Elder Rune (cabal)

The Elder Rune was a cabal of liches who sought to discover a "master" rune that could control other magical runes. It was their ambition to use this rune to control and subvert magical effects such as wards, bindings, gates, and portals.

Rumors & Legends
One of the goals of the Vellurith, a game of manipulation played among the beholders of Toril, was to influence the Elder Rune (or similar lich cabals) toward goals outside of Faerûn and the affairs of beholderkind.