Reef-Toothed Fish
The Shield of M(b)yrien was a fortified town beside a harbor lake. Naturally steep mountains surrounded it on three sides, forming a barrier, while a river flowing into the sea and a harbor provided an inner port. On top of that, the fortifications, walls, and watchtowers built by the elite Harpers guarded the town, already easy to defend and hard to attack. It had earned the proud name "the Shield of M(b)yrien."
After more than ten days of traveling and fooling around, little Annie, Holga, Simon, Doric, and the still somewhat reluctant Edgin had finally arrived safely at their destination.
As soon as they arrived, Annie cheered and ran ahead to play in the noisy, bustling harbor market. In the blink of an eye, she was gone.
Edgin, Simon, and the others naturally saw no reason to stop her or worry. They simply began wandering around the unexpectedly prosperous town, trying to find their target—the Thayan Paladin named Xenk Yendar.
Why someone from Thay, a people renowned for their "evil," could become a Paladin was anyone's guess.
At any rate!
People knew only that Thay was a mysterious and powerful nation in eastern Faerûn, ruled by a cabal of magical oligarchs. It had long been governed by the Zulkirs of the Red Wizards, so people usually couldn't help associating Thayans with the evil Red Wizards.
And, by the same token, seeing an evil Red Wizard made people think of Thayans!
Especially in the late fifteenth century, after the country came under the rule of the Zulkir of the necromancy school, the Lich Szass Tam, and the Zulkir Council. Their boundless pursuit of arcane knowledge and power made the nation and its people as frightening and detestable as their notorious, dark history.
"As long as I exist, slavery will