Thayan Soceity & Civil War

[DM Hawk]

Common Knowledge of Thayan Society on FRC
From FRCS, Lords of Darkness, Unclean & Undead Novelizations (Limited)


Demographics and Government

Capital: Eltabbar
Population: Greater than Cormyr (mostly human, some humanoids, few dwarves and halflings)
Government: Magocracy
Religions: Bane, Gargauth, Kelemvor, Kossuth, Loviatar, Malar, Shar, Talona, Umberlee
Imports: Iron, Magic Items, Monsters, Slaves, Spells
Exports: Artwork, Fruit, Grains, Jewelry, Magic Items, Sculpture, Time
Alignment: LE, NE, N

The region of Thay was under the rule of the Mulhorandi Empire. It’s native people, the Rashemi, were subject to rule of the noble class, the Mulan of Mulhorand. A society called the Red wizards sought to create a realm where wizards would rule instead of the God-Kings of Mulhorand. The Red Wizards destroyed the forces of their former masters and won dominion over Thay.

Red Wizards are drawn almost exclusively from the Mulan. Mulan humans are frequently tall, gaunt, and sallow-skinned.

Mulan Name Examples: Male: Aoth, Bareris, Ehput-Ki, Kethoth, Mumed, Ramas, So-Kehur, Thazar-De, Urhur. Famale: Arizima, Chathi, Nephis, Nulara, Murithi, Sefris, Thola, Umara, Zolis. Surnames: Ankhalab, Anskuld, Fezim, Hahpet, Nathandem, Sepret, Uuthrakr.

The Rashemi live their lives under the rule of the Mulan as merchants, knights, soldiers, and artisans. The Rashemi are normally swarthy skinned, short, and burly.

Rashemi Name Examples: Male: Borivik, Faurgar, Jandar, Kanithar, Madislak, Ralmevik, Shanmar, Vladislak. Female: Fyevarra, Hulmarra, Immith, Imzel, Navarra, Shevarra, Tammith, Uldra. Suranmes: Chergoba, Dyernina, Iltazyra, Murnyethara, Stayanoga, Ulmokina.

Gnolls and Orcs make up the bulk of Thay's armies, marching under the command of Red Wizards or Thayan Knights.

Most other human ethnicities or sentient races in Thay are considered the lowest commoners or live as slaves.


Thayans fall into seven social classes:

-Red Wizards, elite nobility
-Bureaucrats who administer day to day duties
-Priests
-Merchants
-Soldiers
-Artisans, barely above slaves
-Slaves

Thayan children are examined for magical talent. Those with potential are taken from their parents and subjected to rigorous training. Those who succeed become Red Wizard Apprentices. Red Wizards are notoriously careless and abusive of their apprentices.

Apprentice Red Wizards who survive may become Red Wizards in time. A young Red Wizard must master arcane might and use it ruthlessly if he or she hopes to gain power and remain alive.

Sorcerers in Thay either direct their talents into wizardry, suppress their talents, or flee the country.

Thay is ruled by eight Zulkirs, each a powerful Red Wizard specialized in one of the eight spell schools.

-Abjuration: Lallara Mediocros
-Conjuration: Nevron
-Divination: Yaphyll
-Enchantment: Lauzoril
-Evocation: Kumed Hahpret
-Illusion: Dmitra Flass
-Necromancy: Szass Tam.
-Transmutation: Samas Kul

The Zulkir’s have attempted to rule the world by force for centuries but now have emphasized trade through the Enclaves.

The Zulkir’s appoint Tharchions, one for each Tharch (Thayan Province). Tharchions act as governors for their regions, dealing with local issues and obeying the orders of the Zulkirs.

Tharchions appoint local bureaucrats, called Autharchs, into positions at various levels. Autharchs function as mayors, military leaders, and ministers of various offices.



The Guild of Foreign Trade and Thayan Enclaves

The Guild of Foreign Trade administers Thay’s Enclaves in foreign lands and sells charters to Thayan merchants wishing to trade abroad.

Thayan Enclaves are legally considered Thayan Soil.

The Guild of Foreign Trade is administered by Samas Kul, the Zulkir of Transmutation. As the both the Zulkir of Transmutation and the Grandmaster of the Guild of Foreign Trade, Samas Kul possesses an extraordinary amount of power and wealth, even among the Zulkirs.

The Guild of Foreign Trade purchases items crafted by Thayan Wizards laboring in the Zulkir’s workshops and laboratories for sale abroad. A number of Red Wizards are involved in acquiring necessary resources to keep up the flow of goods. Other Red Wizards serve as administrators, spies, guardians, and crafters of magical goods at each Enclave.



Red Wizards of Thay

A Red Wizard is a practicing wizard of Thay who is indoctrinated into the outermost circle of Thayan Politics. Only about one Thayan Wizard out of several becomes a Red Wizard. The rest are apprentices, low-level wizards, those unconcerned with politics, and those who have not yet proved their worth to Thay.

The Red Wizards of Thay are divided according to their Spell School and report through a militaristic hierarchy ultimately to their school’s Zulkir.

Red Wizards hold the power of life and death over others in Thay and only rival Red Wizards keep them from exerting power at whim. Standing laws in Thay prevent the Red wizards from simply seizing whatever they want from farmers or merchants. Their main power is political, and those who regard themselves as above such mortal and mundane concerns quickly find themselves exiled or killed by other Red Wizards intent on preserving the norm.

