Tel'Ethar

Tel'Ethar (The Spies) is Tel'Sintar's dark secret: behind a facade of respectable messengers and reporters lurks an association of spies and assassins barely suspected by the populace at large. Secrecy is both Tel'Ethar's best weapon and its best defense, and much of the guild's work is hidden even from other members. Tel'Ethar agents leave no trace of their covert activities, warping the memories of witnesses to their crimes and even wiping their own minds to remove any evidence of their completed assignments.

The first guild master of Tel'Ethar was a vampire named Garrik, whose organizations agreed to serve as Tal En'Estela's couriers, information brokers, and librarians - this guild, Tel'Sintar, fulfills that role to that role to this day. But Garrik used his guild's expertise at gathering information to build a vast spy network, and before long, the secret operations of the guild evolved into Tel'Ethar. Tel'Sintar is the benevolent tip of the iceberg of espionage that is Tel'Ethar. Most citizens of Tal En'Estela doubt its very existence.

An immortal entity, Garrik ruled the guild for almost five thousand years, until he was arrested and killed two hundred years ago.

## **Inside Tel'Ethar**

Tel'Ethar has a clandestine aspect hidden from all but its most important members. The current guildmaster, Vulmer, and his direct contacts guide and manipulate the covert operations of Tel'Ethar and subsequently Tel'Sintar. Members of Tel'Ethar and then later Tel'Sintar receive their orders from this source without having any idea of who issued the order or why. Messages to agents are funneled through thought strands (see "Spell: Encode Thoughts" later in this page) and telepathic couriers.

By design, Tel'Ethar members don't have much interaction with other members of the guild. They might never meet their primary guild contact face to face, instead receiving assignments and sending reports by way of secret message drops and codes.

## **Goals of Tel'Ethar**

Tel'Ethar is all about secrets and misinformation, even where its own members are concerned. Any Ethar agent knows of no more than a handful of alleyway contacts and dossier drop spots. One agent knows another only by a code name, or receives communications only at a particular meeting sport at a specific place and time. Every self-proclaimed expert with an opinion on the matter has a theory about the guild's intentions, and all those guesses about Ethar's motivations and pursuits contradict each other, frustrating any attempt to get to the truth of things.

To Tel'Ethar, knowledge is power. The guild hungers to learn everything it doesn't already know, especially the weaknesses of its adversaries, and to exploit those weaknesses for its own gain. Tel'Ethar lurk in the shadows, methodically gathering the knowledge they need to remake Tal En'Estela to their advantage.

Tel'Ethar's progress towards its goals depends on web woven from meticulously gathered intelligence. Unpredictable behavior by other guilds can destabilize that web.

## **Spell: Encode Thoughts**

*Enchantment cantrip*

**Casting Time:** 1 action
**Range:** Self
**Components:** S
**Duration**: 8 hours

You pull a memory, an idea, or a message from your mind and transform it into a tangible string of glowing energy called a thought strand, which persists for the duration or until you cast this spell again. The thought strand appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you as a Tiny, weightless, semisolid object that can be held and carried like a ribbon. It is otherwise stationary.

If you cast this spell while concentrating on a spell or an ability that allows you to read or manipulate the thoughts of others (such as Detect Thoughts or Modify Memory), you can transform the thoughts or memories you read, rather than your own, into a thought strand.

Casting this spell while holding a thought strand allows you to instantly receive whatever memory, idea, or message the thought strand contains. (Casting Detect Thoughts on the strand has the same effect.)

*Spell Lists.* Wizard

## **Rank 1: Erda Karo (Independent Agent)**

*Prerequisites: Renown 3 or higher with this guild.*

As an independent agent, you have considerable latitude in the way you choose to implement your mission goals. You acquire a spies' murmur (See "Spies' Murmur" later in this page)- a magic device that allows you to communicate telepathically with other Tel'Ethar agents who wear similar items. If this item i s lost or destroyed, it's up to you to secure a replacement.

## **Rank 2: Hostar En'Lombarim (Collector of Secrets)**

*Prerequisites: Rank 1 and renown 10 or higher with this guild.*

By the time you reach this level of renown in Tel'Ethar, you are amassing a significant collection of secrets about the people and places around you. You know the location of a hidden safe house where you can take shelter in case of dire need. At the DM's discretion, you might also know (or be able to find out) a secret about a person or group who lives or operates in a neighborhood you're familiar with. The secret is typically a person's flaw or details about a dark episode in a group's past. Whatever it is. the secret is a weakness that can be used to manipulate the person or group to assist you or your associates.In addition, you gain an Ethar charm at the start of each mission you undertake on the guild's behalf.

## **Rank 3: Mitya Rind (Inner Circle)**

*Prerequisites: Rank 2 and renown 25 or higher with this guild.*

At this level of renown, you are responsible for coordinating the activities of several other Ether agents. You still receive orders from the usual source, but you're given broad goals and wide latitude in how to carry them out, including delegating specific tasks to other Ethar agents of lesser renown. You are also increasing trusted with important secrets.

## **Rank 4: Nost'hera Astamo (Guildmaster Confidant)**

*Prerequisites: Rank 3 and renown 50 or higher with this guild.*

Few members of Tel'Ethar ever encounter Vulmer, and those who do are often unaware that they are dealing with the guildmaster. You have been admitted to his circle of confidants. He has entrusted you with a wide network of Ethar agents under your command, but you also bear tremendous responsibility for the success of the missions they undertake.

## **Tel'Ethar Charm**

When you activate this charm, you can cast the blink or sleep (3rd-level version) spell. Alternatively, when you take damage, you can use your reaction to turn invisible and teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You remain invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack or cast a spell. The charm vanishes after you activate it.