Ambassador Connerad Brawnanvil

Lawful good male shield dwarf fighter

Ideals: Honor, respect (“A sturdy axe, a strong hand to hold it, and a straight fight are all we dwarves need to end this little problem.”)

Personality Traits: Hot tempered, suspicious

Pledged Resources: Dwarf soldiers and dwarf-forged armaments and siege weapons

Son of Banak Brawnanvil and a former king of Mithral Hall, Connerad has made the long journey from Mithral Hall to act as the Lords’ Alliance delegate for the dwarves of the North, including Citadel Adbar and Citadel Felbarr.

Even though Connerad hates dragons, devils, and cultists alike, he is as stubborn as a mule about committing troops anywhere but his homeland. The dwarven kingdoms in the North have lost many people in recent years, and the dwarves that remain are struggling to retain ancient lands only recently reclaimed. He knows the adventurers only by reputation, and desires tangible proof that they have the mettle and wits to lead soldiers and dwarves before he’ll make a serious commitment.

Handler: Frostar

Delaan Winterhound

Neutral good male half-elf ranger

Ideals: Balance, life (“In all good hearts is a spot of darkness, and in all tragedy is a glimmer of light.”)

Interaction Traits: Quiet

Pledged Resources: Druids, treants, and good- and neutral-aligned lycanthropes

Delaan has come to the Council of Waterdeep as the lone representative of the Emerald Enclave. Even his regular companion, a winter wolf named Loska, remains on patrol outside the city. Delaan spends much of his time wandering the northern wilderness, and although he visits friends in Nesmé once a year, he otherwise shies away from large settlements. He is clearly uncomfortable in Waterdeep.

There is no question that Tiamat must be stopped, but the Emerald Enclave wants to see the world restored to order. This sometimes means taking a middle ground in battles between good and evil. Delaan is acutely aware of the destruction accompanying the recent activities of the Cult of the Dragon. He knows the cult must be destroyed for upsetting the balance of nature, and he knows that many dragons supporting the cult will die before the end. He would rather not kill unnecessarily, however.

Delaan is initially reserved in his support of the party. To earn his respect, the characters must recognize that their battle is not just to save civilization but to preserve the natural order. He thus objects to many actions that good or neutral characters might not think twice about— including destroying chromatic dragon eggs and other acts that disrupt the natural cycle.

Delaan’s oldest friend and mentor is a mighty treant named Turlang who resides in the High Forest. With Delaan’s support, many treants will join the fight against Tiamat.

Handler: Lebor

King Melandrach

Neutral male wild elf fighter/druid

Ideals: Balance, nation (“We elves were once the greatest civilization to grace Faerûn, and my people are heir to that history. I will not squander our waning strength.”)

Interaction Traits: Quiet, arrogant

Pledged Resources: Elven eldritch knights

The King of the Misty Forest is the Lords' Alliance delegate for the elves of both the Misty Forest and the High Forest. Whereas his sons Alagarthas and Neronvain always rushed headlong into their own pursuits, Melandrach is more circumspect. He has led the elves of the Misty Forest since before most of their kind abandoned their lands in the Retreat. Despite the years of discussion and meditation that preceded it, Melandrach considered the Retreat a rash decision, and he is understandably hesitant to commit to any sudden course of action.

During meetings of the council, Melandrach consistently argues for caution and more information, and nothing the adventurers say seems to make any difference. That changes when it is revealed that his lost son Neronvain has become the cult’s Green Wyrmspeaker.

Handler: Lebor

Lady Laeral Silverhand

Chaotic good female human wizard

Ideals: Creativity, respect (“We cannot stop what we do not understand.”)

Interaction Traits: Quiet, curious

Pledged Resources: Waterdeep’s army and conscript troops

Lady Laeral is present starting with the second council, at which point she becomes the Open Lord of Waterdeep. She is one of the Seven Sisters—legendary, nigh-immortal figures known to have been blessed by Mystra. (Some even say they are the goddess’s daughters.) Her spellcasting ability is impressive but is beginning to wane, and she focuses more on political power than on the arcane these days. The Masked Lords of Waterdeep choose her as the successor to Dagult Neverember between the first and second sessions of the Council of Waterdeep, making her the leader of the Lords’ Alliance.

Laeral Silverhand brings centuries of leadership experience and an impressive reputation to the negotiations. A consummate diplomat, she can wield words that wound or soothe with equal ease. As the Open Lord of Waterdeep, she holds great sway with all the delegates except Dagult Neverember, who believes that she engineered his removal from the position of Open Lord.

Laeral’s primary concern is keeping all parties at the negotiating table, and making sure that concrete actions result from each council’s discussions. However, she is leery of committing troops to battle. No stranger to the horrors of war, she is keenly aware that the lands represented by the Lords’ Alliance need their soldiers for the protection of their own people. Only when convinced that the Cult of the Dragon is likely to succeed in summoning Tiamat does she change her mind. However, she doesn’t trust the adventurers with leadership unless their deeds in the field and at the negotiating table have impressed her.

