Long time lurker first time poster.

If I use core set Magister Illyrio on an opponent and they don't have the gold to pay, are they still allowed to initiate the challenge? I have tried looking this up, and have found both positive and negative answers, and I can't remember which was more current.

His ability reads...

Challenges: Kneel Magister Illyrio to choose an opponent and name a challenge type. That opponent must pay you 1 gold from his or her gold pool each time he or she initiates a challenge of this type.

If I am playing the Alliance agenda, can I use Maester Murenmure to cancel the gold or draw when my opponent activates the house card? I know that agenda effects can't be canceled, but my understanding is that Alliance actually puts the triggered effect onto my opponent's house card.

In a related note, if my opponent had Knights of the Hollow Hill, could I blank their house card during Marshalling (Meere Reed maybe) to stop them from getting any benefit from the agenda?

KU

1) Magister Illyrio's effect means the opponent has to pay the gold to initiate the challenge.

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=18&efcid=4&efidt=77072&efpag=1

2) Yes, Murenmure can indeed cancel an opponent triggering that effect from Alliance. You are correct for the reason; the Agenda gives the effect to your House Card, which means it can be cancelled.

3) Meera can blank House Cards, but I'm not sure this would undo the bonuses from Knights of the Hollow Hill. Gained abilities, effects, and text are not usually (ever?) affected by the targeted card being blanked; KotHH would still be giving the bonuses I think. (Blanking a Neutral Faction card may be the only way to screw over your opponent by blanking their House Card.)

Im not entirely sure that #2 is correct.

#2 is, in fact, correct. You can't prevent the housecard from "gaining" the ability (as described in the KotHH scenario), because it's from an agenda, but you can prevent it from being used (eg, Maester Murenmure), because that's dependent on the effect being triggered from the house card (not from the agenda).

Yes - #2 is correct.

Alliance agenda gives every opponents house card the " Marshalling: " triggered effect. This can be canceled by any card that allows you to cancel triggered effects specifically.

Thanks for clearing those up for me.

KU