Unapproachable East.pdf - The Forgotten Realms

History of Thay
Ever since its founding, Thay has been ruled by ambitious wizards
who believe their ultimate destiny is to rule the world. Although
they have extended their rule into the Wizards’ Reach
and the Lapendrar vale, they’ve had less success in subjugating
the neighboring realms of Aglarond and Rashemen. However,
with the opening of Thayan enclaves in cities across
Faerûn, the Red Wizards can finally claim to have extended
their territory across most of the continent. Before an enclave
is built, the Red Wizards insist that the local government cede
the land to Thay, and Thay’s laws apply within the walls of
these disparate and far-flung places.
–1087 The wizard Thayd leads a rebellion of mages against
Mulhorand and Unther, seizing the northern
provinces of both empires as his own territory.
–1081 Thayd and his conspirators are defeated.
–1076 The Orcgate opens in the southern portion of the
to –1069 Plateau of Thay. Hundreds of thousands of orcs inundate
the northern possessions of both Mulhorand
and Unther.
–160 Year of the Stone Giant: Narfell and Raumathar destroy
each other.
–75 Year of Leather Shields: Mulhorandi launch invasion
of Rashemen from Delhumide but are driven back by
the berserkers and Witches.
400 Year of the Blue Shield: Escalant is founded on the
Wizards’ Reach by Chessentans.
679 Year of the Scarlet Sash: Unther recognizes the
League of Samathar, conceding independence of the
Wizards’ Reach.
922 Year of the Spouting Fish: Ythazz Buvaar leads the
Red Wizard rebellion against Mulhorand; Delhumide
is sacked.
929 Year of the Flashing Eyes: Chessenta rebels against
Unther.
934 Year of Fell Wizardry: The Red Wizards attempt to
invade Rashemen through the Gorge of Gauros but
are repelled.
953 Year of the Guiding Crow: Tchazzar of Chessenta conquers
the Wizards’ Reach.
976 Year of the Slaying Spells: Mulhorandi invasion of
Thay is repelled.
1030 Year of Warlords: Zulkirs established as rulers of
Thay.
1074 Year of the Tightening Fist: The zulkirs crush the last
opposition to their rule over Thay.
1086 Year of the Seer’s Fires: Thay captures Nethjet and
Nethentir, extending the tharch of Lapendrar.
1110 Year of the Bloody Fields: Thay marches on Phent, but
the combined forces of Impilturan and Theskian cities
defeat the Red Wizards’ army.
1194 Year of the Bloody Wave: The zulkirs launch their
first invasion of Aglarond. The Thayans are defeated
in the Battle of the Singing Sands.
THAY
163
1197 Year of the Sundered Shield: The Thayans attack
Aglarond again and are driven back after the Battle
of Brokenheads.
1260 Year of the Broken Blade: Halacar of Aglarond
launches an invasion of Thay, advancing along the
Lapendrar. The Red Wizards destroy his army.
1280 Year of the Manticore: The zulkirs launch an invasion
of Mulhorand that ravages Murghôm and the northern
districts of that land.
1320 Year of the Watching Cold: The Great Inner Sea
Plague ravages the coast. The Thayans withdraw from
the Wizards’ Reach to escape the disease.
1323 Year of Dreamwebs: The zulkir of enchantment leads
an attempt to control the minds of influential people
through their dreams. The efforts of the Red Wizards
are eventually thwarted.
1339 Year of the Weeping Moon: Samas Kul becomes
Master of the Guild of Foreign Trade, a minor post
at the time.
1344 Year of the Moonfall: Samas Kul arranges the concession
of a small Thayan Quarter in the city of Procampur,
creating the first of the Thayan enclaves.
1357 Year of the Prince: Thay sends an army of elementals
to the Wizards’ Reach to bring the cities of Escalant,
Murbant, and Thasselen to heel. This becomes known
as the Salamander War.
1359 Year of the Serpent: The Tuigan Horde invades Thay.
Zulkir Szass Tam negotiates a truce with Yamun
Khahan. The Tuigan leader agrees to leave Thay alone
as long as he can lead his army through Thay to
attack Rashemen. The Tuigans are later defeated by
an alliance of Western powers in Thesk.
1368 Year of the Banner: Thay places enclaves in Cimbar,
Phsant, Proskur, and Tsurlagol. The zulkirs ramp up
the production of magic items for export.
1369 Year of the Gauntlet: Thay attacks Aglarond in the
winter. A vast army of undead crosses the frozen
Umber Marshes but fail to overcome the Watchwall.
1370 Year of the Tankard: Thay sets up enclaves in Westgate
and Selgaunt. Tharchion Dmitra Flass weds Selfaril,
High Blade of Mulmaster.
1371 Year of the Unstrung Harp: Mulhorand launches an
invasion of Unther; the Red Wizards begin to funnel
gold and magic into Unther to oppose the Mulhorandi
conquest.
1372 Year of Wild Magic. Current year.
Government
In Thay, the eight zulkirs run the country by consensus,
built through debate that sometimes borders on open feuding.
Of them all, Szass Tam has the most influence over his
fellows. He is the most powerful of them, and in his long
years as a lich he has entrenched himself so deeply that he
could never be forced from office by anything short of a
very permanent death.