ii

Tyranny of Dragons:
Reloaded

A guide to expand upon:

Tyranny of Dragons: Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Tyranny of Dragons: Rise of Tiamat

written and compiled by

David ’DumbDoor’ Simões
david.simoes@ua.pt

massive thanks to
Alexandra ’Fulkir’ Carreira
Ana ’Lucy Jezebel’ Simões
Hugo ’D. Furrnanda’ Pires
Iuri ’Boommaker’ Pires
Pedro ’Big McLarge’ Miguel
Rudi ’Tristan’ Pires

cover art by
Zi Hounti
www.azizhounti.com

10/01/2024 (v1.0)
 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the
dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective
logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries.
This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such
material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters
Guild.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2022 by David Simões and published under the
Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

ii
C ONTENTS
C H . 1: C AMPAIGN O VERVIEW ............ 1 7.4: Damien’s Manor ..................................... 22
1.1: Introduction ........................................... 1 7.5: The Puzzle Box ....................................... 24
1.2: Running the Campaign ........................... 1 7.6: Conclusion ............................................. 26

C H . 2: A DVENTURES ....................... 6 C H . 8: B ALDUR ’ S G ATE ................... 27

2.1: The Torm’s Knights Tomb ....................... 6 8.1: Introduction ........................................... 27
2.2: Greenest in Flames................................. 6 8.2: Baldur’s Gate ......................................... 27
2.3: Raiders’ Camp ........................................ 6 8.3: Connections in Baldur’s Gate ................. 29
2.4: Dragon Hatchery .................................... 6 8.4: Elfsong Tavern ....................................... 30
2.5: Elturel .................................................... 6 8.5: Dungeon of the Dead Three .................... 31
2.6: Baldur’s Gate ......................................... 6 8.6: Conclusion ............................................. 39
2.7: On The Road .......................................... 6
2.8: Waterdeep and Carnath Roadhouse ........ 6 C H . 9: O N THE R OAD ...................... 40
2.9: Mere of the Dead Men............................. 6 9.1: Introduction ........................................... 40
2.10: Parnast and Skyreach Castle ................ 7 9.2: Hiring Out .............................................. 40
2.11: First Council of Waterdeep .................... 7 9.3: On the Road (Part 1) ............................... 41
2.12: Tomb of Diderius .................................. 7 9.4: Dragonspear ........................................... 42
2.13: The Sea of Moving Ice ........................... 7 9.5: On The Road (Part 2) .............................. 52
2.14: Second Council of Waterdeep ................ 7 9.6: Conclusion ............................................. 54
2.15: The Misty Forest ................................... 7
C H . 10: WATERDEEP AND C ARNATH
2.16: The Council of Dragons......................... 7
2.17: Third Council of Waterdeep................... 8 R OADHOUSE ................................. 55
2.18: Xonthal’s Tower .................................... 8 10.1: Introduction ......................................... 55
2.19: Mission to Thay .................................... 8 10.2: Caravan Disbands ................................ 55
2.20: Fourth Council of Waterdeep................. 8 10.3: Waterdeep............................................. 55
2.21: Tiamat’s Return.................................... 8 10.4: Yawning Portal...................................... 59
2.22: Epilogue ............................................... 8 10.5: Carnath Roadhouse.............................. 60
10.6: Conclusion ........................................... 61
C H . 3: T HE T ORM ’ S K NIGHT T OMB ..... 9
3.1: Introduction ........................................... 9 C H . 11: M ERE OF THE D EAD M EN ..... 62
3.2: A Rough Road......................................... 9 11.1: Introduction ......................................... 62
3.3: The Torm’s Knight Tomb......................... 9 11.2: The Mere .............................................. 62
3.4: Conclusion ............................................. 11 11.3: Castle Naerytar..................................... 65
11.4: Conclusion ........................................... 68
C H . 4: G REENEST IN F LAMES ........... 12
4.1: Introduction ........................................... 12 C H . 12: P ARNAST AND S KYREACH
4.2: Greenest in Flames................................. 12 C ASTLE ........................................ 69
4.3: Conclusion ............................................. 14 12.1: Introduction ......................................... 69
12.2: Hunting Lodge ...................................... 69
C H . 5: R AIDERS ’ C AMP ................... 15 12.3: Parnast................................................. 70
5.1: Introduction ........................................... 15 12.4: Skyreach Castle.................................... 70
5.2: Raiders’ Camp ........................................ 15 12.5: Conclusion ........................................... 73
5.3: Conclusion ............................................. 16
C H . 13: F IRST C OUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
C H . 6: D RAGON H ATCHERY .............. 17 74
6.1: Introduction ........................................... 17 13.1: Introduction ......................................... 74
6.2: Dragon Hatchery .................................... 17 13.2: Returning to Waterdeep ........................ 74
6.3: Conclusion ............................................. 18 13.3: Members of the Council ........................ 74
13.4: Council Session .................................... 74
C H . 7: E LTUREL ............................ 19 13.5: Conclusion ........................................... 78
7.1: Introduction ........................................... 19
7.2: Elturel .................................................... 19 C H . 14: T HE T OMB OF D IDERIUS ...... 79
7.3: Order of the Gauntlet ............................. 21 14.1: Introduction ......................................... 79

CONTENTS
iii
 14.2: Boareskyr Bridge .................................. 79 21.10: The Zulkir’s Arrival ............................. 127
14.3: Tracks to the Serpent Hills ................... 79 21.11: Thoss Tarek’s Alternate Plans ............. 128
14.4: Tomb of Diderius .................................. 80 21.12: Conclusion ......................................... 128
14.5: Conclusion ........................................... 82
C H . 22: F OUR TH C OUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
C H . 15: T HE S EA OF M OVING I CE ..... 83 129
15.1: Introduction ......................................... 83 22.1: Introduction ......................................... 129
15.2: Back to Waterdeep ................................ 83 22.2: Waterdeep............................................. 129
15.3: Frostskimmr......................................... 83 22.3: Members of the Council ........................ 129
15.4: Oyaviggaton - The Village...................... 85 22.4: Council Session .................................... 130
15.5: Oyaviggaton - Ice Caves ........................ 85 22.5: Conclusion ........................................... 133
15.6: Conclusion ........................................... 86
C H . 23: T IAMAT ’ S R ETURN ............... 135
C H . 16: S ECOND C OUNCIL OF WATERDEEP 23.1: Introduction ......................................... 135
87 23.2: Approaching the Well of Dragons .......... 135
16.1: Introduction ......................................... 87 23.3: Surveying the Well of Dragons............... 137
16.2: Waterdeep............................................. 87 23.4: Storming the Well of Dragons................ 137
16.3: Members of the Council ........................ 87 23.5: Well of Dragons..................................... 140
16.4: Council Session .................................... 87 23.6: Aftermath ............................................. 142
16.5: Conclusion ........................................... 91 23.7: Conclusion ........................................... 144
C H . 17: T HE M ISTY F OREST ............. 92 C H . 24: E PILOGUE ......................... 145
17.1: Introduction ......................................... 92 24.1: Introduction ......................................... 145
17.2: The Misty Forest ................................... 92 24.2: Tiamat Succeeded................................. 145
17.3: Neronvain’s Stronghold......................... 95 24.3: Total Party Kill...................................... 145
17.4: Conclusion ........................................... 96 24.4: Descent into Avernus............................ 145
24.5: Dragonspear Castle .............................. 145
C H . 18: T HE C OUNCIL OF D RAGONS .. 98
24.6: Castle Naerytar and the Ring of
18.1: Introduction ......................................... 98 Myrkul........................................................... 146
18.2: Reaching the Summit ........................... 98 24.7: Xonthal’s Tower .................................... 146
18.3: The Dragon Council .............................. 99 24.8: Dragons’ Revenge ................................. 146
18.4: Conclusion ........................................... 104 24.9: Character Arcs ..................................... 146
C H . 19: T HIRD C OUNCIL OF WATERDEEP 24.10: Other Enemies.................................... 146
24.11: Conclusion ......................................... 147
105
19.1: Introduction ......................................... 105 P AR T 1: C OMPENDIUM
19.2: Waterdeep............................................. 105
19.3: The Cult Strikes Back ........................... 105
C H . 25: N ON -P LAYABLE C HARACTERS
19.4: Members of the Council ........................ 106
19.5: Council Session .................................... 107
149
19.6: Conclusion ........................................... 110 25.1: Arauthator............................................ 149
25.2: Armored Swarm of Snakes.................... 152
C H . 20: X ONTHAL ’ S T OWER ............. 111 25.3: Azbara Jos............................................ 152
20.1: Introduction ......................................... 111 25.4: Bane’s Cultists ..................................... 152
20.2: Xonthal’s Tower (Village) ....................... 111 25.5: Bhaal’s Cultists .................................... 154
20.3: The Maze .............................................. 111 25.6: Bullywug Croaker ................................. 155
20.4: Xonthal’s Tower .................................... 114 25.7: Chuth................................................... 155
20.5: Conclusion ........................................... 114 25.8: Cult Wagon Leader................................ 157
25.9: Cyanwrath............................................ 157
C H . 21: M ISSION TO T HAY ............... 116 25.10: Dralmorrer Borngray .......................... 158
21.1: Introduction ......................................... 116 25.11: Galvan................................................ 158
21.2: Departing to Thay ................................. 116 25.12: Glazhael ............................................. 159
21.3: Nethwatch Keep’s Characters................ 116 25.13: Goblin Shaman................................... 160
21.4: Nethwatch Keep.................................... 119 25.14: Griffon Cavalry Rider .......................... 160
21.5: The Audience........................................ 123 25.15: Khandur Ulmarik................................ 161
21.6: Dreams and Nightmares ....................... 124 25.16: King Hekaton...................................... 161
21.7: The Mystery Murder ............................. 125 25.17: Laeral Silverhand................................ 162
21.8: The Missing Pyx.................................... 127 25.18: Lennithon ........................................... 164
21.9: The Diviner’s Drowning......................... 127 25.19: Monstrous Peryton ............................. 164

CONTENTS
iv
25.20: Mortlock Vanthampur......................... 165
25.21: Myrkul’s Cultists ................................ 166
25.22: Neronvain ........................................... 166
25.23: Nyh Ilmichh ........................................ 168
25.24: Pharblex Spattergoo............................ 168
25.25: Rath Modar ........................................ 169
25.26: Remallia Haventree............................. 169
25.27: Rezmir ................................................ 170
25.28: Thoss Tarek........................................ 171
25.29: Ulder Ravengard ................................. 172
25.30: Varram ............................................... 172
25.31: Voaraghamanthar ............................... 173
25.32: Waervaerendor.................................... 173
C H . 26: M APS ............................... 175
26.1: Greenest in Flames ............................... 175
26.2: Raider’s Camp ...................................... 176
26.3: Hatchery............................................... 177
26.4: Elturel .................................................. 178
26.5: Baldur’s Gate........................................ 180
26.6: On the Road ......................................... 181
26.7: Waterdeep and Carnath Roadhouse ...... 182
26.8: Mere of the Dead Men ........................... 183
26.9: Parnast and Skyreach Castle ................ 186
26.10: Council of Waterdeep .......................... 191
26.11: Death to the Wyrmspeakers: Varram .. 192
26.12: Sea of Moving Ice ................................ 193
26.13: Council of Waterdeep .......................... 195
26.14: Xonthal’s Tower .................................. 196
26.15: Nethwatch Keep.................................. 200
26.16: Rise of Tiamat..................................... 204
CONTENTS
v
 CONTENTS
vi
C HAPTER 1: C AMPAIGN O VERVIEW
This campaign happens in the Sword Coast.
Characters will explore most of the Sword Coast,
moving between Elturel, Baldur’s Gate,
Waterdeep, and exploring many smaller towns
nearby. Most names, cities, and locations will be
familiar to experienced players.
The events of this campaign happen in 1489
DR, right as Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition
starts. They span about 1 year. The characters
should grow from level 1 to 15.
1.1 I NTRODUCTION
Before our story begins, the Order of the Dragon,
led by their new leader, Severin, obtained the five
dragon masks and initiated the second part of its
plan to release Tiamat: recruiting dragons and
assembling a treasure hoard worthy of the queen
of evil dragons.
H OARD OF THE D RAGON Q UEEN
The first part of this campaign begins when a
town comes under attack by a dragon and its
allies. Characters can intervene to save
townsfolk, but not before attackers carry away
an important scholar. While rescuing that
captive from the raiders’ camp, characters learn
they are up against the Order of the Dragon, and
they have the chance to destroy a subterranean
dragon hatchery that the cult guards.
The hatchery provides clues to the cult’s
operation and sends the characters on a long
journey northward. During that trip, they face
threats from the cult and gain some unexpected
allies. North of Waterdeep, the cult’s contraband
is offloaded at a smuggler’s den for shipment to
a castle long ago abandoned.
A portal beneath the castle connects to the
stronghold of one of the cult’s most powerful and
most disgruntled members, Talis, who can
become either a deadly enemy or a crucial
collaborator to the characters. With or without
Talis’s help, the characters must get into a flying
citadel that a cloud giant placed at the cult’s
disposal and prevent it from reaching its
destination at the Well of Dragons.
R ISE OF T IAMAT
In the second part of this campaign,
representatives of groups and factions from
across the Sword Coast meet to discuss their
concern about the Order of the Dragon, and to
draw up plans for opposing the cult. The
adventurers are summoned to Waterdeep for a
summit that will come to be known as the
Council of Waterdeep.
Four council sessions take place over the
course of the adventure, naturally dividing
events into four stages. Between the council
gatherings, the characters undertake missions to
thwart the cult’s plans. Some of these missions
will be proposed by NPCs during council
sessions. Others can be proposed by the
characters. The adventurers understand that
thousands of lives depend on their actions. The
characters are among the greatest heroes of the
Sword Coast, and the Council of Waterdeep
looks to them for wise guidance and swift action.
Many of the power groups represented on the
council don’t trust each other, and some even
have conflicting goals. Over the course of the
council’s four meetings, the players and
characters need to forge this disparate, feuding
group into a coordinated force. Only with all
factions working together and contributing to the
overall effort can enough power be brought to
bear against the cult to prevent Tiamat’s return.
The more successful the characters are in their
actions against the cult, the more esteem and
influence they gain with the council.
1.2 R UNNING THE
C AMPAIGN
Start by reading the summary from chapter 2, to
get familiar with the overall structure of the
adventure.
With every chapter, please fully read the
corresponding chapters from each adventure
book. Then, read the chapter here to understand
the flow of events, see relevant changes, get
maps, ideas, and others. Each chapter should
contain a list of what is expected to happen
there. If something doesn’t happen (or happens
earlier than expected), it’s no problem, just
adjust the events in the next chapters.
Always remember to adapt to your players.
You create the world, they guide the story.
Ideally, they shouldn’t stray so far from the
planned adventure that the book becomes
useless, but what matters is that everyone (that
includes you!) is having fun!
O FFICIAL R ESOURCES
This campaign chains together multiple
published adventures, and also introduces newly
created ones. You will need the following
adventure books:
CHAPTER 1: CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW
1
 • Tyranny of Dragons: Hoard of the Dragon
Queen
• Tyranny of Dragons: Rise of Tiamat
A name in bold is referenced from the official
rules books, so I recommend having the core
books:
• Player’s Handbook
• Monster Manual
• Dungeon Master’s Guide
and the following supplement books:
• Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons
• Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the
Multiverse
• Volo’s Guide to Monsters
If you don’t have one of these books, you can
usually look up whatever entity being referenced
on-line.
A name in bold* with an asterisk is a custom
creature or item, which you can find in
chapter 25.
O THER R ESOURCES
Other than this book, I recommend checking out
other guides and sources. I took many ideas
from these.
• Lutes & Dices’ Hoard of the Dragon Queen and
Rise of Tiamat DM Guides
• Mark Comfort’s Tyranny of Dragons: DM
Guide
• Reddit’s TyrannyOfDragons subreddit
• Role-Playing Games StackExchange Hoard of
the Dragon Queen and Rise of Tiamat
• Sean McGovern’s A Guide to Tyranny of
Dragons
• SlyFlourish’s Running Rise of Tiamat
G LOBAL O VERVIEW AND C HANGES
The Cult of the Dragon does not refer to itself as
Cult of the Dragon. Who would join a
self-denominated cult? They refer to themselves
as Followers of the Scaly Way, Wearers of Purple,
or Order of the Dragon. They’re still a cult, and
people outside it refer to them as such, but they
themselves use other names. They are a secret
semi-religious evil organization venerating
dracoliches (undead dragons), which they used
to raise through profane rituals. Their belief was
that dracoliches were destined to one day rule
Faerûn and beyond and that it was their
purpose to help this come to pass. That was
until Severin learned about the Dragon Masks
and, guided by Tiamat’s whisperings, led the cult
in another direction.
The cult’s current leaders, and basic
personalities, are:
CHAPTER 1: CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW
2
• Severin (red, Well of Dragons): Has major
grandiosity problems and wants to burn every
governing body in Faerûn, with only him and
his devout followers being left in the wake of
Tiamat’s destruction.
• Rezmir* (black, Castle Naerytar): a
psychopath affected by Hazirawn’s influence,
she sacrifices people to Tiamat in her feverish
devotion. She’d rather die than get captured
by the enemy.
• Varram* (white, Sea of Moving Ice): a coward
who smooth-talked his way to the top without
really having leadership qualifications, he will
betray everyone and everything for his own
gain.
• Nerovain* (green, Misty Forest): an entitled
former prince that believes he should be above
everyone else due to his bloodline, and needs
Tiamat’s favor to achieve it.
• Galvan* (blue, Xonthar’s Tower): a stoic man
who failed to become a Wizard of Thay, and
thus turned to the Order of the Dragon in
search for power, Galvan believes Tiamat’s
return is inevitable, and would rather be on
her good side.
• Rath Modar (not strictly a member of the cult):
a crazy scientist with a dark humorous
personality, trying to overthrow Szass Tam,
current lich-lord of the Red Wizards of Thay.
Smart, calculating, prideful, and mocking,
Rath Modar is able to get a reaction out of
most people, which causes them to make
mistakes.
Each Wyrmspeaker (aside from Varram) carries a
powerful magic item with them.
Why do people join the Order of the Dragon?
See the Reasons to join the Order of the
Dragon table, inspired by Reddit’s u/varansl.
The cult transports treasure from many
different places and through many different
ways to reach the Well of Dragons. One could
argue there is a faster and shorter route from
Greenest to the Well of Dragons, but there are a
few reasons why the longer route was taken.
• Secrecy: The Order of the Dragon has kept
secret its goal to bring Tiamat into the world
thus far. Having booty streaming directly from
attacked locations straight to their hideout
would be pretty obvious. Therefore, carrying
the treasure, hidden in normal cargo traffic, to
an "abandoned" castle, teleporting it across a
mountain range, then flying it to the Well of
Dragons seems like it’s the best, absolutely
most secretive way to throw off tracking of
their activities. In fact, it takes a party of 8th
level adventurers to finally crack this trail!
• Globalization: the cult is looting treasure
from all across Faerûn. From each small
Reasons to join the Order of the Dragon
Summary Personal View
Building Deep down, I and everyone else
Better knows that our current society is
broken and flawed. We need a new
world order that can fix the glaring
flaws that let people be murdered,
exploited, enslaved, and more. While
the road ahead of us will involve
killing people, it is for the greater
good. We are going to rebuild this
world better than ever before, and
anyone stopping us is working for the
current, broken system.
Greater I’m special, I know it, you know
Purpose it. My god knows it, and has thus
chosen me to carry out its will. I WAS
CHOSEN to do something great with
my life, and I don’t have to sit around
and listen to others telling me that
I’m just normal. I am going to be part
of something great and everyone else
will soon learn to respect me.
Deceived Tiamat has promised that I will be
saved, those that I love will be saved,
and that what they are doing is the
best for society. They are going to
limit harming as many people as
they can, as they don’t want to hurt
others, but sometimes a few eggs
must be broken. They have promised
me that when they are summoned
and take over, that things are going
to become a utopia, and I believe
them.
Existence We are all going to die anyway, why
is Futile delay the inevitable? It would just be
a lot easier if we worked with this
god, we’ll get greater rewards in the
afterlife if we just cooperate and push
things along. If people would just stop
lying to themselves that this world is
worth saving, we could have a swift
end with little to no pain, a better
deal than you’ll get elsewhere.
Lying Any misgivings or second thoughts
to I’m having are just me being weak. I
Yourself haven’t gone this far because what
I’m doing is wrong. I am doing what
is right. All the sacrifices I have made
are to help usher in a new age, I don’t
understand why other people can’t
see it. I am the hero here, everyone
else is the bad guy.
Reality
This type of thinking is a strong motivator for cults that claim they shall destroy
a world. Players may even empathize with the cultists, but simply disagree on
how they are creating change (through violence, sacrifice, and devastation).
For many who are treated as outsiders in their community, it can feel incredibly
tempting to believe that they are here for a higher purpose. That other
people just "don’t get it" and that only they can see the truth. They were
born knowing that they were going to be more than just another farmer like
everyone else in their family. When they are approached by a Dragon cultist,
they are going to jump at the chance to vindicate their worldview. They are
going to want to join the cult, even if they don’t fully understand what is going
on. They are being promised the greatness they have longed for all their life.
It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the God-Queen of Dragons is capable
of lying to their minions. For many, they have been fed lie after lie about what
a new world will look like when she has taken over, and no amount of proof is
going to change their mind. Part of this is that they want to believe that they
are the good guys and if they accept that the things they did were evil, then it
means that they themselves are evil.
Not everyone is going to fit into this motivation as it requires someone who has
been intensely hurt by the world. These individuals are frustrated with the way
things are and just want to see it all end, though they want to first hedge their
bets. If there is a life after death, they are going to go with the god that is going
to control everything in the afterlife. They may have been promised rewards or
higher ranks in death, so long as the god’s plans come to fruition. Ultimately,
though, they don’t care about this world because the world has never cared
about them.
These individuals may know that Tiamat is planning on destroying thousands,
but they have gotten it in their heads that what they are doing is the right thing.
They were first asked to watch out for some adventurers, that’s easy and low
risk. Then asked to drive a cart for some people going to a secret meeting,
again, easy and low risk. After that, they may have been asked to help out by
scaring off those dang outsiders who are loud and destroy furniture in the bar.
It then slowly began increasing in asks and tasks, soon they were asked to kill
an outsider who was sticking their nose into things they don’t need to know
about or maybe the outsider killed a friend. It just then spiraled from there and
they refuse to think about what they have done. It has become a sunk cost
fallacy of deeds and misdeeds, if they turn back now, it means that they were
wrong or they wasted years of their life.
CHAPTER 1: CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW
3
 Reasons to join the Order of the Dragon
Out of They told me I can either die, and
Options watch my family die as well, or
protect my family and have a greater
purpose. I’m doing this to protect
my family, and if it means I have to
kill someone, then so be it. I don’t
hold any ill will towards them, but I
have to do what I can to keep my
family safe. I just hope that my family
understands I’m making these choices
to protect them.
Saved Everyone else is going to die but me.
Tiamat has promised that I, and all
others who serve faithfully, will be
saved from the oncoming apocalypse.
I want to live, I don’t want to be in
pain. I don’t get why anyone would
fight against this, it just means they
are going to die. Why would someone
throw away their life to protect other
people?
Strength I like being stronger than others. I
is like it when others look up at me
Power in fear for I have been given even
greater power than I had before.
I can cause wounds to open and
fester, or seal those wounds and keep
someone from dying. I need more
power, and the only way to get it is
to keep serving. Soon, though, I’ll be
so strong that I’ll surmount the power
of dragons, and then I’ll be the one
everyone fears.
Wanting I just want to belong to something,
to and these were the first ones to make
Belong me feel wanted. I had been cast
out by everyone who had loved me,
and it wasn’t my fault. Luckily, these
people found me and I feel seen and
wanted. They allowed me to join their
exclusive group and now I’m part of a
community!
Wealth I want money, I want jewels, and I
want a kingdom. I was told that if
I bring in this "new age" they keep
talking about, I am going to be
wealthier than beyond my wildest
dreams - and boy, do I dream wild.
CHAPTER 1: CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW
4
Those who have no other option but to help the cult can be driven into a tough
situation. They have the lives of loved ones being used against them, though
it isn’t only restricted to loved ones. It could include past deeds that they have
done, like cheating or stealing goods from someone else or any other type of
blackmail. They might first be unwilling to serve the cult, but they end up doing
so anyway because it is the easier and safer option for them, their loved ones,
or because they just feel like they don’t have any other choice.
A cultist could be serving not only because they believe that they will be
saved, but because they were told that their family or friends will also be saved.
Typically, though, they are wanting their own lives spared during the oncoming
apocalypse or change in guard, and are trying to ensure that they have gained
a special reprieve from what is to come.
Some people just enjoy holding power over others, inflicting pain and torment,
or feeling like they are a god, holding life and death in their hands. They may
not even care about rising through the ranks or learning about the religion
of the cult. So long as they are given ever greater power and strength, they
are going to do whatever they can to ensure that they keep getting stronger.
While others might balk about what must be done, these individuals delight in
showing off their strength over everyone else.
Perhaps they have a strange fascination with undeath, they act a bit odd
compared to everyone else, or they did something to ostracize them from
the community. These individuals just want to be part of something. We are
social creatures who desire to belong to something, anything, so long as we feel
like we have friends and those who understand us. This type of insidious need
can be easily exploited by cults who promise community, power, and revenge
against any who had refused them kindness.
It isn’t just money that can be offered to would-be cultists, but kingdoms, magic
items, and other material wealth. A dragon may make a thousand different
promises to its cultists, giving dozens of them the same promised lands, but
it doesn’t matter. It is using their avarice against them, and if the plans do
succeed, can always cull a few of its members and reward the others who
served it better. Someone who joins the cult for wealth may not be doing it just
for themselves, but rather for those they love. They may have been told that a
loved one will die from a horrible illness, but if they join, they’ll be given enough
wealth to pay for doctors, clerics, cures, and more. There is always something
that a person is looking for, and this greed can be used against them.
 village, loot is transported by wagon. Each
wagon eventually joins a caravan. Caravans
are eventually taken to one of the portals
leading to Parnast and Skyreach Castle. From
there, it is carried to the Well of Dragons (the
cult has done this multiple times by now, and
a huge amount of treasure is already
amassed).
• Zhentarim: the Well of Dragons is close to
Darkhold, headquarters of the Zhentarim, who
are aligned against the cult. The cult could be
raided by their members.
• Internal Politics: Rezmir is the master of
Castle Naerytar, and the one who negotiated
with Blagothkus to use Skyreach Castle. She
pushed this plan so she could take the credit
for moving the Hoard.
• Real Reason: The writers of the book wanted
people the explore the entire Sword Coast in
their first 5th Edition campaign.

S TAR TING THE C AMPAIGN

Always start by having a session 0, to
accommodate everyone’s expectations and
ensure you’re all on the same page. Explain the
setting, mention how it will be related to dragons,
the mood you’re expecting (serious and dark, or
light-hearted and comical), the availability of
magic (can you buy magic items in every town?),
and whatever homebrew rules you plan to
implement (I follow David’s Homebrew Rules).
Inform your players about the available
backgrounds, Cult of the Dragon Infiltrator and
Dragon Scholar, which they can take for their
characters. You can also ask them if they want
to be related to any relevant characters, which
provides interesting role-playing options. Then,
have each player make a character suitable for
the Forgotten Realms setting. Have them create
backstories that preferably link them together as
adventurers, that link them to the main cities
they will explore, or that link them to dragons in
general. Finally, ask them to find a reason for
having joined a caravan, currently headed for
Greenest, either as a merchant or as an escort.
At last, start your tale, and enjoy!

CHAPTER 1: CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW

5
 C HAPTER 2: A DVENTURES
The remainder of this campaign is structured
as follows.
2.1 T HE T ORM ’ S
K NIGHTS T OMB
As the characters approach the city of Greenest,
escorting a caravan, they are attacked by goblins
in the misty twilight. A child from the caravan is
kidnapped, and his mother begs the characters
to help her. The child was taken to an old
underground tomb, where goblins are planning
to sacrifice him to reach the hidden treasure
room.
2.2 G REENEST IN
F LAMES
As the characters get to the village of Greenest,
they are surprised to find it under attack. They
quickly escape to the safest location, the central
keep, only to find a dragon is part of the raiders,
and there are many innocents that need
rescuing.
2.3 R AIDERS ’ C AMP
The characters follow tracks from Greenest until
they reach the raider’s camp. Their goal is
gathering information (can be done by
infiltrating the camp, or to a lesser extent, by
observing from the surrounding cliffs) and
rescuing Leosin (best done after sunset, as
guards rotate, sleep, or go for a meal).
2.4 D RAGON
H ATCHERY
The characters are asked by Leosin to return to
the camp, and keep an eye on the raiders. If they
get the chance, inspect the cave, and gather
more information. When the characters get
there, however, the raiders have left, and only a
small garrison has stayed behind, guarding the
suspicious cavern.
2.5 E LTUREL
After learning in Greenest that Leosin has gone
to Elturel, the characters must report to him
there. Upon arriving, they meet members of the
Order of the Gauntlet and of the Harpers, and
get to know the city by proving their worth to
Ontharr. They are also indirectly invited to meet
the Harpers in Baldur’s Gate and Waterdeep.
CHAPTER 2: ADVENTURES
6
2.6 B ALDUR ’ S G ATE
The characters arrive at Baldur’s Gate and meet
a contact from the Harpers. While waiting for the
Order of the Dragon’s cargo to arrive, they’re
asked to inspect a suspicious bathhouse, which
seems to be linked to the ongoing murders
happening in the city.
2.7 O N T HE R OAD
The characters join the caravan to trail the
mysterious cargo hauled by the Order of the
Dragon, all the way to Waterdeep. The journey is
long, and the way is perilous. Characters will
face imposters and monsters, and grow familiar
with Dragonspear and Daggerford.
2.8 WATERDEEP AND
C ARNATH
R OADHOUSE
The characters have barely any room to breathe,
as the Order of the Dragon immediately prepares
to move on north away from Waterdeep. The
characters can briefly meet the Harpers and
synchronize any information retrieved about the
Order. They can explore the wondrous city, and
like Baldur’s Gate, purchase new equipment,
meet new people, or reconnect with old friends.
They must then re-join the caravan, and the
cultists are no longer hiding their animosity. The
characters reach a large construction Roadhouse
and the treasure mysteriously vanishes in the
night. The cultists, having completed their job,
can finally try and get rid of the characters, once
and for all.
2.9 M ERE OF THE
D EAD M EN
The treasure that has been followed ever since
Greenest draws ever near. Footprints are clearly
seen, waddling through the swamp, heavier on
the way into the swamp (because of carried
cargo) than out. The swamp, however, is a
dangerous place, and the roars of a large dragon
are heard from a distance. The characters
eventually find Castle Naerytar, the Order’s base
of operations in the swamp, ruled by Rezmir.
They have the opportunity to trigger an
insurrection by the mistreated Lizardfolk, and
eventually they find a mysterious portal under
the castle, through which both treasure and
Rezmir have escaped.
2.10 P ARNAST AND
S KYREACH
C ASTLE
Rezmir quickly moves from a Hunting Lodge
near Parnast to Skyreach Castle, a flying fortress
from the Cloud Giants. The characters must
embark upon it and prevent it from reach its
final destination, where the forces of the Order of
the Dragon will certainly be too dangerous.
Luckily, a new ally is coming to talk some sense
into the giants. However, that still leaves Rezmir,
Azbara, cultists, and of course, a dangerous
dragon to take care of.
2.11 F IRST C OUNCIL
OF WATERDEEP
A few days after Skyreach has fallen, a Council
is assembled in the City of Wonders to determine
how the forces of Faerûn will handle the
upcoming war. Refugees, attacks, cut-off cities,
and others, are straining the resources of every
major organization. The politics of the situation
are delicate, and the Council members want to
meet the characters that have thus far thwarted
the cult’s plans. After this meeting, goals and
objectives are set to prevent the situation from
escalating. Meanwhile, the Order of the Dragon
sounds the Draakhorn, an ancient artifact
whose purpose is still unclear.
2.12 T OMB OF
D IDERIUS
The Harper network of spies spotted the White
Wyrmspeaker, Varram, in a small encampment,
southeast of Waterdeep. It is crucial to follow up
on this lead and attempt to capture the dwarf,
and recover the White Dragon Mask he wears.
Little do the characters know that the mask has
already been stolen, and Varram is actually
seeking it through a powerful Divination Pool.
2.13 T HE S EA OF
M OVING I CE
Characters have an opportunity to track down
the Draakhorn, and also uncover the fate of
Maccath, the Crimson. Her last known
whereabouts were in the Sea of Moving Ice, the
same area where the Draakhorn was last known
to be found at, as she was about to explore an
iconic iceberg, Oyaviggaton. The danger is great,
not only from the local monsters, but also from
the estranged northern Ice Hunter tribes, and
most of all, from the dragon that, unbeknownst
to nearly everyone, slumbers in the mysterious
iceberg.
2.14 S ECOND
C OUNCIL OF
WATERDEEP
Politics, as usual, ruin everything. Inner turmoil
disrupts the Council as a new Open Lord is
appointed to Waterdeep, and conflicts emerge.
All the invitations of the Council have been filled,
and new dangers loom on the horizon. The
Order’s activities have increased, undoubtedly
due to the character’s disruptions of their plans.
The Emerald Enclave in particular is worried
about strange rumours coming from the Misty
Forest, just south of Waterdeep. However, not all
news are bad, and new allies have contacted the
Council, hoping to reach an agreement.
2.15 T HE M ISTY
F OREST
The Emerald Enclave and the elven prince
Alagarthas request the character’s help to
uncover the plans of the Misty Forest cell, led by
Neronvain and Chuth. Alagarthas’ father
believes the attacks are over, but Alagarthas
fears otherwise. In particular, they ask the
characters to investigate a singular attack on an
elven village, where the dragon,
uncharacteristically, abandoned the raid
half-way without pillaging or murdering the
entire population.
2.16 T HE C OUNCIL OF
D RAGONS
The Metallic Dragons have invited the characters
to an ancient draconic rite of council. They wish
to determine what the dragons will do in the face
of the looming threat of Tiamat, and how they
should (if at all) work with the smaller humanoid
races. Some of the dragons are not interested in
cooperating with them, while others find
potential in an alliance. It’s up to the characters
to convince them to join forces. However, the
Order of the Dragon is aware of this meeting and
is trying their best to prevent it from happening.
CHAPTER 2: ADVENTURES
7
 2.17 T HIRD C OUNCIL 2.21 T IAMAT ’ S
OF WATERDEEP R ETURN
The Council once more gathers to determine The alliance is striking back. They must stop
what to do now that their territories have been Severin’s ritual at the Well of Dragons to prevent
defended as best they can. However, the night Tiamat’s return. However, the ritual has already
before the meeting, Waterdeep suffers a started, can it be too late?
devastating attack with thousands of casualties.
The attack coincided with an assassination
attempt on the characters’ lives. They must now
2.22 E PILOGUE
present the results of their missions and The world has been saved! The Order of the
navigate a political mine-field to get everyone to Dragon still remains, no hidden in the shadows
play along together. once more. However, there are many loose ends
to tie up. Why were devils helping the cult? How
are cities going to recover from this war? Are the
2.18 X ONTHAL ’ S party’s enemies seeking vengeance? What is
happening at Dragonspear, Castle Naerytar, or
T OWER Xonthal’s Tower? Leave it up to your players to
The Harpers got a letter from a defector of the decide where to go next!
Order of the Dragon. An anonymous member
claims to have borrowed the Blue Dragon Mask,
and must be extracted from a mysterious place
known as Xonthal’s Tower. It could be a trap,
but investigating this clue can lead to great
results: a high-ranking member of the cult
willing to help the Alliance, and a last chance at
obtaining a dragon mask.

2.19 M ISSION TO
T HAY
The Red Wizards of Thay, led by the Lich Lord
Szass Tam, wish to extinguish the Thayan
Resurrection, a splinter sect of Thay who has
allied with the Order of the Dragon. Led by Rath
Modar, this sect is responsible for opening the
portal between Avernus and the Forgotten
Realms, in exchange for power gifted by the
Dragon Queen as a reward for their efforts. Rath
Modar hopes to defeat Szass Tam and bring
Thay to its glory days; Szass Tam hopes to
utterly destroy Rath Modar in horrible ways. To
this goal, he invites a group of emissaries to visit
Thay in order to establish a temporary alliance.

2.20 F OUR TH
C OUNCIL OF
WATERDEEP
The Council gathers for the final time. The
characters present the results of their latest
missions, and a plan of attack is laid out against
the Order of the Dragon. The Well of Dragons’
location is finally found, and the cult is
summoning Tiamat in a few days. The armies of
the alliance are about to march to war.

CHAPTER 2: ADVENTURES
8
C HAPTER 3: T HE T ORM ’ S K NIGHT T OMB
Inspired by The Delian Tomb by Seth Harris,
available at DM’s Guild.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.1.
3.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 1.
The goal for this chapter is for players to get
used to the setting. Characters should find a
connection (through Mary) to Leosin, level up to
be more ready for Greenest, and also learn a bit
about the Dead Three gods.
3.2 A R OUGH R OAD
Mary Erlanthar, a 30-something year old woman,
is taking her kid Toby, to the city of Greenest.
Mary is Leosin Erlanthar’s sister. Her husband
died recently, and out of money, she is travelling
to where Leosin last told her he would be. Toby
quickly befriends the characters throughout this
journey, being a smart and inquisitive child. He
often remarks he wants to be a brave adventurer
like them, and occasionally mentions his uncle
(Leosin) to be some sort of secret agent (a fact his
mother quickly dismisses).
Figure 3.1: The Caravan. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.
Some days before reaching Greenest, at
twilight, mists surround the caravan, as they do
most other nights. This moonless night, however,
the caravan is attacked by a group of goblins.
The characters must defend the close-by
chariots against 3 (1d6) Goblins, while other
groups of goblins attacks other chariots in the
caravan. The other groups will be defeated by
the other guards, and characters need only to
focus on this group of enemies. During the fight,
a sneaky goblin kidnaps Toby without anyone
noticing.
After the enemies are defeated, Mary quickly
notices her son is missing. Some members of the
caravan want to keep moving, afraid of further
attacks. Mary will go on her own after her boy, if
need be, but ideally the characters should help
her. They can easily track the goblins’ footprints,
which clearly head west and soon lead out of the
woods into open rocky hills. They spot a ruin on
a hill not far off. The tracks veer off the road and
toward the ruins.
3.3 T HE T ORM ’ S
K NIGHT T OMB
This Tomb, dedicated to Torm, has been invaded
by goblins who worship the Dead Three, the evil
gods Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul. They have
received visions from their gods, triggered by the
Order of the Dragon’s recent machinations, and
worshippers of these gods have recently become
active. These particular goblins don’t really care
about any of this, and are simply trying to get
treasure and power through murder and
violence.
E NTRANCE
Two Goblins guard the entrance of the tomb.
They are sleepy and distracted, and have
disadvantage on their Wisdom (Perception)
checks. If attacked, the last one alive will yell for
help from the goblins inside the tomb.
If you want to challenge your players, two
others patrol the outside, circling the entrance
every five minutes. If alive, they hear sounds of
combat at the entrance of the tomb, and join the
fight after a round of combat.
R OOM A - T HE O FFERING R OOM
The doors to the tomb have been broken and shoved aside.
The stink of goblin sweat and filth wafts up with the dry air
from inside the tomb.
Darkness awaits down the stairs into the ruins. Faded
carved script is barely visible in the stone above the
entrance. From below you hear the occasional sound of
goblins talking to each other. From further inside the ruins
you hear gregorian demonic chanting.
CHAPTER 3: THE TORM’S KNIGHT TOMB
9
 Inside the Offering Room are two large copper
bowls. The goblins are using one as a brazier for
their campfire and the other as a toilet. One wall
is covered with carving depicting the Knights of
Torm fighting chaotic creatures including goblins
and their kin. In the opposite wall is carved the
following: I swear the Torm Oath. To serve law,
battle chaos, and keep the forces of darkness at
bay. in Elfish, and then the same in Dwarfish
below it.
Inside the Offering Room, four Goblins are
currently recovering from the night raid. Each of
these has taken 3 (1d6) damage in the attack.
One of them is the goblin that kidnapped Toby.
If they have been alerted, they will attempt to
take cover and wait for the characters to attack.
The characters may be able to force or lure them
out.
The goblins do not warn the creatures in the
Prayer Room as they’ve been warned not to
disrupt the ceremony that is now in progress.
Loud combat, however, will alert them. The last
remaining goblin will run for his life and try to
escape the tomb.
A DC 15 perception check reveals a Scroll of
Magic Missile hidden under the copper bowl
being used as a toilet. The sounds of chanting
are clear now. They filter through the ruins of a
heavy stone door leading deeper into the ruins.
Figure 3.2: The Tomb’s Entrance. By Matt Colville.
CHAPTER 3: THE TORM’S KNIGHT TOMB
10
The most perceptive characters in the party can
also make out the sounds of a sobbing child. It
is clear to the characters that the door was
broken through recently and that it’s heavy
stone construction would have required more
strength than a human has to break.
Just beyond the door is a scythe trap, which
can be detected with a DC 12 Wisdom
(Perception) check. If triggered by a medium or
larger creature, a rusty scythe falls from the
ceiling, attacking them. The creature must
succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or
take 2 (1d4) slashing damage.
R OOM B - P RAYER R OOM
The walls of this room are made of finely crafted pale grey
stone. Small niches line the walls, each dedicated to a
paladin of the Torm. At the far end of the room stands a
beautifully crafted statue of the founder of the order. At the
foot of the statue is a crude iron cage, which holds the
sobbing child Toby. In the center of the room, facing away
from you, five goblins are conducting some demonic ritual.
Toby is about to be killed by a Goblin
Shaman* and four other Goblins. They are
chanting a loud demonic ritual, and will kill
Toby and spill his blood on the altar at the end
of the tomb, in an attempt to make the secret
passage open up. Because of the loud gregorian
chanting, they won’t hear combat noises from
the Offering Room, unless it is something
particularly loud. They have disadvantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks. They fight to the
death.
After defeating the creatures, the characters
can easily free Toby from the crude cage. The
rudimentary padlock holding it closed can be
smashed with a solid blow or two. The sobbing
child will cling to whoever frees him from the
cage. He is sobbing uncontrollably and can’t
provide any useful information. It will take him
ten minutes to calm down unless one of the
characters is able to help with a DC 12
Charisma (Performance or Persuasion) check.
Toby will refuse to be left alone until he’s calmed
down.
A line of text is carved into the dais that the
statue stands on. It reads "To keep this, you
must first give it to me.” in Elfish, and then the
same in Dwarfish below it. The answer to the
riddle is ’your word’. If one of the characters of
an appropriate background speaks the Torm
Oath (found in the Offering Room), or speaks Figure 3.3: The Tomb. By Matt Colville.
some similar promise in the Prayer Room, the
secret door at the back of the room will open. The weapon is a +1 melee weapon (any melee
Characters can deduce this with a DC 12 weapon without the Finesse property). Each
Intelligence (Investigation or Religion) check. sarcophagus holds 31 (3d20)gp worth of
precious stones and offerings. Each skeleton
As the final word of your oath leaves your lips you feel a wears a gold circlet on its head bearing the sigil
holy power gather around you. It sinks through your skin of the Knights of Torm (a raised gauntlet), worth
and flesh and wraps itself around your bones. You feel a 30gp. On the wall is a tapestry worth 45gp.
new obligation to champion Law and Justice in the world.
3.4 C ONCLUSION
A door in the back corner of the room, barely If the characters rescue Toby, Mary is forever
noticeable until now, slides open. Cool stale air grateful for their help. She doesn’t have much to
spills out of a dark doorway. give, but will help the characters anyway she
can. Toby recovers quickly but abandons his
R OOM C - T HE T OMB dreams of becoming an adventurer. Mary will
mention Leosin to the characters, claiming he
A shining weapon rests on a weapon stand in the center of would certainly like to meet them and thank
the room. Five stone sarcophagi are arranged around the them for saving his nephew.
room. The sarcophagi are ornately carved with scenes of
the victories of knights of Torm.

Any character who swore the oath, or who

worships a good-aligned God, will recognize this
room as a holy place and will understand that
plundering the room is an act of desecration.
They will also understand that they are free to
take the weapon, but nothing else, should they
wish to use it against chaos and evil.
If a character who has not sworn the oath
takes the weapon, or if any character attempts to
open one of the sarcophagi or take other items, a
Skeleton emerges from each of the four
sarcophagi and attacks the characters.

CHAPTER 3: THE TORM’S KNIGHT TOMB

11
 C HAPTER 4: G REENEST
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Greenest in
Flames by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.2.
Maps can be found in section 26.1.
4.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 2.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
see how a mysterious dragon-related group is
causing chaos. They will have a chance to save
lots of people and earn some reputation, witness
Frulam Mondath arguing with Lennithon* (so
even within this group, there seems to be some
disagreement), and witness the mighty
Cyanwrath*’s strength.
4.2 G REENEST IN
F LAMES
The characters reach Greenest by nightfall.
Initially, they’re not immediately aware that
something is wrong, but as they enter the city by
its southern road, they realize the city is under
attack, and some of it is aflame. Most of the
caravan’s members decide to flee, or stay outside
the city until things settle down. Mary and Toby
prefer to stick with the characters, and head for
the keep (Mary is worried about her brother
Leosin).
Figure 4.1: Greenest in Flames.
I removed Castellan Escobert the Red’s
character. Only shows up here, no need for him.
CHAPTER 4: GREENEST IN FLAMES
12
IN F LAMES
I just used Governor Nighthill for everything
related to the city’s leadership. I also make sure
that encounters are easily dodged/avoided by
characters on the way to the keep. Most of the
cultists are busy ransacking houses, or speaking
loudly as they approach from another street,
which allows the characters to hide or run away
most of the times. Finally, I added two Ballistae
to the keep’s walls (and a third one, already
destroyed by the dragon). The characters can
use them to scare the dragon away! Just be
careful not to waste ammo trying to shoot down
random cultists.
I ran the missions in the following order.
S EEK THE K EEP
Figure 4.2: The Seek the Keep mission. By
Reddit’s u/DarthVeX.
Ran as-is.
I had every group of cultists approaching very
obviously, which allowed the player characters to
run and avoid most fights. Make sure the
cultists are more obvious the more worn-down
your characters are. Also ensure your players
are aware they have the option to run and avoid
fights. Another idea if characters are having a
tough time is for guards to show up to help.
Some encounters can even start with guards
already engaged by cultists, and characters can
choose to help them fend off the invaders.
At My Table
The characters headed for the bridge crossing the stream,
but enemies were coming down that way. They instead
turned right, avoided a group of cultists ransacking a house
there, crossed the stream, and approached the keep from
the south. Somewhere during this, they hear the dragon’s
roar, but they still cannot identify its source, as night has
fallen. They fought another group of cultists before running
inside the keep with about a dozen commoners following
them (including Mary and Toby).

Figure 4.3: The Keep. By Reddit’s
u/Oakley_Kuvakei.
Characters are greeted by Governor Nighthill,
who asks for their help in this troubled night. He
offers them 2 Potions of Health right away. He
proposes either the Sanctuary or the Save the
Mill missions (characters will be unable to do
both, there’s not enough time). Mary
recommends going to the temple, as her brother
and other villagers might be there.
T HE O LD T UNNEL
Figure 4.4: The Old Tunnel mission. By Reddit’s
u/DarthVeX.
Ran as-is.
Make the rat swarms pretty obvious from afar,
and they can be scared away using fire (e.g.,
throwing torches from a distance).
S ANCTUARY, S AVE THE M ILL , AND
P RISONERS
Figure 4.5: The Sanctuary mission. By Reddit’s
u/DarthVeX.
Figure 4.6: The Save the Mill mission. By
Reddit’s u/DarthVeX.
Ran Sanctuary together with Prisoners, as-is.
Should the players choose to, should be similar
to running Save the Mill together with Prisoners.
The characters can complete the Prisoners
mission by dragging one of the cultists,
unconscious, inside the keep. Reveal the adult
blue dragon Lennithon* somewhere during this
time, by having him illuminated by his own
lightning breath as he destroys another city
block.
CHAPTER 4: GREENEST IN FLAMES
13
 At My Table
My players opted for the Sanctuary mission, defeated the
4.3 C ONCLUSION
group of cultists on the backside of the temple, and The characters have likely helped rescuing a lot
rescued about 50 Commoners from there, including the of people, and have the thanks of the Mayor.
local priest. Leosin was not among them. They got chased Leosin, however, was kidnapped, so both Mary
to the tunnel by the group patrolling the outside of the and the Mayor ask the characters to tail the
temple, and stood their ground there while all the villagers
escaped inside.
raiders. The Mayor needs more information on
the attack, while Mary asks to rescue her
brother.
D RAGON A TTACK
Ran as-is, as the characters are trying to rest
after the previous mission. Trigger this attack
only after the rest if needed.
The characters witness Mondath arguing with
Lennithon* and can tell he isn’t that glad to be
here. After the attack begins, the characters can
use the Ballistae on the castle walls. One is
destroyed, but the other two are functioning.
The dragon will run away after 3 successful hits
from these

At My Table
A lucky hit from one of them was enough to damage
Lennithon and scare him away.

H ALF -D RAGON C HAMPION

Ran as-is, just before dawn.

Figure 4.7: The Half-Dragon Champion mission.

By Reddit’s u/DarthVeX.

T HE S ALLY P OR T
I removed this mission, seems too chaotic, and
this chapter is hard enough as it is.

CHAPTER 4: GREENEST IN FLAMES

14
C HAPTER 5: R AIDERS ’ C AMP
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Raiders’ Camp S TRAGGLERS
by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.3.
Maps can be found in section 26.2.

5.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 3.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
witness the strength of the group that attacked
Greenest. They will glimpse the real leaders of
this cell, Rezmir* (and her greatsword and
dragon mask) and Azbara Jos*, gather some
information about the Order of the Dragon (how
it is composed of different groups, including paid
mercenaries, kobolds, and fanatical cultists, or
how they greet each other with dragon-related
mottos), and rescue Leosin Erlanthar.

5.2 R AIDERS ’ C AMP

After a long rest and asking the city for whatever
equipment they might provide (although it will
take a couple of days to gather or forge what the
Figure 5.2: The Stragglers mission. By Reddit’s
characters asked for), they characters trail the
u/Langeounet.
raiders into their camp.
I set the camp about four hours (by foot) to the
south of Greenest. Ran as-is.

Figure 5.1: The Raider’s Camp mission (outside). By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

CHAPTER 5: RAIDERS’ CAMP

15
 T HE C AMP
Rezmir (wearing her Dragon Mask) and Mondath
are trying to interrogate Leosin when the
characters arrive there, albeit with little success.

At My Table
Characters waited for night, and never actually entered the
camp. They scouted from the surrounding hills, saw Leosin
being interrogated by Frulam Mondath and Rezmir*, and
waited until the guards were rotating. At some point, only
two were guarding him (the others had gone to fetch
dinner). While the Wizard’s Familiar carried a knife to
Leosin and guided him to the cliff (where ropes awaited to
pull him up), the guards were silently disposed of.

R EARGUARD

Figure 5.3: The Rearguard mission. By Reddit’s

u/Langeounet.

Ran as-is.

At My Table
Because they didn’t leave anything behind to cover the fact
Leosin had escaped, they were rapidly pursued. Thanks to
poor rolls, a patrol caught up to them, with a Veteran, two
Kobolds, two Scouts, and four Cultists. This allowed them
to capture a cultist and bring him back for interrogation.

5.3 C ONCLUSION
The characters have hopefully gathered some
information about the Order of the Dragon
(including witnessing the Black Dragon Mask
worn by Rezmir, and the legendary Hazirawn at
her back) and rescued Leosin. It’s likely they
noticed the heavily guarded Chief’s tent, and the
suspicious cave nearby.

CHAPTER 5: RAIDERS’ CAMP

16
C HAPTER 6: D RAGON H ATCHERY
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Dragon
Hatchery by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.4.
Maps can be found in section 26.3.
6.1 I NTRODUCTION
6.2 D RAGON
H ATCHERY
The next day, Leosin asks the characters to go
back, and keep an eye on the camp. Characters
are to find out if another raid is coming, where
they are moving to next, and what’s in the cave.

Characters should be at level 4.

A BANDONED C AMP
When characters reach the camp, they find it
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
empty. About four hunters (Scouts) remain
witness that the Order of the Dragon has left the
there, happily cooking some elk for lunch. These
camp and took with them several wagons with
carry food in and out of the cave, and are not
mysterious cargo. This is a typical dungeon
enemies of the characters. The characters might
crawl through the Hatchery, and characters will
even pretend to be hunters for easy access to the
hopefully eliminate Frulam Mondath and
cave.
Cyanwrath*. They will learn the destination the
cargo is headed towards, and also decide how to D RAGON H ATCHERY
deal with then Chromatic Dragon eggs they find.
I kept the dungeon mostly as is. Here are the
changes I made:

Figure 6.1: The Dragon Hatchery. Originally by Reddit’s u/Langeounet.

CHAPTER 6: DRAGON HATCHERY

17
 • Only three Violet Fungi on Area 3. At My Table
• The Stirges on Area 4, if awoken, attack bats My party carried Mondath and two other cultists back to
as well as the characters. Greenest for interrogation. They were given some horses
• Two Kobolds and three Winged Kobolds on by Nighthill, and were told Leosin is now awaiting them in
Area 6, distracted with food. Elturel with their rewards.
• The last Kobold alive during combat on Area
7 tries to escape into Area 8, but forgets about
the trap in the stairs and is killed by it.
• Only four Kobolds and four Winged Kobolds
on Area 8, distracted resting.
• The pit in Area 10A is covered with dense fog,
and the Black Guard Drakes in it have 10ft
Blindsight. The Roper is called William, and is
a British gentleman with great manners.
• The Kobolds in Area 10B surrender as soon
half are killed, if they witnessed Cyanwrath’s
defeat.
• Cyanwrath* uses a modified statblock with
additional magic items.
• The enemies in Area 12, if alerted to the
presence of the characters, split up. Half go
with Mundath through the trapdoor, the other
half go around through the the hidden passage
in Area 2, taking some rounds to surround the
characters. Mundath will try to stall for time
while they move. After Mundath’s death, three
remaining cultists will surrender.
• Only one patrol of two Ambush Drakes
roaming about between Areas 7 and 10. They
take about an hour to make the full route, as
they stop for long periods of time in each room.
They stop just before the traps between Areas
4 and 7 to turn back around. These might still
be a challenge to many groups, so feel free to
weaken or remove this patrol entirely.

At My Table
Characters lured the two Dragonclaws guarding the cave
to the leaders’ tent and quickly disposed of them. They
explored the dungeon silently, quickly wiping each group of
Kobolds without alerting the next one, and ignored Areas 5
and 6. They rested in Area 8 before facing Cyanwrath.
After Cyanwrath’s defeat, they triggered the acid trap
(because they’re morons), and rested before exploring Area
10. There, they destroyed the three dragon eggs from a
distance. Using illusions, they tried to lure Mondath into
Area 9, but she was suspicious. Combat ensued, and they
captured her, while using the Kobold bombs to kill her
guards.

6.3 C ONCLUSION
The characters have hopefully defeated
Cyanwrath and Mondath, learned that wagons
with suspicious cargo is being delivered to
Baldur’s Gate, and killed some chromatic dragon
eggs that would no-doubt lead to problems once
the hatchlings grew up.

