Danilo Thann

Danilo Thann is a young Waterdhavian nobleman of House Thann the sixth son of Rhammas and Cassandra. He is also an ex-Harper as well as a former Lord of Waterdeep. While first and foremost married to Arilyn Moonblade, Danilo counts many other great Faerûnians among the ranks of those to whom he is close.

Appearance
Danilo is a young (below thirty winters, during the events of Elfsong) Waterdhavian nobleman, and aspiring bard. At six feet tall, he stands about three inches taller than Arilyn Moonblade, which is hinted heavily at during elfsong and silver shadows. He has wavy shoulder-length pale blond hair. However, even among the nobles, Danilo's choice of clothing is considered "extravagantly ridiculous." He commonly wears clothes that suit his theme as a dandy and dilletante - from suits of "walking grape" to the "Ruathym Adventurer garb." Whatever he wears, he can consistently be found wearing the height of fashion among the nobles of Waterdeep.

Personality
When faced by the public, Danilo acts like a complete fool; he is however, in reality, a skilled spellcaster and a crafty adversary, being trained by none other than his uncle Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun.

His skill with magic is such that he mastered the art of spellsong in just a few days, was able to charm a magically-resistant dragon to slumber and his illusionary pranks fool his uncle Khelben each time. Danilo is also well versed with subterfuge, disguise and the manipulation of political and social threads in any given situation. His degree of expertise is as such that when he engaged the crimelord Elaith Craulnober in a verbal sparring match, it ended as a draw.

Though he is portrayed publicly as an inept nobleman, even a dandy, there are moments of intelligence within this mask through which very few notice the truth of his character. Despite his canny intelligence and skill in subterfuge, Danilo is actually quite reckless, a fact brought to light through his alternate ego's naughty pranks and reckless magical experiments. There are times when Danilo completely forgets his true self and fully reverts into the comfortable guise of the fool. However, when faced with the truly important, Danilo always acts as a serious, calculating and very dangerous adversary.

Relationships
Danilo and Arilyn, who is the half-elven granddaughter of Queen Amlaruil of Evermeet, have long adventured together; additionally, Danilo has pushed Arilyn into reconciling with her elven family. Danilo's father, Lord Rhammas Thann is largely impotent in the family business dealings, preferring to live quietly off the proceeds that Lady Cassandra Thann makes. The Lady is a formidable person who disapproves of Danilo's various exploits to some degree. She has elven blood, but has never mentioned it, as there is some animosity towards elves in the Waterdhavian nobility. Danilo has five brothers, and as of the end of the novel The Dream Spheres, a deceased half-sister, Lilly Thann.

Danilo has been named an elf-friend by the rogue Elaith Craulnober and has also befriended the rogue drow Liriel Baenre.

Talents and abilities
In 3.5 Edition Dungeons & Dragons game terms, Danilo is rated as a 3rd-level aristocrat/9th-level wizard/1st-level spellsinger. Danilo is a very skilled magician, one whom Khelben had considered his probable heir and his apprentice with the most potential. His skill with magic is such that he mastered the art of Spellsong in just a few days, he was able to charm a magically-resistant dragon to slumber, and his illusionary pranks that get his uncle Khelben each time. His magical skills include prismatic displays of light, fireballs, spells of invisibility, scrying and various charm spells.

Aside from his magic, Danilo is also well versed with subterfuge, disguise, and manipulation. Although less of a pragmatist than his Uncle Khelben, Danilo is still skilled in manipulating the political and social threads in any given situation. His degree of expertise is as such that when he engaged the crimelord Elaith Craulnober in a verbal sparring match - it ended as a draw. His skill may arguably be even better than a drow's - since he once tricked the drow princess, Liriel Baenre (crafty even among her people) into revealing more than she wished to.