History: The Silent Blade through Gauntlgrym
Note: Vague Citations have been included to make it easier to find information in the source material.
Jarlaxle decides that Entreri would make a great front for expanding the realm and spies of Bregan D'aerthe to the World Above. Traveling to Calimport, Jarlaxle and two of his lieutenants pull Entreri from a certain death after he had done battle with a battle mage. An offer is then extended to Entreri, via Jarlaxle, that inescapably ties the two males together, at least for a time. Jarlaxle offers Entreri a position of partnership, letting him be the front man of their guild while Bregan D'aerthe gives Entreri power over and protection from his enemies, and Entreri is told he is allowed to order when and where Bregan D'aerthe can strike. In the conversation with Rai-guy that follows, Jarlaxle reveals that he holds the key to finding Drizzt, Entreri's mortal enemy, a locket that can track Drizzt wherever the ranger goes. Since Entreri desires a fair fight with him so desperately, Jarlaxle is willing to give him that.
Therefore, Bregan D'aerthe begins to track Drizzt and his friends, and they notice right away that something containing a lot of powerful magic is hidden on Drizzt's person. They later discover it is a powerful artifact named Crenshinibon. Because the artifact is magical in nature and he needs more information Jarlaxle sends Berg'inyon to Gromph to get answers to the questions he has after learning about Drizzt's course of travel. Soon after, Jarlaxle and Entreri lead the drow forces to take over the Basadoni Guild, the thieves Guild in which Artemis was raised and became a powerful assassin. Once Artemis is in place as the guild's Pasha (leader), Jarlaxle begins to move events forward, working to extend his hold on the surface. He is the first person besides Drizzt to call Artemis out on his internal emptiness, his lack of motivation and then offers to give him a fight with Drizzt on Artemis's own terms so that the assassin may move forward with his life and personal ambitions.
Jarlaxle sets up the fight by waiting until Drizzt and company are attacked, and then has Rai-guy (Bregan D'aerthe's resident priest/wizard) go with a “professional impersonator” to take Crenshinibon. This is used to lure Drizzt to the crystalline tower for a fight with Artemis. Throughout the confrontation with Drizzt, Jarlaxle is nothing but polite and respectful to the renegade, though he traps Drizzt into fighting with Entreri by manipulating the ranger's concern for his friends. If Drizzt cooperates then Jarlaxle guarantees their safety. Drizzt goes to fight with Artemis, and Jarlaxle watches the fight with his lieutenants. Artemis rushes at Drizzt, leading with a yell so that Drizzt will turn and kill him, ending their fight for the final time. The mercenary leader has Kimmuriel use his psionic energy to take hold of Artemis once it is clear that the human is going to lose the fight and use it to “kill” Drizzt. Screaming, the assassin is hauled out of the room by Kimmuriel and Rai-guy heals Drizzt when Artemis is not looking. This is a manipulation by Jarlaxle so that Artemis will finally think the drow dead and move on with his life. One could potentially say that Jarlaxle was doing him a favor, though Jarlaxle did gain personally from the fight in that Artemis is now focused and motivated again (The Silent Blade).
Now that Artemis is over Drizzt, Bregan D'aerthe moves forward more boldly, perhaps too boldly for how out of place they are on the surface, and it quickly becomes clear how much of a hold the powerful magical artifact Crenshinibon (the Crystal Shard), has over Jarlaxle. It has the ability to influence its possessor, goading them to new heights of greed, arrogance, and stupidity. The Crystal Shard's desires overcome all else in its carrier's mind, and so it begins to do with Jarlaxle. It has an intelligence of its own, and speaks to him, causing him to act very strangely. It convinces Jarlaxle to reach for more power, convincing him to stay on the surface and raise a tower, which confirms the fears of those around him that something is very wrong with Jarlaxle. It takes all three of his major lieutenants and Entreri to talk him down from the stupid idea of building a replica of the crystal tower in the middle of the city. Entreri convinces him through a careful bit of manipulating that Jarlaxle allows (once all the pieces have come together) to put the tower out in the desert at Dallabad so that he can get his hands on the fabled sword, Charon's Claw. With Dallabad secured Jarlaxle uses Crenshinibon to convince the survivors of the opposing guild to remain and run the outpost, manipulating their minds through its magic.
