Thay's Slave Trade: An Insider's Perspective

This post is an in-character overview of how slavery is conducted in Thay at its height, and after hundreds of years of supporting the ownership of other sentient people. It's offered as an inside view of how many Thayans see and participate in the practice, which can be helpful when building Thayan characters. Whether they are commoners, nobles, or slaves, everyone in the country will be faced with such views and have to respond to them. If you want ample reasons to despise Thay more, feel free to keep reading. If any of this already upsets you, consider passing on this post.

To make it abundantly clear, this post does not represent my views or feelings in any way; quite the opposite. I hate slavery in all forms with all I have, and believe that we all should. Few things have done as much harm to humanity as the slave trade. However, this is a work of fiction, and I hold imagination in a special place. I firmly believe we can explore things we despise in our minds, our stories, and our games without condoning them in real life. We might even understand these wrongs further - and how to combat them - by doing so.

What you will read below is a twisted perspective that seeks to justify grave crimes and invalidate ethical or humane concerns. These justifications are usually presented as part of national mythology and social rules. In this case, they're presented as a coming-of-age instruction manual to a younger noble who's expected to toe the party line, so to speak. The character speaking, Tari Govannon, has been reared with these views, and has benefited from her station as a noble and from slave ownership, her entire life. Part of the horror of this work is how completely she buys into this worldview. Another horror is that she's teaching it to the next generation, hoping young Salia Valgon will approve. 

It's even worse to know that, given her own warped perspective, Salia probably will.

From the Pen of Tari Govannon

My Dear Salia, 

Now that we are officially cousins, and now that you are on the verge of womanhood, you should learn about a cornerstone of our country's history, present, and future: the slave trade. You have grown up surrounded by slaves of every description, so you might think you already understand all you need to know. But soon, you will be given permission to pick your first personal slaves, and everything about their lives will be up to you. Eventually, you may want to replace them, but how will you know where to find what you're looking for? And someday, you will be sent abroad to find the best slaves for our house first-hand. But do you even know why we do any of this?

The answer is: probably not, because we take it for granted that every Thayan understands what's at stake. But people will take advantage of your ignorance when you're in other lands. They will try to twist the truth and sway you to their side, against your own kin. And they will never accept you as one of their own, no matter what they say. As soon as they are done using you to sabotage us, they will turn on you, and you will either end up dead or in prison for the rest of your life. I would not see that happen. We're better than that, and we are certainly going to be smarter.

So, let's begin with the broad view: Slavery in Thay is a year-round industry. Generally, slave-hunting begins across Faerun in the spring, since more people are on the move and in need of coin after the harshness of winter. (Or at least, the harshness of winter in other regions; our magical weather net saves us from that drudgery.) Caravans, ships, and other mundane means are used first and foremost to gather our servants, which are sent back to Thay through the fall. Winter does not stop our efforts, but it does slow them down on this plane. It's bad enough that Talos hates us and attacks our shipments whenever he can; there is no reason to battle the cold in other lands when we can just wait for the warmer seasons to come around again.  

The whole point of having slaves is to make our lives more comfortable, but that doesn't mean we do not work for our comforts. You have to make some moves to get the best out of this world. But I know you might be wondering why we expend so much effort, when we could just use magic instead. The simple reason is that half the time, we don't have to do more than show up.

Tried and True

Many kingdoms make a big production about outlawing slavery, but their people still contact us with leads. Some of these informants are desperate in one way or another, and we can help them. To a nobody in need of an expensive cure, we offer magical healing; to an official under pressure to make undesirables go away, we offer a solution. Others have grudges they want to take out on their neighbors, and that is their business. In the end, debtors, prisoners, beggars, and orphans are all easy targets, but remote villages and farmsteads work, as well. Never forget: a good portion of our slaves come from "good" and "neutral" lands where the locals sold each other out for a bag of gold or cache of magic items. They are a reliable avenue of opportunity; all we need do is wait. And no amount of self-righteous denial can undo that fact.

Spells are often used to subdue, secure, and transport targets, but selectively. We don't want to kill our prizes before we have the chance to profit from them, after all. Contrary to rumors, however, portals are rarely employed, even though they would bypass most threats. Why wouldn't the Red Wizards push for such an advantage to be used at every opportunity? For many reasons. One is a matter of history and pride: Thousands of years ago, Imaskar relied on portals to gather hundreds of thousands of slaves, but doing so was far too easy. They were able to gather more than they could handle, and then they blocked communication with their gods, which eventually led to their downfall. We are not interested in making the same mistakes of the Imaskari artificers before us.

On a more practical level, the pursuit of slaves keeps us busy and sharp, but focused outward. Rivalries and competition exist, but schemes are difficult to carry out when we are spread across Faerun and using different methods. In the early days after we gained independence, there was a lot of civil strife as families battled for power in the new Thay. No one will tell you this out loud, but it is a truth I have seen all my life, and it seems to be used for our benefit: Engaging nobles in the slave trade keeps us from getting lazy or tearing each other apart. 

It also shows us why we should be proud and present a united front to the world. You will see the conditions of other lands - the weakness, the poverty, and the simpering simplicity. Quaint notions of what is good for all strangle innovation and progress. We have many laws and rules, and some of them are necessary to keep fools from killing us all, but we allow for survival of the fittest. We do not coddle each other. We earn what we deserve, and we know what we deserve. So when we are outside of Thay, we present a united front and show our lessers how it should be done. We are already suspected and disliked by foreigners just for being who we are and having everything we've gained. If we don't at least pretend to get along, we will not make it back home. Expect to be punished harshly for infighting, and avoid it at all costs. Because in the end, we are working for the same goals.

