Galadran Company

The Galadran Company was an all-female adventuring company active across the Sword Coast and Sea of Swords. It was founded in the mid–11 century DR by Ranressa Shiard with the support of the company's namesake, the copper dragon Galadaeros.

Organization
The Galadran Company only admitted female adventurers, mostly from Waterdeep. Their leadership consisted of five members, as well as Galadaeros serving as a mentor and advisor who gradually took on more leadership responsibilities.

Activities
In its early years, the Galadran Company launched increasingly dangerous adventures chasing after everything from evil wizards to marauding orcs.

The Galadran Company later developed a stable business in short-term, high-risk bodyguarding and secure storage facilities for wealthy clients in Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter, and Waterdeep. These storage facilities were located within side tunnels of Galadaeros's lair behind boulders only he could move. The Galadran Company placed agents based in Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter, and Waterdeep who reviewed and vetted potential new business ventures. These agents also provided safe refuge for members on their travels.

Base of Operations
While formally based in Waterdeep, the company operated mostly out of Galadaeros's lair on Flamehome Island, where they stored their treasure and raised their families.

Possessions
The five members of the Galadran Company's leadership each carried a magical amulet that allowed them to telepathically communicate with each other. A sixth amulet was carried by Galadaeros.

History
Ranressa Shiard was a Waterdhavian adventurer who became fast friends with Galadaeros in the mid&mdash;11 century DR after becoming trapped on the island in the Purple Rocks on which he laired. Eventually, Galadaeros agreed to take her home to Waterdeep, and the shock of her arrival by dragon made her an instant celebrity, not to mention sparked the creation of Ahghairon's dragonward, a powerful mythal that repelled dragons from Waterdeep. Ranressa then went on to found the all-female Galadran Company, named in the dragon's honor, which initially included 68 Waterdhavian ladies of gentle or noble birth who desired to be adventurers. In less polite parts of Waterdeep, these adventurers were called "Sharptongues". Galadaeros was delighted when Ranressa returned to his island with the Company and became an honorary uncle to the group. He accepted them as his brood, inquiring on both their health and mating plans, and served as their occasional steed across the North.

But Ranressa proved to be a reckless leader. During the first several years of the company, half of the Galadrans perished, and Galadaeros had to perform some hasty rescues of the group. The surviving members became competent warriors in their own right. The Galadran Company gained its initial wealth after one of its members, Lhaerilda, discovered an ancient underground dwarven tomb full of gold after a rockslide in the Crags while the Galadrans were hunting orcs. Ranressa estimated that the total amount of gold the Galadrans recovered was three times the volume of Galadaeros's body. In exchange for a triple share of the discovery, the dragon transported the gold back to his lair, and gave a side-cavern to the Company to be used as their treasury. Their newfound wealth allowed the Galadran Company to acquire both property and respect in Waterdeep.

The news of their wealth drew negative attention such as from the mage Nuldus of Turtorn. Nuldus utilized magic to enslave several Galadrans, hoping to gain control of the entire group and steal their treasure. He sent these enslaved Galadrans back with amulets that allowed him to speak telepathically with the amulet holders and gave them orders to kill both Ranressa and Galadaeros. This plan failed and, in return, Galadaeros destroyed Nuldus and his tower. The Galadrans managed to salvage six of the amulets to allow them to communicate between amulet holders and Galadaeros.

Over the years and with the guidance of Galadaeros, the Galadran Company developed a more stable business, and legitimate ventures supported the rest of the adventuring the Galadrans did. The Company deferred to Galadaeros on new ventures since he preferred to not get bogged down in the Company's ventures or attract the attention of the Cult of the Dragon. However, the dragon was happy to ferry them across the North—he especially enjoyed swooping down into Waterdeep to pick up Galadran ladies and shocking locals. Galadaeros delighted in the fun-loving energy the Company brought to his home with their ambitious plans and daring deeds.

Two Galadrans and the Sunset Flame were hired by a duplicitous wizard, Mrathatos Druin, who hid the ownership of a property he hired the Company to destroy. The resulting spellbattle badly injured the two Galadrans as Galadaeros performed desperate aerobatic maneuvers, ending the fight only by bypassing the house's turrets and clawing Druin's back. Halynder Uinsible, the wizard who owned the house they attacked, thereafter regarded the Galadran Company as his enemies.

When Indratril Khalshus, an apprentice in the Arcane Brotherhood of Luskan, killed eight Galadrans, he was swiftly slain by Galadaeros.

The eventual death of Ranressa from old age, and the deaths of other Galadrans, saddened Galadaeros, who continued to host not only the Galadran Company but also the husbands, partners, and children of Company members. Galadrans tended to have their children on the island as these babies were typically more healthy than children born in Waterdeep. Over time, membership in the Company dwindled down to 20–30 members by the 1360s DR. Seven members (five in leadership) were descendants of founding Company members.

The Company drifted apart from their dragon patron and namesake sometime soon after. By the 1490s DR, it had been over a century since Galadaeros had last interacted with them.

Members
Membership in the mid&mdash;11 century DR fluctuated, starting at 68 women but with half that number dying in the first few years. Notable members included the company's founder and leader, Ranressa Shiard, as well as the warrior Lhaerilda. Additionally, while not formally a member, the copper dragon Galadaeros was an important ally to the company.

In the 1360s DR, the leadership was composed of the warrior Emra Ilchantra, her second-in-command and close companion the sorceress Aszyra Thunderstaff, and the warriors Glyndra Rowandar, Jhandanna Orwynd, Khalaltae Baerdrith, and Lokkara Arsalan (the sole amulet-holder not descended from a Galadran founder). Two other descendants took prominent roles in the Company but were not in leadership: Ybril Harlundtree (Company healer and priestess of Ilmater) and Aurbreena Gathengate (quartermaster and record keeper). By this time, total membership in the Company had dwindled down to 20–30 members.