Bregan D'aerthe is now convinced that Jarlaxle has lost his mind to the artifact and his principal lieutenants plot to overthrow and replace him. Entreri learns of the plot and creates one of his own, going to save Jarlaxle. He takes Crenshinibon away and conquers it with his own will, much to Jarlaxle's annoyance. They hide from the members of Bregan D'aerthe. The drow are hunting them in order to take Crenshinibon back, but Artemis is determined to get to Cadderly (a priest) and have him destroy the thing. He drags Jarlaxle along for the ride, keeping him safe from Bregan D'aerthe, and keeping the artifact away from Rai-guy who wants it for his own.
In heading to a village for food and drink and supplies, Jarlaxle assumes a disguise, taking Drizzt Do'Urden's name and pretending to be the ranger that his made such a good reputation for himself on the surface. While in a tavern, they are attacked by their pursuers, escaping only because Jarlaxle was able to pull a hole out of his hat and lay it against the wall, allowing them to escape and continue on their path to Cadderly. As they walk through a forest, they are, of course, accosted by a group of surface elves. Their leader, Shayleigh, informs them that she has been instructed to bring them to Cadderly and takes them into her custody, leading them to the priest.
Once at the Spirit Soaring (Cadderly's home), it is decided through long argument that Entreri will hold the Crystal Shard until it is destroyed. However, to destroy it, they must take it to the lair of a red dragon and get the beast to breathe on it while Crenshinibon is engulfed in magical darkness. Jarlaxle had been attempting to find a way to stay behind, but after some insight into Artemis's heart, decides that he has to go along, and so they head out as a group to Hephaestus's lair. In the moment in which they get the dragon to breathe its fire, the Crystal Shard is stolen by Rai-guy and he orders the deaths of Jarlaxle and his companions. Hephaestus goes after Danica (Cadderly's wife) and Entreri, and Jarlaxle distracts it with a lightening bolt. The dragon turns its attention on the mercenary leader and Jarlaxle fearlessly and confidently faces it down. He traps the dragon with his wand of green goo, and leaves the cavern. From his hat he pulls a piece of black cloth, and it transforms into a servant which he sends off as a scout.
Jarlaxle goes after Rai-guy next, somehow getting Hephaestus to breathe on the artifact, destroying his former lieutenant utterly (along with Crenshinibon). With the battle finished, and all the drow dead save for Kimmuriel and Jarlaxle, the survivors leave the dragon's lair. Entreri and Jarlaxle decide to remain together. Entreri is now over Drizzt, much to Jarlaxle's enjoyment, and he hopes to remain with Entreri long-term, finding the human's company to be enjoyable and interesting. The decision made, Jarlaxle goes to Kimmuriel to settle what is to be done with Bregan D'aerthe after their long battle. He turns power over to Kimmuriel to distance himself from his band, an act of caution on his own part after nearly destroying them all. However, he makes it clear that he is not permanently gone from command, and that he will return one day to reclaim his throne and he had better find a group as strong as the one from which Jarlaxle now willingly parts. When Entreri asks why he made this strange decision, Jarlaxle replies with a line that Entreri has used before, “Perhaps I hate drow more than I hate humans” (Servant of the Shard).
The pair take up a job as bounty hunters in Heliogabalus, working for a pair of Copper dragon sisters named Illnezhara and Tazmikella. They give to Jarlaxle Idalia's Flute, which can open the heart. Jarlaxle gives it to Entreri, intending to open the human's heart and discover a more meaningful existence. During the time that they are employed by the dragons, they destroy a construct of the Witch King, Zhengyi. Jarlaxle takes the phylactery from the tower and keeps it. Because the tower was proof that the Witch King's library had been unearthed, Jarlaxle, ordered by the sisters, decides they must travel north to the Vaasan Gate and look for further glory and gold-and find out who is spreading around the artifacts of Zhengyi. Once there, the pair quickly makes a name for themselves and head out to a town named Palishchuk where there is a report of a Zhengyi construct, a castle, that has come to life. They examine it, and while they are there, Jarlaxle feels through the power of the phylactery he now carries the power humming through the construct. When the undead rise, he can feel it, and hear their summons, and it terrifies him. Battle after battle is fought in the castle, as the King of the castle throws its undead minions against the intruders looking to defeat the construct. During the time they explore, their ranger, Mariabronne, is killed by his own foolishness and Jarlaxle loots from his corpse a statue that has the power to summon forth a creature called a nightmare.
