or alternatively, “the Fox”. Sierkan knows 
  that he served in combat, but he doesn’t 
  know who the enemy was. He recalls being 
  at an academy of some kind, though he 
  doesn’t remember why he was there. Sierkan 
  has an odd fear of fire that he 
  d
   
  !
   
  
   
  58!
  ver created, 
  as 
  at of what t
  o w
  e, I 
  of what to do 
  . 
   un
  h him
  eemed
  acksto
  a I’ve 
  e ne
  e pict
  ill. My
  cal m
   of th
  o the 
  ial cover was as an unarmed comba
  alon to a Sembian warehouse is, to 
  s. 
  Author’s Note: Sierkan Dahl was one of the first NPCs I e
  back when I was in a very munchkin phase. He w
  always a psionicist, though I had little idea beyond th
  o d
  ith him. When I grew out of the munchkin phas
  decided to leave Sierkan in Waterdeep, and wait for a plan 
  with him. 
   
  I dusted him off when I began the Lords of Waterdeep project
  I arbitrarily decided to base his physical appearance on 
  Jaime Wolf of Wolf’s Dragoons, from the Classic BattleTech
  iverse. An equally arbitrary decision was to make the 
  Waterdhavian Alias clone into a psionicist and involve her wit
  . 
   
  The amnesiac searching for his past is a bit cliché, but it s
   an excellent reason for someone to delve into psionics. 
  Until I thought of that angle, I had no idea what Sierkan’s b
  ry was. That’s why the oldest NPC was the last one to be 
  written up for this project. 
   
  Tayn Silbur taking over a greater doppelganger was an ide
  kicked around for a while. Attaching the idea to Sierkan’s 
  backstory made everything work better, and gave Sierkan th
  cessary “in” to eventually become a Lord of Waterdeep. 
  The Valson Halfmoon angle was simply to get Aera out of th
  ure. 
   
  Sierkan’s true past is left for DMs to develop as they w
   idea, which can be ignored or adapted as necessary, 
  stemmed from the use of a BattleTech individual as a physi
  odel. I decided that Sierkan – obviously under a different 
  name – served in the Davion Heavy Guards around the time
  e Fourth Succession War. After suffering a head injury, it 
  was discovered that he had psychic abilities. He was sent t
  New Avalon Institute of Science to participate in psychic 
  experiments, though his offic
  t instructor at the New Avalon Military Academy. How he 
  was transported from New Av
  me, an unimportant detail, but it can be readily explained 
  as an experiment gone awry. 
   
  The tattoo on his shoulder is the logo of the Federated Sun
   
  I’d like to thank Steven Schend for his assistance while crafting Sierkan’s backstory. 
  
   
  59!
  !
  Part II 
  By Danyel Woods 
  rkh, who dwell in the Underdark; compiled by Susprina Arkhenneld of 
  gnolls, 
  which 
  was 
  compiled 
  from 
  historical 
  and discoveries during a visit to their city in 
  the guise of a Lolthian priestess/trade agent. 
  This portion of the treatise deals with their 
  magical 
  and 
  religious 
  traditions, 
  their 
  preferences in terms of arms and equipment, 
  and the race’s relationships with other races, 
  along with some sociological facts which may 
  give you a slightly better understanding of 
  their mindset. 
   
   
  Reaver Magic And Lore 
   
  The realities of day-to-day life in the 
  Underdark, 
  and 
  the 
  concerned 
  with 
  practicalities Reaver mentalities and values 
  (as delineated by the Living Ancestors) 
  generally 
  do 
  not 
  lend 
  themselves 
  to 
  prolonged 
  study 
  and 
  contemplation 
  of 
  esoteric mystical minutiae, meaning that few 
  wizards can be found in their civilisation.  
  (This discouraging of wizardly pursuits was 
  once a deliberate policy by the fiends, who 
  were initially worried about the possibility of 
  being bound by their former slaves; even 
  some two hundred summers after relaxing 
  this policy, scholar-mages are far from 
  common amongst them.)  On the other hand, 
  Reaver veins course with the blood of fiends, 
  granting those who can overcome their initial 
  trepidations about the arcane arts the power 
  to become mighty sorcerers. Similarly, not a 
  few directly bind themselves (and/or their 
  progeny) to pacts with the Living Ancestors 
  leaders, the presence of the Living Ancestors 
  amongst 
  Reavers 
  and 
  the 
  immediate 
  savagery of the Underdark’s dangers tend to 
   kind of detachment druids 
  must cultivate in order to achieve their 
  powers.  Adepts and clerics who venerate 
  ‘aspects of the Ancestors’ (see below) are 
  respected amongst the Reavers for their 
  healing gifts and the added ‘muscle’ their 
  spells can provide the front-line combatants 
  (especially when war-parties encounter well-
  equipped foes like drow), not to mention the 
  ‘insights’ into the Will of the Living Ancestors 
  which they can provide.  Such priests often 
  serve as advisors to house leaders or other 
  nobles, but it is rare for them to wield any 
  direct 
  secular 
  power 
  (unless 
  they 
  are 
  appointed to the Council as an Ancestor’s 
  representative). 
   
   
  Spells And Spellcasting 
     
  Reavers 
  prefer 
  magics 
  which 
  produce 
  immediate, 
  visible 
  results, 
  typically 
  destructive evocations and conjurations.  (As 
  noted, the Living Ancestors once took a very 
  dim view of study of the actual ‘summoning 
  and 
  binding 
  creatures’ 
  aspect 
  of 
  the 
  conjurer’s Art, for obvious reasons; however, 
  once both the Ancestors grew secure in their 
  divinity, 
  this 
  restriction 
  was 
  gradually 
  relaxed.) 
   
  Illusions 
  are 
  reserved 
  for 
  entertainment, and some more subtle casters 
  readily follow Valyethra’s lead in using 
  enchantments to turn foes against one 
  another.  Necromancy is seldom practiced 
  amongst Reavers, for the simple reason that 
   
  Being the completion of a treatise on the nature and society of this sub-race of gnolls, also known 
  s ‘Reavers’ or hahlo
  a
  Shadowdale, sorceress and apprentice of Elminster, from various sources. 
   
  * * * * 
   
  s 
  I 
  promised, 
  esteemed 
  Vangerdahast of Cormyr, I 
  have enclosed the second 
  half of the treatise on the 
  deep 
  in return for eldritch powers, making them 
  warlocks of often formidable prowess. 
   
  While surface gnolls may favour druids as 
  research, testimony from an 
  exile of the race, and my own experiences 
  discourage the
  
   
  5:!
  most Reavers consider the dead to be food 
  rather than potential servants. 
   
   
  Reaver Magic Items 
   
  In imitation of the Living Ancestors, Reavers 
  ith the unholy property.  Some smiths also 
  ‘cut corners’ by using the city’s faerzress t
  create drowcraft weapons, though they do 
  not know or use
  generally canno
  ‘sun’ (or on the
  issued for use in
  or to those of 
  centuries of con
  drow of Maerim
   
  than 
  adding 
  any 
  ‘fancy’ 
  ualities. 
  Arcane 
  se of 
  deployed to augment units which lack active 
  arcanists amongst their numbers; direct 
  ugh 
  effects of a simple wand of light or wand 
  aylight on a drow patrol can make a 
  ting, crucial difference which the 
   Deities 
   
  enoghu no longer features in the spiritual 
  Reavers. Jyalkaath and Valyethra 
  ion of 
   a bloody-handed soldier 
  ho revels in mayhem.  Just as obviously, 
  yeth
  being 
  pon
  nd all 
  favour flaming longswords or longbows; 
  oftentimes, those intended for use on the 
  surface against ‘civilised’ folk are also imbued 
  w
  o 
   that term; as such weapons 
  t survive under the city’s 
   surface), they are typically 
   the outlying settlements – 
  questionable loyalty.  Long 
  stant skirmishing with the 
  ydra have taught them the 
  value of stealth and ambush, so they prefer 
  armour 
  that 
  combines 
  protection 
  with 
  freedom of movement (such as ‘mithral-
  weave’, their own equivalent of the famous 
  elven chainmail), often also imbued with the 
  shadow and silent moves properties for 
  added concealment.  With these exceptions, 
  Reavers tend towards the ‘brute force’ 
  method of empowering weapons and armour, 
  directly increasing an item’s enchantment 
  bonus 
  rather
  q
   
  casters often make great u
  Staves of Earthen Might (c.f. Dragon #314) 
  in construction and engineering (both civil 
  and military); rods are not common, but 
  neither 
  are 
  they 
  conspicuous 
  by 
  their 
  absence, as Rods of Metal and Mineral 
  Detection (c.f. Underdark) are particularly 
  useful 
  to 
  the 
  mining 
  industry 
  (and 
  expeditions sent to locate and conquer the 
  mines of other, ‘lesser’ races).  Enchanted 
  ropes such as ropes of climbing and ropes of 
  entanglement are also a firm favourite (in 
  conscious 
  imitation 
  of 
  Valyethra’s 
  preferences).  Scrolls are rare, as Reavers 
  prefer expendable items that can be used 
  without special abilities, such as potions. 
  Other than the obligatory healing drafts, 
  these usually consist of orog-style blends like 
  bull’s strength, bear’s endurance, enlarge 
  and haste, which can greatly augment a 
  Reaver’s 
  already 
  impressive 
  physical 
  prowess. 
   
  Wands 
  are 
  also 
  commonly 
  attack spells are generally preferred, tho
  the 
  of d
  debilita
  Reavers greatly appreciate. 
   
