Khelben Arunsun

Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun (pronounced: /ˈkɛlbɛn ˈɛərʌnsʌn/ KEL-ben AIR-un-sun^[9]) was the Lord Mage of Waterdeep, a masked Lord of Waterdeep, and powerful archmage.^[12] He resided in Blackstaff Tower until his death.^[13]

One of the few spellcasters to become one of Mystra's Chosen,^[14][15] and the last survivor of House Maerdrym,^[16] Khelben was a serious, imposing wizard and a grim proponent of law and order whose methods of achieving the ultimate good were often highly questionable in the eyes of the righteous.^{[citation needed]}

Description[]

Khelben stood just over 6 feet (1.83 meters) tall and was well-muscled. He usually dressed in robes, wielding his trademark Blackstaff. As of 1374 DR, he had a full beard, black hair with silver streaks, including a prominent one through his beard, and a distinguished, imposing manner.^[17] He often dressed in black with a silver torque and a cape lined in gray fur.^[18]

Personality[]

Often thought to be humorless and grave, Khelben was actually neither. He simply found it easier to deal with people if they were intimidated by or even frightened of him. He had numerous apprentices over the years and liked to encourage young people who displayed an aptitude for magic. Wielding the Art could be a gravely dangerous business, however, and Khelben tried to instill an appreciation of that fact in his pupils by keeping up his "stern taskmaster" façade.^[19]

In private, however, he was quiet and keenly intelligent. With his lady love, Laeral Silverhand, he was gentle and loving. The few apprentices who, whether purposely or by luck, chanced a glimpse of his private side—like his roaring laugh, for example—were all thoroughly unnerved by the experience.^[20] He did not like displays of affection with his wife in front of others.^[21]

The only side of Khelben that most saw was that of the gravely wise tutor or stern archmage with much more important things to think about and do than deal with these younglings. If news of a threat to Waterdeep, the North, or the Realms in general, was brought to him, Khelben would go into action, planning countermeasures, seeking the aid of allies, and asking the informer to continue in search of more information. Those who knew Khelben well sometimes referred to him as a spider in the center of a massive web of information, schemes, plans, and counter-plans. While his web was centered on the City of Splendors, Khelben placed tendrils across the North and beyond. Just as he was noted as a collector of magic and magical items, Khelben was also a hoarder of information. He was a firm believer in the credo, "A secret isn't a secret if you tell anyone." He commonly manipulated people and events with this exclusive store of knowledge; to this end, he'd never volunteer information that wasn't specifically requested of him.^[22]

Khelben was a reasonably good artist and hung many of his works around Blackstaff Tower.^[23]

Abilities[]

As an archmage, Khelben had little cause to enter melee. He used his magical items, a formidable array of spells, and his Chosen powers (especially his silver fire), in that order, to deal with his foes.^[19]

When injured, Khelben's wounds would close by themselves, thanks to the silver fire, with flickers of silver flame burning at their edges.^[24]

Khelben's silver fire protected him from harm from sources of electricity, magical or otherwise.^[25]

Through his status as a Chosen, Khelben was capable of casting a variation of the Chain Lightning spell capable of targeting scores of enemies.^[25]

Activities[]

Vajra Valmeyjar remarked that Khelben enjoyed "slumming" with the common folk and making wagers with them. In fact, he was often to be found in the Selûne's Smile tavern in 1357 DR, getting involved in affairs there, sometimes with his face concealed by a hood.^[26]

Khelben sometimes took on an alias and had friends/allies/apprentices take on his guise to cover for him while he was absent. This led to several inaccurate historical statements on his whereabouts at particular times, and many actions attributed to others could, in fact, be attributed to Khelben.^{[citation needed]}

History[]

Youth[]

Khelben was born to Arun Maerdrym, the first half-elf born to a noble elven family of the ancient city of Myth Drannor, and the human ranger Arielimnda. Khelben's father followed an ancient elven custom and did not give him a name upon his birth. He remained unnamed even at the age of 12 when he started to learn the ways of magic, joining the Incanistaeum as a pupil of Mentor Wintercloak. He'd collected a number of nicknames though. Among some commoner elves he was known as "Biir". Some elven nobles named him "Zenar," while his elven friends simply called him "Bhin." Upon leaving Myth Drannor in 449 DR, he took the only name he was proud of: Arun's Son (Arunsun). His nameless origin followed him as he came to be known as "The Nameless Chosen".^[27]

However, between 421 DR and his first death in 464 DR, Khelben only saw his father nine times.^[28]

Khelben was the last survivor of House Maerdrym.^[16]

Rise to Power and First Death[]