One of the reasons why we have been so successful is because we use what is already present and give it their own twist, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. For instance, we resort to piracy regularly, but we don't do so openly. Although we have a noble house that maintains proud pirate traditions and connections, House Ankara has been given orders by the Zulkirs to keep any Thayan involvement quiet. As a result, seafaring nobles often work with unaligned pirates or disguise our ships as everyday vessels from other kingdoms. Through our whisper networks, we spread misinformation that makes sorting out the truth a difficult endeavor, even through spells. After all, someone can't tell you the truth if they they do not know it to begin with.

We also see opportunity in every tragedy. We have been known to show up after wars, natural disasters, and magical curses to offer vital aid - in exchange for a certain number of slaves, of course. We let the locals agonize over who is sent with us; we only step in if violence threatens their profits. We give help to those in need and simply ask for what the survivors have to offer in exchange. You could say that we work to keep the peace. The price we ask is small compared to everything we do for strangers in awful circumstances.

Innovations in Tyranny

When we finally felt the need to innovate, we struck gold. The embassies we have arranged across Faerun are another robust source of slaves, whether they wish to be or not. Officially, all enclaves must be allowed to accept slaves as payment; this is part of the basic agreement with a host city. In reality, slaves are rarely used as currency in "good" or "neutral" lands unless the person is a willing adult or a convicted criminal. In a few locations, anyone can sell anyone else, provided they can secure and transport their prisoners. But if slavery is heavily policed and strictly forbidden in the surrounding kingdom, an enclave won't usually waste time trying to sell slaves there.

In every case, we appear to follow and respect local precedent to the letter. Wherever slavery is allowed, House Zurn is in charge of intake and presents a kinder face to the public, keeping most slaves out of sight and only showing them in decent shape. Wherever it is forbidden, it's kept out of the enclaves. In practice, this means that visiting Thayans will hold meetings elsewhere, work through proxies, and operate in secret so an enclave has plausible deniability.

Any error that compromises an enclave's stability - especially its treaty with a host city - will lead to a rash of particularly grisly executions. Anyone responsible will be hunted, found, and delivered back to the motherland to meet their fate. And while lesser conspirators will be slain first (and quite publicly), whoever should have been watching them will be next - and their deaths might be worse. We nobles are usually punished in private, but this is one of the few exceptions, so executioners tend to make a particularly brutal show of disapproval.

In more recent years, House Dasselath has gained prominence by taking slaves from different planes during the leaner winter months. They have access to portals to many other places, including the City of Doors. They barter openly where they can and lead assault strikes where they can't. Since they are only one noble house, however, they often have to ally with others to get the manpower they need. They also refrain from slave-hunting during spring and summer, when their contribution is less likely to be noticed. During those seasons, they maintain connections, gather capital, and harvest information to plan their next moves.

Allies and Ringleaders

The lion's share of Thayan slavery is carried out by merchants, poachers, and pirates. This is one route for our commoners to become wealthy and respected, and a good number of them participate. Not everyone involved is Thayan, however, and some are not even aware of who they really serve - but those in the know are richly rewarded for their efforts.

The highest levels of power in the slave trade are reserved for Thayan nobility, for a number of reasons. It's not just because we can't trust foreigners or the lower classes to be loyal or competent (although we certainly can't). It's because being in charge of every major endeavor is how those in power stay in power. The real capital in the country lies with the noble houses, the Red Wizards, the Zulkirs, and the Guild of Foreign Trade, so the industry can't move forward without our support. And since we are the primary beneficiaries of the system, the houses are the only entities allowed to buy and own slaves en masse.

This is yet another way Thay has distinguished itself from Mulhorand. In our former country, slaves are the property of the temples. Mulan families and organizations can use and transport them, but only with permission. Clergy decide who else might be lent slaves, how many, and for how long. Anyone who draws the ire of a local temple can expect to have some of their slaves repossessed. In this way, the theocracy is maintained and every slave owner is indebted to the temples. 

So in Thay, the situation is reversed: only noble houses, the Red Wizards, and the Zulkirs can own as many slaves as we'd like. Temples are forbidden from owning anyone and must rely on the faithful for their laborers; guilds and most other groups can borrow slaves from patrons for periods of time. The numbers of slaves they employ are watched carefully, and if these groups get too aggressive, they can expect to lose a significant portion of their labor force. Individual citizens can own up to 5; individual nobles can own as many as 15.

This is why no matter who appears to be in charge of slave trading, once you go high enough up the food chain, you will find a Thayan noble who really calls the shots. Since we use magic, proxies, and other means of secrecy, however, it can be difficult to find or prove our involvement. And since most Red Wizards don't bother supervising this enterprise, you might use this path to power, if you choose. Magic is nice, but it is not required to lead most of these operations. 

House Canos and Kul, which specialize (and compete) in shipping, are vital to this process, along with House Ankara, which is dedicated to piracy. House Darnak's caravans are essential, and House Volkos' diplomats have also come in handy. House Kallos usually smuggles objects and forbidden goods into other lands, but has also helped to smuggle living cargo back home. House Focar and Thullos both range far and wide as explorers, and they find their share of prisoners. House Lectos and Mishkov are usually locked in vicious competition to find and tame the most impressive exotic beasts, but when they hunt outside of Thay, they compete to find the most slaves, as well. Houes Qarto and Rhaenys offer trained mercenaries to any other house or Thayan enterprise, and their members are all over the slave trade.

