Red Wizards of Thay
The Red Wizards of Thay are the notorious necromancers who make up the ruling class of Thay. They are known for trying to spread their influence throughout Faerun.
Campaign Recap
Hamun Kost and His Apprentices (20 Tarsakh, 25 Tarsakh)
On Day 7 of the campaign (20 Tarsakh), Conor McGregor, Herb Stoner and Rayphlárd visited Old Owl Well; they were given a tip by Daran Edermath in Phandalin two days earlier that prospectors were telling stories about being chased away by undead creatures near the well.
After the group arrived, they approached the tent near the well and were briefly attacked by the zombies before Hamun Kost called off the zombies. The group recognized Hamun as a Red Wizard due to his appearance, and they asked him what he was doing. After some tense back-and-forth, Hamun agreed to tell them about what he was doing if they agreed to help him, either by asking Agatha a question for him or driving the orcs from the Many Arrows Tribe away from the area. The group left the tense encounter without making any promises.
On Day 12 (25 Tarsakh), Collateral Damage (Conor, Herb, Rayphlard and their new ally Shinzon Greenshadow) left Cragmaw Castle in the Neverwinter Wood and encountered Hamun's two apprentices. The group recognized the apprentices and called out to them. The apprentices, who were searching the forest for something, didn't want to reveal any information, but they did admit that they were there on assignment from Hamun Kost.
After the group pressed them for more info, the two apprentices started walking away quickly. Rayphlard attempted to intimidate them as they walked away, but Rayphlard tripped and fell on his face. The apprentices then ran away, and the group decided not to pursue them.
Greengrass in Phandalin (30 Tarsakh-1 Mirtul)
Learning About Argus
On Day 17 of the campaign (30 Tarsakh), Halia Thornton warned Collateral Damage about a newcomer to Phandalin named Argus Skeel. She explained that Argus claimed to be a prospector, but he hadn't been to the Phandalin Miners' Exchange yet. She also said that Argus had been seen going to the Stonehill Inn tavern at night (before Lord Frederich Wulfrun took over). Halia claimed that she knows evil when she sees it, and Argus was evil.
Later that day, the party (minus Herb Stoner) visited the Sleeping Giant. While talking with Trilena Stonehill, a figure in a black cloak opened the front door but quickly left. Conor McGregor stepped outside and looked for the figure, but he couldn't see anything. Trilena then told the group that it was probably Argus, that they see him at night sometimes acting creepy, but he doesn't say much.
Garaele, the Harpers, and Ebondeath
During the day on Day 17, Conor McGregor, Rayphlárd and Tubby decided to visit Sister Garaele at the Leilon Shrine of Luck; Daran Edermath was also there, and they revealed that Daran was Garaele's grandfather. During the visit, Daran and Garaele thanked the group for what they did to protect Phandalin from the Redbrand Ruffians and the dangers within Wave Echo Cave.
Garaele then revealed to them why she originally asked them to help her learn more about the location of Bowgentle's spellbook. Garaele said she was secretly working for a group known as the Harpers. After Collateral Damage returned from Agatha's Lair and told Garaele that the spellbook was traded to a necromancer named Tsernoth, she alerted her colleagues in the Harpers. Her colleagues then discovered through research that Tsernoth was a member of the Red Wizards of Thay.
Garaele continued, explaining that Bowgentle was a Harper wizard many years ago. In the Mere of Dead Men, Bowgentle was following a faction of the Cult of the Dragon. The cultists were working for a dragon who called himself Ebondeath, and and Ebondeath wished to become a dracolich. Bowgentle interrupted the ritual in which they were attempting to turn him into a dracolich, and Bowgentle trapped the dragon's soul in his spellbook. Bowgentle got away, and that dragon’s soul was trapped in his spellbook.
Now in the present, the Harpers believe that the Red Wizards of Thay, the most notorious necromancers in Faerun, are in possession of the soul of a dragon who wished to become a dracolich.
Looking for Argus
In the evening on Day 17, after helping the Phandalin Town Guard defeat manticores attacking Adabra's Potion Shop in Umbrage Hill, Herb Stoner went to the Rockseeker Camp while the rest of Collateral Damage traveled into town. Herb saw where Sildar Hallwinter's items were piled in a corner, then he noticed an open door leading to a cellar.
