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WIDELY KNOWN POWER GROUPS
OF THE REALMS
The Cult of the Dragon
This semi religious organization was founded by Sammaster, a
powerful wizard favored by the gods with great power, in a manner
similar to (reportedly) Elminster and Khelben Arunsun. In
Sammaster's case, however, the additional power brought delusions of
godhood and madness, and he came to believe that "dead dragons shall
rule the world entirely" and began to work toward that goal. While
Sammaster has died, risen as a lich, and fallen again, his cult
lives on, and continues to threaten the Heartlands.
The Cult of the Dragon venerates dragons in general, evil dragons in
particular, and specifically dead evil dragons, reanimated as
powerful and fell dracoliches. The Cult acts as an information
network for its draconian "masters," brings gems and riches as
offerings, and encourages evil dragons to become dracoliches.
The Cult of the Dragon is active throughout the Realms but is
specifically powerful in the Cold Lands and the North, where dragons
are particularly populous (if not popular). Cult member activities
include gathering information on particularly rich caravans to be
raided, stealing unique items to be offered to their master, and
leading raids against their enemies, who in their minds are all
those who might oppose the rulership of the dragons.
The Harpers
The Harpers are a semisecret society based in the Heartlands. The
Harpers have seen a number of incarnations through the years, with
rising and falling levels of political power. They are primarily a
good-aligned group that is allied with a number of good churches,
and are receiving support from powerful neutral individuals,
including druidic circles. Their aim is to keep the dangers both of
and to civilization at bay, including goblin raids, dragon flights,
and the insidious control of other groups such as the Red Wizards
and the Cult of the Dragon. They believe in the power of
individuals, the balance between the wild and civilized, and the
good of humankind and its allied sentient races. They also believe
in preserving the tales of the past, so that one may learn from
those tales for the future. The Harpers attract a wide variety of
character types, but this society is most attractive to elves,
rangers, and bards.
Harpers are spread throughout the North and the Heartlands, often
operating in secret. They are by their nature meddlers, and often
operate alone or in small groups to achieve their ends. Except when
battling long-term foes, it is unimportant to them if their name is
connected with their actions (their own tales and songs are another
matter). The Harpers are an amorphous organization, and as such have
no main base of operations.
The Heralds
The Heralds are a group of historians and arbitrators who were
originally allied with the Harpers but split with them when the
latter group's tendency towards good became unbalancing to their own
even-handed interest in justice.
The Heralds were nominally established to organize the heraldry of
the Realms and record the arms of its noble families. While the
older, more established lines of Cormyr, Calimshan, and Sembia treat
heraldry with respect, the nouveau riche of Waterdeep see it as a
status symbol, and as such there has been an explosion of various
arms, sigils, symbols, and banners in the past few centuries. The
Heralds are recognized as being the official arbitrators of
precedence and correct armature.
That respect in matters of arms has extended into other areas in
courtly life, such that the Heralds are often called upon as
non-partisan judges for contests and legal disputes. In some
countries, such as Cormyr and Impiltur, Heralds are incorporated
into the government itself as assistants and aides to local rulers.
While the loyalty of these aides is considered first to their
locality, they are responsible for passing information throughout
the Herald organization.
The Heralds are lead by five High Heralds, with the titles Unicorn,
Black Vizor, Crescentcoat, Old Night, and Red Dragon. Of these, Old
Night is the best known among the public, for he orders and
organizes the heraldry of the Realms and is usually a sage wizard of
great age and power. Old Night makes his home in the Savage Frontier
in a hidden fortress known as the Herald's Holdfast.
Heralds strive for neutrality to the point of stasis, attempting to
maintain the current order as opposed to extending it further in new
conquests. They may advise their lords freely, and may be on
opposing sides of a conflict and still maintain their impartiality.
Heralds have in the past served as regents for underage kings and
queens, but are forbidden from holding onto that power once a
suitable heir is found and from leading attacks directly against
other Heralds. There have been abuses of these restrictions in the
past, and the High Heralds have proved powerful enough to punish the
guilty.
The Iron Throne
Independent merchants generally tend to be individuals who deal on
face value and (at least reputed) honesty. They also tend to stay
out of politics, other than currying the favor of whoever or
whatever is currently in charge of their favorite watering holes and
way stops. Merchants trust to their luck but hire mercenaries as
protection, and enough of their goods get through to make them
profitable. The rulership of the lands they pass through is up to
others, including retired members of their craft, whom they trust to
give them a fair shake.
