Thayan Character Creation

 

Disclaimer: This page discusses one view of Thay, an infamously evil, slave-keeping, magocratic country in the Forgotten Realms. This vision is offered for entertainment purposes for adults only. I do not condone anything described; quite the opposite. Please read with discretion, and feel free to stop anytime. Before you use any ideas herein, please gain your group's full consent to engage the material.

 

 

The current player characters in our Thay campaign, from left to right, courtesy of the PortraitWorks app (beta version): Augustus (human blackguard of Bane), Azonia (human cleric of Samora), and Viktor (tiefling rogue), all nobles of House Valgon.

 

Below are the character creation options I made available to my players in our Thayan campaign. These norms influenced everything else, from NPC creation to story hooks.

Common Races

Mulan: The people of the ancient Imaskari empire were nearly decimated by a great plague. In response, they brought slaves from another world and interbred with them, forming the Mulan race (one of Faerun's many human ethnicities). The slaves prayed to their gods (the Untheric and Mulhorandi pantheons) but the wizards of Imaskar had erected a barrier that kept the deities out. Eventually, the deities sent avatars to Toril and the slaves rose in rebellion against the wizard rulers. Already weakened, the Imaskari empire fell, giving rise to the god-kings of Mulhorand. The people of Thay eventually rose up against the Mulhorandi and took their freedom. The Mulan continue to rule the highest offices of Thay and nearly all Red Wizards are of Mulan blood.

Rashemi: The commoners of Thay are from Rashemi stock. This is the same stocky, dusky human race that is spread throughout nearby Rashemen. They are not actively targeted and oppressed as a group; they simply make up a lower strata of society than the Mulan. Rashemi commoners are loyal Thayans and even if they resent the greater wealth and power of the Mulan, they accept it. Rashemi can own slaves and often enter the military. A few Red Wizards are of Rashemi extraction.

Planetouched: Interbreeding with outsiders through arcane magic and the Church of Kossuth are the common origins for planetouched in Thay. Many times these pairings are planned in advance, sometimes as a deliberate attempt to pass on unique traits to the offspring that result. In general, planetouched are accepted openly. There may be some attraction to or reverence for their outsider features, but most of the time, they aren't singled out for special treatment. Planetouched are more common in Thay than in most regions of Toril. Fire genasi are the most common type of genasi in Thay and are often afforded respect by the clergy of Kossuth. Aasimar are the least common and might have to prove their loyalty to Thay's evil ways more often than most. But Thayans

Tiefling: Commerce with demons and devils is well established in Thay, and tieflings are better accepted in Thay than most other places in Faerun. They, too, are judged more by their human lineage.

Other races: Most other races in Thay – including dwarves, halflings, gnomes, and elves – are held in slavery. There are notable but rare exceptions, such as those who earn their freedom through the Games of Malar in Gauros. Half-elves and half-drow are sometimes given their freedom and some respect, particularly if one of their parents is of Mulan descent.

Common Classes

Barbarian: Barbarians are generally shunned as being too much like the simple savages of Rashemen.

Bard: There are more bards in Thay than one might think. In and around enclaves, they gather information and act as merchants. Near the coasts and borders of Thay, they interact with foreigners as spies, diplomats, and con artists. They also grace the courts of Thayan nobles. What respect they gain usually has more to do with their cleverness and connections than their musical abilities.

Blackguard: There are blackguards/antipaladins in Thay, particularly in the service of Bane, Loviatar, the Red Knight, Shar, and Siamorphe.

Cavalier: Noble houses often have cavaliers as their banner holders, and they are noted in Thayan armies.

Cleric: Next to the wizards, clerics have the most respect in Thay, especially if they serve Kossuth.

Druid: Druids are rare in the most populated tharchs of Thay, though there are known to be more of them in Surthay, Gauros, and the Sunrise Mountains. There are a few guarding particular sites in other tharchs, but most Thayans simply don't revere nature enough to be druids.

Fighter: There are plenty of fighters in Thay, often of Rashemi extraction.

Monk: Thayan monasteries have been known to abduct children for instruction; lesser and bastard children of nobles are sometimes sent away to the monks, as well.

Paladin: The only paladin in Thay is a dead one, or in chains.

Ranger: Although they keep in the down-low, there are rangers in Thay. They often hunt escaped slaves, have information on local monsters, and know locations of ruins.

Rogue: There are rogues aplenty in Thay.

Sorcerer: Sorcerers are distrusted and hunted in Thay. Those who develop such powers hide it or leave the country.

Tantrist: It is said that a plane-hopping Thayan brought home the secrets of sex-based magic. Some Thayans chide tantrists for their reliance on sex to replenish their spells, but only because it is viewed as a potential weakness. The arcane potential has interested some Thayans, however, and the tantrist's body runes recall the tattoos favored by the Red Wizards. Many Thayan tantrists use their slaves to replenish their spells. [The Tantrist can be found in The Book of Erotic Fantasy.]

Wizard: All nobles are tested for magical aptitude as children. Those who want the most power Thay has to offer become wizards and join the Red Wizards.

Common Langauges

      This list has been compiled from the Monster Manual I and the Forgotten Realms core book. Everyone gets Common for free. The entries in bold can be chosen as regional languages.

General: Common, Undercommon

Planar: Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal

Elemental: Auran, Aquan, Ignan, Terran

Racial: Aboleth, Beholder, Blink Dog, Draconic, Drow, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Kua-Toan, Orc, Slaad, Sylvan, Umber Hulk, Warg, Yuan-Ti

Class: Druidic

Regional: Aglarondan, Alzhedo, Chessentan, Chondathan, Chultan, Damaran, Dambrathan, Durpari, Halruaan, Illuskan, Lantanese, Midani, Mulhorandi, Mulhorandi (var.) in Thay, Nexalan, Rashemi, Serusan, Shaaran, Shou, Tashalan, Tuigan, Turmic, Uluik, Untheric

Dead: Aragrakh, Hulgorkyn, Loross, Netherese, Roushoum, Seldruin, Thorass

Benefits of House Valgon Membership

      All nobles of House Valgon in good standing gain the following benefits upon reaching maturity:

• Gain Appraise, Bluff/Diplomacy/Intimidate (choose one), Knowledge (choose one), Perform (choose one) and Sense Motive as class skills.

• Obtain free starting gear (everything in the list below); these items are replaced at 20% discount.
  

• Receive an average lifestyle from the family coffers, with free room and board in the local main family residence (basic quality); lifestyle and quarters are adjusted based on seniority and standing.

 

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