Argenach Rilmani
Philosophy: Preserve the balance through subtle influence
Caste: Balance-Architect
Alchemical Metal: Silver
Argenachs are silver-tongued shapers of fate, who move with the grace of an Astral ballerina and the cunning of a Hive Ward fence. Imagine a silhouette that’s all angles and elegance, wrapped in robes white as bleached bones, gliding through the muck and mire of the Prime with a purpose sharper than a githyanki’s silver sword.
These lofty beings, they’re the architects of subtlety, the very embodiment of the sly wink and the nudge under the table that keeps the cosmic scales from tipping too far one way or t’other. Imagine them, weaving through the throngs of mortals, their true forms hidden behind the guise of kindly sages or cunning advisors. They’re the ones offering a helping hand with one moment and pulling the strings with the other, all to keep the great game from spiralling into chaos.
Argenachs, they don’t just walk into a tavern and announce their presence; they’re the shadowy benefactor in the corner, the mysterious stranger who leaves a tome of forbidden knowledge where it’s sure to be found by those who need it most. Their weapons? Not just broadswords, but the words they speak, the advice they give, planting seeds that will grow into forests of change.
Let’s not forget, these beings are no simple meddlers; they’re players in the grandest game, answering only to the aurumachs with orders as vague as “Sort out that mess on Toril,” a task they undertake with the enthusiasm of a barmy jumping into the Styx for a laugh. But make no mistake, their intelligence and resourcefulness are as deep as the Abyss, and they navigate the complexities of the multiverse with a deftness that would make even Sigil’s factors nod in respect.
But here’s the rub: For all their grandeur and grace, argenachs are as solitary as a hermit in the Plane of Ice, drifting through the multiverse, ever vigilant, ever manipulating, but always alone. They’re the unsung heroes (or villains, depending on where you’re standing) of the Balance, wielding their influence not with brute force, but with the precision of a surgeon, ensuring that things don’t tilt too far into darkness or light, chaos or order.
So next time you’re wandering the back alleys of Sigil or trudging through the muck of some Prime Material backwater and you meet a stranger with advice that seems just a bit too insightful, give a nod to the argenachs. You might just be part of their grand scheme to keep the cosmos spinning just right, whether you’ve tumbled to it or not.
Canonical Sources:
- Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II [2e] p87 here
- Manual of the Planes [5e] p317
Source: Jon Winter-Holt. Canonwatch: The rilmani have changed a lot between 2e and 5e D&D, not least in terms of their appearance. I must confess I don’t like the futuristic robo-android-look of rilmani that 5e has introduced, I think it’s anachronistic compared with the rest of the setting, and 5e rilmani look more like golems than an outsider race. And obviously the lumpy blobs of 3e were dreadful. So I’ve reimagined them closer to the 2e form; humanoid, clearly metallic themed, androgynous, more planescapey, and I’ve tried to make each caste look more distinct from each other too. Please let me know what you think!
