Welcome to Thay: A Traveler's Guide to the Red Wizards' Dangerous Homeland

If you've traveled around the Forgotten Realms, perhaps you've already encountered Red Wizards; if not in person, then at least by reputation. But what have you heard about their home nation of Thay?

Come with us, travelers, as we take a dive into a nation noted for its sinister scheming. A place simultaneously harsh for the lower rungs of society and lucrative for those who have power.

• Thayan Society
• Thayan Commerce
• Thayan Geography and Climate
• The Eleven Tharches of Thay

Test Your Arcane Might

Deep in the Forgotten Realms, the nation of Thay — notorious for its tyrannical, red-robed wizards — casts an ominous shadow on your table. Secrets are passed in the dark, and one name sits at the center of it all: Szass Tam.

Dive into a magical spy thriller of enchanted espionage and fragile alliances, built for high-level play (levels 11–20). Can you infiltrate the politics of the Red Wizards deep enough to stop the lich Szass Tam before he unleashes his demonic undead horde upon the world?

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Thayan Society

Joshua Raphael

Bureaucracy and hierarchy hold sway over the Thayan government. From the Zulkir Council at the top all the way down to the working poor of Thayan cities, the system runs on those below serving those above. The few who rise to the top of Thay's political apparatus acquire great wealth and power along the way, leaving few crumbs for those left below.

Here are some people to keep an eye out for, and perhaps show deference to, lest you overstep and find yourself in danger.

Red Wizards

Joshua Raphael

The Red Wizards are the ruling class of Thay, marked by their distinctive red attire, shaved heads, and symbolic tattoos. Power is essential to the Red Wizards, and almost all of them spend their lives vying to increase their own magical and political prowess. Red Wizards swear loyalty among their ranks and to their zulkirs, but such oaths are often bent and broken if doing so will help a Red Wizard's ambitions.

Council of Zulkirs

Zulkirs are Red Wizards who are each considered the most powerful spellcaster for each of the eight schools of magic. The Council is positioned at the top of the Thayan government, but it has seen turmoil.

The lich Szass Tam, Zulkir of Necromancy, once disbanded the council and ruled Thay as Regent, later reinstating the Council as a symbolic puppet government of cronies and sycophants loyal to him. Though Tam still sits on the council, the current crop of zulkirs is as likely to be an adversary to Tam as an ally.

Tharchions

Thay is home to eleven provinces known as tharches, the governors of which are Tharchions. Though each tharchion has mostly autonomous control over their respective Tharch, they all serve at the whims of the zulkirs. Since most Tharchions are not Red Wizards, they rank underneath them within society and must buckle to their authority.

Autharchs

Appointed by tharchions to serve as local government leaders within a tharch, the role of an autharch is a perilous one. Do too incompetent a job, and you may be removed from your position, but be too effective, and you may be seen as a threat to the power of those above you.

Thayan Military

Rather than one single army, Thay's military forces are divided up largely between privately funded armies operated by a specific Red Wizard or Zulkir, and the armies serving a specific tharchion. The most notable private army in Thay is the Dread Legion, a terrifying force of mostly Undead who serve the lich Szass Tam.

Thayan knights are a dedicated protection force trained specifically to serve Red Wizards, a life service. Their training is usually paid for by the Red Wizard they are sworn to protect.

Closed Eyes

Thayan society is one built on oppression, with each level on the social ladder oppressing those beneath them. As such, the lower rungs of Thayan society who lack the financial, magical, or military prowess to move up the ladder have learned to practice willful ignorance about any goings-on that don't concern them. They focus on survival and everyday tasks, keeping their eyes closed towards anything else.

Open Eyes

A simmering rebellion strikes out against Red Wizard rule. The Open Eyes operate in small, local cells, making strategic attacks against the mages' operations. Being a known member of the Open Eyes will lead to execution, but the group's operations have spread throughout Thay, leading to whispers of a brewing rebellion.

Thayan Commerce

Kevin Glint

Thay's economy is funded mostly through taxes and the commerce of rare magical items. This combination has funneled much wealth into Thay, making it quite a rich country, though those outside the upper crust rarely see a copper of it.

