[Balanor]

Messengers travel throughout Thay with the glorious news: many of the once-free towns of the Wizard’s Reach have been conquered and are under the control of the Thay and the Red Wizards! Under the command of the valiant Tenslayer Hargrid Tenslayer of the Lapendrar; mercenaries, the legion of the Lapendrar, and their salamander and efreeti planar allies summoned by the zulkirs of Conjuration and Evocation, all rallied at the Keep of Sorrows. After inspection by the tharchion himself, with the lords of the efreeti and salamanders looking on, the armies split and marched south and east into the Wizard’s Reach.

The closest towns to Thay, Murbant and Thasselen, both fell on the first day of the invasion. Murbant put up no resistance, having no city walls and few mercenaries to protect it. The mayor surrendered the town without a fight and its streets are now patrolled by legionnaires of the Lapendrar legion.

Thasselen however, put up considerable resistance. Led by the ‘expendable’ mercenaries and assorted legionnaires who heeded the call to arms, the town was taken in fierce fighting and at great loss to the salamanders and efreeti who helped with the invasion. Ultimately though, the power of Thay was no match for the defenders and both the captain of the town guard and lord charged with the defense of the city were slain for daring to oppose the inevitable.

Even now, Tharchion Tenslayer lays siege to the city of Escalant further east with the bulk of the invasion force, and divisions have already split off from it and have begun heading further east along the coast. It is a glorious moment for all of Thay, so long thwarted in its attempts to claim the cities and realms that have long defied it. Surely the Zulkirs of Evocation and Conjuration, and Tharchion Tenslayer, with such a carefully thought-out battle plan will continue to bring glory and many victories to all of Thay!

[Balanor]

Now known throughout Thay, the campaign of conquest against the cities and towns of the Wizard’s coast was a smashing success. Within mere weeks, under the leadership of Tharchion Tenslayer and the Zulkirs Nevron and Malythist, the Lapendrar legion supplemented by Salamander allies under the command of a Lord Fyzzar, efreeti allies under the command of Sultan Murrake, and assorted mercenary units and patriots of Thay overran all opposition. Yet the full price of that success has yet to be paid...

Immediately after all cities and towns were taken, the treacherous Salamanders and Efreeti then turned against those they were called to serve and demanded the portal that brought them to Thay be made permanent! Working ferociously to remove these traitors from Thayan soil, Zulkirs Nevron and Malythist succeeded in closing the original portal and through some power of their magic were able to draw all Efreeti back to their home plane. However, Fyzzar and his Salamanders remain, now destroying all they can along the Wizard’s coast and plains of the Priador. Even worse, it is rumored that Fyzzar somehow has the ability to temporarily reopen a portal to his home on the Elemental Plane of Fire which allows him to replenish and increase the number of his Salamanders ravaging the land every day.

The Salamanders already have control of several towns from their legion compatriots, and travel across the Priador and coast has become hazardous at best as the vengeful creatures attack anything on sight. Tharchion Tenslayer is now surrounded in his newly captured city of Escalant. And he, along with most elements of his Lapendrar legion, now have their backs to the Sea of Fallen Stars and an army of angry Salamanders between them and Thay itself. How the commanders of this war plan to proceed and eliminate the ever-growing Salamander threat is unknown at this time.

It appears the war has only now just begun – the Salamander War!

[Balanor]

The war rages on. In the Priador and along the Wizard’s Coast, the army of Salamanders grows. Cut off from Thay, the legionnaires and inhabitants of the newly conquered cities and towns of the coast do their best to repel the ever-increasing numbers of Salamanders. How there are now so many of them is not widely known, but it is clear the situation has spiraled out of the control of the Thayan leaders who orchestrated the attack.

And most recently, only days ago, Tharchion Tenslayer of the Lapendrar paid with his life when he made his way north to Nethwatch Keep. In an attempt to repel the Salamander army that threatened the keep, he himself was killed and mutilated by never-before-seen salamanders of great power.

