Ezrah

**Ezrah**, formerly known as **Ezrah Sephret**, is the lesser god of ambition, blood feuds, and kinslaying. In certain circles, he is also called **Iyatchu Adibaal**, a name given to him for his mortal service to Iyatchu Xvim and his Bhaalspawn heritage. He is a patron of ambitious mercenaries and lesser nobles alike, showing an interest in those strong or intelligent enough to remove their opposition through force or through intrigue. He was once a mortal adventurer who traveled extensively across west Faerûn, thrice saving it from ruin during the mid-14th century, though usually for his own reasons. During his time as an adventurer, he was a Blackguard servant of Iyatchu Xvim, who would later become one of his allies. Being one of the progeny of the god of murder Bhaal, he was heavily involved with the Bhaalspawn Crisis- choosing to ascend to his then-dead father’s place amongst the gods of Faerun.

## Description

Even during his mortal years, Ezrah was an imposing figure, standing almost 7 feet (2.1 meters) in height and having a serious look in his eyes at all times. From his many near-death experiences and his torture at the hands of Jon Irenicus, Ezrah had many visible scars on his face and body that from wounds that never fully healed, despite his godly blood.

Despite still resembling a youth when he ascended to his father’s place in the pantheon, Ezrah’s godly form took on many traits associated with *The Slayer*, an avatar of his father Bhaal. His youthful appearance disappeared with his ascension, with his godly form looking more corpse-like and pale in comparison. Despite this more intimidating appearance, Ezrah remains in his gold-and-red armor of his past, resembling the corpse of a goodly paladin rather than a patron of ambitious blackguards and mercenaries. While this form was initially just Ezrah’s own version of his father’s *Slayer* form, it would later become known as *The Tyrant* when seen as a godly avatar.

Immediately after his ascension, he also inherited the avatar of *The Ravager*, 30 foot tall multi-limbed monster with a twisted face, fiendish horns, and murderous intent. While Bhaal reveled in the destruction and murder his *Ravager* aspect could cause, Ezrah only accepted the form for the power it gave- never truly embracing it. This would lead to him losing control of the aspect entirely, and ultimately losing most of his inherited power when Bhaal returned to life again. When worshiped in the form of the Ravager by former followers of Bhaal, Ezrah was venerated under the name of Belezraad.

Ezrah’s final godly aspect, and the one least encountered by his subjects or vassals, is that of a tall and imposing drow male wearing both the common arms and armor of a slave soldier, along with broken and defiled holy symbols of the Spider Queen Lolth. This form, unbeknownst to most of his worshipers, was a tribute to his lover in life, the drow Viconia DeVir. After his ascension, Ezrah appeared in this form to his mortal lover, seeking to continue what he left behind while not drawing the attention of his worshipers or enemies to his split attention. Taking the name Veldrin, this aspect allowed Ezrah to remain tied to his more mortal roots, despite his godhood.

## Divine Realm

When Ezrah ascended to godhood, he did so in the remains of the Throne of Blood, the divine realm of his father. The Throne of Blood once resided on the first layer of Gehenna, though at the time of his ascension, it was adrift on the Astral Plane. Rather than shaping the realm into his own, Ezrah chose to abandon it once he’d claimed his father’s power- turning elsewhere to make his realm. This was ultimately achieved when the god returned to the site of one of his greatest victories- the Basalt Tower where he’d slain both the devil Belhifet and his rival Caelar Argent. In Avernus he destroyed the devil who’d claimed the Tower, shaping the fiendish citadel to meet his designs until he’d created his own pocket realm- *The Blackstone Kingdom*. This strange divine realm can only be entered through the Basalt Tower in Avernus, where visitors are lowered deep underground until they find themselves in a small Underdark-like Kingdom. At the center of this realm is a fiendish reflection of Candlekeep, the library where Ezrah was raised. This is where the deity rules, having turned his place of origin into the seat of his realm.

In Ezrah’s realm the strongest of his subjects serve as warriors and guards of the Blackstone Kingdom and its entrance, while the brightest serve as scribes and administrators for his divine realm. The souls who are judged to be unworthy, as well as souls given to Ezrah in sacrifice, are more often than not simply used as a currency- sold as labor or traded as soul coins in dealings with the devils of the Nine Hells.

