Based in the Whitewash district of Oldgate and largely drawn from Aundairian veterans, these soldiers are known for their use of war magic. Many members of the Wands are driven by the passions of the Last War, and Thranes, Karrns, and Cyrans are warned to be cautious when traveling in Whitewash. However, the Wands rarely attack travelers unless provoked.
Aundair has long been the seat of the Arcane Congress and the focal point for mystical research within Galifar. Aundair is the smallest of the Five Nations and lacks the industrial resources of Karrnath or Breland. During the Last War, the nation relied on arcane magic to offset these limitations.
As the war continued, King Aarott charged Arcanix to produce more efficient weapons of war. The mages assigned to the Seven Stones project delved into the techniques of the daelkyr, the magic of the Age of Demons, and eldritch machines in the quest to end the war. Their achievements were terrifying. Even Aundairians grew fearful of Arcanix, and young Aurala was horrified when she learned that her own wizards were actively seeking to produce even deadlier effects. When Breland demanded the execution of the Seven Stones mages as a condition for alliance, Aurala agreed, creating a rift between throne and tower that remains to this day. Brelish envoys witnessed the executions of the seven wizards. That should have been the end of it.
At the end of the Last War, Aundair released a number of its soldiers from service. Most dispersed to their families, but one elite infantry unit—the Queen’s Ninth Wands—traveled to Stormreach. Over the course of the past two years, they have fought off gangs and criminals that threatened the people of Whitewash, dealt with drunken adventurers, and clashed with the Knights of Thrane and the Swords of Karrn. To all appearances, the Ninth Wands are Aundairian patriots with no interest in peace, soldiers who traveled to Stormreach so they could continue fighting the war.
The truth is more complicated. The Ninth Wands are still serving Aundair—or, more specifically, Royal Minister of Magic Adal ir'Wynarn. Not all of the Seven Stones wizards were executed. The greatest among them was a elven woman named Elira Dawn. Elira is one of the most gifted wizards Arcanix has produced, and she is a protégé of one of Arcanix’s other great wizards: Mordain the Fleshweaver. When Mordain learned of her scheduled execution, he contacted Minister Adal and provided a remarkable simulacrum of Elira. Adal approved of the work Elira had done for her country, and with his help the simulacrum was executed instead. Elira established a new life in Stormreach. To this day, she studies the ancient works of the giants and other powerful forces, waiting for the call to return to her beloved homeland.
Adal sent the Ninth Wands to Stormreach to serve Elira. Only their commander, Jorian Thiel, knows the true identity of this woman they have been sent to protect. The others know Elira only as the Dragonhawk. They know that she is engaged in secret work on behalf of their nation, but most assume that she is simply an Arcanix researcher studying the Age of Giants.
Elira spends most of her time in a Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion. She moves the entrance around according to a schedule; Jorian knows where to find her, but the entrance is difficult for her enemies to track. Many people in Khorvaire would like to see her dead—not the least of which are King Boranel of Breland and Queen Aurala of Aundair. Along with Hassalac Chaar, she is one of the most powerful spellcasters in Stormreach. However, thanks to her many enemies, she spends little time in public and rarely exercises her remarkable talents. It’s up to the DM to decide what discoveries she has made over the last fifteen years; does she have a vault of terrifying weapons ready for use when the war begins anew?
The Ninth Wands are an elite military unit. The members know each other well and have developed group tactics. Each soldier carries an eternal wand; the officers carry two wands. Although most of these are low-power effects (color spray, ray of enfeeblement), a few higher-level wands are scattered among the platoon, including two eternal wands of dispel magic, an eternal wand of fireball, and an eternal wand of lightning bolt. The group’s greatest firepower is in the hands of its commander. The human Jorian Thiel is one of the top warmages to serve in the military, and he has even been offered a place in the Knights Arcane. He preferred to stay with his soldiers and in the service of Lord Adal. If it comes to open battle, he can unleash terrible power.
Two other important members are the wizard "Blackwind" Beleth and the duskblade Tyrnan Thiel