   
  Reaver
  Ye
  lives of the 
  having long since supplanted him through a 
  combination of their immediacy, their visible 
  potency, and methodical exterminat
  any who spoke the balor’s name.  (After 
  more than thirty generations, only the most 
  learned sages amongst the Reavers even 
  know the tanar’ri’s name any more, and then 
  only as a ‘lesser deity who failed his chosen 
  people’.)  Jyalkaath and Valyethra now 
  occupy the pinnacle of the Reavers’ pantheon 
  as 
  their 
  ‘Living 
  Ancestors’, 
  immortal 
  guardians and guides of the deep gnoll 
  civilisation, using their supernatural might 
  and ageless natures to awe the Reavers into 
  submission.  Considered a partnership of 
  equals to the Reavers, the two fiends are 
  considered to govern different aspects of the 
  spiritual 
  realm. 
   
  Jyalkaath 
  is 
  naturally 
  worshipped as the ‘male’ aspect, portrayed 
  (accurately) as the embodiment of The Way 
  of Things, a ruler often brutal, cruel and 
  unforgiving (as most natural laws are) but 
  always with a purpose (hidden though it may 
  often be), and as
  w
  Val
  ra is the feminine aspect, 
  res
  sible for fertility (naturally) a
  things which grow or allow others to grow; 
  she is also revered for her patience and 
  forethought and is the ‘patron’ Ancestor of 
  those Reavers who can balance their bestial 
  instincts with rationality and methodical 
  preparation for exigencies.  If Jyalkaath is 
  the embodiment of Power in Reaver society, 
  Valyethra is the personification of Purpose. 
   
  However, while the ‘Living Ancestors’ do not 
  relish letting the Reavers acknowledge the 
  existence of proper deities, they do recognise 
  that allowing worship of such deities (in the 
  guise of ‘aspects of the Living Ancestors’ or 
  quasi-animistic practices) allows them to 
  
   
  61!
  the Reavers.  
  isturbingly to the Living Ancestors, many 
  eavers follow an aspect who strongly 
  resemble
  glory in 
  the kill appeals to the Reavers’ own deep-
  , 
  especially 
  where 
  Jyalkaath’s 
  llowers might hear of it.  (Despite her faith 
  Demigod 
  Symbol: 
  Green 
  rays 
  squeezed 
   cornugon’s 
  black clawed hand 
  e 
  rrangement mainly as a jest, for he knew 
  identify, 
  allow 
  for, 
  and 
  even 
  rectify 
  weaknesses in their grip on 
  D
  R
  s the savage Malar, whose 
  seated bloodlust – though to openly worship 
  the 
  Beastlord 
  as 
  himself 
  is 
  apostasy, 
  punishable by death or exile.  Similarly, 
  worship of Chauntea is necessary to the 
  flourishing of certain crops farmed by the 
  Reavers – including the sacred yew trees 
  used to craft the enchanted bows carried by 
  Valyethra’s military followers – but the 
  farmers’ following of this ‘aspect’, with its 
  strong veins of concern for the welfare of 
  others, is considered foolish and weak; the 
  Ancestors acknowledge its necessity, but 
  ensure that it is thoroughly derided by 
  Reaver society at large.  (Nonetheless, there 
  is a small following of a Chauntea-analogue 
  in 
  the 
  farming 
  community, 
  especially 
  amongst the slaves who work the farms, and 
  some of them – and a few of their Reaver 
  overseers! – have even become druids, 
  despite risking execution for such apostasy.)  
  A sect of Valyethra’s church actually follows 
  the 
  dogmas 
  of 
  both 
  the 
  lesser 
  goddess/erinyes 
  and 
  of 
  Shar, 
  with 
  Valyethra’s full knowledge and approval; 
  naturally, this ‘variant doctrine’ is not widely 
  advertised
  fo
  being officially proscribed, the Lady of Loss 
  [and her sect within Valyethra’s clergy] does 
  sponsor a small, outlaw cult of assassin-
  terrorists within the city whose existence is 
  an open secret; their services are just a 
  touch too useful to the ruling Clans for them 
  to be actively pursued and destroyed.)  The 
  Earthlord Grumbar is usually given offerings 
  in return for his gifts of iron and mithral, 
  which allow the Reavers to survive and 
  flourish – though attention to him by any but 
  the miners is likely to last only as long as it 
  takes for the Reavers to carve out a surface 
  kingdom of their own.  More sophisticated 
  Reavers 
  who 
  achieve 
  some 
  degree 
  of 
  leadership often offer prayers to an analogue 
  of Gargauth (their fiendish masters raise little 
  objection 
  to 
  this, 
  since 
  Gargauth 
  was 
  formerly a devil himself) or the Red Knight, 
  as her mastery of matters martial and 
  military is vital to their future success; some 
  few, usually the most devoted of front-line 
  soldiers, even (unknowingly) give obeisance 
  to Helm. 
   
  Jyalkaath 
   
  The Great Father, the Claw of Tyranny, the 
  Enslaver’s Chains  
  forth from a
  Home Plane: 
  The Barrens of Doom 
  and Despair (Baator) 
  Alignment: 
  Lawful Evil 
  Portfolio: 
  Strife, hatred, tyranny, 
  fear (*athletic prowess, 
  *battle, 
  *cities, 
  *strength) 
  Worshippers: 
  Conquerors, 
  evil 
  fighters 
  and 
  monks, 
  tyranny, wizards 
  Cleric alignments: LN, LE, NE 
  Domains: 
  [*City,] [*Competition,] 
  Destruction, Evil, Fear, 
  Hatred, Law, *Strength, 
  Tyranny, *War 
  Favoured Weapon: The Enslaver’s Chains 
  (spiked chain) 
  * Portfolios held in his own right after 
  Gilgeam’s felling; others are accessible to 
  him, but controlled by Bane. 
  [Domains in square brackets] are accessible 
  only if the Complete series of books are in 
  play. 
   
  Jyalkaath received his ‘divinity’ in a bargain 
  with Bane: all Reavers who served the 
  cornugon faithfully – and according to the 
  dictates of Bane’s faith – would grant both of 
  them power, with the Black Lord having ‘right 
  of first claim’ over their souls once they 
  passed; any he did not choose would be 
  consigned to the devil’s home plane of 
  Baator, furthering the fiend’s own agenda 
  and power.  After sealing this bargain, 
  Jyalkaath encountered the Untheric dictator-
  deity Gilgeam in a dream, and the self-
  proclaimed god-king agreed to the sam
  a
  that none of his subjects would ever fall 
  under the horned devil’s sway and he did not 
  want the souls of Reaver worshippers, as 
  they would ‘pollute’ his demesnes.  However, 
  when both Bane and Gilgeam were slain 
  during the Time of Troubles, it was Jyalkaath 
  
   
  62!
  worship is the Challenge Arena of 
  Godsvault, where both
  court during the
  iatorial bouts.  
  In smaller communities which lack such an 
  ling field (or in the Great 
  lan strongholds) with a life-size 
  that occurs on the f
  leaders of those s
  ually 
  from a viewing box 
  e 
  (Owing to the limits
  the collar of mater
  never been able to
  Jyalkaath is 
  tall) horned devil.  H
  7; with the except
  lity to 
  s otherwise 
  5/Sorcerer 12.) 
  Val
  The 
  Great 
  Mother, 
  Mother 
  of 
  Reason, 
  g sword crossed 
  disc with a deep-purple 
  surround 
  who laughed, for Gilgeam’s portfolios fell to 
  him (even if only in a limited fashion).  This 
  was vital to the cornugon’s survival as a 
  demigod during the dogfight over Bane’s 
  legacy, for Cyric refused to honour Bane’s 
  arrangement with the fiend and severed his 
  access to those aspects; Iyachtu Xvim 
  likewise felt disinclined to share his ‘toys’, 
  and it was only when Bane himself was 
  reborn in 1372 DR that the cornugon 
  demigod was allowed to reassert his power 
  over those spheres (subject to the old 
  arrangement with the Black Lord).  He now 
  shares Bane’s spheres of influence and 
  follows/preaches the Black Lord’s dogma 
  while possessing Gilgeam’s former portfolios 
  in their own right (though they are applied to 
  the Reavers, rather than Unther; he has no 
  influence in that surface nation, and few on 
  the surface know his name). 
   
