Thay Land of the Red Wizards Review
We take a closer look at this DMsGuild sourcebook from the legendary Ed Greenwood
The Forgotten Realms is a D&D campaign setting that has more than its fair share of villains, with everything from the Drow of the Underdark and the Xanathar Guild, to the sinister Cult of the Dragon and the Zhentarim mercenary network. Yet one of the most intriguing forces is undoubtedly the Red Wizards of Thay, a group known for their dark magic, hunger for power and undead armies. In fact, over the years the legendary sorcerers have appeared in countless novels, video games, and comic books, even recently stealing the spotlight in the D&D movie Honor Among Thieves. And while Thay has been explored in previous adventurers and campaign materials in past D&D editions, there hasn’t really been an in-depth look at this unique land and its inhabitants.
Enter Thay Land of the Red Wizards, a complete campaign sourcebook written by none other than Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood himself and available exclusively on DMsGuild.
So just what secrets await players who dare to enter the realm of the Red Wizards? Read on to find out.
Table of Contents
What’s the art and design like?
Final thoughts and review score
Who is Thay Land of the Red Wizards for?
Over the past few years Wizards of the Coast has largely shied away from world books that detail the locations, history and lore of specific areas, instead focusing on campaign books like Shadow of the Dragon Queen, one shot adventure collections like Keys from the Golden Vault, or supplementary rules expansions like Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Sure, there are a few exceptions like the Sword Coast Adventure’s Guide or Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, but even these are somewhat light on world details and backgrounds. And that’s a shame because it means that most D&D 5e materials are geared almost exclusively towards Dungeon Masters rather than players, essentially leaving a large segment of the community out of the picture.
Thay Land of the Red Wizards, however, takes an old school approach to D&D 5e, offering up the kind of rich campaign source material that used to be more common, and which both players and DMs are likely going to love. Of course, the book definitely has material that DMs will want to keep away from players (especially if you’re planning on running the adventure that comes in the later part of book), but the vast majority of the content in Land of the Red Wizards is really geared for everyone, with world info and PC options that offer a ton of possibility.
What’s more, the book paints a vivid and complex picture of Thay, showing that it’s far more than just a land of sadistic wizards and exploring the everyday people who inhabit the region. It’s an impressive feat of creativity, not just for a D&D supplement, but for fantasy world building in general.
What’s included in Thay Land of the Red Wizards?
The book itself is 107 pages long and, after a brief introduction from the legendary arch-mage Elminster is then broken into two parts: The first part includes information for both players and DMs that includes background information on the history, geography, culture, creatures and people of Thay. The second part is a short adventure set in the domain of the Red Wizards that’s designed for four Level 1 characters, essentially being a showcase for much of the material presented in the earlier chapters of the book.
Part I: The Red Land
This first section is broken into five chapters, all of which can be used by DMs and players.
- The People of Thay: This chapter goes into detail on what life is actually like in Thay, exploring the society, economy and even the cuisine (including a number of actual recipes). It also breaks out the differences between magical and non-magical citizens (an important distinction given that the land is essential a magocracry) and looks at how Thay interacts with the rest of the realms. It’s the kind of in-depth, substantive world building that is sorely lacking from a lot of Wizards of the Coast 5e material, and really shows Thay in a whole new light.
- Ruling Thay: This chapter explores the Zulkirs of Thay, the eight ruling red wizards who oversee the country under the guidance of the arch-lich Szass Tam. It also looks at the military (including breaking down the various ranks and how the Thayan knights fit into the country) and delves deeper into the Separatists, a group of powerful exiled red wizards seeking to regain control from the ruling council.
- Points of Interest: This chapter explores Thay’s various geographic states (known as “tharches”) as well the numerous cities scattered throughout the country. The latter includes a travelogue written by the half-elf merchant Shelmazra, who offers a guide similar to that of the legendary explorer Volo (who Shelmazra notes would likely be executed the moment he set foot in Thay). It’s a fascinating and incredibly entertaining read that also offers a ton of in-depth background on the unique locations in the region.
- Heroes from Thay: This chapter is geared specifically for PCs, offering a number of character feats and backgrounds options. It also introduces the Weavebound Paladin, a new subclass that features Paladins who serve a God of magic (such as Mystara) but who are also sworn to protect Thay and bound to a particular Zulkir. The chapter also introduces the concept of Circle Magic, a unique form of spellcasting that allows three or more Red Wizards to combine spell slots to jointly cast a more powerful version of a particular spell, with potentially devastating effects. The content also includes Thayan player character name options, as well as a handful of new items and equipment.
- Creatures of the Plateau: This chapter includes a very brief look (along with stat blocks) at some of the various monsters which inhabit Thay, including the Bogmaw (a mutant, goat-headed hydra) and the Protodracolich (a magically altered dragon wyrmling). It also touches upon how the red wizards approach the undead, which are often used as cannon fodder in their great armies. Notably, this is the one part of the book that feels a little like an afterthought, and could have added at least a few more monsters to the roster.
Part II: Intrigue in Eltabbar
This second part of the book is definitely for DMs only and includes a solid adventure that’s designed to take a group of four players from Levels 1 to 3. The adventure is set in the Thayan capital city of Eltabbar and kicks off when the players hired to deliver a simple package. The players soon find themselves caught up in a deadly conspiracy to assassinate a high ranking red wizard while crossing paths with criminals, secret agents and powerful magical forces. It’s a solid adventure that really showcases a number of locations throughout the city and includes an appendix with maps and player handouts.
What’s the art and design like?
While DMsGuild books can sometimes be a bit of mixed bag with the artwork, the illustrations included in Thay Land of the Red Wizards are decent. The art isn’t quite on par with what Wizards of the Coast is producing these days and the cover in particular doesn’t really seem to capture the flavor of the content inside. Overall the art is totally serviceable and there are a few standout pieces.
The only other minor issue on the design side is that it would have been nice to include more maps. In fact, there’s really just a single map at the start of the book and I found myself constantly having to flip back to it when reviewing the various Tharces and cities. Having a few more regional maps would have been a welcome addition. That being said, it’s not a deal breaker and the content itself is still fantastic.
Final thoughts and review score
The Red Wizards have long been a staple of the Forgotten Realms, but despite their popularity the region they inhabit has never really been fully explored in D&D materials. Fortunately, Thay Land of the Red Wizards manages to remedy that, offering a comprehensive and incredibly entertaining look at one of Faerûn’s most misunderstood countries.
It’s also a book that can be enjoyed by both Dungeon Masters and players (something that’s sorely lacking in a lot of newer Wizards of the Coast 5e materials). With its sharp writing and unique attention to world building, Thay Land of the Red Wizards manages to pack of a ton of incredible content into a single package that’s definitely worth picking up.
You can purchase Thay Land of the Red Wizards now from DMsGuild.
Final Review Score: 19/20
See Our Complete D&D Book Coverage
Visit our D&D Books page for more reviews of the latest novels and game books.
Ollie Delano is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where he majored in Journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He’s been playing Dungeons & Dragons for over 10 years and currently plays in a weekly game group where he rolls way too many natural 1s and chugs way too much Mountain Dew. His favorite D&D campaign setting is Eberron and his favorite character to play was a Tiefling rogue named Draxiss who enjoys both literal and figurative backstabbing.