Handler: Kaiti

Lord Dagult Neverember

Lawful neutral male human fighter

Ideals: Moderation, responsibility (“The commoners need strong leaders to protect them—and to do what must be done even when it is distasteful.”)

Interaction Traits: Honest

Pledged Resources: Neverwinter conscript troops, and mercenaries from around the world

Lord Neverember holds many titles and wears several crowns. During the first council, he is the Open Lord of Waterdeep, the Lord Protector of Neverwinter, and leader of the Lords’ Alliance. He looks the part of such an impressively titled figure: tall and broad-shouldered, with a thick beard, a wild mane of hair, and a forceful manner. Rarely seen without his hand around a glass of strong spirits, he is a master manipulator and looks and behaves as a king should.

Strong and decisive, Dagult acts always for the good of his subjects and realm—and in doing so, has consistently built up his own power and wealth. Unfortunately for him, the Masked Lords of Waterdeep have recently chosen to replace him as Open Lord. Laeral Silverhand, his successor, claims her title in the second council meeting.

Dagult demands order and rewards discipline, but he is pragmatic and driven by results above all else. He knows that nothing comes without effort, and sacrifices must be made when necessary. Tireless in his actions, he never stops until he has achieved his goals. He will use any means at his disposal, as long as those means are legally justifiable—even when such justification must be “rediscovered” from long-forgotten or ignored laws.

In the first council meeting, Lord Dagult’s resources have been spread thin between the massive investments he’s made in rebuilding Neverwinter and in maintaining dominance in Waterdeep. He strongly supports the members of the Lords’ Alliance pooling resources, because he worries that neither of his investments can survive the coming catastrophe without assistance. This changes by the second council. Though losing Waterdeep allows him to consolidate his strength, Dagult resents Laeral for taking his position. He avoids letting his feelings cloud his judgment, however, intent on showing that he is a more fitting leader by backing the adventurers and taking a firm leadership role in the council.

Handler: Ranov

Marshall Ulder Ravengard

Lawful neutral male human fighter

Ideals: Responsibility, glory (“I am trusted with protecting thousands of lives, and I will not betray that trust no matter what my personal desires.”)

Interaction Traits: Honest

Pledged Resources: Flaming Fist warriors and expert advisers to train conscript troops

Ulder Ravengard is the leader of the Flaming Fist—the military might of Baldur’s Gate. He has the greatest martial acumen of anyone at the council (and probably in the whole Lords’ Alliance). He can also muster more soldiers than any other delegate, and he is not bashful about saying so. His place is at the head of the war council and the front of the battle—but he will take that place only if the party proves worthy of his trust.

Ravengard is a stern warrior dedicated to discipline and results. Having risen through the ranks of the Flaming Fist by the might of his blade and the sharpness of his wits, he sometimes lacks sophistication and tact, but he possesses an unwavering commitment to the law. More comfortable working with soldiers than adventurers, Ravengard is used to giving orders and having them obeyed without question.

Though Baldur’s Gate is still recovering from the havoc caused by the resurrection within the city of Bhaal, god of murder, the metropolis remains one of Faerûn’s most populous, wealthy, and powerful cities. Ravengard recognizes his duty to protect the city above all else, and the Flaming Fist’s tired reserves are desperately needed for reconstruction and policing. However, he would love to see the Flaming Fist take a leading role in the fight against the Cult of the Dragon, if only to give the defenders of Baldur’s Gate a stature befitting the greatest city in Faerûn. This opportunity for glory makes Ravengard receptive to the adventurers’ overtures, as long as their plans and decisions promise stability and discipline.

Handler: Khun

Remallia Haventree

Chaotic good female moon elf fighter

Ideals: Freedom, respect (“Our failure would spell an end to all beautiful and honest things.”)

Interaction Traits: Honest, friendly

Pledged Resources: Harper mages and scouts

The elf noble Remallia—“Remi” to her friends—is the Harper’s leading delegate to the Council of Waterdeep. She is quiet, speaking only after others have had their turn, and is content to let events unfold until she feels a need to offer intervention and guidance. This embodies her attitude about combating the cult as well.

Remi is convinced that the rumors of Tiamat’s return are true, and she is frustrated by the unwillingness of the other Harpers to commit to fighting the Cult of the Dragon. She understands their hesitation, however. The Harpers’ have only recently been reformed, and the cause of their near-destruction was the decision to act more openly and aggressively.

The Harpers measure success in the value and quantity of intelligence gained by a course of action, as well as how that knowledge can be used to leverage an enemy into submission. Remallia wants the party to succeed using such tactics, knowing that this will sway the conservatives in her faction.

