The Nine was a powerful, long-lasting band of adventurers that wandered the Realms for over thirty winters, formerly led by Laeral Silverhand.[3]
History[]
Circa 1300-1330 DR[]
The band maintained a subterranean stronghold, the Stronghold of the Nine, in the High Forest, on the banks of the Unicorn Run. Before they disbanded, they had links to the Harpers and the Lords of Waterdeep.[1] One of the members, Laeral Silverhand, was using a different name as a leader.[3]
The fortress used to be a dwarven outpost, but under contract, the dwarves expanded it closer to the Unicorn Run under contract for the adventurers.[4]
Crown of Horns[]
In the Year of the Wandering Maiden, 1337 DR, the Nine acquired the Crown of Horns from a crypt underneath Yûlash.[5] When Laeral Silverhand, the leader of the group, donned the headpiece, she descended into madness and the band fragmented into three warring parties.[6]
By 1358 DR, four of the Nine had died; only "Laeral", a wizard, a thief, a warrior, and a priest remained alive and still ensconced in the stronghold.[7] The "Laeral" in that stronghold was visited briefly by Amelior Amanitas, who became imprisoned while looking for a potion of stone to flesh,[8] sometime between Marpenoth 1[9] and Nightal 1.[10] Unknown to him, that was a simulacrum left behind by Laeral,[11] who had been rescued by Khelben Arunsun;[12] while it was publicly believed that he'd rescued her around 1357 DR, she had been in his tower by 1355 DR already,[13] up and active after a long recovery from madness and from a battle of spells with Khelben that left malingering sequels in the High Forest.[14]
After Laeral's Rescue[]
Laeral only kept regular contact with two members of the Nine after her enslavement and subsequent rescue from the Crown: Thanadar of Dragonrock and Arnthiir Windrivv. The two of them were forced to change their names due to a magical curse that allowed any knowing hordlings to teleport themselves to the location of any of the Nine simply by speaking their names.[15]
The stronghold was largely uninhabited a decade later; it was reasonable to expect a gate to Blackstaff Tower.[16] Shortly after, it was reclaimed by a band of elven adventurers who claimed the same name, apparently with the previous leader's blessing.[17]
1479 DR[]
Most nobles of Cormyr had heard rumors that some of the Nine still existed in the post-Spellplague world, trapped in magic items, and could be summoned forth from those items by those who hold them - and know how to activate them - to fight as the item-bearers' slaves. By 1479 DR, only two of these entrapped spirits, known as Blueflame ghosts, had been discovered: Treth Halonter and Relve Langral, trapped in the Wyverntongue Chalice and Flying Blade respectively.[18]
Manshoon claimed to know of the existence of six - maybe seven - items containing souls of the Nine.[18]
Known Members[]
- Laeral Silverhand was the leader.
- Thanadar of Dragonrock was one of the survivors, the fighter;
- Arnthiir Windrivv was another such survivor, a thief.
- An unnamed cleric was known to belong to the group, and to have endured up until 1358 DR at the least.
- Another unnamed member, a wizard, was also known to have survived up until 1358 DR.
- Treth Halonter was a warrior who almost certainly perished before the Crown was destroyed,
- Relve Langral was another survivor, a rogue, who also most certainly perished before the Crown's destruction.
- 2 other members, left unnamed, had perished before Laeral was known to have been rescued.
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 20. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1987). Waterdeep and the North. (TSR, Inc), p. 10. ISBN 0-88038-490-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dale Donovan, Paul Culotta (August 1996). Heroes' Lorebook. (TSR, Inc), p. 65. ISBN 0-7869-0412-7.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2013-05-27). The Halls of the Hammer. Candlekeep Forum. Retrieved on 2024-03-09.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (September 1993). The Code of the Harpers. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 34. ISBN 1-56076-644-1.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 139. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 52. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
- ↑ Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 49. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
- ↑ Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 45. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
- ↑ Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 53. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (May 1992). “Pages from the Mages”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #181 (TSR, Inc.), p. 16.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 24. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (August 2001). Elminster in Hell. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 153–156. ISBN 0-7869-1875-6.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 100. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1995). The Seven Sisters. (TSR, Inc), p. 32. ISBN 0-7869-0118-7.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 23. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
- ↑ slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 57. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Ed Greenwood (June 2011). Elminster Must Die (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0786957996.