Servants of the Red Wizards claim that there is already talk among the schools to ask for a recall of Szass Tam’s Legion of Myrkul from the northern invasion of Rashemen to assist the over-extended forces of the Lapendrar. And now, with the loss of the military mind behind the force that is fighting against the, it is unclear what -if any- strategy is in place to end the Salamander War.

[Balanor]

Hope remains! As elements of Szass Tam's new undead army are recalled from Rashemen and make their way south, it has become apparent to the commonfolk of Thay that the zulkirs of Evocation, Conjuration, and Necromancy have put aside their differences and are now working together to end the Salamander War and end the Salamander threat once and for all.

While a few battle reports from skirmishes between the undead forces and Salamanders have not proved encouraging for the flame-vulnerable undead, the Lapendrar legion and those in the fight are confident the zulkirs will overcome their enemies by overwhelming might and force of will. And in the end the Salamanders will pay dearly for their betrayal!

[Balanor]

Weeks ago, a powerful force of Salamanders launched a daring assault against the Alaor Naval Base! Despite the valiant efforts of the Alaor marines, Myrkul's Legion, and mercenaries recruited to the cause, the Salamander attack did significant damage to the naval facilities.

The salamanders had apparently been on the island for many months and had literally melted the bedrock of the island to tunnel into the underground fleetgrotto below the Red Keep. There they ambushed and slaughtered all defenders but the powerful priest of Umberlee and attacked the wall defenders from behind. Fighting off the attack with the help of the Red Wizard MurVhol, a crack team of powerful adventures reclaimed the fleetgrotto and pushed through the red hot and dangerous Salamander Tunnels. There they destroyed the backbone of the Salamander forces on the island when they prevailed against a powerful Salamander Lord leading the attack from the command quarters located there.

Upon pushing through the far side of the tunnels, the force was perfectly positioned to strike the attacking, and then confused, Salamander force from behind just as it breached the eastern gates of the naval base. Arriving just in time to crush the last of the Salamanders who had breached the Naval Base’s walls, the mercenaries earned the gratitude (and coin) of the Alaor.

How the salamanders arrived on the island is still a topic of speculation, but Tharchion Thessaloni Canos has vowed she will discover how they managed to reach the base of the Thayan navy.

[Balanor]

The Red Wizards prevail as the Salamander hordes are dealt a crushing defeat at the hands of Fire Elementals apparently sent forth by Kossuth himself and a handful of demons apparently summoned by Zulkir Nevron and his conjurers!

As the Salamander horde moved to cut off Bezantur, Mari Agneh, backed by companies of Mykrul’s Legion, rode out of the city to stop the advance. There, they were spectacularly routed with many legionnaires dying and scattered and most undead in the host wiped out. The Salamanders, with their victory, then grew bold enough to attack the western gate of Bezantur – easily breaching it and overwhelming the few remaining legion and mercenary defenders.

Even the Lord Fyzzar, powerful leader of the Salamanders, appeared at the gate. In the chaos of the battle appeared those who had been hailed as the heroes of the Alaor, attacking the salamander hordes and trying to rally the beleaguered defenders. While their assistance aided somewhat, the defenders were still scattered by the powerful Salamander forces.

All seemed lost.

But then...something miraculous happened…

The Salamander nobles and flamemasters who had so summoned up Fire Elementals to aid them for a time did so, as usual. But this time, the elementals turned against those who summoned them, and somehow even more elementals appeared in their midst and began attacking! Now with powerful allies against the treacherous Salamanders, the defenders turned the tide of the battle and repelled wave upon wave of attackers. And in a ferocious attack by the remaining defenders and fire elemental allies, Lord Fyzzar himself was slain!

