Xabash

Xabash was the mysterious Grandmaster of the Shadow Thieves who reigned during its return to Waterdeep and the guild's conspiracy with the drow against the City of Splendors in the mid–14 century DR.

"Xabash? You have found him. It takes certain arrogance to travel so far to see me. Impress me, and you may live to continue displaying that arrogance."

- Xabash

Description
Xabash's true identity was a secret for most. He was a beholder of green hue.

Personality
Xabash was secretive and strict, ruling the Shadow Thieves with an iron fist. He punished his subordinates with utmost cruelty. No-one in the guild who was below Xabash in the hierarchy knew anything about them, apart from their status and name. Shadow Thieves did not know what race or even gender Xabash was.

Xabash enjoyed consuming humanoid meat, preferring halflings and nobles for their taste and tenderness. Xabash often used mind control to have a supply of willing slaves who were to become meals.

Despite Xabash's aberrant nature, the beholder loved lavish lifestyle and groveling servants fulfilled the leader's every whim. Xabash's deep base in Undermountain housed slaves of various races, trolls and ogres used in the private arena battles, shrine and a temple of Mask, and private baths which the beholder loved and could be found in almost exclusively.

Relationships
Xabash had a huge network of contacts that led to him re-building the Shadow Thieves in Waterdeep. This was thanks to his fragile alliance with the drow led by the fanatical High Priestess of Lolth, Matron Azurna. The shadowy beholder was surrounded by his most loyal thieve agents and brainwashed ogres and troll as well as some orcs borrowed from Horazak. Xabash also had a few spectators who nested in the cavers by his lair and loyal served the beholder with their lives.

 

History
Not much was known of Xabash, not even their true role in the guild, apart from supervising the Sword Coast area of Waterdeep. It was speculated that they could've been the true Grand Master with a short tenure, or the leader of a sect, or even a member of Shadow Council.

About ten years after the events of the Time of Troubles, in 1370 DR, the Shadow Thieves reestablished their presence in Waterdeep via a hidden stronghold somewhere in the upper levels of Undermountain. Under the leadership of the Guild Master Georges, the Shadow Thieves grew their ranks and collected intel at the behest of the drow led by the High Priestess of Lolth Azurna. Eventually, Georges started showing weakness and disdain for his job after he met and fell in love with a Waterdhavian noblewoman named Meryth Phaulkon. Taking this opportunity, Georges' lieutenant Hines found a way of reporting his Guild Master's intentions to betray the guild to Xabash, by some accounts, even meeting the mysterious leader. Together they devised a plan of punishing Georges. Hines abducted the Guild Master's bride-to-be and Xabash prepared a cruel punishment that was worse than death.

Hines pledged his loyalty to Xabash and relocated alongside with the hostage to the lavish lair of Xabash and their elite thieves. Subsequently, the Khelbenite who dispatched the Shadow Thieves inside the upper level stronghold, found the way into the deeper areas of Undermountain. The adventurer was tasked with finding the mysterious Grand Master and ending the Shadow Thieves in Waterdeep once and for all. Khelbenite discovered a secret one-way gate that connected the trashed stronghold and Xabash's lair. Surviving the spectators, enslaved humanoids, and freeing Meryth Phaulkon, the adventurer confronted the leader. To the hero's shock, Xabash was a green-skinned beholder who was trying to assemble forces enough to dethrone Xanathar of the Xanathar's Thieves' Guild. The beholder saw the inevitable end of the drow and their malicious alliance. He decided to betray his dark allies as the power vacuum they were to leave was beneficial to the green beholder. The hero was granted invaluable information on Azurna's plans, and the deeper location of the drow forces and the fabled Flame Sword of Lolth.

Appearances

 * Video Games
 * Descent to Undermountain