![[JarlaxleBaenrePathfinder-v1.webp]] # Jarlaxle Baenre _Drow Mercenary Captain | [[Bregan D'aerthe]] | [[Luskan]]_ ## Summary Flamboyant drow mercenary captain who openly rules [[Luskan]] as "First Ship" through [[Bregan D'aerthe]]. Transformed the pirate city into the first surface haven where drow live freely. During Dragon Heist, manipulated the party as "[[J.B. Nevercott]]" while pursuing the [[Stone of Golorr]] — dramatically revealed himself after killing an intellect devourer controlling [[Valshares|Lina]], then was briefly imprisoned after attempting to claim [[Dagult Neverember]]'s gold. Desperately wants [[Lords' Alliance]] recognition despite decades of rejection. %% ## Now Ruling [[Luskan]] as First Ship, and still chafing at the [[Lords' Alliance]]'s refusal to recognize his government. ## Appearance Bald with a perfectly trimmed goatee, a wide-brimmed enchanted hat, and a magical eyepatch that switches eyes as needed. Constantly adorned with newly acquired magical trinkets that weren't there a moment ago. ## Personality Charismatic, adaptable, and incapable of playing it straight. His idealism for drow freedom wars constantly with his love of "games within games," and he can't resist a complex scheme even when simplicity would serve better. Revolutionary and criminal in equal measure — sometimes he can't tell the difference himself. ## Quote _"Rules and traditions are tools for the clever to manipulate, not chains to bind the ambitious."_ ## Connections **[[Artemis Entreri]]** — resurrected him, then manipulated him into a kill. **[[Quenthel Baenre]]** — sister; he maintains a hidden relationship with her. **[[Davil Starsong]]** — ally sheltering under Bregan D'aerthe's protection. **[[Laeral Silverhand]]** — confronted him over the [[Dragonstaff of Ahghairon]] theft. ## Background **The Survivor:** Born to [[House Baenre]] but spared ritual sacrifice by Matron Yvonnel's whim. Rejected drow society's rigid hierarchy and established [[Bregan D'aerthe]] as a mercenary company of houseless males. **The King:** Took control of [[Luskan]] through proxies, later revealing his identity after [[Tharizdun]]'s defeat. Thirty years of building a revolutionary experiment — the first surface city where drow live openly alongside traditional pirates. **The Frustration:** Despite attacks from Lolth-loyal forces and persistent suspicion from northern cities, [[Luskan]] has flourished. But the [[Lords' Alliance]] still refuses membership, viewing his government as illegitimate. It gnaws at him. ## Secret Maintains a hidden relationship with [[House Baenre]], particularly his sister Quenthel — dangerous knowledge for the drow refugees who fled Baenre oppression. ## Stats *Official bestiary stat block — Waterdeep: Dragon Heist.* *Medium humanoid (elf), chaotic neutral* **AC** 24 (+3 leather armor, Suave Defense) | **HP** 123 (19d8 + 38) | **Speed** 30 ft. **CR** 15 (13,000 XP) | **Proficiency Bonus** +5 | STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 12 (+1) | 22 (+6) | 14 (+2) | 20 (+5) | 16 (+3) | 19 (+4) | **Saving Throws** Dex +11, Wis +8 **Skills** Acrobatics +11, Athletics +6, Deception +14, Perception +8, Sleight of Hand +11, Stealth +16 **Senses** darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18 **Languages** Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Dwarvish, Elvish, Undercommon Jarlaxle is a flamboyant, swashbuckling drow iconoclast. He leads a renegade drow faction called Bregan D’aerthe, made up of disenfranchised male drow, most of them culled from destroyed or disgraced houses. Gifted with a sharp mind, a sense of humor, puissant skill with a blade, and a wealth of useful magic items, Jarlaxle infiltrated the city of Luskan, brought a kind of order to its lawlessness, and declared himself its secret lord. Jarlaxle likes to weave a tangled web of schemes that leave his enemies baffled — the latest of which is a plan to legitimize Luskan by making it a member of the Lords’ Alliance. The city’s unsavory reputation has thwarted all previous efforts, and the current leaders of the Lords’ Alliance have voiced their opposition to Luskan’s admittance. A few have flatly declared that the city will never be welcome in the alliance. Nonetheless, Jarlaxle aims to persuade Laeral Silverhand, the Open Lord of Waterdeep, to champion Luskan’s cause — even if that means losing other alliance members in the process. Tying Luskan’s fortunes to those of Waterdeep would increase Jarlaxle’s political and economic power on the Sword Coast. Jarlaxle has come to Waterdeep in the guise of an Illuskan human named Zardoz Zord. “Captain Zord” is the master of the Sea Maidens Faire, a carnival that travels up and down the Sword Coast in three ships: the Eyecatcher, the Heartbreaker, and the Hellraiser (all words that describe Jarlaxle). He spends most of his time aboard the Eyecatcher, his personal ship. The other two vessels carry members of the carnival and their parade wagons. Jarlaxle has forged an alliance with Lantan (an island to the south), and has armed his Bregan D’aerthe lieutenants with Lantanese firearms that rely on magical smokepowder to function. He has also acquired a Lantanese submarine called the Scarlet Marpenoth. This underwater vessel is mounted below the Eyecatcher and kept out of sight. Jarlaxle plans on using the submarine to flee Waterdeep if his scheme unravels. Jarlaxle’s loyalties are to himself first and foremost, and to Bregan D’aerthe secondarily. ### Traits **Special Equipment.** Jarlaxle wears +3 leather armor, a hat of disguise, a bracer of flying daggers (see appendix A), a cloak of invisibility, a knave’s eye patch (see appendix A), and a ring of truth telling (see appendix A). He wields a +3 rapier and carries a portable hole and a wand of web. His hat is adorned with a feather of diatryma summoning (see appendix A). **Evasion.** If he is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, Jarlaxle instead takes no damage if he succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if he fails. He can’t use this trait if he’s incapacitated. **Fey Ancestry.** Jarlaxle has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put him to sleep. **Innate Spellcasting.** Jarlaxle’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: dancing lights 1/day each: darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only) **Legendary Resistance (1/Day).** If Jarlaxle fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. **Master Attuner.** Jarlaxle can attune to up to five magic items, and he can attune to magic items that normally require attunement by a sorcerer, warlock, or wizard. **Sneak Attack (1/Turn).** Jarlaxle deals an extra 24 (7d6) damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of Jarlaxle’s that isn’t incapacitated and Jarlaxle doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. **Suave Defense.** While Jarlaxle is wearing light or no armor and wielding no shield, his AC includes his Charisma modifier. **Sunlight Sensitivity.** When not wearing his knave’s eye patch, Jarlaxle has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. ### Actions **Multiattack.** Jarlaxle makes three attacks with his +3 rapier or two attacks with daggers created by his bracer of flying daggers. **+3 Rapier.** _Melee Weapon Attack:_ +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. _Hit:_ 13 (1d8 + 9) piercing damage. _**Flying Dagger.** Ranged Weapon Attack:_ +11 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. _Hit:_ 8 (1d4 + 6) piercing damage. ### Legendary Actions Jarlaxle can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Jarlaxle regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn. **Quick Step.** Jarlaxle moves up to his speed without provoking opportunity attacks. **Attack (Costs 2 Actions).** Jarlaxle makes one attack with his +3 rapier or two attacks with daggers created by his bracer of flying daggers. %%