Demons, apparently summoned forth by the conjurers instead of unreliable salamanders or efreeti appeared sometime after this as well. And they, along with a growing number of Fire Elementals, moved out of the city and took the fight to the Salamander horde gathered on the plains. The horde, now in chaos with their fire elementals turning against them and apparently commanded by a heretofore little known Red Wizard called ‘Aznar Thrul’, and demons circling overhead tearing them apart, fell back west in disarray.

Bezantur had been saved!

How, exactly, the tables had been turned against the Salamanders is a matter of intense debate. Some say Nevron and his conjurers struck a deal with a powerful Tanar’ri lord, sacrificing Mari Agneh’s legion in the process. Others claim, even more outrageously, that the Red Wizard Aznar Thrul performed some ritual with the aid of the Flaming Brazier temple, gained an audience with Kossuth himself, then requested -and even more ridiculously claim he received- the Lord of Fire’s aid! But even now, as the Fire Elementals gather and the priests of the Flaming Brazier can be seen commanding them, more and more citizens of Bezantur have been hailing Kossuth, the Eternal Flame of the Flaming Brazier, and this unknown Red Wizard Thrul as the true saviors of Bezantur.

While it appears an important and pivotal victory has been achieved, the Salamander threat is far from over as hordes of the creatures still roam the Priador and Wizard’s Coast. Whether the ‘Saviors of Bezantur’ endeavor to be called the 'Victors of the Salamander War', or the 'Saviors of the Priador' remains to be seen...

[Balanor]

Victory! The Salamander War is over!!!

In further defeats, the reeling Salamander armies have been virtually annihilated and scattered across the Wizard’s Coast and the Priador. While bands of Salamanders still roam the Priador, their power has been broken and with their leader dead, no reinforcements arrive to replenish their number. Very soon, with mercenaries and legionnaires hunting them, there will likely be none remaining.

A powerful army of Fire Elementals, along with Demons summoned by Zulkir Nevron and his conjurers, retook the city of Escalant from the largest remaining concentration of Salamanders several tenday ago. And Tharchioness Mari Agneh, about the same time, anxious and determined to make up for her legion’s stunning defeat outside of Bezantur rallied what troops and mercenaries she could and retook the towns of Thasselen and Murbant in the name of Thay. What few pockets of Lapendrar legionnaires who managed to survive the war have made their way back to the city of Escalant, while the Fire Elementals brought forth by either Thrul, the Flaming Brazier, or Kossuth himself, having served their purpose, have returned to their home plane.

This has caused Hezass Nymar, the newly appointed tharchion of the Lapendrar, and Mari Agneh to both lay claim to the finally-capture cities of the coast. To what tharch they will go remains a subject of intense debate among the zulkirs and representatives and powers of the two tharchs. It is said that Szass Tam himself helped appoint Nymar to his position and backs the inclusion of the newly captured territory into the tharch of the Lapendrar, while the now extremely-popular Aznar Thrul (and as a result the school of evocation seeking to negate Tam’s influence) along with the revered priesthood of the Flaming Brazier back Mari’s claim to the new territory.

But recent not-so-subtle whispers spread rumor that Mari Agneh has not been seen in Bezantur since shortly after returning from her successful conquest of Thasselen and Murbant. Whether or not this is true, already even less subtle ‘whispers’ have suggested that Aznar Thrul, the Savior of Bezantur, should be named tharchion to replace her if something has happened to Agneh....

Regardless of the current political situation, a triumph organized by the Flaming Brazier priesthood and Red Wizards of Evocation is being planned in Bezantur within the next tenday. It will be a parade to celebrate the glory and power of Thay, and to remember the fallen patriots whose sacrifice brought to an end ‘The Salamander War’!

[Balanor]

Haren was a new legionnaire recruit of the Priador legion. Like many others, he joined the decimated legion after the Red Wizard Aznar Thrul personally appeared at service to the Firelord and requested all true Thayans and faithful of Kossuth to consider joining and rebuild the shattered legion. Gold and glory were offered, as well as the personal thanks of the ‘Savior of the Bezantur’. Then Haren, along with many others, with the urging and blessings of the priests of the Flaming Brazier took to the streets proclaiming their adoration of Aznar Thrul and demanding he by proclaimed tharchion in place of the wayward Mari Agneh.