While the members of the Citadel of Assassins believe that a young half-orc woman is the life source behind the castle and try to separate her and her escort from Jarlaxle and Artemis so the group's wizard can slay her, Jarlaxle knows otherwise and he and Entreri save the lives of Arrayan and her escort. To separate them, Canthan, the wizard, has Ellery, the “leader” stay with Jarlaxle while he looks over the book helping to power the construct. She attacks him, and Entreri saves Jarlaxle's life by stopping her and then killing her. Entreri then realizes that he foolishly left Arrayan and her friend alone with Canthan and rushes back to save them. The wizard dies and his only other ally, Athrogate the dwarf, wisely decides to switch sides and help them defeat the King of the castle.
As is often the case with Jarlaxle, and much to Artemis's dismay, the master of the castle is a dead dragon, a dracolich. They defeat it, and Jarlaxle destroys the tomb that awoke it, secreting away the phylactery that was inside the book. Mission thus accomplished, the two head out, intending to return to Heliogabalus. Along the way, however, they are stopped by the Archmage of the Citadel of Assassins himself, Knellict. He uses magic to track them, and stops them, speaking to them through an illusion and makes it clear that since Artemis and Jarlaxle killed two of his band, they will replace them as members of the Citadel (Promise of the Witch King).
Once back in Vaasa, Jarlaxle, Athrogate, Calihye (Artemis's half-elven lover), and Artemis go to Bloodstone Village, so that King Gareth can reward them in public ceremony. Jarlaxle and Artemis part ways with Calihye and Athrogate and return to their tiny apartment in Heliogabalus. The drow goes to meet with the dragon sisters to report on their adventure in Palishchuk and they question him about Urshula's phylactery. Jarlaxle is careful not to deny or confirm that he has the phylactery, and leaves the meeting understanding that the sisters wish to have their own phylacteries in their hands, so that none can hold their fates over their heads. This provides more reason to head north again in the spring, but Jarlaxle is content to wait out the winter. After, he meets with Kimmuriel and lets the psionicist know of his plans to return to the construct and claim it, intending to pit Gareth and the Citadel against each other. Kimmuriel assures Jarlaxle that Bregan D'aerthe will stand by him, so long as there is no risk to the group.
Meanwhile, Artemis is out causing trouble. After being approached by a member of the Citadel of Assassins with a job, he becomes angry as it is apparently a test of loyalty, and that strikes so hard against his code of independence. He disobeys Knellict's orders and kills Knellict's men instead, doing battle with them until Jarlaxle comes and ends the fight rather quickly. With no answers forthcoming from Entreri, Jarlaxle must turn to another source for information and gets Athrogate drunk to get him talking about what happened. After gathering as much information from the dwarf and his dragon lover, Illnezhara, Jarlaxle determines that is time to leave Heliogabalus and retrieves Entreri from their apartment, outside which many spies from Gareth and the Citadel are gathering. They are forced to flee the city, to the castle north of Palishchuck that they had previously defeated. Bregan D'aerthe meets them there, and Jarlaxle issues a challenge to King Gareth (the ruler of the land) over the castle, naming Artemis as king.
When Gareth comes with an army at his back, the drow are forced to flee. Artemis, however, refuses to go back to the Underdark and so after forcing Jarlaxle to leave, he is captured by Gareth.
Ever the opportunist, Jarlaxle bribes Kimmuriel into leading Bregan D'aerthe into the Citadel of Assassins, which they take over and now control. Jarlaxle presents the head of a wizard polymorphed to look like Knellict to Gareth in exchange for Artemis (and Athrogate's) freedoms. They are exiled from the land and Artemis steers them toward Memnon. This is largely Jarlaxle's doing - the flute he had given to his friend to open his heart leads the human to want to confront his "father" from his past, seeking closure. They take down the local priests, and Artemis leaves Jarlaxle and Athrogate (Road of the Patriarch).