CHAPTER 6: DRAGON HATCHERY

18
C HAPTER 7: E LTUREL
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s On the Road by
Wizards of the Coast, and Descent into Avernus’s
Elturel Has Fallen by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.5.
Maps can be found in section 26.4.
7.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 5.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
relax and meet new allies in the great city of
Elturel, and eventually be recruited to help them
keep track of what the Order of the Dragon is up
to.
7.2 E LTUREL
Six days by horse from Greenest, the characters
arrive on Elturel. They can explore the city in
search of Ontharr, and become familiar with the
city’s perpetual sun (The Companion), the city’s
prominent locations (Shiarra’s Market,
Dragoneye Docks, High Hall, Grand Cemetery,
and the Pair of Black Antlers inn), and the
Hellriders.
Elturel is a city-state lying on the River
Chionthar in the Western Heartlands. It is a
center for agriculture and trade in the region,
and is renowned for its elite mounted defenders,
the Hellriders. It is the capital of the realm of
Elturgard, a theocracy of Torm the True and
defended by its paladin knighthood, the Order of
the Companion.
The city is situated atop a bluff with a cliff
dominating the River Chionthar. This is both a
good defensive position and a good
Figure 7.1: Elturel City. By WorldAnvil.
crossing-point, as the river below is narrow,
shallow, and easily traversed by poling barges;
the city was founded here for this advantage.
The river linked it with Berdusk, Iriaebor, and
Scornubel, and to Baldur’s Gate on the Sword
Coast.
G OVERNMENT AND R ELATIONS
The city and Elturgard as a whole is ruled by the
High Observer of Torm, a priest named Thavius
Kreeg. Aided by a paladin knighthood, the High
Observer makes certain that order is maintained
in the city and the realm, with the aim of
bringing righteous judgment to all the Realms
and "setting Faerûn aright". As in the past, they
ensure the city and countryside remains safe
and well-policed and that trade and agriculture
are run efficiently. It was believed by many that
Thavius ruled wisely and well for decades, yet he
presided over harsh and rigid laws, intolerant
attitudes, and inquisitions.
Elturel was once a firm member of the Lords’
Alliance. Nowadays, however, Elturel is a power
of its own and an independent city, no longer a
member of the Alliance.
L AW & O RDER
The city is surrounded by a stout stone wall,
shielding all but the southern river side. There
are two gates, on the northwest and northeast
sides. Inside the eastern wall, a canal serves as
a partial moat.
Elturel’s main defense is the Hellriders, a
2000-strong elite unit of well-equipped, loyal,
and close-knit mounted troops. For a city guard,
CHAPTER 7: ELTUREL
19
 they outmatch the armies of whole realms. They
are not only the guards and police of the city,
they also patrol the River Chionthar and
surrounding roads, and escort caravans from
Waterdeep to Iriaebor. They maintain
guardhouses in the Fields of the Dead and
warning beacons in the surrounding farmlands.
All Hellriders are required to give a tenth of their
earnings to Elturel’s coffers.
They are joined by the Order of the
Companion, a well-armored mounted
knighthood of paladins who defend the city and
wider Elturgard, swear oaths to the realm and
share its goals, even if the members do not all
share faith in Torm. Courageous, righteous, and
zealous, they are proud of their dedication to the
cause of good, their clear morals, even their
intolerance. They are identified by the blazing
insignia of the Companion that they wear. Many
of the Hellriders aspire to join the Companions.
Both follow the Creed Resolute, swearing to
serve the High Observer and the greater good,
uphold Elturgard’s law, and permit no difference
Figure 7.2: The range of effect of The Companion. By Reddit’s u/kelanro.
CHAPTER 7: ELTUREL
20
in faith to come between them, nor to attribute
the Companion to one god or another.
D ISTRICTS
The city is split into two districts: an upper city
known as the High District and a lower city
known as the Dock District. The High District
spreads over the slopes of a rising, defensible hill
with a rocky cliff on its south side, where it
meets the Chionthar. In this crowded space, the
buildings are constructed of stone, with tall
narrow houses topped with spires and bedecked
with balconies and windows, and the cobbled
streets are narrow, steep, and winding. Their
cellars are dug out of the solid rock. This area is
home to the city’s nobility. Atop the cliff
overlooking the river is the High Hall, marked by
its soaring turrets and its walls encircling the
summit. This is where the High Observer lives,
government is based, bureaucracy is managed,
political and religious leaders are housed, and
large commercial meetings are held. On the
northeastern flank of the hill is a ravine, crossed
by two bridges: the Torm’s Reach in the north
and the Torm’s Blade south of it, each 20 feet
and consecrated in the name of Torm by runes
carved into them, and warded against fiends and
undead.
The Dock District, meanwhile, covers the
flatlands around. It is home to markets,
stockyards, and warehouses, as well as
wagon-makers and yards and offices of other
trades associated with caravans. It is dirty,
disorderly, and smelly, with buildings designed
only for function and business. In the east side,
it is known for hovels and warehouses clustered
around the docks. In the west side there are
tidier and more well-off homes and shops.
The city is not all utilitarian. The Garden, also
known as "the Winter Garden" in local songs and
stories, runs right through the middle of the city
along the ridge of the hill, long, straight, and
narrow "like the blade of a naked sword", in the
words of Elminster. It begins at the High Hall,
where a powerful freshwater spring rises in the
cellars and feeds a stream that wounds through
the Garden and guarantees the city’s water
supply, before spilling over a cliff in the north
called Maiden’s Leap, forming cascades that
joined the canal. The Garden is an open space of
woods and flowers, crossed by paths and arched
bridges but keeping a wild beauty in wintertime.
Elturians enjoy meeting one another here. The
wealthiest citizens of the High District have their
houses nearest the Garden.
The canal begins at Maiden’s Leap in the north
and runs east and south within the walls before
joining the Chionthar. It forms a partial moat for
defense and a passage for barges servicing the
eastern Dock District.
Elturel is home to two major temples: Helm’s
Shieldhall and the High Harvest Home. The
fortress-like Shieldhall is both the most
influential temple in the city and one of the
strongest temples of Helm, God of Guardians, in
the North. The High Harvest Home, meanwhile,
is dedicated to Chauntea, the Grain Goddess.
Both provid aid and shelter to the faithful. There
were also a few shrines, to Ilmater, the Crying
God; Tempus, Lord of Battles; Tymora, Lady
Luck; and Lliira, the Joybringer. The city’s
official faith is in Torm the True, the state
religion of Elturgard, and it is ruled by its high
priest, the High Observer of Torm. However, the
people commonly worship Torm, Helm,
Lathander, Amaunator, and Tyr. The "grand
cemetery" lays in the westernmost past of the
city, within the walls. Surrounded by a brass
fence and gate 10 feet tall, it holds gravestones,
statues, monuments, and mausoleums for the
departed; an ossuary below ground; and a
chapel dedicated to Lathander, Torm, Helm, and
Tyr. It is a beautiful place, filled with grass and
flowers.
Inns and taverns have been decreed not to
operate under the same roof, so in Elturel these
are distinctly different businesses. The better
inns stand in the High District, but are simply
converted houses and often several neighboring
houses linked into one. Those in the Dock
District are simpler, not to mention noisier, but
are usually the only accommodations available
in summer during the trade season. Inns and
taverns are generally good in quality. A Pair of
Black Antlers is the best-known tavern, and a
favorite of adventurers.
Shiarra’s Market is held within a round town
square in the eastern Dock District. It is known
for crammed stalls.
7.3 O RDER OF THE
G AUNTLET
Leosin’s superior, Remallia Haventree*, an
active Harper agent from Waterdeep, is visiting
Ontharr Frume, leader of the Order of the
Gauntlet, at the Antlers Inn. She leaves behind a
puzzle-box to mock Ontharr (in good nature,
they are close friends). As the characters
approach the Inn, she leaves it and crosses
paths with them. Suddenly, the puzzle-box is
throw out the window by Ontharr, undoubtedly
trying to hit Remallia in the head, but nearly
hitting the characters instead. Remallia laughs,
looks at the characters, and politely apologises
and asks them to return the box to Ontharr,
walking away afterwards.
After Ontharr and Leosin are informed the
raiders have abandoned the camp, they take a
day to prepare a course of action. In the
meantime, Ontharr wishes to test them himself.
He was just asked by a noble named Davian to
steal back his grandmother’s ashes from
Davian’s cousin (see below). He asks the
characters to do so without harming any of the
guards or residents. If the characters fails this
quest, Ontharr isn’t too impressed, and
comments he might need to send someone else
to track the cultists. Leosin convinces him to
give them a second chance.
The following day, Ontharr is officiating a
wedding near the Grand Cemetery. Characters
can meet Undertaker Gideon Lightward, and can
get a brief glimpse at the High Overseer of
Elturel, Thavius Kreeg, who is leaving the
wedding just after the vows are said. Thavius is
a greedy fat bald man who triggers many of the
events in Descent into Avernus. Gideon
Lightward is a priest of Lathander who serves
CHAPTER 7: ELTUREL
21
 Figure 7.3: The Order of the Dragon chart that Ontharr asks the characters to fill.
Elturel and his deity proudly. In fact, he might
be too zealous, and is willing to give up his own
life and sanity in order to fight the forces of evil.
This flaw is exploited in Descent into Avernus),
and if you’re planning on following this
campaign with Tyranny of Dragons into Avernus,
a simple way to have him make a connection to
the characters is for him to worship the same
god as one of them.
Ontharr has decided on a plan about the
Order of the Dragon. The characters are to sail
to Baldur’s Gate and wait for the cultists there.
They are then to join their caravan, and find
what is their final destination and what is all
that cargo for. He gives them the following chart
to fill with information. His spies have already
learned about the Order of the Dragon having
different cells, and he wants more details.
If the characters didn’t open the puzzle-box,
Leosin recommends they stay at the Elfsong
tavern at Baldur’s Gate.
7.4 D AMIEN ’ S M ANOR
This adventure is inspired by a Merchant’s
manor from Tomb of Annihilation.
Davian and Damien are noble cousins of
Elturel. They share a friendly rivalry, and fight to
see who keeps their Grandmother’s Urn of Ashes
in their manor. Damien has had them for a few
months, and Davian’s attempts at recovering it
have all been thwarted. He has now resorted to
CHAPTER 7: ELTUREL
22
an outside organization (the Order of the
Gauntlet) to take it back.
The nobles maintain a lavish lifestyle and
conduct private business from there. These airy,
opulent mansions include guest quarters for
important visitors and trading partners, and
they’re patrolled by loyal, well-drilled guards at
all hours. The outer walls are 8 to 12 feet tall, up
to 2 feet thick, and topped with sharp and pointy
religious symbols that glitter colorfully in the
Companion’s light. Any character who climbs
over the wall must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity
saving throw or take 2 (1d4) slashing damage
from the sharp objects.
Paintings, statues, murals, frescoes, tapestries,
and oil lamps meant to impress guests decorate
the lower level. The rooms on the upper level are
decorated for comfort. The artwork and other
decor reflect Damien’s taste. Two Guards stand
outside the main front and back doors. One
stands outside the door in Area 5. Two pairs of
Guards patrol the exterior wall, taking 5 minutes
each to make a full patrol.
Ontharr asks the characters to steal the urn
containing Damien’s grandmother’s ashes, as
requested by his cousin Davian, without
harming any of the guards or residents of the
manor.
1. E NTRYWAY
This pleasant, breezy, tiled courtyard includes a
splashing fountain and green plants. Visitors
can refresh themselves in a washroom to the left
of the entrance before meeting residents of the
manor. The entry portico is always guarded by
four Gladiators recruited from the noble’s
extended family or hand-picked for their loyalty
and fighting prowess. These guards are always
on alert against tricksters and magicians trying
to gain entrance to their master’s home, so they
have advantage on skill checks and saving
throws against attempts to distract, bamboozle,
or charm them.
The ceiling of the entryway is two stories tall.
2. S ITTING A REA
This is both a waiting area and a meeting area
for guests who aren’t known to the manor’s
master, and therefore won’t necessarily be given
access to the inner chambers of the house.
Decorative columns support the arched doorway
from area 1. Rugs and comfortable pillows are
arranged on the floor. Narrow windows look into
the garden, but these double as arrow slits in
case visitors aren’t as friendly as they claim to
be.
3. G RAND H ALL
A magnificently tiled floor is flanked by two
sweeping staircases that ascend to the upper
floor. The urn stands atop a pedestal in the
center of this hall. Two guards stand above the
staircases of this room.
4. G UEST R OOMS
Most of the right side of the house is devoted to
accommodations for guests. Three private
sleeping rooms with attached baths, plus two
sitting rooms and access to the garden, make
this far more luxurious than a typical inn. One
Noble rests here.
5. G ARDEN
Ferns, potted palms, orchids, and other tropical
flowers are cultivated in the garden, which is
open to the sky. Local plants with useful
properties or applications as poison might be
found in the garden of a noble with a
horticultural bent.
6. D INING R OOM
The dining table is very low, just a few inches
above the floor. Three Nobles relax on pillows as
they eat.
7. S AUNA
In addition to daily baths, well-to-do Eltureleans
love relaxing in saunas. Most home saunas are
heated with charcoal burners or hot stones, but
in Damien’s manor, a trapped Fire Elemental
provides round-the-clock heat, and a servant
(Commoner) is always available to massage tired
muscles.
8. B ATH
The bath is the cornerstone of the manor, even
more so than the dining room or family rooms.
The family relaxes here during private times, but
there’s nothing unusual about a noble holding
meetings in the bath with trusted advisors and
close business associates. Being invited into the
household bath is considered an honor in
Elturelean society, and treating it as anything
less than an honor risks offending the person
who extended the invitation. Three Nobles bathe
here.
9. K ITCHEN
The kitchen is large, high-ceilinged, and well
ventilated; otherwise, heat from cooking fires
would make it unbearably hot. Stairs lead up to
the laundry room (area 14). Two Commoners
cook here.
10. L IBRARY
Eltureleans are fans of mythical romance, and
the city has an active literary community with
many book clubs. A character who spends a few
hours sifting through the formulaic fiction and
succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation)
check finds useful books of Elturelean lore
mixed in with the romances. Use this as an
opportunity to answer specific questions posed
by the players, exploring Hellrider and the
Companion’s origins.
11. F AMILY R OOMS
The noble’s children, spouses, and other close
family members live in these apartments. They
are richly appointed with pillows and tiger-skin
rugs. One child Noble rests here.
12. M ASTER S UITE
The noble’s suite is the most opulent room in the
palace. A pleasant breeze blows through large,
lattice-covered windows, causing the potted
plants to sway gently. The headboard of the
master bed is fantastically carved in motifs
suggestive of the merchant’s business.
Connected rooms contain a small, private bath
and a walk-in closet filled with expensive
clothing, mirrors, combs, and so forth. Damien
(Noble) and two female Commoners are having
fun here.
The suite contains two gems worth 100gp each
in a locked jewelry box requiring a DC 15
Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check to open.
CHAPTER 7: ELTUREL
23
 13. G UARD R OOMS
This guard room is intentionally set in the midst
of the family rooms and the master suite. The
guards are responsible for safeguarding the
family during their most vulnerable time, when
they’re sleeping or relaxing in their own
chambers. This station is always manned by
four Gladiators who are fanatically loyal to the
noble and richly rewarded for their devotion.

14. L AUNDRY R OOM

Elturelean nobles are scrupulous about their
clothing. Laundry is washed here every day,
then hours are spent fanning it to and fro on
lines. One Commoner works here.

15. S ERVANTS ’ Q UAR TERS

The servants’ quarters are isolated from the
family sleeping areas for security. There is
nothing remarkable about them. Two
Figure 7.4: The Chess puzzle.
Commoners rest in the bedrooms. One Guard
patrols the balcony outside.

7.5 T HE P UZZLE B OX
This section is based on the Challenge of
Champions IV adventure, by Johnathan
Richards.
Ontharr doesn’t want to see the puzzle-box,
claiming it annoys him to no end (since he is
unable to open it). He murmurs something like
"If you can open the damn thing, great,
otherwise I want nothing to do with it!".
Characters can break open the box with a DC 30
Strength (Athletics) check. Every time they make
a mistake solving it or breaking it, they take 42
(12d6) psychic damage. Characters can deduce a
hint to solve the puzzle with a DC 20 Intelligence
(Investigation) check. The puzzles are on the
cube’s faces.

1. C HESS P UZZLE
The first puzzle shows a Chess board.
On opposite sides of the cube, there are two
buttons, one black and one white, with no
discernible differences. The hint is There must be
a clue in the placement of the chess pieces,
regardless of their type. The pieces spell BAD in
black and ACE in white, so the correct solution
is to push the white button.

2. T OTEM P UZZLE
The puzzle-box starts extending in opposite
Figure 7.5: The Totem puzzle. By Kennon James
directions and markings begin to show as it
and Kyle Hunter.
transforms into a small circular totem. The top
and bottom surfaces of the totem are clear
mirrors. The solution is to read the hidden message in

CHAPTER 7: ELTUREL
24
the markings. Reflected, the words read BREAK
MIRROR.
Figure 7.6: The Totem puzzle solution. By
Kennon James and Kyle Hunter.
The hint is The totem must be horizontal, or the
bottom mirror could not be seen. Once the
characters break either mirror, they find a
button hidden beneath it, which they can push
to solve the puzzle.
3. M INE P UZZLE
The puzzle-box returns to its regular cube-shape.
One of its faces now shows a grid, only partially
revealed.
Each number in a square represents the
amount of mines surrounding it. The characters
need to mark the location of all 40 mines by
pressing the squares, one at a time. Pressing an
empty square reveals all squares around it.
Figure 7.7: The Mine puzzle solution.
For each successful hint, reveal a safe square
for the players. Once the entire grid is revealed,
the grid vanishes and the final puzzle is
revealed.
4. C OMMAND PUZZLE
The final puzzle shows the mysterious sentence
Come, human, die by sword or spear surrounded
by letters.
Figure 7.8: The Command puzzle. By Kennon
James and Kyle Hunter.
Examining the nineteen letters in the outer
ring circling the inscription, the characters note
that all of the letters of the alphabet are
represented except for B, E, H, I, S, U, and Y.
Removing those letters from the phrase in the
inscription above reveals COMMAND WORD
ORPAR.
The hint is Missing letters in the ring might
affect the sentence within. Once the command
word is uttered, the puzzle-box vanishes and a
note within it falls to the ground.
R EMALLIA H AVENTREE ’ S N OTE
The note inside the puzzle-box reads:
Hello.
I don’t know who you are, but I’m sure Ontharr asked
someone to solve this puzzle-box for him.
Good job! You sound smart enough. If you come to
Baldur’s Gate, and you’re interested in working for the
Harpers, ask for Mari Al’maren at the Elfsong Tavern. If you
come to Waterdeep, come to the Yawning Portal and ask
for the Moon Daughter.
Looking forward to meeting you,
Remallia Haventree, the Moon Daughter
Remallia is the Harper present in the Council
of Waterdeep, so this is a good way for the
CHAPTER 7: ELTUREL
25
 characters to establish an early connection with
her.

7.6 C ONCLUSION
The characters have hopefully connected with
the Order of the Gauntlet and with the Harpers.
They now have a mission: track the cargo being
hauled by the Order of the Dragon (currently
headed to Baldur’s Gate), and gather information
about the Order’s members and cells.

CHAPTER 7: ELTUREL
26
C HAPTER 8: B ALDUR ’ S G ATE
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s On the Road by
Wizards of the Coast, and Descent into Avernus’s
A Tale of Two Cities by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.6.
Maps can be found in section 26.5.
8.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 5.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
become familiar with Baldur’s Gate, obtain
another Harper connection, and explore the
Dungeon of the Dead Three, realizing how other
fanatical evil cults are also being affected by the
machinations of the Order of the Dragon. They
won’t know the reason why the Gods are worried,
but it should perk the players’ curiosity.
8.2 B ALDUR ’ S G ATE
Even the most hardened adventurers watch their
steps in Baldur’s Gate, where lives hold prices in
copper and greed proves deadlier than dragon
fire. Baldur’s Gate has a reputation for being a
rough place, where crime and opportunity walk
hand in hand, and where anything can be
bought, sold, or seized at swordpoint. If
something can be given a price, it’s for sale
somewhere in Baldur’s Gate. Drugs and poisons
sit on shelves alongside tinctures and remedies.
Trade goods from Chult, mechanical wonders
from Neverwinter, tomes of magic from
Calimshan, and the most believable counterfeits
of each can all be found in the city’s stalls.
The Flaming Fist, a mercenary company paid
for by the city, protects residents without the
barest hint of civil delicacy. The Watch, the
guardian force of the wealthy Upper City, exists
only to serve the patriars - the city’s detached
upper class. Meanwhile, crime flourishes under
the control of the Guild, which oversees almost
every organized criminal act, from dockside
gambling rings to blackmail at patriar garden
parties. Either under the Guild’s auspices or in
defiance of them, those who cut purses or
throats make a decent living in the city, their
talents traded as briskly - and often just as
openly - as those of any other professional.
For all its shadows and dark dealings, Baldur’s
Gate is not without its lights. Some residents
earnestly seek to make the city a safer place by
banding together to make their own sort of
imperfect but effective justice.
D ISTRICTS
Today, Baldur’s Gate is split into three districts:
the wealthy Upper City on the hills above the
docks, the bustling Lower City around the
harbor (both are ringed by an impressive
defensive wall), and the lawless Outer City
(which includes all neighborhoods outside the
city walls). Regardless of what district one might
be visiting, certain features are impossible to
ignore, like the wash of Gray Harbor, the
shadows of Dusthawk Hill, or the gates that
contribute to the city’s name.
While the Outer City might seem the most
lawless, every district of Baldur’s Gate has its
own threats. In the Upper City, patriar families
and government officials jostle to secure their
positions. Many are not above using private
agents to acquire blackmail material, sabotage
public appearances, or even frame innocents to
secure power. The victims of these plots, and
officials who want a fair and honest legal system,
must resort to hiring their own agents to
unearth conspiracies, break out unfairly
imprisoned citizens, and obtain evidence the
Flaming Fist cannot.
The Upper City’s political intrigues and the
Outer City’s violence spills over into the Lower
City, the city’s middle ground. Rampant crime,
class grudges, foreign threats, and economic
pressures leave many Baldurians feeling trapped
within their own homes. Flaming Fist patrols
react to threats with indiscriminate violence,
doing little to make citizens feel safer. As a
result, in recent years many citizens have
started banding together in crews. These
counter-gangs align along professional or
neighborhood affiliations, doing their best to
protect their territories. While this has given
some of the city’s people a way of feeling more in
control of their lives, it’s also increased the
number of armed citizens on the streets.
Whether the Lower City is actually safer after the
formation of crews remains an open question.
In the Outer City, all the world washes against
the city’s gates. Here crime and poverty are
contrasted by wonders from afar and the riches
of cultures across Faerûn. The mix of wanderers
and refugees remains in constant flux, with
communities forming and disbanding on a
monthly basis. None can possibly keep track of
all the foreign traditions or the dangerous -
sometimes outright evil - religious practices
observed in the Outer City. As a result, Baldur’s
Gate has widely adopted a "do no harm" policy
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
27
 when it comes to faiths and organizations
operating in the city. Any group is welcome to
operate openly so long as the city’s important
citizens aren’t harmed.
G OVERNMENT
The Parliament of Peers, a group mainly
composed of nearly fifty patriar members, makes
recommendations on issues of law and
governance. Once the parliament comes to a
majority decision on a matter, usually after
much heated debate, it presents its position to
the Council of Four. Three dukes and one grand
duke (Ulder Ravengard*) make up this ruling
council. The council also votes on matters, and
in the case of a tie, the grand duke’s vote counts
as two.
Common belief holds that many parliament
members, and possibly one or more of the dukes,
can be bribed for their votes. Corrupt parliament
members don’t wish to be caught taking
payments, usually not out of fear of legal
reprisal, but of being perceived as incompetent
among their peers. The perception is that one
who can’t be trusted to receive something as
simple as a bribe likely can’t be trusted to
manipulate the city’s intricate social web. Such
leads to the common farce of officials buying
cheap jewelry or fake art objects with their bribe
money (usually in the form of platinum coins or
jewels) hidden inside.
M ILITARY
Baldur’s Gate boasts two military forces: the
Flaming Fist and the Watch.
The red and gold symbol of the Flaming Fist
mercenary company has become emblematic of
Baldur’s Gate. The Council of Four funds the
Flaming Fist, supporting it as the city’s army.
Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard* is its undisputed
leader. The Flaming Fist largely patrols the
Lower City, though it holds nominal authority
over the Outer City as well. The company has
enough to do maintaining order within the city
walls without straying too far from its gates,
though the Fist has been known to hire
independent agents when its ranks are spread
thin.
Watch officers can spend their entire careers
within the Upper City. Bankrolled by the
patriars, the Watch has a reputation as glorified
bodyguards for the city’s elite. Orderly and
regimented, the Watch maintains precise,
predictable patrols. At dusk, the Watch clears
the Upper City of everyone but residents, their
household staffs, and guests bearing written
invitations. Many Watch officers, born and
raised in the city, pride themselves on
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
28
recognizing every Upper City resident on sight.
L AW AND O RDER
Everyone in Baldur’s Gate is expected to hew to
common law. Murder, theft, assault, blackmail,
and fraud all carry severe penalties. Patriars, the
wealthy, and the well-connected are given much
more leniency than commoners. A noble heir
who steals from a shop might get away with a
fine paid by a parent, whereas a commoner
committing the same crime may be jailed or
publicly flogged.
Both the Watch and the Flaming Fist have the
right to dispense immediate justice, should they
witness a crime in progress. In unclear
situations, or when a person of influence is
involved, the accused is jailed until a trial can be
set.
C ITIZENRY
The citizens of Baldur’s Gate include many races
and ethnicities. Though prejudices can exist
among certain residents, Baldur’s Gate as a
whole is a diverse and unprejudiced - if not
welcoming - city.
Many of the patriar families of Baldur’s Gate
can trace their lineage back for generations, but
a significant portion of Baldurians were not born
in the city. Most citizens began their lives in
Tethyr, the North, the Western Heartlands, or
other communities along the Sword Coast.
Baldurians born in Amn, the High Forest, and
nations bordering the Inner Sea are less
common, but still present. Rarely, travelers from
as far away as Chult, Mulhorand, or Luiren
decide to follow the flow of trade and settle in the
city.
R ELIGION
Baldurians are permitted to worship whatever
deities they wish, so long as they refrain from
violent acts and practices that disrupt trade.
While multiple temples rise within the city walls,
hundreds of tiny shrines sit along the twisted
streets of the Outer City.
In the city proper, worship centers around a
handful of well-known and generally respectable
deities. Most established temples, with clergy
and daily rituals, are in the Upper City, which
precludes commoners from worshiping after
dark, when only residents are allowed to remain
in the Upper City. Since most commoners work
during the day, their faith usually becomes
secondary in their lives. Ostentatious adherence
to religious rituals is seen as a privilege of the
wealthy. Some Baldurians even think outwardly
displaying one’s faith is a sign of pretentiousness
and insincerity.
 Among the many deities worshiped in Baldur’s
Gate, a handful hold particular prominence: the
Dead Three, Gond, Helm, Ilmater, Oghma,
Siamorphe, Tymora, and Umberlee.
D EAD T HREE
Bane (the Lord of Tyranny), Bhaal (the Lord of
Murder), and Myrkul (the Lord of Bones) make
up the Dead Three. While these deities have lost
much of their power, their faiths still command
respect and fear throughout Baldur’s Gate.
While open worship of the Dead Three is frowned
upon in Baldur’s Gate, their worship is not
illegal - so long as worship remains within the
laws. Every now and then, rumors surface that a
powerful political figure is a Bhaalspawn (an
offspring of the Lord of Murder). These claims
almost always prove to be smear campaigns with
no basis in truth - though, in some cases, such
claims have actually raised a figure’s standing in
the public eye.
Nefarious patriars whisper prayers to Bane
when they seek to gain power through coercion,
intimidation, and forceful exaction of the law.
Gang leaders, evil mercenaries, and others who
rely on fear and control, also pay homage to
Bane. Those who want to evoke dominance and
ruthlessness favor wearing black gloves - a nod
to Bane’s holy symbol.
Myrkul claims a following among those who
wish to learn from or command the dead. Those
who plunder tombs for lost knowledge, grim
entrepreneurs who see business sense in
undead servants, even pragmatic necromancers
seeking to conjure secrets from the wealthy dead
of Cliffside Cemetery all whisper prayers to
Myrkul. Of the Dead Three, Myrkul’s base of
power is the smallest. Residents of Baldur’s Gate
rarely fear death by old age - a grim fact of living
in such a dangerous city. As a result, few
desperate elders seek the blessing of the Lord of
Bones. Those who do, though, tend to be both
cagey and wealthy, which means that although
Myrkul’s worshipers are small in number, their
resources have hidden depths.
Since the time when the Bhaalspawn Sarevok
plotted to start a war between Baldur’s Gate and
Amn as a path to claiming Bhaal’s power,
awareness of the Lord of Murder’s children has
grown. Baldur’s Gate maintains a grim draw for
Bhaalspawn, whether due to some foul influence
in the city itself, or merely because of Sarevok’s
lingering reputation.
At the same time, worship of Bhaal proves
darkly popular in Baldur’s Gate. Few openly
admit to worshiping the Lord of Murder, but
there is an unspoken assumption that anyone
who benefits from violent death has some
respect for Bhaal. Assassination and murder
underpin many of the plots in the city, from the
business of highly-paid killers on patriar payrolls
to slayings of opportunity committed by Outer
City fanatics. Such bloodthirsty faithful rarely
gather in numbers, but they typically mark
themselves by carving a fresh gouge on their
thumbs - spilling their blood in Bhaal’s name
while creating a subtle mark identifying that
identifies them among allies. Despite the Lord of
Murder’s decentralized worship, some believe a
temple to Bhaal exists near or under the city,
possibly in an ancient chamber beneath the
sewers or carved into Dusthawk Hill. Rumor
holds that eleven red crystals on the wall of the
temple grow brighter with every murder
committed, gathering power for either Bhaal or
one of his future chosen. Some claim that Bhaal
himself regularly visits the temple, his presence
contributing to the city’s high murder rate.
While the Dead Three occupy a prominent
place in Baldurians’ fears, their faiths currently
have only the shallowest roots in the city.
Followers of the Dead Three have done more to
incite dread than faith. As a result, their
numbers remain relatively small. Their sinister
reputations outstrip their actual influence,
though, with gossip spreading quickly whenever
the deities’ ominous symbols appear in graffiti or
the Flaming Fist cracks down on overzealous
fanatics. Despite public fears and resistance
from law enforcement, the cults of the Dead
Three persist, causing many to darkly wonder
why the servants of Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul
hold such interest in Baldur’s Gate.
D ETAILED I NFORMATION
Refer to the Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer for in-depth
information about the city, its people,
landmarks, and anything else that could be
useful.
8.3 C ONNECTIONS IN
B ALDUR ’ S G ATE
The characters can rest for a couple of days in
Baldur’s Gate. They can help the Harpers with a
developing situation regarding evil-worshippers,
buy magical items from the city’s sprawling
markets, or do whatever else they wish to. At
some point while the characters move through
the city, they cross paths with Marshal Ulder
Ravengard, leader of the Flaming Fist, and
Grand Duke of Baldur’s Gate. They might
recognize him, but he does not know them (nor
has he any reason to), and he is too busy at the
moment. He later participates in the Council of
Waterdeep.
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
29
 The characters’ contact is the Harper Mari
Al’maren, residing at Elfsong Tavern.
8.4 E LFSONG T AVERN
From time to time, the disembodied voice of a
female elf fills the tavern with a melancholy song,
giving the establishment its name. The ballad
isn’t loud enough to disrupt conversation, but
most patrons stop speaking when the elfsong
begins, then resume only after it ends. Many
customers frequent the tavern in the hopes of
hearing it. Those who speak Elvish can
understand the lyrics, which lament an
unnamed lover lost at sea. No one is sure how
the spirit came to haunt the tavern, just as no
one can predict when it will sing again.
Alan Alyth, the tavern’s current owner and
proprietor, is a neutral half-elf Commoner with
darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. Alan
recently turned seventy-five years old and has
run the establishment for decades. His elven
blood through his half-elf mother has kept him
alive this long, and keeps him looking better
than most full-blooded humans his age. He runs
a moneylending business on the side, offering
loans to customers he trusts. He rarely gives
loans to adventurers, knowing how flighty they
can be, but he might offer them a free glass of
elverquisst wine if he thinks it’ll keep their
swords sheathed.
G ROUND F LOOR
Alan Alyth tends bar while two young men
(human commoners) take orders, deliver drinks
and food to tables, and joke with the clientele.
Flanking the entrance are two bouncers: a suit
of animated armor and a gruff female half-ogre.
Both are here to protect the other staff members,
Figure 8.1: Elfsong tavern. By Patreon’s Midgardia.
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
30
not the patrons, and won’t break up a fight
unless a staff member is involved.
Well-armed patrons (commoners and thugs
mostly) huddle around tables in the main room
and in private booths. Three padded chairs are
angled toward a fireplace on the east wall,
underneath the creaky wooden staircase that
climbs to the second floor. Some drunk is
usually passed out on the couch against the
north wall. Next to the couch sits a wooden sea
chest that contains an assortment of games
(Dragonchess boards, well-used decks of
Three-Dragon Ante cards, and so on). The
lounge is filled with local fishers and crab
catchers.
T OP F LOOR
Lit lanterns hang from the rafters in the central
windowless room. Rugs cover the wooden floor
and help dampen the noise from drunken
patrons gathered around two large tables, eating
and playing games of Baldur’s Bones. One of the
individuals seated at the table nearest the stairs
is Mari Al’maren.
Some of the rooms here are empty, others are
locked and occupied. If the characters stay at
this inn, Al’maren expects them to behave
properly.
M ARI A L ’ MAREN
Mari Al’maren was born in Elturel and was
raised by a Harper bard, having retired from
adventuring due to old age (she is now very very
old, her lifespan extended due to magic). She is
quick to laugh and to anger but also sarcastic;
she treats people like they treat her, with calm
and patience if they are kind to her, and with
rudeness otherwise. She asks the characters to
explore a dungeon that she has recently found
out about.
Several blocks northwest of here is a public bathhouse with
a walled garden and frolicking nymphs carved into its front
gates. Followers of the Dead Three have been seen coming
and going from the bathhouse, and two days ago, one my
sources informed me there’s a secret door inside that leads
to a dungeon. I’d like you to find your way inside this
dungeon and eliminate any evil worshippers you might find.
If you can, find out who is responsible for this.
The Dungeon of the Dead Three is hidden
below a bathhouse that’s secretly owned and
operated by the Vanthampur family. The family’s
matriarch, Thalamra Vanthampur, is one of the
Dukes of Baldur’s Gate, second only to Ulder
Ravengard*. One member of the family,
Mortlock Vanthampur*, is in the dungeon
helping to coordinate the Dead Three cultists’
attacks in the city. These attacks are meant to
demonstrate to the citizens of Baldur’s Gate that
the Flaming Fist can’t protect them.
Mari Al’maren, in the mean time, keeps an eye
out for the Order of the Dragon’s expedition and
warns the characters once it arrives at Baldur’s
Gate.
8.5 D UNGEON OF THE
D EAD T HREE
The Order of the Dragon’s activity is having
repercussions across the Forgotten Realms. The
Dead Three worry that, if Tiamat comes into the
material plane, they will be weakened by losing
their followers and Tiamat gaining hers.
Followers of the Dead Three had visions from
their gods and intercepted one of the cult’s
caravans. They used that treasure to wreak
havoc across Baldur’s Gate.
When the characters arrive at the bathhouse,
read the following boxed text aloud to the
players:
The bathhouse is a one-story stuccoed building with
stained-glass windows and clay roof tiles. Ten-foot-tall walls
enclose a large courtyard outside the southeast corner of
the building. The closed wooden doors to the courtyard are
engraved with images of smiling nymphs dancing and
frolicking in water.
There’s nothing outwardly suspicious about
the bathhouse, which features one of the most
sophisticated plumbing systems in the city. The
doors leading to the courtyard (area D1) are
unlocked and unguarded. The bathhouse closes
at midnight and reopens at dawn, and city
residents come and go here throughout the day
and into the evening.
D1. C OUR TYARD
This L-shaped courtyard features a trimmed lawn and nicely
manicured shrubbery. The yard is decorated with white
marble benches and stone fountains, each in the form of a
smiling nymph tipping a jug that spills water into a circular
stone basin.
An invisible Imp is perched on the southeast
fountain. If the characters look as though they
intend to cause trouble, the imp observes them
quietly until they enter the bathhouse, then flies
to Vanthampur Villa in the Upper City to alert
Thurstwell Vanthampur, the oldest of Duke
Thalamra Vanthampur’s sons. Thurstwell
instructs the imp to return to its post but takes
no further action, hoping that the characters
dispose of his brother, Mortlock.
D2. B ATHS
From dawn to midnight, characters can expect
to find 3 (1d6) human Commoners bathing here
at any given time. From midnight to dawn, three
female human Reapers of Bhaal* stand guard
near the pools and attack trespassers on sight. If
a fight breaks out here, the Skull Lasher of
Myrkul* in area D4 joins the fray in the second
round of combat.
The walls of this twenty-foot-high pillared chamber are
adorned with frescoes of bathing royalty. Natural light
streams through stained-glass windows, creating colorful
patterns on the tiles of polished blue marble that cover the
floor. Three shallow, sunken pools contain scintillating
perfume-scented water. White marble benches bearing
stacks of dry towels are situated near the pools, each of
which comes equipped with a pair of brass faucets.
The faucets draw warm and cold water from
pipes that run underneath the floor. A
tight-fitting stone plug at the bottom of each pool
keeps its water from draining out. Numerous
tiny drain holes near the tops of the sunken
pools prevent them from overflowing.
D3. S OUTH M ASSAGE R OOM
This room contains a massage table draped in
clean towels. Bottles of perfume stored under
the table are used to scent the pools in area D2.
Natural light enters through a stained-glass
window set into the south wall.
During the hours in which the bathhouse is
open, an androgynous human masseuse (neutral
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
31
 good commoner) named Jabaz works here.
Jabaz knows that the bathhouse is owned by
Duke Thalamra Vanthampur and run by her
brutish son, Mortlock.
Mortlock has given Jabaz strict orders not to
hang around the bathhouse after hours. Jabaz
suspects that Mortlock is running some sort of
shady business on the side, and that he’s using
the establishment as a front to conceal his dark
dealings without the duke’s knowledge. Jabaz
knows the location of the secret door in area D4
but won’t volunteer that information, fearing
Mortlock’s retaliation. Jabaz doesn’t know what
lies beyond the secret door.
D4. N OR TH M ASSAGE R OOM
From midnight to dawn, a male human Skull
Lasher of Myrkul* guards this room unless he’s
drawn to area D2 by sounds of battle there.
During the hours in which the bathhouse is
open, a female human masseuse (neutral good
commoner) named Qurmilah works here. She
knows the same information as Jabaz in area D3
and behaves similarly.
This room is furnished in the same fashion as
area D3, with the additional feature of a secret
door in the north wall. A character who searches
the north wall and succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom
Figure 8.2: The Dungeon of the Dead Three. By Reddit’s u/PoobertShittenheimer.
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
32
(Perception) check finds the secret door, which
swings inward when pushed. A foul, sewer-like
stench greets anyone who opens the secret door.
Behind the door, a staircase descends 20 feet to
area D5, featuring smooth stone steps and brick
walls. Two sputtering torches in wall sconces
illuminate the staircase, but the dungeon below
is dark.
D5. E NTRANCE TO THE D UNGEON
Duke Vanthampur became aware of this ancient
dungeon while she was managing the city’s
water utilities and sewer system. She built the
bathhouse to hide it.
• The dungeon’s rooms, corridors, and
staircases are hewn from limestone and unlit
unless the text states otherwise. Followers of
the Dead Three carry torches or rely on
darkvision to see in the dungeon.
• The 5-foot-wide corridors throughout the
dungeon have 8-foot-high ceilings. Rooms
have 9-foot-high ceilings, often braced with
wooden beams. Each beam is a Large object
with AC 15, 10 hit points, and immunity to
poison and psychic damage. Destroying all the
beams in an area has a 25 percent chance of
triggering a roof collapse. Each creature under
the collapsing roof must succeed on a DC 15
 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10)
bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half
as much damage on a successful one. The
area remains open but is difficult terrain
thereafter.
• Regular doors are made of soft, rotting wood.
Each door is a Medium object with AC 15, 5
hit points, and immunity to poison and
psychic damage. Secret doors are carved to
look like the surrounding limestone walls and
require a successful DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception) check to locate. Once located, a
secret door pushes open easily.
• Certain areas of the dungeon are flooded with
murky water to a depth of 2 feet to make them
difficult terrain. The water seeps into the
dungeon from nearby sewers through cracks
in the limestone. It carries a foul stench and is
undrinkable.
The chamber at the bottom of the staircase is
empty, unlit, and flooded with foul-smelling
water to a depth of 2 feet.
D6. B LOATED C ORPSE
Floating face-down in the middle of this flooded
room is the bloated corpse of a shirtless male
human with knife wounds in his back. The
corpse was once a Bhaal worshiper named
Hiskaal, who was killed by his cultist peers for
allowing a target to escape during a recent
attack in the city. This target is the one who
informed Mari Al’maren about the dungeon. Any
character who inspects the corpse and succeeds
on a DC 14 Wisdom (Medicine) check concludes
that the man has been dead for two days.
D7. B HAAL ’ S A LTAR
Three wooden beams brace the ceiling of this flooded
chamber, which features a stone altar covered with entrails
in the northeast corner. Hanging on the wall above the altar
is a three-foot-tall steel mask cast in the form of a frowning
human skull.
The steel skull mask represents the visage of
Bhaal and has no magical properties.
The humanoid entrails were left on the altar as
an offering to the god of murder. Pouring a vial
of holy water on the entrails causes them to
melt away and also causes the altar to smolder.
D8. M OLDY T APESTRY
The back wall of this dry alcove is hung with a
5-foot-wide, 7-foot-tall tapestry. It depicts a
grisly scene of four faceless figures ripping apart
a fifth figure, who is screaming. Characters who
inspect the tapestry without touching it notice
yellow mold growing around its edges. In fact, a
5-foot-square patch of yellow mold clings to the
back of the tapestry and releases its deadly
spores if the tapestry is disturbed.
D9. T HE D EAD T HREE D OORS
This chamber is empty but not bereft of decor.
Carved into each of its three doors is a full-figure
depiction of one of the Dead Three. A character
recognizes all the figures with a successful DC
14 Intelligence (Religion) check.
• East Door: the face of this door bears a
carving of Bane, the lawful evil god of tyranny,
who is depicted as a tall, armored man
wearing a bucket helm. His right gauntlet is
painted black and clutches a set of shackles.
• North Door: this door bears a carving of
Bhaal, the chaotic evil god of murder. He’s
depicted as a powerfully built, skull-headed
man with long, curved blades where his hands
should be.
• South Door: this door bears a carving of
Myrkul, the neutral evil Lord of Bones. He is
portrayed as a cloaked figure whose face is
hidden under a cowl. In his skeletal hands, he
clutches a screaming human skull.
D10. S KULL L ASHERS ’ R OOM
The creatures here watch area D9 through a
crack in the door, and any sign of the characters
approaching lets them set up an ambush of
sorts.
Lying on the floor of this otherwise empty room are the
pale bodies of three humans in filthy black robes, arranged
in a triangular formation. A lit torch lies between them. A
rough-hewn staircase to the left leads down to another
torchlit chamber.
These three Skull Lashers of Myrkul* are
playing dead. They conceal their skull-headed
flails underneath their robes. Any character who
watches the bodies carefully can determine that
they’re alive with a successful DC 14 Wisdom
(Insight) check.
The Skull Lashers leap to their feet and attack
when any character enters the room, or if they
are attacked first. They fight to the death to
guard the treasure in area D11.
D11. P AR TIALLY C OLLAPSED
C RYPT
This chamber has partially collapsed around a
stone sarcophagus that was opened and looted
long ago.
The Skull Lashers in area D10 hid three
spellbooks beneath the dust and humanoid
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
33
 bones in the sarcophagus, having stolen the
books from murder victims.
• Spellbook 1 is bound in red leather and
contains the following spells: burning hands,
detect magic, disguise self, fog cloud, ray of
sickness, silent image.
• Spellbook 2 has the personal rune of its
previous owner burned into its umber cover.
This book contains the following spells: charm
person, find familiar, identify, magic
missile, sleep.
• Spellbook 3 is bound in scaly black reptile
hide and contains the following spells: cloud
of daggers, darkvision, detect magic,
feather fall, mage armor, magic missile,
Tasha’s hideous laughter.
D12. B ANE ’ S A LTAR
Unless the characters take special care to
approach quietly and without light sources, they
alert the room’s occupants.
The eastern part of this room is unlit, flooded, and braced
with floor-to-ceiling wooden beams. Rough-hewn steps rise
out of the murky water to the western portion of the room,
which is dry and lit by two torches in sconces that flank a
stone altar. Shackled to the wall behind the altar is a sickly
man in a loincloth with a burlap sack over his head. An
alcove in the north wall contains a freestanding suit of plate
armor missing its helm.
Standing before the altar are two grim figures: a
powerfully built woman clutching a mace, and an even
bigger man wearing a bucket helm. The helmed man is
jabbing the prisoner with a spear, causing him to twitch.
Both figures are clad in chain mail, and the woman carries a
wooden shield with a leering skull painted on it.
The two armored figures are Kazzira, a female
human Black Gauntlet of Bane*, and Yignath, a
male human Iron Consul*. Yignath is torturing
the prisoner for fun while Kazzira watches. Both
attack intruders but prefer to remain on dry
ground. The skull on Kazzira’s shield has been
painted in fresh blood. Hanging from Yignath’s
belt is an iron key ring with seven keys - one for
the shackles above the altar, two for the shackles
in area D22, and four that unlock the chests in
area D30.
The prisoner hanging on the west wall is Klim
Jhasso, a male human noble captured in the
Lower City two days ago after his bodyguard was
slain. Klim is a neutral evil Noble with 1 hit
point remaining. He is unarmored (AC 10) and
weaponless. He speaks Common and Elvish, but
has no useful information to share. Klim
guarantees that his family will pay a generous
reward for his safe return to their estate in the
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
34
Upper City - but the noble is lying. His mother is
dead, his patriar father is ailing, and his three
younger siblings crave their inheritance, which
they would rather split three ways than four. The
trading coster that the family part-owns is
struggling and can’t afford to pay any large
reward or ransom.
Klim’s shackles have AC 19, 10 hit points, and
immunity to poison and psychic damage.
The suit of armor is welded together and is
harmless, but its gauntlets are detachable. Both
gauntlets are animated objects statistically
identical to Medium objects from a Animate
Objects spell. The gauntlets detach from the
armor and attack anyone who disturbs them or
frees the prisoner from his shackles.
D13. M ORGUE
Unless the characters approach this room
quietly and without light sources, they alert the
occupants here. Describe the area to the players
as follows:
This partially collapsed room has three wooden beams
bracing its ceiling. Situated between the beams is a
scorched wooden table with a human cadaver resting atop
it. A frighteningly thin woman in a black robe is studying
the corpse, her face largely hidden under a cowl. Around
her feet creeps two swarms of skeletal rats.
The necromancer looming over the corpse is
Flennis, a female human Master of Souls* and
the highest-ranking follower of Myrkul in the
dungeon. Use the swarm of rats stat block to
represent Flennis’s skeletal rats, but they are
undead instead of beasts.
Flennis is preparing to make a Ghoul out of
the corpse on the table, but the Create Undead
spell takes 1 minute to cast, which means she
must deal with the characters first. If the rats
keep the enemies busy, she can finisher her
ritual. Otherwise, while her skeletal rats attack
the nearest foe, she casts spells while using the
table for cover.
In addition to her robe and her flail, Flennis
carries a dusty spellbook that contains all the
spells she has prepared. The book has black
leather covers and sports a tiny, skull-shaped
locking mechanism. Flennis has the key to the
lock stuck in her hair. A character can also pick
the lock with a successful DC 14 Dexterity check
made with thieves’ tools.
The first time a creature other than Flennis
opens the book, a wisp of black smoke rises from
its pages and coalesces into a skull that cackles
madly for a few seconds before dissipating. The
creature holding the book when the smoke
appears must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution
saving throw or be cursed for 24 hours, during
which time the creature has vulnerability to
necrotic damage.
D14. H UNGRY R AT
An ordinary rat scurries around this room,
looking for scraps of food. If the characters use a
speak with animals spell or similar magic to
communicate with the rat, it can share its
knowledge of the dungeon with them. It warms
to characters who offer it food.
The rat’s knowledge is limited to places it has
visited - specifically areas D5 through D26. It
doesn’t know the location of secret doors, so it’s
unaware of areas D27 through D33, which are
hidden behind the secret door in area D23.
D15. F LOODED R OOM
The flooded, rubble-strewn tunnels leading to
and from this room narrow to a width of 2 and a
half feet in places. Four rotting wooden beams
rise from the murky water to brace the ceiling
here. Rubble piled in the northwest corner
contains nothing of interest.
D16. F LOODED C RYPT
Murky, foul-smelling water surrounds an open
stone sarcophagus resting in the middle of this
crypt, its stone lid lying broken in three pieces
under the water north of it. A detect magic spell
reveals an aura of evocation magic around the
sarcophagus. Characters who pull the lid
fragments out of the water see that the lid was
carved in the likeness of a screaming,
axe-wielding barbarian.
Exposure to the dampness has rotted the
bones in the sarcophagus, reducing them to
black sludge.
If the contents of the sarcophagus are
disturbed, a ghostly battleaxe appears above the
sarcophagus. The battleaxe functions like a
Large object from Animate Objects, but it deals
slashing damage. The ghostly battleaxe can’t be
harmed, can’t leave the room, and targets only
creatures, acting on initiative count 20. The
effect ends when there are no longer any
creatures in the room.
D17. M YRKUL ’ S A LTAR
This dry, partially collapsed room contains a stone altar
with humanoid skulls and bones piled around it. The top of
the altar is covered with dozens of half-melted candles
made of black wax, all currently unlit.
If one or more of the black candles on the altar
are lit, they shed a green light that reveals black
writing on the walls. The writing, which is not
visible otherwise, says in Common,
RISE AND BE COUNTED!
If these words are spoken aloud within 5 feet
of the altar, the words vanish as bones hidden
under the debris at the north end of the room
rise up and knit together, forming three
animated human skeletons. The skeletons are
evil undead, but they obey the commands of
whoever spoke the words that raised them,
serving that individual until they’re destroyed or
their master is killed.
D18. G AS B UILDUP
The ceiling of this flooded room is supported by
numerous wooden beams. The air here smells
like rotten eggs, a putrid stench that carries
beyond the room. Any character approaching
this area who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom
(Survival) check realizes that the stench is an
indicator of flammable gas in the room. This gas
disperses before reaching other areas of the
dungeon, and the Dead Three cultists extinguish
their torches before moving through this area.
Bringing a lit torch or other open flame into
the gas-filled room triggers an explosion that fills
the chamber. Creatures fully immersed in the
water take no damage, but all others must
succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw,
taking 14 (4d6) fire damage on a failed save, or
half as much damage on a successful one. All
the wooden beams that support the ceiling are
destroyed in the explosion, which could cause a
roof collapse. The explosion also burns away the
gas, which builds up slowly and becomes
dangerous again after 24 hours.
D19. P AR TIALLY C OLLAPSED
C RYPT
Much of this room has fallen in, with the debris
field mostly burying a stone sarcophagus that
was looted years ago. Nothing of interest
remains.
D20. H ALF -P LUNDERED C RYPT
An open sarcophagus stands at the back of this
dusty crypt, its heavy stone lid lying on its side
between the sarcophagus and the south wall.
The north-facing side of the sarcophagus bears
faded frescoes of spear-wielding warriors
charging across golden plains on horseback.
A casual search of the sarcophagus turns up
nothing but dust and a few scattered humanoid
bones. Any character who conducts a thorough
search realizes that the sarcophagus has a false
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
35
 bottom made of inch-thick plaster. Smashing
through this plaster layer reveals a cavity below
that contains a human mummy floating in a
shallow pool of red brine. The mummy has two
moonstones (50 gp each) embedded in its eye
sockets and a bag of beans where its heart
would normally be. Characters must
intentionally tear open the mummy’s chest to
find the hidden bag. The mummy is inanimate
and doesn’t protest the theft.
D21. G HOUL C RYPT
Characters who listen at the door to this room
hear faint humanoid moans in the room beyond.
Six moaning humans with rotting flesh shamble about this
dusty crypt, which reeks of death. An open stone
sarcophagus rests against the back wall, its shattered lid
lying in pieces on the floor around it.
The shambling corpses are six Ghouls created
by Flennis (see area D13) from the remains of
the Dead Three cultists’ murder victims. The
zombies obey only their creator and attack all
others, including other members of the Dead
Three cult.
Carved into the north-facing side of the
sarcophagus are ghastly images of human
cannibalism. The sarcophagus was plundered
long ago, and a search of its interior yields up
only a jawless human skull and a few bone
fragments.
D22. T OR TURE C HAMBER
Followers of Bane torture and interrogate
prisoners here.
The walls and floor of this room are covered with streaks
and splashes of dried blood. Two dangling bodies are
shackled to the east and south walls. One is an elderly male
human; the other, a young female tiefling. Both are covered
in bloody gashes, and neither is moving. In the middle of
the room is a sturdy wooden chair with a bloody whip
draped over it. A bucket half filled with salt sits on the floor
nearby.
The followers of Bane rub salt into the wounds
of the prisoners they torture here. Yignath (see
area D12) carries the keys to both sets of
shackles, which have AC 19, 10 hit points, and
immunity to poison and psychic damage. A
character can unlock a set of shackles with a
successful DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools)
check.
The male human is dead. He was Effinax
Zalbor, a caravan coordinator employed by the
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
36
Jhasso patriar family, which is part-owner of a
trading coster that operates throughout the
Western Heartlands (see area D12).
The female tiefling has 0 hit points, and is
unconscious but stable. She is Vendetta Kress, a
neutral commoner who speaks Common and
Infernal. She has resistance to fire damage and
darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. Kress has
received visions (because of her Tiefling
inheritance) from Avernus, and understands
that turmoil is rising in the First Circle of Hell,
with Zariel and Bel opposing each other. She
doesn’t know the details, but her visions showed
her the Order of the Dragon carrying a wagon
into Baldur’s Gate, which was somehow linked
to Avernus being in upheavel. She followed the
wagon, and saw it get attacked by the Followers
of the Dead Three. She quickly retreated, but
was spotted and captured as well. The Dead
Three followers believed she was a spy for the
Harpers or the Flaming Fist, and never believed
her story.
The reason for the upheaval in Avernus, which
Kress is unaware of, is that Archduke Zariel, the
current Archduchess of Avernus (who replaced a
pit fiend named Bel to take the throne), wants
Tiamat freed. Despite her power as ruler of the
first layer of the Nine Hells, Zariel cannot kill the
dragon goddess, and she sees the summoning of
Tiamat to the world as a way to be rid of her.
However, just as Zariel wants Tiamat out, other
devils would be happy to see the Dragon Queen
stay in Avernus. Foremost among them is the
deposed pit fiend Bel and the devils still loyal to
him. Bel has sent visions through the Dead
Three to their followers, to stop the Order of the
Dragon.
If set free, Kress stays with the characters
until an opportunity to escape presents itself.
Before that, though, she shares her backstory,
and the following piece of information with her
liberators. During her incarceration, she heard
what sounded like a heavy stone door scraping
open and closed from time to time, accompanied
by the sound of splashing footsteps. The noise
came from the north. This information might
lead characters to search for a secret door in
that direction (see area D23).
D23. S ECRET D OOR AND S ENTRY
This flooded tunnel has a secret door in the
north wall that swings open into area D27.
Standing in the water south of the secret door,
holding a lit torch and watching the west
stairway, is a male Iron Consul*. On his first
turn after seeing the characters, he withdraws to
area D25 and pounds on the door to wake his
fellow cultists, yelling "Intruders!" at the top of
his lungs to alert the occupant of area D26.
D24. M YRKUL ’ S R EST
Followers of Myrkul use this plundered crypt as
a place to rest.
Four flickering torches in wall sconces illuminate this crypt,
the middle of which is occupied by an open stone
sarcophagus. The sarcophagus bears no carvings or other
ornamentation, but is full of humanoid skulls and bones. Six
dusty bedrolls lie on the floor around it.
The Myrkulites filled the sarcophagus with
skulls and bones found throughout the dungeon,
creating an altar of sorts to the Lord of Bones.
D25. B ANE ’ S R EST
Slumped against the walls of this plundered,
partially collapsed crypt are four sleeping Iron
Consuls*. All are fully armored and have their
weapons nearby. If awakened by loud noises or
the guard in area D23, they grab their weapons
and quickly mobilize to repel any intrusion.
The room is lit by two sputtering torches in
sconces on the north and west walls. A stone
sarcophagus in the middle of the room stands
empty, its lid half buried under rubble on the
floor behind it.
D26. B HAAL ’ S R EST
Four flickering torches in wall sconces light this partially
collapsed crypt. An open sarcophagus in the middle of the
area is filled to the rim with blood, with spillage streaking
the sides of the sarcophagus and pooling around its base.
The sarcophagus lid lies half buried under rubble behind it.
Bhaal worshipers like to bathe in the human
blood that fills the sarcophagus. A female
Reaper of Bhaal* lurks behind the sarcophagus,
drenched in blood from head to toe. At the first
sign of intruders, she uses a Disguise Self spell
to appear as a frail old woman named Nebra. In
this guise, she claims to be a florist who was
captured by the Dead Three and brought to the
dungeon as a slave. If the characters fall for the
act and bring Nebra with them, she claims to
know the location of a secret door (area D23) and
tries to lead them through it to area D29, where
she hopes to find reinforcements. If she leads
the party to a location occupied by other cultists,
she drops the disguise and attacks. She also
attacks if her spell ends before then.
D27. E CHOES OF B ATTLE
This ten-foot-wide flooded passage is braced at
regular intervals by wooden beams. Old torch
stubs float on the murky water. At the point
where the tunnel bends west toward area D29,
the characters hear echoes of a battle unfolding
in that location.
D28. O LD C ELLAR
This flooded room was once a cellar, with the
collapsed eastern passage marking a staircase
that formerly led up to a residence in the city.
Hidden under the murky water are four Ghouls
that rise up and attack anyone who crosses the
room.
D29. M OR TLOCK VANTHAMPUR
The sounds of combat intensify as the characters
approach this area.
Beyond the hall, a flooded chamber opens up with
rough-hewn steps climbing to the south, north, and
northeast. The floor buckles up above the water line in the
middle of the room, forming a small island. Corpses and
doused torches float in the water around the island, atop
which two men circle each other with weapons bared. One
of the men - a tall, unarmored brute with a greatclub and a
scarred face - towers above his opponent but is gravely
wounded. The smaller figure is muscular and bare-chested.
He clutches a bloody dagger in one hand and a torch in the
other, and has no flesh covering his skull.
The man with the greatclub is
twenty-nine-year-old Mortlock Vanthampur*,
who has 30 hit points left. His opponent is an
uninjured Death’s Head of Bhaal* named Vaaz.
Four other Dead Three cultists lie dead in the
water, their skulls caved in by Mortlock.
Mortlock is tolerated by his mother, Duke
Thalamra Vanthampur, and despised by his
older brothers, Thurstwell and Amrik, who view
him as a simpleton and an abomination. Half of
Mortlock’s face was scarred by fire when he was
a child, and his disfigurement gives him a
fearsome countenance. He was sent to the
bathhouse dungeon by his mother to help the
followers of the Dead Three coordinate attacks
against the city. When it became clear that the
Dead Three cultists could function without
Mortlock’s support, Thurstwell and Amrik
conspired with several Bhaal cultists to
assassinate Mortlock without their mother’s
knowledge.
Mortlock and Vaaz stop fighting when the
characters arrive. Believing them to be
Mortlock’s associates, Vaaz disengages from the
fight on his next turn and withdraws to area
D33, where he makes his final stand. Vaaz takes
his torch with him. Rather than pursuing,
Mortlock tries to forge an alliance with the
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
37
 characters. If they come to terms with Mortlock,
he gives them the following information in
exchange for a promise of amnesty:
• "I was betrayed. These assassins conspired
with my brothers to kill me. If you hadn’t come
along, I’d be dead. I owe you my life."
• "Our family was promised great power in
exchange for hindering the Order of the
Dragon. They were carrying wagons full of
treasure, so we killed them and stole it."
• "We’re using the stolen gold to pay Dead Three
cultists to murder people in the city. Our goal
is to prove that the Flaming Fist can’t do its
job. Once the city stops paying them, the
Flaming Fist will have less of a reason to stay
in Baldur’s Gate. With them gone, no one can
stand in the way of my mother becoming the
city’s next grand duke."
• "My oldest brother, Thurstwell, uses imps as
spies throughout the city. He has the
bathhouse under surveillance and probably
knows you’re here. He’s very sickly and seldom
leaves our mother’s estate."
• "If you’ve made it this far, you’ve killed most of
the leaders of the Dead Three cult. Without
them, the cult will break up. The stolen
treasure is nearby." (Mortlock points toward
area D30.)
If Mortlock survives, he hides in the city until
he can book passage on a ship and leave
Baldur’s Gate. He is afraid to confront his
mother or his brothers and has no intention of
ever returning.
D30. T IAMAT ’ S S TOLEN T REASURE
A short flight of stairs climbs to a circular
chamber with four padlocked wooden chests
piled in the middle of it. The chests are locked,
but characters might have wrested the keys from
Yignath in area D12. A character can pick a
padlock with a successful DC 19 Dexterity
(Thieves’ Tools) check.
Each chest weighs 25 pounds empty, and all
four contain loot stolen from Tiamat’s hoard
from the Order of the Dragon. Most of the gold
has been spent.
• Chest 1 holds 45 gp and two potions of fire
breath.
• Chest 2 contains ten eye agates (10 gp each)
scattered amid 125 gp.
• Chest 3 contains a delicate porcelain dragon
mask (25 gp) resting on a bed of 75 gp.
• Chest 4 contains a bronze crown with five
spires (250 gp). Each spire is shaped and
painted to resemble one of the five kinds of
chromatic dragons (black, blue, green, red,
and white).
CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE
38
D31. T ORCHES
A wooden crate is stored in this otherwise empty
alcove. The crate can hold sixty torches, but is
in need of restocking. Only five torches remain.
D32. S TOLEN G OODS
Nine wooden crates are scattered throughout
this room. Scurrying among them are six
harmless rats like the one encountered in area
D14.
Six of the crates are empty except for packing
straw. The other three contain stolen goods that
the cultists have not yet disbursed, including ten
days’ worth of rations, a bag of twenty caltrops,
three flasks of alchemist’s fire, six sets of
manacles, four tinderboxes, nine daggers, and
four potions of healing in glass vials.
D33. C OVENANT OF THE D EAD
T HREE
If Vaaz fled area D29, he’s standing in front of
the statues in the west section of the room, his
sputtering torch lying on the floor near his feet.
Burned torch stubs litter the floor of this hall, the western
end of which is occupied by three six-foot-tall, painted
wooden statues. Each statue stands atop a two-foot-high
block of red stone, making it look taller and foreboding.
The center statue resembles a heavily armored man
whose face is hidden behind the fearsome visor of his
helmet. He’s painted red except for his right gauntlet, which
is black. Clutched in this gauntlet is a blood-red spear,
pointed upward. The statue to the north depicts a
purple-garbed male noble wearing a harlequin mask and
holding a dagger behind his back. The statue to the south
portrays a black-robed skeleton with its jaw opened wide
and its bony hands outstretched.
Banites, Bhaalites, and Myrkulites convene in
this room to plan attacks against the city above.
These meetings are often contentious, though
the followers of Bhaal and Myrkul usually bend
to the whims of the more strategically minded
Bane worshipers.
Each statue is solid wood and weighs 250
pounds. A statue can be knocked off its pedestal
with a successful DC 14 Strength (Athletics)
check.
• Bane Statue: The statue of the armored man
represents Bane. Its spear is real but
non-magical. The first time any humanoid
comes within 5 feet of this statue, it must
succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or
be compelled to kneel. While kneeling before
the statue, the creature can’t move or take
actions or reactions. The creature can repeat
 the saving throw at the end of each of its
turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Bhaal Statue: This statue’s harlequin mask is
a separate piece that can be unhinged and
removed, revealing Bhaal’s ghastly, skull-like
visage underneath.
• Myrkul Statue: Anyone who desecrates this
statue is cursed by the Lord of Bones. Until
the curse is ended with a remove curse spell
or similar magic, the offender gains no benefit
from magical healing.

