My PCs went to Thay! I wasn’t expecting this! Help!

[Storminator]

There is a series of articles on the WotC site about Portals of Thay, and I believe that at least one of them is an "underground railroad," operation, where good folks smuggle slaves out of Thay. Perhaps your PCs could try to get smuggled out as well.

Scrying can't be done on the plains of Thay, as the entire highland portion of the country is protected from scry. That might let your PCs scrape by.

As for RW response to "invasion," I doubt the RW in question will really head for the authorities first. He'll bring in his own goons first, hoping to solve his little problem quietly. That way no shame attaches to his name, and he can personally loot the bodies. If that fails he'll call in some allied RW, or pull in some favors, and hope that he and his pals can solve the problem, and split the loot. Only if things get completely beyond his control will he go to the authorities, as he will get cut out of the benes.

And if the authorities get called in, expect lots of grunts (gnoll warriors/fighters) backed by summoned critters and low level wizards with wands (web's a great one, so's hold person, so's dispel magic). Your PCs shouldn't have to actually fight an RW unless they are a dire threat to the entire city. RWs don't risk their own necks...

And get the heck out of Thay! It'll be an endless torment. RWs will be directing the show, and you can bet they know how to hound spellcasters.

PS

 

[d12]

Scrying can't be done on the plains of Thay, as the entire highland portion of the country is protected from scry. That might let your PCs scrape by.
PS

Thanks for your reply. Where is this referenced? (What book?)

 

[Storminator]

Thanks for your reply. Where is this referenced? (What book?)

FRCS, write up of Thay. Major Geographical areas of Thay section, Plateau of Thay.

PS

 

[BrooklynKnight]

Hey. I really recommend you get 2 3e books.

Lords of Darkness and Unapproachable East.

Both of these FR 3e (Unapprochable East is 3.5 forward compatible) books containe invaluable information on the Red Wizards of They, their attitudes and their tactics.

You might also want to go to www.rpgnow.com and check out old FR 2e pdfs. The flavor text will certainly be usefull.

However, to summerize. Here is some things you should do.

Figure out which Tharch they are in. From there you can figure out which non spellcaster or multi-classed red wizard governs the local area and how he/she will care to deal with the situation.

Decide if rival tharches discover what the PC's have done. Chances are they will hop to the AID of the pc's to undermine the other Tharch and find some capital gain. However once the PC's usefullness ends to the RW expect them to be..."disposed of".

If it turns out to all out combat race to escape the above comments were correct. They will face legions and legions of Orcs, Gnolls, Zombies and Skeletons. If they are able to take out CR 15 creatures then they are the area of a group level of what? 13-17?

Under these circumstances they will obvioulsy cut through the cannnon fodder and mid level red wizards with no problems. Here are some tips. If you're using spell components and the parties wizard is really casting lots of spells......he really wont be able to replace his spell components in Thay. Thayns are VERY suspicious so any attempt to buy them will alert RW's to their whereabouts. If he doesnt steal or take components from dead RW's then he should definatly run out.

Next. Since they are in those levels I'm almost certain that eventually, after sending a few rising ranks and levels of fodder after them one of the main 12 Red Wizards of thay will DEFINATLY approach them either to destroy them for being an annoyance or hire them to annoy another RW or some other nation. In the latter case the RW might offer magic items as a "gift of confidence" which in truth only help him spy on the Pc's if not slowly change their alignment or to use the SHadow Weave (dep on the RW doing it.)

In My Opinion you have a GREAT chance for some roleplay here and your party will have to be very inginuitive to survive. In all senses of the word they are screwed royally. Quick thinking is the only thing that will let them escape.

Hope all of the above helps, and really BUY THE BOOKS.

 

[BrooklynKnight]

Oh, I forgot to mention. Aside from the Slave Underground mentioned in another post, the Pc's should have 2 avenues of escape.

Rashemen
Algorond.

Both of these nations are dire enemies with Thay and escaping to either one will prove problems of their own, but once there, they will be safe.

Rashmen and Algorond are very wary of outsiders, as most countries in the East are. Via Algorond the best bet would be the one open road between the new nations where legal trade occurs. They can try to get asylum and once various diviniations are cast revealing the party to be good people and/or proove their actions against thay they will be let in and protected till they can quietly be syphoned out of Thay.

Through Rashmen the best bet would be to avoid most cities (aside from the one trade city on the coast of the western sea thats pretty far north from thay), and head right through Narfell up north to the Golden Way. It is a MAJOR trade route leading to the "Far East" and in the other direction through Anurouch to the West, places like Silverymoon and the Highforest and Waterdeep and Evereska (if you have elves).

Also check out Perilous Gateways for any portal ideas that the PC's can use to escape.

I hope all this helps.

P.S. Come chat at my FR irc Chatroom, link in my sig.

 

[craftyrat]

I ran Thay as a super-bureaucratic, all forms filled out in triplicate kind of place. The threat of heavy duty punishment was there for actions performed in public, but things hidden were largely ignored. This allowed for good role-playing opportunities, such as sitting across the table from your deadly enemies in a public place, neither side quite willing to risk the wrath of the authorities by doing anything violent. As for the authorities, they were very lawful evil, no real loyalty to the state, hiding behind all of their little rules. Such a system can be manipulated by clever players.

craftyrat

 

[Crass]

Surprise your PCs - offer them a deal, after sending some cannon fodder at them to make them use some spells/resources. Maybe they'll find they're not so different to the Red Wizards after all...

 

[d12]

I'm going to have the red wizard's cleric business partner use greater planar ally to summon 2 kelevzu demons to get rid of the PCs. Both demons will get stone skins plus some other buffs. This will give the PCs 11-12 minutes to explore the building they are in before the demons come in.

Is this too much for my 14th-15th level party (5 PCs) to handle?

 

[BrooklynKnight]

you're the DM, they are your friends.....you know how they work together.....only you know the answer to that.

 

[dagger]

What are the CR's for those demons?