The Harpers are willing to cooperate with unsavory types and leverage evil assets, but not if doing so endangers others unnecessarily. They can respect the deftness and skill needed to make such an arrangement, even if they do not like the arrangement itself. The Harpers are always dissatisfied if the characters kill important cultists rather than capturing them—or at least trying to extract information from them beforehand.

Handler: Nealson

Rian Nightshade
Lawful evil female tiefling warlock

Ideals: Logic, greed (“I’m certain we can come to an agreement that all parties will favor. But if not, we have other means of settling the issue.”)

Interaction Traits: Polite, mercantile, ruthless

Pledged Resources: Assassins and mercenaries

Rian is a member of the Zhentarim and the Black Network’s envoy during the third Council of Waterdeep. She is seated at the table as a special adviser to Lord Neverember, and her affiliation with the Zhentarim will not be mentioned. However, neither she nor Lord Neverember try to deny or conceal that affiliation if the characters question why Rian is present.

The Black Network backs any plans that increase the likelihood of defeating the cult. Any and all alliances are fine, as are any outcomes that add to the council’s strategic resources. Rian doesn’t have any particular interest in morality, and dark acts have no impact on her attitude toward the party. She disapproves of taking any wyrmspeakers alive, though, fearing the power of such dangerous figures and questioning the chance of success for attempts to turn or interrogate them. She favors discreet execution, interrogation of the corpse with appropriate rituals, and destruction of the body to prevent resurrection.

The Black Network remains uncommitted until the final council when pledges are made. If the party has earned the Zhentarim’s respect, they provide their services at only a nominal cost. However, such action almost certainly alienates most of the other factions from the adventurers. Unlike the other factions, the Zhentarim’s loyalty can be purchased regardless of their respect for the characters, if the party can negotiate terms to be paid by the other factions.

Handler: Kaiti

Sir Isteval

Lawful good male human paladin

Ideals: Tradition, honor (“Against Tiamat, we either stand together or fall alone. Who will stand with Cormyr?”)

Interaction Traits: Honorable, wise, dour

Pledged Resources: The might of Cormyr, including Purple Dragon Knights and War Wizards

Sir Isteval is a former adventurer and Purple Dragon Knight of Cormyr. Though not an actual member of the Lords’ Alliance, he is present at the Council of Waterdeep as the alliance’s nominal representative for Daggerford. That small settlement can contribute little to the effort to defeat the Cult of the Dragon, however, and in truth, Isteval has been drafted by Cormyr to gain insight into what looks to be a war brewing on its western border.

Isteval has too much respect for the other delegates to hide this information from them, and he assures those present that his loyalties—to Daggerford, to Cormyr, to the Lords’ Alliance, and to all good folk—are not at cross-purposes. This forthright approach nevertheless causes an uproar among other delegates, and the adventurers must take a hand in insuring that Isteval is not expelled from the council meetings.

A veteran dragon slayer, Isteval bears a wound in his leg that resists magical healing, and he walks with a cane made from a bone of the green dragon that dealt him the injury. The paladin can be a helpful source of dragon lore, but his advice is always guarded. He sees his infirmity as a reminder from his god Lathander of the dangers of hubris. As befits his deity’s ethos, Isteval has chosen to treat his injury as a reason to encourage the heroics of others even as his own legend fades. Still, at times like these when the world needs heroes, he doesn’t like being reminded that he must watch the fight from the sidelines.

Isteval believes in heroes as the spark that can ignite the flames of righteousness in others and the light that chases away the darkness of evil. Seeing this spark in the adventurers makes the paladin one of the party’s strongest advocates at the Council of Waterdeep, as long as they pursue a principled path.

Sir Isteval has much in common with Ontharr Frume of the Order of the Gauntlet. The two are potential allies in all things, which worries some of the other Lords’ Alliance members.

Handler: Khun

Taern "Thunderspells" Hornblade

Lawful good male human wizard

Ideals: Logic, greater good (“Calculated risks are necessary to win this war, and no one is likely to emerge unscathed.”)

Interaction Traits: Ponderous, curious

Pledged Resources: The army of Silverymoon (the Knights in Silver) and Silverymoon conscript troops

Taern Hornblade has lived an unnaturally long life by consuming potions of longevity. The wizard led Silverymoon for many years as high mage, but eventually ceded control to Methrammar, leader of the city’s army and son of its most famous ruler, Alustriel. Though Methrammar remains leader of Silverymoon and a member of the Lords’ Alliance, he is too forthright and earnest to succeed as a diplomat. As such, Taern was sent to the Council of Waterdeep in his stead.

Silverymoon has a large army and many wizards who would greatly assist in the coming battle, but Taern has not lived this long by being rash. He is one of the most cautious delegates, knowing that Silverymoon’s great wards of protection have stood against dragons before. Fearing that committing soldiers to the effort against the Cult of the Dragon might leave the city weakened, Taern needs to know that the party will protect any troops he lends to the coalition. As such, he seeks to gather as much information as possible about the adventurers and other potential allies.

Handler: Kaiti