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Thayan bombard

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Thayan bombards,[8] also rendered as Thayvian bombards,[1][2][3] were mystical bombards developed by the Red Wizards of Thay.[1][2][3][4][5][8] Originally developed as a static defense,[5][6] but later occasionally put to use on naval vessels,[5][9] these rare siege engines were considered to be wonders of the 14th century DR.[1][2]

Description[]

Much like a standard bombard,[10] these weapons were made from cast iron,[1] but were held together by magic.[6] They were built in two sizes, light and heavy variant.[5] The light variant weighed 500 lb (230 kg),[7][5] while the heavy variant ranged in weight from 1,000​ to ​2,000 pounds (450​ to ​910 kilograms).[5][6][note 1] The heavy variant was comparably far larger than any standard bombard,[11] with some describing the hulking immobile sentries as being larger than any manor house in the city of Waterdeep.[1][2][12][note 2] They required either winches or giants in order to move them.[6]

Weaponology[]

Thayan bombards required a crew of four[8] to two human-sized individuals to operate them,[13], though a particularly gifted bombardier could potentially operate one single-handedly.[8]

The effective range of these weapons varied between their light and heavy variant. Light bombards had an effective range of 250 yards (230 meters), while heavy bombards had[5] a minimum range of 120 yards (110 meters) and a maximum range of 480 yards (440 meters).[1][2][5] Hampered by its immense size,[1][2] the heavy Thayan bombard had a comparably awful accuracy, but that was made up for with its devastating power.[1][2][6] It was incapable of being lowered to aim at anything closer than 120 yd (110 m),[2][5] while attempts to shoot them at targets further than 480 yd (440 m) found that their projectiles fell long before reaching the desired target.[2] Though the pirates of Dragonisle observed over time that it was technically possible to hit targets from greater distances, so long as they did fired their hollow spheres without any of the accompanying fire-fluid.[12]

Unlike standard bombards, Thayan bombards did not rely upon smokepowder and instead used their own mysterious powder, possibly their own variant on the substance.[6][14][note 3] The exact nature of how the bombards functioned and their propulsion were both a mystery to those outside of the Red Wizards, mysteries that were compounded by magic the Red Wizards placed over them to further conceal these trade secrets.[11]

Ammunition[]

In addition to the normal "stone shot" typically fired by bombards, Thayan bombards fired magical bombs.[7] The design of bomb used for much of the 14th century DR were large, hollow stone spheres, filled with a mysterious fluid.[1][2] This liquid was flammable ,[5][13] alchemical in nature,[13] and known only as "fire-fluid".[15] This fluid would ignite upon firing, becoming a blazing sphere[1][2] of blue fire[1] that exploded in a burst akin to a fireball.[5] However, these bombs could be inadvertently set off. Because of this precautions were often taken with storing them.[13] According to some accounts, a single one of these "fire bombs" was powerful enough to sink a warship.[16]

Development of other types of magical bombs, ones that could produce a greater variety of dangerous or noxious spell-like effects,[7] began in 1349 DR. Experiments with these would be conducted for the next two decades, until finally they were deemed ready to be mass produced on the plateau of Thaymount (a place secure from outsiders),[4] finally seeing widespread deployment in the early 1370's DR. These later bombs were thick spheres of glass, measuring 1 ft (0.3 m) in diameter and weighing 20 pounds (9.1 kilograms). Each bomb type had a distinct appearance, reflective of its effect. These effects were triggered and centered upon their point of impact, but for most bombs their effect would only activate if launched from a Thayan bombard. Some of the most common bomb varieties included the following:[7]

Cloudkill bomb
A bomb that imitated the effects of the spell cloudkill, though the noxious cloud created could not be moved. A bilious green liquid was visible within them. They had a market value of 1,125 gp.
Death bomb
A bomb that imitated the effects of the spell circle of death. These bombs had a black hue, were covered in sinister blue runes, and were cold to the touch. They had a market value of 1,650 gp.
Fireball bomb
The most common of bombs, these imitated the effects of the spell fireball. They were warm to the touch and emanated a dull red glow. They were available in three sizes, each having a higher intensity of damage than the last. The three variants of fireball bombs had market values of 375 gp, 450 gp, and 750 gp.
Snowball swarm bomb
A bomb that imitated the effects of the spell Snilloc's snowball swarm. These bombs had a blue hue and were covered in frost. They had a market value of 250 gp.
Stinking cloud bomb
A bomb that imitated the effects of the spell stinking cloud. A sickly yellow liquid was visible within these bombs. They had a market value of 375 gp.