Several other noble houses are actively involved in the hunt for new slaves: Metron, Xeraston, and our own House Valgon. One reason for this is because our houses teach slaves special skills so they can create specialty products. While House Metron has taught alcohol brewing since ancient times, Xeraston and Valgon are young houses that focus on forging and courtesans. Each house is looking for people who already have skills or traits they can build on, but the most promising are usually sold before they reach Thay's heart. We have all had better luck tracking down our own slaves, and as you know, House Valgon's exploits abroad have also garnered grudging respect back home. Never forget that doing what your rivals don't expect of you can reap great rewards.

Closing Thoughts

Now that you know how widespread and intricate our system is, I hope you appreciate how much it takes to bring slaves to our markets and keep them doing the dirty, menial jobs that keep our nation strong. I hope you see the house's slaves in a new light and consider the value of your own property someday. When you see guard patrols keeping the rabble in line, consider that they are securing our investment. When you notice groups of slaves being transported to new tharchs, realize that this is how we maintain our power. And if you hear that spies are conspiring to sabotage a shipment, or hear rumors about runaway slaves, I hope you will consider it your duty as a Thayan noble to crush their efforts relentlessly. Because that is what we do to those who would steal from us.

Cousin Zelsea can teach you the finer points of pricing, bargaining, buying and selling at our markets. While I can do well in such endeavors, she has many decades of experience more than I, and as your cousin Augustus says, she has an abacus instead of a heart and knows the worth of everyone she sees, down to the last copper piece. In short, I bow to her expertise.

You would do well to find the right opportunity to show off this new knowledge to my husband. Augustus is always looking for evidence that your mind is being sharpened, as well as your body, and learning the art of tyranny is sacred to those who serve the glory of Bane. He is, after all, tyranny personified, and has no shame in it. Follow that example: whatever you are, be it completely and unabashedly.

I am ever at your service and watching for your best interests.

Sincerely,

Tari Valgon, née Govannon

The Salamander War - Differences from Canon and Rationale

Art by SPRSPRsDigitalArt

I have woven materials from Forgotten Realms lore into my own work here for many reasons, and I'd like to share my fretwork and rationale with you.  

The official books do not specify which forces were part of the Thayan armies that attacked before the fire elementals were called.  While Thay is known to have many smaller armies under various leadership (Zulkirs, tharchions, nobles, cities, etc.), in a country that is run on slavery, it makes sense that those of noble blood - the high-born - are the only ones trusted at the top of the armed forces.  I specified that the armies were made up of slaves, humanoids, and undead led by nobles from various families.  Most if not all of the noble houses would have been involved in some way, either in support of the action or working secretly against it.

Although much of the Salamander War was between the free cities and Thay, when allies of the free cities saw how vicious Thay was being in taking over the area, they sent what aid they could.  There was a lot of smuggling and many battles at sea, as some of the cities had ports to receive aid from.  Piracy was used to get supplies to besieged cities, and battles with the Thayan navy were plentiful.  This led to the damage and loss of many ships on all sides.  Since the books did not provide a ready explanation for why the islands of the Alaor was damaged in the war, I came up with one that fit the narrative.  Since the Alaor is a good distance away from the Priador and the islands are, well, islands, the devastation mentioned in the books didn't add up.  If you look through the secrets in my other posts, it should make sense.

On a personal note, I had to name the unnamed Zulkirs who were responsible for the trouble; it was driving me crazy to have unnamed villains of such importance being referred to.  It strikes me as a sad statement on Thay, and yet another way that the country is left half-developed in order to keep them as villains in the mustache-twirling vein (or is destroyed in order to undercut their power as an evil nation, which was done in 4th edition).  In my Thay, everyone has a name, everyone is a person, and though most Thayans are quite evil, there are various reasons for it.  There is nothing simplistic about them or the mustaches (when they grow them).

Please do not continue beyond this point if you are a player; the rest refers to secrets that are best left in the keeping of the DM.  Thank you!

Next, I decided to make both of the Zulkirs women.  Thayan power is based in arcane magic, intimidation, smarts, and social power, rather than sheer physical brutal strength, and gender is no impediment.  Thayan women are equally as dangerous as men.  For their failures, however, the Zulkirs faced harsh penalties as their war fell apart around them.  The Canos family, invested in shipping as they are, suffered a great deal due to the disrupted trade and the attacks on their ships.  The few Canos nobles who knew who the Zulkir of Conjuration was decided that they would not allow her to remain in any kind of power after such a mess.  Likewise, Ivania had the seat that Aznar wanted - Evocation - and the might to serve as a fine sacrifice to the Fire Lord.

And then there's the case of Mari Agneh.  In the official materials, she has her own power but is taken down by Thrul easily and for keeps.  She exists only as his "plaything" after the war and supposedly vanishes from the public.  As a woman of means and station, she was undoubtedly a noble, and I have established her family as such, using the Agneh name in my writeup of noble houses in Thay.  No noble simply vanishes without their kin either agreeing to let them go or going after them with real resources, let alone one as important as Mari was.  Her fate has never made sense to me, and I finally have the chance to change it.

I gave her more prominence as a conspirator in the war for the Priador, since she was the Tharchion of Bezantur, a great port city and the greatest point of contention.  And though she was no match for Aznar's arcane might, she was not a stupid woman.  She knew things Aznar didn't and provided the backing he needed to make his moves.  While he was powerful, he would not have seized Zulkirship or the Tharchion title on his own or without local aid.  Since she was noble and part of a powerful house, the Zulkirs used her against Aznar as best they could.  I used the war to establish Szass Tam's rivalry with Aznar Thrul but Aznar's movements were such that there wasn't much the Zulkirs dared to do against him.  He was the hero of Thay, the one who saved the day.  The Zulkirs figured they could distract Aznar with her and/or use her against him.  

