The Lightfingers were a wealthy and aristocratic family based in Waterdeep during the 15th century DR.[note 1] The members of the family died out or disappeared during the tenure of Waterdeep's Open Lord Laeral Silverhand when their dealings with devils tore them apart.[1]
Activities[]
The family actively sought to collect and flaunt its wealth, from collecting artwork from all over Faerûn to building a massively opulent mansion for themselves. They were also said to enjoy playing pranks, and perhaps as a result, some members had a reputation for being negligent in their duties to the city of Waterdeep. Lastly, they were also known to have many secrets, among which was their contact and dealings with devils.[1]
Base of Operations[]
As of the late 15th century DR, the family lived in an opulent mansion within their sprawling Lightfinger Estate in Waterdeep's Sea Ward. This entire estate was almost maze-like, with plenty of hiding places or locations for secrets to be locked away.[1]
The city had assigned to the Lightfingers the duty of keeping the peace within their compound and the nearby Sea Ward, which they did with the help of their guards as well as protective water weirds (including the formidable Lightfinger Tempest) and shield guardians.[1]
Relationships[]
The family was known to have many enemies. Their wealth had come from the spoils of adventuring, and the fact that they were a newly-wealthy family attracted the ire of many members of the established nobility of Waterdeep—notably the Cassalanters—who mocked them, gave them nicknames, and even launched covert attacks on them. The Cassalanters in particular were thought to have sent devils to attack the family, perhaps prompting them to make their own infernal deals. However, more dangerous than spiteful nobles were the powerful enemies that the Lightfinger's founder had made before establishing the family, notably Jurrgal, a rakshasa.[1]
As of the late 15th century DR, the family was bound by an "eternal" infernal contract to a pit fiend from Avernus known as Kurgaloth. In exchange for wealth, power, and protection, the Lightfingers pledged to help destroy Waterdeep through a myriad of small but cumulative betrayals.[1]
History[]
The family was founded by Donovan Lightfinger, a rogue who amassed great wealth—and many enemies—over the course of a respectable adventuring career. He, like his ancestors, had a reputation for starting but not always ending fights all across Faerûn.[1]
Over time, the family began behaving less like retired adventurers and more like aristocrats, drawing the ire of the city's nobility—especially those who were also based in the Sea Ward. This led first to mocking names, then to rivalries, and finally to covert hostilities between the Lightfingers and other families. While these fights never became public knowledge, over a generation they escalated to include attacks on the Lightfingers by fiends and slithering trackers.[1]
At some point, perhaps driven to protect themselves from predations by the established noble families or perhaps just because Donovan's adventuring spoils were finally running out, the Lightfingers began making deals with devils. This included an "eternal contract" with Kurgaloth, to whom the family pledged to support nearby threats to Waterdeep in hopes of destabilizing the city. This included distracting the city from attacks by the Burntbone Horde out of Sharpstone Keep, the machinations of Mrolgyet's Legion in Frostsilver Mines, the rise of Qholillaroon in the Heartcoil Deeps, and the expansion of Forestfall Fen by the power of Vorazidrar. These deals were detailed on maps and written in fiery ink, and were then concealed among the family's ledgers. The Lightfingers soon gained a reputation for secrets, rightly knowing that if any proof greater than rumors got out about their dealings, it could lead to the loss of their prestige or worse.[1]
By the late 15th century DR, the Lightfinger family finished a new and sprawling estate in the Sea Ward where they lived with their servants, although at some point, these servants were all replaced by doppelgangers. Around this time, the current head of the family, Lord Terrathy Lightfinger, tried to back out of the family's deal with Kurgaloth, angering the pit fiend. At the same time, Donovan's old enemy, a rakshasa named Jurrgal whom the rogue had defeated in a duel, appeared and attempted to capture Lord Terrathy with a plan to impersonate him and destroy the family from within as revenge. While Terrathy managed to escape, Jurrgal proceeded with his plan to claim his identity.[1]
Not long after, Jurrgal—who was unaware of the family's contract with Kurgaloth—was confronted by the pit fiend’s minions. They were unable to resolve their different agendas regarding the Lightfingers—with Kurgaloth wanting them as servants and Jurrgal wanting them dead—so violence soon erupted in the Lightfinger Estate. This drew the attention of Open Lord Laeral Silverhand, who sent adventurers to investigate. They ultimately defeated Jurrgal, banished Kurgaloth back to Avernus, and learned the extent of the Lightfinger family's betrayal. By this time, the plots that the Lightfingers had helped to conceal in Sharpstone Keep, Frostsilver Mines, and Heartcoil Deeps had already been discovered and thwarted by Lady Silverhand and her agents, but it was from Lord Terrathy's journal that they learned of the ongoing crisis in Forestfall Fen.[1]
In the aftermath of the conflict and with Lord Terrathy still missing, it was declared that the Lightfingers had forfeited their grand estate.[1]
Members[]
- Donovan Lightfinger, the family's founder who was a wealthy adventurer.[1]
- Terrathy Lightfinger, the family's last patriarch who tried to renege on the family's dealings with devils.[1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The family is described as being "aristocratic" and the patriarchs are called "lord", but it is never stated that the family became members of the nobility of Waterdeep.
Appearances[]
- Video Games
- Warriors of Waterdeep