"During an era of great upheaval in the North, the most notorious bloodline of Arabel would be quenched and tip for good the scale of power as the North knew it- Only to rise again like a hydra from its grave with two heads instead of one."
House Bhaliir, once a pillar of strength and loyalty in the northern reaches of Cormyr, fell from grace during the devastating civil war. Wrongly branded as traitors, the house lay in ruins, its lord dead, and its once-proud bloodline believed to be extinguished. Time passed, and the scars of war began to fade, yet the memory of House Bhaliir's tragic end lingered.
Two decades later, the winds of change swept through Cormyr once more. A stranger from a distant land, Foril Bhaliir, arrived on its shores and was soon granted lordship by the King of Cormyr for a title long thought dead. Lord Foril Bhaliir, son of Silbrien Bhaliir, and known as the Storm Dragon, was entrusted with the task of bringing stability to the beleaguered North.
As the second Shadow War threatened to plunge the kingdom into darkness, the Storm Dragon rose, determined to restore his family's honor and return prosperity to the region. Heeding the call of his king, Lord Foril journeyed to the heart of his ancestral homeland, bringing with him a renewed sense of purpose and a relentless drive to succeed.
Under Lord Foril's rule, House Bhaliir rose like a phoenix from the ashes, reclaiming its place among the prominent noble houses of Arabel. Fueled by a desire to restore the reputation of his family and the stability of the region, the Storm Dragon brought hope to the people of the North.
Now, the once-feared and beloved House Bhaliir stands strong, a testament to the resilience and determination of its new leader. With the Jewel of the North firmly within their sights, House Bhaliir once again casts its shadow over the realm, wielding influence and power with a sinister elegance that few can match.
Insight, relationship's and opinions[]
In the darkest shadows of the North, none of the malevolent lords incited greater disdain or terror than the members of House Bhaliir. A subject of fierce historical debate, their cunning intellect, bottomless coffers, and unnervingly unwavering loyalty to the Crown arguably spared them the fate of a traitor's noose or the royal executioner's block prior to the cataclysmic Civil War. For the house managed to evade any culpability and fortified itself within the unyielding mass of its most ardent devotees – the festering heart of the Slums of Arabel.
Whispers of dread filled the hearts of the middle class when House Bhaliir was mentioned. The sinister family's actions were enveloped in such a cloak of mystery and nefarious reputation that it was wisest to simply leave them be and consign them to oblivion. Woe betide those who dared draw the malevolent attention of this ominous household. For the nobility of Cormyr, no treasure was more sacred than their honor and reputation – and House Bhaliir fiercely clung to this principle. Enemies of the family learned to shun the Southern districts, where the underworld reigned supreme, and the militia dared not tread. Under the reign of the impostor King Lheskar, the few brave souls who openly defied his tyranny vanished, their entire families swallowed by darkness.
Adventurers recognized House Bhaliir as the ruthless oppressors they were. Long before the Civil War, they held the southern districts of Arabel in an unrelenting stranglehold, expelling outside influences and restricting patronage to a select few shrines and enterprises, while imposing their sinister monopoly. Even then, their actions teetered on the brink of dictatorship. Those who sought the thrill of a brawl needed only to venture to the Dancing Dragon Tavern, where the blood of the reckless often stained the floor after a careless utterance against the oppressive family or their ill-gotten fortunes.
Curiously, it was in these very districts that House Bhaliir found its staunchest support, the only lawful power to ever bring order to the Slums, its retainers stalking the streets undisturbed.
A relentless, merciless race for dominance waged between the four major houses of Arabel, but the vicious strife between House Bhaliir and House DeSchurr scorched all else. Their ceaseless battles inevitably fractured both houses, providing a fertile ground for outside forces to seize control and instigate a chaotic struggle for power in the cold heart of the North.
History[]
House Bhaliir embodied the sinister embodiment of dark nobility lurking within the ostensibly virtuous nation of Cormyr. Ever skirting the boundary of legality, they amassed their wealth through myriad ventures and held dominion over two infamous taverns, the Dancing Dragon and the Dancing Dracolisk.
Assuming the mantle of guardian over the slums and southern district, they erected their looming estate there, unleashing their House guards to prowl the dimly-lit streets. House Bhaliir garnered the adoration of the impoverished and the forsaken, who sought refuge and sustenance within their ominous embrace. However, only the most loyal and devious were deemed worthy to don their emblem, as the house guarded its integrity with a ferocious zeal, prepared to employ any means necessary to uphold its darkened honor.
