The Order of the Blade

"A well-executed death is like a piece of artwork, no different than a painting or a statue that you might see lining the halls of a nobleman's house. And we pride ourselves in being the realm's greatest artists."

~ Faelar Naïlo, Grandmaster of the Order

The Order of the Blade is a society of silver elves that live in a stronghold beneath the streets of Waterdeep. The group is comparable to an assassin's guild, but are more secretive and militant in their operation. Despite the group's obvious neglect of Waterdhavian law, most of Waterdeep's nobles either consider the group too dangerous to confront, or believe that their existence in nothing more than a myth.
The group is led by Grandmaster Faelar Naïlo, although no one besides his immediate family are permitted to see him to face-to-face. He is sometimes simply referred to as the 'Grandmaster' or occasionally 'The Silver Blade', a reference to the silvered weapons that Faelar takes pride in wielding. The Naïlo family have led the Order for generations, ever since the founding of the organisation in 306 JR. Upon the death of Faelar, his eldest son Arwyn Naïlo will ascend to the title of 'Grandmaster' and take control of the order's operations.
The stronghold that serves as the Order's base of operations was constructed by the successful Waterdhavian mason Dorrin Blackheart. It contains a vast number of training halls, armouries, sleeping chambers and crypts and has several exits, many of which lead to the Waterdeep sewers, although some even lead out of the city and into neighbouring villages. Upon the completion of the stronghold, Dorrin was assassinated by the group's Grandmaster to ensure secrecy.
The group takes bounties from trusted investors, sometimes costing upwards of 25,000 gold pieces. It is said that a single assassin trained by the Order is capable of killing 100 soldiers in open combat, and 1000 with the element of surprise. Such claims have never had chance to be officially tested, although it is clear that the Order only tolerates perfection, as initiates who fail the group are often never heard from again.
In 3017 JR, Grandmaster Faelar's second-born son, Mindartis Naïlo, was ousted from his position in the Order after years of displaying arrogance and insubordination. The final nail in the coffin was when Mindartis had obtained a sample of the psychedelic drug Mind Dragon from a merchant on the surface and was caught abusing the substance. While the standard response to this behaviour would've been execution, Faelar took pity on his son, and instead gave the sentence of exile. This caused the Grandmaster great pain, not only from losing his son, but also from losing a student that had been showing vast potential. Mindartis later joined the adventuring group that became known as the Heroes of Waterdeep.

"We are the Watchful"

Founding Date

306 JR

Type

Guild, Assassins

Alternative Names

The Order

Training Level

Elite