Although initially unwelcome in Avernus, Ezrah has on frequent occasions made dealings with the devils residing there, even sending some of his dead subjects to die once more fighting the Blood War- on one occasion sending an army to hold back the Demon Prince Demogorgon at the river of blood. When asked on why he’d acted without a prior arrangement for aid, Ezrah only demonstrated an extreme distaste for the demon lord, likely due to having fought the abyssal creature during his mortal adventures.

## Relationships

Ambitious and vengeful, Ezrah’s ascension to the Faerunian pantheon was met with disdain by many of the pantheon’s good gods, as well as the gods that had claimed worshipers and power from Ezrah’s father Bhaal. The Bhaalspawn did not just accept godly power when he claimed his father’s power- he also took back the divine portfolio of murder from Cyric, his father’s killer. Though he did not care for avenging Bhaal, he continued to see Cyric as an enemy from then on- encouraging his father’s remaining cultists to turn on their new Cyricist masters.

His origin as a Blackguard of Iyatchu Xvim, the Godson of Bane, also lent itself to an alliance- with Ezrah craving the portfolio of tyranny but also being bound by his own strange code of honor to remain as his former patron’s ally. This alliance was short-lived, however, as Bane was reborn from inside his Godson in 1372 DR, freeing Ezrah from his former allegiances. Although Ezrah still hungered for Bane’s power, his pragmatism kept him from acting, leading to shaky peace between the two deities. Cults of Bane and Ezrah are still known for occasionally working together, though infighting has ended most of those alliances over time.

Ezrah’s longest lasting alliance, however, has been the unofficial pact he’s maintained with the goddess Shar. For reasons most cults of Ezrah are not aware of, he forbids antagonizing the Lady of Loss and her followers, though he pledges no alliance to her himself. At times he has even interfered on behalf of one of Shar’s priestesses, his drow lover Viconia DeVir. Shar has only acknowledged this pact through Viconia, encouraging the drow priestess to maintain the connection with Ezrah’s aspect Veldrin.

Ezrah’s greatest enemy, however, is his father Bhaal himself. Following the end of the Bhaalspawn Crisis, one of the survivors of the siege of Saradush arrived in Baldur’s Gate, looking for a home after managing to escape the slaughter of his kin. This Bhaalspawn, named Alexander Ralisar, would go on to spend a long life in the city, joining the Flaming Fist and later becoming its Marshal his heroics against the usurper-duke Valarken. During the Second Sundering, cultists of Bhaal organized the death of Marshal Ralisar at the hands of his last mortal sibling, attempting to awaken the Aspect of the *Slayer* from the blood of the last mortal Bhaalspawn at the same time. With his attention divided between his divine realm and his mortal lover, Ezrah was unable to prevent the transformation of his mortal kin. The event sparked life into the dead god Bhaal, and once what was left of the deity could act, Bhaal’s Chosen sealed the god of murder’s return. The event caused Ezrah to lose much of his power and standing among the deity, and it caused a schism in his worshipers. Decades after his father’s return, Ezrah’s main focus as a deity has been sending his Blackguards on suicidal quests to find and destroy what is left of his father.

The return of Bhaal also created a rift between Ezrah and his mortal lover, as he blamed his loss of power on his divided attention. Not wanting to be caught unaware again, Ezrah gave up on his mortal connections and began to solely focus on defending his weaker position in the pantheon. Although his aspect of Veldrin is still often held in high regard by some worshipers of Shar, Ezrah, unlike his father Bhaal, has stopped influencing the material plane directly.

## Progeny

Despite the strong connection he would go on to form with his lover Viconia DeVir, Ezrah had numerous one-off ‘romances’ during his mortal lifetime. The Blackguard was known to use both his fame as a known hero, as well as his silver tongue, on many women. From these short unions, a number of children were born. All of these births happened after Ezrah’s ascension, though the blood of his late father would still have an effect on the children. Though he showed very little interest in these offspring during the first decade of his godhood, he would go on to order his worshipers to seize some of these mortal children in the year 1380 DR. The Church of Ezrah was not completely successful in their pursuit of these offspring, though most of the children were collected and later raised by the very same people who’d captured them.

