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Razz
Senior Scribe
USA
749 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Jan 2012 : 22:22:27
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I know if I did a search of "Thay" on here I'd get a million hits so I need to be specific.
Where can I find information on the land of Thay before the Red Wizards took over? I'm curious about its past inhabitants.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36784 Posts |
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Razz
Senior Scribe
USA
749 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2012 : 00:55:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Before the Red Wizard took over, undead in Thay had to raise themselves. 
A funny, but true, fact indeed. 
I think the only thing I managed to glean was something about an advanced ancient lizardfolk race (sarrukh or some other lizard-type creature clearly) and centaur tribes. Wondering if anything else might be of note. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2012 : 00:56:52
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Both A Grand History of the Realms and 3e's Unapproachable East provide some brief details. The older Spellbound boxed set provides some tidbits on pre-Red Wizard Thay as well.
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Therise
Master of Realmslore
1272 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2012 : 01:14:36
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If memory serves, some of the (current) Thayan lands were part of the Mulhorandi Empire. The plateaus were home to roaming centaur tribes. The northwest area of (current) Thay was once ruled by the Narfell Empire. The old Raumathauri Empire also held some of the lands that are now part of Thay.
Raumathar and Narfell co-existed for a while, then a war (and a catastrophe) essentially broke them. Thay's roots are primarily in its rebellion against Mulhorand, then slow expansion outward, although politically and magically they're more like the Old Imaskari.
Lost Empires of Faerun is what you'd want for a lot more detail.
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Female, 40-year DM of a homebrew-evolved 1E Realms, including a few added tidbits of 2E and 3E lore; played originally in AD&D, then in Rolemaster. Be a DM for your kids and grandkids, gaming is excellent for families! |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2012 : 16:01:37
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There was some sort of centaur culture there originally - this can be seen on the map in LEoF and also some very brief history snippets in Red Magic.
The Ilythiir dark elves also had a branch there in the distant past, which may or may not be related to the odd (evil?) way the current Centaurs behave (and centaurs are some sort of Fey, and Drow do not like Fey at all, for some reason yet to be explored - see Elaine's Halruaa series).
I do not know if the Plateau is original (natural), or the result of some ancient magical experiment gone awry. I only thought of this after the spellplague, when the plateau 'grew' - I thought that was odd, unless some previous event had already raised it.
It would be fun to connect all these things together (Drow raising the original plateau, for instance), but it would all be conjecture.
EDIT: And to be fair, to put a 4e spin on it, it could also be related to the Abolethic Sovereignty somehow (since 'new Thay' and Aboleths both have aberrational connotations). The Aboleths may have 'hollowed-out' a large portion of the underdark for their own reasons (raising the above terrain).
Do I like that possibility? Absolutely not - but I have to play to everyone's tastes on a site dedicated to The Realms, and not editions.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 09 Jan 2012 16:06:15 |
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Artemas Entreri
Great Reader
USA
3131 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2012 : 16:58:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Before the Red Wizard took over, undead in Thay had to raise themselves.
good one  |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11734 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2012 : 18:37:29
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You can find a little info on the Priador before it became Thay in the old Powers and Pantheons. It talks about the fact that Kossuth was worshipped there. The city of Bezantur was previously called Kensten when it was part of the Raumathar empire. Later, when Raumathar fell, Mulhorand took over the area. Prior to Raumathar forming, the area had a sizable orc population due to the opening of the orcgates.
When did the gnoll and centaur populations swoop in? I'm betting it was after Raumathar's fall, or possibly during its lifetime. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11734 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2012 : 18:49:18
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Also, Delhumide was the capital of the Priador when Mulhorand took over.
For a while, Eltab was ruling over Rashemen... how far down into the area that would become Thay, who can say?
Kossuth actually burned down Kensten by the way, and in that book it notes that the empire of Raumathar extended north as far as the ice... so it may have subsumed Rashemen at that time.
I guess it all comes down to "what time period prior to becoming Thay are you interested in".
Oh, and the Raumathari battlemages had a fascination with bastard swords. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2012 : 20:42:51
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The map on pg.49 of LEoF indicates there were centaur tribes in Thay in -626 DR.
The lore in Red Magic sees to imply the centaurs are aboriginal, and were enslaved by the original Mulan settlers (who became the Red Wizards). They actually became 'first among slaves', and acted as overseers, IIRC, and were treated far better then most of the indigenous Rashemi/Raumvari population.
Combining all lore, one can assume the centaurs were either part of the Raumathar Empire, or lived alongside it peaceably. Given the Druidic Bent author Mark Sehestedt gave Raumathar's original magic, and the centaurs fey heritage, this would actually make sense.
The Imaskari probably just left the region alone - they did have some dealings with the Fey, and it may have been some ancient primordial feywood, so it was along the lines of a 'respect thing'. Their freed Mulan were apparently not nearly as respectful. It could also have been that the Imaskari were aware of some 'sleeping power' in the region, and given their bad history with other extra-planer powers, they may have just avoided the area for that reason as well.
Hmmm... odd thought: I have to now wonder if Imaskar was aware of the primordials, and if they found some way to get to Abeir. Wouldn't it be a kick in the head if the Elder Evils were a type of primordial, and thats where they got Pandorym from?  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Thay before the Red Wizards
