Arcane Brotherhood
THE ARCANE BROTHERHOOD
Some who have mastered the use of magic wield it for noble ends: to destroy monsters, dethrone tyrants, and maintain a stable balance in the world. Some become tyrants themselves. Others pursue the Art as its own end, losing themselves in arcane exploration. And some, such as the wizards of the Arcane Broth¬erhood, use magic to get rich.
Wealth means power, of course, and ultimately the Brotherhood aims to control the North by putting a stranglehold on trade along the Sword Coast, from Waterdeep to Icewind Dale. Sometimes associated with the name of its former headquarters, the Host- tower of the Arcane in Luskan, the Brotherhood once ruled the so-called City of Sails. Now that Luskan has devolved into chaos, the pirate captains who rule the city no longer answer to the wizards of the Brotherhood. The Hosttower of the Arcane lies half ruined, and the city around it is haunted by undead. Whether any wizards still lurk in the Hosttower’s alien spires, perhaps controlling the undead, is a matter of speculation and idle gossip. But it is clear that the Arcane Brotherhood still exists. Its agents are everywhere, from Silverymoon in the north to Baldur’s Gate far to the south. It might no longer be the force it once was, perhaps, but the group is on the way back to its former status.
ORGANIZATION
The Arcane Brotherhood currently lacks any central leadership. Its former Archmage Arcane, the lich Arklem Greeth, was forced into his phylactery over a hundred years ago. The four Overwizards who reported to him are also long gone. Currently, five wizards vie for leadership, but none of them is secure enough to lay claim to the title of Archmage Arcane and fix the hierarchy in place once again.
Each of these five wizards has a faction of sup¬porters within the Brotherhood, and it seems only a matter of time before one of them gains enough sup¬port to claim the top position. After that, unless the situation devolves into violence, the other four will become the Overwizards, the Archmage Arcanes key assistants—though enough animosity currently
sours their relationship that it is unlikely they would ever work well in concert.
Whats more, some within the Brotherhood believe that Arklem Greeth will eventually return to reclaim his position as head of the organization. That possibility is one of the factors keeping the five wiz¬ards from moving too aggressively to take the reins. The lich’s phylactery was last known to be in the pos¬session of Valindra Shadowmantle, a Thayan agent in the Neverwinter region.
GOALS
The Arcane Brotherhood has always been ambitious, and its current debilitated state has not altered the group’s aims. Four main goals drive the activities of the would-be Archmages Arcane.
Power through Profit
The Brotherhood’s aims dreams of being the ulti¬mate power in Faerun. Its founder, Arklem Greeth, understood that coin—not titles or birthrights, nor magical or military might-is king in the North, so he made the Arcane Brotherhood as much a mercantile association as a magical one, graft and greed its most powerful spells.
In the wake of the lich’s defeat and the ruin of the Hosttower, the Brotherhood’s members are installing themselves in cities along the Sword Coast, trying to rebuild their trade networks and bring the area back under their control. The five aspiring leaders have bases of operation across the North: Jendrick the Blue in Port Llast, Teyva “Magehand” Lillowind in Baldur’s Gate, Zelenn Essrenthir in Neverwinter, Druette “the Raven” in Waterdeep, and the nec¬romancer Cashaan el Farid in Luskan, where he commands the undead that haunt the Hosttower.
Rebuild Luskan
Cashaan el Farid knows that quelling the chaos in Luskan is the first step in making the city a useful base again, since no trade will flow into the city until merchants can travel there without undue risk of loss (or violent death). To that end, he has started hiring adventurers to help clear out the worst elements. To keep the revival of the Brotherhood secret as long as possible, recruiting wizards usually pose as members of a more respectable organization or as dispossessed gentry with rights to property in the city.
Cashaan el Farid is a human necromancer from Calimshan. Having grown up using his peoples’ fear and hatred of their genasi oppressors to weave his own subtle spell of control, Cashaan knows how to use desperation to his advantage-and Luskan is full of desperate people.
Tip the Balance in Neverwinter
Neverwinter is a key target for the Brotherhood. Its recent resurgence has made business boom, and the ongoing power struggles and other destabilizing
elements present ample opportunities for the Arcane Brotherhood to insinuate itself into the political and economic landscape. The Brotherhood isn’t looking to rule Neverwinter, but to hold sway over whoever ends up in control.
The elf wizard Zelenn Essrenthir runs opera¬tions in Neverwinter. She lived there before the Spellplague and has a deep knowledge of the city’s past, if not its recent history. Many major players, particularly Lord Neverember, want to gain her con¬fidence in the hope that she can help them secure their position in Neverwinter. But with the perspec¬tive that comes from living such a long life, Zelenn waits for the right time to use her influence to tip the balance in the Brotherhood’s favor. Not all members of the organization are so patient, though, and some have suggested that if Zelenn does not act soon, she should be replaced by someone who will.
Broker an Alliance in Baldur’s Gate
Baldur’s Gate is the richest pot for the taking on the Sword Coast, and everybody is trying to get a piece. Establishing a presence there wasn’t a challenge for
the Brotherhood, but as the new player in an estab¬lished pecking order of guilds and regional interests, the organization has been hard-pressed to expand its influence in the city.
Teyva “Magehand” Lillowind hopes to change that. A half-elf thief and self-taught mage, her resourcefulness makes up for her meager arcane talent. She’s hoping to broker an alliance with Nine- Fingers Keene, her former superior at the head of Baldur’s Gate’s powerful thieves’ guild.
Some who have mastered the use of magic wield it for noble ends: to destroy monsters, dethrone tyrants, and maintain a stable balance in the world. Some become tyrants themselves. Others pursue the Art as its own end, losing themselves in arcane exploration. And some, such as the wizards of the Arcane Broth¬erhood, use magic to get rich.
Wealth means power, of course, and ultimately the Brotherhood aims to control the North by putting a stranglehold on trade along the Sword Coast, from Waterdeep to Icewind Dale. Sometimes associated with the name of its former headquarters, the Host- tower of the Arcane in Luskan, the Brotherhood once ruled the so-called City of Sails. Now that Luskan has devolved into chaos, the pirate captains who rule the city no longer answer to the wizards of the Brotherhood. The Hosttower of the Arcane lies half ruined, and the city around it is haunted by undead. Whether any wizards still lurk in the Hosttower’s alien spires, perhaps controlling the undead, is a matter of speculation and idle gossip. But it is clear that the Arcane Brotherhood still exists. Its agents are everywhere, from Silverymoon in the north to Baldur’s Gate far to the south. It might no longer be the force it once was, perhaps, but the group is on the way back to its former status.
The Arcane Brotherhood In the last decade or so, two great changes have come over Luskan. The first was the plague that crippled the gangs that had controlled the city, allowing the High Captains to reclaim the power they had long held in Luskan. The other, far more sudden, was the return of the Arcane Brotherhood and its five-spired tower. The Arcane Brotherhood is a society of greedy, power- hungry mages that operates, more or less openly, out of their Hosttower of the Arcane in the city of Luskan. A century ago, they were the true power behind the city. Now, it seems the High Captains rule in more than just name, though many Brotherhood members perceive another hidden leader pulling their strings. As of now, the High Captains seem to have no influence over the actions of the Arcane Brotherhood, nor is it apparent that these wizards have any direct allegiance to Luskan. The archwizards who rule the Brotherhood are said to have their fingers in any number of unsavory pies, including piracy, slavery, drug trafficking, and smuggling, in addition to legitimate trading ventures. Before the Spellplague, the Brotherhood undertook these activities not for their own value, but in service their secret agenda: to establish economic and political sovereignty over the North. Since their return, however, it is unclear if the Arcane Brotherhood still pursues this endeavor, or if they now pursue some other unknown end. Thus, it remains to be seen whether or not the Brotherhood is still what it has always been before: a conclave of evil mages dedicated to the hateful pursuit of conquest and domination. One again, as it did before the Spellplague, he ghastly Hosttower of the Arcane looms over the city, branching into multiple thinner spires at the top. From a distance, the Hosttower might be mistaken for a giant, leadless tree. To those who see it up close, it looks like a clawed hand reaching up out of the ground, each of its fingers a tower with many peering windows. In many ways, the story of the Arcane Brotherhood is the story of this tower. History None can say with any certainty exactly when the Hosttower was constructed on the island at the mouth of the Mirar River, or what hands raised it, or just when the Arcane Brotherhood first began inhabiting the tower and making their presence felt in the city of Luskan. The first known mention of the place is in Mirar Saga, an oral tradition that narrates the arrival of the first Northlander pirates to settle in the Sword Coast region. These tales were first collected and recorded in 1237 DR by Malcer Truequill, a loremaster of Waterdeep. According to this chronicle, a band of Northlander explorers arrived at the mouth of the Mirar just ahead of a fearsome storm, seeking shelter along the riverbank. Instead they found what appeared to be a gigantic tree made entirely of stone, its bare “branches” rising hundreds of feet into the air above an island in the midst of the river's current. The eldritch sight struck fear into the hearts of the raiders, but the storm was closing in fast and they had no better shelter available. With heavy hearts and weapons in hand, the Northlanders entered the “stone tree” to escape the murderous winds and freezing sleet. The saga does not tell what fate overcame the half of the raiding party that failed to emerge from the tower, only that the survivors fled that terrible place even as the storm was at its height, preferring to take their chances with the raging elements rather than face whatever lurked within that grim stone spire. Today, the tower's reputation is just as evil, though the source of this dread is somewhat more visible and no longer nameless. The “stone tree” still sits where the Northlander explorers found it, rising high over the crowded streets and rocky shoreline of Luskan. Its eerie