  Clergy of Jyalkaath pray for spells at dawn, 
  preparing themselves for a full day in the 
  pursuit and perpetuation of dominion over 
  others. They garb themselves in robes of 
  green-trimmed black, or in green tabards 
  over otherwise black clothing, and habitually 
  arm 
  themselves 
  with 
  spiked 
  chains 
  or 
  swords, even though both custom and law 
  declare the persons of clergy completely 
  inviolate under pain of immediate death.  
  Other than prayers for spells and other divine 
  powers, the faith’s only formal observances 
  are the New Year (marked at Highharvestide, 
  the date on which the fiends first took control 
  of the Fleshraker March and thus the date of 
  the 
  city’s 
  formal 
  foundation) 
  and 
  the 
  gladiatorial contests held at the Challenge 
  Arena on the ninth day of every month. The 
  ceremonies at the games include ritual 
  blessings of the contestants and audience at 
  the start of the day’s events, adjudicating the 
  fates of losing fighters, and another ritual at 
  the close of the contest, congratulating the 
  victorious and granting freedom or clemency 
  to those who have earned it under the law or 
  through shows of courage, savagery and/or 
  prowess.  Those who are defeated in the 
  Arena in a way exhibiting cowardice or 
  weakness of spirit, or who have been 
  defeated three times running, thus proving 
  themselves 
  too 
  weak 
  to 
  survive, 
  are 
  sacrificed just before the closing blessing and 
  their hearts burned so that Jyalkaath might 
  claim their power and purge it of its flaws.  
  Clergy and Temples: Jyalkaath’s primary 
  place of 
   he and Valyethra hold 
   monthly glad
  arena, worship is undertaken on a military 
  training ground/due
  Halls of C
  statue of the Great Father overlooking all 
  ield from a balcony. The 
  ub-communities us
  watch and judge all that occurs on the field 
  of their own below th
  statue’s feet. 
   
   enforced upon him by 
  ial entrapment he has 
   remove, 
  always in his avatar form: that of a Huge (15’ 
  e has a Divine Rank of 
  ion of his inabi
  teleport or summon devils, he i
  treated 
  as 
  a 
  23HD 
  cornugon/Barbarian 
   
  yethra 
   
  Mistress of Obligation 
  Demigod 
  Symbol:  
  A flamin
  with a lightning bolt, set 
  upon a midnight-black 
  Home Plane:  
  Baator 
  (*Plane 
  of 
  Shadow) 
  Alignment:  
  Lawful Evil 
  Portfolio:  
  duty, 
  order, 
  storms, 
  thunder, vigilance, war, 
  (*caverns, 
  *secrets, 
  *the Underdark) 
  Worshippers:  
  Soldiers, peace officers, 
  servants 
  and 
  slaves, 
  forward planners of all 
  types 
  Cleric alignments:  LN, LE, NE 
  Domains: 
  (*Cavern, 
  *Darkness,) 
  Evil, 
  (*Knowledge,) 
  Law, 
  [Planning,] 
  Protection, Storm, War 
  Favoured Weapon: Burden 
  of 
  Duty 
  (longsword) 
  
   
  63!
  and harvested 
  w of the souls available to him through the 
   for the ‘divergent sect’) after 
  athing, which symbolises cleansing oneself 
  mblem, 
  and 
  are 
  almost 
  invariably armed with both longsword and 
  longbow.  Othe
   for spells and 
  other divine powers, 
  e faith’s only formal 
  te on which the fiends 
  ntrol of the Fleshraker March and 
  and the gladiatoria
  Challenge Arena on 
  month. The ceremon
  ritual blessings of
  testants and 
  adjudicating the fate
   fighters, and 
   at th
  the contest, 
  slave-fi
  and granting freedo
  who have earned it u
  shows of courage, sa
  lty. 
  Dogma: Be attentiv
  in the performance o
  fail in a duty, esp
  if they gave it 
  , will suffer 
  valuable and shoul
  assigned to a tas
  learning its every as
   
  understanding of the
  al, what its 
  achievement entails, and what difficulties 
  might 
  await 
  you 
  during 
  its 
  execution: 
  (* Portfolios and domains accessible to 
  Valyethra and her initiated followers, but 
  controlled by Shar.) 
  [Domains in square brackets] are accessible 
  only if the Complete series of books are in 
  play. 
   
  Valyethra’s divine imprimatur from Ramman, 
  an Untheric deity of storms and obligations, 
  was arranged through Jyalkaath and Gilgeam 
  soon after those two struck their initial 
  bargain.  Ramman was not as sanguine 
  about such dealings as his god-king, but 
  hoped that he could influence the erinyes 
  away from her former path of corruption and 
  redeem 
  her 
  in 
  some 
  fashion, 
  perhaps 
  counterbalancing 
  her 
  companion’s 
  evil 
  influences over the Reavers.  He was to be 
  sorely disappointed by a marked lack of 
  progress towards that goal, 
  fe
  pact (as few Reaver worshippers possessed 
  the kindlier impulses that would have made 
  them acceptable to him), but could not 
  contemplate breaching the bargain and his 
  own sworn oath.  During the Time of 
  Troubles, all of this abruptly ceased to matter 
  to Ramman when he was slain and most of 
  his 
  power 
  passed 
  to 
  his 
  Mulhorandi 
  counterpart Anhur. Unfortunately for both, a 
  fragment of his power (and access to his 
  spheres of influence) passed to Valyethra 
  when Ramman fell. With Bane and Jyalkaath 
  protecting 
  the 
  erinyes/demigod, 
  Anhur 
  cannot justifiably risk a confrontation over 
  the pittance of Ramman’s former power he 
  might gain by slaying Valyethra. 
   
  During a surface venture soon after the city’s 
  foundation, 
  Valyethra 
  was 
  surreptitiously 
  approached by an avatar of Shar, who 
  offered her access to her own spheres of 
  darkness and secrets in return for certain 
  concessions 
  functionally 
  similar 
  to 
  the 
  bargain between Jyalkaath and Bane – and 
  also permitting the Lady of Loss to establish 
  a small ‘doctrinal variance’ within the Great 
  Mother’s clergy which allowed them both to 
  channel certain nihilistic impulses within the 
  Reavers into more useful avenues.  After the 
  Time of Troubles, while Jyalkaath was still 
  sorting out what had happened to his 
  sponsors, Shar allowed Valyethra access to 
  the ‘caverns and Underdark’ portfolios she 
  had recently acquired by slaying Ibrandul. 
  (Note: Owing to the Great Mother’s close 
  relations with Shar, Valyethra’s clergy may 
  take 
  the 
  ‘Initiate 
  of 
  Shar’ 
  feat 
  from 
  Champions of Ruin and/or Shadow Weave 
  feats; 
  however, 
  taking 
  the 
  Nightcloak 
  prestige class requires direct worship of the 
  Lady of Loss.  Members of the Great Mother’s 
  clergy may freely choose from any of the 
  listed domains, but only initiated members of 
  the innermost circles of the clergy know who 
  truly grants them.) 
   
  Clergy of Valyethra pray for their spells at 
  dawn (or dusk
  b
  of 
  the 
  sweat 
  of 
  previous 
  labours 
  in 
  preparation for those of the day (or night) 
  ahead.  Her clergy are almost exclusively 
  female, and their everyday garb consists of 
  robes of pale purple, trimmed with black; 
  when expecting battle, soldiers or clerics of 
  the faith wear black cloaks over purple 
  surcoats emblazoned with Valyethra’s sword-
  and-lightning 
  e
   
  r than prayers
  th
  observances are the New Year (marked at 
  Highharvestide, the da
  first took co
  thus the date of the city’s formal foundation) 
  l contests held at the 
  the ninth day of every 
  ies at the games include 
   the con
  audience at the start of the day’s events, 
  s of losing
  another ritual
  e close of 
  thanking the 
  ghters for their service 
  m or clemency to those 
  nder the law or through 
  vagery and/or loya
   
  e, diligent and thorough 
  f your duties; those who 
  ecially 
  anything less than their utmost
  mightily for their indolence.  All duties are 
  d be mastered; when 
  k, devote yourself to 
  pect.  No task should be
  undertaken 
  without 
  a 
  thorough 
   intended go
  
   
  64!
   your masters and may 
  ditional obedience and loyalty.  Your 
  asters give you what is your due for your 
   – and in 
  rn, the drow consider the Reavers to be 
  sklyngh far to the north, 
  ctually enjoy relatively cordial relations with 
   
  e 
  e deep gnolls’ ‘uniform aberrations’ as a 
  preparation 
  and 
  forethought 
  are 
  the 
  differences between success and failure.  
  Those above you are
  do with you as they see fit; that is their right, 
  and you must give them nothing but your 
  uncon
  m
  service and aptitude, no more, no less; they 
  may grant you advancement if you prove 
  worthy, but ambition, insubordination and 
  insurrection will see you punished. 
   
  Clergy and Temples: Valyethra’s primary 
  place of worship is the Challenge Arena of 
  Godsvault, where both she and Jyalkaath 
  hold court during the monthly gladiatorial 
  bouts; however, lay followers and clerics in 
  more isolated communities can pray to the 
  Great Mother through as simple a shrine as a 
  small statue of the Goddess standing atop a 
  purple cloth in a wall alcove. 
   
  (Valyethra is also permanently invested in an 
  avatar, being that she cannot claim dominion 
  over Baator in her own right.  She has a 
  Divine Rank of 7; her avatar is treated as a 
  16HD erinyes/Rogue 9/Cleric 10/Nightcloak 
  4.) 
   
   
  Relations With Other Races 
   
  Even before the establishment of the cavern-
  city, 
  Jyalkaath 
  harboured 
  a 
  towering 
  resentment for the drow of Maerimydra, one 
  of 
  whom 
  was 
  responsible 
  for 
  his 
  imprisonment within the cavern
  tu
  trespassing within their rightful domains.  
  There are frequent clashes between Reaver 
  patrols and Maerimydran pickets, and the 
  forces of each city derive great satisfaction 
  from destroying caravans bound to or from 
  the other.  Given the expansionist bent of the 
  Reaver society – their primary means of 
  locating 
  and 
  exploiting 
  their 
  mining 
  operations is by conquering the mines of 
  ‘weaker’ races – Maerimydran leaders would 
  be well-advised to keep their eyes open; they 
  never know when a deep gnoll army might 
  appear at their doorstep. Given the fractious 
  nature of the drow, their ability to repel a full 
  assault by the fiendish Reavers is very much 
  in question. 
   
  (Update, 1373DR: this is now something of a 
  moot point.  The army of fiends and giants 
  which sacked Maerimydra during the Silence 
  of Lolth did so with the aid of reconnaissance 
  information supplied by Reaver scouts and 
  agents working on a principle I once heard 
  termed, accurately if rather ungrammatically, 
  as ‘let’s you and him fight’.) 
   
