Alusair Obarskyr Alusair Nacacia Obarskyr , the Steel Regent , was the princess and regent of the kingdom of Cormyr , and the youngest child of King Azoun IV and Queen Filfaeril . Alusair led Cormyr as its regent for her infant nephew , Azoun V . Some of the major concerns of her reign were rebuilding Cormyr and reclaiming the realm ' s status as the leading power in the region . As regent , she tried to keep Cormyr fully independent , by fighting attempts to influence her country ' s policy and economy made by agents of its neighbors , Sembia and Westgate . She was advised by Caladnei , apprentice to Vangerdahast , who advised Alusair ' s father . Names & Titles . Her full name was " Alusair Nacacia Obarskyr " . Her father Azoun nicknamed her " Allie " . Ironlord Torg mac Cei of Earthfast called her the " Mithril Princess " after the mithril armor his dwarves crafted for her . This title stuck with her for the next decade . The young noble - born knights whom Alusair rode with eventually dubbed her the " Steel Princess " , however , in admiration of her spirit and her skill in battle . When she became regent of Cormyr , she was named the " Steel Regent " . Description . At about the age of 19 , Alusair was short and slender , with dark eyes . The Neverwintan diplomat Aszundar Zel described her as " impish " and " winsomely beautiful " after a court visit in 1354 DR . Aged around 22 , Alusair was of medium height at 5 feet 6 inches ( 1 . 67 meters ) , and she weighed 150 pounds ( 68 kilograms ) . She had blonde hair , but some reported her eyes as blue . By the age of 25 , after four years of hard adventuring , Alusair had changed noticeably , acquiring an athletic build at the same height . Now she possessed a mature beauty with wrinkles at the corners of her eyes . She had deep oak - brown eyes and black eyebrows , yet her hair was long and golden , though this later turned ash - blonde . Personality . Alusair was known to have heated political arguments with her father , which would end in broken plates and goblets . She had no desire to be the queen of Cormyr . History . The Princess . Alusair Nacacia Obarskyr was the daughter of King Azoun IV Obarskyr and Queen Filfaeril Selzair of the Forest Kingdom of Cormyr . One night in Suzail , Azoun had met the famed bard and Chosen of Mystra Storm Silverhand and spent the evening with her lying on the rooftop at the back of the palace , talking and swapping a flask of good zzar . His courtiers discovered him and brought the pair back , as Filfaeril had grown alarmed at Azoun ' s disappearance . Fortunately , Storm calmed Filfaeril with her charm and even played her harp for husband and wife in the royal bedchambers , late in the night , setting a romantic mood that Filfaeril believed led to the conception of their daughter . Alusair was born in the Year of the Snow Winds , 1335 DR . She was their youngest child , born a year after her sister Tanalasta , and three years after her brother Foril , who died as an infant . In her early years , she apparently led the life of a typical Obarskyr princess , receiving a formal education and undergoing training in courtly activities , including etiquette but also riding and martial skills . She was tutored by the Royal Magician , Vangerdahast . She learned some military strategy from her father and spent much time with the castle falconers , learning about raptors like falcon s , hawk s , and owl s . She even helped the hawkmaster to a train a young black hawk . Alusair grew to be a rebellious and impulsive tomboy , hot - tempered and headstrong . As the younger daughter , she wasn ' t set to rule . Furthermore , she had no interest in being queen anyway , nor in politics . Azoun and Filfaeril were too distracted by the kingdom ' s affairs , and Tanalasta by fashion , and Alusair felt she didn ' t belong in the royal court . She revolted against courtly etiquette and the expectations placed upon her . Instead , inspired by her father ' s stories of adventuring with the King ' s Men under the name " Balin the Cavalier " , she wanted to leave and see the world . But her father the king struggled to instill in her a sense of duty to the nation , wishing to curb her desire to wander in favor of a life at court . He pressed her to give up her plans , and the equally headstrong father and daughter clashed . Something had to give . Finally , at the age of 21 , Alusair could not bear life in the royal court anymore and determined to make her own way . Matters came to a head in the Year of the Worm , 1356 DR , when her parents arranged a marriage between her and a member of the Wyvernspur family of Immersea . In early spring , she left a note for her family explaining her reasons , took some money , and fled the court and Suzail for a life of adventure . By the summer , stories of the princess ' s disappearance had spread across Faerûn . Her reasons and destination were not made known to the public , but it was rumored she had run away . Alusair ' s flight left her parents deeply