Vajra Valmeyjar Vajra Valmeyjar was a female human fighter and a slave - warrior of the Arena of Blood in Manshaka in the 1350s DR . She famously escaped and went on to become an adventuress in Waterdeep and later even a duchess of the Kingdom of Tethyr . Description . Vajra , a Tethyrian by birth , was a tall and powerfully built warrior , standing 6 ' 1 " ( 1 . 85 m ) high and being exceptionally muscular . She had pale - green eyes , brown skin , and blue - black hair . She kept her hair short , except for a long braid falling down to the small of her back , though she later grew her hair longer . However , as a starving child , she was rake - thin and small . She still wore her gladiator ' s manacles from the Arena of Blood , which proved useful in scaring any who would try to pick a fight with her . Even when she had become a noble of Tethyr , she changed her style of dress little , despite this bothering her courtiers substantially . Personality . Vajra was exceedingly stubborn , which served her well on the battlefield but also irked some of her courtiers . She found it humorous that she ended up a duchess . She always strongly opposed injustice , especially slavery . Vajra hated the sea . As an adventurer in 1357 DR , Vajra said she believed only in steel and a strong right hand . Her experiences of betrayal at a young age and fighting as a slave - gladiator hardened her heart , shutting out much personal pain , but also chances to feel love or joy . Her friend Luna worked to open her heart again . She preferred not to talk about her past as a slave , except to make casual mention . As a free woman , she was determined never to be made a slave again , and would rather die than return to the arenas of Manshaka . She declared that Duum never broke her spirit . Abilities . Vajra was an expert warrior , with a keen tactical sense and always organizing her fellows in battle and exhorting them to action . She was amazingly strong , able to carry a dwarf and an armored knight as she scaled the sheer cliff of Stoner ' s Needle . Possessions . Vajra ' s sword was called " Moonblaze " . It was crafted by Brian the Swordmaster of Waterdeep and directly enchanted by Selûne to protect Vajra in a battle she had with a tanar ' ri . The blade was a cold - flaming longsword that was more powerful when wielded against outsiders and worshipers of Shar . The sword ' s strength depended on the current phase of the moon . The slave manacle she wore on her right wrist was in the shape of a skull , the teeth of which could be used for cutting bonds . The manacle on her left wrist concealed a built - in dagger that could be extended for combat . Both manacles were gold . As an adventurer in 1357 DR , she carried a longsword , spear , sling , and net , favoring the sword . She wore studded leather armor . Activities . As royal warlord , Lady Valmeyjar was commander of the combined armed forces of all Tethyr . The seat of Vajra ' s duchy was Maratimmir , yet she spent the majority of her time at the royal palace of Faerntarn in Darromar . Relationships . Vajra ' s fellow adventurers Timoth Eyesbright and Onyx the Invincible remained her close friends , even traveling with her to Tethyr during and after the Reclamation Wars . Many a mother in Tethyr had pushed her sons to join the army , in hopes that they would be able to meet and woo the great Vajra Valmeyjar . This resulted in a large surge in the size of the army but in no duke - consort for Vajra . Vajra was made an honorary member of the Order of the Silver Chalice by Marquise Scion Aalangama Gulderhorn . History . Early Childhood . Vajra Valmeyjar was born in Tethyr but became an orphan early in its civil war ( which began in Eleint , 1347 DR ) , when she was separated from her family . Orphaned and alone in a small market town gutted by conflict , " Vaji " , as she was then known , lived on the streets , begging and stealing food to survive . Thief . After pinching a loaf of bread and fighting to keep it from other street - kids who tried to take it from her , she was found by a warrior , thief , and con - artist named Conner . He later claimed he ' d been impressed by her spirit and determination . Taking Vaji under his wing , he fed her , cleaned her , trained her as a thief and cutpurse , and taught her to fight . She even learned to enjoy life again . Conner used young Vaji as a distraction for his stealing ; for example , she would distract a shopkeeper by asking for a treat as Conner fished through the money - box . Together , they later fled south to Calimshan . There , Conner and Vaji ran confidence tricks in all the major cities : Memnon , Teshburl , Calimport , and