One child of note was the witch Yazeira, who was born to a Calishite diviner the mortal Ezrah had met in the Amnian town of Trademeet. The only of Ezrah’s offspring to be born an aasimar, Yazeira was not captured by her father’s church and thus managed to live a life independent of her father’s legacy. Growing up in a Calimshan torn asunder by the after-effects of the Spellplague, Yazeira became a hero after she helped free human slaves that had been subjugated by the Efreeti and Genasi rulers of Memnon.

The most famous of Ezrah's mortal progeny was the werewolf Valarken, born to a divine Ezrah and a werewolf of the Wood of Sharp Teeth. Valarken was raised among his lycanthrope kin rather than among his own divine kin, but eventually made contact with his father's worshipers and became the greatest of his siblings- worthy of wielding the *sword of Balduran*, a lycanthrope-slaying weapon that Ezrah had claimed in both his mortal and divine lives. With the blade of his father and the legendary hero Balduran, Valarken recovered the rest of Balduran's arms and armor, which had also been used by Ezrah in his mortal life. When Valarken claimed them all, he traveled to the city of Baldur's Gate, where he rose to prominence through the prestige the items gave him. After a decade, Valarken rose to the power of Grand Duke through fame and intrigue, until he attempted a coup with the aid of his lyncanthrope kin and his father's worshipers. His coup failed, though it slew two other members of the Council of Four, forcing the city to adopt a new system of electing dukes. Valarken's great enemy in the coup was ironically his uncle- the bhaalspawn Alexander Ralisar, who later rose to become a duke himself. Valarken later took his lycanthope Band of the Red Moon to the Wood of Sharp Teeth, now known by Baldurians as the Werewoods. There, Baldurians whisper that the deposed duke has built a city for werewolves, hoping to marshal and army and return to reclaim his title.

## Worshipers

The clergy of Ezrah in Faerun are known as the Ezrali and Adibaalyn, with the latter being a more common term in the Moonsea region. Rather than being one organized church, clerics and blackguards of Ezrah have formed numerous holy orders and secret societies with differing end goals and ambitions. While these orders and societies do all pay tribute to their ambitious god, they focus primarily on seizing control in their own respective regions over coordination with other foreign Ezrali organizations. Of all the Ezrali organizations, two of the most notable are the Knights of the Iron Crown, a militaristic holy order determined to carve out new kingdoms on Faerun, and the Society of the Black Rose, a cabal of infernalist nobles who hold considerable sway in the city of Westgate.

Due to Ezrah encouraging ambitious individuals to seize power through murders both brutal and secret, few places in the Realms tolerate worshipers of the Godson of Bhaal. His own worshipers even disagree on the young god’s goals, with many of them seeing the deity as just a benefactor for their own ambitions- unaware that the god will claim all the power and wealth they take when they die. While some Ezrali organizations, like the Knights of the Iron Crown, see it as their god’s will to create new kingdoms that will submit to their deity, other smaller organizations believe it is Ezrah’s divine will to inspire blood-feuds and familial murder.

Shortly after his ascension, Ezrah swayed numerous members of the Zhentarim to his worship through his short alliance with Iyatchu Xvim, though many of these worshipers turned their backs on both Ezrah and Xvim when Bane returned to life. Though his sway over the Black Network is far from strong in the 15th Century DR, a small number of Zhentarim agents do pray to the Bhaalspawn god. Despite Ezrah himself losing power then, the number of these worshipers only grew during the Second Sundering, due to the lingering remnants of the demigod Iyatchu Xvim gathering his faithful once again- and the Adibaalyn being their only possible allies.

