Seigneur James, formerly known as Jimmy the Hand, is a player character in in Betrayal at Krondor and Return to Krondor. He figures prominently in the novelizations and tie-in books of The Riftwar Legacy, Krondor: The Betrayal, Krondor: The Assassins, Krondor: Tear of the Gods, and Jimmy and the Crawler.
Description
Once known as Jimmy the Hand, Seigneur James is the son of the Upright Man, the leader of the thieves' guild in Krondor, though James is not aware of his true heritage. His theiving skills and quickness were legendary, but now, elevated to the nobility by Prince Arutha, Seigneur James has taken his position of authority very seriously, though he still wanders his old thief haunts in disguise...on occasion. He is extremely loyal to Arutha, and will do anything his liege lord asks him to.
Background
James never knew his father, and was orphaned at a young age. Unknown to him, he has a brother that resembles him very much; taken captive in Krondor, the guards kept asking about places he never been and people he didn't know. Later he got to thinking about events happened before the Battle of Sethanon, about Arutha's doppelganger.
James is a childhood friend of Seigneur Locklear. James has taught him lockpicking and other thieving tricks, such as how to access the Palace from the sewers of Krondor. The two were befriended by Minister Nivek.
Being ennobled and member of the court, he used to play chess with the Prince at the palace, on which he became an expert; as a chess board was not always available, they became so skilled so as to play chess with their mind.
Years after the Battle of Sethanon, James knew that one conspirator wanted the Thieves' Highway cleaned out of thieves, and concocted the plan that the Guild of Death had reestablished operations in Krondor, using the sewers as their hideout, hoping that the Krondorian Lancers would root the thieves out.
Betrayal at Krondor
James is one of the six player characters in Betrayal at Krondor. He first appears in Chapter 1, is a party member in Chapters 2, 3, 5, and 7, and reappears briefly in the prologue and epilogue to Chapter 9.
Starting Stats
James has the highest starting Speed of any player character, as well as the highest starting Defense, Lockpick, and Stealth Skills,[1] though the characters starting in Chapter 1 have opportunities to surpass him before he joins the party. As the party's makeup changes over time, either he or Locklear can benefit from practicing their Barding, Haggling, Armorcraft, and Weaponcraft Skills in anticipation for the stages where they part ways with Gorath and Owyn.
Chapter 1
Seven months after Locklear left for the Northlands, James secretly descended into the Thieves' Highway to investigate the fake Nighthawks, and was briefly captured by a group of them who seemed to think he was someone else.
Arriving at Krondor, Locklear, Owyn, and Gorath learn that James has not been seen for two days, and Locklear theorizes that James has deduced the palace gate's malfunction was sabotage. In the Thieves' Highway, Limm is impressed to hear that they know him, and invites them to tell him more stories of Jimmy the Hand later. Deeper in the tunnels, they are unexpectedly hailed by James, who, surprised to see "Locky" in Krondor three months early, heckles his hairstyle and learns about their mission to warn Arutha that the moredhel are preparing to invade the Kingdom of the Isles. James informs them of the false Nighthawks' activities, theorizes an association with the survivors of the real Nighthawks who had fled to Romney, and gives Locklear the Royal Key of Krondor before departing.
Chapter 2
The following day, James is assigned to escort Gorath to Romney, investigate rumors of Nighthawk activity there, and report to Arutha near the Dimwood. He shakes his head in mock disappointment at finding Locklear's belongings jumbled in a room at the Palace. He and Gorath return to the Thieves' Highway in order to leave Krondor discreetly, though they encounter several hostile groups on the way to the sewer door. As they approach the final junction, they are met by Owyn, who has learned from Limm that James was scouting the area earlier and deduced that he was about to sneak Gorath out of Krondor. Reluctantly impressed, James tries to turn Owyn back, but Owyn mischievously protests that if he returns home alone, he might be captured or accidentally reveal vital information. James, reminded of himself at that age, sternly orders Owyn to obey all instructions, keep the party's secrets, and never wander out of sight.
At the sewer door, James asks Limm to send word to the Upright Man that he needs access to the sewers for a few hours. Limm, pleased to meet the man who has been the talk of the Mocker's Rest for almost two months, reveals that the Nightmaster has told the Mockers to assist James and answer his questions in any way they can.
After learning about Romney's guild troubles from a man at The Wayside, James, jaded as to coincidences by his experiences with the plots of Murmandamus, ponders the improbable but not impossible likelihood that the local events are related to his mission. His task escorting Gorath, a former ally of Murmandamus, increases his discomfort.
