Khelben Arunsun

Lore & Background

In the world of Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone, Khelben's history is defined by his containment of Ygorl, leader of the Slaad army, and Cireka, general of the Githyanki. The game's introduction explains that these two villains were equally enemies of the heroes and of each other; their mutual hatred was the only thing preventing them from taking over the realm immediately. Fearing that victory for either would leave the world at their mercy, Khelben sealed both warlords within a Demon Stone. Later in the story, after the three protagonists release Ygorl and Cireka by accident, they travel to visit Khelben for advice on how to fix the error. He informs them that the new Demon Stone required to re-imprison the villains is in the possession of the Yuan-ti people.

In Their Own Story

The plot thickens when Rannek, Zhai, and Illius, after evacuating the wood-elf village of Cedarleaf from Cireka's Githyanki soldiers, visit Khelben at his tower. As they leave with knowledge of their quest, Ygorl arrives riding the great red dragon Caminus to attack the tower. The structure is destroyed during the assault, forcing the heroes and the mage to escape. Despite this devastation, Khelben survives; he later reappears through a portal back at Cedarleaf after the final battle where Ygorl is slain in Limbo. Upon his return, he delivers the king's thanks to the trio and offers them the untamed land of Vaasa as their own. He also warns that the Githyanki now aim to retrieve the "Silver Sword," an ancient artifact previously owned by Cireka.

Reader's Guide

Players encounter Khelben not as a direct combatant but as a narrative anchor who directs the party's progression. His role is strictly supportive: he provides the critical clue about the Yuan-ti holding the replacement stone and later confirms the heroes' success after they slay Caminus and defeat Ygorl in Limbo. His survival of the tower destruction is confirmed by his reappearance at the end of the game, where he offers rewards and exposition regarding the future threat to the Silver Sword. While the source does not detail specific spells or combat abilities for Khelben during gameplay, his presence frames the stakes of the adventure, emphasizing that the release of Ygorl and Cireka was a catastrophe he originally worked tirelessly to prevent.

Did You Know?

• Khelben Arunsun was voiced by Patrick Stewart in the 2004 game.
• He originally sealed the villains Ygorl and Cireka inside a Demon Stone because their mutual hatred was the only thing keeping them from conquering the realm.
• His tower is destroyed when Ygorl attacks it riding the dragon Caminus, yet Khelben survives to appear at the end of the game.
• After the heroes defeat Ygorl in Limbo, Khelben offers them the untamed land of Vaasa as a reward for their service.