Religious Practice in Thay

Revised June 2026

 

"Knight of Sorrows" by Zezhou (original) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

Making the Best Deal

Thayan citizens are known for an irreverence toward the gods that quickly makes them stand out anywhere else. They aren't stupid or suicidal; they know how harsh Faerun's gods are to atheists and how cruel they can be to those who displease them. Thayans choose patron deities like most other inhabitants of Toril, but they're far more likely to do so for purely practical reasons and to be honest about that fact. They pick gods who fall in line with their desires and schemes and try to be on the winning team. They worship only as much as they need to get what they want and avoid punishment. Most of their prayers are lip service and litanies of personal goals and vendettas; most of their holy days are excuses for conspicuous consumption. The general attitude in Thay is this: the gods are bigger than you, so don't tweak their noses - but don't grovel any more than they demand.

Among the jaded opportunists, however, is a small but rabid contingent of zealots. Some have personal experiences that bolster their faith, such as prophetic dreams or near-death experiences. Convinced that they have been given divine attention, they seek to be worthy of more. Those who have actually been chosen by the gods - clerics, oracles, and the like - are often fanatically devoted to their faith. These Thayans more than make up for the lackadaisical attitudes of their kin. They may not be able to force others to worship but they can prove their gods are best by advancing their agendas everywhere they go. They use their power to spread their church's influence, even though they suffer real drawbacks: Thayan law forbids those with divine connections from holding high offices and many hesitate to trust known fanatics with sensitive business. But until they violate the law and are held to account, no one can keep them from living as they believe their faith dictates.

Laws & Practices

A strange kind of religious freedom reigns in Thay because Thayans know their history. The ancient Imaskari empire fell because they tried to keep slaves from communing with their gods, and modern Thayans aren't about to make the same kind of mistake. Thus, some of their oldest codes govern religious choice and expression. First and foremost, none are allowed to interfere with gods' abilities to reach their followers. By extension, private worship must be allowed for any and all deities and no one can be compelled to take on, maintain, lose, or reject a deity or faith. No one can be kept from prayer or rites in any way or to any extent that would violate the dictates of their faith, either. Prayers and their contents are privileged communications and cannot legally be compelled, forbidden, restricted, divulged, or intercepted. These rights are true for anyone on Thayan soil, from the greatest zulkir to the lowest slave. Violations are ultimately considered matters of national security so even suspicions of breaches are taken very seriously.

Since those in power want to stay that way and avoid the theocracy of Mulhorand, a few strictures apply to the religious and places of worship. Individuals with demonstrable divine favor and religious roles may not hold highest offices in any non-religious official endeavor. Official proceedings may include religious content like blessings but must also feature recognition of the Red Wizards and matters of public interest. Temples - and/or temple districts - are not allowed to be at the center of any settlement, and temples and shrines may not be at the center of slave quarters. Finally, a shrine must never be the center of a public, official structure.

A whole contingent of laws govern how slaves are allowed to worship. To begin, they are not allowed to use temples or gather in groups larger than ten, and any shrines they visit must be in the slave quarter or another designated area out of sight of main thoroughfares. They are allowed to produce religious goods such as holy symbols, provided they acquire materials they are allowed to possess through legal means. Slaves must be allowed time on holy days to worship, though it can be after their duties are done. The major seasonal festivals - Greengrass, Midsummer, Highharvestide, the Feast of the Moon, and Midwinter - are granted as rest days for all pressed into service, whether at home or abroad in enclaves.

Since humanoids often serve as guards and laborers, their religious rights are covered, as well. They are allowed to pray anywhere but must not shirk their duties. They are not allowed to raise temples aboveground, and any shrines must be well outside of Thayan settlements. The lizardfolk of the swamps in Surthay must keep their faith within their damp borders but can raise temples there, as per the agreement with the tribe. Giants and other denizens of the mountains keep their gods to themselves and try to have minimal contact with the humans. Any nonhuman group can be punished (or simply wiped out) if their religious rites seriously damage Thayan property or interests, so they tread carefully.

Exceptions Definitely Apply

As usual when it comes to Thayan laws, the devil is in the details and many exceptions are made to save the richest Thayans time and money. This is why non-religious entities and organizations can't be compelled to supply or subsidize anyone's religious practices. Likewise, they aren't obligated to provide physical means for deities to interact with adherents, such as temples or magic gates. Minimal time for rituals may be given and permission to worship can be delayed in the event of an emergency. And prayers freely and willingly expressed outside of oneself (in writing or speech) can be held against whoever utters them. Every rule is undercut in some way and the less power you have, the more often your religious practices will be interrupted and demeaned.

Crises of Faith

Thay is the stage for many a crisis of faith at every level of society. For the most privileged nobles, religion can seem like a distant and weak concern compared to the power of the zulkirs, ruthless heads of noble houses, and what they must do to maintain their standing. Why worship Siamorphe when Bane seems to offer more power? Gods can lose their lustre when they seem to have little influence on daily life for average citizens, as well. After all, Gond might be inspiring, but Waukeen may seem more likely to keep one's family from financial ruin. Slaves struggle with faith, too. The harsh treatment many endure and observe is awful, but so is being kept far away from any hope of rescue. What does Chauntea's bounty matter when the masters won't allow you to eat any more than the barest ration?

Some become more devoted to kind and hopeful deities, though that can be quite difficult to maintain in such a cutthroat society. Many turn to gods like Bane so they have better chances of dominating others or follow goddesses like Beshaba and Talona to get revenge on their tormentors. Sometimes it's fashionable to pledge oneself to Kossuth like the upper classes do, while slaves may align themselves with Malar since his church offers the High Hunt, one of few ways to earn their freedom. The desperately miserable may endure Shar's demands so she will take away their memories of the past but their forgetfulness is never trusted. Either way, conversions are common and public in Thay but the struggles for meaning and hope that lead to them are almost always private.

Religious Centers

Two cities are notable for their religious significance in Thay: Bezantur is called the City of a Thousand Temples because it has the greatest religious diversity of any place in the country (and perhaps all of Toril). It caters to citizens, slaves, and regular visitors to the port, so it's one of the only places one can find proper churches to good deities. Temples to evil deities are allowed out in the open but are built in their own quarter to avoid scaring foreigners, with temples to neutral gods serving as a buffer zone. Eltabbar is known as the true religious heart of Thay, with some of the grandest temples anywhere, but all official churches are relegated to an island known locally as "the zoo." Eltabbar is also the closest major city to the symbol of Kossuth's worship: the volcanoes of the Thaymount.

Gods & Holidays: A File

Below is a look at gods and holidays that I made for my own long-running Thayan campaign. Feel free to download it and adjust it to suit your needs.

 

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