hurt , and Azoun rightfully blamed himself . He offered an impressive reward for her safe return : 12 , 000 gold piece s and a knighthood — a princess ' s ransom . However , he did not consider the danger this put her in , as bounty hunters began to stalk the runaway princess . Alusair naturally did not want to be captured and ransomed back , nor to be held captive to extort the royal family . At some point , she threw her " signet ring " into the sea , so no one could identify her as a princess of House Obarskyr . The Runaway . Within the month , Alusair was sighted in Tilverton , an independent town on Cormyr ' s border being besieged by orc s and goblin s . By Tarsakh of 1356 DR , a Cormyrean army was sent to occupy Tilver ' s Gap — their exact purpose was unclear , but later it was rumored their primary goal was actually to retrieve their renegade princess rather than relieve the town . By Kythorn , they had massacred the orcs and occupied the Gap , and Cormyr then annexed the town . By the month of Eleasias , the middle of summer , word of Alusair ' s runaway and presence in Tilverton had spread far and wide . However , for all this , the army failed to find Alusair . In fact , she had an ally in the form of Gharri Wondermaker , a priest of Gond and the " de facto " ruler of Tilverton before the occupation . That occupation saw all of Gharri ' s powers and responsibilities taken away in all but name , leaving him with the meaningless title of Lord Regent . After a few months , Gharri chose to quietly leave Tilverton , and Alusair ran off with him , with the pair heading into the wild north country . The priest ' s magic kept them safe during this period of intense searching . Alusair travelled with Gharri for some months and they had a heated love affair . However , their passion cooled and ended in a fight that saw them separate . Supported by the Knights of Myth Drannor , Gharri relocated to Castle Krag , a ruined fortress in Shadowdale , and from there he managed the local clergy of Gond , as well as a network of spies . Finally , in 1356 DR , Gharri travelled to Daggerdale to assist Lord Randal Morn , and was slain near Serpentsbridge in a massive magical battle with a dozen Zhentarim mages , but his death was not widely known . Alusair later told Azoun that Gharri was killed while they tried to escape bounty hunters seeking the reward . His death steeled Alusair ' s resolve to not return home . For years after , she blamed her father for Gharri ' s death , but ultimately decided he could not have expected how the bounty hunters would behave . The Adventuress . Alusair , meanwhile , largely drifted . She ' d been living on the money she took when she fled the palace , but when this ran out , she was forced to steal to survive . She quickly grew skilled at thievery , and even prospered . No longer a sheltered princess , she became a streetwise operator . Alusair spent a season or two searching for the famed " Ring of Winter " , as many adventurers had done , both good and bad . In fact , she may have fallen victim to the so - called Curse of the Ring , according to Hydel Pontifax : it was said that whoever sought for the " Ring of Winter " would suffer the death of a loved one . It was only a few days after Alusair decided to seek the Ring that Gharri was slain . Alusair later took work as a caravan guard and mercenary adventurer , but always made certain she agreed with the goals of her employers , and that she fought for good causes . At one point , she helped a fishing village make a deal with a dragon turtle . At one point , she went to Ravens Bluff in the Vast , on the other side of the Dragon Reach . There , she brought from a mage a " ring of proof against detection and location " , which shielded her against magical detection — especially from the Royal Magician of Cormyr , Vangerdahast , and her father ' s own wizards . Her travels also took her to Waterdeep on the Sword Coast , and she was supposedly sighted there in early Mirtul of the Year of the Prince , 1357 DR . Stories told that she was living as an adventurer and was a companion of a powerful mage of the city , but didn ' t say which . It was reported that in a Waterdhavian tavern , one man boasted that he knew and moments later was discovered turned to stone , which then spontaneously shattered . North of Waterdeep , Alusair said she was traveling alone when she was captured by a band of drow . She also said she visited the Moonshae Isles and Damara . Meanwhile , the runaway princess continued to be hunted all over the Realms , and the reward remained on offer . By Eleint of 1357 DR , the royal court of Cormyr was receiving reports of sightings all over Faerûn , from all points of the compass . Some even placed her in lands only known only as legends in Cormyr , so many were treated as false . Outrageous and colorful stories flourished about Alusair ' s whereabouts and deeds . One story even held she ' d been seen in Westgate , sailing with pirates from the Pirate Isles . Eventually , however , the thieves ' guild of Mulmaster put a price on Alusair ' s head and for this reason alone she returned to Cormyr , intending to reunite with her family and return to the safety of the court . She journeyed back to Tilverton ; sightings reported to the crown put her in the area , before she disappeared again . In fact , she was captured by the Fire Knives and held in a cell in their hideout in Tilverton . Azoun sent out envoys like Rastafan Dimetar with orders to hire adventurers to locate Alusair . Azoun himself came to Tilverton , ostensibly for a defense treaty , but was rumored to be seeking Alusair . In fact , the Fire Knives were using Alusair as bait , to first lure the king to Tilverton and then for a trap to assassinate him — a fact very clear to all involved . Ultimately , in Marpenoth of 1357 DR , Rastafan ' s hired adventurers raided the hideout ; the proactive princess aided her own rescue and took up a weapon for the fight . Vengeful , she was intent on slaying Radatha , leader of the Fire Knives who ' d imprisoned her . In the Year of Shadows , 1358 DR , the Time of Troubles erupted onto the Realms . Many rumors circulated about Alusair ' s activities in this tumultuous time . In early Eleint , in Wheloon , it was being rumored that Alusair had been sighted a number of times in the Dalelands , riding swiftly with sword sheathed over her back . Or merchants said they ' d seen her with a bloody sword and striding through Myth Drannor ' s ruins . Or folk claimed that on horseback she had chased a man down in the streets of Selgaunt , capital of Sembia . Living by the sword , she matured into a confident , strong - willed , and independent young woman , fierce in her beliefs about right and wrong and ready to defend them at the point of a blade . Alusair felt that rulers like her father were unable to care for ordinary people , that their laws took away freedoms . She believed that she could do more good for Cormyr and the Realms with a sword in her hand than she could stuck at court with nobles , a life she had little patience for anyway . She did not want to be responsible for the lives of other people , only her own . She was also reluctant to quit her adventuring , having seen Azoun ' s own regret at settling down . The Mithril Princess . Finally , in mid - autumn of the Year of the Serpent , 1359 DR , Alusair came to the Earthfast Mountains in the Vast , seeking a lost artifact ( though friends said she was " hiding out " ) but finding Earthfast , a beleaguered dwarven city under constant siege by orc s and goblin s . Seeing a good cause to fight for , Alusair lent her aid to the defense . The fighting was constant and bloody , but Alusair proved her battle prowess . After one battle with goblins , the dwarves honored Alusair by forging for her a suit of their precious and legendarily strong Earthfast plate armor , sized for a human and fashioned from the finest mithril steel . Ironlord Torg mac Cei dubbed her " the Mithril Princess " . Here , too , Alusair was the subject of much rumor and speculation , though for once her name was not attached . Traders dealing with the dwarves told of a mysterious warrior fighting beside them , a human woman with a fiery temper and regal bearing . Some thought she was a renegade Witch of Rashemen ; others that she was one of the Knights of the North , driven from the Citadel of the Raven by the Zhentarim . A few expected she was a minor ruler or courtesan from a southern land . Even the missing pirate queen Shandagara was proposed . The sage Elminster of Shadowdale hinted that the truth would soon be revealed . However , Alusair did not reveal her true identity to the dwarves . Alusair grew to respect the dwarves of Earthfast and treated them as comrades in arms . She befriended the dwarf bard Morgalla , who said Alusair could tell a good story . She grew familiar with the ways of Earthfast dwarves , learned their military practices and tactics , and came to speak and understand Dwarvish perfectly . Equally , she became experienced in fighting orcs . In return , she shared her own knowledge of military strategy and introduced Torg to the use of polearm s , particularly recommending a treatise written by her father , Azoun . Torg began training his soldiers in their use . Torg described Alusair as a " brilliant human general " . Thus , after many battles and new strategies , together they routed the orcs and saved Earthfast . Alusair stayed with the Earthfast dwarves for some nine months . In Tarsakh in the Year of the Turret , 1360 DR , Ironlord Torg was the first to respond via letter to King Azoun ' s call for a crusade against the advancing Tuigan Horde . Alusair accompanied the dwarves ( including Morgalla ) on the march to Thesk , intending to finally reunite with her father . She ' d decided it was time to forget the past and hoped he would at last accept her for who she was rather than what he wanted her to be . Alusair did not tell Torg she was Azoun ' s daughter until it was too late