approximately 50 feet of the blast. Killing so many of the wealthy and powerful of Thay in such a public and sensational fashion is exactly the gesture their movement needs, or so at least Gafna believes. The plan is to either set the device near the entrance of The Dark House of Tyranny, the site of the wedding itself, or on the approach to Aragos Toslav estate, the same location as the dinner party—the site of the wedding celebration/reception. The Dilemma It is at this point that Gafna will attempt to secure the characters acquiescence to and approval of the idea of assassinating the Tharchion before she reveals any of the exact details of her plan. If the characters seek to “play along” they must either succeed on a DC 13 group Charisma (Deception) check, or one of the characters must succeed on a Charisma (Deception) check opposed by Gafna’s Wisdom (Insight) check. Should she gain their consent, Gafna would then like input from the characters as to which location would be the more effective. “More effective” meaning bringing the best chances of maximizing the carnage. Gafna Bilton should be played as more than just a little fanatical at this point. If asked about the prospect of innocents being injured or killed in this attempt, she responds with indifference citing the classic “casualties of war” pretext. She is a true believer in her cause and as such, has adopted a by any means necessary approach. She cannot be dissuaded from this course of action and any attempts to convince her otherwise are met with cold disdain. The characters very well may not be interested in participating in such a violent act. Despite any and all possible efforts by the characters, again, Gafna will not be persuaded to abandon this course. If the characters refuse… If the characters refuse to participate, Gafna coldly demands that they leave the city immediately “if they value their lives.” She makes it quite clear that any attempts to interfere with her plans will be met with swift and deadly retribution. The Dark House of Tyranny Map D6 D5 D11 D10 D9 D8 D12 D7 D3 D4 D1 D2 The Dark House of Tyranny Map Legend D1: Patio D2: Dark House Manager’s Office D3: Private Cellar D4: Private Dining D5: Musicians’ Stage D6: Dance Floor D7: Dining Hall D8: Guard Post D9: Coat Room D10: Wine Room D11: Kitchen D12: Garden & Loading Area 100 Part II: Intrigue in Eltabbar
If the characters refuse and seek to thwart Gafna Bilton’s plans… After departing Gafna’s company per above, the characters may decide that they want to try to foil Gafna’s plans rather than simply leave town as she urged. In that event, Gafna most likely would not have shared either the exact location of the assassination attempt or the precise means to the characters up to this point. The characters should only learn of the details of the explosive device if they go along with Gafna’s plan, or successfully deceive her into believing that they are willing to participate (as above-described group or opposed Deception checks). Going to the authorities is one option. However, who exactly to contact and where to report this conspiracy are of course questions they have to sort out. The Tharchion’s palace is an option, but it is unlikely in the extreme that the characters would be admitted for any reason. If the characters rescued Jigor Raxia… If the characters rescued Jigor Raxia earlier in the adventure, he seeks them out and expresses deep reservations about Gafna Bilton’s plans. He does not want to be party to that much destruction and the injury to that many innocents. As he is indebted to the characters, he shares the location of the planned attack—outside of the Temple of Bane on The Way of Arduskan, and the means—the innocently parked hay wagon containing the explosive device. If the characters opted to participate in the assassination, Jigor is surprised and disappointed to hear this and immediately takes his leave. However, should the characters wish it, Jigor willingly and freely shares the details of the plan: A minor wizard in Gafna’s organization (use apprentice wizard stats, but AC 13 from mage armor and 20 HP) and six partisan guards (use spy stats) will wait for the Tharchion’s carriage and retinue to approach, light the 60-second fuse via a discreet fire bolt spell, and then make their escape. Jigor can provide intelligence/details so that the characters can identify the disguised wizard and six guards (all will be disguised to look like normal Eltabbaran citizens watching the rich and famous parade to the temple for this important event). Should the characters seek to intervene, the guards move to protect the