Szass Tam, Red Wizard of Thay | D&D Lore

[@Jorphdan]

Dungeon Denizens! A monster book for 5e and DCC RPG! - www.kickstarter.com/projects/devillich/dungeon-denizens?ref=b9fo5b

[@sambro6657]

Hey Jordan I’m sorry to say much as I love this product idea I already have enough 5e monsters which is the version I’d buy if it hits Amazon may pick it up down the line I’m only planning two kickstarters one I backed already valikan clans and the next one on February 8th which is acquisitions incorporated dark sun 5e apparently.

[@wolfsbanealphas617]

Great video what’s your opinion on grazzt being a spy for the king of hell

[@edgreenwoodofficial]

Great video! Ed, the father of the Realms here; I liked this take on Szass Tam and would love to sit down and talk about Thay (and much more) with you sometime if you're interested in a collab! I'm glad you enjoyed the book! 😃

[@Jorphdan]

Would love to Ed! Send me an email and we can hang out! =)

[@aarongallo7318]

Great video as usual but you kind of missed his personality. One of the things that set him apart from other liches is his charisma, and the respect he tends to show his enemies. Before murdering and raising them.

[@seanpinkey2188]

That's what Palpatine is about, that's why he mentioned the Emperor.

[@Masterbaitingmonkeys]

Please Palpatine had as much charisma as Mitch McConnel. Szass Tam is more like The Most Interesting Man in the World by comparison.

[@DarkAutumnScribe]

Agreed! That's why he's one of my favorites!!!

[@jonathancampbell5231]

@@stewart3134 Ming the Merciless

[@ghett0bla5t]

He didn’t show them respect because they weren’t his enemies. They were his loyal(ish) citizens who despite their obedience, were kinda starting to get a little underfoot, so he his solution was to just make them more manageable. The only reason he was using his super high Charisma to get things done in Thay was probably because that’s how long it was taking for his Corpse Corps to gather all the magical boogie boogie shit he needed to perform the ritual.

[@gasmonkey1000]

One of my favorite liches. He keeps scheming. And if memory serves he respects enemies who foil his plans. But yeah I hope Szass keeps Thay on the "evil merchant" route. The idea of a villain that you can't stab and that you kind of have to work with fascinates me as an idea in and of itself.

[@muninrob]

If you outsmart him, AND don't pose an immediate threat to his power or existence, you're likely to become a favorite pawn as he feeds you information on his (evil of course) enemies through a LONG chain of 3rd parties. (He did this to the Harpers AND the Seven Sisters against the Zhentarum)

[@gasmonkey1000]

@@muninrob Yeah. He's fun like that

[@sebbonxxsebbon6824]

I had an NPC do the same in a campaign in the early 1990's. The NPC sent an assassin team attack the party, kill one, and then the NPC brought back the party member. He pointed out the killer was a Harper family of nobles and the party began killing Harper's.

[@sooth.sayersays]

I've played with a group for 11 years now, with only a few hiccups here and there. Our campaigns average 2-3 years each, and we really put a lot of love into our games. Our Main DM just LOVED the Red Wizards and they showed up in most of our campaigns and usually as a major faction. Watching the D&D movie was so surreal for us because we know these guys so, so well and NEVER did we think we'd be seeing them on the big screen. When Szass Tam showed up, we as a group (of course we went together) were simply awestruck. It was HIM. It felt like it was made just for us.

[@StealthMarmot_]

Fun fact, you can fight this bastard in Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, but only in the Enhanced Edition as it is part of a new companion's quest. He is actually never mentioned by name and only implied. No, you can't kill him, even if you "win" he just says "Enough." and bamfs you away.

[@HuyGaming96]

Where? And what companions does involve him?

[@ArchibaldVonSkip]

@@HuyGaming96 Neera, iirc. Don't remember if you can Time Stop trick him to truly kill him.

[@gilbertocruz2051]

Jorphdan, I just got done watching the DND movie this premiere weekend and there was a part when they started explaining Szass Tam and the red wizards. You were spot on as to be expected. Aside from reading modules, playing NeverWinter, you have always been a source of information when I prep to DM. I feel to fully appreciate the DND movie, knowledge of the Forgetten Realms matter, and the creators did a great job. Thank you Jorphdan for the limitless library you are and keep up the great work.

[@Jorphdan]

Thanks man! Excited for new lore coming in 2024 too!

