Ibbalar Thrul

Ibbalar Thrul was a Thayan Red Wizard, merchant, criminal, and an apprentice of Halaster Blackcloak in mid–14 century DR.

"The Dungeon. For your safety, keep out. For my amusement, journey on!"

- The sign at the doors to Ibbalar's dungeons.

Description
Ibbalar Thrul was a middle-aged human man with long hair and a design tattooed on his forehead. Even outside of Thay, he liked to wear his crimson robes.

Personality
Ibbalar had a huge ego and felt superior to most other creatures and people, only respecting Halaster's opinions. He was power-hungry, cruel, and vain. He often could be found brooding in his lavish bedroom.

Possessions
Ibbalar's lair in Undermountain was a sizable castle with a plethora of enchanted gadgets and mechanisms. His bedroom had a balcony that overlooked a chamber with a magical pool and a waterfall. The Moon Pool was an enchanted water reservoir stolen from some other location in the Realms. The pool allowed its inhabitant and Ibbalar's slave, Thashasa, a water spirit, to scribe for her master. Thashasa was not mentally enslaved but was unable to escape as she was bound to her pool.

Ibbalar's trophy room contained magically protected glass displays, which some of his most precious passions. One of them held a trapped living drow woman, another - a spider statue piece, and other magical items of various properties. One thing of note was a mysterious artifact from another world, called the Orb of Insight.

Relationships
Ibbalar Thrul's business acquaintance included the notorious Iron Throne, whom he aided in their operations on the Sword Coast in the 14 century DR.

History
Sometime before 1370 DR, Ibbalar Thrul's criminal connections, Iron Throne being among them, became a pariah in Waterdeep. Feeling his life and reputation ruined by the Lords of Waterdeep and Khelben Arunsun, Ibbalar retreated into the dungeon of Undermountain. There he pledged himself to Halaster Blackcloak, becoming one of his apprentices. Ibbalar Thrul enjoyed some autonomy in his new underground realms and  established a hold, home, and laboratory from where he continued his activities.

Ibbalar Thrul was present in Undermountain during Halaster's Higharvestide when the Mad Wizard was kidnapped by the Twisted Rune. During that time, the drow, led by the High Priestess of Lolth Azurna, returned to the dungeon in search of the fabled Flame Sword of Lolth and pieces of the spider statue that allowed the power of the artifact to be harnessed. Ibbalar did not confront the drow, and when his master returned to Undermountain, was puzzled by the Mad Mage's statement that he needn't to do a thing as Khelben was to send someone to do the extermination for them.

Still seething with hate towards his enemies, the Lords of Waterdeep, Ibbalar created a magical summoning device in 1370 DR, powered by the Kossuth ruby. The portal allowed the wizard to summon spectators under his command. He sent an army of his spectators to "guard" enchanted items that belonged to powerful people of Waterdeep. The floating aberrant orbs were tasked with plaguing the entrance to Undermountain, the tavern of the Yawning Portal, "protecting" Khelben Arunsun's Blackstaff, Piergeiron the Paladinson's enchanted sword Halcyon, among many others, sowing panic among the citizens of the City of Splendors.

Halaster was correct. The Blackstaff indeed sent an agent of his to investigate and stop sinister drow activities within the mega-dungeon. That Khelbenite was tasked with stopping the beholderkin invasion. As the chaos continued, Ibbalar summoned even more spectators to guard his lair. One of his most trusted spectators was Aloxag, who was enchanted with illusion magics to look like Ibbalar Thrul, allowing the mad wizard to retreat if the need arose. The adventurer managed to find a way into the wizard's lair. There, he stumbled on the Moon Pool and its trapped inhabitant. Thashasa was eager to harm her jailer and aided the hero with information on reaching the wizard's trophy room and private bedroom. Armed with that information, Khelbenite deactivated the portal by stealing the Kossuth ruby, the spider piece, and confronted the wizard. When defeated, it was revealed that the spectator Aloxag died instead of the master, as Ibbalar escaped to brood another day.

Appearances

 * Video Games
 * Descent to Undermountain