What they weren't counting on - and what one of the best kept secrets of the war is - is that Mari and Aznar are on the same side.  His domination of her, and her act as a lovely puppet is a ruse.  She hears and sees more than anyone realizes, and remains a potent mover behind the scenes.  Neither of them are as simple as others believe.  Taken together, I hope these changes introduce an additional level of nuance and humanity to this chapter of Thayan history and to all of the participants.  

Secrets Within Secrets - What Only A Select Few Know

Art by Artastrophe

Players & DMs Beware!

Below is the most dangerous and private information that a PC can uncover about the Salamander War.  Skill checks will not be enough to gather such intelligence; only direct and risky adventures have the chance of yielding these secrets.  Thayans at all levels of society will perish to protect them, and magical means have been used to obscure them at every step.

This is DM-only material, so if you anticipate playing in Thay and want to do your DM a favor, stick with the post about what most Thayans know about the war.

Mari Agneh sent private forces to extinguish fires throughout the Priador to secure her holdings, and because she was unaware of the deal between the Zulkirs and the elementals. Ivania and The Unnamed Zulkir, who was in actuality Desa Canos, could not afford to unveil their plan to Mari but found her efforts fortuitous, so they made no effort to resist. This outraged the fire elementals, who demanded the Zulkirs build the permanent portal they'd promised or they would forfeit their deal. Desa was able to banish the efreeti back to their home plane, where they had to remain silent or risk revealing their meddling to Kossuth. Ivania sought to placate the salamanders who remained by offering to reset the fires in the Priador and bring them the person who had been stamping them out. The salamanders acquiesced, at least temporarily. Ivania traveled the Priador and set it aflame herself with great gusto, taking out some Thayan outposts in the process (as a way of further appeasing the salamanders who traveled with her).

Aznar Thrul, an up-and-coming wizard dedicated to Kossuth, started investigating the war once the fire elementals became involved. He caught the rumors that Mari was behind the drive to put out the fires and learned that she was involved in the assault of the free cities. She was also more accessible than the Zulkirs or Hargrid, who was always on the move with his army. Aznar quietly made his way past Mari's defenses to capture her and offer her as a sacrifice when she revealed that neither she nor Hargrid were in on the scheme with the elementals.
While they unpacked the plots together, word arrived that the salamanders had suddenly turned against Thayan forces. The elementals had also secured a portal - slaying Hargrid in the process - and were using it to strengthen their numbers. Thrul lashed out at Mari in frustration, but she put up enough resistance to get him to listen. She reminded him that all was not lost: Kossuth would probably be displeased that so many elementals were plotting to abandon his realm. She suggested Aznar contact the Fire Lord directly with the news. Mari also agreed to throw all of her remaining resources into the ritual to get the Fire Lord’s attention, but only in exchange for becoming Aznar's right hand in the region forever after.

Aznar Thrul managed to connect with Kossuth and convince the deity to send forces against the elementals that were ravaging the coast. He argued that Kossuth’s religion would rise to prominence throughout Thay, even in the besieged cities, if the Firelord was seen saving the day. No one, save perhaps Mari Agneh, everything he said or offered in return; Thayans only know the Firelord agreed. When the counter-offensive was over, the elementals were routed and the Zulkirs had been swept from the board. Ivania Yonago was confronted and defeated publicly by Aznar Thrul as he pelted her with accusations of treason with the rebel elementals. Although others tried to find and assassinate the Zulkir of Conjuration for years, this was what finally sealed her doom. Mari's whisper network ensured that the worst mistakes of the Salamander War were laid at Desa's doorstep.  When the wizard retreated far from the battlefield, House Canos sent its regards before others could get the chance. Desa's mishandling had cost the family and navy dearly - too much to allow her to live.  Szass Tam seized the opportunity to claim the assassination as his own work. Through his network of spies, it became known that the lich was wroth at the waste and stupidity of the war and took it out on Desa easily once she withdrew from the public eye. Tam’s reputation was strengthened and House Canos was content to let him take the credit.

Thrul summoned the Zulkirs to inform them of the situation as it stood: He would take over as Zulkir of Evocation, since he had beaten Ivania fairly, but the empty seat of Conjuration was now theirs to fill; he had no challenge or suggestion to offer for it. He alone had reached Kossuth, so he alone would work with the deity’s forces as they helped Thay’s beleaguered army to take down the remaining salamanders. For his services, he would become Tharchion of the Priador. The Zulkirs knew that he was in the position to demand much more and that attacking him would turn public sentiment against them in a frothing tide; Mari's agents had turned Thrul into the hero of the war, after the Firelord himself. They had also seen proof that Thrul was in Kossuth's good graces. What they did not know was that Ivania's demise was part of the price Thrul paid for the Firelord's aid, nor did they guess that the last explosive attacks on the Alaor were related to Kossuth's price. The Zulkirs agreed to Thrul's demands so long as Mari Agneh was not killed in the process. Not only was she from a preeminent family, but having to keep her alive would keep Thrul busy for years to come.

