Soldiers of Thay

[PallentisLunam]

The armies of Thay march, and the nations of Faerûn tremble. The Legion of Bone under the command of Szass Tam stretched out its skeletal hand towards the Free Cities of Unther across the Alamber Sea. As the Red Wizards of the Griffon Legion rained hell down upon the settlements, undead horrors marched through the streets. Already weak and fractious the fallen empire of Unther put up little resistance. The campaign was bloody, brutal, and swift. The free cities fell within a fortnight. In Messemprar, the former defacto capital of the fractured empire, an enclave was established. It was a slap in the face to the Northern Wizards who used to rule that city, they who pretended to be masters of the arcane.

Now comes the pacification of Unther, for while the nations armies were shattered and its government toppled the people are stiff-necked and strong-willed. They will not accept Thayan rule easily, and already there are rumors of a resistance group. The Zulkirs have convened and a compromise has been reached. Rather than upset the balance of power in Thay by making these conquered lands into a formal Tharch, they will remain an occupied territory and will serve as a testing ground for the empire's best and brightest. Those who don't survive this place, were not meant to. Thus your company was formed. You were equipped and set out across the sea with one mission. Bring this new land to heel under the boot of Thay, or suffer the consequences.

[Exthalion]

When the Tekton entered what remained of Unther he did so arrayed in splendor. His long hair and beard, uncut since his enslavement, were oiled, braided, and hung with adornments of gold. His garments were of dark, luxuriant purple worked with patterns in gold and embroidered with gold, and the hems were heavily edged with gold. His mantle was of stars and its shifting pattern was as the night sky so some mistook him for a constellation of golden stars come to walk among men. This was the Tekton of the golden collar, well-favored of Lauzoril, great among the slaves of Thay.

When the ship bearing the eight orbed banner of the conquers came in sight the nobles, soldiers, scholars, sorcerers, and officials made haste to receive him and those who also would be as lords over them. The Tekton mounted the waiting chariot and bid the Keeper of the Treasures to stand beside him so that he might question the native concerning the state and its affairs. Some slaves saw him riding and bowed for he had the look of one before whom men are safest on their knees.

Then spake he to the scholars and the officials charged with the collection of taxes and the overseers of irrigation and commanded that the books and records be brought to him for scrutiny.

Looking for the best information they can give me on agricultural productivity, fishing yields, and such mining as there is. Also would like census and tax records and from it the demographic data on the number and approximate quality of various artisans who produce both domestic goods and those suitable for export (or tribute). Finally, the current state of both the treasury and outstanding obligations including the expected tribute to Thay. Ideally in rough GP numbers so I can begin targeting industries for investment.

In addition, I want to know the current state of law, Thayan imposed martial and otherwise, the current number, training level, and assignments of the soldiery and the condition of the fortification. I am planning to use the code of Enlil as the basis for a provisional legal system with an additional emphasis on rewards for meritorious service once its has been translated from case law to something more explicit.

While this is going on they can get my workshop setup.

[bookworm913]

Adora followed the Tekton about 50 paces behind him. She knew automatically what he was and knew his station, while still a slave, was a lot higher than hers. She wore no splendor. Only her plain pants and tunic with her bow and arrows on her back and her sword at her side. However, her facial tattoo marked her as a Thayian slave so people still moved out of her way. Adora stood near the carriage the Tekton entered and if he looked at her, she bowed from the waist, paused, then stood upright again. She never quite looked him in the eyes, but stood ready to assist him if he required it.

Please someone let me know if my post contains any errors. I'm not sure I fully understand what is going on or where the Tekton is. Thank you.

[CozJa]

Finally reaching the newly occupied realm, Chorin Koth, the powerful enchanter, was happy to pass as most unnoticed as possible: he waited for many of the passengers of the ship to come down, then, with his cloak on, hastened to the palace "Let the light to those who need to be seen" He thought, while looking at the Tekton, the powerful slave who thought of himself as too much, at least for Chorin: with his long hair, and that ostentatious vest... "You belong to Thay, but you are not from Thay... not at all" he tought, maybe with a touch of envy mixed with contempt.

