Xanathar Guild
The beholder-led thieves' guild of Skullport.
The Xanathar Guild is a criminal syndicate operating in Baldur's Gate and the surrounding regions. The guild is led by a beholder known as Xanathar, who controls Skullport's influential Thieves Guild. The title "The Xanathar" is passed from one guild leader to the next. The organization dates back to the very origins of the Forgotten Realms, first detailed in module FR1: Waterdeep and the North (1987). Xanathar has also appeared outside the tabletop game in comic books and in the 1991 SSI game Eye of the Beholder.
- Leader
- Xanathar (The Guildmaster)
- Base of Operations
- Skullport
- Primary Activity
- Thieves Guild, Criminal Enterprise
- Status
- Active
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The Xanathar Guild is centered in Skullport, where a beholder known as "The Xanathar" controls the influential Thieves Guild. The title "The Xanathar" is passed from one guild leader to the next, meaning the beholder currently holding the title may not be the original. The guild's history reaches back to the earliest days of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, first detailed in module FR1: Waterdeep and the North (1987). Xanathar has made appearances in comic books and in the 1991 SSI game Eye of the Beholder. The book Xanathar's Guide to Everything (2017) contains various notes written from the perspective of the beholder known as Xanathar. Xanathar is also one of the possible villains adventurers can face in the adventure module Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (2018).
In Their Own Story
The Xanathar Guild operates under the leadership of a beholder who holds the title "The Xanathar." This title is passed from one guild leader to the next, suggesting a succession of beholders have controlled Skullport's Thieves Guild. The guild's influence extends through the criminal underworld of Waterdeep and the surrounding regions. The beholder Xanathar is one of the possible villains adventurers can face in the adventure module Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (2018). The book Xanathar's Guide to Everything (2017) includes notes written from Xanathar's perspective, offering insight into the beholder's thoughts and methods.
Reader's Guide
The Xanathar Guild is led by a beholder who takes the title "The Xanathar." This title is passed from one guild leader to the next, indicating a structured succession. The guild controls Skullport's influential Thieves Guild and has been a fixture of the Forgotten Realms since the module FR1: Waterdeep and the North (1987). Xanathar appears as a possible villain in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (2018), where adventurers may confront the beholder and its criminal network. The guild's operations are detailed in Xanathar's Guide to Everything (2017), which includes notes from Xanathar's perspective.
Did You Know?
- The title 'The Xanathar' is passed from one guild leader to the next, not held by a single individual.
- Xanathar first appeared in module FR1: Waterdeep and the North (1987).
- The beholder Xanathar is a possible villain in the adventure Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (2018).
- Xanathar's Guide to Everything (2017) contains notes written from the perspective of the beholder Xanathar.
- Xanathar has appeared in comic books and the 1991 SSI game Eye of the Beholder.
More in Factions & Groups
Elsewhere in the Baldur's Gate 3 universe
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