for him to contact her father about it . She was re - united with her father during that campaign and earned a lot of respect when she temporarily took over her father ' s army and later personally captured and broke Yamun Kahan ' s standard . The Steel Princess . Following the battle , Alusair left again , intending to settle some debts and keep some promises . First , she had to return what she ' d been lent by the centaur s of the Forest of Lethyr for the battle . However , she expected to return to Suzail in a few months , before winter at the end of 1360 DR . She and her father parted in peace and mutual respect , and she kept a royal signet ring with which she could be located . After four years , Alusair had had many adventures , and returned to the Cormyrean court wiser in the ways of the world than many other adventurers , and certainly most princes or princesses . Now based at the royal court in Suzail , Alusair worked with Azoun and Vangerdahast on a number of royal affairs and conducting various missions for the crown , ranging from serving as a diplomatic envoy to activities more suited to her past as an adventurer . Back at court , she aided her father when he went in disguise among the commoners to hear their views , by clearing his schedule and making cover stories . However , she spent the majority of her time riding around Cormyr , its backlands , and the desolate Stonelands , battling outlaws and monsters . She was accompanied by a band of young male noble knights , nicknamed her " Blades " ; some were heirs , some youngest sons . Notoriously , she often took them as lovers . But in admiration of her spirit and skill in combat , they named her the Steel Princess . Once in her adventures , she was surprised by bandits and fought them off , only half - dressed and splattered with blood ; Vangerdahast inadvertently scried on her at this time . Having proved her valor and prowess in the war , Alusair won the love and respect of both the people and the Purple Dragons , Cormyr ' s elite military . In their eyes , she was second only to her father the king . Many came to see her as a future commander of the Purple Dragons and of the whole realm . In time , she became a Purple Dragon knight herself . She was a much - liked war - leader , but the elder nobles openly disapproved of her wildness , fearing that , as a queen , she would be aggressive and hotheaded when facing threats — real and perceived — to the realm . Others thought she used her role as a warrior to avoid taking the role of ruler . During this time , Alusair authored " The Steel Princess ' s Field Guide " . In the late 1360s DR , Princess Alusair joined her family in attending a celebration held by Lord Partic Thistle at his manor , Thistleflame , to celebrate King Azoun IV ' s birthday , along with numerous other dignitaries . During these days , Alusair suffered a number of would - be suitors . Before 1367 DR , the young and shifty noble Martin Illance attempted to romance Tanalasta , who rejected him , then he immediately switched his attentions to Alusair , who ' d heard all about him and his lines from Tanalasta and hurled him through a window . Martin dislocated his shoulder against a table on the other side , and thereafter claimed he ' d suffered it in a barroom brawl , which wasn ' t far from the truth . In the late 1360s DR , Alusair turned down a proposal for marriage from the minor lord Hyraken of Hilp . For this , the murderous megalomaniac would seek her death and the throne for himself . In the Year of the Gauntlet , 1369 DR , Alusair was operating in the Stonelands again , commanding a troop of twenty - four young noble knights , including Ulnder Huntcrown , Dagh Illance , Threldryn Imbranneth , Kortyl Rowanmantle , Brace Skatterhawk , Harandil Thundersword , and Beldred Truesilver . They were pursuing a bold orc band that had raided a caravan east of Eveningstar ; in six days of pursuit , they ' d killed a hydra , a " fire lizard " , and three chimera s . Meanwhile , the Abraxus Affair had erupted and Azoun lay dying in Suzail . Alusair and her knights were on a high meadow north of Startop Crag when she received a message plate delivered by Laspeera Inthré , informing her of the situation and warning her to stay in the Stonelands for the duration of the emergency . Setting aside her grief , Alusair returned to find Beldred and the knights had impetuously pursued the orcs into an ambush , and a few were killed . She rallied her forces to defeat the orcs , before deducing they served a dark naga and the Zhentarim , who had been charming and transporting monsters into the area . Alusair , Beldred , Brace , and Threldryn together slew the naga , with the princess blinding it and destroying the " gate " before it could disgorge another monster . Alusair resolved to seek out the other gates rather than return to Suzail . Shielded against detection , even the War Wizards couldn ' t locate her , and she was reported to have led her troop deeper into the Stonelands in order