silhouette casts a baleful shadow over the city, and citizens in the streets tend to glance frequently at its bizarre shape, as if they expect something unspeakable to emerge from its depths at any moment. The tower is no longer merely the setting of a strange Northlander fable. Now it is the headquarters of the Arcane Brotherhood. Learned folk differ on exactly when the Arcane Brotherhood first appeared in Luskan, and on what precisely its activities have been in the years that followed. General consensus agrees that Arklem Greeth, the previous Archmage Arcane, arrived in Luskan some time around 1311 DR. Since then the Archmage has built his evil brotherhood slowly, mage by mage, attracting them to the Hosttower through promises of great power and wealth. In times past, the peoples of Neverwinter, Longsaddle, Mirabar, and other targets of the Brotherhood's ambitions could rely on internal disputes and rivalries between the senior mages of the Brotherhood to prevent the organization from bringing its full power to bear on any one target. The wizards and sorcerers who led the society from their lofty perches in Luskan's Hosttower Arcane considered one another rivals as much as comrades, and they plotted against one another as intensely and brazenly as they did against their intended victims. This internecine strife culminated in the previous century with the assassination of a key mage by a pair of his own fellows, followed by an unsuccessful coup attempt that left the Brotherhood in confused disarray. Then, a few years later, around the end of 1376 DR, Luskan was invaded by a group of Waterdhavian lords led by Lord Brambleberry and Captain Deudermont of the pirate hunter Sea Spite. Deudermont had rallied this army in response to the Brotherhood's funding of the piracy around Luskan. During the battle, Arklem Gleeth, the Archmage Arcane of the Brotherhood, slew Lord Brambleberry of Waterdeep and sent Drizzt Do'Urden to the Abyss for awhile. After detonating his staff in a cataclysmic release, Arklem left the Hosttower in ruins, killing thousands. The army had succeeded in its goal. The Brotherhood's presence in Luskan was essentially nullified and a number of wizards killed. Some people dared hope that the Brotherhood would wither and die forever, leaving honest folk with one less threat to worry about in this already dangerous part of Faerun. Cities throughout the Sword Coast North breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Brotherhood's attacks on shipping and caravans slowed and then ceased. For a century, it seemed this had come to pass, but it did Luskan little good. Deudermont's reign as governor was short— the populace was too accustomed to the corruption-as- usual practices of the former city masters. The City of Sails ultimately fell back into the hands of the surviving High Captains, who immediately began to fight among themselves. Within a decade all four had either been killed or run off. Recent Status Left without any central government, even a corrupt one, there was no hope left for Luskan. Rival gangs of thieves and pirates have been fighting, street by street and alley by alley, ever since. In the ensuing decades, numerous attempts have been made by master thieves, pirate captains, bandit kings, and monsters ranging from kobolds to beholders to take control of the city, but nothing resembling a government has stayed in power for more than a few months. In less than half a century, Luskan was transformed from a thriving city and powerful commercial center-- with a population of 10,000 souls within its walls and twice that number in the fields and hamlets beyond—into a grimy mire of rotting buildings and filth-choked streets. By the time of the Second Sundering, fewer than 4,000 people remained to wallow in the grimy remains of this decomposing den of vice. It became a dirty dive with filthy streets, ramshackle docks, squat buildings, creaky old longships, and crass pirates thinly disguised as sea traders. It was dominated by gangs, with the dominant powers being unsavory yakuza families from Shou Lung and underground wererat cime families, until the recent plague that returned the High Captains to power. The Arcane Brotherhood's return began a few years ago. The Hosttower of the Arcane had become a strange ruin is haunted by undead, considered one of the most dangerous dungeons in the region, and the locals wouldn't go anywhere near it. Then one day, out of nowhere, the Hosttower of the Arcane began regenerating its damaged stone, climbing into the sky once more. Shortly thereafter, mages of the Arcane Brotherhood emerged, almost immediately began clearing the Luskar ruins of undead, and fought off a dragon menacing the city. Cheered by the citizens, they swore to keep themselves out of the politics of the High Captains and the city at large, but anyone familiar with the history of the Brotherhood—or with alliances of powerful wizards in general—found this pledge ludicrous at best. The only possible way it could be true is if the Arcane Brotherhood now pursues a new, larger agenda, one in which Luskan itself only plays a minor part. Membership The Arcane Brotherhood consists almost entirely of arcane spellcasters. These spellcasters mark their status with the distinctive colors and patterns of their cloaks. From a distance, these cloaks all bear the same cut and silhouette, but each wizard of the Hosttower chooses a color or a design, and a moniker to match it (Zelenn the White, Jendrick the Blue, Teyva the Gray, Druette the Raven, Vaelish the Brown, Dendybar the Mottled, Maccath the Crimson, etc.) Nonmages are hired and employed to perform those tasks that the mages can't or don't wish to undertake for themselves. Members of the Arcane Brotherhood stationed in Luskan include the ruling archwizards, lesser mages and apprentices, and bodyguards. The wizards employ other minor functionaries such as messengers, informants, and spies, who are not full-fledged members of their organization (and thus are not privy to more information than is absolutely necessary for them to accomplish their assigned tasks). Despite its reputation, not all of the Brotherhood's members are evil. The new Archwizard Arcane has no objections to profit- or power-minded individuals seeking entry into the Brotherhood's ranks—provided, of course, that said individuals prove their loyalty and competence by serving the organization in whatever capacity it may direct. Those spellcasters who desire membership are thus often overqualified for the tasks they are initially assigned, but those who demonstrate skill and obedience can expect promotions in a reasonable amount of time. The overwizards are free to take on what apprentices they desire, but they become responsible for the conduct of their students. A mage who desires membership in the Brotherhood must eventually meet and pass the scrutiny of the Archmage Arcane, an audience that has left more than one Harper spy or independent do-gooder bereft of life and limb. Naturally the organization employs nonspellcasters, for it has need of bodyguards, thieves, informants, spies, and servants. The mages leave the recruitment and outfitting of pirates and brigands to the High Captains, and it is through this quintet that the Brotherhood supplies its raiders with instructions. The Arcane Brotherhood's symbol is a warship, reddish- brown outlined in black, riding on dark blue ocean waves. Above the ship is a short rise of dark purplish-black land, and atop the rise is a stylized representation of the Hosttower (depicting its central body and four turrets) in black silhouette. All the arcane spellcasters who count themselves members of the Brotherhood naturally each use their own personal sigil when requiring a recognizable symbol for mundane matters (such as affixing a seal to a letter). Only the Archmage and the overwizards have the authority to use the Brotherhood's official sigil. The Archmage Arcane, who appoints the four overwizards who oversee the group's operations, rules the Brotherhood. This mysterious leader seldom leaves private chambers in the Hosttower. When desirous of an audience with any of the other members of the organization, the Archmage typically summons them to the private audience hall in the Hosttower. The Archmage Arcane is not merely the first among equals, but the organization's the supreme ruler. In a very real sense, the Arcane Brotherhood belongs to the Archmage. None have the authority to challenge the word of this leader. The original Archmage Arcane was Arklem Greeth, who had led the group from its earliest beginnings and stayed in that position all the way until the invasion of Luskan. However, Arklem's obsession with prolonging his own lifespan took up much of his attention in those last few decades, and this lack of leadership was the beginning of the Brotherhood's decline. Eventually, Arklem Greeth became a lich, and returned to end internal squabbles and reform the Brotherhood, but the damage had been done, and soon that era of the Brotherhood was over. Now, the Arcane Brotherhood again walks the streets of Luskan, under a new Archmage Arcane, Cashaan the Red. The nature, power, and agenda of this new supreme leader are as yet unknown. The Arcane Brotherhood ____________________ The Arcane Brotherhood is a mysterious and ancient guild of arcanists. Their membership roll remains shrouded in mystery, but it most likely includes the most powerful mages in Luskan — and perhaps Faerun. For years they have wielded considerable influence in the city. Their various lesser headquarters are said to lie somewhere hidden from normal sight by powerful spells. In days past, the Arcane Brotherhood was a great foe of the Church of Talos. When the Edict of Thunder was issued centuries ago proclaiming all arcane spellcasting to be an forbidden act, a number of mages gathered to form a secret society dedicated to preserving themselves and their lore. Within the Host Tower of the Arcane, the members of this guild meet, store their valuable books and supplies, and craft magic items and other creations. The Arcane Brotherhood concerns itself with preserving magical lore and all things arcane from those it believes would eradicate such knowledge. In the last decade or so, two great changes have come over Luskan. The first was the plague that crippled the gangs that had controlled the city, allowing the five High Captains and the noble houses to reclaim the power they had long held in Luskan. The other, far more sudden, was the return of the Arcane Brotherhood and its five-spired tower. A few years ago, the ruined Host Tower of the Arcane began regenerating its damaged stone, climbing into the sky once more. Shortly thereafter, mages of the Arcane Brotherhood emerged, almost immediately began cleansing the Luskan ruins of undead, and driving off a dragon menacing the city. Cheered by the citizens, they swore to keep themselves out of the politics of the five High Captains and their council, but the notion that powerful wizards closely aligned with one another can truly remain neutral is laughable to anyone familiar with such things. Now the Arcane Brotherhood again walks the streets of Luskan, marked by the distinctive colors and patterns of their cloaks. From a distance, these cloaks all bear the same cut and silhouette, but each wizard of the Host Tower chooses a color or a design, and a moniker to match it. The leadership of the Arcane Brotherhood is the archmage and the four overwizards of the other spires of the Host Tower: Cashaan the Red, Archmage Arcane Zelenn the White, Overwizard of the West Jendrick the Blue, Overwizard of the South Teyva the Gray, Overwizard of the East Druette the Raven, Overwizard of the North Other notable masters and guardians of the Brotherhood include Dendybar the Mottled, Vaelish the Brown, Maccath the Crimson, Moymath Autumnsong (colors of autumn), Unirthom the Blue, Kaeran Altarstone (gold), Iniah Croesh (white), Lord Renn Sadar (black), The Genesis (gray), and Jevicca Nor (green). History Edit Arklem Greeth, the original Archmage Arcane of the Brotherhood, first appeared in Luskan around 1311 DR. Meticulously building a group of powerful and evil mages, Greeth sought to acquire control of the North by first dominating trade using the far reaching arm of Luskan. Greeth and the Brotherhood first gained full control of Luskan (through the High Captains) sometime around 1357 DR. After conquering the island of Ruathym (on the second attempt) in 1361 DR, Luskan was forced to return it by the Lords' Alliance.