Arcane Brotherhood

The Arcane Brotherhood was a mercantile company and wizards' guild that operated out of the Host Tower of the Arcane in Luskan. The organization was shrouded in mystery, as even its most high-ranking members were unknown. It was known however that their primary goal was the political and economic control of the North.

History
Arklem Greeth, the original Archmage Arcane of the Brotherhood, first appeared in Luskan around 1311 DR. Meticulously building a group of powerful and evil mages, Greeth sought to acquire control of the North by first dominating trade using the far reaching arm of Luskan. Greeth and the Brotherhood first gained full control of Luskan (through the High Captains) sometime around 1357 DR. After conquering the island of Ruathym (on the second attempt) in 1361 DR, Luskan was forced to return it by the Lords' Alliance.

Greeth then had Luskan embark on a number of disastrous military and naval ventures. After a botched war against Lantan, Greeth was forced to flee when two of his high-ranking subordinates sought to overthrow him and proceeded to assassinate his assistant. While in exile, Greeth successfully gained his long-sought immortality by becoming an undead lich. Returning to the city sometime in late 1371 DR or early 1372 DR, he used his new-found powers to reclaim the Brotherhood.

After setting the High Captains of Luskan under his heel yet again, Greeth and his erinyes ally Nyphithys turned their attention to recruiting new mages for their guild and plotting means to conquer the newly created country of the Silver Marches. It was during this time that Arabeth Raurym of Mirabar became an Overwizard of the Brotherhood.

Around the end of 1376 DR, Luskan was invaded by a group of Waterdhavian lords led by Captain Deudermont and Lord Brambleberry. The Brotherhood's presence in Luskan was essentially nullified and a number of wizards killed. Greeth himself fled the city after causing tremendous damage to invading forces.

The Arcane Brotherhood was then absent from Luskan for over a century, and the Host Tower sat as a haunted ruin. However, in 1486 DR the Host Tower was magically rebuilt and the Arcane Brotherhood returned to the city. The wizards quickly gained the trust of the people by clearing undead from the ruins of Illusk, protecting the city from a dragon, and promising to stay out of politics. This new incarnation of the Brotherhood quickly established itself as a prestigious organization known for its vast accumulation of arcane lore. Dozens of wizards flocked to Luskan every year to petition to join them, but almost all were rejected immediately. Instead, the Brotherhood grew by recruiting like-minded wizards who would otherwise be rivals or threats to their efforts to continue seeking knowledge and power.

Hierarchy

 * Pre-Spellplague:

The Archmage Arklem ruled over the guild and under him served four Overwizards. Each Overwizard was assigned a quadrant of Faerûn to administer and an arm of the Host Tower of the Arcane to coordinate.

As of 1372 DR, below the Archmage was Overwizard Valindra Shadowmantle, who was responsible for the North Tower. Dominion of the North was the main goal of the Brotherhood, so Valindra led the Overwizards in their objective to collect information on their regions to help her. She was a moon elf, born in the High Forest. Frustrated with her wizardly education, she left her homeland and headed for Mirabar looking for a mentor. One year later, she murdered him and escaped to Luskan, where she found a place among the Brotherhood.

At this time, Overwizard Rimardo Domine was Master of the East Tower, Overwizard Arabeth Raurym was Master of the South Tower, and Overwizard Blaskar Lauthom was Master of the West Tower.


 * Post-Spellplague:

As of 1489 DR, the Archmage Arcane was Cashaan the Red, beneath whom were Zelenn the White (Overwizard of the West), Jendrick the Blue (Overwizard of the South), Teyva the Gray (Overwizard of the East), and Druette the Raven (Overwizard of the North). All five were famous and accomplished mages who were responsible for hand-picking new members.

Relations
Many powerful groups, such as the Zhentarim, the Cult of the Dragon, and the Red Wizards of Thay attempted to infiltrate the Brotherhood, to no avail though the Unseen had a minor success in this regard.

Notable Members

 * Arklem Greeth, Archmage Arcane
 * Arabeth Raurym
 * Valindra Shadowmantle
 * Morkai the Red, former Master of the North Tower
 * Damien Morienus, former master of the North Tower, around 1269 DR he relocated to the Icewind Dale region with his wife to finish the research of achieving eternal life.
 * Akar Kessel
 * Dendybar the Mottled, former Master of the North Tower
 * Celerum the Black, Dendybar's opportunistic apprentice who sought lichdom in 1369 DR
 * Kaladar the Cruel, Celerum's rival who hired adventurers to find the lichdom formula ahead of his opponent.
 * Sydney
 * Eldeluc
 * Vaelish Gant
 * Avarice
 * Dzaan
 * Nass Lantomir
 * Vellynne Harpell
 * Maccath the Crimson

The Traitors
In 1371 DR a pair of Arcane members led an attempted coup against Arklem Greeth. They were initially successful in killing his top lieutenant, but the Archmage Arcane was able to flee to Mirabar. When he returned to Luskan as a lich, Greeth and his new devilish allies killed or drove off the members of the Arcane Brotherhood that he could not trust or were part of the coup. Some of the killed or exiled members included:
 * Eldeluc: One of the two that led the initial coup. Killed in retaliation. Rumored to have a hidden clone.
 * Valkebar: One of the two that led the initial coup. Killed in retaliation.
 * Jaluth Alaerth: Aka “Snakeface" was one of the former Overwizards. She fled to the wilds around Icewind Dale.
 * Ornar of the Claw: One of the former Overwizards. He fled to a stronghold in the Evermoors.
 * Deltagar Zelhund: One of the former Overwizards. He went into hiding among the yuan-it in Hlondeth.
 * Eltuth Oyim: Aka “Wyvernmaster” was also one of the Overwizards. He was killed and fed to his own pets.
 * Galguth Shund: He was an underling of Jaluth, but betrayed her upon Greeth's return. Greeth felt he could not be trusted and sent him away to run operations in Waterdeep rather than keeping him as one of the Masters.