Thay is a nation ruled by powerful undead wizards, most notably Szass Tam, the most powerful lich among the Red Wizards. In the context of the Tomb of Annihilation adventure, Thay serves as the home base and source of authority for the lich Valindra Shadowmantle’s operations in Chult.
Role in the Adventure
Thay’s interest in Chult centers on the Soulmonger. Szass Tam has dispatched Valindra Shadowmantle with orders to either seize control of the Soulmonger or destroy it. Valindra maintains a teleportation circle at her base in the Heart of Ubtao that connects directly to Thay, allowing her to travel instantly between the two locations.
Connection to Valindra Shadowmantle
Valindra uses the teleportation circle to:
- Deliver reports to Szass Tam
- Pick up new instructions
- Store her phylactery safely in Thay (making her extremely difficult to permanently destroy)
- Retreat if threatened
Her spellbooks are also kept safely in Thay rather than at her Chult base. The destination sigils for the teleportation circle are not recorded anywhere in the Heart of Ubtao, making it impossible for characters to follow her.
Consequences
If the characters destroy the Soulmonger, Valindra returns to Thay and reports the mission’s failure to Szass Tam. In response to this interference, Szass Tam sends new operatives and powerful undead to spy on the party, learn their weaknesses, and eventually eliminate them. Characters with ties to the Harpers or Zhentarim might receive warnings about this Red Wizard plot through those factions’ intelligence networks.