Elaith Craulnober Elaith Craulnober was a moon elf adventurer and crime lord living in the city of Waterdeep . He was a cunning and opportunistic elven rogue with an infamous reputation . Description . Elaith Craulnober was tall elven noble in his prime with with sharp , handsome features and a graceful build . He was 5 ' 8 " tall . Elaith had silver hair and the pale skin common to his people . His eyes were the color of amber . He favored his trademark black cape and elven daggers , which he often used to solidify his already fearsome reputation . He was often likened to a " silver snake " because of his appearance , which in part gave him his alias of " The Serpent . " Personality . Elaith was a tragic character who never truly recovered from his initial fall . His descent from nobility on Evermeet to the brutal and heartless crime lord he became contributed to his contrasting qualities . In Evermeet , Elaith was serious and proper , the " epitome of elfdom " according to Amnestria . After his exile , Elaith became a heartless crime lord with a penchant for cruelty . He was portrayed as a manipulative and evil elf whose canny intelligence managed him a worthy position among Waterdeep ' s nobility . Elaith was a very proud elf , and any slight made to him was answered brutally . Despite his often unforgiving manner , Elaith had a twisted sense of honor , and seemed to fully respect ( albeit in a twisted fashion ) many elven traditions - including his use of " Elf - friend " . During the events of the Songs and Swords series , Elaith underwent a drastic change . He became more questioning of his morality , and even began to actively seek redemption - - through any means possible . He remained an evil crime lord , but his evil and cruel streaks were markedly reduced . Style was important to Elaith . He disdained the methods of the Zhentarim because they had " no style . " History . Background . Elaith was the only child of an only son , the last of the Craulnober line in Evermeet . He served as captain of the king ' s guard in Evermeet . He grew up alongside Princess Amnestria and was later betrothed to her . During their betrothal , he inherited his grandfathers ' s moonblade , which rejected him . Their betrothal was nullified and in disgrace Elaith left the island for Waterdeep . In Waterdeep , Elaith became a rogue elf . He was recruited by a band of mercenaries known as the Company of the Claw . They were led by Xander to go treasure hunting ( tomb robbing ) in Erlunn . Elaith found the complete break from his former traditions and values liberating . Soon , Elaith began building his own underground empire of crime . He acquired a reputation for ruthlessness as an assassin , intelligence broker , and crime lord . His notoriety was such that there was a well - known ballad written about him called " Silent Strikes the Serpent . " Starlight & Shadows . In 1361 DR , Elaith ran into Arilyn Moonblade and Danilo Thann , and aided them in their quest to find the Harper Assassin . However , despite Elaith ' s fondness for Arilyn , he had his own personal agenda and vendetta - which caused no little difficulty for the pair . In particular , Elaith held no love for Danilo and arranged to have him assassinated , although he later rescinded the job . He aided the two of them in determining that Kymil Nimesin was behind the Harper Assasin in a plot to usurp the throne of Evermeet . In 1364 DR , Elaith hesitantly joined forces with his hated enemy , Danilo Thann , in order to solve the riddle of the ancient green dragon Grimnoshtadrano in order to obtain the Morninglark harp . Danilo ' s sought the harp in order stop a sorceress from wreaking havoc ; Elaith sought the harp in order to restore his moonblade for his infant daugther , Azariah . With a rag - tag army of minstrels , mercenaries , and riddlemasters - Elaith and Danilo solved the riddle and regained the artifact . Elaith stole the artifact , but after Danilo reminded him of their agreement , he defended Danilo from harm , becoming gravely injured . His selfless sacrifice reactivated the moonblade and allowed Elaith to be healed . In 1368 DR , Elaith discovered the magical qualities of the Dream Spheres - a mercantile product used to create dreamscapes for the upper nobility of Waterdeep . In an attempt to test the " evil " of his soul , Elaith took a legendary intelligent telkiira — a magical artifact used to magnify a person ' s magical capability . Legend says that the telkiira would bend an ordinary person ' s soul to evil , but if wielded by a truly vile being , the artifact would bow down to his will completely . Temporarily fooled by a false copy of the artifact , Elaith , believing himself beyond redemption , sank down to the evil streak of cruelty and ruthlessness he was previously known for . However , at the end , he once again aided Arilyn and Danilo in destroying the evil telkiira to restore order in Waterdeep . Abilities . Foremost of Elaith ' s abilities were his fearsome reputation and his willingness to commit the vile , cruel acts . Elaith honed his reputation to a point where he was nigh untouchable in the City of Waterdeep . After the restoration of his moonblade , Elaith preferred to hire mercenaries to perform his illegal activities for him . Aside from his wealth and reputation , Elaith was also very capable in combat . The Serpent was known for his quickness and agility . Elaith was also a master in wielding daggers , and often dual wielded them to confuse ( or to toy with ) his opponents . As a wizard , he also exhibited various magical capabilities , including scrying and invisibility . Elaith was very familiar with the criminal underground , and practiced larceny quite easily . He was known to deactivate locks and traps with ease , and to blend well into shadows . Possessions . Magical items . Elaith was a collector of magical items , and as such , his entire inventory would be impossible to note . However , some of his more notable possessions were as follows . Elaith possessed a dormant moonblade , an elven artifact that rejected him as its owner because of his questionable character and instigating his exile . The moonblade was reactivated in 1364 DR when Elaith was gravely injured for the sake of the Harper Danilo Thann . His last thoughts were only for his daughter ; the moonblade , sensing a change of heart , healed him and restored itself . Elaith held the moonblade for his daughter , planning to give it to her when she was old enough to inherit it . Elaith owned a magical dagger that returns to his hand after it is thrown . He obtained it through a trade from the Harper Danilo . He also kept a black knife tucked in his left boot . This knife was used to create a necromancer ' s rune on the foreheads of dead bodies that prevented others from speaking with their spirits or determining the cause of death . Elaith owned a scrying ball , which he used in conversing with prospective clients - and potentially spying on them . Property . Elaith owned a house known as the Blackstone House on the Way of the Dragon in Waterdeep , between the South and Dock Ward s . It was tall , narrow , and elegant , and built of stark , black granite . In 1361 DR , the Rearing Hippocampus in Waterdeep was purchased by Elaith and renamed the Hidden Blade . Relationships . Amnestria . Elaith ' s strongest bond was with the Princess Amnestria of Evermeet , Arilyn Moonblade ' s mother . He was a distant relative of hers and grew up with her . They were later betrothed . Their betrothal was nullified after Elaith ' s moonblade rejected him and he went into self - imposed exile . Elaith ' s unresolved emotion for the princess was such that it was one of the few things that could break his iron self - control . During the " The Dream Spheres " , he was almost killed because of this weakness . Children . Elaith has two children , although only one of them was known to him . Azariah Craulnober , for whom he attempted to recover the dormant moonblade , was sent to Evermeet to be fostered in the royal household , to inherit the moonblade when she is old enough . For Azariah ' s sake , Elaith attempted to avoid situations in which he might be killed , although he continued his evil dealings . Elaith also had a son by the Princess Amnestria . However , she gave birth to him in secret after Elaith moved to Waterdeep . The lost prince ' s story has not yet been told . Danilo Thann . Elaith ' s other closest companion was , ironically , the Harper who was formerly his most hated enemy , Danilo Thann . Early in their relationship , Elaith tried to have Danilo killed because he detested the human noble . However , after Danilo saved his life in 1364 DR and grew fond of Azariah , Elaith developed a grudging respect for him . Elaith named Danilo an elf - friend in return for the Waterdhavian bard saving his life , though he has been known to refer to this as an act of supreme folly . Arilyn Moonblade . Elaith viewed the half - elven assassin Arilyn Moonblade as elven royalty - even saying that she should have been his daughter ( because he had been betrothed to Amnestria , Arilyn ' s mother ) . Initially mistaking her for Princess Amnestria , he forged a tentative alliance with the brooding half - elf . Elaith professed a seething hatred for Arilyn ' s human father , the Harper Bran Skorlskun - a former friend . Whether this hatred stems from his human heritage , the human ' s inability to protect Amnestria , or the fact that she loved the human more than she loved him - was not made clear . Bran was not fond of Elaith , either , blaming him for the deaths of the Company of the Claw . It was implied that Bran and Elaith had previously adventured together in that band . Bronwyn Caradoon . Elaith briefly spent time with the charming rogue Bronwyn Caradoon , secretly a Harper Agent sent to sabotage one of his plans . He has displayed an uncharacteristic attraction for Bronwyn , an attraction that constantly prevented him from killing the sly female rogue . Khelben " Blackstaff " Arunsun . He also has a somewhat awkward " treaty " with Khelben " Blackstaff " Arunsun and the Lady Larael , as he had saved the archmage ' s life from a powerful charmed state in 1364 DR . Appendix . Notes . In the first - edition sourcebook " Waterdeep and the North " and in later editions of the novels , Elaith ' s surname is spelled " Craulnobur " . In the game " Neverwinter Nights " , Elaith could be found in Port Llast seeking a number of gems in order to take his daughter back to Evermeet . However , as explained in " Elfsong " , Azariah was sent to Evermeet some years previously . Appearances . Novels and short stories . Songs and Swords series : Other :