If the party encounters Squire Phillip, he and James do not happen to interact. If they visit the Blue Wheel Inn in LaMut, Dubal An Loch immediately sizes him up as a competent fighter and former thief.
After speaking to Petrumh and Ivan Skaald in Malac's Cross, James can call Lysle Rigger out of his hiding place in Darkmoor. The two men are astonished at their resemblance to one another, but are unable to explain it. Carrying Lysle's message to Limm back in the Thieves' Highway is one way for the party to acquire a Glazer's Guild Seal, and James asks Limm to give his regards to the Upright Man as they depart once again.
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The chapter ends when the party enters the Black Sheep Tavern in Romney, and James is nauseated and horrified to find the King's men they were sent to meet lying murdered in the tavern's common room.
Chapter 3
While discussing their next move after helping to carry the dead soldiers from the tavern to their funeral pyre, James confronts Gorath with an account that a moredhel answering to the same name met with some Nighthawks at the tavern six months earlier, giving them a sum of money large enough to have served as an assassination fee. Gorath says flatly that his name is passingly common in the Northlands and he has been mistaken for an elf enough times to make it unlikely that Kingdom folk could tell him apart from some other moredhel. James grimly concludes that their next move is to investigate the only material clues found at the tavern: a Brass Spyglass and a Silver Spider.
If the party returns to Krondor, they find the Thieves' Highway closed and guarded by Limm, who confirms that the Upright Man has been murdered by the same group that captured James some months earlier. If asked about keys, Limm also mentions the recent murder of Yellow Bill, whom James remembers as "a good man in his own way."
If the party travels through the Dimwood and meets Craig, James can ask Squire Phillip about him. If they visit the Blue Wheel in LaMut, he can discuss Tsurani humor with Dubal and be directed to Sumani for a Tsurani joke. If they visit the Anchorhead Tavern in Silden, Joftaz discerns his thieving experience and asks him to retrieve a Powder Bag from the Crawler's house in exchange for information.
| Warning! This article contains plot or ending spoilers. |
The chapter ends when the party opens the DARKNESS chest in Cavall Run and James, reading the Nighthawk documents within, realizes that Delekhan intends to attack Northwarden. He notes with confusion that the attacking force is far too small to take the fortress, but pales when Owyn suggests that they may be aided by Nighthawk infiltrators. Scribbling a note on the Nighthawk scroll, he reveals Arutha's current location to his companions, charging them to bring the note and his report to Arutha near the Dimwood while he travels north to root out the Nighthawks at Northwarden. Giving them a code to tell Arutha -- "there's a party at Mother's" -- he wishes them luck before leaving.
Chapter 5
After arriving at Northwarden, James had met with Locklear and Baron Gabot, but found the baron less concerned about Nighthawks than the possibility that his missing magical advisor, Patrus, might have been captured by the moredhel while investigating their local activities. The chapter starts after James and Locklear wake at the crack of dawn and leave, breath chilling in the cold air, to search the winding mountain road south of the fortress. Encountering Patrus, the two are bemused at his rough magical treatment of a moredhel spy, but introduce themselves and take him into the party to present his findings back at Northwarden.
As the situation progresses, the party carries out several missions for Gabot and Duke Martin, including persuading Tamney the Minstrel to return to the fortress, leaving poisoned Rations in moredhel caches, stealing a set of moredhel battle plans in Raglam, and killing a nest of moredhel spellcasters. He agrees with Martin that Patrus and Amos Trask would either become fast friends or kill one another. Although Locklear is present even in meetings from which Gabot excludes Gorath, James takes the lead on these conversations.
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The chapter ends when the party enters Northwarden and learns that a nest of Nighthawks discovered inside the fortress have assassinated Baron Gabot, his staff, and three captains before being cornered and slain. James orders the bodies to be burnt as a precaution against Black Slayers and, as the closest to noble rank present, accepts command and oversees the fortress's defense, holding out with difficulty during the subsequent four days of heavy attack. Despite his efforts, the garrison is down to 162 ill or fatigued soldiers from its original 415 when Prince Arutha arrives with reinforcements.
Chapter 7
In the aftermath of the siege, James wryly remarks that every surviving soldier will soon be boasting of having slain Delekhan personally, although the moredhel leader had not been present. Arutha, after interrogating a prisoner, dispatches James and Locklear to ride to the Dimwood and destroy the rift machine with which the moredhel intend to bypass the border and attack Sethanon. The chapter starts at a bridge in the northern sector of the Dimwood after days of hard riding and sneaking past goblin patrols on foot. James, reflecting that the berry hunt he and Locklear had undertaken for Arutha after the Riftwar was harder than this mission and citing the instincts that have kept him alive for this long, discusses options with Locklear and suggests a systemic search of the east, south, and west sectors of the forest.
