D&D Forgotten Realms - The Red Wizards of Thay Campaign Setting

Dreams of the Red Wizards
by Steve Perrin

Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
History of Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
People and Society of Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Geography of Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Current Economy of Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Current Politics of Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Magic of Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Religion of Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Personalities of Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Adventures in Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Pullout Section:
Players’ Guide to Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-36

Map of Thay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21

Credits:

Editing: Karen S. Boomgarden Cover Art: Clyde Caldwell
Cartography: Dave Sutherland Typography: Kim Janke
Interior Art: Valerie Valusek Keylining: Stephanie Tabat

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9235 9235XXX1501

INTRODUCTION

This book is a description of Thay, said Of course, this book also provides the law, even if the laws are evil, then you
by some to be the most evil land of the necessary information for FORGOTTEN may want to change the attitude of the
Forgotten Realms. It is the home of the REALMS™ role-playing campaigns set in gnoll patrols who maintain the law as
powerful, evil Red Wizards, whose Thay and among her neighbors. they see it in the cities of Thay.
whim can move mountains and sum-
mon great demons to lay waste to arm- The second use for this book is to If you are more comfortable with a
ies. Besides the great magic that seems show how events in Thay and the sur- society in which everyone has some civ-
to fill every corner, the land is famed rounding countries can interact with il rights, then you will have to make
for its rich prosperity, with exquisite, adventures set anywhere in the some other, perhaps very subtle,
exotic craftworks and rich culture. For Realms, from Neverwinter to Skuld, changes in how this society looks at the
all of these things, Thay is perhaps the and everywhere in between. adventurers who enter it.
best-known (and least-visited by those
good men who value their freedom) of If you are a DM whose campaign is set And, of course, study the history and
the Eastern Lands. in the Realms, and wish to use Thay as a geography of both Thay and its neigh-
site for occasional adventures (see Res- bors. These are the foundation stones
The realm is also known for its cue! in the appendices) or a complete of heroic legends and current national
ancient heritage, byzantine govern- campaign you should read the entire politics, and both can be good founda-
ment, and magical-based society. Its book, referring to the accompanying tions for exciting adventures as well.
slave-traders and slave-gatherers are map when the wealth of information
feared throughout the Realms, and its about the international relationships Welcome to Thay. May you and your
traveling wizards can walk unham- becomes overwhelming. players’ characters live through the
pered through the most squalid streets experience.
of Tethyr. To most folk of the Realms, If you are going to allow player char-
Thay is the great eastern threat, the acter magic-users who originate in
land of bloody-handed wizards who at Thay, study the chapter on Thayvian
any moment might swirl across their magic particularly closely. There are
borders on the backs of fire elementals many differences between the stand-
and lay waste to the world. ard AD&D® game system magic-user
and a Red Wizard—no matter how far
Many of these fears have some basis along the Red Wizard is in his studies.
in fact. This book attempts to lift the This is also necessary when looking at
veil of rumor and reveal what the Wiz- the descriptions of the major NPCs in
ards of Thay are truly capable of, and the appendices. Looking at them with
why the lands around the Inner Sea the eye of a standard AD&D game sys-
have a true cause to fear the Dreams of tem DM will only confuse you.
the Red Wizards.
If you are running player characters
How To Use This Book from other lands who are journeying to
Thay, emphasize the rumored differ-
This book has two uses for the ences in magic without being specific.
FORGOTTEN REALMS™ game cam- The players will learn about the real dif-
paign DM. First, it provides a look at ferences soon enough.
Thay and the lands surrounding it,
complete with enough statistics that a For a full campaign in Thay, be sure to
BATTLESYSTEM™ Fantasy Combat look at the society and politics chapters
Supplement campaign can be set up closely. There are differences here that
using the information supplied within can be quite alien to the Western-
and some translations from raw popula- Europe-style campaign possible even in
tion statistics to BATTLESYSTEM Fantasy Cormyr. There is an underlying evil to
Combat Supplement characteristics. this society that is foreign to even Amn
There are certainly sufficient reasons for or Zhentil Keep. The people of Thay are
Thay and her neighbors to go to war with different from the people of the west-
one another, as you will see, and the stra- ern lands, and the differences can be
tegic situation is sufficiently complex to subtle and trip up player and DM alike.
make for some interesting maneuvers
and battles. Of course, you are free to change
some aspects of this culture to better fit
your own playing style. If you are more
comfortable with a society where the
police can be counted on to enforce the

2

HISTORY OF THAY

History of the Region the first effects of the other great Dawn, and turned over in its bed of
destroyer of empires: decadence. apathy to sleep the sleep of decadence.
“The East” is shrouded in mystery to Since then, Mulhorand has not claimed
those lands to the west of the Inner Sea. Unther could not reach the elves of any part of Thay, though they have had
The entire east and south is considered the Yuirwood with its traders or its to defend themselves, quite successful-
an area of vast magics and strange tyr- armies. Rather than circumvent the for- ly, against two invasions from that
annies. These considerations are quite est, it sat where it was and first lost upstart country.
close to the truth. Altumbel, then the North Shore Coastal
cities, to forces of rebellion against its Thay
Before the beginning of the current smothering bureaucracy, led by the
Age, there were four great lands who freethinking freebooters who led the Their independence secured, the Red
controlled the east of the Inner Sea. In migrations east from Amn. Then Wizards set about to establish their
the north were Narfell and Raumathar, Unther retreated from the south shore own nation. The first order of business
to the south were Unther and under similar pressures. The city-states was sending the major demon back
Mulhorand. The northern nations were that remained formed a loose union where it came from-an effort that cost
relatively young, coalescing out of wan- known as Chessenta that still remains, them several Wizards. Then they estab-
dering tribes about a thousand years though the unity of the cities is laugha- lished their capitol of Eltabbar (some
before the end of the previous age. ble to any true nation. say this is named after the demon) and
Unther and Mulhorand had first began to order their new country.
appeared as that age was dawning. Mulhorand, perhaps because it had a
land connection to the north, managed to Initially, the Red Wizards ruled their
The southern nations had long since hold on to its northern conquests longer, new nation themselves, gathering in a
but eventually, lost them to a home- Council to make any necessary deci-
found the Alamber Sea a sufficient bor- grown menace. About four hundred sions. Each Wizard tried to extend his
der to keep their interests apart. They years ago, a sect calling itself the Red Wiz- own powerbase, taking on apprentices
fought for trade rights and for posses- ards declared its freedom from the god- and recruiting other wizards. Many
sion of the few islands of the sea, but kings of Mulhorand. They rebelled from magic-users from Mulhorand who had
neither seriously invaded the other the rule of the theocracy and demanded not participated in the rebellion immi-
country. In the north, however, there more freedom for magic research. grated to Thay to partake of the greater
were no such convenient barriers to freedom for magic-users there. Within
the march of armies, and the two giants The sect originally sprang up all over a century there were too many Wizards
of the north were constantly at war. In the old kingdom, but its center of to operate as a ruling Council. Every
these days, no one knows what their strength was in the northern prov- decision was reached, when it was
source of enmity was, but stories of inces, where the natives did not have reached, only after weeks of debate.
their wars and heroes are still the staple the inbred reverence for the god-kings. Moreover, magic-users are not well
of any wandering bard of the eastern The wizards led an army to raze the suited to governing. To remain good
Inner Seas. capital city of Delhumide and declared magi they must continually research
themselves the free nation of Thay. and practice their craft. This leaves lit-
Eventually, the two nations slew each Then they marched south, taking the tle time for statecraft and governance.
other with great magics. Stories in other cities of northern Mulhorand
books found in Myth Drannor tell of with little trouble. Recognizing the problem, the Red
demons summoned, dragons called, Wizards devised the current system
and cities burned. The war came to an Mulhorand roused itself from its stu- (described in the Politics chapter of this
end with neither nation surviving. This por long enough to hire an immense book) of Tharchions ruling provinces
took place about 1500 years ago, just mercenary army from Chessenta and and Zulkirs chosen from among the
before the explorers of Tethyr and Amn send it into the land now called Thay by Red Wizards to rule the entire nation.
began to open up the Inner Sea to the its new masters. The Red Wizards met
current age. this army on the farming plains of Tha- Thay’s history since independence
zalhar. The Wizards met the vastly was gained is a cycle of internal strife,
Both Mulhorand and Unther moved superior numbers backed with some of unification to try to conquer neighbor-
to fill up some of the space left vacant the less apathetic priests of the god- ing lands, and so on around the circle.
by this catastrophe. Unther lept across kings with sorcery, including what has The first major period of strife was
the Eastern Reach to plant cities on that been described as a major demon, who directly after the foundation of the rul-
body of water’s northern coast; slaughtered vast hordes of mercenaries ing Zulkirs, when objecting Wizards
Mulhorand founded the cities of Bezan- before the invaders broke and ran. marshalled their forces and attempted
tur, Tyraturas, Amruthar, Delhumide, to destroy this new government at
and Nethjet in an effort to reach the Mulhorand effectively shrugged its birth. However, they were disorganized
northern survivors of the great war. massive shoulders, further fortified the
But both nations were already feeling city of Sultim and the River of the

3

and warred among themselves (several by the Tharchion of Thaymount and 1030 DR Establishment of Zulkirs as
had kingly ambitions of their own) and the Zulkir of the School of Divination, ruling body of Thay
the Zulkirs slowly established their rule who have taken advantage of a period
over a period of almost 40 years by mili- of Aglarondan laxity to march down off 1031-74 Internal strife in Thay as
tary victory and occasional co-opting of the Thaymount and take over the trad- DR Zulkirs continue to establish
opponents into their ranks. ing towns of Nethentir and Nethjet.
There is also a second prong to their rule
The Conquering Wizards attack, but that is not immediately evi- 1065 DR Battle of Ingdal’s Arm
dent to the casual observer.
Since the establishment of their nation, Brindor First King of
the Red Wizards have had to trade (or The third scheme is perhaps the most Aglarond
steal) for many things they consider ambitious. The Zulkirs of Evocation and
necessary for their lives. They would Conjuration have combined with the 1082 DR Building of Emmech
rather conquer and control the lands Tharchion of Lapendrar to open a gate 1085 DR Building of Giants Wall
that produce these items, so the Zulkirs to the Elemental Plane of Fire, assemble 1097 DR Founding of Impiltur
and Tharchions are continually schem- an army of salamanders and efreeti,
ing and planning to gather armies and and purge the North Coast of competi- Imphras crowned King
march on one of their neighbors. tors to Bezantur once and for all. 1104 DR Birth of Zulkir Szass Tam
1117-54 Breakup of Chessenta Alli-
Invariably, those Wizards who are Naturally, all this activity has not gone DR ance into squabbling city-
not in on the planning of the conquest unnoticed. The Zulkir for Enchantment
decide that either (1) it is really just a and Charm is most alarmed at all this states
scheme by the organizers to take over adventurism, since his plan of steady 1122 DR Imbrar King of Impiltur
Thay itself or (2) the organizers will get assassination of heads of state has bare- 1127 DR Ilmara Queen of Impiltur
too powerful and use their new power ly gotten off the ground. 1128 DR Althon King of Aglarond
base to take over Thay and/or exact a 1132 DR Creation of Long Portage
revenge on the other Wizards for real This is the nation that adventurous 1142 DR Redsail the pirate retires to
or imagined slights. Thus, those left out player characters may be entering at
of the planning either (1) try to subvert any moment. Aglarond
those working with the planners into 1159 DR Zulkir Szass Tam becomes
sabotaging the effort or (2) try to take Timeline
over the homefront power base of the lich
planners while they are off conquering. — 150 DRMutual Fall of Narfall and 1189 DR Elthond King of Aglarond
Raumathar 1169 DR Imphras II King of Impiltur
The fact that the Wizards not 1194 DR Battle of Singing Sands
involved in the planning might be very 1 DR Founding of Cormyr
right about the real motivations of the 163 DR Founding of Altumbel Philaspur King of Aglarond
planners does not help build tranquili- 482 DR Delthuntle and Laothkund 1197 DR Battle of Brokenheads
ty. Thus, the military history of Thay is
one of grand conquests splendidly break free of Unther Grey Sisters Queens of
embarked upon that end in squabbling 504-679 Steady erosion of Unther’s Aglarond
and disaster. However, the Wizards DR control of North Coast Cities 1225 DR Lashilmbrar King of Impiltur
keep trying. 756 DR First fisherfolk in Aglarond 1237 DR Marriage of Thara of
823 DR Mourktar breaks free of Aglarond to Elthar of
Current Operations Milvarune
Unther Alliance of Thesk and
At this time, there are three major 870 DR Adventurers begin to clear Aglarond
schemes of conquest in operation. 1257 DR Halacar king of Aglarond
the monsters out of the Yuir- 1260 DR Battle of Lapendrar
The first scheme of conquests con- wood Ilione Queen of Aglarond
sists of Szass Tam, Zulkir of Necroman- 922 DR Battle of Thazalhar 1294 DR Rilimbrar King of Impiltur
cy, and the Tharchion of Gauros, who 929 DR Alliance of Chessenta drives 1317-23 Great Plague of the Inner
are attempting once again to conquer Unther back beyond the DR Sea
Rashemen, this time behind an army of Riders To The Sky mtns. 1317 DR Targuth Athkarr becomes
zombies. 934 DR First Thay invasion of Rashe- Huhong of Rashemen
men 1320 DR Simbul Queen of Aglarond
The second scheme is masterminded 937 DR Alliance of the Cities of The 1334 DR Hyarmon Hussilthar
Golden Way into Thesk becomes Huhong of Rashe-
975 DR Telflamm annexes Nyth and
Culmaster and establishes men
own nation 1338 DR Sambryl Queen of Impiltur
1357 DR The Present

4

The Lands discovered that the elves of Aglarond the fortress of Emmech, at the mouth
Surrounding Thay had grown few and humble, weakened of the Umber, and the “Wall of Giants”,
by disease and continual warfare with constructed by giants in return for
To a large extent, the history of Thay is the mountain trolls and the dark elves some mysterious magical service Brin-
that of the neighboring nations. The fol- of the mountain depths. Most of the dor gave them, which prevented any
lowing is a brief description of the his- fisher-folk remained ignorant (and fear- army that crossed the Umber Marshes
tories of these nations and how they ful) of the forest depths, and did not from sweeping into Aglarond’s growing
relate to their imperialistic neighbor. venture far into the trees, but the farms.
hunters and adventurers fought the
Aglarond trolls and (rarely) the drow, knowing Brindor’s heir, Althon, began a great
the elves first as wary allies and then as program of irrigation, road-building,
Initially a wilderland inhabited only by friends-and within another genera- and careful husbandry of the much-
a few sylvan elves, satyrs, and the fell tion a proud (if few in number) half- shrunken woods of Aglarond; eventu-
forest denizens known more to men in elven folk had come into being in the ally to become known as Althon “the
fable than in fact (owlbears, stirges, and depths of the woods, the elves being Old”, he lived nearly a hundred win-
the like), Aglarond was little disturbed completely absorbed into the half-elven ters, and in his time Aglarond grew into
by men as settlement spread east across stock. Over the next decade, the drow a strong and happy realm, despite the
the Inner Sea an age ago. “went under” (ground) and came to growing power of Thay and the many
Aglarond no more, the trolls were near- cities along the coast to the south of
Often visited by pirates and others ly eradicated, and the satyrs all left what is now known as the Yuirwood.
seeking a temporary refuge or timber Aglarond or perished in the forest (The wood gained this name because of
to cut, Aglarond remained unsettled for wars, until the half-elves came to rule the Yuir, the name of the original elven
many long winters. A few hermits eked all of Aglarond’s wooded interior. Indis- tribe that lived there). Althon had two
out an existence in coastal caves and lat- criminate woodcutting continued sons, Elthond and Philaspur. Elthond
er Aglarond became something of a around the villages of Oskur and Slusk perished in the first great battle against
retirement refuge for pirates—those in particular, and at length the half- the forces of Thay, Singing Sands (1194
too old, notorious, or badly maimed to elves grew angry enough to move down DR, so-called for the lamenting women
continue faring. At length, fishermen into the fishing villages and take over. of Aglarond, who cried and sang all
seeking untouched areas moved to night as they took up the bodies of their
Aglarond’s shores, and slowly small This led to several armed skirmishes, slain men from the sands around
settlements of fisher-folk took hold on notably a pitched battle at the remote Emmech), and Philaspur reigned there-
the rocky coasts. These villagers faced anchorage of Ingdal’s Arm, in which the after, perishing himself at the fortress
the sea, and although the woods at their “pure” humans perished to a man, but of Glarondar in the battle of Bro-
backs seldom erupted to endanger at length the half-elves prevailed. kenheads (1197 DR). Philaspur’s daugh-
them, they did not explore inland, or ters, Thara and Ulae, ruled together
boldly cut and fell timber in the manner For a time there was ill-feeling, but after his death: long and well. Known as
of the settlers of Cormyr, Sembia, and the just rule of the half-elven (and their the “gray sisters” for their raiment,
the Dalelands. The far-off pinnacle and undeniable and ever-increasing blood they developed their magical arts to
the endless woods remained hostile ties to the fisher-folk) soon welded the awesome heights, and were believed to
places for generations; those who ven- people into a loyal fellowship under the have thwarted many forces from Thay
tured too far in did not return. rule of a king. The first king (the senior ere these reached Aglarond’s borders,
warleader of the elves) was the aged by means of shrewd dweomercraft. In
As the woodcutting slowly ate away Brindor; he established a fighting corps their later years, both took husbands—
at the forest edge, skirmishes with of veterans and youths, named an heir Thara wedding Elthar of Milvarune,
owlbears and satyrs became more com- (as he had no surviving mate or off- gaining thereby the friendship of Thesk
mon, and were-creatures began to spring of his blood) and began a tradi- (which survives to this day); and Ulae
appear. Adventurers on the run or tion of government by monarchy and wedding the forester Ilion. Thara and
seeking employment also began to council, each village choosing a repre- Elthar had no children, but Ulae bore a
arrive in Aglarond, and for a brief, sentative or elder to be a part of the son, Halacar, and a daughter, Ilione.
bloody decade still vivid in the songs council, to advise and debate with the
and travelers’ tales, men slaughtered king. Those who could not accept the Halacar reigned from the death of his
the most dangerous and aggressive of rule of the King moved west, into mother (1257 DR) through a disastrous
Aglarond’s monsters. Altumbel, or north and east into Thesk. campaign against Thay, and died-of
Theskan raiders (and later, the growing poison, it is thought-in the winter of
As the dangers of the wood grew threat of Thayl were countered by 1260 DR, without wife or offspring. His
fewer, hunters and fur-trappers ven- Brindor’s only great engineering works: sister Ilione came to the throne inexpe-
tured further inland—and eventually

5

rienced, but was wiser than Halacar, in the cold, until on the afternoon of the fell, a thing of wondrous magic hidden
and carefully built Aglarond’s strength, fourth day, the exhausted human in the old dweomercrafter’s tower in
immediately naming as heir her defenders were pushed back, out of the Lyrabar, where it had slumbered these
apprentice, the young and mysterious heights, and forced down onto the many years, and of magic swords
sorceress known only as The Simbul, plain—for although they fought valiant- there—and then fell dead, smiling. And
and ruling long and wisely as Aglarond ly, and commanded the natural heights Imphras took the crown, and raised a
prospered. and strongpoints of the Pass, the hob- small tower at Filur, and ruled there,
goblins “were without number or end,” and in time wed Sambral and had heirs.
Ilione died of plague in 1320 DR, and as the sage Amphyr (who was a bow-
since that time the Simbul has ruled the man in the battle) put it, and just kept But it was not in his time that the hob-
realm with magery greater than any coming over the bodies of their own goblins came again. Sambral died, and
known in the Inner Sea lands since the forces, until they wore out the after grieving Imphras followed. Their
fall of Myth Drannor; she is thought to defenders. son Imbrar took the throne. His sister
still live, and Aglarond still survive, Ilmara became a sorceress under
because she personally overmatches Imphras fled across the plain, harried Mhilra of Milvarune, and found scrying
even the infamous Red Wizards of by the hobgoblins, until he reached stones of lost Myth Drannor in her
Thay. Bluefang water, where he rallied his adventures, and founded Ilmwatch. In
men to stand against the invaders. those stones she found the hobgoblins
If the Simbul herself has apprentices Some came against him; twice his own stirring. Imbrar went up against the
or a chosen heir, she has not publicly force at least—but others ignored the hobgoblins before they could attack the
identified any such to the Council. Her warriors and ran southwards, past the realm, and he was not seen again, but
style as Queen of Aglarond (a title she men of Imphras, to take and loot the cit- neither were the hobgoblins. And the
never uses, preferring to be known ies on the coast. magical swords that he and his guard
only as “The Simbul”) is her own, differ- wore, the legacy from Soargar, were
ent from her predecessors and coun- And there the hobgoblins were met lost.
terparts in other realms. As Mirt of by the women the warriors had left
Waterdeep once said, “Ah, that Lady- behind, with swords in their hands, and Ilmara, sorrowing, took up the crown
she goes her own way.” That way must among them stood Soargar, the old of Narfell and the rule in Filur, and after
needs be a narrow and often treacher- archmage of Lyrabar, standing with forty winters took to husband Rilaun of
ous one; Aglarond’s future may well two sticks; and the young sorceress Sarshal, a young warrior half her age,
hang in the balance. Sambral, and her guest, the archmage and had a son, whom she named
Velgarbrin of Baldur’s Gate—and these Imphras, and crowned king. Rilaun was
The royal banner of Aglarond is three last three unleashed magics that have wroth, and took arms to seize the
white stars on a royal blue field. never again been seen so gathered on crown, but he was murdered ere he
one field from that day to this; the earth could take it, and Imphras II reigned
Impiltur opened, hobgoblins were snatched into with his mother as regent until he was
the air by invisible hands—and hurled 16 winters old.
Impiltur was formed two hundred and to earth again, balls of fire crackled and
sixty winters ago, when the city states roared all about the screaming hordes, And in time he took to wife Lasheela
of Lyrabar, Hlammach, Dilpur, and and lightning leaped and hobgoblins of Dilpur, and had many sons; and the
Sarshel united under Imphras, war- fell. crown passed to Lashilmbrar, and then
captain of Lyrabar, to face the menace to his son Rilimbrar, and then to Rilim-
of hobgoblin hordes advancing from When at last the spells were done, the brar’s eldest daughter, Sambryl.
the Giantspire mountains, from hobgoblins were fewer than before,
whence they had only raided sporadi- but still they came forward, to cut Sambryl is a mage of power (CG 17th
cally before. down the women—and then Imphras level M-U) who does not like to rule; so
with his few surviving men fell on their she walks the kingdom freely, leaving
The human armies, bolstered by rear like a scythe takes down grass, and the defense of the realm in the hands of
wood elves from the Grey Forest and they fell and were routed. twelve lords of the Realm tall descen-
dwarves from the Earthfast Mountains, dants of Imphras II): Kylraun; Imbrar;
met the hobgoblins in the High Pass The gathered folk of the cities Lashilaun; Soargilm; Haelimbrar; Sam-
west of the River Icehilt, and there was encamped upon the plain and Soargar brar; Rilimbraun; Imbraun; Silmgar,
great slaughter. The High Pass was breathed his last, drained of life by the Silaunbrar; and Rilaunyr.
“choked with the bodies of the fallen, use of his art, yet content, and he bade
and blood began to flow like a river ere the elders of all the cities make Imphras Impiltur today is a war-ready realm,
it froze; a red river that ran down out of their general, against the hobgoblins still on the frontiers of civilized lands,
the heights, onto the rocks below.” This coming again. They did so, and Soargar but largely at peace and friendly with
bitter struggle went on, day and night, told Imphras of the lost crown of Nar- its neighbors of Telflamm, Thesk,
Rashemen, and Aglarond. With these

