Khelben Arunsun

Overview

Khelben Arunsun, named "the Blackstaff" for his most iconic spell, was one of the most powerful and influential mages on Toril in Realmspace. As Lord Mage of Waterdeep, he served as one of the lords of that city, and as a senior member of the Harpers, Khelben was instrumental in shoring up the Lord's Alliance. Khelben was a consummate politician, and always strove to influence events to his best advantage, though he often preferred to work through lesser agents and hired adventurers.

Khelben considered spelljamming to be a major opportunity for Waterdeep and the rest of Toril, especially economically. He went out of his way to highlight its importance to trade, principally as a way to compete with Calimport. Because he didn't want anything to interrupt trade with spacefarers, Khelben frowned on anything that would invite the city's authorities to interfere, and as such tended to surreptitiously involve various stakeholders in dealing with any illegal activities that he came across.

Khelben was a specialist in the history, lore, and traditions of magic as practiced by humans in the north of Toril. He was also a skilled forester and a painter.

Description

Khelben appeared as a tall, well-muscled and bearded man with a receding hairline. He had a distinctive grey streak in the centre of his beard and a distinguished manner. He preferred wearing nondescript black robes and never appeared in public without his signature black staff.

Personality

Khelben had a dignified and imposing manner, and though he possessed a dry sense of humor and a keen, playful intelligence, he preferred to intimidate or frighten those around him. Pragmatic to a fault, Khelben was willing to do whatever was necessary to protect his home city and its inhabitants, even sacrificing his agents if necessary.

Possessions

Khelben was very powerful and well connected, and had the resources to make or acquire any item he needed. That being said, he typically wore a pair of bracers of defence and a ring of protection, and carried the Blackstaff, a unique staff of power.

Activities

Almost three hundred years ago, Khelben spent nearly three decades searching for and destroying all known spelljamming wrecks lying on the bottom of the Trackless Sea and the Sea of Fallen Stars on Toril. Since then he had come to consider spelljamming something of a boon for his home city, and had even become a notable spacefaring explorer.

Due to his travels in wildspace, Khelben was able to confirm the presence of a spacefaring ogre nation within the crystal sphere known as the Steel Star, as well as their creation of the first Archimperator-class mammoth, also known as a Kingship. Khelben believed that the ogres were well on their way to building another two Kingships, and that as soon as they perfected the series major helms required to power these enormous vessels, they would begin a war that threatened all of the Known Spheres.

Relationships

Family

Khelben was married to Laeral Silverhand, one of the Seven Sisters. Originally one of his most promising students, she soon captured his heart, and their bond was only strengthened after he helped her recover from the baleful effects of the cursed artifact known as the Crown of Horns. Laeral was a match for her husband, both intellectually and in raw power, and was perhaps the only person privy to all of Khelben's plans.

Apprentices

Khelben tutored many mages of note, including such worthies as Malchor Harpell, Savengriff, and Nain Keenwhistler.

Allies

As a Chosen of Mystra, Khelben had close links with others, such as Elminster and the Seven Sisters. He was closely associated with various organizations that aligned with his views on law and order, including the Lords of Waterdeep, the Lord's Alliance and the Harpers. Though he may have played a pivotal role in many of these organizations, he was quite willing to abandon them should they no longer meet his needs.

Appendix

External Links

• Khelben Arunsun article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

References