Thayan Enclave Volunteers

[Razgriz]

I do not know if this has been discussed before so...

We have the Great Gaunt Volunteers for low level characters of all alignments and classes, but after level six or so every charatcer who wishes to remain in the Volunteers must swear the oath and recieve their private badge. Now, some evils/chaotics/neutrals do not care about this at all, but then some others do.

Since The Bonemaster arrived, and then War with Sembia or the Red Fever plots started, the GG vols missions have been less random and more related to what is happening everywhere in Cormyr. This helps characters to get involved in the future and gives them goals too. However, sometimes these goals are somewhat one sided because the GG vols are in favor of Cormyr after all.

So, I was thinking that perhaps having "Thayan musters" for low level characters could be fun. There, the vols/mercs/thayan supporters could complete DM driven missions, similar to the GG vols ones to further Thay's cause in Cormyrian soil. The missions themselves could be about anything related to the bigger plots out there, or also about random things like fighting orcs that came to raid the enclave. Maybe this will require more DMs and might get some time to get started, so probaly will not happen if there are no DMs available or with enough free time to run such events regularly.

Thoughts/ideas?

[wolfbran]

...Anything of real importance to the Thayans would be done quietly, and kept quiet. They would not let run-of-the-mill mercenaries, or Greatgaunt Volunteers in on anything sensitive. The Enclave has several high circle Wizards, Clerics, and a lot of Thayan Knights, so common orcs "raiding" the Enclave would be pitiful, and easily dispatched. The only thing that would be irritating is anything around their supply lines, taking out caravans and so forth. It would have to be for Thayans, and Thayans only, because if it looked like the Thayans couldn't handle their own affairs, that wouldn't look so good, now, would it? Caravans the Thayans would send would be escorted by I'd like to say three to five Knights, so an attack on any supply line would still be protected, realistically. The Thayans have many men.

But yes, the Greatgaunt Volunteer events are very one-sided, when an Evil is given the chance to show his true colors, the entire group shanks them. I've often thought and even once suggested events run for Thayans, however the only way I can see working, is if you had someone dedicated to the Thayans and the RP behind it. It doesn't take more than one DM to put on a good show for a few players, you'd just need someone with a few hours of spare time on their hands to evaluate the situation with the Thayans as represented on FRC, and put some planning into a plot or mini-events. I would be against just any DM taking up the reins of the Enclave's plot(s), not because I don't believe some of the DMs couldn't do it, but because I think the DM would need to be familiar with the "Thayan food chain" and their RP, and to have read sources like Unapproachable East, which if I remember correctly tells you a bit about everything. If I'm mistaken on that, that book was just an example.

[Lady Frost]

My opinion is that everyone fits well enough into the GG volunteers that I don't think anything else is needed. Evil can flourish as well as good. The only thing that can't really flourish is stupid evil and I'm not interested in seeing support for that anyhow. I really don't want this conversation to drop into a good vs evil or what is good evil roleplay so I won't go deeper into it, but I think that evil characters, who are RP'd realistically, can fit into the volunteers just fine. Can they openly show their true colors? Probably not, but is that surprising inside Cormyr anyhow?

[Razgriz]

Good points, maybe overlooked by me cause I don't play evil with such dedication to see what is needed or not. Probably not right now, so fair enough.

[PhatDorf]

I've managed to bring two of my ebils into the volunteers and had a lot of fun RPing them there, as well as some more sketchy neutrals. It's not like the character actually -does- have to care about the well being of Greatgaunt anyway. (Tsk tsk *fingerwaggle* if they swore oaths, but that's IC anyway.)

And really, Greatgaunt is central to a lot of people anyway. It's that place we meet up, whether we like it or not. I know my baddies would fight things trying to wipe it off the map. Just have their own plans and motivations while they're doing that.

[DOT]

Sounds fun, but just a note, it doesnt have to be evil exclusive , along with alexia, ahmed and she did a random 'defend the trade routes to the enclave bit with some other pcs. Was uneventfully easy, but fun.

[Deleted]

Merc, I think it's a great idea. "Thayan Volunteers" after the same fashion as the Greatgaunt volunteers may not be the thing to do, but I do agree that things are quite one-sided, and a bit of variety could only be a good thing. I can easily imagine Thay sponsoring adventurers to go forth and do "good" things in an effort to improve Thay's image, or who knows what someone can come up with. And then moral dilemmas and role play opportunity between PC's who disagree on whether it's good to work for Thay or not.  And so on.  I think it can only be good to stir the pot a bit.

[DOT]

Apr 17, 2014 19:00:06 GMT -5 @sharauvyn said:

Merc, I think it's a great idea. "Thayan Volunteers" after the same fashion as the Greatgaunt volunteers may not be the thing to do, but I do agree that things are quite one-sided, and a bit of variety could only be a good thing. I can easily imagine Thay sponsoring adventurers to go forth and do "good" things in an effort to improve Thay's image, or who knows what someone can come up with. And then moral dilemmas and role play opportunity between PC's who disagree on whether it's good to work for Thay or not.  And so on.  I think it can only be good to stir the pot a bit.

I do recall dm hawk running one event in the past, but i do like the idea of maybe a few more faction sponsored events ... moral dilemmas ftw!