[1] Greeth then had Luskan embark on a number of disastrous military and naval ventures. After a botched war against Lantan, Greeth was forced to flee when two of his high-ranking subordinates sought to overthrow him and proceeded to assassinate his assistant. While in exile, Greeth successfully gained his long-sought immortality by becoming an undead lich. Returning to the city sometime in late 1371 DR or early 1372 DR, he used his new-found powers to reclaim the Brotherhood.[1] After setting the High Captains of Luskan under his heel yet again, Greeth and his erinyes ally Nyphithys turned their attention to recruiting new mages for their guild and plotting means to conquer the newly created country of the Silver Marches. It was during this time that Arabeth Raurym of Mirabar became an Overwizard of the Brotherhood.[1] Around the end of 1376 DR, Luskan was invaded by a group of Waterdhavian lords led by Captain Deudermont and Lord Brambleberry. The Brotherhood's presence in Luskan was essentially nullified and a number of wizards killed. Greeth himself fled the city after causing tremendous damage to invading forces.[3] Hierarchy Edit The Archmage Arklem ruled over the guild and under him served four Overwizards. Each Overwizard was assigned a quadrant of Faerûn to administer and an arm of the Host Tower of the Arcane to coordinate.[1] Master of the North Tower Around 1372 DR, below the Archmage was Overwizard Valindra Shadowmantle, who was responsible for the North Tower. Dominion of the North was the main goal of the Brotherhood, so Valindra led the Overwizards in their objective to collect information on their regions to help her. She was a moon elf, born in the High Forest. Frustrated with her wizardly education, she left her homeland and headed for Mirabar looking for a mentor. One year later, she murdered him and escaped to Luskan, where she found a place among the Brotherhood.[1] Master of the East Tower Overwizard Rimardo Domine, responsible for the East Tower.[1] Master of the South Tower Overwizard Arabeth Raurym, responsible for the South Tower.[1] Master of the West Tower Overwizard Blaskar Lauthom, responsible for the West Tower.[1] Relations Edit Many powerful groups, such as the Zhentarim, the Cult of the Dragon, and the Red Wizards of Thay attempted to infiltrate the Brotherhood, to no avail[2] though the Unseen had a minor success in this regard.[citation needed] Notable Members Edit Arklem Greeth, Archmage Arcane[1][3] Arabeth Raurym[1] Valindra Shadowmantle [3] Morkai the Red, former Master of the North Tower [4] Damien Morienus, former master of the North Tower, around 1269 DR he relocated to the Icewind Dale region with his wife to finish the research of achieving eternal life.[5] Akar Kessel[4] Dendybar the Mottled, former Master of the North Tower[6] Celerum the Black, Dendybar's opportunistic apprentice who sought lichdom in 1369 DR[7] Kaladar the Cruel, Celerum's rival who hired adventurers to find the lichdom formula ahead of his opponent.[8] Sydney[9] Eldeluc[6] The Traitors Edit In 1371 DR a pair of Arcane members led an attempted coup against Arklem Greeth. They were initially successful in killing his top lieutenant, but the Archmage Arcane was able to flee to Mirabar. When he returned to Luskan as a lich, Greeth and his new devilish allies killed or drove off the members of the Arcane Brotherhood that he could not trust or were part of the coup. Some of the killed or exiled members included:[1] Eldeluc: One of the two that led the initial coup. Killed in retaliation. Rumored to have a hidden clone.[1] Valkebar: One of the two that led the initial coup. Killed in retaliation.[1] Jaluth Alaerth: Aka “Snakeface" was one of the former Overwizards. She fled to the wilds around Icewind Dale.[1] Ornar of the Claw: One of the former Overwizards. He fled to a stronghold in the Evermoors.[1] Deltagar Zelhund: One of the former Overwizards. He went into hiding among the yuan-it in Hlondeth.[1] Eltuth Oyim: Aka “Wyvernmaster” was also one of the Overwizards. He was killed and fed to his own pets.[1] Galguth Shund: He was an underling of Jaluth, but betrayed her upon Greeth's return. Greeth felt he could not be trusted and sent him away to run operations in Waterdeep rather than keeping him as one of the Masters.[10]
The Arcane Brotherhood In the last decade or so, two great changes have come over Luskan. The first was the plague that crippled the gangs that had controlled the city, allowing the High Captains to reclaim the power they had long held in Luskan. The other, far more sudden, was the return of the Arcane Brotherhood and its five-spired tower. The Arcane Brotherhood is a society of greedy, power- hungry mages that operates, more or less openly, out of their Hosttower of the Arcane in the city of Luskan. A century ago, they were the true power behind the city. Now, it seems the High Captains rule in more than just name, though many Brotherhood members perceive another hidden leader pulling their strings. As of now, the High Captains seem to have no influence over the actions of the Arcane Brotherhood, nor is it apparent that these wizards have any direct allegiance to Luskan. The archwizards who rule the Brotherhood are said to have their fingers in any number of unsavory pies, including piracy, slavery, drug trafficking, and smuggling, in addition to legitimate trading ventures. Before the Spellplague, the Brotherhood undertook these activities not for their own value, but in service their secret agenda: to establish economic and political sovereignty over the North. Since their return, however, it is unclear if the Arcane Brotherhood still pursues this endeavor, or if they now pursue some other unknown end. Thus, it remains to be seen whether or not the Brotherhood is still what it has always been before: a conclave of evil mages dedicated to the hateful pursuit of conquest and domination. One again, as it did before the Spellplague, he ghastly Hosttower of the Arcane looms over the city, branching into multiple thinner spires at the top. From a distance, the Hosttower might be mistaken for a giant, leadless tree. To those who see it up close, it looks like a clawed hand reaching up out of the ground, each of its fingers a tower with many peering windows. In many ways, the story of the Arcane Brotherhood is the story of this tower. History None can say with any certainty exactly when the Hosttower was constructed on the island at the mouth of the Mirar River, or what hands raised it, or just when the Arcane Brotherhood first began inhabiting the tower and making their presence felt in the city of Luskan. The first known mention of the place is in Mirar Saga, an oral tradition that narrates the arrival of the first Northlander pirates to settle in the Sword Coast region. These tales were first collected and recorded in 1237 DR by Malcer Truequill, a loremaster of Waterdeep. According to this chronicle, a band of Northlander explorers arrived at the mouth of the Mirar just ahead of a fearsome storm, seeking shelter along the riverbank. Instead they found what appeared to be a gigantic tree made entirely of stone, its bare “branches” rising hundreds of feet into the air above an island in the midst of the river's current. The eldritch sight struck fear into the hearts of the raiders, but the storm was closing in fast and they had no better shelter available. With heavy hearts and weapons in hand, the Northlanders entered the “stone tree” to escape the murderous winds and freezing sleet. The saga does not tell what fate overcame the half of the raiding party that failed to emerge from the tower, only that the survivors fled that terrible place even as the storm was at its height, preferring to take their chances with the raging elements rather than face whatever lurked within that grim stone spire. Today, the tower's reputation is just as evil, though the source of this dread is somewhat more visible and no longer nameless. The “stone tree” still sits where the Northlander explorers found it, rising high over the crowded streets and rocky shoreline of Luskan. Its eerie silhouette casts a baleful shadow over the city, and citizens in the streets tend to glance frequently at its bizarre shape, as if they expect something unspeakable to emerge from its depths at any moment. The tower is no longer merely the setting of a strange Northlander fable. Now it is the headquarters of the Arcane Brotherhood. Learned folk differ on exactly when the Arcane Brotherhood first appeared in Luskan, and on what precisely its activities have been in the years that followed. General consensus agrees that Arklem Greeth, the previous Archmage Arcane, arrived in Luskan some time around 1311 DR. Since then the Archmage has built his evil brotherhood slowly, mage by mage, attracting them to the Hosttower through promises of great power and wealth. In times past, the peoples of Neverwinter, Longsaddle, Mirabar, and other targets of the Brotherhood's ambitions could rely on internal disputes and rivalries between the senior mages of the Brotherhood to prevent the organization from bringing its full power to bear on any one target. The wizards and sorcerers who led the society from their lofty perches in Luskan's Hosttower Arcane considered one another rivals as much as comrades, and they plotted against one another as intensely and brazenly as they did against their intended victims. This internecine strife culminated in the previous century with the assassination of a key mage by a pair of his own fellows, followed by an unsuccessful coup attempt that left the Brotherhood in confused disarray. Then, a few years later, around the end of 1376 DR, Luskan was invaded by a group of Waterdhavian lords led by Lord Brambleberry and Captain Deudermont of the pirate hunter Sea Spite. Deudermont had rallied this army in response to the Brotherhood's funding of the piracy around Luskan. During the battle, Arklem Gleeth, the Archmage Arcane of the Brotherhood, slew Lord Brambleberry