[Balanor]

For the next server update, a new faction will be available - that of one filled with Black Unicorn riders. As I am having a tough time coming up with a cool name for this faction, I thought I'd ask the community for help. Here's the little background info that we have for Black Unicorns in Thay -

Few generalizations can be made about the Thayan military. Infantry legions range in size from 800 to 2,000, and in type from nearly naked goblin skirmishers to heavily armored and virtually immobile foot knights. Cavalry legions are even more varied, with such diverse units as unarmored archers, lancers, and heavy knights, all mounted on a bewildering variety of animals; these have included horses (naturally the most common), giant cats, centaurs, manticores, leucrotta, griffons, hippogriffs, giant beetles, and even, with little success, dragons. The Thayans’ dreaded black unicorn cavalry is the nation’s best known cavalry force, consisting of hundreds of evil female fighters mounted on a corrupt strain of unicorn created by the Red Wizards.

The black unicorn is one of the results of Thayan experimentation into the corruption of existing life forms. Black unicorns resemble their white relatives, but they are twisted and evil. Black unicorns have become a mainstay of the Thayan military, and many are kept as pets by Red Wizards.
Black unicorns are coal-dark creatures sporting silky black manes and burning red eyes. Their horns are long and spiraled, chased with silver and they are quite beautiful. Male black unicorns are bearded and the females more slender than the males, but they retain a heavy musculature.
Highly intelligent, black unicorns can be taught to speak Common, and there are rumors that Red Wizards are trying to teach them spells with purely verbal components.
Despite their success and usefulness in combat, black unicorns are fickle and chaotic, mostly concerned with their own safety rather than that of their riders or companions. It is not at all unusual for a black unicorn to flee combat when the tide turns against it, dislodging riders or teleporting away by itself and leaving others to fend for themselves. Just the same, black unicorns serve in large numbers with the Thayan military. Several major units made up of black unicorns and evil-aligned female riders serve the zulkirs. The Sisters of Cyric, a prominent regiment sworn to serve the Zulkir Aznar Thrul, consists of evil female priestesses of Cryic mounted on black unicorns.

This faction as a whole will not be the 'Sisters of Cyric' simply because it will be restrictive enough (evil drow/human women only) without further limiting it to worshippers of Cyric - although the Sisters of Cyric may eventually become a unit or extension of this faction.

So, what do you think the Black Unicorn faction should be named?

[Gatalis]

Black Riders of Thay

The Duskrider Cavalry/Duskrider Elite

The Dread Guard of Thay

The Locust Legion

Night Tamers of Thay

Druxus Rhym's Fury, or just Rhym's Fury (I'd assume the Zulkir of Transmutation would take some glee in them being called something like such, since it's implied transmutation was involved.)

Death Knights of the Black Horn

The Charred Headspears

Fear Bringers of Thay

The Zulkir's Grudge

The Noble Deathsteeds

Generally something that inspires a bit of intimidation and admirability at the same time. Cavalry is an honorable position within a military that requires skill, an heir of confidence, fearlessness... These ladies should represent the best (noble) aspects of Thay, and worst (intimidating) aspects of Thay. :D

My question is will these be an implicit subfaction that a female legionnaire could profess in, or will they be a separate military faction entirely? Seems like they'd be a separate faction from what I'm reading, but it'd be really nice if a legionnaire upon getting to the rank of Sergeant or Lieutenant could transfer into 'em.

Also... How does this effect blackguards since they can't really get rid of their Blackguard mount? XD

[Animayhem]

Valkyre's of Venegence

Dark Equus

Dreaded Dames of Darkness

Masks of Red Death

Zulkirs' Angels

[Gatalis]

Zulkirs' Angels

Oooo. I like that one.

[Bela]

Yes, Like that.

Zulkis' Angels.

Zulkirs' Angels

Oooo. I like that one.

[Bishop Edward]

Each regiment would probably have it's own 'name' like the Sisters of Cyric, but the faction as a whole should be named something neutral, or not even have a name as a whole...

My suggestion would be:

Instead of saying something like "I want to join The Dread Unicorn Riders Company", instead have the joining PC's say "I want to train to become a black unicorn rider" and then have the PC division's name changeable by its PC leaders when they get to that point (top rank), or with a placeholder (chosen here?) while NPCs are the leaders, to set the tone.

Would be curious to know where they're located exactly, to suggest a starting name...

As a P.S. I think it would make sense to allow female legionnaires of a certain rank (lieutenant maybe?) to transfer into them, rather than being able to join them right away... since they're semi-prestigious (much less so than Thayan Knights, but still...)

[DarkRanger]

Definitely agree they should be a "promotion" faction rather than something you join straight from the beggar, or after a long independant career.

[Balanor]

Would be curious to know where they're located exactly, to suggest a starting name...

Thralgard Keep

[Bishop Edward]

Would be curious to know where they're located exactly, to suggest a starting name...

Thralgard Keep

Well then, isn't Thralgard Keep the gateway to Thaymount? How about the Thaymount Riders, then for a starting name?

I still think it should be changeable by PC leaders in the future...

[Karilynn]

Dark Damsels