Lander

Lander was a ranger and a member of the Harper from Sembia that operated in the desert of Anauroch during the mid–14 century DR.

"You helped a woman find her place. Now her people will have a chance at freedom."

- Lander's vision of the Lady of the Forest.

Description
He was a generally average looking man save for the fact he wore an eye patch over his right eye.

Personality
Lander was a pragmatic man who was wholly dedicated to the goals of the Harpers and completing their missions by any reasonable means necessary. While honest and forthright, he was not above withholding information or speaking about a truth from a different perspective in achieve his objectives.

He was a devoted follower of Mielikki.

Possessions
Among Lander's possessions were a couple of magical items including his Harper pin and an amulet of comprehend languages.

Relationships
During his time working for the Harpers, Lander became quite close to the Bedine woman Ruha, an exiled sorceress of the Mtair Dhafir tribe. Despite societal conventions that forbade her from being with others so soon after the death of her husband, Lander and Ruha became lovers. Lander often spoke of his home in Sembia, promising Ruha that they would travel to the lush landscape after they completed what they set out to in the desert.

While in Anauroch, Lander worked with two D'tarig guides, Bhadla and Musalim. While he did not fully trust them, Lander relied on them unto a point before discovering they were in the employ of the Zhentarim.

History
Lander was born in Sembia to a merchant father and a mother who was a covert Zhentarim spy. His mother's true allegiance was revealed when Lander was a teenager, after she insisted on accompanying his father to a merchant meeting in Archendale. His father discovered the truth and warned people in Archendale about the Zhent plot. Lander's mother found her son and offered him a place among the Zhents, but the young man refused, instead slaying the Zhent agents and sparing his mother. In response, Lander's mother arranged the death of his father.

Some time later, a member of the Harpers approached Lander and informed him of his mother's death. Lander decided to join the Harpers and stop the Zhents at any opportunity.

During or just before the, Lander was in attendance at a Harper meeting in Shadowdale, along with several senior members including Florin Falconhand, Urso, and Alustriel Silverhand. After some debate about growing Zhentarim activity in Anauroch, Lander volunteered to serve as their spy. With the support of Florin Falconhand, Lander was granted the opportunity to prove himself.

Lander took some six months to travel to the desert and get to a point where he could meet with the sheikh of the Mtair Dhafir at El Rahalat, to offer warning about forming any agreement with the Zhentarim. Although he could not convince the sheikh in time to save the Mtairi people from being overrun, Lander managed to slay the Zhent spokesman Zarud and ally himself with the sheikh's daughter Ruha, her brother-in-law Kadumi. The trio set out across the desert, uniting the numerous Bedine tribes under one cause, the preservation of their people in the face of the threat presented by the Zhentilar army.

Lander and Ruha proved successful, uniting the tribes together as a united front. While the allied Bedine suffered losses when the Zhent's poisoned a sacred Bedine oasis and even slaughtered an entire tribal camp while they slept, they proved victorious at the Balle of the Chasm and the Battle of the Fissures. Just before the united Bedine army set upon the ruined city of Orofin to deliver one final blow against the Zhent forces, Lander was slain by the assassin Bhadla, who was wielding a poisoned blade. In his final moments Lander had a vision of the goddess Mielikki, who told the young ranger he had successfully completed his task to aid the Bedine.

Appearances

 * Card Games
 * AD&D Trading Cards


 * Novels
 * The Parched Sea
 * The Veiled Dragon
 * The Veiled Dragon