8.6 C ONCLUSION
The characters have hopefully cleared the
Dungeon of the Dead Three and learned that
other cults are actively interfering with the Order
of the Dragon, meaning the Order’s plans might
be truly threatening.

Why are devils interfering with the Order of the

Dragon?
This chapter hints at devils interfering with the Order of
the Dragon, and pushing the followers of evil gods to action.
This will remain a mystery for the entire campaign. This
book leaves this open-ended, and assumes the characters
play the Tyranny of Dragons into Avernus campaign, a
modified high-level Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus,
which will make the issue clear. If you don’t like this idea,
sprinkle clues as to what’s happening in Avernus
throughout this campaign.

If the characters report their findings,

Al’maren will look into the Vanthampurs, and
gather evidence against them. She might have a
meeting with Ulder Ravengard* to warn him
about this and ask him to continue this
investigation.
The mysterious cargo of the Order, in the
meantime, reaches Baldur’s Gate and
immediately prepares to depart to Waterdeep in
a big caravan with other merchants. Mari
Al’maren is aware of this, and helps the
characters to infiltrate it.

CHAPTER 8: BALDUR’S GATE

39
 C HAPTER 9: O N THE
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s On the Road by
Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.7.
Maps can be found in section 26.6.
9.1 I NTRODUCTION
Consider using the Gritty Realism rules, where a
long rest takes seven days, and a short rest 8
hours, such that encounters spaced across
several days are balanced between classes
(mostly between casters that recharge all their
spells on a Long Rest and would have an easy
time with a single combat encounter per day).
Characters should be at level 6.
The goal for this chapter is to learn a bit about
the ranks of the Order of the Dragon, the nature
of their cargo, and the effects of their attacks on
other cities. They will also meet new possible
allies and/or enemies, get experience, loot, and
gold.
9.2 H IRING O UT
The Harpers spot the dragon cultists crossing
the town. They gather at the northeast gate to
continue their journey, and a group of other
travellers is preparing to depart. Together, they’ll
form a caravan whose destination is, apparently,
Waterdeep.
Mari Al’maren finds information regarding the
members of the caravan, which she gives to the
characters. Some members have already hired
guards or teamsters.
Achreny Ulyeltin is an independent wagon master with
two wagons in this caravan. Both are hauling cured furs and
uncured hides.
A lawyer by training but a skunk by inclination, Aldor
Urnpoleshurst is relocating from Baldur’s Gate to
anywhere that isn’t Baldur’s Gate. His teamster Enom
Tobun has driven freight wagons across Faerûn for the past
forty years, from Waterdeep to Calimport and from Baldur’s
Gate to Hillsfar. He is a font of stories and legends.
Ale and beer are so common that not much money can
be made hauling them long distances. But that’s what fills
Beyd Sechepol’s wagon. He will make his money on the
road, selling his stock to his fellow travelers in the caravan.
Edhelri Lewel’s wagon is loaded with exotic wood from
the Jungle of Chult for the master carpenters and
cabinetmakers of Waterdeep to turn into exquisite
furniture.
The reason behind Green Imsa’s name is obvious: she is
green from head to foot. Her skin, hair, eyes, nails,
teeth-everything about her is green. She readily admits that
CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD
40
R OAD
she is traveling to Waterdeep in search of a remedy for her
condition.
Lai Angesstun is an ambitious merchant, hauling
scented cooking oil and perfumes from Amn, hoping to
make a huge profit from the aristocrats and dandies of
Waterdeep.
From time to time, Lasfelro the Silent inexplicably
breaks into merry songs and short stretches of joke-telling.
His voice is a fine tenor and his jokes are hilarious. His
wagon is guarded by a brooding gargoyle that is tethered to
the wagon by a slim, silver chain.
Although Losvius Longnose’s nose is respectably large,
even for a halfling, the appellation Longnose was hung on
him for a different reason: he is curious about everything,
including other people’s business.
Noohar Serelim and his mute brother, Selvek, are
hauling exquisite wooden carvings made by the elves of
Cormyr. Their guard Leda Widris is as honest and
courageous as mercenaries come.
A load of Calishite silk will make Nyerhite Verther a rich
man in Waterdeep. It won’t take long before everyone in
the caravan knows to steer clear of his teamster, Tyjit
Skesh. She is quick to anger and quicker to resort to her
blades when something sets her off.
Oyn Evenmor is an independent wagon master hauling
exotic birds to the lucrative markets in Waterdeep. His
guard Orvustia Esseren grew up in the farmland outside
Baldur’s Gate, and this is her first trip more than two miles
away from home.
No one knows where Radecere Perethun is ultimately
headed or why.
Perhaps someone who hauls crates of expensive, fragile
porcelain in a bouncing, jarring wagon along the Trade Way
must be a born optimist. In Samardag the Hoper’s world,
the sky is always blue, the weather is always fine, and the
outlook for tomorrow is always bright. His guard Eldkin
Agetul has made this trip several times before and never
hesitates to wave that experience in others’ faces.
Quiet, unassuming Werond Torohar can handle a team
of horses or mules better than anyone on the Trade Way.
Balthazar, Melchior, and Caspar are the leaders of the
Order of the Dragon that are currently driving each wagon,
each accompanied by five additional cultists.
Each Order of the Dragon leader is a Cult
Wagon Leader* escorting a cult wagon with 2
(1d4) Dragonclaws and 2 (1d4) Cultists.
Mari Al’maren can put in a recommendation
with the following merchants, looking to hire
some guards, teamsters, or otherwise useful
servants:
• Beyd Sechepol
• Edhelri Lewel
• Noohar Serelim
• Nyerhite Verther
• Oyn Evenmor
• Samardag the Hoper
A DVENTURING L IFE
After the characters are hired by someone, I ran
the Adventuring Life episode. They see that
Achreny is looking to hire some muscle. Two
groups of people are volunteering for hire. One is
the group of fake actors, who look much
stronger, boast a lot, and charge more. The other
is a group of average guards, asking for adequate
pay. Mari Al’maren asks the characters which
group they think Achreny should hire, and gives
him their suggestion. If the characters pick the
actors, they bail out on the first encounter in the
road. If they pick the guards, they will defect on
the Animal Abuse encounter, and get hired by
other members of the caravan. They’ll also be
grateful to the characters, and help them should
they need it.
• Werond
• Lasfelro and his Gargoyle
• Melchior, Order of the Dragon leader
• Nyerhite and Tyjit
• Caspar, Order of the Dragon leader
• Noohar and Leda
Along these named NPCs, there are about fifty
Commoners and twenty Guards, for a total of
almost 100 people and a caravan extending
almost 500ft.
Have Losvius be nosy from the start, annoying
the characters, and Achreny be unpleasant,
mistreating animals and being otherwise filthy.
The furs he carries are worth about 400gp after
being properly curated.

9.3 O N THE R OAD

(P AR T 1)
This is the initial marching order for the caravan.
Things can switch around as NPCs die, join in,
or switch around. This assumes the characters
are traveling under Beyd, so swap him with
whoever your players did choose as an employer.
• Samardag and Eldkin.
• Edhelri
• Aldor and Enom
• Lai
• Green
• Achreny Figure 9.2: The Caravan resting at night. By
• Radecere Patreon’s Morovoi, with assets from 2-Minute
• Beyd and the Characters Tabletop.
• Balthazar, Order of the Dragon leader
• Losvius I ran the following encounters, in this order.
• Loyn and Orvustia Between each adventure, I showed the players

Figure 9.1: The front half of the Caravan on the road. Originally by Patreon’s DM Oaky.

CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD

41
 the Night Encampment map, allowing them to
interact with NPCs or explore specific wagons of
the caravan.
F UNGUS H UMONGOUS
Ran as-is, as the caravan passed the Fields of
the Dead.
If Achreny Ulyeltin hired actors, they escape
here, terrified, back to Baldur’s Gate.
Figure 9.3: The pass overgrown with
mushrooms. Unknown author.
B ANE OF THE M OUNTAINS
Ran at the Troll Hills, just before Dragonspear.
Figure 9.4: The Caravan being attacked by
Perytons. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.
I had three Monstrous Peryton* attack the
caravan. One attacks the chariots ahead of the
characters, another the ones behind. The third
CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD
42
attacks the characters directly. These Peryton
have no legendary actions, and 110HP. It’s
important that the characters have grown fond
of some members of the caravan. One of the
Perytons grapples such a person, and flies away
with them screaming in terror. If one of the
characters is knocked out by the Peryton they’re
fighting, the monster grabs his unconscious
body and carries it away. It flies in the direction
of Dragonspear Castle. A DC15 Intelligence
(History) check allows a character to recall
information on the legendary fortress. A DC15
Intelligence (Nature) check allows a character to
know that Peryton often nest atop mountains, or
tall structures, and the castle could be a perfect
location for such a nest.
The party’s employer (or some other member of
the caravan) suggests that the characters can try
a rescue mission, should they be willing to do so.
The caravan can hide for the night near the
castle, and characters can check to see if the
Perytons have, perhaps, nested atop the keep.
9.4 D RAGONSPEAR
This section was inspired by the Ghosts of
Dragonspear adventure, by Jeremy Crawford
and Christopher Perkins.
Dragonspear Castle was a dwarven fortress
built upon the High Moor during the 13th
century DR. It had a long and storied history
within Western Heartlands. It served as home to
monstrous humanoids, became the battleground
for two wars between Faerûnians and devils from
the Nine Hells, and much more. Currently, it lies
in ruins, and a massive dragon skeleton lies half
buried against its southern walls, amidst the
rubble.
The ruins of Dragonspear Castle crown a lonely hill at the
end of a winding stretch of neglected road branching east of
the Trade Way. The miles of untamed fields that surround
the castle are dotted with the remains of burnt wagons,
gutted cottages, broken fences, and the wooden bones of
war machines abandoned long ago.
Unless the characters stop to inspect some of
the empty cottages, burnt wagons, and broken
siege engines, continue by reading the text
below.
War, neglect, and the elements have worn the once mighty
castle down to its present wretched state. Two walls with
turrets once encircled the keep, but the outermost wall and
its towers have been reduced to rubble, forming necklace of
broken gray stone around the hillside. The inner wall and
towers are built on higher ground and are mostly intact,
although you see numerous holes punched through the
 walls and rooftops. Half hidden behind these crumbling
fixtures is the main keep, the entire south side of which has
collapsed under the weight of an enormous dragon’s
skeleton.
The closer you get, the less serene and more unnerving
the ruins become. The hill and everything on it has a
deathly stillness, and amid the weeds and rocks you see old
bones and broken weapons - more remnants of ancient
battles won and lost.
All doors in Dragonspear Castle are made of
rotten wood with rusted iron bands, hinges, and
handles. All doors leading to the inner bailey are
fitted with iron braces in the inside. These
braces are designed to hold wooden spars,
allowing the doors to be barricaded shut in the
event the castle is breached. Although they
might look sturdy, the doors are surprisingly
weak and easily splintered. Beneath the castle
lie ancient dungeons that contain sealed portals
that once led into Avernus. All entrances to the
dungeons have been sealed (see areas 15 and
20), but the fiends in Area 26 are planning how
to reach them.
Figure 9.5: Dragonspear (ground floor). Originally by Reddit’s u/wade0004.
1. C ASTLE WALLS
The walls rise to a height of 30 feet, although
they appear taller because the entire inner castle
sits atop a rocky berm with 10-foot cliffs
encircling it.
The walls are 10 feet thick at the base and
gradually taper to 5-foot thickness with a
crenellated battlement running along the tops.
When he built the castle, Daeros Dragonspear
sunk the wall foundations 10 feet underground
to hinder sappers trying to tunnel under them.
The inner bailey (courtyard) is higher than the
ground outside the castle walls, such that the
distance from the yard to the tops of the walls is
only 10 feet. Guards would reach the parapets
by climbing stone steps (which still exist) or
wooden ladders (which are long gone).
The walls are mostly intact except for the
eastern wall, which collapsed and was
subsequently torn down and never replaced.
2. C OLLAPSED WALLS
Several of the towers have gaping holes in them.
Creatures can enter or leave the castle through
these gaps by climbing over piles of rubble.
Rubble-filled areas on the map are treated as
difficult terrain.
CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD
43
 3. B ARBICAN
The main entrance to the inner bailey has seen many
battles over the years, as evidenced by the damaged turrets
and missing gate. Although the northern tower retains
much of its roof, nothing of the southern tower above the
wall remains.
In front of the gate are the remains of fickle walls of
sharpened wooden stakes and rotting mantlets - large,
freestanding wooden shields - with broken arrows sticking
out of them. Sometime after the gate was breached,
7-foot-high wooden palisades were built to fortify the
entrance and limit the flow of traffic through the gate, but
time has gotten the better of them as well. Everywhere you
look, the ground is littered with bones, bits of rusted armor,
and forsaken weapons.
A search of the area reveals nothing of value.
4. N OR TH B ARBICAN T OWER
This tower is 40 feet high with a conical roof. A hole in the
roof on its southern side reveals wooden supports and
beams inside. Arrow slits gain height as they circle
counter-clockwise around the tower wall.
Creatures can enter the tower through the
hole in the roof, through an unlocked door set
into the south wall, or through a hole in the wall
facing the outer bailey. The hole is on the first
floor, 10 feet wide, and 5 feet high. Rubble piled
around the base of the hole makes reaching it
quite easy (although the rubble is difficult
terrain).
Arrow Slits: The arrow slits gain height as they
circle around the tower wall because guards
would stand on the interior staircase to use
them.
When the characters peer inside the tower,
read:
An old wooden staircase hugs the interior wall, with
ascending arrow slits at 5-foot intervals. The staircase is in
poor condition, and the upper floor is missing, leaving only a
few broken boards stabbing out from the walls. Dust hangs
in the air, and the walls are covered in mold and mildew.
The floor is piled with rotting wood and broken stone.
The staircase creaks and groans ominously
with every footstep. The bottom 15 feet of the
staircase is safe, but the top 15 feet cannot
support more than 100 pounds. Excessive
weight on the top half of the staircase causes
that section to collapse. Creatures on the
collapsing stairs must make a DC 12 Dexterity
saving throw to avoid falling prone, taking 7
CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD
44
(2d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall and 7
(2d6) piercing damage from the debris.
A search of the tower yields nothing of value.
5. S OUTH B ARBICAN T OWER
This tower is missing its roof. As a result, its 30-foot-high
top resembles a crown of broken stone. Arrow slits gain
height as they circle counter-clockwise around the tower
wall.
The top 10 feet of this tower (including the
entire roof) collapsed years ago, and most of the
debris fell inside the tower. The wall is otherwise
intact. A door is set into the base of the tower,
facing the inner bailey.
Arrow Slits: See area 4 above.
When the characters peer inside the tower,
read:
A wooden staircase damaged by falling debris clings
precariously to the interior wall, with ascending arrow slits
at 5-foot intervals. The stair- case is in poor condition, and
nothing remains of the upper floor except a ring of jagged
boards. Dust hangs in the air, and the walls are covered in
mold and mildew. The floor is strewn with rotting wood,
broken stone, and feathers-purple, black, and gray feathers.
The southern Gate Tower contains a nest of 7
(2d6) Harpies, sleeping during the day. The
harpies leave the tower at nightfall to hunt and
don’t return until dawn. The feathers were left
by them. The inhabitants perch on the
ring-shaped upper floor and can be spotted with
a DC 10 Wisdom check.
The bottom 15 feet of the staircase is safe, but
the top 15 feet cannot support more than 100
pounds. Excessive weight on the top half of the
staircase causes that section to collapse.
Creatures on the collapsing stairs must make a
DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling
prone, taking 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage from
the fall and 7 (2d6) piercing damage from the
debris. Characters searching the rubble and
debris at the bottom of the tower find some
bones that fell from the floor above, but nothing
of value.
The jagged ring-shaped upper floor is in no
danger of collapse. The floor is covered with
droppings and strewn with human, elf, orc, and
goblin bones. Characters searching the area find
loose coins (20gp total) and a gold-plated helmet
(worth 250gp) with the head and wings of an
eagle worked into its design.
6. H AUNTED A RMORY
Standing with its back to the outer wall is a featureless
stone building with a flat, 10-foot-high roof and an
iron-bound wooden door set in the middle of it. The door is
chained and locked from the outside.
The rusted lock that binds the door’s chains
can be picked with a successful DC 13 Dexterity
(Thieves’ Tools) check. The lock can also be
broken off with a good, hard blow from any kind
of weapon. Characters can also enter the
building through a 4-foot-wide, 5-foot-high hole
in the western corner.
When the characters peer inside, read:
Dust and cobwebs fill this ancient armory. Suits of armor
hang on four wooden dummies, and rusty armaments
festoon old weapon racks along the opposite walls. The
room feels unnaturally cold.
The Armory is haunted by a Ghost who will
attempt to possess the first character entering
the room. The ghost is all that remains of a
human warrior - a female priest of Tempus, who
served as the castle’s Master of Arms for five
years until she and her comrades-in-arms were
slain. In her spectral form, the Priest wears a
tabard emblazoned with the
shield-and-flaming-sword symbol of Tempus, the
Warbringer. Her features are otherwise hideous
to behold. The ghost can no longer distinguish
between friend and foe, nor can it leave the
armory even while possessing a living creature.
It cannot speak except through a host, and the
only things is capable of saying are "Leave!" and
"Abandon all hope!". If the ghost is confronted by
a holy symbol of Tempus, attempts to turn or
rebuke it gain a +10 bonus. The ghost disperses
if reduced to 0 hit points, but it reforms the next
night. A cleric who casts a prayer spell on the
ghost convinces the spirit to rest in peace,
instantly banishing it forever.
Much of the equipment stored here is rusted
beyond use; however, characters can salvage a
pair of maces, a warhammer, and a +1 Weapon.
The weapon racks are made of rotted wood and
fall apart if they or the weapons stored in them
are disturbed.
7. H OLD OF THE B ATTLE L IONS
Standing between the castle barbican and the main keep is
the crumbled shell of a stone temple, at the back of which
rests a marble altar. Someone has chipped away the
bas-reliefs and religious iconography that once adorned the
altar, defiling it.
The shrine is in ruins, its altar defiled but still
intact. A Detect Magic cast on the altar and its
surroundings reveals an Abjuration aure, and
the altar is hallowed ground.
Fiends on the other side of the portal under
Dragonspear Castle "chip away" at its divine
wards, causing them to weaken over time and
requiring priests of Tempus to cast rituals in the
presence of this altar - rituals intended to
rejuvenate the ancient wards and prevent the
portal from opening. It has been some years
since the last such ritual was cast here, and the
portal’s wards are weakening.
The altar’s power comes from the holy relic
trapped inside it. If this relic is removed, the
rituals designed to rejuvenate the wards on the
portal simply won’t work. Characters wishing to
keep the relic can replace it with a different holy
relic (such as the weapon from the Tomb of Torm
in Chapter 9.6). Finding a different suitable
replacement might make a fine side quest.
The altar is a nondescript block of stained
white marble 5 feet long, 4 feet tall, and 3 feet
deep weighing 1,500 pounds. A follower of
Tempus who touches the altar can reach inside
of it, as though the altar was made of warm,
malleable clay. To everyone else, however, the
altar feels solid and impenetrable. A non-follower
of Tempus who speaks a prayer to any
good-aligned god before the altar can, with a DC
20 Charisma check, garner enough divine favor
to reach into the altar and remove the hidden
relic; however, a character can attempt this
check only once.
Any character able to "feel around" inside the
altar finds a light object hidden within and can
remove it; it is the hilt of an elven-made bastard
sword named Illydrael (pronounced
il-eh-dray-ul). The sword’s blade was broken off
and buried in the heart of a pit fiend long ago,
and the priests of Tempus hid the remains of the
weapon - now a holy relic - in the altar to
empower it. The sword’s remains can be
identified as a Sun Blade, and when removed
from the altar and gripped by a living creature, a
blade of screaming white flame (similar to fire
but giving off no heat) erupts from the hilt for a
brief moment. The weapon can only be attuned
to by a character over 9th level. Placing Illydrael
atop the altar causes it to sink back down into
the heart of the altar, where it remains until
removed again.
CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD
45
 9. S OUTH T URRET
This wide tower stands 40 feet high and has numerous
holes in its walls. However, the conical roof is mostly intact.
Although the exterior walls have suffered
extensive damage, the interior of this tower is
well preserved. Rooms have wooden ceilings 20
feet high, and above them is an attic full of
beams and rafters to support the roof. The attic
contains nothing else except cobwebs and bat
droppings.
The ground-floor rooms were stripped bare long ago and
are empty except for dust, rubble, and cobwebs, as well as
the small bones, armor fragments, and bits of tattered cloth
littering the floor. Part of the outer wall has collapsed,
leaving a 6-foot-wide, 12-foot-high hole.
A search of these room finds nothing of value
and no signs of recent occupation.
10. N OR TH T URRET
The roof of this tower has burned away, leaving a spidery,
cone-shaped skeleton of charred beams. The shell of the
tower has fared little better, as its gaping holes can attest.
However, it seems the tower of occupied by civilized
people. The door is closed and repaired, but is made
useless due to the gaping hole right next to it. Voices can
be heard from within. Outside, clothes are drying, buckets
are empty and ready to collect rainwater, and well-tended
shovels and other small tools are neatly piled against the
tower wall.
The inside of this tower was gutted by fire long
ago. Arrow slits face the outer bailey and are
spaced roughly 15 feet apart. Once the
characters peek inside, read:
On the other side of the door, there is a main hall which
has been cleared from most burnt wood that fell from
ceiling 20 feet above. Through holes in the ceiling, you can
see charred rafters crisscrossing a torched attic beneath a
stone cover. To the left of the door, five feet above the floor,
is a large hole in the western wall. The chamber beyond has
many people, beds, food, a cosy campfire, and many
simplistic religious symbols adorning its walls.
The structure currently contains 10 (3d6)
members of the Order of the Gauntlet (Scouts,
Priests, and War Priests). These are responsible
for the blessings of Area 7. They arrived here a
few days ago, and are busy repairing the tower,
setting up camp, and preparing for the difficult
CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD
46
task that awaits them (the blessings take weeks,
and it is a dangerous area).
They are friendly to the characters, and offer
to help if the characters seem well intended.
They are also trying to save three comrades who
have been taken hostage by the Behir (from Area
16). They volunteer a Scroll of Greater
Restoration if the characters help them without
asking for anything in return. Otherwise, they
try to provide whatever the character’s asked for,
as long as it is reasonable and within their
means.
11. N OR THEAST T URRET
The tower has two levels: a ground level and an attic. Both
levels are 20 feet high and separated by a rotted wooden
floor riddled with holes. Webs fill the attic and the rooms
below, and the tower is crawling with spiders.
When the characters enter the western half of
the tower, read:
This semicircular room is choked with webs. Through the
gossamer curtains, you see an old bed with two broken legs
and a stone staircase that climbs 5 feet to a landing in the
north corner.
The stone landing in the north corner once
connected to a wooden staircase that hugged the
outer wall, but that staircase has long since
rotted away and collapsed, leaving only a few
wooden spurs jutting from the walls.
13 (2d12) Giant Spiders lurk in the tower’s
attic. If the characters disturb the bed, the
spiders crawl through holes in the ceiling,
scuttle down the walls, and attack.
Hidden under the broken bed is a locked
wooden chest. The lock can be picked with a
successful DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools)
check. Inside are two empty potion bottles, a
leather-bound prayer book wrapped in a tattered
red stole, and an item from Magic Table E
(everything is destroyed if they set the tower on
fire, though). The prayer book has the symbol of
Torm (a raised gauntlet) burned into its cover,
and its pages describe, among many other
things, the Tomb from Chapter section 2.1,
mentioning how the blessed weapon that lies
within can grow stronger in times of need. It
takes an hour-long ritual and the use of a 5th
level spell slot to turn it into a +2 Weapon.
12. S OUTHEAST T URRET
The eastern half of this 40-foot-high tower has collapsed. A
few sections of the roof cling desperately to the half that
remains.
This tower is empty and abandoned.
13. P IT
The ground has collapsed here, forming a jagged,
20-foot-wide pit. The gaping maw reeks of brimstone.
The last time the portal under Dragonspear
Castle was sealed, it caused part of the dungeon
to collapse. This pit formed as a consequence.
The pit is 50 feet deep, and its floor is a
treacherous jumble of jagged stone and loose
rubble.
14. K EEP E NTRANCE
The main keep is built atop a 10-foot-high beam, and a
ramp leads up to a pair of battered wooden doors with a
stone dragon carved above them, its wings spread wide
across the entrance’s facade.
The double doors open into area 15 and are
unlocked.
15. F RONT H ALL
This grand hall has a vaulted ceiling 30 feet high, supported
by stone arches. A few holes have formed in the roof,
allowing the elements to gain a foothold. Cracked stone tiles
set in a diagonal pattern cover the floor, with pools of
standing water and slime covering them in places.
The western end of the hall is slightly elevated, with a
tattered carpet running its length. This foyer is decorated
with four white marble statues of armored human warriors
carrying swords and shields with dragons carved into them.
All of the statues are cracked and chipped. Behind them,
set into the walls, are tall stained-glass windows.
The eastern end of the hall is adorned with shredded
tapestries and six high ledges with gargoyles perched atop
them. The hall is bereft of furnishings save for three rotted,
freestanding wooden shields positioned between two side
doors. Behind these mantlets is a wide, columned arch
leading to an antechamber.
Perched on ledges 20 feet high and 10 feet
apart in the east portion of the halls are six
Gargoyles. These gargoyles will swoop down and
attack dragons or similar creatures that crosses
the hall, but otherwise remain stationary unless
disturbed.
The 5-foot-high freestanding wooden shields
have small holes cut into them at eye level. Each
one weighs about 75 pounds. A mantlet provides
three-quarters cover to a single Small or Medium
character standing behind it. Any blocked attack
causes a mantlet to fall apart. The damaged
statues depict human warriors - two males, two
females. They are otherwise unremarkable.
This grand hall has a total of six stained-glass
windows set into the walls - three to the north
and three to the south. Each window is 10 feet
tall, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet off the floor. All of the
windows depict dragons of varying hue but are
missing about half of their colored glass panels.
Characters looking through these holes can peer
into areas 17 and 19.
16. S TAIRCASE
Rubbish, bodies, bones, and pools of dry blood cover the
tiled floor of this unfurnished room. An enormous lizard-like
monster rests in the middle of the it, snoring loudly. Behind
it, three semi-naked humans are lying on the floor,
occasionally moaning from the pain of their severe wounds.
An enormous devilish mural is painted onto the eastern
wall. Two windows, their colored panes missing, create
narrow openings in the eastern corners of the north and
south walls. A black iron railing encloses a descending stone
staircase.
A Behir rests in this room, with three
unconscious humanoids wounded and trapped
behind it. The monster has killed a few others,
and will feast on the ones still alive once it gets
hungry. The characters find an item from Magic
Table F amidst the rubbish, and earn the favor
of the Order of the Gauntlet (from Area 10) if
they save the unconscious men.
The big mural depicts Dragonspear being
overrun by Devils (Figure 9.6).
The right staircase leads down to a moldy
cellar. The cellar holds empty wine racks, rotting
crates, and empty barrels. Four narrow passages
lead away from the cellar in all directions, each
coming to a dead-end after 15 feet or so. The
tunnels leading away from the cellar originally
connected to areas of the dungeon under
Dragonspear Castle. They were deliberately
collapsed to prevent the evils in the dungeon
from escaping, but if you wish to expand this
adventure, you can assume one or more of the
passages has been cleared.
The left staircase leads up to the first floor,
into Area 24.
CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD
47
 17. B ARRACKS
This long hall runs the length of the keep and has a ceiling
that slopes down toward the north wall, with rafters every
10 feet or so. The hall is home to scores of bats. Most of
them cling to the rafters, but a few flutter about anxiously.
Two thin windows set in the north wall have lost most of
their stained glass, but a few colored panes survive. The
remains of a dozen cots spattered with bat guano lie along
the walls, mounted to which are empty torch brackets.
To the east, a pool of standing water covers the floor
next to a flight of stone stairs that ascend 5 feet to a
landing. It looks like the landing once connected to a
wooden staircase and a loft, but nothing of them remains.
The roof above has partially collapsed, leaving large holes
through which the bats can come and go.
Although they are harmless, the bats serve as
an early-warning system. During daylight hours,
any creature crossing the middle of the hall
causes the bats to panic and shriek, waking the
Behir in area 16. A character that moves very
slowly and calmly can avoid arousing the bats
with a DC 13 Dexterity (Stealth) check.
The two broken windows in the north wall look
out toward the inner bailey, a broken window in
the southeast corner allows access to area 16,
and three intact windows separate this room
from area 14 to the south. Each window is 10
feet tall, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet off the floor, and
the intact ones depict dragons in flight.
18. N OR THWEST K EEP T OWER
The outer shell and conical roof of this 40-foot-
tall tower are perfectly intact. The entire tower is
empty, aside from the doors and staircase. When
characters first peer inside the room, read:
Beyond a collapsed wall is a tower chamber bereft of
furnishings and décor, containing only a rising spiral
staircase reaching the upper floors.
19. C OLLAPSED H ALL
The entire south wall of the keep is gone, leaving half of a
long hall exposed to the outdoors. Rotting mantlets and
palisade walls abandoned by the castle’s ancient defenders
face outward.
The colossal skeleton of a winged dragon rests amidst
the debris, with one of its wings angled and climbing over
the outside of the castle into the upper floors.
The floor of this hall is 10 feet higher than the
yard of the inner bailey. A door set into the
keep’s western tower leads to area 20.
The 5-foot-high freestanding wooden shields
are festooned with enemy arrows and have small
holes cut into them at eye level. Each one weighs
about 75 pounds. A mantlet provides
three-quarters cover to a single Small or Medium
character standing behind it (see page 159). The
mantlets are decrepit; any blocked attack causes
a mantlet to fall apart.
The two 7-foot-high, 9-foot-long palisade walls
are made from tree trunks lashed together and
sunk 2 feet into the floor. Still, time has
weakened them: each wall can be knocked down
with a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check.

Figure 9.6: Dragonspear being overrun by Devils, mural in Area 7. By Beamdog’s Siege of
Dragonspear.

CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD

48
20. N OR THEAST K EEP T OWER
The outer shell and conical roof of this
40-foot-tall tower are perfectly intact. The
interior of the tower is one big room, and the
door is barred shut from within and must be
smashed open with a DC 20 Strength (Athletics)
check. The noise is loud enough to alert the
Behir in area 16 (which slinks quietly out of its
lair to investigate if it hasn’t already been
defeated).
This tower chamber is bereft of furnishings and décor,
containing instead debris fallen from above in its ground. A
spiral staircase rises to the upper floors.
21. G UEST R OOM
This room was stripped bare long ago and is currently
empty except for dust, rubble, cobwebs, and a very large
amount of excrement. Flies buzz around it attracted by the
festering substance.
A horde of Orcs are currently camping on the
second floor of the keep. This is the room they
use to relieve themselves if they don’t feel like
Figure 9.7: Dragonspear (first floor). Originally by Reddit’s u/wade0004.
going outside. The stench is horrifying, but
otherwise harmless.
22. G UEST R OOM
Deep thick voices can be heard coming from this room.
They sound worried. The smell of smoke and a warm glow
can also be perceived, undoubtedly due to a lit campfire
within.
Once characters take a peek inside, read:
Several orcs and what is clearly some sort of war leader sit
around a campfire in this room. Rudimentary beds lie on
the corners, a stuck pig rolls slowly over the fire, and
several weapons lean against the northern wall.
6 (1d12) Orcs and one Orc War Chief Lok’tar
are resting here. They will attack if they spot any
sneaky behavior, but will be friendly if the
characters approach them openly. Their War
Chief is suffering from a curse by an ancient
magical item, and the Orc would be glad if the
characters could help him. If they do, the Orcs
help the characters in combat.
The curse was given by a Red Wizard of Thay’s
that despises Orcs. Lok’tar was the target of a
CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD
49
 9th-level Bestow Curse and is constantly
mentally impaired by it, wasting his actions
doing nothing. On the occasional moments he
speaks clearly, he seems very depressed, and
complains this is no way for a warrior to die. The
curse lasts until dispelled with a Remove Curse.
24. S TAIRCASE
Debris, dust, and cobwebs cover the tiled floor of this
unfurnished room. A large colored-pane window covers the
eastern wall, shedding reddish light onto the room. The
window depicts a five-headed dragon climbing out of an
active volcano.

23. G UEST R OOM

Several orcs are resting in this room, most sleeping directly
on the floor, and a couple on top of thin cloaks. Several
weapons lean against the eastern wall, and the northwest
corner is filled with debris that got shove and piled there
from the rest of the room.
13 (2d12) Orcs are resting here. They will
attack if they spot any sneaky behavior, but will
be friendly if the characters approach them
openly. Two are talking about their plans to go
hunting the next day, and how they need to be
careful about the neighbors above (the
Rakshasas) and the Behir below.
This room is otherwise empty. The stairs lead
down to Area 16 and up to Area 26.
25. WAITING H ALL
The remains of ancient tapestries, carpets, and furniture
still adorn this room. Expensive couches and seats once
lined the walls of this waiting area, but now everything has
rotted away and only pieces of brightly colored fabric allow
one to realize the magnificence of what once stood here.
Despite things having rotted away, this room
is otherwise clean. Footsteps can be seen on the
dusty carpet, coming to and fro Area 26.

Figure 9.8: Dragonspear (second floor). Originally by Reddit’s u/wade0004.

CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD

50
26. C OMMAND C ENTER
The walls of this room are adorned with fragments of
ancient maps, strategy plans, schemes, and diagrams. Most
of it has decayed away, but the sheer size of the map of the
Forgotten Realms on the southern wall is impressive. In the
corners of the room lie some ruined book-stands, now
rotted and in pieces. The books they once contained are
not around.
Four humans are sitting cross-legged around an old
wooden short table in the center of the room. They look
out-of-place, with expensive looking clothes, similar to rich
merchants.
The four humans are actually four Rakshasas
in disguise. They are conversing loudly about
their plans to remove the rubble from the
castle’s dungeons and re-open the portal into
Avernus. They’re not interested in fighting,
unless provoked. Their plan will likely take years
to enact, but they’re not worried or in a rush. If
their motivations are questioned, they claim to
be on a quest to rescue a dear friend from the
Nine Hells.
There is nothing else of value in the room. A
door on the northern wall leads to a part of the
castle’s rooftops. An opening on the eastern wall
Figure 9.9: Dragonspear (top). Originally by Reddit’s u/wade0004.
leads to a corridor which descends into Area 24.
27. P ERYTON N EST
The top of the Castle is filled with large branches, bones,
feathers, antlers, eggs, and bodies. Many monstrous
creatures are currently here, making inhuman noises and
communicating somehow. They appear to be a cross
between a giant eagle and a demonic-looking, fang-toothed
stag. They seem to be excited and are currently circling the
caravan-member that got kidnapped earlier. The fellow is
screaming, terrified, but that only seems to excite the
creatures further.
At the top of the fortress, there is a large nest
of Perytons. Most are away hunting, leaving only
one or two Monstrous Perytons* preparing to
feast on the poor person they kidnapped from
the caravan. Many baby Perytons are abound
(these are non-combatants). If combat ensues,
the adult Perytons defend their babies, who
eventually fly away from the castle until things
settle down. Roll on Magic Tables F (1x), C (2x),
and B (for each remaining player) for the loot
found at the Peryton nest, taken from other
unfortunate adventurers.
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51
 9.5 O N T HE R OAD
(P AR T 2)
The caravan is quick to move away from the god-
forsaken citadel of Dragonspear.
A NIMAL A BUSE
Ran at Trollclaws mountains.
I made Achreny Ulyeltin the noble mistreating
his horses. When Achreny beats his horse to
death (or attempts to), if he hired real guards
when departing Baldur’s Gate, they oppose him
and quit their jobs. They are likely hired by other
merchants on the spot, who are still shaken up
by the Peryton incident. His original entourage (a
Mage and a Knight) remain with him. If the
characters don’t sell him one of their horses, he
will become more and more annoying to them,
insulting and irritating them at every chance he
gets. If they do, he mistreats it nonetheless, and
he might drive the poor horse to exhaustion
before the journey is over.
S PIDER W OODS
Ran at Trollbark forest. Had a Four-Armed Troll
and an Ettercap attack the party’s carriage on
the left side (Trollbark forest side). The party’s
employer runs to the right side on the first
round of combat, trying to get away from the
monsters. On the following round, two Phase
Spiders and a Giant Spider attack from the
other side. One of the Phase Spiders goes for the
employer, grapples him, shifts into the Ethereal
Plane, and drags him back to their lair. This
happens all across the caravan,Trolls and
Ettercaps ambushing from one side, and other
NPCs are dragged away by Spiders on the other
side (I had the employer Beyd, a cultist, a
bodyguard, and a merchant whisked away).
Although Phase Spiders won’t leave any marks
due to their Ethereal Jaunt, characters can track
the Giant Spiders back to their shared lair.
In the spiders’ lair, there are 10 (3d6) Phase
Spiders and 2 (1d4) Giant Spiders. For each
kidnapped member, a Phase Spider takes time
eating him alive, even as characters rush the lair.
Let the party’s employer be the last surviving
member. The characters find a 300gp diamond
in the lair, and an item from Magic Items Table
B.
C ONTRABAND
In the rush to escape Trollbark forest, Melchior’s
damaged wagon’s wheel breaks.
I ran the this mostly as-is, but had Losvius
Longnose be around and be very curious about
the cargo. The cultists didn’t like it, and the
CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD
52
characters noticed. In the following rest (the one
where Hell Messenger happens), Losvius
disappears. He is found dead outside the camp
after a couple of hours if someone searches for
him, or otherwise isn’t seen again.
H ELL M ESSENGER
This works best if you have a Tiefling, Warlock,
or any Hell-related character in your group.
During the rest after the Contraband episode,
three Devils waltz into the encampment.
Disguised as humans, they don’t cause much
alarm. A DC 17 Wisdom (Insight) or Intelligence
(Religion) check allows a character to realize
these are devils in disguise. They come in peace
(and the characters are probably in no shape to
fight them), and have a message to deliver to the
Hell-related character of the group.
At My Table
In my case, we had Lucy Jezebel, a Tiefling whose
backstory was about escaping her dragon-worshipping
father in Avernus, and coming to the Forgotten Realms,
which was perfect. I made her father be Arkhan, the
Cruel, whose race I changed to be a Tiefling/Dragonborn
half-breed.
Daughter Lucy
We must help the Queen. She is so close... Only Bel
stands in her way.
Search for the Followers. She has guided them on what
to do. Find the masks. Gather them, and they will all unite.
Complete the ritual with the help of the Crimson ones.
The Queen will reward you.
You have disappointed me once. Make me proud once
more. Arkhan
Arkhan references Tiamat, the Queen of
Dragons, and how close she is to being freed
from her shackles in Avernus. Bel (former ruler
of Avernus) opposes this, while Archduke Zariel
(current ruler of Avernus) would rather get rid of
Tiamat altogether. The Followers is the name
that the Order of the Dragon is known for in
Avernus. The masks are the Dragon Masks
required for the ritual. Once assembled, all the
chromatic dragons will unite. The Crimson ones
refers to the Red Wizards of Thay who have
defected and are willing to help with Tiamat’s
summoning.
The final lines relate to Lucy’s backstory.
Adapt to your characters as needed.
If Losvius is found dead (due to the
Contraband episode), most of the caravan
assumes it was these strangers’ doings.
T HE G OLDEN S TAG
Ran mostly as-is, with the elk turning into a
Summer Eladrin Elf.
 Achreny and his guard are among the ones
that go on the hunt. Most other caravan
members go after the herd of Elk, while Achreny
targets the golden one specifically (he trades furs,
so this golden hide is very valuable). If the
characters find the Eladrin Elf, Achreny and his
bodyguards later interrupt them, and attempt to
force him to turn back into an elk, not believing
his story. This is likely to cause a big conflict
between him and the characters.
The Stag’s golden hide, if collected, is worth
300gp.
At My Table
My players hated Achreny by this point, so they went
directly after him and surprised him as he was about to
ambush the Golden Elf.
D AGGERFORD
The city was attacked a week prior, by Rezmir*
and Neronvain*, both visibly wearing their
Dragon Masks, riding Chuth*, the green dragon
in the cult’s Misty Forest cell. There was also a
group of eight Dragonsouls (Neronvain’s private
guards) that pillaged the city while the dragon
attacked from above. Daggerford is still
recovering, and has been safe ever since the
night of the attack. However, many of its
buildings have been destroyed. This is a good
place to introduce Sir Isteval, who joins the
Figure 9.10: The Caravan attacked by trolls and spiders. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.
Council of Waterdeep later on in the campaign.
Azbara Jos* and Jamna join the caravan here,
along with some dozens of refugees. Some
members of the caravan stay here to help or
hide, such as Aldor, Radecere, and Werond.
Triggers for Everything Has a Price and
Recognized! start happening now.
E VERYTHING H AS A P RICE
Lai Angesstun, who is now riding just ahead of
the characters (assuming Achreny was killed in
the Golden Stag) is the one that develops a fancy
for an item of the characters’ or of his employer
(in my case, a prized wine bottle from Beyd
worth 150gp). This happens in Daggerford, and
Jamna steals the item on the first night she
rides with the caravan. If Jamna witnesses the
characters in combat (perhaps killing the cultists
from Recognized!), she returns the item (with
good timing, this happens during Who’s Your
Friend?).
R ECOGNIZED !
Ran as-is, starting in Daggerford. The character
that fought Cyanwrath back in Greenest was
recognized by Melchior, Cult leader. The
character with highest Wisdom (Perception)
score notices Melchior observing the recognized
character.
CHAPTER 9: ON THE ROAD
53
 cultists are openly animus to one another from
now on.

9.6 C ONCLUSION
Characters have hopefully earned some loot from
their adventures, and 50gp each from their
employer (or 300gp total). They should be aware
that the Order of the Dragon is hauling, at the
very least, a large amount of treasure. They
reached Waterdeep, where the Golden Elk can be
cured, and Jamna still acts as a reliable ally. At
the city’s gates, the caravan quickly disperses.

Figure 9.11: The ruins where the Golden Stag

turns back into his elven form. By Patreon’s DM
Oaky.

At My Table
That night, my players set a trap for Melchior. The
recognized character went alone to the woods for private
business, and Melchior followed. The other characters
followed him, and he was silently disposed of.

U NWANTED A TTENTION
Ran as-is, but did not follow the proposed
time-line. I had this happen together with
Recognized!.

W HO ’ S Y OUR F RIEND ?
Ran as-is.

At My Table
This worked out in a perfect way for me. My players
immediately trusted Jamna, who milked them for
information. They even found, using Locate Object, that
she was the thief from Everything Has a Price, but they
assumed the item had been planted. In fact, Jamna was
about to admit that she had taken it and how impressed
she was with them for uncovering the truth, when they
blurted out their theory, to which she simply agreed to.
From then on, it was easy to keep the players doing
whatever I wanted them to, by having Jamna give hints to
them: "Careful with Azbara, he is the only one that worries
me..." to keep them from trying to attack the cultists
during the journey, for example.

M URDER M OST F OUL

Ran as-is. The surviving cultists accuse the
characters, and tensions rise, but combat
doesn’t actually start, Azbara calms everyone
down with menacing words. The characters and

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54
C HAPTER 10: WATERDEEP AND C ARNATH
R OADHOUSE
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Construction
Ahead by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.8.
Maps can be found in section 26.7.
10.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 7.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
take a short break in a major hub, and interact
with Remallia Haventree*. Then, the caravan
will move on and lead the characters to the
Carnath Roadhouse. They should finally be able
to get rid of the cultists, and find that some
other group is carrying the loot deep into the
swamp.
10.2 C ARAVAN
D ISBANDS
All the caravan members must register with the
magisters at the entrance of the city. Each then
quickly goes their own way. Guards and
teamsters will rest for some days before getting a
similar job and making the opposite route back
to Baldur’s Gate.
O RDER OF THE D RAGON
The Cultists and Azbara Joe take the day to
prepare for their next journey. By nightfall,
another convoy departs from the Northern Gate,
led by Ardred Briferhew.
J AMNA
Jamna volunteers to trail the cultists if the
characters want to do something else during the
day. Should her disguise be threatened (for
example, if the characters speak with their
Harper contact Remallia Haventree* and
mention her), she won’t return and characters
might not ever see her again. As a parting gift,
she can send them a note at nightfall explaining
she had fun and telling them what the cultists
are about to do. Otherwise, she accompanies the
characters and the convoy up to the Carnath
Roadhouse.
10.3 WATERDEEP
Waterdeep, also known as the City of Splendors
or the Crown of the North, is one of the most
important and influential city in the North and
perhaps in all Faerûn. It is a truly marvelous
cosmopolitan city of great culture that attracts
the most talented artisans, artists, and scholars
from across the Realms, as well as a commercial
hub for financial interests along the coast and
beyond. It is, by and large, the most civilized city
on the Sword Coast. Yet civilized doesn’t mean
safe, nor does it mean easy to navigate. Many
day-to-day elements of life in Waterdeep that
residents take for granted are, to new arrivals, a
bevy of wonders and dangers not seen in any
other settlement within a thousand miles.
Characters don’t have much time, but they
should get to know a bit about the city, as they
will return here for the Council of Waterdeep in
the future. Aside from meeting their Harper
connection Remallia Haventree* at the Yawning
Portal, there isn’t anything specific to do here.
Just let your players choose what they wish to
do, and react accordingly.
N EVEREMBER AND S ILVERHAND
At some point while the characters move through
the city, they cross paths with Dagult
Neverember, currently the Open Lord of
Waterdeep. They might recognize him, but he
does not know them (nor has he any reason to),
and he is too busy at the moment. He later
participates in the Council of Waterdeep.
Another relevant NPC from Waterdeep is Lady
Laeral Silverhand, also known as Lady Mage of
Waterdeep, who also participates in the Council.
Touched by the goddess of magic, Mystra, Laeral
is an expert in arcane items, and might have a
quick meeting with the Harper member Remallia
Haventree* about the dragon masks and their
mysterious powers.
E NTERING THE C ITY
You will have traveled through lands claimed
and controlled by the Lords of Waterdeep long
before you see its walls. If you’ve come from the
south by the Trade Way, you’ll have met the City
Guard at their post at Zundbridge. From the
north by way of the Long Road, you’ll have
passed under their watchful eyes at the town of
Rassalantar. And whether by land or sea, you’ll
likely also have been spotted by the Griffon
Cavalry—even if you have not spotted them.
Worry not. Waterdeep is a welcoming city, and
you have nothing to fear from these guardians
unless you lead a rampaging army of orcs, a
CHAPTER 10: WATERDEEP AND CARNATH ROADHOUSE
55
 horde of gnolls, or similar. They don’t even
require a toll be paid.
If you travel in a large caravan or on a ship,
you will be required to register with a magister at
the gate at which you arrived or with the harbor
magister. Magisters can easily be recognized by
the black robes they wear (and, in fact, are
commonly called "black robes" as a result) and
the City Guard force that always accompanies
them. Be aware that magisters can pass a
sentence without a trial. It behooves you to treat
them with proper respect. If you travel overland
in a small party or alone, you aren’t required to
register with a magister unless your stay extends
beyond a tenday. Many canny visitors with
business for a month or a season betimes avail
themselves of the hospitality of inns in
Undercliff, the pleasant farmland east of the city
proper. The less well-off often find
accommodation in the Field Ward.
If you approach by air, expect a vigorous
pursuit by and confrontation with the Griffon
Cavalry. Only specially licensed individuals and
mounts can fly over Waterdeep. It is best to land
well outside the city and approach on foot.
I NSIDE THE C ITY
Waterdeep is a city of broad boulevards that
thrum with traffic. All day and well into the
night, a bewildering melee of wagons, carts,
horse and pony riders, carriages, buggies,
hire-coaches, and Waterdeep’s signature
towering drays (towering long, glassed-in
carriages with bench seating that provides
additional open-air bench seating on their roofs)
surges through its major thoroughfares.
Fortunately, most roads are flanked by paved
sidewalks that give pedestrians plenty of space,
and most of the widest roads have raised
dividers that allow an individual crossing a
street a safe space to step out of the fray and
wait for traffic to pass.
One will also find throughout the city eight
behemoth statues, ninety feet tall. They once
wreaked havoc, but have thankfully been
dormant for well over a decade now, serving only
as beautiful, cyclopean reminders of Waterdeep’s
might.
WARDS
In other cities, such as Baldur’s Gate and
Neverwinter, districts are bounded by rivers or
walls. But in Waterdeep, one can traverse from
ward to ward by crossing a street-a fact that
offers the drivers of hire-coaches some
amusement when an ignorant tourist requests a
ride to an adjacent ward.
The Sea Ward stands proud on the high
CHAPTER 10: WATERDEEP AND CARNATH ROADHOUSE
56
ground above Mount Waterdeep’s sunset shadow.
The rich and the powerful (or those who wish
you to think such of them, and can afford the
rent) reside or run their businesses here.
For the best experience in the North Ward, go
there just before dawn, buy a broadsheet, and
settle in at a café with a view of the street. Watch
as the ward comes quietly to life around you.
You’ll soon hear and then see the drays arriving
with servants. These aren’t the live-in staff used
by noble houses, but people hired to come and
work for a day. Most of them come from less
affluent parts of the city, arriving with the tools
of their trade and outfitted in their customary
garb. As these servants spread out to knock on
doors and begin their work, the residents of the
ward take their exits, parting fondly with
spouses and children. In the span of just an
hour, the North Ward comes to noisy life and
then settles again into quiescence, until later in
the day when the process reverses itself, as
residents return from work and servants leave.
The Castle Ward is the heart and mind of
Waterdeep, if not its soul. It houses the city’s
military forces, courts, government, and the
Market-the largest market square of any city in
the North. It encompasses the City Navy’s docks
in the Great Harbor and all of Mount Waterdeep,
and it is home to six walking statues, numerous
temples, and many other landmarks. Castle
Waterdeep stands above the city on a great bluff
that extends out from the mountain, its towers
soaring hundreds of feet into the sky. It
surprises many to learn that this isn’t where
Waterdeep’s rulers reside, nor from where the
city is governed. The castle was and is a redoubt
of last defense should the city be attacked, but
for well over a century, the ruler of Waterdeep
has occupied the Palace of Waterdeep.
The Market in the Castle Ward is the largest
market square in the city, but the Trades Ward
is like a market town in itself-and is easily thrice
the Market’s size. This ward bustles day and
night with activity, both on the street and on
balcony walkways that run the length of blocks
and are sometimes layered five stories high.
Shop signs appear to leap out from buildings,
whose sides are plastered with advertisements
all vying for the attention of the eye. As long as
it’s not illegal, you can find it in the Trades Ward.
But if you are looking for something illegal, the
Trades Ward is likely the place to get that too.
Do not do so too loudly, though. The City Watch
has a heavy presence in this ward, in the form of
both open patrols and officers working out of
uniform.
The southern ward hosts most of the traveling
merchants who visit the city, and is made up of
many enclaves, blocks, and streets primarily
occupied by citizens who trace their ancestry to
other realms.
Aside from the Field Ward, the Dock Ward is
where most of Waterdeep’s poor reside. Yes, it is
home to some of the least literate people in the
city. Yes, most of its taverns are inhabited by
habitual drinkers, and far too many inns charge
by the hour. But all must concede this: the
residents of the Dock Ward often work the
hardest while living under the harshest
conditions.
The City of the Dead is no drab cemetery. It is
a great park of grassy hills, tended flower beds,
artfully placed clusters of trees and bushes,
beautiful sculptures, astounding architecture,
and gravel paths that wend intriguingly through
it all. Long ago, Waterdavians largely abandoned
the practice of burying their dead, instead
entombing them in mausoleums. For centuries,
the major mausoleums here have each been
connected to an extradimensional space where
the dead are taken, mourned, and interred.
Outside the city, you can find the Field Ward,
Undercliff, and Undermountain, all famous in
their own right.
G OVERNMENT
The ruler of Waterdeep is known as the Open
Lord. While he is the public ruler of Waterdeep,
Figure 10.1: The streets of Waterdeep. By Wizards of the Coast.
a council of other lords of nearly equal power
would rule with him. But the identity of those
other lords would be hidden even from each
other, thus preventing any of them from being
approached and influenced by bribe or threat.
They would be known as the Masked Lords.
The current Open Lord of Waterdeep is Dagult
Neverember. Laeral Silverhand is one of its
Masked Lords.
M ILITARY
The first soldiers you see in service to the city
will be the members of the City Guard who
patrol the roads leading to Waterdeep, watch the
walls, guard civic structures, and protect
magisters. Waterdeep’s streets, however, are
policed by an altogether different force: the City
Watch.
"The Guard guards the walls while the Watch watches all."
The City Watch has watch posts throughout
the city. These stations are often off the main
thoroughfares, tucked away in small courtyards
or at cross streets. Small squads head out from
the watch posts on daily and nightly rounds of
the city streets, or on special assignments
involving protection or investigation. A mere pair
of Watch operatives might discreetly patrol in the
Castle Ward; in contrast, squads of eight walk
CHAPTER 10: WATERDEEP AND CARNATH ROADHOUSE
57
 the Dock Ward, increasing to as many as a
dozen at night. If Watch members spot trouble
they can’t handle, they blow shrill tin whistles to
summon more of their members-an act that
alerts nearby citizens as well.
City Watch members follow a strict code of
conduct that makes them one of the most
trusted police forces aside from paladin-patrolled
Elturgard. As long as you don’t engage in
unlawful behavior, you can expect to be left
untroubled by the Watch.
Waterdeep also deploys an aerial defense force.
Brave warriors of the City Guard light out from
the Peaktop Aerie atop Mount Waterdeep, riding
fearsome griffons that have been bred and
trained for that purpose. Each of the riders is
equipped with a ring of feather falling—not
merely to prevent death from mishap, but to
allow them to perform stunning feats of aerial
acrobatics. Riders of the Griffon Cavalry are
trained to stay above the rooftops, not because
they fear crashing into towers and weather
vanes, but because the smell of so much
horseflesh in the streets below can sometimes
drive their griffons into a frenzy.
L AW AND O RDER
Waterdeep is no village led by hidebound
hierarchs or petty fiefdom ruled by the whim of a
warlord. It is a city of laws molded by Tyr’s spirit
of justice. As a rule, you can trust members of
the City Watch to do their duty diligently, and
you can expect that the city’s magisters will be
fair. If you have cause to come before the
Masked Lords or the Open Lord herself, rest
assured that if your cause be just, justice will be
done. If, however, you find yourself in the wrong,
know that though it might take time to weigh
that wrong on Tyr’s scales, his hammer will
fall—and it will be wielded by Waterdeep with a
vengeance.
Individuals accustomed to the
rough-and-tumble life in much of the North are
often surprised by the fact that Waterdavians go
about unarmed and unarmored. Yet Waterdeep
doesn’t have any law that forbids carrying
weapons or armor. Instead, it has a culture of
civility that makes such behavior unnecessary.
Dueling has long been illegal in Waterdeep, as
has any sort of act involving assault. Individuals
caught brawling by the Watch will all be arrested
and judged regardless of who started the fracas,
or why. The tavern brawls that typically break
out under the influence of too much drink will
often be overlooked by the Watch, as long as the
proprietor doesn’t seek payment for damages
and no one is significantly injured. Sport
fighting, such as boxing or wrestling, is legal
CHAPTER 10: WATERDEEP AND CARNATH ROADHOUSE
58
only if it occurs in a location registered with the
city for that purpose. Additionally, any blade
more than one foot in length is subject to an
extra tax whenever it is sold, which helps to
explain why Waterdavians prefer to carry knives
and knuckledusters for self-defense.
Businesses and individuals do employ armed
guards, but except for nobles or foreign envoys,
few people travel about the city with such
protection. As such, the sight of armed and
armored individuals walking the streets who
aren’t in the livery of the city or one of its noble
houses inspires caution in most Waterdavians.
Folk assume that you wouldn’t bother lugging
around such equipment unless you either intend
violence or expect that it might soon be visited
upon you.
Expect to be questioned at the gate, or when
you register with a magister, regarding your
ability to cast arcane magic. Wizards, sorcerers,
and other arcane spellcasters who intend to stay
in Waterdeep for any length of time are required
to register with the city, and will be strongly
encouraged to join the Watchful Order of Magists
and Protectors, headed by the Blackstaff.
Members of the Watchful Order are expected to
render service to the city when called upon,
acting as temporary members of the City Watch
or City Guard.
C ITIZENRY
The people of Waterdeep are among the greatest
of its splendors. Fashion, comportment,
love-these things are practiced with an art and a
zest in the city uncommon elsewhere. The
festhalls or festivals are easy proof of this, often
with cross-dressing performers who regale
audiences with humor, song, and fabulous
magic. The city is also a haven for those who
define for themselves what it means to be a man
or a woman, those who transcend gender as the
gods do, and those who redefine entirely who
they are.
Nobles in Waterdeep are patrons of and
investors in all manner of businesses in the city
and abroad, as well as the many expressions of
the arts. They spend coin to fund celebrations,
contests at the Field of Triumph, upkeep at the
city’s temples and shrines, civic projects, guild
events, and charitable actions such as burial of
the unknown dead. Always address a known
noble as "Lord" or "Lady." A short bow or a nod
of the head to acknowledge a noble upon each
meeting and parting is customary.
Obsequiousness and servility is something all
Waterdavians scorn, but you should also beware
of acting in an overly familiar, boastful, or
disrespectful way when in the presence of any
noble. If you’re not certain whether someone is a
noble, address the gentleman as "Saer" or the
gentlewoman as "Goodwoman." Neither will give
offense, and generally a noble will politely correct
you as to their actual title.
D ETAILED I NFORMATION
Refer to Volo’s Waterdeep Enchiridion for
in-depth information about the city, its people,
landmarks, and anything else that could be
useful.
10.4 YAWNING
P OR TAL
Remallia Haventree* awaits the characters at
the Yawning Portal. She is currently engaged
with two Gnomes, Trautmann and Gnomagyver,
that deal with magical items. They have a cart
outside, and their Iron Golem is standing facing
the Inn’s walls, in their direction (it will attack
anything that threatens its masters). The
Gnomes had an encounter with an Eladrin Elf
who they couldn’t swindle, and so their cursed
him to turn him into an elk and lose his memory.
However, when they recently returned to the
ruins where they left him, he was no longer
Figure 10.2: The Yawning Portal. By Reddit’s u/MrWickedClown.
there. The gnomes trade any sort of non-cursed
magical items up to 5000gp each.
The characters overhear this are likely to
immediately realize this is the same Elk from the
Golden Stag adventure. If they brought him safe
and sound, Remallia is pleased, and forces the
gnomes to trade with the characters at fair
prices. If the characters have made an effort to
remove the curse from the Elk, Remallia even
suggests that the gnomes can lend a magical
item to the characters even if they cannot afford
it at the moment. The gnomes agree, but insist
they will be paid eventually, and by Remallia if
the characters die or refuse to pay.
In this scenario, Remallia removes the Elf’s
curse entirely, who suddenly remembers his
identity, an Eladrin Elf called Brian, who was
exploring the Underdark during the events of the
Out of the Abyss campaign. Brian thanks the
characters with a single use Ring of Spell
Storing, containing any Wizard spell of 5th level
or lower of the characters’ choosing.
If the Elk was killed or harmed by someone
other than the characters, Remallia is very angry
at the gnomes. She forces them to behave
properly to the characters, and to any other
possible clients, for at least a month, to atone for
CHAPTER 10: WATERDEEP AND CARNATH ROADHOUSE
59
 their behavior. If the characters killed or harmed
the elk, Remallia acts coldly to them, and
explains that she is disappointed, but won’t
dwell much on the topic because she has bigger
concerns at the moment. In this scenario, the
gnomes are still punished, and have to behave
fairly to any customers for a month, but won’t
lend any items to the characters.
Remallia is an active member of the Harpers,
and she explains what they currently know, and
how they are cooperating with the Order of the
Gauntlet. This is a good opportunity to check
what your characters know and present them
with whatever information they might have
missed.
• The Order of the Dragon was previously
focused on raising Dracoliches, but their
behavior changed in the last few years
• Their plans involve Tiamat somehow, possibly
drawing power from her
• The gold they pillaged is either a tribute to a
dragon, payment for armies, or a reagent for a
powerful ritual
• The masks are mysterious and should be
looked into
• Avernus is in upheaval, with different factions
forming around the cult’s intentions
• The Red Wizards of Thay seem to support the
Order of the Dragon
• The Harpers and the Order of the Gauntlet are
Figure 10.3: The Carnath Roadhouse. By Reddit’s u/Arcyl.
CHAPTER 10: WATERDEEP AND CARNATH ROADHOUSE
60
reinforcing cities near know cells of the cult, to
prevent further destruction, and repairing
cities that have already been attacked (like
Greenest and Daggerford)
C ONVOY D EPAR TING
As-is.
Remallia puts in a good word with Ardred
Briferhew, such that the characters are hired
easily. The cultists drop casual threats, such as
"Once our job is done, we’ll show you who you’re
messing with.".
10.5 C ARNATH
R OADHOUSE
Ran mostly as-is.
When the caravan arrives at the roadhouse,
Azbara Jos* and Bog Luck converse out of
earshot. While the cultist’s loads are dropped
and carried into the strong room, Azbara goes
with them and is not seen again (he goes to
Castle Naerytar directly). The rest of the supplies
of the caravan are dropped in the main room.
Everyone spends the night there, and Ardred
is planning to return to Waterdeep the following
morning. The Grudge Match happens in the
middle of the night. The noisy battle awakes
everyone up, and characters can take the
opportunity to steal Bog Luck’s strong-room key new trail that leads directly into the Mere of the
which he left in his room. Depending on their Dead Men.
attitude, the damage caused to the Roadhouse,
and whether the characters are perceived as
victims or abusers, they may be allowed to
remain resting in the Roadhouse for a few more
nights.
In the strongroom, half of the loot is taken in
the first night by two groups of nine Lizardfolk.
Another quarter in the second by another nine
Lizardfolk. The final quarter in the third night
(feel free to adjust this to the speed of your
players). All in all, 18000gp worth of treasure. If
the characters are quick in exploring the room,
they might recover some thousands of gold. How
to carry it might be a problem, but they might
pay Ardred to take some wagons with it back to
Waterdeep and deliver them to Remallia at the
Yawning Portal. Ardred is an honorable man who
sticks to his word, but he won’t carry the loot if
he believes it was stolen from the Cultists, or if
he believes it’s dangerous cargo.
If Jamna is still with the characters, she either
steals some more treasure and runs, or she
offers to escort Ardred back to Waterdeep with
the wagons. She will leave him stranded a few
days out of Waterdeep and escape with all the
treasure, taking it to the Zhentarim
headquarters instead. I didn’t prepare any
side-quest for this event, since it didn’t happen
to me, but this can be an interesting conflict at
the Council of Waterdeep.