to avoid a patrol from High Horn sent to contact her . Rumors flourished in her absence ; some even whispered Alusair and her Blades had stolen into the city to murder in their beds disloyal nobles who ' d supported Vangerdahast becoming regent . After a long peace , however , the new decade saw calamity after calamity befall Cormyr . First , in the Year of the Tankard , 1370 DR , a blight struck the land and then the dragon Nalavarauthatoryl , an ancient foe of the Obarskyrs , sent the ghazneth s and the Grodd goblin s to assault the kingdom . In the Goblin War , King Azoun IV and Steel Princess Alusair fought to defend the realm , but Cormyr suffered many defeats . Worse , some nobles defied Crown Princess Tanalasta or committed treason , showing they ' d had more loyalty to Azoun than the Crown . In the Year of the Unstrung Harp , 1371 DR , Nalavara herself entered the fray and Azoun died in battle slaying the Devil Dragon . Tanalasta defeated the ghazneths but soon after died in childbirth , but the child was saved — the new infant king of Cormyr , Azoun V . Through Alusair ' s and all their efforts , Cormyr was saved , but at a terrible cost . The Steel Regent . With her father and older sister dead and her infant nephew too young to take the throne , only Alusair was left to rule Cormyr as regent until Azoun V was old enough to become king . Filfaeril , now Dowager Queen , named Alusair as regent , and the Steel Regency of Princess Alusair commenced in 1371 DR . The Steel Regent inherited a kingdom in crisis : many of its soldiers , officials , War Wizards , and nobility , its greatest heroes , and two of the royal family had been slain , leaving only a newborn king and a reluctant regent . Meanwhile , the realm had become much less politically stable , almost to the point of anarchy . Many Cormyreans , even many of the nobility and mercantile classes , doubted if Alusair was even fit to rule , and spoke openly . Her reputation as a wild and lusty warrior princess , which had once won her admiration , was now used against her . A fearful and uncertain populace waited to see what kind of ruler she would be : tyrannical , wanton , headstrong , or perhaps just and wise . Naturally , Alusair dealt with these concerns in her own way — by cutting right through . For example , on Flamerule 2 , 1371 DR , Alusair rode though Hultail , with High Knight Glarasteer Rhauligan and a retinue of Purple Dragons and War Wizards , staying at the Sixcandles Inn . Arriving " sans " crown , jewels , and shining armor , clad in only worn leathers , the Regent both awed and disappointed the villagers . Alusair told the innkeeper , Rythra Matcham , of the death of her husband Rorth in the war and consoled her , telling of her own grief for her father . Alusair then generously treated villagers and travelers to meals and drinks at the Crown ' s expense , prompting a nightlong revel . Near night ' s end , Alusair danced with a stableboy , Darnen , trying to teach him courtly dancing and inspire him to come to Suzail and serve the realm . Yet the lad ' s father , the stablemaster Andur Imraith , an ex – Purple Dragon , accused her of being a " wanton slut " unfit to sit the Dragon Throne . Alusair didn ' t deny it , and explained herself openly , calling for Andur to serve the realm again . When he refused , she challenged him to dance or fight , and the regent handily trounced him in a barroom brawl . A subdued , defeated Andur elected to serve . Alusair danced with him , then teased taking him to bed . Nevertheless , the kingdom was creeping with conspiracies among its nobles and its foes , with ambitious lords , zealous patriots , regency loyalists , enemy powers , and remnants of Nalavara ' s forces all vying for power , and the War Wizards monitored all to guard against treason . Among the upstarts were the so - called Freedom Warriors , a loose confederation of minor nobles and rich merchants who mistrusted the Steel Regent , fearing she would be a despot . Some felt they had the best interests of Cormyr at heart , but others worried that they would lose their wealth and positions . They were led by the villainous Lord Hyraken , who still held a grudge against the princess . The Freedom Warriors engaged in crime to discourage support of the regent . Fortunately , Lady Kestrel Vaylan , who was opposed to the Freedom Warriors , sent adventurers to recover the Devil Dragon Nalavara ' s hoard and , in the race , Hyraken and the Freedom Warrior ' s villainous leadership were slain . Lady Vaylan gifted half the hoard to Regent Alusair , who used this windfall in the rebuilding effort . Nevertheless , Alusair had to carefully manage the nobility in order to retain the king ' s power . The realm remained rife with intrigue . However , by the middle of the Year of Wild Magic , 1372 DR , the Steel Regent had proved her talent for rule and her determination to preserve Cormyr . Ruling from Suzail , Alusair made regular appearances with the young Azoun V , demonstrating she had no