of Waterdeep and sent Drizzt Do'Urden to the Abyss for awhile. After detonating his staff in a cataclysmic release, Arklem left the Hosttower in ruins, killing thousands. The army had succeeded in its goal. The Brotherhood's presence in Luskan was essentially nullified and a number of wizards killed. Some people dared hope that the Brotherhood would wither and die forever, leaving honest folk with one less threat to worry about in this already dangerous part of Faerun. Cities throughout the Sword Coast North breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Brotherhood's attacks on shipping and caravans slowed and then ceased. For a century, it seemed this had come to pass, but it did Luskan little good. Deudermont's reign as governor was short— the populace was too accustomed to the corruption-as- usual practices of the former city masters. The City of Sails ultimately fell back into the hands of the surviving High Captains, who immediately began to fight among themselves. Within a decade all four had either been killed or run off. Recent Status Left without any central government, even a corrupt one, there was no hope left for Luskan. Rival gangs of thieves and pirates have been fighting, street by street and alley by alley, ever since. In the ensuing decades, numerous attempts have been made by master thieves, pirate captains, bandit kings, and monsters ranging from kobolds to beholders to take control of the city, but nothing resembling a government has stayed in power for more than a few months. In less than half a century, Luskan was transformed from a thriving city and powerful commercial center-- with a population of 10,000 souls within its walls and twice that number in the fields and hamlets beyond—into a grimy mire of rotting buildings and filth-choked streets. By the time of the Second Sundering, fewer than 4,000 people remained to wallow in the grimy remains of this decomposing den of vice. It became a dirty dive with filthy streets, ramshackle docks, squat buildings, creaky old longships, and crass pirates thinly disguised as sea traders. It was dominated by gangs, with the dominant powers being unsavory yakuza families from Shou Lung and underground wererat cime families, until the recent plague that returned the High Captains to power. The Arcane Brotherhood's return began a few years ago. The Hosttower of the Arcane had become a strange ruin is haunted by undead, considered one of the most dangerous dungeons in the region, and the locals wouldn't go anywhere near it. Then one day, out of nowhere, the Hosttower of the Arcane began regenerating its damaged stone, climbing into the sky once more. Shortly thereafter, mages of the Arcane Brotherhood emerged, almost immediately began clearing the Luskar ruins of undead, and fought off a dragon menacing the city. Cheered by the citizens, they swore to keep themselves out of the politics of the High Captains and the city at large, but anyone familiar with the history of the Brotherhood—or with alliances of powerful wizards in general—found this pledge ludicrous at best. The only possible way it could be true is if the Arcane Brotherhood now pursues a new, larger agenda, one in which Luskan itself only plays a minor part. Membership The Arcane Brotherhood consists almost entirely of arcane spellcasters. These spellcasters mark their status with the distinctive colors and patterns of their cloaks. From a distance, these cloaks all bear the same cut and silhouette, but each wizard of the Hosttower chooses a color or a design, and a moniker to match it (Zelenn the White, Jendrick the Blue, Teyva the Gray, Druette the Raven, Vaelish the Brown, Dendybar the Mottled, Maccath the Crimson, etc.) Nonmages are hired and employed to perform those tasks that the mages can't or don't wish to undertake for themselves. Members of the Arcane Brotherhood stationed in Luskan include the ruling archwizards, lesser mages and apprentices, and bodyguards. The wizards employ other minor functionaries such as messengers, informants, and spies, who are not full-fledged members of their organization (and thus are not privy to more information than is absolutely necessary for them to accomplish their assigned tasks). Despite its reputation, not all of the Brotherhood's members are evil. The new Archwizard Arcane has no objections to profit- or power-minded individuals seeking entry into the Brotherhood's ranks—provided, of course, that said individuals prove their loyalty and competence by serving the organization in whatever capacity it may direct. Those spellcasters who desire membership are thus often overqualified for the tasks they are initially assigned, but those who demonstrate skill and obedience can expect promotions in a reasonable amount of time. The overwizards are free to take on what apprentices they desire, but they become responsible for the conduct of their students. A mage who desires membership in the Brotherhood must eventually meet and pass the scrutiny of the Archmage Arcane, an audience that has left more than one Harper spy or independent do-gooder bereft of life and limb. Naturally the organization employs nonspellcasters, for it has need of bodyguards, thieves, informants, spies, and servants. The mages leave the recruitment and outfitting of pirates and brigands to the High Captains, and it is through this quintet that the Brotherhood supplies its raiders with instructions. The Arcane Brotherhood's symbol is a warship, reddish- brown outlined in black, riding on dark blue ocean waves. Above the ship is a short rise of dark purplish-black land, and atop the rise is a stylized representation of the Hosttower (depicting its central body and four turrets) in black silhouette. All the arcane spellcasters who count themselves members of the Brotherhood naturally each use their own personal sigil when requiring a recognizable symbol for mundane matters (such as affixing a seal to a letter). Only the Archmage and the overwizards have the authority to use the Brotherhood's official sigil. The Archmage Arcane, who appoints the four overwizards who oversee the group's operations, rules the Brotherhood. This mysterious leader seldom leaves private chambers in the Hosttower. When desirous of an audience with any of the other members of the organization, the Archmage typically summons them to the private audience hall in the Hosttower. The Archmage Arcane is not merely the first among equals, but the organization's the supreme ruler. In a very real sense, the Arcane Brotherhood belongs to the Archmage. None have the authority to challenge the word of this leader. The original Archmage Arcane was Arklem Greeth, who had led the group from its earliest beginnings and stayed in that position all the way until the invasion of Luskan. However, Arklem's obsession with prolonging his own lifespan took up much of his attention in those last few decades, and this lack of leadership was the beginning of the Brotherhood's decline. Eventually, Arklem Greeth became a lich, and returned to end internal squabbles and reform the Brotherhood, but the damage had been done, and soon that era of the Brotherhood was over. Now, the Arcane Brotherhood again walks the streets of Luskan, under a new Archmage Arcane, Cashaan the Red. The nature, power, and agenda of this new supreme leader are as yet unknown. The Arcane Brotherhood ____________________ The Arcane Brotherhood is a mysterious and ancient guild of arcanists. Their membership roll remains shrouded in mystery, but it most likely includes the most powerful mages in Luskan — and perhaps Faerun. For years they have wielded considerable influence in the city. Their various lesser headquarters are said to lie somewhere hidden from normal sight by powerful spells. In days past, the Arcane Brotherhood was a great foe of the Church of Talos. When the Edict of Thunder was issued centuries ago proclaiming all arcane spellcasting to be an forbidden act, a number of mages gathered to form a secret society dedicated to preserving themselves and their lore. Within the Host Tower of the Arcane, the members of this guild meet, store their valuable books and supplies, and craft magic items and other creations. The Arcane Brotherhood concerns itself with preserving magical lore and all things arcane from those it believes would eradicate such knowledge. In the last decade or so, two great changes have come over Luskan. The first was the plague that crippled the gangs that had controlled the city, allowing the five High Captains and the noble houses to reclaim the power they had long held in Luskan. The other, far more sudden, was the return of the Arcane Brotherhood and its five-spired tower. A few years ago, the ruined Host Tower of the Arcane began regenerating its damaged stone, climbing into the sky once more. Shortly thereafter, mages of the Arcane Brotherhood emerged, almost immediately began cleansing the Luskan ruins of undead, and driving off a dragon menacing the city. Cheered by the citizens, they swore to keep themselves out of the politics of the five High Captains and their council, but the notion that powerful wizards closely aligned with one another can truly remain neutral is laughable to anyone familiar with such things. Now the Arcane Brotherhood again walks the streets of Luskan, marked by the distinctive colors and patterns of their cloaks. From a distance, these cloaks all bear the same cut and silhouette, but each wizard of the Host Tower chooses a color or a design, and a moniker to match it. The leadership of the Arcane Brotherhood is the archmage and the four overwizards of the other spires of the Host Tower: Cashaan the Red, Archmage Arcane Zelenn the White, Overwizard of the West Jendrick the Blue, Overwizard of the South Teyva the Gray, Overwizard of the East Druette the Raven, Overwizard of the North Other notable masters and guardians of the Brotherhood include Dendybar the Mottled, Vaelish the Brown, Maccath the Crimson, Moymath Autumnsong (colors of autumn), Unirthom the Blue, Kaeran Altarstone (gold), Iniah Croesh (white), Lord Renn Sadar (black), The Genesis (gray), and Jevicca Nor (green). History Edit Arklem Greeth, the original Archmage Arcane of the Brotherhood, first appeared in Luskan around 1311 DR. Meticulously building a group of powerful and evil mages, Greeth sought to acquire control of the North by first dominating trade using the far reaching arm of Luskan. Greeth and the Brotherhood first gained full control of Luskan (through the High Captains) sometime around 1357 DR. After conquering the island of Ruathym (on the second attempt) in 1361 DR, Luskan was forced to return it by the Lords' Alliance.[1] Greeth then had Luskan embark on a number of disastrous military and naval ventures. After a botched war against Lantan, Greeth was forced to flee when two of his high-ranking subordinates sought to overthrow him and proceeded to assassinate his assistant. While in exile, Greeth successfully gained his long-sought immortality by becoming an undead lich. Returning to the city sometime in late 1371 DR or early 1372 DR, he used his new-found powers to reclaim the Brotherhood.