  Other drow cities, like the more southerly 
  Sschindylryn and Du
  a
  the Reavers, as their mines and smithies 
  forge arms and armour of impressive quality 
  and ask reasonable prices for them in return 
  for various drow goods, such as the piwafwi 
  much prized by Reaver leaders and soldiers.  
  Indeed, 
  Reavers 
  sometimes 
  serve 
  as 
  mercenaries to concerns within those cities 
  (either individually or in some strength – 
  groups as large as Squadrons have been 
  observed in some actions, though one or two 
  Parties 
  are 
  sufficient 
  to 
  most 
  tasks). 
  Similarly, duergar can do business with the 
  Reavers without much incident, as both races 
  are well aware of each others’ unusual 
  abilities and respect that power.  The ‘exotic’ 
  foodstuffs produced by Godsvault, including 
  its fruits, vegetables, and heady liquors, are 
  also greatly prized by these foreign trading 
  races, and a cask of apples or apple-brandy 
  can fetch a staggering price from drow or 
  duergar merchants (and their customers).  
  The Zhentarim also enjoy commerce with 
  Godsvault, partly because of the deep gnolls’ 
  positive flair for mining (and breaking and 
  managing slaves); more than one hahlorkh 
  battle-group has marched under Zhentish 
  banners for Zhentish coin.  
   
  However, the Reavers do have an ongoing 
  feud with the beholders of Ooltul, who se
  th
  particular offence against their race’s bizarre 
  ideals of physical and spiritual perfection – 
  and speculation that some probes and hit-
  and-run raids on outlying communities were 
  conducted at the behest (and in the pay) of 
  the Maerimydran drow has eased few minds 
  amongst the Reaver leadership.  Thankfully 
  for the deep gnolls, the eye tyrants rarely 
  sally towards the city in any numbers, but 
  even a single beholder can wreak savage 
  devastation before withdrawing.  Much the 
  same can be said of the kir-lanan found in 
  
   
  65!
  invariably 
  illed when they ‘trespass’ within the city’s 
  st a Reaver in 
  ngle 
  combat. 
   
  There 
  are 
  no 
  illithid 
  s 
  rarely 
  encounter 
  Reavers 
  in 
  the 
  nderdark; those who are encountered, as 
  ith surface-dwellers of almost any stripe, 
  are 
  generally 
  considered 
  fit 
  only 
  for 
  enslavement – or eating. 
   wood in the Underdark, making 
  e construction of conventional longbows 
  make enchanted 
  ompound longbows for holy warriors of the 
  pets/companions 
  nd dire breeds for riding; a goodly number 
  the region, as their hatred of the gods and 
  those who worship them makes them natural 
  enemies of the Reavers; again, they rarely 
  assail Godsvault directly or in any great 
  number, though even a small band can cause 
  havoc 
  in 
  smaller, 
  less-defended 
  fringe 
  settlements. 
   
  Other races – weaker goblinoids, kobolds, 
  and breeds of orc less potent than the orogs 
  or the tanarukks – are almost 
  k
  zone of control, or captured and forced into 
  slavery, tending farms or livestock or toiling 
  in mines and smithies to further the city’s 
  economic might and growth.  Most goblinoid 
  factions take great pains to avoid areas 
  controlled by Reavers or where they have 
  been sighted, and with good reason: even 
  Hellgate Keep’s mighty, savage tanarukks 
  would be hard-pressed to be
  si
  settlements in the region, and even the 
  pernicious mind flayers are careful to stay 
  away from baatezu such as the Living 
  Ancestors.  There are few dwarven or 
  svirfneblin settlements in the area, so these 
  race
  U
  w
   
   
  Reaver Equipment 
   
  Of simple necessity, the Reaver civilisation 
  makes almost all of its own equipment, 
  relying 
  on 
  their 
  remarkably 
  productive 
  economy for most essentials and military 
  gear.  Such equipment tends towards the 
  kind of ruthlessly pragmatic functionality 
  many dwarves would admire, though bladed 
  weapons often sport cruelly serrated edges 
  and heavier armours are often spiked for 
  close-combat. 
   
  ARMS AND ARMOUR 
   
  Most Reavers favour the longsword, the 
  longbow, and in spaces sufficiently open to 
  wield it, the spiked chain – all weapons much 
  beloved of the Living Ancestors.  While there 
  is a dearth of
  th
  rather problematic, the horn and/or bone 
  which can be laminated into composite bows 
  is readily available as a byproduct of the 
  farming industry, and since the longbow is a 
  holy weapon, craftsmen take great pride and 
  pains in their construction.  (The yew trees 
  transplanted by Valyethra are considered 
  sacred, and are used only to 
  c
  Living Ancestors.) 
   
  Similarly, rothé leather is easily cured into 
  armour. Trainee Reavers are taught to move 
  swiftly and stealthily, spending much of their 
  military apprenticeship in masterwork quality 
  studded leather armour.  Those who have 
  completed their military training and entered 
  active service are equipped by their masters 
  and/or employers, often the Godsvault March 
  itself. However, not a few keep their training 
  armour and have it enchanted as they climb 
  the ranks for the sake of retaining their 
  stealth advantage, though others with better 
  resources (or connections) trade it in for 
  mithral chain shirts (or full-blown mithral 
  chainmail) at the first opportunity.  ‘Heavy 
  hitter’ units intended for shock action, as well 
  as most combat clerics, favour heavy steel 
  shields 
  and 
  banded 
  mail 
  (for 
  heavy 
  protection) or breastplates (for speed of 
  movement). 
   
  ANIMALS AND PETS 
   
  Like most other gnolls, Reavers greatly enjoy 
  the company of hyenas.  Valyethra had the 
  forethought to take this into account and 
  secured a goodly supply of them over the 
  years, both normal-size for 
  a
  have been infused with devilish energies in 
  their own right, though such fiendish hyenas 
  are so rare and prestigious as to be found 
  only with the clergy, Clan leaders, and senior 
  officers of the Godsvault March.  Those deep 
  gnolls who lack the wherewithal (or favour of 
  the Living Ancestors) to acquire dire hyenas 
  for riding often settle for riding lizards as 
  mounts 
  (breeding 
  stock 
  having 
  been 
  purchased from ‘friendly’ drow some time 
  ago and housed within the city’s farming 
  district). 
   
   Other animals favoured as pets include 
  dragazhar (the deep bats also known as 
  
   
  66!
  mostly 
  ineffective 
  against 
  eavers), 
  ibrandlin 
  (for 
  slightly 
  more 
  a regional feat and 
  one equipment option from those listed 
  below. 
  Automati
  mon. 
  Bonus 
  Languages: 
  Common, 
  Draconic, 
  d of burning hands (CL5) with 
  0 charges 
   
  GODSVAULT 
  opulation. 
  enturies 
  of 
  the 
  Ancestors’ 
  selective-
  breeding pr
  ng in the 
  Underdark have best
  ed both darkvision 
  ames; similar lights also mark the 
  ntrances to most entertainment venues, 
  ‘night hunters’, often trained and employed 
  in the same fashion as a surface-dweller 
  might fly a hawk), the beholder-kin known as 
  ‘eyeballs’ (typically used as sentry-animals 
  that raise an alarm rather than fight an 
  intruder 
  themselves, 
  as 
  their 
  offensive 
  powers 
  are 
  R
  effective guard-beasts), and humanoid slaves 
  such as kobolds, goblins, or orcs. 
   
   
  Character Creation Aids 
   
  Regions: Gnoll, Underdark (Northdark) (as 
  dwarf), Reaver. 
  Racial Feats: Fiendish Bloodline, Improved 
  Energy 
  Resistance, 
  Improved 
  Natural 
  Armour, Infernal Bargainer 
  Racial 
  Prestige 
  Classes: 
  Blackguard, 
  Cavelord, 
  Deep 
  Diviner, 
  Shadowdancer, 
  Prime Underdark Guide, Wild Scout* 
  *The special benefits of the Wild Scout class 
  apply either underground or on the surface; 
  this is determined at the time the PrC is 
  taken and cannot be altered thereafter. 
   
  Reaver Region 
   
  Preferred classes: cleric, fighter, ranger, or 
  sorcerer.  A first-level character from any of 
  these classes may choose 
  c Language(s): Undercom
  Elven, Goblin, Orc. 
  Regional 
  Feats: 
  Blooded, 
  Knifefighter, 
  Resist Poison, Thug. 
  Bonus Equipment: 
  a) longsword* or composite longbow (+2 Str 
  bonus) 
  b) studded leather armour* and light steel 
  shield* 
  c) wand of cure light wounds (CL5) with 20 
  charges or wan
  2
   
  The region above represents citizens or 
  expatriates of the only known Reaver city 
  and its outlying settlements. Housing some 
  thirty thousand Reavers and half as many 
  slaves, the city’s name translates from the 
  Infernal-influenced 
  Reaver 
  dialect 
  as 
  ‘Godsvault’ (a contraction of the original 
  quasi-poetic term set upon the cavern by the 
  initial gnollish settlers, ‘The Vault of the 
  Living Gods’).  The outlying settlements, 
  most of them conquered mining communities 
  now 
  worked 
  by 
  slaves 
  or 
  similar 
  farming/fishing towns, add some further ten 
  thousand Reavers and twenty thousand 
  slaves to the total p
   
  Godsvault is a single large cavern in the 
  Underdark, specifically the Middledark on the 
  north-western 
  shore 
  of 
  the 
  Reachmere 
  (south-east of Maerimydra, beneath the 
  Dragon Reach).  Much like the drow, the 
  Reavers have hollowed out a number of 
  massive stalagmites for their oldest and 
  noblest dwellings; dwellings for commoners 
  are built of stone on the cavern floor or found 
  in warrens excavated (sometimes magically) 
  out of the cavern walls.  The cavern’s 
  stalactites are untouched, as most Reavers 
  cannot access them without magic; there is 
  one massive central stalactite which is 
  inhabited, but this is the home of the Living 
  Ancestors and none may enter without an 
  express summons, on pain of summary 
  execution 
  (usually 
  by 
  the 
  Ancestors 
  themselves). 
   
