@TheEdVerseA few questions for you, wise sage: 1.) What the circumstances behind Manshoon somehow convincing his first beholder ally to work with him and not just destroy him? 2.) Beholders have often acted as Zhent allies, but do the Red Wizards ever utilise them? and 3.) 1/2 Back to my zulkir questions, has a mind flayer ever impersonated or controlled a zulkir of Thay, and what was the story behind it so doing? Thank you as always!
— Matthew Dawkins (@clackclickbang) February 19, 2020
1)
The young, ambitious Manshoon magically farscried (spied on) some beholders he knew dwelt not far west and northwest of Zhentil Keep, to see if they were as interested in influencing/meddling with the affairs of humans as he )
…suspected. He was right, they were (wielding power being what they thirsted for more than aught else, with manipulating the unaware a close second), and they were concentrating on the Moonsea area with its lucrative…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 20, 2020
3)
…mining/metals trade.
So he magically prepared with mantles and wardings he altered to protect himself against beholder eyestalk powers, notably their anti-magic rays. How? Well, those few who know how can ‘fold’ the Weave in 4)
…a small at-hand area so area-effect and aimed spells hurled at a target will be misdirected into the (invisible) fold, leaving the target, just beyond the fold, unaffected).
This allowed Manshoon to visit the beholders he’d…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 20, 2020
5)
…judged as suitable allies and survive their attacks long enough for them to hear him out as he sought to convince them he could be their tool (to work on humans where their direct personal presence would cause6)
…fear/hate/headlong flight). So certain of the eye tyrants took a chance on working with him, were very impressed with the results and with the organization (the Zhentarim) he was building and how they could use it as a…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 20, 2020
7)
…widespread extension of their own schemes and wills, and became his allies. Taming the priests of Bane Manshoon couldn’t dominate by himself, or with the assistance of Fzoul (who has gained from the strivings of others for 8)
…his entire life). The beholders exulted at how this extended their reach, making them truly influential across Faerûn, and also took note of how careful Manshoon was to obey them precisely, hide nothing from them, and…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 20, 2020
9)
…sugar-coat nothing, so their trust in him grew. “A willing and attentive thrall,” the beholder Xuuvarathar described him, to other eye tyrants.
In contrast to the Zhentarim, Red Wizards have battled with beholders, sought to 10)
…destroy them from afar often, and worked against their purposes and schemes (seeing them as rivals who must be destroyed). Only two zulkirs have ever allied with them, and these alliances were brief, disastrous, and ended…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 20, 2020
11)
…with the Thayans seeking to double-cross the eye tyrants—with (for all the Red Wizards involved) fatal results.
Mind flayers have never tried to impersonate zulkirs, so far as I know, but they have tried—with very little 12)
…success—to control zulkirs. Instead, they often try to influence the decision-making and deeds of zulkirs by feeding them misinformation through pawns and false rumors, and this betimes succeeds well, and betimes meets…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 20, 2020
13)
…with mixed results. One beholder, Qlevulxultha, is known to view Red Wizards as toys to played with.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 20, 2020