fears for herself , the boy king , or Cormyr , and to be accessible to the people . She also made the Purple Dragons and War Wizards an increasingly visible presence , both to give a sense of safety and to guard against trouble . Working to rebuild national morale and military power , Alusair focused on reclaiming and resettling territory lost in the war , rebuilding farms , and replanting fields . She also staved off attempts by Sembian and Westgate investors to gain control over Cormyrean lands and to influence their affairs . Still short on wealth and resources , Alusair turned to adventurers , having been one herself , to help restore order , but the nobility saw this as a weakness . She upheld her father ' s offer of a barony to any could bring civilization to the Stonelands . However , the first crisis of Alusair ' s reign came that year . The Regent was entertaining Shadovar emissaries of the City of Shade , consider their proposal of alliance , when Galaeron Nihmedu arrived on Mirtul 21 bearing proof of Shadovar villainy . In order to make Anauroch fertile , they were melting the High Ice , and cared nothing for flooding and starvation that would ensure across the Heartlands . Alusair expelled the emissaries and instead organized an alliance with Evereska and others to assault Shade . The Royal Magician Caladnei , guided by Galaeron and Ruha , established a base camp in the canyons beneath the floating city . Meanwhile , the Shadovar launched a counter - attack on Cormyr . Cormyrean defenders clashed with the Shade forces at Tilverton on Mirtul 27 . In the battle , Vangerdahast launched a powerful magical weapon against the Shades , but this backfired , interacting unexpectedly with their Shadow Weave magic , utterly annihilating Tilverton and leaving only a shadow - filled crater . In the coming months , Alusair ' s alliance struggled to make any headway against the Shadovar or the phaerimm s besieging Evereska . They were hampered by a lack of knowledge of Shadow Weave magic , and the continued melting of the High Ice disrupted the weather , economies , and food supplies of Cormyr and her allies . Finally , on Flamerule 7 , the phaerimms infiltrated Alusair ' s war council and demonstrated their power , but then surprisingly offered a truce : if Cormyr abandoned its ally Evereska , then join the Cormyreans against Shade . Alusair naturally refused , but the phaerimms helped nonetheless . Ultimately , the alliance triumphed over Shade and phaerimm forces , with Evereska freed , the melting of the High Ice halted , and peace returned . However , Cormyr , still reeling from the Goblin War , now suffered drought , economic crisis , and the devastating loss of Tilverton . In spring of the Year of Lightning Storms , 1374 DR , Regent Alusair agreed with the demands of nobles and ordered that the Crown instead pay for construction and maintenance of bridges and culverts in the realm . She also ordered that officers of the Court oversee these and other public works ( such as ensuring proper signage ) , in order to limit the possibility of dishonest nobles passing off work on their estates as bridge and culvert work . By late 1374 DR , bar conspirators speaking in secret , complaints against the Steel Regent had gone quiet . The people did not doubt her now , and she was widely held to be as good a ruler as her father had been — better even , for she was more approachable , more loved , and more inspiring . The bard Elender Stormfall published a chapbook , " The Dream of the Dragon " , praising her at this time . In winter of the Year of the Cauldron , 1378 DR , the Skalantur Scandal broke , exposing corruption in the public works system Alusair had instituted in 1374 DR . Alusair reacted by increasing oversight ( both overt and covert ) of how tax money was spent . She also signed into law the existing practice of confiscating any properties acquired through misappropriated funds . Nobles and wealthy landowners alike were angered , but Alusair was resolute . This wiped out corruption , or at least shifted it to Sembia n fronts . The Year of the Lost Keep , 1379 DR , saw a Netherese spy arrested in Suzail . Steel Regent Alusair hanged the spy in a public square , which triggered the Four Day War , a brief but heated conflict between Cormyr and the Shadovar . Finally , in the Year of the Three Streams Bloodied , 1384 DR , Azoun V was coronated aged only 13 years old , after several nobles spurred him to insist that he take the crown . Six years later , during her mother ' s funeral , Alusair argued with her nephew and disappeared immediately afterward with no confirmed sightings made ever since . Legacy . After Alusair ' s death , she continued her existence as a ghost , haunting and patrolling the haunted wing of the Royal Palace for decades . She was very nearly destroyed by Manshoon in the Year of the Ageless One , 1479 DR , while attempting to aid Elminster in defending the palace from would - be thieves . By 1479 DR , an ironclad warship in the Cormyrean