Albhaera Haerldoun was a Vaasan human woman. She was an adventurer and wizard, and owner of Haerldoun's Helms and Shields in the city of Wheloon in Cormyr.[1][3][2]
Description[]
Albhaera was a strikingly beautiful woman,[3] and was fit and lithe in build.[1]
She made a habit of wearing exotic armors of flattering designs and revealing cutaway sections, which attracted customers to her store.[3]
Personality[]
When young, Albhaera was demure and quietly spoken, though she was restless and charismatic.[1] She grew into a hot-tempered and flirtatious woman, but settled down a bit in later years.[3][2]
Abilities[]
When young, Albhaera was a proficient fighter, and was well trained, fit, and dexterous. She knew how to make and repair helms, bracers, shields, belts, and baldrics, and also knew their proper values.[1]
Later in life, Albhaera practiced as a wizard, and worked a smithy as part of her trade.[2] [note 1]
Activities[]
Albhaera imported and sold a range of armor pieces and shields, as well as some basic weapons, from her store and had an excellent range.[3] Her store was also the best place in Wheloon to buy and sell magical armors.[2] She specialized in knives designed to be sheathed behind shields and inside greaves, bracers, breastplates, and other pieces.[3] Albhaera also worked on custom orders from her small smithy.[2]
Relationships[]
Albhaera's uncle was Haerldoun. He doted on her when she was young, and if anyone harmed her he was likely to track them across Faerûn to take revenge [1]
Albhaera was popular with warriors in Wheloon, due to her interesting armors and flirtatiousness. Infatuated warriors gathered around the store most days to chat with her and try to impress her with their strength and stories of their prowess. Occasionally, they held demonstrations of combat skill, such as knife-throwing or mock jousting, which attracted more customers. Local Purple Dragon patrols occasionally performed inspections of her store, sometimes as often as daily. This transparent excuse to meet Albhaera earned them the mockery of the Whelunians, who called out such things as "Better check my basket here, look ye—mayhap Albhaera's hiding in it!"[3]
She was generally well liked around town, if the subject of a lot of talk.[2]
History[]
Albhaera's uncle, Haerldoun, was an adventuring mercenary and member of a chartered adventuring company.[1][3]
In Wheloon in Cormyr, the company bought a store (formerly a haven for smugglers) as a sideline investment, which Haerldoun developed as a business importing helms and shields. It was called Haerldoun's Helms and Shields. Albhaera managed the business under his supervision.[1][3] [note 2]
In the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, Albhaera was running the business while Haerldoun recuperated from his injuries in Wheloon and watched over Helms and Shields. Though young, she was already well trained as a warrior and knowledgeable about armor pieces.[1]
Eager for the life of an adventurer herself, Albhaera later joined her uncle's band. But when the party came across a beholder in the Thunder Peaks and were quickly slaughtered, Albhaera fled in terror. As the last survivor, she retired from her adventuring career and returned to her business in Wheloon.[3] [note 3]
Becoming its proprietor, she expanded its trade and enjoyed great success by 1369 DR. She was popular and famous around town for her flirty habits.[3]
Her business was still in operation in 1374 DR. By then, she'd settled down and firmly into Wheloon's community.[2]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ There is another discrepancy in that Waterdeep describes and stats Albhaera as a fighter, while Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave stats her as a wizard, perhaps in error.
- ↑ There is a small discrepancy over whose business this was. The Waterdeep adventure module states that Haerldoun is a mercenary who started the helm and shield import business as a sideline, with Albhaera running it. Volo's Guide to Cormyr later states that an adventuring company, of which Albhaera was a member, purchased the store as a sideline, and that Albhaera later started a business there. Merging these two accounts implies that Haerldoun was also a member of the adventuring band, and that Albhaera later took over the business.
- ↑ The merged account would suggest that Haerldoun was killed also, though he could have retired or otherwise left beforehand.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Ed Greenwood (1989). Waterdeep (adventure). (TSR, Inc), pp. 7, map. ISBN 0-88038-757-2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Richard Baker, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan, Matthew Sernett, James Wyatt (March 2007). Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 150. ISBN 978-0-7869-4119-3.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 109. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.