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54-465: According to Ken Rolston , "The haughty and arrogant Red Wizards of Thay employ their awesome sorcerous powers in their expansionistic and imperialistic policy of swallowing up neighbor states." AD&D' s 1st edition supplement Dreams of the Red Wizards (1988) explored the nation of Thay and the history of the Red Wizards. The lands of Thay and the Red Wizards were revisited and detailed in

108-545: A Baltimore subsidiary of 38 Studios . Dalereckoning Faerûn ( / f eɪ ˈ r uː n / fay- ROON ) is a fictional continent and the primary setting of the Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms . It is described in detail in several editions of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (first published in 1987 by TSR, Inc. ) with the most recent being

162-577: A complete manuscript for a magic system for Games Workshop to use in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay , but they rejected it; the manuscript by Rolston spent years circulating on the internet instead. Rolston left West End Games when Scott Palter decided to move the company from New York to rural Honesdale, Pennsylvania in 1988. Chaosium stopped producing material for RuneQuest through Avalon Hill in 1989, but they returned to RuneQuest in 1992 with Rolston as editor. Rolston started

216-564: A rebellion spearheaded by Ythazz Buvaar, who subsequently became the inaugural zulkir. The Thayans formed an alliance with Eltab , a demon lord, who assisted them in overcoming their foes and altering the outcome of the Battle of Thazalhar. Consequently, the rebels managed to seize the city of Delhumide and almost completely destroyed it. In 934 DR, the Red Wizards tried to annex Rashamen but were unsuccessful in their efforts. In 1030 DR

270-595: A secretive sect that was named after the nearby Mulhorandi province. One plot started after another failed attempt at securing Rashemen in 1357 DR is to infiltrate the nations of Faerûn legitimately—in Thayan enclaves which will publicly sell magic items and quietly also traffic drugs , wicked spells, and slaves. Using these they hope to eventually have strongholds and resulting political infiltration that will make them indispensable and powerful, and further their hopes of world domination . The Red Wizard prestige class

324-476: A vast region of steppe that separates it from Kara-Tur . In the north are massive glaciers, named Pelvuria and Reghed, and a region of tundra . South of the continent, separated by the Great Sea, is a sub-tropical land called Zakhara. To the northwest, Faerûn is a region of wilderness, difficult winter weather, hordes of orcs, and barbarous human tribes. This region is generally referred to as "The North". It

378-470: A wide variety of locations, each with its own hazards and potential rewards for the participants. Likewise, the region that the players explore can determine what types of monsters they will face, which famous individuals they will encounter, and what types of missions they assume. Besides the exterior coastline to the west and south, the most dominant feature on the continent is the Sea of Fallen Stars. This

432-519: A writer on Basic Role-Playing for Chaosium . Rolston also worked on the Stormbringer and Superworld lines for Chaosium. Rolston joined the Paranoia team as its fourth creator soon after he was hired at West End Games in 1983, and he was responsible for adding atmosphere to the rules written by Greg Costikyan , the results of which were published at GenCon in 1984. Rolston wrote

486-637: Is Szass Tam , an undead archmage . The Red Wizards are described as the enemies of many forces in Abeir-Toril —whilst they receive support from demons and devils and drow , among those who oppose them are the Witches of Rashemen, the Seven Sisters and their allies, the goodly Harpers , and even the Zhentarim , who dislike the wizards encroaching on their territory. The wizards were once

540-788: Is a mostly-untamed region that lies between the large Anauroch desert in the east and the expansive Sea of Swords to the west with a mountain range at the far north called the Spine of the World. This area contains huge wooded regions such as the High Forest and the Lurkwood , the frozen Icewind Dale to the north, and an untamed region called the Savage Frontier, which includes the Silver Marches (Luruar). The coastal region

594-516: Is an irregular inland sea that keeps the neighboring lands fertile and serves as a major trade route for the bordering nations. Next in significance is the Shaar, a broad region of grasslands in the south that, together with a large body of water called the Lake of Steam, separates the area around the inland sea from the coastal nations at the southern edge of the continent. To the east, Faerûn is bordered by

