When I started developing the Salamander War in depth for my game, I first did the research on what had gone before. Then, before I knew what was happening, I began to develop three tiers of information about what went on. When I got done, it made sense to me that there would be three basic tiers of access to the truths of the situation. First, there are the well-known tales of the war and those involved; they are told all over the place and are accepted by the general populace. Anyone can dig them up without many problems, if they don't already know them. Then there are the maneuvers and motivations that have been kept quiet and are more risky to pass along. Below is information that any PC might be able to find about the war, but only with real effort. Noble heritage can help but bribes, intimidation, and stealing will likely be required to uncover much of it. History-related checks between DC 21 - 30 will result in varying amounts of what follows. Fewer Thayans know the real schemes behind the war and fewer still are willing to admit them, especially since power players like Aznar Thrul are still quite influential in the country. Click the button to show the details, but only if you are not a player whose DM might be using this information to entertain you. Thank you for respecting your DM's hard work!
The Zulkir of Conjuration, whose identity was never made public, and Ivania Yonago, Zulkir of Evocation, made a deal with Hargrid Tenslayer, Tharchion of Lapendrar, to use Lapandrar as a springboard for the attack. They also wooed the Tharchion of the Bezantur, Mari Agneh, to clear away the competitors of the city forever. Mari was promised the seat of the expanded Tharch once it was fully under Thayan rule, so she had a vested interest in the operations from the beginning.The Zulkir would receive a tithe from all trade without having to take on the title and responsibilities of being Tharchion, which was a fine deal for him/her. When the Thayan army did not bring the Priador in line fast enough, they decided to reach out to fire elementals for support. The Zulkir of Conjuration opened a gate to the Plane of Elemental Fire and Zulkir Ivania secured the help of the Lords of Fire, who sent regiments of salamanders and efreeti to serve as shock troops. In return (and unbeknownst to anyone else), the Zulkirs promised to keep the South Coast on fire as a permanent place on the Material Plane to welcome and host fire elementals. The Zulkirs never intended to keep this promise; they planned to make it seem like they tried and failed. The Zulkirs and the fire elementals made an agreement to keep the arrangements to themselves, since they faced great opposition if the word got out. The Zulkirs knew the Lords of Fire only wanted a staging ground to launch offensives elsewhere in the Realms and fully believed the elementals would turn on their allies once they were strong enough in numbers. A lesser portal was created for the expeditionary forces to use, however, and a greater one was promised at the heart of the territory once the war was over. The site of the gate was near a village named First Falls, which sat on the River Lapendrar overlooking what would become the Priador; it was also the first settlement to be sacrificed, with each villager burnt to a crisp. The site became marked by pillar of smoke, not because of its magic but due to the salamanders burning everything near it for their own pleasure. The portal was 10 by 6 feet high and heavily guarded, and it was at the gate that one of the final major battles of the war took place.
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