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Aznar Thrul - Balanor - 07-15-2009
Source: Spellbound (AD&D), circa 1368 DR
Note from The Thayan: Since this sourcebook is 2nd edition (AD&D), stats are not in 3rd edition format
Human Male Invoker 23
Str 13; Dex 12; Con 17; Int 18; Wis 13; Cha 15
Armor Class: 4 (ring of protection +4, staff of power)
Move: 12
Hit Points: 43
Number of Attacks: 1
Damage: 1d4 (vampiric dagger) or 1d6+2 (staff of power)
THAC0: 13 (11 with staff)
Alignment: CE
Magical Items: Manual of golems, ring of protection +4, robe of Rukhyon, staff of power, vampiric dagger
Age: 55, Ht: 6.3., Wt: 175 lbs.
Hair: None, Eyes: Black
Spells: 8/8/8/8/8/8/8/8/6 (includes bonus spells)
Aznar Thrul is a serious competitor with Szass Tam for the title of the most evil and powerful individual in Thay. The only Thayan currently serving as both tharchion (of the Priador) and zulkir (of Invocation/Evocation), Aznar Thrul rules his tharch with cruelty and savage efficiency and constantly plots to increase his power within Thay. He hates Szass Tam, seeing him as an obstacle on his road to absolute power, and opposes him surreptitiously at every turn. Despite his access to incredibly powerful destructive spells, Thrul prefers to work through pawns rather than risk his life and reputation.
Thrul realizes that if the zulkirs continue to perpetuate their petty rivalries, Szass Tam will invariably win. To this end, he has formed a temporary alliance with the Zulkirs Lauzoril and Nevron, with the twin aims of finally conquering Rashemen and reducing Szass Tam’s political power and influence. Of course, he intends to dispose of both Lauzoril and Nevron as soon as they have outlived their usefulness, but for now he masquerades as their friend and has mediated at several meetings between the two wizards. Thrul realizes that he cannot afford to antagonize Szass Tam too much, and so he restrains his present allies from openly acting against the the Zulkir of Necromancy.
The current plan for the invasion of Rashemen involves the legions of his two allies which, if successful, will eclipse Szass Tam. If the invasion is a failure, Thrul is not much worse off, for his involvement is limited; all the negative consequences of defeat will fall on the Nevron and Lauzoril. (See the adventure Throne of Deceit for more details on the invasion and its connection to the power politics of Thay.)
Thrul gained his position after defeating the former tharchioness of Bezantur, Mari Agneh, both politically and magically. Though many opposed his being both a tharchion and a zulkir, his combination of threats, blackmail, and canny political double-dealing assured Thrul of his position. Mari Agneh remains alive in his citadel, now a mindless slave for the amusement of the sadistic tharchion and his guests.
Thrul always remains at maximum hit points through the use of his vampiric dagger.
Zulkir of Invocation/Evocation. Aznar Thrul (CE hm Inv23): The only Red Wizard currently serving as both zulkir and tharchion (of the Priador), Thrul is possessed of a ruthlessness and drive for power second only to Szass Tam himself. He opposes Tam but has kept his opposition relatively low key, preferring to work through pawns. He is currently encouraging Lauzoril and Nevron to launch an invasion of Rashemen, using his newly created gemstone golems (see the MC booklet) as invincible shocktroops.
General History
The struggle for the Priador (which came to be called The Salamander War) lasted over a year, pitting the ferocious salamanders against Thayan humans, gnolls, goblins, and Tam’s undead forces. The war (in which Hargrid Tenslayer perished) finally ended when the elemental tyrant Kossuth sent his own elementals at the request of the up-and-coming Red Wizard Aznar Thrul to drive out the salamanders. As a result, worship of Kossuth reached an all-time high in Thay, and the nation’s political face was changed forever.
The Thayans were forced with withdraw from Lasdur and Taskaunt, and they controlled Tilbrand in name only but maintained dominion over all the other coastal cities. They were reorganized into the new tharch of the Priador, which included the old tharch of Bezantur. After a brief power struggle, Aznar Thrul became Tharchion of the Priador after defeating Mari Agneh, the tharchioness of Bezantur.
After the Praidor tharch’s creation, the tharchioness of Bezantur, Mari Agneh, made it clear that she wanted rulership over the expanded province. Her rival, the cunning and thoroughly wicked Aznar Thrul, squared off with her in a furious wizard’s conflict from which he emerged the victor, reducing Agneh to the status of mindless slave. Agneh lives today, a puppet to Thrul’s will and kept alive for his amusement, though most believe she is dead.
Aznar Thrul rules the tharch with an iron fist. Its people are his to exploit, enslave, and kill as he desires. Thrul’s troops roam the Priador, looting and killing in his name, taking slaves and property as they choose. The people have been terrified into submission and rarely resist, and when they do their defiance is ruthlessly punished. Thus far the Red Wizards have ignored Thrul’s excesses since the region continues to prosper, but should income and trade start to fall off other zulkirs may act to remove him.
Thrul is out for himself and no one else. His alliances are carefully chosen to benefit his own position and are abandoned the moment they become ineffective or threaten his plans.
In the wake of the conquest of the coastal cities and the Salamander War, Bezantur was reorganized as provincial capital of the new tharch of the Priador. Aznar Thrul, an ambitious young Red Wizard, and Mari Agneh, tharchioness of Bezantur, were the leading candidates for rulership of the new tharch. When Agneh disappeared under mysterious circumstances, the position went to Thrul, who has ruled with an iron hand
ever since.