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648-472: Is associated with the Red Wizards of Thay organization. Red Wizards appear as antagonists in the computer game Icewind Dale II . Red Wizards appear in the film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023). Daisy Head appears in the film as Sofina, a Red Wizard of Thay, with a focus in necromancy and "ties to Thay's tyrannical magocracy". Jason Wong appears as Dralas, also a Red Wizard of Thay. Shadis reviewer Keith H. Eisenbeis considered

702-581: Is called the Sword Coast, "a haven for adventurers". Here lie the "iconic locastions" of the city-state of Neverwinter and the large port city of Waterdeep. Undermountain is a vast dungeon crawl under the area of Waterdeep, rated among the "deadliest" and most iconic in the game. The Ten Towns are located within Icewind Dale with the Sea of Moving Ice at the northernmost place in known Faerûn. In

756-507: Is common, as in the Renaissance era. Likewise, there are regions where more barbaric tribes and customs persist. Home to many different cultures, "[i]t is an eclectic land, rich in history, that has witnessed the rise and fall of kingdoms, forever bearing the scars of centuries of war." A major difference between the setting and Earth is the presence of magic . The system of magic is subdivided into divine and arcane categories, with

810-468: Is home to many non-human creatures of varying degrees of civilization or barbarism. Among these are several different races of dwarves , gnomes , halflings and elves , as well as goblins , orcs , lizardmen , ogres , various giants , and even dragons . There are several organized alliances in Faerûn, with each pursuing their particular agenda. A few are dedicated to decent and honest causes, such as

864-632: The Arabian Nights setting Al-Qadim , are also on this continent. Maztica , home of a tribal, Aztec -like civilization is far to the west, across an Atlantic-like ocean called the Trackless Sea. The subterranean regions underneath Faerûn are called the Underdark . Faerûn includes terrain that is as varied as that of Europe , western Asia , and much of Africa is on our planet Earth . Role-playing campaigns in Faerûn can be set in

918-523: The Council of Zulkirs was established by the lich Ythazz Buvaar and the original Red Wizards that fought for Thay's independence a century earlier. In 1104 DR, Szass Tam , the future Zulkir of Necromancy and the Ruler of Thay, was born. The leaders of the Red Wizards are titled the eight zulkirs, each for a different school of magic , who are also "always intriguing between themselves." Chief among these

972-528: The " RuneQuest Renaissance" with his first publication in the line being Sun County (1992) from Tales of the Reaching Moon contributor Michael O'Brien . Avalon Hill dropped Rolston as a staff member in 1994, keeping him on as a freelancer; his last two books Strangers in Prax and Lords of Terror were published that year, and he went on afterwards to work at a multimedia company. Rolston also

1026-461: The 2nd edition AD&D boxed set Spellbound (1995), which pits player characters against them in two adventures. More information about the Red Wizards can be found in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book, and the supplemental Forgotten Realms sourcebooks Lords of Darkness and Unapproachable East . Red Wizards are featured in the adventure "Dead in Thay" in the book Tales from

1080-484: The 5th edition from Wizards of the Coast , and various locales and aspects are described in more depth in separate campaign setting books. Around a hundred novels , several computer and video games and a film use Faerûn as the setting. Economically and technologically, Faerûn is comparable to Western Europe during the late Middle Ages , giving most new players using this campaign setting an intuitive grasp of

1134-664: The Companions of the Hall, Cowled Wizards, Cult of the Dragon, Drow houses (like Baenre and Do'Urden), Elk Tribe, Flaming Fist, The Four (Mirt the Moneylender, Durnan, Asper and Randal Morn), Harpers, Iron Throne, The Kraken, Moonstars, Red Wizards of Thay, Seven Sisters, Shadow Thieves, and Zhentarim. Vartha Do'Urden was the previous matron mother of House Do'Urden whose unexpected death allowed her daughter Malice to take control of

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1188-572: The Golden (collectively called the Shining Lands ), Luiren, the land of Halflings, Ulgarth, the easternmost extent of Faerûn, and Veldorn, the land of monsters, as well as The Great Rift, a large, powerful nation of dwarves, within a titanic canyon The immense complex of caverns and passages that lie beneath many parts of the continent of Faerûn is known as the Underdark. It contains cities of

