Neutrals

Neutrals, Unknowns, and other Contacts

Torres Angundar: Patriarch of the Agundar family and owner of the (imaginatively named) Agundar Mercenary Company, this Waterdhavian noble has been a financial contact that Elros has developed in the City of Splendors. He has demonstrated both a hunger for magical arms and armor as well as the ready cash to purchase them, making him an ideal partner in our endeavors. Though there is little doubt that the relationship is purely financial, he has nonetheless proven to be a fair and honest patron.

Hanseld: Owner of Hanseld's Emporium in Highmoon, Hanseld seems to all that look to be a harmless old man fond of playing his longhorn and carving toys for small children. Yet when the Silverblades Guild took control of Highmoon's underworld, Hanseld seemed to be fighting for his life. He threatened Anthynian when he came innocently looking for information, wielding a knife with the skill of a deadly assassin rather than an old eccentric. Now that the Jade is gone, what of Hanseld? Is he now the leader of the underworld? Does he owe us a debt of gratitude for ending the woman that threatened him, or does he see as fools who have delivered the purses of an entire city into his waiting grasp?

Swords of Archendale: The three secret rulers of Archendale remain as mysterious in their motives as in their identities. They rattled their sabers at the reclamation of Khundrukar, claiming that Geode's inheritance of his rightful throne amounted to an act of agression by Deepingdale. Alone among the rulers of the Dales, the Red Sword refused to invest the Hand of Valor with diplomatic authority, even after we proved our loyalty to Dalesfolk in every action over the last two years. They fought the dragon Thraxata, foolishly--without any strategic sense or tactical forethought--wasting the lives of their men in a ground-based assault, for land that did not even belong to them. They annexed the Storm King's citadel, claiming that the garrison would defend all the Dales against incursion. Then they established a monopoly on the reopened Sessren mines, refusing non-Arkhen merchant costers access. They have stymied us at every turn, never cooperating, never sharing information, always seeming to threaten war. Even once we defeated no less than seven wyrms in the flight of dragons over Archenbridge, they seemed happy for us to leave as soon as possible. It seems too easy to write them off as stubborn bastards; it smacks of underestimating them. And yet, I can discern no clear reason for these maddening actions. Nether friend nor foe, Archendale remains the largest unknown in the contemporary strategic situation in the Dales.

Desmodu Enclave: We did not know what to make of the desmodu at first. We met the merchant Viday on the surface, who told us about the cause of the earthquakes and the return of the desmodu from their centuries of isolation. But we also fought with renegade warriors in the ruined city of Chalrek'shaar. We saved Elder Bendar's life from Rourmed's plots, but then in our haste to solve our own problems abandoned them to their war with the salamanders. While it seems that the upheaval on the surface has stopped, we do not know the fate of the last enclave of the desmodu. Perhaps they have destroyed the salamanders, or been destroyed by them. Bendar may still rule, or the warrior faction may have taken control. Perhaps the desmodu now regard us as heroes for aiding tem; but it is just as likely that they malign us as villains.

Fairwater Coster: A merchant operation with branches in many of the Dales, the Fairwater Coster deals in spices, silks, and other luxuries--and, more recently, forged weapons and armor. Believing that they may have been responsible for the dead blacksmiths, we investigated the coster's operations, finding evidence of a connection to Zhentil Keep. Other matters have occupied us since then, and the evidence is inconclusive. Is the Fairwater Coster a Zhentarim front? Or is it merely an honest operation selling weapons of Zhent manufacture?

Tobias Frost: Mercenary and bounty hunter, Tobias met us in our first battles against the Black Covenant in ruins of Wormtower. Dark and shady, with a habit of casual violence and callous ruthlessness, he allied with us in an attempt to bring down the half-dragons, even going so far as to harvest their souls "so that they can never come back." But we knew that something didn't add up, something about his reactions in the Fane of Scales was too personal. When we found the cloth bearing an inscription by Zebedaster Frost, we knew that Tobias could not be trusted. We trapped him in a wall of force during our battle against Ravus and Synder, and by the time the mess with Anthynian began he was nowhere to be found. Later, we recovered him catatonic and near death on a beach, giving him to Father Danali for further care. He later disappeared in the night with a simple note that said, "I'm sorry." Who can know, now, what Tobias has become? For one so obsessed with the Black Egg, what madness could its destruction have wrought? Would he be grateful for breaking a compulsion towards the dark artifact? Or could he be our sworn enemy?