An apparent exception to this is the Iron Throne, a mysterious
organization which has been operating over the past decade. Despite
its long existence, little is known of its purpose or the identity
of its backers.
The Iron Throne operates through agents, mostly low-level thugs and
brigands who have only recently taken legitimate employment and
entered into the service of the merchant coster. The turnover is
apparently high, since Iron Throne agents often seem to lapse into
their older ways. The Throne denies all complicity in any criminal
acts by their agents, and replaces them regularly. The Iron Throne
wishes to maintain a patina of respectability, regardless of how
thin.
The veneer has become thin indeed, for the Iron Throne has been
charged with attempted assassination of competition, extortion, and
thuggery, trading weapons to inhuman tribes, and trafficking in
smoke powder, poison, and drugs. There have been frequent reports of
conflicts between Iron Throne caravans and agents and those
sponsored by the Zhentarim, and reports of Throne disputes with the
tribes of the North and the Goblin Marches. The Iron Throne has
recently been banished for a year from acting within Cormyr.
Some say that the Iron Throne members are secretly agents of the
Zhentarim, or of Cormyr, and previous actions against those groups
are only to hide their trail. Some mention that some god is
involved, such as Cyric or Lliira, or that some dead deity is using
the Throne as a stage for resurrection. Some talk of undead
beholders, sentient lizards, or pale blue sea giants as the true
masters of the merchant company and the secret of its power. The
truth remains to be seen.
The Lords' Alliance
This group is also known variously as the Council of Lords, the
Lords' Council, and the trade barons, and was formed to oppose the
Zhentarim and their agents. It is a lawful and essentially good
alliance of the rulers of the cities of the North and the Western
Heartlands. These include Waterdeep, Mirabar, Neverwinter,
Silverymoon, Baldur's Gate, Elturel, Berdusk, Iriaebor, and
Sundabar. The Lords' Alliance is not to be confused with the Lords
of Waterdeep, though members of the latter belong to the former.
The Alliance communicates through official envoys by means of the
trained pigeons of Piergeiron the Unmasked Lord of Waterdeep and by
the magical arts of Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun. In this way
Alliance agents have successfully coordinated military operations
against the Zhentarim annexation of an exclusive overland trade
route, limiting that organization to its base in Llorkh.
The Lords' Alliance is an alliance against the Zhentarim, and while
the lords stand firm against the encroachment of the Black Network,
they are less cohesive in other matters. The Zhentarim hope to use
such differing attitudes toward trade, magic, and treatment of
nonhumans to break the alliance, but to date have failed.
The agents of the Lords' Alliance are varied, and usually swear
their loyalty first to one particular lord, then to the Lords'
Alliance as a whole. Still, there are a number of adventuring
companies and paladins who strike against the Zhentarim "in the name
of the Lords' Alliance."
The coastal city of Luskan, north of Neverwinter is not a member of
this group, as it receives most of its goods by sea, places a fierce
value on its independence that precludes any firm alliances, and is
noted for not being above a little trade raiding of its own. The
kingdoms of Amn and Calimshan are indifferent to the alliance. It
has been rumored that the Empires of the Sands secretly side with
the Zhentarim for economic reasons - while there is trade strife in
the North, the overland routes within their own borders will be
enriched.
The Mages of Halruaa
A rising presence in Faerun comes from the South, from the mystical
and near-legendary land of Halruaa. This land is reputed to be
controlled by powerful wizards, and wizardry there is incorporated
and standardized into common use. It is a land where castles float
on the breeze, water runs uphill to where it is useful, and even the
meanest scullery maid knows a few cantrips to make her job go
smoother.
The true nature of Halruaa is best described by those who have
pierced its mountainous borders. In Faerun, these mages are best
known for their flying ships, which are slung beneath great framed
bags filled with volatile gases. These flying ships are the hallmark
of the Halruaan mage, and often appear off the coasts of many port
cities in the Realms, approaching from over the water, in the manner
of standard craft, but remaining "above it all."
The merchant-mages who control these crafts seem above it all as
well, dealing in a few items, often of little worth to their owners,
and paying extravagant prices. It is said that the mages of Halruaa
seek the perfect components for their mighty spells, while others
say the act of trading is merely a cover for darker, more sinister
acts committed when the ship is in port. What is known is that every
sailor on these ships has magical abilities.
