Disclaimer: This page discusses one DM's view of Thay, an infamous slave-keeping, magocratic country in the Forgotten Realms with a decidedly evil bent. I began developing it in greater detail for my first evil campaign, which began in 2009 and ran for a decade. This vision is offered for entertainment and variety's sake and for adults only. I do not condone anything described in real life; quite the opposite. I don't suggest that you accept or use these ideas in your games, either, unless everyone in your group is informed beforehand, given safe opportunities to decline, and genuinely okay with moving forward. You might find reasons for characters to work against Thayan interests, details that will fit the tone of your own Thayan campaigns, or nothing that works for you at all. Please read with discretion, and feel free to stop and move on anytime.
RPGChartMaker file (see directions below)
Excel file (auto generates once loaded)
Google Docs (via dice rolls by hand)
Or visit perchance and generate Thayan names right now (thanks to Thundermark)!
"Red Wizard Cerys" by ArtemisMorgan (resized) used with permission
There are several different ways to use my Thayan name generator, thanks to generous help from readers. You can use a version online on perchance, download a file to use on RPGChartMaker, use the Excel file, or roll dice and consult the tables below. I'll briefly explain how each method works below. Feel free to try any and all of them!
Thundermark reached out to me about creating a generator on perchance using the pieces I gathered below and some more input from me about how Thayan names sound. He was very patient and the result speaks for itself! You can just push the "randomize" button and a new name will appear. If you want more in one roll, you can enter the number of names you want in the box and that many will be generated the next time you press the button. Many thanks, Thundermark!
Rob McCaleb was kind enough to create an Excel version of the generator (along with creating an incredible map of Thay). The first sheet contains the data, so don't delete it from the workbook! The second sheet generates 100 names every time you reload the file or type anything into any cell. It's quick and you don't need an internet connection to use it after you download the file. Thank you so much, Rob!
To use this version of the generator, download the .json file. Then, visit RPGChartMaker and use the Load button to load it. Clicking the Roll! button will make 10 rolls by default, but you can put in another number, if you'd like.
There are a lot of options at RPGChartmaker that you can use to get the results you want. Here are some of the most helpful:
You don't have to include every list in a roll. If you click the dice icon near the list's name so it's deselected, it won't be used until you select it again.
You can add a whole new list by clicking the Add button at the top.
You can add new entries into a list by typing in the List Entry box and hitting the Add button there. You can even cut and paste entries from a spreadsheet into the List Entry box and add them all at once. From there, if you want to alphabetize entries, hit the A-Z button.
You can change or delete an item in a list by clicking on it (press Enter to put it back in the list, press the minus sign to delete it).
Each list also has a trash can icon in the top right-hand corner; if you don't want to see that list ever again, you can delete it that way.
You can change the fonts and colors by using the palette button. There are several templates available for you to choose from, and you can adjust from there.
If you've made changes to the file and want to save them (and if you want to save the roll results), use the Save button in the top menu.
Below is the heart of the generator I created for Thayan names. I broke down many different names into syllables I associate with the region. I took apart Thayan names from official books, names from my own lists, names of evil deities, names of evil creatures, and so on.
All you need to use the tables are d10s. You can roll 1d10 and halve the result (rounding down) to choose which table to start with, roll once more to determine which column to use, and one more time for the row. Roll three dice together to shorten the process and then arrange the pieces in the way that sounds best.
For instance, I grabbed three dice and rolled them at one time to produce: 7 (or 1/2, 3), 7, 3. That means I use the third table, 7th column, 3rd row down and find = ja. I rolled the same three dice again to get 9 (4), 9, 4 = nora. Together they give me Janora (or Janor, if I want to remove the last syllable), which sounds just right to me.