wizard at all costs. All of the insurgents fight to the death. The Tharchion’s Palace in Eltabbar The palace occupies an entire block on the north and west sides of the west end of the Way of the Zulkirs. The Way of the Zulkirs is a wide, impressive, statue-flanked street (statues of dead zulkirs, on high pedestals) that runs east-west. Traversing it heading west, it runs to the gates of the Tharchion’s Palace and ends there, in a huge circular cul-de-sac so coaches with many horses, oxen, or slaves to pull them can either be turned around readily or “parked” to await entry. The Palace fills the westernmost block of the Way. The first north-south cross street, heading east out of the Palace, is the Street of Six Lions. While under false pretenses, the characters may already be known among some of the Probity Corps. How the Probity Corps would react to such a report from the characters strongly depends on the nature of their previous interaction at the Probity Corps’ black site. Part II: Intrigue in Eltabbar 101
Open combat immediately attracts the attentions of the Watch with a typical patrol (see “The City Watch” sidebar) rushing in after the second round of combat. Additional patrols appear every two rounds thereafter. How the Watch responds to the open fighting as the Tharchion approaches should be influenced by the characters’ actions such as revealing the mutineers to the Thayan Knights (characters’ Persuasion checks opposed by the insurgents’ Deception checks) and revealing the presence of the bomb itself. If the explosive is lit, the fuse affords 60 seconds of time to get out of the blast radius. The fuse can be put out by physically doing so or with a ranged attack with a target AC of 18. Without Jigor Raxia’s help… If the characters seek to stop the attack without inside help, they must first figure out the location of the planned attack. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (History) check informs that the most logical location will be on The Way of Arduskan in front of the Temple of Bane. If the characters can figure out the location and can get there in time, successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) checks pick out the seven total insurgents who plan to light the fuse of the explosive as the Tharchion approaches. The same guidance in “If the characters rescued Jigor Raxia” then applies. If the characters plan to participate… If the characters are able to put aside whatever misgivings they have about Gafna’s plans and decide to participate in her plan, they must first help to decide the location of the attack itself. The default location is on The Way of Arduskan in front of the Temple of Bane. Should the characters prefer to stage the attack on the approach to Aragos Toslav estate, Gafna is amenable to that change. The characters then replace the insurgents described above in the “If the characters rescued Jigor Raxia…” section. They must escape the notice of the Thayan Knights by making a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) or Charisma (Deception) check, which has advantage if it’s accompanied by a reasonable attempt at disguise. Then they must light the fuse without attracting any attention by making a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or Charisma (Deception) check. Should either a Thayan Knight or any other Thayan citizen realize what the characters are up to, they likely will raise the alarm, attempt to put out the fuse, and to restrain the characters. The Device The black powder that Gafna’s people produced has been tightly packed into a cask (a 40-liter firkin) complete with a 60-second fuse. The cask then was installed in the bed of a small and ordinary two wheeled hay cart designed to be pulled by a single dray animal. The insurgents surrounded the cask with all manner of scrap iron they could locate and then covered all of it in 12 inches of hay. The bits of scrap iron on the wagon include rusty garden bedding-marker stakes connected by rotting old lengths of rough hempen twine: these stakes being foot-long steel needles sharpened at both ends. Upon detonation, these garden stakes will be transformed into deadly shrapnel. The lead end of the wick dangles out of the back of the cart looking like nothing more than a stray piece of cord. So, even if the cart is inspected, it would only reveal what looks like a small barrel and a bunch of scrap iron. Blast Damage. Upon detonation, every creature in a 50-foot-radius of the locus of the blast must attempt a Constitution saving throw (DC 20). A target falls unconscious and is reduced to 0 hp on a failed save. A target that