It has been increasingly apparent that the mages have a second set
of operatives at their command who work more quietly within the
great trading cities of the North and the Heartlands. These are
shopkeepers, merchants, and common traders who act as the eyes and
ears of the Halruaans, keeping them abreast of new developments,
particularly the appearance of powerful items of magic. Such
artifacts are regularly sought out by the Halruaans, though whether
to research them, destroy them, or merely keep them out of the hands
of others is unknown. It is known that often after a particularly
powerful relic has been unearthed, the city where it appeared
receives a visit from the great floating ships of the Mages of
Halruaa.
The Red Wizards
The Red Wizards are the rulers of Thay, and the powerful ruling
zulkirs of that land are chosen from among their numbers. The Red
Wizards are abroad throughout the Realms as spies and agents of
their kingdom. Their actions are supposedly for the good of their
home government, but each Red Wizard has his or her own agenda to
pursue.
The stated goals of the Red Wizards is to establish Thay as the
superior political and magical force in the Realms. The Wizards'
chief opponent has historically been Mulhurand, since Thay is a
former principality of that ancient country, but in recent centuries
their attention has been redirected westwards, towards the cities in
Cormyr and Sembia, and in the direction of strong concentrations of
magic in the Moonsea, the Dales, Nimbral, and Halruaa.
The Red Wizards are many things, but one of the things that they are
not is subtle. Swaggering, boastful, loud, insulting, and dangerous,
yes, but never subtle. It takes great personal danger for a Red
Wizard to affect personal humility, no matter how slight, and
tolerate even the most subtle reproach as to the superiority of the
Thayvian people. Despite this, there are always (apparently) new Red
Wizards to challenge adventurers.
The Seven Sisters
The most magical and exclusive organization within the Realms is one
of (reportedly) seven sisters who share a boon of great godly power,
along with a small number of other mortals who serve as their
allies. The Seven Sisters are marked by silvery hair, great beauty
and wisdom, and remarkably slow aging (perhaps even immortality).
Six of the seven have gone on to great matters and fame within the
Realms, while the seventh is unknown. The seven are:
· Storm Silverhand, the Bard of Shadowdale.
· Dove Falconhand, ranger of the adventurers' group known as
the Knights ... of Myth Drannor.
· The Simbul, Queen of Aglarond.
· Alustriel, the High Lady of Silverymoon.
· Laeral, consort to Khelben Arunsun.
· Sylune, the witch of Shadowdale (now deceased but in the
Realms death is not necessarily a career-ending...injury).
· An unknown (for the present) seventh. All that has been
revealed about her ... is that she is the black sheep of the family.
The Seven hold great magical powers, which to date have seemed to
foil the best attempts of the Red Wizards, Halruaans, Zhentarim, and
other factions to discover their true nature. Their power seems to
be very closely linked with Mystra, and seems not to have been
reduced in the slightest by the Time of Troubles.
Each of the sisters has her own personality and life. The Simbul
(the wild sister) is known for disappearing for long stretches of
time to deal with one crisis or another facing her realm, usually
working undercover. Alustriel (the thoughtful one), on the other
hand, leads from the battlements, and is devoted to preserving the
beauty and knowledge of her Silverymoon. Laeral has recovered from
an experience with an evil artifact under the care and tutelage of
Khelben Arunsun, with whom she now lives. Sylune perished battling a
great dragon in Shadowdale, but her spirit does not seem to rest
easy, being spotted regularly near her memorial beneath the Twisted
Tower. Storm is in retirement in Shadowdale, coming forth only to
deal with the greatest menaces to the Dale, and since the death of
her sister has been more withdrawn. Dove still travels with her
husband Florin Falconhand, and though many of the other Knights have
retired, both are active within the elven forest of Cormanthor.
Other mortals may have received the boon of Mystra, with the names
Elminster and Khelben being mentioned most often. The founder of the
Cult of the Dragon, Sammaster, is said to have received the wisdom
of the gods, but to have had it overpower him, driving him to
madness and evil which lives (or survives unliving) to this day.