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
1 |
a |
abbar |
abo |
ach |
ack |
ad |
ag |
agius |
agol |
aia |
2 |
aierai |
ais |
al |
ala |
alda |
alem |
alhar |
alo |
alu |
am |
3 |
ama |
ana |
anja |
anta |
ar |
ara |
ark |
aros |
as |
asan |
4 |
asha |
astia |
asz |
athan |
augo |
auros |
aya |
aza |
baat |
bal |
5 |
bane |
bar |
bara |
bazu |
be |
ber |
besh |
bez |
bol |
bolg |
6 |
bos |
bov |
bra |
brax |
bre |
bro |
bros |
brul |
ca |
canthet |
7 |
car |
cash |
caz |
cel |
celes |
cen |
cer |
cera |
cez |
cha |
8 |
chal |
char |
chas |
che |
cher |
ches |
chir |
cia |
cid |
cina |
9 |
cor |
cos |
crom |
csar |
csim |
cym |
da |
dag |
dak |
dal |
10 |
dana |
dar |
dara |
dax |
de |
del |
den |
dena |
dere |
dero |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
1 |
derv |
des |
desh |
dev |
dha |
dhal |
dhu |
dhy |
dir |
dira |
2 |
dis |
diya |
dos |
dosch |
dosh |
dov |
dra |
drar |
dras |
draum |
3 |
drax |
dro |
dros |
duc |
duk |
dul |
duma |
duna |
durza |
dusa |
4 |
dza |
ei |
ek |
el |
eltab |
en |
ena |
ent |
er |
era |
5 |
erai |
es |
esca |
esh |
eshe |
eska |
eta |
ev |
ez |
fal |
6 |
fan |
faul |
fen |
fesh |
ga |
gaf |
gahn |
gal |
gan |
gar |
7 |
gare |
gath |
gatula |
gau |
gaur |
gaz |
gelu |
ges |
gethos |
gha |
8 |
ghar |
ghest |
ghi |
ghin |
ghor |
ghul |
gi |
gir |
gla |
glae |
9 |
glaros |
glas |
glau |
go |
gol |
gon |
gor |
goro |
gos |
gra |
10 |
grael |
greth |
groth |
gul |
gur |
gura |
hal |
hama |
hara |
has |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
1 |
haz |
he |
hez |
hok |
hor |
hos |
hu |
hur |
ia |
igor |
2 |
ik |
im |
in |
ina |
inax |
iol |
ir |
ish |
ishai |
ishta |
3 |
itha |
iv |
iya |
iz |
iza |
izza |
ja |
jar |
jari |
jes |
4 |
jhaa |
jinn |
jol |
jor |
jos |
jul |
jur |
ka |
ka |
kala |
5 |
kan |
kana |
kar |
kelu |
ket |
keta |
kha |
khal |
khod |
khor |
6 |
khos |
kir |
kira |
ko |
kor |
kos |
koth |
kour |
kov |
krel |
7 |
kren |
kur |
la |
lana |
lanja |
lara |
las |
lath |
lav |
lema |
8 |
lena |
leno |
lenti |
less |
leth |
lex |
li |
liel |
lig |
lina |
9 |
lir |
lith |
loch |
lona |
lor |
lora |
los |
lovia |
luaz |
lugon |
10 |
luk |
lurga |
luth |
ma |
mac |
mach |
mala |
malu |
mar |
mas |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
1 |
mech |
mek |
mel |
mera |
mi |
min |
mir |
mira |
misk |
mita |
2 |
modu |
mor |
mour |
mov |
mulum |
mur |
myr |
na |
nak |
nal |
3 |
nali |
nam |
nan |
nar |
nas |
nax |
nek |
nes |
ness |
neth |
4 |
nia |
nik |
nim |
nira |
nish |
nitra |
nizu |
nod |
nora |
nos |
5 |
nos |
nu |
nugon |
nurth |
nyth |
ogh |
onia |
onna |
ora |
orak |
6 |
orn |
oron |
os |
par |
pari |
phaal |
phas |
phe |
phur |
pri |
7 |
py |
qua |
ra |
raal |
rach |
rad |
rath |
rau |
rav |
raz |
8 |
re |
rech |
rella |
ren |
resh |
ress |
reth |
ria |
rich |
rik |
9 |
risa |
ros |
roth |
rus |
rusal |
ruth |
sa |
sal |
sea |
sek |
10 |
sen |
sena |
sha |
shaba |
shai |
shala |
shar |
shara |
shela |
sir |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
1 |
slav |
sol |
solva |
stal |
szul |
ta |
tala |
tana |
tas |
tash |
2 |
tav |
tea |
tek |
thak |
thal |
tham |
than |
thana |
thant |
thar |
3 |
thari |
thass |
thaz |
thoss |
thra |
thu |
ton |
tony |
tor |
tos |
4 |
tra |
tula |
tur |
tura |
tya |
uch |
ugo |
ul |
ulla |
um |
5 |
uma |
una |
unda |
unir |
unna |
ur |
urga |
us |
vach |
val |
6 |
valla |
var |
vasu |
vath |
vec |
vel |
vena |
vera |
vezu |
vian |
7 |
vik |
vil |
voc |
vog |
vola |
vor |
vora |
vorg |
vos |
xill |
8 |
xon |
ya |
yan |
yanoi |
yas |
yorn |
yos |
yra |
yul |
za |
9 |
zael |
zal |
zala |
zan |
zar |
ze |
zena |
zenar |
zez |
zhar |
10 |
zol |
zoon |
zul |
zula |
zun |
zuo |
zur |
zuv |
zya |
zyo |
Resources are free for personal use; please do not offer them for sale or claim them as your own work.
Please do not repost material elsewhere; link to this site instead. Thank you, and happy gaming!