[1] After setting the High Captains of Luskan under his heel yet again, Greeth and his erinyes ally Nyphithys turned their attention to recruiting new mages for their guild and plotting means to conquer the newly created country of the Silver Marches. It was during this time that Arabeth Raurym of Mirabar became an Overwizard of the Brotherhood.[1] Around the end of 1376 DR, Luskan was invaded by a group of Waterdhavian lords led by Captain Deudermont and Lord Brambleberry. The Brotherhood's presence in Luskan was essentially nullified and a number of wizards killed. Greeth himself fled the city after causing tremendous damage to invading forces.[3] Hierarchy Edit The Archmage Arklem ruled over the guild and under him served four Overwizards. Each Overwizard was assigned a quadrant of Faerûn to administer and an arm of the Host Tower of the Arcane to coordinate.[1] Master of the North Tower Around 1372 DR, below the Archmage was Overwizard Valindra Shadowmantle, who was responsible for the North Tower. Dominion of the North was the main goal of the Brotherhood, so Valindra led the Overwizards in their objective to collect information on their regions to help her. She was a moon elf, born in the High Forest. Frustrated with her wizardly education, she left her homeland and headed for Mirabar looking for a mentor. One year later, she murdered him and escaped to Luskan, where she found a place among the Brotherhood.[1] Master of the East Tower Overwizard Rimardo Domine, responsible for the East Tower.[1] Master of the South Tower Overwizard Arabeth Raurym, responsible for the South Tower.[1] Master of the West Tower Overwizard Blaskar Lauthom, responsible for the West Tower.[1] Relations Edit Many powerful groups, such as the Zhentarim, the Cult of the Dragon, and the Red Wizards of Thay attempted to infiltrate the Brotherhood, to no avail[2] though the Unseen had a minor success in this regard.[citation needed] Notable Members Edit Arklem Greeth, Archmage Arcane[1][3] Arabeth Raurym[1] Valindra Shadowmantle [3] Morkai the Red, former Master of the North Tower [4] Damien Morienus, former master of the North Tower, around 1269 DR he relocated to the Icewind Dale region with his wife to finish the research of achieving eternal life.[5] Akar Kessel[4] Dendybar the Mottled, former Master of the North Tower[6] Celerum the Black, Dendybar's opportunistic apprentice who sought lichdom in 1369 DR[7] Kaladar the Cruel, Celerum's rival who hired adventurers to find the lichdom formula ahead of his opponent.[8] Sydney[9] Eldeluc[6] The Traitors Edit In 1371 DR a pair of Arcane members led an attempted coup against Arklem Greeth. They were initially successful in killing his top lieutenant, but the Archmage Arcane was able to flee to Mirabar. When he returned to Luskan as a lich, Greeth and his new devilish allies killed or drove off the members of the Arcane Brotherhood that he could not trust or were part of the coup. Some of the killed or exiled members included:[1] Eldeluc: One of the two that led the initial coup. Killed in retaliation. Rumored to have a hidden clone.[1] Valkebar: One of the two that led the initial coup. Killed in retaliation.[1] Jaluth Alaerth: Aka “Snakeface" was one of the former Overwizards. She fled to the wilds around Icewind Dale.[1] Ornar of the Claw: One of the former Overwizards. He fled to a stronghold in the Evermoors.[1] Deltagar Zelhund: One of the former Overwizards. He went into hiding among the yuan-it in Hlondeth.[1] Eltuth Oyim: Aka “Wyvernmaster” was also one of the Overwizards. He was killed and fed to his own pets.[1] Galguth Shund: He was an underling of Jaluth, but betrayed her upon Greeth's return. Greeth felt he could not be trusted and sent him away to run operations in Waterdeep rather than keeping him as one of the Masters.[10]
ORGANIZATION
The Arcane Brotherhood currently lacks any central leadership. Its former Archmage Arcane, the lich Arklem Greeth, was forced into his phylactery over a hundred years ago. The four Overwizards who reported to him are also long gone. Currently, five wizards vie for leadership, but none of them is secure enough to lay claim to the title of Archmage Arcane and fix the hierarchy in place once again. Each of these five wizards has a faction of sup¬porters within the Brotherhood, and it seems only a matter of time before one of them gains enough sup¬port to claim the top position. After that, unless the situation devolves into violence, the other four will become the Overwizards, the Archmage Arcanes key assistants—though enough animosity currently sours their relationship that it is unlikely they would ever work well in concert. Whats more, some within the Brotherhood believe that Arklem Greeth will eventually return to reclaim his position as head of the organization. That possibility is one of the factors keeping the five wiz¬ards from moving too aggressively to take the reins. The lich’s phylactery was last known to be in the pos¬session of Valindra Shadowmantle, a Thayan agent in the Neverwinter region. The Arcane Brotherhood In the last decade or so, two great changes have come over Luskan. The first was the plague that crippled the gangs that had controlled the city, allowing the High Captains to reclaim the power they had long held in Luskan. The other, far more sudden, was the return of the Arcane Brotherhood and its five-spired tower. The Arcane Brotherhood is a society of greedy, power- hungry mages that operates, more or less openly, out of their Hosttower of the Arcane in the city of Luskan. A century ago, they were the true power behind the city. Now, it seems the High Captains rule in more than just name, though many Brotherhood members perceive another hidden leader pulling their strings. As of now, the High Captains seem to have no influence over the actions of the Arcane Brotherhood, nor is it apparent that these wizards have any direct allegiance to Luskan. The archwizards who rule the Brotherhood are said to have their fingers in any number of unsavory pies, including piracy, slavery, drug trafficking, and smuggling, in addition to legitimate trading ventures. Before the Spellplague, the Brotherhood undertook these activities not for their own value, but in service their secret agenda: to establish economic and political sovereignty over the North. Since their return, however, it is unclear if the Arcane Brotherhood still pursues this endeavor, or if they now pursue some other unknown end. Thus, it remains to be seen whether or not the Brotherhood is still what it has always been before: a conclave of evil mages dedicated to the hateful pursuit of conquest and domination. One again, as it did before the Spellplague, he ghastly Hosttower of the Arcane looms over the city, branching into multiple thinner spires at the top. From a distance, the Hosttower might be mistaken for a giant, leadless tree. To those who see it up close, it looks like a clawed hand reaching up out of the ground, each of its fingers a tower with many peering windows. In many ways, the story of the Arcane Brotherhood is the story of this tower.A landmark of wonder marked the very center of the City of Sails, a strange building that emanated a powerful aura of magic. Unlike any other structure in all Faerun, the Hosttower of the Arcane seemed literally a tree of stone, boasting five tall spires, the largest being the central, and the other four, equally high, growing out of the main trunk with the graceful curving arc of an oak. Nowhere could any sign of the mason be seen; it was obvious to any knowledgeable viewer that magic, not physical labor, had produced this art work. The Archmage, undisputed Master of the Hosttower, resided in the central tower, while the other four housed the wizards closest in the line of succession. Each of these lesser towers, representing the four compass directions, dominated a different side of the trunk, and its respective wizard held responsibility for watching over and influencing the events in the direction he overlooked. Thus, the wizard west of the trunk spent his days looking out to sea, and to the merchant ships and pirates riding out on Luskan's harbor.Some who have mastered the use of magic wield it for noble ends: to destroy monsters, dethrone tyrants, and maintain a stable balance in the world. Some become tyrants themselves. Others pursue the Art as its own end, losing themselves in arcane exploration. And some, such as the wizards of the Arcane Brotherhood, use magic to get rich. Wealth means power, of course, and ultimately the Brotherhood aims to control the North by putting a stranglehold on trade along the Sword Coast, from Waterdeep to Icewind Dale. Sometimes associated with the name of its former headquarters, the Hosttower of the Arcane in Luskan, the Brotherhood once ruled the so-called City of Sails. Now that Luskan has devolved into chaos, the pirate captains who rule the city no longer answer to the wizards of the Brotherhood. The Hosttower of the Arcane lies half ruined, and the city around it is haunted by undead. Whether any wizards still lurk in the Hosttower's alien spires, perhaps controlling the undead, is a matter of speculation and idle gossip. But it is clear that the Arcane Brotherhood still exists. Its agents are everywhere, from Silverymoon in the north to Baldur's Gate far to the south. It might no longer be the force it once was, perhaps, but the group is on the way back to its former status. ---------- The Arcane Brotherhood The Arcane Brotherhood is a society of greedy, power-hungry mages that operates, more or less openly, out of their Hosttower of the Arcane in the city of Luskan. In the last decade or so, two great changes have come over Luskan. The first was the plague that crippled the gangs that had controlled the city, allowing the High Captains to reclaim the power they had long held in Luskan. The other, far more sudden, was the return of the Arcane Brotherhood and its five-spired tower. A century ago, they were the true power behind the city. Now, it seems the High Captains rule in more than just name, though many Brotherhood members perceive another hidden leader pulling their strings. As of now, the High Captains seem to have no influence over the actions of the Arcane Brotherhood, nor is it apparent that these wizards have any direct allegiance to Luskan. The archwizards who rule the Brotherhood are said to have their fingers in any number of unsavory pies, including piracy, slavery, drug trafficking, and smuggling, in addition to legitimate trading ventures. Before the Spellplague, the Brotherhood undertook these activities not for its own value, but in service of a secret agenda: to establish economic and political sovereignty over the North. Since its return, however, it is unclear if the Arcane Brotherhood still pursues this endeavor, or if it now pursues some other unknown end. Thus, it remains to be seen whether or not the Brotherhood is still what it has always been: a conclave of evil mages dedicated to the hateful pursuit of conquest and domination. Once again, as it did before the Spellplague, the ghastly Hosttower of the Arcane looms over the city, branching into multiple thinner spires at the top. To those who see it up close, it looks like a clawed hand reaching up out of the ground, each finger a tower with many peering windows. In many ways, the story of the Arcane Brotherhood is the story of this tower.