While in the Dimwood, the party cannot leave through the forest's north, south, or west exit. If they try, James is incensed by the self-important attitude of the Kingdom soldiers and goblins blocking the pass. He asks Locklear, who originally considered it pointless to fight those on their own side, whether to teach them a lesson, but changes his tune if Locklear agrees to fight, arguing that they have not yet destroyed the rift machine which is still behind them in the forest. Ultimately, James concludes that the rift machine is the priority and refuses to let Arutha down.
If the party finds the rift machine before obtaining the Waani, Patrus frantically prevents James from stepping forward to examine the dangerous device.
The party is directed south by Duke Martin, and James is surprised to hear that Squire Phillip is in charge of a body of men defending Sethanon, though Martin claims that it would take too long to explain why a squire is in a position of command. Further south, he yelps as a pebble strikes the back of his head to signal the appearance of Obkhar. James reluctantly concurs that Obkhar could have killed the party as easily as he struck them with stones, and grants that his skill at speaking the Kingdom tongue, handy for a spy, can also be explained as useful in trading goods between the Kingdom and the Northlands. After learning about the Waani, James suggests posing as Quegians to trick the rift machine's location out of Moraeulf, a gamble Obkhar considers admirable.
After tricking their way past goblins guarding a bridge with a password found in a riddle chest, the party encounters Moraeulf, and James, pretending to be Quegian, asks him to speak in the Kingdom tongue instead of the moredhel language. James claims to have been ambushed and in need of field reports, and tricks the location of the Waani out of Moreaulf by telling him that the rift machine has failed and it is needed for repairs. Instead, however, they find a Note advising them that Phillip has taken the item and head north to meet him at Witch Wilindi's house, which is now a Kingdom supply cache. James is astonished to learn that the boy he had taken for eighteen or nineteen is actually a veteran captain of thirty-seven serving as a Kingdom spy due to his youthful features. Despite his disbelief, James is forced to accept the existence of the Sethanon garrison and the secret tactical importance of the desolate city, and resolves to confront Arutha about royal secrets after the mission.
| Warning! This article contains plot or ending spoilers. |
The chapter ends when James throws the Waani into the rift machine. Dazed by the resulting magical explosion, he and Locklear desperately clutch nearby trees as an insatiable wind drags them toward the rift machine, but can only watch in horror as Patrus is sucked in just before the machine destroys itself.
Chapter 9
Witnessing Locklear's grief after Patrus's death, James recalls first seeing that expression at Armengar after the death of Bronwynn Alpress, the prelude of Locklear's development into a hardened, deadly knight. He deduces that Locklear is angry not at Patrus's death but at not having taken his place, but before Locklear can retort, magical flashes signal the arrival of Pug, Owyn, and Gorath. After a quick conference, Pug dispatches James and Locklear to report to Arutha, assuring them that Arutha will not face magical opposition when the moredhel attack Sethanon. The two depart as the chapter begins.
Epilogue
After the victory at Sethanon, Arutha sees James and Locklear investigating the rubble near Sethanon's keep. Anticipating their questions, he muses that their loyalty will allow them to trust his assurance that the topic is closed.
Trivia
- Although Limm told Owyn that James had been lurking around the Thieves' Highway, he did not know who James was until the two spoke directly, indicating that he had known James by reputation but not by sight and that Owyn had recognized Limm's description of him.
- Depending on whether the party visits Prank's Stone in Chapter 1 or 2, James may or may not "look just like" the intended recipient of a Torch from a battered woman at The Flying Sow.
Return to Krondor
Chapter 0
Prince Arutha sends James to escort Jazhara, Krondor's new court mage, to the Palace. He can explore the city's sectors, face random encounters, and choose whether to accept a quest while alone, but Jazhara joins the party when he meets her at the North Gate. She apologizes for the late arrival, but asks him to show her the city's sights on the way to the Palace.
Skills
The game's strategy guide recommends putting James's initial points into Blade, Defense, Initiative, and Disarm Trap; proceeding to Bow and Pick Lock with the goal of raising Bow above 80 by the end of Chapter 3, as he fights most initial battles with a sword but archery will be vital later on; and putting any additional points into Evaluate or Stealth.[2]
References
- ↑ Krondor - Initial Statistics at dimwood.net]
- ↑ Walker, Mark. Return to Krondor: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Rocklin, CA, Prima Publishing, 1998. Retrieved on 23 Sep 2024.