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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Apr 2013 : 00:32:32
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Possible spoilers if you haven't read the Haunted Lands Trilogy.
I have an idea for a higher level campaign involving overthrowing Szass Tam's rule of Thay (occuring after the events of the novel Undead). The realms I run are fairly different from fourth edition realms with different deities and a removal of many of the elements that irked me (Mulhorand still exists – but is split in two with worshipers of Set ruling the south). I would like input on these ideas, potential quests, etc. The campaign is using 4th edition rules.
My players are nearing the completion of a plot arch in which they returned Opus to the realms. They then adventured in the Moonsea and helped create a “Ravensong Confederacy” where the Moonsea city states allied to repel the Shadovar from destroying Zhentil Keep (I know it was supposed to already be destroyed)
I am focusing on them being in Mulmaster then being conscripted by a Zulkir of Transmutation who lives near Mulmaster (Safiya – stolen from NWN2. I have the Red Wizard traders have Zulkirs based around the realms that oppose Szass Tam's rule) to go to Thay to explore and advance her goal of overthrowing Szass Tam. I am fairly confident the players will go along with this if it is presented to them. Safiya is allied with the Rassendyll (Who is still alive due to magic) and discovered portals to Eltabbar within his castle. He has been transformed with Transmutation magic into a very young man and now in public claims to be his great-grandson descended from Dmitra Flass. The Tharchioness of Eltabbar (Sylora Salm from the 4e book) has conspired with them once she discovered his plan to unmake the world.
At first I just want them to explore Thay and investigate. They would then discover Szass Tam seems to be absent (off making dread rings near Neverwinter, etc.) and the realm has been devastated by his rule. A majority of the population died during the civil war, the birth rate has been low since the takeover of the undead, and Thayans who are able to try to flee the country (neighbouring nations now have large refugee populations) With a low population, no foreign trade, etc. the economy has been devastated. Thay has a Zulkir of each school who is a lich controlled by Szass Tam. With this information given to the Red Wizards they would plan how to overthrow his rule of the nation to cut off his ability to make dread rings.
Zulkirs (not Szass Tam's) they'll be aware of:
Abjuration: Lallara Mediocros imprisoned herself beneath the earth and servants released her in Amn. There she rules the Red Wizards of the region, leader of the Cowled Wizards and become a member of the Council of Six. I have an idea of her seeking to learn more about abjuration from Pfaffaire and he sends her to a puzzle realm (the PCs might go?). The process makes her understand Abjuration more completely and she becomes Chaotic Neutral instead of Chaotic Evil
Transmutation: Safiya. Taken directly from NWN2. She lives in Mulmaster and has already interacted with the PCs selling them items.
Conjuration: A dwarf from the Great Rift who deals in elemental creatures not demons or devils. Not evil.
Enchantment: A tiefling who dwells on the Aloar supporting the Canos family who now rule the kingdom of the Aloar. Evil.
Divination: Yaphyll's spirit was sent into the future and into the body of a Rashemi girl. Her memories slowly returned to her as she was trained as a Hathran. No longer evil but seeks to have the Durthans lead the invasion of Rashemen by having the leaders promise them Surthay. Yaphyll is now Lawful Neutral.
Evocation: A teenage girl from Thesk gained the memories of several Red Wizard Evokers and Shadowmasters during the spell plague. She is still alive because of spell scarring and is a sword mage. Chaotic Neutral.
I have ideas for the other Zulkirs but I don't think it will come up.
Possible quests within this:
a.) Reversing his control of his Zulkirs. Lallara Mediocros creates objects that if worn undo Szass Tam's control of his undead Zulkirs (who include Dmitra Flass, Lauzoril and Druxus Rhym) The PCs have to find ways to get these to them.
b.) Getting neighbouring nations prepared to attack Thay such as Thesk, North Mulhorand, The Aloar, and Rashemen. Promised territories such as Thesk regaining Nethentir and Nethjet, Mulhorand gaining Thazalhar, Aloar controlling Bezantur and Rashemen Surthay.
c.) Szass Tam returning from some distant place only after the invasion of Thay commences and the PCs battling him.