1242-641: The Great Glacier dominate the landscape in blinding white. To the south are the equatorial jungles of Chult and the tropical coasts of Halruaa. It's bordered on the west by the Trackless Sea and on the east by the Endless Wastes and the Hordelands that separate it from Kara-Tur". Kara-Tur, which was the original setting of the D&;D Oriental Adventures campaign setting, and Zakhara , home to

1296-511: The Harpers, who protect the good-natured races and seek a balance between civilization and nature. The Harpers are opposed by evil organizations, including the Red Wizards of Thay and the nihilistic Cult of the Dragon . In the northern lands, the Zhentarim is an evil network seeking to dominate the region. Their efforts are being resisted by the Lords' Alliance, a council of knights that pursues

1350-602: The Realms. The wizards rebelled from the Egyptian-based Mulhorand, while their occupied land is somewhat reminiscent of India. However the best parallel to Thay may actually be Stygia, an evil land from Robert E. Howard's Conan stories". Tharsult is an island of unscrupulous traders in the Shining Sea. To the southwest lies along the great Chultan peninsula that juts out toward the west. The waters to

1404-461: The Red Wizards "a great set of enemies [...] Powerful and power hungry, these bad guys can make the players into great heroes." Additionally, the Red Wizards in charge of the government of Thay provide adventure hooks as the "players could easily find themselves embroiled in one of [their] machinations." Ken Rolston Ken Rolston is an American computer game and role-playing game designer best known for his work with West End Games and on

1458-610: The Sea of Fallen Stars drained into the Underdark. The northern Realms were less affected by the Spellplague, but during the 100-year gap between the third and fourth editions of the setting, it was revealed that the Netherese wizards of the city of Shade had eliminated the desert of Anauroch, returning the land to its pre-Fall state. The borders of some of the kingdoms were changed to reflect this. In addition to these changes, floating islands of earth known as 'earthmotes' appeared in

1512-455: The Sea of Swords. The west includes the city of Baldur's Gate (named for the great seafaring hero Balduran), the library-fortress of Candlekeep, both considered among "D&D's most iconic locations", the nations of Amn, Tethyr, Calimshan, the region of Western Heartlands and the elven stronghold of Evereska. These regions were the setting for the Baldur's Gate series of computer games. To

1566-560: The Yawning Portal , and can be encountered in Tomb of Annihilation . The Red Wizards appear as antagonists in the novels Red Magic (1991) by Jean Rabe , and Whisper of Waves (2005) by Philip Athans . The Haunted Lands (2007-2009) are a trilogy of novels that detail Szass Tam's rise to power. According to the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book, Red Wizards are the usually notorious and nefarious spellcasters who are

1620-645: The coastline of the Moonsea with the infamous Zhentil Keep, and the bitterly cold steppes of The Ride. Along the east coast of the Dragon Reach (a northern branch of the Sea of Fallen Stars) is a temperate region called The Vast, consisting of farmlands, forests and the Earthsea mountains. This area includes the city of Ravens Bluff, which for many years was home to the RPGA 's Living City role-playing campaign and

1674-536: The computer game series The Elder Scrolls . In February 2007, he elected to join the staff of computer games company Big Huge Games to create a new role-playing game. Ken Rolston began working as a professional games designer in 1982. Rolston spent twelve years as an award-winning designer of tabletop role-playing games. His credits include games and supplements for Paranoia , RuneQuest , Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay , Advanced Dungeons & Dragons , and Dungeons & Dragons . Ken Rolston worked as

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1728-498: The elf-related drow including the infamous Menzoberranzan and the ruins of Ched Nasad, as well as Maerdrimydra, Llurth Dreir and Sshamath; cities of duergar such as Gracklstugh and Dunnspeirrin; and almost unpronounceable cities of creatures called the kuo-toa , illithids , and beholders . When the third edition of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting was released in 2001, the designers took