But Mari has only appeared to be his burden and his slave. Having secured his life and a unique position as Zulkir and Tharchion, Thrul returned to claim Bezantur. Rumors spread of a devastating private showdown in which Mari was conquered as his thrall and plaything. He has made vicious displays of controlling her in public ever since. She has never failed to seem haunted, obedient, and even crushed in front of others. She has remained under the best guard, however, and every attempt on her life has been brutally repelled. In truth, she is the secret heart of the region's whisper network, and continues to guide Thrul's efforts through her cunning. They have a very different relationship when in complete privacy, and she is the only one who has been able to temper his most dangerous instincts. In top secret records that are to remain sealed until after their deaths, proof of their marriage exists, as well as titles for their offspring. No signs of pregnancy have ever been witnessed and no children have been close to them, but their bloodline will remain one of the most powerful in Thay, if they have anything to say about it. If they extend their years magically, however, these revelations could take much longer to surface.

This series of posts about the Salamander War have been rewritten and improved with the aid of sleyvas at the Candlekeep forums.  Many thanks!

Secrets of the Salamander War - What Some Thayans Know

Art by Joakim Olaffson

Players Stay Out!

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.

History of the Salamander War - What Most Thayans Know

Art by Sandara

What the War Has to Do With My Game

The Salamander War is a SNAFU in Thayan history that was outlined in depth in the 2nd edition book, Dreams of the Red Wizards.  It was fleshed out further in Spellbound, but not without significant contradictions being introduced.  Dreams of the Red Wizards states that the Zulkirs of Conjuration and Evocation are involved in the plot but does not name either of them.  It can be difficult to confuse them with other characters of power because they remain unnamed.  Some details remain the same, but when viewed together, the narrative becomes a mess.  This is somewhat understandable, since the first was published in 1988 and the second in 1995, but more efforts for continuity and clarity would have helped.

Since then, it has been merely mentioned in a number of products and has been summarized officially thusly: "During the Salamander War (1357 DR-1358 DR) that ravaged the coastal cities of the Priador, the forces of Thay found themselves sorely beleaguered by former salamander allies. The salamanders burned everything in their path, because the Red Wizards had betrayed a promise to them to build a permanent portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire. An up-and-coming Red Wizard, Aznar Thrul, pleaded with the fire god Kossuth for aid, and Kossuth drove the invading salamanders away with his own elementals. Thay then occupied the Priador March and Thul was named tharchion of the land."

The Salamander War started out as a power grab over a region that Thay had been struggling to keep control of for centuries.  It had heavy costs for Thay because their key allies, fire elementals, turned on them.  In my game, it also took a toll on the Valgon noble family.  Halav Kallos, a shadowdancer who married into their ranks, was sent on a top secret mission during the trouble and never returned.  He has not been located via magical means, but he has not come up as conclusively dead.  The house standard bearer in Eltabbar and son of the head of house and Red Wizard Boris, Balogh Valgon, met his death during the initial treachery.  One of the PCs, the blackguard Augustus, lost both of his parents when they refused to retreat from the counter-offensive that herded the remaining elementals against the walls of Escalant.  They earned their legends by their deaths, especially since they were representing a  house that was derided as providing nothing but soft, weak schemers.  

The events of the war have been mentioned throughout our campaign, which has continued despite many breaks since 2009.  The war has now taken center stage in our game, so to speak, because a play called The Burning March is being written and produced in Eltabbar, Thay's capital, to commemorate its 20th anniversary.  Its writer/director is Igan Nymar, who has a lot of pull given the high reputation of his house. It is set to portray a number of key nobles, so it is a big deal even for Thayans who would otherwise pooh-pooh it as bardic frippery and egotistical nonsense.  It also has the input of the scribes of House Delizan, which is dedicated to preserving Thayan history. Casting has begun and though some roles will be dangerous to fill (out of fear for their living counterparts finding offense), many nobles are interested in taking part for their own reasons.

In order to keep themselves from being sent out of the city and to secure safety for Augustus's bride-to-be, Tari Govannon, the PCs have decided to become directly involved in the production.  Azonia urged her husband, the great bard Roniran, to endear himself and find a great role for himself and a place backstage for her (likely as a cleric to heal and buff actors).  Augustus has commanded the role of his father; a woman who had been vying to marry him has taken his mother's role, though she didn't expect him to join the play.  His bride-to-be has yet to be placed, but might try out for the role of Mari Agneh.  Viktor Valgon is aiming to portray Balogh, backed by his flare for the dramatic, his great disguise talents and his natural resistance to flames.  It is likely that Roniran will convince Azonia's mother to come out of retirement and that she will bring his son Nikos with her.  

It is safe to say that the Valgons are going to be up to their necks in the history, myths, and propaganda of the war, so I felt it was time to begin fleshing it out in earnest.  What I found in official sources was interesting but fell short of the kind of situation I had in mind, so I have started rewriting it and bringing my own vision to bear.  Below is information that any PC might know or easily be able to find about the war; any history-related checks below a DC 20 will result in varying amounts of what follows.

Reworked Known Events  

The cities of Delthuntle, Nethra, Teth, Laothkund, Hilbrand, Lasdur, Taskaunt, Escalant, Murbant, and Thasselen were known as the Free Cities. Most were founded by Unther as it sought a foothold in the region and welcomed reinforcements from the West. They remained as independent of each other as they dared out of pride and the spirit of competition. They fought among each other or trade rivals in Chessenta  more than anyone else, including Thay, for most of their histories. They fell under Thayan control at intervals for four centuries, but often earned periods of freedom. Thayans christened the area “the Priador” but they were the only ones to use the term or consider it to be part of Thay. Then the “free cities” began to work together to weaken trade to Bezantur and thwart Thayan influence within their borders, schemes which became their final mistakes.

