Thomas Smith

Zhalilafajjahad, known as a human named Thomas Smith to most people, is a blue dragon that is involved in the affairs of the Shining Sea. He first made an appearance in A Bridge Between Troubled Waters.

Description
Zhalilafajjahad spends most of his time around the lesser races in his human persona of Thomas Smith. A clean cut, tall, and lean man, Thomas is almost always dressed in a bluish hued suit, his lined and even face framed by a matching hat. When he shows his true form, he is a regal and powerful looking mature adult Blue Dragon.

Personality
Zhalilafajjahad is very powerful, but very arrogant. He enjoys having people work for him and enjoys using his intellect to make deals that benefits him. He is surprisingly socialable, and seems kind, using his charisma to seal deals and make connections with the elite of Faerun. He is very calculating, and not above using people to get his goals. Nothing irritates him - even the death of his parents did not cause him much emotion. Zhalilafajjahad is a very optimistic person who always finds a way to enjoy what he does and to enjoy the outcome of any situation. Many people often confuse his kindness for good will. He sees life and reality as a game, and most everyone is just a pawn to help him win.

History
Little is publicly known of Zhalilafajjahad's early history.

At some point, Zhalilafajjahad made lairs in both the Calimshan desert and in Sembia, gaining many allies in the process, most knowing him as Thomas Smith. It is also known that Zhalilafajjahad is allied with the Tiamat sect of the Cult of the Dragon, and possibly is a personal ally of Alaskerbanbastros.

By 1373, Zhalilafajjahad made personal inroads in Calimshan, and was eventually even hired by the Syl-Pasha himself. Through these contacts, he got wind of a secret group, a group of real power that had influence all over Calimshan and the entire Shining Sea. He worked long and hard, using his contacts in Calimshan, and finally made contact with a blue dragon named Sapphiraktar the Blue. Sapphiraktar was a member of this group, called the Twisted Rune, and helped to run an arm called the Rune's Hand. Sapphiraktar told Zhalilafajjahad that if he really wanted to get involved with the Twisted Rune, he can help them with a major problem: a man by the name of Loki had contacted them for help in tracking down and killing a man by the name of Croznoc. Zhalilafajjahad was set up with the members of the Rune's Hand, and was put in charge of getting this job completed.

Through his contacts, he eventually learned of Antillado Sarkozy, and his friend Gafflure Hilltyrn, who was trying to find Croznoc herself. "Thomas" made his move, and decided to use this to his advantage. Over the next few months, Thomas kept close watch on the duo, and used his new resources in the Hand to find where Croznoc was hiding.

Present Day
His plan worked, to some extent, and Croznoc was killed in the streets of Suldolphor. With Loki and the Twisted Rune happy with the outcome, it is sure that Zhalilafajjahad has made contact with the real power behind the Twisted Rune, and it is sure that his confidence and arrogance has grown as well.

Contact in Sembia
Thomas had a dual interest for his groups had worked to lobby the support of his group for the use of the Church of Tiamat for years. Thomas has not actively placed himself as an enemy of the Cult of the Dragon, but sought to gain support from Alaskler Banbastos, "The Great Bone Wyrm". His efforts in Sembia would not go unnoticed as a group of Orcs that came from the north approached his area as a result of the death of Croznoc.

Thomas worked in Sembia to have the Devil's Laugh killed by supporting the rogue sect that arose in Ordulin because of Tillenbirg Keilrecht. His plans would prove a complete success since the Devil's Laugh would be completely eradicated in Sembia thanks the Calvin Ford and company in Vindication of the Merchant Nation.

Aside from his role, Thomas had others integrate themselves within Markaedus Callahan's plans, since there was a collaboration between the Tillenbirg and the Callahan's committee in the Sembian Merchant Council.

With the death of his orcish enemies and the Devil's Laugh, Thomas's credibility goes unchallenged as his group slowly becomes one of the remaining groups in that area of Sembia.

After the Spell Plague
Thomas no longer saw the grounds around Sembia as advantageous for his kind of work anymore. his strategic location outside of Ordulin meant nothing that the city had become a large vortex into the Shadowfell. It was clear without the advent of the Cult of the Dragon with the Great Bone Wyrm, and the death of Janet, that his plans in the area had failed. He returned to Calimsham to realize that it was business at usual.

The Twisted Rune's power and influence has not swayed even in the slightest, so Thomas found his influence in Calimsham to be strong. Thomas wanted to find another place replace his Sembian layer, but a lack of options made him more content remaining in Calimsham.

He lives still in coordination with the Runes Hand and the Twisted Rune. He spends much of his time running a different kind of business with the Genasi in Calimsham. He now takes humans from other areas of the world and brings them to the Genasi rulers as property for their entertainment.

Thomas enjoys an easy life and a good business, but remains curious about the Hidden Hand and the treasures that await someone as intelligent as he. His personal group still exists, but it is clear that he is more a tool of the Twisted Rune now than before, and his personal ambitions have been put aside more for the sake of maintaining his position of power in the Rune's Hand.