Khelben made a name for himself to prove himself worthy in the disapproving eyes of his elven peers, battling phaerimm along the way.^{[citation needed]}

In 464 DR, in the Sword of Anauroch, Khelben came across his father, who had been escorting Evereskan elves, his then-wife and children westwards, in combat with the phaerimm.^[29][15] After both Khelben and Arun ran low on spells, and inside a protective sphere, Arun struck the Duskstaff of Sarael using his Lupinaxe, killing them both and transforming the surrounding desert into a crater of glass.^[14]

Khelben was resurrected by Mystra to become the Chosen of Mystra.^[14][15]

In the 9^th century, Khelben posed as a cloistered monk in Candlekeep, though when he learned of the establishment of the realm of Stornanter, he left Candlekeep to take up the guise of "Malek Aldhanek" and became court wizard of that realm. In his place, he left a student of his, Tsalem of Threehills Dell to take his place in the library fortress. Hidden in Alaundo's prophecies, a dire threat was discovered and Khelben faked Malek's death to begin preparations against it.

After a beloved wife's death sometime in the 10th century DR, Khelben did not wish to publicly mourn her loss and so spent thirty years clearing away the sunken wrecks of spelljammers in the Trackless Sea and Sea of Fallen Stars.^[30]

In 1150 DR, Khelben arrived in Waterdeep and built Arunsun Tower, later known as Blackstaff Tower.^[31] The tower was attacked by malaugrym in 1179 DR, but they were turned back by Khelben, Elminster, and others.^[32]

Blackstaff[]

In 1311 DR, Khelben secretly returned to Waterdeep after the death of his son, Zelphar Arunsun.^[33] In 1321 DR,^[34] his grandson, Khelben the Younger, left Abeir-Toril to go planewalking and exploring, ending up on what Elminster suspected to be the world of Oerth. Khelben the Elder took over his grandson's identity for both their sakes. His origins could be a weakness, so nobody, not even most of his family save for a few of his closest allies, knew his origins and true age. To the public, Khelben was the son of Zelphar and Lhestyn, when in reality Zelphar was Khelben's son.^[35]

In 1356 DR, Khelben assisted Drizzt Do'Urden and Wulfgar in boarding the Sea Sprite, captained by Deudermont. He claimed to be a simple forester, although Drizzt suspected that he was at least a peer of Malchor Harpell.^[36]

In 1357 DR, Khelben released Laeral Silverhand from the grip of the Crown of Horns and brought her back to Blackstaff Tower to recuperate. She would end up staying as the two fell in love, becoming the Lord and Lady Mage of Waterdeep. They began accepting and training apprentices at the Tower, thus founding Blackstaff Academy.^[37]

One day in the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, the skies over the city darkened and an interdimensional wormhole (from the Great Door) disgorged a swarm of gargoyles and kenkus over the city. Khelben and a City Guard troop arrived to hold them off.^[38]

During the Time of Troubles of 1358 DR, a purported avatar of Selûne arrived in Waterdeep. Khelben and Piergeiron covertly watched her arrival at the House of the Moon, while discussing the need for caution.^[39] The avatar was later invited to a party at Castle Waterdeep, which was attended by Khelben and Piergeiron. Piergeiron introduced Kyriani to Khelben, and they shared what they knew about the avatar, Luna's fate, and the Time of Troubles. Khelben told Kyriani about Ao, the Tablets of Fate, and the fall of the gods. However, the Dark Army of the Night crashed the party, seeking to kidnap the avatar. Khelben tried to counter their darkness with a light spell but it went awry, blinding everyone. Afterward, Kyriani confronted the avatar, but they fought a spell-battle, only stopped by Piergeiron. He had the City Guard apprehend Kyriani, but Khelben took charge and let her escape the castle via a passwall spell.^[40]

Afterward, Khelben briefly left Waterdeep to consult with Elminster. He returned to find Lord Piergeiron had unwisely made a deal with lawyers to handle the city's civic disputes. Being no fan of lawyers and not understanding why sane society would have them, Khelben hatched a plan to evict them from the city, working with Kyriani and using Onyx the Invincible as an unwitting patsy. In disguise, Kyriani tricked Onyx into signing a marriage contract, with Khelben waiting to use him in a test case, but not before blasting the lawyers with a cone of cold and teleporting away to Castle Waterdeep. In the Lord's Court, the lawyers got Lord Piergeiron to rule the contract valid and the marriage official, and Khelben confronted Piergeiron over the arrangement. Afterward, Khelben took the lead lawyer to meet Onyx and his alleged wife on their court-appointed wedding night, claiming Onyx had to fulfill a dwarf marriage custom, the "Bedchamber Trek", or else the marriage would be invalid. The lawyer had to escort Onyx to the bed to enforce the ruling. However, Khelben created illusions of caverns and fiery pits, filled with trolls, giant spiders, and strange bird-like monsters to harass Onyx and the lawyer. The terrified lawyer fled in horror, abandoning Onyx and thus reneging on the lawyers' contract with the city, rendering it void as the Blackstaff had planned. He thanked Onyx and Kyriani for their services, and left them to their wedding night.^[41]