  C
  ogrammes and livi
  ow
  and 
  low-light 
  vision 
  on 
  the 
  Reavers.  
  Nonetheless, in light of their manifest destiny 
  of returning to and dominating the surface, 
  they 
  have 
  not 
  let 
  themselves 
  become 
  vulnerable to the light, as the drow have.  
  Through the use of powerful magics by the 
  Living Ancestors and the city’s arcanists and 
  clergy, an illusory ball of light (which acts as 
  natural sunlight to all things which are 
  touched by its light, including undead, plants 
  and drowcraft weapons) tracks across the 
  cavern’s ‘sky’ in time with the movements of 
  the 
  sun 
  on 
  the 
  surface, 
  acting 
  as 
  timepiece/calendar and natural illumination 
  for the city’s ‘solar’ cycle.  By night, the 
  streets of most districts of the city are 
  brightly lit by the use of ‘lamp-posts’ set with 
  continual fl
  e
  such as the Challenge Arena, taverns and 
  festhalls.  The city’s Reachmere foreshore 
  
   
  67!
   from bare 
  rock into arable land)
  hich support a wide 
  range of edible herbage, both Underdark 
  fungi a
  ch as 
  wheat, cabbage, apples and even potatoes.  
  ed by the farmers and their 
  y Clan.  
  trong 
  ands and its outlying regions in ‘parties’ of 
  twenty-five. 
   are fought 
  by Squadrons,
  Parties, and 
  n 
   
  eep Gnolls As Monsters 
  NOLL, 1
  -LEVEL FIGHTER 
  3d8+3 
  + 
  1d10+1 
  (25hp) 
  INITIATIVE: 
  +0 
  SPEED: 
  30’ (six squares) 
  rwork 
  longsword 
  +5 
  Climb 
  +2, 
  Handle 
  Animal +2, Heal +1, 
  even enjoys a small park-like area a little 
  away from the fishing-docks, complete with a 
  sacred grove of yew trees transplanted by 
  Valyethra to be used in the crafting of 
  enchanted bows.  The farming district, on the 
  south side of the Godsvault cavern (on the 
  other side of the ‘park’ from the foreshore), 
  includes both grazing paddocks for deep 
  rothé and planting fields (most of them 
  having been magically transfigured
   w
  nd transplanted surface corps su
  (Those crops requiring special conditions to 
  flourish are tend
  (barely) tolerated druids with spells such as 
  plant growth and weather-mimicking effects.) 
   
  Laws and the peace are enforced by the 
  Godsvault March, whose loyalty is to the city 
  and its Ruling Council, rather than an
  This 
  force 
  has 
  retained 
  the 
  ‘base-five’ 
  structure once imposed upon the Army of 
  Darkness 
  that 
  assailed 
  Myth 
  Drannor, 
  patrolling the city’s streets in five-s
  b
   Large-scale actions
   consisting of five 
  the nominal strength of the Godsvault March 
  is forty such Squadrons, which can be 
  augmented in time of emergency by the ‘call-
  up’ of able-bodied males to form almost 
  thirty more such Squadrons (including the 
  full strength of all the Clan militias, which ca
  be annexed by the City March at dire need).  
  In all, the city of Godsvault can muster an 
  army of almost nine thousand swords without 
  causing its economy excessive distress. 
   
  D
   
  DEEP G
  ST
  SIZE/TYPE: 
  Medium 
  Native 
  Outsider 
  HIT DICE: 
  ARMOUR CLASS: 
  16 (+2 natural, +3 
  masterwork studded 
  leather armour, +1 
  masterwork 
  light 
  steel shield), touch 
  12, flat-footed 16 
  BASE ATTACK/GRAPPLE: +4/+6 
  ATTACK: 
  masterwork 
  longsword 
  +5 
  (1d8+2/19-20/x3) 
  or 
  composite 
  longbow +4 ranged 
  (1d8+2/x3) 
  FULL ATTACK: 
  maste
  (1d8+2/19-20/x3) 
  or 
  composite 
  longbow +4 ranged 
  (1d8+2/x3) 
  SPACE/REACH: 
  5’/5’ 
  SPECIAL ATTACKS: 
  – 
  SPECIAL QUALITIES: Damage 
  reduction 
  5/magic, 
  good 
  or 
  silver; resistance to 
  fire 5, cold 5; spell 
  resistance 
  13; 
  darkvision 60’, low-
  light vision 
  SAVES: 
  Fort +5, Ref +3, Will 
  +3 
  ABILITIES: 
  Str 15, Con 13, Dex 
  11, Int 10, Wis 10, 
  Cha 8 
  SKILLS: 
  Hide +6, Intimidate 
  +5, Jump +2, Listen 
  +6, 
  Move 
  Silently 
  +6, Ride +2, Search 
  +2, Spellcraft +2, 
  Spot 
  +6, 
  Survival 
  +5, Use Rope +1 
  FEATS: 
  Alertness, 
  Cleave, 
  Power 
  Attack, 
  Stealthy 
  ENVIRONMENT: 
  Any underground 
  ORGANISATION: 
  solitary, pair, band 
  (2-5), or party (2-
  20, 
  plus 
  one 
  Ftr2/Rog3 sergeant 
  and 
  1-4 
  Rgr2 
  scouts)  
  CHALLENGE RATING: 4 
  TREASURE: 
  Standard 
  ALIGNMENT: 
  Usually lawful evil 
  ADVANCEMENT: 
  By character class 
  LEVEL ADJUSTMENT: +2 
   
  
   
  68!
  aintenance kit, whetstone, four sunrods, an 
  trick, 
  sneaky manoeuvre and act of outright 
  bastardry you have ever seen or heard 
  (espec
   by 
  PCs), and use that
  check-list as your 
  olls are 
  cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’”
   
  ere is no such
  ish 
  e 
  a
  heritage in their 
  stabilise their blo
  permit proper ‘fie
  yet too strong to permit application of 
  the ‘fiendish’ tem
  racial 
  feats 
  re
  h 
   this text 
  faerzress-infused
  but not entirely u
  2) The 
  fiends’ 
  bre
  produced 
  hum
  balanced on a k
  etween 
  and thus there is
  Reaver when he 
   
  including the Re
  Reaver with ba
  automatically gains the ‘Blind Rage’ 
  e ‘Gnoll 
  s of the Wild. 
  Even the lowest-grade front-line deep gnoll 
  soldiers in the service of Godsvault (or its 
  Clans) 
  are 
  equipped 
  with 
  masterwork 
  studded leather armour, a masterwork light 
  steel shield, a masterwork longsword, and a 
  mighty composite longbow (+2 Str bonus) 
  with twenty arrows.  If deployed in an 
  ‘internal security’ role, their arrowheads and 
  swords will be of alchemical silver. 
   
  Typical 
  accessories 
  for 
  field 
  operations 
  include: an alchemical silver dagger (for 
  dealing with other Reavers), two vials of 
  alchemist’s fire (used as grenades), two 
  smokesticks, a potion of cure light wounds, 
  and the standard-issue field gear (backpack, 
  bedroll, blanket, four days’ trail rations and 
  mess 
  kit, 
  two 
  waterskins, 
  armour 
  m
  everburning torch, ten tindertwigs, 50’ silk 
  rope, five pitons, two pieces of chalk, and 
  two explorer’s outfits). 
   
  [Note: 
  skills 
  listed 
  include 
  attribute 
  modifiers.] 
   
  [Note: 
  deep 
  gnolls 
  prefer 
  a 
  ‘grinding 
  advance’ style of warfare which favours their 
  raw physical power and various supernatural 
  advantages, 
  but 
  are 
  more 
  than 
  able 
  tacticians and will ruthlessly exploit almost 
  any advantage they can seize or create, 
  including guerrilla techniques, natural or 
  combat engineered terrain features, artillery 
  and 
  archery 
  support 
  (including 
  sniping 
  attacks against key personnel) and all 
  manner of tactical trickery to achieve their 
  objectives.  Basically, create a list of every 
  simple tactic, clever stratagem, dirty 
  ially those planned or actioned
   
  standard playbook.  In battle, deep gn
  firm believers in the maxim “If you ain’t 
  .] 
   