At the palace, he was ready to organize himself: when in the palace, he asked for one of the most luxurious chambers, looking for a place where he could both live and pursue his arcane studies.
After that, he ordered his netherese servant "Blackskin" Mehn to prepare a list of the most powerful arcanist prisoner of the thayans.

Second in his list of things, was the task to register every possible mercenary company, or warrior group in the city, be it a group of guards or of higly skilled killers.

"And the drow..." he muttered to himself "I saw a drow on the ship... I must find him."

[bookworm913]

Adora, watches Chorin enter the palace but waits until he is settled in his room. Shortly after he enters the room, he hears a knock on the door. Once it opens, she bows low from her waist and says, "My lord, I belong to Arrent Kaer, Red Wizard of Enchantment and I have been made available for your use as well as the other wizards here. My name, if you wish to use it, is Adora. Is there anything I may do for you sir?" All this was said as she remains bowed and waiting his answer.

She wears very simple clothes, like the other commoners in the town, but not ragged. Her weapons she already deposited in the simplest room she could find. She wears no collar but has a large slave tattoo that covers her right cheek.

[BananaPhone]

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh483/tempestII/6cddb986-b430-4fe9-bb76-9d3461464309.jpg Anara Tsung


Anara sighed heavily as she watched the blasted ruins of Unthur materialise upon the horizon, her thick, dark hair carried behind her in the gentle grasp of the sea wind. Pursing her lips, narrowing her eyes, the youthful wizard allowed her shoulders to slump with exhaustion while tapping one foot upon the ships deck and shaking her head.

"Is something amiss, madam? Yes?" Hortword asked from behind, his stooped and demure voice barely creaking out of his decrepit, hunched frame as the gulls cawed in the sky above.

"There are many things amiss, Horty," Anara answered, eyes fied on Unthur, "the fact that I'm not a millionaire married to Sir Jaxon the Handsome with six children is a constant thorn in my side."

"Yes, yes of course, madam!" Hortword exclaimed, rubbing his claw-like hands together and snickering to himself.

"Everything has already been packed and ready for our departure! I must say though, yes, that the crew did a splendid job. Yes, yes they did. Quick and on the ball, I say! Yes."

Still not taking her gaze away from Unthur, Anara's response was short, "Wonderful...", as the salted wind seeped a little deeper into the blood red fabric of her beautiful, voluminous robe.

To others the broken shapes of Unthur would have been just another town that had unwisely stood up to its superiors and paid the price in blood and soil. But for Anara, etched as she was in the finery of her rising station, all that lay before her were the rocks of the eternal shore that drew her closer to their jagged, ruinous crags. She knew what failure here meant...

...but not quickly enough.

"Well now, isn't this a laugh!"

Anara's shoulders flinched at the voice of her other traveling companion whose mindless optimism elevated the timbre of an already excitable tone.

"Over the sea we go! Into the lands beyond and destined for adventure!" he squawked as his tall, thin image came into view. A well-dressed man by any measure, his wide eyes and gaping mouth left little to the imagination as to what lay between his ears.

"Darren, please! I say please!" Hortword spoke up, "the madam is trying to enjoy the moment! Yes!"

Or at least the thought of drowning, Anara thought silently to herself.

"Oh is she really?!" Darren perked up, "Room for two there, old girl?" he grinned as he took several long strides to appear by Anara's side. Coming to a halt, the tall man abruptly reacted as if he had just been poleaxed - gasping in surprise with arms to his side.

"Good gods - what a view! Oh what fun - can you believe it, Annie? We're going there! We're going to spend months there! Oh I'm so excited! This is ball-bouncingly good fun!" he beamed.

"Darren, please!" Hortword fretted.

Pursing her lips and resisting the urge to stab the an, Anara exhaled gently as the ship pulled into the harbor and brought itself alongside the dock.

"Where were pirates when you needed them..." she said quietly.

