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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11716 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Mar 2008 : 16:56:08
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I was thinking about the formation of Thay again, and I started just flipping through books and reading up on history for fun. As I did this, I started mentally tabulating groups I saw that might have had impact on the red wizards. I then started a spreadsheet to tabulate the things that happened throughout the east, but that grew to a point that I decided I was going a little overboard (it would still be a good thing to do, but not today). Anyway, I wanted to list out some ideas and fish for others
Dark Magic Societies of the East:
Imaskar (necromancers, pact magic users, shadow mages, truenamers, and warlocks would all fit this society... as would other mages dealing with portal, summoning, and construct magics)
Narfell (demonbinders, pact magic users, and warlocks would all fit this society well)
Theurgist Adepts (given that they delved into Imaskari magic, any of the Imaskari type casters would fit)
Pholzubbalt, The Mausoleum City (modern day The Boneyard) - city formed by renegade Mulhorandi wizards beneath Thesk about 100 years before Thayd and the Theurgist Adepts challenged Mulhorand. I would think this city was a secret behind the Theurgists that was never uncovered by the God-Kings. They were probably the ones who opened the Orcgate.
Set's worshippers - after Set is cast out, I'm sure there's dozens of necromancers making mummies and conjurers summoning fiends to harry the Mulhorandi empire. Some of these may have allied with the insurgents in Thay, only to be cast aside when the Zulkirship is formed.
Raumathari battlemages - the fact that Raumathar's studies built off the lore of Imaskar probably was a thorn in the side of the God-Kings. This study probably would have been suppressed.
Deep Imaskari cabal of necromancers - the cabal of necromancers who took over Deep Imaskar were overthrown. It doesn't mean they were destroyed. If they escaped, where did they go and what did they do?
Songfarla - this hidden gnome city is right on the border of Thay. When it held its short term war against Narfell, did it recover any lore? Has it infiltrated the school of illusion in Thay?
Crusaders of Myrkul - given that they freed Eltab and that Jorgmacdon Odesseiron bound Eltab, I'd say that this group had SOME kind of involvement with the formation of Thay (whether it was just leaving behind old lore that the Thayans uncovered or its actual members joining their ranks is debatable). Also, given that the most active religion behind Kossuth for centuries was Myrkul's....
Velsharoon & red wizards from Halruaa - this is without doubt where the actual red wizards came from. There's enough lore that links the two. However, if they really only brought the name and the vast number of members came from elsewhere is debatable (this would seem the case, since the ruling red wizards are Mulan, not of Netherese descent).
"The Black Flame" - this is a cabal of wizards in Unther who are "either destroyed or lost in travels to other planes". Their spells are documented as later forming much of the arsenal of the red wizards. This group was around almost 600 years before the rise of the reds, so whether they were directly involved is debatable... but not beyond belief.
Nezram's Progeny - Nezram's tower was destroyed in 681 DR. He and his children were Mulhorandi wizards. True Resurrection cast by a 24th level caster could have theoretically brought back the most powerful of these children. I don't know enough about him to know if these children would have turned to the aid of the oppressed wizards of the Priador.
Sorceror Clymph - someone who used demons to build a tower in the Great Dale in 888 DR. I can see him allying with the red wizards in exchange for magical knowledge. He died in his tower at the hands of fiends he summoned.
The Rotting War - just 20 years prior to 922 DR in Chondath necromantic magic decimates the countryside. I know Talona was involved. Not much else. I know there's a short story in realms of war, but it didn't say too much.
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2008 : 18:20:13
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Think broader. 
Brian James has already mentioned the fact that Murghôm will be getting a two-page write-up in the FRCG, which is more lore then everything put together about it that has gone before. Since Murghôm is getting that treatment, I expect the same for Semphar as well
Mulhorand is supposedly going to go through some BIG troubles of its own, according to the Orc King prologue, but that only gives these other two satelite-states the chance to shine.
Also, you have the HUMOUNGOUS new nation of Yaïmmunahar right next door in the Taan.
You have the Dwarvish Kingdom of Siremun located beneath the Firepeaks.
The Lake of Mists/Almorel region is also ripe for a new 4e Kingdom ala old Raumathar.
And then there are the small-but-powerful things, like the Necromancers of Bhaluin, the Ice Demon and Hag in Winterkeep (and their minions), the Imaskar Artificer Yaravindar Ipurnos living in the Violet Spire, the lich Demchung-chumrub in the Many-Windowed Tower, etc...
You also have the Drow Cities of Undrek-Thoz directly beneath Thay, and with all the flooding going on in the Underdark those b@stards got to come out somewhere. 
Also, their is a clan of Duergar living under the Sunrise Mountains (Fraaszummdin), that may also 'pop-up'. Psionics always confound Arcane casters. 
Last but not least is the un-assuming Gloaming city of Sphur upra (just south of Songfarla). While not seeming that much of a threat now, their entire city is a portal to the plane of Shadows! Think 4e - its all about the Shadowfel... that alone could spell big trouble for Thay, with all kind of crazy 'shadow-stuff' pouring out of the Underdark just to their SE.
Hope that helps. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11716 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2008 : 21:22:04
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Thanks for the listing, I will have to look some of those up. I realize though that I didn't really clarify myself. I was looking for PAST references that would have had impact somehow on the formation of Thay (i.e. prior to 922 DR and the time till 1030 DR where they were hammering out their governing body of using Zulkirs).
Some of this does fit with that though. I had thought about Undrek-Thoz (forgot ot list it). Necromancers of Bhaluin.... the city rings a bell... is it old Raumathar? Never heard of the artificer or that lich, so I'll see if I can find some on them. Thanks for the info. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 13 Mar 2008 : 20:58:16
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Bhaluin is listed in The Horde Bxed set on pg. 27, which can be downloaded for FREE from WotC HERE.
It is both the name of the island and the city; it's just off the eastern edge of the official map. You can view it's location Here.
There is also another Dwarven Kingdom - The Herlinga Clan - that operate out of the Glittering Spires, who were originally from Sossal. Combined with the Elves (Lythari?) of the Pleasant Valley Gateway Oasis (at the end of the same mountain chain), that would make TWO non-human groups who felt a need to leave Sossal in the past.
Ethnic 'cleansing', perhaps? 
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
I was looking for PAST references that would have had impact somehow on the formation of Thay (i.e. prior to 922 DR and the time till 1030 DR where they were hammering out their governing body of using Zulkirs).
Sorry, thought you were just looking for nearby 'power groups'.
In my own non-canon FR, I placed an Imaskari survivor-state in Thazalhar, ruled by former Turami slaves. I got that from the fact that the Turami were 'displaced' by the Mulan after the fall of Imaskar, and assume that some moved north, rather then west. Also, many times in the Horde boxed set it indicates that Thazalhar is a COUNTRY, so I decided to 'fix' the lore by saying the Horde information is 'outdated', since Thazalhar (the nation) was completely obliterated during the Orcgate wars.
Don't know if you can use that, but I thought I'd just 'throw it out there'. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 13 Mar 2008 21:07:05 |
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Dark Magic in areas of Eastern Faerun