1782-474: The former empowered by a Faerûnian deity , and the latter by rituals or innate abilities which manipulate a mystical field called the Weave , the source of magical energies on Toril . Faerûn has a pantheon of deities that are worshipped by the followers of this region. These are comparable to mythological deities of the ancient Greek pantheon and cover a range of ethical beliefs and portfolios of interests. Faerûn

1836-419: The house. The sub-continent of Faerûn is set in the northern hemisphere of the planet Toril , or, more formally, "Abeir-Toril". The continent has a "landmass of approximately nine and a half million square miles". Faerûn is the western part of an unnamed supercontinent that is quite similar to real-world Afro-Eurasia . Within the setting, "sub-arctic extremes chill its northern reaches, where ice sheets like

1890-534: The interests of the northern cities. Other organizations of Faerûn include the magical Seven Sisters, a band of assassins called the Fire Knives, a group of ruthless thieves operating out the city of Waterdeep named Xanathar's Guild, and the mysterious Shades—the returning survivors of the long-fallen Netheril empire. Faerûn is home to a large and diverse pantheon of deities, including: Numerous organizations of different types operate throughout Faerûn, including

1944-581: The module Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden , the titular Frostmaiden Auril makes her home on an island in this sea. Deep inland are the ancient dwarven citadels of Mithral Hall, Citadel Felbarr and the largest of the three, Citadel Adbar, which was featured in the Legacy of the Drow series of novels. This area is one of the most popular regions for role-playing campaigns set in Faerûn, and has been

1998-467: The north are named the Shining Sea, a body bounded by Calimsham to the north and joined to the Lake of Steam through the Straits of Storm. To the south of the land is the Great Sea. Located in this area are Chult, Lapaliiya, Samarach, Tashalar, and Thindol. South of the Sea of Fallen Stars is a region somewhat isolated by the Lake of Steam in the west, and the vast length of the Shaar. It is bordered along

2052-500: The opportunity to redesign the continent of Faerûn. Its size was reduced slightly to remove 'empty space' from the map and the Chultan Peninsula was moved several hundred miles north, reducing the size of the empty grassplain known as the Shaar. Additionally, the designers slightly adjusted the projection of the map to better reflect the curvature of the planet. There was no in-universe explanation given for these changes as it

2106-568: The people of Thay originated. Source material also features certain academies, such as the Academy of Shapers and Binders in Thaymount, that are considered "anomalies" among the Red Wizards, as they discourage betrayal, deceit and slavery; their members show compassion and mercy unlike most others of their kind. In the year 922 DR, Thay asserted its independence from Mulhorandi , an oppressive ancient nation dependent on slavery. This move followed

2160-547: The relatively peaceful Western Heartlands and the more savage North along the Sword Coast. The village of Daggerford lies along the Shining River along the Sword Coast. The sunken city of Northkeep was the first city built around the Moonsea by humans. Miyeritar and Ilythiir were ancient elven empires. The western part of Faerûn includes the nations south of Waterdeep and north of the Shining Sea , that border along

2214-518: The ruling class in the inhospitable but well-inhabited country of Thay . The Red Wizards are described as slavers , demonologists , magical experimenters and scholars. They constantly scheme to bring down their neighbouring nations of Rashemen —where they are thwarted by the Witches of Rashemen ; Aglarond —where they are turned back by the Simbul of the Seven Sisters ; and Mulhorand —where

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2268-611: The scenes by spiritual witches, and it is the location of the Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer computer game. The lands of Damara and Vaasa were described in a 1989 publication, FR9, The Bloodstone Lands . This area formed the setting for the " H Series " of modules that used the Battlesystem rules to resolve battles. Secomber is a small town of nearly 1,500 that acts as a de facto border town between

2322-730: The sea extends far to the west, ending close to the Western Heartlands. To the south, the Vilhon Reach forms a second arm leading to the southwest. The notable areas within this region include Chondath, Cormyr, the Dragon Coast, Hlondeth, the Pirate Isles and Prespur, Sembia (and its largest city of Selgaunt), Sespech, Turmish, and the Shining Plains. Along the eastern expanses of the Sea of Fallen Stars,

