Ralan el Pesarkhal

Ralan el Pesarkhal was a syl-pasha (ruler) of Calimshan in the mid–14 century DR.

Description
He appeared as a dark-haired, lean and imposing figure that seemed younger than his years, with only small patches of grey along the temples as any indication that he was anywhere close to being more than sixty years old.

Personality
Ralan el Pesarkhal possessed a calm demeanor in most situations, though the smile he offered could be full of secret meanings to those observant enough to catch them. He had a powerful gift in oratory, described as "spellbinding" and this brought him great favor with the common people.

Activities
Ralan el Pesarkhal had a love for history, particularly the stories of the Shoon Imperium. One of his desires was to gain possession of the ancient city of Shoonach and revive the Imperium. At the time, Shoonach was part of the territories held by Tethyr to the north, and was a point of contention between the two countries.

History
Ralan el Pesarkhal first entered the political arena of Calimshan while serving as a vizier (advisor) of a sultan (ruler) of Manshaka. He even then attempted to gain friendship with the family of Syl-Pasha Rashid el Djenispool, then the caleph of Calimshan. When the sultan vanished from Manshaka, a number of guilds run by wizards and merchants raised a sultan under their power to the throne in order to manipulate events to their own liking.

In 1358 DR, Ralan el Pesarkhal became sultan of Manshaka when he manipulated a fight between members of the guilds. He immediately began to consolidate his power among the underworld of Manshaka in order to gain complete control of the city in all aspects (a characteristic he continued to exhibit in Calimport). He used his increasing power to gain alliances with other groups within the underworld in order to strengthen both his own power among the high class of Calimshan and stabilize the country from the ground up.

Shortly after gaining the ear of Syl-Pasha Rashid el Djenispool, el Pesarkhal was made the caleph's spymaster during the events of the Darkstalker Wars. His position in the caleph's court was second to none, which granted him access to many of the caleph's slaves and servants. He successfully manipulated the most favored of the caleph's harem slaves, who fell in love with el Pesarkhal. In 1359 DR, a jhasina (harem slave) Malira adh Rashid murdered Syl-Pasha Rashid el Djenispool after el Pesarkhal promised to free and marry her. El Pesarkhal denied all claims that he had coerced the harem slave into murder and had her immediately beheaded after a brief trial.

After Syl-Pasha Rashid el Djenispool's death, his chosen heir Punjor el Djenispool was called from Almraiven to take the throne. A welcoming party was assembled on the new caleph's flagship, the Merry Marid, though Ralan el Pesarkhal had other plans. He had the food and drink aboard the ship poisoned, killing Syl-Pasha Punjor el Djenispool and everyone else aboard, ending the Djenispool family line. El Pesarkhal immediately used his contacts and personal talents in twisting the truth to turn all evidence away from himself and towards a pair of men who had wronged him in the past. His gifts for manipulation and gaining the good will of the masses were readily evident, as he soon had all of Calimport believing him to be a good man wishing to see Calimshan made powerful once again.

Without any political enemies willing to risk setting themselves against el Pesarkhal, he became Syl-Pasha and ushered in a new age for Calimshan. He set himself towards strengthening his control over Calimshan, gaining allies in Tethyr, and rebuilding Calimport into a more organized and defensible city.

However, in 1373 DR a dracorage-fueled Iryklathagra attacked Calimport. After being turned away by the mythal protecting the Pasha's Sabban she vented her rage on the Plaza of Divine Truth. When defenders retaliated, the dragon's tail destroyed an idol of Bhaelros, which summoned an aspect of the god riding an enslaved brass dragon. The two mighty beings battled and destroyed most of the Palace Ward. Iryklathagra was driven off by the deity's manifestation but the god remained to cause more destruction to the city. The city's defenders managed to bring down the manifestation of the god and his mount but this only enraged him further and he rained lightning bolts down constantly upon the city from that moment and throughout the next year. Since then, el Pesarkhal tried desperately to regain the favor of Bhaelros but his reign was severely weakened and several of Calimshan's other cities managed to regain a lot of independence.