Chapter 16: Mission to Thay - Rise of Tiamat

Chapter 16: Mission to Thay. Early during his rise to power, Severin enlisted the aid of a group of Thayan exiles in his scheme to return Tiamat to the world. He needs the Red Wizards' expertise in the rituals that will open the portal between Tiamat's home on Avernus and the Well of Dragons. Without the Red Wizards, Severin's plan can't succeed. The Red Wizards enlisted by Severin are among the many exiled Thayans who have fled the rule of Szass Tam, the lich lord of Thay, and his council of undead zulkirs. So great is the lich lord's wrath that all such exiles are under a sentence of death. The leader of the Red Wizard exiles allied with Severin is Rath Modar, a human illusionist. Though he has no particular bond with dragons, Rath Modar believes that when Tiamat returns, she will be willing to do favors for those who supported her. In comparison to the feeble members of the Cult of the Dragon, who offer Tiamat devotion but little else, the Red Wizards who opened the gate for her can wield great magical power in her name. All Modar plans to ask in return is the Dragon Queen's aid in overthrowing the hated Szass Tam and restoring Thay to its former glory. Rath Modar and his splinter sect refer to their movement as the Thayan Resurrection. The Enemy of My Enemy At the start of this chapter, the characters are summoned to a secret meeting by someone they trust on the Council of Waterdeep. At the meeting, they learn that the council has been approached by a Red Wizard of Thay named Nyh Ilmichh. Ilmichh has extended an invitation to the council to send an envoy to Thay, to discuss ways in which Thay and the Sword Coast might aid each other during the current crisis. The adventurers have been specifically requested to represent the Sword Coast at this meeting, after which the characters will be returned to Waterdeep unharmed. The visit to the embassy will last only a few days, but the location of the meeting is not negotiable. The duties of the tharchion (a Thayan go...