Allowing Artemis his space, Jarlaxle presumably drags Athrogate into Bregan D'aerthe. Years pass, and Jarlaxle has regained control of his mercenary band. In Luskan the chance for profit and free trade with the surface emerges once again and Bregan D'aerthe aids a man named Kensidan in overthrowing the Hosttower of the Arcane (which rules Luskan in secret) and creating a state of chaos. They provide food for the people and play all the sides against each other. Jarlaxle is responsible for Drizzt surviving the final battle after Athrogate knocks the drow unconscious; Jarlaxle takes Drizzt and Regis and shelters them in an inn, presumably resupplies them, and then sends them on their way home (The Pirate King).
For eight more years, all is quiet. Things in Luskan go well, but Jarlaxle's wanderlust returns, so he takes Athrogate (much to Kimmuriel's delight) and goes out to strike a deal with the leader of Mirabar, intending to spend a while adventuring before going back to Luskan. The night before the meeting, Jarlaxle is taking Reverie (a trance-like state elves use in place of sleep) when a voice invades his dreams. It is, somehow, the voice of Hephaestus, promises revenge for the incident with the Crystal Shard. Hephaestus promises death, and Jarlaxle fights him off using psionic techniques taught to him by Kimmuriel.
The next night Jarlaxle and the dwarf unwittingly set their camp near a grave yard. As Jarlaxle takes his Reverie, Hephaestus finds him again, once again promising death. Since Hephaestus is dead - or rather, undead - he is able to raise the dead in the cemetery and send the skeletons after Jarlaxle. The elf and dwarf flee once Jarlaxle is able to drag Athrogate away from the fight, only to later come across one of Hephaestus's minions: one of the liches who helped to create the Crystal Shard. It tries to kill them; Jarlaxle defeats it by using the extradimensional pocket in his hat. It creates an astral rift, utterly destroying the lich.
Mind made up to go to Cadderly, Jarlaxle tries to come up with a way that will make Cadderly help him without trying to kill him. In the woods of the Silver Marches, the strange pair comes across a group of Obould's orcs, and Jarlaxle learns that Cattie-Brie has fallen prey to a strange affliction that is affecting many of the world's spellcasters: the Spellplague. Since many of the world's magic users are congregating at Cadderly's home, the Spirit Soaring, to try to figure out the problem, Jarlaxle decides that since Cadderly is a friend of Drizzt's that he can get his friend's son to take him and grant him entrance since Cattie-Brie desperately needs help.
So he disguises Athrogate, makes up the name of a dwarf community far away, instructs his friend and minion on what to say, and sends him in for an audience with King Bruenor. The information about Cadderly lures Drizzt, Bruenor, and an escort of dwarves out, and Jarlaxle and Athrogate meet up with them on the road (The Ghost King). Bruenor is decidedly not thrilled at having been tricked out of Mithril Hall (even for a good reason!) but Drizzt is at least willing to hear Jarlaxle out. The mercenary tells his tale to the ranger as they travel, and when they are attacked, Jarlaxle proves himself to the others by saving Drizzt and Cattie-Brie.
In the years following the events of The Ghost King, Jarlaxle and Athrogate have been going back and forth between Menzoberranzan and Luskan, where Bregan D’aerthe (Jarlaxle’s mercenary band) have been attempting to finish up their quest to bleed the port city dry of all the resources important to them. While in the city, they make contact with an elf named Dahlia, who says she needs a Delzoun dwarf (one descended from Gauntlgrym) to lead her and her companion into the city. Athrogate agrees, and they set out with Dahlia. While in the legendary, ancient dwarven stronghold, Dahlia and her “boss” trick Athrogate into pulling a lever that releases a fire primordial and wipes out half of the sacred city. They manage to escape, but only just.
When given the opportunity to return with a repentant Dahlia, Drizzt, and Bruenor, the duo prepare to make their way into the city once more, hoping to trap the primordial again and prevent it from finishing Dahlia’s former master’s dark plans.