Taxes and Tolls

Be mindful of your purse strings as you encounter the small fortress-like toll stations that are a common sight along Thayan border roads, major internal thoroughfares, and the boundaries between tharches. You might pay a price set by the tharchion, or a toll collector could decide to add in a little bit of silver for their own coffers. Be prepared to hand over anything from a handful of silver to a full gold.

Thayan Enclaves

Perhaps you've seen these in places like Calimshan or even as far away as the Moonshae Isles. These walled enclaves house Red Wizards, their knights, and other soldiers for protection, and are established in areas of trade outside of Thay. Perhaps you've picked up a Common or Uncommon magical item here, stocked from vast warehouses run by Thay's Guild of Foreign Trade.

Thayan Geography and Climate

ÁLVARO CALVO ESCUDERO

The nation of Thay is spread across two plateaus, stacked on top of each other. At the base of the plateaus is Lower Thay, a sea level region that serves a fertile area to grow crops. Lower Thay serves as a strategic staging point for invasions of neighboring nations, and the first area being invaded when those same nations attack Thay.

The first of the plateaus, known as the Thayan Plateau, hosts most of Thay's population, while the higher plateau, Thaymount, is home to a tharch of the same name and is off-limits to anyone but the Red Wizards.

While Thay is by nature a desert climate, magical influences over the centuries have created a rainy enough region to grow crops and feed livestock.

The Eleven Tharches of Thay

Sylvain Sarrailh

If you insist on heading into Thay, keep a close eye on your surroundings. Though Thay is one nation, each tharchion rules their respective tharches autocratically. This means that what might get you a pass in one region could see you executed in another. Regardless of where you step, be wary not to cross any Red Wizards, as they hold jurisdiction across Thay.

The Alaor

If you're arriving in Thay from the southern coast, your first stop will likely be Ala City on the island of Alaor Major. The shipyards here are owned by Tharchion Bavak Inkander, who also controls the navy. If you're a merchant hoping to get aid from pirates, however, you may need to invest in adventurers or mercenaries, as Inkander typically only allows the navy's ships to be utilized for official Thayan purposes.

Delhumide

Sylvain Sarrailh

Arriving in the rural farmland of Delhumide, you might be surprised to learn that hundreds of years ago, when Thay was still under Mulhorandi rule, this tharch was once home to the provincial capital. Now only haunted, cursed ruins remain of the city which was destroyed during Thayan battles for independence. Brave adventurers can find work exploring those ruins, though you may find heavy fees and taxes imposed by Tharchion Meskie Kudd.

Eltabbar

If you're hoping to avoid the political machinations of Thay, Eltabbar is not the place to visit. The second largest city in Thay, Eltabbar serves as the nation's capital and is where the Council of Zulkirs meet.

Still, trade is plentiful in the city, which boasts a massive open-air bazaar, an excellent place to procure powerful magic items. Be mindful of your magic in Eltabbar, however. The city and tharch are named after the demon lord Eltab, a reference to the city's history and connection to the abyss. Pockets of abyssal magic still remain under the city, causing wild magic and other complications.

Gauros

For those who don't mind roughing it, Gauros is a rocky, mountainous region with enough precious metals to please a prospector, but with no major cities for those who need certain comforts. Be wary of sleeping out under the stars, however, as monsters and specifically [Tooltip Not Found] have been known to attack those who camp out in the open. Still, adventurers might find work here as monster hunters for travelers departing from Fort Gar, which serves as the tharch's capital.

Lapendrar

If you cross over into Thay from the cities of Wizard's Reach, you'll likely find yourself in the tharch of Lapendrar. You'll find fertile farmlands and a region in constant turmoil, with border disputes from nearby nations. As such, you can expect to find garrisoned troops in every village and Red Wizards who have no patience for pushback. From the city of Escalant, Tharchion Keliza Vyrizek controls Thay's spy network, so mind who you share information with.

If you are looking for a reprieve from the Red Wizards while you're in Lapendrar, the city of Amruthar has maintained its independence from Thay since the nation first broke free from Mulhorandi. At the time, the city's ruler agreed to help Thay win in exchange for Amruthar's independence, a deal the zulkirs have honored more out of fear of repercussions than any sense of honor.