## Basic Information

### Titles

Hero of Baldur's Gate
Hero of Trademeet
Lord of De'Arnise Hold

### Occupation

Mercenary
Lord

## Family

### Parent(s)

Bhaal
Alianna Sephret
Gorion (Foster Father)

### Sibling(s)

Abazigal
Alexander Ralisar
Asmay Jahag
Balthazar
Berena Elkan
Chinchilla
Eler Had
Gavid
Gromnir Il-Khan
Illasera the Quick
Imoen the Godspawn
Karun the Black
Merlinious
Oris Nimblefinger
Sarevok Anchev
Sendai
Tibbit
Toop the Brave
Viekang
Xzar
Yaga-Shura
*Other Bhaalspawn*

## History

### Early History

Ezrah Sephret was born in the Year of the Spur, 1348 DR, to a Mulani priestess of Bhaal named Alianna Sephret, who served at a temple in the Forest of Wyrms. She and the other Bhaalists sought to fulfill their god's intricate plan; whereby he would circumvent his otherwise unavoidable death a decade later by using the souls of his slain children. Fortunately for these chuldren, this plan was thwarted by a group of Harpers, among whom served the mage Gorion. Alianna herself was slain by Gorion, who had once been her lover. Despite how they parted, Gorion chose to raise her child as his own. Among these Bhaalspawn children in the raided temple were two other Bhaalspawn who would end up playing an important role in Ezrah's life- the babe Imoen and the young child Sarevok Anchev. While Imoen was taken by Gorion to be raised by an affable man in Candlekeep named Winthrop, Sarevok was considered too old to be rehabilitated and became an orphan. From that point on Ezrah was raised a sheltered child in Candlekeep, with his half-sister Imoen being his only friend- though neither of them were told of their familial relation.

From an early age, despite the teachings by Gorion and the tutors in Candlekeep, Ezrah showed aggressive and domineering behavior. Young Ezrah kept grudges and would've likely been a bully, if he had ever been exposed to any children other than Imoen. With her, Ezrah was protective and tolerant, allowing his unknowing sister to get away with things that would've normally marked anyone else as Ezrah's childhood enemy. As Ezrah grew and began to take both warriors and sages as teacher, he began to show both his promise as a warrior and his worse qualities. Every fighting tutor that took Ezrah as a student would ultimately refuse to teach him after they learned of his personality, and every sage that taught him made sure to never offer restricted knowledge to him.

In Alturiak of the year 1368 DR, Gorion's inability to mold his ward into a less ambitious child led to Ezrah forcing his way into restricted areas of Candlekeep's library. In his search of forbidden knowledge he found a tome sacred to Iyatchu Adibaal, Godson of Bane. The god of tyranny sensed the blood of Bhaal within Ezrah, as well as the young man's desire for greatness. Iyatchu Adibaal seized the opportunity to have a Bhaalspawn subservient to himself, and Ezrah in turn seized the opportunity to have a Blackguard's power. Ezrah was tasked with leaving his sheltered home to carve out a Kingdom in his patron's name, but he would not gain the the opportunity to leave Candlekeep's walls until a few months later.

In Mirtul of the same year, Ezrah got his chance to leave his childhood home when his foster father Gorion got word that the young man's life was in danger. The sage sent word to his old contacts among the Harpers, including the wizened Elminster and his two trusted friends, Khalid and Jaheira. Gorion and Ezrah left hurriedly from Candlekeep in the dead of night, but they were waylaid soon after by Sarevok Anchev and his allies. Seeing no way out, Gorion sacrificed himself to the attackers, to allow time for his foster son to flee. Though Ezrah was far from being the perfect son for Gorion, the fledgeling Blackguard was still driven to avenge his foster father's death. As he was unaware of Sarevok's identity at the time, this vengeance needed to wait.

### Iron Crisis

The morning after Gorion's death, Ezrah was found by Imoen, who had suspected danger was afoot after she had secretly read some of Gorion's mail. Ezrah put aside the goals given to him by his patron to try and seek out Jaheira and Khalid, per the instructions given to him by Gorion prior to the sage's death. On the way north to the Friendly Arm Inn, Ezrah met the mad wizard Xzar and the rogue Montaron, who offered themselves up as traveling companions to the Blackguard in exchange for his help in a mercenary job they had been assigned to. Though Imoen was distrusting of these two, Ezrah saw strength in numbers and took them in.

