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Dmitra Flass

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Dmitra Flass, also known unofficially as the First Princess of Thay or The Tharchioness, was the Tharchion of Eltabbar within the realm of Thay during the mid-to-late 14th century DR,[2][12] and subsequently the Zulkir of Illusion among the Red Wizards during the War of the Zulkirs.[13] She was also a powerful figure in Mulmaster following her marriage to that city state's ruler, High Blade Selfaril Uoumdolphin.[10]

Description[]

Dmitra had been dubbed the "First Princess of Thay"—although only outside of Thay itself—owing to her famous beauty.[11][14] She specifically cultivated an "exotic" look with her clean-shaven head and elaborate tattoos (which she maintained as per Thayvian noble custom),[2][15][16][17] although as a master of illusion magic, she could simply change her appearance at will.[13] She had green eyes,[7] a rose-and-alabaster complexion,[18] and a voluptuous build.[6]

She stood at 5 feet and 3 inches (160 centimeters) and weighed 118 pounds (53.5 kilograms).[7]

Personality[]

She was known for her sharp wits and iron will.[18] She was the most diplomatic among all of the tharchions and zulkirs, and her efforts to discourage feuds and to help settle disputes between them were said to have been the only reason that Thay had not descended into civil war in the mid-to-late 14th century DR.[1][12] She had a noble bearing, but also a violent temper.[7] In her youth, she was quite flirtatious in service of her political ambitions,[11] and she always remained enamored with her own physical appearance.[19][20]

Abilities[]

As a powerful wizard[7] and master illusionist, Dmitra could plant visions of nightmarish assailants in an adversary's mind.[21] She could also conjure a flying horse.[22]

Possessions[]

Dmitra dressed in ostentatious fashion, often wearing several layers of robes,[19] crimson brocade gowns,[23] and/or a robe of scintillating colors.[7] She would laden herself with jewelry, particularly piercings and also necklaces, which she wore both around her neck and across her head like circlets.[19]

In battle, she wielded a staff and an ebon lash.[7]

Activities[]

As the Tharchion of Eltabbar, Dmitra presided over the Thayan capital of Eltabbar as well as Lake Thaylambar and many of the fishing communities around it.[11] In general, she spent most of her time in the city and paid little heed to the more provincial parts of her lands.[24] She was known to delegate much of the day-to-day running of the tharch to her Autharches while she remained politically active by managing relationships with neighboring realms.[2][7][11] Relative to other Thayan tharchions, she was said to have an almost "enlightened" style of rulership.[1]

She owned a great many of the public spaces in the city of Eltabbar, as well as thousands of slaves.[25]

Dmitra was involved in actively expanding Red Wizard power and trade outside of Thay.[12] She was also closely allied with Szass Tam for much of the mid-to-late 14th century DR,[2][16] operating a large network of spies and covert agents on her own and the lich's behalf.[26] Hers was the largest and most effective network of spies in all of Thay,[13] and were known to ruthlessly dispose of their enemies.[7] Dmitra often did some spying herself, mostly in the guise of a pretty Rashemi young woman.[13]

Prior to the Time of Troubles, she was thought to pay respect to Leira, the goddess of illusion.[27]

Relationships[]

Dmitra Flass had no allegiance to the Flass family, and she would frequently use different names as a result.[11][3] This led to many simply referring to her as "The Tharchioness" within Thay[2] or the "First Princess of Thay" beyond its borders, a title that her fellow Red Wizards found quite amusing.[7]

She was married to the High Blade of Mulmaster, Selfaril Uoumdolphin—which was actually his twin brother Rassendyll Uoumdolphin, who had imprisoned and impersonated Selfaril—making her a princess and authority figure in Mulmaster.[10][4] Her and Selfaril's relationship was known to be marred by violent arguments, and she didn't spend much time in the company of her husband or in his city, preferring to visit Mulmaster only three times each year and using magic to make the trip quickly.[7][28] Their political marriage greatly increased both her and the Red Wizards' power within the Moonsea region.[12][29] She maintained a large retinue at the Thayan enclave in Mulmaster—led by Conjuremaster Ahryn Firefinger[30]—to promote the Red Wizards' interests and to counter the influence of rivals like the Zhentarim.[7]

Dmitra recruited several servants from Mulmaster to serve her back in Eltabbar in the hopes that their lack of ties in Thay would make them less likely to betray her. One of her most trusted servants was Malark Springhill, whom she brought with her from Mulmaster to manage her network of spies.[4]