With a population of over 100,000, Bezantur is Thay’s largest city, vital to the nation’s prosperity and ultimate survival. During her tenure, the whimsical Mari Agneh eliminated all taxes in Bezantur, contenting herself with confiscating small portions of every cargo which entered her city. Under Aznar Thrul this policy has continued, making Bezantur a thriving port city where anything and everything is available for purchase.
The powerful Bezantur thieves. guild operates with virtual impunity, keeping Thayan authorities away with rich bribes. Most of those bribes find their way into Aznar Thrul’s coffers, further enriching him and the land of Thay. Visitors are forced to defend themselves against the thieves, for the humans, gnolls, goblins, and other races that serve in Thrul’s Legion are more interested in living like kings and exploiting Bezantur’s citizenry than in enforcing its laws.
Aznar Thrul’s Legion
The tharchion of the Priador, the evil Aznar Thrul, rules in Bezantur, and his troops come and go as they please. Most businesses must pay bribes to keep Thrul’s Legion at bay; poor citizens have no such recourse. The following statistics cover typical members of Thrul.s Legion, as they are likely to be encountered by adventurers in Bezantur.
Human Warriors (NE hm and hf F1): AC 4 (chain mail and shield); MV 12; hp 6; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8 (broad sword); SZ M; ML 12; Int Average; AL NE; Xl? 15 each.
Human Commander (LE hm or hf F6): AC 2 (plate armor); MV 12; hp 36; THAC0 15; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8 (broad sword); SZ M; ML 14; Int Average; AL LE; XP 270.
Gnolls: AC 5; MV 9; HD 2; hp 12; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 2d4; SZ; ML 11; Int Low; AL CE; XP 35 each.
Orcs: AC 6; MV 9; HD 1; hp 6; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8; SZ M; ML 12; Int Average; AL LE; XP 15 each.
Source: Powers and Pantheons (AD&D), circa 1370 DR
Unbeknownst to all but a handful of archmages, Aznar Thrul, the current Zulkir of the School of Invocation/Evocation, began his career as a wizard under the tutelage of Khelben the Elder before returning to his homeland and falling in with the Red Wizards. On the Year of the Prince (1357 DR), Aznar succeeded in ending the disastrous Salamander War by convincing Kossuth to send his own fire elementals to drive out the salamanders. After a brief power struggle, Aznar defeated Mari Agneh, tharchioness of Bezantur, and became the tharchion of the newly constituted Tharch of the Priador. Aznar succeeded in defeating Mari and her guild of thieves due to his secret alliance with the clergy of Kossuth.
In exchange for the help of the Kossuthan clergy, Eternal Flame of Kossuth Mythalanir recently demanded that Aznar Thrul retrieve Yrix’s ring of fire from his tutor’s tower and give it to the treasury of the Flaming Brazier as an offering to the Lord of Flames. Aznar managed to penetrate Khelben’s defenses through the user of a gateway spell coupled with several unique incantations of his own devising and then absconded with the item undetected. Aznar was interested in acquiring Yrix’s ring of fire for himself, so he deliberately left a subtle clue suggesting the culpability of Mythalanlir’s minions.
Source: Lords of Darkness (AD&D), circa 1372 DR
Aznar Thrul, the zulkir of Evocation, enjoys using his mastery of elements archmage ability to surprise foes with variants of spells using different energies. He has little involvement in the enclaves because they rarely sell items with powers from his specialized school. Instead, he has ordered his underlings to prepare powerful magic items of the Evocation school (such as wands of fireball) in anticipation of a great demand in black market items through the enclaves.
Source: Unknown, 3rd Edition Stats and Information
Aznar Thrul: Male Mulan Human Evo10/Red10/Acm3; CR 23; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 23d4+69; hp 117; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 (touch 17, flat-footed 16); Base Atk +12; Grp +13; Atk +15 melee (1d6+3, staff of power) or +14 melee (1d4+2/19-20, +1 vampiric dagger); Full Atk +15/+10 melee (1d6+3, staff of power) or +14/+9 melee (1d4+2/19-20, +1 vampiric dagger); Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SQ Specialist defense, spell power, scribe tattoo, great circle leader, Archmage high arcana; AL CE; SV Fort +15, Ref +13, Will +21; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 23, Wis 13, Cha 15.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +23 (+27 when casting defensively), Craft (alchemy) +16, Craft (tattooing) +11, Diplomacy +9, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana) +32, Knowledge (history-Thay) +21, Knowledge (local-Thay) +16, Knowledge (the planes) +26, Profession (administrator) +11, Search +12, Sense Motive +12, Speak Language (common, mulhorandi, infernal, rashemi, abyssal, draconic, ignan, orc), Spellcraft +39; Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Construct, Craft Staff, Craft Wondrous Item, Empower Spell, Maximize Spell, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Spell Focus (abjuration), Spell Focus (evocation), Spell Penetration, Tattoo Focus.
Special Qualities: Specialist defense +4 (saving throw bonus vs. evocation), spell power +5 (bonus to caster level checks to overcome spell resistance; +6 with evocation spells), scribe tattoo (give Tattoo Focus feat to qualified individuals), great circle leader (great circle with nine apprentices). Arcane fire (520 ft., 3d6 plus 1d6 per spell level sacrificed), mastery of elements (fire), mastery of counterspelling.
Wizard Spells Prepared (5/7/7/6/6/6/6/4/4/4; base DC = 16 + spell level; DC 17 + spell level with abjuration spells; DC 18 + spell level with evocation spells; barred schools - enchantment, conjuration, necromancy; caster level 23rd).
Possessions: Staff of power, +1 vampiric dagger, robe of Rukhyon, ring of protection +4, manual of golems.
Height: 6’3”, Weight: 175 lbs., Hair: None, Eyes: Black.