Thusk Tharmuil: Called the Archmage of Glister, Tharmuil was known for single-handedly keeping the Zhentarim out of his home in years past. Naturally, we contacted him in order to enlist his aid to oust the dark alliance from the mining town. Doing so proved to be more difficult than we thought, however. Though we thought that the conflict between the Zhentarim and those who oppose it was simple and clear-cut, Tharmuil thought otherwise, and forced us to see his point with hours of wrangling. Could we ensure that the people of Glister were not harmed in a war? Could we hope to defeat the reinforcements that the Zhentarim were likely to send? And how stupid were we, for walking up to an archmage who could blast us into nothingness and laying our plans for invasion down on the table, without even knowing which side he was on? And so on; the old man was not gentle in his remonstrations. He eventually left us after Sage started to antagonize him, leaving still in doubt as to his intentions--and his loyalties.

Noristuor the Mage: The dour and almost comically grumpy tiefling wizard of Ashabenford, Noristuor keeps to himself as much as possible. He did not attend the grand party on Highharvestide, when the elves of Evermeet came, but he did seek out Sage during the festivities with dire portents. A disruption in he Weave, he said, it is beneath Mistledale and is twisting it to favor necromancy. Clearly he wanted to tell the well-known heroes of the Hand of Valor simply so he wasn't obligated to do anything about it himself--a distinct lack of patriotism. While somewhat mean-tempered and cowardly, Noristuor is no villain--he seems to spend his time gardening rare herbs and yelling at the children that make fun of him. Yet I have known enough wizards to distrust appearances. Is Noristuor simply a harmless curmudgeon? Is he an agent of other powers, feeding us false information? He is a tiefling, after all, touched by the powers of Hell--could he have dark designs of his own?

House Jaelre: ?The drow remind me of the Shades, in some ways... their motives are inscrutable, perhaps even beyond human comprehension. They have perpetrated nearly constant raids against Mistledale and Battledale for several years, killing dozens. Yet always they faded into the woods when faced with opposition. No ground was ever gained, no objective secured. Until they invaded Glen, allying with the Shades, taking the dwarves hostage and executing the smiths. Unlike previous engagaments, they stood their ground and fought. After the Siege of Glen, the raids stopped. A representative, Jezz the Lame, met with Elros' comrades at the Tiru Tel-Quessir, promising an end to millenia of warfare in exchange for a recognized right to the lands of Myth Drannor and the old Elven Court. Soon after we met Jezz's sister, Belarbreeza, in the depths of the Barrens of Doom and Despair, apparently returning from a diplomatic mission to the Iron Fortress. She explained, rather cordially, that the Iron Lord had asked for the drow to aid him in his invasion of Faerun, but the drow declined. Like many of our enemies, the pattern doesn't fit. Why the useless attacks for these last few years? Is it simple bloodlust or an elaborate feint? And why now do they ask for peace?

Bagol-Orzab: A slaad held captive by Erethun Rivenstave, Bagol-Orzab seemed friendly enough, giving us vital information about Rivenstave's activities and the planar roots of the Blacksmith Murders in exchange for his freedom. He seemed for more interested in eating than in fighting us, and never tried to threaten or intimidate us. Yet all of his information--dragonnes perpetrating the murders, a traid of gods sponsoring the dragonnes--has proven to be untrue. Is Bagol-Orzab some kind of fiend intent on leading us astray? Merely a desperate captive embroidering stories to satisfy his end of the bargain? Is he allied with our enemies, or does he follow some unfathomable agenda of his own?

Talons of Justice: So little is known about the Talons. The Draco Mystere tells us that they are a crusading order, like human paladins, seeking to uphold justice. Yet we have only seen them in the pursuit of our friend Ilyuandiralan, whom they call a Rogue, saying she must answer for her crimes. What crimes, and what the judgment may be, we do not know, for the Talons insist that it is a matter for dragons, not for "the small folk." They claim, as well, that our protector Faelyn is in league with Ilyuandiralan, and must be found. I sense an earnestness to their purpose, and believe them to be righteous (or at least, that they believe themselves to be righteous). Yet how are we to trust them if we know nothing of what they speak? How can they expect us to turn on our greatest friend and ally through this maze of destiny? And--if their concept of justice is so inflexible--how can we be sure that the matters of dragons do not make them into our enemies?