Herb went into the cellar and saw four zombies and an ogre zombie (Gog). He cast fireball and killed the four zombies, but the ogre zombie survived and pursued him. Herb also saw an undead version of King Grol approaching, and he then escaped up the stairs and rushed away on his horse.
Fighting Argus, Part 1
On Day 18 of the campaign (Greengrass), Herb Stoner brought the rest of Collateral Damage - as well as Daran and Garaele Edermath - back to the Rockseeker Camp cellar in the evening.
The party discovered Argus Skeel, six reanimated members of the Phandalin Town Guard, the undead monsters Herb saw the night before, and an undead goblin abomination. Argus escaped during the fight, but the party defeated the rest of the undead in the cellar.
After the fight, the group recovered Sildar Hallwinter's items and investigated tunnels that the undead monsters had been digging from the cellar. The party also found an undated letter to Argus, revealing that he was working with the Red Wizards of Thay. The letter read:
"Argus, Hamun alerted us to watch for a group with a human, a blue dragonborn, and a gnome. They came to Old Owl Well and acted suspicious. Hamun attempted to distract them by sending them to the banshee in the Neverwinter Wood. Our work on the coast must not be interrupted. I’ve sent reinforcements to Hamun, but your job to find information is critical. Learn what you can in Phandalin, and eliminate anyone in your way. Hamun will be delivering new sentries to you soon. UM."
Garaele Uses the Vizier Card
On Day 18, after Collateral Damage, Garaele and Daran Edermath fought the undead monsters in the Rockseeker Camp cellar, Garaele decided to use the Vizier card she pulled from the Deck of Many Things earlier that day; the Vizier card allows the individual who drew it to ask one question in meditation and receive a truthful answer.
Garaele focused and then received her answer. She told the rest of the group:
"The Red Wizards have a necromancer named Ularan Mortus. He must be the person who signed that note to Argus as 'UM.' Ularan is trying to find a way to attach Ebondeath’s soul to an unwilling dragon’s body.
"Well, many years ago the Cult of the Dragon used to worship and serve dragons who wanted to become undead, to become dracoliches. The cultists have since moved on to worshiping dragons in other ways, but that’s what they did centuries ago. And that’s what Bowgentle prevented, he interrupted the cultists who were trying to transform Ebondeath into a dracolich.
So now, the Red Wizards have Ebondeath’s soul, and they’re trying to do something similar, but now with an unwilling dragon. That’s the big difference here. Usually dracoliches are created when a dragon wants to become undead because they’re close to dying, but that’s not what the Red Wizards are doing. If they can figure out how to turn any random dragon they encounter into an undead dragon, a weapon of mass destruction that can be deployed again and again anywhere they wish ... well, that’s a scary thought."
Fighting Argus, Part 2
On Day 19 (1 Mirtul), Collateral Damage was leaving Phandalin when they were ambushed by Velleen Firecrow and her Talassan assistants. Argus was also planning an ambush, and he joined the fight after it started. Argus summoned two swarms of bats with him, and he also brought a reanimated Ander Sogard, the shop assistant from Barthen's Provisions.
During the fight, Argus revealed his abilities as a vampire spawn. Velleen was upset after seeing Ander reanimated as a zombie, so she and her assistants turned their attention toward Argus to make it a three-way fight. Argus, Ander and the bats were all defeated, and ultimately Velleen and her assistants were killed by Collateral Damage. After the fight, Collateral Damage found Argus' notebook; for more details, visit the Argus Skeel's Notebook page.
Wayside Inn (1 Mirtul, 3-4 Mirtul)
Hello, Zombies
On Day 19 of the campaign (1 Mirtul), Collateral Damage and Lords' Alliance agent Don-Jon Raskin traveled from Phandalin west toward the Brontide Cliffs. They arrived at the Wayside Inn at night.
As they approached the inn, they saw several zombies attacking the doors to the inn. Conor McGregor called out and got the zombies' attention, drawing them away from the inn and toward the group. The group then battled the zombies, and during combat two wraiths appeared out of the darkness and joined the zombies against the party. The group eventually defeated the undead creatures, and they discovered the zombies had the letters "UM" branded on their foreheads and they were covered in various leaves and barbs from swamp plants.
The letters "UM" reminded them of the Red Wizard Ularan Mortus, and Shinzon Greenshadow recognized the leaves and barbs from swamp plants as the same kinds that are plentiful in the Mere of Dead Men.