2376-412: The setting for a number of popular role-playing video games . Another city is Mirabar, the mining center for the Sword Coast. North of the Sea of Fallen Stars is a region that stretches from the wide Anauroch desert in the west to the eastern edge of the inland Moonsea , in the northern region of the continent. It is a region of contrasts, with the forested Dalelands, the desert wastes of Anauroch,

2430-517: The site of the Living City series of game modules . The Dragonspine Mountains , which house the infamous Citadel of the Raven on their western slopes, is a mountain range northwest of the Moonsea. Northeastern Faerûn is a remote area that begins in the cold, forbidding lands along the great ice sheets and continues south toward the northeastern shores of the Sea of Fallen Stars. It is bordered on

2484-579: The south by the Great Sea; to the west by the Chultan peninsula region, and in the east by Luiren. The south includes the Border Kingdoms, Dambrath, the Great Rift, Halruaa, the Lake of Steam, and The Shaar. South and east of the grassy plains is an area known as the Shaar, along the shores of the Great Sea opposite the land of Zakhara. The region includes the lands of Durpar, Estagund and Var

2538-443: The south of Chondath and Chessenta. Thay is a magocracy ruled by the Red Wizards which was described in the 1988 publication FR6: Dreams of the Red Wizards . The nation has made multiple attempts to invade neighboring countries and following a civil war, the lich Szass Tam became Thay's leader. Shannon Appelcline, author of Designers & Dragons , highlighted that "Thay doesn't have an obvious real-world derivation like some of

2592-463: The water forms a long arm that travels to the east before turning south to become the Alamber Sea. The northern nations of this mysterious area are termed the "Unapproachable East" and the southern nations the "Old Empires" in campaign setting publications. This region includes the nations of Aglarond, Ashanath, Altumbel, Mulhorand, Murghôm, Thay and Unther. Chondalwood is a long, forested region to

2646-471: The way the society functions. Gunpowder, known here as the magical substance smoke powder and different in its composition from historical gunpowder, is starting to make an appearance, but much of the armament is still dominated by pre-gunpowder weaponry such as swords, spears, and bows. Most of the population of Faerûn consists of farmers, who are organized somewhat loosely in a semi- feudal system . There are also several notable cities and trade between nations

2700-463: The west by the mountain-hemmed land of Vaasa and stretches east to the vast steppes of the Hordelands, with its largest city of Winterkeep. This region also contains the lightly populated kingdom of Damara, the druidic forests of the Great Dale, the coastal kingdom of Impiltur, the fallen and once evil empire of Narfell, and the trading nation of Thesk. Mystical Rashemen is a land ruled from behind

2754-606: The west in the vast ocean called the Trackless Sea is a multitude of islands, collectively named the Nelanther Isles. Other island kingdoms include the gnomish realm of Lantan, the country of Nimbral and, further west, the Moonshae Isles. With the exception of the Shining Plains, the interior lands of Faerûn lie along the irregular coastline of the western Sea of Fallen Stars. In the north the Dragonmere arm of

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2808-399: Was classified as a retcon . The fourth edition of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting , released in 2008, saw major changes to the geography of Faerûn and the world of Abeir-Toril . Due to a magical cataclysm known as the Spellplague, the southern parts of Faerûn were devastated. Chult became an island detached from the mainland, the kingdom of Halruaa was utterly destroyed, and parts of

2862-409: Was the lead designer for Bethesda's role-playing game The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind , its expansions and was also lead designer for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion . He was lead designer for two Big Huge Games projects, both of which were canceled in 2009. Rolston went on to be the lead creative visionary for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning , a single player RPG designed by Big Huge Games ,

2916-402: Was winner of the H. G. Wells Award for Best Role-playing Game, Paranoia, 1985, and served as role-playing director for West End Games, Games Workshop, and Avalon Hill Game Company. In 2016, Rolston joined Mongoose Games to assist in editing their newest edition of Paranoia, which was Kickstarted in 2014, in order to "hit all the right notes for both veteran players and newbies alike." Rolston

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