Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aylomeizen 09-14-05, 12:52 PM	I'm running a campaign at the moment, one which has taken the PCs from the Dragon Coast to Darkhold. One of the players has run into some serious issues regarding his loyalties. I'm not sure how I should Dungeon Master this, as it pertains to Thayan/Zhentarim relations. This player's character started off as an apprentice evoker in a Thayan enclave stationed outside of the city of Taziir. He was a good apprentice, as he never failed in any of the tasks that his master had set out for him. It was the ideal Red Wizard relationship, and the ambitious young wizard looked forward to eventually being promoted to the status of junior Red Wizard. However, his master gave his apprentice several tasks which eventually proved to be too much for the young wizard. A war with the Harpers in Taziir broke out, and hits were enacted on the Harpers who lived in the city. A magistrate who sympathized with the Harpers was targetted, and the apprentice was given the task to kill him. He was successful, and he was able to obtain information from his target which revealed where many of the Harpers in the city were hiding. Red Wizard hit squads were immediately sent out to assassinate these Harpers, and they all returned successfully. The entire city lost its Harper presence overnight. Unfortunately, the vampires of Westgate have established a stronger hold within this town. The Harpers are unable to redouble their efforts in Taziir, and so they've put a huge bounty on this character in retaliation. His superiors, realizing that it would be a waste to promote a dead man to the rank of Red Wizard, have given him the option of leaving their enclave. He agreed, and is no longer bound to the enclave in Taziir. His wizarding contract with the nation of Thay has been legally ended, though he is still considered to be a citizen on good terms with the nation. He has travelled West since then, fighting off the bands of Harpers who have tried to trap and ambush him. He has killed roughly 20 Harpers since then (which has not been an easy task), most of whom are 1-3 ECLs higher than he is. Eventually word of the "Harper Killer" reached a sect of Banites, who in turn tried to recruit him directly into the Zhentarim. He refused the offer of directly taking up the Zhentarim banner, as he still hoped to become a Red Wizard. He did agree to do mercenary tasks for them, however, and will lead him to Darkhold. My question is this: would he be betraying the nation of Thay by doing this mercenary work? He's a Lawful Evil character, and a follower of Bane, but he's extremely loyal to the nation of Thay. If he does later somehow become a Red Wizard, he will have access to information regarding the Black Network, and his loyalties between Thay and Bane may conflict. A few random questions: What is the relationship between Thay and the Zhentarim? They are not directly fighting one another, but they do not seem to be on friendly terms either. Have they been at war in the past? Would this character betray Bane by giving vital information regarding Darkhold, that could possibly be used in a time of war, to the Red Wizards? Would he betray Thay by refusing to give them information on Darkhold, or lose the chance to prove himself as a Red Wizard in the future? Also, how would the Harpers now try to get at him? He's survived countless assassination attemps.
Alac Luin 09-14-05, 02:16 PM	From my perspective... Thay and Zents do have relations, although hardly allies. Zents do know Thayens, and would most likely "take precautions" with all dealings with anyone from thay, especially a Mulon from Thay. They would acknowledge they may be a red wizard, or worse, a red wizard renegade (If they were kicked out of the red wizards, they must really be untrustworthy). Sure, this character gets into Darkhold, but the Zents would unlikely tell this mercenary the true number of forces, every protective ward, escape tunnels, etc. So it is unlikely he will learn anything more then the Harpers already know, or what can easily be found out by the red wizards using divination magic.