Arcane Brotherhood

The Arcane Brotherhood is a mercantile company and wizards' guild that operates out of the Host Tower of the Arcane in Luskan. The organization is shrouded in mystery, as even it's most high-ranking members are unknown. It is known however that their goals are political and economical control of the North.

Many powerful groups, such as the Zhentarim, the Cult of the Dragon and the Red Wizards of Thay have attempted to infiltrate the Brotherhood, to no avail.

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 or 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.

Hierarchy
The Archmage Arcane rules over the guild and under him serve four Overwizards. Each Overwizard is assigned a quadrant of Faerun to administer and an arm of the Host Tower of the Arcane to occupy.