Jarlaxle decides that Entreri would make a great front for expanding the realm and spies of Bregan D'aerthe to the World Above. Traveling to Calimport, Jarlaxle and two of his lieutenants pull Entreri from a certain death after he had done battle with a battle mage. An offer is then extended to Entreri, via Jarlaxle, that inescapably ties the two males together, at least for a time. Jarlaxle offers Entreri a position of partnership, letting him be the front man of their guild while Bregan D'aerthe gives Entreri power over and protection from his enemies, and Entreri is told he is allowed to order when and where Bregan D'aerthe can strike. In the conversation with Rai-guy that follows, Jarlaxle reveals that he holds the key to finding Drizzt, Entreri's mortal enemy, a locket that can track Drizzt wherever the ranger goes. Since Entreri desires a fair fight with him so desperately, Jarlaxle is willing to give him that.
Therefore, Bregan D'aerthe begins to track Drizzt and his friends, and they notice right away that something containing a lot of powerful magic is hidden on Drizzt's person. They later discover it is a powerful artifact named Crenshinibon. Because the artifact is magical in nature and he needs more information Jarlaxle sends Berg'inyon to Gromph to get answers to the questions he has after learning about Drizzt's course of travel. Soon after, Jarlaxle and Entreri lead the drow forces to take over the Basadoni Guild, the thieves Guild in which Artemis was raised and became a powerful assassin. Once Artemis is in place as the guild's Pasha (leader), Jarlaxle begins to move events forward, working to extend his hold on the surface. He is the first person besides Drizzt to call Artemis out on his internal emptiness, his lack of motivation and then offers to give him a fight with Drizzt on Artemis's own terms so that the assassin may move forward with his life and personal ambitions.
Jarlaxle sets up the fight by waiting until Drizzt and company are attacked, and then has Rai-guy (Bregan D'aerthe's resident priest/wizard) go with a “professional impersonator” to take Crenshinibon. This is used to lure Drizzt to the crystalline tower for a fight with Artemis. Throughout the confrontation with Drizzt, Jarlaxle is nothing but polite and respectful to the renegade, though he traps Drizzt into fighting with Entreri by manipulating the ranger's concern for his friends. If Drizzt cooperates then Jarlaxle guarantees their safety. Drizzt goes to fight with Artemis, and Jarlaxle watches the fight with his lieutenants. Artemis rushes at Drizzt, leading with a yell so that Drizzt will turn and kill him, ending their fight for the final time. The mercenary leader has Kimmuriel use his psionic energy to take hold of Artemis once it is clear that the human is going to lose the fight and use it to “kill” Drizzt. Screaming, the assassin is hauled out of the room by Kimmuriel and Rai-guy heals Drizzt when Artemis is not looking. This is a manipulation by Jarlaxle so that Artemis will finally think the drow dead and move on with his life. One could potentially say that Jarlaxle was doing him a favor, though Jarlaxle did gain personally from the fight in that Artemis is now focused and motivated again (The Silent Blade).
Now that Artemis is over Drizzt, Bregan D'aerthe moves forward more boldly, perhaps too boldly for how out of place they are on the surface, and it quickly becomes clear how much of a hold the powerful magical artifact Crenshinibon (the Crystal Shard), has over Jarlaxle. It has the ability to influence its possessor, goading them to new heights of greed, arrogance, and stupidity. The Crystal Shard's desires overcome all else in its carrier's mind, and so it begins to do with Jarlaxle. It has an intelligence of its own, and speaks to him, causing him to act very strangely. It convinces Jarlaxle to reach for more power, convincing him to stay on the surface and raise a tower, which confirms the fears of those around him that something is very wrong with Jarlaxle. It takes all three of his major lieutenants and Entreri to talk him down from the stupid idea of building a replica of the crystal tower in the middle of the city. Entreri convinces him through a careful bit of manipulating that Jarlaxle allows (once all the pieces have come together) to put the tower out in the desert at Dallabad so that he can get his hands on the fabled sword, Charon's Claw. With Dallabad secured Jarlaxle uses Crenshinibon to convince the survivors of the opposing guild to remain and run the outpost, manipulating their minds through its magic.