G RUDGE M ATCH
Ran basically as-is. The animosity between the
cultists and the characters is probably clear at
this point, and the cultists are only waiting for
their job (delivering the cargo to the Roadhouse)
to be completed before ambushing the
characters. At this point, the group consists of
(except for any prior casualties) three Cult
Wagon Leaders* (Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar),
five Dragonwings, and five Dragonclaws. The
weaker Dragonclaws are basically in charge of
preventing anyone else from coming nearby
(maybe by blocking nearby room doors if the
ambush is in one of the Roadhouse’s rooms).
Some will attempt to flee should the battle turn
bad.

10.6 C ONCLUSION
The characters have gotten to Waterdeep and
coordinated with the Harpers. From there, they
followed the cultists to a roadhouse to the north
of the city. They hopefully defeated the cultists
(aside from Azbara Jos) and confirmed the
nature of the cargo. The party must now follow a

CHAPTER 10: WATERDEEP AND CARNATH ROADHOUSE

61
 C HAPTER 11: M ERE
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Castle Naerytar
by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.9.
Maps can be found in section 26.8.
11.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 7.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
learn about the final plans for the Order of the
Dragon: releasing Tiamat from Avernus into the
Forgotten Realms, using the loot as tribute, the
Red Wizards to channel the ritual, and millions
of innocent souls as a sacrifice. They should be
able to cause an insurrection in Naerytar and all
but wipe out this cell of the Order. They may or
may not return a legendary artifact to the black
dragon Voaraghamanthar. Finally, they should
follow the portal under the castle and teleport
into the Greypeak Mountains.
11.2 T HE M ERE
The Mere of the Dead Men has a lot of lore
related to it, which your players might know with
a DC 18 Intelligence (History) check. Characters
find this information in a book on Area 2N of
Castle Naerytar.
Some centuries ago, two brothers inherited the kingdom of
Uthtower and had the archmage Iniarv create a pair of
artifacts to help them rule. These were known as the Twin
Crowns of Myrmoran. Iniarv built a tower near the High
Road about 60 miles from Uthtower and used it as his base,
releasing a number of magical beasts and experimental
monsters into the wild. However, he disappeared from the
public eye, choosing to become a lich and retreating to his
tower’s crypts. He eventually emerged from his tower and,
upon being requested by the King to aid in some war, called
on the ocean to flood the land, turning it into the swamp
known as the Mere of Dead Men (the dead men being the
millions of inhabitants of the realm).
After the two kingdoms fell into ruin, both
crowns were lost to antiquity for a time. Very few
people are aware of this, but a hundred years
later, the Twinned Crown of Yarlith* was
recovered by the Order of the Dragon. It was
given to a dragon, Voaraghamanthar*, in
exchange for his assistance in finding the lost
Uthtower and the temple therein that was
rumored to contain the remains of a dracolich.
Voaraghamanthar and his twin Waervaerendor*
believed the Twinned Crown of Uthtower* also
resided with the bones of the dracolich
CHAPTER 11: MERE OF THE DEAD MEN
62
OF THE D EAD M EN
somewhere in the Mere of Dead Men. The real
reason they are working with the Order is to
recover the second crown.
When the players emerge from the tunnel
leading to the Carnath Roadhouse, they observe
the swamp in all its infamy.
Damp, smelly, riddled with annoying insects, each step you
take sinks into the muddy ground, as if the land itself is
trying to prevent you from leaving. Fog quickly surrounds
you, reducing visibility to no more than 30ft, and the fire
from your torches seems to dwindle in this oppressive
atmosphere. As you move, you often find bones nearly
buried in the mud, or preserved corpses in the stillwaters of
the swamp. These bodies, with empty eye-sockets, rest
peacefully at the bottom of the pools, but the occasional
ripple in the water almost makes it seem as if they move.
The sunken footprints of lizardfolk can be seen moving
from the tunnel deeper into the swamp.
Crossing water is difficult terrain, as are some
more muddy parts of the swamp. You can
consider several random encounters here,
possibly combining them together.
Swamp Encounters
d10 Encounter
1 Swamp fauna (Giant Crocodiles, for example, resting
in the waters, can easily be baited away, or Giant
Toads and Giant Lizards)
2 Will-o’-wisps (seen from afar, mysterious floating
lights across the mist)
3 Ghosts
4 Quicksand (wilderness hazard)
5 Shambling Mounds (recognizable from a distance
with a DC 16 Intelligence (Nature) check)
6 Swarms of Insects
7 Ghasts
8 Wights
9 Rot Grub (if characters come into contact with water)
10 Sight Rot (if characters come into contact with water)
Before getting to the half-way point of the
journey (the lizardfolk campsite), the characters
are surrounded by Wights, with a seemingly
endless horde rising from the waters of the
swamp. Suddenly, the lights (Will-o’-wisps) they
have seen sporadically throughout the swamp
come to their aid. These move near the
characters, and the undead are unable to enter
the area they illuminate, as well as attack
targets within that area. The Wisps try to lead
the characters southwest towards
Voaraghamanthar’s lair, while the footprints lead
northwest towards Naerytar Castle. The
characters also hear a dragon roar to the
northwest (Waervaerendor flying about). This
should make them feel safe enough to follow the
wisps.
T HE S UNKEN C ATHEDRAL
This is one of the lairs of the Black Dragon
Voaraghamanthar*, the Black Death, and its
regional effects are felt for miles around. The
cathedral was once a temple to Kelemvor, and
has fallen into ruins centuries ago.
Around the cathedral, there are some Water
Elementals (bound to the dragon, tasked with
bringing food) and some Ghouls (enslaved
enforcers), who will only attack if provoked, or if
their dragon master is attacked.
On the cathedral’s basement, a tribe of
Kobolds lives on the dry part, and a tribe of
Lizardfolk on the sunken part. Each tribe is
small, less than twenty members, and co-exist
peacefully, both worshipping and fearing the
black dragon.
As with most black dragons, the twins are
quick to anger, cunning, and immoral. However,
they are not needlessly cruel or destructive, and
prefer being discrete and surviving to short term
victories (so they will run away if their life is
threatened at any point). They are quite smart,
Figure 11.1: Swampy part of the Mere. By Patreon’s The Modern Lich.
thirsty for knowledge and immortality, but
disdain undeath (hence lairing in a cathedral of
Kelemvor). Voaraghamanthar prefers studying,
while Waervaerendor prefers hunting. They
resent intrusions in their lair, and don’t care
much about the cult (they believe it won’t
succeed in its plans for Tiamat).
The dragon is currently out-of-sight, resting
atop the tower, on its hoard of treasure. His eyes
are closed, but he is not asleep, just hearing
what’s happening across the swamp. He won’t
be surprised by characters, although he may
temporarily lose track of their location. The
dragon will not toy with the characters for too
long, being quite confident that he can easily kill
them all, and annoyed that they came to him.
Initially, he assumes they are cultists. Once the
truth is revealed, he instead has the characters
fetch a Ring of Myrkul for him, which is
currently in the possession of the Order of the
Dragon. Voaraghamanthar and his twin
Waervaerendor each have one ring already, and
with the third, they will be able to raise the
Uthtower, which has the missing crown,
Twinned Crown of Uthtower*. With it, both
dragons will formn a unbreakable bond and
become even stronger. The tower also has the
CHAPTER 11: MERE OF THE DEAD MEN
63
 Figure 11.2: Lair of Voaraghamanthar. By Oliver Guiney.
remains of the dracolich Chardansearavitriol,
treasure, and might even harbor the lich Iniarv.
Who dares enter my domain?...
There is little point in hiding, you reek of fear...
More worshippers from that miserable cult?
Hahahahaha
Pesky little mortals... If you’re not with them, then are
you coming for my treasure? You won’t make out of this
cathedral alive...
Speak the truth. You will regret it if you don’t.
I am the great Voaraghamanthar, the Black Death,
fastest of them all! Interesting... I assume you are headed
towards Naerytar, their base of operations?
Good, good, you shall prove useful for the great
Voaraghamanthar. Hidden within the rooms of the castle,
lies a Ring of Myrkul. The cult used it to create vile
dracoliches. Bring it to me, and you shall be... rewarded...
Spirit it away, however, and you will not have a moment of
peace for as long as you live.
Now leave. I expect to hear from you very soon.
Did you know that lizards in the mere can eat toads?
However, that isn’t the swamp’s reality. They are not aware
they can do so. So the toads feast on them instead. And
they will continue to do so until the lizards learn. Keep that
in mind.
The last sentence is a cryptic reference for the
characters to realize they can incite the lizardfolk
against the bullywugs at the castle. Feel free to
remind the character with the highest
intelligence score about this when they meet
lizardfolk, if all the players forget it.
CHAPTER 11: MERE OF THE DEAD MEN
64
If the players eventually spy back on
Voaraghamanthar (for example, if they use the
Farseer of Illusk from Naerytar’s Area 3U), they
learn the truth about his brother.
Your vision focuses on the top of the Sunken Cathedral,
where Voaraghamanthar seemingly rests, surrounded by his
treasure hoard. A massive shadow seems to hover over
him, and suddenly, the cathedral shakes as another black
dragon lands next to Voaraghamanthar. Undisturbed, he
merely opens his eyes and greets the newcomer: Welcome
back, brother. And thus, the final piece of the puzzle dawns
on you: why Voaraghamanthar has the reputation of being
so fast he can be in two places at once; why he wants the
Ring of Myrkul, whose powers will allow him to find the
other Twin Crown; Voaraghamanthar has a twin!
The newcomer describes how he has searched specific
areas of the Mere and failed to locate the tower. He has,
however, had some fun hunts, and even eaten some
explorers near the shore. Voaraghamanthar eventually tells
him about you. How he charged you with fetching the Ring
of Myrkul from the cult, or else. His brother scoffs at the
idea, but Voaraghamanthar appeases him "Have faith,
Waervaerendor, even a small pebble can cause a landfall."
The brothers talk for a while longer, before
Voaraghamanthar flies away, his brother now keeping the
treasure safe.
S NAPJAW
Snawjaw can be distinguished from the
remaining eight Lizardfolk rowing in the
approaching canoes. Not due to a noticeable

Figure 11.3: The half-way encampment. By
2-Minute Tabletop.
combat prowess (if anything, Snapjaw looks
smaller and meager), but instead just by the way
he commands the others, and his larger head
fins. If undisturbed, the lizardfolk arrive on the
encampment, where 3 canoes from the previous
group are docked. They decide to wait for their
comrades, and go about making a fire and
possibly foraging some food. Snapjaw stands
nearby, inspecting the canoes. Most of the group
centers at the fireplace, and Snapjaw rolls death
saving throws if reduced to 0 HP, which should
prevent your players from killing all the
lizardfolk without even interacting with them.
Snapjaw will speak in very broken common, or
just slightly broken draconic.
Surrender! Peace!
Snapjaw. Lizardfolk. Friend.
Dragon tribe. Good work. Lizardfolk allies.
11.3 C ASTLE
N AERYTAR
The characters might be familiar with Castle
Naerytar, should they succeed on a DC 18
Intelligence (History) check. Otherwise,
characters find most of this information in a
book on Area 2N.
Built by a half-elven Wizard hundreds of years ago, Castle
Naerytar is a partially ruined fortification perched atop a
low-rise surrounded on all sides by a wide moat of stagnant
foul water. When the wizard vanished, various assorted
swamp creatures moved in. Years later, the Academy of
Stargazers, led by their powerful mistress, Lady Adele,
wiped out a tribe of bullywugs that had taken residence
there, and claimed it as their new home. Adele hired
workers to map out the place and build a path between the
castle and the High Road. They also delivered a large
telescope that Adele had purchased in Waterdeep. With the
aid of arcane scrolls and other rare materials purchased in
Skull Port, she transformed the inner dome of the castle
into a magical viewing sphere, which she used to view her
murky domain, in order to find victims.
Yes, victims. Adele hired adventurers to hunt down a
druid vampire, but in reality she only wanted to get rid of
an opponent, as she herself turned out to be a horrific
vampiric creature. Adele had been killing her own
apprentices all that time. Eventually, she got exposed and
destroyed, and the castle was abandoned once again. To
this day, the castle is haunted by the victims of the star
mistress.
The castle must have been re-discovered recently by the
Order of the Dragon.
I mostly changed the cultists in Naerytar for
higher ranking members of the Order of the
Dragon. They are tasked with sorting out the
treasure to be dispatched through the portal,
feverishly venerate Tiamat, and often pray to her.
Dralmorrer Borngray* handles the day-to-day
matters of the castle successfully, and is trying
to get the Lizardfolk more confident, so that
eventually Rezmir* promotes them and demotes
the filthy Bullywugs. Rezmir is currently here for
a few days until the entire haul of treasure
arrives and is forwarded to Skyreach castle.
Azbara Jos* is joining her.
The Bullywugs behave like rude aristocrats,
although they have not abandoned their
primitive habits of playing in mud and eating
raw food. The lizardfolk are humble and sad,
since their leader Suncaller was recently killed
by Pharblex Spattergoo*. Snapjaw has become
their de facto leader, but he feels he is not good
enough for such a role.
I prepared two maps for my players, one with a
day version, and one with a night version. As
players explore the castle, they observe different
groups at different places. Feel free to add more
details, patrols, or anything you want to make
the castle feel alive.
S EQUENCE OF E VENTS
Once Snapjaw arrives back at Naerytar, an
alarm is rung in area 2A. Borngray* and his
three Black Guard Drakes come to meet him.
This assumes the characters allied themselves
with the Lizardfolk and are trying to infiltrate the
castle.
CHAPTER 11: MERE OF THE DEAD MEN
65
 - What happened to other canoes?
- Sunk, gator, some dead, some repair, more tomorrow.
- Ah, useless pieces of shit. I’ve given you the tools, and
somehow you’re still more useless than those stinking frogs.
If you make me look bad in front of Rezmir, I’m going to
feed you to the drakes, understand?
- Feed drakes, yes.
- Argh. Get out of here!
Snapjaw leaves for area 1I, while any other
remaining lizardfolk go to rest on area 3.
Borngray then addresses the characters.
- Ok, you. Who are you, and who recruited you?
(...)
- Ok, good, You will start your duties immediately, and I’ll
decide whether you keep the privilege of joining our Great
Order. Follow me.
He then guides the characters into the castle,
warning them about the moat.
- We are protected by the moat, don’t fall in. Crocs, and
bigger crocs under the surface.
He takes the characters across areas 1A, 1B,
1C, 1P, 1Q, 1R, 1S, and 1T, describing them as
they move.
- These are your future lodgings. They need fixing up. Take
care of it and get ready to meet Rezmir. I’ll have that
reptilian moron pick you up in a couple of hours.
Two hours later, Snapjaw comes to escort the
characters to Rezmir. He warns them they must
not wear visible armor or weapons in the castle.
Characters can hide small weapons (daggers,
wands, etc) and light armor with their clothes,
but medium and heavy armors, shields, and
medium or large weapons must be left in their
quarters. Snapjaw guides them through areas
1T, 1S, 1R, 1Q, 1P, and 1C. At that moment,
Azbara is leaving area 1L for lunch, so
characters need to improvise some way for him
not to recognize them. After that, Snapjaw
continues guiding the characters through areas
1L, 1N, 2L, and 3L, where Rezmir and Borngray
await them. Rezmir officially welcomes them into
the Order of the Dragon. Borngray interrupts
her speech a few times to feverishly agree with
her.
- Welcome. Borngray has told me you’re our newest
recruits. I’d like to officially welcome you into the Order of
CHAPTER 11: MERE OF THE DEAD MEN
66
the Dragon. I know things must look tough, but don’t worry,
we take care of our own. As you know, this world is full of
hate, full of pain. We worship the mighty dragons in the
hopes they will bring balance, and leads us to somewhere
better. Their time is coming, with or without us, so we
might as well be ahead of the wave. Now, the order has
specifics ranks and paychecks. The better you are at your
duties, the quicker you’ll rise through the ranks, and earn
better income. Your families are, of course, protected by
the cult, and you can settle such details later with Borngray.
- Yes, master.
- For now, we are gathering resources, and you will be
expected to eventually help with that. For the next couple
of days, you will work on the castle, study lore, and practice
your combat skills. Once the next batch of treasure
arrives...
- Should be tomorrow, master.
- Yes, once it arrives, you will join your brothers in the
great hall and sort it. Beware, we tolerate no thieves among
us, and a much worse fate than you can imagine awaits you
if you try to betray the Order. That’s all I have to say for
now. Questions?
(...)
- Ok. Snapjaw can show you around Naerytar for today,
and tomorrow morning you will start your duties. Rest well.
Borngray, once Azbara finishes his meal, have him come
back. We have urgent matters to discuss.
Snapjaw now guides the characters to
whatever areas of the castle they wish to visit, as
long as they are not restricted. As Snapjaw takes
them back to area 1T, they meet Pharblex and
his 10 Bullywug Croakers* coming from the
dungeons.
- Ah, there’s the pipsqueak-major. Finally, a task apt to your
skills, showing recruits around. Can’t mess things up, can
you now?
(The bullywugs escorting him laugh. Pharblex then
addresses the characters.)
- Ask him to show you the Northwest tower, maybe the
trash will take itself out.
(Pharblex casts Druidcraft such that Snapjaw starts
smelling like trash. The bullywugs find this hilarious.) - Tell
Suncaller’s family I said hi.
(Both Pharblex and the Bullywugs laugh a lot, while
Snapjaw almost shakes with anger and sorrow)
Whatever happens next depends on your
group. If the characters don’t attack that night,
no treasure comes in the canoes, and they’re
sent to repair and clear parts of the castle. After
another day, Rezmir investigates with the
Farseer of Illusk, finds the truth, and has the
characters killed.
 At My Table Forces in the Castle (ground floor)
My group coordinated with Snapjaw, and they basically
destroyed rooms 2R, 2T, and 3R. At the same time,
Snapjaw unleashes his attack on area 1G. The alarm sounds Area Day Night
soon after this, and the battle between lizards and toads 1A 10 Bullywugs and 4 10 Bullywugs and 4
quickly moves to area 1C. As characters reach the Giant Frogs, maybe Giant Frogs
courtyard, they witness Azbara Jos, Borngray, and the 3 Borngray*
drakes from area 1D, as well as the cultists sleeping in area 1B 3 Bullywugs patrolling empty
1R, all rushing into the courtyard as well. Azbara finds some 1C 5 Bullywugs loafing empty
way to escape and go to Rezmir, while Snapjaw points to around, 2 Giant Lizards
the characters and yells "Friends! Help! Attack frogs! being trained by 6
Revenge! Glory!".
Lizardfolk, maybe
After "liberating" the castle, they eventually found the
Farseer of Illusk and used it to find about Borngray*
Voaraghamanthar and Waervaerendor (see above). While 1D 3 Guard Drakes 3 Guard Drakes
spying on them, Snapjaw’s messenger arrived to tell them 1E 1 Otyugh 1 Otyugh
about what happened at the castle, and Voaraghamanthar 1F 2 Lizardfolk tending to 6 8 Giant Lizards
immediately flew their way. My players were quick to Giant Lizards
destroy the telescope (so it won’t fall into the wrong hands) 1G 12 Bullywugs 24 Bullywugs
and descend into the dungeon in pursuit of Rezmir. They 1H 6 Lizardfolk empty
avoided most encounters, and one character accidentally 1I 4 Lizardfolk (may roam empty
went through the portal by saying its command word aloud.
castle from here) and
The others facepalmed, took a long rest, and followed.
Snapjaw
1J empty 10 Lizardfolk
1K empty Maybe 10 Lizardfolk
1L 1 Dragonfang empty
1N empty 1 Dragonfang and 3
C HANGES Dragonwings
1P Tharm and his two empty
Commoners
I changed the following creatures:
1Q 12 Dragonclaws, 3 3 Guard Drakes
Dragonwings and 1
• Pharblex* and Borngray* use custom stat
Dragonfang, maybe
blocks Borngray*
• Pharblex is escorted by stronger Bullywug 1T 2 Swarms of Characters sleep here if
Croakers* Centipedes and 8 they infiltrate successfully
• Tharm (the cook) has the stats of a Duergar Giant Centipedes
1U empty Maybe Rezmir* and
Finally, I changed several of the enemies found Azbara Jos*
in the castle, and their locations. Below are 1V Maybe Azbara Jos* Azbara Jos*
tables listing all the encounters and creatures in
Naerytar.

Forces in the Castle (first floor)

Forces in the Castle Grounds
Area Day Night
2A 9 Bullywugs 9 Bullywugs
Area Day Night 2F 2 Lizardfolk empty
1 A Giant Crocodile The crocodiles sleep 2G 2 Bullywugs Pharblex and 10
resting on a river beneath the waters. Bullywug Croakers*
island, and 2 Crocodiles 2H empty Maybe Snapjaw and
swimming on river. 10 Lizardfolk plotting
2 4 Lizardfolk guarding 6 4 Lizardfolk guarding 6 revenge
Giant Lizards Giant Lizards 2I Maybe Snapjaw empty
3 30 Lizardfolk resting or 50 Lizardfolk resting 2N 1 Dragonfang and 3 empty
working Dragonwings, maybe
4 40 Bullywugs and 10 50 Bullywugs and 20 Rezmir*, Borngray*,
Giant Frogs resting or Giant Frogs resting and Azbara Jos*
working 2P empty Tharm and his two
5 3 Giant Crocodiles in The crocodiles sleep Commoners sleeping
the deepest parts of the beneath the waters. 2R empty 5 Dragonclaws
moat, Crocodiles on the 2T empty 7 Dragonclaws
rest of the moat 2V empty Borngray*

CHAPTER 11: MERE OF THE DEAD MEN

67
 Forces in the Castle (second floor) If the players are hesitant to take the portal
Area Day Night after Rezmir, they should be impressed with the
3E 3 Ghosts 3 Ghosts fact that it will take months until reinforcements
3G empty empty would arrive from Waterdeep, that the Black
3H 2 Giant Spiders empty Dragons are coming for the Castle very soon,
3I 2 Giant Spiders empty and you can even sprinkle some cultists coming
3J 1 Giant Spider empty through the Portal from Parnast to check on
3L Maybe Rezmir*, empty "whatever seems to have disturbed Rezmir".
Borngray*, and Azbara
Jos*
3N empty Rezmir* 11.4 C ONCLUSION
3O Maybe Rezmir* empty Hopefully, the characters have cleared out Castle
3R empty 3 Dragonfangs and 3 Naerytar. The lizardfolk can now take over, and
Dragonwings
Voaraghamanthar will come visit once he gets
3T 1 Dragonfang empty
word of this. The characters have acquired a lot
3U 8 Gargoyles 8 Gargoyles
of valuable items, and possibly recovered the
Ring of Myrkul. Whether they allow it to find its
Forces in the Castle dungeon way to the dragon is a double-edged sword: the
Area Day Night dragon might forgive them one future offense
2 1 Dragonblood Ooze 1 Dragonblood Ooze
(should it ever happen), but it will grow stronger
3 2 Bullywugs tending, 2 2 Bullywugs dozing off
(by recovering the Twinned Crown of Uthtower*
Bullywugs chilling
4 2 Swarms of 2 Swarms of for Waervaerendor*).
Centipedes per Centipedes per It’s quite possible that the characters have
character character conversed with Rezmir or high-ranking cultists
6 1 Giant Frog 1 Giant Frog and learned the end-goals of the Order of the
7 12 Giant Frogs and 1 12 Giant Frogs and 1 Dragon: bringing back Tiamat from Avernus,
Hydra Hydra using some ritual with the Red Wizards of Thay,
8 2 Bullywugs 2 Bullywugs and gifting her all the treasure collected thus far.
11 10 Bullywug Croakers*, empty The timeline for this, and the role of the masks,
maybe Pharblex* remains a mystery for now.
12 Maybe Pharblex* empty

This gives a total of 12 Dragonclaws, 6

Dragonwings, 4 Dragonfangs, 6 Guard Drakes,
led by Borngray*, Rezmir*, and Azbara*. There
are also 20 Lizardfolk led by Snapjaw tending to
8 Giant Lizards, 10 Bullywug Croakers* led by
Pharblex*, and 47 Bullywugs tending to 4 Giant
Frogs. Other monsters are abound, but don’t
really care about these 3 factions.
I added a secret passage from area 1M into the
dungeon’s area 5, which Rezmir and Azbara use,
in order to reach the portal and escape Naerytar.
There are also a couple of oil barrels in the
cultist’s quarters, which the cultists use to fuel
their lamps. These are highly inflammable and
explosive. The Ring of Myrkul is hidden in
Tiamat’s hidden compartment, in area 1L. The
spellbooks in area 3T belong to the 3
Dragonfangs that live in area 3R and contain
Rime’s Binding Ice, Nathair’s Mischief,
Ashardalon’s Stride, Raulothim’s Psychic
Lance, and Summon Draconic Spirit from
Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons, as well as
Dragon’s Breath, Continual Flame, Fly, Fear,
Lightning Bolt, Tasha’s Caustic Brew, Warding
Bond, and Water Breathing (spells that the
cultists learn before becoming Dragonsouls,
hoping they will be able to cast them when
Tiamat returns).

CHAPTER 11: MERE OF THE DEAD MEN

68
C HAPTER 12: P ARNAST
C ASTLE
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Hunting Lodge
and Skyreach Castle by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.10.
Maps can be found in section 26.9.
12.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 8.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
finally defeat Rezmir and Azbara and thwart the
Order of the Dragon’s plans. They can capture or
crash Skyreach Castle, and should learn the
planned date for the ritual, a few months, on the
night of the planetary alignment, and that the
ritual will consume millions of innocent souls.
12.2 H UNTING L ODGE
This chapter is pretty useless, so I made it clear
from afar what the characters had to gain from
it. As they teleport in, the roof Perytons are out
hunting. They arrive later after the characters
have hidden. As the party approaches the Lodge,
they loudly hear Talis complaining about Rezmir,
Figure 12.1: The Hunting Lodge. By Reddit’s u/BerhtHramm.
AND S KYREACH
and where she has gone.
The useless fuck! Not only has Severin screwed me over
with the god damn White Mask, but now this bitch dares to
mock me?! Me! Oh, I’ll get her one day. She’ll see, I’ll get her
and I’ll be the Wyrmspeaker instead! Either that or I’m
leaving! You hear me?!
I made her basically be on the fence about the
Order of the Dragon: she wants a promotion, but
is beginning to realize it won’t happen.
Characters can easily intimidate her into joining
them instead. Otherwise, they can also ignore
her and go straight to Parnast.
In the lodge, I swapped Dragonclaws by
Dragonsouls, and Perytons by Monstrous
Perytons*. I also had servants distributed
throughout rooms 5, 6, 10, and 14, cleaning,
while some were outside chopping wood. Rushed
footprints leading into the lodge from the portal,
and from the lodge into room 3 (Rezmir and
Azbara grabbing some Wyverns as a mount),
and from there heading north to Parnast. The
CHAPTER 12: PARNAST AND SKYREACH CASTLE
69
 weather is cold and snowy here, so hopefully
your players will try to realize where in the
Sword Coast they actually are. Trepsin leaves at
dusk with most of his drakes to hunt, just about
the time when the kobolds wake up and spread
throughout the house for maintenance.
If there is a confrontation and your players
suggest for Talis to betray the Cult, you can have
Kusphia (her most dedicated follower) mock
something like "Our master would never betray
our mighty dragon lords!" as Talis prepares to
stab him in the back. She knows the activation
codes for three of the portals, one back to Castle
Naerytar, one to the Sea of Moving Ice in the
north (where she worships White Dragons, near
Icewind Dale) and one to the Anauroch desert
(the same location shown in a tapestry from
Room 20, instead of the original Mulhorand). If
captured, Talis volunteers all the treasure in the
Lodge (that she’s aware of) and all the
information she knows in exchange for her life.
She doesn’t know about the cult building an
army in the Sunset Mountains far to the south,
in anticipation of Tiamat’s arrival, that is a
reveal left for Rezmir. However, she knows the
password "Hail Blagothkus" to enter the Castle.
At My Table
You’d think my players would avoid confrontation and keep
on pursuing, but alas. First, they chased down Trepsin, who
wound up getting the jump on them instead. Then, they
bribed one of the servants and learned about the White
Dragon nearby, as well as the magical castle in Parnast.
Finally, they tried to sneak into the house, but very quickly
made too much noise and alerted the night-patrolling
veteran on the top floor. After that, the servants and
commoners all fled, while the more cult-dedicated
members tried to fend off the invaders. Talis was quick to
offer a truce when the fight turned sour for her, but my
players, by that point, were thirsty for blood. They killed
everyone else and interrogated her for all she knew, before
finishing her off, and departing for Parnast.
12.3 P ARNAST
Parnast is also fairly irrelevant. I found that the
best to do here is to simply determine how to
enter the castle. I had it leaving the village less
than an hour after the characters arrived there,
so preparations are being made as they walk in.
There are four main ways for the party to enter
the castle:
• Fight their way in (immediately attracts
everyone’s attention)
• Sneaking in as Cultists, walking through the
front gate or using Wyverns from the Lodge
• Sneaking in by some part of the castle other
than the front gate
• Sneaking in by hiding inside the supplies
being carried inside
CHAPTER 12: PARNAST AND SKYREACH CASTLE
70
Be sure to prepare what you think your
players are most likely to lean to.
If you feel your characters took too long to get
to Parnast, have the castle flying already, slowly
vanishing in the distance, and the party must
find their way into it somehow (possibly riding
Wyverns).
12.4 S KYREACH
C ASTLE
I set up Blagothkus as having been driven nearly
mad from grief, at the loss of his wife and three
children. The characters can learn about this
from Esclarota’s spirit, or from Wiglof and Hulda.
He has taken upon himself to unite his clan, and
to do so, he believes the giants need a common
enemy. He doesn’t realize how strong the Order
of the Dragon actually is, and doesn’t know
about their master plan (he just thinks they’re
riling up a few dragons to try and conquer
territory). Blagothkus is planning to help the
Order for now, just until the dragons become a
more widespread threat, and then he will rally
the giants behind his banner. The Order of the
Dragon, however, is planning to simply destroy
every last giant once Tiamat is brought back
from the Nine Hells.
There are many ways to run this chapter. The
book assumes you don’t fight the forces on the
castle directly. In fact, most of the enemies here
would be deadly for a group of characters at level
9. So the options for the characters include
• causing another insurrection like in Naerytar -
repetition is boring;
• try and do a quick assassination on Rezmir
and Azbara - not that exciting;
• somehow make Blagothkus change his mind,
and have the giants defeat all the cultists and
dragon on their own - anti-climatic;
• somehow make Blagothkus change his mind,
the giants don’t really act, and characters
defeat the entire Order of the Cult on their own
- too difficult, and doesn’t sound very
giant-like;
• somehow make Blagothkus change his mind,
and divide the enemy forces among the
characters and the giants - good option, but
the giants would likely have to take care of the
dragon on their own;
I wanted the characters to finally get revenge
on the elusive Rezmir and Azbara, who they have
been chasing since level 3, for months now; and
I also wanted the characters to finally fight a
dragon. I set up a hectic final chapter, by giving
them enough time to explore, understand the
forces in the castle, and rest, before all chaos
ensued.
Figure 12.2: Helpful guide to map Skyreach Castle’s Ice Tunnels.
Figure 12.3: Skyreach Castle (side view).
King Hekaton*, also known as the Storm
King, is the ruler of the storm giants — and in
fact all of giantkind. An old friend of Blagothkus
and his family, the King has gotten wind of what
Blagothkus has done, and is coming to beat
some sense into him. The characters will notice
a great thunderstorm heading towards the castle.
Any character succeeding on a DC 16 Wisdom
(Perception) check notices how the storm seems
to be moving against the wind. At some point
(close to nightfall makes things very atmospheric,
with the distant sunset being suddenly covered),
the furious storm engulfs the entire castle. If the
characters interacted with Esclarota, she
cryptically explained this was going to happen.
The flying fortress starts shaking up and down,
vibrating furiously, with the sound of thunder
ringing almost non-stop. Every few rounds,
anyone standing must make a DC 15 Dexterity
saving throw to avoid falling prone. Ogres fall
from rooftops, unconscious, hit by the lightning.
The members of the Order of the Dragon try to
hold out in their rooms for a bit, but eventually
understand this must be some sort of attack and
come out. The dragon protects its hoard for as
long as reasonable before joining the fray. Most
of the fighting is concentrated on the upper
floors, where Hekaton is single-handedly fighting
against all the Ogres and Blagothkus. This is the
perfect opportunity for the characters to attack
the cultists and defeat Rezmir and Azbara once
and for all.
At some point during the chaos (perhaps
in-between fights), the characters will notice
someone falling from the sky. Hekaton got hit
with a powerful attack and was thrown off the
Upper Courtyard. He is temporarily cursed,
remaining paralyzed and of medium-size until he
lands. The characters can collaborate to break
his fall, by succeeding on a DC 16 Desterity
saving throw (to position themselves properly)
and on a DC 16 Strength saving throw (to
cushion the fall). Hekaton is bruised and sore,
with a bleeding lip and some superficial cuts in
his left leg and arm. He wakes up and grows
back to his original size a few seconds after
landing. If the characters hamper his fall, he is
thankful and throws them a Potion of Greater
Healing. Otherwise, he drinks the potion himself
to recover from the fall damage. He explains the
current state of affairs in the short minute of
rest he takes: things in the Upper Courtyard are
getting heated. Most of the Ogres are down, but
their javelins hurt. And Blagothkus is just
getting started. Hekaton, after recovering his
breath, crouches down for balance, and hurls
himself back up to the Upper Courtyard.
Hopefully, Glazhael is the final encounter of
this chapter. At some point during the combat,
CHAPTER 12: PARNAST AND SKYREACH CASTLE
71
 Blagothkus is killed and his spirit takes control
of Skyreach Castle (otherwise he may just be
alive and manually control it from Area 19). The
castle then starts turning sideways and falling to
the ground. The characters have a couple of
rounds to find a way to survive the crash onto
the mountains below. They can ride Wyverns, fly,
teleport, or, the cooler strategy of them all, grab
onto Glazhael. If everything goes right, your
characters will fight this dragon while holding on
to its back as a gigantic castle falls from the
clouds into snow covered mountains below. The
crash causes avalanches down the mountain
sides, and the panicked dragon starts tumbling
to the ground as well.
It’s easy to adjust the difficulty of this final
fight, by timing when the castle starts falling
(since the dragon will panic and stop attacking
at that time). If Glazhael wasn’t the final
encounter, you can still have the castle crashing,
with both the party and the enemies struggling
to find a way to survive the crash (maybe Rezmir
runs to the Wyverns in the stable alongside the
characters). Even if the characters defeated all
their enemies, the castle might crash for a
surprise final challenge.
Figure 12.4: A flying white dragon over snowy
mountains, seen from above.
C HANGES
These are the mechanical changes I made for
this chapter.
• Four Wyverns in the stables (two usually
there, an additional two brought by Rezmir
and Azbara)
• Rath Modar* in Room 12 is just a worn-out
Simulacrum created from a stolen spell scroll,
and it’s all out of spell slots. He currently has
71/120 HP, is CR12, and attacks with
cantrips. He has a mocking demeanor, jokingly
praising the character’s efforts and teamwork
as they fight. "Oh, you saved Counterspell just
for Azbara? Smart..." "Keeping the distance
against Rezmir, very good. I doubt she’ll have
thought of a counter-strategy."
CHAPTER 12: PARNAST AND SKYREACH CASTLE
72
• Azbara Jos*, Glazhael* and Rezmir* use a
modified statblock.
• Only two Ogres atop each tower, and only
three on the ground floor of Area 22. Only
seven in Area 20 during the night, or in the
Upper Courtyard during the day. Two groups
of two Ogres patrol the courtyard at all times,
making a full round in a couple of minutes.
There are no Ogres atop Area 17.
• I got rid of Sandesyl Morgia and her Vampire
Spawns, they are too strong and seem too out
of place. Area 18 now contains giant
child-sized coffins (so they look like regular
human coffins) containing the remains of
Blagothkus’ children.
• Three Dragonwings are replaced by two
Dragonfangs and one Dragonsoul, who
command the others when Rezmir is
unavailable.
• The giants Wiglof and Hulda in Area 10
eventually foresee the Order of the Dragon
overpowering them, so they want to convince
Blagothkus to abandon this foolish plan. The
timing of this revelation is up to you.
• Five Cultists and five Dragonclaws move
about the Lower Courtyard, carrying things
and bossing Kobolds around, mostly busy
doing menial tasks. They sleep in Area 9, on
the floor if the beds are occupied by higher
ranked members of the Order.
• There are a couple of oil barrels in the
barracks, which the cultists use to fuel their
lamps. These are highly flammable and
explosive.
• The Black Dragon Mask vanishes along with
the contents of Rezmir’s treasure chest in the
event of her death, regardless of whether the
mask is within the chest or not (a modified
high-level Contingency spell combined with
an Instant Summons spell). Obtaining the
masks is going to be a major goal in the next
chapters.
• Area 15 has a big crate filled with slightly
rotten Essence of Ether. It is enough to put
Glazhael to sleep, or to knock all the Cultists
and Dragonclaws from Area 9 unconscious, as
well as any other resident of Area 9 who fails a
DC 15 Constitution saving throw (it’s not
enough for the dragon AND the cultists
simultaneously). Since it is expired, it only
lasts for a couple of hours.
• Area 13 has big kegs of water. Characters can
overhear the cultists claiming that this water
helps warding off the cold at high altitudes. It
gives the benefits of a Potion of Cold
Resistance.
• The treasure hoard is bigger. About 130000gp,
instead of 28000gp, although the characters
 won’t be allowed to keep ALL of it.

12.5 C ONCLUSION
The details of how this chapter ends are up to
you, but the ideal goal is for all the party’s
enemies to have been defeated (Rezmir, Azbara
Jos, and Glazhael); the treasure hoard recovered;
Skyreach Castle in ruins on the mountain-side
(hopefully most of the giants survived); King
Hekaton is exhausted, but otherwise safe; and
the plans of the Order of the Dragon pretty much
ruined by the characters. Any enemies that have
survived and escaped will be present later at the
Well of Dragons. If Rezmir is captured alive, she
will bite her own tongue off and suicide, out of
fanatic devotion to Tiamat, causing the Dragon
Mask to vanish (her treasure chest vanishes, but
its contents remain if they’ve been already
recovered by the characters).

Storm King’s Thunder

The Order of the Dragon gets their revenge on King
Hekaton in the Storm King’s Thunder campaign. The fact he
participated in this event can be one of the reasons why.

The characters can finally take a well earned

rest, after slowly walking their way back to a
civilized city, where they can warn the Order of
the Gauntlet or the Harpers of all their
adventures thus far.

CHAPTER 12: PARNAST AND SKYREACH CASTLE

73
 C HAPTER 13: F IRST C OUNCIL OF
WATERDEEP
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Council of Council Members
Waterdeep by Wizards of the Coast. Name Affiliation Ideals Traits
Remallia Harpers Freedom, Honest,
Please revise the introduction in section 2.11. Haventree* respect friendly
Maps can be found in section 26.10. Ontharr Order of the Responsibi- Friendly,
Frume Gauntlet lity, hot-
greater tempered
good
Delaan Emerald Enclave Balance, Quiet
Winterhound life
13.1 I NTRODUCTION Dagult Lords’ Alliance Moderation, Honest
Neverember (Waterdeep and responsibi-
Characters should be at level 9. Neverwinter) lity
Ulder Lords’ Alliance Responsibi- Honest
The goal for this chapter is for the characters Ravengard* (Baldur’s Gate) lity, glory
King Lords’ Alliance Balance, Quiet,
to meet most of the members participating in the
Melandrach (Elves of the Misty nation arrogant
Council, and determine what they have to do
and High Forests)
next. Sir Isteval Lords’ Alliance Tradition, Honorable,
(Daggerford and honor wise, dour
secretly Cormyr)

The missing members are still on-route to

13.2 R ETURNING TO
WATERDEEP
Skyreach Castle crashed somewhere in the Grey
Cloak Hills, and characters took a few days to
return to civilization. From there, they get
quickly summoned to Waterdeep, through a
magical message, or through a connection (for
example, if they chose to move to Elturel,
Ontharr Frume calls them). Any local Harper or
Gauntlet member can help them use a Circle of
Teleportation from a nearby shrine into
Waterdeep, since the Council is about to have its
first session, and the characters have been
invited to attend.
They feel the Draakhorn some time after they
arrive (best not to make it immediately after, so
the characters don’t get suspicious of the
timing).
13.3 M EMBERS OF
THE C OUNCIL
In this session, I had the following members
attending the Council:
Waterdeep. Having less people allows your
players not to be overwhelmed with information.
They have already interacted with Remallia and
Ontharr, and have probably glimpsed
Neverember, Ravengard, and Isteval.
13.4 C OUNCIL
S ESSION
The council has its session on the morning after
the characters arrive. Early morning, Ontharr
leads them to the Palace and into the council
room. Some people are still standing around,
conversing (Winterhound with Neverember,
Remallia with Dala Silmerhelve, Isteval with a
servant), while Melandrach and Ravengard are
both already in their seats. The room has several
nondescript servants, nobles, and guards
(Veterans).
U NOFFICIAL I NTRODUCTIONS
Once the characters enter, Ontharr holds back
as Sir Isteval comes to greet them. He explains
he was in Daggerford when the characters
passed there, after the attack, in the caravan
with the cult members. He looks quite pleased
with the fact that they ruined the Order of the
Dragon’s plans, and converses a bit with the
characters.
After Isteval moves on and sits at the table,
Remallia comes herself to greet them. Ontharr

CHAPTER 13: FIRST COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP

74
then moves to his seat, while Remallia explains
what is about to happen.
From now on, observe proper decorum and keep your eyes
open. It is crucial here to understand that everyone is still
fighting for themselves, and the graveness of our situation
hasn’t yet dawned on them. Pay attention, make sure to
meet and understand who everyone is and who they
represent. It is not possible to please everyone here at the
same time, so we are about to play a game of give and
take. Try not to offend anyone, they can be petty.
She then moves to her seat, and by now,
everyone is ready to begin the session. Only
Neverember stands, waiting for the characters to
take their places.
O PENING S TATEMENTS
Lord Neverember is the last to sit. When he does,
servants pour an expensive wine into a golden
chalice for each participant in the meeting.
Neverember then summarizes the current state
of affairs, while holding his wine glass.
"The Order of the Dragon are a secret semi-religious evil cult
venerating dracoliches, otherwise known as undead dragons,
which they used to raise through profane rituals. Their
belief was that dracoliches were destined to one day rule
Faerûn and beyond and that it was their purpose to help
this come to pass.
That was until, some years ago, their new leader Severin
learned about the Dragon Masks and led the cult in another
direction. A few years after having been nominated, the
cult’s activity noticeable increased."
He takes a sip of his cup, to parch his throat, suddenly
dry at the thought of the cult’s latest doing.
"They increased in numbers, started conducting bolder
raids, and the amount of casualties increased. These events
Figure 13.1: The members of the Council of Waterdeep. Originally by Reddit’s u/Plaindog.
were initially sporadic, but in the last few weeks it’s been
almost an all out war, and we estimate that it will only grow
worse. We now have our cities’ gates facing thousands of
refugees, armies piling up to increase our defenses and
costing us resources we don’t have, villages at war or
surrendering to the cult and giving them tribute in exchange
for protection, and we need a joint strategy.
I’ve assembled this Council so that the powers of the
Sword Coast can unite against this new threat. As you
know, I am Lord Neverember, Open Lord of Waterdeep, the
Lord Protector of Neverwinter, and leader of the Lords’
Alliance. We also have, here present,
• Delaan Winterhound, emissary of the Emerald Enclave, a
group dedicated to maintaining balance in the natural
order and combating the forces that threaten that
balance;
• Ontharr Frume, leader of the Order of the Gauntlet, a
just sect that fights for peace and justice for all;
• Remallia Haventree, master of spies and an active
member of the Harpers, a mysterious organization with
eyes everywhere;
• Marshal Ulder Ravengard, Grand Duke of Baldur’s Gate,
and Commander of the Flaming Fist, its mercenary
guard;
• King Melandrach, monarch of our elfish friends from the
Misty Forest and the High Forest;
• Sir Isteval, a representative from Daggerford who
requested to participate and help anyway they can;
and I hope a few more members will join us in the next few
weeks.
Isteval suddenly interjects, interrupting Neverember.
"Lord Neverember, apologies for the interruption, but I
would be remiss if I didn’t mention it here. My interests are
not solely related to Daggerford. While I care deeply for the
small settlement, I was drafted by Queen Obarskyr, from
Cormyr, also known as the Land of the Purple Dragon." At
this, the remaining members of the council gasp.
Neverember loudly exclaims "This is treason!". Isteval
CHAPTER 13: FIRST COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
75
 continues, though, apologetically. "I apologize, my Lord, for
the deception, but I was sure you would not allow Cormyr
to join this council unless under false pretense. I can assure
you, Queen Obarskyr is worried about the war developing
on her western front, and she wishes to help. Please, my
lords, I am but a humble servant, and yet, I hope you can
all agree that my loyalties, to Daggerford, to Cormyr, to the
Lords’ Alliance, and to all good folk, are not at
cross-purposes."
Melandrach remarks "How easy it was to fool
Neverember and allow a possible spy at our table. I wonder
how many others have come here with second intentions."
Neverember grows red "What’s that supposed to mean?"
Everyone’s voices begin to raise, and it seems like the
Council is going to break before it even starts!
The characters now have a chance to placate
things and attempt to get everyone back on
track. Neverember is angry and embarrassed,
while Delaan and Melandrach are apprehensive
about Isteval. Ravengard remains quiet,
pondering how the armies of Cormyr could be
used in the upcoming battles. If the characters
don’t intervene to calm down the Council
members, Remallia and Ontharr do so for them.
Remallia explains she was aware of Isteval’s
background, he had not slipped through the
Harper’s background checks, and she would
interrogate his true purpose, had he not revealed
it himself. Ontharr, on the other hand, holds
great respect for the heroic Isteval of legend, and
cannot fathom he would be ill-intended, despite
the initial deception. After things calm down,
Neverember continues his speech.
"We have wasted enough time on this trifle matter. As I was
saying, we also have present a group of adventurers who
have uncovered the cult’s nefarious plot. I have heard some
of what has happened to you, but I would like to ask you to
recount your tales to everyone here."
C HARACTERS ’ A DVENTURES
The council asks the characters to speak of their
adventures and what they know about the cult.
They question or ask for further information in
several points, and sometimes have conflicting
opinions on what should have been done.
• Greenest in Flames
• Raider’s Camp and the Dragon Hatchery
• Baldur’s Gate and the Dungeon of the Dead
Three
• On the Road (Devil’s letter, Daggerford)
• Mere of the Dead Men and Castle Naerytar
• Portal to the Hunting Lodge and Parnast
• Skyreach Castle
CHAPTER 13: FIRST COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
76
Specifically, the council bickers on what
happened to
• Cyanwrath, Mondath, and the dragon eggs in
the Hatchery;
• Mortlock in the Dungeon of the Dead Three;
• Caravan gold in the Carnath Roadhouse;
• Snapjaw, Pharblex, Borngray, and the Ring of
Myrkul in Naerytar;
• Talis and Othelstan in Parnast;
• Rezmir, Azbara, Glazhael, Blagothkus, and the
gold in Skyreach Castle.
They will allow some gold to have been kept by
the characters, but not more than 30000 out of
the 140000 they have likely recovered from the
caravan and Skyreach. They feel this is fair
compensation, and the remainder of the gold is
needed to rebuild and fortify.
O THER L EADS
Remallia now fills in additional information she
has uncovered, and what to focus on next.
According to our intelligence, we have a bit over 6 months
until the planetary alignment, when the ritual will be
conducted.
First, I’d like us to consider why the Nine Hells seems to
be in such dishevel. Tiamat is currently imprisoned there, so
her being brought back to the material plane will probably
affect the balance of power there. Do we know who our
allies and enemies are? We need to find out.
Second, I’d like us to consider the Dragon Masks you
have seen the cult leaders, the Wyrmspeakers, use. We
know there is a mask for each chromatic dragon type, for a
total of five. According to ancient lore, these artifacts
individually allow wearers to communicate with dragons.
More importantly, a person who is erudite in draconic lore
becomes a Wyrmspeaker while wearing the mask, which
allows the wearer to think like a dragon, gain favor among
dragons, and subtly influence their behavior. When all five
are brought together, they magically merge into a single
Mask of the Dragon Queen, and, although this is pure
conjecture, I believe that the assembled mask helps the cult
to release Tiamat. It is essential for us to claim back these
masks.
Thirdly, we must find the location of the ritual. If, as
reported, it involves the sacrifice of thousands, it is likely
this works radially. In other words, everyone within a
certain radius of their ritual will be, unwillingly, sacrificed for
the dragon queen’s rebirth. The location and area of effect
is crucial for us to calculate a backup plan, should
everything else fail.
Finally, we should quickly review the resources we’ve let
the cult steal and pillage from us so far. These numbers are
out best guesses, but still not values I’d take from granted.
We estimate that the Order of the Dragon has, so far,
collected treasure worth about half-a-million gold pieces.
Our adventurers helped reduce this number by about a
 quarter, which is fantastic. However, the damage that they
have caused pales in comparison to these figures. After all
the destruction, relocation, and harm they have wreaked,
we estimate we would need almost a million gold pieces
invested in the recovery of our cities. One million, you hear
me correctly. I think it’s safe to say no one city or faction
has such resources, so discussing how we will pool what we
have is also crucial for this Council.
After she speaks, members of the Council
show different emotions: anger, boredom,
surprise. Neverember eventually takes control
and offers the characters the chance to help.
The reward won’t be material, since everyone’s
resources are spread very thing, but land, titles,
and honor is what they can offer. If the
characters accept, the Council gives them
authority to do as they wish as long as they work
towards the Council’s missions. In other words,
the characters will no longer be jailed or have
issues with the law in most places, provided they
can explain why they did whatever unlawful act
they were caught doing. A message from a
higher-ranking officer quickly arrives on scene,
explaining the characters are working for the
Council and are exempt from being fined or
arrested.
D RAAKHORN
The discussion eventually comes around to the
Draakhorn. Remallia has invited a noblewoman
named Dala Silmerhelve, who offers an
explanation about the weird phenomenon that
has been felt in the last few hours.
The disturbance that’s been sensed across the Sword Coast
is the Draakhorn—an ancient device whose sounding alerts
dragons across Faerûn that great events are unfolding. It’s
impossible to say what the sounding means, but the
dragons hear it clearly and will eventually answer its call.
The Sea of Moving Ice was the last known location of the
Draakhorn. No one can pinpoint its present location from
the sound, or even verify with certainty that the relic is still
in the northern sea, but the search must start there.
The one person who could tell us more is a tiefling
sorcerer called Maccath the Crimson. No one alive knows
more about the Draakhorn than her, but the Arcane
Brotherhood, of which she is also a member, hasn’t seen
her for three years. She was investigating the Sea of Moving
Ice when she disappeared.
Maccath reported her progress to the Hosttower by way
of "sending" spells. Her last report spoke of seeing Ice
Hunters paddling their sealskin boats toward a huge iceberg,
flattened like a plateau across its surface, but ringed by icy
peaks. She had intended to follow the Ice Hunters and
investigate the iceberg. After that, no more reports came.
Attempts to find Maccath using scrying and other
magical means located only her ship, adrift and heavily
damaged. Some of the ship’s crew were seen dead, but no
sign of the tiefling sorcerer was ever found. However, the
lair of a dragon as powerful as Arauthator is no doubt
protected against scrying magic. If Maccath is alive, in
addition to the lore she can share regarding the Draakhorn,
the Arcane Brotherhood would be most grateful to get her
back.
Dala Silmerhelve doesn’t go into details on how
she knows this, and if the characters point this
out, Remallia quickly deflects the question.
W YRMSPEAKER VARRAM
Remallia eventually raises a final point.
That being said, I believe we have more pressing matters.
I’ve received reports that Varram, the white Wyrmspeaker,
has been seen near Boareskyr bridge. I believe these
rumours are accurate, and it is of the essence that we
follow up on this quickly. Capture Varram if possible, kill him
if necessary, reclaim the White Dragon Mask from him.
The last Dragon Mask that the characters saw,
worn by Rezmir, vanished into thin air as she
died, so characters should have a back-up plan
for the mask. No one imagines that Varram has
already lost it, and is in fact trying to divine its
location. Varram is reaching the Tomb on the
day this Council takes place.
Boareskyr is pretty far from Waterdeep, so
characters can either take weeks to get there, or
find a quick means of transportation (Waterdeep
has Wizards that exchange their services for
gold, so one can pay to be Teleported there).
B UREAUCRACY
The Council then discusses bureaucracy and
resources for a few more hours, until lunch. At
that point, Ontharr suggest that the characters
probably don’t need to return for the afternoon
session, it will be just as boring.
A FTER THE S ESSION
When characters leave the Council, Remallia has
a quick conversation with them about anything
that went wrong during the meeting, or any
details the characters might need for their next
assignment. For example, if they behaved
inappropriately, Remallia points it out. For
example, if they cast some spell during the
Council, Remallia warns them that she noticed,
and they were about to be attacked by two other
spellcasters in response. Remallia countered one
of them, someone else countered the other. She
warns them never to make that mistake again,
CHAPTER 13: FIRST COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
77
 since the characters might be killed in response
to questionable actions, and she would rather
avoid such events during the meetings.
It is up to the characters to decide which
mission to take up first, although this book
assumes they went after Varram before exploring
the Sea of Moving Ice. They can take their free
time for the remainder of the day to plan for the
next mission, depart immediately, or do anything
else they wish to.