[@Tacthetyrant]

I ran a set of games with Red Wizards at the heart of them and this is gonna help greatly in fleshing out their big bad boss for future games!

[@simongervais9302]

5:50 I just realized how the red wizards of Thay are probably the inspiration for the Night Sisters in Star Wars

[@joesgotmore]

Currently running a campaign based in Thay of the past when Sazz Tam was a Zulkuir and vying for power. Also, some entanglements with the Mulhourand. So far so good.

[@81Earthangel]

Forgotten Realms is such a great setting. So happy that it was made the main setting again.

[@GameTimeWhy]

So many people angry about this but I don't care. It's the best setting overall although I do want Dark Sun.

[@Hjac27]

Thanks for the post Jorphdan! Big fan! Love your posts on Forgotten Realms Lore :)

[@VoidBearer]

The Haunted Lands book series was a super fun chronicle of Szass' rise to power over Thay

[@CapnCameraLock]

Love your lore content. Makes my DM brain go into overdrive for story ideas. I'm a fiend and lore is my drug of choice.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

I love lore on liches to add to current knowledge of Acererak and Vecna! I seek more! Thank you!

[@Hollowbarista]

Acererak who? Never heard of him.

[@alexschild5389]

I do too. I love having essentially age old evil lords because they have to have so many little plots to keep them busy.

[@sharkdentures3247]

Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long, long time. Honestly? The only thing I still remembered about Szass was that he was OBSESSED with magic items! (even as a lich) Sometimes even to an "unhealthy" degree (for a mage). Which is great for any adventurers who could successfully assail him or one of his strongholds. Because you generally ended up with a higher-than-normal amount of magical swag. Personally, I always like the more "recent" development of Thay "changing tactics" and trying to improve its "public image" and becoming an Artificer/ Merchant power. Granted, they are only doing that in order to conquer via economics instead of magic/ military conquest. But still, a cool evolution IMO.

[@keitheberly2887]

Finally...Sauce Tom

[@gasmonkey1000]

Saucy Tom

[@keitheberly2887]

@@gasmonkey1000 Sauciest Lich I know

[@kherubim1]

Szassy lich

[@schattenseele66]

i liked his role in the new D&D movie, nice that they told a bit about the world

[@JRussellDay]

Love the "spider" design @0:48 the way it seems based on a virus

[@VerboseVindication]

I'm pretty sure my entry to your channel was that Red Wizards video, probably about 5 years ago as well. I was running Rise of Tiamat and my players were taking a long detour through Thay, so I had to quickly familiarize myself with the lore. Your video actually helped me understand the political situation quite a bit, and then I just invented the rest as I went along. My Thay is probably very different from canon Thay, but my players were pretty enamored with the place so I think I did well.

[@seanpinkey2188]

OOOooohhh Snap! I had hoped you would update before the film, Baldur's Gate 3, and my game group's eventual confrontation with Szass. Our Next Session (Feb 26th) is going to be all about the Thayan Red Wizards, in the Feydark, before an Obelisk, with high level (11-13) combat. Thanks Jorphdan for keeping me and our gaming group excited for Dungeons & Dragons during this strange time before the nerd renaissance.

[@kikankuro]

I really like Szass Tam, I just got back the book series he is in, The Haunted Lands!

[@aarongallo7318]

Dude those books are legit. Enjoy!

[@jlaw131985]

While I kind of like a few things they did in that series, it didn't really come together for me

[@cork1576]

Glad to see a new lore video drop!

[@killcat1971]

One thing I've always thought is that in a world with as much magic as D&D something like the Red Wiz are inevitable, in fact classical monarchies are unlikely as how does a regular King or Duke control a population with Mages? Instead something like ruling by Divine Right, or Sorcerous Bloodlines makes more sense.

[@SergioSF]

Original NES pixel art of the Red Mage just made me love this video all the better.

[@floridachomps2885]

FYI Szass Tams rise to power in Thay is featured in The Haunted Lands trilogy and The Brotherhood of The Griffon series by Richard Lee Byars.

[@56yunus]

Nice video. Nice to see new KZbin videos of dnd characters from you

[@CyclopsWasRight]

Great video bro. I've been hooked on Thayan themed characters since reading about them in 3.0/3.5. Something about them appeals to me. I tend to lean into the merchant/crafter aspects of them as opposed to necromancy though.

