Jander Sunstar was an
high elven man turned secret
vampire that had a long and storied history across
Faerun. He participated in the
Charge of the Hellriders, leading the component of Hellriders that fled from the battlefield, and became the first and only non-
human High Rider of
Elturel before vacating his position.
Following his death, Jander's soul was taken to
Avernus, where he was crucified for eternity by his once friend and companion
Haruman for his cowardice during the Charge of the Hellriders.
History
Jander Sunstar was born on the island of Evermeet sometime in the 6th or 7th century. He became embroiled in numerous adventures and battles over the centuries before becoming enslaved to a vampire lord in 798 and turned into a vampire himself. Jander managed to slay his vampire overlord in 892 and continued traveling
Faerun, attempting to keep his vampiric bloodlust in check.
In the early 10th century, Jander ended up falling in with a slave revolt in the Goblin Marches, led by a young human man named
Haruman, who was nicknamed the Boy Warlord. Jander fought by Haruman's side, and when the Boy Warlord established himsed as the Lord Knight of the Far Hills, ruling his fiefdom out of
Farkeep, Jander was made a knight banneret in his service. Haruman also learned about Jander's vampirism, but pledged to keep his secret, as Jander continued to keep his darker impulses checked.
In 919, Haruman pledged his himself and his resources to the growing Zarielite crusade to invade the
Abyss and upset the balance of the
Blood War. Haruman was made one of the crusade's three generals, and Jander accompanied Haruman, serving as his right-hand man.
In 920, Jander fought with the rest of the crusaders in the
Charge of the Hellriders, where the
demon lord Yeenoghu baited the forces of
Zariel's crusade into invading
Avernus. As infernal legions descended upon the crusaders, Jander, who maintained the crusaders' rear guard, grew frightened and despondent and ordered a retreat, taking a large force of
Riders with him before the portal to Avernus closed behind them.
Knowing he consigned his companions to their deaths and suffering from guilt, Jander led the other Hellriders in concocting a story that general
Olanthius knew the battle would be suicide and the surviving Riders were those that were forced by their commanders to leave. Those that survived were recognized as heroes, even though their crusade failed, and heralded for their bravery, and their moniker was changed from the Riders of Elturel to the Hellriders. As the highest surviving commander of the crusade, Jander was made Elturel's newest
High Rider, and the only non-human High Rider in its history. Jander also changed the heraldry of the Hellriders from the twin suns of the Zarielite crusaders to a horse wreathed in flames.
Despite all the success and adoration given to High Rider Sunstar, the guilt of his betrayal to Zariel and his friend Haruman haunted Jander. Compounding his troubles was his vampirism, which was growing harder to keep hidden and suppressed. To prevent himself from doing something horrible, Jander resigned from his title of High Rider and left Elturel, becoming a recluse for years, spending a good portion of his time as a hermit outside of
Waterdeep.
After decades of isolation, Jander's guilt became too much. By this point, his vampirism had entirely consumed him, and so Jander prayed to
Lathander and allowed himself to become exposed to the sunrise, killing him.
However, Jander's suffering continued in death, as the oaths he had made to his former companions came back to haunt him. Haruman, who had long since accepted his new role as a fiendish justicar for Zariel, who was now an
archdevil, had spent the decades since Jander's betrayal collecting the souls of the Hellriders that had abandoned the field of battle and crucifying them for enternity in revenge. Jander, who led the retreat and escaped death for decades due to his long-lived nature, had been an object of Haruman's obsession for decades, and his soul was placed at the very top of what had now become known as
Haruman's Hill, where he was often tortured by his unceasingly vengeful former friend.
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