"Oh!" Darren exclaimed again, "could you picture us together, fighting off the mangy brutes of the sea's? Captured. Tortured. Only to escape and swim back to our ship and salvage it! I could even die heroically to save you, Annie! Could you picture that? I'd gargle my last words: remember me!" he grinned happily.

Finally the departure plank extended and Anara took her first step forward onto new land while muttering "Hope springs eternal, Darren."

[CozJa]

Chorin turns toward the unexpected visitor.
"You are one of Kaer pets? I see he's been unable to teach you not to enter in a place uninvited." he says, with a annoyed tone, then stops, looking at the shifter and examining her like a piece of furniture.
"Uhm... You look like you'd be more at ease in a gladiator fight than in a castle...
the Red wizard advances, telling Adora to raise her head

Tell me... Adora... what abilities you can bring to this mission? Are you here only to be the eyes and ears of your master, or you intend to earn more?"

[bookworm913]

Adora avoided his eyes (ooc: i'm assuming she has been told she could stand upright from her bow?) and said, "Sir, forgive me. My orders were to assist you and the other wizards. I couldn't do that very well waiting outside the palace when no one knew I was out there. (ooc: she didn't enter his room, if that's what he meant) As for my skills, I am weretouched and I have been trained as a thief. I can also use a short sword and bow fairly well." Adora pauses, considering his words. She replied in a softer voice, "I would like to earn more, sir. What did you have in mind?" Her voice is hesitant, like she is interested, but fears what his answer will be.

[CozJa]

Chorin was talking about knocking and opening, even if she didn't enter... those Red Wizards are jacka*** :smallbiggrin:
He raises and eyebrow, looking at Adora
"You may... be of help, indeed, I suppose that this country will be full of interesting artifacts, and two more hands to take those...
He stops for a moment, thinking if he is not talking too much to a lowly slave, and considering that the property of an enchanter will surely be controlled in some way. At least that's what Chorin would do.

I will surely find an use for you. But, how about your master, why he sent you here?"

[bookworm913]

Master Kaer is upset with me. After my punishment, she shudders at the memory, he sent me here, saying he figured you other wizards would teach me respect. She drops her eyes lower, knowing that although she was owned by another, any wizard could do pretty much what they liked to her without too much fear.

[PallentisLunam]

The learned men of Unther attend Tekton and answer his questions as best they can.

Farming, fishing, ranching, and most other food production activities have been heavily disrupted by the invasion. Where the Free Cities of Unther had previously imported about twenty percent of their food they now import well over fifty percent. Farms also produced various textiles, linen, cotton, wool and others. These too are in short supply. Finally, Unther was the region's primary producer of seed oils. Those have stopped flowing as well.

Their mining industry, quite robust before, is foundering heavily, the workers are resistant to the idea of providing resources to their conquerors and this has been exacerbated by the confiscation of many of their tools, which could be repurposed as weapons or used to aid those besides their rightful Thayan rulers. Before, Unther produced vast quantities of precious metals, platinum, gold, and silver, as well as incredible amounts of high quality iron, steel, copper, and lead among other minerals.

One industry that has not been heavily affected is the ceramics trade. The clay fields are well off the beaten paths of the armies and the kilns, remarkably, were undamaged by the fighting in the cities.

During the last census, four years ago, the Free Cities boasted a population of somewhat over four million. Tax revenues collected last year were about one hundred and fifty million gp. The country is overwhelmingly peopled by humans with some small dwarf and halfling communities.

There are more than enough workers, both skilled and unskilled, to go around especially considering the crippled industries.

The treasury has been utterly depleted by the war with Thay and the previous government's attempts to keep Untherian gold out of Thayan hands. The current balance is sitting at a few million gp. Thay expects a tribute equal to 15% of last years taxes within 6 months.