[@bobbyrabii6119]

One of the few characters to meet the lich Larloch and actually want away with a deal

[@phoenixiwaki]

Great stuff! And very helpful with inspiration for an ongoing campaign in nearby Chessenta, and an upcoming play through of Tomb of Annihilation!

[@YuungLough]

@Jorphdan Hey great vid! Always love learning about my favorite leader of Thay. Quick side note: I've noted you've mistakenly used images of the Thay Lich "Tarul Var" multiple times in this vid in reference to Tam. He is most assuredly quite a seperate being from Szass Tam. That's all. Again, great vid!

[@TheMadmage]

Szass Tam didn't create the artifact to control Eltab but was given it by Larloch the Lich King.

[@icp2724]

Also the first dread ring wasn't outside neverwinter and they had nothing to do with making him "a god" they would have made him the only God.

[@connorb1775]

I would love to learn more about how magic specialisation worked in pervious editions of the game Such as what benefits pratice offered to the caster and what schools of magic were considered opposite to one another

[@sinistertwister686]

Maybe I just found BBEG for my next campaign... but I also have so many questions about Eltab! Sadly I could find only very limited information about him. There is enough about his actions in Faerun, but not nearly enough about his goals and worldview

[@DerRakzo]

Hey, if you want something that speaks more about Tam, the Red Wizards and Thay in general, there's a great supplement in DMs guild called The Than Encyclopedia. You might like it.

[@sinistertwister686]

@@DerRakzo Hey! Thanks for advice! But actually I would like to know more about Eltab, do you have anything in-depth about him?

[@DerRakzo]

@@sinistertwister686 Oh, about Eltab, yes that would be a good idea, but unfortunately I have no information regarding that particular demon, sorry!

[@jayholl371]

I miss these types of videos. I enjoyed this one.👍👍

[@BryanP10]

I know that people has made good games based on Neverwinter and Baldur's Gate, but I am shocked that no one has used the Forgotten Realms as a whole for an RPG or MMORPG. It's such a well thought out world that you can do anything in it. I would love a game based on this world.

[@shawnparshall1165]

There are two MMOs, Dungeons and Dragons Online and Neverwinter

[@BryanP10]

@@shawnparshall1165 DDO is set in Eberron, if I am not mistaken, and while Neverwinter is obviously set in FR. It's not a traditional MMO. Though, I didn't really specify what kind of MMO in my comment.

[@HuyGaming96]

This movie is awesome. Glad I just saw an actual lich in the live action movie. Can't wait to see Kangaxx's story lol

[@erikjager4704]

Jordan, you down played the Red Wizards' power hungry curse that caused severe destruction. Tam's use of the dreadrings, the undead nation, the attempt of godhood, and the Fastrin the Delver shows that his crazy streak. At least the other Zulkirs somewhat contained him.

[@TheEdVerse]

Great video! Ed, the father of the Realms here; I liked this take on Szass Tam and would love to sit down and talk about Thay (and much more) with you sometime! Collab?

[@SteelySam]

Thanks

[@4verse79]

The first dread rings were built in Thay. They had no research purpose but also help him ascend to Lord Ao level godhood. See the novel series The Haunted Lands.

[@codiefeazel173]

I am loving this playlist!!! Anything on Vecna? The Dark Powers? Strahd?

[@Jorphdan]

Yep! here ya go kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpCvp2ige7CIhtUsi=9igkYbjeg4ioArZs

[@Didymus20X6]

0:30 - EVIL LYNN!

[@CasualApostate]

Can you please do more on red wizards in general? I want to use them in my campaigns after introducing hamun kost

[@zenhikerjoe844]

Jordphan, your hair looks fantastic!

[@oscarsiri2763]

In the novel "Cruzade" (3rd in Empires trilogy) the Tuigan horde attacked Thay and won some battles. When Szass Tam noticed and came to face the lord of the Horde, Yamun Khahan, Mr Szass, instead of blasting the Khahan into kingdom come when he had the chance, he made a deal with him and teleported the horde to attack other enemy kingdoms. Very clever!

[@default179]

Ed Greenwood JUST started a KZbin channel and produced a video on the red wizards of Thay as of yesterday 2/21/23

[@justintiffin-richards6840]

Mmm... You would have though the Zulkir of Greater Divination might have seen that coming

[@pitchforksdragon1252]

I hope one day you write a guide to the forgotten realms. You are better at describing the setting than the wizards of the coast team.