13.5 C ONCLUSION
The characters have participated in the first
Council of Waterdeep, understood the global
effects of the Order of the Dragon’s action, and
been impressed with how high the current
stakes are. They were given a list of targets and
goals to achieve. The most urgent one is to track
down Varram, the Wyrmspeaker, and eventually
to learn more about the Draakhorn.

CHAPTER 13: FIRST COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP

78
C HAPTER 14: T HE T OMB
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Death to the
Wyrmspeakers by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.12.
Maps can be found in section 26.11.
14.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 9.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
find and defeat Varram*, the white
Wyrmspeaker. They’ll also explore the Tomb of
Diderius, find that the Mask has been stolen by
someone else, and possibly divine something of
their own interest.
Figure 14.1: The White Dragon Mask. By
Tumblr’s rspixart.
14.2 B OARESKYR
B RIDGE
Boareskyr Bridge peeks over the horizon. The first thing
you see are the two statues that stand at either end of the
bridge — two god-like warriors staring each other down,
prepared to kill. In the shadow of these warriors is a sea of
tents, forming a rainbow of beige and brown canvas.
Scattered among the temporary tents are a handful of
sturdy stone or wood buildings. Judging by the pungent
scent of horses, manure, and campfire smoke, this
settlement has existed for some time.
Throughout the encampment, characters can
trade on common non-magical items at varying
prices and quality. There are a dozen Guards
stationed here, a few dozen sailors (use the stats
of a Sahuagin), a few Bandits, Thugs, and
Bandit Captains, and about a hundred
Commoners. Many of these are refugees,
escaping from cities attacked by the cult, and
moving to bigger cities in search for safety. The
OF D IDERIUS
guards are spread thin with the rising wave of
crime.
Characters can ask around for news of Varram
(most people will require some monetary
incentive). Varram* has stationed a Half-Red
Dragon Veteran, a Half-Green Dragon Assassin,
a Dragonsoul, and an Assassin for any group
trying to tail him. They are fanatical Cult
members and will die to accomplish their
mission.
Depending on how long the characters took to
arrive here, rumours of the dwarf are more or
less accurate. If the characters took more than a
week since the Council meeting, then tales of the
dwarf have morphed into a tale about a spirit
protector of the encampment, visiting Boareskyr
to avenge a fallen comrade. If characters arrived
on the same day as the Council meeting, then
the event (Varram killing a Yuan-ti for being
nosy) is still fresh in most people’s memories.
14.3 T RACKS TO THE
S ERPENT H ILLS
Following Varram’s tracks should not be too
difficult, provided the characters were quick and
are well informed of which direction he went.
Have them follow the tracks on a DC 10 to 25
Wisdom (Survival) check, based on how many
days have passed. If they get lost, add additional
Figure 14.2: Forest road where Giants ambush a
herd of wild goats. By Wizards of the Coast.
CHAPTER 14: THE TOMB OF DIDERIUS
79
 encounters or survival challenges for them.
Assuming they follow the tracks without
problems, I ran a couple of encounters, mixing
the suggestions from the campaign.
In one, the characters see a huge herd of
Giant Elks and Giant Goats crossing the road.
They will take a while, and stampede if disturbed.
Three Hill Giants are hiding nearby, planning to
attack and kill a few of them. If the characters
wait, they’ll see the attack. Otherwise, it’s likely
they’ll either cause a stampede, or become
victim’s of the giants’ ambush.
The second encounter had the players find an
unmarked grave in the middle of the road. If
they approach and offer a prayer, a Ghost spirit
appears and asks them to retrieve a silver locket.
The ghost does not remember why it is
important, only that it was on his grave, and a
group of travellers recently stole it (Varram, who
found it could be worth a pretty penny). He can
give the characters small details of who took it,
but the best detail he retained was that the
group was filled with infernal energy, similar to
the cursed souls of the Nine Hells (he felt the
fiends accompanying Varram). If the characters
later return the locket to him, the ghost opens it
to reveal portraits of his wife and child. Thankful
Figure 14.3: The unmarked grave. By Patreon’s
GoAdventureMapEx.
CHAPTER 14: THE TOMB OF DIDERIUS
80
and teary, he is at peace once again, lays it atop
the grave, and thanks the characters before
vanishing. The locket is worth 10gp. If the
characters are offensive when approaching the
grave, the ghost attacks them. If they don’t
approach the grave, they’ll hear a faint call for
help, coming from the burial site. There’s no
reward for this quest, aside from putting a soul
to rest once more.
14.4 T OMB OF
D IDERIUS
Varram’s mask was stolen by a Zhentarim agent
a few days before he got to the Tomb. Varram*
arrived there on the same day of the Council,
with nineteen Dragonfangs and five Bearded
Devils sent by Zariel. During the Tomb’s
exploration, seven cultists perished (in Rooms 3
and 4) and were buried outside. Three were
guarding the graves and got killed by Trolls. The
group then dropped through the chute in Room
6, where another three got killed between Rooms
10 and 11, by undead, and their bodies could
not be recovered. The remainder escaped to
Room 11, and Varram was so scared of the
undead he tasked the devils with guarding that
door, thinking there was nothing else to be afraid
of in the rest of the Tomb. They then took a long
time figuring out what to do in Room 12.
Eventually, a cultist was sacrificed there to the
Divination Pool, and another five were killed
there by the Yuan-Ti surprise attack. Varram
was then carried off to Room 22 by the Yuan-Ti
and was about to be sacrificed to the yuan-ti god
Merrshaulk, when he begged for his life in
exchange for great wealth. The Yuan-Ti then
beat him almost to death and took about a
couple of days deciding what to do next: either
get treasure and resources, or appease their
gods. They’re in this deliberation as the
characters enter the Tomb.
If the characters took two days or less to reach
the Yuan-Ti since the Council happened, most
Yuan-Ti and Lizardfolk enemies they encounter
in Rooms 14, 15, 17 and 18 have been wounded
from their encounter with the cultists (half to
three-quarters HP). If the characters took more
than four days reaching the Yuan-Ti, Varram*
has allied with the Yuan-Ti and he is fully
conscious and healed, participating in the
defense against the characters. Instead of the
Yuan-Ti leaders surrendering his body in
exchange for mercy, Varram* rallies them all for
a final stand.
I ran the dungeon mostly as-is. The minor
changes I did include:
• I had a group of 7 (2d6) Lizardfolk in the
Figure 14.4: The Tomb of Diderius. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.
ruins outside trying to grab one of the cultists’
corpses before the Trolls came back up for it.
• I added a few Yuan-Yi corpses throughout the
Tomb of Diderius (one in Area 7 victim of the
trap from Area 6, one in Area 4 killed by the
cult members, and one in Area 12, victim of
the quarrel between Yuan-Ti and the cultists).
• I left a bunch of cultists corpses throughout
the Tomb of Diderius (three in Area 8, killed by
the Wraiths and raised as Spectres, one in
Area 12, victim of a sacrifice to the pool, and
an additional five on Area 12, victims of the
quarrel between Yuan-Ti and the cultists)
• Varram* has a custom stat block, and is
cursed to prevent him from revealing
information about the Order.
• Replaced the Helmed Horror by an Armored
Swarm of Snakes*.
I had the Divination Pool be able to show
images about anything physical or in the near
future that the players asked, in exchanged for
the sacrifice of a humanoid (any cultist or
Yuan-Ti, for example). The Pool can only be used
once per day, and a sacrificed target cannot be
resurrected (their soul is consumed by the Pool).
• Where is the Cult? The Pool shows the Sunset
Mountains, the range near the Well of Dragons.
A DC 20 History check allows a character to
recognize it.
• Where is the White Mask? The Pool shows it in
the hands of a Zhentarim agent (Jamna
Gleamsilver if she’s still alive, or Rian
Nightshade otherwise), and out of the Order of
the Dragon’s reach.
• Where is the Draakhorn? The Pool shows it in
the hands of Severin, inside the mysterious
Well of Dragons.
At My Table
My players thought the statues at the entrance of the
Tomb were a trap, so dismissed them immediately, and
thus spent the remainder of the dungeon blindly triggering
every possible trap. They took all the wrong turns, skipped
Room 9 because they assumed it would lead to the deeper
parts of the dungeon, and failed to kill all the enemies in
Room 15. One ran away, and called for reinforcements,
bringing out every Yuan-Ti in Ss’tck’al for them. They
barely managed to defeat everyone, but some escaped
deeper into the heart of the mountain. Players took the
unconscious Varram and ran away after a quick exploration
of each room, and before they got into more trouble. They
disguised Varram when passing by Area 10, to avoid
problems with the Devils, and teleported back to
Waterdeep when outside the mountain range.
CHAPTER 14: THE TOMB OF DIDERIUS
81
 Figure 14.5: The Zhentarim agent holding on to
the White Dragon Mask.

14.5 C ONCLUSION
The characters have either rescued Varram (and
brought him for interrogation in Waterdeep), or
Varram was killed. Either way, the Order of the
Dragon has lost another of its leaders. If Varram
is brought back to Waterdeep, Remallia is very
pleased, and takes him into confinement, so that
they can break the curse and extract more
information. Should the characters need to know
something at some point in the future and you
have no other easy options, Varram can be a
source of information through Remallia.
The characters have likely also uncovered that
the White Dragon Mask was stolen by the
Zhentarim and thus, is outside the reach of the
cult. While they’d rather have the Mask in their
own hands, the Zhentarim are still a better
alternative than the Order of the Dragon.

CHAPTER 14: THE TOMB OF DIDERIUS

82
C HAPTER 15: T HE S EA
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s The Sea of
Moving Ice by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.13.
Maps can be found in section 26.12.
15.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 10.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
face-off against an adult dragon (likely to run
away if defeat seems eminent) and for them to
rescue Maccath, gaining the favor of the Arcane
Brotherhood as well as some information on the
Draakhorn. They are likely to free a tribe of
enslaved Ice Hunters, steal some riches from the
dragon’s hoard, and learn a bit more about the
Draakhorn.
15.2 B ACK TO
WATERDEEP
After the characters are rested from their travels,
Remallia suggests they now investigate the Sea
of Moving Ice for information on Maccath and on
the Draakhorn. She doubts the artifact will still
be there, but it’s still a lead they must exhaust.
Should they find Maccath or her fate, it’s likely
that will earn them favour with the Arcane
Brotherhood, and Remallia believes the mage is
still alive.
Before departing, Ontharr recommends they
plan and equip accordingly to their expected
environment. The Harpers outfit some clothes to
protect against the harsh cold, but it’s doubtful
those would last long in heavy combat. In this
case, items like Potions of Resistance for the
cold can be useful. He also suggests the
characters start coming up with solution to fight
dragons (something as simple as Potions of
Flying), which are certainly going to be needed
in their skirmishes against the Order of the
Dragon.
OF M OVING I CE
The journey there faces a big thunderstorm
near the half-way point, but is otherwise
uneventful. Maybe a sea creature attacks the
ship, but the characters fend it off without
hassle. Feel free to handwave this encounter and
just describe it to your players.
If any crew members die in the encounters
below, people may act coldly towards the party.
If the party seems overly reckless or
disrespectful of a sailor’s demise, the crew can
become actively hostile against them, and might
leave them stranded. I had these encounters
happen all in quick succession, so the party
doesn’t have time to long rest unless the journey
is delayed.
G IANT O CTOPI OR S CRAGS
Ran almost as-is. Captain Lerustah asks the
characters where they prefer to rest. He suggest
that they keep guard during the night and rest
during the day. Some sailors are also part of the
night shift. Based on what the characters chose,
run one of the two encounters. The other can
just be hand-waved.
For each encounter, I had three enemies who
tried to surprise the group, and who dragged
people underwater once they managed to grapple
or knock someone out.

15.3 F ROSTSKIMMR
The majestic ship sails north to the Sea of
Moving Ice without many issues. It takes two
weeks, and the crew and the characters can
hunt and fish for food during the travels.
Characters should find ways to contribute
during the travel, however they can, in order to
earn the favor of the crew. This includes cooking,
healing, providing entertainment, repairing the Figure 15.1: The octopi encounter on the
ship, cleaning, or any sort of task they can Frostskimmr. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.
remember. Paying additional gold is, of course,
also appreciated.

CHAPTER 15: THE SEA OF MOVING ICE

83

Figure 15.2: The Scrags encounter on the
Frostskimmr. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.
At My Table
A sailor was brutally murdered in this skirmish. The crew
blamed the characters, but the Captain kept everyone in
line. A quick funeral was held, and the Captain decided
that the characters, given their resiliency, would stand
watch alone at night to avoid more casualties.
P OLAR B EAR
Figure 15.3: The Polar Bear encounter on the
Frostskimmr. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.
Ran as-is, the following day, interrupting the
characters’ rest. I had the rescued Hunter give a
CHAPTER 15: THE SEA OF MOVING ICE
84
small totem made of a walrus tusk to the
characters as a thank you, and no one could
speak his language. The characters had to
improvise and mime/draw what they were after
(Oyaviggatton’s shape and a portrait of Maccath).
The hunter recognized the iceberg, but not the
sorcerer, and warned the characters against the
Old Death, the white dragon that lairs in the
iceberg. He signalled the direction they should
follow, and a few miles later, before the ice broke,
the Hunter returned to his tribe.
I CE H UNTERS F ISHING AND
M ERROW
Figure 15.4: The Merrow encounter on the
Frostskimmr. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.
A few hours later, again interrupting the
characters’ rest, and just a couple of hours
before nightfall, the ship sights Oyaviggaton’s Ice
Hunters, fishing on their boats. They quickly
notice the vessel, and begin returning to their
tribe. The captain asks the characters how to
proceed, whether to aggressively follow them,
discreetly tail them, or just let them leave
without disturbing them.
Regardless, they are quickly attacked by a
group of Merrows. If they were following
aggressively, characters have disadvantage on
their Wisdom (Perception) checks to avoid being
surprised. If they had stopped and decided to let
the hunters flee, they instead have advantage,
since they’re not focused on anything else but
the nearby waters. After the encounter, the
hunters are no longer in sight. However,
Oyaviggaton looms close by, in the same
direction as before, and is spotted just before
nightfall.
Figure 15.5: The iceberg Oyaviggaton.
15.4 O YAVIGGATON -
T HE V ILLAGE
Figure 15.6: The base of Oyaviggaton. By
Reddit’s u/samma_jamma.
Characters can now decide how to approach
the iceberg, and how to behave when they meet
the tribe above. I would have ran this part
mostly as-is, although I’m not a huge fan of the
one-on-one combat, I feel it’s pretty boring for
players not in the fight, and it’s the second duel
of this kind in this campaign). However, I did
place the shaman Bonecarver enticingly near his
own tent, and somewhat far from his tribe’s eyes,
making for an easy target for abduction or
otherwise stealthy interrogation mission.
The regional effects of Arauthator*’s lair are
felt anywhere on the iceberg.
Figure 15.7: The hunter village atop Oyaviggaton.
By Reddit’s u/samma_jamma.
At My Table
My players essentially kidnapped the shaman with a clever
Telekinesis and good teamwork. The shaman was very
panicked, but they offered the tusk totem they’d gotten
from the Polar Bear mission, and mimicked the gestures
and behaviors made by the other Ice Hunter, which eased
up their task of calming her down. She quickly explained
the tribe’s situation, and revealed the enemies inside
Oyaviggaton, how to access the ice caves, and the fact that
Maccath had come here years before and had been taken
hostage by Arauthator.
15.5 O YAVIGGATON -
I CE C AVES
Ran mostly as-is.
I got rid of the random encounters, and
instead had
• two Ice Trolls patrolling the circular corridor
around areas 2, 4, and 6;
• nine Kobolds (working in the chamber,
polishing and maintaining the ice) and six Ice
Toads (bossing the kobolds around) in area 8;
• heavy dense fog (a permanent Fog Cloud)
obscuring area 9, and hiding a Glyph of
Warding (DC 16 Dexterity saving throw to
avoid 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage and 14
(4d6) cold damage) on the shortest path into
area 10
CHAPTER 15: THE SEA OF MOVING ICE
85
 • nine Kobolds on area 3 (preparing to drop
supplies into Arauthator’s lair through area 6)
I had Maccath under a very strong charm
effect (could be removed with a Greater
Restoration or similar magic), and quite
weakened from spending three years under the
dragon’s control. She was also under a curse,
similar to Varram’s, where she’d die if she left
the proximity of Oyaviggaton with Arauthator
still undefeated, to prevent characters from just
grabbing her and teleporting away to Waterdeep.
Finally, the entirety of the Ice Caves are under a
permanent protection effect similar to
Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum.
Arauthator* has a custom statblock.
Characters are likely to realize that fighting the
dragon in its lair is much tougher than out (due
to his Lair Actions), but at the same time,
fighting within the caves limits his mobility
somewhat. It’s up to them to decide how to
approach this, assuming they have a choice in
the matter.
For Arauthator’s treasure hoard, I had the
described treasure, as well as a magic item from
Table C and another from Table G per player.

At My Table
I screwed up this fight. I nerfed the dragon because only
three players were coming to the session, but forgot to
un-nerf it when a fourth one showed up. It was an easy
fight, but since the players had invested a lot of gold into
consumables, they felt it was a good reward for their
preparation. Or so they told me...

15.6 C ONCLUSION
The characters have likely defeated Arauthator
(not killed him though, he should be too smart
and too strong for that), and rescued Maccath.
Bringing her back to Waterdeep should not be an
issue, and the tribe atop Oyaviggaton will also
prepare to migrate elsewhere once they confirm
the dragon is gone. If the characters did not
defeat the dragon, but instead sneaked out, the
tribe remains enslaved for the following decades.
Maccath gives the characters all the
information known about the Draakhorn, and
also claims the Arcane Brotherhood will certainly
repay them back for rescuing her. She will leave
shortly after returning to Waterdeep to contact
her order.

CHAPTER 15: THE SEA OF MOVING ICE

86
C HAPTER 16: S ECOND C OUNCIL OF
WATERDEEP
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Council of Council Members
Waterdeep by Wizards of the Coast. Name Affiliation Ideals Traits
Remallia Harpers Freedom, Honest,
Please revise the introduction in section 2.14. Haventree* respect friendly
Maps can be found in section 26.10. Ontharr Order of the Responsibi- Friendly,
Frume Gauntlet lity, hot-
greater tempered
good
Delaan Emerald Enclave Balance, Quiet
16.1 I NTRODUCTION Winterhound life
Laeral Lords’ Alliance Creativity, Quiet,
Characters should be at level 11. Silverhand* (Waterdeep) respect curious
Dagult Lords’ Alliance Moderation, Honest
The goal for this chapter is for characters the Neverember (Neverwinter) responsibi-
meet all the missing members of the Council, lity
understand inner conflicts happening, and get Connerad Lords’ Alliance Honor, Hot
updates on the events happening across the Brawnanvil (Dwarves of the respect tempered,
Sword Coast. They’ll be asked to take care of two North) suspicious
distinct situations: investigate a possible cell of Ulder Lords’ Alliance Responsibi- Honest
the Order of the Dragon in the Misty Forest; and Ravengard* (Baldur’s Gate) lity, glory
parlay with a group of Draconic leaders from King Lords’ Alliance Balance, Quiet,
Gem and Metallic bloodlines. Melandrach (Elves of the Misty nation arrogant
and High Forests)
Taern Lords’ Alliance Logic, Ponderous,
Hornblade (Silverymoon) greater curious
good
16.2 WATERDEEP Sir Isteval Lords’ Alliance
(Cormyr)
Tradition,
honor
Honorable,
wise, dour
The streets are packed to the brim with refugees, Characters are now familiar with most
sleeping in alleys, cart, wagons, or anywhere else members, but require introductions to the new
where they may find shelter. As characters walk faces: Silverhand, Brawnanvil, and Taern. They
the streets, many people beg for coin, and thank may have already glimpsed Silverhand dealing
the characters with hopes and prayers if they with Remallia in the past, and she now occupies
acquiesce. However, the streets do not feel the leading seat at the head of the table. Behind
unsafe. Military presence is heightened as well, Neverember, a new face can be found, a
and there seems to be a few guards on every silver-haired woman named Elia, a disguised
street, maintaining order and peace. Lots of Silver Dragon, waiting her turn to address the
guild members, from the Emerald Enclave or the Council.
Order of the Gauntlet, are also running around
distributing food and other basic necessities for
those in need. 16.4 C OUNCIL
Shops and markets remain open, but the S ESSION
refugees are mostly not allowed to enter them The council has its session on the morning after
(for fears of rioting and to avoid disturbing the the characters arrive back to Waterdeep. As
local businesses more than required). before, some people are still standing around,
conversing (Neverember with Elia, Winterhound
with Melandrach, Remallia with Ontharr and Sir
Isteval), while the others are already in their
16.3 M EMBERS OF seats. The room has several nondescript
servants, nobles, and guards (Veterans).
THE C OUNCIL U NOFFICIAL I NTRODUCTIONS
In this session, I had the following members Once the characters enter, Remallia briefly
attending the Council: presents the newcomers to the characters, and

CHAPTER 16: SECOND COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP

87
 warns them not to provoke Neverember. She
doesn’t go into much detail why, since the
characters will understand as soon as the
opening statements are made. Eventually, she
invites them to sit once they are ready. Most
people are sat already, waiting for the session to
start.
O PENING S TATEMENTS
Lady Silverhand is the last to sit. When she does,
servants pour customary drinks into an inlaid
wooden chalice for each participant in the
meeting. Silverhand then resumes the current
state of affairs.
"We gather once more to discuss the matter at hand: the
rise of the Order of the Dragon, and their nefarious plans of
resurrecting Tiamat, their supreme goddess of evil.
First of all, I’d like to formerly introduce myself. My name
is Laeral Silverhand and I’ve recently been appointed as the
Open Lord of Waterdeep. I will be leading the Council from
now on, and I hope to rise to your expectations. It is an
honor to carry this responsibility." She makes a small bow,
and most people at the table respectfully nod their head in
response. Exceptions include Neverember (who seems to be
about to burst with rage), Melandrach (who doesn’t seem to
care about the politics of the quick lived humans), and
Winterhound (who doesn’t believe the identity of the head
of the Council is relevant).
"Today, we have here present,
• Lord Neverember, the Lord Protector of Neverwinter, and
leader of the Lords’ Alliance;
• Delaan Winterhound, Ontharr Frume, and Remallia
Haventree, representing the Emerald Enclave, the Order
of the Gauntlet, and the Harpers, respectively;
• Ulder Ravengard, Grand Duke of Baldur’s Gate;
• King Melandrach, elfish monarch of the Misty and High
Forests;
Figure 16.1: The members of the Council of Waterdeep. By Reddit’s u/Plaindog.
CHAPTER 16: SECOND COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
88
• Sir Isteval, a secret emissary from Cormyr, who was
allowed to remain in this Council despite his deception
due to his honest good intentions;
• Ambassador Connerad Brawnanvil, the emissary from the
Dwarves of the North;
• Taern Hornblade, also known as Taern "Thunderspells",
the emissary from Silverymoon;
• and last, but not least, the brave group of adventurers
who have recently been thwarting the Order’s plans and
helped us achieve ours.
Since we last met, you were assigned two separate
missions by this Council. To find and recover one of the
Dragon Masks, the artifacts the Order has been using for
unknown reasons, and to learn more information about the
Draakhorn that has been sounding across the lands for the
last few weeks. What news have you for us this time?"
C HARACTERS ’ A DVENTURES
The council asks the characters to speak of both
their missions. They question or ask for further
information in several points, and sometimes
have conflicting opinions on what should have
been done.
• Varram and the Tomb of Diderius
• The Draakhorn, and Oyaviggaton
Specifically, the council bickers on what
happened to
• Varram and the White Dragon Mask;
• Arauthator;
• Maccath and the Arcane Brotherhood.
The Harpers and Hornblade wanted Varram
captured, Brawnanvil wants Varram escorted to
Dwarven lands for trial and public execution,
and Winterhound would rather have Varram
dead than risk his escape. Everyone is pleased if
the Arcane Brotherhood has been reached and
might join the Council, but Ontharr warns that
they allow evil and nefarious wizards in their
ranks, so caution must be kept.
T HE E NEMY ’ S M OVEMENTS
The Council now discusses what has happened
in their own domains.
Silverhand: "I would request a short summary on the
current state of affairs for each of the here represented
nations. Lord Neverember, perhaps you would like to start?"
Neverember: "Gladly. Neverwinter, as you know, is being
rebuilt as we speak. That being said, that has not stopped
the Order of the Dragon from targeting its resources. I’ve
now moved most of my funding into bolstering our defenses,
and protecting the surrounding settlements that trade with
us. We have had many skirmishes with the cult, and some
settlements have ceased contact with us, likely due to
having made a deal with them. I’m planning a decisive
counter-strike so that we can liberate those towns from the
Order’s influence. We estimate that, thus far, we have had
close to two thousand casualties, more than half belonging
to villagers from the outer towns. There has also been a
steady stream of refugees pouring into Neverwinter, but we
have had to funnel those south, unless they conscripted the
army; we could not afford feeding those who wouldn’t join
our fight."
Ontharr: "Not sure if funneling starving children and
women 400 miles south to Waterdeep through unfinished
roads is a just move. Most will perish on the way, or worse,
pledge allegiance to other nefarious groups that would offer
them basic needs."
Neverember: "If they had stayed in the city, famine would
soon have caused Neverwinter to fall from within. We need
our forces well fed and apt for combat. Feeble civilians can
take no part in the defense of the city."
Ontharr mumbles something that only the closest
keeping refugees outside the city walls, even if
character can hear: "Small hands oft move the wheels of
many will die from famine and disease, while
the world, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere."
simultaneously fighting the Order around its
borders.
Neverwinter basically only accepts refugees
they can make use of, and is focused on an
all-out war.
Neverember: "What news come from Baldur’s Gate,
Marshal?" Silverhand smiles at Neverember’s discreet
attempt of taking over the meeting. She nods at the Grand
Duke, who respectfully looked at her for permission.
Ravengard: "Baldur’s Gate has certainly had to deal with
its fair share of refugees. Tens of thousands have swarmed
the gates of the city. Most of them are now camping
outside the cities gates, and efforts are being made to keep
famine and disease from decimating them, and the city
itself. The Flaming Fist has enlisted thousands and sent
envoys to all cities within a week’s distance. We have,
however, suffered many casualties, mostly with the less
experienced groups. Raids by the cultists, often
accompanied by adult dragons, quickly wreak havoc across
small and medium-sized settlements, and while the dragon
hunts down the scattered and panicked survivors, small
cultist cells pillage the village. The only things that remain
after these barbaric attacks are mounds of ashes and
bones. The cult has, however, felt the wrath of our troops
as well. Out of 34 reported skirmishes, we have fended off
21 of them, and mostly destroyed the enemy troops. None
of these victories were against adult dragons. Catching
cultists alive has proved too dangerous so far, and the few
low-rank deserter cultists we have captured knew nothing
of the cult’s movements, other than what their own cell had
planned. Whoever is leading these attacks is a very good
strategist, keeping all information on a need-to-know basis.
Baldur’s Gate itself is yet to come under siege, but we
believe it’s mostly due to its geographic position than
anything else. The attacks are concentrated to the
northeast of the city."
Silverhand: "Interesting news. Perhaps that is related to
the location of the Order’s base of activities, which we are
yet to uncover."
Ravengard: "Agreed. However, Baldur’s Gate has had its
fair share of internal struggle. After the resurrection of the
dark god Bhaal, a decade ago, the city tightened policing
extensively to prevent similar catastrophes from reoccurring.
However, with the recent developments, our forces have
been spread thing, and those dark cultists have come out of
their hiding holes. A spree of murders has been happening
as of recent, and it has been difficult to balance both
conflicts for the Flaming Fist."
Silverhand: "Understood. Perhaps Ontharr might provide
assistance there, and aid with, at the very least, spiritual
guidance against the Dead Three."
Ontharr: "Aye, we can certainly try".
Baldur’s Gate has a more balanced approach,
Silverhand: "King Melandrach, would you now describe the
events within the elfish borders?"
Melandrach: "If you so request. The High Forest’s magical
protections have been sufficient to protect our citizens and
hide our cities. The situation in the Misty Forest, however,
has not been so idyllic. A cell led by an adult green dragon
had established itself nearby, and was evading our barriers
and traps to raid our cities. I have since dispatched troops
and fortified our positions, after which the attacks have
stopped. I dare say I regret we took so long to act, and
valuable lives were lost, but the situation has been dealt
with."
Winterhound: "I’m not sure we can be so certain of that.
The attacks have stopped, but at the same time, there
were no actual encounters with the troops, and one could
argue that either the attacks stopped by coincidence, or
CHAPTER 16: SECOND COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
89
 because they have spies among your people who have
alerted them to the heightened defense."
Melandrach: "That’s preposterous! No elf would betray
their own kind!"
Winterhound: "Your son, Prince Alagarthas, disagrees. In
fact, some witnesses of the attacks reported that the
dragon’s rider, the Green Wyrmspeaker, moved with an
elf-like grace."
People at the table gasp, and Brawnanvil laughs audibly.
Melandrach is enraged, stands up, and yells back.
Melandrach: "Alagarthas should know better than to plot
behind my back with the Emerald Enclave! If he’s so certain
one of our own is leading the raids, why hasn’t he produced
any concrete evidence on the matter?"
Silverhand: "Settle down, I’m sure Winterhound means no
offense, despite his blunt manners."
Winterhound: "In fact, that’s something the Emerald
Enclave would ask of this council. We would appreciate if a
group of experienced adventurers, such as these here
gathered, with experience against the Order of the Dragon,
would help us untangle this mystery."
Remallia: "Yes, even if all the rumours prove to be false,
as they likely are, tracking the Misty Forest cell can give us
relevant information on the cult. There’s not much to lose."
Melandrach: "If you so believe, the elves of the forest will
not hinder you in any way. Track down the Green Dragon
and prove that there is no traitor amidst our people."
Silverhand: "Well, only if they agree." She looks at you,
waiting for your reply.
Melandrach thinks the Misty Forest cell is no
longer a threat, but he has no idea his long lost
son is actually their leader.
Afterwards, Brawnanvil describes how the Dwarves of the
North are fending off raids on their own settlements, and so
far had not had major casualties, due to the fortified nature
of their settlements. The very mountains act as natural
barriers against the attacks. Brawnanvil is, however, worried
that the attacks will escalate and adult dragons will dig
through their defenses. Hornblade and Isteval so far report
no attacks on Silverymoon and Cormyr, but report that
they are both fortifying their defenses as well, and are
unsure whether they can spare troops to help outside their
borders.
Silverhand: "And finally, the report on Waterdeep. The
cities resources are spread thin, with almost a hundred
thousand new refugees having come within our walls.
Waterdeep is protected by Ahghairon’s Dragonward, which
prevents any and all creatures of the dragon-type from
entering the city." Silverhand discreetly looks at Elia, the
woman standing behind Neverember. "The only dragons
which can enter are those which have been touched by the
Dragonstaff of Ahghairon, which is currently sealed away
beneath the city. In other words, so far, we have had no
skirmishes within the city walls with the Order of the
CHAPTER 16: SECOND COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
90
Dragon. However, we have a similar situation to
Neverwinter and Baldur’s Gate, our surrounding towns and
villages are under constant attacks and skirmishes. We
have deployed our forces to the major cities, and tried to
evacuate the smaller settlements. Evacuation has met with
resistance, many refuse to leave their homes. We have
forced some of the more strategic targets to relocate to
Waterdeep, but resistance has been strong in such cases.
We have left other settlements untouched, but attacks
there lead to strong casualties. I’m currently deciding how
to proceed with the situation, but I’m afraid it’s a complex
dilemma."
Most other settlements haven’t had real issues
with the cult or with refugees. Waterdeep has
gone the opposite strategy from Neverwinter, and
taken in everyone in need, at the expense of a
smaller external military force. Waterdeep
focused on the bigger settlements and tried to
evacuate the remaining ones, which might lead
to less fatalities for as long as Waterdeep’s
defenses are not breached.
Silverhand: "I think that summarizes the current state of
affairs. Before we adjourn for lunch, I would ask our guest
to speak."
The silver-haired woman steps forward.
Elia: "Salutations. I have come to this Council to extend
an invitation. The Elders of the Metallic and Gem Dragons
wish to meet with the humanoid leaders of this Council, and
discuss how they can work together against the rise of
Tiamat. They have chosen the location, in the Nether
Mountains, and propose you select the date, should you
accept the invitation. That is all."
The abrupt end of her speech leaves most council
members silent. Silverhand eventually starts the discussion.
Silverhand: "Short and to the point. I think we can all
agree that the invitation will be accepted. All we need to
determine is who to actually send as an emissary."
Neverember: "I volunteer, I believe I could safely conduct
the negotiations."
Melandrach: "I’m not sure I would entrust the fates of all
of us to you."
Neverember: "Is that supposed to mean something?"
Melandrach: "I meant no offense. It’s just that most
people here would not be impartial."
Brawnanvil: "And you would be?"
Silverhand: "Gentleman. I agree with King Melandrach, all
of us would likely be partial to our own interests. But
regardless of that, I could not afford to send you on this
journey, we need you attending the Council to keep
coordination flowing between our nations."
Remallia: "Perhaps an external organization could be
better suited to these negotiations, focusing on impartiality."
Ontharr: "I’m not sure the Harpers would be the best
group to fight for justice for all of us here."
Remallia smiles, as she looks at the characters.
 Remallia: "I wasn’t talking about the Harpers..." Once
more, the Council stares at you, waiting for your reply.

The Dragon Council is thus assembled.

Silverhand: "With all matters settled, let’s adjourn the

current Council session."

T HE N EXT M ISSIONS
It’s up to the characters to choose which mission
to follow first: whether to track the Green
Wyrmspeaker in the Misty Forest, or whether to
meet the Dragon Council.

16.5 C ONCLUSION
The characters are now up-to-date on the
current state of the conflict against the Order of
the Dragon. There are now two missions for
them to follow.

CHAPTER 16: SECOND COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP

91
 C HAPTER 17: T HE M ISTY F OREST
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Death to the
Wyrmspeakers by Wizards of the Coast, and on
the Ghosts of Dragonspear adventure, by Jeremy
Crawford and Christopher Perkins.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.15.
17.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 11.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
find and defeat Neronvain*, the green
Wyrmspeaker, his dragon partner Chuth*, and
the Misty Forest cell. They’ll explore and meet
their elven allies, underlings of King Malendrach,
a member of the Council of Waterdeep. They
might recover the green Dragon Mask, and
determine the fates of both sons of the King.
Figure 17.1: The Green Dragon Mask. By
Tumblr’s rspixart.
17.2 T HE M ISTY
F OREST
The Misty Forest is a fog-filled, rainy forest, west
of the High Moor, and is also an elven kingdom.
The tall pine and spruce trees rise steeply in front of you.
Dark green, the luscious forest seems almost alive as the
branches and trees sway to the wind. The sounds of birds
and other animals also echoes through the woods, in a
never-ending song.
As you move into the forest, the ground seems to
become covered in a wispy white smoke, the forest’s
namesake mist, rolling down from the moors in the early
hours of the morning, and covering the entire forest bed.
Characters have disadvantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on sight, while in
the forest at ground level.
CHAPTER 17: THE MISTY FOREST
92
Before you go deep into the woods, a red doe walks up to
you. Its eyes, an uncharacteristic clear blue, blink twice, as
the animal nods at you. It then turns, walks slowly
northeast, and becks you to follow it.
This is an Animal Messenger from the
Emerald Enclave, leading the characters to an
elven outpost.
A T IMELY R ESCUE
Along the way, characters go through this
encounter. I changed it so that the Druid is
actually in danger, being restrained by one of the
trees, while the other two close in on her. I felt
the encounter as written made the druid look too
egotistical. Once the Druid is freed, if the other
trees are still alive, the Druid asks the
characters not to kill them, while he prepares a
spell.
If the characters hold for a round, the druid
casts a variant of a Lesser Restoration spell on
both trees, at which point they calm down, settle
their roots back into the soil, and become
passive. The trees had gone wild with Chuth’s
influence, and had turned on her. She then
rewards the characters with the blessed
garlands.
Figure 17.2: The A Timely Rescue encounter. By
Reddit’s u/sturmrabe_ger.
A LAGAR THAS ’ O UTPOST
The red deer leads the characters into what
remains of an elven settlement, attacked weeks
ago by the dragon, and current occupied by one
of King Melandrach’s squadrons. Led by his son,
Prince Alagarthas (use the stats of a Knight), the
squadron contains about 50 Mages, Knights, might make them more at ease and allow you to
Scouts, and two Blackguards, his lieutenants. catch someone being deceptive.
Around the camp are the corpses of about 30
cultists of various ranks, as well as a few Young
Upon arrival, you witness a mystical, but deeply sad, scene.
Blue Dragons, Young Green Dragons, and
Rays of sunshine stream from above into hundreds of
Wyverns.
corpses, lying peacefully on the grass. They are separated in
The outpost fended off an attach just a couple
three groups around the village, and each elf has been laid
of days ago (news of this is yet to reach King
facing up, with arms crossed over their chest, and eyes
Melandrach), and are reinforcing the outpost
closed. Flowers grow around each group, and the blades of
now. They managed to capture three cultists
grass are also beginning to cover each corpse. The mist
that deserted during the attack. These (now
slowly swirls around them, as if the forest is trying to take
prisoners) have been in the Misty Forest for
them back into itself.
almost two months. About a month ago
(coinciding with when Skyreach fell), they A soft, deep, slow chant can be heard coming from the
received orders from Neronvain to increase the center of the grove of trees where the settlement is
amount of raids (no doubt in order to established.
compensate for the Order’s lost loot). The
cultists camped near Chuth’s Lair, but never
entered it or understood where exactly it was. All
they recall is that it was near a waterfall, since
the noise kept them up at night. From their
camp, they usually travelled up to three days for
each raid, led by higher-ranking cultists, and
they have no idea about the way back. They are
just initiates in the Order, lured by allusions of
gold and power, and they don’t know anything
else.

Figure 17.4: Altand (ground level). By Reddit’s

u/sturmrabe_ger.

Figure 17.3: Alagarthas’ current outpost in the

Misty Forest. By Patreon’s SpellArena.

Alagarthas offers to accompany the characters

to Altand, should they wish to. He leaves his
lieutenants to guide the squadron in his
absence.

A LTAND
On the way to the settlement, Alagarthas gives
the characters some backstory on the village, Figure 17.5: Altand (upper level). By Reddit’s
and about Warden Galin. He also suggests he u/sturmrabe_ger.
will stay back, hidden in the forest, as you enter
Altand and investigate. He believes his presence A DC 18 Intelligence (Religion) check allows a
would warp most elves’ behavior, and this way character to realize this is a weeks-long funeral

CHAPTER 17: THE MISTY FOREST

93
 rite held by elven communities to guide the souls
of their deceased back to Arvandor, and to make
the forest cover their bodies into discreet grassy
graves.
I ran most of this chapter as-is, with Galin
being a coward that regrets his decision, but
who is now in too deep to confess. A DC 19
Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence
(Investigation) check allows a character to realize
Galin is one of the very few that carry barely any
visible wounds.
After the events that transpired during the raid
have been uncovered, the characters can decide
to track Chuth’s lair, or try to ambush it on the
clearing. Alagarthas advises against the latter
idea, reminding them that the dragon can just
disengage and fly away, and they might leave
him on alert or lose the Order’s tracks.
It starts raining as the characters leave Altand,
the choir growing ever so softly deeper and more
melancholic.
T HE S HRINE
If the characters scout the shrine, on the
following night, they witness Chuth*.
A stiff coastal wind whistles through the forest and drives
the heavy rain against the large statue. Something heavy
hits the ground behind Galin. Lightning splits the sky, and
you suddenly notice an enormous dragon made of pouring
rain.
Figure 17.6: The Shrine where Galin
meets Chuth and Neronvain. By Reddit’s
u/sturmrabe_ger.
Have the characters make a DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check; those that fail are surprised
by the "rain dragon", which is actually the
invisible Chuth. The rain washing over Chuth’s
CHAPTER 17: THE MISTY FOREST
94
outline makes the dragon visible in a way few
people ever get to see.
The dragon and Neronvain* meet with Galin
to ask questions about the elven troops’
movements. They’re preparing an attack purely
for the dragon’s hoard, since the Cult is already
satisfied with their collected tribute. If they
notice the party, Chuth quickly closes in. It has
a taste for elves; if the dragon sees an elf in the
party, he attacks the elf, staying only as long as
it takes to kill his prize, snatch the corpse, and
fly away. If the party contains no elves, he
swoops invisibly over the characters’ heads to
startle them, uses his breath weapon, then flies
off (having satisfied itself that there’s nothing
worth eating or stealing). He no longer returns,
assuming Galin to be compromised, and will be
expecting the adventurers in his lair.
S PIDERS ’ H AUNT
On the way to the waterfall (as reported by the
captured cultists) southeast of Altand (as
reported by Galin), if Alagarthas is
accompanying the party, he explains his life-long
feud with Chuth. Alagarthas considered himself
the heir apparent of ancient Miyeritar and
dreamed of one day ruling a similar kingdom. He
planned to offer his allegiance to the dwarves of
Mount Illefarn in order to gain strong allies.
Alagarthas had the breeding, the intelligence,
and the charisma of a future great leader, not to
mention superior fighting skills.
Figure 17.7: The Spiders’ Haunt encounter. By
Reddit’s u/sturmrabe_ger.
Over 10 years ago, when fire elementals destroyed the
woods of Laughing Hollow, I led a group of elves out of the
Misty Forest and went to help the wood elves of Laughing
Hollow. It wasn’t for a noble reason, however, at the time I
wished above all to abandon my father’s woodland court
 and make a name for myself and my cause. I found that
Chuth was seeking out elves of royal blood in particular,
sometimes not for sustenance, but purely for sport. He
enjoys watching us suffer, watching us scream in terror as
he tears us apart.
After several failed attempts to drive off the Emerald
Assassin, I was approached by a hag who claimed that I
would defeat the Dragon, but would be killed in the process.
She offered me an alternate future, which could only come
true if I came to the Feywild for a year that seemed to drag
on forever, and then found that I had to escape a devious
trap to return home. It took longer than expected, but I
have eventually returned, and the time I spent there helped
me grow.
I want to defeat Chuth not for my own glory, but for the
good and safety of all elves of the Misty Forest. I want this
to become a safe haven for all, regardless of whether I’ll
remain here under my father’s wing, or not. And now, with
your help, I feel a glimpse of hope the prophecy shall be
fulfilled.

I ran this encounter as-is. If the characters

make a lot of noise in this combat, they might
alert Chuth*, who then comes out of his lair to
search and kill the intruders.
At My Table
My characters forgot about trying to be stealthy and
blasted a couple of Fireballs. The rain prevented the entire
forest from being set on fire, but Chuth was alert from now
on. They quickly escaped the scene, but by a stroke of bad
luck, Chuth chased in their direction. They sacrificed their
mounts to lure him away, and decided to storm his lair
while he was busy. Based on the efforts they took to
distract Chuth, I gave them an appropriate amount of
hours to explore the lair and rest there before Chuth and
Neronvain returned.
17.3 N ERONVAIN ’ S
S TRONGHOLD
When the characters are within 1 mile of the
dragons lair, they experience its regional effects.
I had Chuth* outside his lair when the
characters raid it, and he and Neronvain* arrive
later after when the party has had a chance to
explore the cave. If characters scout the
waterfall’s entrance for a while, they might see
Chuth leaving it. However, if Chuth is aware of
the characters, then he sets up an ambush, and
enters the lair just a few minutes after the
characters, hoping to catch them by surprise.
Light springs into the cave as the waterfall seems to split
apart by some mysterious force. A strange shape made out
of water seems to cross the cave’s entrance, and the
waterfall closes behind it. The huge shape crawls forward
until you finally realize, it’s a thin layer of water and mist in
Figure 17.8: The hidden entrance to Neronvain’s
Stronghold. By Reddit’s u/RQviiist.
the shape of a large dragon.
I ran this section mostly as-is. My biggest
changes were:
• upgrading the cultists in Areas 5 and 6: five
Dragonwings and one Dragonfang in each
room;
• using a custom statblock for Chuth* and
Neronvain*.
I considered adding an additional Dragonsoul
leader to each cultist group, but my party had
spent a bunch of resources role-playing
elsewhere (resurrecting people in Altand, for
example) and I felt they didn’t need a tougher
challenge.
The dragon always casts invisibility on itself
before moving in for the kill. If Alagarthas is
present, the dragon lands as close to him and
the characters as it can, hoping to catch them all
in its breath weapon while they’re surprised.
Neronvain is carrying the Green Dragon Mask.
His elven name is Nanveroin, which explains
why Malendrach and Alagarthas have not
recognized the name Neronvain until now, even
if the characters have found it. At some point
during the combat, he and Alagarthas exchange
words.

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95
 Figure 17.9: Neronvain’s Stronghold. By Reddit’s u/RQviiist.
Neronvain: "Your sword remains dull, little Alla. Have you
not been practicing?"
Alagarthas: "I know this voice, but... It can’t be."
Neronvain: "I think you’ll find it actually can. It was so
easy to believe I was no longer among the living, was it? Not
just easy, but desirable, the shame of the family no longer a
problem!"
Alagarthas: "It cannot be! Brother Nanveroin!"
Neronvain: "No, no longer! I am the Green Wyrmspeaker,
Neronvain! And after I finish you here, I’ll show our dear
Father the meaning of real power!"
For Chuth’s treasure hoard, I had the
described treasure, as well as many
elven-related magic items: an Elven Chain,
some Boots of Elvenkind, a Cloak of
Elvenkind, an Oathbow, and a Moon-Touched
Sword.
At My Table
My players cleaned-out the lair and set up a trap for
Neronvain and Chuth. They then surprised the pair, and
CHAPTER 17: THE MISTY FOREST
96
took Neronvain out before the enemies could react. Chuth
managed to escape, but the Dragon Mask was lost to the
Order of the Dragon. After exploring the remainder of the
Stronghold, they decided to bring Neronvain’s body back to
the Council as proof, but would only reveal his real identity
to the Harpers (although King Melandrach would obviously
recognize his long lost son), to avoid meddling with the
politics at the table.
17.4 C ONCLUSION
Hopefully the characters have liberated the Misty
Forest from Chuth’s influence. They have likely
uncovered Galin’s treason (Alagarthas will
imprison him when he finds out), and with good
planning, they have rescued all the elves
currently trapped in Neronvain’s stronghold.
If Chuth escapes, he will be present later at
the Well of Dragons. Similarly for Neronvain. If
Neronvain is killed, however, the Green Dragon
Mask evaporates and is teleported to the Well of
Dragons. If Neronvain was captured, he suffers
from the same curse that afflicted Rezmir and
Varram: if he reveals any information about the
Order of the Dragon, he dies. He won’t reveal
any information about the cult, instead
preferring to talk about himself and how his
father’s kingdom is ruined and he should lead it
to new heights instead.
If Alagarthas accompanied the characters and
survived the dragon attack, he is grateful to
those party members who put themselves in
jeopardy to save the Misty Forest. He doesn’t
know what to do about the fact the
Wyrmspeaker was his long lost brother
Neronvain, who everyone thought was dead. He
asks the characters to decide what to present to
the Council.

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97
 C HAPTER 18: T HE C OUNCIL
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Metallic
Dragons, Arise! and The Cult Strikes Back by
Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.16.
OF D RAGONS
Dragonfang, a Half-blue Dragon Gladiator, and
a Young Blue Dragon. One of them will run up
the mountain when the fight starts going bad, as
another yells

18.1 I NTRODUCTION "Quick, warn them they’re here!"

Characters should be at level 12.
The goal for this chapter is for the characters
to meet the leaders of the metallic dragons and
procure an alliance with them. The Order of the
Dragon, however, is hellbent on preventing this
meeting from taking place. The characters must
reach the summit and light a beacon (any sort of
light will do, even a torch), and hold the beacon
lit throughout the night until dawn.

18.2 R EACHING THE

S UMMIT
I changed the meeting place to be on the Star
Mounts, since the Nether Mountains are
infamous for the clan of blue dragons that nest
there, tended to by a huge tribe of hobgoblins.
Also, the Star Mounts are a bit closer to
Waterdeep. The weather there is so inhospitable
that only dragons can really fly to their summit.
The highest peak has had several paths carved
into its side to allow people to talk to the
elevated valley, above the clouds.
Figure 18.1: The base of the Star Mounts, with
If the characters decided to attend this Dragon
a cult encampment. By Patreon’s Miscellanea
Council right after the Waterdeep council, Elia
Tabletop Battlemaps.
flies them there on her back. She drops them at
the base of the mountains, and leaves, informing Many other cultists groups are spread out
the characters to be careful and dropping a hint throughout the many paths leading up the
that the mere climb is a good way to impress the mountains. The characters will encounter such
dragon ambassadors. Otherwise, they must a group regardless of what path they take. They
either purchase a Teleport or walk there. If they can encounter more than one if you want to
walk, describe how they pass through many challenge them even further. The next group
war-ravaged lands and towns. Most burned to they find, near the summit, is composed of a
ground or abandoned, while others show signs of Dragonwing, a Dragonfang, a Half-red Dragon
disease or having had recent attacks. A few pay Gladiator, a Mage, a Half-green Dragon
tribute to the Order of the Dragon and face Assassin, and a Young Red Dragon. As they are
famine instead. The locals eye the characters defeated, the last one curses the characters
with distrusts, and hide women and children as
they approach.
"The night is long. We will return..."
If the characters teleport to the base of the
mountains, then appear right next to a small
Order of the Dragon camp with a group there. Near the summit, hidden in the clouds, lies the
Both the characters and the cultists stare at final group from the Order of the Dragon, hoping
each other for a few moments before the to prevent this Dragon Council from being
realization sets in and they scream "It’s them! summoned. These are the highest ranking
Attack!". If the characters walked to the cultists that the Order sent to the Star Mounts,
mountains, they’ll be ambushed by this group. It and are composed of a Dragonwing, a
is composed of a Dragonclaw, a Dragonwing, a Dragonsoul, a Mezzoloth, a Nycaloth, an Adult

CHAPTER 18: THE COUNCIL OF DRAGONS

98
Blue Dragon, and an Ancient Black Dragon.
The devils are sent by Zariel to aid the cult, and
once this group ambushes the characters, the
Dragonsoul yells to them

"It’s them! Do as we agreed, earn Zariel’s respect!"

They show up once the characters reach the

summit and light the beacon. Once this group
lands on the summit, as the Ancient dragon
prepares to use its breath weapon,
Otaaryliakkarnos (Elia in her Dragon form) lands
behind the characters,

"Why don’t you mess with someone your own size?"

Both gigantic dragons roar at each other and

charge, soon tumbling off the summit in a fierce
duel. The characters take care of the remainder
of the cultists, and Otaaryliakkarnos eventually
scares the black dragon off by the end of the
battle. I had both ancient dragons occasionally
tumbling across the battlefield (players could tell
they were crashing down and had a round to
move out of the way). This allowed me to control
the field and I could balance the battle by
squishing enemy forces as needed.
Figure 18.2: The summit of the Star Mounts,
18.3 T HE D RAGON above the clouds, where the beacon should be lit.
By 2-Minute Tabletop.
C OUNCIL
After the forces of the Order of the Dragon are If none of the party members is a dwarf, then
handled, the metallic dragons arrive, one at a one of the cultists is.
time. This gives the characters some time to
interact with each, learn their personalities, and Otaaryliakkarnos: You weren’t bad.
attempt to please them at a decent rate (as Otaaryliakkarnos looks at the dwarf.
opposed to having to RP all five dragons Otaaryliakkarnos: I guess killing still runs in your veins.
simultaneously).
If pressed upon this, she looks sad and
At My Table annoyed, and changes the topic.
My party had a dwarf and a human, but no elves,
dragonborn, thieves, or evil characters, so most of the B RONZE N YMMURH
dragons started neutral to them, and that is somewhat
reflected in the speeches below. A few minutes later, Nymmurh ascends from the
clouds.

S ILVER O TAARYLIAKKARNOS Nymmurh: Ah, sorry about my tardiness, respected

Otaaryliakkarnos (also known as Elia when in
her human form) showed up to defend the
characters in the summit, and quickly returns to
them after the battle is over. She is wounded
and tired, but otherwise fine.
Otaaryliakkarnos: I doubt they’ll bother us again tonight,
now that their dragonlord has run away.
Otaaryliakkarnos. Oh, and who are our guests?
The characters can now introduce themselves.
Nymmurh: Pleasure to meet you. I am Nymmurh, or Nym if
you find that hard to memorize. It is always so inspirational
to see the tiny folk rise up to a challenge and fight for good.
Otaaryliakkarnos: Yes, truly a pleasure, knowing what

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99
 Dragon Council Members
Name and Type Personality Attitude Desires Concession
Otaaryliakkarnos Sad, easily angered, Strike now. Alliance Unfriendly to dwarfs, Dwarf apology, Dragon
(Female Silver) sweet grandma. if humanoids can be neutral otherwise. Armor returned.
trusted.
Nymmurh (Male Helpful, nice, reliable Alliance. Unfriendly to evil Dragon Masks returned.
Bronze) uncle. characters, friendly
otherwise.
Ileuthra (Male Brass) Nerdy, curious, know- – Neutral. Learn new game/brain
it-all cousin. teaser.
Tazmikella (Female Nice, cautious, older Strike now. Alliance Unfriendly to thieves, Item returned.
Copper) sister. if humanoids can be cautious to dragonborn,
trusted. neutral otherwise.
Protanther (Male Gold) Proud, dismissive, Strike now, regardless of Unfriendly to elves, Elf apology.
strict father. humanoids. cautious to humans
and tieflings, neutral
otherwise.

the same mistakes again and again. But those who don’t
follow the righteous path deserve punishment.
Otaaryliakkarnos looks at the dwarf.
Nymmurh: It is clear something is on your mind. Take
your time, but know I would like to help anyway I –
Otaaryliakkarnos: And how are you going to help? Bring
my family back from dead, will you? Those fat disgusting
little savages, celebrating their hunts, naming them even!
The Dragonmoots, isn’t that right?!