Bregan D'aerthe is now convinced that Jarlaxle has lost his mind to the artifact and his principal lieutenants plot to overthrow and replace him. Entreri learns of the plot and creates one of his own, going to save Jarlaxle. He takes Crenshinibon away and conquers it with his own will, much to Jarlaxle's annoyance. They hide from the members of Bregan D'aerthe. The drow are hunting them in order to take Crenshinibon back, but Artemis is determined to get to Cadderly (a priest) and have him destroy the thing. He drags Jarlaxle along for the ride, keeping him safe from Bregan D'aerthe, and keeping the artifact away from Rai-guy who wants it for his own.
In heading to a village for food and drink and supplies, Jarlaxle assumes a disguise, taking Drizzt Do'Urden's name and pretending to be the ranger that his made such a good reputation for himself on the surface. While in a tavern, they are attacked by their pursuers, escaping only because Jarlaxle was able to pull a hole out of his hat and lay it against the wall, allowing them to escape and continue on their path to Cadderly. As they walk through a forest, they are, of course, accosted by a group of surface elves. Their leader, Shayleigh, informs them that she has been instructed to bring them to Cadderly and takes them into her custody, leading them to the priest.
Once at the Spirit Soaring (Cadderly's home), it is decided through long argument that Entreri will hold the Crystal Shard until it is destroyed. However, to destroy it, they must take it to the lair of a red dragon and get the beast to breathe on it while Crenshinibon is engulfed in magical darkness. Jarlaxle had been attempting to find a way to stay behind, but after some insight into Artemis's heart, decides that he has to go along, and so they head out as a group to Hephaestus's lair. In the moment in which they get the dragon to breathe its fire, the Crystal Shard is stolen by Rai-guy and he orders the deaths of Jarlaxle and his companions. Hephaestus goes after Danica (Cadderly's wife) and Entreri, and Jarlaxle distracts it with a lightening bolt. The dragon turns its attention on the mercenary leader and Jarlaxle fearlessly and confidently faces it down. He traps the dragon with his wand of green goo, and leaves the cavern. From his hat he pulls a piece of black cloth, and it transforms into a servant which he sends off as a scout.
Jarlaxle goes after Rai-guy next, somehow getting Hephaestus to breathe on the artifact, destroying his former lieutenant utterly (along with Crenshinibon). With the battle finished, and all the drow dead save for Kimmuriel and Jarlaxle, the survivors leave the dragon's lair. Entreri and Jarlaxle decide to remain together. Entreri is now over Drizzt, much to Jarlaxle's enjoyment, and he hopes to remain with Entreri long-term, finding the human's company to be enjoyable and interesting. The decision made, Jarlaxle goes to Kimmuriel to settle what is to be done with Bregan D'aerthe after their long battle. He turns power over to Kimmuriel to distance himself from his band, an act of caution on his own part after nearly destroying them all. However, he makes it clear that he is not permanently gone from command, and that he will return one day to reclaim his throne and he had better find a group as strong as the one from which Jarlaxle now willingly parts. When Entreri asks why he made this strange decision, Jarlaxle replies with a line that Entreri has used before, “Perhaps I hate drow more than I hate humans” (Servant of the Shard).
The pair take up a job as bounty hunters in Heliogabalus, working for a pair of Copper dragon sisters named Illnezhara and Tazmikella. They give to Jarlaxle Idalia's Flute, which can open the heart. Jarlaxle gives it to Entreri, intending to open the human's heart and discover a more meaningful existence. During the time that they are employed by the dragons, they destroy a construct of the Witch King, Zhengyi. Jarlaxle takes the phylactery from the tower and keeps it. Because the tower was proof that the Witch King's library had been unearthed, Jarlaxle, ordered by the sisters, decides they must travel north to the Vaasan Gate and look for further glory and gold-and find out who is spreading around the artifacts of Zhengyi. Once there, the pair quickly makes a name for themselves and head out to a town named Palishchuk where there is a report of a Zhengyi construct, a castle, that has come to life. They examine it, and while they are there, Jarlaxle feels through the power of the phylactery he now carries the power humming through the construct. When the undead rise, he can feel it, and hear their summons, and it terrifies him. Battle after battle is fought in the castle, as the King of the castle throws its undead minions against the intruders looking to defeat the construct. During the time they explore, their ranger, Mariabronne, is killed by his own foolishness and Jarlaxle loots from his corpse a statue that has the power to summon forth a creature called a nightmare.
