Hello everybody Jorphdan here the PH is silent.
Oh boy… this is a big one.
I’m dipping my toe into the pool that is Forgotten Realms beloved characters.
So know that I’m not a wiki, I’m not a novel, I’m a fan like you and this is what
I felt interesting to talk about.
I 100% will leave stuff out that you the mutual fan believes I should have mentioned.
It happens, we don’t read minds.
If you’re new here, welcome and I hope this brief history sparks your creativity.
Today I’m discussing the lore and history of Jarlaxle.
Normally I try to pull information from campaign settings, game published material and not
the novels.
If it was important enough in the novels to make a chapter or paragraph in the campaign
history then I felt it was important enough to cover in the video.
Jarlaxle is different, because he is 90% novels and roughly 10% featured in game material.
I’ll be upfront with you I haven’t read every forgotten realms novel, I know shocking.
But I am somewhat familiar with Jarlaxle and honestly the forgotten realms wiki has a load
of information covering the books.
So we should be ok giving a brief history into Jarlaxle.
Let’s dive in!
Jarlaxle was born to Yvonnel Baenre and was to be killed as an infant.
In Drow society certain mails are sacrificed to Lolth due to the status of their birth.
He was spared through circumstances and Yvonnel always felt like she was somehow tied to his
fate, as she did not have it in her to kill the infant child.
Drow society is divided up into Ruling Houses, and House Baenre is the first house of Menzoberranzan.
Growing up Jarlaxle was privileged and it is believed this is why he gets away with so much mischief
(for lack of a better word) because House Baenre looks the other way.
Growing up in drow society, as a male, you are separated and trained as either a mage
or a warrior.
Jarlaxle went to the warriors’ academy and did very well.
He was recognized as a skilled tactician.
He became very skilled with swords but preferred the stealthy dagger to take out his enemies
rather than a direct confrontation.
It was soon after he left the warriors’ academy that he left his house and name behind
and founded Bregan D’aerthe.
Bregan D’aerthe is a mercenary company that started rather small but has since grown to
cover most of north eastern faerun.
Existing both in Underdark cities and surface cities like Luskan and Waterdeep.
The company is full of rogue males who did not fit into regular drow society.
Finding work and a home within the organization, some might say even a family.
It was a place for drow males from destroyed houses to have a purpose.
The ruling houses of Menzoberranzan and other areas use Bregan D’aerthe as a resource.
They’ll hire the group for various operations as sellswords.
Often unable to get their own hands dirty, a quick assasination can occur with Bregan
D’aerthe and the noble family can disavow knowledge of it.
But to the highest price goes loyalty.
There have been times when the mercenary company was hired to defend the House only to switch
sides as Jarlaxle willed.
They are an unlawful faction, but as I mentioned earlier the Houses will utilize them so they
seem to look the other way.
There goal could be considered to sow instability and chaos.
Where there is conflict there is war, and wars are won through superior numbers and
strength of arms.
Bregan D’aerthe supplies both.
Jarlaxle is the head of the organization.
Originally having only a few hundred members, it now has nearly 6,000 spread out across
and underneath Faerun.
Jarlaxle has six lieutenants that serve him, and lead many of the operations the mercenary
company is handling at the moment.
Underneath these lieutenants are the core of Bregan D’aerthe; warriors, spies, assassins,
and informants.
Each sworn to follow Jarlaxle.
Bregan D’aerthe has branched out from just hiring drow.
Their numbers now include hobgoblins and bugbears.
There are hidden cells in many of the larger drow communities in the Underdark.
Jarlaxle has a significant presence in Luskan, and surrounding areas.
He may be one of the most powerful male Drow inside Menzoberranzan but has set up to control
much of the surface world with Bregan D’aerthe.
He has extensive contacts in Blingdendstone, and Calimport.
Despite leaving his House and name behind Jarlaxle is in close alliance with House Baenre
and is a common visitor to the Baenre compound.
Matron Mother Baenre supports Jarlaxle’s endeavors as long as they don’t conflict with the
House, and so far they have not.
Jarlaxle wouldn’t be Jarlaxle if he didn’t have his numerous magical items at his side.
The man dresses very well, with flamboyant clothes and much style.
He shaves his head in clear defiance to his drow upbringing wearing instead a large hat
with a giant feather.
The feather in question is actually a feather of Diatryma summoning.
A large flightless bird native to the Underdark.
The hat itself is a hat of disguise which allow him to magically disguise himself.
He wears an eye patch that protects his mind from magical or psionic intrusion, and it
has a limited x-ray power to see through doors.
He has rings and trinkets that increase his AC, as well as boots that allow him to be
near silent when sneaking, or as noisy as a knight in plate mail.
Plus many other items that keep him safe.
Weapon wise he has an infinite supply of throwing daggers from some bracers that he wears.
Plus a variety of wands that have various magical effects stored within.
Jarlaxle considers few others friends.
Despite an apparent friendship he may still cross them when it is the tactical and the
correct course of action.
Keeping Jarlaxle on top of the situation.
Artemis Entreri is one whom Jarlaxle has traveled with for many years.
And despite a rocky start, Drizzt Do’Urden views Jarlaxle with trust after he saved his
life a number of times.
Jarlaxle is a complicated character, and I honestly wouldn’t know where to start playing
him.
If I had him as an NPC in my campaign I would for sure want to use meta knowledge as a DM
to ensure Jarlaxle came out ahead in most, if not all, situations.
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