Characters can roll a DC 20 Intelligence

(History) check to recognize what a Dragonmoot
is; Dwarves have advantage on this check.
Dragonmoots are a proud but vanishing
tradition, in which bands of adventuring dwarves
are called together to fight specific dragons, and
plunder their hoards. They were once something
of a ritual of passage for young dwarves aspiring
to be warriors.

Nymmurh: Sister, I... Sorry, I had not imagined...

Figure 18.3: A Wizard surrounded by the
metallic dragons. By Wizards of the Coast.
they are capable of, when they turn to evil.
Nymmurh: Ah, respected sister, we were made in the
image of Bahamut, and have no choice in the matter of
good or evil. Thus, how much greater and more precious is
good when it is freely chosen by them, who must
consciously turn away from villainy?
Otaaryliakkarnos: I agree, they should be shown
Bahamut’s righteous way of living rather than ignored and
treated as children. If we refuse to engage them and focus
only on their own advancement, they’ll persist in making
Otaaryliakkarnos: My niece! Hunted to death! Her corpse
defiled! Her fall celebrated!
Otaaryliakkarnos faces the dwarf directly.
Otaaryliakkarnos: By you, you and your bastard king.
She turns back to Nymmurh.
Otaaryliakkarnos: And you know what’s the worse part?
They wear her. They bask in her glorious skin, they
adorned her scales in their armor and wear it to this day.
Revolting mongrels, so easily forgetting, so easily forgiving...
Nymmurh looks at you and discreetly signals you with his
head.
If the characters remain silent,
Otaaryliakkarnos: I will patrol the peak now.
Otaaryliakkarnos flies away, barely disguising the anger
coursing through her veins.

CHAPTER 18: THE COUNCIL OF DRAGONS

100
 Nymmurh: That would have been a great moment to
intervene and offer, at the very least, an apology... I guess
she’ll return when Protanther arrives.
Otherwise, if they intervene and sound
apologetic or ask for a way to fix the situation,
she demands, with a melancholic tone,
Otaaryliakkarnos: I want your King to apologize for the
murder of my niece. And I want her armor returned! It will
never again be used as a glory item with which to impress
other fat little men in round-table meetings by a warm fire.
Can you promise that?
If the characters concede, she looks pleased.
Otaaryliakkarnos: Hm. I won’t forget this. I will patrol the
peak now, until Protanther arrives.
Otaaryliakkarnos flies away, hiding the tears welling up in
her eyes.
After this, Nymmurh has a chance to interact
with the characters.
Nymmurh: On to happier topics, have you met my protégé,
Dala? Fantastic woman, I hope she has served the
Waterdeep Council well with regards to the Draakhorn.
The characters can interact with Nymmurh to
find he is the patron of Dala Silmerhelve’s
family, and the source of information regarding
the Draakhorn. Nymmurh won’t reveal yet that
his concession is keeping the Dragon Masks
away from humanoids once this crisis is averted.
B RASS I LEUTHRA
About half an hour later, the brass dragon
Ileuthra is spotted far in the horizon, and lands
in the summit.
Ileuthra: Ah, how refreshing to see old faces. And new ones
too, praise Oghma!
Nymmurh: Well met, Ileuthra. It’s been a long time since
you’ve come to the Material Plane. Where have you dwelled
for the last ages?
Ileuthra: Here and there, here and there. You wouldn’t
believe the things I’ve seen. There’s so much out there,
realities to experience, paradigms to learn... In a word,
incredible.
Nymmurh: It certainly seems to have kept up your
spirits.
Ileuthra: It has indeed. And speaking of interesting... You
smell familiar, young one. But we have not yet met, I’m
sure. Curious... Who are you?
Characters can roll a DC 20 Intelligence
(Religion) check to recognize Oghma, the neutral
greater god of inspiration, invention, and
knowledge, the patron of bards in the Faerûnian
pantheon, and the most powerful god of
knowledge in Faerûn. Characters can now
introduce themselves. The character that smells
familiar to Ileuthra is the one unknowingly
carrying Tazmikella’s item.
Ileuthra: Tell me, little ones, why were you chosen to parlay
here today?
If the characters reply the real reason, that
they were chosen because of their impartiality
since the Council leaders couldn’t reach an
agreement, Ileuthra is disappointed.
Ileuthra: Hm. Is that it? Impartiality? Are the leaders of the
human world so greedy and fickle they couldn’t even trust
themselves to procure a fair deal?
If they instead provide good reasons other than
their impartiality, then Ileuthra is pleased
instead. In fact, he explains the goal of this
Dragon Council, to help them impress the
remaining dragons.
Ileuthra: Ah, that’s a worthy reason, finally. You should lead
with that, the goal of this meeting is to earn our respect, if
you haven’t realized that yet.
After pleasantries are done, characters have a
chance to get on Ileuthra’s good side.
Ileuthra: Now, young ones, tell me one thing. This is of the
utmost importance, and we must hurry, for dawn is almost
upon us, and we must take care of such business before
Protanther arrives! What is the best game you play among
yourselves? I absolutely love games. Particularly one that
teases the gray matter that rules our thoughts. Can you
teach such a game to me?
His nerdy and curious nature naturally makes
him a fan of brain teasers, so hopefully your
characters can come up with something fun to
role-play with him until the next dragon
ascends.
C OPPER T AZMIKELLA
When the characters are done interacting with
Ileuthra, the copper dragon Tazmikella ascends.
The text below assumes that Tazmikella’s item is
a Ring of Protection.
CHAPTER 18: THE COUNCIL OF DRAGONS
101
 Tazmikella: Friends! How many decades has it been!
Ileuthra: Too many, old friend. Glad you could make it.
Tazmikella: It’s great to see you all again. I met
Otaaryliakkarnos circling the peak, she looked quite sad.
Nymmurh: Well, not all memories are pleasant.
Tazmikella: Agreed, but let’s never forget: without
darkness, there can be no light; without sadness, there can
be no happiness.
Ileuthra: Yes. Endure the bad, savor the good.
Tazmikella: Oh, and the little ambassadors are here as
well. Interesting ring you carry... What news have you from
your realms?
The characters can quickly recount their
adventures. She is not impressed by tales of
looting or pillaging others.
Tazmikella: Tell me, why should we trust your kind? What
keeps your leaders or your friends from turning to Tiamat if
the tides of battle seem dire?
Assuming the characters reply satisfactorily,
she continues.
Tazmikella: Actions speak louder than words. Many times
have our homes been pillaged by scoundrels from your race.
Many times have their lured us and lied to us with empty
promises. In one such case, one of the prized items of my
collection got stolen.
Tazmikella looks at the Ring of Protection worn by a
party member.
Tazmikella: A ring capable of protecting its wielder. I
don’t imagine how it came to be in your possession, but
regardless, what would you do if I demanded it be returned
to its rightful owner?
If the characters offer to return the ring to her
immediately, she is pleased, and refuses it, for
now.
Tazmikella: Good. Your willingness to part with it means it is
in good hands. You shall return it to me after this is over. It
will probably be useful to you until then.
Otherwise if they agree to return it when they
no longer need it, or when they are able to
replace it, she is also pleased.
Tazmikella: I agree, you’ll need it for now. But I’ll hold you
to that promise.
If the characters refuse to return it, she no
longer trusts them.
CHAPTER 18: THE COUNCIL OF DRAGONS
102
Tazmikella: As you wish. But don’t forget: trust goes both
ways.
G OLD P ROTANTHER
Once interaction with Tazmikella stops, the sun
finally climbs above the clouds and lights up the
mountain peak. Against the sun, characters spot
an enormous majestic dragon, golden plated and
in a word, beautiful, flying towards them. This is
the golden dragon Protanther. Otaaryliakkarnos
follows him closely behind. Both land smoothly
in the peak, in front of the characters and the
other dragons.
Protanther: By Bahamut, blessed be the wind behind your
wings.
All the other dragons kneel, and reply in unison: And
may it carry you wherever you need.
Protanther then addresses you directly.
Protanther: I am Protanther, King of Justice, leader of this
council. You are the emissaries of the leaders and kings of
the smaller races. Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Time is of the essence, so forgive me if we skip further
pleasantries. It is a common saying that chess is the game
of kings. That it teaches one to think strategically. What do
you think?
Characters are likely to agree. Adjust the text
below if they don’t.
Protanther: I believe it’s a load of rubbish! Both sides have
identical pieces, the rules stay invariably the same. How
does this mirror real life? Humanoids often perpetuate this
nonsense because they’re not kings. Pawns see only their
comrades at their sides, and their foes across the field. A
king has a different view of the chess board. His greatest
foes surround him. His own chessmen might trap him. And
that is check - and death. Chess, at its core, is the art of
sacrificing your own pieces. And what I worry most for you
is that you’re not wise enough to wield such power.
Ileuthra: I don’t think we’re talking about strategic
decisions anymore, are we, great Protanther?
Protanther: No. But if I must spell it out, then let me be
clear. There is both good and bad in the lesser races. They
have the capacity for attaining great power, but their
physical limitations makes them dangerous. For all their
capability, humanoids have little time to learn the wisdom
to direct that capability. Just look at those who lead the
Order of the Dragon. A human named Severin, not a
dragon, has concocted this idea of resurrecting the
god-queen Tiamat. Archmages and liches, humanoids that
threw away their honor in exchange for power, founding the
Order itself, or leading the Red Wizards of Thay, who will
conduct the ritual. Their kingdoms rise and fall, like sand
castles in the beach being washed away by the tide. Entire
 races bargaining with dark forces for power, like those
accursed Yuan-Ti. This is the quintessential flaw of human
nature.
Ileuthra: But paradoxically, if they’re not so wise, why do
you expect them to recognize their own evil? You must
admit that most of their crimes are directed toward each
other, not us.
Protanther: Most, but not all. For how many revolutions
have you walked this world?
Protanther is a fan of the moon and stars, so
he counts how many times Toril has circled the
Sun to measure time.
Protanther: You are young. Do you know of a certain
creation, the Dracorage Mythal?
Characters can roll a DC 20 Intelligence
(Arcana or History) check to recognize what a
Dracorage Mythal was; a magical effect created
at the end of the Time of Dragons by High Elven
mages. This High Magic effect tied a
Faerûn-wide mythal (a very wide-range magical
ward) to the King-Killer Star. It encompassed
roughly a 250000 square miles area where the
King-Killer Star was visible over Faerûn and
caused all dragon and dragon-blooded creatures
to slowly become more agitated and reckless,
eventually becoming little more than raging
beasts, when the star was actually visible; the
phenomenon was known as the Rage of Dragons.
Protanther: You see, among you, one race stands alone.
The elves, almost as old as us, and possessing great
knowledge, were expected to walk the path of wisdom, and
righteousness. And yet, they have used their knowledge to
the detriment of dragonkind in the past. The elves shaped
the Dracorage Mythal, which tied the King-Killer star to all
those carrying dragon-blood. It turned us all into raging
beasts, and nearly wiped us from the face of the planet.
Nymmurh: An unprovoked, wild-charging attack.
Ileuthra: A sad chapter in our history.
Protanther: And one which has not been forgotten, nor
forgiven.
Otaaryliakkarnos: Many chapters of our joint-history
remain in our hearts.
Protanther: Yes. And if we are to trust each other, you
must show us that these chapters also weigh in yours. From
what Otaaryliakkarnos has told me, elves are to be part of
this Alliance, is that correct?
If the characters lie and claim no elves are part
of the Alliance, Ileuthra reveals them as liars,
and the dragons are all offended.
Protanther: I want their leader to issue a formal statement
and apology for the harms they have caused us all. If they
won’t even admit guilt, there is no basis for trust, and
without trust, this alliance is pointless.
Nymmurh: Speaking of trust, I would make a request of
my own. The Wyrmspeakers from the Order of the Dragon
carry artifacts crafted by Tiamat herself. Masks, each
representing a facet of her power, with which they borrow
her powers and lead the chromatic to wage war upon us all.
I worry these masks tempt your souls, and wish to have
them safely kept by us. I apologize if this sounds rude, but it
is a risk I am not willing to take.
It’s up to the characters now to try and please
the dragons. They can do whatever they want to
impress them, so be sure to reward creativity.
T HE A LLIANCE
Once all negotiations cease, the dragons vote on
whether to ally with the humanoids and
coordinate with them for a joint attack.
Protanther: I think I have heard enough to make a decision.
Have you all reached a conclusion?
The remaining four dragons agree.
If they were pleased and wish to join,
Protanther: Good. I came here expecting disappointment.
Expecting having to deal with scared greedy little people
that could not look beyond their own selfish goals,
neglecting the greater good. I was, alas, incorrect. I am
willing to pledge the alliance of the clan of Gold to the
Waterdeep Council against the Order of the Dragon.
Ileuthra: It’s not often that I find the smaller folk to be
engaging, to be fun. After all this is over, let’s play another
round to celebrate out victory. Until then, the brass clan will
join the Alliance.
Otaaryliakkarnos: Some of them have done unspeakable
things in the past. But not all. I hope we can all learn from
our history and work towards a brighter future. Together.
The silver clan stands with you.
Tazmikella: It is inevitable that our races have unpleasant
interactions. It is inevitable that not all members of such a
vast set of races will be a paragon of excellence. But yet, I
feel it is worth trying to cooperate and ally together against
this looming threat. Only by trusting one another can we
grow stronger, and thus, the copper clan will join the
Alliance.
Nymmurh: Just like the Silmerhelve in Waterdeep, we see
through these heroes that the smaller races have the
potential for good, that they can be brave and pure of
heart. I trust them, and I trust we can, together, defeat the
Order of the Dragon and prevent Tiamat from raising chaos
in our world. The bronze clan pledges their allegiance.
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103
 Protanther: It pleases me to know that we are in accord.
In that case, little ones, take the news back to your leaders.
Once they have their responses, Dala will inform Nymmurh
and we can determine how best to coordinate our
counter-attack. It was truly a pleasure to meet you all here,
and I can only hope others of your races would follow in
your footsteps. Thank you.
type) across the Sword Coast to protect specific
locations.
If the alliance was not established, the
characters must return to Waterdeep and
explain their failure. They will lose a lot of favour
with the Council then.

If the dragons did not agree, they respond

differently.

Protanther: I came here expecting disappointment.

Expecting having to deal with scared greedy little people
that could not look beyond their own selfish goals,
neglecting the greater good. Sadly, I was correct. I am
against the alliance of the clan of Gold to the Waterdeep
Council against the Order of the Dragon.
Ileuthra: It makes me sad that the smaller folk, despite all
their achievements, still can’t appreciate the small joys of
life, a simple game, or a challenging puzzle, and they then
resort to insane quests for power instead. The brass clan
will not be part of such folly.
Otaaryliakkarnos: Some of them have done unspeakable
things in the past. I believe many can be guided towards
good, but it’s too risky to attempt such a course during this
catastrophe. Maybe our futures will be entwined in the
future, but for now, the silver clan will stand alone.
Tazmikella: Our races have had unpleasant interactions.
It is inevitable that some of you will not be paragons of
excellence. However, after this council, I don’t see that our
alliance would change that. I worry that you would only
treat us as a disposable asset, one to expend and throw
away when no longer needed. The copper clan refuses to
be used in such a manner.
Nymmurh: Many of the small folk have the potential for
good, for bravery, for purity of heart. Regretfully, I don’t
believe these emissaries share these qualities, unlike the
Silmerhelves of Waterdeep. The bronze clan does not
pledge their allegiance to them.
Protanther: Then we are in accord. In that case, little
ones, take the news back to your leaders. Do not count on
the Metallic Dragons for help. We will conduct our own
efforts against the Order of the Dragon. It is likely you will
indirectly benefit from this, regardless of whether you
deserve to be saved or not. Take that as consolation from
this Council.

18.4 C ONCLUSION
If the alliance was established, the characters
can return to Waterdeep with an accomplished
diplomatic mission. It isn’t over, though, they
must still convince the Council members to
whatever concessions they have promised. Once
all is settled, they can station five Dragon
Protectors (an Ancient Dragon of each metallic

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104
C HAPTER 19: T HIRD C OUNCIL
WATERDEEP
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Council of
Waterdeep and The Cult Strikes Back by Wizards
of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.17.
Maps can be found in section 26.10 and
section 26.13.
19.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 12.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
once again report to the Council. However, on
the eve of the meeting, Waterdeep is attacked by
the Order of the Dragon, and a team of assassins
is sent after the characters in the midst of the
ensuing chaos.
19.2 WATERDEEP
As characters walk through the streets of
Waterdeep, they must take care not to bump into
people. The streets are packed full of war
refugees, sleeping and living on the pavement, so
much so that carts and carriages can no longer
circulate on side streets, only on the main
avenues. Waterdeep’s policy to relocate all the
members of medium/small villages in its
surroundings has led to this situation. The army
is spread thin, focusing on protecting the major
cities in Waterdeep’s peripheries, and on keeping
order within Waterdeep’s walls. However, within
the city, they appear to be spread too thin; the
occasional guard every couple of blocks can
barely maintain order in the busy streets.
Perhaps more worrying than this is the fact
that multiple chromatic dragons are circling the
city. Mostly adult dragons, but a couple of
ancient ones are spotted, these fly around the
city’s outskirts, just out of range of most
weapons, and occasionally fly near it and smash
against the blueish force-field that prevents
them from entering the city, known as
Ahghairon’s Dragonward. They are testing it,
searching for weak spots through which they
can wreak havoc across the city. For now, at
least, the protection is holding, and the dragons
are kept successfully at bay. However, the
atmosphere on the refugees is one of fear and
dread that something bad is about to happen.
OF
19.3 T HE C ULT
S TRIKES B ACK
Once the characters arrived back to Waterdeep,
the Council meeting is scheduled for the
following day. The characters can take time to do
whatever they wish to, and eventually spend the
night at an inn. Before they can go rest, however,
the cult strikes.
Unbeknownst to all, the cult found a weak
spot in Ahghairon’s Dragonward. The protection
is a spherical forcefield that keeps dragons out,
but the exact top of this hemisphere does not
have enough power to prevent powerful dragons
from entering its area. The dragons are still
unable to remain in the city for long, having to
succeed on DC 30 Constitution saving throws
every turn to avoid suffering horrible pain and
wounds. However, three Ancient Dragons
stormed the city at the exact time, and two (red
and blue) managed to breach the forcefield. They
immediately begin flying over the city using their
breath weapons to kill as many people as
possible, setting many districts ablaze.
Just before their attack starts, and before
anyone realized what was happening, a team of
disguised cult assassins makes an assassination
attempt at the characters. A single bead from a
Necklace of Fireballs is thrown through the
window of the inn the characters are at, starting
a small fire. Just after this, a Half-Red Dragon
Gladiator and a Half-Blue Dragon Gladiator
enter the inn, while two Half-Green Dragon
Assassins and a Mage of Thay strike from
outside the building’s walls. If your players have
long-rested since their climb to the Dragon
Council, feel free to add more cult
reinforcements to make this more of a challenge.
If the characters are staying at a famous inn like
the Yawning Portal, the innkeeper is a former
adventurer (use the stats of a Veteran). At the
time of the attack, few Commoners were inside
the inn, aside from the characters. Some die
with the initial fireball strike, and others attempt
to flee anyway they can.
After the cultists are defeated, however, it’s not
over. The characters hear screaming outside,
and the light of city fires spreads across the dark
sky. As they leave the inn, the Ancient Red
Dragon attacking Waterdeep passes by the
street, breathing fire on all the buildings on the
opposite side of the street. The streets are full
CHAPTER 19: THIRD COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
105
 with hundreds of refugees currently panicking
and running in all directions, trampling each
other if need be to reach whatever place they
believe to be safe. Characters can spot Laeral
Silverhand* on the nearby intersecting street
trying to stop fires and protect people from the
dragon attacks. She realizes the Dragonward is
still active and is sure the attacking dragons
cannot remain in the city for long. She casts
Time Stop to douse nearby fires endangering
civilians, and uses Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere
and Cone of Cold in these efforts.

Figure 19.2: The burning saloon. By 2 Minute

Tabletop.

Figure 19.1: The burning streets of Waterdeep.

Unknown author.
As characters take in all that is happening, the
Red Dragon turns back and heads straight for
the inn they were on. The innkeeper goes back
in to rescue whatever civilian stragglers remain
inside. The characters also notice the building
opposite the inn, a traditional west-themed
saloon, has been set ablaze. The lower two floors
have a raging fire, and 20-40 civilians are stuck
on the top floor, with no way to safely get down.
If your players are too lost to decide what to do,
Laeral asks the characters to help rescuing
those.
On the next round, the Dragon flies-by the
completely destroys the inn the characters were
in. The innkeeper, if inside, throws two civilians
through the window before the building
crumbles on top of him; old adventurer habits
die hard, and he is later recognized with a hero’s
funeral.
You can have the dragon making a third and
final pass over the street where the characters
are if they have some feasible way of protecting
the hundreds of refugees there. Otherwise, both
ancient dragons quickly become unable to
endure the Dragonward’s effects and must flee
the city. The attack took less than 1 minute, but
the damage is done, with the city set on fire, and
thousands of casualties already. The rest of the
night is spent trying to save people. Have each
player describe how they wish to help, and
award five skill checks of whatever appropriate
skill they used (Athletics to rescue people from
rubble and debris, Investigation to lead searches
for survivors, Medicine to treat the wounded,
etc). The sum of all those checks is the amount
of people they directly save. Increase the amount
of people if they use other clever tricks (like
spells, pets, items, etc).
The Council meeting remains scheduled for
the morning of the following day.
19.4 M EMBERS OF
THE C OUNCIL
In this session, I had the following members
attending the Council:

CHAPTER 19: THIRD COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP

106
Council Members Brotherhood is also attending, and she nods to
Name Affiliation Ideals Traits the characters as they enter.
Remallia Harpers Freedom, Honest, I made Jamna and Rian the same person, just
Haventree* respect friendly under a powerful Alter Self spell. Her real looks
Ontharr Order of the Responsibi- Friendly, are unknown to most people, but both Jamna
Frume Gauntlet lity, hot- and Rian are alter-egos that she uses. If Jamna
greater tempered is dead in your game, you can ignore this change
good (or she may have resurrected since?). If not,
Delaan Emerald Enclave Balance, Quiet
Rian’s identity can be discovered by the
Winterhound life
Laeral Lords’ Alliance Creativity, Quiet,
characters as they investigate her, or if someone
Silverhand* (Waterdeep) respect curious uses spells like Detect Magic.
Dagult Lords’ Alliance Moderation, Honest Isteval, Ravengard, Ontharr, and Silverhand
Neverember (Neverwinter) responsibi- are hurt, bearing minor cuts and bruises, and
lity Ravengard having a broken arm in a makeshift
Connerad Lords’ Alliance Honor, Hot cast (he will get it magically healed after the
Brawnanvil (Dwarves of the respect tempered, Council session). Isteval and Silverhand were
North) suspicious hurt by the panicked crowds as they attempted
Ulder Lords’ Alliance Responsibi- Honest to guide the people to safety (Winterhound and
Ravengard* (Baldur’s Gate) lity, glory
Remallia also helped, but didn’t get hurt).
King Lords’ Alliance Balance, Quiet,
Ravengard and Ontharr rode griffons to engage
Melandrach (Elves of the Misty nation arrogant
and High Forests) one of the dragons before it ran away.
Taern Lords’ Alliance Logic, Ponderous,
Hornblade (Silverymoon) greater
good
curious 19.5 C OUNCIL
Sir Isteval Lords’ Alliance
(Cormyr)
Tradition,
honor
Honorable,
wise, dour
S ESSION
Rian Secretly Zhentarim Logic, Polite, The council has its session on the day of the
Nightshade greed mercantile, attack, the day after the characters arrive back
ruthless to Waterdeep. Everyone has basically sat down
"Crimson" Arcane Power, Honorable, at the table by the time the characters arrive.
Maccath Brotherhood Freedom curious, The atmosphere is dark, and faces reveal anger,
greedy anguish, and fear. The room seems to be more
heavily guarded than before.
Characters are now familiar with all but one
council member, the tiefling Rian Nightshade, a
suspicious advisor to Lord Neverember.
O PENING S TATEMENTS
Characters who pay attention notice that Isteval, Drinks have already been poured. The smell of
Ontharr, and Brawnanvil seem to be avoiding strong medicinal teas permeates the room. Lady
eye contact with her, and she just remains silent Silverhand starts her speech as soon as everyone
at her seat. Maccath from the Arcane is sitting.

Figure 19.3: The members of the Council of Waterdeep. Originally by Reddit’s u/Plaindog.

CHAPTER 19: THIRD COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP

107
 "The times are dire. Not even the bastions of our power
remain safe from the Order of the Dragon. As you all know,
Waterdeep has just suffered a vile attack, and we have
suffered heavy civilian casualties. Now that we know even
our own homes are not safe, it is time to start preparing a
counter-attack.
Before we begin, let me announce the members of this
council. We have present today
• Lord Neverember, the Lord Protector of Neverwinter, and
leader of the Lords’ Alliance;
• Rian Nightshade, his newly appointed special advisor, an
expert in guerrilla warfare and information extraction;
• Delaan Winterhound, Ontharr Frume, and Remallia
Haventree, representing the Emerald Enclave, the Order
of the Gauntlet, and the Harpers, respectively;
• Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard, from Baldur’s Gate;
• King Melandrach, lord of the Misty and High Forests;
• Sir Isteval, the emissary from Cormyr;
• Ambassador Connerad Brawnanvil, the emissary from the
Dwarves of the North;
• Taern Hornblade, the emissary from Silverymoon;
• Maccath, the Crimson, envoy of the Arcane Brotherhood,
expert on the Draakhorn;
• and last, but not least, the brave group of adventurers
who continue to thwart the Order’s plans in the name of
this Council.
As usual, I’d like to start this Council with a short
summary of the results of your latest missions. One, to
investigate the possible Cult cell in the Misty Forest, domain
of King Melandrach; the other, to parlay with a council of
Metallic Dragon emissaries and procure an alliance with
them. What news have you for us?"
C HARACTERS ’ A DVENTURES
The council asks the characters to speak of both
their missions. They question or ask for further
information in several points, and sometimes
have conflicting opinions on what should have
been done.
• The Green Wyrmspeaker and the Misty Forest
• The Metallic Dragon Alliance
Specifically, the council bickers on happened
to
• Neronvain and the Green Dragon Mask;
• Chuth;
• the Alliance with the Metallic Dragons;
• the Metallic Dragon concessions.
I changed Melandrach’s reaction to news
about Neronvain’s identity, from rage to shock
and grief. The Harpers and Hornblade wanted
Neronvain captured, and Winterhound would
rather have Neronvain dead than risk his escape.
If Neronvain’s race is revealed (but not his
identity as son of King Melandrach), Melandrach
wants Neronvain escorted to the High Forest for
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108
trial. If Neronvain’s identity is revealed,
Melandrach is so shocked he doesn’t participate
much in further discussions. Most other council
members’ opinions of him suffer: how was his
son conducting cult raids on his lands? either he
is a bad parent or a bad king. Brawnanvil, in
particular, makes derogatory comments on this:
"How is he to protect his people, when it seems
like he can’t even protect his damn family?" If
Neronvain’s identity isn’t revealed, but his
corpse is shown, both Melandrach and Remallia
recognize him, but neither reveals his identity.
An audible groan is heard around the table if
the Alliance with the metallic dragons has failed.
Otherwise, sighs of relief are heard. Melandrach
and Brawnanvil are both angry if they must
apologize to the dragons. If Melandrach is aware
of Neronvain’s identity, he is grieving more than
anything, so his rage quickly placates. He won’t
mean the apology, but will write it nonetheless.
Melandrach claims that the Dracorage Mythal
was a concoction by the elven High Priest at the
time, who betrayed both Dragons and Elves in
exchange for power, and the Dragons ruthless
attack on the elven capital was a
disproportionate response (most of Melandrach’s
family died at the time, as well as most advisors
of the realm). Brawnanvil will write the apology
(even if he doesn’t mean it), but will only return
his +3 Silver Dragon Scale Mail in exchange for
its monetary value, or if one of the Dragon
Protectors of the Alliance is stationed in his
territory, protecting his lands from the chromatic
dragons now digging tunnels into his cities. He
acts like returning the armor is a capital sin
against his ancestor’s memories, but, a clever
politician, he is really just trying to get a Dragon
Protector stationed in his lands without having
to give up anything else other than the armor.
T HE E NEMY ’ S M OVEMENTS
The Council now discusses what has happened
in their own domains.
Neverember describes that Neverwinter is in a
decent shape. Their policy of only taking in
refugees that could conscript into the army has
made the city’s defenses very strong, and the
entire city has become a great stronghold, nigh
impenetrable. However, food reservers are
beginning to wane, so Neverwinter would use a
Dragon Protector to start attacking the cult
directly and destroy their influence in the North
of Faerûn, allowing people to return to their
homes.
Silverhand comments that Waterdeep had a
successful policy up until the previous day.
Major cities in the periphery are heavily guarded
and functioning properly, providing resources
needed by the hundreds of thousands of
refugees from all the smaller settlements
currently within the city. However, ever since the
attack, she fears her policies have to change.
They either have to draw their forces from cities
in the periphery, or keep a Dragon Protector to
maintain the city’s safety. Ontharr and
Winterhound have in the mean time determined
how the breach happened, and the cities
defenses will focus more strongly on the
Dragonward weak spot.
Ravengard explains the Baldur’s Gate has kept
safe against raids from the Order of the Dragon,
but is facing a different set of problems. Their
policy of accepting all refugees in the
neighbouring regions but keeping them in camps
outside the city walls has led to both positive
and negative results. On one hand, their forces
are all concentrated around the city, so they
have successfully fended off cult raids. On the
other, the camps are fairly spread out and
difficult to manage, so famine, disease, and
above all, crime, have become serious problems
around the city. Ravengard would use a Dragon
Protector to focus on the city defense, so that the
army could instead prioritize inner peace and get
the refugees in line.
Brawnanvil explains that the Dwarven cities
are now facing guerrila attacks by the cult.
Dragons capable of burrowing through the
ground now emerge within the cities, wreak
havoc, and run away before the dwarves can
react (similar to tonight’s attack in Waterdeep).
Brawnanvil would use a Dragon Protector to stop
these attacks.
Melandrach is likely to distraught to go into
too many details. As far as he knows, the Elven
Kingdoms have remained safe from the cult’s
attacks. In particular, if the Misty Forest cell was
destroyed by the adventurers, he does not expect
a surprise large scale attack now. He would use
a Dragon Protector to patrol the borders of his
territories.
Finally, both Hornblade and Isteval describe
how Silverymoon and Cormyr are just beginning
to feel the influence of the Order of the Dragon,
with small raids having recently started in their
territories. They plan on following Baldur’s
Gate’s refugee policy, and would use a Dragon
Protector to keep the raids from escalating
further into all-out war.
Silverhand then addresses the characters.
Silverhand: Now that we have an alliance with the metallic
dragons, I believe it is a good time to determine where to
station the Dragon Protectors they have provided us. You
can see how each would benefit us. I believe the Order of
the Gauntlet would rather protect the Holy City of Elturel,
and the Emerald Enclave would instead favor protecting the
Grandfather Tree, ancient Treant of Faerûn.
Remallia: While the Harpers do not have a city to defend,
we would use such an asset for intelligence gathering. We
could find the location of the Well of Dragons, and gather
information about the numbers of their armies.
Silverhand: Since you have shown considerable strategic
acumen, I’d ask you to make your suggestions as to where
we should focus.
A DC 20 Nature check allows the characters to
recognize the Grandfather Tree, an elder treant,
which appears as a monstrously large, gnarled
oak tree located deep in the heart of the High
Forest.
The characters now suggest where each
Dragon Protector should be stationed at, gaining
favor will all those who were protected, and
losing with all others.
Silverhand: Now that this is settled, I believe Miss
Nightshade has been offered a curious proposition.
Nightshade: Indeed. We have received information that a
senior member of the Order of the Dragon seeks to defect
from the group, and that the cultist is offering a dragon
mask as part of his plea for aid.
Nightshade presents a handwritten note to the Council.
"You don’t know me, but we can help each other
immeasurably. My name is Iskander, and I made a terrible
mistake in joining the Cult of the Dragon. The cult’s
horrifying plans are sure to bring doom to all, but I can stop
those plans with your help. Rescue me from the cult’s
clutches, and I will deliver to you the prize of prizes: the
Blue Dragon Mask. Without it, Severin faces an
insurmountable setback in his effort to call Tiamat back to
our world. The mask is here in Xonthal’s Tower, being
studied and guarded by only a handful of wizards, including
myself.
"The danger of my treason becoming known grows with
every passing day, and if I’m discovered, I’ll surely be killed.
Please hurry, for the sake of everyone and everything you
value."
Hornblade: Though the offer could be a trap, I believe
that the risk is worth it. The defector is holed up in a
fortress known as Xonthal’s Tower, recently taken over by
the cult. Because a small team has a better chance to
successfully infiltrate the tower than a larger force, I’d say
this is a task perfectly suited to the skill set of our
adventurers. Would you agree?
The characters can now discuss this mission
to Xonthal’s Tower.
Silverhand: And now, I believe Remallia has her own
proposal for one final alliance before our attack.
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 Remallia: Esteemed members of the Council. I have been
approached by a Red Wizard of Thay named Nyh Ilmichh.
Ilmichh has extended an invitation to the council to send an
envoy to Thay, to discuss ways in which Thay and the Sword
Coast might aid each other during the current crisis. Our
adventurers have been specifically requested to represent
the Sword Coast at this meeting, after which they will be
returned to Waterdeep unharmed. Ilmichh has been
carefully questioned and subjected to a zone of truth, and
that all she said has been confirmed.
Maccath: Without the Red Wizards, Severin’s plans are
severely compromised. Moreover, we are aware that Szass
Tam wants all exiled Red Wizards dead in the worst possible
way.
Silverhand: I think most of us have some reservations,
but still, since we and Szass Tam have a common goal, I
believe the invitation is worth accepting.
The characters can now discuss this mission
to Thay.
Silverhand: Good news if we can grab an additional set of
allies. Now, towards the future. We have, for the last few
months, been gathering our strength. We built up our
armies, we defended our lands, and we’re at a breaking
point. Prolonging a defensive stance will not lead us
anywhere. Our resources begin to stretch too thin, and the
situation won’t hold out for long. Not only that, but the
Order of the Dragon seems to grow ever stronger, now that
they have larger amounts of territories to claim and plunder.
It is time we go on the offensive.
Ravengard: I agree. We are the peak of our battle
strength. If we delay much longer, out armies will likely
crumble from the inside from a purely logistical standpoint.
Neverember: But the issue here is how to move on the
offensive. We are yet to find the location of the ritual, the
place known as the Well of Dragons.
Silverhand: Indeed. We must start preparing for an
offensive campaign. And in the mean time, we will allocate
resources towards this. There is not much time left, and we
must storm the Well of Dragons before the planetary
alignment. I hope I can trust you, Remallia, with this task.
Remallia: Of course, my Lady. But I would also request to
each and everyone of you: if you have the chance to
capture and question high-ranking Order members, please
don’t forget this. The location of the Well of Dragons, where
the Draakhorn is sounding from, where the Order’s leader
Severin has gathered with Rath Modar from Thay, where
the Dragon Masks are stashed, and where Tiamat is to be
summoned. This is our last crucial bit of information to
uncover.
Silverhand: Remember, everyone, the fate of the world
rests upon our shoulders.
The meeting now turns to logistical and
economical discussions as usual, although those
CHAPTER 19: THIRD COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
110
tired from the night raid leave early to attend to
their wounds.
At My Table
My players were absolutely convinced there was a traitor in
the Council by this point, since the Order of the Dragon
was able to know their locations and plans to attempt to
thwart them. When they brought this up in the Council, I
had Remallia claim she had been investigating and while no
member of the Council (or guards or servants in the room)
had explicitly sold information, they had confided small bits
to loved ones or people they trusted, and those would
eventually sell or unwittingly divulge this information to
agents of the cult. Not only that, but she believed the
Order was using Divination magic to spy on the characters.
To solve this, she enchanted all Council members to be
unable to speak about the Council’s plans to anyone
(similar to the curse Varram had on him that prevented
him from revealing the Wall of Dragon’s location, but less
lethal), and she obtained an Amulet of Proof against
Detection and Location to give to each character to keep
them hidden.
If the players uncover Rian’s identity as
Jamna, it can lead to interesting antagonistic
remarks during the session, depending on how
she interacted with them before. If they know,
from the Pool of Diderius, that she has the White
Dragon Mask, they can convince her to give it up
as proof of the Black Network’s cooperation.
Otherwise, Remallia will talk to her and arrange
for the White Dragon Mask to be delivered by the
Black Network to the Council before the next
session.
T HE N EXT M ISSIONS
It’s up to the characters to choose which mission
to follow first: the mission to Thay or the
exploration of Xonthal’s Tower. If the Harpers
are not assigned any Dragon Protectors,
uncovering the location of the Well of Dragons is
also one of their missions. If they suspect
Rian/Jamna, they can also take some time
tailing her, and they’ll witness her changing
shapes as she goes into shadier parts of
Waterdeep and checks in with the Black Network
at the Yawning Portal Inn.
19.6 C ONCLUSION
The characters are now up-to-date on the
current state of the conflict against the Order of
the Dragon. There are now two missions for
them to follow.
C HAPTER 20: X ONTHAL ’ S T OWER
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Xonthal’s Tower
by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.18.
Maps can be found in section 26.14.
20.1 I NTRODUCTION
Figure 20.1: The Blue Dragon Mask. By
Tumblr’s rspixart.
Characters should be at level 13.
The goal for this chapter is for the characters
to explore a wizard’s tower that has been taken
over by the Order of the Dragon, and rescue the
princess extract Iskander (a defector) and the
Blue Dragon Mask.
Figure 20.2: Xonthal’s Tower, village overseen by the tower. By Reddit’s u/BehrtHramm.
20.2 X ONTHAL ’ S
T OWER
(V ILLAGE )
Ran as-is.
The village is small, but has the typical inn
where locals can be talked with.
20.3 T HE M AZE
I ran the maze mostly as-is, just adjusted a few
of the enemies. I tried giving my players
solutions to each challenge where they could
avoid combat if they chose so.
1. T HE S UNDIAL
At My Table
My players were hilarious here. On their first sundial
challenge, the overwhelming consensus was that it certainly
wasn’t the path pointed at by the sundial. It took a few
hours to actually get to the Tower, and thankfully they did
better on the final Sundial puzzles.
I let my players roll a DC 20 Intelligence
(Investigation) check every time they failed a
Sundial challenge, to learn a clue. If your
CHAPTER 20: XONTHAL’S TOWER
111
 Figure 20.3: Area 1 of Xonthal’s Maze. By Figure 20.4: Area 2 of Xonthal’s Maze. By
Inkarnate’s Cupula do RPG. Reddit’s u/Arcyl with assets from Patreon’s
Crosshead.
players are bad at puzzles, maybe let them get
these clues even without failing, or make the 3. C YCLOPES ’ P ASTURE
clues even more obvious depending on how well
they roll, or how many tries they’ve had. If your players don’t have a reasonable way to
throw a rock over 100ft, like a smartly-angled
Catapult spell, you can change the challenge to
Sundial Clues something achievable with collective Strength
# First Clue Second Clue (Athletics) checks.
1 Three paths stand out: Maybe the simplest
where we came from, solution is our best
where our shadow points chance: follow the sundial.
toward, and where the
sundial points toward.
2 Following the sundial has It wasn’t that simple, but
worked before, maybe we certainly a combination of
just have to follow the new the shadows must be the
shadow. solution.
3 There’s no half-way point Maybe there is always
between shadows now. a shadow in front to
The one in front seems confuse us, and we need
like the most unique, to combine the other two.
though.
4 How do we combine the All paths are now
shadows, when they have symmetrical, so maybe
all sunk into the sundial the answer isn’t actually a
itself? Does that mean path. Figure 20.5: Area 3 of Xonthal’s Maze. By
any path will work? Reddit’s u/Arcyl with assets from Patreon’s
5 Once again, how do we All paths are now Crosshead.
combine the shadows? symmetrical, so maybe
Maybe now any path will the answer isn’t actually a
work. path.
4. C ARNIVOROUS G ARDEN
I allowed non-combat solutions to this. My
players cast a Dawn spell to make the plants
2. C HUUL P OOL bloom and drop their pearls, without having to
Ran as-is. fight them all.

CHAPTER 20: XONTHAL’S TOWER

112
Figure 20.6: Area 4 of Xonthal’s Maze. By
Reddit’s u/Arcyl with assets from Patreon’s
Crosshead.
5. P AGODA
I didn’t force the genie to engage combat with
them. Once a character was trapped, I gave
them a few rounds to deal with the poison
and/or escape. They sealed the kettle to avert
the poison, but it started swelling from pressure,
and they had to burn resources to quickly
escape the incoming blast. The gem was inside
the kettle and they recovered it after the
explosion, running away without ever engaging
the genie itself.
Figure 20.7: Area 5 of Xonthal’s Maze. By
Reddit’s u/Arcyl with assets from Patreon’s
Crosshead.
6. S TATUE G ALLERY
I replaced the Animated Armors by Stone
Golems with 63 HP.
Figure 20.8: Area 6 of Xonthal’s Maze. By
Reddit’s u/Arcyl with assets from Patreon’s
Crosshead.
7. G ORGON M AZE
I didn’t need to run this one, but I would either
buff the Gorgon or add multiple of them. Other
people have suggested using a Jabberwock
instead (from The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Figure 20.9: Area 7 of Xonthal’s Maze. By
Reddit’s u/Arcyl with assets from Patreon’s
Crosshead.
T OWER B ASE
When the characters get here, they hear the end
of Iskander’s speech, and see the cultist’s body
land at their feet. Their time inside the maze was
CHAPTER 20: XONTHAL’S TOWER
113
 warped, and they basically arrived at the tower a
few moments before they entered the maze.
20.4 X ONTHAL ’ S
T OWER
T HE T OWER
I replaced some enemies by non-spellcasters, to
make my life easier, and also for some enemies
to have bigger HP pools.
• Room 10: two Mages, two Dragonwings, three
Cult Fanatics
• Room 11: one Dragonsoul and four Cult
Fanatics
• Room 12: Jorgen Pawl (60 HP), one
Dragonfang, two Cult Fanatics
Figure 20.10: The teleportation sigils of
Xonthal’s Tower. By Boosty’s Labon.
T HE D UNGEON
I ran the dungeon mostly as is.
My players wanted to avoid combat in area 15,
so I required a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check
to sprint to the corridor without being attacked
by the elementals (with advantage if they could
distract them somehow). One of the Earth
Elementals was replaced by a Stone Golem. I
also beefed up the meteors on area 17, requiring
a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, and dealing an
additional 9 (2d8) fire damage.
Finally, I had Iskander alive, although in
critical condition, at the end of the dungeon. He
doesn’t know where the Well of Dragons is, but
CHAPTER 20: XONTHAL’S TOWER
114
can reveal a lot of information about the cult. If
the characters take more than two hours to
reach him since they entered the tower, they find
him dead from his wounds.
The Blue Dragon Mask is real, not a fake,
unless a specific condition is met for this
campaign plot. Severin needs at least two
Dragon Masks to conduct the summoning ritual.
It’s likely that he has the Red and Black ones
(one he has kept, the other teleported to him
when Rezmir died or killed herself), and he might
have the Green one (depending on whether your
players killed Neronvain or just captured him).
Making this Blue Mask a fake seems to be very
unnecessary, since it would imply Severin knows
about Iskander’s betrayal, but is unable to kill
him, and makes Lennithon’s requests for the
mask essentially pointless. Therefore, unless the
characters have taken all the masks so far from
the cult, the Blue Mask here is real.
In the event that the Order has lost 3 masks
already, then this one is a fake, or the Order
wouldn’t have enough masks to create the Mask
of the Dragon Queen and summon Tiamat. If
you aren’t fond of this approach, come up with
some other way for either the Order to recover a
mask, or for Tiamat to be able to be summoned
with a single mask.
L ENNITHON ’ S A TTACK
Galvan* and Lennithon* got word from the
cultists, and are coming with a vengeance.
Galvan has a modified statblock based on a
sorcerer’s abilities (Galvan failed to become a
Thayan Wizard, but he did have a magical
bloodline). Lennithon uses a standard Adult
Blue Dragon statblock, without Lair or Regional
actions.
They will flee when their lives are in danger, or
if the mask is returned.
20.5 C ONCLUSION
Characters are likely to have rescued Iskander,
as well as the Blue Dragon Mask. Iskander
wants asylum in Waterdeep, and the Harpers are
happy to take over his protection and, obviously,
his interrogation. Iskander reveals the location
of the Well of Dragons to be an extinct volcano in
the Sunset Mountains.
If Lennithon or Galvan survived, they will later
be present at the Well of Dragons. If captured,
Galvan has the same curse as the other
wyrmspeakers. He would die if he revealed any
information about the cult. He is not anxious to
do so, like Rezmir did, but he isn’t as big a
coward as Varram, and so he will remain
stoically silent.
 If the village of Xonthal’s Tower was not
burned to the ground, some hundreds of people
are now terrified to remain there and looking for
refuge.
Xonthal’s Tower is available to be claimed by
whoever dares brave the maze and Xonthal’s
protections once more.

CHAPTER 20: XONTHAL’S TOWER

115
 C HAPTER 21: M ISSION
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Mission to Thay
by Wizards of the Coast and Murder in Thay by
Marc Singer.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.19.
Maps can be found in section 26.15.
21.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 14.
The goal for this chapter is for the characters
to visit Nethwatch Keep and interact with
Tharchion Eseldra Yeth. Their meeting
determines how the alliance might evolve (or not).
However, during the night, the Tharchion is
murdered. The characters then have the
opportunity to investigate and try to find the
culprit, before the crime is pinned on them.
21.2 D EPAR TING TO
TO T HAY
diplomatic letters identifying them, Ilmichh
teleports everyone to Nethwatch Keep.
21.3 N ETHWATCH
K EEP ’ S
C HARACTERS
Murder in Thay
This chapter is heavily inspired by Marc Singer’s adventure,
available on DM’s Guild. Please check out his original work
if you want the full details of Nethwatch Keep. The
adventure was re-written here for clarity, and area
descriptions simplified to avoid taking value from his work.
The characters will meet the following
residents and visitors during their stay in
Nethwatch Keep.

T HAY T HARCHION E SELDRA Y ETH

I had Remallia approach the characters about
Thay instead of Leosin. She gives them the
information regarding Thay presented in the
book, and a small political description as well.

Thay is an isolated and arid windswept plateau some

twenty-five hundred miles east of Waterdeep, its dark skies
constantly clouded by volcanic ash. This land is defined by
the prevalence of undead within its borders. The supreme
leader of Thay is the lich Szass Tam, whose council of
advisers—the zulkirs—are powerful liches themselves.
Everyone of consequence in Thay is a spellcaster, and
necromancers are common there. Undead servants are
everywhere, and many of the commanders in Thay’s armies
are the free-thinking undead soldiers (use the wight
statistics).
Travelers to this land must be wary of its dark politics —
rampant paranoia, a police-state mentality, and
necromancers commanding the top of the social order —
as much as the threats of the undead and Red Wizards that
dwell here. Thay is a place filled with extraordinary danger.
Szass Tam leads the empire with his Tharchions. According
to our investigations, Rath Modar fled Thay and hopes the
Dragon Queen will help him overthrow Szass Tam and Figure 21.1: Eseldra Yeth, Tharchion of
restore Thay to its former glory (their splinter sect is Nethwatch Keep. Unknown author.
self-denominated as the Thayan Resurrection).
The tharchion is a Vampire Spellcaster and
one of Szass Tam’s most loyal supporters.
Nyh Ilmichh, at the request of Szass Tam, During the War of the Zulkirs, she willingly
proposed for an envoy from the Lords’ Alliance to became a vampire to demonstrate her
go and discuss a possible alliance against their commitment to the forces of undeath. She was
common enemy (Rath Modar). After Remallia rewarded for her service with the command of
gives the characters advice on how to act and Nethwatch Keep. She believes that if she
address the Thayans, as well as the sealed negotiates favorable terms for an alliance with