[@wizard380]

There is also Dead in thay adventure league were szass tam dies at the end. I have no ideea if that is official but it does uses characters from Thay land of the red wizard and thay land of the red wizard refers to that series of adventure league here and there. Especially when talking about the zulkirs it says go check them out in bla bla episode 5 of that particular adventure league season.

[@spaceninja7687]

Little known fact about Szass Tam is that he has no shadow; A young but bold half elf wizard had played a prank on the lich by means of a wish spell and now claims it as his own. I can indeed confirm this for I know the player who performed this feat at a AL event some years past around the time of Goatnado.

[@Michael_1138]

Szass Tam is one of my favorite villains.

[@morecringe89]

I knew somebody kept doing videos for D&D.

[@JustGeorge770]

Hi Jorphdan (the ph is silent), I'd love to see a review for the new Chronicles of Eberron book by Keith Baker, like you did for Exploring Eberron. Was a useful vid to see if it was worth buying, which I did, cheers 😄

[@jefthereaper]

I want to believe there are a great amount of ways to becoming a Lich. So the process is kept specifically vague to allow players/DM's to simply make up as simple or convoluted ways to become a Lich, along with multiple variations on how it works. (For example, a Lich that completely looks like they did while alive, with no rot or decay visible at all, and not requiring you to devour souls to sustain yourself. But at the same time, you can't be healed by normal means and need to devour souls to heal damage instead.)

[@tj1993rx7]

Agreed with others, great and entertaining video!

[@robodad1]

Great video Jordan

[@PlayerSkillFTW]

Szass Tam doesn't merely wish to "ascend to Godhood so he can avoid his deal with Bane". He's attempting to enact the Ritual of Unmaking via the Dread Rings, which would unravel all of creation (including the gods), and grant him the power of all that raw potential to do with as he saw fit, basically making himself into the new Overgod Ao. This is why after making the deal with Bane, he chuckled and mused about how even gods can make foolishly bad deals. He's doing this because he sees the universe as flawed, and wishes to recreate it in what he views as perfect. He's by far the most ambitious villain in Forgotten Realm's history, even exceeding the ambition of Karsus or Larloch.

[@afumadooo]

basically ainz ooal gown..

[@academyruins1278]

The misaligned hexagons are so frustrating. Great vid tho love your stuff 💕

[@javiernovoa8756]

Any Strixhaven supplements you like? Planning to run a group through the printed adventure.

[@fu3zy]

"you'll see them pop up here and there in forgotten realms adventures and novels: and the movie❤❤😂😂😂

[@felipea.barretto7503]

He's going to be one of the main villains of my new campaign, going be the alias of 'The Necromancer'. He's seeking the book of vile deeds to gain enormous power over fiends and undead and wage a war against the Lord's Alliance. This video came out at the perfect time!

[@cb2291]

Szass tam is one of the best characters in d&d

[@relicapex]

Yes yes yes let’s talk about Szass Tam!

[@JamiesonHorton]

So... how does the cartoon continuity work into this? Did the Spellplague merge the Realm (the animated series setting) with Toril? Or maybe the cartoon heroes left that fantasy world similar to how Warduke, Strongheart, et. al., left Oerth via the Feywild...? Venger is apparently getting an official 5e/One release/stats/adventure/whatever... so maybe we'll know more about this when that happens?

[@MinscFromBaldursGate92]

Can you make a review of Honor Among Thieves?

[@crisoliveira2644]

9:33 What's the deal with Dan Forden? Giving your soul to Bane makes you toasty!?

[@pluckyduck]

I loved the story's with this villain

[@lancearmada]

I thought it was interesting reading the netheril book and having him be gathering the lore.

[@taiya001]

This Szass needs to be given to the gods of chaos in WH.

[@arcaneminded]

10:25 Can also recommend.

[@ginobarone9505]

Great video as always. Just a note, you forgot his most important tile: Larloch's errand boi. (Unless it's been retconned, since the books that mention this are pretty old)

[@mnaglich]

Oh I've run many a game with my red wizard :) Although I recommend 3/3.5 rules and source books for this kind of game. There is no great power then a 3.0 red wizard archmage :)

[@kitsuned.m.4550]

The next video will be about the man the legend the one who spared Tam..... Larloch the strongest caster in all of Faerun imo. Aumvor is Voldemort you can't change my mind

[@ReapTheWhirlwind]

Szass Tam is an important character in Adventurer's League Epic adventures. He is an extremely crafty opponent and always prepares the battlefield in advance to his advantage. I won't spoil anything but no battle with him ever goes well. Like, you can win but you also always lose too. 😂

[@derekstein6193]

I now feel compelled to create an Ex-Red Wizard background.