6

nations it keeps a wary eye on Thay, that nation died in its mutual war of not overwhelmed Thesk, or at least tak-
supporting them all in their occasional extinction with Narfell, the inns and en its easternmost trading cities away
wars with that realm of wizardry trading stations along the Golden Way from it, is that it would leave them with
because Impiltur knows that if any of (each established approximately 1 day’s very vulnerable flanks to Rashemen,
these realms should fall, Thay would be slow packhorse’s travel away from its Aglarond, and even Impiltur. The Red
nowhere as friendly a neighbor. neighbors) became centers for the refu- Wizard policy has traditionally been to
gees from the kingdom’s destruction. secure the flanks, first.
Impiltur is still a land of opportunity
for the daring and hard-working; rich The easternmost of the cities became Relations with Others
new copper, silver, and iron lodes have part of the new land of Rashemen. The Nations
been found north of Lyrabar and near others were briefly under the sway of
the High Pass, and trade is increasing in Mulhorand, but aside from collecting During the establishment of Aglarond,
the area. taxes, the god-kings had little to do with raiders from Thesk would terrorize the
the people that far north. small villages that make up that coun-
The arms of Impiltur are a crossed try. However, the traders of Thesk soon
sword and wand on a dun banner, bor- The cities banded together and allied came to realize that the Aglarondans
dered in scarlet. themselves with the people of the forest would be far better trading partners
and hills. They called themselves Thesk than victims. The marriage of one of
Telflamm after the mountain ridge in the center the rulers of Aglarond to one of the
of the lands they claimed. Together, princes of Thesk cemented the relation-
When Thesk was formed, the Heirarch they drove out the Mulhorani tax col- ship, and now they are fast friends.
of the coastal city of Telflamm was lectors and established their loose con-
snubbed by the autocrats of Phsalt and federacy. When the Red Wizards first The city of Telflamm is a trading rival,
Milvarune. As a result, Telflamm rose, the cities of Thesk supported but supports them against Thay and
refused to join with the other cities in them to establish a buffer state acts as a convenient duty-free seaport
their union, and kept its satellites, between them and the ancient empire in Thesk’s relationships with other
Culmaster and Nyth, from joining as to the south. They have since come to nations.
well. regret this decision, but live with their
aggressive neighbor as best they can. When not fighting Thay, Thesk is glad
Despite this history of hostility, to act as an intermediary between Thay
Telflamm is friendly to Thesk, and The government of this land is an oli- and potential trading partners who dis-
while they are ostensibly trade rivals, garchy made up of the rulers of the like supporting the economy of a slaver
they cooperate in defense and safe- trading cities along the Golden Way nation like Thay. Theskite merchants
guarding their shares of the Golden from Two-Stars to Milvarune, which buy Thayvian produce and products
Way. acts as the capital (mostly because it is and sell them at generous profits to
so far removed from Thay). Impiltur, Cormyr, and anywhere in
Telflamm is a favorite port for adven- between.
turers coming to the Eastern Realms. The Nomads
They specialize in outfitting adventur- The rough nation of Impiltur is one of
ers, and maps to the treasures of The nomadic tribes who run their Thesk’s main customers for all manner
Raumathar and Narfell are a stock in flocks in the Mountains of Thesk in the of commodities.
trade of the city. Some of them are even center of the land also protect the cities
accurate, though they tend to lead to and are a thorn in the side of any invad- Mulhorand
already-looted sites. Still, one never ing army from Thay. Their tactics are
knows what previous looters may have ideally suited to hit-and-run and they This “Sleeping Giant” has been in exist-
missed. . . work in such a scattered fashion that ence through three ages of the Realms.
mass destruction spells cannot damage An age ago it was a vital and aggressive
Telflamm has never been conquered. very many at a time. power, controlling most of the Alamber
It is of much more use as an open city. Sea and the entire Priador plateau. The
The nomad magic-users are mostly god-kings were said to be “in their
Thesk shamans, but shamans who have prime.”
grown in power (perhaps because of
This is the land between Aglarond and the proximity to Thay) so that they are Now the god-kings (who seem to be
Impiltur. Its main reason for existence equivalent to Druids. They use many of exactly the same people) are said to be
is the trading path called The Golden the same spells, with some differences “in their dotage,” and Mulhorand is a
Way which has been traditional for because of their plains and hills exist- sleepy and decadent land. The god-
traders from the north and east since ence. kings make occasional pronounce-
before the current age. At one time it ments from their towering palaces in
was controlled by Raumathar. When However, the main reason Thay has

7

Skuld, the City of Shadows, but the church of the land and must be acolytes the church of the god kings. All slaves
country is really run by the bureau- of the temple (though they study and are considered to be owned by the god-
crats of the temple, who are happiest use their magic in the usual way). This kings, not individual owners, and must
when everything happens just as it has church control of magic is one of the be rented from the church.
happened for the last two thousand major reasons why the Red Wizards
years. broke away from Mulhorand and Rashemen
formed their own country.
Mulhorand has not attempted con- This land has existed since the mutual
quest since the Red Wizards drove it Visiting magic users must register at destruction of Raumathar and Narfell,
back from Thay. But it is a rich land, the temples of the god-kings and either before the beginning of the current
with great natural resources and a heri- pledge to support one of the temples Age. Sages speculate that Rashemen, or
tage of priestly sorcery and enchant- with their magic or suffer their the Far Land as it is known, is the last
ment. spellbooks to be sealed. Breaking the remnant of Raumathar, but if so, they
seal notifies the officials of the act, and have retained no knowledge of that
It is well known that there is a wealth the temple guards, which include their fabled ancient kingdom.
of magical items available to the rulers own magic-users, are quick to respond.
of Mulhorand, should they ever care to Apparently, Rashemen existed in rela-
use them. The Statues that Walk are The people of Mulhorand, when they tive isolation until the founding of Thay
only one of hundreds of such items in think about Thay at all, consider it a and the first Thayvian expedition to
the land, and most of the items are province that will return to the fold conquer that land. At that time, the
available to the lords and military of when they realize the folly of magic Witches of Rashemen made their pres-
that land should it be seriously threat- unsupervised by priests. The god-kings ence felt for the first time and the Red
ened; therefore, everyone just lets the are still called Protectors of the Priador Wizard army was destroyed in one flur-
sleeping giant lay, hoping that some- whenever their entire list of titles is ry of sorcerous might. Since then, the
thing will happen to it to let all of that announced by a herald anywhere in the legions of the Red Wizards have faced
magic free to the other kingdoms of the Eastern Realms. off against the “fangs” of Rashemen
Inner Sea. over the border formed by Lake
Like Thay, Mulhorand is a slave state, Mulsantir and the Gorge of Gauros, a
Mulhorand is unique in the Realms in with most of the slaves concentrated in
that magic-users are subservient to the the great temple farms controlled by

8

stalemate broken only by occasional wish to deal with the Red Wizards, but mutual defense and some trade pacts.
Thay incursions which are destroyed find the money of their agents in Amru- The Western cities, which perceive
or repelled by the Witches and the stal- thar to be just fine. themselves as less in peril from the Red
wart fighters of Rashemen. Wizards, are usually slow to respond to
The city does have lively politics, with a threat to their eastern neighbors from
Rashemen is ruled by a Huhrong, or three main groups vying for control. Thay.
Iron Lord. The present Iron Lord is
Hyarmon Huzzilthar, a grizzled, gray- THE REALISTS want to keep Thay Of these “cities,” most are actually
and-white bearded veteran of seventy- happy and themselves free. In short, towns. Only Delthuntle, Laothkund,
six winters; he has directed “the fangs this is the status quo party and, count- Hilbrand and Escalant are truly cities,
of Rashemen” for twenty-three win- ing the citizens who think everything is with populations over 5,000 people.
ters. since he was chosen by the Witch- just fine and refuse to have anything to Delthuntle and Laothkund have popu-
es in a process they do not reveal. He do with politics, is by far the largest lations of about 50,000 each, Hilbrand
replaced the senile “Old Wolf”, Targuth party. and Escalant about 20,000 each.
Athkarr, who in his turn held the High
Seat in Immilmar for seventeen win- THE AGLARONDANS want to invite The cities have fought among them-
ters, after the death of his predecessor, Aglarond in to govern them. Since selves and against their trade rivals in
Lethgar Mimdusko. Targuth was taken Aglarond has no inclination towards Chessenta more often than they have
in by the Witches, and never seen extending itself out that close to Thay, fought Thay or any other invader. Wars
again; he is believed to have been care- this is not a very realistic party. among the cities are fought by merce-
fully tended until death, for the Witch- naries, mostly from Chessenta, and the
es (as Rashemi say) “are like that.” THE INDEPENDENTS wish to sever warfare is one of maneuver and advan-
all ties with Thay, impose severe duties tage, with one city’s forces surrender-
Details of Rashemen history, aside on Thayvian goods, and generally treat ing if they are obviously outmatched by
from the annals of Thayvian invasions Thay as if it were just another country, a foeman.
routed, are not easily come by. Very few and not a very popular one, at that. This
of the populace are literate and the party is halfway between the Realists At this point in time, the cities of Las-
Witches are the keepers of lore, and and the Aglarondans in size. dur, Taskaunt, Murbant, and Tahasse-
they do not disseminate this informa- len are in flames. See Adventures, “Fire
tion to common travelers. Thazalhar Time.”

City of Amruthar This once-rich farmland is now a buffer
zone between Thay and Mulhorand. It
Amruthar was founded by the god- was devastated in the war between the
kings of Mulhorand in their efforts to Mulhorand and the rebels who found-
colonize the northern lands of the ed Thay.
Inner Sea after the mutual self-
destruction of Narfell and Raumthar. Its Now the land is called “one vast grave-
location on the Lapendrar is a strategic yard.” Farmers no longer till its
one, and it has been an important trad- enriched soil and it lies fallow and bar-
ing city since its inception. ren.

During the war of rebellion against The Coastal Cities
Mulhorand, the city fathers of Amru-
thar sided with the wizards immedi- The cities of Delthuntle, Nethra, Teth,
ately, offering them alliance. This is one Laothkund, Hilbrand, Lasdur,
reason that the city has never been Taskaunt, Escalant, Murbant, and Thas-
under the sway of the Red Wizards selen are known as the Coastal Cities,
since the establishment of Thay. the Cities of the North Coast (of the
Eastern Reach), and the Free Cities.
Theoretically, this is an independent They were established by settlers from
city, with the the River of Sorrows Unther at the dawning of the new age
(Lapendrar) keeping it from Thay. and later on by pioneers from the West.
The easternmost cities have been under
Actually, Amruthar is a puppet state the control of Thay at one time or
depending entirely on the whim of the another for the last four hundred
Red Wizards. Just now, it serves as a years, but are currently free.
convenient trading center for those
countries whose merchants do not Each city is independent, but they
have a loose association for purposes of

9

PEOPLE AND SOCIETY OF THAY

In most of the lands of the Inner Sea, ing, but there is no central repository have the time.
the dominant human racial stock is sim- for these records and individual slave Presumed Red Wizards have been
ilar to the men and women of Amn and owners are leery of letting anyone
Tethyr. However, the racial mixture of know the extent of their holdings. seen outside of Thay with beards and
Thay is almost totally divided between normal body hair. Most of these are
two other racial stocks, with a scatter- Due to the centrally organized farm- obviously of Rashemi descent (part of a
ing of the type more familiar to the ing, where most is done on large slave program of proving their worthiness
inhabitants of the western realms of farms, there is a higher proportion of by taking on missions to foreign lands),
the Inner Sea. population in the cities to the people on but even Mulani have been seen in such
the farms than is common in the west- condition. It is thought that, without
The basic lower and middle class ern realms where the farming is done their specially-trained slave barbers,
stock of Thay consists of short, hairy, mostly by small collections of free Red Wizards would rather grow their
swarthy, sturdy folk; the same stock farmers or serfs of small landholders. hair than risk cutting it by themselves
found in neighboring Rashemen. This About 300,000 people live in the cities, or entrusting their heads to local bar-
body type, called the Rashemi, can be the other 1,200,000 in the wayside vil- bers.
found in the lower free classes and lages and slave farms. Of the city dwell-
among the slowly-growing middle class ers, about half are slaves, but in the There are several noble families in
of the country. In fact, the middle class country, the proportion of slaves to Thay and, as a sign of the possible
is more likely to fall into this category freemen is about seven to one. upward mobility in Thayvian society,
than the lowest class of slaves, since the new noble families are being started all
Red Wizards buy slaves from all over In general, there are three social the time.
the Realms, and the slaves are of all classes in Thay.
lands and body types. In general, anyone appointed to the
The Nobility position of Tharchion (see Politics) or
The rulers of Thay, on the other Autharch is automatically noble, and
hand, are slightly taller and slimmer These are the rulers of Thay, and com- his immediate family (spouse[s], chil-
than their subjects (though not as tall as prise both the Tharchions and Thar- dren) is also ennobled. Any other family
most Western men), with much less chionesses who rule the various members including siblings are not
body hair and a sallow rather than regions and the Red Wizards them- ennobled, but, since nepotism is stand-
swarthy skin. This is the body type selves. ard in Thay, can expect to become
most commonly found in the lands of nobility soon.
Unther and Mulhorand, which is hard- Members of the Bureaucracy are also
ly surprising, since the rulers of Thay among the nobility as are the Red Wizards are also automatically
are the descendants of Mulhorani who Autharches who rule sub-regions in the nobles, and they ennoble their immedi-
broke away from that ancient kingdom. name of the Tharchions. ate families as well.
This body type is called the Mulan.
The nobility is almost entirely com- If the children of a Tharchion do not
The Population of prised of the slim, sallow, folk from become Tharchions or Autharches
Thay Mulhorand, but a few of the lower themselves, or children of Red Wizards
classes have managed to impress some do not become wizards, they are still
Thay is an ancient land, and has been wizards with their magical ability and nobility. Once a Thayvian becomes a
the home of three different nations. be elevated to the rank of wizard’s noble, it is almost impossible to take
Compared to many lands, it is quite apprentice. Some of the Rashemi have that status away from his family. Only
populous. now become members of the Red Wiz- the unanimous decision of the Zulkirs
ards. can remove the status of nobility; this is
Counting the slave population, there usually done by outlawing the family,
are about 1.5 million sentient people Traditionally, nobles of Thay disdain arresting all accessible members, and
within the borders of Thay. This is an and abhor body hair (something of a tri- turning the survivors of the arresting
estimate, as the Zulkirs consider any al for those of Rashemi descent). Men process into slaves.
such information potentially hazardous are known to grow facial hair even as
to the security of the country, and they they shave their heads. Women com- It is not necessary to get all the Zulkirs
refuse to take a census. Probably the monly shave their heads and decorate upset with you to have a downward
best-counted members of the society their shaved pates with artistic designs. change in fortunes. Noble families also
are the slaves, as the slave owners have Sometimes the designs are permanent disappear because of the backstabbing
to keep some record of how many they tatoos, but most are just body paint, politics of Thay. A family with many sons
have and how much they are produc- and frequently changed. This custom is and siblings and with tentacles of power
mainly honored among the Tharchions everywhere in the country can vanish
and Tharchionesses, though most Red overnight if the right collection of ene-
Wizards also follow the style when they mies decide the family is getting too pow-
erful for the enemies’ good.

10

Some of the current influential fami- has little time for them. He would much social status. Which churches exist in
lies include: rather deal with his old adventuring Thay and how powerful they are is cov-
friends and they are the ones who have ered under Religions of Thay.
The Agneh: This family has a long his- reaped most of the benefits of his lar-
tory of Tharchions and Wizards in its gesse. The Middle Class
membership. The most illustrious cur-
rent member is Mari Agneh, Tharchio- The Odesseiron: This is an ancient Thay has little experience of a middle
ness of Bezantur, who was the black family in Thay, its progenitor was one class, and merchants and tradesmen
sheep of the family because of her past of the wizards who brought the Demon are generally considered to be just
as an adventuring thief until she was Prince to this plane and fought off the another form of laborer. Since all agri-
appointed to her current post. She has invaders from Mulhorand. For the most culture is done on slave-run planta-
embraced her family again and appoint- part, the Odesseirons have been Wiz- tions, there is no experience at all of the
ed most of them to official posts within ards. Homen Odesseiron, Tharchion of middle class yeoman farmer that distin-
her city government. Many people have Surthay, is the first to gain status as a guishes so many Western Realms.
noticed that these posts are those with Tharchion. He is also somewhat famous
the most prestige for the least work-a as the first person to be a member of In actual fact, with the foiling of sev-
situation about which the family mem- four Schools of Magic simultaneously, eral of the Red Wizards’ plans for
bers have never been heard to protest. even though he never officially gained expansion at the expense of their neigh-
The Agneh clan is the leading family of the title of Wizard. bors, tradesmen and traders have
Bezantur. become the source of much of what
The Tam: This is one of the more Thay needs to exist. The Red Wizards
The Canos: This family is on the rise ancient families of Thay, not only in lin- have recognized this sufficiently to use
politically. Though there are no Red eage but in age of its membership. Its the legitimate traders of Thay as a cov-
Wizards involved with this group, they head, Zulkir Szass Tarn, is only the third er for their own depradations among
number a Tharchion, Mikal Canos of person to hold that position under con- the other kingdoms of the Inner Sea.
Delhumide, and a Tharchioness, Thes- ditions that are explained in the Notable
saloni Canos of the Aldor. The family Persons of Thay section of this book. At Because of the independence of indi-
has built itself up by its military reputa- this point, we can only say that the seat vidual members of the ruling class,
tion. of the Tam family is commonly referred there is no government regulation of
to as “The Necropolis.” the middle class. This is both a blessing
The Daramos: This is a new family, and a curse to merchants and trades-
based around the Tharchion of Tha- Noble Titles of Thay men. Depending on the Tharch they
zalhar and consisting of him, his wife inhabit, they may be freewheeling
(who rides as a member of his guard) One way of distinguishing the working entrepeneurs, treating Tharchion and
and their two small children. nobility from the non-working variety Wizard alike as almost an equal, or they
in Thay is the titles they bear. A Thar- may have to swear fealty to a particular
The Flass: This family is on the down- chion or Autharch is a leader of the ruler and go to him for permission for
turn, though it has had a couple of bureaucracy and the equivalent of a any deal they wish to consummate or
influential Red Wizards among its civil servant. They are the working project they wish to commence. What
membership. The Tharchioness of nobility. They are referred to as “Lord” is worse for these people is that these
Eltabbar is one of the family, but she or “Lady” or “Your Eminence.” rules can change with a change in each
has distanced herself from the clan for ruler, which in the assassination-
some years over an almost-forgotten Red Wizards are referred to as “Mas- haunted halls of Thay can happen over-
dispute. ter” (the sex does not matter) or “Your night.
Omnipotence.” The rest of the nobility
The Kren: This is a fairly new family is referred to as Daeron or Daeronness The middle class approach to groom-
which initially gained prominence due (literally “noble-born”) and referred to ing is to be as neat as possible. Because
to the efforts of its progenitor, a woman personally as “Sir” or “Mistress” or of the rules governing slave grooming,
who became a Red Wizard. Her daugh- “Your Excellency” or “Your Honor.” no peasant or merchant is too hairy—
ter took after her father, however, and Higher ranking nobles (the Tharchions shaving is common, and women’s hair-
is now the Tharchion of Gauros. and Autharches) rarely bother with styles tend to be shorter than those
such formal titles when talking to found elsewhere in the Realms. No
The Mediocros: This family gained its lower-ranking nobles. peasant wants to be mistaken for a
position two hundred years ago when slave.
their progenitor became Tharchion of High ranking priests are called “Lord
Eltabbar. Now, the leading member of Priest” (or other, higher, title) or “Your
the family is Valerios Theokillos, Thar- Omniscience.” They have no official sta-
chion of Pyarados. The family main- tus in Thay, but still maintain a lot of
tains its seat in that border city and
attempt to sponge off their scion, but he