CHAPTER 21: MISSION TO THAY

116
the Council of Waterdeep, Szass Tam will
appoint her to an even better position.
Her plans for this visit is to impartially
evaluate the adventurer’s arguments in favour of
the alliance and explain Thay’s terms and
conditions. She asked Thoss Tarek to interrogate
the characters further during the night, for
whatever information they did not reveal, and to
be sure of their intentions. She would reveal her
conclusions on the next day, send the characters
home, and inform Szass Tam. However, Thoss
Tarek’s plot will have her killed during the first
night.
VARRAX
This Sword Wraith Commander is Eseldra
Yeth’s undying bodyguard. Silent and strict, he
follows his orders without question.
His plans are to follow the Tharchion and
protect her from anything that would harm her.
He is deeply ashamed when she is killed on his
watch. He then grows depressed and spends his
time sitting in her quarters, reminiscing about
her.
T HOSS T AREK
Figure 21.2: Thoss Tarek, the Grand Inquisitor
of Nethwatch Keep. By Wizards of the Coast.
Thoss Tarek* is the grand inquisitor of
Nethwatch Keep. Outwardly, he is a dutiful and
diligent inquisitor tasked with interrogating the
characters during their visit. However, he is
actually a spy working for Rath Modar. Thoss
Tarek is a harsh and rude man, and feels no
remorse for his cruel actions. He has a lisp, and
usually has others speak for him during
interrogations, since his speech sounds rather
comical.
His ultimate goal is to prevent the alliance of
Thay with the Council of Waterdeep. To do so, he
plans on murdering Eseldra Yeth and blame the
characters for it. After that, he takes on the role
of detective, covering his tracks and slowly
setting the characters up. He eventually has
Khandur Ulmarik killed, in an apparent suicide,
so that he cannot be interrogated about the
murder weapon that Tarek used for the
Tharchion. His plans change when he
unexpectedly has to directly kill the diviner Rho
Halthar, a dangerous move which he hoped not
to have to do (he usually dominates Nyh to do
his bidding instead). His ultimate goal is to
destroy any hope of an alliance between the
Lords’ Alliance and Thay. If needed, he will have
a pawn (Nyh or maybe a dominated player
character) attempt a suicide attack that will kill
the envoy sent by Szass Tam to investigate. If he
can’t get a pawn to do it, he will do it himself.
N YH I LMICHH
Figure 21.3: Nyh Ilmichh, Thayan Enchanter. By
DeviantArt’s ArtemisMorgan.
Nyh Ilmichh* is a Thayan Enchanter and a
pupil of Thoss Tarek (although she currently has
no idea of his true allegiances). Nyh is no fool;
she has uncovered Thoss Tarek’s secrets several
times, and he has always wiped her memory
clean. Repeated dominations have made her
unable to resist his spells anymore, and have
her with a very frequent and very debilitating
headache.
CHAPTER 21: MISSION TO THAY
117
 She believes in the alliance and wants it to
succeed, even to the point of helping the
characters. Her plans for the visit are to escort
the characters around and try, to a certain
extent, to ensure their diplomatic immunity is
respected.
Z ORAN G UL
Figure 21.4: Zoran Gul, Vampire Castellan of
Nethwatch Keep. AI generated.
Zoran Gul is a Vampire Warrior, the castellan
of Nethwatch Keep, and Eseldra Yeth’s cruel
right hand. He believes that if Eseldra Yeth is
promoted, he will be next in line as tharchion of
Nethwatch, though in truth Szass Tam views
him as little more than an attack dog.
Zoran Gul hates the living and despises the
thought of allying with them. He can barely
contain his disdain when interacting with the
characters. After Eseldra Yeth’s murder, he will
take command of Nethwatch Keep, and
immediately accuse the characters. However,
when the other seniors of Nethwatch Keep
remind him of their diplomatic status, Zoran Gul
reluctantly allows them to remain free. He will
instigate Thoss Tarek to quickly solve this
mystery, blaming the characters at every chance
he has, but unable to solve the mystery himself.
If the character’s innocence is proven, he
unwillingly respects that and reports this to
Szass Tam’s envoy.
K HANDUR U LMARIK
Khandur Ulmarik* is a Thayan Necromancer,
the most senior wizard at Nethwatch Keep, and
the attendant for the Pyx of Soul Capture*.
More technician than politician, he spends most
of his waking hours in his laboratory and avoids
taking any position on the alliance. Ulmarik is
responsible for sacrificing souls to the Pyx, and
would love to consign any divine spellcasters to
CHAPTER 21: MISSION TO THAY
118
Figure 21.5: Khandur Ulmarik, Thayan
Necromancer. By Wizards of the Coast.
its torments. However, he is elder and wise, and
respects the party’s diplomatic immunity as well
as Szass Tam’s desire for an alliance.
His plan was to mostly ignore the characters
during their visit, unless they had divine
spellcasters. In that case, he would spend many
hours with them, interviweing them, and trying
to convince them to remain behind while the rest
of the adventurers went back to Waterdeep. After
the Tharchion’s murder, however, Khandur find
the Pyx is missing, and is arrested until this
second mystery is solved. He takes a sleeping
drought because of the stress, but the vial he
drank was mislabeled, and was in fact a deadly
poison, quickly killing him.
R HO H ALTHAR
Rho Halthar is a senior Thayan Diviner. He is a
Mage with these additional spells prepared:
divination, identify, locate object, and
scrying.
Rho Halthar was planning to mostly ignore the
characters during their visit. After the Pyx of
Soul Capture* is reported missing, however, he
volunteers his divination services to Thoss Tarek,
in order to help him uncover the culprit.
Because of his misplaced trust, however, he is
murdered when starting to conduct his ritual.
P HO T HALDAR
Pho Thaldar is a senior Thayan Illusionist. He is
a Mage with these additional spells prepared:
dream, hypnotic pattern, mirror image, and
phantasmal force.
Pho Thaldar was planning to mostly ignore the
characters during their visit. Nothing changes
after the Tharchion’s murder.
U MAR T HOON
Figure 21.6: Umar Thoon, Divination Zulkir. By
Wizards of the Coast.
Umar Thoon is a Lich and the Zulkir of
Divination, one of the eight undead mages who
govern Thay. One of Szass Tam’s most loyal and
trusted vassals, he is sent to Nethwatch Keep to
find Eseldra Yeth’s murderer and determine if
the alliance can be salvaged. Umar Thoon is
brusque, impatient, and suspicious of everybody,
the characters most of all, but he is determined
to find the right answer rather than the easy one.
He travels with a retinue of four Wraiths and
two Boneclaws as his personal bodyguard.
21.4 N ETHWATCH
K EEP
Nethwatch Keep stands isolated atop a plateau,
near the borders of Thay. It holds an important
strategic position, and has stood there for
centuries.
Unless otherwise specified, ceilings are 10ft
high, doors have AC 15, 18 HP, can be forced
open with a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, or
picked open with a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’
Tools) check. Exterior doors, barred doors, and
secret doors have AC 16, 27 HP, and DC 20 to
forcibly open. Secret doors can be spotted with a
DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom
(Perception) check. The appropriate characters
have the keys for locked doors.
C ASTLE G ROUNDS
The Keep is a dark cold place. While the
occupants of a normal keep are usually heard
from afar, talking, trading, laughing, or singing,
Nethwatch is eerily silent, with only the
occasional whip heard from outside its walls.
Most of the buildings are made of solid stone,
and the inner keep is magically enchanted to
prevent any sort of damage to its structure.
I NNER WARD
The Inner Ward can only be accessed by
Thayans, guests of Nethwatch, or trusted
servants. One can often see undead and
servants carrying water from the well into the
Smithy and the Kitchens.
O UTER WARD
The Outer Ward is patrolled night and day by
three Wights. During the day, one can see the
slaves working on their crops or repairing the
walls or the buildings in which they live. The
sounds of whips crack often. During the night,
only the undead roam about and the yard is
eerily silent.
1. C ASTLE K EEP
The heart of Nethwatch Keep.
2. I NNER WARD T OWERS
Three of these towers are four stories tall (2D is
five), with an additional cellar level below ground.
A ballista is mounted on the roof of each tower
and crewed by two Wights.
2 A . S TORES
This tower, adjacent to the kitchens, stores
enough food to outlast a sustained siege.
2 B . G RANARY
The cellar in this tower stores grains for the keep.
Several undead Cats prowl about.
2 C . D UNGEONS
Prisoners are held in the cellars of this tower,
which extend several levels below ground. The
lowest level is an oubliette, a 20-foot deep pit
accessible only by a trapdoor in the ceiling,
which is guarded by two Wights. Dangerous
prisoners are shackled to the walls; spellcasters
will be shackled with Dimensional Shackles
and gagged to prevent them from casting
anything.
A secret door on the highest level of the
dungeons leads to a narrow 5-foot wide tunnel
that leads into area C3. Khandur uses this to
fetch prisoners to feed into the Pyx of Soul
Capture*.
CHAPTER 21: MISSION TO THAY
119
 2 D . W IZARDS ’ T OWER
This tower houses workshops and quarters for
the Red Wizards, and is one floor taller than the
others.
3. G ATEHOUSE
A gatehouse is a four-story tower guarding the
main entrance to Nethwatch Keep. Heavy
portcullises seal both ends of the twenty-foot
high passageway, and murder holes line the
ceiling. Each tower is equipped with a ballista on
the roof and ample vats of boiling oil to pour
down the murder holes in the event of an
assault. It is perpetually patrolled by three
Zombies and one Wight per floor.
4. B ARRACKS
This two-story building once served as a chapel,
but now houses the wights of Nethwatch Keep.
Unlike a traditional barracks, it contains no
beds, footlockers, or other furnishings. At any
hour, 10 (3d6) off-duty Wights can be found
here, standing in neatly ordered ranks until they
are needed.
5. K ENNELS
The stench of death wafts from this one-story
building. The kennels are home to eight Ghouls
and two Ghasts, all undernourished and
ferocious. Whenever he is bored, Zoran Gul
takes them out into the surrounding countryside
to hunt the living. Otherwise the packs are
firmly shackled to their pens so they don’t run
wild and kill the slaves of Nethwatch Keep.
6. K ITCHENS
Three cooks (Thayan Commoners) work here,
preparing meals for the Red Wizards and
occasional guests. They live in a small loft above
the kitchen and do not leave the building, hoping
the lords of the keep will not notice them. A
staircase and door lead into Area 2A.
7. S MITHY
A blacksmith and his apprentice son (Rashemi
Commoners) work here, forging weapons and
tools for the keep. They know that their skills
make them useful to the lords of the keep and
they will do nothing to jeopardize their
precarious position. They will report any
suspicious activities to Zoran Gul.
8. S TABLES
Eight Warhorses are kept here for use on patrols
and hunting parties. Two nervous grooms
(Thayan Commoners) sleep in the loft and try
not to be noticed.
CHAPTER 21: MISSION TO THAY
120
9. W ELL
The well provides clean, safe drinking water for
the keep. Some of the zombies have been trained
to use it and can regularly be seen fetching
water.
10. S LAVE P ENS
These ramshackle wooden structures in the
outer ward each house 9 (2d8) slaves (Thayan,
Rashemi, and Mulhoran Commoners).
11. O UTER WARD T OWERS
Each tower is three stories tall and guarded by
two Zombies under the command of one Wight.
12. G ATEHOUSES
The outer ward gatehouses are staffed by four
Zombies and two Wights each. They are not
equipped with ballistas, but are otherwise
identical to Area 3. The main gatehouse is three
stories tall while the postern gatehouse is only
two stories.
13. T ELEPOR TATION C IRCLE
This stone outbuilding houses a permanent
Teleportation Circle. The rulers of Thay do not
divulge the sigil sequence to any but the most
trusted Red Wizards, but as a precaution against
attack, the circle is located outside the outer
curtain wall, underneath the arrow-slits of the
postern gatehouse.
K EEP ’ S G ROUND F LOOR
The ground floor is accessed by a small landing
that sits atop a 5 foot tall staircase.
1 A . F OYER
This large chamber receives visitors to
Nethwatch Keep. The walls are lined with eight
suits of Animated Armor. The armors do not
attack unless instructed to do so by a Thayan
officer or a Red Wizard.
1 B . G UARDROOM
At any hour, four Wights are on duty here under
the command of one Sword Wraith Commander,
overlooking the front entrance through arrow
slits.
1 C . A RMORY
This room holds a surplus of spears, swords,
shields, bows, arrows, and other standard
weapons for the defense of the keep.
1 D . R ECEPTION H ALL
Visitors are invited to wait in this rustic room,
furnished with bear skin rugs and animal
trophies, until the master of the keep is ready to
receive them upstairs.
1 E . S ERVANTS ’ Q UAR TERS
This room was once used for storage, but now it
houses the servants of Nethwatch Keep. At any
given time, 9 (2d6 + 2) Zombies can be found
here, awaiting their next orders. The zombies are
docile and have been trained not to attack living
creatures unless commanded to do so.
1 F. W IZARDS ’ R ECEPTION H ALL
This chamber serves as the only official access to
the wizards’ tower. The Red Wizards of
Nethwatch Keep use it as their reception and
meeting hall. The room is well furnished with
comfortable couches and exotic curiosities.
1 G . W IZARDS ’ L ABORATORIES
Younger and less influential Red Wizards have
shared laboratories on the ground floor of the
wizards’ tower. Five Mages work here when they
are not otherwise occupied.
Within this room, one can find a Potion of
Frost Giant Strength which has been
unfortunately mixed with a Potion of
Diminution. A character that drinks it is
affected by both potions for 1 hour.
K EEP ’ S G REAT H ALL
The great hall spans two stories, serving as the
dining room and audience hall for Nethwatch
Keep.
2 A . G REAT H ALL
This room fills an entire floor of the keep,
beneath a vaulted ceiling that rises 20 feet high.
An imposing throne carved from the bones of
various creatures, many of them humanoid, sits
on an elevated dais on the north wall, flanked by
rich tapestries on either side.
Large fireplaces line the east and west walls,
and a barred oak door connects to Area 2. A
secret door to Area 2B is hidden behind a
tapestry in the northwest corner.
2 B . W IZARDS ’ L ABORATORIES
Senior Red Wizards have a floor of private
laboratories next to the great hall. Two Mages
can be found working here during the day.
Within this room, one can find a font of water,
belonging to Rho Halthar, that can be used as a
scrying focus, a Potion of Clairvoyance, and a
Potion of Mind Reading.
2 C . W IZARDS ’ D ORMITORIES
Five Red Wizards sleep here.
Within this room, one can find spellbooks
containing subsets of the Mage stat block.
K EEP ’ S M ASTER ’ S A PAR TMENTS
This floor is built around a large light well. A
magical barrier prevents sound from passing
between floors, and even sight is blurry.
Standing in the balcony, a character can see
figures moving in the floors above and below, but
cannot identify them.
3 A . E SELDRA Y ETH ’ S C HAMBERS
These apartments house the master of
Nethwatch Keep. Varrax stands guard outside
the chambers whenever Eseldra Yeth is here.
The rooms are lavishly appointed with elegant
furnishings. The shutters on the windows are
closed tight against the sun and nailed shut
from the inside. During daylight hours, Eseldra
Yeth sleeps in an ornately carved casket filled
with soil.
The adjoining room contains a large bath tub
with clawed feet and blood, enchanted so that it
doesn’t congeal.
3 B . Z ORAN G UL ’ S C HAMBER
Zoran Gul sleeps here, unless Eseldra Yeth is
not in the Keep. He much prefers sleeping in her
quarters.
3 C . K HANDUR U LMARIK ’ S C HAMBER
Khandur Ulmarik has a large private room
outside the wizards’ tower. A secret door leads to
the tower stairwell. A locked cabinet holds
Ulmarik’s spellbook, which contains all the
spells he has prepared.
3 D . S ENIOR W IZARDS ’ C HAMBERS
Rho Halthar and Pho Thaldar maintain private
bedchambers here.
Within this room, one can find their
spellbooks, containing all the spells each has
prepared.
3 E . T HOSS T AREK ’ S C HAMBERS
As the next highest ranking visitor after the
tharchion, the grand inquisitor has been given
the most desirable guest quarters, with windows
affording a view of the inner ward. Thoss Tarek
keeps his most important possessions, including
his spellbook, inside a Leomund’s Secret
Chest.
3 F. N YH I LMICHH ’ S C HAMBER
The enchanter has been given the room adjacent
to her mentor.
A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom
(Perception) check allows a character to find a
phial containing the residue of a strange elixir. If
this residue is examined with proper tools, a
successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check
reveals it is a highly diluted solution of the
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121
 torpor poison. This solution does not
incapacitate its subjects, but it renders their
thoughts foggy and unclear, giving them
disadvantage on Wisdom checks and saving
throws. The solution only works with prolonged
exposure; Nyh (under Thoss Tarek’s control) has
been poisoning Khandur Ulmarik since her
arrival at Nethwatch Keep over the last few days
to break down his resistance to her
enchantments. The remaining residue is not
sufficient to form a dose of the poison.
A bedside table holds Nyh’s spellbook, which
contains all the spells she has prepared.
K EEP ’ S G UEST R OOMS
This floor, like the one below it, is built around a
large light well. A magical barrier prevents sound
from passing between floors, and even sight is
blurry. Standing in the balcony, a character can
see figures moving in the floors below, but
cannot identify them.
4 A . G UEST R OOMS
These rooms have been reserved for the
characters. They provide impressive views of the
castle and the surrounding countryside. The
rooms are comfortably furnished, but none of
the doors have locks. At night, while the
characters sleep here, two Wights are posted
outside in the hallway.
4 B . S ERVANTS ’ Q UAR TERS
This long, narrow room once housed several
servants, but it fell into disuse as the new
leadership prefers undead attendants. Any living
slaves appointed to the characters rest here
during their stay. This room does not have a
lock.
4 C . O BSERVATORY
This chamber contains star charts, astrolabes,
and other astrological equipment. The stairs
continue upwards to the tower turret, which
houses a ballista crewed by two Wights.
4 D . WASHROOM
This washroom allows living characters to
freshen up and take hot baths. A secret door
next to one of the bath tubs allows access into
Area 4C.
K EEP ’ S C ELLARS
These windowless chambers are sunk below
ground, where the masters of Nethwatch Keep
conceal their most precious treasures and their
darkest deeds.
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122
C1. I NTERROGATION C HAMBER
This room contains six magical cauldrons that
the Red Wizards use to interrogate prisoners
(and slumbering guests). Many other exotic
instruments of torture line the walls.
Any character who enters this room after being
interrogated must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom
saving throw or be frightened until the room is
out of sight.
C2. T REASURY
This room is watched day and night by a Wraith,
the undead paymaster of Nethwatch Keep. He
manages the treasury, keeping track of every last
copper penny with the help of four mummified
accountants. The mummies are chained to the
standing desks where they work, but the wraith
can magically release any or all of them as a
bonus action. Each desk has a bell-pull that can
summon assistance from the guardroom
upstairs if necessary.
A locked gate guards the access to Area C2A.
The gate can be opened with a DC 20 Dexterity
(Thieves’ Tools) check. The wraith and Zoran Gul
hold keys to the strong room.
C2 A . S TRONG R OOM
This room holds nearly two dozen strong boxes
containing the wealth of Nethwatch Keep. Each
box has AC 19, 15 hit points, and resistance to
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. The
boxes can be opened with a DC 20 Dexterity
(Thieves’ Tools) check. The wraith in area C2
wears the keys to the strong boxes wrapped
around him on a lengthy chain. The boxes
contain treasure worth over 20000 gp in coins
and gems.
A locked door on the west wall leads to Area
C2B. The door can be opened with a DC 20
Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check. Khandur
Ulmarik has the only key to this door.
C2 B . T HE P YX S ANCTUARY
This chamber houses the Pyx of Soul Capture*.
When the pyx is here, the chamber is suffused
with holy radiance as if under the effects of a
hallow spell, and undead creatures cannot enter.
Normally, the pyx is kept within a gilded
tabernacle covered in Glyphs of Warding, but
the glyphs have been deactivated and the
tabernacle is empty.
A secret door in the northwest corner leads to
Area C3. The door can be opened with a DC 20
Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check. Khandur
Ulmarik has the only key to this door.
C3. N ECROMANCER ’ S L ABORATORY
This large laboratory doubles as the keep’s
morgue. A bloodstained circle in the center of
the floor marks the spot where prisoners are
sacrificed to fuel the Pyx of Soul Capture*,
while gurneys fitted with restraints speak to
Khandur Ulmarik’s other foul experiments.
A secret door in the south wall opens onto a
150-foot long passage that leads to the
dungeons. However, this passage is not well
maintained and a Cloaker has taken up
residence here. It will drop down and attack any
creatures that use the passage, targeting the last
member of the group.
The shelves are well stocked with spell
components, alchemical reagents, and poisons.
Phials of carrion crawler mucus, essence of
ether, midnight tears, pale tincture, serpent
venom, and wyvern poison can be found here,
as well as two Potions of Superior Healing.
If the characters examine the shelves after
Eseldra Yeth’s murder, a DC 15 Intelligence
(Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check
reveals that one of the poisons is missing. A
nearby label, discarded behind the phials,
identifies it as a distillate of purple worm
poison. Another phial is missing its label; a DC
15 Wisdom (Medicine) check identifies it as an
innocuous sleeping elixir.
21.5 T HE A UDIENCE
After Nyh uses a Teleportation Circle to bring
the party and herself to Nethwatch, they arrive
at Area 13. They are greeted by all the undead
that usually can be found in Area 4.
You have arrived at the top of a high, windswept plateau
overlooking a broad river valley. The walls of a fortress
loom behind you, offering shelter but not safety. A column
of undead soldiers waits for you under a flag of truce while
flies circle lazily around their heads. As they escort you
through the gatehouse, the keep seems unnaturally quiet.
The guards at the gates, the servants fetching water from
the well - all are undead, and they go about their labors in
silence.
Nyh takes them through the outer and inner
courtyards, and leaves them in Area 1D for a few
minutes. During this time, she goes to Area 2A
to inform the Tharchion of their arrival. The
Tharchion is currently busy with Zoral Gul, who
is enraged at the alliance idea, and is loudly
voicing his complaints. Nyh goes back to the
characters, and takes them up the stairs (they
can listen to Zoran Gul’s insulting arguments) to
their quarters in Area 4A. They have a couple of
hours to rest, bathe, and prepare for the
audience. They should dress appropriately for it.
Nyh leaves them during this time, so they can
explore the floor and maybe even uncover the
secret passage in Area 4D.
An hour before dinner time, Nyh returns and
takes them to Area 2A. The Tharchion Eseldra
Yeth sits at the throne, with Varrax and Zoran
Gul standing behind her. In the room, there are
also Wight guards and most of the Red Wizards
of the Keep. Nyh announces the characters and
gives their diplomatic letters to the Tharchion.
She reads them silently, and with a wave of her
hand, burns them to ashes. She then addresses
the characters.
"We find ourselves bound in common cause against
common enemies. Those who sought to destroy us in ages
past now seek to destroy you. Our thirst for vengeance is
strong, as is your thirst for continued life. Our enemy has
become your enemy. We know their weaknesses and the
ways of destroying them forever, without destroying their
usefulness. You have the opportunity to discover their
hiding places in your struggle against their cult allies."
It is at this point that you realize she means Rath Modar,
the Thayan defector, and not the Order of the Dragon, as
your "common enemy".
"Together, we can remove them as a threat to us both.
Should this alliance come to a good term, our agent, Nyh
Ilmichh, will return with you to your city of Waterdeep,
there to serve as our liaison to your council. What you
learn of the enemy, she will relay to us by means of our
own. You need only find the enemy. We will deal with them,
as is our custom. I am authorized by our eternal master,
Szass Tam, to say these things, for I act in his name."
She looks sideways at Zoran Gul, as if to emphasize this
last point. The castellan appears to be in great efforts to
conceal his fury.
The Tharchion waits for the characters’
response, and engages them in a discussion of
what is known of the plot to release Tiamat and
the Red Wizards aiding that plot. Her questions
are straightforward and intelligent, and offer
little opportunity for sly or clever responses. If a
character is less than truthful, Eseldra Yeth
probes for more information. She addresses
questions to specific characters, never to the
group in general. If she detects a lie, she never
addresses that character again.
By the end of the discussion, characters will
roll a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) group check
to determine the Tharchion’s opinion about the
Alliance. During the discussion, a few events
affect the roll and should be kept track of:
• A character takes a –4 penalty each time he or
she addresses Eseldra Yeth without using her
title of Tharchion.
• Any character who lies to Eseldra Yeth takes a
–8 penalty, unless he or she succeeds on a DC
18 Charisma (Deception) check for each lie.
• Sincere (or at least convincing) praise for
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123
 necromancy and for Thay’s twisted social order
might earn a +2 or +4 bonus.
• Insincere praise, obvious hollow flattery, or
outright hostility takes a -2 or -4 penalty,
depending on how offensive they were.
• Logical arguments against Rath Modar earns a
+2 bonus.
The following modifiers also affect the check:
• Arcane spellcasters gain a +6 bonus.
• Characters who openly worship a deity
associated with death gain a +4 bonus.
• Clerics and paladins of good-aligned deities
take a –6 penalty.
• Other characters wearing visible signs of
worshiping any good-aligned deity take a –4
penalty.
Once the discussion is over, regardless of
outcome, a large wooden table is conjured and a
feast is quickly lain. Undead servants lay a feast
of raw meats at the head of the table, where
Eseldra Yeth and Zoran Gul seat, and of Thayan
delicious cuisine on the rest of the table. A small
child slave is brought to serve the player
characters, since the Tharchion deduced that
being served by an undead could offend them.
The Red Wizards see nothing wrong with using a
child slave, and genuinely mean to please the
characters by this decision.
Figure 21.7: Nethwatch Keep: Dinner Buffet in
the Great Hall. By Reddit’s u/Human-Bee-3731.
Characters now have a chance to interact with
members of the court.
• Zoran Gul eyes the child slave with
undisguised hunger.
• The Red Wizards are more companionable, but
only marginally so.
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124
• Nyh Ilmichh asks the characters innocent
questions about life on the Sword Coast but
offers only officially sanctioned propaganda if
asked what it’s like to live in Thay.
• Thoss Tarek is more reserved, but he follows
the conversation with interest.
• Khandur Ulmarik takes a great interest in any
clerics or paladins, asking them a little too
much about their divinely ordained abilities.
The characters have the feeling he looks at
them the same way Zoran Gul looks at the
child slave.
When the feast is over, characters are led to
their quarters by Nyh Ilmichh, and their child
slave is allowed to rest in Area 4B.
21.6 D REAMS AND
N IGHTMARES
That night, each of the party members is
targeted by a custom Dream spell, cast and
crafted by Red Wizard illusionists. Elves and
other creatures that do not sleep are not subject
to this effect. Each character must make a DC
18 Wisdom saving throw with disadvantage. On
a successful save, a character remembers vague,
disturbing dreams in the morning, but suffers
no other effects.
Each character who fails the saving throw
experiences a similar nightmare. They are
paralyzed and magically bound within a mystic
cauldron among animated chains and tentacles.
A character who struggles against the bonds or
who tries to cast a spell or use some other ability
not hindered by physical restraint is struck by
pain so severe that they are briefly incapacitated
and take a -2 penalty on their next Charisma
check. A couple of Red Wizards observe placidly
while three more subject the helpless character
to agonizing tortures. Thoss Tarek stands in the
corner of the room, looking calmly at the scene.
One of the pale Red Wizard leans in and
whispers
We have further questions for you.
The character is questioned about why the
party came to Thay, about Severin’s plots, about
Rath Modar, about his or her own past and the
lives of the other adventurers, about the party’s
attitude toward Szass Tam, and anything else
you care to ask. If they hid something during the
meeting with Eseldra Yeth and did not use magic
to shield their thoughts, they’re asked about that
as well. Here are example questions.
• What are your real motives for being here?
• Why were you wandering about in parts of the
keep uninvited?
• What didn’t you tell us about the cult?
• What are the Dragon Masks for?
• Have you captured any of the Wyrmspeakers?
• Who were you before being an emissary to
Waterdeep?
• There’s one in your group you don’t trust,
why?
• Do they have any spies here in Thay?
•
•
What do you know of Rath Modar?
Have you any sympathies for his faction?
• What are your intentions towards Szass Tam,
eternal may he reign?
• Are you Thay’s enemy? Confess!
• How strong are the armies of Waterdeep?
The Wizards will often look at Thoss Tarek to
determine if they can proceed with the
interrogation or not. A character makes a DC 15
Charisma (Persuasion or Deception) for each
answer. Thoss Tarek nods if he believes the
character is telling the truth. When lies or
unsatisfactory answers are given (or the
character refuses to reply), the wizards torture
the character. Go all in on the descriptions here,
the Wizards are merciless, and since this is a
dream, your players won’t resent you for any
"permanent" damage. For instance, if the
barbarian doesn’t submit to the question, they
cut off one of his hands and mock him for being
unable to use his big sword again. They will
stab, flay, mutilate and amputate any limbs the
characters might treasure (going for sexual
organs on male characters tends to be extremely
efficient).
Boundaries
Make sure your players are comfortable with whatever
happens in here. Don’t cross a player’s boundaries if they
don’t wish to hear or think about gruesome scenes like
this.
The nightmare ends when a character answers
five questions successfully or eight questions in
total. The last question in the interrogation will
be "If you could betray your group to gain
immortality and untold powers, would you take
this gift?". Regardless of whether the character
replies yes or no, the wizards respond with
"Wrong answer!" before "killing" the character by
shoving their dagger in the character’s throat.
The character wakes up screaming and
drenched in sweat. Blood stains the bed sheets,
though the character has no visible wounds. The
character also takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage
and does not gain the benefit of a long rest from
the night’s sleep. In the morning, any character
who underwent this questioning has a deathly
pallor and dark, hollow-looking eyes.
At My Table
I managed to coordinate our sessions to end just after the
characters when to sleep. On the next day, I called each
player and had a 15 minute 1-on-1 session where I ran
through this dream sequence. This allowed me to not get
burnt out from repeatedly running the same similar
encounter, and had each player with their own secret
unique experience, which they could share at the next
game session.
21.7 T HE M YSTERY
M URDER
Starting when the characters go to bed, Thoss
Tarek’s sinister plot unfolds. The following
sequence of events represents the first night,
happening while the characters get tortured in
their sleep. There isn’t much they can do stop
these events.
At night, Thoss Tarek casts Suggestion on
Nyh Ilmichh to steal the Pyx of Soul Capture*
while he’s interrogating the characters. A few
hours later, Nyh finds Khandur Ulmarik in Area
C3 and casts Suggestion on him to disable his
Glyphs of Warding and go rest. He’s quite tired,
so he readily complies. She steals the Pyx and
goes to rest. Tarek finishes his interrogation,
goes by Khandur’s room to cast Modify Memory
to make him forget what happened, and Nystul’s
Magic Aura to hide the evidence. He does the
same to Nyh and takes the Pyx. Tarek then goes
into Eseldra Yeth’s chambers, guarded by Varrax.
He finds her about to take her bath, and uses
the Pyx to destroy her (consuming four souls
and draining the rest). When Varrax charges into
the room, Tarek casts Dominate Monster and
Modify Memory to make Varrax think he saw
the Inquisitor deliver his report to the Tharchion
and leave while she was alive. He returns to his
quarters, hides the Pyx in a Leomund’s Secret
Chest, and rests. He wakes up next morning
when Varrax sounds the alarm, and, somewhat
tired, heads to the crime scene to "investigate".
He has Varrax, other Red Wizards, and the
characters as alibis.
Events of Night 1
Time Event
00h45m Tarek enchants Nyh
01h00m Tarek and Red Wizards begin interrogating
characters
01h30m Nyh enchants Khandur, and steals Pyx
04h00m Tarek and Red Wizards finish interrogating
characters
04h10m Tarek modifies Khandur’s memory
04h15m Tarek modifies Nyh’s memory, takes Pyx
04h30m Tarek kills the Tharchion
04h32m Tarek modifies Varrax’s memory
08h00m Varrax finds the Tharchion and sounds the alarm
CHAPTER 21: MISSION TO THAY
125
 Most people in the Keep come to witness the
scene. If the characters are afraid to leave their
rooms, Nyh (with a heavy migraine) eventually
fetches them. In the Tharchion’s chambers, a
pile of ash lies where the Tharchion should be.
The only illumination in this room is cast by flickering
candlelight. The shutters on the windows are not only
closed but nailed shut. Inside, a grim assembly of wizards
and undead sift through the wreckage and scowl at their
findings. The once-elegant furnishings are strewn around
the room and scorched with burn marks. At the center of
the carnage is a smoldering pile of ash. The vampire Zoran
Gul glares at you. "This," he says, "is all that remains of
Eseldra Yeth."
Zoran Gul, Varrax, Thoss Tarek, and Khandur
Ulmarik are all present in the chambers, while
several Wights and Red Wizard mages mill about
in the hallway. The murder was discovered when
Varrax entered Eseldra Yeth’s chambers to see if
she wished to issue any orders before she retired
for her day’s slumber. The tharchion’s corpse is
nothing more than a smear of ash on the floor,
leaving no opportunity to cast Speak with Dead
or Raise Dead (which wouldn’t have worked on
the vampire in any case). The victim will not be
able to contribute anything to the investigation.
Varrax saw no one enter or leave after Thoss
Tarek delivered his report. He believes he
observed the report himself and will testify that
Eseldra Yeth was still alive (in a manner of
speaking) when the grand inquisitor departed.
Any Wisdom (Insight) checks will reveal that he
is telling the truth, as he recalls it. Thoss Tarek’s
account will match Varrax’s recollections
perfectly, since he created them. The grand
inquisitor is an accomplished liar, and he’s been
rehearsing this one. A DC 25 Wisdom (Insight)
check will reveal that he is holding something
back, but nothing else.
Varrax explains that he remembers Tarek
visiting the Tharchion around 04h30m and
nothing else happened during the night. Tarek
confirms what Varrax is saying (a DC 25 Wisdom
(Insight) check allows a character to detect he’s
withholding some information). Khandur notices
that all the Glyph of Warding protections in the
Tharchion’s chambers are disabled but keeps it
to himself (a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check
allows a character to detect he just realized
something).
At some point, Zoran Gul points at the
characters and yells "It must have been them!
Arrest them!" Both Tarek and Khandur defend
the characters. Tarek calmly explains he is quite
sure most of them were asleep for most of the
night. Khandur asks what possible motivation
CHAPTER 21: MISSION TO THAY
126
they might have to commit such a crime when
they’d be such obvious suspects. Zoran Gul
angrily agrees to their points, and storms out the
room while yelling at the Inquisitor to find the
culprit before long. Khandur comments to the
characters that the best way to prove their
innocence might be to find the real culprit.
At My Table
My players spent about 1 hour in Eseldra Yeth’s room after
she was murdered, and decided to check, randomly, if
Varrax’s memory could have been modified, since he had
seen no one enter the room. Instantly, Varrax remembered
everything, they all jumped on Thoss Tarek, and the
mystery was over before it even started. I felt like I had
wasted a lot of prepping hours, but they were all high-fiving
each other, so it was worth it.
The Red Wizards profess no knowledge of
Eseldra Yeth’s murder. However, they will
become evasive if questioned about the events of
the night before. A DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion
or Intimidation) check will pry the truth from
them - they did indeed torture the characters,
but after that they went to bed. Khandur
Ulmarik says that he was working late in his
laboratory and went to bed before the
interrogations started. Nyh Ilmichh says she
went to bed around midnight. Especially
attentive characters may notice small
discrepancies in the testimonies of Nyh Ilmicch
or Khandur Ulmarik on a DC 20 Intelligence
(Investigation) check. These changing details are
the results of their modified memories not
aligning perfectly with real events: both
remember going to bed earlier than they actually
did, and other Red Wizards may have seen them
moving about the keep when they claim to have
been asleep. Both go to their quarters after the
interrogation, Nyh having to rest due to her
strong headache.
An hour later, Zoran Gul announces that he
has taken command of Nethwatch Keep. When
Thoss Tarek mentions that Szass Tam will send
someone to open an official inquiry, Zoran Gul
states that he has every intention of finding and
arresting the murderers before the inquest
begins.
Open-Ended Story
The following sections describe the events that would
happen at the keep if the characters do not interfere or if
they don’t find any relevant clues. At some point, the
adventurers will change the course of this story, and you
will have to adapt.
21.8 T HE M ISSING
P YX
Sometime during the day, Khandur goes to Area
C2b and finds the Pyx of Soul Capture* missing.
He notifies Zoran Gul, and once more, the alarm
sounds through Nethwatch Keep.
This chamber is suffused with an overwhelming sensation of
absence - a feeling that something precious has departed.
The only item in the room is a gilded cabinet carved with
images of angels writhing in torment. Its doors stand wide
open. Nothing is inside.
Unfortunately for Khandur, there is no sign of
forced entry in the pyx sanctuary, since he
disabled all the Glyphs of Warding. He falls
under suspicion, although Zoran Gul stills
suspects the characters and orders Varrax to tail
them.
Under heavy cross-examination, Ulmarik
begins to crack. The discrepancies between his
testimony and the other Red Wizards now
become apparent on a DC 15 Intelligence
(Investigation) check. Thoss Tarek confines him
to his quarters, where he will await more intense
interrogation that night. Thoss Tarek then
wakes up and casts Suggestion on Nyh Ilmichh,
to have Khandur drink poison. She goes to Area
C3, places the label from a sleeping potion on a
vial of deadly poison, and goes through the
Wizard’s Tower to get to Area 3C. She doesn’t
need to cast a spell, and just convinces Khandur
to drink it to calm his nerves. She then leaves
the room back into the Wizard’s Tower, and
takes a discrete route to her chambers. Thoss
Tarek wipes her memory after the deed his done,
and her headache returns.
A few hours later, Thoss Tarek announces that
Szass Tam is sending Umar Thoon, the Zulkir of
Divination, to conduct the investigation. Around
this time, Khandur Ulmarik drinks a sleeping
potion he took from Area C3. However, this was
actually a bottle of Purpose Worm Poison (Nyh
switched the labels on the previous night), and
Khandur dies within seconds. The Wights
posted at Ulmarik’s door saw no one enter or
leave. With no further clues, the necromancer’s
body is carried down to the morgue in Area C3.
The characters might break into that room to
Speak with Dead or Raise Dead and question
Khandur further. Zoran Gul assigns two
Zombies to guard the laboratory, but they are
easily distracted or dispatched.
The cellar walls are cluttered with bottles and phials and
medical curiosities. Gurneys fitted with unusual restraints fill
the room; below them, dark brown stains meander towards
a drain in the center of the floor. One of the gurneys is in
use, its occupant covered with a dirty sheet.
If the characters speak with Khandur, he can
only tell them that Nyh Ilmichh gave him the
phial before he was confined to quarters. She
told him it was a sleeping elixir and convinced
him to drink it in his room. He does not know
why she did so. Nor, for that matter, does Nyh,
whose mentor has already wiped her memory
once again. If the characters do not have these
spells or do not use them to question Ulmarik,
one of the other Red Wizards or Wights may
mention that they saw Nyh Ilmichh poking
around Area 3C after he had been arrested.
Nothing else eventful happens that day.
21.9 T HE D IVINER ’ S
D ROWNING
In the morning of the next day (the third day the
characters spend at Nethwatch Keep), around
10h00m, Rho Halthar realizes that, with the Pyx
of Soul Capture* hidden, he can use his
Divination magic to find out what happened to
Khandur. He tells this to Thoss Tarek, who has
to improvise. Tarek quickly agrees with Halthar,
and they both head to Area 2B. While Halthar
was preparing his scrying font, Tarek stabs him
in the back with his Dagger of Venom, and
drowns him in the font. Tarek keeps the dagger
with him, he has no opportunity to safely ditch
it.
At 12h00m, Pho Thaldar find the corpse, and
the alarm rings for the third time in two days.
Rho Halthar’s body is slumped over it, with a
stab wound in his back; his pale and bloated
head is submerged in the basin. A successful DC
10 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals traces of
poison in the stab wound, but the cause of death
is drowning. Thoss Tarek surmises that
someone is murdering the wizards by turning
the tools of their own arcane traditions against
them (the necromancer with one of his potions,
the diviner with his scrying font).
21.10 T HE Z ULKIR ’ S
A RRIVAL
At sunset, around 19h00m, the Zulkir Umar
Thoon and his retinue arrive through the
Teleportation Circle in Area 13. Their
procession to the great hall creates quite a stir,
and no one can miss their presence - least of all
CHAPTER 21: MISSION TO THAY
127
 their would-be assassin. Thoss Tarek takes this
opportunity to cast Suggestion on Nyh Ilmichh
for her to place his Dagger of Venom and the
bottle of torpor poison from her room in the
characters’ rooms.
Zoran Gul receives the Zulkir, who sounds
fairly displeased with the vampire’s
incompetence (in allowing two more murders to
occur on his watch). After an hour of conversing
and discussion, Tarek suggests searching each
chamber for clues. The Zulkir looks shocked
that this hasn’t been done before, but Tharek
interjects it was the best way of knowing that
proof hadn’t been tampered with. An hour later,
the Zulkir and his entourage get to the
characters’ chambers and find the planted
evidence. Satisfied with their proof, Zoran Gul,
Varrax, the Red Wizards, and the Zulkir’s
entourage chase down the characters and kill
them.
21.11 T HOSS T AREK ’ S
A LTERNATE
P LANS
Tarek is an adaptable spy.
If the characters point towards Nyh being the
culprit, Tarek secretly offers to protect her. She
trusts him and accepts, hiding in his quarters.
Convincing the leaders of Nethwatch Keep would
be difficult, but her quick "disappearance"
convinces them of her guilt. Meanwhile, Tarek
enchants her to do the suicide attack on the
Great Hall when everyone is gathered there.
If the characters discover the truth, and that
Tarek is the culprit, they will require Varrax or
Nyh Ilmichh to recover their memories and
corroborate their story. If possible, Tarek
attempts to cast Dominate Person on a
character to have them do the suicide attack on
the Great Hall when everyone is gathered there.
If he can’t find a pawn to do it, he remains
hidden and does it himself.
T HE S UICIDE A TTACK
When the characters converge on the great hall,
they will find Zoran Gul sitting on the
tharchion’s throne. He is flanked by Varrax and
four Wights and attended by to by six Red
Wizard mages. Umar Thoon is also present,
attended by his Boneclaws and Wights. If the
characters arrive in the great hall as fugitives or
enemy combatants, the forces of Nethwatch Keep
and Umar Thoon’s retinue will attack on sight.
The assassin takes advantage of the confusion
to move to the center of the hall and detonate
the Pyx of Soul Capture*. If the characters are
CHAPTER 21: MISSION TO THAY
128
still regarded as diplomatic envoys, they will
have the opportunity to scan the crowd. A DC 15
Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that all
undead in the hall instinctively move at least 10
feet away from whoever is holding the pyx. A DC
15 Wisdom (Insight) check makes a character
realize that the assassin is not acting as
themselves.
The assassin will take two rounds to walk to
the center of the hall, moving slowly so as not to
draw attention to themselves. When they reach
the center (or can progress no further) they will
take one round to open the pyx and unleash its
full power in a 30-foot radius burst. All
creatures in the great hall must make a DC 20
Constitution saving throw, taking 180 (40d8)
radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one. A creature reduced
to 0 hit points by this attack is disintegrated and
turned to ash.
The burst also shatters the columns that
support the ceiling, dropping the higher stories
and utterly destroying the keep. Any creatures
that survive the explosion must succeed on a DC
20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 44 (8d10)
bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as
much damage on a successful one.
If this happens, any chance of an alliance
between Thay and the Lords’ Alliance is gone,
and the characters, if they survived, should
escape Thay quickly. They may or may not be
conclusively considered the culprits, but Szass
Tam’s fury will not be stopped by this
uncertainty.
21.12 C ONCLUSION
If the mission to Thay was a success, Nyh
Ilmichh is chosen as an envoy. She accompanies
the characters back to Waterdeep and
participates in the next Council sessions. If she
is dead, pick another character that the
adventurers have met in the Keep as the envoy.
If the mission was unsuccessful, the
characters might just get away without any dire
consequences. If the mission was catastrophic (if
the Zulkir got killed, for example), then the
Thayans will actively pursue the characters for
the next years of their lives.
C HAPTER 22: F OUR TH C OUNCIL
WATERDEEP
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Council of
Waterdeep by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.20.
Maps can be found in section 26.10.
22.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 14.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
report to the Council for the final time. The
planetary alignment is nigh, and so is Tiamat’s
resurrection. It is time to strike back.
At My Table
My players handled some of the adventures much quicker
than I anticipated, so I explained that the Order of the Cult
was moving up their plans in response to them. Since they
were systematically defeating their leaders, increasing the
strength of the Alliance, and ruining their plans, Severin
was pulling a last desperate move: summoning Tiamat
before the Alliance could react. Instead of waiting for the
planetary alignment, they would instead sacrifice hundreds
of innocent souls. Uncovering this information was an
interesting reveal in the next chapter, as the characters
were running through the Well of Dragons and saw the
prisoners being escorted to their deaths.
22.2 WATERDEEP
Waterdeep remains as busy as ever, the streets
packed full of refugees and overworked guards.
Somehow, the city’s administration has managed
to keep famine and disease from spreading, no
doubt thanks to the great efforts conducted by
the Emerald Enclave and the Order of the
Gauntlet. Still, people are looking worse than
they were by the last Council. It is obvious to
anyone who spends a few minutes in the streets:
this situation cannot continue for long.
Only one thing seems to have improved since
the characters’ last visit to Waterdeep: the city is
no longer encircled by chromatic dragons.
Perhaps that bit of uplifting news is what has
kept Waterdeep from descending into anarchy.
The reason for it is not clear (it will be explained
in the Council), but everyone welcomed it with
relief.
Rian Nightshade approaches the characters
before the council, privately. She explains her
position as an emissary of the Zhentarim, and of
the Zhentarim’s interest in current affairs.
Our association connections burrow into every major city
and thieves’ guild in the Western Heartlands and along the
OF
Sword Coast. Wherever a city’s coinage is disastrously
undermined by counterfeiting, wherever an up-and-coming
business runs roughshod over its established competitors,
and wherever a political struggle turns to widespread
intimidation, it’s a safe bet that we are involved. However,
engaging in our less-than-honorable affairs and wanting to
see Tiamat ascendant are two different things. We have no
illusions about what the Dragon Queen’s return would
mean for their plans. If someone is going to rule the world,
it’s the Black Network; we have no desire to become agents
and errand-runners for some petty god and her dragon
cohorts.
That being said, even with the fate of the world and our
own future hanging in the balance, the association’s leaders
demands payment for services - and where need and risk
are greatest, the pay is expected to be equally great. You
have claim to Xonthal’s Tower, by right of conquest. For
reasons even I am not privy to, the Zhentarim’s leaders
have an interest in it. And so do all the members of the
Council you will meet later. The Black Network makes an
offer to you now. Sell us the tower, for 40000 gold pieces
and our allegiance in the upcoming war. Or don’t, and hope
that those useless bureaucrats will give you something more
valuable than this.
Rian tries to get the characters to accept her
offer immediately, and can go up to 50000gp,
and add a greater healing potion, a potion of
frost giant strength, and a spell scroll of
earthquake to sweeten the deal. If they don’t
accept, she smirks and waves them goodbye,
claiming she hopes they’ll change their mind
soon.
22.3 M EMBERS OF
THE C OUNCIL
Characters are now familiar with all the council
members. Characters who pay attention notice
that Ravengard, Brawnanvil, Isteval, and
especially Ontharr dislike the presence of the
Red Wizard. Most council members look weary,
no doubt due to the chaos of handling this war
for the past few months, but are otherwise
unhurt.
In this session, I had the following members
attending the Council:
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129
 Council Members 22.4 C OUNCIL
Name Affiliation Ideals Traits S ESSION
Remallia Harpers Freedom, Honest, The council has its session on the day after the
Haventree* respect friendly
characters have returned from Thay.
Ontharr Order of the Responsibi- Friendly,
Frume Gauntlet lity, hot-
greater tempered
good O PENING S TATEMENTS
Delaan Emerald Enclave Balance, Quiet
Winterhound life
Drinks have already been poured. The smell of
Laeral Lords’ Alliance Creativity, Quiet, strong medicinal teas mixed with the smell of
Silverhand* (Waterdeep) respect curious strong liquors that half of the council members
Dagult Lords’ Alliance Moderation, Honest are drinking. Lady Silverhand starts her speech
Neverember (Neverwinter) responsibi- as soon as everyone is sat.
lity
Connerad Lords’ Alliance Honor, Hot
Brawnanvil (Dwarves of the respect tempered,
North) suspicious "Members of the council. I won’t take much of your time.
Ulder Lords’ Alliance Responsibi- Honest The sky darkens, and the omens are dire.
Ravengard* (Baldur’s Gate) lity, glory We have among us,
King Lords’ Alliance Balance, Quiet,
• Lord Neverember and Rian Nightshade, the Lord
Melandrach (Elves of the Misty nation arrogant
Protector of Neverwinter and his warfare advisor;
and High Forests)
Taern Lords’ Alliance Logic, Ponderous, • Delaan Winterhound, Ontharr Frume, and Remallia
Hornblade (Silverymoon) greater curious Haventree, representing the Emerald Enclave, the Order
good of the Gauntlet, and the Harpers, respectively;
Sir Isteval Lords’ Alliance Tradition, Honorable, • Ulder Ravengard, Sir Isteval, and Taern Hornblade,
(Cormyr) honor wise, dour representing the realms of Baldur’s Gate, Cormyr, and
Rian Secretly Zhentarim Logic, Polite, Silverymoon;
Nightshade greed mercantile, • King Melandrach and Ambassador Brawnanvil, for the
ruthless Elven and Dwarven kingdoms
"Crimson" Arcane Power, Honorable,
• "Crimson" Maccath, Elia, and Nyh Ilmichh, envoys for our
Maccath Brotherhood Freedom curious,
allies, the Arcane Brotherhood, the Metallic Dragons, and
greedy
Elia Metallic Dragons Order, Honorable, the Thayans;
Justice good, wise • and last, but not least, the brave group of adventurers
Nyh Red Wizards of Power, Greedy, upon which we ever rely.
Ilmichh* Thay Revenge evil, Once again, please give us a short summary of your
vengeful latest missions. One, to investigate a defector of the cult,
and another to establish the Thayan alliance, although the
result of the latter", she says while looking at Nyh Ilmichh,
"is apparent to all."

Figure 22.1: The members of the Council of Waterdeep. Originally by Reddit’s u/Plaindog.

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130
C HARACTERS ’ A DVENTURES
The council asks the characters to speak of both
their missions. They question or ask for further
information in several points, and sometimes
have conflicting opinions on what should have
been done.
• Iskander and Xonthal’s Tower
• The Thayan Alliance
Specifically, the council bickers on happened
to
• The fate of Xonthal’s Tower (most faction
leaders show interest in having it, and offer
titles and future favors for it);
• Iskander successfully extracted;
• Galvan and the Blue Dragon Mask;
• Lennithon;
• The fate of the village next to Xonthal’s Tower;
• The audience with Tharchion Eseldra Yeth;
• The murderer of the Tharchion;
• The terms of the Alliance (how Thay will help).
During the discussion of what happened to
Xonthal’s Tower, the council member
immediately begin talking about its untold
mysteries, and how they will explore and study it
appropriately after the war is over.
Maccath: Xonthal was famous for being the first Faerûnian
mage to become a plumaweaver, the practitioners of
feather magic that was unique to the lands of Maztica. His
arcane studies centered around the the school of
conjuration as well as elemental evocation.
Hornblade: Xonthal also spent some amount of time
looking into time-altering magic. Within his tower he kept
two man-sized hourglasses that were built to potentially
manipulate or alter the time stream.
Only when Remallia explains that the tower
does not belong to the Council, but instead to
the adventurers, do they understand that they
don’t own it yet. However, they expect to, and
quickly begin making offers to the characters for
it. These range from titles and citizenship to
manors in each of the empires they represent.
The only factions not interested in the Tower are
the Emerald Enclave and the Metallic Dragons.
Nyh doesn’t offer anything, but if questioned,
expresses Szass Tam would be grateful for the
gift. Ontharr, Remallia, and Silverhand don’t
force the issue too much unless the characters
express no interest in keeping the Tower for
themselves. During these discussions, Rian
whispers to the characters some gold value a bit
higher than what she previously offered, and
smirks at the ongoing argument rising about
who has a worthier claim to it.
If Iskander got rescued, the Harpers
interrogate him and learn about the Well of
Dragons and the Order’s main plans (to summon
Tiamat there during the planetary alignment). If
any wyrmspeaker was captured alive and
brought for interrogation, Remallia has finally
cracked the curse and was able to interrogate
them. Varram would speak willingly, the others
would require more creative methods. The use of
the Dragon Masks is finally revealed: they each
offer draconic powers, and can be combined to
create the Mask of the Dragon Queen, one of the
components of the summoning ritual. If the
Harpers were gifted a Dragon Protector, they
have found the Well of Dragon’s location this
way. If, however, no wyrmspeakers were
captured, Iskander died, and the Harpers had no
Dragon Protector to enhance their investigations,
your party has not been the most competent;
they need to come up with a way to find the
Well’s location, perhaps returning to the Tomb of
Diderius (now crawling with Yuan-Ti), before
proceeding.
Regarding the Thayan alliance, some council
members are relieved if it fails; others are
relieved if it succeeds. Most are outraged when
Thay expresses their well will focus only on
dealing with the traitorous Red Wizards thatt
defied Szass Tam. After some arguments,
Silverhand concludes that, regardless of the
scope of their help, it is better than nothing and
she is glad to have them in the Alliance.
T HE E NEMY ’ S M OVEMENTS
The Council now discusses what has happened
in their own domains. The next paragraphs
describe what happened to realms that weren’t
given a Dragon Protector.
Neverember and Ravengard explain that the dragon attacks
in Neverwinter and Baldur’s Gate have massively increased
ever since the attack on Waterdeep (in the same night,
even, all realms were targeted). Their combat forces have
been cut in half because of the attacks, and their cities
have burned for many nights. The casualties number in the
thousands.
Silverhand explains that Waterdeep hasn’t had to deal
with that many attacks, due to the Dragonward, but some
ancient chromatic dragons have managed to enter the city
a couple of times and cause chaos before the ward’s
strength pushed them out. Civil unrest peaked, and a few
riots have happened in the city. The army had to be
recalled to keep the peace, which allowed the Order of the
Dragon to run rampant in the neighbouring cities. Within its
walls, the casualties numbered hundreds. Outside, the
casualty toll is unknown.
Silverymoon and the Dwarven Realms have started
CHAPTER 22: FOURTH COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
131
 feeling the cult’s grip tightening on their realms as well.
Trade routes have been cut and raids have become
frequent. Dragons burrowed into the dwarven vaults,
stealing treasure and killing hundreds. The only reason
Silverymoon didn’t descent into chaos was the powerful
Wizards that protect it who battled until exhaustion to keep
it safe. Still hundreds have perished.
The Order of the Gauntlet are spread through the
realms, and have struggled to keep the peace. Their holy
warriors have sacrificed a lot to save innocents. Curiously,
the devout city of Elturel has remained suspiciously safe
from the cult. The Emerald Enclave have taken a lot of
efforts to protect the wilderness from the dragons’
destructive ways; the Grandfather Tree and the hundreds of
treants that protect it have suffered a lot of abuse, and
won’t hold out for much longer. The Elfish kingdoms have
had a similar experience, and have started migrating from
their hidden cities to other safer havens, leaving behind
most of what they hold dear.
Cormyr and the Harpers have not been as affected by
the Order of the Dragon as the other realms. The cult
hasn’t focused on realms outside of Faerûn, so Cormyr
wasn’t targeted as much. The Harpers don’t have a specific
location to defend, so their members just felt the general
effects of the Order across the other realms.
Adapt the previous paragraphs based on
which factions were awarded a Dragon Protector.
All the politicians, except for Isteval (Cormyr
wasn’t affected), Connerad (doesn’t trust
dragons), and Remallia (Harpers barely affected),
express their deep regrets that a Dragon
Protector wasn’t assigned to them. Some do this
through guilt tripping, others voice their
displeasure more strongly.
Lord Neverember: Famine has begun to spread through
Neverwinter, and the militia is growing restless. Without a
Dragon Protector to unite the people, Neverwinter will soon
be eaten from within.
Ulder Ravengard: The refugee camps outside of Baldur’s
Gate have essentially fallen into anarchy. It has even
become dangerous for the army to move through the miles
and miles of camps, now turned lawless. The refugees,
desperate for food, have begun killing each other, pillaging,
and even conducting raids on the city itself. A Dragon
Protector would have made a difference, but now it’s too
late.
Lady Silverhand: The army was recalled from the
neighbouring cities, since we had no Dragon Protector to
protect all the innocent lives within our walls. We have lost
hope that any other settlements in the region are still
resisting the cult.
King Melandrach: Our people are oppressed once more,
and have had to migrate from our sacred groves. We now
hide in the dirt, while our homes burn. All because you
deemed us unimportant enough to warrant a Dragon
CHAPTER 22: FOURTH COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
132
Protector.
"Thunderspells" Hornblade: The kingdom has nearly
fallen. It is only thanks to the High Lady of Silverymoon’s
magical prowess that the cult raids have been fended off.
Not fast enough, though, and not without hundreds of
families having burned in the attacks.
Ontharr Frume: Our warriors have fought the Order of
the Dragon from coast to coast, and heavy losses have
been reported. A Dragon Protector would certainly have
spared many lives, but alas, at least our warriors died for a
cause they believed in.
Delaan Winterhound: The wilderness burns. It won’t take
long until the dragons’ fires spread throughout the woods
and reach your precious cities. We are the first line of
defense, and yet, we were left on our own.
Silverhand then addresses the table.
"Despite all that our cities have suffered, the situation has
changed in the last few days. Reports have arrived,
indicating that the Order of the Dragon’s activities have
practically ceased in the last couple of days. Dragons are no
longer circling our realms, and our people feel hope in the
air.
However, this is but a blessing in disguise. All the forces
of the cult have been called back to the Well of Dragons.
And that can only mean one thing. The Order is preparing
to start their ritual. To summon Tiamat back into our
world."
G OING ON THE O FFENSIVE
Silverhand continues her speech.
"As I said at the beginning of this council, the time is nigh.
Our current situation cannot be maintained for long. And
the Order of the Dragon is planning to conduct their ritual
in a few days. We have done all we can to protect our
people. It is finally time to strike back!"
The members of the council agree, some screaming
"hear, hear!".
"The cultists have amassed considerable forces. An army
of chromatic dragons, devils, mercenariess, Kobolds, and
other vile creatures of the darkness, all bolstering their
cultist ranks, all protecting the Well of Dragons. But there is
hope still. Grand Duke Ravengard has drafted an attack
plan based on our forces. Marshal?"
The tall military man stands, lays out a map of Faerûn
with lots of annotations across the table, and begins
explaining his plan.
"We will coordinate through our magical networks.
Armies from all of Faerûn will arrive by Teleportation Circle
to Baldur’s Gate. From there, we will ride the Chionthar
River up to Elturel, and from there the River Reaching until
the Sunset Mountains. Once we are close enough to the
Well of Dragons, we will disembark and establish formation.
 We expect the enemy to see through our plan and prepare
their defenses accordingly. Stealth is not an option with the
size of our armies.
To prevent the cult from counter-attacking while we are
vulnerable in the river, we will rely on magic, ranged
support, and the metallic dragons." He looks at the Elven
King, Maccath, Hornblade, and Elia as he says this. "Those
of us that cannot or do not wish to join us, must find a way
to the Well of Dragons within 10 days." Here he eyes
Winterhound, looking fairly displeased. "We will decide on
the formation after we explore the terrain there.
The enemy’s goal is to stall us. A siege will do us no good,
even if we could somehow surround the volcano. Our plan
will be a blitz attack. We will strike once, decisively, and
force the enemy’s hand. At the same time, Remallia has
suggested a simultaneous furtive approach." Here he looks
at the party. "Taking advantage of the chaos, a small group
should be able to quickly get to the Well of Dragons. We’re
not sure what you would find there, but assuming we do
our job well enough, the forces remaining in the Well should
be minimal. We expect only the Order’s leaders, and
whoever they need to conduct the ritual. It is a risky
strategy, but you have proven time and time again your
capabilities, and I would wager this to be a necessary
gamble nonetheless.
Any questions?"
require scoring each faction individually. If you
have run different adventures or changed events
from the past, include them in the table below
(for example, if your players had the choice of
keeping Skyreach Castle or returning it to the
Giants, that would influence the factions’
opinions on them) or remove current entries.
All factions that scored at or above the
minimum value will offer the characters help in
the next chapter. I recommend having at least
two factions that don’t support the characters, to
make this "popularity contest" more interesting.
Increase the minimum values for all factions
until you have a balance you’re happy with.
At My Table
My players got the support of all factions except the
Emerald Enclave, the Dwarves, and the Elves.
22.5 C ONCLUSION
The wheels have been set in motion.
The characters have 10 days of travel time
with Waterdeep’s armies to the Well of Dragons.
They can use this time for whatever they want to,
although preparing for the upcoming fight would
be a sound course of action.

The Council asks some clarification questions

(where they will find the ships, how much of the
armies should be left behind, and others).
Ravengard has mostly satisfactory answers to
these questions, usually from a pragmatic
stand-point. The characters can also give some
insights about this plan.
The Emerald Enclave, who refused to travel by
boat (neither could they, since their treants
didn’t fit), will use Transport via Plants to have
their forces reach the Well. Dragons will fly there,
and Thayans will teleport there. All other
factions will carry their forces as Ravengard
suggested.
Once the strategy is laid out, Silverhand
addresses the table one final time, before
dismissing everyone.

"This is our last chance. If Tiamat returns, no Alliance will

ever topple her, and all our efforts will have been in vain.
Yet, make no mistake. Even should we succeed, this war
will cost thousands of lives. Victory, inevitably, comes at a
cost. But we are willing to pay it."

F ACTION S UPPOR T
All factions join the war on the Order of the
Dragon and provide their support. Count up the
score for each faction based on the characters’
actions. Lines marked with an asterisk (*)

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133
 Scoreboard
Harpers OotG EE WD NW Dwarves Elves BG SM Cormyr
— + — — + + + + Smashed dragon hatchery
+ — + + + — — — — Left dragon hatchery intact
+ + ++ + ++ + Returned caravan gold
+ ++ + Recovered Ring of Myrkul
—— —— —— —— — — —— — —— —— Returned Ring of Myrkul to Black
Dragons
— + + + + — — + + + Killed Rezmir
++ + + + + + + + + + Captured Rezmir / Dragon Mask
+ + + + + + + + + + Killed Azbara Jos
++ + — + + + + + ++ ++ Captured Azbara Jos
+ + + + + ++ + + + + Killed Glazhael

— + + + + —— — + — + Killed Varram
++ + — + + + + + + Captured Varram
+ + + + + + + + + + Defeated Arauthator
+ — + + + + + + + Arcane Brotherhood joins alliance

— + + + + — —— + — + Killed Neronvain
+ + — + + + ++ + + + Captured Neronvain / Dragon Mask
+ + + + + ++ ++ + + + Killed Chuth
+ ++ ++ + + ++ ++ + + + Metallic dragons join alliance
— — — — —— —— — — + *Made concessions to metallic dragons
+ + + + + + + + + + *Metallic dragons aid faction territory
— — — — — — — *No draconic aid gained at second
council

++ + + + + + + + + Rescued Iskander
— + + + + — — + + + Killed Galvan
++ + + + + + + + + + Captured Galvan / Dragon Mask
+ + + + + ++ + + + + Killed Lennithon
+ + + + + + + + + *Donated Xonthal’s Tower to faction
— —— — — — — — — — — Sold Xonthal’s Tower to Zhentarim
+ —— — + + — + + + — Thay joins alliance

+ + + + + + + + + + *Faction specific diplomacy or favours

11 9 8 9 8 9 10 8 8 8 Score Needed for Support

22 18 17 19 17 19 20 17 16 17 Maximum Score

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134
C HAPTER 23: T IAMAT ’ S R ETURN
Based on Tyranny of Dragon’s Tiamat’s Return
by Wizards of the Coast.
Please revise the introduction in section 2.21.
Maps can be found in section 26.16.
23.1 I NTRODUCTION
Characters should be at level 15.
The goal for this chapter is for characters to
thwart the Order of the Dragon’s plans, once and
for all. They will accompany the Alliance’s
armies to the Sunset Mountains, and from there
storm the Well of Dragons. Their goal is to
prevent Severin from summoning Tiamat to
wreak havoc upon the world.
23.2 A PPROACHING
THE W ELL OF
D RAGONS
The characters were offered passage with the
armies. First, they took a Teleportation Circle
from Waterdeep to Baldur’s Gate. From there,
they sailed in a large vessel up the river. The
winds blowed in the correct direction during the
entire trip. A DC 18 Intelligence (Nature or
Arcana) check allows a character to realize there
are rotating druids keeping Control Weather up
at all times to guide the fleet.
On the 8th day after the Council meeting, the
Figure 23.1: Regional map of the Well of Dragons and its vicinity.
armies of the Alliance are deep within enemy
territory.
Little remains in the territory surrounding the Well of
Dragons, and the constant drone of the Draakhorn has
forced the local animals to flee or driven them mad. A
handful of villages in the area are bloodstained ghost towns,
and every farmstead is a charred ruin. The few survivors
you see in the distance as the boats relentlessly move
across the waters, look panicked, moving stealthily away in
the opposite direction you are heading. Some notice the
fleet and stop to stare at the hundreds of boats floating up
the river. They don’t take too long, and a few seconds after
they have put it out of their minds, and continued their
escape from the Order of the Dragon’s reach.
Chromatic dragons are often glimpsed in the
distance, but they dare not approach such a
formidable force escorted by metallic dragons.
Ten days after the Council meeting, the Well of
Dragons looms in the distance. The Order of the
Dragon stands ready for the attack.
The caldera of a long-dead volcano rises from an ashen
plane ahead. Along the cinder cone’s steeply sloped sides,
thousands of creatures mill about or are lining up into
ordered infantry ranks. In the air above, dozens of
chromatic dragons wheel and shriek like a flock of immense
crows, awaiting the bloodshed of the battle to come.
CHAPTER 23: TIAMAT’S RETURN
135
 By nightfall, the armies have all disembarked Allied Forces
and set up camp. Marshal Ravengard is in the
command tent, finalizing the last details for Faction Forces
tomorrow’s strike at dawn. Harpers Tens of Spies, Scouts, and other stealthy
combatants.
Order Few hundreds of Priests, tens of War Priests
F ORCES of the and other holy warriors.
The allied forces number from five to ten Gauntlet
thousand. Each faction that the characters did Emerald Tens of Treants, Griffons, Druids, and other
Enclave sentient beasts and plants.
not score enough with in the Council bring less
Waterdeep Tens of Griffons ridden by Griffon Cavalry
troops, since they don’t expect this war to go Riders, and many hundreds of Guards.
well, and are preparing for a plan B. Neverwinter A few thousand Guards.
Ravengard can be heard, without malice, Dwarves Many hundreds of dwarf warriors (use the
lamenting: stats of a Duergar Stone Guard).
Baldur’s Many hundreds of Guards and some
Gate hundreds of Veterans.
So many were expected, and yet so few have arrived... Elves Some hundreds of elven Archers.
Silverymoon A few hundreds of Knights and a handful of
Mages.
The enemy forces number less than three Cormyr A few hundreds of Knights and a handful of
thousand strong, but each individual warrior is Mages.
Zentharim Tens of Assassins.
on average stronger than the typical human
Frost Tens of Frost Giants.
combatant. Giants
Arcane Tens of Wizards of any school of magic.
Scale Brotherhood
These numbers are just a suggestion on the scale of the Metallic Tens of Adult Metallic Dragons and a
battle. Feel free to add or remove as many units of Dragons handful of Ancient Metallic Dragons.
different types as you want. Red A handful of Red Wizard Mages.
Wizards

Figure 23.2: The Temple of Tiamat, inside the Well of Dragons. Unknown author.

