Szass is a lich, an undeadnecromancer. He is the leader and most powerful of the Red Wizards of Thay, a group consisting of eight wizards with the title of zulkir who are the rulers of the country Thay. Many of the creatures that serve Szass Tam are undead.[1][2][3]
Szass rules Thaymount, although there are rumors that Larloch commands him, searching for artifacts. He attempts to destroy the world and create his own in the year of the Dark Circle (1478 DR), but this plot is foiled.
"Tam has been a prominent antagonist in various Dungeons & Dragons adventures and novels, although his profile is not quite as prominent as the liches Vecna and Acererak".[4]