History
None can say with any certainty exactly when the Hosttower was constructed on the island at the mouth of the River Mirar, what hands raised it, or just when the Arcane Brotherhood first began occupying the tower and making its presence felt in the city of Luskan. The first known mention of the place is in Mirar Saga, an oral tradition that narrates the arrival of the first Northlander pirates to settle in the Sword Coast region. These tales were first collected and recorded in 1237 DR by Malcer Truequill, a loremaster of Waterdeep. According to this chronicle, a band of Northlanders seeking refuge from a fearsome storm arrived at the mouth of the River Mirar to look for shelter along its banks. Instead they found what appeared to be a gigantic tree made entirely of stone, its bare “branches” rising hundreds of feet into the air above an island in the midst of the river's current. The eldritch sight struck fear into the hearts of the raiders, but the storm was closing in fast and they had no better shelter available. With heavy hearts and weapons in hand, the Northlanders entered the “stone tree” to escape the murderous winds and freezing sleet. The saga does not tell what fate befell the half of the raiding party that didn't emerge from the tower, but only that the survivors who fled that terrible place while the storm was at its height chose to face the raging storm rather than whatever lurked within that grim stone spire. Today, the tower's reputation is just as evil, though the source of this dread is somewhat more visible and no longer nameless. From a distance, it might be mistaken for a giant, leafless tree. It still sits where the Northlander explorers found it, rising high over the crowded streets and rocky shoreline of Luskan. Its eerie silhouette casts a baleful shadow over the city, and citizens in the streets tend to glance frequently at its bizarre shape, as if they expect something unspeakable to emerge from its depths at any moment. The tower is no longer merely the setting of a strange Northlander fable. Now it is the headquarters of the Arcane Brotherhood. Learned folk differ on exactly when the Arcane Brotherhood first appeared in Luskan, and on what precisely its activities have been in the years that followed. General consensus agrees that Arklem Greeth, the previous Archmage Arcane, arrived in Luskan sometime around 1311 DR. Since then the Archmage has built his evil brotherhood slowly, mage by mage, attracting each to the Hosttower through promises of great power and wealth. In times past, the peoples of Neverwinter, Longsaddle, Mirarbar, and other targets of the Arcane Brotherhood's ambitions could rely upon internal disputes, and rivalries between the organization's senior mages to prevent it from bringing its full power to bear on any one target. The wizards and sorcerers who led the society from their lofty perches in Luskin's Hosttower Arcane considered one another rivals as much as comrades, often plotting against each other as intensely and brazenly as they did against their intended victims. This internecine strife culminated in the previous century with the assassination of a key mage by a pair of his own fellows, followed by an unsuccessful coup attempt that left the Brotherhood in confused disarray. Then, a few years later, around the end of 1376 DR, Luskan was invaded by a group of Waterdhavian lords led by Lord Brambleberry and Captain Deudermont of the pirate hunter Sea Spite. Deudermont had rallied this army in response to the Brotherhood's funding of the piracy around Luskan. During the battle, Arklem Gleeth, the Archmage Arcane of the Brotherhood, slew Lord Brambleberry of Waterdeep, vanquished Drizzt Do'Urden, and detonated his staff in a cataclysmic release, Arklem left the Hosttower in ruins, killing thousands. However, the army had succeeded in its goal. The Arcane Brotherhood's presence in Luskan was essentially nullified and a number of its wizards killed. Some people dared hope that the Brotherhood would wither and die forever, leaving honest folk with one less threat to worry about in this already dangerous part of Faerun. Citizens throughout the Sword Coast North breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Brotherhood’s attacks on shipping and caravans slowed and then ceased. For a century, it seemed this had come to pass, but it did Luskan little good. Deudermont’s reign as governor was short—the populace was too accustomed to the corruption-as- usual practices of its former city masters. The City of Sails ultimately fell back into the hands of the surviving High Captains, who immediately began to fight among themselves. Within a decade all four had either been killed or run off.Recent Status
Left without any central government, even a corrupt one, there was no hope left for Luskan. Rival gangs of thieves and pirates have been fighting ever since, street by street, and alley by alley. In the ensuing decades, numerous attempts to take and control the city were made by master thieves, pirate captains, bandit kings, and monsters ranging from kobolds to beholders, but nothing resembling a government has stayed in power for more than a few months. In less than half a century, Luskan was transformed from a thriving city and powerful commercial center—with a population of 10,000 souls within its walls and twice that number in the fields and hamlets beyond—into a grimy mire of rotting buildings and filth-choked streets. By the time of the Second Sundering, fewer than 4,000 people remained to wallow in the grimy remains of this decomposing den of vice. Once-mighty Luskan became a dirty dive with filthy streets, ramshackle docks, squat buildings, creaky old longships, and crass pirates thinly disguised as sea traders. It was dominated by gangs, with the dominant powers being unsavory yakuza families from Shou Lung and underground wererat crime families, until the recent plague that returned the High Captains to power. The Arcane Brotherhood’s return began a few years ago. The Hosttower of the Arcane had become a strange ruin haunted by undead, considered one of the most dangerous dungeons in the region, and the locals wouldn't go anywhere near it. Then one day, out of nowhere, the Hosttower of the Arcane began regenerating its damaged stone. Shortly thereafter, mages of the Arcane Brotherhood emerged, almost immediately began clearing the Luskar ruins of undead, and fought off a dragon menacing the city. Cheered by the citizens, they swore to keep themselves out of the politics of the High Captains and the city at large, but anyone familiar with the history of the Brotherhood—or with alliances of powerful wizards in general—found this pledge ludicrous at best. The only possible way it could be true is if the Arcane Brotherhood now pursues a new, larger agenda, one in which Luskan only plays a minor part.Membership
The Arcane Brotherhood consists almost entirely of arcane spellcasters: wizards, warlocks, sorcerers, and bards. These spellcasters mark their status with the distinctive colors and patterns of their cloaks. From a distance, these cloaks all bear the same cut and silhouette, but each wizard of the Hosttower chooses a color or a design, and a moniker to match it (Zelenn the White, Jendrick the Blue, Teyva the Gray, Druette the Raven, Vaelish the Brown, Dendybar the Mottled, Maccath the Crimson, etc.) Non-mages are hired and employed to perform those tasks that the mages can't or don't wish to undertake. Members of the Arcane Brotherhood stationed in Luskan include the ruling archwizards, lesser mages and apprentices, and bodyguards. The wizards employ other minor functionaries such as messengers, informants, and spies, who are not full- fledged members of their organization (and thus are not privy to more information than is absolutely necessary for them to accomplish their assigned tasks). Bards with a taste for eldritch lore comprise an increasing portion of the Brotherhood's membership, and their skill at blending in nearly anywhere makes them both important sources of information and crucial agents of influence in Luskan and abroad. Despite its reputation, not all of the Brotherhood's members are evil. The new Archwizard Arcane has no objections to profit or power-minded individuals seeking entry into the Brotherhood's ranks— provided, of course, that said individuals prove their loyalty and competence by serving the organization in whatever capacity it may direct. Those spellcasters who desire membership are thus often overqualified for the tasks they are initially assigned, but those who demonstrate skill and obedience can expect promotions in a reasonable amount of time. The overwizards are free to take on what apprentices they desire, but they become responsible for the conduct of their students. A mage who desires membership in the Brotherhood must eventually meet and pass the scrutiny of the Archmage Arcane, an audience that has left more than one Harper spy or independent do-gooder bereft of life and limb. Naturally, the organization employs non-spellcasters, for it has need of bodyguards, thieves, informants, spies, and servants. The mages leave the recruitment and outfitting of pirates and brigands to the High Captains, and it is through this quintet that the Brotherhood supplies its raiders with instructions. The Arcane Brotherhood's symbol is a warship, reddish-brown outlined in black, riding on dark blue ocean waves. Above the ship is a short rise of dark purplish-black land, and atop the rise is a stylized representation of the Hosttower (depicting its central body and four turrets) in black silhouette. All the arcane spellcasters who count themselves members of the Brotherhood naturally each use their own personal sigil when requiring a recognizable symbol for mundane matters (such as affixing a seal to a letter). Only the Archmage and the overwizards have the authority to use the Brotherhood's official sigil. The Archmage Arcane, who appoints the four overwizards who oversee the group's operations, rules the Brotherhood. This mysterious leader seldom leaves private chambers in the Hosttower. When desirous of an audience with any of the other members of the organization, the Archmage typically summons them to the private audience hall in the Hosttower. The Archmage Arcane is not merely the first among equals, but the organization's supreme ruler. In a very real sense, the Arcane Brotherhood belongs to the Archmage. None have the authority to challenge the word of this leader. The original Archmage Arcane was Arklem Greeth, who had led the group from its earliest beginnings. However, Arklem's obsession with prolonging his own lifespan took up much of his attention in those last few decades, and this lack of leadership was the beginning of the Brotherhood's decline. Eventually, Arklem Greeth became a lich, and returned to end internal squabbles and reform the Brotherhood, but the damage had been done. Until recently, the invasion of Luskan seemed to have marked the end of the Arcane Brotherhood’s era of power. The most infamous Overwizard of the Host Tower Shadowmantle, Master of the North Tower. Responsible for the Brotherhoods operations in the northern quadrant of Faerun, she later became an important player in the politics of rebuilt Neverwinter. Becoming a lich like her lover Arkem Gleeth, she changed her loyalties to the Red Wizards of Thay after the Arcane Brotherhood’s fall. As of this writing, I am informed Valindra is Chult on Szass Tam's direct orders, leading a group of Red Wizards on a mission related to the "death curse" that has afflicted many across Faerun. Yet the Arcane Brotherhood now walks the streets of Luskan once more, under a new Archmage Arcane, Cashaan the Red. The nature, power, and agenda of this new supreme leader are as yet unknown. of the Arcane was the moon elf ValindraСтруктура
The Arcane Brotherhood currently lacks any central leadership. Its former Archmage Arcane, the lich Arklem Greeth, was forced into his phylactery over a hundred years ago. The four Overwizards who reported to him are also long gone. Currently, five wizards vie for leadership, but none of them is secure enough to lay claim to the title of Archmage Arcane and fix the hierarchy in place once again.
Each of these five wizards has a faction of supporters within the Brotherhood, and it seems only a matter of time before one of them gains enough support to claim the top position. After that, unless the situation devolves into violence, the other four will become the Overwizards, the Archmage Arcane's key assistants - though enough animosity currently sours their relationship that it is unlikely they would ever work well in concert.
What's more, some within the Brotherhood believe that Arklem Greeth will eventually return to reclaim his position as head of the organization. That possibility is one of the factors keeping the five wizards from moving too aggressively to take the reins. The lich's phylactery was last known to be in the possession of Valindra Shadowmantle, a Thayan agent in the Neverwinter region.