The Shadow Thieves
The Shadow Thieves are a wide-ranging guild of thieves, spies, and
assassins who perform particularly dangerous, evil-aligned, and
lucrative ventures. Their activities, unlike those of most thieving
guilds, are not limited to a single city, and they range the length
of the Sword Coast from Luskan to Calimport.
A group directly opposed to the Lords of Waterdeep and all their
allies, the Shadow Thieves are based in Athkatla, in Amn, where they
have a massive training complex and a testing ground for the
assassins they sponsor.
These thieves were once the thieves' guild of Waterdeep, until they
were driven out of that city or slaughtered by the Lords of
Waterdeep. The Shadow Thieves have sponsored an assassins' guild in
Athkatla with the eventual aim of slaying all of the Lords of
Waterdeep. In the meantime, this secretive organization appears to
have reached some sort of agreement with the merchant-kings of Amn,
who would like to see turmoil in their trade rival, Waterdeep (and
perhaps also wish to avoid being on the assassins' list of targets
themselves). Under this pact the merchant-kings leave the Shadow
Thieves alone and are in turn left alone.
The Shadow Thieves operate up and down the Sword Coast; their
trademark is a black silk mask impaled upon a stiletto blade
(usually used in assassinations, or left behind at the scene if a
garrote or poison is employed instead). No names, levels, or even
numbers of Shadow Thieves are known; high-level operators are
thought to be few.
The Zhentarim
The Black Network of the Zhentarim is a not-so-secret group of
mages, priests, and warriors devoted to the task of dominating
trade, and therefore power, throughout the Heartlands region. To
that end they work to achieve the downfall of an ever-increasing
list of opponents, including the Dalelands, the Harpers, rival
Moonsea cities, the Cult of the Dragon, Cormyr, Sembia, and anyone
else who gets in their way. That which cannot be infiltrated and
controlled must be cowed into obedience or destroyed.
The Black Network is active throughout the Heartlands, but currently
has three major bases of operations. Darkhold has been established
as a base within the Far Hills, a terminus in the Western Heartlands
for caravans from the northern, southern, and eastern Realms. The
Citadel of the Raven, hard on the borders of Thar, is a major
military base as well. The third headquarters, and birthplace of the
organization, Zhentil Keep, has been less influential over the years
owing to the rise of the church of Cyric. Despite having a major
figure in the church in their employ, the Zhentarim have been less
than effective in dominating the new faith, in contrast to the
degree of control they had over the church of Bane. As a result,
most of the daily deviltry of the Black Network comes from the other
two locations, which have the added advantage of having no native
civilian population to get in the way (or lead a revolt).
There are three members of the Zhentarim inner circle who oversee
all operations within the Network. They are Lord Manshoon, a wizard
who operates out of the Citadel of the Raven; Sememmon, a wizard who
currently controls Darkhold; and Fzoul Chembryl, a priest of Cyric
who maintains the organization of Zhentil Keep.
The Black Network activities in the Heartlands include a number of
legal and illegal actions. Trade is a major component of the
Zhentarim's income, and they are not limited morally to mere
transport of ores from the Moonsea area and finished goods from
Waterdeep and the North. The Zhentarim also do excellent business in
poisons, illicit drugs, weapons, and slaves. Caravans bearing the
black banner of the Zhentarim (and not the coat of arms of Zhentil
Keep) can be found throughout the Heartlands, particularly in areas
far from prying eyes and normal travel.
Conquest is also high on the Zhentarim agenda, usually using the
forces of Zhentil Keep or some other catspaw such as Voonlar or
Llorkh. They also make extensive use of nonhuman tribes and
mercenaries, usually promised to be paid with the spoils of pillage
after the battle. The chief intent in battle is to punish enemies or
weaken rivals, and it is usually implemented after failure to take
over the community from within. The attacks on Shadowdale ceased
during the reign of Jyordhan, a Zhentarim puppet, and have
intensified in the years since then.
Assassinations, theft, blackmail, kidnapping, and torture are all
acceptable methods to advance Zhentarim goals. Zhentarim have no
compunctions about hiding behind aliases or setting up rivals
against each other, but usually wish to let their opponents know who
is responsible for their downfall.
The Zhentarim have infiltrated a number of thieves' guilds
throughout the Heartlands and the North, and have agents in most
major cities. In addition, they have nonhuman monstrous allies, and
have an especially good relationship with beholders.
Originally compiled by
Simon of
Sunset Vale. |