Szass Tam is the most powerful lich among the Red Wizards of Thay and serves as an antagonist operating from the shadows throughout the adventure. He never appears directly in Chult but drives key events through his agents.
Role in the Adventure
Szass Tam dispatches operatives to Chult with a critical mission: seize control of the Soulmonger or, failing that, destroy it. The Soulmonger threatens him personally because it traps souls before they can be captured by phylacteries, depriving liches of their means of immortality. His primary agent in Chult is Valindra Shadowmantle, a devoted lich lieutenant who establishes a base at the Heart of Ubtao.
Motivations
Unlike the adventurers who seek to destroy the Soulmonger to end the death curse, Szass Tam’s interest is purely self-serving. The device interferes with his ability to sustain his lichdom by preventing souls from reaching phylacteries. He prefers to capture and study the Soulmonger if possible, but considers its destruction an acceptable outcome if it cannot be seized.
Key Relationships
Valindra Shadowmantle: His devoted lieutenant who leads the Thayan expedition in Chult. She maintains regular contact with him through a teleportation circle at the Heart of Ubtao, delivering reports and receiving new instructions. Her phylactery is safely stored in Thay under his protection.
The Harpers: This faction learned about the Soulmonger from “a lich”—likely intelligence that originated from Szass Tam or his network, though the Harpers are unaware of his ulterior motives.
Consequences
If the characters destroy the Soulmonger, Valindra reports the mission’s failure to Szass Tam. Angered by the party’s interference, he dispatches new operatives and powerful undead to spy on the characters, learn their weaknesses, and eventually dispose of them. Characters with ties to the Harpers or Zhentarim may receive warnings about this Red Wizard plot through factional spies.