Nimor Imphraezl

The Anointed Blade of the Jaezred Chaulssin, Nimor Imphraezl is the most talented and deadly assassin from a secretive, hidden order of assassins. He and his fellows dream of casting down Lolth's unholy hierarchy in every drow city in the Underdark so that they might make themselves the secret masters of the drow race.

Nimor and the rest of the Jaezred Chaulssin claim descent from the ruling House of the ancient city of Chaulssin, the City of Wyrmshadows. Chaulssin lies in the Northdark about 200 miles east of Menzoberranzan. It is a little more than a forgotten ruin that overhangs a tremendous abyss through which cold wind perpetually screams. The city rests on a great spar of stone that juts out into the emptiness, and its ramparts and galleries overlook a terrifying void. Chaulssin was once a drow city, but fifteen hundred years ago a clan of shadow dragons conquered the city and enslaved its inhabitants.

The Wyrmshadow dragons ruled the city for centuries, but they were finally overthrown by their own half-drow, half-dragon progeny, who had mastered powerful planar magic. By chance or design, sinister magic unleashed by the drow against their draconic overlords (or perhaps a curse laid upon the drow by the vanquished shadow dragons) wrapped the city in the cold embrace of the Plane of Shadow and brought a chill, stalking doom to its streets. To this day Chaulssin exists partially within the Plane of Shadow, and tendrils of shadow-stuff writhe and grope through its empty streets and ruined halls. Whole quarters of the city vanish into the gloom entirely from time to time, not to reappear for years.

Reduced to a mere handful of dragonblooded sorcerers and assassins, the surviving scions of Chaulssin chose to abandon their shadow-tainted city (and its surviving populace) to the cold darkness. They sought shelter in the nearby cities of the dark elves -- places such as Ched Nasad, Eryndlyn, Menzoberranzan, and Sshamath. In a dozen realms, the Jaezred Chaulssin founded minor Houses and secret guilds of assassins. But they did not forget their common kinship. Despite the fact that they were scattered in many new homes, the Jaezred Chaulssin still considered themselves one House -- the ruling House of Chaulssin -- and to Chaulssin they return to take counsel with each other and plot the rise of each cadet House in its own native city.

Unlike most drow Houses, the Jaezred Chaulssin are fiercely patriarchal. The master of each city's secret House is known as a Patron Father, and the grandmaster of the entire order is the Revered Grandfather. None of the assassins permanently reside in Chaulssin, and they do not bring their wives or children to their secret citadel, since the place is far too dangerous for the training of young blades. Nimor, like all the Jaezred Chaulssin, was born in another city (Eryndlyn, in his case) and fostered as a youth with cadet Houses in several other cities until he had demonstrated his competence and loyalty.

As Anointed Blade, Nimor does not rule over any of Jaezred Chaulssin's scattered branches. The Anointed Blade is traditionally the single strongest, deadliest, and most clever assassin of the House. Like the Weapon Master or House mage of a traditional matriarchal drow House, the Anointed Blade is the personal agent and tool of the House's leader; Nimor is a living weapon with which the Revered Grandfather Mauzzkyl can destroy all but the most thoroughly protected individuals. But, in addition to serving as the dark champion of the Revered Grandfather, the Anointed Blade is also expected to foment plots, execute plans, and generally bring mayhem and woe to the enemies of the Jaezred Chaulssin in whatever manner he deems most suitable. The Anointed Blade is the Jaezred Chaulssin, and his every action should forward the House's secret goals. As often as not, the Anointed Blade is the heir-apparent of the Revered Grandfather.

Nimor believes that to “save” the dark elves from the madness and tyranny of Lolth, drow society must be shattered with a hammer. If cities fall and thousands of drow die, then it must be borne, since misery and disaster will turn the drow away from Lolth and to other drow deities. He’s willing to risk centuries of weakness, enslavement, and untold suffering for the drow to root out Lolth’s power over the race and raise the Jaezred Chaulssin as the secret masters of a drow society shaped to their liking.

Nimor uses a variety of guises, and most are magical in origin. He most often appears as a slender, almost boyish drow male of striking good looks, with the easy grace and blinding speed of a professional duelist. He favors the role of a noble rake and can pass himself off as a highborn lad of a great House with ease. He also cultivates some more practical identities, including that of a minor gem merchant or armsman, so that he can move freely and elude observation. Nimor is far stronger than he appears, and he has mastered many of the dark spells and enchantments of the assassin's deadly trade.

As the adoptive son of the Revered Grandfather, the Anointed Blade has no shortage of wealth and valuable magic to use as he sees fit. Nimor prefers the finest dress, but beneath his perfectly tailored clothing he wears an enchanted shirt of dark mithral mail. His rapier and dagger are also highly magical, but his most prized possession is the Ring of Shadows -- a simple band of black platinum that gives him the ability to shadow walk and infuses him with dark strength.

Read more about Nimor in the War of the Spider Queen series, or check out Condemnation, which is Richard Baker's contribution to the War of the Spider Queen series:''