Adventure:Atrocius Deed [Archive] - Wizards Community

Adventure:Atrocius Deed [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Nukleon
03-02-07, 06:45 AM Hello everyone

I would like you to comment on my next adventure idea.

The Campaign is set in the forgotten Realms, in Aglarond.

After 2 years of truce, Thayan Armies again invaded Aglarond, this time with more force than ever.

The Characters are told to investigate, why Escalant (a port city in the south) has not sent message since the beginning of the war. (note that in my campaign Escalant is not the seat of the Tharchion of Eltabbar, just a free city state)

When they arrive, they learn that Szass Tam has hired a Talontar Blightlord to envision a plague that would turn all of Escalant's citizens into mindless zombie hordes, which the Thayans will use to crush the forces of Fortress Glarondar from the rear.

Now my question is: how feasible is it, that the Thayans would kill a whole city, which would be of a good trade value?
In my eyes Szass Tam has grown tired of the Trade Approach and set up a kind of rebellion/coup in Thay and tries to subvert the more mercantile Zulkires/Tharchions into submission.

He tries to set a precedent in Escalant, showing all his ruthlessness and determination.

On the other hand, i might change it, that Escalant is indeed a Thayan port city and the seat of the Tharchion of Eltabbar. And that the plague was a means to "silence" an inconvenient Tharchion.

What is your opinion in this?
Bengal
03-02-07, 06:52 AM By destroying a whole city, he would immediately become the target of every wizard in thay with any reasonable amount of resources. That sort of thing is horrible for the purposes of maintaining power over extended periods of time, it demoralizes the people, makes them fear your presence more than your wrath, and in general unsettles things on a scale that is not conducive to ruling with an iron fist and living the sweet life.

If somebody destroys a city, especially a large trade city, all parties involved in the plan will be destroyed by anyone and everyone who can as soon as their involvement is discovered.

So if you're going to go that route, make sure you've got your BBEG prepared for that kind of resistance.
Nukleon
03-02-07, 06:58 AM Bengal, that was exactly what i had in my mind. Szass Tam is a megalomanical Lich, more powerful than anyone else in the Region (except the Simbul maybe) and he sees himself as the rightful emperor of Thay.
He despises the endless bickering and infighting of Thayan Leaders, but he uses it as they won't be able to put up a reasonable resistance to him.

And in the later run of the campaign i want the other countries to join in on the other side, because the atrocities conducted by Szass Tam reach the western ears.
But by this time the Thayan Armies include countless hordes of undead, humanoids from the steppes, and airships (constructed in the last years of relatively peaceful trade)
Bengal
03-02-07, 07:05 AM right, but keep in mind that he'll have trouble keeping his own ranks in line too. Destroyign a city will galvanize the Thayan wizards against him as well. More or less instantly. Infighting would pretty much cease among those who disagreed with his approach, which would be most of them. Those who continued bickering would be trying to gain his favor.
Nukleon
03-02-07, 07:11 AM so you propose, that there will be civil unrest/war in Thay itself? A very interesting idea, as i would like to introduce a third party later in the campaign: The Drow beneath Thay will try to seize Thaymount and it magical Furnaces and Laboratories for themselves, while the Thayans are busy fighting on two Fronts.

And would it not be possible, that with the right propaganda, the homicide at Escalant could be justified to the Thayan populace?
They are very rascist, selfish beings and try to subjugate/kill their neighbors for 300 years by now.
Bengal
03-02-07, 07:19 AM The Thayans may be led by racists, but the common man is not really interested in war at all, on the average, preferring trade, good weather, and profits. I agree that this would provide the perfect opportunity for a drow uprising, though. The civil war would make it completely impossible to figure out what was going on for at least a month before the drow were finally found out.
Nukleon
03-02-07, 07:29 AM another thing to consider is, that Thay has many Trade Enclaves aorund Faerun.

Those would most definitely despise the turn of events, and would not understand it (as they were not informed).

But the common man in the western countries would renew their hatred of the Thayan Mages and start pogroms against their enclaves, forcing them to go into hiding or being burned on the pyre.

