Valindra Shadowmantle of Thay

Valindra Shadowmantle works for Szass Tam, the most powerful lich among the Red Wizards of Thay, though she is not a Red Wizard herself. With her ability to appear as a living elf, Valindra can easily conceal her lichdom and her association to Thay. 

Valindra never felt the same respect for community that other moon elves shared. She grew into a self-absorbed individual who cared little for anything that wasn't connected to her own interests or goals. Valindra prides herself on her intellect and prefers to talk her way out of a fight than blasting an opponent with magic. That said, she won't hesitate to kill or maim an enemy if the situation demandeds it. Her arrogance, however, makes her prone to underestimating her enemies.

As a lich, she is described as strong-willed, deeply ambitious, and utterly ruthless. She believes that the ends justified the means, and because of that she allied with Szass Tam of her own free will. She also became reckless, almost suicidal, because she believes that while her phylactery is in safe location, she is almost immortal.

Valindra was born in the in the High Forest, where she trained as a wizard. Frustrated with the slow pace of her education, she left her homeland to pursue her own goals. Valindra made her way to Mirabar where she found little trouble persuading a trusting old wizard to take her on as an apprentice. After a year working with her mentor, she murdered him and appropriated his spellbooks and magic items. From there, she headed for Luskan and made contact with the Arcane Brotherhood, eventually earning a place as one of their lesser agents for many years.

Since then, she applied herself to carrying out assignments with precision and alacrity, gaining a reputation that put her in good stead when the Archmage Arcane, Arklem Greeth, who sought a replacement Overwizard of the North Tower in the wake of his purging of the organization. Valindra was present during the Hero of Neverwinter's infiltration of the Host Tower of the Arcane, apparently as one of the faction that had thrown in with Maugrim Korothir, who briefly supplanted Greeth.

Valindra was tasked with directing the Arcane Brotherhood's activities in the Silver Marshes, which they hoped to control. She hired spies to dwell among the communities and gather information useful to destabilizing the economy of the region. She also smuggled addictive Thayan memory-loss drugs with the hopes of reducing people's ability to react as she stepped up her efforts to take over the area.

After the destruction of the Host Tower of the Arcane and her own death, Arklem Greeth transformed Valindra into a lich so they could rule Luskan together from the shadows. Their phylacteries were made from gems that were given to them by Jarlaxle Baenre. But her surprise turn to undeath broke her mind. Jarlaxle and one of his psionic lieutenants of Bregan D'aerthe helped save her and bring her closer to sanity. During the Spellplague, however, she became almost completely unhinged. She retained her long lustrous black hair, delicate features, and the inner flames in her eyes common to liches. She seemed to enjoy being reminded of her beauty and appeared to be sweet at times. But her instability grew over time and she became more unstable and aggressive in combat, not caring if allies got caught in the cross fire.

During her travels with the fanatics of Asmodeus under the command of Thay, she showed that she was fully willing and hoping to join Szass Tam's ranks. She was even responsible for forming an alliance with the Ashmadai and the Abolethic Sovereignty. Using a powerful ruby scepter of Asmodeus that was given to her by Szass Tam and with the prayers of the cultists, she called forth a pit fiend called Beealtimatuche, who in the end was responsible for the “temporary” death of Bruenor Battlehammer. She was cast under ground in her wraith form by Jarlaxle and as she did so, she swore to destory Jarlaxle, Drizzt Do'Urden, and Dahlia Sin'felle.

Valindra was somehow able to return to Thay, where she continued working for Szass Tam. Years later, she was sent to Neverwinter in order to advance Tam's agenda in the area and, if possible, to thwart the shadovar operations there as well. Her goals were to try to restore the Dread Ring located in Neverwinter Wood, and pave the way for an eventual take over of Neverwinter by the Thayans. Once again, she had to work with the Ashmadai to achieve her goals, but she also received help from a cell of the Cult of the Dragon. Valindra also studied the primordial sealed under Gauntlgrym, Maegera the Dawn Titan, with hopes to either harness its power or control it on behalf of Szass Tam. She was also interested in controlling the ghosts of the Neverwinter Nine, although she was unable to do so using what resources she had on-hand. 

At some point, Valindra went to Chult under the orders of Szass Tam to investigate an artifact called the Soulmonger. Her mission was to take control of the artifact or, if that proved to be impossible, to destroy it. Valindra was aware of the intervention of some adventurers in her plans, and she may have used them to achieve her goals. When the adventurers destroyed the Soulmonger, Valindra returned to Thay.

Personality Trait. "I never show my anger. I just plot my revenge."

Ideal. "Knowledge is the path to power and domination."

Bond. "I like to manipulate my enemies into doing what I want rather than destroying them."

Flaw. "I am extremely powerful, and there is no way anyone can beat me."