History[]

Development on the Thayan bombard began after Thayan spies reported upon the testing of standard bombards that was being conducted on the island nation of Lantan,[4] the first recorded instance of which occurred in Year of Burning Steel, 1246 DR,[17][18] as the Red Wizards declared it was necessary for Thay to command such armaments themselves. The first experiments were conducted in 1312 DR. These experiments were quite disastrous, shredding some poor Red Wizards into little bits. The first successful experiment would be achieved in the Year of the Shadowtop, 1314 DR.[4]

The first offensive use of a Thayan bombard occurred in the Year of the Gulagoar, 1316 DR, against a group of living targets that Red Wizards had surrounded. This group was chosen as the Red Wizards were certain that they had no chance of escaping and it was considered critical that the weapon remained a secret.[4]

In the Year of the Bridle, 1349 DR, development began on a new variety of ammunition, glass bombs that could mimic spell effects other than simply fireball. Over the two decades that followed experiments would be conducted, first upon inanimate targets within Thay and later upon living targets along the nation's border with Mulhorand, such as brigands.[4]

Sometime long before 1356 DR,[19][note 4] the pirates of the Pirate Isles somehow obtained eight Thayan bombards,[1][2][note 5] making them the only entities outside of Thay to possess those wondrous weapons.[14] They stationed batteries on two of the fortresses that stood on Dragonisle, four for each,[1][2] making the central harbors of their main base incredibly well defended from outside attackers.[1][2][3][19][20] On the Citadel of Immurk's Hold each of these bombards were sat atop a free turning base, marked with 360 degree marks, and had a hand-screw mechanism that allowed them to be elevated from 45 to 85 degree angles. The hold's pirates ran daily drills to ensure their teams of human signal flag wavers and ogre bombardiers were quite efficient.[12]

However, this great defensive power for the Pirate Isles came at a great cost, for the Thayan bombards were reliant upon the fire-fluid [1][2][15] and precious powder needed to fire these weapons.[14] The pirates purchased both from the tharchioness of Bezantur,[15] Mari Agneh,[21] who parted with both precious substances at a high price.[1][2] Around 1359 DR, a small contingent of Gondar clerics were on Dragonisle, working with the pirates to discover if it was possible for the bombards to utilize Lantanna's smokepowder in place of the secret powder the bombards were designed to use.[14] This was all done in secrecy, for the Thayans highly valued the monopoly they had on the substances needed to use their bombards and would consider the pirates to be enemies if they were to find out about this treachery.[14][15]

Up until the 1360's DR,[4] the Thayans themselves rarely utilized the Thayan bombards outside of their own nation.[4][22] This was due to a combination of their extreme value, the great effort that was required to transport them,[22] and the Red Wizards' desire to keep them a secret. The Thayan bombard would finally see battlefield usage in the 1360's DR,[4] during Thay's campaigns against the nation of Rashemen. With the bombards Thayans managed to damage a wood man so severely that it was forced to retreat. However, the Thayan bombards were later overrun by Rashemaar berserkers, forcing the Thayans to retreat. From that day forward, Thayan bombards would see no further use in the nation's campaigns against Rashemen.[22]

Within Thay itself, dozens of Thayan bombards were stationed on the island tharch of Alaor,[9][23] which housed the nation's main naval base as well as extensive shipbuilding and repair facilities.[23] And whilst standard bombards were rarely ever utilized on ships, due to their lack of gun-carriages and destructive force sending most styles of ship rolling from side-to-side,[24] the Thayans managed to circumvent this by specially designing ships that could handle them.[5]