Those outside of Thay during the events might even form a kind of underground resistance to the militaristic leaders, who try to appease the other nations of their ideals, and raise troops for a counter-coup to regain control of Thay.
Afterall a mad Arch-Lich is not a good neighbour to live nearby.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Nukleon 03-02-07, 06:45 AM	Hello everyone I would like you to comment on my next adventure idea. The Campaign is set in the forgotten Realms, in Aglarond. After 2 years of truce, Thayan Armies again invaded Aglarond, this time with more force than ever. The Characters are told to investigate, why Escalant (a port city in the south) has not sent message since the beginning of the war. (note that in my campaign Escalant is not the seat of the Tharchion of Eltabbar, just a free city state) When they arrive, they learn that Szass Tam has hired a Talontar Blightlord to envision a plague that would turn all of Escalant's citizens into mindless zombie hordes, which the Thayans will use to crush the forces of Fortress Glarondar from the rear. Now my question is: how feasible is it, that the Thayans would kill a whole city, which would be of a good trade value? In my eyes Szass Tam has grown tired of the Trade Approach and set up a kind of rebellion/coup in Thay and tries to subvert the more mercantile Zulkires/Tharchions into submission. He tries to set a precedent in Escalant, showing all his ruthlessness and determination. On the other hand, i might change it, that Escalant is indeed a Thayan port city and the seat of the Tharchion of Eltabbar. And that the plague was a means to "silence" an inconvenient Tharchion. What is your opinion in this?
Bengal 03-02-07, 06:52 AM	By destroying a whole city, he would immediately become the target of every wizard in thay with any reasonable amount of resources. That sort of thing is horrible for the purposes of maintaining power over extended periods of time, it demoralizes the people, makes them fear your presence more than your wrath, and in general unsettles things on a scale that is not conducive to ruling with an iron fist and living the sweet life. If somebody destroys a city, especially a large trade city, all parties involved in the plan will be destroyed by anyone and everyone who can as soon as their involvement is discovered. So if you're going to go that route, make sure you've got your BBEG prepared for that kind of resistance.
Nukleon 03-02-07, 06:58 AM	Bengal, that was exactly what i had in my mind. Szass Tam is a megalomanical Lich, more powerful than anyone else in the Region (except the Simbul maybe) and he sees himself as the rightful emperor of Thay. He despises the endless bickering and infighting of Thayan Leaders, but he uses it as they won't be able to put up a reasonable resistance to him. And in the later run of the campaign i want the other countries to join in on the other side, because the atrocities conducted by Szass Tam reach the western ears. But by this time the Thayan Armies include countless hordes of undead, humanoids from the steppes, and airships (constructed in the last years of relatively peaceful trade)
Bengal 03-02-07, 07:05 AM	right, but keep in mind that he'll have trouble keeping his own ranks in line too. Destroyign a city will galvanize the Thayan wizards against him as well. More or less instantly. Infighting would pretty much cease among those who disagreed with his approach, which would be most of them. Those who continued bickering would be trying to gain his favor.
Nukleon 03-02-07, 07:11 AM	so you propose, that there will be civil unrest/war in Thay itself? A very interesting idea, as i would like to introduce a third party later in the campaign: The Drow beneath Thay will try to seize Thaymount and it magical Furnaces and Laboratories for themselves, while the Thayans are busy fighting on two Fronts. And would it not be possible, that with the right propaganda, the homicide at Escalant could be justified to the Thayan populace? They are very rascist, selfish beings and try to subjugate/kill their neighbors for 300 years by now.
Bengal 03-02-07, 07:19 AM	The Thayans may be led by racists, but the common man is not really interested in war at all, on the average, preferring trade, good weather, and profits. I agree that this would provide the perfect opportunity for a drow uprising, though. The civil war would make it completely impossible to figure out what was going on for at least a month before the drow were finally found out.
Nukleon 03-02-07, 07:29 AM	another thing to consider is, that Thay has many Trade Enclaves aorund Faerun. Those would most definitely despise the turn of events, and would not understand it (as they were not informed). But the common man in the western countries would renew their hatred of the Thayan Mages and start pogroms against their enclaves, forcing them to go into hiding or being burned on the pyre. Those outside of Thay during the events might even form a kind of underground resistance to the militaristic leaders, who try to appease the other nations of their ideals, and raise troops for a counter-coup to regain control of Thay. Afterall a mad Arch-Lich is not a good neighbour to live nearby.