11

Slaves Under normal circumstances, the drow underneath Aglarond are said to
slave hair is piled up in masses on the have embassies in Thay, and they may
Because of the need to keep many peas- head of the slave, but any slave who is have their own colonies under Thay,
ants under arms (and the loss of the not on his or her master’s business but they are not part of the life of the
same peasants in various attempts at must wear his or her hair down, so that country. Elven adventurers in Thay are
conquest) Thay depends on a slave they can be told as slaves immediately. remarked on and watched closely.
economy. Legitimate traders go
throughout the Realms trying to pur- It is possible for a slave to get permis- Halflings are present in Thay as
chase criminals and any other possible sion to cut his hair, but it can never be slaves, and, to some extent, as free citi-
candidates for slavery. Of course, they cut to less than half way down the zens, Some halfling mercenaries did a
cannot purchase anyone sentenced to slave’s back. favor for a Red Wizard and retired to
limited slavery for a period of time, as Bezantur on the proceeds. Their fami-
the sentencing authority would have no If a slave’s hair must be cut for medi- lies joined them and now there are half-
way of knowing that the criminal had cal reasons, the first question is wheth- lings in all the cities. The halflings who
been released after his term was spent. er it would not be easier to let the slave settle in Thay find the paranoia of
However, enough lands use permanent die. If they decide to keep him alive, he Thay’s rulers a fertile field for scams
slavery as a punishment that the slave is shaved where needed, then kept in and con games—and there is always
traders are able to find many candi- seclusion until the hair grows out again. work for a good thief who doesn’t take
dates for the slave pens of Thay. Some up much space.
Inner Sea countries use “slavery and Demi-Humans in Thay
sale to the merchants of Thay” as a spe- Centaurs can be found throughout
cial punishment for especially heinous Besides the dominant human popula- Thay, usually as guards on the slave
crimes. tion of Thay and the inevitable orcish farms. These centaurs were originally
tribes in the Thaymount and Sunrise inhabitants of Aglarond who were driv-
However, most criminals do not have mountains, the largest single humanoid en out by the half-elves because of their
the special requirements that some tribe in Thay is gnolls. Gnoll merce- thieving ways and were welcomed by
slaveholders of Thay have. The Red naries made up part of the Red Wiz- the Tharchion of Thaymount as merce-
Wizards meet these needs with their ards’ army of rebellion, and their naries. There is a centaur legion (spon-
own special slavers—the dregs of the reward was continued employment in sored by one of the Red Wizards) in the
Inner Sea are hired to go out and find the armies of the Thay and retirement standing army of Thay, and centaurs
the ideal candidates, kidnap them, and to communities on the borders of the usually have the run of the roads of
turn them over to the Red Wizards to country, particularly the Thaymount Thay.
become slaves. and Gorge of Gauros.
This does not prevent centaurs from
Slavery in Thay is universally dread- Under these conditions, antithetical becoming slaves for real or imagined
ed throughout the Realms around the as they are to the usual form of gnoll infractions.
Inner Sea. Aside from the meager food habitation, the descendants of the mer-
and/or hard labor and/or degradation cenaries thrived. They have made a Sahuagin are found in Bezantur and
that is the probable lot of any slave in home for themselves in Thay and can on the Aldor fairly frequently. In Thay
the few lands that allow for any form of be found throughout the country, usu- the sahuagin have found a society they
slavery, Thayvian slaves are likely to ally working as mercenaries and law- understand, and such trading as they
become subjects of experiments, fed to enforcers. Thayvian law being what it do with the air breathers is done
exotic monsters that demand human is, gnolls get a great deal of pleasure out through Thay. Their kingdom in the
flesh, or be slaughtered in depraved of enforcing it. Unlike their wilder Alamber Sea is a firm Thayvian ally (as
ceremonies. brethren, Thayvian gnolls are neutral firm as any alliance with the sahuagin
evil, not chaotic evil. can be).
Slaves who have been in Thay for
more than a month can always be told It is said that there are dwarves and The Society of Thay
apart from the peasantry because gnomes in the Sunrise mountains, but
slaves are not allowed to cut their hair, they have little to do with the Red Wiz- Essentially, Thay is an evil society. Over-
no matter where on their bodies it ards; their sole contact is with the raid- all, the alignment of the country is neu-
grows. ing parties that enter the Sunrise tral evil, but this can vary from lawful
Mountains looking for slaves. evil (usually but not always exemplified
Since the nobles of Thay are also very by the Tharchions and Zulkirs) to cha-
careful of cleanliness, this means that Of elves there are none in Thay, otic evil (usually exemplified by the
part of a slave’s daily chores is washing except as slaves. Thayvian wizards do actions of many of the Red Wizards
an ever-growing head and, sometimes, not buy adult elves as slaves, but occa- who are not Zulkirs).
body of hair. sionally buy children that they can be
sure have not yet learned magic. The But wherever one may be in Thay, the

12

rulers and most of their followers are
driven by greed and megalomania and
paranoia. Each member of the society
seems to be dedicated to raising himself
to the highest possible pinnacle of suc-
cess, preferably on the backs of his
friends, family, and associates. Not
everyone living in Thay feels this way,
but it is the way of the majority. It helps
explain why members of the ruling
class have many acquaintances and
associates, but very few friends.

This makes for an almost chaotic evil
society, but chaos is kept away by a
structure of traditions and laws that
allow for the Red Wizards having
almost total freedom to do as they
please, but just enough restraint
through societal pressure and the
threat of retribution by all the other
wizards to keep Thay from disintegrat-
ing into a million tiny magocracies, each
with a king mage on top trying to
destroy all the other little magic king-
doms.

Part of the unwritten traditions and
motivations of the Red Wizards is their
envy of the god-kings of Mulhorand.
They rebelled from that land to escape
the overlordship of these avatars of
powerful gods, and established a socie-
ty that they hope will lead them to the
same position through magic instead of
worship. Thus, each wizard usually
sees himself as a sort of proto-god, and
each realizes that he needs a society of
worshippers to maintain his power, so
they maintain their society as the god-
kings have maintained theirs.

13

Geography of Thay

General Description Elminster knowns nothing of what lies Lake Mulsantir
beyond them. There are tales of both
Thay is a vast realm, bounded on the lamia and evil naga in these mountains, This large body of water divides Thay
north by the river and lake of Mulsan- but, he cautions, there are such tales and Rashemen, and is mostly a Rashemi
tir, its gateway there being the city of everywhere, and but few of them are lake. Thay occasionally attempts to gain
Surthay. To the northwest it claims the true. ascendency on the lake, but suffers
Surmarsh, a vast marsh and fenland from the simple problem of having little
that lies between the rivers Thay and Most of the country is on the great, wood with which to build warships.
Sur. The central core of Thay then runs irregular plateau formed by the First The Witchboats of Rashemen are too
south past the eastern slopes of Thay- Escarpment of the Priador and which much for the Wizards to match without
mount and the eastern bank of Lapen- rises eastward almost imperceptibly decent wood for their ships.
drar, the River of Sorrows, for many toward the Sunrise Escarpment and the
miles, until turning southeast along the Sunrise Mountains. The land is gently The River Thay
edge of the Priador (high plains) to the rolling and broken only by occasional
many-spired city of Bezantur. Bezantur, streams or one of the major rivers, the This river runs between Lake Mulsan-
on the Alamber Sea (sometimes known peaks of Thaymount, which are encir- tir and Lake Thaylambar, and is naviga-
as the Sahuagin Sea) is Thay’s southern cled by the Second Escarpment, the ble almost its entire length. Because of
gateway, and has traditionally rivaled spires of the cities, and the farming this navigability, there is not the exten-
the free cities of Thasselen, Murbant, communities and wizard towers that sive road network in northern Thay
Escalant, Taskaunt, Lasdur, and can appear every time a traveler that is found in the southern Tharches.
Hilbrand that share the north shore of mounts the top of one of the many Instead, everyone uses the river. The
the Sea. hummocks in the trail. land between the River Thay and the
much-less-navigable River Gauros is a
From Bezantur, the land claimed by Carefully set along each road and mass of slave-farms and wizard towers
Thay is the seacoast east to the mouth navigable river are the tax stations, divided by dirt paths. The main centers
of the River Thazarim, and northwards which are usually accompanied by an of population are along the river.
up that river’s west bank to the Sunrise inn and some other residences. At each
Mountains and then north to the out- tax station, the owning Wizard’s tax col- The Long Portage
flow of the Mulsantir. lectors collect the taxes for crossing his
lands from every traveler. Travelers This is the one part of the River Thay
Thay frequently attempts to swallow attempting to travel cross country find that cannot be traversed upstream. The
the lands along these borders, and cur- themselves in trouble with wandering River comes down off the First Escarp-
rently has destroyed several of the free military patrols and the strange crea- ment to the level of Lake Mulsantir
cities and captured Nethentir and Neth- tures that many wizards keep patrol- down a gentle decline that does not stop
jet, trading cities between Aglarond ling their grounds for exactly the boats from traveling downstream, but
and Thay. purpose of keeping out tresspassers. is too rough and fast to pole or row
boats upstream.
Within these borders, at the heart of Most of the land is under cultivation,
the realm, lies Eltabbar, seat of the Red but the lonely farmhouses seen in other For about a century after Thay
Wizards and capital of Thay. From the lands are not found in Thay. All arable became a nation, the Guild of Portagers
north, one reaches the city of Thay up land is in the hands of the Wizards or charged exorbitant rates to haul vessels
the river Thay, to the vast Lake Thay- Tharchions and their subordinates, and up the river. Then the Wizard Shevas
lambar. Eltabbar lies upon a bay of that the farm workers (usually slaves) live in Tam (father of the current Zulkir of the
dragon-turtle-inhabited water. From the central farming towns and hike or School of Necromancy) was confronted
the west, one reaches Thay up the ride to their assigned fields. with a demanding chief of the Guild and
Lapendrar from Escalant, or overland killed him. Shevas Tam then had his
from Nethjet on the river Umber, to the This form of cultivation is not terribly minions slaughter most of the Guild
independent city of Amruthar (which is efficient, but there is so much land members and Shevas Tam turned them
still independent, though now circled under cultivation that Thay can still into zombies.
by lands claimed by Thayl, from export some grains and fruits to neigh-
whence by bridge a road runs to Tyra- boring lands. Now the Guild consists of the zombies
turos, where roads north from Bezan- of the original Guild and any replace-
tur, south from Eltabbar, and west from There are no forests in Thay. The ments needed (acquired through crimi-
Pyarados on the Thazarim meet. (The only trees are occasional copses of exot- nals put to death in Surthay and Eltabbar)
Thazarim is navigable as far north as ic species that decorate Zulkir-owned as the zombies wear out. The Tam family
Pyarados.) The Sunrise Mountains form streams and decorative trees from oth- maintains the zombies and collects a
an impenetrable barrier to the east, and er lands planted in the cities and towns. modest fee from each traveler.

14

The fee might be higher, but the fami- The River Sur The Citadel
ly has little attention to spare for this
enterprise, and really hasn’t checked to This wide, shallow, and fever-infested This ancient fortress was part of the
see if the “Guild” is paying for itself river is usually considered the border Thaymount when the Kingdom of
lately. between Thay and Thesk, though no Raumathar first claimed the land in the
one but assorted Thesk-allied herders previous age. Who built it and why is
Lake Thaylambar grazing their cattle inhabit the area still unknown, though various Red Wiz-
between this river and the Theskian ards have sent missions deep into its
This very large lake is in central Thay. Mountains. The villages that can be bowels to try to learn its secrets. As best
The former Mulhorand capital of found along the river are small farming as anyone can tell from the subject of
Delhurnide and the current capital of and fishing villages who trade with the some of its very faded wall paintings, it
Eltabbar are on opposite sides of the nomads and pay occasional taxes to might have originally been built by liz-
lake. Thay tax collectors. ard men, before they were driven into
the swamps by mankind so many thou-
The lake is said to contain dragon tur- Thaymount sands of years ago.
tles, and fishing boats sometimes disap-
pear forever. Weather control spells These mountains poke out of the plain Parties exploring the Citadel’s deepest
keep storms from disturbing the water, of the Priador and form the Second dungeons have found great treasures,
so some beast such as dragon turtles Escarpment and the source of the Riv- but many have never returned. There
may be responsible. The Tharchions of ers Umber, Eltab and Laprendrar. In is some evidence that there is an exten-
Eltabbar and Delhumide sometimes times of weakness, the western border sive troglodyte population somewhere
lead hunting expeditions into the of Thay is the Second Escarpment in its deepest reaches, and the drow
depths and come back with something, down to where it intersects the River may have a colony there.
minus some boats and followers. Laprendrar. These mountains are
always known as the Guardpost of the The River Umber
Surmarsh Western Borders, and act as the head-
quarters for the Tharch of the Thay- The River Umber tumbles out of the
This large marsh is fed by both the Riv- mount. Thaymount as a narrow, fast, stream of
er Sur and River Thay, and is a night- little use to anyone except as a source of
marish bog broken up by occasional The Gold Mines of Thay water to the few slave farms owned by
hummocks of high ground and small the Tharchion of Thaymount and his
huts of refugee slaves and criminals The Thaymount is a volcanic region followers.
who eke out an existence as best they and much newer geologically than the
can. ancient Sunrise Mountains. Part of Once it cascades down from the Sec-
what the volcanoes brought up to the ond Escarpment to the plains of the
One menace all must deal with in this surface are extensive veins of gold ore, Priador, it slows down and widens out
bog are the lizard men who hold sway which were discovered by the rebel- into the narrow lake called only The
as they do in so many of the swamps lious Red Wizards and exploited as Upper Lake Umber. This is a largely
they have been driven to since man first funding for their revolution against unpopulated area as it is claimed by
arrived in the Realms. Mulhorand. both Thay and Aglarond, and only a
few fisher families live along its length.
These lizard men are divided up into Since that time, the gold mines have
tribes and occasionally raid outside the been a major source of Thayvian From this lake, the Lower Falls takes
swamp, but mostly they hold to treaties wealth. They traditionally fall under the water to the main body of Lake
they have made with the Tharchion of the purview of the Tharchion of Thay- Umber, which has the unwalled trading
Surthay. mount, and he pays a fixed tax on the towns of Nethentir and Nethjet on its
gold to the Zulkirs. Thus, the more he north and south shores, respectively.
Sometimes they will try to hunt up a can get out of the mines, the more he
runaway slave or criminal that the can keep, and if the mines run out of This area is continuously being
Thayvians are particularly anxious to gold, he is still stuck with the tax pay- fought over by Thay and Aglarond, and
catch, but their main function in the ments. has just changed hands again with the
alliance is to hold the marsh against current advent of the armies of Thay.
invaders. Since the only possible Like so much of Thay, the mines are There are very few farms except for
invaders are the people of Thesk, they worked by slaves. Being a slave in the subsistence farms used to supplement
are not often called on to fulfill their mines of Thay is considered among the the diet of the inhabitants. Most of the
part of the bargain. worst possible fates for a Thayvian local residents are fishermen who try
slave, whose position is never enviable. to ignore whoever claims to be their
masters.

15

The River Eltab eastern bank. Upstream, the river is The River Laprendar
narrow, fast, and rocky-impossible to
It is said that this river did not exist travel on muscle-powered boats. The This is the second longest river in the
before Thay won its freedom from area upstream is largely unpopulated area, and the longest in Thay. It is
Mulhorand, and its creation was part of except for one trading and last-minute known as the River of Sorrows because
the spell which summoned a demon supplies village situated on the Sunrise of the miners who have died in the gold
prince to help the Red Wizards. Escarpment, just above the falls. mines near its headwaters and because
of the men of Aglarond and Thay who
Whatever the truth of this story, the Alamber or Sahuagin Sea died trying to cross or defend the river
river supplies the water of the city and during Halacar’s ill-fated invasion of
helps create its unique waterways This body of water is the easternmost Thay in 1260 DR.
before it goes on to feed Lake Thaylam- part of the Inner Sea. It serves as the
bar. border between the ancient kingdoms The Escarpments and the
of Mulhorand and Unther, and is the Priador
Sunrise Mountains home of a major sahuagin kingdom,
whom the Red Wizards are on at least Thay is broken up into three distinct
This mountain chain has always been speaking terms with. rises from the ground level of the other
the eastern border of Thay. These surrounding kingdoms. Each is marked
mountains have a reputation for impas- The northernmost island of the Sea is by a sudden sharp rise, called an
sibility, but it is actually possible to get the Aldor, which is the Thayvian naval Escarpment, out of the relatively flat
past them in summer though not with base. Currently, the dominant naval plain surrounding it. These Escarp-
anything bigger than a donkey. Beyond and merchant power in this area is ments are not completely vertical, and
the mountains are arid plains, called the Thay; both Unther and Mulhorand most are easily climbable, but the
Plains of Purple Dust for reasons that merchants find it more convenient to incline is very precipitous compared to
are obvious if you look at them. No one ship their goods in Thayvian hulls and the surrounding countryside. The easi-
has entered them and come back. accept Thayvian payments for their est inclines are those around some of
goods than build their own ships and the rivers, though others are still very
To the east of Thay and Rashemen, to find their own markets. steep falls, and where the main roads of
the north of the Plains of Purple Dust, southern Thay were built centuries
are reputed to be the lands of Raurin However, there are pirates in the area ago.
and Durpar, known from annals of that live in small, secluded villages
trading agreements from the days of along the coast of Thay and Mulhorand The Priador is the name for the gently
Narfell and Raumathar. No one has and on the smaller islands to the south rolling plain that tops the First Escarp-
been seen from these lands for centu- of Aldor. They prey on the smaller ment. It is broken only by the various
ries. coastal trading vessels and occasionally rivers and Lake Thaylambar, and is the
surprise the crews of larger vessels central area of Thay. The entire region
The River Thazarim who bring their ships into shore to is broken up into thousands of slave
camp for the night or make emergency farms and small wilderness areas kept
In the days of Mulhorand’s rule of this repairs. When the Thayvian navy finds as private game preserves by the Red
area, this river, between the falls where and raids one of the pirate villages, the Wizards and Tharchions.
it comes off the Sunrise Escarpment to pirates attempt to pass themselves off
the falls from which it tumbles off the as fishermen. Sometimes they are suc- These game preserves are full of
First Escarpment, was the core of a fer- cessful at this deception, and some- monsters that the Wizards need for
tile farming area. Slave farms still popu- times the Thayvian marines don’t really spell and potion ingredients, and most
late the western bank of the river, but care and capture and enslave the popu- of them have no bounds on where they
the eastern bank is devastated and lation of the fishing village anyway— can travel, so travel anywhere around
abandoned, still desolate after the bat- even if it turns out to be just a fishing these preserves can be very hazardous.
tle that created Thay as a separate village.
nation. Travelers who are accosted by such
Piracy on the Alamber is a tricky pro- monsters are usually allowed to defend
The river itself is used as a travelway fession, but the potential rewards are themselves as best they can, but there is
along its length between the Escarp- great. By now, pirates have learned to no liability to the owner if his monsters
ments, but the steep falls at each end of avoid any ship flying the red-and-gold- kill someone (though, of course, this
this length make boat travel impossible flame-on-black banner of a Red Wizard sort of thing has caused intense feuds
without portaging the river craft. The unless their spies have indicated that when the victims were members of an
lower reaches of the river support the banner is a ruse. influential family and the monster’s
some slave farms on the west bank and owner refused any or adequate recom-
continue the devastated state on the

16

pense). And, of course, sometimes trav- the business and residence area. The is necessary to the spell holding him, is
elers who are successful in defending spaces between the canals are divided not common knowledge. The DM can
themselves may incur the wrath of the up into parks, each of which is owned make his own decision here.
owner if the monster was an especially wholly or in part by one of the Red Wiz-
prized or hard to replace species. ards or the Tharchioness. Because the shape of the city is actu-
ally the glyph holding Eltab prisoner, it
Main Cities Streets are wide and relatively is illegal and severely punished for any-
straight here. Distances are easily mea- one to make a map of Eltabbar. If some-
Eltabbar sured, which encourages people to try one actually manages to draw an exact
to map the town, with results as speci- map, and then the map is destroyed, it
Though it is the capital of the country, fied below. There is also an extensive weakens the bonds on Eltab. Each map
and the residence of at least half the surreptitious trade in “maps of the city,” made divides up the power of the bind-
Red Wizards, it is the second largest which are erroneous at best, deceptive ing further among all the maps and the
city of the land. Its population is at worst. streets themselves. If enough maps are
between 80,000 and 100,000 people, destroyed, Eltab is freed, and his likely
about half of whom are the slaves of the Mapping the city is a problem actions could destroy a large section of
Tharchioness and the Red Wizards in because it is built in the form of an the Forgotten Realms, Thay not the
residence. Merchants and other non- immense glyph. This is actually the least among them.
government non-magic-users are less symbol that keeps the demon prince
than enthused about sharing a city with Eltab imprisoned and available to the The official explanation for this ban
so many paranoid magic-users, and pre- Red Wizards. This was a mighty magic on maps of Eltabbar is a matter of secu-
fer to do business in Bezantur. devised by Jorgmacdon, the first Zulkir rity. If someone knows how the city is
of the School of Conjuration, and his laid out, they can invade it more easily.
The city is walled, with very few family is still powerful in the country, This logic has since progressed to an
buildings outside the walls. The River even though it has not produced any- edict forbidding the mapping of any
Eltab comes in under the walls and pro- one to match him since that time. city of Thay.
vides a central core of canals that divide
the government area of the town from Whether the canals are part of the The Zulkirs are on the alert for maps
glyph holding the Demon Prince, or made of Eltabbar, and confiscate any
perhaps the presence of the water itself they can find. Maps that have been con-

