Selanith L'baros was a female Crinti half-drow (though 1/32 drow) and the baroness of Herath, a city in Dambrath in the Shining South.[1][2][3] [note 1]
Personality
Selanith was a cruel woman who greatly enjoyed contests and games that ended in the death of the loser. However, she was generous, even lavish with winners.[1][2][3] Although she was also highly ambitious, she was cunning and far from foolish.[1]
Description
Although officially a Crinti half-drow, Selanith was only 1/32nd drow and thus looked much more human than half-elf.[1][3]
Possessions
As well as being the ruler of the city of Herath, Selanith had a vast estate and owned a dozen ranchos and some 10,000 horses. She also took a cut off all trade within her domain and controlled its mines. All this made Selanith L'baros fabulously wealthy, in fact, the richest woman in Dambrath.[1][2]
If drawn into combat, she wielded a whip.[2]
Activities
Ambitious and distantly related to the queen, Selanith hoped to become queen herself someday, or to have a daughter or granddaughter ascend the throne, as many Crinti did. However, being only 1/32nd drow and barely half-elven in appearance, her heritage counted against her. Thus, she took a drow male, Rualn, as a consort, so her children were properly Crinti and thus eligible to take the crown if ever the chance came.[1][3]
She tempered her aspiration with realism and caution. Knowing that lies and deceitful moves could be found out and stand against her, she avoided trickery altogether, and made only open, clear moves to seize power. She also closely safeguarded the welfare of her territories.[2]
Selanith particularly enjoyed contests and games in which the loser lost their life as well as the match.[1][2] In Herath, jousting, mounted archery, and other equestrian sports were as popular as anywhere in Dambrath, but invariably ended in death to sate Selanith's bloodlust. Her favorite sport saw two mounted archers circle an arena and shoot each other with arrows until one fell; only the horses benefitted from a spell protecting them from arrows.[1] She sponsored many lethal tournaments a year[2] and the city area held regular events to satisfy her.[3] However, they did not lack for participants: Selanith lavishly rewarded the surviving winners with both wealth and authority, and of her many army officers gained promotions this way.[2]
Relationships
Selanith had a full-blooded drow consort named Rualn and thus her daughters were fully Crinti half-drow.[1][3]
Selanith was the third cousin of Queen Hasifir Hazm'cri, sharing a great great grandmother.[3] This put Selanith and her daughters distantly in line for the throne.[1][2]
Forces
Selanith fielded an army of 500 cavalry and 2500 foot-soldiers. She also commanded a special force of 1000 gnolls and 40 hill giants as shock troops, loyal to her personally.[1]
History
Selanith was already the ruler of Herath and the richest woman in Dambrath by 1358 DR, with Rualn as her consort.[1][2] She still held this position by 1373 DR.[3]
Appendix
Notes
- ↑ Selanith is stated to be a duchess in The Shining South in 2nd edition, but is only a baroness in Shining South in 3rd edition. The reason for this downgrade in status is unknown, but could be an error, a retcon, or an in-universe fall in status, but this last is not apparent from her description. The later title is adopted for this article as per the canon policy.
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Tom Prusa (1993). The Shining South. (TSR, Inc), p. 32. ISBN 1-56076-595-X.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Tom Prusa (1993). The Shining South. (TSR, Inc), p. 40. ISBN 1-56076-595-X.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 106. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.