Claunkrar Coster

The Claunkrar Coster was a trading and caravan organization based in the town of Rethmar in the south-central region of the Shaar circa the Year of Wild Magic,1372 DR.

Organization
The Claunkrar was well known for running successful (that is, well protected and vigilant) caravans from Tashalar all the way to the Golden Water and back.

Activities
In addition to their usual business as a trading coster, around 1372 DR the Claunkrar Coster was establishing and expanding a network of portals for transporting individuals and small, high-value items quickly between important sites in Faerûn. The codename for this network was the "Crawling Treasure". Typically, they would acquire a property in a town they did business with, and then set up a portal in an interior room or cellar where comings and goings would not be observed. They also chose vantage points near trade routes and cities that could be used to spy on the competition or make it look like they traveled the whole road rather than appear out of nowhere. The more important sites were protected by hired guards. Around this time, they were also hiring adventurers, bandits, and even intelligent creatures (especially shapechangers) for reasons unknown, and becoming ever more secretive about the Crawling Treasure.

Rumors & Legends
Rumors flourished as less and less information was forthcoming from the Claunkrar regarding their new "business venture". It was speculated that they were moving gems, kidnap victims, and stolen goods that were otherwise easy to recognize or hard to disguise through their network. Rumormongers claimed the Claunkrar had portals in secluded passages or on the rooftops of government buildings, palaces, and other seats of authority or wealth, perhaps as a prelude to a power grab.

Base of Operations
Claunkrar Coster was based in Rethmar, but was in the process of procuring property and/or private portals at sites all along their routes. These sites may or may not have included Tashluta, Sammarash, Ithmong, Lushpool, Sheirtalar, Kormul, Channathgate, Three Swords, the Hammer and Anvil camp outside Eartheart, Delzimmer, Beluir, Chavyondat, and Vaelan.

History
The Spellplague hit this region in the Year of Blue Fire, 1385 DR, with devastating results. It is unknown if the Claunkrar Coster, or even Rethmar, survived, or if any part of the Crawling Treasure continued to operate after the disaster that created the Underchasm and the Shaar Desolation.