Storm Silverhand

Storm Silverhand, called "The Bard of Shadowdale", was one of the Seven Sisters and a Chosen of Mystra.

Personality
She was known and loved by many in her home of Shadowdale and elsewhere in Faerûn. She was high spirited, cheerful, and merry. The only thing that seemed to make her unhappy was the unhappiness of other people. She was fond of poetic justice on tyrants, thieves, and swindlers. She was a good teacher and an inspiration to many.

Pre-Spellplague
Storm was raised by Elminster after her mother died, along with two of her sisters, Dove and Laeral. Storm was a wild child and Elminster struggled to keep her in line while he was also travelling the planes and righting wrongs. Storm ran away from him several times until she was kidnapped by a mage who altered her appearance to that of a slave he had not paid for and since killed.

So, rather than benefit from the tutelage of Elminster, who failed to locate the girl, Storm lived as a slave in the south of Faerûn. She danced in bazaars and worked in festhalls until she managed to steal a flying carpet and returned to Elminster, brazenly demanding he restore her true features and take her back under his care.

Storm eventually joined her sister Dove as a very involved member of the Harpers and both were instrumental in recruiting new members after the reformation of the group in 1022 DR and again, after the Harpstar Wars.

Storm came to lead one of the branches of the Harpers, aiding Alustriel's rise to power in the Silver Marches by uniting the fractious armsmen of Silverymoon under her sister so they could help claim victory in the Battle of Tumbleskulls. She also slew Alustriel's political rival, the wizard Shaloss Ethenfrost before establishing a Harper stronghold in Everlund.

After centuries of adventuring, Storm decided to settle in Shadowdale, a quiet farming town in the Dalelands. She was a bard by trade and den mother to the Harpers that traveled through Shadowdale. Her position in Shadowdale included the roles of bard, midwife, farmer, healer, and friend to those she likes. Elminster's decision to settle in Shadowdale was inspired mostly by the desire to protect Storm and Syluné (who also lived there) from ambitious Zhents wishing to gain recognition in the Zhentarim, who were expanding into the Dalelands at the time. She was later caretaker to her sister Syluné, whose ghost resided in Storm's cottage. Storm would later pledge the support of her branch of the Harpers to Shandril Shessair and after the Time of Troubles helped restore the name and works of the proscribed Nameless Bard, Finder Wyvernspur.

Even after the Harper Schism of 1370 DR, Storm presided over her branch of the Harpers in much the same way as she always had. When Seiveril's Crusade came to reclaim Myth Drannor three years later, both Storm and Dove joined the elven army. They attempted to return when they learned that Shadowdale had fallen to the Zhentarim, but were grievously wounded and turned back by the Rite of Unwinding, therefore Storm could not return home until after the Rite had been disrupted.

Post-Spellplague
Storm survived the Spellplague. The plague turned her body into that of a perpetually young woman, approximately 19 years old, but it stole her singing voice, and much of her magical power. She cared for Elminster, being the only one who could treat the insanity that came over him when he used magic.

In 1479 DR, after her sister Alassra recovered her sanity thanks to the help of a Blueflame item and Elminster revealed that the goddess Mystra has returned, Storm traveled to Cormyr along with Amarune Whitewave and Arclath Delcastle in order to get rid of the corrupted nobles who'd allied with Manshoon to take over King Foril I's throne. Using the noble title of Marchioness of Immerdusk granted to her by Azoun IV many years before, Storm traveled through the country, visiting noble houses to discover the traitors and, at the same time, recruiting people to reform the Harpers by Mystra's command. After the goddess of magic was restored by Elminster, she recovered her magical powers.

Skills and abilities
As a bard, Storm was a skilled harp player and singer.

Storm favored her magic and the longsword in battle.

Storm was immune to all forms of natural electricity, such as lightning.

Maxam
Storm had a companion for many years named Maxam who was killed by tanar'ri when he and Storm stumbled across a planar gate opened by illithids. Storm was unable to get to Maxam before the demons tore him apart. She wanted to bear his child and the fact that she did not bear a child in the time they were together, or in her time before meeting him, has led to the belief that she is barren.

Elminster
Storm was a good friend (as well as protector) to Elminster of Shadowdale. They shared a number of adventures together.

Lhaeo
Storm was once a lover of Elminster's assistant, Lhaeo, who later went on to become King Haedrak III of Tethyr.

Trivia

 * Storm was barren.

Novels

 * Shandril's Saga:
 * Spellfire
 * Crown of Fire
 * Hand of Fire (mentioned)


 * The Avatar Series:
 * Shadowdale
 * Tantras


 * The Shadow of the Avatar:
 * Cloak of Shadows
 * Shadows of Doom
 * All Shadows Fled


 * Other:
 * The Parched Sea (minor)
 * Windwalker (minor)
 * The Veiled Dragon (mentioned)
 * Stormlight
 * Silverfall


 * Return of the Archwizards:
 * The Summoning (minor)
 * The Siege
 * The Sorcerer


 * Elminster Series:
 * Elminster in Hell
 * Elminster's Daughter
 * Elminster Must Die
 * Bury Elminster Deep
 * Elminster Enraged


 * Short stories:
 * "Elminster at the Magefair" in Realms of Valor and The Best of the Realms

Sourcebooks

 * The Seven Sisters
 * Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition pages 139–140, 280