  Special notes: 
  1) Th
   thing as a ‘fiend
  Reaver’; 
  th
  mount 
  of 
  devilish 
  veins is sufficient to 
  odlines, too weak to 
  ndish’ categorisation, 
  plate.  However, the 
  lating 
  to 
  fiendis
  heritage listed at the start of
  may be taken. Effects mimicking the 
   template are rare 
  nheard-of. 
  eding 
  programmes 
  anoids 
  that 
  are 
  nife’s edge b
  rationality and their feral instincts, 
   little that can stop a 
  goes truly berserk –
  aver himself.  Any 
  rbarian class levels 
  flaw from Dragon #325 and th
  Ferocity’ feat from Race
  Blind Rage: once he has entered a 
  rage, the barbari
  end that rage 
  creature every ro
  they friend or f
  exhausts itself.  
  he can attempt a
  ve once 
  r turn to stop a
  Gnoll Ferocity
  an cannot voluntarily 
  and must attack a 
  und if he is able – be 
  oe – until the rage 
  If he attacks an ally, 
   DC15 Will sa
  pe
  ttacking that ally. 
  : grants a raging gnoll a 
  ite attack
  attack uses the f
  for bonus damag
   as part of a 
  i-attack rout
  to-hit penalty (bu
  to other attacks)
  the 
  Strength 
  m
  damage. 
  3) If the campaign uses the additional 
  base classes from
  the warlock repla
  the Reaver region’s list of preferred 
  fiends being a ro
  the Reavers, especially since the 
  eir ‘
  instincts.  Reaver
  DR/cold iron as
  races do; inste
  their 
  racial 
  D
  appropriate to 
  lock level, 
   
  Reaver 
  racial 
  es such
  ’s 
  s, 
   be 
  chosen for the class resistances.  Note 
  that the Improved Energy Resistance 
  1d6 b
  ; used alone, this 
  ull Strength modifier 
  e; used
  mult
  ine, it suffers a –5 
  t causes no penalty 
   and uses only half 
  odifier 
  for 
  bonus 
   Complete Arcane, 
  ces the sorcerer on 
  classes – direct pacts with their patron 
  utine thing amongst 
  simplicity of a warlock’s invocations 
  appeals to th
  right here/right now’ 
   warlocks do not gain 
   warlocks of other 
  ad, they increment 
  R 
  by 
  the 
  value 
  their war
  retaining 
  all 
  their
  vulnerabilities.  Class-based energy 
  resistanc
   as the warlock
  stack with Reaver racial resistance
  should the fire or cold energy types
  
   
  69!
  ell-casting 
  rangers 
  are 
  almost 
  invariably 
  s only just beginning 
  his training.  NPC and ‘monster’ 
   
   
  We
  my ow
  in-Art 
  you fin
  the gra
  close t
  you ne
  from y
   
  Yours b
   
  Susprina
   
  feat can only be taken for the racial 
  resistances. 
  4) If the campaign uses the variant base 
  classes 
  from 
  Complete 
  Warrior, 
  Reaver rangers who worship the 
  primary Living Ancestors are of the 
  ‘non-spellcasting’ variant class, as the 
  Living Ancestors lack the portfolios to 
  grant such magics.  Sp
  followers 
  of 
  the 
  Ancestor-aspects 
  which mimic Malar the Beastlord or 
  Chauntea 
  and 
  are 
  the 
  exception 
  rather than the rule.  
  5) GMs creating Reaver characters as 
  NPCs should be aware that formal 
  military training is the rule rather than 
  the exception in Godsvault: use of the 
  NPC 
  ‘Warrior’ 
  class 
  is 
  never 
  appropriate unless the character in 
  question departed the city before 
  adolescence or i
  Reavers expected to see front-line 
  combat should be built with PC classes 
  such 
  as 
  fighter 
  or 
  ranger; 
  only 
  ‘civilians’ use the NPC classes. 
  re I a sage impressed with the depth of 
  n knowledge of the hahlorkh, Brother-
  Vangerdahast, I might say that I hope 
  d this treatise greatly useful.  Given 
  vity of what lies within, I must instead 
  his treatise with the fervent desire that 
  ver again have cause to take it down 
  our shelf. 
  y song and sword, 
   Arkhenneld of Shadowdale 
  !
  !
  
   
  6:!
  !
  !
  A Histor
  By J P H
   
  et, fellow scribes and learned scholars!  
  me to introduce myse
  y of
  aze
   
  Well m
    
  Allo
  hol
  sh, in Tethyr. I have been 
  trav
  gions known as the Western Heartlands and the 
  North, 
  rin O
   
  During
  plac
  ve seen. As I 
  retriev
  ing in Candlekeep, I will make them available for 
  all to r
  ks of Volothamp Geddarm, 
  hose writings I came 
  across 
  opies of his excellent work, which has served as a 
  wonde
   
  Most of the journal has been written during those moments when I did not have to perform some 
  tasks for my master, or when I wasn’t occupied with the physical part of traveling. Because of 
  this, the entries in the journal may sometimes seem disjointed. Also, the entries might not be 
  published in chronological order; the pages were scattered during an unfortunate incident with an 
  overeager air mephit.  
   
  I hope that for the places I've visited, the journals will provide you as much insight as 
  Volothamp’s journals provided me.  
   
   
  Till swords meet, 
  Rikos Dughol of Saradush 
  !
  +!+!+!+!
  !
  Journal of an apprentice scribe by Rikos Dughol of Saradush 
   
  17th Hammer 1371, Year of the Unstrung 
  Harp 
   
  hile Master Orgul was tied 
  up with priests of Oghma in 
  the Seat of Lore, I found 
  myself conveniently placed 
  in 
  the 
  temple’s 
  library. 
  Though certainly not one of 
  the 
  largest 
  libraries 
  in 
  Faerûn, the collection of the loremasters was 
  sufficiently large to keep a simple scribe’s 
  apprentice like me busy for many a winter. 
   
  Having 
  received 
  permission 
  to 
  browse 
  through the books, tomes, and scrolls, I 
  chose a set of volumes describing the history 
  of the Sword Coast. It was in those books 
  that I read about the earliest human settlers 
  of Berdusk – or Sulduskoon, as it was called 
  at the time.  Founded at the site of the elven 
  moot Clearspring, human settlers established 
  a small fishing community. The combination 
  of a freshwater spring, the rapids in the 
  Chionthar at the Breaking Steps, and the 
  sheltering presence of the twin tors made the 
  spot ideal for the fishermen. 
   
   Berdusk 
  lhoff 
  , late of Saradu
  w 
  lf. I am Rikos Dug
  eling across Faerûn, at least across the re
  as an apprentice scribe with my master B
   my travels, I have kept a journal of the 
  e and edit these journal entries while stay
  ead. My journal might resemble the wor
  during my studies, but are by no means c
  rful source of inspiration.  
  rgul.  
  es I have visited and things I ha
  w
  
   
  71!
  Perhaps out of respect for the elven moot, 
  the dominant human culture in the Chionthar 
  valley – the now ruined Talfirian city of Talis, 
  located in the northern parts of the Reaching 
  Wood – had not shown interest in the twin 
  tors. Likely the southern settl
  unaware of the elven site; the re
  humans were still scattered and
  after the fall of the Shadowki
  Ebenfar, in the Year of the Miscast Shadow
  (323 DR).1
  s not quite 
  sequent expansion of 
  uring the Shoon reign, the foundations of 
  astle were laid as Valashar 
  nd turned it into a 
  isades. Not 
  any structures of this era survive; the two
  most intact are the minaret of the House o
  the High Hand and the twin bridges that 
  nd the opposite bank of the Chionthar. 
  orthward expansion did not sit well 
  with the Forest Kingdom, and a force was 
  quickly mobilized
  Calishite forces.
  Azoun I of Corm
  within two day
  westward to wh
                              
  ers were 
  gion’s native 
   recovering 
  ng’s realm, 
   
   
  While the historical texts did not detail where 
  exactly the settlers came from, I surmised 
  that the majority of them hailed from the 
  original tribal lands and the area around 
  Zazesspur. They took the name of the river 
  that flows from the Tethyrian highlands to 
  the Bay of Bormul, and bestowed it on the 
  small river that flows from Clearspring Tor to 
  the Chionthar. 
   
  When the first settlers arrived i
  clear; no written texts or other tangible 
  references are mentioned. The small fishing 
  community received a substantial influx of 
  Amnian, Tethyrian and Calishite settlers 
  during the rise and fall of the kingdom of 
  Valashar2 and the sub
  the Shoon Empire to its largest size in the 
  Year of the Leaping Hare (376 DR). 
   
  D
  the High Lady’s C
  forces fortified the village a
  military outpost with wooden pal
  m
   
  f 
  connect Shortarrow Gate with Moondown Isle 
  a
   
  This n
   to check the advance of the 
   The army of Crown Prince 
  yr routed the Valashar forces 
  s, sending them running 
  at is now the Fields of the 
                       
  1 More detail on Ebenfar can be found in Serpent 
  Kingdoms [WTC96566]. 
  2 Valashar lasted from ~320 DR to 361 DR – see Empires 
   the Shining Sea [TSR9561] and the Lands of Intrigue 
  boxed set [TSR1159] for more detail. 
  Dead, where a larger contingent of southern 
  troops had gathered. The Cormyreans left a 
  token force behind in Sulduskoon, using it as 
  a supply base so that Azoun no longer had to 
  rely solely on Iriaebor. 
  f the campaign, when Crown 
   I drew back his forces to 
  ce of the village of 
   was given back to its residents. 
  Though primarily of Tethyrian and Calishite 
  stock, the villagers were pleased with their 
  new-found independence, and pledged to not 
  ted further Calishite expansion. 
  Sulduskoon’s independence. This day – the 
  be found close to Dragon Square, not far 
  the Helmite paladin Starshan. 
   