Membership
The Arcane Brotherhood consists almost entirely of arcane spellcasters. These spellcasters mark their status with the distinctive colors and patterns of their cloaks. From a distance, these cloaks all bear the same cut and silhouette, but each wizard of the Hosttower chooses a color or a design, and a moniker to match it (Zelenn the White, Jendrick the Blue, Teyva the Gray, Druette the Raven, Vaelish the Brown, Dendybar the Mottled, Maccath the Crimson, etc.) Nonmages are hired and employed to perform those tasks that the mages can't or don't wish to undertake for themselves. Members of the Arcane Brotherhood stationed in Luskan include the ruling archwizards, lesser mages and apprentices, and bodyguards. The wizards employ other minor functionaries such as messengers, informants, and spies, who are not full-fledged members of their organization (and thus are not privy to more information than is absolutely necessary for them to accomplish their assigned tasks). Despite its reputation, not all of the Brotherhood's members are evil. The new Archwizard Arcane has no objections to profit- or power-minded individuals seeking entry into the Brotherhood's ranks—provided, of course, that said individuals prove their loyalty and competence by serving the organization in whatever capacity it may direct. Those spellcasters who desire membership are thus often overqualified for the tasks they are initially assigned, but those who demonstrate skill and obedience can expect promotions in a reasonable amount of time. The overwizards are free to take on what apprentices they desire, but they become responsible for the conduct of their students. A mage who desires membership in the Brotherhood must eventually meet and pass the scrutiny of the Archmage Arcane, an audience that has left more than one Harper spy or independent do-gooder bereft of life and limb. Naturally the organization employs nonspellcasters, for it has need of bodyguards, thieves, informants, spies, and servants. The mages leave the recruitment and outfitting of pirates and brigands to the High Captains, and it is through this quintet that the Brotherhood supplies its raiders with instructions. The Arcane Brotherhood's symbol is a warship, reddish- brown outlined in black, riding on dark blue ocean waves. Above the ship is a short rise of dark purplish-black land, and atop the rise is a stylized representation of the Hosttower (depicting its central body and four turrets) in black silhouette. All the arcane spellcasters who count themselves members of the Brotherhood naturally each use their own personal sigil when requiring a recognizable symbol for mundane matters (such as affixing a seal to a letter). Only the Archmage and the overwizards have the authority to use the Brotherhood's official sigil. The Archmage Arcane, who appoints the four overwizards who oversee the group's operations, rules the Brotherhood. This mysterious leader seldom leaves private chambers in the Hosttower. When desirous of an audience with any of the other members of the organization, the Archmage typically summons them to the private audience hall in the Hosttower. The Archmage Arcane is not merely the first among equals, but the organization's the supreme ruler. In a very real sense, the Arcane Brotherhood belongs to the Archmage. None have the authority to challenge the word of this leader. The original Archmage Arcane was Arklem Greeth, who had led the group from its earliest beginnings and stayed in that position all the way until the invasion of Luskan. However, Arklem's obsession with prolonging his own lifespan took up much of his attention in those last few decades, and this lack of leadership was the beginning of the Brotherhood's decline. Eventually, Arklem Greeth became a lich, and returned to end internal squabbles and reform the Brotherhood, but the damage had been done, and soon that era of the Brotherhood was over. Now, the Arcane Brotherhood again walks the streets of Luskan, under a new Archmage Arcane, Cashaan the Red. The nature, power, and agenda of this new supreme leader are as yet unknown.Jendrick the Blue in Port Llast
Teyva "Magehand" Lillowind in Baldur's Gate
Teyva “Magehand” Lillowind hopes to change that. A half-elf thief and self-taught mage, her resourcefulness makes up for her meager arcane talent. She’s hoping to broker an alliance with Nine- Fingers Keene, her former superior at the head of Baldur’s Gate’s powerful thieves’ guild.Zelenn Essrenthir in Neverwinter
The elf wizard Zelenn Essrenthir runs operations in Neverwinter. She lived there before the Spellplague and has a deep knowledge of the city’s past, if not its recent history. Many major players, particularly Lord Neverember, want to gain her con¬fidence in the hope that she can help them secure their position in Neverwinter. But with the perspective that comes from living such a long life, Zelenn waits for the right time to use her influence to tip the balance in the Brotherhood’s favor. Not all members of the organization are so patient, though, and some have suggested that if Zelenn does not act soon, she should be replaced by someone who will.Druette "the Raven" in Waterdeep
Druette “The Raven” Pentecost is a highly influential member of the Arcane Brotherhood, and the head of a respected Waterdhavian merchant guild. Although she appears to be a freckled, auburn haired 19 year old girl, in fact she is much older, as she uses her powerful transmutation magic to appear younger. She is a cold, calculating woman without an ounce of mirth in her, and she maintains that the Brotherhood is an organization of mages with an interest in improving trade in the North.Cashaan el Farid in Luskan
where he commands the undead that haunt the Hosttower. Cashaan el Farid is a human necromancer from Calimshan. Having grown up using his peoples’ fear and hatred of their genasi oppressors to weave his own subtle spell of control, Cashaan knows how to use desperation to his advantage-and Luskan is full of desperate people.Maccath Crimson
The tiefling sorcerer Maccath, known as “the Crimson” for her blazing crimson cloak, is a member of the Arcane Brotherhood. Originally hailing from Calimshan, at some point of her life she joined the Brotherhood to further her knowledge of the arcane. Her research led her to an interest in the Draakhorn, leading her to become the world expert on the ancient draconic artifact. Three years ago, in 1486 DR, Maccath travelled along with a number of companions to the Sea of Moving Ice to try and recover a number of stolen tomes stolen by the white dragon Arauthator over a century ago from the Arcane Brotherhood, while also hoping to be able to find the Draakhorn. Before they could even reach the dragon’s lair however, Arauthator destroyed their ship and killed everyone save for Maccath, whom he took a personal interest in. Seeing Maccath’s Arcane Brotherhood brooch, Arauthator brought the sorcerer back to his Oyaviggaton lair to try and get her to decipher the very same writings he had stolen from the Hosttower of the Arcane back in 1373 DR. The white dragon also seemed to believe that he had convinced Maccath that once she was done, she could serve as the companion and rider of his mate Arveiaturace, an ancient white female that has longed for a wizard companion for over a century. Maccath played along for three years, while in secret plotting her escape and crafting magical items to aid her – such as two arrows of dragon slaying and a ring of cold resistance. This choice would prove to be a good one. When the Draakhorn started to blow, the Heroes of Skyreach were asked by the Council of Waterdeep to find Maccath and the horn, and they made their way into the ice caves of Oyaviggaton to meet with her. They found the tiefling wishing to leave, but not without the arcane tomes she had come there to find. She offered them the items she had crafted to aid them in their battle against the dragon, as well as what insight she could. The Heroes of Skyreach subsequently slew the dragon, recovered the tomes as well as Auvion’s Rod, and returned with Maccath to Waterdeep. Maccath is a haughty but dedicated woman, and clearly envisages a grand future for herself. She has completely devoted herself to unravelling the mysteries of the stolen tomes, such that she could not bear to abandon them. She keeps her surroundings orderly, and was not too amused when Bob the Hermit burnt a part of her tent down, and later Magnus Tyrrson vomited on her carpet. Nevertheless, she is thankful for her rescue by the adventurers, and has promised that the Arcane Brotherhood will not let the deed go unrewarded.Agents of the Brotherhood
In support of Jendrick the Blue's aspirations to become the Archmage Arcane, a wizard named Vaelish Gant has come to Ten-Towns. With the aid of thugs and ruffians from Luskan, Gant plans to bolster the Arcane Brotherhood's interests by controlling trade to and from Icewind Dale.Vaelish Gant
Scheming Brotherhood wizard Image: Vaelish Gant Portrait Many traders profit in the lucrative market for Icewind Dale's "white gold," but the way Vaelish Gant sees it, ivory and scrimshaw is only the beginning. If the Arcane Brotherhood can gain access to the dwarven mines of Kelvin's Cairn and the unexploited wealth of the tundra - with its rich furs and pelts - that is currently wasted on the Reghed barbarians, the dale will be well worth holding. And if someone were to discover a valuable new mineral lode somewhere in the Spine of the World, Ten-Towns might become another Mirabar. The Brotherhood's leadership hasn't displayed any interest in Icewind Dale; this operation is Gant's alone. The wizard is actually less interested in Ten-Towns than in the prestige that success there will bring him among his peers in the Brotherhood. He especially hopes that the profits generated in Ten-Towns will help Jendrick the Blue secure the position of Archmage Arcane, and then the senior wizard will reward him with a position as an Overwizard. Vaelish Gant was born in the southern city of Athkatla, far down the Sword Coast. He joined the Arcane Brotherhood under Jendrick's tutelage and started his operations in Waterdeep, hoping that effort would be the key to his career. Gant was soon frustrated by stifling competition, and he decided that gaining a stranglehold on the markets in Ten-Towns would be a better use of his energy and an easier way to impress his mentor. Vaelish Gant is a heavy man of medium height, with short, black hair, dark eyes, and light brown skin that clearly marks him as a foreigner in Icewind Dale. He dresses the part of a wizard, wearing a brown robe with a fancy white mantle fastened with a seashell brooch. His ornate metal staff is tipped with a glowing sapphire, displaying his magical acumen for all to see. Though he gives the impression of magical might, his skills at wizardry have not progressed far beyond his apprenticeship. This arrogance extends to his every mannerism - he is cocky and confident, believing himself to be destined for greatness and superior to everyone he meets.Slim
