| “ | As long as I exist, slavery will always be a way of life here in Thay. And I can promise you, I will be here for a very long time. | „ |
| ~ Szass Tam |
Szass Tam is a major antagonist in the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons & Dragons and the overarching antagonist of the 2023 film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. He is also a background antagonist in the MMORPG Neverwinter and the main protagonist of the Haunted Lands trilogy of novels.
In Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, he was portrayed by Ian Hanmore, who also portrayed Pyat Pree in Game of Thrones.
Overview[]
Szass Tam is a powerful lich in the world of Forgotten Realms and member of a group of eight Zulkirs who rule the country of Thay. He is the Zulkir of Necromancy and commands the Legion of Bone, a huge legion of undead soldiers, led by his vampire and lich generals. Szass Tam is the ruler of Thaymount.
Biography[]
Like other Red Wizards of Thay, Szass Tam prefers to remain unseen, working through lackeys and servitor creatures (including vast armies of undead) while he plots and schemes. His own undeath gives him patience. He's quite prepared to abandon servants and attempts that fail, and simply try again later in a better way.
Those who meet him (or seemingly real magical images of himself that he creates and sends far across Faerûn) discover Szass Tam to be calm, cultured, and even pleasant.
Tam is polite but blunt, and he can be plunged instantly into cold, controlled rage by insolence or deliberate defiance. On the other hand, he seems to admire those who cross or foil him by cleverness, as long as they treat him politely.
He is always spinning more simultaneous intrigues than most Faerûnians have years in their lives, seems content to view existence as a great game, with plots and schemes as the playing pieces-or, if you prefer, weapons. In The Crimson Gold, Tam shows a desire to find someone worthy of sharing lichdom with him.
Like other Red Wizards, Szass Tam prefers to remain unseen, working through lackeys and servitor creatures (including armies of undead led by vampire generals) while he plots and schemes. His own undeath gives him patience. He's quite prepared to abandon servants and attempts that fail, and simply try again later in a better way.
Tiring of the continual betrayals and slaughter within the Red Wizards, he has decided that the best future for Thay and for the Red Wizards is united under him, controlled through his magic and through fear.
He's not openly exerting power yet, because he wants to preserve Thay's strength as much as possible, and in doing so control as much as he can before any open conflicts erupt.
Abilities[]
Szass Tam possesses a truly incredible collection of magic items, ranging from rings, wands, and other trinkets up through staves and golems to artifacts.
In his stronghold, he's almost unassailable. Those who meet him (or seemingly real magical images of himself that he creates and sends far across Faerûn) discover Szass Tam to be calm, cultured, and even pleasant.
Appearance[]
He appears as a richly robed, skeletally thin pale man. Balding, he has dark eyes, a thinning black beard, and hands that have shriveled to claws. He can, of course, use magic to change his appearance.
His favorite false form is that of a tall scholar, aging but vigorous, with glittering jet-black eyes and a soft, purring voice.
Personality[]
Szass Tam is polite but blunt, and he can be plunged instantly into cold, controlled rage by insolence or deliberate defiance. On the other hand, he seems to admire those who cross or foil him by cleverness, as long as they treat him politely. He's always spinning more simultaneous intrigues than most people on Faerun have years in their lives, and with his domination ever growing, he seems content to view existence as a great game, with plots and schemes as the playing pieces or, if you prefer, weapons.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- His appearance is similar to Vecna.
External Links[]
[]
 Villains
| ||
|
Arklem and Valindra's Agents
| ||
|
The Legend of Drizzt Villains | ||
|
Pirates of Luskan Calimport Underworld Sentient Artifacts Demons Dragons Drows Many-Arrows Shadowvar Red Wizards of Thay Others | ||