I'm fairly new to the realms but I had an idea for a character for a 4e campaign taking place along the Sword Coast. He is going to be a former member of the Arcane Brotherhood and rival of Arklem, who is trying to re-establish there rule over Luskan and the Northern Sword Coast.
Anyway I was wondering where would be a good place to find information on Luskan and the Arcane Brotherhood. I know they are prominant in the Pirate King, but I don't know of other novels or resources that deal with them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Go to here, and download the Savage Frontier and The North, they both have some info on Luskan and the Arcane Brotherhood. Its 2e stuff so alot of it is probably out dated but it does have some intersting stuff in there. Im sure Volos guide to the North has some stuff in it too. Im not sure of any 4e information other than whats in the 4e Campaign Guide, hopefully theyll put out some articles or something giving us more details on the activity of the Arcane Brotherhood in 4e Realms.
Aren't they all liches now?
The leader was already a lich in 3rd edition times, but i reckon his lackeys would be by now to survive, or theyre at least tormented ghosts post spellplague and lusken going to hell in a hand basket.
For 2e, Cloak and Dagger was pretty much the definitive reference to them, though Volo's Guide to the North also featured a bit of info on them, despite most of it being irrelevant by the time 3e hit due to changes in the political winds of Luskan.
For 3e, Lords of Darkness and Silver Marches were the two only real sources on them, though they might have been given mentions in a few other books, they were rarely much more than references rather than actual lore. I'd say that Silver Marches was the better of the two sources myself, though Lords of Darkness wasn't bad.
I think the Volo's Guide might be available as a free download from WotC (Cloak and Dagger too, maybe), though I've no idea if those are still available or not, the rest you're gonna have to track down to buy or borrow I'm afraid. Good luck with it.
Oh, and lets not forget the ever invaluable 3e FRCG. 
but Volo's Guides had a lot of fun info found nowhere else
Yeah. But I always thought that Volo was a dork. Maybe it was just his name. 
No he is, but he writes a decent guidebook
True, I guess. I did little more than glance through any of them though.
Volos Guides are the Best! Theres at least 2 of them in the link I posted earlier.
I wanted to read Volo's Guide to Nymphs......
I wanted to read Volo's Guide to Nymphs......
Theres a few on the subject such as Nymphology and the Book of Erotic Fantasy, but of course theyre not done Volo unfortunatly
They haven't done Volo or the book wasn't done by Volo? Make some sense.
Disturbing...
They haven't doneVolo or the book wasn't done byVolo? Make some sense.
Sorry, Ill try to clarify, IM sure theyve done Volo, But Volo didnt write those books, theyre not even WotC products. The Nymphology one is by Mongoose I think, Im not sure at the Book of Erotic Fantasy.
Im still mad they never did a Volos guide to the Moonsea.
Disturbing...
Indeed!
Volo's Guide to the Moonsea was blocked by those damned Zhents (think it was them anyway) unfortunately. Though I do believe that temple in Highmoon has copies of most of his suppressed works.
Alright. We just lost a few posts here and I haven't recieved an email saying I am responible. WTF?
Volo's Guide to the Moonsea was blocked by those damned Zhents (think it was them anyway) unfortunately. Though I do believe that temple in Highmoon has copies of most of his suppressed works.
Those damn dirty Zhents! I guess Im off to Highmoon then.
Alright. We just lost a few posts here and I haven't recieved an email saying I am responible. WTF?
I didnt even notice. Are you sure youre just not losing it?
You don't get to go to Highmoon until you're done with all of Netheril, including the entirety of the Church of Shar. Now hop to it soldier!
You don't get to go to Highmoon until you're done with all of Netheril, including the entirety of the Church of Shar. Now hop to it soldier!
Oh well that just great! Now its the whole church of Shar as well!? How do I get myself into these situations? And not even a Volos guide to Netheril and the Church of Shar to help me out!
You've really got to read the fine print on the agreement for those minions... not that I'm complaining, particularly about the "Your Soul is Mine!" clause on the contingency against defaults...
My soul!? I am probably going to need that.
Then don't default and take out those Sharrans... hop to it bucko! 
Those damn dirty Zhents! I guess Im off to Highmoon then.
Pardon? Those Zhents serve as your cannon fodder against Netheril. Though if you're too good for them, I suppose I'll just withdraw my aid. Have fun besieging the city of Shade with the hippies, smilies, and bimbos.
different zhents he meant.... the zhents in question were banites and cyricians of old......
field reports in: 5 caravans raied, guards and merchants put to the sword.
500 gp worth of food , 2000 gp worth of gear confiscated
btw today is my birthday....
different zhents he meant.... the zhents in question were banites and cyricians of old......
Oh, I know he meant different individuals. However, you insult one Zhentarim grunt, you insult them all. Unless, of course, you yourself are a Zhentarim grunt.
And Happy Birthday. I think watching Shade plummet to its final destruction would be a pleasant gift, wouldn't it?
Those damn dirty Zhents! I guess Im off to Highmoon then.