The Red Wizard Rembert Wellford was a distant cousin to Dmitra.[31]

History[]

Early Life[]

Dmitra was born into the Thayan noble family of Flass in the Year of the Blazing Brand, 1334 DR.[7][3] Following a major dispute, she severed ties with the family, and although the dispute itself was soon mostly forgotten, the grudge endured and the young Dmitra preferred to avoid using her real name.[2][11][3]

By the 1350s DR, the young Dmitra was Tharchioness of Eltabbar, but her power in the city of Eltabbar itself was tentative. The large number of influential Red Wizards residing in the city meant that her authority—as a relatively novice mage—was subject to their whims. In most cases, she simply retreated from governing the tharch and left it to her Autharches, who in turn spent much of their time pandering to meddling Red Wizards.[2][11] Disengaged from much of the politics of the city, the young Tharchioness instead began flirtatious relationships with the unmarried rulers of surrounding realms.[11] In the Year of the Worm, 1356 DR,[32] she began a courtship with her future husband, Selfaril of Mulmaster, when she sent him a gold earing soaked in perfume and he in turn sent her a cloak of yeti fur. This exchange of gifts allowed the pair to begin meeting in person—rather than just corresponding through proxies—without fear of scandal, gossip, or the risk of offending Thayan custom.[15] Nevertheless, their long courtship would be characterized by several spectacular tiffs,[7] and was punctuated by a major visit by Dmitra to Mulmaster in the Year of the Staff, 1366 DR.[33]

Rise to Power[]

Over the course of the 1360s DR, Dmitra expanded both her political and magical power significantly, establishing herself as an important figure and becoming a staunch ally to Szass Tam.[2] Following a major earthquake that devastated the city of Eltabbar in the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR,[32] she began to consolidate her power more aggressively, and within eight months[34] she wielded direct control over her subjects while her Autharches managed menial tasks such as rebuilding her city.[2] Her marriage to Selfaril in the Year of the Banner, 1368 DR,[10][35][note 1] also helped to solidify her power as it granted her influence beyond Thay's borders.[2][7] Unbeknownst to her, Selfaril had actually been secretly usurped and replaced earlier that year by his twin brother, Rassendyll. Given that she only rarely visited her new husband, Dmitra continued to remain unaware that she had married a different man.[10][28][35]

By the end of the decade, her spies were ruthlessly seeking out the agents of her and Tam's rivals, and her rule over Eltabbar was rarely challenged by fellow Red Wizards.[2] Even so, she still busied herself with political intrigues in the city, often at the expense of attending to her broader tharch.[1][20] By the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR, she had a notorious reputation[24] and was a major proponent of expanding the Red Wizards' export of magic items to extend their influence.[12] She was also acknowledged as a major player among Thay's leaders[1] and as one of the leading authority figures in Mulmaster, which Tam and her other Thayan allies hoped to exploit as a path to influence within the Moonsea more broadly.[10][28] She maintained constant contact with her agents in the city,[30] and had even attempted to convince her husband to convert an old temple of Waukeen into a place of worship of the Thayvian pantheon,[36] which ended up bringing her into conflict with everyone from the Brotherhood of the Cloak to the Strifelord of the Citadel of the Raven.[37]

Early in the Year of Rogue Dragons, 1373 DR, Dmitra was with her husband in Mulmaster for a celebration of their wedding anniversary when they received a group of gemstone golems as a gift from the Thayan Ambassador Reyvan, but the constructs went rogue in an apparent assassination attempt. Both of them survived, but Dmitra immediately returned to Eltabbar.[38] On Kythorn 3 of that same year,[39] Dmitra was present alongside Szass Tam and other Red Wizards when the demon lord Eltab escaped his bonds. In the chaos, she suffered severe burns and blistering when her garments caught fire on a wayward torch and her many pieces of jewelry became super-heated. The flames were extinguished by Thazienne Uskevren, and her injuries were addressed by Tharchion Azhir Kren.[19]

War of the Zulkirs[]

In the Year of Risen Elfkin, 1375 DR, when Szass Tam seized rulership of all Thay by force, Dmitra's loyalty for the lich ended. She called for a secret meeting of all zulkirs who had once supported Tam[40] and convinced them to raise their combined armies and wizards to oppose the lich's forces. The council achieved a great victory at the Keep of Thazar against an undead army led by Szass Tam's necromancers. Szass responded by sending the combined forces of Gauros and Surthay, along with hordes of undead, south towards Bezantur. This enabled Dmitra to enlist the other opposing zulkirs—Nevron, Lauzoril, and Mythrellan—to her council of resistance as well.[41]