Keltar . In the great city of Calimport , they easily swindled small - time merchants and travelers out of modest amounts , then laid low in another part of the city . When the local authorities began to grow alert or suspicious , they moved on . In this way , they enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle , faced few serious risks and nothing life - threatening , and made it through a few escapades . Finally , the pair went to Manshaka , where law was loose and guards and authorities corrupt , so Conner and Vaji felt safe enough to attempt grander and more profitable cons . Thus , Conner approached Pasha Abon Duum ( in fact the tyrannical crime - lord ruler of Manshaka ) with a scam in which he claimed that Vaji was the intended bride of Hoar , god of retribution . So impressed was Duum by Vaji that he initially believed this outlandish tale , but even after he came to doubt it , he still desired her . Thus , when Conner ' s scheme at last went wrong , he was forced to sell Vaji as a slave to Duum , so that he could go free , with their money . She was only twelve years of age at the time . For a long time , she blamed herself , fearing she had done something to make Conner dislike her , but afterward she would always hate him . Gladiator . Duum placed young Vajra with his stable of gladiators at the Arena of Blood in Manshaka , where she learned the arts of the sword , spear , and net and honed her natural talent for combat . . She became the most accomplished of Duum ' s stable . She slew creatures such as a bugbear and a reptilian , and the crowds roared her name , but she never deigned to respond . However , she found steadfast companions in her fellow gladiators , such as Salabak . However , after a decade , she had had enough and wanted out . Escaping , she seriously wounded several of Duum ' s best fighters and escaped from the labyrinth of corridors below the arena ( which she ' d spent two years memorizing ) and into freedom , being one of only two slaves to ever successfully do so . She left behind her fellow gladiators , and would for a long time fear they remained captives or had inevitably been killed . A wanted woman in Calimshan , Vajra fled north , back to Tethyr , fighting for a time as a mercenary in the civil wars . Later , she journeyed further north , serving as a bodyguard in Athkatla , Amn . However , Abon Duum sent bounty hunters after her , seeking to punish and reclaim his champion gladiator ; his bounty was incredible but was only half if she was killed . Vajra was forced to leave the southern lands and go into the North . She ultimately came to Waterdeep , where slavery was forbidden , and settled there . Over the years , many bounty hunters were sent to recover her , but she would escape from them all . Adventuress . In Waterdeep , Vajra took work as a bouncer at a new inn , the Selûne ' s Smile . She became friends with its proprietress , Luna , and developed a good working relationship . She fondly remembered its quiet but sociable and friendly atmosphere . Even after she left her employment , Vajra remained friends with Luna , who sometimes contacted her with unusual jobs that suited her abilities . Gathering of Heroes . In the Year of the Prince , 1357 DR , Luna summoned Vajra to the Selûne ' s Smile to help with a dangerous task . Luna introduced her to Cybriana , Timoth Eyesbright , and Onyx the Invincible , who ' d been seeking the paladin Priam Agrivar . Vajra , in fact , had already found him , recognizing the drunken beggar outside , to whom she ' d given coin for a drink , as the fallen paladin . She led the group to him and they rescued him from thugs . Together , the heroes journeyed into the wilderness to seek the famed smith Jogaoh , a dwarven smith whose forge it was said could create works of magic , whom Onyx believed could help restore strength to Priam ' s arms . On the way , they were lured into a trap and attacked by a dustdigger — in truth a pet of Jogaoh . Vajra led the others in attacking the monster until Jogaoh called it off . Jogaoh agreed to help , provided the companions retrieved something from atop nearby Stoner ' s Needle . After battling ghoul warriors in the night , of which Vajra slew two , they ascended the rocky tower , Vajra simply carrying both Priam and Jogaoh . Reaching the summit , Jogaoh revealed he too was a victim of Imgig Zu , his arms similarly withered , but he had forged for himself enchanted gauntlets that gave him strength . Jogaoh gave these to Priam and took a basilisk - guarded gem that restored the dwarf to his true form , that of a fire elemental . At that point , the basilisk awoke and attacked Vajra and Priam . Vajra led Priam in attack , but although he had his strength back , he still lacked his courage , and froze from fear rather than the basilisk ' s gaze . Vajra slew the basilisk , using the reflection of the gem so it would turn itself to stone , saving Priam . Ashamed , Priam left , rather than be a burden on the companions . Shortly after , bounty seekers of Manshaka ambushed the group , throwing a rope around Vajra ' s neck . They ultimately subdued Vajra and the adventurers were all captured . Abon Duum wanted his champion gladiator back . Regaining his courage , Priam intercepted the bounty seekers , passed a dagger to Vajra , and launched an ambush . Vajra freed herself and defeated the warrior woman of the band . The companions fought their way free , overpowered the bounty seekers , and left them tied up in a net dangling from a tree , before continuing on their way . Later , the group heard chasme pursuing new victims and raced to the rescue . Vajra , familiar with their powers , rode one of the fly demons down . That night , Cybriana ' s dark twin Kilili lured the party close to the tower of Imgig Zu , master of the chasme . Imgig ' s gargoyle s attacked the party , snatching up Vajra and all bar Timoth . Vajra , Priam , and Onyx escaped the gargoyles onto the top of the tower , and got inside . But Imgig collapsed his own tower on them to cover his flight . The heroes escaped into the base of the tower , and were reunited with Timoth . However , Vajra was badly battered in the collapse , though Priam saved her from being crushed . Priam summoned his long - unused paladin powers to heal Vajra ' s injuries , though she was left with an injured right arm — a handicap in battle . Entering the caverns , the heroes battled through Imgig ' s ogre minions , Vajra making do without a sword , and following a trail of flowers conjured by Cybriana to where she was held . Here , Imgig Zu announced he would use the combined powers of Cybriana and Kilili to open the " Selûne ' s Eye " and release his long - imprisoned people to overrun and conquer the Realms . Too late , Imgig ' s people escaped , and still the ogres subdued the heroes . An exultant Imgig taunted Priam and threatened to kill him . But , just then , the roof of the cavern tore open and the brilliant light of the full moon shone through , blinding the ogres . Priam slew Imgig Zu and Cybriana merged with Kilili to form the living key to " Selûne ' s Eye " , drawing all of Imgig ' s people back within , saving the Realms from devastation at the cost of her unique identity . She became Kyriani . The heroes returned to Selûne ' s Smile where Luna rewarded them . Vajra returned to work as the Smile ' s bouncer . Unbeknownst to Vajra , her old mentor and betrayer Conner would come back into her life when he found himself at the Selûne ' s Smile whilst trying to protect the cat child . Conner studiously avoided meeting her , admitting that to Luna that their reunion would be unhappy , that Vajra would likely kill him on sight , and that he ' d deserve it . Return to Manshaka . Duum ' s bounty hunters caught up with Vajra again : as she slept in her room in the Smile , a trio hit her with a poison dart then clubbed her unconscious . They rode off with her , but even beaten , bound , and drugged she put up a fight and briefly escaped . Fortunately , Conner discovered what had happened and he and Timoth , eventually caught up with the band , as did Vajra ' s old fellow gladiator Salabak . Rescued , Vajra was reunited with Salabak , but accused Conner of being complicit in the abduction . Vajra told Timoth of her past , how Conner had used her and then sold her into slavery . Returning to Waterdeep and the Smile , they discovered the patrons unconscious ; recovering , Kyriani explained that more bounty hunters and a mage had put a potion in their drinks and kidnapped the cat child . Vajra , Conner , and Salabak tracked the mage , Chancil Crystalheart , to Memnon in Calimshan . Although waylaid by his agents , they tricked one into leading them to Chancil ' s house , where they learned he had the cat child and served Vajra ' s old foe , Abon Duum . Meanwhile , Vajra began a romantic relationship with Salabak . Under protest , Vajra pretended to be Conner ' s captive as he tried to collect her bounty from Chancil in order to steal back the cat child . However , the plan failed when Vajra couldn ' t escape the bonds Conner had tied too tightly , and thought he had double - crossed her . She escaped , abandoning the cat child . The pair parted on bad terms again , then Vajra was knocked out from behind . When she awoke , she found she was again Duum ' s captive in Manshaka , a position she had long fought to avoid . She remained defiant , but Duum threatened her with the corrupted cat child . Once again , he made her a gladiator in the Arena of Blood . Pitted against a troll , she hacked its arm off , skewered it on her sword , then drove it into an otyugh kept to devour carrion , all to the cheers of the crowd . But when Salabak created an illusory manticore to assault Duum , Vajra escaped , first trying unsuccessfully to rescue the cat child , before fleeing into the tunnels beneath the Arena that she still knew so well , even if she now had to battle a blue dragon guardian . She was aided by the surprise appearance of the Catlord , and reunited with Salabak and Conner , but the Catlord appeared to slay Conner for his failings . Vajra was shocked and grieved , despite hating him . They left Manshaka and hid in a swamp , where the Catlord told the secret of the cat child and Conner ' s role in his protection . Vajra was torn over her mixed feelings for Conner , but was consoled by Salabak . However , she awoke to find Duum and his forces had captured the lot of them , with Salabak in his employ . It had been the treacherous Salabak who ' d knocked her out and delivered her to Duum , so he could claim the reward himself . Duum went on with his scheme , using the Catlord ' s power to take them all to the plane of Gladsheim to confront Tyr , god of justice . There , Conner revealed himself , having faked his death with the Catlord ' s aid , Duum was thwarted and left to face Justice itself , and Tyr sent Vajra , Conner , and the Catlord back to the swamp . At last , Vajra had a showdown against her true betrayer , Salabak . She knocked him into a bog , and he tried to drag her in and down with him , but a froghemoth burst out and devoured him . Vajra grieved and was comforted by Conner , who told of his many attempts to rescue her from the Arena of Blood . The two were reconciled . Later , as Vajra and her friends celebrated at Selûne ' s Smile , Conner spoke with Luna , deducing her to be the goddess Selûne who ' d been aiding and guiding him . She explained she ' d done so , not to redeem Conner , but to open Vajra ' s heart again . Further Adventures . Later that year , an interdimensional wormhole ( from the Great Door ) opened in the darkened skies over Waterdeep , disgorging a swarm of gargoyle s and kenku s . Vajra and Timoth battled the flying creatures until they were overwhelmed and sought shelter in the Smile at Luna ' s behest . They watched the City Guard and Khelben Arunsun hold them off . In the Year of Shadows , 1358 DR , after the Smile ' s brief destruction , Vajra and Timoth briefly left Waterdeep , taking up swords as mercenaries in a small war . On the hottest day of summer , 1358 DR , Vajra and Timoth arm - wrestled in the Smile as Onyx collected bets . Little did they know that , in the skies above , the constellation s 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 . Khelben Arunsun urged Vajra and Timoth to continue arm - wrestling to hold the door open , before he hurled the villains back in . Vajra and Timoth broke off , leaving the winner unknown and Onyx struggling to pay back his bets . During the Time of Troubles , Vajra , Timoth , and Onyx assisted Luna — who was revealed as an avatar of Selûne — in defeating Shar . After she parted ways with her friends , she headed north to hire herself out as a mercenary . In the Year of the Turret , 1360 DR , Vajra fought with many other great heroes and heroines against the Tuigan Horde . It was during this time that she first met Zaranda Star , the future queen of Tethyr . The Reclamation Wars . When Prince Haedrak and Perendra Raslemtar arrived in Waterdeep in the Year of the Banner , 1368 DR to gather support for the lost heir of Tethyr , Vajra and her friends Timoth and Onyx quickly joined up with the cause , even before Vajra learned that they would be supporting her old friend Zaranda Star . Vajra , along with Perendra Raslemtar , Onyx , and Ondul Jarduth , was one of the adventurers who teleported into Myratma to sabotage that city and create a distraction for Haedrak to rescue Zaranda from the clutches of Safana Aldhanek . This proved a great help to the Loyalist army ' s efforts . Because of her superb combat leadership in the last battles of the Reclamation Wars in the Year of the Gauntlet , 1369 DR , she was granted the position of royal warlord and awarded the noble title of Duchess of Ankaram . Rumors . When Pasha Abon Duum mysteriously vanished from Manshaka in 1357 DR , a popular rumor was that Vajra had returned to Manshaka and slain him for vengeance . In fact , she did not get the chance .