Breadwinners
The Breadwinners were a famed adventuring party during the Great Dragon War. Over the course of the war, the Breadwinners aided in the creation of the Council of Waterdeep and, later, acted as special agents on behalf of the council. Their exploits include killing Alexander Rake during the Baldur's Gate Uprising, ending the Siege of Salt Lake, recovering the Gauntlet of the Black Dragon, slaying the dragons Arauthator and Chuth, and participating in the Battle of Hardbuckler and the Battle at the Well of Dragons.
The Breadwinners are household names across the Sword Coast, and its former members are rightfully recognized as heroes wherever they go.
Structure
The Breadwinners had no formal delineation of roles between the various members of the group nor a formally hierarchy. Instead, decisions were often left up to majority vote.
The Breadwinners were composed of 7 members at time of their dissolution, though the various members joined at varying times. The groups members, and dates that they joined, were as follows:
The Breadwinners were composed of 7 members at time of their dissolution, though the various members joined at varying times. The groups members, and dates that they joined, were as follows:
- Mariana Goldfinch, founding member
- Legolass Darkblade, founding member
- Malachor Wolfsbane, founding member
- Eilidh Stormheart, joined Uktar 1491
- Ava of the Wilds, joined Alturiak 1492
- Akhros the Ronin, joined Alturiak 1492
- Esme Heavensong, joined Eleasis 1492
History
The eventual founding members of the Breadwinners, Mariana, Legolass, Malachor, and Amber first worked together as a group in 1490, when the four of them, as students of Gregory Tumbleton University, saved Eyleth Veral from a small group of dragon cultists. After a year of study abroad, the four of them returned to Tumbleton during the Cult of the Dragon's raid on the settlement. The four helped repel the attackers, but not before their professor, and secret head of the cult, Don Rel made off with the Aethercore. The four adventurers then rescued Harper agent, Ser Vich from the cult's nearby encampment, who recruited the students into joining him in Elturel.
In Elturel, the students met with Ser Vich and Onthar Frume, the Vindicator of the city. Convinced of the true danger the Cult of the Dragon posed to the entirety of the
Sword Coast, Frume, Ser Vich, and the future Breadwinners resolved to unite the forces of the Sword Coast into an anti-dragon cult alliance.
The adventurer's first stop was Baldur's Gate, where they were assisted by the retired adventurer Jessabelle Leonin in trying to convince the city's Council of Four. During their stay, Amber was killed during the group's infiltration into the gang of Lysara the Grin. Shortly afterwards, the faked the assassination of Order of the Gauntlet White Hawk Eilidh and assisted her in taking down Lysara. Eilidh then joined the group and the four adventurers killed Alexander Rake and helped to end the Baldur's Gate Uprising.
While stopping on Stormbreak Island, the future Breadwinners aided Akhros and Ava in stopping a Cult of the Dragon plot to kidnap alchemists to make gold for Tiamat's hoard and then recruited the two.
In 1492, the future Breadwinners traveled to Salt Lake, where they ended the Siege of Salt Lake by forcing the abdication of Mariana's father. The Siege of Salt Lake also served as the official formation of the Breadwinners.
Working with Force Grey agent Viné Seraph, the Breadwinners disrupted the Cult of the Dragon's smuggling operation out of Castle Naerytar in the Mere of Dead Men. While there, the group recovered the Gauntlet of the Black Dragon, which fused with Mariana.
The Breadwinners had a run in with the Reverse Funnel System adventuring group in Silverymoon during their mission to steal the Book of Draconic Rituals.
After this last mission, the Breadwinners were given full authority to act on behalf of the newly formed Council of Waterdeep. At their direction, the group engaged in many missions. In addition, the The Breadwinners were joined by the bard Esme, whom the party met as Mariana's one-time lover. At the orders of the Council of Waterdeep, the Breadwinners fought and killed the white dragon Arauthator on his home on Oyaviggaton to rescue Maccath the Crimson and determine the location of the Draakhorn. The Breadwinners then retrieved the blue wyrmspeaker, Varram Stonecarver, from the Tomb of Diderius. At the request of Prince Alagarthas, the Breadwinners investigated the mysterious dragon attacks in the Misty Forest. They fought and killed the culprits, the green dragon Chuth and the green wyrmspeaker Neronvain, who was Alagarthas exiled brother. In late 1492, the Breadwinners represented the Council of Waterdeep during negotiations to secure an alliance with the Metallic Dragon Council. As a favor the council, the Breadwinners recovered the Staff of Shadowfell Sundering, which had been stolen from the copper dragon Tazmikella's hoard, from the ruins of Ken Asari. This action, and shrewd negotiation, secured the metallic dragons' aid. The Breadwinners were then tasked by the Council of Waterdeep to retrieve the Helm of the Red Dragon from Xonthal's Tower, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. Afterwards, four of the Breadwinners, Legolass, Ava, Mariana, and Eilidh were teleported to Thay and obtained the aid of the Red Wizards. During the Battle of Hardbuckler, the Breadwinners departed on a special mission to neutralize the Cult of the Dragon's High Marshal, Amara. They failed in capturing her, but did force her retreat from the battle, throwing the cult's forces into disarray. During the Battle at the Well of Dragons, the Breadwinners, aided by many of the allies and friends they had made during their journey, infiltrated the Well of Dragons itself to stop Don Rel's ritual to summon Tiamat. Their fight to Chromatic Pentagram was brutal, but ultimately Don Rel was killed, confining Tiamat still in the Nine Hells. The Breadwinners then had to fight against Bastion, Legolass's sentient sword that had reached its full power by absorbing the souls used for the summoning ritual. The Breadwinners defeated Bastion and escaped the Chromatic Pentagram before it slipped back into Avernus.
