Tantras Tantras was a city on the east coast of the Dragon Reach between Calaunt and Ravens Bluff . Etymology & Language . People and things from Tantras were called " Tantran " or " Tantrasan " . Its people spoke the Tantran dialect of the Easting language , which was related to the Damaran language . History . During the Vast ' s so - called Time of Glorious Fools ( from 649 DR onwards ) , Tantras was among those harbors that served as landing spots for immigrants and rest stops for pirates . These harbors were developed as trade ports for the trading vessels came from Aglarond , Impiltur , Sembia , and Westgate . Eventually , noble merchant families became established in Tantras , and they led the city for at least four generations by the mid – 14th century DR . In the Year of the Creeping Fang , 1305 DR , Thilana , the leader of the pirates of the Dragonisle , visited Tantras to check in on her extensive network of informants and spies . However , she was strangled to death one night by Laershala of the Emerald Eyes , one of her own pirate captains , who then seized control of the pirate fleet . For some years in the 1350s DR , the infamous Kaverin Ebonhand and his gang terrorized Tantras , committing crimes so shocking that they became notorious around the Dragon Reach and earned Kaverin the moniker " Butcher of Tantras " . Finally , Kaverin ordered the murder of Rallo Scarson , a Harper who threatened to bring down his network . Two adventurers , the ex - Harper Artus Cimber and Sir Hydel Pontifax , amassed evidence that proved Kaverin ' s guilt beyond reasonable doubt , but brought him to trial in the neighboring city of Ravens Bluff in the Year of the Prince , 1357 DR . On Marpenoth 5 , the Lord ' s Court of Ravens Bluff found Kaverin guilty of ordering the murder , but since the henchman who had committed the crime had already been executed for it , they commuted his sentence to chopping his hands off . Kaverin laughed as the deed was done , and then his mage attorney attached to the stumps two black stones that formed into new , prosthetic hands . Proudly displaying his new hands , Kaverin pointed to Cimber and Pontifax , then returned to Tantras a free man . Time of Troubles . During the Time of Troubles , in the Year of Shadows , 1358 DR , skeleton s rose from their graves to take over the neighboring town of Hlintar . Refugees from Hlintar and other chaos - stricken areas fled to Tantras and other Vast cities . The god Torm the True manifested in the city of Tantras and took up residence there , making the city famous . Meanwhile , led by their heretical high priest , his faithful persecuted those of other gods , labeling them as " unbelievers " in a display of religious bigotry . During this , Tantras prepared for war against the forces of Zhentil Keep , which followed close behind their god Bane the Black Lord . The " Guard " of Tantras mobilized , commandeering privately owned homes by the coast , as well as a number of inns ( including the Roaring Lion Inn and Gulder ' s Good Grub Inn ) , for use as barracks . Meanwhile , the Tantran navy seized the Green Sirene as a barracks and recruiting post . Halemar ' s Fine Blades , an armorer and weaponsmith , was kept very busy crafting materiel for the war effort , while Muldiver the Shipwright readied the ships . Torm eventually discovered the crimes of his priests and punished them for it . Then the god Bane arrived to take one of the Tablets of Fate , which he ' d hidden in the city . In a titanic battle in the harbor , Torm fought Bane , and absorbed the souls of thousands of his willing faithful there to strengthen himself . Torm did not take the children of the faithful , however , leaving a generation of orphans known as the Martyr ' s Progeny . In the end , both gods slew one another , and left parts of the city destroyed , depopulated , and in a massive dead - magic zone . After the battle , the Trueblades , an order of crusader s devoted to Torm , worked to perform damage control . Later , looting mobs of refugees from Tantras and other cities suffering strife wandered the Vast . Meanwhile , in the southern Vast , many wealthy merchants of Procampur and Tsurlagol fled to their country houses in the town of Maerstar . However , they were harassed by the mobs , who ' d also come through Maerstar , and some were killed . Despite the devastation , Tantras made a good recovery after the Time of Troubles , and even prospered . The destruction was almost fully repaired well before 1372 DR . The overhauled and chastised faith of Torm became very tolerant and indulgent of the other faiths in the city . Recent history . With the Horde Wars in east and northeastern Faerûn over 1359 – 1360 DR , the Tuigan Horde was expected to overrun Thesk and Impiltur and then the Vast , before continuing east . Thus , King Azoun IV of Cormyr called for a crusade against the Tuigan Horde in the Year of the Turret , 1360 DR . Tantras was among those free cities that sent envoys to Azoun ' s council on Tarsakh 10 , and contributed 1 , 600 well - trained volunteer soldiers , as well as wizards , to the crusade . After