succeeds on this save take 10d6 force damage + 4d4 fire damage. Further, all creatures within 120 feet are deafened for 1d10 rounds. Any creature within 250 feet of the blast feels the shock wave from the explosion but take no damage. At a distance of 1,000 feet creatures can barely hear the detonation. Fragmentation Damage. Every creature in a 50-foot-radius of the locus of the blast must attempt a Dexterity saving throw (DC 18). A target takes 10d4 piercing damage for the flying bits of scrap iron on a failed save, half as damage on a successful one. Aftermath and Collateral Damage It is hard to express in game mechanics terms what the effects of a detonation like this would be in a crowded urban location. Many people would be down and unmoving. Smoke and haze would suffuse the entire area. People would be running in terror, some covered in blood, while others would be stunned from shock. Following this immediate aftermath, Thayan Knights—either members of the city watch or those specifically detailed to police this procession—swarm the scene. Survivors in the immediate vicinity should expect to be taken into custody quickly. The entire area is subject to a brutally efficient lockdown. 102 Part II: Intrigue in Eltabbar
Epilogue This all of course makes for a dynamic and chaotic closing scene with innumerable possible outcomes. As Gafna is an unapologetic fanatic, she certainly could have a backup plan including a second set of explosives set elsewhere along the Tharchions route. But leaving such possibilities aside, will the characters’ actions save the Tharchion and will they then be publicly recognized as “heroes of Thay”? Will they save the Tharchion and other innocent Thayans anonymously? Will they willingly participate in a potentially devastating terrorist act resulting in dozens of casualties? Will they get caught in the act and be executed for high crimes against the state? Whatever role the characters play in these dramatic events, Tharchion Aumaund Halarkoun is no fool. He has a contingency spell combined with a teleport spell cast on his person, anticipating such an attack. Most likely, Aumaund Halarkoun should survive the events of this tumultuous day. Finally, in all likelihood and regardless of the exact details of the outcome, the Tharchion orders an extreme lockdown and martial law in the city of Eltabbar in an attempt to root out the insurgents. What becomes of the characters in the midst of all that is of course a tale of your choosing. 103
APPENDIX A Probity Corps Black Site Player Maps Main Floor Appendix A: Probity Corps Black Site Player Maps 104 Part II: Intrigue in Eltabbar
Cellar Part II: Intrigue in Eltabbar 105
APPENDIX B Party Invitation Handout Second Floor Appendix B: Party Invitation Handout 106 Part II: Intrigue in Eltabbar The Right Honorable Chancellor of Pyarados, Argos Toslav, requests the pleasure of the company of associates & derivatives of Pheldanther’s et. al. at the Celebration of his impending Nuptials to Deliah Preen of Priador at the Bright Heart Estate on 16th day of Eleint at Eventide Refreshments and entertainment brilliantly provided.
APPENDIX C Dark House of Tyranny Player Map Appendix B: Party Invitation Handout Appendix C: Dark House of Tyranny Player Map Part II: Intrigue in Eltabbar 107
More than Just Red Wizards! Known to the wider Forgotten Realms® as a sinister land of Red Wizards, slavers, and marching undead armies, Thay is the distant—or uncomfortably close—menace that “may become our doom if Szass Tam turns his attention in our direction.” And Thay is that, but it is also so much more. A truly magical land (thanks to a secret that even the goddess Mystra helps to keep) of rich culture, a rising middle class, ambitious nobles and Red Wizards who fear Szass Tam more than they hate him, but may soon be forced to defy him, and wealth beyond the imaginings of even wealthy and proud realms elsewhere. This tome is your guide to the Thay of right now, a valuable resource for Dungeon Masters and players alike. It sets forth the people and places of the Land of Red Wizards, what life is like, and seeds, hints, and secrets sufficient to spur adventures for years of enjoyment at your gaming table. For use with the fifth edition ◆ Player’s Handbook®, Monster Manual®, and Dungeon Master’s Guide® ,this book provides the setting, character backgrounds, supporting lore, and even a full-fledged adventure to bring the Land of the Red Wizards fully to life in your D&D® game. THAY: LAND OF THE RED WIZARDS ED GREENWOOD, ALEX KAMMER, & ALAN PATRICK BY ED GREENWOOD, ALEX KAMMER, & ALAN PATRICK T H AY LAND of the RED WIZARDS