The group entered the inn and spoke with the staff, including the bartender Backes Dunfield. Backes told Conor that he hadn't seen any other undead creatures in the area since he started working at the inn about six months ago.
Changes at the Inn
On Day 21 (3 Mirtul), Collateral Damage (and friends Don-Jon Raskin and Mystery Sparkle) returned to the Wayside Inn to stay for the night before traveling south to Leilon. While arriving, they saw Tarbin Tul outside the front entrance, playing a lute and singing a song for a small group of happy customers. Tarbin's song was about the zombie attack on the inn two days ago.
Behind the bar, hung up on the wall inside a glass case was a decapitated zombie head. The letters "UM" were branded on the zombie's forehead. The bartender Backes Dunfield was proud to show the new addition to the group.
On Day 22 (4 Mirtul), the group woke up and returned to the tavern area to check out. They saw Backes and Teega Savage, the blacksmith who worked out of the inn, and they were examining several weapons and sets of armor.
The innkeeper Martisha Vinetalker had told the group that the staff were preparing for a meeting with the Leilon Town Guard to discuss providing them with additional weapons; the Leilon Town Guard and the Neverwinter Town Guard were planning to expand their patrols of the High Road to protect travelers from the increased threat of wandering undead creatures.
Leaving the Inn
After leaving the Wayside Inn and traveling south on the High Road, Collateral Damage again encountered wandering undead monsters, this time a group of skeletons riding warhorse skeletons in addition to zombies.
In the distance, while fighting off the skeletons, the group saw members of the Leilon Town Guard on horseback, approaching quickly. One of the guards shouted out, saying "Save the zombies for us!" The group ignored their request, killing each of the undead creatures easily. After the quick fight, the group learned that the Leilon Town Guard captured the zombies for use in training and practice.
Leilon Town Council Meeting (5 Mirtul)
Raphaella Pleads Her Case
On Day 23 (5 Mirtul), Collateral Damage joined Rayphlárd's cousin Nárthurl at the Leilon Town Hall for a town council meeting.
During the meeting, Raphaella Umber, the innkeeper of the Umber Hulk's Shell Inn and the vampire from Herb Stoner's past, came forward to discuss security concerns about Claugiyliamatar, the green dragon from the Kryptgarden Forest. Raphaella pleaded her case:
"I would like to begin my comments by thanking all of you for your efforts to keep the citizens of Leilon safe. There are many dangers in the world, and a strong military defense, and an active patrol, are both critical to defending civilization itself.
"But today, I am here to make the case for a different approach. The focus of the military forces of our town, and correct me if I’m wrong, but their focus has been on defeating the undead threat from the so-called Mere of Dead Men. I am not here today to say that zombies and other creatures from the mere are not dangerous. They are. But there are bigger, more ferocious, more cunning, more destructive threats that we are currently doing nothing about.
"We can deny that she’s there all we want, but we all know that the dragon of the Kryptgarden Forest is the true threat to our lives. That ancient green dragon, Claugiyliamatar, 'Old Gnawbone,' she could wipe us all out in a minute if she wanted to, and we’re pretending she doesn’t live next door. Here in Leilon, we’re the closest town to her lair. We’re spending our time killing zombies for sport, but our efforts should be directed to killing the dragon.
"And I know no one wants to bring it up, but why can’t we use the Ruinstone? All of us have been wondering about the Ruinstone since ..."
After Raphaella's mention of the Ruinstone, the meeting erupted into shouting, most of which came from the town mage Gallio Elibro. After everyone calmed down, townmaster Grizzelda Copperwraught called for a recess.
Meeting Amethyst
After leaving the Leilon Town Council meeting, Amethyst Mountainbender approached Collateral Damage. She originally came to them promising information about the Cult of Talos, but her story of what happened at the Sunless Citadel in 1451 also involved the Red Wizards of Thay. For more information, visit the Sunless Citadel page.
Known Members
Culture
History
More than 100 years ago, a necromancer with the Red Wizards of Thay named Tsernoth made a trade with Agatha the banshee in the Neverwinter Wood. In the trade, Tsernoth acquired a spellbook that contained the trapped soul of a dragon from the Mere of Dead Men named Chardansearavitriol; the spellbook previously belonged to Bowgentle, a wizard agent for the Harpers.
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