Council of Man
The Council of Man was a political institution in the region of Faerun known as the Fallen Lands. Dating back to the Year of the Hurled Axe (928 DR), the council was formed by the efforts of the reigning Duke of Calandor, Salinarhh, known as "the Sly", to re-form the Kingdom of Man.
The Council, chaired by the then Duke of Calandor and later by the Duke of Daggerford, held as its purpose to resolve internal disputes and succession issues within the boundaries of the Duchy of Calandor and later Daggerford.
Membership in the Council of Man was automatic with the succession of one of the Shining Barons to their inherited title. If there was dispute about the inheritance of a title, or the creation of a new title, such matters were held before the assembled council as a matter of debate.
In the Year of the Prince (1357 DR), the roster of the Council of Man stood thus:
Pwyll "Greatshout" Daggerford
His Grace, Duke of Daggerford, Duke of Calandor, King of Man, Baron of the Steeping Falls, Shining Lord of the Sword Hills, and High Knight of Dragonspear
Born in the Year of the Sword and Stars (1332 DR) is the second son and third child of the late Duke Pryden Daggerford. Tall and handsome, the bright-eyed young duke is brave, fearless, and a natural leader of warriors. Pwyll has no end of noble-born female suitors, but prefers the quiet company of his fellow soldiers to the sordid machinations of his barons and Waterdhavian noble houses, all trying to marry off their sisters and daughters to secure access to the ducal throne and hence control the trade routes south of Waterdeep.
Cromm Redhand
His Lordship, Baron of Tavboryn, Warden of the Lizard Marsh, and High Knight of Dragonspear
Born in the Year of Sunset Winds (1309 DR), Cromm Redhand was the vigorous and temperamental right hand of the late Duke Pryden Daggerford. Aggressive and, by the standards of Waterdhavian high society at least, uncouth, the domineering Baron of Tavboryn conceals a cunning mind behind a boorish exterior. Having been a constant presence in the court of Daggerford for over three decades, the Baron seems to have transferred his stalwart loyalty to the old Duke Pryden to his son, occasionally treating the new Duke as a headstrong nephew... or wayward young pup.
Targarth Longhorn
His Lordship, Baron of Ardeepsward, Warden of Ardeep, and Sea Lord of the Sword Coast
Born in the Year of Spilled Blood (1315 DR), Targarth Longhorn was the only member of the Council of Man not to inherit his position. Sponsored by the old duke Pryden Daggerford to assume command of the geographically important but recently leaderless Barony of Ardeepsward, Targarth Longhorn's ascent to Baron was a controversial choice considering his recent history as a privateer and pirate. By placing the low-blood Captain Targarth into a position of authority and responsibility, the old duke hoped to eliminate a naval threat and gain an ally on the Council in one move, and so far his reasoning seems to be holding. Baron Longhorn has revitalized the northern barony, fended off the depredations of his former pirate brethren, and his low birth has made him an outsider and untouchable by some of the more ambitious members of the old blood. Only time will tell where his true loyalties lie.
Elorfindar Floshin
His Lordship, Baron of the Floshin Estates, Arakhor of Illefarn, Gisir of the House of Long Silences, and High Knight of Dragonspear
Born in the Year of the Swift Hart (456 DR), Lord Elorfindar Floshin is a dignified sun elf with bronze skin and golden blond hair. His green eyes are shadowed with the wisdom of many years, but he retains the hale vigor of youth through magics long forgotten.
Although he does not mind the company of other races as much as many of his brethren, the aging elven knight has other reasons for remaining behind in Faerûn. His father had been one of the elves instrumental in inviting humans in to aid the Fallen Kingdom and Elorfindar feels a familial responsibility to watch over the humans. As such, Elorfindar has always been a close ally of the Kings of Man, and the fractured nobles that succeeded them, including the dukes of Daggerford. In addition, Elorfindar has taken it upon himself to guard the many portals of the House of Long Silences in the depths of the Ardeep Forest in penance for the sins of his ancestors.
Indigar Loravatha
His Lordship, Baron of Loravatha, Warden of the Forlorn Hills, Knight Commander of the Order of the Watch, and High Knight of Dragonspear
Born in the Year of the Evening Sun (1303 DR), Lord Indigar Loravatha is the oldest of the non-elves to be seated on the Council of Man. Holding a deep respect for traditions and possessed of a rich and ancient bloodline, the Baron of Loravatha has always been a powerful rival voice to the dukes of Daggerford. Indigar specifically held a deep and unspoken hatred for old Duke Pryden, and his thinly veiled contempt for the young Duke Pwyll seems to be held in check only by his respect for the chains of authority and tradition which have bound the realm for centuries.
Agwain Delantar
His Lordship, Baron of Delantar, Warden of the Athwater, and Tiarna of the Green Lands
Born in the Year of the Striking Falcon (1333 DR), Lord Agwain Delantar is, if not the youngest member of the Council of Man, certainly its least tested. The arrogant young lord recently inherited his title from his aged father and still stands under the influence of his beautiful and ambitious mother, Lesharra Delantar. He has mad no secret of the fact that he covets the power and rank of the duke of Daggerford and his mother is actively searching the North for a princess of suitable rank and wealth to bond in marriage with her only son.
Taera Shimmerstar
Her Ladyship, Baroness of Starnaer, Warden of the Open Marches, Captain-Commander of the Starstrider Rangers, and High Knight of Dragonspear
Born in the Year of the Gulagoar (1316 DR), Lady Taera has manifested the old elven blood of the Shimmerstar clan strongly as she has matured. Captain-Commander Shimmerstar has, in the tradition of her mother and grandmother before her, always preferred to be out patrolling the woods and dells of her realm than conducting more official court business, and that includes the chore of sitting on meetings of the Council of Man. She has little patience for politics or the maneuverings of the ambitious men on the council, but can usually be counted on press the attack when her enemy (either in the court or on the field of battle) shows a weakness.
Nanthar Harcourt
His Lordship, Baron of Vaelendar, Warden of the Dragonspear, Lord Sheriff of Moorguard, and High Knight of Dragonspear
Born in the Year of the Wanderer (1338 DR), Lord Nanthar Harcourt is the youngest member of the Council of Man, only inheriting his noble title with the death of his father Nandross at the Battle of Moorguard's Fall in 1356 DR. To most, Lord Nanthar appears far older than his 19 summers, and whispers abound in the realm about the manifestation of the Hag's Curse manifesting to finally tear down the unlucky Harcourt family tree, root and branch. Of an age with the young Duke, and highly aware of the tenuous nature of his title without wealth, the Baron-in-Waiting of Vaelendar is a staunch supporter of the Daggerford cause, though the bitterness of peering at the demise of his family line appears to blossomed in Nanthar to bitter fruit.