On the hottest day of summer of 1358 DR, Khelben was frequenting the Selûne's Smile. He bet 50 gold pieces on Timoth Eyesbright as he arm-wrestled Vajra Valmeyjar. He may have had an ulterior motive: in the skies above, the constellations of the Woman Warrior and the Centaur were in alignment, giving power to their contest. This power merged with sweltering magic to open a door to an extra-dimensional prison, releasing Aviss and Fellandar to wreak a path of destruction in the city. Explaining the truth, Khelben urged Vajra and Timoth to continue arm-wrestling to hold the door open, and gave Kyriani and Onyx the Invincible a ring of spell storing to help battle the villains. At last, Khelben hurled Aviss and Fellandar back into their prison with a telekinesis spell. Though Vajra and Timoth broke off, leaving the winner unknown, Khelben insisted he should get his winnings and Onyx struggled to pay back his bets as an argument raged.^[26]

Retirement as Masked Lord and the Moonstars[]

In 1367 DR,^[42] Khelben retired from his role as a Masked Lord of Waterdeep (only to quickly - and secretly, rejoin their ranks). During this time Khelben spent his time organizing (some would say manipulating) events in Faerûn and with the aid of his Moonstars, along with his beloved partner, Laeral Silverhand.^{[citation needed]}

In 1370 DR, Khelben split off from the Harpers and formed his own splinter group, known as the Tel'Teukiira or Moonstars. He was expelled in 1370 DR from the Harpers after making a deal with Fzoul Chembryl, cleric of Bane and leader of the sinister Zhentarim, in 1369 DR.^[43] With his departure, he brought others with him into the Moonstars in order to better suit his needs.^{[citation needed]}

Return of the Archwizards[]

On Nightal 24 in the Year of the Unstrung Harp, 1371 DR, Khelben received a dire omen when his dear ally Lord Gervas Imesfor of Evereska appeared before Blackstaff Tower in the throes of battle with a mind flayer.^[44] He quickly learned of the grave threat the recently-released phaerimm posed to the city,^[45] and mobilized a volunteer force to keep them at bay. He led skirmishes at the High Moor^[46] and again at Rocnest,^[47] helping give the elven high mages time to create a portal that would bypass the Deadwall surrounding the city.^[48]

As the conflict between the phaerimm, the folk of the Heartlands and the citizens of returned Thultanthar escalated, Khelben reunited with Laeral as the Lords' Alliance army arrived in defense of Evereska. The situation for the allied people of the Realm worsened as tensions between their leaders and the Princes of Shade rose, until it became evident the Shar-worshiping arcanists had to be stopped. Khelben joined four of Mystra's daughters, others of her Chosen, in a daring plan to infiltrate the flying city of Thultanthar and halt the princes' plan to reshape Faerûn in their own image. Khelben and his fellow Chosen successfully prevented them from wielding the powerful Karsestone artifact, then returned to Evereska to help repair the city's mythal and turn away the phaerimm for good.^[48]

Sometime before the Year of Lightning Storms, 1374 DR, Khelben Arunsun led the High Harper Council and its allies in opposing Ketheric Thorm, a warlord who abandoned the Selunite faith and led an army of Dark Justiciars in the name of the Moonmaiden's sister, Shar. Khelben's Harpers set out to defend the oppressed people of Reithwin. The allied forces met a defeat, and Khelben sent a surrender letter to the warlord. It was met with a refusal and slaughter. It was unknown whether Khelben survived the battle or whether his commanding was done safely from afar.^[49]

Second "Death"[]

On the Feast of the Moon, 1374 DR,^[5] Khelben Arunsun brought together many powerful mages in order to cleanse part of the High Moor and restore Faer'tel'miir, a lost city of Miyeritar. In order to make the magic permanent, Khelben ultimately gave his own life, together with the Grand Mage Ualair the Silent. The restored city came to be known as Rhymanthiin, the Hidden City of Hope.^[50]

Khelben's greatest legacy may yet live on in the twins that Laeral carried.^[51]

After his second death, Khelben's spirit coalesced in Blackstaff Tower to guide and advise future Blackstaffs. Rumors were that he might return as he did after his first 'death' as he was one of Mystra's Chosen.^[52]

Relationships[]

Arun Maerdrym[]