three years of Kaverin Ebonhand attempting to revenge himself upon Artus Cimber and Hydel Pontifax , and them thwarting his schemes and disposing of his agents , things finally came to a head in 1360 DR . Kaverin slipped up and was caught in a tavern in the open without his bodyguards by Artus and Hydel , and Hydel blew him to bits with a " lightning bolt " spell . However , since they ' d used magic and neglected to call in the watch , the city authorities charged the pair with murder and a dozen other offenses . Artus and Hydel escaped , and were forced to avoid Tantras for at least the next three years . Meanwhile , Kaverin made a deal with Cyric , the then Lord of the Dead , gaining his life back in order to spread chaos and strife . Kaverin Ebonhand remained mostly in the safety of Tantras , protected by the Cult of Frost , which he ' d seized control of . Finally , in the Year of the Wyvern , 1363 DR , Kaverin Ebonhand and the Mulhorand i mage Phyrra al - Quim and their minions left the city to hunt for the famed " Ring of Winter " in Chult , following Artus Cimber and Hydel Pontifax themselves . On the ship " Narwhal " , travelling from Baldur ' s Gate to Chult , Kaverin and Phyrra , masqueraded as Tantrasan ambassadors to keep Artus and Hydel from investigating for fear of being arrested or tried on the spot . Regardless , Artus finally slew Kaverin in Chult with the power of the " ring " . Tantras was among those areas covered by the Tyrantfog of 9 – 11 Mirtul of the Year of the Tankard , 1370 DR . Under the fog , Cyric worshippers were afflicted with terrible diseases , while followers of Iyachtu Xvim were strengthened . Finally , items and beings filled with Bane ' s power were destroyed , and banelich es hidden in Tantras exploded . The Tyrantfog then burned away in green flame . Later that year , following her war against Ravens Bluff , Myrkyssa Jelan reappeared with another army , likely the remnants or reserves of her first , and this time marched on Tantras . She demanded the city ' s surrender , else she ' d raze it to the ground . The Tantran High Council met with the Warlord , and they came to some agreement . The terms of this were unknown , but Jelan ' s army withdrew without attacking . Tantras had requested aid from Procampur and Ravens Bluff , but by the time this arrived , Jelan ' s army had faded into the mountains . Later in 1370 DR , Ravens Bluff proposed the formation of a regional government in the Vast , but Tantras strongly rejected the proposal . Post - Spellplague . A regional government was eventually formed in the Vast , as the formerly independent city - states of Calaunt , Ravens Bluff , and Tantras united in the nation of Vesperin . It was still a young nation by 1479 DR . Tantras was named its capital . Demographics . In 1358 DR , the city had an estimated population of around 69 , 000 people . This could rise to ~ 86 , 000 in the summer . However , the city had space to comfortably house up to 89 , 000 . This made it the third - largest city in the Vast at the time . In 1372 DR , Tantras was listed with a population of 21 , 816 , making it the fourth - largest city in the Vast . The mostly human population was of largely Chondathan and Damaran extraction . In 1479 DR , Tantras had a population of around 23 , 000 . Government . In the 14th century DR , Tantras was governed by the High Council . This comprised the heads of sixteen of the local noble merchant families as well as the high priest of the temple of Torm , as it was the most influential church in the city . In effect , the older noble houses — which had led the city for over four generations — formed alliances and voting blocs and thus decided matters as they saw fit . In 1358 DR , after the Troubles , these families and their alliances were Aldimer – Mathlin – Uruthkurt , Baraedin – Mithertul – Onsil – Naskurl , and Channath – Elovear – Laranadda – Tithlin – Vandover . Another family was Ormitar ; at the time , Lassalar Ormitar was both a member of the High Council and commander of the Guard . In the 15th century DR , Tantras was the capital city of the nation of Vesperin . As such , it was the base for the Golden Lord s , an oligarchic council of the richest and most influential and powerful merchants who ruled the land . The title " Golden Lord " was granted to all council members , regardless of gender . The membership fluctuated with its members ' fortunes , but the council itself remained stable and acted consistently and reliably . They worked to preserve a status quo and to ensure a basic quality of life for the people of Vesperin . Relations . Tantras was one of the five so - called " sister cities " of the Vast , together with Calaunt , Procampur , Ravens Bluff , and Tsurlagol . Ravenians liked to think of Tantras as their city ' s " dark twin " , though Tantrans thought otherwise . Either way , Tantras was one of the leading cities of the Vast by 1372 DR . By 1479 DR , Tantras had united with Calaunt and Ravens Bluff in the nation of Vesperin . Tantras , as part of Vesperin , remained neutral with regard to international politics . Law & Order . The