  When still part of the Shoonite Empire, 
  irregular 
  troops 
  and 
  mercenaries 
  from 
  Sulduskoon were part of Shoon IV’s effort to 
  sit the imperial wrath on the elven tribes of 
  e Arundath, currently better known as 
  Snakewood, but also known in the past as 
  mwood. The massed troops of the 
  Shoon Empire and allied humanoids entered 
  of
   
  At the end o
  Prince Azoun
  Cormyr, the governan
  Sulduskoon
  seek re-unification with the Shoon Empire. 
  They did not have to fear another Calishite 
  incursion; the death of Shoon IV in the same 
  year hal
   
  A century after the defeat of Valashar and 
  the Shoon, under the leadership of Garron 
  Starshan, steward of the Vale, the villagers 
  erected a monument to Azoun’s victory and 
  16th day of Kythorn – is considered a holiday 
  for both the residents of Berdusk and the 
  church of Helm; the latter after the death of 
  Starshan, who served as a paladin of the 
  Watchful Eye. The monument to Azoun can 
  from the large market on Amberside. In the 
  park on Clearspring Tor stands a statue of 
  vi
  th
  the Wyr
  the woods with a two-fold purpose, capturing 
  as many unicorns as possible and slaying as 
  many elves as possible in revenge for their 
  resistance to Shoon’s will.3
   
  While all the elves under the canopy of the 
  Wyrmwood fled or found their end beneath 
  the blades of the Shoon army, they did not 
  disappear from the forest without extracting 
  a heavy toll on the invading forces – and the 
  toll was not only of an immediate nature. 
                                                   
  3 In the late 350’s the last tribe of elves was annihilated 
  by Shoonite forces. LoI page 23 Tethyr; pages 37-38 Amn 
  
   
  72!
  rking curse exacted its price upon 
  e survivors and several who came into 
  . 
   the 
  ingdom of Delimbiyran in that year, as well 
  consuming a sizeable part of Sulduskoon. 
  Several of the surviving mercenaries and 
  irregulars 
  who 
  returned 
  to 
  Berdusk 
  unwittingly brought with them a curse: for 
  each survivor, the next person met for the 
  first time became hostile. The elven curse 
  turned chance encounters into confrontations 
  between hated enemies. 
   
  Throughout the latter half of the 4th century 
  and lasting for a little over a hundred years, 
  the slow-wo
  th
  regular and close contact with them. The 
  inevitably 
  ensuing 
  fights 
  caused 
  much 
  bloodshed, and resulted in the loss of many 
  lives before the curse ran its course with the 
  eventual (and usually violent) deaths of the 
  veterans of the Wyrmwood. These years of 
  misfortune cast a shadow over young town, 
  bringing trade – the city’s lifeblood – to a 
  virtual standstill
   
  When the Principality of the Snarling Boar 
  was founded in 457 DR, several folk left 
  Sulduskoon in hopes of carving out new 
  riches and avoiding the hands of misfortune 
  and loss in the fledgling realm4. Rather than 
  fortune, they found disaster: in 692 DR, after 
  only two centuries, Prince Chelimber’s reign 
  ended with the formation of the infamous 
  Marsh that now bears his name. 
   
  Having slowly recovered from the elven curse 
  and its effects on trade, Sulduskoon and the 
  Sunset Vale were kissed by the Maid of 
  Misfortune once more. In the Year of the 
  Triton’s Horn (697 DR), Sharran worshippers 
  created havoc all along the Sword Coast and 
  in parts of the hinterland5. Though the texts 
  in the library don’t explain the connection, 
  they do link the events to the fall of
  k
  as the fall of the Principality of the Snarling 
  Boar five years earlier. 
   
  In Sulduskoon, a crazed Sharran monk 
  immolated himself inside a shrine to Selûne 
  and Sehanine Moonbow. The resulting blaze 
  raged through the area near the Woods Gate, 
  Little remains of the shrine to the two 
  goddesses – it was never re-consecrated. 
                                                   
  4 457 – 692 DR Principality of the Snarling Boar 
  5 Lost Empires of Faerûn [WTC17738] 
  8th and 11th centuries 
  R was a period of stability and relative 
  fter destroying the dracolich Alglaudyx in 
  hroughout the 
  word Coast and parts of the Western 
  rom the Year of the Black Horde (1235 DR) 
  The only remnant is the small spring inside 
  the Running Stag, which stands on the site of 
  the former shrine. 
   
  The time between the 
  D
  peace for Sulduskoon and its environs, not 
  coincidentally linked to the growth and 
  prosperity 
  of 
  the 
  burgeoning 
  city 
  of 
  Waterdeep under Ahghairon’s rule. This quiet 
  period aided the growth of the communities 
  in the Chionthar valley, with overland trade 
  growing and folk migrating further inland 
  from the Sword Coast. Trading companies 
  and costers came and went as businesses 
  started up, some failing while others merged. 
   
  A
  the Year of the Watching Wood (1065 DR) 
  and seizing its rich hoard for its coffers, a 
  secretive group started investing money in 
  valuable properties and businesses in cities 
  up and down the Sword Coast6. Though their 
  investments in Sulduskoon were not large, 
  they were a foundation upon which the 
  organization built further in the centuries to 
  come. While more secretive and obscure in 
  those days, the group is now somewhat 
  better known – the Harpers. 
   
  During the Year of the Scourge (1150 DR)7, a 
  virulent plague ran rampant t
  S
  Heartlands, catching many by surprise and 
  defeating initial attempts by the various 
  priesthoods to quell the disease. The priests’ 
  failure and the tales of doom accompanying 
  the spread of the plague boosted the worship 
  of Talona and Loviatar. Some of the more 
  opportunistic members of these priesthoods 
  – more or less immune to the plague, 
  courtesy of their patron deities – used the 
  disease to fill their personal and temple 
  coffers. 
   
  F
  through the Year of the Lost Lady (1241 DR), 
  one of the more devastating orc hordes 
  swept out of the Spine of the World and 
  stormed the Sword Coast, even reaching as 
                                                   
  6 [TSR9547] The secretive organization is of course the 
  Harpers at Twilight, on which more follows later in this 
  journal. 
  7 [WTC11836] [TSR1085a] 
  
   
  73!
   local warrior, Berdusk Orcslayer, organized 
  stronger walls around the 
  xpanding town, creating a safe bastion 
  en-new type of woolen mill in the Year of 
  rable location of the 
  ty on the Chionthar, just downstream of the 
  folk north of Waterdeep are protected by the 
  uskan 
  ave generated a sizeable 
  hipping 
  industry, 
  attracting 
  investments 
  ith increasing agricultural yields in the 
  currently heads 
  e Wheelwright’s Guild. 
  nother 
  source 
  of 
  wealth 
  flowing 
  into 
  far south as the Empires of the Sands. 
  Sulduskoon did not escape the onslaught of 
  the orcs. Though the town weathered several 
  attacks, the surrounding areas were virtually 
  under orcish control, severely hampering the 
  economic life of the growing town. 
   
  A
  frequent patrols to scour the countryside and 
  attack the orcish camps. His heroics and 
  persistent manner in taking the fight to the 
  orcs, 
  despite 
  the 
  overwhelming 
  odds, 
  boosted the morale of the local militia. With 
  the aid of the denizens of the Reaching Wood 
  – including a nomadic tribe of gnolls – the 
  town persevered, and was eventually able to 
  push the orcs back far enough to return to a 
  semblance of normality. 
   
  The mighty warrior was also the driving force 
  behind erecting 
  e
  against orcs and roving bandit armies. After 
  Berdusk Orcslayer died in the Year of the 
  Vigilant Fist (1259 DR), the merchant council 
  that ruled the town decided to rename 
  Sulduskoon. Since then, the town and later 
  city have been known as Berdusk. 
   
  The 
  entrepreneurial 
  skills 
  of 
  two 
  wool 
  merchants led to the establishment of a 
  th
  Bright Dreams (1261 DR). The efficiency of 
  the mill and the quality of the wool it spun 
  built the foundation for the thriving industry 
  that now makes up a large chunk of 
  Berdusk’s economy. The heath fields and the 
  slopes of the Sunset Mountains play host to 
  numerous flocks of sheep; their wool is sold 
  at the market in Asbravn, and it is from there 
  that the shorn wool is transported to Berdusk 
  for processing. 
   
  Combined with the favo
  ci
  Breaking Steps, Berdusk’s wool industry 
  makes it an ideal location for shipping bales 
  of spun wool to other locations in the Sword 
  Coast – predominantly Baldur’s Gate and 
  Waterdeep – or beyond. The Berduskan 
  merchants don’t really know – or care – 
  where their wool finally ends up, but many 
  woolen clothes that came from Berd
  mills. 
  While the woolen mills form the industrial 
  backbone of Berdusk, the city’s location and 
  the wool industry h
  s
  from all over the Sword Coast and even from 
  Amn, Tethyr and Calimshan. To facilitate this 
  industrial growth, some of the shrewder 
  merchants started lending sizeable sums at 
  steep but affordable rates. This money-
  lending has become a secondary business in 
  its own right. Some respected names among 
  the 
  current 
  resident 
  moneylenders 
  are 
  Thoront of the Gilded Hand, Than Tassalar, 
  Orn ‘Manycoins’ Beldarm, and Aulimann the 
  Patient.8
   
  W
  Sunset Vale, especially in the Year of the 
  Groaning Cart9, business is thriving in 
  Berdusk. While the wainwrights in the city 
  never 
  achieved 
  much 
  beyond 
  standard 
  quality wagons and carts, the wheelwrights 
  have earned a reputation as the best in the 
  region. With Berdusk being an important 
  waystop along the various axes of trade, the 
  wagon repair and re-supply business is good 
  and brings in additional revenues for the city. 
  It is also the primary source of wealth for the 
  Gort family, whose patriarch 
  th
   
  Not all of these funds are wholly legitimate, 
  as at least one source of investments comes 
  from the Shadow Thieves. After new rule was 
  established in Waterdeep under Open Lord 
  Baeron Silmaeril10, the Shadow Thieves 
  started relocating some of their investments 
  elsewhere on the Sword Coast. The Shadow 
  Thieves were never successful in dominating 
  the underworld of Berdusk, having had to 
  compete 
  with 
  Zhentarim-sponsored 
  criminals; both sides kept each other from 
  operating effectively. 
   