[@eclatshwartzbaumcybertune2063]

I think red wizards are in the upcoming movie … it looks like them.

[@alexschild5389]

If i ever include Volo as a character for my players to meet, he's gonna be a exposition character that when asked a question, I'll play Jorphdan video relating to that

[@fcaskvig]

I Was wonder did Zhengyi "the witch king" of Vassa and Szass Tam allies enemies or did they ever cross paths?

[@Vipertw]

So the D&D movie is a Forgotten Realms campaign, looks like I'm digging out my Harper's novels.

[@enriquesanders]

Nice vid! Would you make one about Bargle?

[@quintinsteevessenior5568]

I love books like this @Jorphdan

[@HeavyTopspin]

IMHO Szass Tam has always been a better BBEG than Vecna or Acererak, because although he could definitely be involved with plotlines involving world-ending calamity, he also has the potential to be part of smaller, more intimate stories. Rather than a god or a thousand-year-old planewalker, you're "only" dealing with one of the most powerful spellcasters in the world with the resources of an entire nation at his disposal.

[@Mr_m33k]

I would love to see a re-creation of Dark Sun for 5th edition

[@maltava4534]

Thay is a great place for evil players to do evil things to other evil people.

[@yomifadahunsi6274]

I wonder who is the stronger. Samaster or Szass Tam

[@TejAlbus-er8yd]

Szass Tam looks like Vecna (from Stranger Things, which is another character I think from D&D) and Lord Valdy rolled into one.

[@icp2724]

I have to agree with Ed on this and say nice take on Zsasz. Some "artistic license" but overall great job bro ❤

[@icp2724]

Really should have at least mentioned Malark Springhill though. He is an extremely important person in the thayan civil war and the reason the dread rings failed.

[@damnghen7509]

heeeeeeeck yeah I love Szass Tam

[@keatongraffis6232]

War Greyhawk wrapped into Forgotten realms, I know they are different spheres but I feel like a lot of the villans are now in the realms.

[@JordanVickers21]

Manos, the hands of fate.

[@jedididahwoodcock7209]

What is the initial intro video with Szass from? I remember seeing it somewhere but can't place it and it's driving me nuts.

[@Jorphdan]

From the 2023 Movie. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

[@acereporter73]

I can't help but call him "Zest Ham," and I doubt I am alone...

[@Doughy_in_the_Middle]

In my campaign, I decided to have a beholder ship crash in a nearby frozen lake. Then, two weird things happened: I both started digesting all of "I, Tyrant" and discovering "Director" beholders, at the same time I somehow in my mid 40s never had seen "The Producers". I decided to have the "Director" putting on a play: "Springtime for Szass Tam". All of the lensmen aboard the ship were trying DESPERATELY to get all the props and set designs off the ship and they had built a stage along the roadside -- remember, frozen lake, so they're building a stage in the middle of winter -- in order to have a dress rehearsal. The party walked in on them and "The Director" (an amalgamation of the beholder itself and Christopher Hewitt's character from the 1967 film) immediately ordered them to all take up parts. Eventually, the party got frustrated, the beholder turned on them, and just as they were about to kill it, a "Producer Beholder" crested over the nearby cliffside and also attacked them. They spent their looting time searching through wardrobe trunks and propmaster trunks finding all sorts of clothing, a few clues to the campaign, and a few very weird items here or there that only a beholder would think isn't weird to keep.

[@thetrustysidekick3013]

He's not just A Red Wizard of Thay, but probably THE Red Wizard of Thay. No other man controls Thay quite like Szass Tam.

[@TheRunoben]

Jorph

[@J_o_B_is_back]

Olivia Voldaran became a red wizard? Who knew she could planeshift? 😆

[@entertainmentfan1463]

One thing I found interesting about the red wizards was that despite Sofina was easily the most powerful character in the main story of Honor Among Thieves, in the flashback she was treated like a generic red wizard among many. Are red wizards normally this powerful in D&D lore?

[@baird5682]

Funny, had to comment. Szasztam is a word in my language meaning "I waste" as in I waste Money and Time on DND.