High Council endeavored to go unnoticed as a government and to make few restrictions on citizens . Being composed of merchant houses , it focused mainly on setting tariffs , making laws that regulated trade , and making business easy for merchants . It cared less about the actions of thieves ' guilds and adventurers unless they impacted on mercantile interests . What people did outside business was their own affair . As a result , Tantras was a boisterous , almost lawless , wide - open city . Only the more extreme crimes and breaches of courtesy would get the Guard involved . The Guard under Lassalar Ormitar was more serious about limiting merchant freedoms in favor of law and order . The harbor was strictly policed . However , Tantras cracked down hard on smuggling and piracy , those crimes that most affected trade , and judges were rarely lenient in these cases . Smugglers had their illicit goods confiscated and were fined to the same value , while repeat offenders were typically executed . Pirates were sentenced to death by drowning , being tied to heavy stones and dumped in the Dragon Reach . Nevertheless , Tantras did not worry overmuch about piracy unless one of its own ships was involved . Armed forces . The armed forces of the city were called simply the " Guard " , and had the duty of both defending the city and policing it . Just after the Time of Troubles in 1358 DR , the Guard was commanded by Lassalar Ormitar , a member of the Council . Although the Guard was directly responsible to the Council , their loyalties lay with Lassalar , who was more serious about restricting merchant freedoms in favor of law and order . The Guard consisted of about 900 male and female fighter s . Regular troops , who patrolled in units of fourteen , were outfitted in plate mail armor and carried spear s , short sword s , and dagger s . Patrols were led by " longswords " , or sergeants , who carried longsword s and mace s . When multiple units were involved , they took orders from officers , who wielded maces , morningstar s , or short swords . Crossbow men and wizard s were called in emergencies . Thirty - strong garrisons of crossbowmen mainly guarded the harbor and manned the ballista batteries there . Tantras also had a reserve militia of about 6 , 000 that could be called up when needed . However , these were mostly not professionals but folk who had other jobs and thus they were considered poor - quality troops . Tantras was also home to the Trueblades , a Torm - worshiping crusader order . The Trueblades performed damage control during warfare and disasters , such as after the cataclysmic battle between the gods Torm and Bane in 1358 DR . As the city - state had little outside territory to defend , Tantras ' s naval forces were few . Nevertheless , the city maintained almost half - a - dozen warships in case it had need of them . Coat of Arms . The heraldic coat of arms of the city of Tantras showed a curling silver ocean wave ( a breaker ) surmounted by three silver stars , on a field of royal blue . This crest was emblazoned on the blue oiled plate mail armor of the soldiers of the Guard , called the " blue and silver " . Economy & Trade . Tantras was a busy port city , humming with industry yet characterized by diligent entrepreneurs among its ruling merchant families . The people were prosperous and wealthy , from nobles to common folk . Tantras thrived on trade between the Vast and the Dragon Reach and beyond , with goods flowing to and fro . Farmers and crafters of the interior brought their goods here for sale to the ships that docked in the port , while more trade came up from Procampur . Tantras recovered well from the destruction inflicted during the Time of Troubles , and even flourished from it , such that it , along with Ravens Bluff , challenged Procampur as the wealthiest city of the Vast . It was made popular for trade by the many cargo - lifting cranes in the harbor , which provided the ability to move large amounts of freight in and out quickly . These cranes had been installed by the temple of Gond , which received a copper piece for every load lifted . They were recent inventions by the mid - 1300s , and were also in use in Baldur ' s Gate and Scardale and other ports . The heavy policing and defenses of the harbor area also made the port desirable to merchant shipping . Shops in Tantras had an excellent range of products , much more than normally available on this stretch of the Dragon Reach , though the selection was reduced in a hard winter . In particular , they had quality wine s and a wide variety of ornaments and novelties and rare items . Tantras ' s own products included crates , wagons , locks , wrought - iron hardware , and building parts like carved wooden window casements , posts , and railings . The city also produced locally caught fish , including the spiced and pickled " Tantran finefish " . Culture & Society . 