Halaster's Heirs

Halaster's Heirs was a school of wizardry established by two former apprentices of the "Mad Mage" Halaster Blackcloak. It was located on the first level of Undermountain, not far from the entrance in the common room of the Yawning Portal Inn.

Organization
As of the, Halaster's Heirs had forty members, the vast majority of whom were human, with a pair of shield dwarves and a couple other non-humans. The reputation of the leaders, Trobriand and Muiral, drew applicants from across the North and up and down the Sword Coast. Their were a number of members from the nobility of Waterdeep as well. As an organization, they could muster up to about 15,000 gp in resources if necessary.

Activities
When accepted, the apprentices of the school were required to pay 250 gold pieces and dues of 25 gp per month. In addition, each member was required to create for the school one magic item worth at least 100 gp per month, although the guild did assist with the cost of raw materials for constructs, reducing the out-of-pocket expense by ten percent. In exchange, the students learned new spells (some of which were rare to unique) and techniques and could work on their own projects after the tithe to the school was paid.

A major source of income was from the sale of the items crafted by the students. Halaster's Heirs was a well known source for magic weapons, armor, and other magic items including constructs. They could also be hired to cast spells.

Base of Operations
The arcanists' academy was located on the Dungeon Level of Undermountain, not far from the main access point in the Yawning Portal Inn. The chambers were east and northeast of the dry well in the main room of the Yawning Portal, but students had to pass through the territory of the Sluggard Tribe of goblins to the north or west and south in order to reach the school, guaranteed safe passage by an agreement with the tribe. Access to the goblin domain was granted to those who knew the location of the secret door, what sequence of knocks would call the guard, and what phrases to utter, in goblin. Adventurers were not particularly welcome.

The Yawning Portal Inn was located on Rainrun Street in the Castle Ward between Waterdeep Castle and Snail Street.

Possessions
Halaster's Heirs had a wide variety of magic items, weapons, armor, and constructs, but the selection was limited by what was in stock and what the students produced. The special spells that apprentices could learn included Halaster's blacksphere, Halaster's fetch I through VI, Halaster's grappling hand, Halaster's image swap, Halaster's light step, Halaster's shaking hand, Halaster's teleport cage, Trobriand's baleful teleport, Trobriand's crystalbrittle, and Trobriand's glassee.

Relationships
The academy had an agreement with the Sluggard Tribe to allow safe passage for members to and from the school to the entry room below the Yawning Portal Inn. The Agents of the Eye were actively trying to take over or drive the school out of Undermountain.

History
The name "Halaster's Heirs" came from the term used to refer to the original seven apprentices of the Mad Mage that joined him in taking over the halls of Undermountain in the 2 century DR. Trobriand and Murial were two of the seven. After the events of Halaster's Higharvestide in the —in which Trobriand was driven out of his chambers by his own creations and Murial was unleashed on the streets of Waterdeep—Trobriand convinced Murial to join forces and establish a residency on the first level where the aura of magical madness was weakest. There, they could continue their work without being bothered by the authorities and distracted by insanity. Shortly thereafter, they were joined by another of Halaster's former apprentices, Nandel Greenwood, and word of a unique and elite (and evil) arcane academy began to spread and attract those who sought advancement in their dark pursuits.

Much advanced magic was disrupted by the Spellplague of 1385 DR and Trobriand disappeared during this time to an unknown fate. Under these circumstances, the school disbanded.

Members

 * Trobriand the Metal Mage: Leader and primary instructor.
 * Murial the Misshapen: Co-leader and instructor. Sanity questionable, but kept in check by Trobriand.
 * Nandel Greenward: Former apprentice of Halaster and the first to join Halaster's Heirs.
 * Errya Eltorchul: Daughter of Lord Thesp Eltorchul (estranged).
 * Tehss Maerklos: Daughter of Lady Aldara Maerklos.