navy was named the " " Steel Princess " " after Alusair . This was the only Cormyrean warship not named for a past monarch of the realm . Abilities . The Steel Princess was renowned for her skill at arms , her prowess in battle , her mastery of horse s , and her strategic accomplishments , especially in raids and skirmishes . Less a diplomat , Alusair was a fine leader and Cormyr ' s greatest battlemaster . Possessed of great endurance and an indomitable will , she was accustomed to hard living in the wilderness and on the trail . In combat , Alusair favored entering melee over the use of ranged weapons , and relied on her skill and armor to win through . She specialized in the longsword and was an expert in its use . She was also proficient in the bastard sword , dagger , footman ' s mace , and medium lance , and in the short bow and flight arrow for when she did fight at range . In her early days as a thief , she was practiced in the short sword , short bow , dagger , knife , and broadsword . Alusair could fight with two weapons at once , if need be , and was highly capable in mounted combat . She was also well versed in fighting orcs and knew their tactics . As a Purple Dragon knight , Alusair learned to make a powerful rallying cry to have her troops charge and to make inspirational speeches to instill courage and raise morale . She also trained to defend her comrades around her . Alusair was an expert rider , and she knew well how to handle horses and raptors , such as falcon s , hawk s , and owl s . She knew wilderness lore ; she could track well and make a camp . She was also a trained sailor . Alusair was fit and athletic , being good at climbing and leaping , and had keen senses . On the other hand , Alusair disliked the art of diplomacy and courtly life , and dealing with affairs and intrigues there . Although she knew her etiquette and diplomacy , her anger at it made her clear , cold , and precise . She could be very intimidating . Possessions . Throughout her adventuring career , Alusair was typically armed with a longsword , dagger s , and a footman ' s mace . Around 1369 DR , Alusair used a sword in combat , and kept another smaller court sword in her saddle when riding . In her left boot , Alusair kept a spellshield dagger with a large blue - green jewel in the pommel , which acted as a ward against magical attacks from her enemies . By 1372 DR , as Regent , Alusair wielded a " + 3 vorpal longsword " . In battle , she wore a full suit of plate mail armor , fashioned from the finest mithril steel and of the famously strong dwarven - made Earthfast plate . The dwarves of Earthfast made it for Alusair in thanks for her aid in their battles , and it was one of the very few suits of the precious Earthfast armor sized for a human . By 1372 DR , Alusair carried a " + 2 large metal shield " that bore a purple dragon on a black field , the standard of the boy king Azoun V . As an adventurer , Alusair carried a standard set of adventuring equipment . Alusair possessed a " Royal Cormyrean signet ring " , which identified her as a princess of House Obarskyr . It also allowed the Royal Magician of Cormyr — first Vangerdahast , and then Caladnei — to know her location and communicate with her via telepathy . However , after she ran away from the palace , she rid herself of the signet ring by dropping it into the sea to conceal her identity . She received another when she returned to the court . She also owned a " ring of proof against detection and location " ( functioning like the amulet of the same name ) , which prevented others from scrying on her or magically detecting her location . She wore this only when necessary ( or when she wished to remain undetected ) because it blocked the powers of the signet ring . This she brought from a mage in Ravens Bluff while a runaway , expressly to prevent Vangerdahast and his wizards from finding her . By 1372 DR , she also had a " ring of freedom of movement " and a " ring of protection + 3 " . Thanks to her position in the Cormyrean royal family , Alusair could access a wide range of magical items , in particular her father ' s extensive collection of magical swords . By 1369 DR , Alusair had a hollow metal sphere that , upon spoken command , could transform into a key to unlock a secret vault in the depths of the royal palace . It was one of only five , the others possessed by the king , queen , Vangerdahast , and Princess Tanalasta . Activities . Though she still rankled at court life when she returned and spent as much time as she could riding away from Suzail , she did settle into a political role , though she usually preferred to focus on military matters . As Princess . Through the 1360s DR , accepting her role as princess , Alusair worked closely with King Azoun and the Royal Magician Vangerdahast , and undertook various missions for the crown . These ranged from serving as a diplomatic envoy to outright adventuring . She might act alone or with fellow adventurers , under her own name and title or in