While the members of the Citadel of Assassins believe that a young half-orc woman is the life source behind the castle and try to separate her and her escort from Jarlaxle and Artemis so the group's wizard can slay her, Jarlaxle knows otherwise and he and Entreri save the lives of Arrayan and her escort. To separate them, Canthan, the wizard, has Ellery, the “leader” stay with Jarlaxle while he looks over the book helping to power the construct. She attacks him, and Entreri saves Jarlaxle's life by stopping her and then killing her. Entreri then realizes that he foolishly left Arrayan and her friend alone with Canthan and rushes back to save them. The wizard dies and his only other ally, Athrogate the dwarf, wisely decides to switch sides and help them defeat the King of the castle.
As is often the case with Jarlaxle, and much to Artemis's dismay, the master of the castle is a dead dragon, a dracolich. They defeat it, and Jarlaxle destroys the tomb that awoke it, secreting away the phylactery that was inside the book. Mission thus accomplished, the two head out, intending to return to Heliogabalus. Along the way, however, they are stopped by the Archmage of the Citadel of Assassins himself, Knellict. He uses magic to track them, and stops them, speaking to them through an illusion and makes it clear that since Artemis and Jarlaxle killed two of his band, they will replace them as members of the Citadel (Promise of the Witch King).
Once back in Vaasa, Jarlaxle, Athrogate, Calihye (Artemis's half-elven lover), and Artemis go to Bloodstone Village, so that King Gareth can reward them in public ceremony. Jarlaxle and Artemis part ways with Calihye and Athrogate and return to their tiny apartment in Heliogabalus. The drow goes to meet with the dragon sisters to report on their adventure in Palishchuk and they question him about Urshula's phylactery. Jarlaxle is careful not to deny or confirm that he has the phylactery, and leaves the meeting understanding that the sisters wish to have their own phylacteries in their hands, so that none can hold their fates over their heads. This provides more reason to head north again in the spring, but Jarlaxle is content to wait out the winter. After, he meets with Kimmuriel and lets the psionicist know of his plans to return to the construct and claim it, intending to pit Gareth and the Citadel against each other. Kimmuriel assures Jarlaxle that Bregan D'aerthe will stand by him, so long as there is no risk to the group.
Meanwhile, Artemis is out causing trouble. After being approached by a member of the Citadel of Assassins with a job, he becomes angry as it is apparently a test of loyalty, and that strikes so hard against his code of independence. He disobeys Knellict's orders and kills Knellict's men instead, doing battle with them until Jarlaxle comes and ends the fight rather quickly. With no answers forthcoming from Entreri, Jarlaxle must turn to another source for information and gets Athrogate drunk to get him talking about what happened. After gathering as much information from the dwarf and his dragon lover, Illnezhara, Jarlaxle determines that is time to leave Heliogabalus and retrieves Entreri from their apartment, outside which many spies from Gareth and the Citadel are gathering. They are forced to flee the city, to the castle north of Palishchuck that they had previously defeated. Bregan D'aerthe meets them there, and Jarlaxle issues a challenge to King Gareth (the ruler of the land) over the castle, naming Artemis as king.
When Gareth comes with an army at his back, the drow are forced to flee. Artemis, however, refuses to go back to the Underdark and so after forcing Jarlaxle to leave, he is captured by Gareth.
Ever the opportunist, Jarlaxle bribes Kimmuriel into leading Bregan D'aerthe into the Citadel of Assassins, which they take over and now control. Jarlaxle presents the head of a wizard polymorphed to look like Knellict to Gareth in exchange for Artemis (and Athrogate's) freedoms. They are exiled from the land and Artemis steers them toward Memnon. This is largely Jarlaxle's doing - the flute he had given to his friend to open his heart leads the human to want to confront his "father" from his past, seeking closure. They take down the local priests, and Artemis leaves Jarlaxle and Athrogate (Road of the Patriarch).
