Devden Iliric

Duke Devden Iliric

Duke Devden Iliric is a human noble of Baldur's Gate, one of the members of the city's executive body, the Council of Four, and a secret member of the Cult of Dispater.
Duke Iliric is also the father of Alesine Zadava, the once-mortal turned solar of Lathander who is ardently opposed to her father's corruption and actions.

History

Born in Baldur's Gate in 1449, to a pair of middlingly succesful merchants, Devden dreamed from a young age of becoming one of the city's true elites.
His ambition started early, first working for his parents' trading company before specializing in the trading of precious gem stones, earning Devden closer access to the patriars and nobles of the city through a storefront in the Upper City. Devden's willingness to find connections to power, even unorthodox ones, also put him into contact with Yathanae Carhana, a shadar-kai exile. Taking advantage of the elf's centuries of experience, Devden and Yathanae began working together before getting married in 1472, understanding that their own goals would be best advanced through a marital arrangment.
With Yathanae's assistance, Devden's legitimate business became more and more of a front for the his true income and craft, laundering money and dealing in blackmail, which further gave Devden access to the halls of power.
In Nightal of 1474, Yathanae gave birth to Devden's only child, Alesine. Despite her half-elf heritage, Alesine predominately resembled her father, and Devden had her grow her hair out to easily cover her ears, understanding that non-humans rarely went far in politics in Baldur's Gate. Keeping up appearances, Devden and Yathanae raised Alesine well, providing for her a quality education and letting her participate in activites she wanted to do, while also bringing their child with them to social gatherings. Ultimately, however, Devden and Yathanae cared more about how Alesine was percieved by others than Alesine herself.
In spring of 1484, the Ilirics were put in contact with the cult of Dispater, a natural connection for individuals dealing in secrets and blackmail. Always desiring more power, Devden and Yathanae traded their souls in exchange for knowledge and influence, and allowed Alesine to be educated by Marth Nox, the cult's leader, the curry even more favor. Their gambit seemed to pay dividends, and shortly after the 1491 Baldur's Gate Uprising, Devden's cult connections and access to blackmail gave him a seat in the Parliament of Peers, following the minor wave of resignations caused by the cult of the Dragon nearly destroying the seat of government.
Not everything was going according to Devden's wishes, however, as in 1494, Alesine left the cult of Dispater after having a crisis of conscience. Needing to keep up appearances, Devden allowed Alesine's departure, but demanded she not reveal anything about the cult to others, and Alesine, believing incorrectly that her own soul had already been given to Dispater, agreed, though in time she would begin trying to covertly act against the cult and her father with a group of friends.
In the summer of 1497, Baldur's Gate was rocked by the presumed disappearance of Elturel and Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard. Shortly after, Duke Dillard Portyr was assassinated. Seeing an opportunity, Devden began working every connection he had to secure a spot on the Council of Four. Alesine had also gotten invovled in the Elturel's disappearance, working as a part of the Lost Star Detectives, and Devden hosted Alesine and two other Detectives, Xifira Mistmore and Dzarya, for dinner to pry them for information and remind Alesine not to get in the way of his ambitions.
By late 1497, Devden Iliric had secured a ducal seat for himsef, filling the empty seat left by the death of Thalamara Vanthampur. Despite this great achievement, however, Duke Iliric remained only a member of the cult of Dispater, subserviant to Marth Nox, and while Nox did not flex his hold over Iliric often, when he did, Duke Iliric obeyed.
In 1498, Elturel was saved from its damnation by the Lost Star Detectives, and at the end of their journey, Alesine was bestowed the celestial powers of Zariel, the former archduke of Avernus. Realizing that she could not remain on the Material Plane with the power she wielded, Alesine arranged a final meeting with her parents, no longer cowed by them, letting them know that should they ever endanger the people of Baldur's Gate, she would stop them. Alesine also offered them a chance to redeem themselves, which Devden, seemingly possessing all the power he had ever dreamed of, rebuffed.

Species

Human

Date of Birth

1449

Current Residence

Baldur's Gate's Upper City

Sex

Male

Hair

Red

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Pale

Aligned Organization

Council of Four

Other Affiliations

• Cult of Dispater