Thayan leaders have been lenient so far. Only a few dozen public executions. Citizens are free to move about within their cities but not to leave or congregate in groups of more than five. All subjects are to submit fully to any Thayan citizen upon pain of death. There are approximately one hundred thousand experienced, professional Thayan troops occupying the country, supported by fifteen thousand undead minions. There are tens of thousand Untherian collaborators both hidden within the population and serving as native peacekeepers. Most major cities and fortifications have been repaired to the point where they could withstand prolonged siege.


Chorin's assistant, Asrtar, sneers contemptuously at Adora as he pushes past her into the room. "Koth, I will not work in these conditions! They are absolutely barbarous! These pathetic worms cannot even set up a workshop correctly. They put the alchemist's station right next to the crucible. It's as though they are trying to kill us all!"

[Exthalion]

The Tekton considered as the reports were brought in, making a few notes for himself after directing the scribes to compile a complete report and prepare copies for the Red Wizards on whose ship he had also arrived. To this report he also added his own recommendations.


Thy slave, called the Tekton, dares to speak:

Thy slave has heard: "Who knows not but speaks, is not wise. Who knows but speaks not, is not loyal. Any minister, if not loyal, must be condemned to death. If what he speaks be not true, he must be condemned to death, too." However, thy servant begs to speak all he has heard and entreats Your Excellence to convict him of whatever crime.

The affairs of Unther are in disarray and quite calamitous results will occur without the excellent governance only the best of Thay are able to provide.

In immediate days the lack of stores of food, the disruption of agriculture, and the excellent duty of providing for the great soldiers of Thay shall cause the people to become hungry. As the servants of nature are few, the servants of gods scattered, and the items of magic conducive to agriculture are employed already for the glory of Thay, no means exist to extract bounty from the land until the trodden fields are reseeded and the harvest come in. Therefore, it is suggested that such watercraft, sailors, and fishermen as remain be employed at once to begin collection of fish and shellfish to provide for the people. In addition, for such crops as do not possess sufficient time to grow to a proper harvest it is recommended to plant such crops as lettuce, green onion, and others noted on an included list which can be brought to an edible state in one or two months.

Besides this, thy slave begs to say: in the coming months the lack of funds, the displacement of workers, and the state of other industries will make it difficult to provide the most generous repayment to Thay for their efforts to liberate Unther from its former, corrupt, rulers and to develop Unther into a useful and productive servant of Thay. Thy slave presents the following proposals to your judgement:

That the code of laws, which was formerly in disarray, be codified and made publicly available. By making clear both rewards and punishments the people shall know what is expected of them and be able to exert themselves properly for the glory of Thay. The local document titled "the code of Enlil" is suggested as a starting point so as to cultivate the acceptance of the people, though of course such changes as are necessary will be made prior to its publication.
The rectification of the mines and miners by means of assurances and proper investments. If the miners are promised that the products of their labor will be distributed only to craftsmen of Unther it will counter their resentment. By means of loans to said craftsmen thy administration may reap profit from these enterprises without directly taking possession of the base metals. Moreover, tools will be necessary in order to perform useful work and foundries and smelters should be located near to the place of extraction. To prevent the fomentation of rebellion it is suggested that the families of the miners and workers be provided housing near the new facilities at a remove form the place of mining and soldiers stationed there as proof against sabotage and dissent.
That, given the lack of currency, both to pay out wages and salaries to thy servants and for the repayment of Thay's generosity, it is suggested that scrip and promissory notes be issued for the payment of local servants as well as loans and grants to workmen. In order to facilitate the acceptance of such notes it is recommended that taxes be accepted additionally or exclusively in the form of such notes. The lack of currency prevents also the purchase of goods between traders and merchants which serves to depress the productive ability of the nation.
That thy administration attain interest by means of purchase in the ceramics industry so as to set targets of production and standards of quality. As this industry currently serves as the most viable source of products for export and so the influx of new wealth it is vital that it be nurtured. Moreover, similar influence in the other stages of production and distribution could facilitate efficiency by allowing better planning and remove the number of intermediaries who normally extract a living from the difference in prices.