After this last mission, the Breadwinners were given full authority to act on behalf of the newly formed Council of Waterdeep. At their direction, the group engaged in many missions. In addition, the The Breadwinners were joined by the bard Esme, whom the party met as Mariana's one-time lover. At the orders of the Council of Waterdeep, the Breadwinners fought and killed the white dragon Arauthator on his home on Oyaviggaton to rescue Maccath the Crimson and determine the location of the Draakhorn. The Breadwinners then retrieved the blue wyrmspeaker, Varram Stonecarver, from the Tomb of Diderius. At the request of Prince Alagarthas, the Breadwinners investigated the mysterious dragon attacks in the Misty Forest. They fought and killed the culprits, the green dragon Chuth and the green wyrmspeaker Neronvain, who was Alagarthas exiled brother. In late 1492, the Breadwinners represented the Council of Waterdeep during negotiations to secure an alliance with the Metallic Dragon Council. As a favor the council, the Breadwinners recovered the Staff of Shadowfell Sundering, which had been stolen from the copper dragon Tazmikella's hoard, from the ruins of Ken Asari. This action, and shrewd negotiation, secured the metallic dragons' aid. The Breadwinners were then tasked by the Council of Waterdeep to retrieve the Helm of the Red Dragon from Xonthal's Tower, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. Afterwards, four of the Breadwinners, Legolass, Ava, Mariana, and Eilidh were teleported to Thay and obtained the aid of the Red Wizards. During the Battle of Hardbuckler, the Breadwinners departed on a special mission to neutralize the Cult of the Dragon's High Marshal, Amara. They failed in capturing her, but did force her retreat from the battle, throwing the cult's forces into disarray. During the Battle at the Well of Dragons, the Breadwinners, aided by many of the allies and friends they had made during their journey, infiltrated the Well of Dragons itself to stop Don Rel's ritual to summon Tiamat. Their fight to Chromatic Pentagram was brutal, but ultimately Don Rel was killed, confining Tiamat still in the Nine Hells. The Breadwinners then had to fight against Bastion, Legolass's sentient sword that had reached its full power by absorbing the souls used for the summoning ritual. The Breadwinners defeated Bastion and escaped the Chromatic Pentagram before it slipped back into Avernus.
Disbandment
Following the Great Dragon War and the end of Don Rel's plot to summon Tiamat, the Breadwinners disbanded.
Mariana Goldfinch settled in Waterdeep and founded her own dragon hunting organization, the Tazmikillers.
Ava of the Wilds fulfilled her promise to the people of Xonthal's Tower and helped them rebuild. She decided to take the town eponymous tower as her new home. Soon after, both the tower and the town were renamed to Ava's Tower.
Eilidh Stormheart was promoted to Vindicator of Waterdeep in the Order of the Gauntlet, a title she still holds to this day.
Malachor Wolfsbane left to deal with the remnants of his old guard crew, now all turned into werewolves. He was forced to put most of them down, earning him his epithet. He returned later to Waterdeep, becoming the commander of the City Guard.
Legolass Darkblade, unable to keep her promise to fully commit herself to Corellon, disappeared for the most part. Occasionally stories would pop up of a traveling elven rogue, constantly pursued by her past.
Akhros the Ronin left the Breadwinners with nary a goodbye, resolving to continue doing singular good deeds wherever he found himself.
Finally, Esme Heavensong traveled Faerun. Everywhere she went, she told others about The Wrath of Dragons, the epic struggle of the Breadwinners against the forces of the Cult of the Dragon and Tiamat and their unlikely victory.
DISBANDED/DISSOLVED
1490 (unofficially) ; 7 Tarsakh 1492 (named) - Uktar 1492
Type
Adventuring Party
Successor Organization
Demonym
Breadwinner
Parent Organization
Notable Members
Comments