Arcane Brotherhood

The Arcane Brotherhood is 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 is known however that their primary goal was the political and economic control of the North.

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.

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.

In the last decade or so, two great changes have come over Luskan. The first was the plague that crippled the gangs that had controlled the city, a llowing the High Captains to reclaim the power they had long held in Luskan. The other, far more sudden, was the return of the Arcane Brotherhood and its five-spired tower. A few years ago, the ruined Hosttower of the Arcane began regenerating its damaged stone, climbing into the sky once more. Shortly thereafter, mages of the Arcane Brotherhood emerged, almost immediately began cleansing the Luskar ruins of undead, and fought off a dragon menacing the city. Cheered by the citizens, they swore to keep themselves out of the politics of the High Captains and the city at large, but the notion that powerful wizards closely aligned with one another can truly remain neutral is laughable to anyone familiar with such things.

Hierarchy
The Archmage Arcane 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.

Below the Archmage was Overwizard Valindra Shadowmantle - Responsible for the North Tower. Dominion of The North was the main goal of Brotherhood, so Valindra lead the overwizards in their objective to collect information on their regions to help her. She was a moon elf, born in the High Forest. Frustated 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.

Overwizard Ricardo Domine - Responsible for the East Tower

Overwizard Arabeth Raurym - Responsible for the South Tower

Overwizard Blaskar Lauthom - Responsible for the West Tower

Notable members

 * Arklem Greeth, Archmage Arcane
 * Arabeth Raurym
 * Valindra Shadowmantle
 * Morkai the Red, former Master of the North Tower
 * Akar Kessel
 * Dendybar the Mottled, former Master of the North Tower
 * Sydney
 * Eldeluc