When the party of four reached the Friendly Arm Inn, they were confronted by an assassin who had be sent to kill Ezrah- and upon that assassin's defeat he learned of a bounty that had been placed upon him. Inside, they also had an encounter with the half-orc Dorn Il-Khan, who one day become a vital ally to Ezrah in his adventures. At this inn they met the harpers Jaheira and Khalid, who Ezrah accepted into his traveling group due to them having an interest in the Iron Crisis of Nashkel, an interest they shared with Montaron and Xzar. These two pairs almost immediately became rivals for Ezrah's favor, as Montaron and Xzar revealed themselves as members of the Zhentarim upon learning of Khalid and Jaheira being Harpers.

Ezrah favored the Zhents and Imoen favored the Harpers, but the group agreed to remain together at least until Ezrah had sated his desire for adventure. After a few short adventures done for residents of the Friendly Arm Inn, the party of adventurers encountered a drow woman being hunted by a member of the Flaming Fist. This drow, Viconia DeVir, piqued Ezrah's curiosity enough for him to protect her from the mercenary's wrath. When Viconia asked to travel alongside the party, an argument ensued between the Harper and Zhentarim members of the party. Xzar and Montaron favored Viconia due to the cruel reputation of the drow, while Jaheira and Khalid urged Ezrah to turn the drow away as Gorion would. Ezrah sided with the Zhents, and when he was urged to reconsider, he broke ties with the Harpers altogether. He had teamed up with the pair only because of the strength he'd gain and because of their relation to his foster father- not to be constantly questioned. Surrounding himself with a crazed mage, a bloodthirsty rogue, and a fugitive drow cleric caused Ezrah's relationship with Imoen to suffer, as she often found herself protesting against the advice and actions of others in the party.

Now leading a party of five, Ezrah passed through the small town of Beregost, before arriving at Nashkel proper. There, Montaron and Xzar negotiated a mission with the mayor of Nashkel, Berrun Ghastkill, signing the party on for the job of investigating brittle iron and disappearances of the Nashkel Mines. On the journey to the mines Ezrah encountered Dorn Il-Khan again, watching as the half-orc slew bandits that had once betrayed him. After fighting alongside Dorn, the two realized they were both Blackguards- leading to an alliance of vengeance and convenience forming between the two men. In the Nashkel Mines Ezrah and his companions discovered that the iron was being tainted by kobolds led by a Cyricist cleric named Mulahey.

During this confrontation with Mulahey, Imoen was seriously injured, convincing Ezrah that it would not be wise to continue traveling alongside her. This departure was not on the best terms, as Imoen believed it to be Ezrah's attempt to seep deeper into bad habits without her to confront him. Replacing Imoen in the group was the pessimistic enchanter Xan Moonblade, an elven wizard who the party had rescued from Mulahey's clutches. Soon after their stint in the Mines, they were temporarily joined by the cleric of Tempus Branwen, who they had saved from petrification. Branwen also sought Tranzig for turning her to stone, and she remained with the group as they confronted and killed the wizard. Following Branwen's brief time with the group was the time Ezrah spent with the dwarven mercenary Kagain, who hired Ezrah to help find the missing Entar Silvershield. Kagain parted ways with the party once they discovered that Silvershield had died, though he would occasionally adventure with Ezrah's party when they passed through Beregost.

The most well known of Ezrah's short adventures after finding out the mystery of the Nashkel Mines was his rescue of the Rashemi Witch Dynaheir, spurred on by the ravings of the bizarre ranger Minsc and his 'miniature giant space hamster' Boo. After parting ways with the Zhentarim agents in his midst, Ezrah traveled alongside the mad ranger in the assault of a Gnoll stronghold, meeting the famed drow hero Drizzt Do'Urden during his journey to the fortress. Minsc and Dynaheir traveled with Ezrah only a brief period during the Iron Crisis, although the Blackguard was notably the reason why the Red Wizard Edwin was unable and unwilling to act out his plans upon the Rashemi spellcaster.