14th century . Although it had grown wealthy and proud on the back of its trade , Tantras remained an active and dynamic city , not one set in its ways or fallen to decadence . It could be described it as ever - changing . The city was dominated by the entrepreneurs of the merchant families and by the priests of its many temples . The city was home to major temples of Lathander , Gond , Selûne , Milil , Tempus , Torm , and Tymora , with smaller shrines to Cyric , Loviatar , Umberlee , and Waukeen also present . Tantras was indeed dominated by religion , particularly that of Torm the True , the paladin god of duty , loyalty , and obedience . The Tormite faith was always popular among Tantrans , and remained so after the Time of Troubles , when the god himself gave his life to defend the city from Bane , the Lord of Darkness ( despite the destruction and loss of life their battle wrought on the city ) . Torm was venerated as the savior of Tantras even after he was restored to life . Tantras was the center of the Tormite faith around the Inner Sea , and home to the greatest Tormtar temple in Faerûn . The Temple of Torm ' s Coming was the most successful , dominant , and influential church in the city , and led the spiritual and social life of its citizens . The high priest even had a seat on the governing High Council . This influence was not always to the best , however . During the Troubles , the church of Torm , under a heretical high priest , took to persecuting " unbelievers " — those who held to other faiths — in a show of religious intolerance . Temples of the other faiths suffered harshly under this regime , with some even destroyed . However , Torm ' s condemnation of the heretics ' behavior and subsequent reforms saw the temple much more indulgent of the other religions . Nevertheless , this period harmed Tantras ' s reputation . Many rural inhabitants of the Vast felt Tantras was overly dominated by religion , a " god - ridden " place home to suspicious and unfriendly people , namely the Tormites . The city was however a haven for many adventurers and a sanctuary for folk fleeing dangerous wizards and groups like the Zhentarim of Zhentil Keep and the Red Wizards of Thay . This was thanks to the merchant lords ' light rule , the successful thieves ' guild , the numerous priests , and especially the large dead - magic zone . Owing to the presence of the large dead - magic zone and the associated difficulty of casting spell s around the city , few wizards chose to establish themselves in Tantras after the Time of Troubles . Those who did learned to be cunning and to hide their Art from others . They developed a natural sensitivity to magic , automatically sensing a nearby aura roughly one - third of the time , though not to identify or locate it . However , they also had to learn highly precise and taxing spellcasting techniques . This made them somewhat slow to react and cast spells . Tantran warriors were typically more cosmopolitan than their peers , usually knowing another language . Furthermore , owing to the many priests in the city , they were well versed in a particular Faerûnian religion . However , following the appearance of the dead - magic zone , they grew lax in their defenses against magic , and thus more vulnerable . Rogue s and thieves of Tantras had no special character distinct from their trade and nationality , but most were members of the resident thieves ' guild , the Grayclaws . Those who were not and did not come to some arrangement with the guild found their careers cut suddenly short . 15th century . In the 15th century DR , as capital city of Vesperin , Tantras was no longer so changeable or flexible . Instead , it had developed a highly structured society , with rigid class divisions and hierarchies , along social , economic , and political lines . Signs of such social hierarchy manifested in the price of goods in shops and of housing , and in the business and residential districts . The rich upper class enjoyed ostentatious displays of their wealth , particularly in the ornamentation and unnecessary decorations that were everywhere in the city . Expensive gold leaf covered furniture , carriages , and even architectural features , and so were a common target of thieves . Thus the wealthy hired private guards , militias , and small armies for the defense of their homes . Description & Layout . Tantras was a large and prosperous city , evidenced by the fine housing of its citizens , from the well - kept cottages of the shopkeepers and common laborers , to the grand houses , villas , and mansions of the wealthy and noble on the eastern shore . However , these grand houses were apt to commandeered as barracks by the military , as happened in the Time of Troubles . Tantras was a walled city , its city wall set with towers and two gate houses leading to the road . The Sea Tower stood on the city ' s coast , on the southern side of the opening of the bay , at the end of Whistleturn Way . This was the city ' s main fortress and base for the Guard . It held armories and training areas for soldiers . Tantras ' s harbor was well fortified with ballista batteries on the coast and on either side of the entrance of the harbor mouth , and catapult s mounted on coast towers . A massive chain - boom barrier could be lowered over the mouth of the harbor to guard