The Red Wizards
The Red Wizards, also known as the Red Wizards of Thay, are the notorious and nefarious ruling class of the inhospitable but well-inhabited country of Thay. Historically they owed their power to being demonologists and arcane experimenters, before most of their numbers wholly dedicated themselves into creating a nation of undead.
Structure
For centuries, the leaders of the Red Wizards and in fact all of Thay was the Council of Zulkirs. The ruling body comprised eight of the most powerful Red Wizards, each of whom represented one of the schools of magic. Each of the zulkirs and their subordinates fomented intense rivalries with one another, leading to great feuds and near-crippling internal strife.
Public Agenda
Since Szass Tam's takeover, the exiled Red Wizards have transformed enormously, becoming a loosely organized chain of merchant enclaves who specialized in procuring magical items.
History
In the years before the mid–14th century DR, the Red Wizards divided themselves into two separate ideological groups. The influential Imperialists sought to conquer Faerûn, by military might, subterfuge, or any other means necessary. The Researchers took a more isolationist stance, preferring to focus on arcane research within the safety of the Thayan Plateau.
When the war ended, Szass Tam emerged victorious. He reshaped Thay into the domain of the undeath in Faerûn, and supplanted the fractured Council of Zulkirs with those loyalist undead wizards who had embraced his "way of life", as it were. The Red Wizards outside of Thay, either having fled or been exiled, eschewed many of their old traditions. They grew out their hair, forewent getting tattoos, and enjoyed lives as merchants, even passing on their title as "Red Wizard" through marriage, heredity, and even adoption.
Type
Corporation, Research & Development
Alternative Names
Red Wizards of Mulhorand
Leader
Notable Members