Together with Dorn, Viconia, Xan, the ranger Kivan, and a misandrist human warrior by the name of Shar-Teel Dosan, Ezrah decided to follow reports of bandits in the east being led by Tranzig's employer Tazok. While following the trail, Ezrah received some guidance from his father's acquaintance Elminster that pointed him northeast to the Wood of Sharp Teeth. Traveling through the forest, Ezrah was able to discover a secluded spot that housed bandits from the Chill and Blacktalons mercenary companies. After decieving his way into the camp under the guise of wanting to join the bandits, Ezrah made his way into Tazok's personal tent. There he met the rogue Ender Sai and uncovered the truth behind the iron crisis and the rise in bandit activity. They were not caused by the Zhentarim, as rumors had stated, but were linked to an Iron Throne hideout in the Cloak Wood.

Ezrah and his followers moved from the eastern forest to the western one and discovered the Throne's mining operation. After delving into the mines and slaying its guards, he had Xan charm the mine's leader Davaeorn for information on the Iron Crisis and the Iron Throne's involvement- specifically learning about its leader Rieltar Anchev and his son Sarevok. After getting what he wanted, Ezrah flooded the mine's tunnels to prevent the Iron Throne to prevent the trading coster from selling their iron. This flood drowned not only Davaeorn and his remaining supporters, but all the workers within the mine.

Now aware of the Iron Throne's involvement in both his bounty and the Iron Crisis, Ezrah and his party of adventurers spent time growing in power and wealth before they could turn their attention to the city of Baldur's Gate. Together they worked mercenary jobs in Nashkel, saved and worked alongside a wild mage named Neera, and traveled a brief time with a flirtatious rogue by the name of Safana. When Ezrah entered the City of Baldur's Gate it was alongside Dorn Il-Khan, Viconia DeVir, Edwin, Safana, and a scummy bard named Eldoth. Outside the city gates, Ezrah aided Dorn in finally killing his former bandit partners, solidifying the alliance between the two blackguards.

In Baldur's Gate proper, Ezrah began to work begrudgingly under the supervision of Scar, the master-tactician of the Flaming Fist, and none other than Grand Duke Eltan. After investigating local merchant costers and some disappearances that plagued the city, Ezrah stormed the Iron Throne headquarters in the city. Within, he found further evidence that implicated Sarevok and pointed to an upcoming Iron Throne meeting at his old home of Candlekeep.

Ezrah's return to Candlekeep was a brutal affair. Upon his return he learned his heritage as Bhaalspawn from notes that had been left behind by Gorion. His heritage finally gave him a reason for his strange dreams after Gorion's death, which had each granted him some strange abilities. In Candlekeep he met the Bhaal-obsessed visitor Koveras, who in truth was merely Sarevok in disguise. After learning his heritage and being proclaimed a future god by his close ally Dorn, Ezrah turned his attention to the visiting delegation of Rieltar Anchev. In defiance of Candlekeep's laws, Ezrah provoked a fight with the Iron Throne, slaughtering Rieltar upon his retaliation.

For their crimes, Ezrah and his followers were imprisoned under Candlekeep, though Ezrah's deceptions garnered him the sympathies of the High Reader Tethoril. With Tethoril's help, Ezrah escaped into the catacombs under Candlekeep, allowing him to fight his way out and learn of Sarevok Anchev's plans for Baldur's Gate. After learning that Sarevok was hoping to slay other Bhaalspawn and begin a bloody war between Baldur's Gate and Amn that might elevate him to godhood, Ezrah made plans to confront his half-brother.

After being 'accused' of murder in Candlekeep and having his ally Scar murdered, Ezrah found himself fighting off the forces of the law as he gathered information against his brother Sarevok. Traveling with Shar-Teel Dosan allowed him to escape the clutches of the Flaming Fist when he was first arrested, owing to the fact that warrior's own father, Angelo Dosan, had been appointed to Scar's position to be Sarevok's ally. With the help of Sarevok's own lover Tamoko, Ezrah and his followers eventually gathered enough to properly confront Sarevok before he could be named a Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate.