Moreover, thy slave prays your leave to comment: in the years which are to come, there must be a restoration of agriculture and local industry, and a development past prior levels. The importation of food produces a significant strategic weakness in that shipments could severed should a hostile force gain control of the sea between Unther and Thay or induce piracy in the same. It is not feasible to totally end reliance on the bounty of Thay, for no doubt many are the worthy lords of Thay who benefit from it. However, a transition of local growing to grains such as millet in previously underutilized soils, could allow the worthies of Thay to provide foodstuffs of higher price and quality to their enrichment. The production of Unther former lacked proper production of steel owing to the mismanagement of the so-called god Gilgeam and so such should be nurtured for the production of improved domestic goods such as metal shod plows to improve cultivation. In addition, the city of Messemprar was once the largest of the cities of Unther and a major port of trade. If we facilitate the coming and going of merchants with safe waters, well-maintained port facilities, and sufficient storage for goods as well as reasonable duties it would constitute a significant source of wealth both directly in the form of tariffs and in the secondary increase of taxation from the enrichment of the people.

In conclusion, thy slave abases himself before you to ask leave to begin institution of the proposed policies and activities on your behalf.

[CozJa]

Chorin laughs when his servant enters pushing away Adora: "You see slave? He knows who to respect and who to disrespect!"

Listening to Asrtar words, the Red Enchanter answers him: "Well, maybe they are trying to kill us... that's what happens during wars! Let's see... You" He says to Adora,
"Go fetch the scintillating slave, he should take charge of ordering things for us meanwhile..." He says turning to Arstar
"Let's go to this workshop and see what can be done!"

[bookworm913]

Adora clenches her jaws when she is pushed aside. She doesn't make any movements to show she heard Chorin's words about his servant. But when he commands her again, she bows and says, As you command, my lord.

She leaves Chorin and soon finds Tekton. Knocking on his door, she waits for him to open it and bows. I am Adora, slave to Arrent Kaer Red Wizard of Enchantment. He has sent me to assist all the Red Wizards here. Red Wizard Chorin wishes to see you. I can show you to his room.

[Exthalion]

"It seems I am fortunate, to be granted an opportunity to deliver my suggestions in person. Please lead on."

Tekton considered it almost a certainty that this was posturing on the part of Wizard Chorin. He did not judge, or even particularly disapprove. Image was important, it communicated with an unconscious glance more than a volume of well-reasoned text could. It was only proper that the people see that even splendid and mighty as he was that he bowed readily to Thay and the representatives of Thay.

Yet in the center of sages or on his knees before a Red Wizard his mind was free to be wherever it chose to be. As he ran through the reports of commerce and industry he considered ways to generate the revenue necessary to cover the massive tribute owed to Thay. The only immediate option open to him was the ceramics works and craftsmen. So, how to turn mud to gold? Put that way the answer was obvious, magic. So the Tekton began to think about his magic.

Tekton fell at once to his knees and lowered his face until his forehead touched the ground. "This unworthy slave makes bold to ask thy will that it may be done."

[CozJa]

After Chorin apprentice opens the door, he can see Tekton kneeling before him, satisfied at this recognition of his power.

"Rise up, humble servant. Your work is needed. It looks like the local workshop is a mess, and I am in dire need of it. It must be brought to a high level of functionality! Have you already started working in upgrading this damn place?"

[Exthalion]

Tekton rose but stayed respectfully bowed with his hands together before him, not looking the Red Wizard in the eye.

"May it please my august lord that this servant has begun the preparations for a proper working space. With regret, there has yet to be confirmation from your honored peer, the other red wizard dispatched to Unther, regarding her own needs and this has created difficulty for the servants in outfitting the spaces, especially where there are not enough of a particular item."

The servant bowed low again in apology.

"An it please you, this, your servant, will personally oversee the provisioning of all facilities for your use. An you grant any instruction it shall surely be accomplished according to your exact wishes, else all shall be done to the standards of Lauzoril my master."

[bookworm913]

Adora, sensing she is no longer needed, bows and leaves Tekton and Chorin, looking for any other Red Wizards in the palace and just exploring it in general.