Thayan Wizards grow up and are educated in a cutthroat environment of intrigue, competition, and cruelty.

Red Wizards only allow Thayans of Mulan descent from Mulhorand to join their ranks. Native Rashemi Thayans are considered inferior. Non-Thayans are only worthy of enslavement.

The Red Wizards are in power and have both the will and right to use that power on any lesser person in their domain.



Thayan Knights

There are times when Red Wizards need protectors who have mastered the art of swordplay.

The Thayan Knights act as bodyguards and enforcers for the Red Wizards. They are familiar with magic and loyal to no one but their tattooed mages. They lead common Thayan troops into battle and help guard the Thayan Enclaves.

Although referred to as knights, the Thayan Knights have no code of conduct. The only rule they have is that their life is worth nothing compared to the safety of the Red Wizards. The only authority they have is what has been delegated by their Red Wizard masters and can be taken away in a blink.

They are stern and intimidating, paranoid and protectively lurking around nearby Red Wizards. Only humans from Thay are allowed to be Thayan Knights.



Non-Thayans and Slavery

Non-Thayans can be valuable tools and allies. Red Wizards are always looking for people willing to work for them as spies, scouts, fences, smugglers, slavers or undesirable or mundane tasks.

Employees of Red Wizards are valuable, not casually disposable, but can be sacrificed if their deaths accomplish some greater goal or if saving them requires more expenditure than they are worth.

Red Wizards know that their agents, employees, contacts, servants, and slaves have value and require some care to get the best use out of them.



On Thayan Soil

The land upon which an Enclave sits is considered Thayan soil where Thay is sovereign. Thayan law is the only law.

Within the Enclaves, the Red Wizards don’t go out of their way to offend their neighbors with strange Thayan customs but they are not averse to punishing lawbreakers in their own fashion.

In Thay, only Red wizards are allowed to wear red robes. Those who violate this law are subject to public torture. To avoid this risk, most Thayans never wear anything red, and some refuse to don orange as well. The only exception are the clerics of Kossuth, who stand outside the ban and are easily recognized by their holy symbols and multi-colored robes.

A person caught stealing might be flogged or branded but rarely put to death.

Red Wizards have harsh penalties for those who harm a Red Wizard such as beatings, imprisonment, and possible enslavement.

Note: Enslavement can’t be forced upon a player on FRC.

Those who appear likely to cause trouble in a Thayan Enclave are politely asked by Thayan soldiers to leave.

Business is welcome – but without armed tension.

If troublemakers refuse to leave, the soldiers offer to escort them to the edge of the Enclave or to the Embassy where a senior wizard can explain the situation. If still met with refusal, the guards imprison the visitors as trespassers, which usually results in an overnight stay in the prison, a fine, and banishment from the Enclave.



Thayan Enclave at Proskur

Proskur is ruled by former members of a thieves’ guild. The city has a reputation for honesty. However illicit activity in the city is tolerated as long as the council gives permission, which generally involves the council receiving a share of profit.

The Thayan Enclave usually proves to be lucrative and the council has been happy to set aside a portion of the city for the Red Wizards.

The Thayan Enclave consists of an Embassy, the Priador Emporium, the Standing Stone Inn, a temple of Kossuth, the Shrine Hall, barracks, stables, and living quarters for personnel. The Red Wizards, Thayan Wizards, and Thayan Knights are of Mulan Thayan descent. Most of the merchants, guards, and servants are of Rashemi Thayan descent.

The Thayan Enclave at Proskur is ruled by the Khazark, Chathin Zurn, a Red Wizard of the School of Enchantment. The Khazark is vested with the full power and authority of Thay in Proskur.

The Khazark is served a retinue of Red Wizards and by the Red Council, a number of adventuring Red Wizards who have been assigned to the Enclave.

The Red Wizards of the Enclave are supported by Thayan Wizards serving as apprentices, agents, merchants, and craftsman.

Thayan Knights serve the Khazark and oversee the slave pens. The wizards of the Red Council are permitted to sponsor Thayan Knights as well to accompany them on their travels.

The Enclave also supports a number of clerics and several faiths. Priests serve the temple of Kossuth and are assisted by acolytes and guards. Several shrines are each attended by a priestess.

In addition to the Thayan Knights, the Thayan Enclave is defended by guards. The enclave’s guardsmen are sometimes supplemented by humanoid conscripts from local tribes.

The Enclave is also supported by Thayan merchants, tradesfolk, clerks, and servants.



The Thayan Civil War

Civil war erupted in Thay in 1375 DR. The Zulkir’s were lining up behind either the Zulkir of Evocation Aznar Thrul or the Zulkir of Necromancy Szass Tam.

The Zulkir of Necromancy withdrew from the Council and attempted to take Thay by force. The Council of Zulkirs opposed Szass Tam’s ambitions and the realm of Thay endured nearly a decade of costly war. The war has drawn to a stalemate, with Szass Tam controlling the northern Tharchs. The Council of Zulkir’s hold the southern Tharchs.

As of 1384 DR an uneasy truce has brought respite to Thay. During the war, Zulkir Samas Kul has contained the civil war from breaking out violently within the Enclaves, though tension remains high between the Red Wizards of Necromancy supporting Szass Tam and the Red Wizards of the other schools supporting the Council of Zulkirs.

Note: The FRC Campaign will not represent the Spellplague and subsequent events taking place afterward as they lead up into the 4th Edition Forgotten Realms.