disguise . This work could take her around Cormyr , neighboring lands , and anywhere in the Realms . Her primary role however was patrolling Cormyr , especially its backlands and the Stonelands , with a band of young noble knights and combatting various outlaws , orc s and goblinoid s , and assorted monsters . One of Alusair ' s unofficial duties was to cover for the king when he made secret excursions outside the palace in disguise to hear the common folk ' s views . Working with Vangerdahast , Alusair cleared Azoun ' s schedule of court business in concert with natural lulls in work , and put out stories that he was ill , had family matters to handle , or was otherwise unavailable . As Regent . Espionage . As regent , Alusair had a nigh - constant stream of intrigues and covert affairs to deal with . Like all members of the royal family , Alusair maintained a small network of personal spies , agents , and informants for covert activities . In fact , Alusair had two such groups . One set were recruited from her Blades , the young knights she once rode with , chosen mostly to feel important and impress their families . These were an obvious and amateurish bunch , intended to serve as a distraction and cover for the activities of her professional spies . These latter were people she ' d worked with for years , ranging from lovers loyal only to her to Highknights loyal to the realm , like Glarasteer Rhauligan . She also attempted to persuade some alarphon s ( an internal police force ) of the War Wizards to report to her as well , as she feared rogue War Wizards allying with rebellious nobles . Following their deaths and retirements , Azoun ' s , Tanalasta ' s , and Vangerdahast ' s spies were all left without patrons but with many secrets . As regent , Alusair worked to identify these people , what they were now up to , and if they ' d taken service with disloyal nobles or even with Caladnei . Alusair also understood that the Harpers had served as spies for courtiers and members of the Obarskyr family for their own reasons ( albeit preferring to keep the realm stable and at peace , and with the existing balance of power ) . Recreation . Alusair enjoyed sparring with her Blades , the young nobles she once rode with and trusted well . These took the form of brief and brutal bouts of sword - play , in which the Steel Regent spent her rage and frustration at matters of court . In the 1360s DR , Alusair had a few trysts with lovers at the Stag Steads royal hunting lodge in the King ' s Forest . Relationships . Through the 1360s DR , Alusair was associated closely with a number of young male noble - born knights nicknamed her " Blades " . These men had ridden with her on her missions around the realm and the Stonelands , and she trusted them . Even as regent , the Blades remained as her sparring partners , as lovers , and as one layer of her network of spies and agents . These men dubbed her the Steel Princess in admiration , but elder nobles openly disapproved of their intimacy and Alusair ' s wild ways . It was widely rumored they were as much lovers of the lusty warrior princess as comrades - at - arms ; Gossips told that her monster - slaying missions were more likely weekend trysts at hidden royal hunting lodges , that she wished to try out all the noble bachelors before marriage , < / ref > that she would even kiss her horse if it trotted up to her , and so on and so on . While there was some truth to her relationships with the Blades , her reputation seems wildly exaggerated . In 1369 DR , she was attracted to Brace Skatterhawk , one of her knights , until she learned he was most likely an illegitimate son of Azoun IV , and thus her own half - brother . Unable to have him as lover , husband , or brother , she accepted him as a close friend . As Regent , Alusair was advised and assisted by the Royal Magician Caladnei , who was also commander of the War Wizards of Cormyr . The two both had strong opinions and high spirits , so they could talk directly and openly about the affairs of the realm . Although Caladnei was humble and preferred to operate in the background , Alusair nudged her increasingly to the fore while she took time away from court . By 1374 DR , the two were described as best friends , and Caladnei did not try to control Alusair as Vangerdahast did Azoun . Alusair tried to become a closer friend to Laspeera Inthré , second - in - command of the War Wizards , in order to gain a better understanding of that organization and to more effectively manage the kingdom . Around 1360 DR , Alusair was not a member of the Harpers and had no affiliation with it , but was high - minded enough that she might fit well with the group . Vangerdahast wondered if she might one day be drawn to the group , of which he was a valued ally . Artus Cimber , the one - time Harper agent , once met Alusair and wrote down her tales of her adventures before 1362 DR . Works . Alusair authored a number of books on military matters , such as " The Steel Princess ' s Field Guide " .