When open hostilities began at the start of 1357, Delthuntle and Loathkund had populations of 70,000 each, and Hilbrand and Escalant boasted 30,000 inhabitants. Lasdur, Taskaunt, Murbant, and Thasselen were anywhere from 5,000 to 15,000 people apiece and were utterly devastated during the war. The first assaults were waged by slaves, humanoids, and undead under the control of Thayan nobles, but they were only the opening salvo. Mid 1357, elemental reinforcements arrived with orders to burn everything in their path. Hilbrand swiftly surrendered when it saw the devastation of the elemental legions. Escalant was besieged but held out due to support from outside towns horrified by the Red Wizards’ scorched earth policy. It was on the fields outside of Escalant that the worst battle was fought, when the salamanders turned against Thayan forces en masse in late 1357. 

Although no one was sure of why the elementals attacked Thayans at the time, it was later revealed that they had been promised a grand, permanent portal to the Plane of Fire by the Zulkirs of Conjuration and Evocation. When no efforts were made to build it, the elementals grew impatient and delivered an ultimatum.  Many were banished back to their home plane (namely the efreeti); the salamanders initially agreed to continue their work but turned on their former allies during the battle.  They went on to terrorize the countryside, destroying free city people and Thayans alike, until Aznar Thrul contacted the god of fire, Kossuth, and convinced the deity to rein in the wayward elementals.

The end of the war led to a number of major changes in the balance of power in Thay: First, Hargrid Tenslayer was lost in battle, so another Tharchion rose in his place.  The tharch of Lapendrar was drained of many resources and people, so it fell into relative obscurity.  The Zulkirs of Conjuration and Evocation was reportedly killed in the fray, leaving Nevron to take over Conjuration.  Aznar Thrul became Zulkir of Evocation and Tharchion of the Priador (the tharch of Bezantur was erased, swallowed into the larger whole), garnering enough influence to set him up as a rival to Szass Tam.  This made many Thayans uneasy, since no other Zulkir had been a Tharchion, but since he saved the tharch, there was no denying him the right to be its governor, if that was what he wished.  He also defeated and claimed Mari Agneh as his own in the aftermath, before she could scheme to save herself.

Rumor #3: Shaved Heads for Citizens, Long Hair for Slaves

Art by fantasio

<Nuaros shakes his head, sweat and water flying from the ends of his black hair as the small boat he's on plies the waters of Lake Thaylambar. He and his crewmates are swapping stories as they work, because they're not just flinging and drawing in nets at boring intervals this time. Instead, they have to continually search the haul for a particular type of fish that supposedly comes up through the portals to other planes at the bottom of the water.

Any other fish are supposed to be tossed back over the side on the captain's orders, but Nuaros has already pocketed a few tasty beauties. Later, he and the others will collect their pay, leave the captain behind, and begin to bargain for the morsel they want for dinner. He's keeping a notable prize for Vosala, the most alluring of the women in the boat, in the hopes that he can trade it for a drink and some time with her. She's always toyed with him in the past, but this is the sort of fish they serve in that fancy restaurant with the hanging garden. She won't be able to just make a joke and walk away this time.

It's Vosala who's just brought up the next point of conversation. She visited Bezantur last tenday, the only city in Thay where foreigners are welcome, and noticed the tourists trying not to stare at her hair, which is only shaved along the sides and back. The rest of its length is pulled back into a pony tail with ties at intervals to keep the strands from getting free over the course of the day. The tail falls half way down her back and might not be a point of confusion or note in other lands - but this is Thay.>

They really are stupid, aren't they? Either that, or all the patrols and magic are working and keeping them out, since their rumors are a few hundred years out of date. Probably both.

They're idiots for a few reasons with this issue. First, they think all Red Wizards shave their heads and keep them that way so they can show off their tattoos. It's part of our 'ethnic folkways' or something like that, but Red Wizards supposedly keep it going, and then commoners do it to be more like them. It doesn't help that the Wizards who travel abroad do shave to mess with other people's heads and make an impression, even if they don't stay shaved at home.

We know damned well that if a Red Wizard wants to shave their head, they will, and if they don't feel like it, they won't. Nobody is forcing them to do anything except their superiors, and most of the higher-ups don't care if the novices burn their hair off. There are plenty of reasons why some of them keep their hair longer at home. Why show off their secret defenses if they don't have to? And if they get to stay in cushy positions, there's no risk. Some of them shave everything off in the old way, but most of them get over it after a few years. Maybe they'll do it if they have a dangerous assignment or they know they're going to be in an alchemy lab for a few months. But with magic to take it off and grow it back, it's not a big deal.

Yes, shaving all the hair on your head is an ancient custom, blah, blah, blah. But it was never for the common people; it was for the upper crust Mulan in Mulhorand, and that's it. If you go there now, you'll see it. Some of the nobles decorate their heads depending on which god they serve and which titles they have in their temple, because that way they can announce themselves just by walking into a room. Others wear those fancy wigs with different decorations that let you know who they serve.

Their commoners only shave to keep their hair out of their way, and their women rarely have the courage to do it because their beauty is in their hair or some such nonsense. Here in Thay, any citizen can shave without shame, or do it in sections, like our Vosala. We have some wicked styles, too. Our women know their worth isn't in their hair, and a few of them are more striking without it. It's a bigger deal in other lands because the people need all the help they can get to keep from looking ugly.