The Lord's departure - Winter 1376[]
The Sigil of House Bhaliir during the reign of Azoun IV and Azoun V
As the shadow of war against the Shadovar crept ever closer, the noble houses of Arabel found themselves heeding the Call to Arms from the Regent of Cormyr. Whether they saw it as an opportunity for service or for personal gain remains unknown. However, it was clear that at least one house sought to exploit the brewing chaos to further its own twisted ambitions. No one could have foreseen the deceitful ploy of Lord Lheskar Bhaliir.
An insidious plan hatched in the depths of ambition and cunning spiraled into a chilling reality as Bhaliir orchestrated a grand illusion. All were hoodwinked into believing that the militia of Arabel sought not only to undermine him but to plunder and violate his estate. Mere days after the apprehension of an intruding militia agent, Lord Bhaliir declared his self-imposed exile, garnering the sympathy of his unwitting subjects. Left behind were only a handful of bewildered retainers who, stripped of their noble facade, soon reverted to the wretched villains they had always been. They vanished into the underworld whence they came – an infernalist, a thief, and a murderer, their true natures laid bare.
Callahan Corporation - Spring 1377[]
In the heart of Arabel's most destitute district, the enigmatic Callahan Corporation materialized, rapidly transfiguring the forsaken area into a bastion of near opulence. New structures and exquisite architecture rose where none had dared venture before, and the local populace found themselves offered abundant employment opportunities by the corporation – a stark contrast to their previous destitution. It was only after the Callahan Corporation had become a household name in the now-renamed "South-east District" that the benefactor and mastermind behind the renovations stepped forth from the shadows: none other than the supposedly vanished Lord Lheskar Bhaliir.
Astonishment turned to a succession of shocks as Lord Bhaliir unveiled his sinister associates from his self-imposed exile. Among them were numerous Duergar, Beholders, and the heads of the Callahan Corporation, whom he ceremoniously appointed as his personal retainers. The revelations sent a shiver of dread through the transformed district, leaving its inhabitants to wonder at the true intentions of their once-vanished lord and his chilling entourage.
King Lheskar, the tyrant, the impostor - Winter 1377 []
Numerous adventurers challenged Bhaliir's unholy alliance of Duergar and Beholders to no avail, while the other political rivals striving for control over the city hesitated, wary of weakening themselves by engaging in conflict. All except for Deschurr, who fearlessly clashed with anyone obstructing his expansion but ultimately met his doom in Bhaliir. Transmuted into stone and with the majority of his forces decimated, House Deschurr turned to the young Anya for guidance. Her answer was the arrival of the Phoenix Legion in Arabel, as House Deschurr pledged allegiance to the Phoenix King.
However, the Tyrant King's fortunes began to wane. His minions' growing fixation on capturing and enslaving adventurers led to the petrified Lord Mitchell Deschurr being restored to flesh by a cunning group within King Bhaliir's dungeons. His release triggered an uprising at the very core of Bhaliir's domain as the legendary warrior carved a brutal path of escape from the palace.
Lheskar Bhaliir's dark reign concluded, but on his own terms. As valiant adventurers banded together to liberate his slaves, the Tyrant greeted them with the horrifying sight of South Arabel collapsing into a seemingly endless abyss. With his army in tow, King Bhaliir appeared to retreat from the civil war. Yet whispers and sightings continue to this day, fueling speculation about his influence from whatever shadowy realm his grasp now extends.
Prominent Figures[]
Lord Abdheel Bhaliir[]
In the year 1290, the humble peasant Abdheel Bhaliir was wed to Pruadda Derlain, a woman long believed to be barren. She hailed from one of Arabel's oldest families, albeit the less affluent branch. In a city favored by Tymora, the goddess of luck, it seemed Bhaliir was indeed unlucky in all aspects of life.
However, fortune shifted in 1294. Abdheel came into possession of a considerable sum from an unknown source, likely an inheritance. That same year, Pruadda miraculously conceived a child, and Bhaliir joined the Militia, swiftly ascending their ranks.
In the year of the Shadowtop, 1312, the Bhaliir family was ennobled for their military service to King Rhigaerd II, who defended Cormyr against border-raiders. Though Abdheel Bhaliir was but a common crossbowman, his keen sight, which he often attributed to divine favor, earned him the respect of many. His courage and valor so impressed the King that he granted the family nobility and a modest plot of land south of Arabel, replete with springs and pasturage fit for herding.
Tragically, in 1347, both Lord Abdheel and his brother Hjallis perished, leaving Lheskar as the patriarch and lord Paramount, with Kevan appointed as his heir. It was the beginning of a new chapter for the once-unfortunate Bhaliir family, forever altering their destiny.