17

fiscated are kept in the Wizard’s Tower, ities, so Bezantur is by far the “holiest” fear from that notably non-aggressive
under great wards of protection and city of the Realm. The other name country. Once the Rashemi were seen
stasis to keep them safe. comes from the tax-free nature of the to be homebodies, Surthay became the
city, where no one is taxed, and every- stepping off point for many military
The city is frequently disturbed by one is prey to the thieves. See the Poli- invasions of Rashemen. At this point,
rumblings and shakings. Non-wizard tics section for further explanation of the Red Wizards have not learned the
residents think them simple earth- this situation. folly of these expeditions.
quakes. The Red Wizards know that
someone has destroyed another map of Tyranturos Despite its position on the lake, Sur-
Eltabbar. thay is not really set up as a port city.
This trading town was built by There is access from the lake to the cen-
Bezantur Mulhorand, and is the third largest city tral marina of the city, but the good nat-
of the realm. This is the crossroads city ural harbor has not been properly
This port was first known as Kensten where the High Road from Eltabbar to exploited. This is because the Witches
when it was the southern port of Rauma- Bezantur meets the Eastern Way from of Rashemen still control most of the
thar. It was destroyed in the war between Amruthar to Pyarados. Most goods lake, and tend to sink most Thayvian
Narfell and Raumathar and Mulhorand going through southern Thay pass vessels they encounter. Only Thayvian
rebuilt it as Bezantur to be a seaport on through this caravan town, but not fishing vessels that hug the southern
the same site. While there is no river much of it stays there (except for the shore have any survivability on Lake
access to this port (aside from some taxes collected by the Tharchion). From Mulsantir.
streams coming down from the First here goods go to and from Bezantur,
Escarpment), as there is with Escalant to Pyarados, Amruthar, and Eltabbar. Surthay contains about 40,000 people
the west, the natural harbor is the best on and slaves, and is walled very strongly
the coast, with ample depth for the larg- This city is not walled, though there with high walls and many towers carry-
est ship and protection from the fiercest are fortified manors and a central ing siege engines. There are no outlying
storms for over a hundred ships. walled citadel. Its market is famed buildings permitted around Surthay.
throughout the East as “the place Most of the primary wizards of the
Bezantur is the largest city of the realm. where anything, or anyone, can be School of Abjuration have towers here
The population, which has never been bought.” This refers to, among other or in the immediate area.
counted as long as Thay has owned the things, the extensive slave market that
city, is somewhat in excess of 100,000 happens every day in the central mar- The Ruins of Delhumide
people. Far-travelers who have seen ket area of the town.
Waterdeep compare the two as being This was the capital of the province
almost equal in size, but each traveler has Pyarados when it was part of Mulhorand and a
his own idea as to which is larger. major city of Raumathar before that.
This is a relatively new city, The City of One of the god-kings had his seat there,
Most seaborne merchants bring their the East, built by Thay and nestled though he was not there (the usual situ-
goods for Thay through this bustling under the shadow of the Sunrise Moun- ation) when the Red Wizards first
port. It is easily the most cosmopolitan tains and controlling the upper reaches unleashed their controlled Demon
of Thayvian cities. of River Thazarim and the guardian of Prince and sent him against the holy
the Thazalhar Battle Plain. Adventurers guardians of the city. When the demon
The city is built around its harbor and getting ready to explore the Sunrise won the struggle, Delhumide was a
enclosed by walls that do not encom- Mountains (and who can obtain official ruin, and the rule of the god-kings in
pass the extensive market town that permission) outfit here at exorbitant the north was broken.
has taken shape outside its walls. The prices.
walls do not cover the actual water- Now the city is a broken ruin, with no
front, the entrance to the harbor is This is a large city, with over 50,000 buildings of more than one story intact.
guarded with forts. The central citadel people, and only the central area of the The inhabitants are the armed forces of
is fully walled. city is guarded by a wall, which is sup- the Tharchion of Delhumide, various
plemented by that around the fortress parties of researchers and explorers,
Bezantur is also known as “The City of the Tharchion. and the remaining magical guardians
of a Thousand Temples,” and “The Free left by the previous owners. These lat-
City.” The first reference is to the large Surthay ter are supplemented by denizens of
number of churches (though not really the earth who have begun investigating
a thousand) to different deities that can This is another new city, built to guard the extensive dungeons underneath the
be found everywhere in the city, cater- Lake Mulsantir against the invasions ruins and made life very interesting for
ing to the needs of the many travelers from Rashemen that the Red Wizards the Thayvian explorers.
who stop in. Elsewhere, temples and
clerics are not supported by the author-

18

The High Road and the Surrounding Realms lateen sails, oars, and poles) to raid by
Eastern Way night. They are equally adept at travel-
The geography of Thay is as con- ling in the treetops and fighting
These two roads were built by strained as much by the boundaries of amongst them.
Mulhorand along the same model as the the lands around it as it is by its own
major roads in that sleeping kingdom. physical features. The foresters are alert and grim; the
The Red Wizards have maintained menacing might of Thay is uncomforta-
these roads better than the god-kings Aglarond bly near, and Aglarond’s blades are all
have maintained theirs. too few.
A small realm that keeps to itself,
The roads are elevated from the sur- Aglarond exerts little influence in Little is known of the Simbul’s aims
rounding land and made of hard affairs of state outside its borders. It is and true strength, but she is seen to
packed earth covered with paving important in the overall balance of the constantly roam the northern Realms,
materials that owe as much to alchemy Inner Seas lands, however, simply working to influence all manner of
as common craft. The surface is hard because its presence prevents Thay events (presumably to better
and fast, letting the horsemen of Thay from overwhelming the northern Aglarond’s safety, although she is said
move quickly from spot to spot along it, “East”. Aglarond’s strength—and dan- to be a member of the Harpers, whose
and letting commerce move quickly as ger, because she stands in magical oppo- aims are more widespread) in disguise,
well. sition to the Red Wizards of Thay, who or behind the scenes.
do not kindly suffer rivals—is its cur-
Using the roads is such a benefit in rent ruler, a female archmage of fabled Impiltur
Southern Thay that most merchants powers, known only as The Simbul.
don’t mind that the roads make the tax This young land comprises the area
stations that much harder to avoid. Aglarond lies on the northern side of across the Easting Reach from
a peninsula jutting out into the eastern Telflamm and Thesk and Aglarond. It
The Tax Stations end of the Inner Sea; a sparsely inhab- has no contiguous borders with Thay,
ited, heavily-wooded realm of few but it is a friend of most of the nations
All along the rivers and roads of Thay farms and no large cities. Jagged pinna- that do border Thay, and supports
are a series of villages about one day’s cles of rock stand at its tip, and run them in their wars against the Red Wiz-
travel apart. These are built around along the spine of its lands; to the east, ards.
military posts and generally feature a these fall away into vast and treacher-
defendable tower and a garrison of ous marshes that largely isolate the Impiltur’s neighbors are Lothchas the
about 30 men at arms. These stations Simbul’s realm from the mainland. bandit lord in the Desertspire Moun-
tend to accumulate hangers-on, so that Travel in Aglarond is by griffon, ship, or tains and the Ice Gorge to the west,
thriving villages now surround them, forest trails. It trades lumber, gems, and where the hobgoblins lived until their
usually featuring at least one inn or tav- some copper for glass, iron, cloth power was broken by Impiltur, and to
ern and several people providing other goods, and food when freetrading ves- the east and north the Great Dale and
services for travelers such as a smithy, a sels come to port-but sends out no the woods to the north of it. In the open
wheelwright, a livery stable, and so trading vessels of its own. The ships of wastes where Narfell once flourished
forth. This is one of the few openings Aglarond are fishing vessels and the dwells the Nentyarch, a mysterious
for private enterprise in Thay, and few small biremes and triremes of its mage of great power who rules grim
craftsmen make full use of this oppor- navy. men and strange beasts, living in
tunity. peace-unless the wood is entered by
The southern border of the nation is those he has not invited; these simply
Tax stations were built by the Zulkirs the southern reaches of the Yuirwood, vanish. This area is known as Ashanath
but each is maintained by the Red Wiz- the woods in which the elves lived that and little more is known of it.
ard or Tharchion most concerned with became part of Aglarond’s unique half-
the area. Each tax station takes its toll of elven heritage. To the south of the Yuir- Telflamm
travelers for upkeep of the roads and wood are the independent Cities of the
the garrison also arranges for road North Coast. This city-state comprises the city of
repairs or, on the rivers, upkeep of Telflamm and the subject-cities of Syth
docks and other facilities. The workers Aglarond cannot boast a field army of and Culmaster. Its prosperity rests in
on these jobs are not the residents of any size, nor a powerful navy, but with- being one of the terminal cities of the
the village, but the slaves from what- in its woods The Simbul’s foresters are Golden Way and its excellent port,
ever local slave-farm is appropriate. expert and deadly troops, adept at fire- which makes it the favored terminal,
fighting and at using “coastboats” (long, even though goods have a higher price
canoe-like open boats handled with because they must pass out of the realm

19





of Thesk to reach Telflamm. differences because of their plains and The land of Rashemen is home to a race
Despite an ongoing trade rivalry, hills existence. of short, muscular men who herd goats
and rothe’, and are adept at stone-and
Telflamm and Thesk are allies in many However, the courage and skill of the bonecarving.
things, and Telflamm supports Thesk in nomads and shamans, and the merce-
its struggles with Thay, since Telflamm naries from the trade towns and cities “Land of Berserkers” some ballads
would have no chance if Thay were its are not the main reason Thay has not call Rashemen—and indeed, such is the
neighbor. conquered the place. In fact, the fearless savagery of its warriors, and
military-minded leaders of Thay are their stamina, that at least sixteen arm-
Telflamm is a walled city of perhaps aware that conquering Thesk would ies from Thay have been slaughtered or
20,000 population. Much of it is tran- leave them with very vulnerable flanks turned back from Rashemen in the last
sient, as Telflamm is a favorite spot of to Rashemen and Aglarond. The Red seventy winters, and the Far Land
debarkation to the East or embarkation Wizard policy is to secure the flanks remains free.
for the West. People looking for the first.
assistance of adventurers often come to Rashemen is ruled by a Huhrong
Telflamm and adventurers go there Mulhorand (Iron Lord), or senior war leader, whose
looking for patrons. palace towers above the roofs of the
This ancient empire has been in exist- surrounding city of Immilmar. The Iron
The army of Telflamm is entirely mer- ence for over four thousand years, and Lord commands Rashemen’s standing
cenary and used solely for patrolling its its borders have fluctuated for most of army, which consists of warriors
roads and keeping the city and its that time. However, since Thay broke armored in heavy fur and leather
dependents safe. If called on to support away about four hundred years ago, tunics, with hand weapons, short bows,
Thesk militarily, the coffers of the city the borders of Mulhorand have lances and mountain ponies. Most
would be opened to buy more merce- remained much the same. patrol the border with Thay—the
naries to help their ally. Their own shores of Lake Mulsantir and the bro-
troops would stay to defend the home Almost the entire east coast of the ken lands east of the Gorge of Gauros.
front. Alamber Sea is under the sway of
Mulhorand. From the River of the There are many lesser lords, each
Thesk Dawn in the North to the River of with his own followers and
Swords in the south, the god-kings of businesses—but the succession of ruler-
This is the land between Aglarond and Mulhorand hold their lands in a slothful ship, and the posts of warleaders of the
Impiltur. The government of this land is grip. To the north of the capital of army, are chosen by the Witches. The
an oligarchy made up of the rules of the Skuld, City of Shadows, only Sultim is a Witches dwell mainly in Urling, and
trading cities along the Golden Way major city. The rest of the land is mostly provide sorcerous, unmanned, boats
from Two-Stars to Milvarune which farmlands occasionally broken by small (the feared ”Witchboats”) that patrol
acts as a capital (mostly because it is so towns like the crossroads town of Ashane, the Lake of Tears, as far north
far removed from Thay). The nomadic Maerlor and the ford-town of Rauthil. as the Pool of Erech, and the Mulsantir-
tribes who run their flocks in the Thesk waters as far south as Surmarsh and
Mountains in the center of the land and Below Skuld, there are many cities the harbor chains of Surthay, unleash-
the plains around the mountains also including Gheldaneth and Neldorild. All ing fell beasts and poisonous gases
protect the cities by acting as a thorn in of these cities are full of monolithic upon the vessels of Thay.
the side of any invading army from buildings of white stone and the prayer-
Thay. Their tactics are ideally suited to towers of the god-kings, all surrounded The Witches also govern the common
hit-and-run and they work in such a by the squalid huts of the slaves and warriors of Rashemen through the
scattered fashion that mass destruction lower classes. The cities are surround- making of “jhuild” (firewine), the potent
spells cannot damage very many at a ed by gigantic walls patrolled by merce- amber drink that the warriors of the
time. nary soldiers from Chessenta. land imbibe heavily before fighting.
The Witches are believed to all be
It is against foes like these that Thay Rashemen female, are known to be over sixty (and
has developed its cavalry, but the probably over a hundred) in number,
nomads are still capable of riding rings This is the easternmost of the known wear black robes and face-masks, bear
around any Thayvian unit. Realms. It has been dubbed “The Far magical rings, wands, and whips, and
Land” by merchants of the Western have m u c h - f e a r e d ( b u t l a r g e l y
The nomad magic users are mostly Realms. To its east lie uncounted unknown) magical powers.
shamans, but shamans who have leagues of rock-and-grass wastelands,
grown in power (perhaps because of and several rumored—but unreached The continued existence of Rashe-
the proximity to Thay) so that they are in recent memory—kingdoms of men. men speaks of the real magical power
equivalent to Druids. They have many of the Witches. Witches are wor-
of the same spells as druids, with some shipped and revered in Rashemen—it is

22

death to harm or disobey a Witch—and warriors are to be feared—but they are Most of the smaller “cities” of the east,
are known to seek out land take men as seldom encountered outside the Far such as Lasdur, Taskaunt, Murbant, an
lovers for brief periods, presumably as Land save as drunken youths “on Thasselen have been attacked and cap-
some sort of planned breeding pro- dajemma,” and do not have the reputa- tured or destroyed by Thay at one time
gram. If Witches leave Rashemen, they tion of, say, the mercenary companies or another in their histories, and Esca-
must abandon their black garb and con- of the Sword Coast lands, or the Black lant and Hilbrand have each been burr
ceal their powers, but none are known Helms of Tethyr. For most inhabitants to the ground once. At this time,
to have done so. of the Inner Sea lands and Sword Coast, Hilbrand has just surrendered to the
the Far Land remains a mysterious land Tharchion of the Lapendrar and Esca-
Wool, furs, and carved stone and much sung of in minstrel’s tales, as the lant is under siege by fire elementals.
bone—and rare, much-prized casks of setting for this or that feat of brawn.
firewine (which deadens pain and The coast also has several other villag-
inflames lust and other aggressive The total population of Rashemen is es which are mostly fishing villages an
emotions)—are the trade goods of no more than 100,000 people, but they owe allegiance (or at least tax money) to
Rashemen; in return cloth and wood- abhor slavery and every person is a one or another of the larger towns.
work, lumber and foodstuffs are free citizen of the country.
imported. There are three trade routes Thazalhar
from the Far Land: the Long Road to City of Amruthar
the North, via the Great Dale to the This devastated barren buffer zone
West, and the Golden Way to the south- This theoretically independent city between Thay and Mulhorand is bor-
west. Rashemen is self-sufficient in rests just over the River of Sorrows dered by the River Tazarim to the west
war-metals and northen herd animals, (Lapendrar) from the core area of Thay. and north and the River of the Dawn to
and makes much heavy, smoky- At some times it has been almost entire- the south. The Sunrise Mountains are
flavored cheese for use within its bor- ly encircled by Thay’s lands, but it its eastern border. There are no regular
ders (the stuff is very nourishing, but maintains its own government—a pup- residents except for the Tharchion of
an acquired taste, and little-exported). pet of Thay’s. the region and his troopers. Trading
caravans and raiders of trading car
Snow-racing (naked and afoot, across The city is well-walled and actively vans traverse it, and most goods go by
country) and the hunting of snow-cats patrolled by the soldiers of the ruler, sea on the far safer Bezantur-to-Sultim
are popular sports among both sexes in called the Heirarch. He has a Council of route.
Rashemen; widespread hobbies include the most influential people of the city,
the collecting of rare and beautiful who are divided up into several political Its short coastline is home for several
stones (including gems), exploring old factions described elsewhere. pirate families that prey on the smaller
ruins in the north of the realm (rem- vessels of that trade.
nants of a previous kingdom, Rauma- About 30,000 people live in Amruthar
thar, neighbor—and foe—of the more and the farming villages within a day’s
famous, but equally vanished, realm of ride of the city.
Narfell, that lay to the west), and going
on “growing up” trips out of The Cities of the Coast
Rashemen—a journey that every male
of the realm makes when a youth. If he Most of these nine “cities” were found-
comes back to Rashemen, such a jour- ed by Unther when it tried to expand
neyer is considered a man. For most, into this area. Now they are indepen-
the dajemma (or journey) is a sightsee- dent trading towns, all trying to vie
ing tour around the Inner Sea Lands, against Thay’s Bezantur and each other
but the cumulative effect of the dajem- for the cross-sea trade from Chessenta.
mas is to build trading contacts, pick up The western cities of Delthuntle and
a lot of incidental information about the Laothkund are the largest of the lot,
Inner Sea Lands, and gain continuous with populations around 70,000 each—
news of politics (and military activities) almost the size of Bezantur. Hilbrand
in the Inner Sea region. and Escalant of the east have some pre-
tensions to competition with Bezantur
Sages, merchants, and mercenary in trade, but no chance of competition
captains generally agree that Rashemen in size. They have perhaps 30,000
has no designs upon the lands around; inhabitants each. The rest of the “cities”
like most of Thay’s neighbors, its pri- are actually unwalled towns of
mary concern is survival. Rashemen’s between 5,000 and 15,000 people.

23

CURRENT ECONOMY OF THAY

Thay is a slave-based, agrarian econ- Thay is a major market for slaves to craftsmen of Thay have little opportu-
omy. Most of the foodstuffs produced run its farms and serve other functions. nity to work with wood (some special-
are grown on slave-run farms owned Every slaverunner in the Realms ists carve and work imported wood),
by the great lords of the nation. The dreams of selling his coffle of slaves in but their carving and joining of the
individual free farmer found in most Eltabbar. Because the wizards need eve- bone of exotic beasts, such as the
parts of the Western countries is ry slave they can get, Thay does not dragon turtles of Lake Thaylambar, and
unknown in Thay. The closest thing to export slaves. There is no record of inlaying of their creations with the pre-
this form of crop care is the small sub- anyone (perhaps the family of a slave cious metals of Thay, creates artwork
sistence gardens grown by some town kidnapped into servitude) successfully that is admired and coveted in all the
dwellers in window boxes and planter buying back a Thayvian slave. There Realms.
boxes on their roofs. are stories of people trying to buy back
a slave and becoming slaves them- Some Wizards enhance the work of
The great farms grow several differ- selves. their craftsmen with magic, creating
ent forms of wheat, orchards full of magical items that are also desired eve-
fruit (mostly citrus) and pastures full of Slaves do escape, and some are res- rywhere. Nothing they export is of
cattle. Because these farms are slave- cued by friends and family, but once a much use militarily, but some items,
run, they are not very efficient, but slave has been purchased in Thay, he such as crystal statuettes that glow in
usually make up in bulk produced what can never legally (according to Thay the dark, are useful for adventurers.
they lose in quality of care. laws) be a free man again. Slaves cannot The Wizards specialize in enchanting
be manumitted. They can be retired to objects with cantrips.
Because of the number of wizards in lives of leisure if they have pleased their
Thay, many of whom are land-holders, masters greatly, or turned out of the Government Control
there is rarely drought in Thay. In fact, estates of their master for some trans-
surrounding nations often have exces- gression, but they are still slaves. If The Red Wizards have made two rules
sive droughts in those dry years when found running around free, they can be that are usually followed in their busi-
the overwhelming wizardry of Thay enslaved by any free person who finds ness dealings.
(and, to a lesser extent, the Witchcraft them.
of Rashemen) draws whatever storm- The first rule is that no enchanted
clouds are available anywhere in the The Crafts of Thay item that has military usefulness may
Inner Sea region to the fields of the Red be sold outside the country or to a rep-
Wizards. For this reason, Thay is often The Red Wizards have two other resentative of some power outside the
the breadbasket of the entire eastern exports of value. One is the gold from country. Thus, no magical offensive or
Inner Sea region. the mines of the Thaymount and along defensive weaponry is sold. Items like
the Umber and Lapendrar rivers. The the afore-mentioned glowing statuettes
Nations and city states that normally Lapendrar river at least partially gains are in a gray area that is ignored at the
would have no relationship with Thay its name of “The River of Sorrows” moment, but could come under the ban
must deal with the agents of the Zulkirs because of the laments of the families of if too many hostile adventuring bands
to get the grain they need to feed their the miners lost along its shores in the showed up in Thay using them. Potions
people. Telflamm and Thesk, especially, wizard-owned mines. The name also are another gray area which are usu-
populous city-states that import most of derives from the sorrow of the families ally ignored because their use is so lim-
their grains and produce in the best of of Aglarondan soldiers who died in ited and so little of any one potion can
years, must often come hat-in-hand to King Halacar’s ill-starred invasion of be produced at any one time.
the Red Wizards for their food. Thay, when half the army was drowned
in a wizard-caused flash flood that The other rule is that Thayvians can-
If the agriculture of Thay were under caught them in the middle of the river. not sell food or items to citizens of
the control of the government of Thay, nations that Thay is invading at the
the Red Wizards would own the eastern Thay also has silver and platinum moment. This sometimes has resulted
Inner Sea economically if not politically. mines in both the Thaymount and the in flurries of sales to a nation such as
However, despite the fact that the land- Sunrise Mountains, and good sources of Aglarond or Rashemen or Mulhorand
holders of Thay are the government of copper and iron. There are even just before the armies marched, and
Thay, agriculture is not an instrument of sources of assorted gems and precious some invasions have been foiled
government policy. Each Red Wizard stones such as jade. because the sages of the soon-to-be-
and Tharchion is his own agent, and invaded nation saw this activity for the
they often compete for foreign orders, The other major Thayvian export is warning it was and warned their rulers
so conquering the Inner Sea through the tied into both the mines and the rich of the invasion.
stomachs of its people has not taken variety of animals, both natural and
place, much to the relief of the sages monsterish, that inhabit the Realm. The
who study matters economic.