Following the demise of Mythrellan, the long-serving Zulkir of Illusion, Dmitra assumed her title.[5]

During a decisive fight at the Keep of Sorrows in the Year of Blue Fire, 1385 DR, Szass almost succeeded in magically forcing Dmitra to fight for his cause, but his magic failed as the Spellplague hit and Dmitra was released from his hold.[42] The war continued despite the crippling effects of the Spellplague on magic.[43]

Dmitra's spymaster, Malark Springhill, suddenly switched sides to fight for Szass Tam's cause. During another battle at the Keep of Sorrows, Malark attempted to kill Dmitra with the intention to spare her from undeath.[43] Dmitra tried to save her life by planting an illusionary dream into Malark's mind of a peaceful day before the war, but Malark saw through the ruse and the attempt to have him slain by Dmitra's guards. He finally killed Dmitra by breaking her ribcage, the shards of which drove into her heart.[8]

According to history books a century later, and as Xenk Yendar would recall, in the mid-1370s DR, Szass Tam called all the other zulkirs and all the people of the Thaymount tharch, Xenk and his parents among them, to a grand celebration atop the Citadel on the eve of the summer solstice. A few of the common people carried sun symbols.[note 2][note 3] But it was all a lie—instead, Szass interrupted Zulkir Dmitra Flass as she addressed the crowd and used the horn of beckoning death, thereby creating an army of undead under his control for his coup and following conquest of Thay. All who tried to flee were slain by Red Wizards in his service.[44][45][46][note 4]

Legacy[]

Dmitra was eventually replaced as Zulkir of Illusion by Hlarkus Baltreyo, a lich supporter of Tam.[47]

Appendix[]

Background[]

In Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Dmitra Flass is played by actor Sharon Blynn.

Notes[]

  1. ↑ Sources dispute the year in which Dmitra Flass and Selfaril Uoumdolphin were married. Spellbound (1995) states the year to be 1366 DR, The Moonsea (1995) suggests they are already married as of 1367 DR, Unapproachable East (2003) states the year to be 1370 DR, and Mysteries of the Moonsea (2006) and The Grand History of the Realms (2007) state it to be 1368 DR. This wiki gives preference to the most recent source, and therefore uses 1368 DR as the date.
  2. ↑ Honor Among Thieves only says "the capital" of Thay, which at the time should be Eltabbar. However, it is presumed Xenk lived in Thaymount, owing to him bearing Tam's tattoo and the apparent depiction of the Citadel. Moreover, Xenk may be referring to it as the present capital. Therefore, the Citadel is presumed instead.
  3. ↑ Honor Among Thieves mentions only the eve of the solstice; due to the presence of sun-like symbols in the crowd, this is presumed to be the summer solstice. The newly revived sun god Amaunator has a similar holy symbol and treats the summer solstice as a holy day, suggesting a link to the celebration.
  4. ↑ It is difficult to reconcile Xenk's account and the scenes in Honor Among Thieves with the established history of Szass Tam, the zulkirs, and Thay, as Tam's betrayal here contradicts his betrayals elsewhere. It appears to conflate the zulkirs gathering at the Citadel in The Crimson Gold in 1373 DR; the meeting of the Council of Zulkirs in Eltabbar, the start of the War of the Zulkirs, and Tam's takeover of Thay in Unclean in 1375 DR; and a later new event of Tam creating his undead armies from his subjects. Since this is presented as a story from a book a century later and from Xenk's childhood memories, it's presumed to be a case of unreliable narration or movie dramatization. Nevertheless, it is presented here for completeness.