You've heard the rumor that our slaves can never cut their hair, just so we can tell who's a slave at a glance? That's Mulhorandi bullshit again. That's in their laws. They don't mind if their slaves are tripping all over themselves; everything is slower in Mulhorand, anyway. It's practically the land that time forgot. Hasn't changed much in thousands of years and they wonder why their empire is falling apart? But never mind that. Can you imagine if we did such a thing? We'd get some good laughs, sure, but the slaves would die even faster than they do now, catching on all kinds of things. 

We mark our slaves, but we have a few different ways of doing it. Some are branded on their necks, chests, arms, or hands in ways that can't be healed without some powerful magic. Others are pierced or bound with special jewelry they can't get off without tools and help. The slaves who do the dirtiest work in Thay on big projects, like the mines? They might have a pink finger or earlobe taken off. For the most part, they won't miss it. The gossip about how we mutilate our slaves all day long is for the pearl-clutchers in Silverymoon. Most masters won't do anything permanent that'll make a slave look disgusting or struggle to work. There are a few exceptions, of course, but some of us are necromancers who have very different ideas about beauty.

The rumors that our slaves run around half-naked are usually true, though. And why not? It doesn't get cold in most places, and it's hard to hide a weapon when you're in rags. Most of us aren't bothered by naked bodies, either. We all have the same bits and pieces. We wear the clothes we need to get a job done, or because we damned well feel like showing off, not because we're afraid of showing some skin.

When we do dress slaves up, they only get to wear light colors or white. That's right - man or woman, halfling or human, they get pastels, creams, or white. No one's going to waste rich dyes on slaves, and light shades make them stand out right away. (There's also the joke that they're walking dead anyway, so why not dress them as mourners?) We're not going to give them earthy tones that'll make it easier for them to hide or blend in with the commoners. We're also not going to load them up with jewels or the latest fashions. The most pampered slaves only get a few pieces of plain jewelry and simple cuts of cloth. And if they look dirty too quickly, that's on them.

It's not that hard to recognize a slave in Thay. You'll certainly never see a fat one, even among the dwarves. The humanoid patrols can tell the slaves from the citizens, and they aren't the brightest embers in Kossuth's brazier, if you know what I mean. The penalties for slaves being found with contraband are horrible enough to take care of most problems. The penalties for helping slaves disguise themselves take care of the rest.

But the rumors just show how gullible foreigners are. We fought a hell of a war to do it our way in Thay, so why would we keep blindly doing the same old thing? The nobles started changing it up right after we took our independence, and the Red Wizards did the same a few decades after they established their hold. Fashions come and go, and sometimes shaved looks are in, but we're not slaves to tradition or fashion. We are not slaves at all. We are free in ways other lands can only dream. We are Thayan.

<The atmosphere in the ship has become electric, and with a shared glance to confirm the need, the lot of them raise their fists and shout in unison, "Hail Thay!" Some follow it up with a hail to their deity, but some do not, and nobody cares who does or doesn't. And that is also very natural for most Thayan folk.

Nuaros notes a heartening gleam in Vosala's eye as she regards him. The evening could be worth the hard work of the day after all...>

Rumor #2: Gauros is Poor and Half-Empty

<Lucindiya Szollos sighs and rolls her eyes before she quaffs from her stein.  The bartender, Reggia, just had to ask about where Luci came from in those warbly, perpetually drunken tones.  But Luci is far more annoyed by having to talk about her roots than by the bar wench to end all bar wenches.

Luci seems mostly out of place in the deliberately roughshod tavern called the Withered Rose, which is secretly owned by her patron, the tiefling noble Viktor Valgon, and openly run by his merry band of followers.  But as a mid-level commoner with special circumstances, Luci can risk being seen here with few consequences.  And some days, she shows up for a small reminder of where she grew up, not that she would ever admit it.

Better dressed than the main, it's the added delicacy of Luci's bone structure and the slight pointing of her ears that makes most others glance twice.  Her thick, wavy mane of dark hair and the dusky cast to her skin otherwise mark her as Rashemi.  Unlike most commoners she bears more than one piece of gold jewelry, and one bracelet which clearly marks her as a citizen rather than a slave.  (When those signs aren't enough, she has her full paperwork tattooed on her back in ink which resists removal by magic.  When you're from a race that's normally owned in Thay, you can't be too careful.)  

Her robes, however, are of an embroidered style which suggest wizardry, and while they are not red they keep most patrons from making the jibes which come to mind about little half-elven ladies.  At least while they're sober enough.  She's fully expecting to catch some jokes about whether she can enlarge certain body parts with magic eventually.  Elves are just too tiny for big Rashemi tastes - or at least big Rashemi talk.>

Look, nobody should be in Gauros if they have real taste, or if they need high society, or if they like big cities, but it's not exactly what you've heard.  And believe me, I'm the last person who would defend the place.  It was bad enough to be a child there, but once I showed arcane skill it was unbearable.  I couldn't wait to get out.  But we should leave the lies for the foreigners, right?  And I'm sure you won't spread the word from our little girl chat, not if I buy you a drink of your own while I'm having mine.

<Coin is placed on the bartop with slim fingers, and Reggia's gently wobbling "Well, thank you, don't mind if I do," assures Luci that the bard will in fact spread some of the more interesting parts of their conversation.  The woman has a stein in hand with hardly a pause but her eyes are eager for the tale.>

Gauros is poor compared to Eltabbar, but then so is most of Faerun.  It's not destitute.  There aren't people starving in the streets.  They might be dirtier, but that's because they have to be.  Some of them even like to be.  They have dirtier professions and they take pride in how hard they work.  They also live closer to the land than the Mulan like to, as they always have.  The Mulan didn't intermarry as much in those woods, so the stock is still mostly Rashemi.  They only give a shit about manners when it keeps them alive.  But the tharch isn't a ghost town.