24

CURRENT POLITICS OF THAY

Regional Rulers running the country. If no one of a success on the inactivity of the most
school wants the job, then the school is potent Wizards of the realm, who hap-
The land of Thay is divided up into 11 unrepresented. pen to be the other major faction and
administrative regions, known as are known as the Researchers.
Tharches. Each is ruled by a Tharchion The Zulkirs examine each candidate
or Tharchioness, who is drawn from to make sure that he has the proper These worthies believe the true voca-
the nobility of Thay (see Society of proficiency in general magic (i.e.; is a tion of the magic-user is research and
Thay). In each region, the ruler’s word wizard—a magic-user of 11th level) If careful application of the research to
is law, though each rules in a different more than one candidate presents him- acquire new and more potent wizard-
way from his colleagues. self and seems qualified, he must con- ries. While a Researcher might go
test against the other candidates in adventuring or use his powers to help
No Tharchion has ultimate authority proficiency with his school’s magic. For his own fortunes, as a group they are
for the nation, because that is in the the wizards of divination, this is not a notoriously uninterested in assisting
hands of the Red Wizards. The author- major problem; the one with the best the land of Thay in conquest. Research-
ity of a Red Wizard supersedes even answers wins the position. ers are essentially selfish. If the enter-
that of a Tharchion. The Red Wizards prise does not benefit them directly,
are a loose confederacy that rule the However, contests in Conjuration/ they have no interest in it.
country as a whole; some of them take a Summoning, Alteration, or Invocation/
particular interest in ruling or manag- Evocation can be, and frequently are, Neither political faction is particular-
ing small parts of the country, others deadly. ly organized, the Red Wizards are too
take no interest in anything outside of paranoid and megalomaniacal for that.
their own researches and adventuring. Badges Many an Imperialist considers some
Researcher a best friend and another
The Red Wizards are evil and para- The Red Wizards and their minions use Imperialist a bitter personal enemy. By
noid in the extreme. They seek to main- several badges; that most often seen their nature, Imperialists are more
tain their own power in their nation outside Thay is a leaping red flame (out- organized than the Researchers, but
while undercutting the power of other lined in gold) on a black or deep purple most adventuring bands are better
realms, which they perceive as danger- field. organized than the “leadership” of the
ous to their existence. Other magic- Imperialists.
users who are not of their cult Known Red Wizards found outside of
(especially those mages who are Thay are not of less than 9th level and The main leader of the Imperialists is
involved in ruling rival nations, particu- possibly as much as 15th level. There is
larly the Simbul of Aglarond) are a 50% chance of the wizard having Lauzoril, Zulkir of the School of
viewed as threats to be eliminated. The bodyguards (usually ogres or other Enchantment (see Personalities). He is
total number of Red Wizards is non-human creatures), and an equal not known generally to be a Zulkir, but
unknown. chance of having 1-4 low-level (1-8) aspi- his machinations have come to the
rants to the Red Cloth. The Red Wiz- attention of the Harpers, and sparked
The Zulkirs ards do not go in for subtlety, and wear an enmity that is growing more intense
their crimson robes haughtily in all but as the years of enmity go on.
From among the politically interested situations calling for the utmost discre-
wizards, the Red Wizards choose tion. The main leader of the Researchers,
Zulkirs to speak for the Red Wizards. as much as they have leaders, is Sabass
There is one Zulkir for each School of Besides “showing the flag”, this dis- of Thay (see Personalities).
Magic, and once chosen they keep the play also serves to cover the activities of
position for life unless they voluntarily the Red Wizards, often of less than 9th Actually, the imperialist dreams of
resign. The Zulkir for Necromancy, level, who act as spies and agents prova- the Wizards have been hampered main-
Szass Tam, withdrew from the compa- cateur in the Realms (see Personalities). ly by internal strife among various fac-
ny of his fellows some years ago and tions and personality cults among the
pursues his own devices—but he is still Political Factions Red Wizards, and by the fact that the
the Zulkir for Necromancy and no one cult neither trusts mercenaries or high-
can step forward to replace him. There are two major factions among level adventurers who are not of their
the Red Wizards. The Imperialists are cult. Of the large number of invasions
Zulkirs are chosen from among those devoted to an expansionistic and impe- of Rashemen, three out of four have
of the right School who want the job. rialistic policy of swallowing neighbor been by some particular faction leader
They are not necessarily the most pow- states and eventually the entire Realms. of the wizards seeking to expand his
erful of their School, just the one who They have attempted this many times, domination at home by bringing victo-
wants to have something to do with but they are invariably stopped. Many ries from the field.
of the Imperialists blame their lack of

25

The Administration Priador in the western part of the problems of the merchants and make
of Thay Realm) and maintain the northern river sure they do not go away dissatisfied.
traffic along the river Laprendar and Some of the patrol leaders even per-
As stated before, the day-to-day life of guard the gold mines along the upper form their duties without bribes, but
Thay is adminstered by 11 Tharchions river. In times of invasion, such as now, not many.
and Tharchionesses. Each controls one the Tharchion also controls the area to
Tharch. The Tharches of Thay are as the west of the Thaymount, specifically Non-merchants under his rule have
follows: all the lands along the River Umber. At different things to say about Dimon. He
this time Autharches reporting to this is as mercurial and paranoid as any of
The Tharch of Eltabbar. This Tharch Tharchion control the trading towns of the rulers of Thay and he particularly
controls the city of Eltabbar, Lake Thay- Nethentir and Nethjet and patrol Lake dislikes adventurers, whom he con-
lambar, and most of the fishing and Umber and the Umber river up to the siders “disruptive and bad for trade.”
trading villages around the lake, with Umber Marshes.
one notable exception (see Tharch of Dimon is rumored to be a low-
Delhumide). The Tharchioness is a The current Tharchion of Thay- ranking priest of Waukeen, though he
young woman whose outer beauty has mount is Spiros Dehkahks, a Lawful officially decries this as a fabrication of
given her the title of First Princess of Evil fighter of the 12th level and a mas- his political enemies. He has never
Thay outside the Realm, though she terful general. He is supported by the exhibited any ability as magic-user or
officially has no more power than any Zulkir of Divination in his current mili- fighter. Some rumors about label him a
of her 10 colleagues. tary adventures. He rules from the Cita- thief, but much the same is said about
del of Thaymount, a fortified tower tax collectors all over the Realms.
The Tharchioness is in an anomalous near the headwaters of the River
position, in that she controls the capital Umber. The Tharch of Bezantur. Bezantur is
city of the Realm and is at the center of the greatest city of Thay and the gate-
power, yet there are more Red Wizards The Tharch of Tyraturos. This Tharch way to the southern Realms and most
in residence in this city than in any oth- encompasses the town from which it of the seaways. It is Thay’s only seaport.
er part of the Realm, and these are takes its name and control of most of Bezantur is a very cosmopolitan city,
mostly active wizards with an interest the Eastern Way, a paved highway run- with elements of all the Realms repre-
in how every part of the country is run, ning from Amruthar to Pyarados, and sented.
so she never knows when or in what the High Road, a paved highway run-
field of her authority she is going to be ning from Eltabbar to Bezantur. In The city is so large that the Tharch
overruled. essence, the Tharchion of Tyraturos is named for it encompasses only the city
the ruler of trade within southern and the High Road up to the first toll sta-
Her reaction to this situation has been Thay, and most tolls gathered on these tion.
to retreat to her palace and engage in roads go directly into his coffers. The
flirtatious correspondence with the Red Wizards tax him, rather than the The Tharchioness of Bezantur, Mari
unattached rulers of several surround- merchants. Agneh, rules the city with a light but
ing kingdoms. The day-to-day affairs of whimsical hand. Uniquely, she rules
her Tharch are handled by her This Tharchion, Dimon of Tyraturos, and gathers her taxes by theft. There
Autharches, who spend most of their is considered by many to be the most are no tax collectors or custome offi-
time obeying the whims of whichever reasonable of the Tharchions. He is an cers at the docks to collect a percentage
Red Wizard is interfering this week. intelligent man who understands that if of a cargo. There are no bureaucrats
trade dries up, he no longer has the waiting to be bribed. But every cargo
The Tharchioness is said to be a income but must still pay his taxes. that is conveyed anywhere on the
magic-user of some ability herself, of Therefore, he is no more oppressive to docks or through the city, or stored in
the School of Illusion, but is not thought foreign traders and the merchants of one of the hundred of warehouses,
to be of much beyond fifth level. She Thay than the trade moguls of many leaves Bezantur lighter than it entered.
changes her name to suit the occasion other nations. The fact that he started Dockworkers, warehousemen, porters,
or her whim. She was born Dmitra his career as a merchant, and is the first drayers, and random beggars are all
Flass, but she has long since foresworn member of his family to become a noble members of the Thieves Guild, and
any allegiance to that family. might have something to do with his Mari Agneh is the Upright Man of the
attitudes. Guild.
The Tharch of Thaymount. This
Tharch is mostly a military march. In The duties he imposes are no more One might wonder why she bothers,
times of peace and or retrenchment, its oppressive than those of other nations, as she could do the same thieving offi-
function is to guard the Thaymount and his roving cavalry patrols are spe- cially, but her heritage as a master thief
(the mountains that rise out of the cifically instructed to expedite the probably has something to do with it.
As a result of this policy of taxation by
theft, the city watch is very slow to

26

respond to any calls for assistance keep them loyal. slave-farms in his Tharch and reacting
because of theft. Certain of the Red Wizards are well to invasions from Rashemen (rare) and
slave revolts (common). Because of the
Free-lance thieves are, of course, aware of this scheme of taxation and area he must guard, Mikal normally has
strongly discouraged, but the discour- visit Valerios frequently to gain the one of the largest military forces under
aging is done by the Guild, not the “gifts” he knows he has to give them to arms at any one time, though the cur-
watch. Calls for investigation of the keep them from supplanting him with rent spate of invasions has both drained
murder of leather-clad men (the local someone else. his forces and caused the assorted
Guild works unarmored) armed with invading Tharchions to hire most of the
daggers and shortswords are answered The Tharch of Gauros. The Gorge of mercenaries in Thay—leaving Canos
about as fast as theft calls. Gauros is one of the major areas of con- with a minimum force and no way to
tention between Thay and the land of increase it.
Merchants who guard their goods Rashemen. The Gorge is full of mineral
excessively well find themselves and deposits that are valuable to both coun- The Tharch of Laprendar. It is some-
their guards arrested for a variety of tries, and it has been the scene of sev- what presumptious of the Red Wizards
trumped-up charges. Depending on eral battles between the two Realms. to label a Tharch with the name of a riv-
how seriously they have thwarted the er they only hold most of one bank of,
Tharchioness, they may either be This tharch is a military operation led but such considerations have never
released with apologies to find their by Tharchion Azhir Kren, a warrior stopped the Red Wizards before.
goods well-pilfered or wind up on a woman of the 11th level, and essentially
slave coffle. Most merchants with any is in charge of patrolling the River This Tharchion, Hargrid Tenslayer, a
experience plan to lose a share of their Mulsantir and, particularly, the Gorge. 9th level chaotic evil lord, is not Thay-
goods as they pass through Bezantur. vian at all. He is from Thesk, but found
Azhir Kren is known to be cruel but the Thayllians much more to his liking
The Tharch of Pyarados. Pyarados is fair in her dealings with her soldiers. after he was run out of Phsant for slay-
the gateway to the Sunrise Mountains, Lately she has found a new way of ing the child of the heirarch there. He
and tends to have a large population of keeping her soldiers in the field—the distinguished himself in an otherwise
adventurers. The Tharchion is Valerios Zulkir of Necromancy has been taking disastrous invasion of Rashemen and
Theokillos, a neutral evil 10th level her slain soldiers and turning them into was made Autharch of Falls, the area
fighter-adventurer who is said to have zombies and skeletons. Now the two of where the Laprendar leaves the
slain the avatar of one of the god-kings them are attempting an invasion of Priador to the lower plains, and the tra-
of Mulhorand. Now he is a man in his Rashemen behind an army of zombies. ditional border of Thay and the Coastal
sixties, and retired into the rule of this Cities.
easternmost of Thayvian cities. The Tharch of Delhumide. Delhumide
is the ruin of the capital of Thay when it When the Tharchion of the Lapren-
Adventurers wishing to enter the was a Mulhorand province. Before dar died under mysterious circum-
Sunrise Mountains must either carry then, it was one of the great cities of stances (the usual Thayvian designation
gear for many miles through Thay, risk- Raumathar. The ruins are laden with for death by poison), Hargrid was unan-
ing pilferage, or buy it in Pyarados. incredible magics, and terrible mon- imously approved as his successor.
Valerios owns a part of every outfitting sters and booby-traps. The Tharch of
shop in the city. Prices for standard Delhumide controls the town and the Now Hargrid has formed an alliance
adventuring gear are high, often twice lake approaches, plus all the land to the with the Zulkirs of Evocation and Con-
what is found in the Players Handbook east of Lake Thaylambar and to the juration, who have managed to open a
and DMG. Every shop has the same south of the River Mulsantir. gate to the Plane of Fire and ravaged
price for the same goods. The one cut- the coast cities of Thasselen, Murbant,
rate shop sells used and shoddy goods However, Tharchion Mikal Canos, a Lasdur, and Taskaunt and most of the
with a good chance of failure at critical 13th level lawful evil Lord, is primarily fishing villages in between.
moments. concerned with Delhumide. His troops
stationed there are committed to keep- The Tharch of Surthay. This is both a
Valerios, of course, also keeps an eye ing the monsters therein caught within military and trade post. The Tharchion
on returning adventurers, with the the broken walls of the city. His duties controls the city of Surthay, such parts
intent of taxing them of useful items are not made any easier by the frequent of Lake Mulsantir Thay can wrest from
and loot. He does not take the best of visits by Zulkirs and other Red Wizards Rashemen, the Surmarsh, and the River
the items (unless they would either be who want to investigate the ruins in Thay up to last tax station before the
(a) useful to him or (b) dangerous to him search of one exotic magical item or one leading into Lake Thaylambar.
or Thay in general), but he has a large another they think might still be there.
hoard of minor magical items, which he Tharchion Homen Odesseiron is a
sometimes uses as gifts to his aides to The rest of his duties are mainly con- magic-user who retired early, before he
cerned with guarding the assorted

27

could become a Red Wizard. However caravan path. His troops are known to Laws About Assault
he studied in several of the schools, and be the hardest-riding and longest-
is said to have a complete complement enduring troopers in Thay, though There are no real laws about assault,
of spells in four different schools. their fighting ability is not outstanding. unless the victim is an important member
of society, in which case the assaulter
Because of Surthay’s position of Milsantos is known for charging way may be slain out of hand or enslaved. Of
Defender of the North against the fees in gems and small items of value. course, the assaulter can be freed or pun-
hordes of Rashemen (the likelihood of He has no place to store vast quantities ished depending on the relative impor-
Rashemen conquering, or even want- of coins, and keeps his treasure with tance of the victim to the assaulter.
ing to conquer, Thay is very remote, but him.
not to the paranoid masters of Thay), Laws About Theft
the Zulkir of the School of Abjuration The Laws of Thay
makes this his particular concern, and Unlike many Realms, thieves are not
his residence is found here. Thay has no code of laws that rules its branded and maimed in Thay. They are
life. The Zulkirs make all pronounce- enslaved. This punishment can be
This Tharch also includes the slave ments that affect the populace, and handed out for something as unimport-
farms between the River Thay and Riv- most of these are individual rulings on ant as a loaf of bread. Particularly
er Mulsantir under its purview, and individual cases. Among their other important thefts, such as that of a magi-
attempts to keep what trails are known duties, the Zulkirs are the high judges cal item from a wizard, can be punished
in the Surmarsh under patrol. of Thay. with death. After all, who wants such
an accomplished thief as a slave?
The Tharch of Aldor. This small Tharch The law that rules the nation comes
comprises the island in the Alamber Sea from the Tharchions and from tradi- Civil Laws
that serves as the main naval base of the tion. Some of this tradition is taken
Thayvian fleet. For a country with one from Mulhorand, the rest has devel- Suits for redress and righting of com-
seaport, Thay keeps a large number of oped over the centuries since Thay mercial wrongs must be brought
warship keels afloat. This is the largest became a nation. before the person in authority. This can
naval establishment, with the second- be a Tharchion, an Autharch, or even a
ary, and only other, base in Bezantur. The following is a short description of local Red Wizard. Most people try to
the most important laws of Thay. avoid the justice of wizards, however,
The Tharchion of Aldor is Thessaloni since they are said, correctly, to be
Canos, sister of Mikal Canos and a 10th Laws about Murder somewhat whimsical in administering
level lawful evil Lord. The Red Wizards justice, and plaintiffs and defendants
recognized the quality of each of these Every murder case is handled individu- alike have been turned into frogs for
commanders but also decided that put- ally. Some Tharchions let their disturbing a wizard with their petty
ting them in close proximity would be Autharches or even the constables on problems. If there is a dispute between
hazardous to the health of their regime, the streets administer justice in these Tharchions, a panel of the Zulkirs hears
so they are almost as far as possible cases. The most common punishment the argument, and more than one Thar-
apart as they can be without being in for common people is enslavement (a chion has lost life or current body as a
other countries. common punishment for any crime). If judgement.
the murderer is someone such as an
The Tharch of Thazalhar. This is a adventurer or a magic-user of some Disputes between wizards are settled
purely military Tharch responsible for sort the usual punishment is death. between the wizards. There are no
patrolling the trade roads between Slaves who commit murder are pun- mechanisms for settling such disputes
Pyarados and the Mulhorand border on ished (how heavily depends on how by any other method. If they cannot set-
the other side of the River of the Dawn. important the victim was) and either tle it by talk, they declare feud and peo-
The Tharchion is Milsantos Daramos, a given back to their master or taken ple start dying. Sometimes one litigant
7th level lawful evil fighter who com- over by the government and sent off to decides that there is no settling the
mands three small troops of cavalry. the gold mines. Murder of a slave is not problem before the other does, and the
murder, it is theft. first thing the other knows about the
Their main purpose is to guard cara- escalation is when he finds his break-
vans and put down marauding mon- Assuming the person in charge of fast has been poisoned.
sters who may be accumulating a dealing with murder cases takes the
power base in the wasteland. Ostensi- time to hear any arguments, any seem- For this reason, among others, most
bly, the Tharchion’s seat is at Pyarados, ingly good reason for killing someone wizards are accomplished alchemists as
but Milsantos has little love for Valerios, may be accepted, or the most obvious well, specializing in poisons and anti-
so he is mostly on the trail, camping at case of self-defense may get the killer
one of several familiar sites along the sent to the gold mines. (Continued on page 37)

28

PLAYERS’ GUIDE TO THAY

Glossary of Things one another. An excellent market for ary of much of Thay except in periods
Thayvian mercenaries. of conquest.

Aglarond— Neighboring country to the The Citadel— Mighty fortification in the Lauzoril— Prominent Red Wizard who
west. The population is mostly half- Thaymount, built by pre-human resi- has declared a vendetta of sorts against
elves and the country is ruled by the dents who are said to still reside in the Harpers.
mysterious Simbul. devolved form in its lowest dungeons.
Mulhorand— Ancient empire of the
Alamber Sea— Also called the Sahuagin Cities of the North Coast— Four cities god-kings south of Thay. The Red Wiz-
Sea for the kingdom of those people and six towns, each independent but ards are said to have come from there.
that resides in the depths. This sepa- formed into a loose alliance of defense
rates the ancient kingdoms of against the colossus of Thay. Currently, Mulsantir— Lake and river that mark
Mulhorand and Unther and is mostly four of the smaller towns are in flames the northern boundary of Thay and the
plied by ships from Thay. from an attack by Thay. border between Thay and Rashemen.

