View source for The Nine

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{{Organization
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| name           = The Nine
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| leader         = [[Laeral Silverhand]]<ref name="CotR-p20">{{Cite book/Forgotten Realms Campaign Set/Cyclopedia of the Realms|20}}</ref>
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| showmembers    = yes
| orgname        = the Nine
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| base           = [[Stronghold of the Nine]]<ref name="WatN-p10">{{Cite book/Waterdeep and the North|10}}</ref>
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'''The Nine''' was a powerful, long-lasting band of adventurers that wandered the [[Forgotten Realms|Realms]] for over thirty winters, formerly led by [[Laeral Silverhand]].<ref name="HL-p65" />

==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]].<ref name="CotR-p20" /> One of the members, [[Laeral Silverhand]], was using a different name as a leader.<ref name="HL-p65">{{Cite book/Heroes' Lorebook|65}}</ref>

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.<ref name="THO2013-WEB">{{Cite web/Candlekeep Forum/The Hooded One (2013)/05-27 - Stronghold of the Nine}}</ref>

===Crown of Horns===
In the {{YearlinkName|1337}}, the Nine acquired the ''[[Crown of Horns]]'' from a crypt underneath [[Yûlash]].<ref name="CotH-p34">{{Cite book/The Code of the Harpers|34}}</ref> When [[Laeral Silverhand]], the leader of the group, donned the headpiece, she descended into madness and the band fragmented into three warring parties.<ref name="TGHotR-p139">{{Cite book/The Grand History of the Realms|139}}</ref>

By {{Yearlink|1358}}, 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.<ref name="TSF-p52">{{Cite book/The Savage Frontier|52}}</ref> The "Laeral" in that stronghold was visited briefly by [[Amelior Amanitas]], who became imprisoned while looking for a ''[[potion of stone to flesh]]'',<ref name="TSF-p49">{{Cite book/The Savage Frontier|49}}</ref> sometime between [[Marpenoth 1]]<ref name="TSF-p45">{{Cite book/The Savage Frontier|45}}</ref> and [[Nightal 1]].<ref name="TSF-p53">{{Cite book/The Savage Frontier|53}}</ref> Unknown to him, that was a ''[[simulacrum]]'' left behind by Laeral,<ref name="Dr181-p16">{{Cite dragon/181/Pages from the Mages|16}}</ref> who had been rescued by [[Khelben Arunsun]];<ref name="CoSW-p24">{{Cite book/City of Splendors: Waterdeep|24}}</ref> while it was publicly believed that he'd rescued her around {{Yearlink|1357}}, she had been in his tower by {{Yearlink|1355}} already,<ref name="EiH-pp153-156">{{Cite book/Elminster in Hell/Hardcover 2001|153-156}}</ref> 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]].<ref name="CoS:CGttC-p100">{{Cite book/City of Splendors (boxed set)/Campaign Guide|100}}</ref>

===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 [[hordling]]s to teleport themselves to the location of any of the Nine simply by speaking their names.<ref name="TSS-p32">{{Cite book/The Seven Sisters|32}}</ref>

The stronghold was largely uninhabited a decade later; it was reasonable to expect a ''[[portal|gate]]'' to [[Blackstaff Tower]].<ref name="CoS:CGttC-p23">{{Cite book/City of Splendors (boxed set)/Campaign Guide|23}}</ref> Shortly after, it was reclaimed by a band of elven adventurers who claimed the same name, apparently with the previous leader's blessing.<ref name="tN.W-p57">{{Cite book/The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier/The Wilderness|57}}</ref>

===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 ghost]]s, had been discovered: [[Treth Halonter]] and [[Relve Langral]], trapped in the ''[[Wyverntongue Chalice]]'' and ''[[Flying Blade]]'' respectively.<ref name="EMD">{{Cite book/Elminster Must Die}}</ref>

[[Manshoon]] claimed to know of the existence of six - maybe seven - items containing souls of the Nine.<ref name="EMD" />

==Known Members==
* [[Laeral Silverhand]] was the leader.
* [[Thanadar]] of [[Dragonrock]] was one of the survivors, a ranger;
* [[Arnthiir Windrivv]] was another such survivor, a bard.
* [[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.
* 4 other members, a [[fighter]], a [[rogue]], a [[wizard]] and a [[cleric]], left unnamed, had endured to {{yearlink|1358}}, but only two survived past Laeral's rescue.

==Appendix==
===References===
{{Refs}}
[[FR:Les Neuf]]
[[Category:Adventuring companies]]