Avaereene

Avaereene was a lich and a former human wizard who was one of the most trusted agents of the Xanathar, the leader of the Xanathar Thieves' Guild of Skullport. She oversaw the guild's slavery operations.

Personality
Avaereene was a cruel and efficient person; she enjoyed creating darkenbeasts to serve her deadly whims, and she intended to supplant the Blackstaff as the most powerful mage of Waterdeep. She formerly used her beauty and acting skills to entice adventurers into her slaving activities, but by 1368 DR–1370 DR was coordinating activities behind the scenes. By this time, she was using a cantrip to conceal her graying hair and was feeling lonely due to her mistrust of others. She was planning to use magic to stay young once she had surpassed the Blackstaff.

History
Avaereene was a skilled mage and slaver who served the Eye, capturing potential slaves in the seamier wards of Waterdeep at night. She led the Eye's snatch-and-grab kidnapping agents, known as the Hand. She commanded great loyalty from her forces, and they did anything to prevent her harm or capture.

From 1358 DR to 1372 DR, she was renting rooms above the Bent Nail on Black Cat Way in the North Ward of Waterdeep. She stowed a hidden cache of magic items and spellbooks in a cellar off the south end of Carter's Way in the Southern Ward. She also had quarters in the Eye's stronghold in Undermountain.

By 1479 DR, Avaereene had become a lich and was believed to have killed the Eye, although an ancient beholder called the Blind claimed to be the Eye and was actively seeking revenge on her. She was now the leader of her own thieves guild called the Sightless. She concealed her true lich form under the magic-wrought false appearance of a youthful, beautiful woman with a heart-shaped face, gold curly hair and a slender figure. Myrin Darkdance destroyed the illusion during a thwarted kidnapping attempt, revealing Avaereene's true form of a rotted corpse with red eyes.

Appearances

 * Downshadow