The Aldor— Island where the Wizards’ The cities are, from west to east, Narfell— Ancient kingdom that sat
Reach meets the Alamber Sea. The Delthuntle, Nethra, Teth, Laothkund, between modern Impiltur and Rashe-
entire island is a naval base for the Red Hilbrand, Lasdur, Taskaunt, Escalant, men. Its ruins are still rich.
Wizards. Murbant, and Thasselen.
Nentyarch— Wizard-ruler of the wil-
Altumbel— Peninsula holding the city of Delhumide— Ruined city that had been derness between Impiltur and Rashe-
Spandeliyon, called the City of Pirates. a capital of Thay in ancient times. Said men, where the ancient land of Narfell
Known as the least lawful city on the to be laden with hidden magic. had its roots. Anyone entering the terri-
Inner Sea, it was founded by the refu- tory without the good will of this ruler
gees from Aglarond driven out by the Eltabbar— Capital city of Thay, a city of does not return.
half-elves who now rule the country. wizards. The Tharchioness is such a
beauty that she is known as the First The Plain of Purple Dust— Desert on the
Amruthar— Neutral city on the River Princess of Thay (though only outside east side of the Sunrise Mountains. Any
Lapendrar. Not possessed by Thay, it the country). lands on the other side of this desert are
acts as a entry port for goods going to known only in ancient legend.
Thay. First Escarpment— Cliffs that form the
plateau of the Priador. Forms part of The Priador— Flat plateau on which
Assassins— Said to be the main political the main border of Thay except in times most of Thay rests.
expediters in Thay. of conquest.
Pyarados— City of Thay. Jumping-off
Autharch— Subsidiary noble, answer- Giants’ Wall— Cyclopean wall erected place for adventurers going into the
able to the Tharchion or Tharchioness by giants as a returned favor to the first Sunrise Mountains.
who appointed him. king of Aglarond to defend the country
from the incursions of Thay. Rashemen— Country to the north of
Bezantur— Seaport city of Thay, the Thay, protected by the Witches of
largest city of that country, comparable The Golden Way— A traderoad leading Rashemen.
to Waterdeep in size. “Ruled by thieves.” from the empires of the East through
Rashemen to Thesk and Telflamm. Raumathar— Ancient kingdom that sat
“Bread Basket of the East"— Another where Rashemen now is. Died in war of
name for Thay, which supplies grain (at Impiltur— Young kingdom to the north mutual elimination with Narfell.
high prices) to most of the eastern and west of Thay. Ruled in fact by a
Realms. council of lords in the name of the Skuld— City of Shadows, capital of
wizardess who wears the crown, who Mulhorand.
Chessenta— Collection of city-states on is named Sambryl.
the south coast of the Wizards’ Reach Slave Farms— The agriculture (except
who rebelled from the ancient kingdom Lapendrar— “River of Sorrows,” so for kitchen gardens) of Thay takes
of Unther and now vacillate between named because of the gold miners who place on these immense plantations
open warfare and armed peace with have died working along its banks and which are owned by the Red Wizards
the army from Aglarond that died in and Tharchions of Thay.
battle there. Forms the western bound-

29

Slavers— The scum of the Inner Seas Thesk— An alliance of trading towns Rumors
are hired by Thay to kidnap citizens of and cities along the western end of the
other Realms to become slaves in Thay. Golden Way. The largest city and capital The following rumors can be found in
of the country is Milvarune. The other different places in the Forgotten
Slavery— Basis of the economy of Thay. main city is Phsalt, city of sages. The Realms, as indicated by the headings. If
Two-thirds of the people of the nation other towns are Thassalra, Phent, you want to follow any of these up, talk
are slaves. No one in the Forgotten Inkar, Tammar, Two-stars, and Tezir-On- to your DM.
Realms wants to be a slave in Thay. The-Marsh.
l Agents of the Red Wizards of Thay
Sunrise Mountains— The eastern bor- Tyraturos— Crossroads city of Thay, have openly slain merchants in West-
der of Thay. Virtually impassable. Said where the High Road and the Eastern gate and Scardale-port, and it is whis-
to be the home of lammasu and griffins. Way meet. Sometimes called the “capi- pered that the fell Red Magic Cult is stir-
tal of Southern Thay”. The greatest ring again; perhaps the Red Wizards
Surmarsh— Extensive swamp area to interior markets of Thay happen here. will resume their quest for world domi-
the west of Lake Mulsantir between the The slave markets are particularly nation soon, in the Inner Sea Lands.
Rivers Thay and Sur. Home of crimi- extensive.
nals, refugees, and lizard men who are l A tavern in Ordulin, The Stranded
allied with Thay. Witches- The true rulers of Rashemen. Fish, has been set afire and destroyed in
It is said that only their magic has kept a brawl between local bravos and a
Surthay— Northernmost city of Thay, a Rashemen free from domination by bearded, robed mage of great power,
lakeport on Lake Mulsantir. The North- Thay. thought to be one of the Red Wizards of
ern Bulwark. Thay. The mage escaped the blaze, and
Wizards’ Reach— The arm of the Inner his present whereabouts are unknown.
Szass Tam— The Zulkir of Necromancy Sea that divides Aglarond and Thay It is certain that agents of the city’s
in Thay. He is said to know undead as from the cities of Chessenta. The Cities Council, and the City Guards, are look-
no one has known them before. of the North Coast are arranged along ing for him.
the north coast of this arm.
Telflamm— A city-state on the shore of l The incidence of abductions
the Easting Reach, one of the terminal Yuirwood— Largest forest in the area of throughout the Inner Sea area is grow-
points for the Golden Way. Ally and Thay. Former home of the Yuir elves, ing greatly. Authorities are afraid (for
trading rival of Thesk. who are some of the progenitors of the reasons they’d rather not discuss) that
half-elves of Aglarond. Now forms the the Red Wizards are adding to their
Tharch— Political division of Thay, border between Aglarond and the Cit- slave coffles. Many young men and
ruled by a Tharchion or Tharchioness. ies of the North Coast. women with some experience in adven-
turing, though not as magic-users or
Tharchion or Tharchioness— Ruler of a Zulkirs— The Red Wizards who actually clerics, are going missing.
Tharch. Almost absolute rulers within rule Thay. There are said to be eight
their domains, but answerable to the Zulkirs, one for each school of magic. Close To Thay
Zulkirs. The actual names of these wizards are
not usually known. l Armies of “walking dead” are said to
Thay— The nation ruled by the Red be advancing steadily northwards from
Wizards. Cities of Thay include Eltab- Thay, led by armored skeletal warriors
bar, Bezantur, Tyraturos, Pyarados, of great power and fell aspect. Impiltur
and Surthay. fears that Thay will overwhelm all the
Eastern Lands, and then turn west to
Thaymount— Small range of moun- crush the Coastal Cities, Impiltur, and
tains, probably volcanic, that rise out of Aglarond.
the Priador and form the West Wall of
Thay when she has shrunk her borders l The Red Wizards of Thay have sent
in times of retreat. The Citadel guards legions of elementals against rebellious
these mountains, and the rivers Lapen- neighboring satraps, destroying four of
drar, Umber, and Eltab are fed from them (the coastal cities of Lasdur,
their heights. Taskaunt, Murbant, and Thasselen)
utterly, taking those lands (and that of

30

Hilbrand, which surrendered without a exchanged gifts, they may now visit uneasy alliance), and/or to ovserve
fight) under Thay’s banner. Escalant, together with no gossip of scandal, events in the strategic Dalelands and
the most powerful of the cities, is cur- instead of only through envoys, and yet discuss things with the remaining elves
rently under siege. part honorably, if they do not want to in Myth Drannor. There are rumors of
be mated. Selfaril wants Thay as an ally war between Zhentil Keep and the
l It is thought that such vast numbers against Zhentil Keep, and dares not northern dales and Scardale and its
of elementals could not be summoned spite its ancient customs. neighboring dales, as well as the sud-
by spell, but rather a gate or portal was den announcement of the formation of
opened directly to the Plane of Elemen- l To the south of old, vast Thay, the the Iron Throne, a merchant alliance,
tal Fire. The sages of Phsalt warn that if even more ancient kingdom of which intends to operate in the area.
all the hosts of Thay were mustered Mulhorand has been jolted in the past The Simbul is known for her unpredict-
and hurled against these new forces, year: the Statues That Walk have begun able behavior and mastery of magic,
Thay would quickly go down to defeat. to move once more. Over a thousand and the tale most often told of her is her
Whatever means the Red Wizards have stone statues of time-lost origin stand unaided destruction of the Red Sword
for gaining such forces must be ended, all about this dusky-hilled country. At mercenary company at Mist-
they say, and magical forces must be odd but long separated intervals, these bridge.
gathered immediately to match this stone men animate and walk about
present strength. apparently towards specific (now- l Huge balls of fire, four or five in
vanished?) destinations. They stop at number, appeared in the sky above the
l The adventurers’ band led by the times and then move on again, fight any Towers of the Blade in Mulmaster short-
fighter Mane, formerly resident in Sha- who bar their way or attack them, and ly after the Simbul left Aglarond. There
dowdale, has disappeared in the South. at times hew at rocks or clear pathways as a battle involving magic within the
There is talk of their defeat and death in through certain areas. This latter Tower and rumor has it that the Simbul
the Yuirwood, but others say they have behavior is a frightening thing when was involved.
fallen in battle with the Red Wizards in these areas are many-towered cities or
Thay, or even that Mane has become tanglewood forests. The stone men are Quest for Gems
chieftain and war leader of the nomads mute and apparently non-intelligent
of the Shaar. Nothing is certain, how- and no one has yet found a way to con- The Nentyarch, ruler of vast lands
ever; all is speculation. trol them. Some have crossed through east and north of Impiltur, has sent
the border walls into Thay as well as agents into the realms, seeking black
l Strange creatures have been sighted into Unther, a desert land that lies south gems for some unknown magical or
in the Yuirwood (west of Thay), and are and west of Mulhorand. Tholaunt, religious use.
thought to be spreading. Throughout Divine Precept of Mulhorand (one of
the fall, trolls seemed to be growing the “god-kings” of Mulhorand) says the In Thay
more numerous, and then owlbears coming of the statues to life is not his
were reported. As the weather grew doing nor that of any of his family, as Iyachtu Xvim has been seen in Thay
colder, a bulette was seen, and it was far as he can tell, and adds that the recently, on some quest for his father.
rapidly followed by other, nameless or power of controlling the statues is not
unique, creatures, things which seem known to his family. Some have whis-
to be expanding outwards from the pered of strife within his family,
depths of the woods. The adventurer
Sparleye was last seen in this area with though, and say that the Statues may be
his company, the Men of the Purple under the control of another.
Arrow. Others who have gone into the
woods have no returned, and traders l In Aglarond, report is that The Sim-
are avoiding the area. bul, the famous dweomercrafter who
rules that country, appears to have left
l Selfaril, High Blade of Mulmaster her court shape-changed (perhaps as a
(one of the cities in opposition to Zhentil cat or falcon) and vanished. Upon her
Keep) is said to be seeking a wife: The high seat she left a signed letter direct-
Tharchioness of Eltabbar, First Princess ing her council to govern Aglarond
of Thay. The young, bald-headed Thar- wisely and dispose of several specific
chioness has sent a golden earring matters (no details are known) thus and
soaked in her perfume to Selfaril, and so. It is thought she may have headed
he has sent her in return a cloak of north to speak with the elves around
snow-white Yeti fur. Having thus the Great Dale (with whom she has an

31

Schools and Spells of Fourth Level Spells Tangle
the Red Wizards Dispel Exhaustion Tarnish
Improved Invisibility Tie
The following are the spells available Massmorph Untie
from the various schools of the Red Phantasmal Killer Wrap
Wizards. If you are unfamiliar with a Shadow Monsters
spell, talk to your DM. First Level Spells
Fifth Level Spells Affect Normal Fires
The School of Illusion Advanced Illusion Aura Fire*
Demi-Shadow Monsters Burning Hands
Cantrips: Dream Chromatic Orb
Projected Image Color Spray
Footfall Shadow Door Comprehend Languages
Groan Shadow Magic Dancing Lights
Hide Tempus Fugit Darkness
Mask Detect Magic
Mirage Sixth Level Spells Enlarge
Moan Demi-Shadow Magic Erase
Noise Eyebite Feather Fall
Palm Mirage Arcane Firewater
Rattle Mislead Gaze Reflection
Thump Permanent Illusion Hold Portal
Two-D’lusion Phantasmagoria Jump
Programmed Illusion Light
First Level Spells Shades Melt
Audible Glamer Veil Mending
Change Self Message
Detect Magic Seventh Level Spells Phantom Armor
Nystul’s Magic Aura (*) Alter Reality Precipitation
Phantasmal Force Mass Invisibility Read Magic
Phantom Armor Sequester Shocking Grasp
Read Magic Shadow Walk Spider Climb
spook Simulacrum Wall of Fog
Weird Wizard Mark
Second Level Spells
Alter Self THE SCHOOL OF ALTERATION Second Level Spells
Blindness Cantrips: Alter Self
Blur Change Bind
Deafness Colored Lights Continual Light
Fascinate Dim Darkness 15’ Radius
Hypnotic Pattern Firefinger Deeppockets
Improved Phantasmal Force Gather Flaming Sphere
Invisibility Hairy Fog Cloud
Leomund’s Trap (*) Haze Fools Gold
Mirror Image Knot Irritation
Misdirection Mute Knock
Ventriloquism Polish Levitate
Present Magic Mouth
Third Level Spells Rainbow Pyrotechnics
Fear Ravel Rope Trick
Hallucinatory Terrain Shine Shatter
Illusionary Script Spill Strength
Invisibility 10’ Radius Sprout Vocalize
Paralyzation Stitch Whispering Wind
Spectral Force Wizard Lock
Wraithform

32

Third Level Spells: Teleport SCHOOL OF ENCHANTMENT AND
Blink Transmute Rock to Mud CHARM
Cloudburst Cantrips:
Continual Darkness Sixth Level Spells: Curdle
Delude Control Weather Distract
Explosive Runes Control Winds * Flavor
Fly Death Fog Freshen
Gust of Wind Disintegrate Wilt
Haste Extension III Wink
Infravision Glassee
Item Guards and Wards First Level Spells:
Leomund’s Tiny Hut (*) Lower Water Charm Person
Melf’s Minute Meteors (*) Mirage Arcane Detect Magic
Phantom Wind Mordenkainen’s Lucubration (*) Friends
Secret Page Move Earth Hypnotism
Slow Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere (*) Read Magic
Tongues Part Water Run
Water Breathing Project Image Sleep
Wind Wall Stone to Flesh Taunt
Wraithform Tenser’s Transformation (*)
Transmute Water to Dust Second Level Spells:
Fourth Level Spells: Bind
Dimension Door Seventh Level Spells: Deeppockets
Enchanted Weapon Astral Spell Forget
Extension I Duo-Dimension Ray of Enfeeblement
Fire Gate* Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion Scare
Fire Shield (*)
Leomund’s Secure Shelter (*) Phase Door Third Level Spells:
Minor Creation Reverse-Gravity Chant
Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere (*) The Simbul’s Synostodweomer * (*) Charm Undead *
Plant Growth Statue Hold Person
Polymorph Other Teleport Without Error Suggestion
Polymorph Self Torment
Rainbow Pattern Truename Fourth Level Spells:
Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer (*) Vanish Charm Monster
Solid Fog Confusion
Stoneskin Eighth Level Spells: Fire Charm
Ultravision Glassteel Fumble
Vacancy Incendiary Cloud Leomund’s Secure Shelter (*)
Wizard Eye Otiluke’s Telekinetic Sphere (*) Magic Mirror
Permanency
Fifth Level Spells: Polymorph Any Object Fifth Level Spells:
Airy Water Sink Chaos
Animal Growth Dolor
Avoidance Ninth Level Spells: Fabricate
Distance Distortion Crystalbrittle Feeblemind
Dream Mordenkainen’s Disjunction (*) Hold Monster
Extension II Shape Change Leomund’s Lamentable Belabourment
Fabricate Succor
Leomund’s Secret Chest (*) Temporal Stasis (*)
Major Creation Time Stop
Passwall Sixth Level Spells:
Stone Shape Eyebite
Telekinesis Geas
Guards and Wards
Mass Suggestion

33

Seventh Level Spells: THE SCHOOL OF CONJURATIONS Seventh Level Spells:
Charm Plants AND SUMMONINGS Drawmij’s Instant Summons (*)
Truename Limited Wish
Cantrips Monster Summoning VI
Eighth Level Spells: Bee Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion
Antipathy/Sympathy Bluelight (*)
Binding Power Word, Stun
Demand Bug Prismatic Spray
Mass Charm Gnats
Otto’s Irresistible Dance (*) Mouse Eighth Level Spells:
Sink Spider Maze
Tweak Monster Summoning VII
Ninth Level Spells: Unlock Power Word, Blind
Mordenkainen’s Disjunction (*) Prismatic Wall
Succor First Level Spells: Symbol
Armor Trap the Soul
THE SCHOOL OF DIVINATION Detect Magic
Find Familiar Ninth Level Spells:
First Level Spells: Mount Alter Reality
Detect Illusion Push Gate
Detect Invisibility * Read Magic Power Word, Kill
Detect Magic Unseen Servant Prismatic Sphere
Identify Wish
Read Magic Second Level Spells:
Monster Summoning I SCHOOL OF INVOCATION/
Second Level Spells: Power Word, Sleep EVOCATION
Detect Evil
Detect Invisibility Third Level Spells: Cantrips:
Detect Poison * Assist * Belch
ESP Flame Arrow Blink
Know Alignment Material Chill
Locate Object Monster Summoning II Color
Predict Weather * Phantom Steed Cough
Read Illusionist Magic Sepia Snake Sigil Creak
Dampen
Third Level Spells Fourth Level Spells: Dirty
Clairaudience Evard’s Black Tentacles (*) Dusty
Clairvoyance Monster Summoning III Nod
Detect Charm * Salt
Find Traps * Fifth Level Spells: Scratch
Conjure Elemental Smokepuff
Fourth Level Spells: Beckon (reverse of Dismissal) Sneeze
Magic Mirror Fire Stones * Sour
Leomund’s Secret Chest (*) Spice
Fifth Level Spells: Monster Summoning IV Sweeten
Contact Other Plane Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound (*)
Summon Shadow Tap
Sixth Level Spells: Twitch
Legend Lore Sixth Level Spells: Warm
True Sight Conjure Animals Whistle
Death Spell Yawn
Seventh Level Spells: Enchant an Item
Find the Path* Ensnarement
Stone Tell Invisible Stalker
Vision Monster Summoning V

34

First Level Spells: Sixth Level Spells: Protection From Normal Blunt Weap-
Alarm Bigby’s Forceful Hand (*) ons *
Circle Chain Lightning Protection From Normal Edged Weap-
Detect Magic Contingency ons *
Grease Death Fog Protection From Normal Missiles *
Magic Missile Guards and Wards Protection From Plants, 10’ Radius*
Read Magic Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere (*) Protection From Poison*
Shield Spiritwrack Resist Energy Drain*
Tenser’s Floating Disk (*) Tenser’s Transformation (*)
Write Third Level Spells:
Seventh Level Spells: Dispel Illusion
Second Level Spells: Banishment Protection From All Lycanthropes—10’
Combust * Bigby’s Grasping Hand (*) Radius *
Fireball Delayed Blast Fireball Protection From Electricity—10’
Flame Dagger * Forcecage Radius *
Flash * Mordenkainen’s Sword (*) Protection From Specific Elementals—
Melf’s Acid Arrow (*) Torment 10’ Radius* (pick one)
Stinking Cloud Protection from Illusions *
Tasha’s Uncontrollable Hideous Laugh- Eighth Level Spells: Protection from Magical Blunt Weap-
ter (*) Bigby’s Clenched Fist (*) ons*
Web Binding Protection From Magical Edged Weap-
Whip Demand ons*
Zephyr Fire Storm * Protection From Magical Missiles *
Incendiary Cloud Protection from Paralyzation*
Third Level Spells: Otiluke’s Telekinetic Sphere (*) Protection From Specific Undead—5’
Lightning Bolt Radius* (pick one)
Material Ninth Level Spells: Protection From Water *
Melf’s Minute Meteors (*) Astral Spell Remove Curse
Bigby’s Crushing Hand (*)
Fourth Level Spells: Energy Drain Fourth Level Spells:
Dig Meteor Swarm Minor Globe of Invulnerability
Fire Lance * Non-Detection
Fire Shield SCHOOL OF ABJURATION Protection From All Elementals—10’
Fire Trap Radius *
Ice Storm Cantrips: Protection From All Undead—5’ Radi-
Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere (*) Clean us*
Shout Dry Protection From Breath Weapons
Wall of Fire Dust Dragons *
Wall of Ice Exterminate Protection From Breath Weapons—
Non-
Fifth Level Spells: First Level Spells: Dragons *
Bigby’s Interposing Hand (*) Deny Cold Protection From cold—15' Radius*
Cloudkill Deny Fire* Protection From Fire—15’ Radius*
Cone of Cold Detect Magic Protection From Gas—5’ Radius *
Fire Stones * Protection From Cantrips Protection From Mechanical Traps *
Leomund’s Lamentable Belabourment Protection From Evil Protection From Petrification—10’
(*) Read Magic Radius *
Sending Protection From Possession—10’
Wall of Force Second Level Spells: Radius *
Wall of Iron Dispel Magic Protection From Shapechangers—10’
Wall of Stone Preserve Radius *
Protection From Evil, 10’ Radius Turn Magic*
Protection From Specific Lycanthrope,
10’ Radius (pick one)

35

Fifth Level Spells: Fifth Level Spells:
Anti-Magic Shell Grimwald’s Greymantle#
Avoidance Reincarnation
Dismissal
Globe of Invulnerability Sixth Level Spells:
Protection From Acid * Animate Dead Monsters *
Protection From Magical Traps—5’
Radius * Seventh Level Spells:
Spell Immunity * Clone
The Simbul’s Synostodwoemer * (*)
Sixth Level Spells:
Protection From Any Traps—5' Radius* Eighth Level Spells:
Protection From Magic—5’ Radius * Body Sympathy#
Repulsion Regenerate *
Spiritwrack
Volley Ninth Level Spells:
Restoration*
Seventh Level Spells:
Banishment (*) Spells that must be found, cannot be
Prismatic Spray taught in the normal schools.
Sequester * = New Spells, see Magic of Thay
chapter.
Eighth Level Spells: # = New Spells introduced in the
Mind Blank FORGOTTEN REALMS™ Boxed Set,
Prismatic Wall DM’s Sourcebook. See that book for
Serten’s Spell Immunity (*) description.

