Amarandaris

Lord Amarandaris was a member of the Zhentarim and his organization's sponsored lord of Parnast during the mid–14 century DR.

"Perhpas that fate awaits us all. But not by my will. Not by the will of my lord in Darkhold."

Description
The lord was a rather unremarkable looking man, of middling height and average weight, save for the rapacious gleam to his eyes.

Personality
Amarandaris was something of a paradoxical figure. While he may have used untoward means to achieve his goals and would demonstrate utter barbarity if need be, he upheld the virtues of honest work and free trade.

Abilities
He was considered to be a spellcaster of very average ability.

Possessions
As befitting someone of his status, Amarandaris adorned himself with a number of fine-looking rings.

Activities
"Lord Amarandaris might not punish you, if he catches you. He might seduce you into working for him."

The lord maintained his private quarters on the third floor of the Zhentarim chapterhouse in Parnast. He enjoyed creature comforts such as fine food and extravagant furniture that were far and away better than those that could be attained by his fellow Parnasters.

Amarandaris and his men claimed ten percent of the goods or wealth from every caravan that passed through his isolated little village, always taking the most prized possessions recovered from scavengers in the nearby Anauroch desert.

Relationships
It was rumored that Amarandaris was selected to take rule over Parnast at the direction of Sememmon, Lord of Darkhold. In truth Parnast's lord was wholly loyal and dedicated to Sememmon's cause and would level the village if if fit the Zhentarim's greater schemes.

As the town's lord he formed a mutually beneficial relationship with the goblins that dwelled within the depths of the Greypeak Mountains, specifically dealing with their chieftains. The goblins provided Amarandaris with artifacts recovered from beneath the mountains, and helped keep the dreaded Beast Lord at bay, in exchange for food that helped their ever-expanding population.

History
Amarandaris took charge of Parnast circa the, and immediately took a particular interest in the nearby ruined mines of Dekanter on behalf of the Zhentarim. While it was of great historical and arcane importance to Amarandaris and his superiors, it also served as a place where they could conduct their slave trade, beyond the borders of free and civilized settlements.

In the, scores of goblin refugees made their way to Parnast from Dekanter, startling the village farmers that acted with as much generosity as they could muster. War was breaking out between the Dekanter goblins. Amarandaris himself went into the goblin settlement and spoke with their leader Ghistpok, who offered groveling assurances that all was well. When a Zhent caravan meant for Yarthrain went missing, Amarandaris returned to the mines for revenge. The conflict turned out to be caused by Red Wizards utilizing their unique form of circle magic. While the guilty Red Wizards were caught by Amarandaris' men the following year, a more dire situation within Greypeaks became evident to the lord. A group of Zhentish soldiers fought against their fellow armsmen, rendering them to mere pieces. According to the goblin leader Ghistpok, they had been deformed by the Beast Lord into deformed monstrosities the goblins simply called "demons".

After another year went by, Amarandaris ordered the southern branch of the Dawn Pass Trail to be rerouted away from Dekanter, to avoid growing danger of the Beast Lord and the growing conflicts in the goblin communities. The trail was moved about to the east, away from the perilous mountains nearer the Lonely Moor. The Zhentarim slave trade in the region was put to an end, and goblin refugees continued to plague Amarandaris and Parnast well into the following year.