Lord Lheskar Bhaliir[]
Lord Lheskar Bhaliir rapidly expanded his family's wealth through trade and commerce, utilizing lucrative trade routes with numerous organizations and allegedly extending his influence into the North's underworld where true fortunes lay. Though he didn't own any caravan lines himself, he often transported goods via other merchants' networks, particularly the Iron Throne. He insisted that his House stand as paragons of humanity, which is why he refused to employ non-humans.
Lord Lheskar was perceived by the people of the North as a calculating, prudent man with a charismatic aura that could captivate any audience. His arrogance was the hallmark of someone seemingly several steps ahead in every aspect. He publicly expressed disdain for those who turned to crime, viewing them as foolish and a hindrance to good business. He vocally advocated for harsh punishments for those who failed to meet his expectations, believing them undeserving of equal treatment. This led to the Bhaliir family's disparaging opinion of the militia, whom they dismissed from their districts for being unqualified to enforce the law under Lheskar's supervision.
Historians struggle to pinpoint the precise moment when Lord Lheskar Bhaliir was captured by beholders twisted into the service of the Rift during the early stages of the 1377 DR civil war in Arabel. Following his sudden disappearance, a mysterious benefactor called the Callahan Corporation emerged. In reality, the corporation was under the command of the Lord Lheskar Bhaliir impostor, a beholder who forcibly ousted the City Militia from South Arabel. The Arabellian populace remained unaware that the true Lord Bhaliir was not in power.
The beholder, assuming Bhaliir's authority, opened a chasm in the southern part of Arabel, revealing the Rift hidden deep beneath the city. Fortuitously, it was soon discovered that Lheskir Bhaliir had been captured and replaced by a beholder intent on dominating Arabel and causing political instability. Though the beholder was not slain, the true Lord Bhaliir was freed. Unfortunately, he had become insane during his captivity and was subsequently deemed unfit for either freedom or lordship. He spent his remaining days confined by the War Wizards, and with no apparent heir, the Bhaliir name was declared dead.
Years later, it was revealed that Myrmeen Lhal had faked her death to combat the beholder impersonating Bhaliir. Although the beholder was ultimately vanquished, Lord Bhaliir had passed away years earlier, never witnessing the justice served against his captor.
Lord Foril Bhaliir[]
Lord Foril Bhaliir and his retinue, infront of the Bhaliir Estate, Old Town
In a land fraught with turmoil and unrest, Foril Bhaliir emerged as a beacon of strength, the son of Silbrien Bhaliir and the Lord Paramount who would restore his family's honor and return prosperity to the once-great city of Arabel.
A decade after the downfall of Arabel's most infamous family, a stranger arrived from a distant land, claiming to be Lheskar's heir and the rightful Lord Paramount of House Bhaliir. His first act was to slaughter the remnants of the beholder hive that he believed had sullied his family's noble reputation. In the months that followed, he vanquished the numerous enemies that challenged his dominion in Arabel with one hand, while forging alliances with the Forces of the Crown and the noble households of Cormyr with the other.
Proclaiming himself the protectorate of Old Town, he obliterated the notorious monsters of the Chaos Brigade with the assistance of his allies, the Gilded Gents. He then eliminated the "White Worm" cult that preyed upon the downtrodden people of Arabel. Throughout it all, he maintained a steady supply flow to aid the war effort against the Shadovar, personally ensuring his caravans overcame every obstacle they encountered on their way through the treacherous Stormhorn mountains.
Various threats to his rule arose: the Chosen of Malar defied Bhaliir's power and were hunted down as prey. A Bhaliir retainer named Ledoux ascended to the city's leadership, only to be replaced by the lord and cast out herself. The resurfacing of another disgraced noble line, House Manzahar, would torment the Storm Dragon for months. Yet in the end, at the height of his power, even Manzahar's dreams were crushed, and his creations were destroyed. With these victories came the responsibility of becoming the oversword of the Northern Battalion and the Lord of Arabel.
Having conquered these challenges and restored prosperity to the jewel of the North, it seemed as though nothing could stand in the way of Lord Foril Bhaliir. Under his rule, House Bhaliir once again ascended to the pinnacle of the Northern aristocracy, with an unshakable resolve and an iron grip on power.
Appendix[]
http://coa.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline - The Early Timeline of Arabel.Courtesy of Lizardman
The Old Houses of Arabel - An IC book in the library detailing the four major houses of Arabel. Courtesy of Puffy