Ninth Level Spells:
Imprisonment
Prismatic Sphere

SCHOOL OF NECROMANCY

First Level Spells:
Detect Magic
Datho’s Delirium#
Read Magic
Summon Undead *

Second Level Spells:
Feign Death
Speak To Dead*

Third Level Spells:
Animate Dead
Assist *
Charm Undead *

Fourth Level Spells:
Belten’s Burning Blood
Magic Jar
Spendelard’s Chaser#

36

dotes. However, when the going gets legions rather than risk themselves on The Circles
tough, the wizards go shopping—for a the battlefield, and a couple of Thar-
good assassin. chions have enough influence to form a Circles are an innovation of the Red
Circle; there are also Wizards who sim- Wizards that makes their armies truly
The Assassins’ Guild ply refuse to have anything to do with dreaded in any battle where the Circles
the army. No Tharchion has this option. can see their foes clearly. A Circle con-
The presence of assassins is a way of sists of a Wizard and his followers and
life in Thay. Since there is no legal meth- Legions of foot soldiers can be skir- servants. Through their rituals, and use
od of appeal of any judgement by any- mishers, light foot, heavy foot, artillery- of the Circle spell, the apprentice/
one, frustrated litigants must go to the men (though this is mostly handled by followers of the Wizard can add their
ultimate appeal, the Assassins guild. Wizard Circles), and even garrison power to that of the Wizard, allowing
troops. Each legion has its own unique him to cast spells as if his level were
In Thay, the guild is composed of armor and banners, and some have increased by the levels of every appren-
equal numbers of magic-users and great reputations. tice in the Circle.
thieves, with the occasional fighter
thrown in for muscle. One of the most feared is the new This means that the wizard can mem-
Legion of Myrkul—over 1,000 zombies orize spells as if he were a higher level
The guild itself is legal, or at least there marching to the drums of priest/ ser- wizard, though he cannot memorize
is no law against its activities. Individual geants. While they are not excellent any spells of a higher level than he nor-
members who do commit murders can fighters, their aspect can scare an mally knows. Thus, a 13th level Wizard
be punished for them, if they are caught, opposing regiment from the field, and with 2 apprentices of 3rd level, 2 of 2nd
but the Zulkirs realize that the assassins they feel no fear nor pain. Moreover, level, and 2 of 1st level can memorize
perform a service and do not do anything foes of this legion know that if they die spells and cast them as if he were 25th
to suppress the Guild itself. without totally disabling wounds, they level, though he cannot memorize the
may join this dismal legion. 7th, 8th and 9th level spells that a 25th
The only black mark the Assassins level wizard could memorize.
have is their connection to the School of Horse Legions can actually consist of
Enchantment and Charm, but they troopers riding any number of differ-
managed to stay removed from the ent animals. Most of the Horse Legions
attempt many years ago of that School are, indeed, horse cavalry, but the Grif-
to take over the country, and therefore fin Legion is the finest aggregate of
managed to stay intact and unregu- these fierce creatures ever made. This
lated. Members of the School of Legion (sponsored by the Tharchion of
Enchantment and Charm, who are the Pyrardos) has been in development for
best of the alchemists, are valued mem- centuries and still only numbers 350
bers of the Guild. men and their steeds. Except for major
invasions of other countries or the less-
The Army of Thay frequent defenses of Thay, this Legion
spends most of its time patrolling the
The army of Thay is a polyglot collec- Sunrise Mountains.
tion of many troop types. The only uni-
fying factor is the troops’ universal No matter what sort of animal they
dread of the Red Wizards. are riding, Thayvian cavalry is known
for its fighting ability everywhere in the
Organization Realms. The early Zulkirs decided that,
whatever state the foot troops were in,
In general, the troops are divided up Thay needed cavalry that could speed
into foot Legions of between 800 and from one end of the country to the oth-
2,000 soldiers or cavalry Legions of er to meet a threat or surprise a foe.
about 400 to 1,000 horsetroops. Each Most of the Tharchions sponsor cavalry
Tharchion and each Wizard is sup- Legions, and their combination of
posed to either supply a legion or a Cir- heavy armor and archery makes them a
cle of magic-users. In general, the potent factor in any battle. It is only
Tharchions supply troops and the Wiz- when they must fight in territory that is
ards supply Circles, but this is not not friendly to cavalry, such as the
always the case. Some Wizards prefer Umber Marshes or the Gorge of Gauros
to hire mercenaries to add to the that they must stand aside and let the
foot troops move forward.

37

MAGIC OF THAY

The following are spells known only to like dimension door, but the user must ostodweomer; even if this subsequent
the Red Wizards of Thay of certain go from one fire to another fire. The casting is incomplete or interrupted,
schools and those people who may have user can move 5” per level of the spell the synostodweomer works. The sec-
gotten hold of and translated one of caster. If the user appears in a place ond spell is lost from the caster’s mind,
their spellbooks. There is one excep- already occupied, he remains in the and any material components are con-
tion, The Simbul’s Synostodwoemer, Plane of Elemental Fire, helpless, until sumed in the normal manner-but
which is called something else in Thay, someone rescues him in the same fash- rather than taking effect, the spell’s
but is called by that name here because ion as a misused dimension door user. If energy is channeled into the caster,
it is the name applied to it in FR4, The the intended destination fire has been who can absorb its energy as healing or
Magister. Like the Simbul, the Red Wiz- put out, the spell does not work, but it is pass it on by direct touch to another sin-
ards learned this spell from a spell book considered spent regardless. gle being. A spell used to heal by this
they captured in a battle with the means yields energy enough to heal 2
Witches of Rashemen. Control Winds (Alteration) hp of damage per level of the spell. Only
if there is excess energy can the caster
Level: 6 Components: V, S choose to heal both self and another
being—the other being is completely
School of Alteration Range: 0 Casting Time: 7 segments healed, and the remaining energy heals
the caster (excess energy being lost).
Duration: 1 turn/level Such healing occurs in the round fol-
lowing the infusion of spell energy. If
Aura Fire (Alteration) Saving Throw: None the caster has extra energy but is
unable to touch another injured crea-
Level: 1 Components: V,S Area of Effect: 4” /level radius hemi- ture during this time, the extra energy
is lost.
Range: 8” Casting Time: 3 segments sphere
Once the synostodweomer is cast,
Duration: 4 rounds/level Explanation/Description: This spell is whatever spell the caster casts on the
following rounds is used to heal,
Saving Throw: None identical to the 5th level druid spell regardless of the caster’s subsequent
wishes of the level of the spell
Area of Effect: 12 linear feet/level with- except that there is no material compo- unleashed. If no spell is cast on the fol-
lowing round, the magic is lost and no
in a 4” radius nent to the spell. healing occurs. Spells from scrolls and
spell-like magical items effects, as well
Explanation/Description: This spell is as spells cast by beings other than the
caster of the synostodweomer cannot
very similar to the faerie fire druid spell The Simbul’s Synostodweomer be used for such healing.

of the same level. However, the magic- (Alteration/Necromantic)

user must make motions in the air with Level: 7 Components: V, S

both hands as if outlining the body to be Range: 0 Casting Time: 7 segments

outlined with light, and the resulting Duration: Special

light is a reddish glow. Saving Throws: None

Area of Effect: Special

Fire Gate (Alteration) Explanation/Description: This spell

Level: 3 Components: V, M allows the caster to use the magical

Range: 0 Casting Time: 1 segment energy of any spell already memorized

Duration: Special by the caster to heal the caster or

Saving Throw: None another being.

Area of Effect: Spell caster This second spell must be cast in the

Explanation/Description: This spell is round following the casting of the syn-

38

School of same name, but the material compo- Find the Path (Divination)
Enchantment/Charm nent is airborne pollen which must be
thrown into the air and the chance of Level: 7 Components: V, S, M
being correct is 50% plus 2% per level
of the magic-user. The maximum Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round
chance of correctness is 90%.
Chant (Enchantment) Duration: 1 turn per level

Level: 3 Components: V, S, M Saving Throw: None

Range: 0 Casting Time: 1 turn Area of Effect: Creature touched

Duration: Time of chanting Explanation/Description: This is just

Saving Throw: None Speak With Dead (Necromantic/ like the clerical 6th level spell except

Area of Effect: 3” radius Divination) that the material component is a

Explanation/Description: This spell is Level: 2 Components: V, S, M torch whose flame will always point

like the 2nd level clerical spell of the Range: 1” Casting Time: 1 turn in the correct direction. If the torch is

same name, but the user must have Duration: Special blown out, the spell is over. The same

an instrument to accompany the Saving Throw: None thing can be done with a lantern

chant. Area of Effect: One creature flame.

Explanation/Description: This is like

Charm Undead (Enchantment/ the 3rd level cleric spell but the body Stone Tell (Divination)

Necromantic) must be present and its voice box Level: 7 Components: V, S, M

Level: 3 Components: V, S intact, and only 3 questions may be Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 turn

Range: 6” Casting Time: 4 segments asked, no matter what the level of the Duration: 1 turn

Duration: Special magic-user. The dead answer to the Saving Throw: None

Saving Throw: Neg. best of their knowledge, but usually Area of Effect: One cubic yard of

Area of Effect: Special in riddles. stone

Explanation/Description: This spell is Explanation/Description: This spell is

like charm monster, but only affects Detect Charm (Divination) like the clerical 6th level spell of the

undead. Note that undead that are Level: 3 Components: V, S, M same name. However, the material

normally immune to charm spells are Range: 3” Casting Time: 1 round component is a stick of chalk with

not immune to this spell, though they Duration: 1 turn which the magic-user must sketch a

have normal saving throws. Saving Throw: None face to do the talking. This face must

Area of Effect: One creature be complete with eyes, ears, and nose

School of Divination Explanation/Description: This spell is or the mouth will not be able to

like the 2nd level clerical spell of the describe what it “saw,” “heard,” and

Detect Poison (Divination) same name. However, the material ”smelled.”

Level: 2 Components: V, S, M component for this spell is a heartflo-

Range: 0 Casting Time: 1 round wer, a plant that has petals that look School of
Conjurations and
Duration: 1 round/level like a heart. The user inhales the
Summonings
Saving Throw: None crushed petals.

Area of Effect: Special

Explanation/Description: This spell is Find Traps (Divination) Power Word: Sleep (Conjuration)

just like the 1st level druid spell of Level: 3 Components: V, S, M Level: 2 Components: V

same name (UA). However, the mate- Range: 3” Casting Time: 1 turn Range: 6” Casting Time: 1 segment

rial component is powdered unicorn Duration: 1 turn Duration: 5 rounds/level

horn. Saving Throw: None Saving Throw: Neg.

Predict Weather (Divination) Area of Effect: 1" path Area of Effect: Special

Level: 2 Components: V, S, M Explanation/Description: This is like Explanation/Description: This spell is

Casting Time: 1 round the 2nd level clerical spell of the same like the normal 1st level sleep spell,

Range: 0 name. However, this actually detects but it needs no somatic or material

Duration: 2 hours/level the intent to do harm with a mecha- components.

Saving Throw: None nism. It does not detect traps that are

Area of Effect: 16 square miles the result of circumstances. The Assist (Necromantic/Conjuring)

Explanation/Description: This is simi- spell’s material component is a small Level: 3 Components: V, S, M

lar to the 1st level druid spell of the string noose that must be broken. Range: Touch Casting Time: 4 seg.

39

Duration: 1 round + 1/level 3rd level, 2 of 2nd level, and 2 of 1st flame. The damage done is 1d6 per 30
Saving Throw: None level can memorize spells and cast lbs. of object, and the spell does 1d6
Area of Effect: One person them as if he were 25th level, though per level of the caster per turn until
Explanation/Description: This spell is he cannot memorize the 7th, 8th and the object is consumed or the flame is
like the clerical 2nd level spell aid 9th level spells that a 25th level wiz- extinguished. This is not a magical
(UA), but does not include the bene- ard could memorize. The apprentices flame.
fits of the bless. The material compo- helping the wizard must be of the
nent is a small vial of pungent herbs, same school. Note that any school but Fire Lance (Evocation)
Evocation must use this spell at 2nd
the scent from which the recipient level, not first. Level: 4 Components: V, S, M
must inhale.
If the wizard is a member of more Range: 6” + 1” /level
than one school, his spellcasting abili-
ty can only be helped for those spells Casting Time: 3 segments
whose school the Circle’s apprentices
Fire Stones (Conjuration) are part of. It is possible to set up Duration: Instantaneous
more than one Circle to help one wiz-
Level: 5 Components: V, S, M Saving Throw: 1/2
ard, if they are needed.
Range: 4” Casting Time: 1 round/stone To set up a Circle, the apprentices Area of Effect: Special

Duration: Special must gather into a circle, each mem- Explanation/Description: This spell
ber touching the ones to his sides in
Saving Throw: 1/2 some manner. Then each apprentice uses as its material components any
must speak the spell, which puts him
Area of Effect: Special into a trance. The length the spell torches or other fire in the area. If
takes to cast depends on how many
Explanation/Description: This spell is levels the apprentice has, because it there is no open fire within direct line
involves him effectively ordering his
like the 6th level druid spell fire life and putting it at the disposal of of vision up to 30’ per level of magic-
the wizard. Magic-users with more
seeds, but it uses amber instead of experience have had more life to put user, the spell does not work. If there
in order. In effect, casting the spell
seeds and berries. takes 1 turn for each level of experi- are fires, they go out when the spell is
ence.
cast. If there are more individual fires
Once all the apprentices are in the
School of Evocation trance, the wizard can step into the (separated by more than 2” of non-
circle they have formed and draw on
Circle (Evocation) their power to help him memorize fire) than the level of the magic-user,

Components: V, S and throw spells. the fires farthest away do not go out.
Between the time necessary to go
Level: 1 However, a small number of fires
into the trance and the time to memo-
Range: Touch Casting Time: see below rize extra spells, one can see that this does not detract from the damage
takes a long time. It is no good for foil-
Duration: Special ing ambushes. done by the spell. The caster is, in

Saving Throw: None essence, using the presence of the

Area of Effect: The circle of magic- fire to open a momentary gate to the

users Plane of Elemental Fire and direct its

Explanation/Description: This spell is energy at a subject.

similar to the clerical spell combine The energy of the spell looks like a

found in the Unearthed Arcana. lance of fire, which gives the spell its

This spell is what makes the Circles name. The caster must make a spear-

of the Red Wizards truly dreaded in throwing motion at the subject,

any battle where the Circles can see which is automatically hit. The lance

their foes clearly. A Circle consists of does 1d6/level to the subject.

a Wizard and his followers and ser-

vants. Through use of this spell, the Fire Storm (Evocation)

apprentice/followers of the wizard Level: 8 Components: V, S, M

add their power to that of the Wiz- Range: 16” Casting Time: 5 segments

ard, allowing him to cast spells as if Duration: 1 round

his level were increased by the levels Combust (Evocation) Saving Throw: 1/2

of every apprentice in the Circle. Level: 2 Components: V, S, M Area of Effect: 2” cube/level, mini-

This means that the wizard can Range: Touch Casting Time: 4 seg. mum 16” cube

memorize spells as if he were a high- Duration: Special Explanation/Description: This is like

er level wizard, though he cannot Saving Throw: 1/2 the 7th level druid spell of the same

memorize any spells of a higher level Area of Effect: 30 lbs. per level name. The material component for

than he normally knows. Thus, a 13th Explanation/Description: This spell this form of the spell is charcoal from

level Wizard with 2 apprentices of makes a combustible object burst into the cremation of a dead magic-user.

40

Flame Dagger (Evocation) Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round learned separately. The three spells
Duration: 1 turn/level are protection from blunt weapons,
Level: 2 Components: V, S, M Saving Throw: None protection from edged weapons, and
Area of Effect: Creature touched protection from missiles. All three
Range: Touch Casting Time: 3 seg. Explanation/Description: This spell spells may be applied to the same
has much the same effect of the 2nd recipient at the same time. The recipi-
Duration: 1 round/level level clerical spell resist fire, but it ent and anyone within the radius,
acts to repel fire and heat, rather which moves with the subject, cannot
Saving Throw: None be touched by a non-magical weapon
than toughen the body to endure it. of the type protected against. The
Area of Effect: 1” long, dagger-like The material component is a sliver of missile protection does not encom-
red or gold dragon hide. pass large objects such as ballista
blade bolts or stones hurled by giants.

Explanation/Description: This spell The material component for this
spell is a piece of a broken weapon of
creates a flaming dagger that is like
the proper type.
the 2nd level flame sword of the

druid (UA) but does 2-5 damage with

+2 vs. undead and those vulnerable

to fire. It is otherwise the same. Protection from Specific

Lycanthropes—10’ Radius (Abju-

Flash (Evocation) ration)

Level: 2 Components: V, S, M Level: 2 Components: V, S, M

Range: 10” + 1” /level Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 turn

Casting Time: 3 segments Duration: 4 + level/rounds Protection from Plants—10’

Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Radius (Abjuration)

Saving Throw: 1/2 the time blinded Area of Effect: 10’ radius around sub- Level: 2 Components: V, S, M

Area of Effect: 2” radius sphere ject Range: Touch Casting Time: 2 rounds

Explanation/Description: This spell Explanation/Description: This spell Duration: 5-8 rounds

creates a blinding flash of light in its must be learned separately for each Saving Throw: None

area. Everyone affected is -5 to any form of lycanthrope from which the Area of Effect: 5” radius around sub-

roll to hit anything—thieves are - caster wishes protection. The spell ject

25% in all skills for the duration of the sets up a circle of protection around Explanation/Description: All forms of

effects. the subject that moves with him, one vegetable life, including fungi, slimes,

The effects last for 2-20 rounds. that keeps out 49 hit dice (round all molds, and the like are unable to pen-

Roll seperately for each victim unless hit point pluses down unless they etrate this protective sphere that

the DM says not to. A successful sav- exceed + 3) of the type of lycanthrope moves with the subject. If it is moved

ing throw versus magic cuts the protected against. If there are more toward plant life that is capable of

effect time in half. lycanthropes than are protected movement, the plant is pushed away.

against, the remaining lycanthropes If the plant life is immobile, the

School of Abjuration can cross the circle and attack. sphere cannot move any farther in

Deny Cold (Abjuration) The material component of this that direction unless the subject has

Level: 1 Components: V, S, M spell, and the derivative spells enough strength and mass to uproot

Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round described later, is wolfsbane, which the plant under normal circumstanc-

Duration: 1 turn/level must be crumbled up and scattered in es.

Saving Throw: None a circle around the caster during the The material component is ash

Area of Effect: Creature touched casting of the spell. from the burned remains of some

Explanation/Description: This spell form of dangerous slime or mold.

has much the same effect of the 1st Protection From Normal Weap-

level clerical spell resist cold, but it ons (Abjuration) Protection from Poison (Abjura-

acts to repel cold, rather than tough- Level: 2 Components: V, S, M tion)

en the body to endure it. The material Range: Touch Casting Time: 2 rounds Level: 2 Components: V, S, M

component is a swatch of fur from a Duration: 5-8 rounds Range: Touch Casting Time: 6 seg.

fur-bearing animal. Saving Throw: None Duration: 3-12 rounds (1d10 + 2)

Area of Effect: 5” radius sphere Saving Throw: None

Deny Fire (Abjuration) around subject Area of Effect: One creature

Components: V, S, M Explanation/Description: This is actu- Explanation/Description: No form of

Level: 2 ally three spells, and each must be poison, ingested in any fashion,

41

Protection from Specific

Elementals — 10' Radius (Abjura-

tion)

Level: 3 Components: V, S, M

Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round

Duration: 4 + level/rounds

Saving Throw: None

Area of Effect: 10’ radius around sub-

ject

Explanation/Description: This is actu-

ally four spells, each of which must

be learned individually. The area of

protection, which moves with the

subject, protects all within from the

direct attacks of either air elementals

(including all similar creatures such

as djinn and invisible stalkers), earth

elementals (including xorn), fire ele-

mentals (including efreet and sala-

manders), or water elementals

(including tritons and water weirds).

affects the protected individual, and Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 turn The circle of protection affects a max-
any such poison already in the sub- Duration: 5-30 rounds
ject’s system is permanently neutral- Saving Throw: None imum of 24 hit dice of the specific ele-
ized. Area of Effect: 10’ radius around sub-
mental creatures. If an elemental
The material component of the ject
spell is a sprig of belladonna. Explanation/Description: This spell is creature has more that 24 hit dice, or
like protection from specific lycan-
thropes, but it works against all the creatures exceed that number in
lycanthropes.
total, the extra creatures (or the

entire creature if it has more dice)

Resist Energy Drain (Abjuration) can pass the circle. There is nothing

Level: 2 Components: V, S stopping the elementals from hurling

Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 turn objects past the circle, if they are

Duration: 1 turn/level Protection from Electricity—10’ capable of doing that, and attacks can

Saving Throw: None Radius (Abjuration) go out of the circle.

Area of Effect: Creature touched Level: 3 Components: V, S, M The material component of this

Explanation/Description: This spell Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round spell is a vial of water versus fire ele-

gives the subject a saving throw vs. Duration: 3-12 (3d4) rounds mentals, a smoldering ember versus

death magic any time he is attacked by Saving Throw: None air elementals, a small fan versus

undead that drain energy levels. If the Area of Effect: 10’ radius around sub- earth elementals, and a lump of earth

saving throw is made, the undead can- ject against water elementals.

not steal the life energy of the subject. Explanation/Description: All within Protection from Illusions (Abju-

This does not work against any sort of the radius, which moves with the ration)

attack besides the touch of an undead. subject, are immune to any electrical Level: 3 Components: V, S

attacks and associated effects. Range: much Casting Time: 1 round

Protection from All Lycanth- The material component is a piece Duration: 5-30 (5d6) rounds

ropes — 10’ Radius (Abjuration) of tektite. Saving Throw: None

Level: 3 Components: V, S, M Area of Effect: Special

Explanation/Description: This spell

lets the subject see through any

42

illusion or phantasm, but he knows it Protection from Specific Area of Effect: 10’ radius around sub-
for what it is and it becomes almost ject
transparent to him, so he can see Undead—5’ Radius (Abjuration) Explanation/Description: This pro-
what it may be hiding. tects against all elementals. The
Level: 3 Components: V, S, M sphere of protection, which moves
with the subject, protects all within
Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round from the direct attacks of air elemen-
tals (including all similar creatures
Duration: 10-80 (10d8) rounds such as djinn and invisible stalkers),
earth elementals (including xorn), fire
Protection from Magical Weap- Saving Throw: None elementals (including efreet and sala-
manders), and water elementals
ons (Abjuration) Area of Effect: 5” radius around sub- (including tritons and water weirds).
The circle of protection affects a max-
Level: 3 Components: V, S, M ject imum of 16 hit dice of elemental crea-
tures. If an elemental creature has
Range: Touch Casting Time: 2 rounds Explanation/Description: This is actu- more than 16 hit dice, or the crea-
tures exceed that number in total, the
Duration: 5-8 rounds ally several spells, each of which extra creatures (or the entire crea-
ture if it has more dice) can pass the
Saving Throw: None works against a different form of
circle. There is nothing stopping the
Area of Effect: One creature undead and must be learned sepera- elementals from hurling objects past
the circle, if they are capable of doing
Explanation/Description: This is actu- tely. This protects all within its cir- that, and attacks can go out of the cir-
cle.
ally three spells, and each must be cumference, which moves with the
The material component of this
learned separately. The three spells subject, from all physical attacks spell is a piece of a substance that
came from neither the Prime Materi-
are protection from magical blunt from the undead, but not magic spells
al Plane nor any of the Elemental
weapons, protection from magical or other attack forms. If a creature Planes.

edged weapons, and protection from leaves the protected area it is then

magical missiles. All three spells may subject to physical attack. The protec-

be applied to the same recipient at the tion restrains up to 35 hit dice/levels

same time. The recipient cannot be of undead; excess hit dice/levels can

touched by a weapon of the type pro- pass through the circle.

tected against, but note that this pro- The material component for this

tection does not apply to spells such spell is dust taken from a tomb guard-

as magic missile or Mordenkainen’s ed by the specific type of undead.