The PCs are:
a) A human druid
b) Elf Ranger
c) Deva Cleric
d) Githyanki Artificer
e) Warforged Fighter
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11858 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2013 : 16:47:09
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| I can't see Tam having non-humans as Zulkirs unless they are something like a tiefling, etc.... and even those he'd want to be of Mulan lineage. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2013 : 19:55:12
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| The Zulkirs I listed are not Szass Tam's Zulkirs they are the expatriate Zulkirs in the merchant Red Wizards |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11858 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2013 : 20:32:24
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quote:
Originally posted by MrHedgehog
The Zulkirs I listed are not Szass Tam's Zulkirs they are the expatriate Zulkirs in the merchant Red Wizards
either way, the red wizards were a racially biased group. They were human oriented, specifically mulan. I don't see them accepting a dwarf leading their number as a Zulkir. They might accept a non-mulan human after the country fell apart, but I think they'd still be racially biased towards humanity (even a demonic half-breed might be looked down upon, just like a half-elf red wizard would be). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2013 : 22:43:07
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I based the dwarf Zulkir on this image:
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20081014084461/forgottenrealms/images/3/37/4e_red_wizards.jpg
I don't remember where I saw it but its one of the first thing that comes up when you search the internet for "red wizards". Its 100+ years from 3rd edition and the Red Wizards are all around the world, things would have changed substantially. On page 37 of the Neverwinter Campaign setting it says there is no racial restriction for "Renegade Red Wizards" (from Thay itself...) so it seems self-evident Red Wizards who don't hail from Thay could be other races.
Do any users have quest ideas or event ideas for my campaign? |
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Aldrick
Senior Scribe
909 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2013 : 01:17:53
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The image you found is from the Rose Keep, a Red Wizard Enclave post Spellplague. You can download the PDF here from the WotC website.
I don't see any trouble with what you propose, after all if anything conflicts with what you intend - just change it. The only sticking point is whether or not Red Wizards would recruit non-Mulan into their ranks. While this probably wouldn't happen in Thay, those isolated in the Enclaves could easily become desperate enough to bolster their ranks to turn to such actions. Even within Thay itself... who can say? Tam has already crossed a red line, there is no reason he wouldn't go even further to bolster his power.
Although Mulan have always traditionally been the only individuals who could become Red Wizards, there have always been a handful of cases - exceptions to the rule, if you will.
"The Red Wizards are the ruling class of this magocracy. It's illegal for any Red Wizard to take on an apprentice of other than Mulan blood. Some still do, however, and it's usually an open secret." - Page 160, the Unapproachable East
So, it's not unheard of for Red Wizards to take non-Mulan, and with the fall of Thay the legality of such a move becomes rather moot. |
Edited by - Aldrick on 07 Apr 2013 01:20:17 |
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Aldrick
Senior Scribe
909 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2013 : 01:26:54
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quote:
Originally posted by MrHedgehog
Do any users have quest ideas or event ideas for my campaign?
I'm unsure. What is your overall objective for Thay? What happens when Tam falls? Wouldn't this effectively throw Thay back into a civil war... and what about all the undead?
Assuming they could unite a number of different nations to go after the Red Wizards, and Thay falls... what then? Armies aren't cheap or free, and those with power and connections don't usually fight a war that they don't have to fight unless they have something to gain from it. |
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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2013 : 05:11:42
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Also in Neverwinter Tam's chief agent is an Elf lich who used to be part of the Arcane Brotherhood. Although Thayan society was prejudiced that doesn't mean Szass Tam is. He is hundreds of years old, is a genius, etc. and so I think would be less likely to care about race, species or ethnicity. Once he was a tyrant of Thay he wouldn't have had to adhere to the prejudices of the populace to maintain popularity, in my opinion. Clearly the vast majority of Red Wizards in Thay would still be human.
Tam dying would be sort of the end of the campaign. The intended purpose is to make sure the world isn't unmade. (In most of the PC's eyes a chance to get cool treasure...)
The neighbouring nations would gain security, be saving the world from being unmade, and gain new territory. The foreign Thayans would get the chance to return home and rebuild their nation. I think that is a bigger picture the PC's don't necessarily care about though. None of them know much about the Forgotten Realms and don't know what Thay or a Red Wizard is outside of what I tell them.
An idea I had today was that the PC's would have to go into the dread towers and find something. Perhaps Szass Tam had to invest part of himself in each and they can weaken him by acquiring them? Each ring could be themed on an element (Fire, water, air, earth and wood)
Right now I am writing up my own description of Aloari society at this time for fun and I'll post it here when i'm done.
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Brin
Acolyte
17 Posts |
Posted - 28 Apr 2013 : 23:48:03
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| I am not as familiar with post-spellplague nations but if Alglarond and Rashemen are still around they'd gladly go to war with Thay assuming they had a prayer of winning. I would be concerned with a confrontation with Tam himself as he's placed at level 29 with some of Larloch's sick loot. You better be planning for some bad assery from your PCs or beating Tam with the nerf bat a couple of times. |
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Thay Campaign
