Unapproachable East.pdf - The Forgotten Realms

The most successful soldier-breeding program in recent
years has been the blooded ones, or blood orcs. Fierce, loyal,
and physically powerful, the blooded ones make excellent
shock troops. It’s now rare to find a legion that doesn’t have
at least one unit of blood orcs in it. The Red Wizards are experimenting
on other races with the techniques used to create
blooded ones, too, so it may be only a matter of time before
even more “blood” races are seen in the armies of Thay.
Few of Thay’s cities have walls or other defenses. The
Thayans regard the First Escarpment as a wall around the
entire country and plan to halt invaders at the edge of the
precipice. Thayan cities that lie below the escarpment
(Bezantur, for example) are often protected by extensive walls.
The first line of defense for Thay is the constant and vigorous
patrolling of both its borders and its interior. This provides
the zulkirs with an early warning system that allows
them plenty of time to respond to any massive attack.
RELIGION
Arcane magic is supreme in Thay, but even the most jaded of
the Red Wizards can’t deny the power of the gods. Even the
zulkirs at least pay lip service to a chosen deity. To do otherwise
is to invite retribution. Evil deities—Beshaba, Loviatar,
Shar, Talona, Umberlee, and Gargauth the Outcast—are openly
worshiped. Veneration of good gods is not forbidden, but it is
discouraged. Still, the Red Wizards know that there are times
when anyone—even a lawful good deity—can come in handy,
so they rarely advocate the burning of any metaphorical bridges.
The most widespread and powerful faith in Thay is that of
Kossuth, the Lord of Flames. The Thayans find the neutralaligned
elemental deities to be a good match for their oppressive
land. The tenets of good deities such as Tyr or
Lathander stand in direct opposition to the hierarchy built by
the Red Wizards, and evil deities demand the submission of
their followers. Kossuth represents power and mastery without
constraints, and so he finds favor among the Red Wizards.
Kossuth’s faith enjoys a primacy of position and numerous
special considerations in Thayan society. Clerics of the
Firelord are among the very few people a Red Wizard cannot
harm or kill with impunity.
The worship of Bane has had a long tradition in Thay.
While the church of the Black Lord suffered after the Time
of Troubles—during which Cyric arose to take Bane’s place—
the return of Bane has resulted in strong and well-organized
churches of both Bane and Cyric in Thay. A number of
Thayans venerate Mask, and this number has been steadily but
quietly growing in the past few years. Shar’s faith is also
strongly ensconced in Thay.
The brutal humanoids in the service of the Red Wizards
continue to worship their own pantheons. Orcs venerate
Gruumsh, much as they do elsewhere, and gnolls worship the
demon-god Yeenoghu.
A common misconception outside Thay is that the Red Wizards
worship demons and devils. Actually, many ambitious Red
Wizards do make regular contact with such evil outsiders, but
only to strike bargains with the creatures. The Red Wizards
THAY
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consider themselves the equals of such beings—at least, when
they band together as a group, just as they did when they summoned
the demon Eltab to help them in their quest for independence
from Mulhorand.
Adventurers
Outlanders are observed suspiciously throughout Thay. The
zulkirs have done enough spying of their own over the centuries
to know they are likely being spied on too. This is especially
true because of the anti-scrying magic that covers
most of the country. The only way for most foreign governments
to learn what is happening in Thay is by sending in
spies to handle the investigation personally.
Thus, it’s hard for a party of adventurers to get into Thay
without being watched. Those suspected of espionage are summarily
executed, and most Red Wizards aren’t above accusing
troublesome innocents of espionage just to have an excuse to
kill them.
However, the zulkirs have realized that there are times
during which a group of adventurers might come in handy.
There are many ruins scattered about Thay, for instance, especially
in Delhumide and in the Sunrise Mountains. The
zulkirs and tharchions permit adventurers to poke around in
such places, as long as they get a cut of any profits. They
manage this in several ways, from overcharging for supplies
to selling permits to actually demanding a share of treasure.
Adventurers can stay at many inns across Thay. However,
the locals are wary of people who are ignorant of the ways of
the nation. There are just too many ways to run afoul of the
Red Wizards and their cronies for most people to feel comfortable
around visitors. On the other hand, many commoners
and even some nobles see such newcomers as the perfect
pawns in their schemes, unschooled as they are in the art of
Thayan politics.
Politics and Power
In Thay, politics and power are inextricably related. Those in
charge are those who have the power to take charge. Most of
the Red Wizards (essentially the ruling class) are of noble
birth and would command obedience and fealty in any land by
virtue of their bloodlines alone, but those at the very top—
the zulkirs—have to claw their way there.
The growing wealth of the Guild of Foreign Trade may be
changing this time-honored tradition. The Guild’s officers
have been catapulted to astounding wealth by the success of
the mercantile enclaves. The wisest among them realize that
such power can be ephemeral, especially if the more warlike
tharchs and zulkirs get their way, so they are doing everything
they can to secure their long-term positions. Chief
among these is Master of the Guild Samas Kul (LE male
human Tra7/Red8), the organization’s top officer. He has
made himself one of the most influential and powerful Red
Wizards, second only to the zulkirs.