  A
  Berdusk stems from the same area. Relatives 
  of a banished family in the City of Splendors 
  attempted to rebuild their powerbase under a 
  new name in Berdusk. Emmer Gildeggh, the 
                                                   
  8 See also Volo’s Guide to the Sword Coast – Berdusk 
   Splendors: Waterdeep – Reign of Baeron from 
  2] 
  [TSR9460] 
  9 1267 DR – A bountiful harvest year. [TSR1085a] 
  10 City of
  1273 to 1308 DR [WTC8816
  
   
  74!
  ipwrights 
  usiness is that the Berduskan Gildegghs – 
  alabart and the Jalarghar families. These 
  ince then, more families have risen to a 
  ing accordingly. 
  nged to the shadowy organization 
  nown as the Harpers at Twilight. 
   battle: the young 
  ard 
  and 
  veteran 
  Harper 
  Cylyria 
   quickly realized that 
  e Zhentarim offered a greater threat than 
  grandson 
  of 
  the 
  late 
  Waterdhavian 
  Guildmaster, renamed his house after his 
  wife’s family. After the Year of the Crumbling 
  Keep (1276 DR), House Gildeggh was known 
  in Berdusk under the name of Parstin. The 
  only link with their former sh
  b
  now Parstins – are heavily involved as 
  wheelwrights. 
  They 
  are 
  the 
  biggest 
  competitor in the trade for the Gort clan. 
   
  The Partsins are not the only wealthy 
  merchant family in Berdusk. The booming 
  economy of the Jewel of the Vale elevated 
  several other shrewd and clever merchants 
  above their peers. Some of these merchants 
  were 
  locals 
  – 
  among 
  them 
  are 
  the 
  Athalankeir, the Caunter, the Gort, the 
  H
  are also among the oldest of the merchant 
  families, along with the Charthoon family 
  from Lantan, the gnomish Danallbur and the 
  Turami Uthgolabar families from the Dragon 
  Coast. The Athalankeir and Jalarghar can 
  even trace their roots back to the Talfir, and 
  the name of Caunter is closely related to an 
  extinct Tethyrian family of the Bormul clan. 
   
  S
  level 
  of 
  wealth 
  comparable 
  to 
  these 
  established families, or they already had the 
  wealth when they arrived in Berdusk. These 
  ‘new bloods’ include the Bellanbram, the 
  Lothkarr, the Mreen and the Oyindle families, 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  the 
  half-elven 
  Felannlilts. 
  Collectively, the older and the newer wealthy 
  families are known as the First Folk. Unlike 
  their peers in Waterdeep, the ‘nobility’ of 
  Berdusk has not received any official status. 
  The lack of official status has not deterred 
  the families from considering themselves 
  nobility, and act
   
  The influx of money and business created the 
  need to expand the city beyond the walls. In 
  the Year of the Hooded Falcon (1291 DR) 
  new walls were constructed, using material 
  from the old walls – which for a large part 
  became 
  a 
  wide 
  road 
  known 
  as 
  the 
  Minstrelride, a street that leads up from 
  Shortarrow Gate towards and around the 
  castle 
  to 
  connect 
  to 
  Amberside. 
  The 
  Berduskans were motivated to construct new 
  walls not just by the money, but also by the 
  previous year’s unsettling events along the 
  Trade Way11. 
   
  The Year of the Griffon (1312 DR) saw a dark 
  cloud gathering in the east, as the Zhentarim 
  gained control of Darkhold in the Sunset 
  Mountains. 
  The 
  presence 
  of 
  the 
  Black 
  Network prompted some inhabitants of the 
  Sunset Vale to relocate; several of them 
  chose Berdusk as a safe haven. From then 
  until the Year of Chains (1321 DR), Berdusk 
  also saw a steady influx of a variety of folk 
  that 
  seemed 
  intent 
  on 
  thwarting 
  the 
  expansion of the Zhentarim. Most of these 
  folk belo
  k
   
  In Berdusk, the Year of Chains (1321 DR) is 
  called the Year of Seven Strings. During this 
  year, construction began on a temple to 
  Deneir, after a battle between the Harpers 
  and the Zhentarim leveled part of the city, 
  including a shrine to the Lord of All Glyphs 
  and Images. Several members of Berdusk’s 
  ruling council were exposed as Zhentarim 
  when they were found dead or captured after 
  the fierce battle. 
   
  A notable figure came to the fore during the 
  years leading up to the
  b
  Dragonbreast. 
  The 
  short, 
  white-haired 
  woman was respected in the city, as were 
  the Harpers she led, having covertly provided 
  security for Berdusk. Their efforts aided the 
  city’s growth and prosperity by driving out 
  unwanted 
  elements 
  in 
  the 
  community, 
  among them agents of the Zhentarim and 
  the Shadow Thieves, culminating in the fierce 
  fight in the Year of Seven Strings. 
   
  The majority of the First Folk and the other 
  merchants of the city
  th
  previously believed, but fell to bickering 
  amongst themselves over how to effectively 
  rule Berdusk while protecting their mercantile 
                                                   
  11 1290 DR – Dragonspear Castle falls. [TSR1085a] 
  of the 
  e the 
  Interestingly, the Calishite wizard Iththaerus is a 
  descendant of Sarsora yn Nadim al Amun, the sorceress 
  who commanded the tower which now forms part 
  House of the High Hand (Azuth) in Berdusk: se
  Journal entry published in Candlekeep Compendium 
  Volume II. 
  
   
  75!
  ord 
  oast that joined together in the Year of the 
  d 
  e city into a wider alliance, the Vintner’s 
  interests. Popular support for Cylyria and the 
  behind-the-scenes 
  diplomacy 
  of 
  two 
  disguised silver-haired sisters and a certain 
  elderly mage from Shadowdale resulted in a 
  proclamation at Highharvestide, with the 
  young lady Dragonbreast being chosen to be 
  the ruler of Berdusk. 
   
  It was the Silent Lady and several other 
  rulers of the city-states along the Sw
  C
  Great Harvest (1325 DR)12, establishing a 
  tenuous but lasting alliance. The increased 
  security and strengthened trade relations 
  allowed the Jewel of the Vale to shine even 
  brighter. 
  Berdusk’s 
  primary 
  rival 
  in 
  commerce has always been Iriaebor, the 
  Overland City, with the two strong mercantile 
  cities vying to support the caravans that ply 
  the Chionthar and the Dusk Road between 
  the Sword and the Dragon Coasts. The 
  presence of the Harpers – or perhaps the 
  absence of the Zhentarim – have to date 
  settled the score with Berdusk the stronger 
  of the two. 
   
  In the same year that Lady Dragonbreast le
  th
  guild of Berdusk combined their efforts after 
  the bountiful grape harvest, resulting in a 
  quality wine, a cuvee of three different 
  grapes: Berduskan dark. The highly favored 
  sweet wine is similar to a very dark amber 
  sherry, heavy and burning to the tongue. It 
  also travels well, one of the reasons why one 
  is apt to find it in taverns and eateries all 
  over Faerûn. 
   
                                                   
  12 1325 DR, Year of the Great Harvests: Beer and wine 
  of this year are legendary [TSR1085a]. The Lord’s 
  Alliance is established. [WTC17738] 
  tly rolling hills spanning from 
  e banks of the Chionthar towards the 
  n Dark) as 
  r west as Baldur’s Gate or as far east as 
  tomes to their shelves and 
  ave for the night. It was an advice I gladly 
  Vineyards have always been a part of the 
  area. The gen
  th
  Sunset Mountains have been deforested and 
  cultivated for the growing of grapes on their 
  southern and southwestern flanks. Though 
  the soil does not contain any volcanic 
  sediment, it is suitable for growing certain 
  varieties of grapes. Most wines of the 
  Berduskan 
  vineyards 
  are 
  for 
  the 
  local 
  markets, and cannot compete with high 
  quality wines like those from the Purple Hills 
  region in Tethyr. The vintners keep trying, 
  though, and occasionally one can find a cask 
  or a few bottles of Berduskan wine (other 
  than the aforementioned Berduska
  fa
  Westgate.  
   
  * * * * 
   
  While there is certainly more to tell about 
  Berdusk, I found myself running out of time 
  to read through the more recent events. As 
  they were extinguishing one lamp after the 
  other, the caretakers of the library requested 
  me to return the 
  le
  followed; I would rather find myself enjoying 
  a tallglass of the aforementioned Berduskan 
  Dark, than to encounter some unfortunate 
  spirit haunting the halls of the library after 
  dark. Whether these hauntings are deliberate 
  rumors spread by the priests to discourage 
  unwanted nightly visitors, or the plain truth, I 
  had no intention of finding out. 
   
   
  
   
  76!
  !
  !
  s the work of many people, who have put 
  re.  Many thanks to all who contributed and 
  ……………………….Alaundo 
  ………………………Alaundo 
   
      
  Chris Jameson 
  ……………………..Yack Tundra 
  ……………………… Julius Petilla 
   
   
  !
  ntain
  into penning these articles of lo
  ………
  ………
   
  ……
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  Tiziano Baracchi   
   
   
   
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  ……
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  have enjoyed this volume of Realmslore.  Any feedback is greatly appreciated.  
  lease email us at compendium@candlekeep.com
  r visit the Candlekeep forum at 
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