Hesperdan

Hesperdan was an archmage in the Zhentarim. Secretly the black dragon Alorglauvenemaus, he also went by the alias Gelvar Thordrunn, a dealer of magical curios and esoterica in Ordulin, Sembia.
==Personality==
He was keen-witted, and had a sense of humor.
==Relationships==
Alorglauvenemaus had early gained Elminster Aumar as an ally, and he mind-melded with the old mage sometimes, allowing them to speak out of each other's mouths and see from each other's eyes, allowing Elminster to be an insider at the Zhentarim, in which the dragon later took up a role. They even impersonated each other from time to time. He was amongst the true powers of the Zhentarim, being capable of leading them against Fzoul.
Other mages of the Zhentarim had varying views of him: Drauthtar Inskirl claimed to hate him, Eirhaun Sooundaeril claimed no one knew enough to hate him; others of middling rank such as Hlael Toraunt and Korthauvar Hammantle believed him to be an unpredictable and potentially dangerous excentric, tolerated only because of his apparent lack of interest in becoming an obstacle to anyone's schemes, and his incredibly extensive general knowledge.
==Possessions==
In particular, Hesperdan had a number of scrying orbs, some of which he'd crafted himself.
==Abilities==
Having shared memories with Elminster, Hesperdan could be easily assumed to rank among the most powerful mages anywhere in Faerûn. He could craft a variety of scrying orb. He was known to have "expensive vices".
==Activities==
While a member of the Zhentarim, many of his intrigues revolved around the Citadel of the Raven and the magelings therein. Mostly he kept to intrigues, rather than being overt in his activities, making backroom deals.
==History==
===Early Life===
In the , at the age of 43, Alorglauvenemaus was rising in power among dragons, yet faring badly against greater wyrms. Disillusioned by the paranoia, territoriality, and greed of other dragons, he met with Elminster Aumar and accepted some overtures to study the arcane together. They also began mind-melds that year; Alorglauvenemaus had the intention of taking on human shape, and so actualize his true love of intrigues and wizardry.
Hesperdan, in the guise of Gelvar Thordrunn, took on Malathar Wingstarl (later known as Sememmon) as an apprentice, teaching him wizardry. Gelvar disappeared, believed lost at sea, two years after taking on Malathar, some time between 1234 DR and 1258 DR.Malathar was born in 1234 DR and moved to Zhentil Keep in 1258 DR so Gelvar's "death" must be somewhere between these dates.
===As a Zhentarim===
Hesperdan was among the earliest members of the Zhentarim. While one, Hesperdan schemed to bring Fzoul Chembryl to power in the Black Network, thus allowing him to use Manshoon for his own purposes. He did much behind the scenes to foster the rise of his student Semmemmon in the Zhentarim ranks and indirectly sought to mould him to be a foil for Manshoon.
In the , Hesperdan met with a former Zhentarim mage, Arlonder Darmeth "Old Ghost" in a well-hidden room of the Citadel of the Raven, inquisitive about the phantom's intentions after its actions regarding Horaundoon. Though Hesperdan was ambushed, with four portals in the room opening to four different mages, each armed with a wand, none of their spells did anything to him. Old Ghost also attempted to strike Hesperdan, finding himself damaged instead. Besides inquiring as to his actions regarding Hilmryn, a Red Wizard, and its further intentions regarding Horaundoon, Hesperdan also bade him not interfere with the Knights of Myth Drannor.
====The Spellfire Hunt====
In the , Hesperdan got involved tangentially during the last of the hunt for the spellfire wielder Shandril Shessair, during the period after Flamerule 21. He aided two Zhentarim scryers, Hlael Toraunt and Korthauvar Hammantle, by revealing to them the endpoint of the Tombgate. He also dropped in during a talk between Eirhaun Sooundaeril, a rival of his', and Drauthtar Inskirl, another ambitious Zhentarim mage, listening to their converse where they discussed treachery to Manshoon. He then revealed himself, promising not to reveal anything, implying he looked forward to the fallout. At the end, in Flamerule 27, he sent the two diviners to personally hunt for Shandril, and admitted to providing some of the enchanted armaments wielded by the killer Marlel who was also after her. While berserk and displaying numerous unlikely powers due to a strange spellfire overload or meltdown, Shandril somehow learned of him and demanded to be shown Hesperdan; Alustriel, who was present and trying to contain her fury, did so, creating a gate-like window towards him. The wizard quickly closed Alustriel's gate, but not before Shandril sent forth a torrent of spellfire across space. The spellfire emerged at the hideout of his rival mage Eirhaun Sooundaeril, tearing the place apart in Hesperdan's wake. Eirhaun vowed a vengeance against his rival.
Shortly after Flamerule 28, Hesperdan healed Eirhaun Sooundaeril, who had been found by his apprentices after he attempted to snatch Narm Tamaraith after trying to verify Shandril's death, only to find himself thwarted by the Seven Sisters and burned nearly to death. Eirhaun Sooundaeril took note of the stink of pipesmoke around the sardonic Hesperdan.
====Time of Troubles====
During Cyric's ascendance, a deal between Hesperdan and the Pereghost made it so that anyone who gave in to violence at Darkhold would be teleported high over a distant peak, then left to fall, so that Darkhold would not fall into chaos.
During the time prior to the Spellplague of , Hesperdan met with Khelben Arunsun, "Blackstaff" a number of times, some of them in disguises Khelben did not see through.
===After the Spellplague===
He died in inside his lair in Hullack Forest, executed by Elminster upon the restoration of Mystra.
==Appendix==
===Notes===
===References===
Category:Humans
Category:Members of the Zhentarim
Category:Archmages
Category:Wizards
Category:Black dragons
Category:Dragons
Category:Inhabitants of Ordulin
Category:Inhabitants of Sembia
Category:Inhabitants of Interior Faerûn
Category:Inhabitants of Faerûn
Category:Inhabitants of Toril
Category:Inhabitants of Cormyr
Category:Inhabitants of Hullack Forest
Category:Inhabitants of the Eastern Heartlands