Within Amruthar, residents may freely speak out against the Red Wizard's regime. But regardless of their pact, the city fears an eventual Thayan takeover, and you will find yourself interrogated under a Zone of Truth before being allowed to enter. If your secrets matter to you, Amruthar may be worth avoiding.

Priador

If you're not satisfied with the offerings at enclaves and wish to delve deeper into the magical items offered by Thayan merchants, Priador is the tharch to visit. You may even be able to broker deals on the roads, crowded as they are with merchants.

The largest city in this tharch is Bezantur, and it serves as the home base of operations for the Guild of Foreign Trade. This lavish city is ruled over by one of the few tharchions that also holds the title of zulkir. The Zulkir of Evocation, Xelnene Thrul. Aided by the Red Wizard Gulga Vull, who oversees the Guild, Thrul keeps a close hand on the economic prosperity of Priador.

A prosperity that rarely trickles down to the desolate poor of the tharch.

Pyarados

Sylvain Sarrailh

Be careful what you sign while in Pyarados. Mining operations in the Sunrise Mountains make up the bulk of the economy for this Tharch. Miners often sign contracts that extend beyond their lives, allowing Red Wizards to raise them as Undead to continue working, in exchange for support for their families.

If you favor your chances, however, you can find extensive gambling opportunities in the eponymous capital city of the tharch. And if less permanent employment is your goal, there's always work for adventurers willing to fight off monsters in the mines, including many from the Elemental Plane of Earth.

Surthay

You won't find much infrastructure in the tharch of Surthay. This region borders the nation of Rashemen, and while it was once a fiercely contested front against the enemy nation, these days the zulkirs care little about Surthay. This is largely due to their lack of patience with Tharchion Vederask Skarsk's frequent, and frequently unsuccessful, skirmishes across the border.

In addition to Rashemen, Skarsk also fights against the lizardfolk who live within the Surmarsh. Since the marshy land falls outside of the magical climate controls of the Red Wizards, it doesn't concern the Red Wizards and zulkirs, so this is a private battle for Skarsk. Be careful while visiting; it's only a question of when, not if, the lizardfolk might step up their rebellion against this treatment.

Thaymount

Sitting atop Thay's highest plateau, Thaymount is the other tharch ruled by a member of the Council of Zulkirs. Szass Tam, the Zulkir of Necromancy, rules from the Citadel, his personal fortress. If you find yourself in Thaymount, it is likely by invitation only from the Red Wizards who exclusively dwell in this tharch.

If a Red Wizard has invited you to visit Thaymount, they will likely receive you in Szul, a small collection of estates in which they do their illicit dealings. Tam himself has placed enough abjuration wards on Szul to ensure that he knows of everyone who arrives. To enter Thaymount by any other means would require some powerful magic.

Thazalhar

If you're traveling through Thay's second smallest tharch, Thazalhar, you're likely traveling alongside trade caravans entering or exiting from the border of Mulhorand. If you're carrying merchant goods from the enemy nation, be prepared to be taxed heavily for the privilege of traveling onward to Bezantur.

Not far from the border, you'll find Thazalhar Station, where Tharchion Jynnril keeps a garrison of troops borrowed from armies across Thay, vigilant of any attempt by Mulhorandi soldiers to cross the border.

Tyraturos

If you're an adventurer looking to make coin, the tharch of Tyraturos is a solid destination. The most populated tharch in Thay, Tyraturos is home to the High Road, which connects several other tharches. As such, cities and towns litter this popular travel route.

The capital city of Tyraturos boasts over a hundred taverns, so it's an excellent destination to find people looking to hire adventurers to help them in their travels. Just make sure you offer the Red Wizards proper coin.

The End of the Tour, The Beginning of the Adventure

So, adventurers, you've seen a broad overview of the spider web of politics and power that are scattered across Thay—where you go and what you do is now up to you, but take the information in this message as a warning.

If you're looking to go on a more robust quest within the Thayan borders, or tell your own Thayan tales, you can take a deeper dive with the level 11-20 adventure Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall, coming September 15th.