Sword which simulate the effects of

weapons. Protection from Water (Abjura-

The material component for this tion)

spell is a piece of a broken magical Level: 3 Components: V, S, M

weapon of the proper type. Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round

Duration: 5-8 turns

Protection from Paralyzation Saving Throw: None Protection from All Undead—5”

(Abjuration) Area of Effect: 5” radius around sub- Radius (Abjuration)

Level: 3 Components: V, M ject Level: 4 Components: V, S, M

Range: Touch Casting Time: 2 rounds Explanation/Description: No form of Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round

Duration: 5-8 turns water, solid, liquid, or gas, can pene- Duration: 10-80 (10d8) rounds

Saving Throw: None trate this sphere of protection, which Saving Throw: None

Area of Effect: One creature moves with the subject. If those being Area of Effect: 5” radius around cast-

Explanation/Description: This protec- protected come upon a form of water, er

tion extends to all forms of paralyza- the substance simply does not touch Explanation/Description: This spell

tion, muscle and nerve paralysis them; thus they do not slip on ice, works against all forms of undead. All

included. A hold spell does not work sink into a body of water, etc. within the circumference of this

on the protected individual, nor does The material component for this sphere of protection that moves with

any sort of paralyzation brought on spell is a handful of dry desert sand. the subject are protected from all

by gas. physical attacks from the undead, but

The material component for this Protection from All Elemen- not magic spells or other attack

spell is dried and ground up carrion tals—10’ Radius (Abjuration) forms. If a creature leaves the pro-

crawler tentacle, which the caster Level: 4 Components: V, S, M tected area it is then subject to physi-

must swallow after speaking the Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round cal attack. The protection restrains

spell. Duration: 4 + level/rounds up to 35 hit dice/levels of undead;

Saving Throw: None excess hit dice/levels can pass

43

through the circle. resist cold, but with enhanced bene- they are not revealed.
The material component for this fits ( + 6 on saving throw, damage one The material component for this
quarter normal or one-eighth if save
spell is dust taken from a vampire’s is made). spell is a thimbleful of axle grease.
casket.
The material component of the
spell is a smoldering ember. Protection from Petrification—

Protection from Breath 10’ Radius (Abjuration)

Weapons—Dragon (Abjuration) Level: 4 Components: V, S, M

Level: 4 Components: V, S, M Protection from Fire—15” Radi- Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round

Range: Touch Casting Time: 2 rounds us (Abjuration) Duration: 5-20 (5d4) rounds

Duration: 6-12 (2d4 +4) rounds Level: 4 Components: V, S, M Saving Throw: None

Saving Throw: None Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: 10’ radius around sub-

Area of Effect: One creature Duration: 5-8 (d4 +4) turns ject

Explanation/Description: This protec- Saving Throw: None Explanation/Description: All within

tion is not limited by alignment or Area of Effect: 15” radius around the confines of this sphere of protec-

type of dragon breath, it extends to caster tion that moves with the subject are

all forms of dragon breath. Explanation/Description: All within absolutely immune to any attack

The material component of this this sphere of protection that moves form, magical or otherwise, which

spell is a gold coin, which is destroyed with the subject are able to withstand causes flesh to turn to stone.

in the spell. flame and heat of the hottest sort, The material component of this

even of elemental or magical nature. spell is a pinch of scales from the

Protection from Breath The material component for this snakes on a medusa’s head.

Weapons—Non-Dragon (Abjura- spell is a vial of water.

tion) Protection from Possession—

Level: 4 Components: V, S, M Protection from Gas—5” Radius 10’ Radius (Abjuration)

Range: Touch Casting Time: 2 rounds (Abjuration) Level: 4 Components: V, S, M

Duration: 6-12 (2d4 +4) rounds Level: 4 Components: V, S, M Range: Touch Casting Time: 2 rounds

Saving Throw: None Range: Touch Casting Time: 6 seg. Duration: 10-60 (10d6) rounds

Area of Effect: One creature Duration: 5-8 (d4 +4) rounds Saving Throw: None

Explanation/Description: This protec- Saving Throw: None Area of Effect: 10’ radius around sub-

tion is not limited by alignment or Area of Effect: 5” radius around cast- ject

type of breath, it extends to all forms er Explanation/Description: This spell

of breath weapon not used by a Explanation/Description: All within generates a sphere of protection that

dragon. this sphere of protection that moves moves with the subject and protects

The material component of this with the subject are immune to the all creatures within its confines from

spell is a platinum coin, which is effects of any form of gas-poison possession by magical spell attacks

destroyed in the spell. gas, breath weapons which are gas- such as magic jar; attack forms aimed

eous in nature, spells which generate at mental control or possession or

Protection from Cold—15” noxious clouds such as stinking cloud psychic energy drain which are

Radius (Abjuration) and cloudkill, and all similar forms of psionically or magically based; or

Level: 4 Components: V, S, M noxious, toxic, vapors. demon, devil, night hag, or similar

Range: Touch Casting Time: 6 seg. creature possession (obsession). Even

Duration: 5-8 (d4 +4) turns Protection from Mechanical dead bodies within the magic circle

Saving Throw: None Traps (Abjuration) are protected.

Area of Effect: 15” radius around Level: 4 Components: V, S, M The material components for this

caster Range: Touch Casting Time: 8 seg. spell are fragments from a former

Explanation/Description: All within Duration: 5-20 (5d4) rounds magic jar.

this sphere of protection that moves Saving Throw: None

with the subject are protected from Area of Effect: One creature

the effects of normal cold as low as Explanation/Description: Traps of

absolute zero. Against magical cold, mechanical nature do not function

the spell acts as the clerical spell against the subject of this spell, but

44

Protection from Shape- which include wands and rings but Protection from Acid (Abjuration)
do not include scrolls, are not turned.
changers— 10’ Radius (Abjura- Level: 5 Components: V, S, M
4. Psionic powers are not consid-
tion) ered magic for the purposes of this Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round
spell.
Level: 4 Components: V, S, M Duration: Special
When a spell is cast on the subject,
Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 turn roll 1d10. The result is both the pro- Saving Throw: None
portion of the spell returned to the
Duration: 5-30 rounds caster and the bonus to the saving Area of Effect: One creature
throw against the spell. If the spell is a
Saving Throw: None damage spell, multiply the roll by 10 Explanation/Description: This spell
to get the percentage of damage that
Area of Effect: 10’ radius around cast- returns to the caster. The remainder protects the subject from all forms of
hits the individual protected by the
er turn magic spell. The number is also acid, up to a damage limit of 20 hit
added to the saving throw against the
Explanation/Description: This spell is spell of the person with turn magic. dice or a time limit of 9-12 turns
The remainder is added to the saving
like the protection from all lycan- throw of the attacking spell caster. (d4 + 8), whichever comes first. Thus,

thropes spell, but it also works If the spell normally has no saving the subject could be protected from
throw, the amount rolled on the dl0
against other types of shapechangers, is the proportion of a roll of d20 for a three breath attacks from the small-
save. In other words, if the roll is 5,
such as doppelgangers, some forms both the subject and the attacking est size of black dragon (normally
spell caster have saving throws of 16.
of dragons, druids, jackalweres, and If the roll was a 7, the turn magic user 6HD of damage per attack), and still
has a saving throw of 14 (20-7 = 13),
those under the influence of poly- and the attacker has a saving throw have some protection left over, as
of 18 (20-3 = 17). This saving throw is
morph spells. not modifiable by any consideration long as the attacks all happened with-
of protection, race, etc.
in the time period.
If an attacking spell has a top limit
Turn Magic (Abjuration) of number of levels of character it The material for this spell is a gold
can affect, then the total levels of the
Level: 4 Components: V, S caster and the turn magic subject mirror.
must not exceed the number of levels
Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round the spell can affect. Otherwise the
spell is a failure.
Duration: Special Protection from Magical
As long as the turn magic effect is
Saving Throw: None on, the wearer cannot accept a spell Traps—5’ Radius (Abjuration)
voluntarily.
Area of Effect: One creature Level: 5 Components: V, S, M
If both caster and subject are pro-
Explanation/Description: This spell tected by turn magic or rings of spell Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round
turning, then a resonance is set up
can take two forms, but the form can that can negate the spell, make it Duration: 3-12 (1d10 + 2) rounds
affect both fully and equally or some
be chosen on casting the spell. other unpleasant possiblities. DMs Saving Throw: None
should look at the DMG, page 131, on
The spell works the same in either rings of spell turning to get the exact Area of Effect: 5” radius around sub-
possible results.
case, but the duration is different. ject

The spell can either be cast to last for Explanation/Description: Magical

10-60 (10d6) rounds, or to last indefi- traps do not function within 5” of the

nitely unless it is triggered. If the lat- subject of the spell, but they are not

ter form is used, the spell works once revealed, either.

and then must be recast to be used The material component of this

again. spell is a thimbleful of axle grease.

This spell distorts the three normal

dimensions with regard to magic Spell Immunity (Abjuration)

spells directed at its subject. Any spell Level: 5 Components: V, S, M

cast at the subject usually rebounds, Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round

in part or in whole, upon the caster. Duration: 1 turn/level

The distance between, and area occu- Saving Throw: None

pied by, the subject and the spell cast- Area of Effect: One individual

er are not as they seem when the Explanation/Description: This spell is

magic activates the spell. Four impor- identical to the clerical 4th level spell

tant exceptions must be noted: of the same name WA).

1. Spells affecting an area and not Protection from Any Traps—5”
targetted specifically at the subject
are not turned. Radius * (Abjuration)

2. Spells delivered by touch are not Level: 6 Components: V, S, M
turned.
Range: Touch Casting Time: 2 rounds
3. Magic contained in devices,
Duration: 2-8 (2d4) rounds

45

Saving Throw: None in order of descending power until ture speaks, there is a 22% chance
Area of Effect: 5” radius around sub- the first item fails its save, at which per round (not cumulative) that it will
ject time the globe is cancelled and the reveal names, truenames, passwords,
Explanation/Description: This spell item is drained of its magic. words of activation, codes, direc-
combines the aspects of the protec- tions, and other useful information.
tion from mechanical traps and pro- School of Note that the speaker will rarely iden-
tection from magical traps spells. Necromancy tify such fragments of speech for
Except as shown above, it is identical what they truly are, and hearers
to those spells. Detho’s Delirium (Necromantic) must speculate themselves on the
meanings. Dreams, rumors, jokes,
Level: 1 Components: V, S, M and fairy tales may be mumbled by
the speaker, not merely factual infor-
Protection From Magic—5” Range: Touch Casting Time: 2 seg. mation.

Radius (Abjuration) Duration: 1 round + 1 round/level of The spell will be broken before its
duration is over if the affected crea-
Level: 6 Components: V, S caster ture is awakened.

Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 round Saving Throw: Negates

Duration: 5-30 (5d6) rounds Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: None Explanation/Description: The caster

Area of Effect: 5” radius around sub- of this spell touches a being who is

ject drugged, drunken, unconscious, or Summon Undead (Conjuration/

Explanation/Description: This very sleeping, while speaking the mystic Necromantic)

powerful and invisible globe of pro- words and ringing a small silver or Level: 1 Components: V,S,M

tection, which moves with the sub- brass bell (which can be reused). The Range: See Below Casting Time: 1 turn

ject, prevents any form of magic from touched creature receives a saving Duration: 1-8 turns + 1 turn/level of

passing in or out of its confines, but throw against spells at - 2; if the save caster

normal things are not restricted. Any is failed, the creature begins to speak. Saving Throw: None

magical item touching the globe must (A creature feigning drunkenness or Area of Effect: 100’ radius per level of

be saved for with a 50% likelihood of unconsciousness is not affected by caster

the object being drained of all magic this spell.) The affected being speaks Explanation/Description: The nearest

from the power of the globe—the at random, in all languages known to 2-12 undead of hit dice equal to or less

save equals 11 or better on d20. it, and on random, rambling, topics. It than the level of the caster and within

If multiple magical items encounter cannot hear questions and cannot be 100’ per level of the magic-user, must

the globe simultaneously, the leading forced by mental or magical control travel to the caller at normal pace. The

item (a magical sword held in advance to give specific answers—any attempt summoned undead will not be hostile,

of its owner, for instance) is the first to use such control is 96% likely to nor are they under the control of the

affected, then the others are checked awaken the creature. While the crea- summoner. They may act as they wish.

46

Once they have arrived at the summon- Belten’s Burning Blood (Necro- Animate Dead Monsters (Necro-
er, the undead may turn around and go
back where they came from, attack mantic) mantic)
anyone in their way, talk to the sum-
moner, or perform any other action Level: 4 Components: V, S, M Level: 6 Components: V, S, M
that seems reasonable to them.
Unthinking undead (such as zombies Range: 1”/level of caster Range: 1” Casting Time: 7 segments
and skeletons) with a purpose immedi-
ately return to their station. Wandering Casting Time: 4 segments Duration: Permanent
unthinking undead stay and wait for
orders (for which the caster needs Duration: 3 rounds Saving Throw: None
charm undead or a potion of undead
control or something similar) unless Saving Throw: Negates Area of Effect: Special
there are obvious foes besides the sum-
moner to attack. Area of Effect: One creature Explanation/Description: This spell is

This is both a Necromancy and a Explanation/Description: By means of just like the clerical 5th level spell of
Conjuration spell, but it is not taught
in the Conjuration school. The sum- this spell, a magic-user can cause any the same name (UA) but the material
moner must have bone dust that is
scattered to the wind during the spell creature who is presently bearing component is just the body to be ani-
casting.
open, bleeding, wounds (i.e. one who mated.

has been damaged by edged weapons

recently and whose wounds have not The Simbul’s Synostodweomer

yet been dressed or healed) to suffer (Alteration/Necromantic)

3-12 hit points of additional damage Level: 7 Components: V, S

per round, by causing a subtle, tem- Range: 0 Casting Time: 7 segments

porary change in the victim’s blood Duration: Special

that causes it to be corrosive to adja- Saving Throws: None

cent tissue. Area of Effect: Special

The subject must have blood to be Explanation/Description: See descrip-

affected, and any creature immune tion in School of Alteration.

Speak With Dead (Necromantic/ or resistant to fire or corrosive dam-

Divination) age cannot be affected. The material Regenerate (Necromantic)

Level: 2 Components: V, S, M components of the spell are the visi- Level: 8 Components: V, S, M

Range: 1” Casting Time: 1 turn ble blood and a pinch of saltpeter. Range: Touch Casting Time: 3 rounds

Duration: Special Once the spell is cast, the caster does Duration: Permanent

Saving Throw: None not have to concentrate on the spell. Saving Throw: None

Area of Effect: One creature It continues to work as the caster per- Area of Effect: Creature touched

Explanation/Description: See descrip- forms other actions. Explanation/Description: This spell is

tion in School of Divination. The spell causes no damage if the like the 7th level clerical spell of the

subject’s saving throws (versus spells same name. The material component

Assist (Necromantic/Conjuring) at -3) are successful in each of the is a lizard that can naturally regrow

Level: 3 Components: V, S, M three rounds of the duration. If one its limbs, which must be slain as part

Range: Touch Casting Time: 4 seg. saving throw is made, the subject still of the spell.

Duration: 1 round + 1 round/level of takes damage during the other two

caster rounds of the duration. No hit roll is Restoration (Necromantic)

Saving Throw: None necessary and the subject need not Level: 9( Components: V, S, M

Area of Effect: One person even be in sight of the caster as long Range: Touch Casting Time: 3 rounds

Explanation/Description: See descrip- as the caster is familiar with the sub- Duration: Permanent

tion in School of Conjuring. ject and the subject is within range. Saving Throw: None

Astral or ethereal subjects cannot be Area of Effect: Creature touched

Charm Undead (Enchantment/ affected. Explanation/Description: This spell is

Necromantic) Targets who have altered their like the clerical 7th level spell of the

Level: 3 Components: V, S shape or entered other objects (such same name, but its material compo-

Range: 6” Casting Time: 4 segments as a tree or stone) are still vulnerable nent is a patch of wight’s skin.

Duration: Special to this spell as long as they are bleed-

Saving Throw: Negates ing. Creatures who have powers of

Area of Effect: Special regeneration are only affected as long

Explanation/Description: See descrip- as they have open wounds.

tion under School of Enchantment.

47



RELIGION OF THAY

The basic Alignment of Thay is neutral del for the Tharchion. ziggurat outside the walls of Bezantur.
evil. The Red Wizards dislike religion as The highest ranking priest of Bane is The high priest of that temple is contin-
a general practice, and refuse to give it ually being arrested for sedition by the
any prominence in their government. 12th level—the high priest of the temple Zulkirs, so the most powerful cleric in
This is a result of the country’s origins, of Bane in Bezantur. He is watched very residence is 8th level, and that one has
which consisted of a gang of Mulhoran- closely by most of the Zulkirs, who feel been in charge only three months.
dese wizards rebelling against the stul- he may be an agent of Zhentil Keep.
tifying theocracy of Mulhorand. Gond, Wonderbringer, god of black-
Beshaba, Maid of Misfortune, Black smiths, artificers, crafts and construc-
This is not to say that the Red Wiz- Bess, Lady Doom, Goddess of Mischief, tion, Lesser Power, N, Concordant
ards do not themselves worship the Misfortune, Ill Luck, Accidents, Treach- Opposition
gods. One of the principal gods of many ery, Betrayal, Lesser Power, CE, Abyss Symbol: A toothed wheel of brass,
of the Wizards is Myrkul, which ties Symbol: Black antlers on a red field. bronze, iron, or bone.
into the exhaustive study of Necroman-
cy in the Realms. Beshaba is propitiated more than Gond is the god of the tradesmen and,
worshipped throughout Thay. The somewhat, the merchants of Thay. His
Entries for the gods worshipped in researching magicians of Thay have no worship is relatively weak but is not
Thay are organized thus: Name(s), port- wish to suffer ill luck half-way through suppressed by the rulers, who consider
folio, alignment, home plane, symbol, a magical ceremony. him a good example to the craftsmen.
and notes.
Shrines to Beshaba appear every- The main temple of Gond is in Tyra-
Azuth, The High One, Patron of where there are magic-users in Thay, turos, and is presided over by a cleric of
Magic-Users, Demipower, LN, Arcadia but there is no temple to her name any- the 9th level.
Symbol: A human hand, forefinger where.
pointing upward, outlined in a nimbus Helm, He of the Unsleeping Eyes, God
of blue fire. Bhaal, Lord of Murder, God of Death, of Guardians, Lesser God, LN, Nirvana
Lesser Power, LE, Gehenna Symbol: An open, staring eye, often
Azuth is worshipped in a desultory Symbol: a circle of red blood tears, fall- painted on a metal gauntlet.
way in Thay as the patron of magic- ing counterclockwise, about a white
users. Wizards with no real affinity for skull. Helm is the patron of many of the sol-
religion pay him lip service and occa- diers of Thay and of the Inner Seas
sionally make sacrifices in his name. His Bhaal is also worshipped mostly by lands in general. His worship is not sup-
form has been seen in Thay at one time the ruling class of Thay, particularly ported by the heirarchy, but it is toler-
or another, but has never stayed long. those who have gained their high posi- ated in mercenaries.
tions through the elimination of compe-
There are major temples in his honor tition. The very active Guild of Bezantur is the home of the main tem-
in Eltabbar and Bezantur, smaller Assassins has at least one temple to ple to Gond, but there are temples in all
shrines in Tyraturos and Pyarados. Bhaal in each city of Thay. the main cities and shrines in ever gar-
Attendance at any of the shrines is des- rison and tax station. The highest level
ultory. The highest ranking priest of The main temple of Bhaal is in Eltab- cleric is the Grand Master of the Order
Azuth in Thay is 7th level. bar, the center of politics in Thay. The of Helm, a 9th level cleric who operates
principal heirophant of this religion in out of the Citadel.
Bane, Lord Bane, the Black Lord, God Thay is 10th level, and he reports to the
of Strife, Hatred, Tyranny, Greater Priest of Bane in Bezantur. Ilmater, God of Endurance, Suffering,
Power, LE, Acheron Martyrdom, Perseverance, Lesser
Symbol: A black hand, open, with The God-Kings, Masters of the Earth, Power, LG, Twin Paradises
thumb and fingers aligned together— gods and rulers of Mulhorand, lords of Symbol: The bloodstained rack or
sometimes on a red field. rulers everywhere, Lesser Powers, LN, crossed hands bound at the wrist.
Prime Material Plane
Bane does not have the respect in Symbol: A ziggurat-like tower of white Ilmater is the god of the slaves and
Thay that he does in Zhentil Keep, but on a blue field. lower classes in Thay. There is an active
he is worshipped mostly among the worship among the slaves of Thay.
Tharchions and Tharchionesses. The God-kings are the rulers of
Mulhorand, and not officially appreci- There are no temples to Ilmater, but
There are temples to Bane in Eltab- ated in Thay. However, many Thayvians shrines of sorts, usually mobile, are
bar, Bezantur, Tyraturos, Pyarados, who are not Red Wizards still worship available throughout the realm. Ilmater
and Surthay, and major shrines in the the gods of their fathers. The worship is is worshipped communally, and the
ruins of Delhumide and on the Aldor. not extensive, and is repressed in many highest level cleric in his service is a 5th
There is also a private shrine in the Cita- parts of the country. level priest who is also a runaway slave
who wanders the entire country, dodg-
The only temple to the god-kings is a ing patrols and ministering to his flock.

49