The first such ship was the Red Scourge, an impressive warship constructed of enameled red iron and magic.[25] It was outfitted with twenty four light bombards,[5][13][25] twelve on each side.[13][25] A Red Wizard was required to be stationed on the ship at all times in order to supervise the use of the bombards and command their bombardiers. For the sake of safety, the ship's five hundred bombs were kept within iron lockers that were enspelled with an effect equivalent to a ring of fire resistance.[13] The Red Scourge continued to be in action by 1372 DR, but by then the Thayan navy had expanded, developing over a dozen dromonds that were each capable of being outfitted with a pair of light Thayan bombards.[9]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 In Forgotten Realms Adventures, Thayan bombards were given a collective weight of 2,000 lb (910 kg). When the bombards were further fleshed out in Spellbound, dividing them into light and heavy variants, with the heavy variant given a weight of 1,000 lb (450 kg). While this could be an error from either text, the additional thousand pounds could also represent an earlier, extra-heavy variety that was phased out or a support structure. For the sake of simplicity and thoroughness, both weights are presented together.
  2. ↑ The Dungeon magazine adventure "Operation Manta Ray" features Thayan bombards and states their dimensions on page 52. Though not stated in the text to be the "heavy" variant, the bombards in the adventure can be surmised as being such based on the targeting range given for them. The dimensions in the adventure for a "heavy Thayan bombard" are stated to be a length of 5 ft (1.5 m) and a diameter of 5 ft (1.5 m), which are far smaller than being "larger than a Waterdhavian manor house".
  3. ↑ In Pirates of the Fallen Stars (1992) it stated that a contingent of Gondar clerics were working to "...determine whether the bombards can be used with Lantanna smoke powder, breaking Thay's monopoly on the precious powder used to fire these weapons." This could be interpreted to mean that Thayan bombards use their own proprietary powder instead of smokepowder. However, in the earlier published Forgotten Realms Adventures (1990) they are stated to be smokepowder weapons. This discrepancy between sources could mean either that (1) the earlier source is mistaken, or (2) that the bombards operate on some sort of "Thayan smokepowder", which would explain the choice to specify that the Gondar clergy were trying to determine if they could use "Lantanna smokepowder".
  4. ↑ It is not known exactly when the pirates of the Pirate Isles obtained their Thayan bombards, but all early sources repeat the fact that it happened "a long time ago". With the first Forgotten Realms Campaign Set being our earliest source, it had to have occurred before the year 1356 DR.
  5. ↑ Nor is it known exactly how the pirates of the Pirate Isles got their hands on Thayan bombards, considering that the Red Wizards are very defensive of their inventions. For example, on page 24 of Dreams of the Red Wizards one of the rules of the Red Wizards is stated to be that, "...no enchanted item that has military usefulness may be sold outside the country or to a representative of some power outside the country."

Appearances[]

Adventures

Dungeon #66, "Operation Manta Ray"

Novels & Short Stories

Referenced only
Azure Bonds

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 70. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 Curtis Scott (March 1992). Pirates of the Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 52. ISBN 978-1560763208.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), A Grand Tour of the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 81. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Ed Greenwood (2024-02-05). "History of Thayan Bombards". Greenwood's Grotto (Discord).
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 105. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 13. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 56. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 55. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 151–152. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
  10. ↑ Richard Baker, Skip Williams (1995). Player's Option: Combat & Tactics. (TSR, Inc), p. 154. ISBN 0-7869-0096-2.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2006-11-29). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2006). Candlekeep Forum. Archived from the original on 2024-02-05. Retrieved on 2024-02-05.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Paul Culotta (January/February 1998). “Operation Manta Ray”. In Christopher Perkins ed. Dungeon #66 (Wizards of the Coast) (66)., p. 52.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 124. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Curtis Scott (March 1992). Pirates of the Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 978-1560763208.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Curtis Scott (March 1992). Pirates of the Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 45. ISBN 978-1560763208.
  16. ↑ Paul Culotta (January/February 1998). “Operation Manta Ray”. In Christopher Perkins ed. Dungeon #66 (Wizards of the Coast) (66)., pp. 39–40.
  17. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  18. ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 126–127. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 68. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  20. ↑ Anthony Herring, Jeff Grubb (1993). Player's Guide to the Forgotten Realms Campaign. (TSR, Inc.), p. 110. ISBN 1-56076-695-6.
  21. ↑ Steve Perrin (1988). Dreams of the Red Wizards. (TSR, Inc), p. 26. ISBN 0-88038-615-0.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Monstrous Compendium”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 10. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 17. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  24. ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters archiveurl and archivedate must be both specified or both omitted. Ed Greenwood (2016-10-25). Ed Greenwood's Alter Ego (Tweet). theedverse. Twitter. Archived from the original on 2021-05-16. Retrieved on 2024-02-03.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 122. ISBN 978-0786901395.
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