Appearances[]

Novels
The Crimson Gold • The Haunted Lands (Unclean, Undead)
Film & Television
Honor Among Thieves
Video Games
Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 169. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 12. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Steve Perrin (1988). Dreams of the Red Wizards. (TSR, Inc), p. 11. ISBN 0-88038-615-0.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Richard Lee Byers (April 2007). Unclean. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 50–51. ISBN 978-0-7869-4258-9.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Richard Lee Byers (March 2008). Undead. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0-7869-4783-6.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Richard Lee Byers (April 2007). Unclean. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 12. ISBN 978-0-7869-4258-9.
  7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 114. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Richard Lee Byers (March 2008). Undead. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 260. ISBN 978-0-7869-4783-6.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Brian Thomsen (August 1996). The Mage in the Iron Mask. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 7. ISBN 978-0786905065.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 Darrin Drader, Thomas M. Reid, Sean K. Reynolds, Wil Upchurch (June 2006). Mysteries of the Moonsea. Edited by John Thompson, Gary Sarli. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 90. ISBN 978-0-7869-3915-2.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 Steve Perrin (1988). Dreams of the Red Wizards. (TSR, Inc), p. 26. ISBN 0-88038-615-0.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 207. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Richard Lee Byers (April 2007). Unclean. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0-7869-4258-9.
  14. ↑ Steve Perrin (1988). Dreams of the Red Wizards. (TSR, Inc), p. 29. ISBN 0-88038-615-0.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Steve Perrin (1988). Dreams of the Red Wizards. (TSR, Inc), p. 31. ISBN 0-88038-615-0.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Jason Carl, Sean K. Reynolds (October 2001). Lords of Darkness. Edited by Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 07-8691-989-2.
  17. ↑ Steve Perrin (1988). Dreams of the Red Wizards. (TSR, Inc), p. 10. ISBN 0-88038-615-0.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Richard Lee Byers (April 2007). Unclean. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 978-0-7869-4258-9.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Voronica Whitney-Robinson (September 2012). The Crimson Gold. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 11. ISBN 0-7869-3120-5.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Voronica Whitney-Robinson (September 2012). The Crimson Gold. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 2. ISBN 0-7869-3120-5.
  21. ↑ Richard Lee Byers (April 2007). Unclean. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 48. ISBN 978-0-7869-4258-9.
  22. ↑ Richard Lee Byers (April 2007). Unclean. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 235. ISBN 978-0-7869-4258-9.
  23. ↑ Richard Lee Byers (April 2007). Unclean. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 19. ISBN 978-0-7869-4258-9.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 152. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
  25. ↑ Steve Perrin (1988). Dreams of the Red Wizards. (TSR, Inc), p. 17. ISBN 0-88038-615-0.
  26. ↑ Richard Lee Byers (April 2007). Unclean. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 978-0-7869-4258-9.
  27. ↑ Steve Perrin (1988). Dreams of the Red Wizards. (TSR, Inc), p. 50. ISBN 0-88038-615-0.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 161. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  29. ↑ John Terra (January 1995). “Player's Guide”. In Allison Lassieur ed. The Moonsea (TSR, Inc.), p. 24. ISBN 978-0786900923.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Darrin Drader, Thomas M. Reid, Sean K. Reynolds, Wil Upchurch (June 2006). Mysteries of the Moonsea. Edited by John Thompson, Gary Sarli. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 93. ISBN 978-0-7869-3915-2.
  31. ↑ Jean Rabe (December 1991). Red Magic. (TSR, Inc.), p. 136. ISBN 1-56076-118-0.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 127. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  33. ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 147. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  34. ↑ Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 40. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  36. ↑ John Terra (January 1995). “Reference Guide”. In Allison Lassieur ed. The Moonsea (TSR, Inc.), p. 55. ISBN 978-0786900923.
  37. ↑ John Terra (January 1995). “Player's Guide”. In Allison Lassieur ed. The Moonsea (TSR, Inc.), p. 25. ISBN 978-0786900923.
  38. ↑ Ossian Studios (August 2019). Designed by Luke Scull. Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea. Beamdog.
  39. ↑ Voronica Whitney-Robinson (September 2012). The Crimson Gold. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 9. ISBN 0-7869-3120-5.
  40. ↑ Richard Lee Byers (April 2007). Unclean. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 244. ISBN 978-0-7869-4258-9.
  41. ↑ Richard Lee Byers (April 2007). Unclean. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 252. ISBN 978-0-7869-4258-9.
  42. ↑ Richard Lee Byers (March 2008). Undead. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 978-0-7869-4783-6.
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Richard Lee Byers (March 2008). Undead. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 257. ISBN 978-0-7869-4783-6.
  44. ↑ Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley (2023). Honor Among Thieves. (Paramount Pictures).
  45. ↑ David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chap. 16, pp. 110–111. ISBN 0593647955.
  46. ↑ David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chap. 17, pp. 116–117. ISBN 0593647955.
  47. ↑ Cryptic Studios (June 2013). Neverwinter. Perfect World Entertainment.
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