Where she could have disappeared to at such a critical time was a mystery to Haren. If Thrul truly wanted her title, she no doubt would have shown up dead. So he couldn’t be behind her disappearance, could he? She probably just decided to turn tail and run knowing that her citizens were furious with her for the losses her legion incurred with the ‘assistance’ of Zulkir Tam’s mostly ineffective Myrkul’s Legion when fighting against the Salamanders. And then she had the gall to order what remained of her legion into an *attack* against Thasselen and Murbant! All to try and recover her *personal* prestige and honor!

At least that was what the Eternal Flame had proclaimed at the glorious worship he attended yesterday. He wouldn’t lie, Haren knew that, so Mari Agneh was truly the worst tharchion in the history of Thay as far as he was concerned. She should have died in battle like the revered Hargrid Tenslayer had when defending the Nethwatch Keep against an encroaching Salamander army!

But as of now, he was a simple legionnaire. And word had come down from his sergeant that a triumph was to be held in the plaza north of the Central Citadel and the Priador legion. He and his fellow soldiers, along with elements of the undead Myrkul’s Legion, were to form up in parade formation for an important announcement from the tharchion, recognition of the legion's sacrifices and victories, and that the Salamander War was officially over.

Haren let out an exasperated sigh at the thought of a returned Mari Agneh. But he resumed his vigorous cleaning of his armor and sword and scowled as he thought of standing next to rotting corpses listening to Mari Agneh try and reclaim her authority over those who despised her. He wondered what she could possibly say or do to try and regain control of her city and legion after the failures of her leadership in the past few months.

[Balanor]

The zulkir council, under pressure from the non-extremely-popular faith of Kossuth and the hordes of citizens they whipped into a frenzy in Bezantur and the rest of the Priador, had given in to popular pressure. To avoid any unrest in the largest (and leaderless) city of Thay, it took the ultra-rare step of appointing a Red Wizard as tharchion of the Priador. Red Wizard and Tharchion Aznar Thrul now rules Bezantur and the other territory in the newly expanded tharch of Priador - which includes the towns of Thasselen and Murbant. No doubt to his chagrin, the newly (re)captured city of Escalant was given to the tharch of the Lapendrar under the leadership of Szass Tam’s hand-picked appointee Hezass Nymar.

But in Bezantur, addressing his tharch’s people and legion shortly after midnight the day his rule began, Aznar Thrul’s first decree firmly set him up as a bold (and perhaps foolish) enemy of Thay’s most powerful zulkir. The decree, read by the Eternal Flame Mythalanir, forbade any undead from walking the tharch of the Priador. Immediately after reading the proclamation, the Eternal Flame then called on the assembled Priador legion and mercenaries gathered around the new tharchion and his allies to obliterate the undead Dread Warriors of Szass Tam’s Myrkul’s Legion who had formed up next to their living legion counterparts. Taken by surprise, Tam’s undead never stood a chance, with the slaughter over quickly and not one of the living falling to them.

Afterward, Thrul’s allies and many sycophants who sought favor from him reportedly spent a day of celebration and debauchery in the upper levels of the Central Citadel from which his predecessor, Mari Agneh, had once ruled.

----------------------------------

Later that day, but well before any festivities had really even started, Haren considered himself lucky enough to have pulled guard duty at the entrance to the legion barracks in the Citadel. He had been wide-eyed with honor at having been close enough to touch some of the notables who had come to congratulate his Tharchion Aznar Thrul - such as the Eternal Flame himself, High Priestess Mylra of Loviatar’s Manor, High Priestess Alyssa of the Temple of Umberlee, guildmistress Shabella of the Temple, and even the famous tattooist Rhuna the Dark.

He nearly missed two women, obviously distraught and weary, unsteadily making their way from the upper level of the Central Citadel before the true celebration began upstairs. He momentarily thought them ‘used-up gifts’ from one of the brothels on the Street of White Roses, but then he quickly realized they certainly didn’t look the part. One wore what appeared to be a suite of plate mail made entirely of gold, while the other was dressed all in black - her face covered by a mask or helm. Stepping back at their fierce appearance as they brushed past him, he instantly knew the unlikely duo was much more than that.

He decided he’d have to keep a close eye out for them again. They certainly seemed more than they appeared, and perhaps he could someday find out why.

[Balanor]

All eyes turned across the large oak table to Eternal Flame Mythalanir as he rose to speak.

“We have been successful in this endeavor, despite what some of you may think. First, I have already spoken to many of you just how cunning and ruthless this ‘Aznar Thrul’ proved to be. I would have missed a golden opportunity to advance our goals had I followed the ‘leader’ of my faith in the Burning House and refused him. By allying with him, we have gained influence over him in the future. And trust me, from what I have seen, being Tharchion is only the first of his ambitious goals.

“Aznar Thrul is already a powerful wizard, and will be a strong counterbalance to the power we have long feared Szass Tam has solidified all too well. With the decree I helped Thrul draft to repay Tam for the humiliation he put him through, the two now hate each other. That will go a very long way in preventing any faction in Thay from becoming too powerful and hence a threat to what we are doing - and the regions around Thay, of course.

“In addition, we have vaulted the faith of Kossuth to a status never before seen in Thay -even in decades past- and we have a new and powerful force which can be used to subtly work against the Red Wizards: that of a popular and feared faith.”

He could see others at the table scowling at him, while yet others were nodding their head in approval.

“I wish I could have saved all our agents that Thrul used, but he would have grown too suspicious. He was going to kill them all anyway for the fact that they knew it was his magic portal that allowed the Salamanders to ravage the Alaor, that he was the evocation Red Wizard dressed in pink at the beck and call of Szass Tam, and because he thought *he* should have been the only one to have been in the presence of a god - despite the fact they did the work of retrieving the necessary artifact to do so - not to mention the very robes he now wears!

“Thrul needed to believe that Kossuth took Willo Goodman, Georenos Kurm, Drom, Gnoryc'yrych, and Gorkal in sacrifice because they were not worthy of having been in Kossuth’s presence and because there was just too many people to try and keep quite. It was all I could do to convince him that Kossuth had purified and returned Raevyn and Moneteria Fiscala to serve him, and that they could be trusted. Anymore and the ruse would have failed. The trials we set for our agents with...’his’...help,” he paused as he had almost spoke the name-that-could-not-be-uttered out loud “made them decide who really among them stood the best chance of surviving as vengeful double-agents in service to Thrul.”

“But Thrul is very canny and obviously trusts no one - not even me. The two who survived will be watched closely by his apprentices and his many new powerful agents for a time until they are called upon. Just as I am sure he has me watched closely by that damn apprentice of his...”

“Red Wizards trust no one, or they don’t remain Red Wizards for long,” interrupted by a female voice on the opposite side of the table. Slowing standing to full length with her simple red robes tumbling down from the cowl around her head and shoulders to her feet, the white mask she wore crafted to the contour of her face almost made it look like it was a part of her. “And I for one, applaud your effort, Eternal Flame. I know many of you have reservations against allying with known Red Wizards,” she paused as a few chuckles went up around the table “But doing so is a necessary evil and one that in the long term will be a benefit to us.”

Behind the porcelain mask her eyes moved to survey all those seated, “And I bring word of a new threat recently uncovered. One which can be further used to ingratiate some of our agents to the Red Wizards or the faiths and powers associated with them, and further our plans. We must move soon for an ancient enemy of Thay is almost ready to act...”