Wererat ruffian To support his efforts in Icewind Dale, Vaelish Gant enlisted the aid of Luskan's Ship Rethnor. "Slim" is a member of that gang of thugs, a sly rogue who is quick with his rapier and equally so with his insults. Slim is actually a wererat, though he conceals that fact as much as possible, using his animal form only to escape from overwhelming danger. Slim is a smooth talker whose charm is moderated a bit by a shifty, sneaky demeanor. He has close-cropped, light brown hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. His forearm carries the tattooed mark of Ship Rethnor - a sailing ship pierced by a sword coming down from above as the tentacles of a kraken rise up from the water beneath it. Slim runs Vaelish Gant's "protection" racket in Bryn Shander, extorting payments from merchants under threat of vandalism and theft. He is coldhearted and savage, and every time he bullies a merchant, he secretly hopes that the target will put up a fight. But he's so good at intimidation - lowering his voice to a whisper to utter his most severe threats - that he rarely gets to use his rapier.Marek "the Shank"
Hobgoblin thug Gant's other main agent in Bryn Shander is a hobgoblin named Marek, also called "the Shank." Hobgoblins aren't a common sight in Icewind Dale, so the Shank's hood covers his red-skinned face most of the time. His job is recruiting the most unsavory characters from Ten-Towns to aid Vaelish Gant's efforts. Scoundrels are often drawn to the hulking brute, who seems to offer an alternative to the life of community that defines most of Ten-Towns. Marek is a tall, strong hobgoblin with long, black hair and yellow eyes. His face is heavily scarred, a testament to the brawls he has survived as part of Ship Rethnor in Luskan. His arm bears the same tattoo worn by Slim, identifying him as part of Rethnor's crew. He speaks in a harsh growl that is backed by the clear threat of physical violence, which helps keep the local thugs under control. Although his primary role is recruitment, Marek also backs up Slim's worst threats. He is a trained warrior, skilled at laying ambushes in streets and alleys. He has rarely met his match in a fight, and the last time he did, he fled - to his lasting shame. In a similar encounter, he might well question whether he will master his fear or turn tail once more.Публичное заявление
GOALS
The Arcane Brotherhood has always been ambitious, and its current debilitated state has not altered the group’s aims. Four main goals drive the activities of the would-be Archmages Arcane.Power through Profit
The Brotherhood’s aims dreams of being the ulti¬mate power in Faerun. Its founder, Arklem Greeth, understood that coin—not titles or birthrights, nor magical or military might-is king in the North, so he made the Arcane Brotherhood as much a mercantile association as a magical one, graft and greed its most powerful spells. In the wake of the lich’s defeat and the ruin of the Hosttower, the Brotherhood’s members are installing themselves in cities along the Sword Coast, trying to rebuild their trade networks and bring the area back under their control. The five aspiring leaders have bases of operation across the North: Jendrick the Blue in Port Llast, Teyva “Magehand” Lillowind in Baldur’s Gate, Zelenn Essrenthir in Neverwinter, Druette “the Raven” in Waterdeep, and the nec¬romancer Cashaan el Farid in Luskan, where he commands the undead that haunt the Hosttower.Rebuild Luskan
Cashaan el Farid knows that quelling the chaos in Luskan is the first step in making the city a useful base again, since no trade will flow into the city until merchants can travel there without undue risk of loss (or violent death). To that end, he has started hiring adventurers to help clear out the worst elements. To keep the revival of the Brotherhood secret as long as possible, recruiting wizards usually pose as members of a more respectable organization or as dispossessed gentry with rights to property in the city.Tip the Balance in Neverwinter
Neverwinter is a key target for the Brotherhood. Its recent resurgence has made business boom, and the ongoing power struggles and other destabilizing elements present ample opportunities for the Arcane Brotherhood to insinuate itself into the political and economic landscape. The Brotherhood isn’t looking to rule Neverwinter, but to hold sway over whoever ends up in control.Broker an Alliance in Baldur’s Gate
Baldur’s Gate is the richest pot for the taking on the Sword Coast, and everybody is trying to get a piece. Establishing a presence there wasn’t a challenge for the Brotherhood, but as the new player in an estab¬lished pecking order of guilds and regional interests, the organization has been hard-pressed to expand its influence in the city.История
None can say with any certainty exactly when the Hosttower was constructed on the island at the mouth of the Mirar River, or what hands raised it, or just when the Arcane Brotherhood first began inhabiting the tower and making their presence felt in the city of Luskan. The first known mention of the place is in Mirar Saga, an oral tradition that narrates the arrival of the first Northlander pirates to settle in the Sword Coast region. These tales were first collected and recorded in 1237 DR by Malcer Truequill, a loremaster of Waterdeep.
According to this chronicle, a band of Northlander explorers arrived at the mouth of the Mirar just ahead of a fearsome storm, seeking shelter along the riverbank. Instead they found what appeared to be a gigantic tree made entirely of stone, its bare “branches” rising hundreds of feet into the air above an island in the midst of the river's current. The eldritch sight struck fear into the hearts of the raiders, but the storm was closing in fast and they had no better shelter available. With heavy hearts and weapons in hand, the Northlanders entered the “stone tree” to escape the murderous winds and freezing sleet. The saga does not tell what fate overcame the half of the raiding party that failed to emerge from the tower, only that the survivors fled that terrible place even as the storm was at its height, preferring to take their chances with the raging elements rather than face whatever lurked within that grim stone spire.
Today, the tower's reputation is just as evil, though the source of this dread is somewhat more visible and no longer nameless. The “stone tree” still sits where the Northlander explorers found it, rising high over the crowded streets and rocky shoreline of Luskan. Its eerie silhouette casts a baleful shadow over the city, and citizens in the streets tend to glance frequently at its bizarre shape, as if they expect something unspeakable to emerge from its depths at any moment.
The tower is no longer merely the setting of a strange Northlander fable. Now it is the headquarters of the Arcane Brotherhood. Learned folk differ on exactly when the Arcane Brotherhood first appeared in Luskan, and on what precisely its activities have been in the years that followed. General consensus agrees that Arklem Greeth, the previous Archmage Arcane, arrived in Luskan some time around 1311 DR. Since then the Archmage has built his evil brotherhood slowly, mage by mage, attracting them to the Hosttower through promises of great power and wealth.
In times past, the peoples of Neverwinter, Longsaddle, Mirabar, and other targets of the Brotherhood's ambitions could rely on internal disputes and rivalries between the senior mages of the Brotherhood to prevent the organization from bringing its full power to bear on any one target. The wizards and sorcerers who led the society from their lofty perches in Luskan's Hosttower Arcane considered one another rivals as much as comrades, and they plotted against one another as intensely and brazenly as they did against their intended victims.
This internecine strife culminated in the previous century with the assassination of a key mage by a pair of
his own fellows, followed by an unsuccessful coup attempt that left the Brotherhood in confused disarray. Then, a few years later, around the end of 1376 DR, Luskan was invaded by a group of Waterdhavian lords led by Lord Brambleberry and Captain Deudermont of the pirate hunter Sea Spite. Deudermont had rallied this army in response to the Brotherhood's funding of the piracy around Luskan. During the battle, Arklem Gleeth, the Archmage Arcane of the Brotherhood, slew Lord Brambleberry of Waterdeep and sent Drizzt Do'Urden to the Abyss for awhile. After detonating his staff in a cataclysmic release, Arklem left the Hosttower in ruins, killing thousands.
The army had succeeded in its goal. The Brotherhood's presence in Luskan was essentially nullified and a number of wizards killed. Some people dared hope that the Brotherhood would wither and die forever, leaving honest folk with one less threat to worry about in this already dangerous part of Faerun.
Cities throughout the Sword Coast North breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Brotherhood's attacks on shipping and caravans slowed and then ceased. For a century, it seemed this had come to pass, but it did Luskan little good. Deudermont's reign as governor was short— the populace was too accustomed to the corruption-as- usual practices of the former city masters. The City of Sails ultimately fell back into the hands of the surviving High Captains, who immediately began to fight among themselves. Within a decade all four had either been killed or run off.
Recent Status
Left without any central government, even a corrupt one, there was no hope left for Luskan. Rival gangs of thieves and pirates have been fighting, street by street and alley by alley, ever since. In the ensuing decades, numerous attempts have been made by master thieves, pirate captains, bandit kings, and monsters ranging from kobolds to beholders to take control of the city, but nothing resembling a government has stayed in power for more than a few months.
In less than half a century, Luskan was transformed from a thriving city and powerful commercial center-- with a population of 10,000 souls within its walls and twice that number in the fields and hamlets beyond—into a grimy mire of rotting buildings and filth-choked streets. By the time of the Second Sundering, fewer than 4,000 people remained to wallow in the grimy remains of this decomposing den of vice. It became a dirty dive with filthy streets, ramshackle docks, squat buildings, creaky old longships, and crass pirates thinly disguised as sea traders. It was dominated by gangs, with the dominant powers being unsavory yakuza families from Shou Lung and underground wererat cime families, until the recent plague that returned the High Captains to power.
The Arcane Brotherhood's return began a few years ago. The Hosttower of the Arcane had become a strange ruin is haunted by undead, considered one of the most dangerous dungeons in the region, and the locals wouldn't go anywhere near it. Then one day, out of nowhere, the
Hosttower of the Arcane began regenerating its damaged stone, climbing into the sky once more.
Shortly thereafter, mages of the Arcane Brotherhood emerged, almost immediately began clearing the Luskar ruins of undead, and fought off a dragon menacing the city. Cheered by the citizens, they swore to keep themselves out of the politics of the High Captains and the city at large, but anyone familiar with the history of the Brotherhood—or with alliances of powerful wizards in general—found this pledge ludicrous at best. The only possible way it could be true is if the Arcane Brotherhood now pursues a new, larger agenda, one in which Luskan itself only plays a minor part.
1485: Arcane Brotherhood reemerge in Icewind Dale
1486: Hosttower of the Arcane is rebuilt.
1486-7: Arcane Brotherhood resume their place in the tower.
1486: Maccath the Crimson travels to Oyaviggaton
1489: Tyranny of Dragons.
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