Pardon? Those Zhents serve as your cannon fodder against Netheril. Though if you're too good for them, I suppose I'll just withdraw my aid. Have fun besieging the city of Shade with the hippies, smilies, and bimbos.
Present company excluded of course, but if i find out you had a hand in suppressing the publication of Volos guide to the Moonsea...
Those damn dirty Zhents! I guess Im off to Highmoon then.
Pardon? Those Zhents serve as your cannon fodder against Netheril. Though if you're too good for them, I suppose I'll just withdraw my aid. Have fun besieging the city of Shade with the hippies, smilies, and bimbos.
Present company excluded of course, but if i find out you had a hand in suppressing the publication of Volos guide to the Moonsea...
Nah. It was Fzoul. Banites hated the free word more than anyone else in the Zhentarim. Course, Volo is still alive, and Fzoul is now serving as Bane's footstool (more so than ever before), so maybe Volo can give it another go. I won't stop him.... but the Netherese and Warlock Knights might.
Those damn dirty Zhents! I guess Im off to Highmoon then.
Pardon? Those Zhents serve as your cannon fodder against Netheril. Though if you're too good for them, I suppose I'll just withdraw my aid. Have fun besieging the city of Shade with the hippies, smilies, and bimbos.
Present company excluded of course, but if i find out you had a hand in suppressing the publication of Volos guide to the Moonsea...
Nah. It was Fzoul. Banites hated the free word more than anyone else in the Zhentarim. Course, Volo is still alive, and Fzoul is now serving as Bane's footstool (more so than ever before), so maybe Volo can give it another go. I won't stop him.... but the Netherese and Warlock Knights might.
Damn dirty Banites!
Better?
different zhents he meant.... the zhents in question were banites and cyricians of old......
field reports in: 5 caravans raied, guards and merchants put to the sword.
500 gp worth of food , 2000 gp worth of gear confiscated
btw today is my birthday....
Hells yeah man! thats the way to do it!
and happy birthday! Kudos to you!
Damn dirty Banites!
Better?
Indeed. Oh, by the way, tell Volo to steer clear of Mulmaster. They won't take too kindly to his presence around those parts.
Indeed. Oh, by the way, tell Volo to steer clear of Mulmaster. They won't take too kindly to his presence around those parts.
I'll tell him, but you know how Volo is!
Happy birthday sfdragon. Being born on the 11th day of the eleventh month eh? That explains your fondness for fey and superstition.
my mom told me the 11th min too... or was it the 11th hour.... oh well and on top of that, my name also has 11 letters in it.......
I didnt even notice. Are you sure youre just not losing it?
Eh. I lost it years ago.
But, no. Being around as long as I have and being under the watchful EYE, I'm used to having such things being done.
BTW, check your PM in a couple.
BTW, check your PM in a couple.
Who me? I got nothin
May it be.... well, less than torturous for you. Or maybe I'm just projecting my hatred of birthdays and the inevitable loathesome family togetherness it brings on you...
Those damn dirty Zhents! I guess Im off to Highmoon then.
Pardon? Those Zhents serve as your cannon fodder against Netheril. Though if you're too good for them, I suppose I'll just withdraw my aid. Have fun besieging the city of Shade with the hippies, smilies, and bimbos.
Well that certainly wasn't intended. Zhents do not have a reputation for heroic self-sacrifice. I have to admit I had to smile to myself as I read the first time about the Zhents dramatic, crushing defeat. They just got annihilated with a single blow.^^ I wonder about the talk Fzoul and Bane had after this event. I suppose he wasn't "amused".
btw today is my birthday....
Happy B-Day.
Well that certainly wasn't intended. Zhents do not have a reputation for heroic self-sacrifice.
But they do have a reputation for wading into certain-death situations without fear. Of course, they know what happens if they try to desert...
I have to admit I had to smile to myself as I read the first time about the Zhents dramatic, crushing defeat. They just got annihilated with a single blow.^^ I wonder about the talk Fzoul and Bane had after this event. I suppose he wasn't "amused".
Well, of course, leave it to Fzoul to flop over and die without much of a fight. Had I been present, things would've been different, and the Netherese army would have been broken. But, alas, the designers wanted Shade to win, so even my hands were tied.
Well that certainly wasn't intended. Zhents do not have a reputation for heroic self-sacrifice.
But they do have a reputation for wading into certain-death situations without fear. Of course, they know what happens if they try to desert...I have to admit I had to smile to myself as I read the first time about the Zhents dramatic, crushing defeat. They just got annihilated with a single blow.^^ I wonder about the talk Fzoul and Bane had after this event. I suppose he wasn't "amused".
Well, of course, leave it to Fzoul to flop over and die without much of a fight. Had I been present, things would've been different, and the Netherese army would have been broken. But, alas, the designers wanted Shade to win, so even my hands were tied.
At least the Zhents do still exist and as we all know the condemned live longer. Perhaps long enough to watch how netherese corpses drift down the river.