Villains' Lorebook.pdf - Department of Political Science

122
The Xanathar
Thieves’ Guild
Enemies of the City of
Splendors
Organization: This information-gathering and informal
thieving and smuggling operation is the closest
any group in the city of Waterdeep comes to
being a “thieves’ guild.” Run by the super-secretive
Xanathar, only a handful of hand-picked assistants
know the Xanathar’s hiding place and his identity.
This precaution, plus numerous aliases and magical
defenses, has screened the Xanathar’s existence.
Using third parties and freelance thieves and assassins
as needed, the Xanathar’s organization has
thus far managed to elude to notice of the Lords and
even Laeral Silverhand, who takes much interest in
the underworld of Waterdeep and Undermountain.
The Xanathar makes his home in an opulent
chamber deep beneath the sewers of Waterdeep.
The Xanathar has other chambers and access points
in Skullport, Undermountain, and beyond. He also
has at least two gates that lead directly to his main
chamber from points unknown. Many of these
chambers contain hidden treasure vaults, caches of
magical items, and great libraries of knowledge and
rare books.
Any who are unlikely enough to cross the
Xanathar or stumble onto one of his operations or
frequented locales are brought to one of his chambers
briefly. There they are wrung dry for information
and connections to any groups that may seek to
expose or end Xanathar’s doings, and then consumed.
(the Xanathar’s appetite for human flesh is
enormous.)
What few know is that the Xanathar is a beholder,
and that “Xanathar” is the second one to take the
name.
History: The last “open” or “official” thieves’ guild
in Waterdeep was dismantled by the Lords of the City
years ago. This act didn’t end all illegal activities in the
City of Splendors; it did push the surviving thieving activities
even further underground and left them without
any form of leadership.
Eventually most of these “freelance” operations
were brought under the clandestine leadership of the
first Xanathar. This beholder wove enough webs of
deceit about itself that few of the thieves working for
him knew that they labored and risked their lives for
an eye tyrant.
The Xanathar came to the City of Splendors as cargo
in a caravan coming from Zhentil Keep. A former ally of
the beholders working with the Zhents, the Xanathar
sensed a power vacuum in the city and filled it.
At some undetermined point since then an elder orb
beholder called the Eye, using many of the same techniques
that the first Xanathar used to maintain power
(and secrecy), displaced and killed the true Xanathar.
The Eye kept the original’s name, only altering slightly
to the title of “the Xanathar.”
Adding the Xanathar’s operations and contacts to the
Eye’s slave trade in and around Skullport consolidated
much of the region’s black market power in the “person”
of the Xanathar. This organization is by far the largest
and most powerful one for hundreds of miles in any direction.
The Xanathar kept most of the original’s policies
and practices in place; he’s assumed the mantle of power
so smoothly that even the few who do know of the
Xanathar are unaware of the switch.
Leaders/Important NPCs: The Xanathar (elder orb
beholder): This ancient beholder has lost the use of its
disintegration and flesh to stone eye-powers, but has full
elder orb powers, and can cast one spell of 1 st through
8 th level once per day. (See the MONSTROUS MANUAL
tome for more.) He also wears a ring of proof against detection
and location on a functioning eyestalk (he wears
nonmagical rings on the others).
l Ahmaergo (LE dm F9; Str 18/10, Con 19): He
runs the slave trade in Skullport.
l Avaereene (LE hf W11): She’s the Xanathar’s
chief slaver.
l Shindia Darkeyes (CE he(drow)f T9): This
half-drow runs the blackmail, extortion, and information-gathering
operations.
l Slink Monteskor (CE hm F0): This man keeps
the books as well as much of the gathered information
with his eidetic memory.
l Randulaith (NE hm W9): This mage is responsible
for the Xanathar’s magical defenses.
l Colstan Rhuul (LE hm P10 of Cyric): This
priest handles any necessary assassinations.
l Ott Steeltoes (NE dm F7/T8): This dwarf runs
the smuggling and thieving operations.
l Slan Thurbel (CE hm F8; Str 18/63): This warrior
is in charge of enforcement and mercenaries.
Sources: City of Splendors boxed set.