the port and block it in the event of naval attack . Ingenious mechanical cranes installed by the followers of Gond from the House of Skilled Hands quickly loaded and unloaded cargo to and from trade ships . Secure , efficient , and popular for trade , the harbor was a crowded and bustling place . The harbor was ringed by warehouses , secured by private mercenaries . The city was home to a number of temples . The greatest was the Temple of Torm ' s Coming , which sat atop the highest hill in the city . The other major temples , located around the city , were the Happy House of Splendor and Song , dedicated to Milil , Lord of Song ; the House of Glory to Tempus , Lord of Battles ; the House of Hope for Tymora the Luckbringer ; the House of Moonlight for Selûne the Moonmaiden ; the House of Skilled Hands to Gond the Wonderbringer ; and the Morning Halls to Lathander the Morninglord . Scattered around the city were also shrines to Lathander again and to Waukeen , the Merchant ' s Friend . There were even thriving but concealed shrines to evil deities like Cyric , Prince of Lies ; Loviatar , Maiden of Pain ; and Umberlee , Queen of the Depths . Furthermore , beneath the city were the Halls of Demarch , home to worshipers of Mask , Master of All Thieves , and of Leira , Lady of Deception . The Temple of Torm ' s Coming , led by High Priest Barriltar Bhandraddon , got its name after the Time of Troubles in honor of Torm ' s physical manifestation within the temple itself which quickly resulted in robust growth and great influence on the city ' s spiritual and social life . There were many inns in Tantras , and they welcomed all clientele , even adventures . But they were often quiet places , where busy and hard - working merchants expected to get a good night ' s sleep . In the mid – 14th century DR , the Roaring Lion Inn was considered " the best in town " . Meanwhile , those who wanted to party or make some noise were expected to go to a tavern , which could be open any time of day . The most notable were the House of Twilight , a famous nightclub , and the Silly Satyr , an infamously wild tavern . Many other small taverns and clubs popped up in the center of the city , but faded away just as quickly as their owners ' fortunes rose and fell . The most notable landmark in Tantras was the Great Bell , also known as the Bell of Aylen Attricus . This sat on the second highest hill in the city , on the southeastern side . Just north of the Bell was the Fountain of the Mermaid , whose origins were lost to history . In the southwest was a bronze statue of the long - ago hero Brandon Battlemaster , riding a horse with his cloak streaming behind him . At the center of the city was a large green area , an open - air marketplace known commonly as the Market . It was typically very busy and crowded . A more notorious landmark was Blacklamp Alley in the central north part , which was frequently the scene of brawls and murders . In theaters in Tantras , actors playing gods and goddesses employed complicated harnesses suspended from the rafters , enabling them to hang over the stage . Organizations . The Grayclaws were an effective thieves ' guild composed of thieves and smugglers . Loyal to Tantras , they operated mostly only against visitors and those Tantran natives that they felt deserved it , " i . e . " , the very rich , the arrogant , and the immoral . At one time or another , they defended their city against outside factions attempting to muscle into the underworld , including the Cult of the Dragon , the Red Wizards of Thay , the Zhentarim of Zhentil Keep , Inner Sea pirates sponsored by Calishite slavers , and even the Harpers . Around 1358 DR , the Grayclaws were led by Amlithor Harlguss and Othniir Xalast . The Grayclaws were named for the claw - like weapons they favored , which made them dangerous in a fight and skilled climbers . The Harpers had a strong presence in Tantras , and they had the support and guidance of the Happy House of Splendor and Song , the local temple of Milil . The temple was considered by some to be a place to contact Those Who Harp . Important Tantras - based Harpers included the bard s Felitarr " Flyingfingers " Wendilar and Deltara Dragynstarr . Lightal Barnshyn the caravan outfitter was a Harper agent and the mage Tarntassa was a Harper friend . For the most part , the Harpers largely left the Grayclaws thieves ’ guild alone , owing to the Grayclaws ' proven ability to keep their common enemies out of Tantras . An organization of beguiler s jointly devoted to the goddess Leira , Lady of Deception , and to the god Mask , Lord of Shadows , was once based in Tantras , out of the hidden Halls of Demarch . Demarch ' s Alliance , as it was known , collapsed after the Time of Troubles , with its members turning on each other in sectarian violence . They were succeeded by Demarch ' s Folly , a band of survivors who practiced shadow magic and occupied their former guildhall . The Iron Throne mercantile organization had a firm foothold on Tantras around 1370 DR . The dwarf mercenaries of Clan Hammerhand kept offices in Tantras among other locales .