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Lyran Nanther was a member of the Nanther family of Melvaunt in the Moonsea in the mid–14th century DR. He was known as Lyran the Pretender for his claim to rule over Shadowdale in the Dalelands.[2][3]

History[]

A member of the Nanther family of Melvaunt,[note 1] he later became a lieutenant of the Zhentarim agent Jyordhan.[4] Jyordhan even chose Lyran to succeed him as Lord of Shadowdale.[2][3][5]

But in the Year of the Saddle, 1345 DR, Jyordhan was killed by Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, who took the Pendant of Ashaba away to Waterdeep and promised to send a suitable person to rule Shadowdale. Lyran had no way to legitimize his claim to the lordship and was considered a pretender. This marked the beginning of the Time of No Lords in Shadowdale, when the land was leaderless, which ended three years later when Khelben gave the Pendant to the Knights of Myth Drannor and Doust Sulwood ascended the lordship, who was later succeeded by Mourngrym Amcathra.[2][6][7][3][5] Lyran and his followers made various incursions into Shadowdale, but were repelled, largely thanks to the Knights of Myth Drannor.[2]

Zhentil Keep eventually lent Lyran an army of Zhentilar and Banite priests in the Year of the Worm, 1356 DR, however. With it, he made various incursions and attacked Shadowdale to wrest the lordship from Mourngrym in the First Battle of Shadowdale, but his army was routed in a heroic defense. Lyran was forced to leave[1][8][2][6][7][9][3][10][5] and was presumed killed.[11][note 2]

When Melvaunt's Council of Lords discovered Lyran's association with Zhentil Keep after this defeat, they had the Nanther family banished from Melvaunt.[11]

Home[]

While in Shadowdale as a lieutenant of Jyordhan, Lyran and the other lieutenants lived in a manor house built for them in an area known as the Bog.[4]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. While not explicitly stated, Lyran's connection to the Nanther family of Melvaunt is evident from his name and origin.
  2. "A Grand Tour of the Realms", page 67, mentions "this branch of the family has been banished (and supposedly the young lord destroyed when he failed in his attempt)", missing words and making it ambiguous as to whether Lyran was slain in the battle or was executed by Melvaunt's Council of Lords later.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 94. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Shadowdale. (TSR, Inc), pp. 7–8. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Richard Baker (1993). The Dalelands. (TSR, Inc), pp. 5, 42. ISBN 978-1560766674.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Shadowdale. (TSR, Inc), p. 27. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Kevin Melka, John Terra (March 1995). “Campaign Book”. In Julia Martin ed. Ruins of Zhentil Keep (TSR, Inc.), pp. 19, 20, 30. ISBN 0-7869-0109-8.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 18. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Shadowdale. (TSR, Inc), p. 9. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  8. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “DM's Sourcebook of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 38. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  9. Ed Greenwood, et al (1989). Hall of Heroes. (TSR, Inc), p. 106. ISBN 0-88038-711-4.
  10. Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 107. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), A Grand Tour of the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 67. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
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