Allowing Artemis his space, Jarlaxle presumably drags Athrogate into Bregan D'aerthe. Years pass, and Jarlaxle has regained control of his mercenary band. In Luskan the chance for profit and free trade with the surface emerges once again and Bregan D'aerthe aids a man named Kensidan in overthrowing the Hosttower of the Arcane (which rules Luskan in secret) and creating a state of chaos. They provide food for the people and play all the sides against each other. Jarlaxle is responsible for Drizzt surviving the final battle after Athrogate knocks the drow unconscious; Jarlaxle takes Drizzt and Regis and shelters them in an inn, presumably resupplies them, and then sends them on their way home (The Pirate King).
For eight more years, all is quiet. Things in Luskan go well, but Jarlaxle's wanderlust returns, so he takes Athrogate (much to Kimmuriel's delight) and goes out to strike a deal with the leader of Mirabar, intending to spend a while adventuring before going back to Luskan. The night before the meeting, Jarlaxle is taking Reverie (a trance-like state elves use in place of sleep) when a voice invades his dreams. It is, somehow, the voice of Hephaestus, promises revenge for the incident with the Crystal Shard. Hephaestus promises death, and Jarlaxle fights him off using psionic techniques taught to him by Kimmuriel.
The next night Jarlaxle and the dwarf unwittingly set their camp near a grave yard. As Jarlaxle takes his Reverie, Hephaestus finds him again, once again promising death. Since Hephaestus is dead - or rather, undead - he is able to raise the dead in the cemetery and send the skeletons after Jarlaxle. The elf and dwarf flee once Jarlaxle is able to drag Athrogate away from the fight, only to later come across one of Hephaestus's minions: one of the liches who helped to create the Crystal Shard. It tries to kill them; Jarlaxle defeats it by using the extradimensional pocket in his hat. It creates an astral rift, utterly destroying the lich.
Mind made up to go to Cadderly, Jarlaxle tries to come up with a way that will make Cadderly help him without trying to kill him. In the woods of the Silver Marches, the strange pair comes across a group of Obould's orcs, and Jarlaxle learns that Cattie-Brie has fallen prey to a strange affliction that is affecting many of the world's spellcasters: the Spellplague. Since many of the world's magic users are congregating at Cadderly's home, the Spirit Soaring, to try to figure out the problem, Jarlaxle decides that since Cadderly is a friend of Drizzt's that he can get his friend's son to take him and grant him entrance since Cattie-Brie desperately needs help.
So he disguises Athrogate, makes up the name of a dwarf community far away, instructs his friend and minion on what to say, and sends him in for an audience with King Bruenor. The information about Cadderly lures Drizzt, Bruenor, and an escort of dwarves out, and Jarlaxle and Athrogate meet up with them on the road (The Ghost King). Bruenor is decidedly not thrilled at having been tricked out of Mithril Hall (even for a good reason!) but Drizzt is at least willing to hear Jarlaxle out. The mercenary tells his tale to the ranger as they travel, and when they are attacked, Jarlaxle proves himself to the others by saving Drizzt and Cattie-Brie.
In the years following the events of The Ghost King, Jarlaxle and Athrogate have been going back and forth between Menzoberranzan and Luskan, where Bregan D’aerthe (Jarlaxle’s mercenary band) have been attempting to finish up their quest to bleed the port city dry of all the resources important to them. While in the city, they make contact with an elf named Dahlia, who says she needs a Delzoun dwarf (one descended from Gauntlgrym) to lead her and her companion into the city. Athrogate agrees, and they set out with Dahlia. While in the legendary, ancient dwarven stronghold, Dahlia and her “boss” trick Athrogate into pulling a lever that releases a fire primordial and wipes out half of the sacred city. They manage to escape, but only just.
When given the opportunity to return with a repentant Dahlia, Drizzt, and Bruenor, the duo prepare to make their way into the city once more, hoping to trap the primordial again and prevent it from finishing Dahlia’s former master’s dark plans.