Samyr Kes loved Tira Miron, and he has spent centuries carrying out her last request. This duty is all that keeps him alive, and if he ever came to believe he had failed—say, if Tira herself told him that he had gone too far—it’s possible he would die on the spot.
Prefect Samyr Kes is one of the founders of the Church of the Silver Flame. Born in 221 YK, he is ancient even for an elf; his life force has been bolstered by both the Golden Serpent and his close connection to the Flame. His mind is sharp, but his flesh is beginning to fail him, and he must rely on his agents to do what must be done. His divine gifts allow him to cloud the minds of others, and so he remains in Flamekeep to this day, operating out of a secret level deep below the modern cathedral. Although he has been long forgotten by the modern leaders, his hidden library contains proof of all that he has done, along with Tira’s original orders under her seal. He doesn’t want to reveal his presence to the Council of Cardinals, but if he must, he has the proof he needs to reassert his authority.