The Avowed of Candlekeep: Our business with the monks of Candlekeep was brief, but sadly filled with unavoidable violence. Seeking an original copy of the Endless Chants of Alaundo, we finally found one in the most many towers of Candlekeep. We paid the price--a magical book--so that Keeper of the Tomes Ulraunt would allow us to hear the sacred prophecies of Candlekeep's founder. But Ulraunt was not himself. He was possessed by a fiend of some sort, compelled to attack us. We nearly killed him before we even understood what was going on, and left the sanctum of Alaundo's prophecies in great disarray. Though First Reader Tethtoril verified with magic that we had no ill intent, he nonetheless made it clear that it would be best if we did not return to Candlekeep. While I understand their reticence, for we have powerful foes who have demonstrated their willingness to strike at our friends and allies, they must understand the desperate need of our quest. If we are Soldiers of Destiny, then I, for one, would like to know what that destiny fortells, and not charge blindly into the dark. If information we need, and only Candlekeep can provide it, then we may have to visit the hesitant monks again.

Merchant: A strange blue-skinned, horned creature with an oddly-inflected accent, Merchant approached Elros on the streets of Waterdeep. Knowing his name, his intention to sell, and even his recent activities, Merchant went on to bargain for Elros' business, promising a higher percentage than that paid by Torres Agundar. He seemed to have incredible powers at his command, including a pocked dimension for private bargaining, and the ability to contact us again sholud we ever wish to continue doing business. Though profitable, this incident unsettles me. Have we become so famous that our deeds are known across the planes? Who does this merchant work for, and why is he so interested in us?

Liruwnan: The Walker of Horizons, planar hunter from a place he calls Union, Liruwnan is chiefly responsible for saving the life of Beraun when he was attacked by a steel predator. Strange and laconic, he nonetheless seemed earnest and without guile, casually providing us with the information that we had sought for several months. Though we do not know enough about him to understand his goals or allegiances, we may want to seek him out if our journey takes us throughout the planes.

Nashul, "El Diablo Negro": Commander of the Iron Legion under Imperagon, Nashul fought us on our first incursion into the Iron Fortress. He was forced to retreat, however, and nothing more was seen of him during the war against the Iron Lord. Shortly after his master's death, however, Nashul returned with a hard bargain: agree never to face him in battle again, and he would end the siege of Rigus and disband the Iron Legion. Though such an open bargain wasn't to our liking, we reluctantly agreed. Whether Nashul bears us ill-will, or if he is planning some future military action, we cannot know.

Wyrruth: Shade's ambassador to Imperagon, Wyrruth met us deep in the Iron Fortress. Expecting battle, he instead told us in cold and clear terms that Shade's goal was peace, security, and a comfortable sphere of influence, not endless conquest or mindless bloodshed. Their actions were only pragmatic, and became far more destructive only because of our inopportune interference. While none of us are inclined to take Wyrruth's words at face value, yet we cannot dismiss them entirely. Was the destruction of Tilverton the result of foolish Cormyrean War Wizards? Was Sevoth merely a rogue? Were the Shades near the Wishing Well more interested in diplomatic contact than war? Are the Shadovar enemies or allies of the Zhents? Are they trying to stop the Rage, or taking advantage of it? Wyrruth leaves us with far more questions than answers.

"3. Not everyone is an ally or an enemy. Most people in the world exist in an undefined middling state, and can potentially render aid to hinder an objective, depending on the circmustances. Learn to deal with this; neutral parties can often be more helpful than known friends. Because most warriors pay less attention to them than they do their enemies, they can also be far more dangerous than the most dedicated foe."

Arbruth's third law comes back to me now as I consider all those that do not fit into the neat categories of "enemy" or "ally." Even in this time of polarizing conflict, where the forces of freedom and growth so regularly battle those of tyranny and destruction, there are many whose role remains ambiguous. Some do not care about us and our goals. Others owe their allegiance to the flow of gold, no matter what its source. And many--far too many, for my taste--simply remain unknowns: those who may turn out to be enemies or allies in the fullness of time, but whom we cannot fully understand in the present.

--Atreides Bloodhawk
Tactical Notes, 1373 DR