Together with Viconia, Dorn, Edwin, Shar-Teel, and the drow sorcerer Baeloth, Ezrah confronted Sarevok at his coronation and revealed his crimes to the city's nobility, preventing him from ascending to power as one of the Grand Dukes. A fight ensued between Sarevok, his servants, and the party- though Sarevok was teleported away by his mentor Winski Perorate. Ezrah and his companions followed Sarevok into the Undercity of Baldur's Gate, fighting Sarevok's lover Tamoko after Ezrah declined to spare his brother. In the Temple of Bhaal in the Undercity, brother fought brother, and daughter fought father. Shar-Teel Dosan was given the opportunity to slay the father she hated, and Ezrah became the Hero of Baldur's Gate by slaying his half-brother Sarevok. In killing Sarevok, Ezrah had the vengeance he sought for Gorion's death, and he removed what he saw as a competitor for his own eventual ascension.

### Adventures on the Sword Coast

During his travels, Ezrah completed several other adventures independent from his involvement with the rescue of Baldur's Gate. During the Iron Crisis traveled to the village of Ulgoth's Beard and sailed to a small island of werewolves some ways off the Sword Coast; he delved through the dungeons of Durlag's Tower and uncovered the secrets of the famous Durlag Trollkiller; and he defeated the cult led by Tracea Carol, who was working to summon the nabassu Aec'Letec to Faerûn. During his journey to the island of Werewolves, Ezrah reclaimed the lost sword of Balduran- and returned from the island with a human babe by the name Peladan. Peladan was dropped off in Ulgoth's Beard, with Ezrah never letting its residents know the baby was a natural lycanthrope.

Alongside these more daring adventures, Ezrah often traveled alongside other companions temporarily, keeping them around long enough to gain some benefit out of it. For example, Ezrah traveled briefly with the wild mage Neera, helping her kill her Red Wizard pursuers and seek out a wild mage mentor of her own. The Blackguard aided Dorn Il-Khan in his quest for revenge, worked alongside the elf Coran in his hunt for wyverns, and even aided Rasaad, a monk loyal to the goddess Selune in his quest to fight the Dark Moon monks that he believed had killed his brother. Ezrah even helped the bard Eldoth in a scheme to seduce to the noble Skie Silvershield into becoming an adventurer, while blackmailing her father Grand Duke Silvershield for 'ransom' money to ensure her safety.

Ezrah allied himself with the extremist druid Faldorn to rid the Cloakwood Forest of the Iron Throne, allowed the elf ranger Kivan to help in the search for Tazok, and most famously he worked for some time with the ranger Minsc to save the witch Dynaheir from a Gnoll Stronghold. For a time he even traveled with the notorious flirt and thief Coran, though Ezrah never appreciated Coran's wit or having any competition in his own endeavors.

In the weeks after Sarevok's fall, Ezrah and his companions routed the last of his half-brother's followers from Baldur's Gate. He was still traveling alongside Viconia, Dorn, Edwin, Shar-Teel, and Baeloth, but he was also reunited with his childhood friend Imoen, who had begun to apprentice under Liia Jannath. As their final action against Sarevok's coterie, they routed the wizard Korlasz from her underground hideout within her family's crypts- slaying the last of Sarevok's supporters. In the following months the group parted ways, with Ezrah never seeing Shar-Teel Dosan again.

### Shining Crusade

By Uktar of 1368 DR, a dangerous new faction arose to threaten the Sword Coast, a crusade of zealots and mercenaries led by a figure known as the Shining Lady. While Ezrah was staying in Baldur's Gate, he and Imoen were attacked at night by individuals bearing the crusade's symbol. While they both survived, Imoen was poisoned and needed quite some time to recover. In response to his attempted assassination and the poisoning of his old friend, Ezrah gathered his allies in the city and set out with the Flaming Fist as they rallied with the Coalition forces that were gathering to meet the Crusade in battle. Among these allies were the Rashemi duo Minsc and Dynaheir, the rogue Safana, Viconia DeVir, and the guard captain Schael Corwin.

Over the next few weeks, Ezrah and his companions traveled north with the Flaming Fist, as they moved closer to the gathered armies from Waterdeep and Daggerford. Their group was accompanied by the noblewoman Skie Silvershield, daughter of Duke Entar Silvershield, who had since moved on from being manipulated by the bard Eldoth to trying her own hand at a career in the Flaming Fist. Upon their arrival in the Coast Way, Ezrah met up again with both the Red Wizard Edwin as well as the drow sorcerer Baeloth Barrityl, who had their own reasons for being in the region. Additionally, he was also joined by the goblin shaman M'khiin Grubdoubler.

