The Simbul

The Simbul is a powerful sorceress and one of the Seven Sisters. She is rightfully considered one of the most powerful spellcasters of Faerûn. She is Chaotic Neutral in alignment and totally unpredictable (some have even suggested that she is mad on account of too much self-experimentation with magic). She is the queen of Aglarond and Elminster's lover.

The Simbul's real name is Alassra Silverhand; very few individuals know it, and fewer still use it.

History
Being one of the Seven Sisters, the Simbul is the daughter of Dornal Silverhand and Elué. After the death of her mother, young Alassra was entrusted by Mystra, the goddess of magic, to the care of the witches of Rashemen. Mystra gave the witches spells that enabled them to rule Rashemen and repel invasions by Thay.

After the Simbul left the witches, she started wandering the planes. Little is known about her whereabouts during that period, which lasted for some 400 years. It is said that Mystra herself revealed to her the fact that she was one of the Chosen, after one of her consorts (allegedly a wizard from another plane) perished.

The Simbul ended up posing as the apprentice of Ilione, a lesser sorceress and ruler of Aglarond. Ilione had designated the Simbul as her successor. The Simbul assumed the throne of Aglarond upon Ilione's death. The wizard Elminster recognised the Simbul for whom she was more than a century ago. Elminster's love helped reduce the frequency of her berserker rage fits, but she is still feared for the amount of damage she can inflict. King Azoun IV of Cormyr once called her "a good friend, but a deadly enemy".

The Simbul and Thay
The word "Simbul" means "watchful warrior-wizard" in the ancient Aglarondan language, and Alassra Silverhand lives up to that role. Her presence alone is a strong incentive for the Red Wizards of Thay not to attack Aglarond. When she commits herself to battle, the amount of damage she can cause is incredible. She sometimes makes her enemies an example, using far more magic than necessary to destroy them in a spectacular fashion. No Red Wizard in his right mind would face the SImbul, and even her own subjects in Aglarond sometimes fear and avoid her, thinking her mad.