Khelben had little contact with his half-elven father after the age of seven years, estimating that he had seen him only nine more times before his death, with fewer words to speak to each other had each meeting.^[28]

Descendants[]

• Krehlan Arunsun: son with Laeral
• Kamaulra: daughter with Laeral
• Syndra Wands: granddaughter (a daughter of his daughter)^[53]
• Zelphar Arunsun: son^[54]
• Gamalon Idogyr: great-grandson^[16] -
• Cassandra Thann: granddaughter through Zelphar^{[citation needed]}
• Danilo Thann: great-grandson^{[citation needed]}

Laeral Silverhand[]

"Khelben's lady" was Laeral Silverhand of the Seven Sisters, whom he rescued in 1357 DR from the grip of the Crown of Horns and the part-dead god Myrkul and spent three years nursing back to sanity in Blackstaff Tower.^[55] They had a permanent link that they used to communicate with one another remotely.^[17] In later years, the two were often apart, with Laeral spending a great deal of time away adventuring while Khelben remained in Waterdeep mired in politics and diplomacy.^[56] In 1361 DR, Danilo Thann moved the elfgate portal to Evermeet to Laeral's quarters in Blackstaff Tower with the hope that the two would be able to spend more time together.^[57]

Filfaeril Obarskyr[]

Queen Filfaeril Obarskyr of Cormyr had a personal advisory relationship with Khelben Arunsun. She often sought his council on matters of the spellcasters of the north, in secrecy from any scrying wizard that might be spying on her, including Vangerdahast Aeiulvana, the Royal Wizard. She communicated with Blackstaff via a cracked overgrown enchanted lion statue in the Royal Gardens.^[58]

Harpers[]

Khelben spent time in the service of the Harpers, but considers that he was unfairly treated by the Twilight Trio and left the organization to form his own, called the Moonstars, with similiar goals. In addition, he was able to keep the Moonstars under tighter control than was possible with the Harpers.^[59]

Danilo Thann[]

Khelben's nephew Danilo Thann, son of his "sister" Cassandra Thann, was one of his most promising apprentices — Khelben even considered him his "probable successor" for a time.^[60]. Khelben began working with Danilo at age 12, teaching him in the ways of wizardly and presumably introducing him to the Harpers.^[61] The two were quite fond of each other, although they would never admit it and they often disagreed about means and ends.^[62] Danilo often called Khelben "Uncle Khel."^[63]

Apprentices[]

The Blackstaff had numerous apprentices over his longline. Notable among them was Amanthan of Arabel, a mage whose skill reached the ear of Queen Filfaeril Obarskyr. Khelben informed the queen that Amanthan was a good man and was not going to cause trouble; in fact, his only goal in life was styling and creating magics in his tower.^[58] Another of his student was Ransford, an excitable young man that was a bit over-eager in his duties and manage to regularly draw Khelben's ire.^[44] Another apprentice of Khelben's was the man whom the Blackstaff once spent months training to create cloaks of protection versus evil in order to outfit the watch of Waterdeep. The cloaks proved to be so popular that the apprentice left Khelben to open his own shop, selling such magic cloaks of various designs and power levels.^[64]

Appendix[]

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Notes[]

1. ↑ The Forgotten Realms Campaign Set gives his level as "26+".
2. ↑ The original 3rd-edition stats include four of the superseded "Epic" levels. Later sources added these to the Wizard levels.

Trivia[]

• Khelben served steaming cups of roasted chicory at Blackstaff Tower.^[65]
• Khelben appeared in the 1990 SSI/Westwood computer game Eye of the Beholder 2: Legend of the Darkmoon, as the one who gives the player the mission to investigate the Temple of Darkmoon.
• Khelben appears in the Descent to Undermountain video game. He was voiced by Jim Cummings.
  • A number of unused voice lines in the game have Khelben make references to Earth technology.
• Khelben also shows up in the Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone video game, where he sealed away Ygorl and Cireka in a demon stone to stop them from destroying the realms. He was voiced by Patrick Stewart.
• Blackstaff is mentioned in Neverwinter Nights as the mage who discovered the four reagents needed to cure the plague (these four were a dryad, a yuan-ti, an intellect devourer, and a cockatrice).
• Khelben is mentioned in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn as having once met with Gorion, to whom he spoke like an equal.

Appearances[]

Gallery[]

Further Reading[]

• Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
• Ed Greenwood (September 1993). The Code of the Harpers. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 1-56076-644-1.
• Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
• Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
• Steven E. Schend (July 2006). Blackstaff. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0786940165.
• Steven E. Schend (September 2008). Blackstaff Tower. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-4913-9.
• Troy Denning (July 2003). Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-3111-6.

References[]