The group encountered the crusade at the Coast Way crossing but were barred from crossing the Winding Water after the Crusade demolished the bridge. They were forced to march northeast to the Boareskyr Bridge, where they were able to break the Crusade's siege of Bridgefort- where Ezrah's old ally Dorn Il-Khan was found. When Ezrah crossed the bridge, he was struck down and bombarded by a vision of Bhaal's death at the hands of Cyric. The event scorched the bridge itself in the shape of Bhaal's symbol- marking him as a cursed son of Bhaal to both the Shining Crusade and the Coalition armies.

The Flaming Fist finally united with the rest of the forces and the Coalition's leadership prepared for their final assault against the Crusade at the site of Dragonspear Castle. Ezrah led a mission within the underground Nepenthe River to weaken the castle's defenses, going so far as the poison most of it supplies and water before joining the siege of the castle. The Coalition routed the Crusaders, and Ezrah forced the Shining Lady into the castle's dungeon. Ultimately, she was betrayed by her head priest Hephernaan, who opened a portal to Avernus, the realm of his true master Belhifet. With the Coalition forces fighting off what came out of the portal, Ezrah and his party ventured into the Nine Hells to bring justice to the Shining Lady, and defeat Belhifet on his home plane.

In Avernus, Belhifet corrupted the Shining Lady Caelar Argent to be his is own Blackguard, after the aasimar paladin offered herself up for the freedom of her uncle's soul. Alongside Baeloth, Edwin, Viconia, Dorn, and M'khiin, Ezrah battled his fellow Blackguard and her new Infernal master. In the end the Shining Lady was slain, alongside Belhifet. Ezrah returned to the material plane a hero again, having dealt the brutal final blow to the 'righteous' Shining Crusade. The freed Aun Argent remained in Avernus afterward, atoning for his own and his niece's mistakes by fending off devils from entering the Material Plane through the gateway Hephernaan had reopened.

As the Coalition forces were recuperating overnight at Dragonspear Castle, Ezrah was framed for the murder of young Skie Silvershield by the archmage Jon Irenicus, who had been revealing himself to both Ezrah and Caelar in the last few months in the form of a mysterious hooded figure. Skie's soul was trapped within the soultaker dagger, and Ezrah was taken to High Hall in Baldur's Gate once again, to face trial for her death. Though he and Viconia had begun to exhibit a fondness for one another, the drow cleric of Shar was not willing to remain in Baldur's Gate if her only ally was about to be executed for murder. Everyone else Ezrah had surrounded himself with thought similarly, and no one among the group stood by the Hero of Baldur's Gate when he was made to stand before the people and face his accusers.

In a fiery speech before the people of Baldur's Gate, Ezrah Sephret listed out his crimes and evil deeds, from the sin of simply being the son of Bhaal to the act of working alongside a lich to defeat the Shining Crusade at the siege of Dragonspear. He admitted to the terrible deeds he'd done under the Coalition's commands, as well as his own motivations for slaying his brother Sarevok. In his own words, he proclaimed himself to be the weapon that the Grand Dukes had wanted and the poison they needed, not some murderous fool who would slay a noble without any true reason. Regardless of whether or not he had made a point with his speech, admitting his own evil deeds did not absolve him of Skie's murder in the eyes of the people or the nobility.

In the end, it was Imoen who managed to save Ezrah Sephret from his fate. Alongside Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc, and Dynaheir, she played a part in securing a path for Ezrah to escape the city of Baldur's Gate. During his escape, he was pursued by the Flaming Fist and even his brief ally Schael Corwin- a betrayal that would result in the guard captain's death. In the end, Ezrah escaped his impending execution not because of his own party of dubious morality, but because of his childhood friend, the Harper friends of his foster father, and the strange Rashemi pair he had dismissed on many occasions before because of their eccentricities. Together they fled Baldur's Gate in the night, but were ultimately abducted by the Shadow Thieves and smuggled south to the Amnian capital of Athkatla.

## Gallery

Ezrah's Holy Symbol, by@laurynjustartsEzrah's Mortal Appearance, from Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition.