[Balanor]

“You’re certain the agents we have helped place have the necessary skills to complete these tasks?,” the firm voice of authority asked menacingly.

“Without a doubt, my master,” the woman’s voice, while confident, replied with a slight tinge of fear and respect in it.

An uncomfortable pause lengthened into a several minute period of silence. Finally the authoritative voice resumed the conversation, “And you will be monitoring progress closely, I trust. There will not be another Velsharoon among them who finds what these clues point to, circumvents us, and makes our leaders look like fools again, correct?”

“No master,” the woman replied firmly, “I will be watching progress among our unsuspecting agents and try to help those who need it to ensure none become too knowledgeable about the trail or gather all the suspected clues without the help of others.”

“I have no doubt you will for your life depends on it, Naglatha - and I will be watching you. We must know to where these clues point and the ‘treasure’ of which it speaks. With at least 20 steps to follow, you will need to enlist the aid of many of those we’ve placed and ensure they reach it before the others we know who are after it.”

“Yes, my master. I and our agents will not fail the Vengeful,” Naglatha replied adamantly, setting her jaw and nodding her raven-haired head.

“I trust you will not. The reputation of the Arcane Circle is at stake here. Go now and ensure the first of the few clues we have is replaced back where it was found in the Canalside in time for the festivities of Loviatar. The hunt for the greatest treasure in Thay begins there...”

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The Vengeance are back and need your help - whether you want to provide it or not. ;) The start of this campaign will coincide with player-planned festivities in the Eltabbar Canalside on June 10 at 6:00 PM CST, and is primarily in celebration of an awesome game that has given me 10 years of enjoyment: Neverwinter Nights! Therefore this adventure is going to be a massive hunt for the greatest treasure in Thay - which will contain rewards among the best ever seen in the PW (you only turn 10 once, right?).

This campaign is different from the previous campaigns I have run in that it is completely open. You do not need to make the first, all, or any DM-led events to contribute and stake your claim to at least some of the treasure once all clues are assembled and it is discovered. But with that said, there will be several future campaign events announced here in this thread if you would like to participate in DM-led events for this adventure.

But the best part is that many of the clues needed to locate this treasure can be found outside of scheduled DM-led event times. However, those involved *will* need to find others to help them. I can guarantee not one individual or one group is going to find all the necessary clues. So poke around ICly to find out how the story is progressing, make alliances, agreements, copies, plan betrayals, find out who has what clues, get your coin out to buy the clue from Player X who is the only one that has a copy of it, thoroughly search places that may not be commonly traveled locations*, and do as much or as little as you like outside of DM-led events to stake your claim to the greatest treasure of Thay.


*Note that clues which can be found on your own will not be available in these locations until after the initial event on June 10.

[Balanor]

“Steps 16 through 19 have been recovered by our agents or those acting on their behalf,” Naglatha’s informant whispered quietly in her ear as she sat in thought at her desk. “However the trail seems to have gone cold as we have not received word of any others being found within nearly a tenday.”

With a nod and wave of her hand, the man melted back into the darkness.

She frowned and shook her head. Perhaps it was time to accelerate the plan. Others were closing in, and their interference could delay or even disrupt reaching the ultimate goal.

“Milos!” she snapped, calling for her guard. The overweight eunuch-looking man appeared through the door and made his way quickly to her. He stood alertly at her side as she took several minutes to compose her message.

“Make sure this discretely finds its way to the hand of the Tharchioness. It shouldn’t be a problem with her network of spies. But she must not know it comes from us. However, the results of her action on it should help move this process along.”


The next event for this campaign will be held on Saturday, June 16 starting at 2:00 PM CST and should run for no more than 3 hours. PCs of all levels are welcome to attend.

[Balanor]

Naglatha, despite her resolve, could feel her knees weakening after reporting the slow progress, once again, to her master.

“I told you I expected progress since we last met, but once again you dare tell me only step 7 is the only addition to the previously recovered clues?” his dark voice taking on a dangerously low and disappointed tone as he spoke.

“Master,” she tried to explain with a hint of desperation in her voice “My agents are working as fast as they can.”

“Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them,” came the master’s dark reply “And you.” A moment’s pause ensued, followed by something that felt like a brick wall slamming into Naglatha and throwing her across the Tower’s room to land in a senseless heap.

“I WARNED YOU NOT TO RETURN TO ME WITH NEWS THAT ONLY SHOWS YOUR INCOMPTENCE!!!,” the master’s scream echoed as he continued to pummel Naglatha with spells to within an inch of her life. Storming over to his massive throne, he threw himself down into it, brooding as Naglatha’s dying form lay over a growing pool of blood.

His thoughts turned inward upon the plans she had recently laid out to spur action amongst her unsuspecting agents. A false Red Wizard was about to have his fate come crashing down around him, and she had felt it was the perfect opportunity to get more agents working to obtain the clues. What was his name again? Uzan? Blackie? Kaiser? Maurin? It didn’t matter, he decided. After having heard her plan, perhaps it would work. Perhaps.

He sighed as he pointed to Naglatha’s body and motioned his trembling apprentice over to her side to staunch the flow of blood. He would be merciful this day. One more chance for Naglatha, he thought, before he took matters into his own hands.


The next event for this campaign will be held on Thursday, June 28 starting at 9:00 PM CST and should run for no more than 2 hours. PCs of all levels are welcome to attend. My apologies to our European players as I know this is a bad time for you. Some future campaign events should be more schedule-friendly, and if you can't make this one, you can still participate by finding the non-event clues that are already waiting for anyone to find and claim them.

[Balanor]

The informant’s eyes bulged, a gurgling sound coming from his mouth as he desperately clawed for air against the invisible grasp that was crushing his throat shut. With one last pitiful sound, the man collapsed in a heap at Naglatha’s feet.

“Apology accepted, Captain Needle” she snarled. “I know from this point forward you will no longer provide me out-of-date details about the one task set before you. And I will no longer suffer for you incompetence.”

Several tendays before, she had almost died because of the fool’s inability to reach her and provide the update she desperately needed to avoid her master’s wrath. Now, she would have to find a more responsive individual to keep her abreast of the situation. But first, she had more pressing matters.

She closed her eyes and thought for a moment at the progress the Vengeful’s agents had made, and how much she now wished to go back to her master and gloat. But time for that later. With the dead man’s update, she was confident now that steps 2 through 7, 11, 13, and steps 16 through 19 had been recovered. However, it sounded as though one of the agents involved had gathered most of those found and was keeping the secret well. Perhaps too well.

The end of the hunt was drawing near, and no one person should command all the pieces of the puzzle or disaster would strike. It was time to involve others.

“Milos,” she turned to her eunuch guard “Prepare yourself. You are leaving for Bezantur within the day. The next nudge is needed and I know just whom you can leverage there to give it.”


The next event for this campaign will be held on Sunday, July 8 starting at 3:00 PM CST. If you have not joined in any of the events for this campaign before, this would be a good one to consider as the Vengeful will be particularily interested in 'new blood' to the campaign. It may be a combat heavy, so PCs above 5th level are recommended if you wish to join.

[dremora]

Question but what time is 3PM CST in GMT?

[Wids]

That would be 9:00 PM GMT.

[Balanor]

The captain of the Crystal Ball reclined easily in his captain’s chair.

“So I sail to this point in the Alamber, destroy the pirate flagship there, and that’s it?” he asked with a skeptical smirk on his face. “And that’s all you’re paying me to do, correct?”

“Yes,” the Red Wizardess nodded with a disarming smile “But make sure you hire those mercenaries I have told you about. Pick up others too, if you wish. The imminent pirate attack on the Alaor must be prevented. There is no ship better suited to do so than the vaunted Crystal Ball to thwart the attack and save the Thayan fleet the trouble of doing so when Mulhorand has become such a threat on the seas.”

The captain tapped his chin for a moment and then decided he didn’t believe Naglatha. Her attitude, and the fact that a Red Wizard actually smiled at him, proved she was up to something more than ridding the Alamber of a pirate ship. However, the amount of gold she was offering to pay him for the mercenaries he was to recruit, along with what was left over to pay his crew, was indeed substantial. And after all, how much trouble could one pirate ship be?

