Ruldegost

The Ruldegost clan was a noble family of Waterdeep in the, but could trace their lineage back to the lost kingdom of Uthtower in the 2 century DR. They had multilateral interests in bounty hunting, mercenary work, caravan mastering, and banking.

Organization
Lady Kara Ruldegost was the matriarch of the family as of 1372 DR, having succeeded Lord Dethnar sometime in the intervening years since the. She had no acknowledged consort but had an infant son, Detan, for whom her brother, Bly, acted as regent. In 1372 DR, the family had nineteen living members.

Activities
Although the family maintained a public image of being peaceable and respectable to serve their banking and caravan business interests, the members were not above performing mercenary work and even bounty hunting for those that could afford their services. The Ruldegosts owned a stake in the Thousandheads Trading Coster and Lady Kara acted as partner to co-owner Bharavan Bhaerkantos. Lord Bly was a senior member of the Knights of the Shield, although he was not on the Shield Council. He represented both the business interests of the Ruldegosts (through the Thousandheads) and the ambitions of the Knights of the Shield in both Waterdeep and the region of Amn around the Coster's headquarters in Riatavin.

Base of Operations
The Ruldegosts made their home in a large, walled compound of three- and four-story buildings that surrounded a garden area. It was located in the Sea Ward on the south side of Grimwald's Way and bordered by Seawatch Street on the west and the Street of Whispers on the east. Directly across Grimwald's Way was Naingate, home of the famed wizard and adventurer Nain Keenwhistler, and the Silken Sylph tavern.

Possessions
The Ruldegosts owned sixty percent of the Thousandheads Trading Coster and Bharavan Bhaerkantos controlled the other forty percent.

Relationships
In the, a budding romance between Lord Bly and Lady Ninvara Krimmevol of Darromar embroiled the Ruldegosts in the politics of Amn and the monarchists that wished to form a new kingdom there.

The Moonstars and Ruldegosts were old enemies. In early 1370 DR, Elene Ruldegost and Asborn Moonstar fell madly in love to the disapproval of their families and both families forbade the union.

History
The Ruldegost clan were of Illuskan descent and venerated Waukeen as fitted their banking business and Tempus as befit their other, more military interests. The family was ennobled in Waterdeep in the, but many generations prior to this they were part of the nobility of the fallen kingdom of Uthtower in the 2 century.

In the, Lord Econ Ruldegost challenged Lord Hamar Anteos to a duel over the honor of Kyara Ruldegost whom Hamar had gotten pregnant during a torrid affair. Lord Econ lost the duel, but with his dying breath he cursed the Anteos family "to be heirless until they recognize and accept the ruin they have done me and mine."

After the child was born, Kyara and her daughter were invited to a picnic on Anteos lands outside the city, but she and her escort where ambushed by brigands and their bodies were thrown in the Stump Bog. Since that day, the specter of a young, crying Kyara with a grotesque neck wound, in a dress covered in mud and blood, holding a blue baby with striking eyes and a vacant stare, appeared at night in every window and every door open to the outside of the Anteos family villa in Waterdeep. Attempts to cover the windows did not stifle the sound of someone scratching at the glass. She appeared to Hamar and his descendants for decades, regardless of where they spent the night. For more than thirty years, no Anteos heir was born and none in the household got an uninterrupted night's sleep.

Members

 * Dethnar Ruldegost: Patriarch in the early– to mid–14 century.
 * Kara Ruldegost: Matriarch of the family in the mid–14 century.
 * Detan Ruldegost: Infant son of Kara in 1368 DR.
 * Bly Ruldegost: Brother of Kara and regent for Detan. Ranking member of the Knights of the Shield in Waterdeep.
 * Elene Ruldegost: Young member in love with a member of House Moonstar in early 1370 DR.
 * Econ Ruldegost: Noble family member. Died in a duel with Lord Hamar Anteos in 1335 DR.
 * Kyara Ruldegost: A cousin from Tethyr. She and her baby were killed by "brigands" and they haunted the Anteos clan for decades.