Map from the 3rd Edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting

The area doesn't have cities because the land's been left more wild than other tharchs.  Nobody cared enough to cast big spells to whip it into shape, and why should they have?  It's in the far reaches of the country, not close to any of the hustle and bustle.  Major commerce isn't going to go there; resources are going to be sent out.  They keep the towns small and scattered because that's how they need to be.  I also think a zulkir or tharchion figured that leaving it dangerous would provide more defenses.  Slaves who try to escape usually get mauled by some creature before they can get far.  And the woods are good at keeping their own secrets.  

The tharchion and her underlings spread rumors to keep prying fingers out of their business, and to make it look like there's hardly any business worth speaking of.  Nothing worth relocating for.  Nothing worth trying to take out of their control.  Some of her lackeys were assigned to their posts from elsewhere and can't stand it, so they don't make things up; they just bitch about everything they despise.  It works just as well.

Yes, there are plenty of trees and goats, but those ugly, barren hills you've heard of?  There's mines hidden in some of them, decent ones.  The forests go all the way up to the Sunrise Mountains with all the timber you could ask for - more, because Gauros is one of the best tharchs to be in if you're a ranger or a druid.  They grow and breed what they want.  The ancient ruins that've been already been looted?  Some of them just have new loot from the treasure hunters who've died there.  The keeps that are supposedly empty?  Why would the tharchion leave them that way?  Would you?

No, you couldn't pay me enough to move back to that sty, not after I've lived in Eltabbar.  I'll return to visit my father, perhaps, because he's too stubborn to live anywhere else.  He won his freedom in those woods in a High Hunt of Malar and then married a local woman when he should have wanted to get back to his own people.  He'll be buried there someday, and when he is, his bones will be the best part of Gauros for me.

Now if you don't mind - it seems like that man is about to challenge me to a drinking contest.  It's not his fault.  He doesn't know where I was born or whose daughter I am.

Rumor #1: Thay Is a Dried Out Wasteland

Nuaros here.  Since we're just standing around waiting to board the next ship out, let's start the day with a good laugh.  Hopefully one that doesn't end up with me getting hit over the head.  Maybe instead of picking on what the nobles get up to just because they're rich enough to get bored, I'll pick on the stupid things outsiders believe about Thay.

Stop looking at me like that, Liroq.  I haven't said anything that bad yet.

Look, I don't mean 'outsiders' as in demons or creatures like that.  Those are a whole other matter and not one I want to know anything about, thank you very much.

No, I mean foreigners, all the kingdoms and races that are only fit to be here in chains.  <pause to spit off the dock>  Have you seen the way they usually show Thay on their maps?  It's no wonder they talk about us like we're still some sand-scrabbling backwater that needs our slaves to survive.  Everything they show is dry except for a few rivers and the lake.  Not a forest or a farm or so much as a tree.  Just look at it:

Excerpt from the 3rd edition Forgotten Realms map

It's like they think we haven't done anything here since we kicked Mulhorand out!  Or like it was a complete wasteland to begin with, which it wasn't.  (Or at least most of it wasn't.  There have always been some old scars on the land, but, you know, wizards.  They know how to leave a mark.)  The Rashemi who started out here only did so much but they had some forests and their own hardy plants.  The coastline on the Sea of Fallen Stars?  Plenty of green!  Always has been.

Then you have the chumps who think they have the "secret" map of what our land is really like.  Just look.  It has a little more green but none of the deep dark nastiness of the forests of Gauros.  Sure, we cut down whatever woods were in our way in some tharchs, but we didn't completely raze our own territory, not after we fought so hard for it.  (Okay, so we razed some of it, but only until the enemy gave in, and mostly in ways it could come back from.)  

Other cities know we ship tons of food across Faerun after growing it here.  They complain about how it's "slave goods" and morally wrong, but most of them are happy to buy it when their own harvests don't work out.  Just where do they think it comes from, if not from healthy soil?  Not every fucking thing is done by magic here.  Yes, the area around Tyraturos is still too dry, but there's only so much the weather net can do.  But this?  This is nonsense.

Excerpt from Unapproachable East

Much work, blood, and magic went into the land since we claimed it, believe it or not.  You don't have to be an elf to want a little green, and you don't have to be a druid to know that you need it to survive.  The nobles didn't want to live in Rashemi "hovels" or live like the nobles of Mulhorand, so they did something about it.  They did it on their own, some tharchions here, some noble families there, but it got done.  One of the only things the Red Wizards really pitched in for as far as I know was the weather net that makes it rain every night.  But that worked like a charm in most places.  We grow more food and drugs and other things than we know what to do with.

If they knew just how nice most of the First Escarpment is now, they would be bringing armies to our doorstep.  Better for us that they don't - even if it would be fun to kick their asses off the cliffs.  And the rumors will likely continue, anyway.  We have more sweeps across our land looking for spies and escaped slaves than you can get away from.  Even if a slave does make it out by some miracle, most of them keep their mouths shut or have some kind of unfortunate accident not long after.  Or they squeal and nobody believes them. 

And then there's the other major Red Wizard public project - the anti-scrying net of spells they keep running.  It just isn't possible to go scrying around our country, even if you are a powerful wizard.  We have all of the zulkirs making sure of it.  But that's a feature for another time.  We have a ship to board and work to do.