Malhan Septim

In 1360, Malhan founded The Septim Trading Company. It began as a small operation, trafficking goods between Eltabbar and Two Stars. Gradually, he pushed further, first west to Tammar, then north to Bildoobaris, and eventually to a circular route stretching all the way to the Easting Reach and back down through the length of Thesk, with Eltabbar as the starting and ending point.

In 1372, trade restrictions barring his passage through Rashemen were released. In that year, he sent his caravan from Surthay to Mulsantir, with the intent of hopping along the coast to Immilmar, then returning to a land route through Narfell. His caravan returned in shambles, with many of the crew and guards dead, and virtually all of the cargo stolen.

As a result of the disaster in 1372, he decided to personally drive the caravan in subsequent years, and not along the coast, but over land all the way through the country. In 1373, he completed a successful run through Rashemen, though not without a few scrapes. In 1374, he repeated the passage with even better results. He was one of few Thayan traders willing to escort his goods personally to the furthest reaches of the dangerous country. Due in part to the Rashemi machismo, his forthrightness was rewarded with favorable trade deals.

In the Spring of 1375, he set forth on his normal voyage into Rashemen, and all was well at first. While traveling in the northern reaches of the country, he encountered a mysterious woman, and became instantly enamored of her. She was a pretty peasant girl, at least seemingly, who latched onto his exotic and exciting way of life, following him as he traveled north. Over the course of their tryst, she convinced him to take up a task for her. In particular, she wanted him to enter a strange ruin, far from civilization, a mostly-collapsed building surrounding by tall pillars, atop which burned silver flames. A dangerous request, and not too sensible for a farmgirl, but by this point, he was entirely in her thrall.

No stranger to monsters and hazards, he and his closet confidants journeyed into the ruin. The expedition nearly killed them all—it claimed all but two of the original five—but he returned with an orb.

She came with him, spurring him to expedite his journey out of Rashemen, though she wouldn’t say why. Soon, it became apparent. The party was ambushed by berserkers, commanded by a stoic, masked witch who watched the battle quietly. The girl produced several items from nowhere—a dagger, a wand, some potions and scrolls, and an ornate, feathered mask—and lent considerable aid to the defensive efforts of his overwhelmed caravan. She dueled the opposing witch, and seemed likely to win out, but was stabbed by a concealed blade. Just as their battle was ending, Malhan and his rallied would-be troops descended upon the witch, who was forced to retreat. The girl, though, was mortally wounded. As she died, she bade him to keep the orb away from Rashemen, and from anyone who might seek its power.

He buried her in a private ceremony, in the further reaches of Rashemen. He continued his journey, but never forgot what she said about the orb.

On 10 Marpenoth, 1375, Malhan's home in Eltabbar was attacked by Nazherreloth. Presumably, the half-dragon was searching for the Orb of Storms.

The attack occurred under the cover of a raid by The Brood of Maldariasellice on the commercial center of Eltabbar, distracting law enforcement from the true mission. Though all four of the dragons of the brood were slain, Nazherreloth's mission was a success.

An investigation after the raid, ordered by The Tharchioness, found that the damage had long been done. The front door to the compound had been ripped out of its frame, seemingly by one single, large, very powerful hand. Everyone in the house (debatable; see below) was slain, including Malhan's butler, cook, maid, and his own son.

The Orb of Storms was presumably taken from the house. Other valuable artifacts (see below) were left.

Nazherreloth, possessing the body of a Thayan Knight, oversaw the investigation, presumably to learn the nature of his pursuers, though his identity was suspected and ultimately proved by one of the investigators. Once discovered, he released the knight's body and launched an immediate attack on The Tharchioness herself. The investigators thwarted the attack, and subsequently were ordered to pursue and eliminate him.

They successfully tracked the half-dragon to a farmhouse in the countryside near Eltabbar, whereupon they slew him and retrieved the Orb of Storms.

As of the time of the attack, Malhan should have returned to his home in Eltabbar. However, an investigation of his home shortly after the attack was inconclusive. Where he at his home during the attack, it seems likely he might have died, and his body recovered. Though there were signs he returned home, including worn traveling clothes hung to dry in his bedroom, it also seemed that such evidence may have been planted deliberately to give that impression. However, several Septim#artifacts|artifacts] were found in his home that lend credence to the theory that he did, in fact, return.

His current whereabouts are unknown. The autharch of the Trade Bureau suggested he may have had contact with two individuals: Madt Valick, a fellow caravaneer, and Dargiev, a Red Wizard in charge of the Enclave Portal to Cimbar.

Malhan was something of a collector of Rashemi artifacts, particularly magic items. Among those found in his house in the investigation following the attack:

Dagger of Scrivening

A +2 spell storing dagger, with the special power to draw a visual representation of some queried person, place, or thing, as in the spell vision, but represented in line art. Power is usable 1/day, and requires parchment and ink.

The Betrayer

A +2 human bane shortsword, allows a wielder to invoke Poison as if it were a wand, charges unknown.

Wand of Nondetection

As a divine spell (Clr 3), 32 charges.

Potions

Cure Moderate Wounds (2d8+10), Cure Serious Wounds (3d8+24), Restoration, Freedom of Movement, Water Breathing, Protection from energy (fire), Endure Elements.

Scrolls

Magic Circle against Evil, Dismissal, Banishment, Dispel Evil, Forbiddance.

Also among the items was a mask of the Wychlaran. When it was shown to The Tharchioness, she promptly destroyed it.