“Alright,” he sighed and leaned forward to watch her reaction closely “I will put into port in Bezantur within the tenday, and we will leave once I have secured the mercenaries you inquired about. Discretely, as you asked, of course.”

Despite his best attempts to discern what she was thinking at that moment, Naglatha remained stone faced and rose with only a nod. As she left his cabin, the captain couldn’t help but wonder if the Red Wizard had set him on a course from which Umberlee would finally claim him.


This event is the last of those necessary to find a Treasure of Thay clue only available with the assistance of a DM. Once completed the second (and shorter) stage of the campaign will begin as the final clues get uncovered and work begins to piece them all together for the ‘map’ to the treasure itself.

This event will be held on Sunday, July 15 starting at 3:00 PM CST (the same time as the previous week). PCs of all levels and previous involvement (or not) in the campaign are welcome to attend. The finaly DM clue will be up for grabs to any who attend...

[Balanor]

Naglatha’s new captain in charge of reconnaissance in Thay was practically glowing.

“All but three clues have been discovered!” he blurted without waiting for her command to speak. Pressing forward excitedly he explained “It appears there are two main groups that hold the majority, and it seems there have been some work between members of the two already.”

Naglatha nodded calmly, but her eyes betrayed the excitement she was feeling.

“Where do we believe the three remaining clues to be found?”

“Mistress,” he the captain answered hurriedly “Our agents have suspicions that two yet remain somewhere in the Keep of Sorrows and Tyraturos. However we are unsure of the location for the clue apparently found in the ‘Singer’s Stronghold’.”

“Then I suggest you THINK!,” Naglatha snarled, slamming her fist on the table “This has taken long enough and the end is almost in sight! Direct our agents to these clues within a tenday, or you will follow in your predecessor’s steps. Use Heraclos, or the ‘boy’, or the Tharchioness’ network again. Do whatever is needed to bring the hunt for clues to a close!

“And for good measure when the treasure is found, involve others now who have been only on the fringes of this hunt. Work to see they obtain a piece of the puzzle. The elf in particular.”

The captain’s face turned white as he bowed and left in a rush, anxious to avoid his mistress’ wrath. Once her agents had all the clues, then it remained to reconcile the holders to focus on the task of finding the treasure or else work out some arrangement to hand their clues over to those who did seek the treasure. That, she sighed inwardly, would be most difficult. Who, she wondered, would be up to the task...


The initial hunt for clues is drawing to a close! Tonight and over the next several days I will be holding impromptu events in the evenings (Central Standard Time) to help ‘nudge’ any players on toward the final three clues.

Once all clues have been obtained, I will post here again asking for those who have clues to send me a PM or e-mail. Expect an event next week (time to be posted) in which I’d like those people, or representatives of those people who hold the clues, to be available for an event that will determine final involvement in the actual treasure hunt. The treasure hunt itself will be spread over two events after the clues are brought together.

BUT - there is still time for new players/PCs to get involved in this campaign! Get online and look for the clues in the spots hinted at above and see if you can beat other people to them. Holding even one clue can get you a share of the Treasure of Thay if your PC figures out a way to use it as leverage over any that hold other clues!”

[Balanor]

All clues have been found! Congrats to the PCs involved and who now can move on to the final steps to locate the Treasure of Thay. To do this, all treasure clues must be pieced together. And to facilitate that, I would like to run one event in which all those with clues (or representatives of the groups that share clues) get together, find out who each is, and begin the hunt itself.

I would have time to do this either Wednesday or Thursday evening (CST) this week. If not this week, then Sunday, Monday, or Wednesday-Friday evenings of next week work for me as well. This will be the first, and likely shorter, of two events to end this campaign. We shouldn’t need more than about two hours for this first one - and the completed map can be followed after this event once everyone is together and hopefully working together to piece their clues together.

So, if you possess a clue, or are a member of a group that possesses clues, please PM me with what dates and times may work for you as well as what clues you possess.

If you are a member of a group that has clues, it is not vital you make this next event as long as someone else does who represents your group. The final event is the one you’ll want to be involved in if you want a piece of the treasure of Thay and I will post again for the final event date and time when the time comes for it - so don’t worry about that one now.