CHAPTER 23: TIAMAT’S RETURN

136
Enemy Forces any character; use a +5 spell ability bonus, +10
Faction Forces spell attack modifier, and an 18 spell save DC.
Fanatics Hundreds of Cult Fanatics and Cultists.
Order Hundreds of Dragonclaws and Dragonwings,
of the tens of Dragonfangs and Dragonsouls.
Dragon
Giants Tens of Ettins, Hill Giants, and Trolls (regular, ice, Help from Allies
and four-armed).
Devils tens of Bone Devils, Bearded Devils, and
Barbed Devils. Faction Offer of Help Mechanical Benefits
Merce- Many hundreds of Bandits and tens of Bandit Harpers Scouting A map of the Well of Dragons
naries Captains. information and characters can’t be
Red Tens of Red Wizard Mages. about the Well surprised by traps if they take
Wizards of Dragons the hidden trail (see below).
of Thay Order Defensive A magical bead containing a
Chromatic A few hundreds of Young Chromatic Dragons of the support Mass Cure Wounds.
Dragons and Adult Chromatic Dragons, and a handful of Gauntlet
Ancient Chromatic Dragons. Emerald Support in Three Treant Saplings or
Draconic Hundreds of Wyverns and Guard Drakes. Enclave numbers Griffons escort the characters
Creatures up to the Well of Dragons.
Water- Support in Two Griffons ridden by a
deep numbers Griffon Cavalry Rider escort
23.3 S URVEYING THE the characters up to the Well of
Dragons.
W ELL OF Never-
winter
Nothing to
offer but moral
Nothing.

D RAGONS support.
Dwarves Dwarfish Three dwarf warriors (use
The characters can use magic, pets, or some escort until the stats of a Duergar Stone
other ways to survey the Well of Dragons from a Tiamat is Guard) escort the characters
safe distance. stopped into the Temple of Tiamat.
Observing from the distance only shows the Baldur’s Melee fighting A Flaming Fist veteran teaches
west side of the volcano. Divination inside the Gate tactics a character the Guardian
Temple of Tiamat doesn’t work, due to its Strike ability, usable during the
Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum protection, war: If an enemy within 5 feet
but it does in the volcano. Exploring with some attacks a target other than
small critter might work for a time until a dragon them, they can make a melee
decides to kill it for fun. If the characters storm attack against that enemy as a
reaction.
the Well by flying there, they’ll have a brief
Elves Ranged The Elves cast a Conjure
window of time to survey the area before landing. support Volley on the characters’
They will be able to notice Areas 1, 2, and 3, enemies.
and see the guard patrols coming in and out of Silvery- Magical A magical bead containing a
Areas 1 and 2. They also see all the moon offensive Cone of Cold.
Wyrmspeakers’ dragons (Arauthator*, Chuth*, support
Hoondarrh, Lennithon*, Voaraghamanthar*, Cormyr Combat A Purple Knight teaches a
Waervaerendor*) perched on the Temple of leadership character the Action Surge
Tiamat, each in their respective spire. tactics ability, usable once during the
war: A character takes an
additional action during their
23.4 S TORMING THE turn.

W ELL OF
D RAGONS
Each faction leader that the characters scored
enough with in the Council sessions offers their
help and guidance as a personal favour to the
group that has impressed them so. Some will gift
units to escort the characters (give your players
control over these to make your life easier),
others offer spells or teach valuable skills. A
magic bead is just a free spell that is castable by
Feel free to change things around and give
units or items instead of what is listed above.
For example, instead of a bead with Cone of
Cold, a mage from Silverymoon accompanies the
characters up to the Well and casts it before
returning to the battle.
The factions that the party established
alliances with, all offer their own help.

CHAPTER 23: TIAMAT’S RETURN

137
 Teleporting also allows no chance to survey the
Well from a distance, and prevents any chance of
spotting an ambush.
If the characters teleport to any of the tunnel
entrances, the guards there are not surprised
(they expected some kind of attack like this). If
they manage to teleport inside the tunnels
themselves, they will surprise enemies they
appear next to.

R IDING M ETALLIC D RAGONS

The characters can ride Adult Metallic Dragons
up to the Well of Dragons, if they have formed an
alliance with them. As the battle starts, they can
take advantage of the chaos and ride there. It’s
unlikely they won’t be spotted, but hopefully the
dragons can drop the characters off and fly off,
leading their pursuers away from the party.
Have each character pick one Adult Metallic
Dragon to ride (one of each type is available).
The characters then fly as part of the aerial army.
Their group is flanked by Waterdeep and
Emerald Enclave Griffons and Riders on the left,
Figure 23.3: Map provided by the Harpers about and by other Metallic Dragons (including the
the Well of Dragons. ones from the Dragon Council) on the right. As
soon as the battle starts, the enemy chromatic
Help from Allies dragons, which severely outnumber the metallic
ones, rush to attack. Narrate how combat erupts
Frost Ranged King Hekaton uses his
Giants elemental Lightning Strike on the
around the characters, to give a sense of chaos
support up characters’ enemies. and danger, but don’t bother rolling numbers for
to the Well of this many units. The battle is pretty even, with
Dragons the enemy focusing on stalling and using dirty
Arcane Magical A magical bead containing a tactics, while the Alliance slowly advances.
Brother- defensive Greater Invisibility. The characters have their own enemies to
hood support worry about. Amidst the combat, as they quickly
Metallic Protection and The characters can ride head towards the Well of Dragons, they are
Dragons transportation dragons up to the Well of intercepted by an opposing group of Adult
Dragons, and the Metallic
Chromatic Dragons (one of each color), with an
Dragons can create a
additional member over the characters (if there
distraction from Chromatic
Dragons at some point. are four characters riding four metallic dragons,
Red Magical Three finger bones, each of they’re intercepted by five chromatic dragons). I
Wizards support which can be broken with a recommend giving the players control over their
of Thay against other Bonus Action to summon a mount dragons (acting on the same initiative as
Red Wizards Thayan Mage to combat enemy the characters) and, for this fight, remove Lair
Red Wizards. Actions, Legendary Actions, Legendary
Resistances, and the Recharge Breath Weapon
There are five main ways to approach the Well option from all dragons. This makes combat
of Dragons. The armies will clash about a mile much smoother, and your players have fun with
away from the volcano, and the tunnel entrances big dragons without suddenly needing to learn a
are barely visible from where the Alliance stands. bunch of NPC Boss mechanics.

T ELEPOR TATION Hoondarrh

Magical teleportation, if your characters have
access to it, is quick, but burns a high-level spell
slot. The characters don’t know if teleporting will
even work: the Temple of Tiamat is protected
with a Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum spell,
but the tunnels around the Well are not.
This is one of the few moments where you can have
Hoondarrh (Severin’s Red Dragon) show up as an enemy
to engage the characters.
Because the dragons are so big in comparison
with the characters, when both are targeted by

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138
some Breath Weapon attack, the players can
choose one of two options:
• Character and player both roll the Saving
Throw;
• The character is shielded by the dragon, taking
no damage at all, but the dragon automatically
fails its saving throw.
Once this skirmish is over, the metallic
dragons rush the characters to the Well, even as
battle furiously rages in the air around them.
When nearing the volcano, the characters have
enough time for a brief reconnaissance of the
place, before finding a way to drop down
furtively. There are still tens of Young
Chromatic Dragons around the Well that can
spot them if they just jump down or have the
dragons drop them on the ground.
At My Table
My players took Invisibility Potions and Potions of Flying
to sneak their way onto the volcano. They nearly got
smelled by one of the dragons, but the winds blew just right
(the Bard carried the group check with a 30 on their
Stealth roll).
C ROSSING A H IDDEN T RAIL
The Dwarves and the Harpers have found a trail
across the battlefield that ends near the Well of
Dragons. The trail is essentially one of many
ravines in the area, this one being 5 to 15 foot
wide and often not open to the sky, instead
burrowing deep within the ground. The trail isn’t
obvious to spot, so characters travelling through
it probably don’t need to worry about troops
from the battlefield above interfering. However,
the Order of the Dragon knows the land well,
and it’s likely the trail has been trapped.
If the characters decide to go through the trail,
have them make a DC 18 Intelligence (Nature)
check, allowing them to realize the tunnel was
carved by a Purple Worm, that may or may not
still be nearby. In reality, the worm has long left
these areas, disturbed by the dragons.
One-third of the way through the tunnel, a
trap has been set-up, discernible with a DC 18
Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom
(Perception) check. When a hidden trip wire is
triggered, the ceiling from the wire to 30ft behind
it collapses. Any creature in the area must
succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw,
taking 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage on a failed
save, or half as much damage on a successful
one. Once the trap is triggered, the floor of the
area is filled with rubble and becomes difficult
terrain, and that part of the tunnel is now open
to the sky. Among the debris, there are the
corpses of several cultists from the cult and
warriors from the Lord’s Alliance.
Two-thirds of the way through the tunnel, the
characters stumble upon a group of four Umber
Hulks, all having taken 20 HP of damage,
feasting on the corpses of ten cultists and of
another Umber Hulk. The cultists were guarding
the tunnel and were surprised from behind.
The tunnel ends 200ft to the west of Area 1A
in the Well of Dragons. A rock formation allows
the characters to inspect that side of the
mountain without being seen.
B Y R IVER
The characters might try and take a vessel up
the river, to eventually dock near the south side
of the Well of Dragons. It is practically
impossible to hide such an attempt. If the
characters do take this approach, they will be
accosted by constant attacks. The characters
can take a Keelboat, which requires only three
crewmembers to navigate. It has AC 15, 100 HP
(damage threshold 10), a Ballista, and can move
by oars or sail.
A few Adult Chromatic Dragons target the
vessel. The Metallic Dragons quickly come to the
rescue, and eventually only a single Adult Red
Dragon is intent on sinking the vessel. If the
characters never reveal themselves, the dragon
assumes it is just bait and leaves the vessel
alone when its below 30 HP.
The vessel is inevitably spotted by the guards
at Area 2C.
T HROUGH THE B ATTLE F IELD
The characters might want to be right in the
thick of battle. In such a case, while their allies
fight on their sides, enemy groups target the
characters and engage them directly.
At some point, the characters engage a
Dragonsoul commanding a Red Wizard Mage
and four Dragonfangs. Later on, a Wyvern and
a Bone Devil target them. A Young Red Dragon
serves as their final obstacle before reaching the
Well of Dragons.
Even with this approach, the characters won’t
be able to make the entire army storm the Well
of Dragons. Perhaps they can take a few allies
with them, but most of the army remains behind
fighting the seemingly endless waves of enemies.
Mass Combat
If you would rather allow your players to really control the
massive battle happening around them, check out the Mass
Combat Rules from Unearthed Arcana.
CHAPTER 23: TIAMAT’S RETURN
139
 23.5 W ELL OF 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, or 21 are suitable rooms to find
Bladelord at.
D RAGONS T EMPLE OF T IAMAT
I basically beefed up the enemies within the Well.
This is no place for low-rank cultists. Also, I ran this section mostly as-is.
golems show up out of the blue, so I replaced
those as well.

Enemies within the Well

Area Enemies
1A-C 3 Dragonfangs, 3 Dragonwings, and 2 Guard
Drakes.
2A-B 1 Dragonfang and 3 Dragonwings.
2C 1 Dragonfang, 3 Dragonwings, 5 Dragonclaws,
and 3 Guard Drakes.
6 1 Dragonsoul and 2 Barbed Devils guarding the
entrance, 4 Guard Drakes patrolling the treasure.
8 1 Air Elemental, guarded by a Bone Devil.
12-13 2 Barbed Devils and 2 Guard Drakes.
15 3 Dragonfangs and 9 Dragonwings.
16 Only lifeless bodies. Figure 23.4: 3D render of the Temple of Tiamat.
17 5 Dragonwings escorting 30 injured and By Reddit’s u/Sanchmo.
exhausted Commoners to the Temple. Area
15 alerted if a fight breaks out.
18 1 Dragonfang, 2 Dragonwings, and 1 Guard
Inside the Temple of Tiamat, the characters
Drake, guarding 30 Commoners. find Severin and his Pseudodragon Nelvik,
19 8 Guard Drakes feasting on dead prisoners. Rath Modar* and his 8 Red Wizard Mages, and
23 2 Barbed Devils and 4 Guard Drakes. the (resurrected) Wyrmspeakers. I had Area 2 be
Roaming 1 Dragonfang, 2 Dragonwings, and 1 Guard where Tiamat’s portal is, and there’s no Red
Drake patrolling between Areas 2 and 18. Wizard there. This way, Tiamat climbs out of the
Roaming 1 Dragonsoul, 1 Dragonfang, and 5 Dragonwings ground, instead of from a floating portal on Area
patrolling between Areas 1 and 8. 7.

I had Naergoth Bladelord be found regardless Trailer

of which entrance the characters used. Before Wizards of the Coast have an awesome trailer to set the
meeting him, the players find some room with mood.
paintings, depicting prominent members of the
Order. The images show, among others,
• Sammaster (founder, 800-916 DR);
• Algashon Nathaire (leader, 916–1018 DR);
• Tuelhalva Drakewings (leader, 972–1018 DR);
• Naergoth Bladelord (Keeper of the Well, 1337-?
DR);
• Severin Silrajin (leader, 1480-? DR).
Bladelord never became the top leader of the
cult, but was a Wearer of Purple for decades, is
the oldest member of the cult, and is a de facto
co-ruler of the Well of Dragons cell with Severin.
The images should allow the characters to
understand he is important. Areas 4, 5, or 20
are decent options for the paintings to be found Figure 23.5: Severin with the Mask of the
at. Dragon Queen about to summon Tiamat. By
If the characters encounter Bladelord but don’t Wizards of the Coast.
threaten him, they can have a nice discussion
with him. He doesn’t agree with Severin’s plans, The wyrmspeakers that weren’t captured
so if they make good points, Bladelord might just patrol the ground floor. Any wyrmspeaker that
ignore that he saw them. If the characters are has previously been killed (except for Varram)
fighting the cult or are aggressive in any way, has been resurrected by Tiamat with new-found
Bladelord fights for Severin to the death. Rooms powers. If Rezmir was killed, she has now been

CHAPTER 23: TIAMAT’S RETURN

140

Figure 23.6: The Red Dragon Mask. By Tumblr’s
rspixart.
resurrected as a Black Abishai with 90 HP. If
Neronvain was killed, he has now been
resurrected as a Green Abishai with 117 HP. If
Galvan was killed, he has now been resurrected
as a Blue Abishai with 141 HP. If Varram was
killed, the Dragon Queen doesn’t care. They are
all patrolling the temple floor, witnessing and
protecting the ritual. If the prisoners from Areas
17 and 18 in the Well of Dragons are saved, the
Abishai go down into the tunnels to investigate
after a few minutes.
The book claims you can completely stop the
ritual to prevent Tiamat’s summoning, but that
is very anti-climatic. I’d recommend always
having Tiamat appear, and weakening her based
on the characters’ actions. Five different events
can weaken her:
• Interrupting the ritual
• Destroying the Mask of the Dragon Queen or
removing it from the Temple
• The Mask of the Dragon Queen being
incomplete
• Severely damaging the Temple
• Interrupting the human sacrifices
It is likely your characters can interrupt the
ritual and have claimed some of the Dragon
Masks. They might destroy the Temple through
the Zhentarim’s Earthquake spells, or by their
own volition. They might save the prisoners from
being sacrificed if they picked the right set of
tunnels. They might drag Severin and the Mask
of the Dragon Queen out of the Temple.
You can control the difficulty of this encounter
with many different options:
• Severin has immunity to all damage as long as
any Red Wizard lives
• Severin’s resistances and amount of Legendary
Resistances are based on the masks
composing the Mask of the Dragon Queen
• The length that the Ritual takes
• The amount of rounds Tiamat takes to emerge
after the Ritual is interrupted or completed
• Rath Modar or any of the Red Wizards cast
Greater Invisibility on themselves
• Rath Modar or any of the Red Wizards took
Potions of Flying instead of having cast
Levitate (so Dispel Magic doesn’t cause them
to fall)
• Rath Modar cannot be perceived by any
Thayan thanks to his illusory wards (so he
must be dealt with by the party)
• The Chromatic Dragons jump into the fight as
they realize what’s happening
• Severin has a stronger stat block
• Rath Modar* has his original stat block
instead
• Tiamat doesn’t actually kill her allies when
summoned
• Tiamat instantly kills all her allies that were
involved in the summoning, as a last sacrificed
needed for her to break through
• Any Thayans that the characters summon to
fight against Rath Modar remain to fight
against Tiamat
• The Metallic Dragons jump in front of some
Breath Attack, sacrificing their lives to protect
the characters
• More than a single part of the Temple
crumbles if a spell like Earthquake is cast on
it
• Parts of the Temple that crash kill all those
beneath them
Adjust to whatever strength level you group is at.
Ideally, this fight should be very hard, mostly
because it’s so drawn out.
At My Table
At my table, I set the ritual time limit to 4 rounds, had all
enemies with Potions of Flying, Rath Modar could not be
perceived by the Thayan allies, Severin had only 3
legendary resistances and resisted only Acid, Poison and
Fire (the masks he had), Tiamat didn’t kill any allies when
summoned (I felt like this would be humiliating to do and
then get defeated and sent back to Avernus), the Thayan
allies remained to fight, and parts of the temple that
crashed would kill enemies that failed their initial saving
throw.
Once combat starts, go by initiative order. The
first five enemies in initiative focus on the ritual,
the others attack the group. If enemies are
engaged by characters, they focus on the
characters instead (if your players enter by Area
24 of the Well of Dragons, the two Red Wizards
in Area 5 of the Temple of Tiamat focus on
fighting, for example).
• Red Wizards and Thayan Allies essentially
attack with Fireballs and Cones of Cold,
using Greater Invisibility when in danger,
Flying for mobility, and Counterspell or
Shield as needed.
• The Wyrmspeakers run towards the characters
and attempt to prevent them from hindering
the ritual.
• Rath Modar* has Mislead active, and uses
Globe of Invulnerability or Mirror Image
CHAPTER 23: TIAMAT’S RETURN
141
 depending on who’s attacking him. He attacks
with Fireballs and concentrates on Walls of
Fire and Confusions.
• Severin stands back as much as he can,
mostly by teleporting away with his legendary
actions. He focuses on attacking with Flaming
Orb or Scorching Burst if he finds two or more
enemies in range. If a single enemy is close
enough, he uses Hellish Chains instead of
running away.
If the characters successfully interrupt the ritual,
Severin screams
Fools! The Dragon Queen will suffer because of this, and
destroy you all!
Rath Modar makes jokes and overall behaves
as if this is just an inconvenient situation, such
as
I seem to remember you cutting the head off of my best
pupil. Oh well, he did lose his head often.
or
Oh my, mighty big swords right next to me, aren’t they?
Let’s be careful now and point them the other way.
After the ritual is completed or interrupted,
Tiamat takes 2 rounds to appear, hopefully
weakened enough that your characters can still
deal with her.
• She appears, and can’t move away from the
portal in the beginning. She also cannot take
any actions or reactions for now. Her White
head emerges.
• In this round, she uses her legendary actions
with a White Dragon Breath.
• On her next turn, the Black head emerges.
• In this round, she uses her legendary actions
with White and Black Dragon Breaths.
• On her next turn, the Green head emerges.
• In this round, she uses her legendary actions
with White and Green Dragon Breaths, and a
Black Bite.
• On her next turn, the Blue head emerges.
• In this round, she uses her legendary actions
with Blue/White and Green Dragon Breaths,
and a Blue/Black Bite.
• On her next turn, the Red head emerges. She
can now act and move about. She will close in
on the nearest enemies and systematically kill
them.
• From now on, she uses her legendary actions
with Red and Blue/Green Dragon Breaths,
and a Blue/Green Bite.
CHAPTER 23: TIAMAT’S RETURN
142
If Tiamat’s Red head emerges, the characters
don’t have much time to finish her before she
kills them all.
At My Table
My players stopped in 2 and a half rounds. They had two
Temple sections crashing and killing their occupants when a
character cast Earthquake. The Metallic Dragons kept the
Chromatic ones occupied, preventing them from bothering
the characters, and two of them died in the meantime.
Two melee characters teleported with Dimension Door
next to Rath Modar, who tried to escape while invisible.
However, a Summoned Greater Demon had blindsight, so
it knocked his concentration off, and they managed to
finish him off. Their Thayan allies got killed in the
meantime. When the ritual is interrupted, Severin and
three Red Wizards still stand, and all but one are killed
before Tiamat emerges. Against Tiamat, two characters
were knocked out, and the Red Wizard is fatally caught on
one of her White Breaths. Tiamat is sent back to hell with
3 heads having emerged so far.
Figure 23.7: Token for Tiamat. By Reddit’s
u/BehrtHramm.
When Tiamat is defeated, as she is dragged
back down to Avernus, she ominously says
This isn’t over! I’ll see you soon...
When characters get to the Mask of the
Dragon Queen, they can split it back into its
individual components.
23.6 A FTERMATH
Depending on how well the factions were
impressed by the characters, how many
alliances the characters established, and how
well the fight went at the Temple of Tiamat, the
war has many outcomes. The most likely
scenario is that most of the factions were
impressed, most of the alliances were
established, and the fight at the Well of Dragons
ended in less than an hour since the characters
entered the Well of Dragons. Below is the
aftermath for this scenario, which should be
adapted based on whatever your group did
differently.
• As the characters headed towards the Well, an
unexpected ally showed up; Devils from
Avernus were suddenly summoned to help on
the fight against the Order of the Dragon. The
Order of the Gauntlet had some troubles
adjusting to this, but mostly the devils focused
on stalling the enemy devil forces. They
vanished as soon as the battle was over.
• Less than an hour later, a sudden shaking of
the ground was felt all around the Well of
Dragons. Cultists thought Tiamat was coming,
the Alliance worried the volcano was erupting.
This was the Temple of Tiamat collapsing and
the Ritual concluding. All the Ancient Metallic
Dragons flew straight to the caldera to provide
support to the characters, while their Adult
counterparts tried to keep the enemies busy.
• A few minutes later, a massive shockwave
sounded through the battlefield. This was
when Tiamat was pushed back into Avernus.
The chromatic dragons wailed in unison, the
aura of their beloved queen suddenly gone
once again. They panicked, and chaos ensued.
Most of the Younglings started rampaging
chaotically about, and were brought down. A
few of the Adults did the same, causing heavy
casualties. The rest promptly fled, but not
without injuring or killing as many as they
could.
• At this point, the majority of the cultists knew
they had been defeated. Those engaged in
battle could not retreat, so fought for glory and
death on the battlefield, hoping to be rewarded
when they join Tiamat in Avernus. The rest,
such as the ones holed up in the Well of
Dragons, fled. The Devils on Tiamat’s side
remained, continuing to follow their orders
without fear (they won’t die anyway, simply
return to Avernus when defeated here). Most
of the mercenaries fled or surrendered, as did
the Thayans. Giants and other monsters kept
fighting without understanding what was going
on. Overall, about 500 enemies were captured
and will pay for their crimes. All those that did
not surrender were killed in less than an hour.
Without the support of the Chromatic Dragons,
the war was won.
• On the side of the Alliance, the Harpers,
Zhentarim, Elves, and Thayans reported the
least losses. In fact, Thay disappeared once no
more Thayans were found in the enemy’s
hordes; the Zhentarim neglected to report their
losses; the Harpers mostly avoided direct
conflict; and the Elves focused on ranged
support.
• The armies of the Order of the Gauntlet,
Waterdeep, Neverwinter, the Dwarves, Baldur’s
Gate, Silverymoon and Cormyr suffered heavy
losses. Current estimates are at a 50%
survival rate, meaning half of the people are
not returning home. The values oscillate
depending on the faction, with Neverwinter
being the highest death count (nearing 20%
survival rate), and Cormyr and Silverymoon
with 70%. Overall, many thousands of victims.
• The smaller armies of the Emerald Enclave,
the Frost Giants, and the Arcane Brotherhood
reported mixed results. Their survival mostly
depended on the luck of what enemies they
face. Bigger creatures, like Treants and Frost
Giants, dealt well with monstrous enemies,
but could not handle hordes of persistent
cultists. On the other hand, humanoid
battalions fell under the draconic onslaught,
but coordinated well against cultists. Overall,
a 70% survival ratio, with a few hundred
casualties.
• The metallic dragons took the brunt of the
assault. They quickly caught the enemies’
attentions and were heavily focused. The
problem was exacerbated by their rushed
incursion to the Well of Dragons to keep
enemies away from the characters. Less than
ten dragons survived, three of them Ancient
ones: Bronze Nymmurh, Copper Tazmikella,
and Silver Otaaryliakkarnos. Both Brass
Ileuthra and Gold Protanther fell around the
Temple, swarmed by tens of enemies. Ileuthra
was ripped to shreds and had bits devoured
during the battle. Protanther fought to
exhaustion and sacrificed himself to save his
comrades. The metallic dragons rallied around
him and his corpse was not defiled.
• From all the Wyrmspeaker dragons, only the
Black Twins Voaraghamanthar and
Waervaerendor survived. The others died in
battle, with Red Hoondaarh having been the
one to defeat Protanther.
I avoided killing any familiar important allies,
like Ontharr or Uther Ravengard, as these
NPCs come up in future adventures. I focused
on eliminating most enemies that the characters
didn’t care about, and left the ones that can
eventually resurface in the story (like
Voaraghamanthar and Waervaerendor after the
Ring of Myrkul). Once more, adjust depending
on your plans and what happened at your table.
The characters could explore the rest of the
Well of Dragons, now mostly empty of enemies.
Eventually they’d be joined by faction leaders, to
divvy up the wealth among the many cities that
needed. Politics quickly became heated, as some
suggested an equal division among all, others
CHAPTER 23: TIAMAT’S RETURN
143
 claimed to have done sufficient to deserve more,
and others claimed to have suffered more losses
to deserve more. Remallia quickly suggests the
characters to fill their bags with whatever they
can carry (some thousands of gold and a few
magic items from Magic Item Tables D and G),
and leave to avoid having to deal with the
council any longer. Unless the characters are
blatantly rude or offensive, no one will dare stop
them from taking whatever they find adequate.

At My Table
We recorded our session, check it out here! The audio is in
portuguese, though.

23.7 C ONCLUSION
Hopefully, the characters have saved the world
by defeating Tiamat. She is not dead, only back
in Avernus, plotting her revenge.
The aftermath of the war is enormous. The
riches need to be split among the factions, and
without Tiamat as a common enemy, most
politicians will be advocating for selfish deals. In
the next few months, populations will migrate
back, towns will be rebuilt, and cities will
stabilize.
The Order of the Dragon lingers on, with
hidden cells across Faerûn. However, all their
prominent leaders have been defeated, and those
captured will pay for their crimes. The chromatic
dragons might hide for years after this defeat,
while plotting their revenge, or go on a furious
rampage before the dust has settled. Up to you.
Thousands have perished, but everyone looks
at the figures of legend that the characters have
become, and feel the future is bright.
If Tiamat was not defeated, however, the
adventure is still not over... The characters
might be resurrected by their allies to fight
another day, the players can make new
characters to fight Tiamat in the Material Plane,
or their original characters can wake up in
Avernus, where the pit fiend Bel wants them to
resurrect with devilish powers to defeat the
Dragon Queen once and for all.

CHAPTER 23: TIAMAT’S RETURN

144
C HAPTER 24: E PILOGUE
Please revise the introduction in section 2.22.
24.1 I NTRODUCTION
Depending on what your characters want to do,
this campaign can finish in different ways (or
might not even finish at all!). This chapter
describes several different endings.
24.2 T IAMAT
S UCCEEDED
The characters were defeated at the Temple of
Tiamat. Most of them were killed and devoured
by the Dragon Queen. She then rose from the
Well of Dragons, and defeated all the forces of
good in the area. It was a slaughter. Metallic
dragon corpses rained from the skies, armies
were decimated, the few survivors escaping in a
chaotic rush. However, not all hope is lost.
One of the party members survived. Or maybe
they left a clone behind. Or maybe one of their
allies took the cost to resurrect them. And now
they must bring back their friends and resume
the fight. These events might happen quickly
after the Dragon Queen takes over, or some
years past. If quickly, then the Dragon Queen is
busy conquering the remaining bastions of
resistance in Faerûn. Hunting down elves,
destroying the giant tribes, raising all known
cities to the ground and claiming their treasure.
While she is distracted, the characters have
some days to gather their strength and attempt
some desperate plan. They may instead way
some years to gather their strength.
A few years after Tiamat has risen to power,
the landscape is no longer recognizable. All that
is left from Waterdeep, Baldur’s Gate, and
Neverwinter is scorched rubble. Chromatic
dragons rule the world, and most other races are
all but extinct. The dwarves hold the last
bastions of resistance, deep underground. And
they have a plan to get rid of Tiamat. A common
enemy unites old foes, and the Dwarves plan to
turn to the Elves for help. The Elves have access
to a very specific and rare type of magic, known
as High Magic, where they can completely
rewrite the fabric of the world. No one know if
the elves still exist, where they are, or whether
they can actually do such a feat. But it’s worth a
shot.
24.3 T OTAL P AR TY
K ILL
The characters were defeated at the Temple of
Tiamat. All of them were killed and devoured by
the Dragon Queen.
They wake up in a barren dark hellish
landscape. A weird Imp is staring at them. "It
worked!", he screams, as he turns away and
starts running. The small fiend was tasked by
Bel, the former ruler of Avernus, to capture the
characters’ souls and reanimate them in hell.
The characters must now defeat Bel’s enemies in
exchange for a chance to return to the Material
Plane. They’ll grow stronger from experience as
they battle the underworld, and emerge before
Tiamat, thirsting for revenge.
They can appear next to Tiamat, a mere few
seconds after she has defeated previously (time
works differently in Avernus), they may show up
next to her weeks after the event, or they may
rise out of some Hell Portal in Faerûn (such as
the one under Dragonspear Castle), and work
their way to her from there. Bel might even make
a further deal with them, their souls in exchange
for additional power to defeat her.
24.4 D ESCENT INTO
AVERNUS
The characters defeated Tiamat, and she
returned to her prison in Avernus. But the fight
isn’t yet over.
She is planning to repeat the Ritual, but in
Avernus instead, where it won’t be disturbed.
This is the plot of Tyranny of Dragons into
Avernus, which continues this campaign up to
level 20.
24.5 D RAGONSPEAR
C ASTLE
The characters defeated Tiamat, and she
returned to her prison in Avernus.
Now characters have to tie up loose ends. One
of those is Dragonspear Castle, which was
visited by the characters in the On the Road
chapter. Last time the characters were there, it
was occupied by a myriad of monsters. Some of
those were Rakshasas, who were planning to dig
up the Hell Portal under the keep, and re-open it.
No good can come of this, and the fiends have
had enough time to start their plans. They must
CHAPTER 24: EPILOGUE
145
 be stopped before they unleash hellish hordes
upon Faerûn.
24.6 C ASTLE
N AERYTAR AND
THE R ING OF
M YRKUL
The characters defeated Tiamat, and she
returned to her prison in Avernus.
Now characters have to tie up loose ends. One
of those is Castle Naerytar, which was visited by
the characters in the Castle Naerytar chapter.
The characters have likely eliminated the cultists
residing there, and it was abandoned to
Lizardfolk and to the Twin Black Dragons that
reside in the Mere of the Dead Men. The bog
keep holds many mysteries that may have been
left to uncover, as does the swamp itself. The
Ring of Myrkul can be found within the keep,
which can then lead to the Uthtower. Within it
lies the Twinned Crown of Uthtower, the remains
of the dracolich Chardansearavitriol, treasure,
and maybe even the lich Iniarv.
The Black Dragon Voaraghamanthar wants the
ring to obtain the Crown for his brother. The
characters may have recovered it, and the Twin
Dragons are after the characters, or it might still
lie in the Castle. But with the dragons
methodically exploring it, the Ring will not
remain hidden for long. And once found, the
secrets of the Mere will unfold with terrible
repercussions.
24.7 X ONTHAL ’ S
T OWER
The characters defeated Tiamat, and she
returned to her prison in Avernus.
Now characters have to tie up loose ends. If
they didn’t sell or give away Xonthal’s Tower, it
stills holds many mysteries to uncover. Its
magical hedge maze can be studied by a
knowledgeable Wizard, allowing them to learn to
harness its power. Within the tower, one can
also learn about feather magic (a school of magic
unique to the lands of Maztica), chronurgy (two
hourglasses in the dungeon can manipulate or
alter the time stream), elemental magic (Xonthal
sought to incorporate the most desirable
features of elementals from various planes and
combine them within a single being), or space
manipulation magic.
What happened to Xonthal remains a mystery.
At some point in his life, Xonthal underwent an
extreme shift in personality. He expelled his
CHAPTER 24: EPILOGUE
146
students from the tower, set deadly
enchantments upon the hedge maze
surrounding its entrance, and disappeared from
public life. After his disappearance, some
residents of Xonthal’s Tower village believed the
elusive archmage had died, or even underwent
the process of lichdom. Clues to his
disappearance can perhaps be found within the
Tower, leading to different planes of existence
and timelines.
24.8 D RAGONS ’
R EVENGE
The characters defeated Tiamat, and she
returned to her prison in Avernus.
However, the dragons that led the Order of the
Dragon still linger, and they haven’t forgotten the
characters. Some have been defeated, by likely
the Twin Black Dragons Voaraghamanthar and
Waervaerendor and the Red Dragon Hoondarrh
still live, and they’re seeking revenge. They will
plot to find the characters in a vulnerable
position, and strike. How long can the
characters keep alert against such an ominous
menace?
24.9 C HARACTER
A RCS
The characters defeated Tiamat, and she
returned to her prison in Avernus.
The characters met a lot of new friends, made
many new enemies, and might have even fallen
in love. Whatever reason made them become
adventurers or mercenaries in the first place has
certainly changed after this long campaign.
Perhaps now they have the means to sustain
their families, the strength to avenge their fallen
loved-ones, or the knowledge to guide their
communities. It is time to wrap up the threads
that were left unsolved, the motivations that led
their actions so far.
24.10 O THER
E NEMIES
The characters defeated Tiamat, and she
returned to her prison in Avernus.
The characters met a lot of new friends, made
many new enemies, and might have even fallen
in love. Some of these enemies have escaped,
either to plot their revenge for later, or to escape
without atoning for their sins. It is time to wrap
up the threads that were left unsolved, the evils
that have not yet been vanquished.
24.11 C ONCLUSION
Whatever you choose to do, it will be the
conclusion to Tyranny of Dragons. Hopefully, all
character arcs have been completed and the
players are satisfied with their journey. If your
group wants to keep playing and reach level 20,
they’re free to do so. My players decided to start
the Descent into Avernus campaign, as a
continuation of this one (see above for more
details).
I truly hope you all enjoyed this journey, and
that your games have been as wonderful as mine
were. Please rate the adventure or recommend it
to others if you see fit. Comments, questions, or
suggestions, let me know in DM’s Guild or send
me an email at david.simoes@ua.pt. Have fun,
and I’ll see you in the next one!

CHAPTER 24: EPILOGUE

147
 P AR T 1

C OMPENDIUM

148
C HAPTER 25: N ON -P LAYABLE C HARACTERS
The chapter includes monsters that try to kill
the characters, and other creatures that can
both be enemies or allies to the party. This list
doesn’t include all the NPCs in every location of
the book, but instead the most relevant ones. If
your players like other NPCs that you create or
that show up elsewhere, make sure to keep track
of those and re-introduce them at later times.
25.1 A RAUTHATOR
Arauthator is an Adult White Dragon with
spellcasting and some more charisma.
If the characters learn the dragon’s name, they
can learn about Arauthator from books they
carry, scrying, asking someone with access to a
big library, or from some other source.
Arauthator, the icy claws that wait at the cold end of
the world
This old white dragon is famous for his great size and
savagery. For almost a century he has defended his
dominion against many ambitious dragons, slaughtering
over a score of his own offspring in the process. "Old White
Death," as the miners and foresters of the North know him,
is clearly more intelligent than most white dragons. He uses
traps and spells to hamper foes in battle and to strike
intruding dragons from a superior position, rather than
employing the more prevalent
"rush-headlong-into-revenge-whatever-the-cost" behavior of
his kind. Arauthator is larger than most white dragons but
adept at silent gliding and stealthy movement. He has been
known to cause rockfalls and even to tear up and drop
boulders – not just on the heads of intruding orcs or
humans, but also to create barriers to seal up rothé and
other large alpine beasts inside mountain valleys so that he
can dine upon them at leisure.
Old White Death patrols his domain tirelessly, keeping
careful watch over even the most minor changes. He
adjusts his own habits to avoid both the traps of foes and
the careless overfeeding that might lead to the
disappearance of a species on which he likes to dine. In the
process, he has smashed at least one community of frost
giants (Bulindiful, a cavern-catacomb fortress set in the
heart of Mount Halaragh, just west of the mines of Mirabar
in the Spine of the World mountain range), and he has torn
apart a mountain peak (Sardin’s Sword, once a lookout over
the upper Surbrin) to destroy the bugbear hold inside it.
Arauthator is far more cunning and patient than most
white dragons. "The spark of revenge still kindles the fire
that warms his heart to carry him on through the
centuries," wrote the sage Amorthas of Ruathym, "but he
lets it smolder under dampers of patience and cold
calculation, where other whitewings [white dragons] would
leap to the attack." No one knows why Arauthator is this
way, but it’s clear that the old dragon uses this patience to
anticipate and prepare for attacks from rival dragons, rising
orc hordes, and the remorhaz who roam the Endless Ice
Sea. He also bides his time to develop new personal warning
spells that alert him of approaching dragons and magic
items.
Arauthator is a skilled mimic and can speak the
Common tongue well enough to pose as a lost miner or
injured prospector. He has long practice in concealing
himself under snow by flapping his wings as he burrows into
drifts so as to lift the snow, which then falls over him again
in a pristine blanket. Arauthator often dozes when sleeping
in snow, but he never sleeps through the approach of
danger (he can smell most beasts, including humans, for a
mile or more downwind). He has mastered the patience
needed to remain still for days on end, perched on a
mountainside or lying in the snow of a bowl-shaped
mountain valley. Prey and foes often don’t notice him until
far too late.
Old White Death holds his own survival as his highest
goal, but he is far less lazy than most dragons in pursuing it.
He regards the maintenance of his dominion as crucial to
his own strength, though he has chosen not to strike at the
creatures of Icewind Dale. This abstinence may be born of
habit; the region was formerly part of the territory of the
dragon known to humans as Icingdeath, and the two
dragons came to an uneasy truce, ignoring each other and
leaving each other’s territories alone, rather than destroying
each other in a battle for rule over the Reghed Glacier.
Instead, Arauthator concentrates on carving ever-deeper
tunnels into the Endless Ice Sea and the rock beneath,
devouring all subterranean creatures he finds (chiefly
gnomes), to unearth his own gem and mineral treasure, and
protect his realm against attack from below by
exterminating all possible attackers. These forays seem to
attract remorhaz from the vast glacial areas that lie north
of the Spine of the World, and Arauthator fights an ongoing
battle against the iceworms, devouring all of the remorhaz
he defeats. Northern giants and gnomes refer to these
delvings as the Dragonholes and report that they consist of
at least six separate tunnel complexes spread over a wide
area north of the dragon’s lair. Several observers have also
mentioned that the dragon takes pleasure in slaying
remorhaz, often hurling the monsters around like rag dolls
before killing them, or folding his wings and wriggling across
the ice to meet and fight them worm to worm.
The Deeds of Arauthator
The favorite prey of Old White Death is full-grown frost
giants (rarely available these days), followed closely by
remorhaz and northern deer. Rothé and various bear
species are next on the menu, and other dragons are also
favored fare. Arauthator is less fond of the flesh of orcs,
CHAPTER 25: NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS
149
 bugbears, and other goblinkin, but such creatures make up
much of his staple diet; without the dragon’s presence, the
frequency and numbers of orc hordes sweeping down
through the Sword Coast North would no doubt be much
greater.
Arauthator is known to use an icemelt spell both in his
glacial delvings and to transform frozen lakes into
temporary watering holes. He is careful never to feed or
drink in a pattern that foes could observe and exploit. The
dragon usually makes one long patrol of a part of his
domain every day, plus a shorter, similar foray. He usually
feeds at least once a day, upon sighting suitable prey during
the longer patrol. He may sleep atop a rocky height if tiring
when far afield (once, boldly, atop Berun’s Hill, in the
territory of the green dragon Claugiyliamatar), but he
prefers to sleep on his bed of gems in the Lonefang. On
rare occasions he keeps to his lair for three days or more,
perfecting a new spell.
Arauthator employs a wide array of detection and trap
spells (most of the latter being cold-based) and wields spells
effective against other dragons (such as wingbind), and to
enjoy freewheeling aerial clawing and raking battles rather
than dodging among mountain peaks and sniping with his
spells. Arauthator is famous for tearing apart the venerable
red dragon Rathalylaug high above the rooftops of
Neverwinter in the Year of the Grimoire (1324 DR), in a
spectacular battle at sunset. The white dragon dove down
to smash apart a tower in triumph. He happened to choose
the tower of the sorceress Shareera, who was smashed
amid the toppling stones, even as the blood of the dying
Rathalylaug – and his last, vain firetrail spell – rained down
on the city. Wizards also remember Arauthator for freezing
the mage Phaurothlin of the Arcane Brotherhood solid, then
shattering the helpless sorcerer against a mountainside. It
seems that the haughty mage made the mistake of
challenging the white dragon for ownership of a spellbook
unearthed from the ice-covered grave of a Netherese
wizard during mining north of Mirabar.
Arauthator has a dozen or more grimoires hidden in his
lair and also works away patiently at mastering all the spells
in them. He has obviously transcended the traditional
spell-handling limitations of white dragons that keep their
verbal-only adaptations to wizard spells of the first level –
but his personal limits are as yet unknown. Old White
Death also impressed watching wizards at the MageFair held
on the western verges of Var the Golden several decades
ago, by the ease with which he shouldered the blue wyrm
Eltagrathuuloor into the side of Mount Gundar (the source
of the River Gundar). The blow was powerful enough to
cause a rockfall that brought most of the top of that peak
down on his rival, burying Eltagrathuuloor alive.
Arauthator regards the white dragon Arveiaturace as an
acceptable mate when he feels inclined. He employs a
sending spell to call her to his lair for dalliance, giving her
gems from his hoard after each mating but firmly escorting
her out of his domain to rear any hatchlings that may result
on her own. In the past, he has mated with the gigantic
CHAPTER 25: NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS
150
white dragon Ghaulantatra, the "Old Mother Wyrm"
worshiped by some orc tribes as a goddess. Arauthator
exhibited no remorse when the beholder Thaluul destroyed
Ghaulantatra and claimed her lair (somewhere in the
mountains north of High Gap, between the Delimbiyr and
the Fallen Lands).
Arauthator’s love of a good fight has made him respected
– and avoided – by other dragons. Only ambitious,
overconfident younglings seek to defeat him, finding instead
their own deaths. Arauthator makes no alliances and
ignores the overtures of other dragons. He lusts after
treasure of his own finding and magic of his own creation,
and he can’t be lured out of his domain by promises of
gems or magic. The prospect of a good fight with another
dragon always interests him, but he’s too wise to leave the
lands he knows so well just to do battle, since true foes
always come to him eventually. He’s too patient and
calculating to be governed by hatreds, and he even seems
to admire capable or wily foes. Old White Death has saluted
adventuring bands he could easily have slain, after
witnessing a clever ruse or bold stratagem on their part.
Arauthator seems especially busy these days developing
new magics and seeking wizards’ tombs within his domain
to increase his personal magical might. He also seems wary
of intrusions into his territory. Elminster is of the opinion
that the old dragon may have witnessed the opening of a
gate from another plane and been horrified at the
realization of how easily unknown foes with powerful magic
can penetrate his lair without warning.
Arauthator’s Magic
Old White Death commands a respectable roster of
detection, entrapment, and combat spells, with many of
them being variants of well-known wizard spells. He has
also demonstrably developed magical means of triggering
captured wands from afar, so that he can fire them at
intruders in his lair without touching them directly. It must
be stressed that human knowledge of Arauthator’s magic is
dangerously incomplete. Thanks to long and diligent
observations by Felandaert the Farscrying of Candlekeep,
however, we now have specifics of three of the dragon’s
spells:
Arauthator uses Ice Storm both in combat and as a trap,
leaving its waiting motes in tempting alcoves and blind
passages in the walls of his lair. He uses an ice version of
Control Water primarily to dig tunnels through glacial ice
in his search for treasure, but at least once used it to flood
orcs out of subterranean tunnels by tapping a melt water
river under a glacier (the spell temporarily prevented the
exposed water from freezing.) Arauthator uses Gust of
Wind, a spell known to a small number of dragons, in
freewheeling aerial clawing and raking battles with other
dragons.
R EGIONAL E FFECTS
The region containing Arauthator’s lair is warped
by the dragon’s magic, which creates the
A RAUTHATOR
Huge Dragon, Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 200 (16d12 + 96)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 30 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
22 (+6) 10 (+0) 22 (+6) 8 (–1) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +11, Wis +6, Cha +8
Skills Perception +11, Stealth +5
Damage Immunities cold
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 21
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. Arauthator’s spellcasting ability is Charisma
(spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately
cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: Mage Hand (capable of activating magic items)
1/day each: Detect Magic, Gust of Wind, Glyph of Warding, Sleet
Storm, Slow (used in conjunction with Glyph of Warding), Stinking
Cloud (used in conjunction with Glyph of Warding), Control
Water (capable of controlling ice), Elemental Bane, Ice Storm,
Wall of Ice
Ice Walk. The dragon can move across and climb icy surfaces
without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult
terrain composed of ice or snow doesn’t cost it extra movement.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw,
it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then
makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) cold damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is
within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a
DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute.
A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of
its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s
saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature
is immune to the dragon’s Frightful Presence for the next 24
hours.
following effects:
• Chilly fog lightly obscures the land within 6
miles of the dragon’s lair.
• Freezing precipitation falls within 6 miles of
the dragon’s lair, sometimes forming blizzard
conditions when the dragon is at rest.
• Icy walls block off areas in the dragon’s lair.
Each wall is 6 inches thick, and a 10-foot
Cold Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales an icy blast
in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC
19 Constitution saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) cold damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Legendary Actions
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time
and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The dragon
regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. Arauthator makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. Arauthator makes a tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). Arauthator beats its wings.
Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a
DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning
damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up
to half its flying speed.
Cast a Spell (Costs 3 Actions). Arauthator casts one of its
spells.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a
lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t
use the same effect two rounds in a row:
• Freezing fog fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point
the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The fog spreads
around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. Each
creature in the fog when it appears must make a DC 10
Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) cold damage on
a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
A creature that ends its turn in the fog takes 10 (3d6) cold
damage. A wind of at least 20 miles per hour disperses the
fog. The fog otherwise lasts until the dragon uses this lair
action again or until the dragon dies.
• Jagged ice shards fall from the ceiling, striking up to three
creatures underneath that the dragon can see within 120
feet of it. The dragon makes one ranged attack roll (+7 to
hit) against each target. On a hit, the target takes 10 (3d6)
piercing damage.
• The dragon creates an opaque wall of ice on a solid surface
it can see within 120 feet of it. The wall can be up to 30 feet
long, 30 feet high, and 1 foot thick. When the wall appears,
each creature within its area is pushed 5 feet out of the
wall’s space; appearing on whichever side of the wall it wants.
Each 10-foot section of the wall has AC 5, 30 hit points,
vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to acid, cold,
necrotic, poison, and psychic damage. The wall disappears
when the dragon uses this lair action again or when the
dragon dies.
section has AC 5, 15 hit points, vulnerability
to fire damage, and immunity to acid, cold,
necrotic, poison, and psychic damage.
• If the dragon wishes to move through a wall, it
can do so without slowing down. The portion
of the wall the dragon moves through is
destroyed, however.
If the dragon dies, the fog and precipitation
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151
 fade within 1 day. The ice walls melt over the notice the edges of the tattoos peeking out from
course of 1d10 days. under the cap. He fled Thay when Szass Tam
rose to power, and wishes his country to no
25.2 A RMORED longer be controlled by undead monsters. Szass
Tam shares a similar vision, and thus quickly
S WARM OF gained Azbara Jos’s loyalty.

S NAKES A ZBARA J OS
This is a suit of armor that was animated by a Medium Humanoid (Human), Lawful Evil
swarm of Yuan-Ti snakes. I basically changed
the resistances and immunities of the Helmed Armor Class 13 (16 with mage armor)
Horror to mimic a swarm of snakes (resistance Hit Points 71 (11d8 + 22)
to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage) Speed 30 ft.
and the Yuan-Ti (immunity to poison).
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (–1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 11 (+0)
A RMORED S WARM OF Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +6, Deception +3, Insight +4, Stealth +6
S NAKES Senses passive Perception 11
Medium swarm of Tiny monstrosities, Neutral Evil
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal, Primordial, Thayan
Armor Class 20 (plate armor, shield) Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft. Special Equipment. Azbara has two scrolls of mage armor.
Potent Cantrips. When Azbara casts an evocation cantrip and
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA misses, or the target succeeds on its saving throw, the target
18 (+4) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) still takes half the cantrip’s damage but suffers no other effect.
Sculpt Spells. When Azbara casts an evocation spell that affects
Skills Perception +4
other creatures that he can see, he can choose up to five of
Damage Resistances bludgeoning and piercing from
them to succeed on their saving throws against the spell. Those
nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine
creatures take no damage if they would normally take half
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
damage from the spell.
Condition Immunities charmed, paralyzed, poisoned,
frightened, petrified, stunned Spellcasting. Azbara Jos is a 7th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting
Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 14 ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell
Languages — attacks). He has the following Wizard spells prepared:
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost,
shocking grasp
Magic Resistance. The Armored Swarm of Snakes has 1st level (4 slots): fog cloud, magic missile, shield, thunderwave
advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical 2nd level (3 slots): invisibility, misty step, scorching ray
effects. 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, dispel magic, fireball
4th level (1 slot): evard’s black tentacles
Actions
Multiattack. The Armored Swarm of Snakes makes two Actions
longsword attacks. Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage.

25.3 A ZBARA J OS
Azbara Jos is a bit stronger to avoid getting him
1-shot by players the moment they encounter
him.
Azbara Jos is a male human and a Red Wizard
of Thay, following Rath Modar, instead of Szass
Tam. He hides his thayan features by wearing a
wool cap with ear and neck flaps to cover his
shaved, tattooed head. It’s not an especially
effective disguise; characters who make a
successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check
25.4 B ANE ’ S
C ULTISTS
Taken from the Baldur’s Gate: Descent into
Avernus book.
Bane’s devoted followers are warriors who seek
to rule through martial strength and
intimidation, cruel tyrants who use threats and
gifts as needed to ensure loyalty. They enslave
those too weak to resist them and shower the
strong with gifts and promises of power to turn
them into loyal vassals.

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152
• Cruel Tyrants: Whenever Bane’s followers
gain power, they institute draconian measures I RON C ONSUL
to ensure that their rule is unquestioned. They Medium Humanoid (Human), Lawful Evil
stamp out all opposition while richly rewarding
Armor Class 16 (chain mail)
those who swear fealty.
Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)
• Warrior Cult: Cultists of Bane are warriors
Speed 30 ft.
who wear heavy armor and wield maces,
swords, spears, and crossbows. They paint the STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
right gauntlet of their armor black in honor of 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 16 (+3)
their patron. Bane’s clerics wield black maces
with heads shaped to look like a closed fist. Saving Throws Wis +4
• Cult Ranks: Bane’s cultists operate according Skills Intimidation +5, Perception +5
to strict military hierarchies. The lowest rank Condition Immunities frightened
Senses passive Perception 14
consists of the fists of Bane, foot soldiers who
Languages Common
obey all orders without hesitation. They are led
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
by iron consuls, cunning field officers who
excel at coordinating the fists in combat. The Tactical Discipline. The iron consul has advantage on all ability
black gauntlets are the priests who command checks and saving throws made during combat.
the consuls.
Actions
Multiattack. The iron consul makes one attack with its spear
B LACK G AUNTLET OF B ANE and can use its Voice of Command ability.
Medium Humanoid (Human), Lawful Evil
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
Armor Class 16 (chain mail) range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, or
Hit Points 51 (6d8 + 24) 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a
Speed 30 ft. melee attack.
Voice of Command. The iron consul selects up to two allies
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA within 90 feet of it that can hear its commands. Each ally can
18 (+4) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) immediately use its reaction to make one melee attack.

Saving Throws Wis +5

Skills Intimidation +7, Perception +5
Condition Immunities frightened
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Common
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Aura of Terror. When a hostile creature within 5 feet of the

black gauntlet makes an attack roll or a saving throw, it has
disadvantage on the roll. Creatures that are immune to the
frightened condition are immune to this trait.
Spellcasting. The black gauntlet is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with
spell attacks). It has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): guidance, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): bane, bless, cure wounds, guiding bolt
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, hold person, silence
3rd level (2 slots): sending, spirit guardians

Tactical Discipline. The black gauntlet has advantage on all

ability checks and saving throws made during combat.

Actions
Multiattack. The black gauntlet makes two attacks with its
mace.
Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Figure 25.1: Bane followers. By Wizards of the
Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (3d8) necrotic Coast.
damage.

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153
 25.5 B HAAL ’ S D EATH ’ S H EAD OF B HAAL
C ULTISTS Medium Humanoid (Human), Chaotic Evil

Taken from the Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Armor Class 15

Avernus book. Hit Points 76 (8d8 + 40)
Bhaal’s cultists emulate their deity, carrying Speed 50 ft.
out gruesome murders to spread fear and horror.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
They are charming and disarming when they
20 (+5) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 16 (+3)
wish, but in combat their true, bloodthirsty
nature comes to the fore. Skills Intimidation +6, Perception +4, Persuasion +6, Stealth +11
• Bloodletters: All cultists of Bhaal learn to call Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common
upon their god’s power to leave their victims
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
vulnerable to their long-bladed knives. When
Bhaal’s magic works its power, stab wounds Aura of Murder. As long as the death’s head is not
erupt in terrible gouts of blood. Seemingly incapacitated, hostile creatures within 5 feet of it gain
minor wounds plunge deep into a victim’s body vulnerability to piercing damage unless they have resistance or
and cause terrible pain and bleeding. immunity to such damage.
• Killers from the Shadows: Bhaal’s followers Magic Resistance. The death’s head has advantage on saving
are cunning murderers who kill to strike fear throws against spells and other magical effects.
and thrive on sowing terror in the cities they
inhabit. They can call upon their god’s power Actions
to blend into the shadows with ease, or even Multiattack. The death’s head uses Stunning Gaze and makes
turn invisible for a crucial moment. two dagger attacks.
• Cult Ranks: Low-ranking cultists of Bhaal are
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage.
Stunning Gaze. The death’s head targets one creature it can see
R EAPER OF B HAAL within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 14
Medium Humanoid (Human), Chaotic Evil Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next
turn.
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5) Reactions
Speed 40 ft.
Unstoppable (3/Day). The death’s head reduces the damage it
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA takes from an attack to 0.
11 (+0) 20 (+5) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)

Skills Intimidation +5, Perception +3, Persuasion +5, Stealth +9

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Aura of Murder. As long as the reaper is not incapacitated,

hostile creatures within 5 feet of it gain vulnerability to piercing
damage unless they have resistance or immunity to such
damage.
Innate Spellcasting. The reaper’s innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following
spells, requiring no material components:
1/day each: charm person, disguise self, sanctuary

Actions
Multiattack. The reaper makes two dagger attacks and uses
Shroud Self.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage.
Shroud Self. The reaper magically turns invisible until the start Figure 25.2: Bhaal followers. By Wizards of the
of its next turn. This invisibility ends if the reaper makes an Coast.
attack roll, makes a damage roll, or casts a spell.

CHAPTER 25: NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS

154
 called night blades, whom Bhaal blesses with
darkvision and superior stealth. Reapers are
the next rank up. They gain the ability to turn
invisible and can use Bhaal’s magic to evade
suspicion. The highest rank are the death’s
heads, who can take on the skull-faced guise
of their deity to terrify their prey. In combat,
they intimidate foes by shrugging off the
deadliest attacks with ease, showing that
resisting Bhaal’s schemes is futile.
25.6 B ULLYWUG
C ROAKER
Taken from the Ghosts of Saltmarsh book.
B ULLYWUG C ROAKER
Medium Humanoid (Bullywug), Neutral Evil
Armor Class 15 (hide armor, shield)
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 7 (–2) 15 (+2) 10 (+0)
Saving Throws Con +3
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +3
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Bullywug
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Amphibious. The croaker can breathe air and water.
Speak with Frogs and Toads. The croaker can communicate
simple concepts to frogs and toads when it speaks in Bullywug.
Standing Leap. The croaker’s long jump is up to 20 feet and its
high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start.
Swamp Camouflage. The croaker has advantage on Dexterity
(Stealth) checks made to hide in swampy terrain.
Actions
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, or
6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a
melee attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Glaaar-pat (3/Day). The croaker sings a song of marshy doom.
Each chosen creature within 30 feet of the croaker that can
hear the song must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw, taking
9 (2d8) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one. A creature that fails this saving
throw also has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws until
the end of its next turn.
Rooooo-glog (1/Day). The croaker sings an ode to an elder
froghemoth. Each bullywug within 30 feet of the croaker that
can hear the song gains 10 temporary hit points.
Some bullywugs are born with the ability to
weave magic into their songs. These rare
specimens are raised in protected enclaves
where they are taught to use their magic to both
heal and harm. As demonstrated in Danger at
Dunwater, they are among the most pompous of
bullywugs.
25.7 C HUTH
Chuth is an Adult Green Dragon with Lair
Actions from Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons.
If the characters learn the dragon’s name, they
can learn about Chuth from books they carry,
scrying, asking someone with access to a big
library, or from some other source.
Chuth, the Emerald Assassin
The green dragon, known to the Wood Elves as the
"Emerald Assassin", does not speak to creatures that he
hunts, believing it heightens the fear.
Chuth was born in the Ardeep Forest in 942 DR, the Year
of the Circling Vulture, and has spent nearly all of his adult
life cultivating a taste for elves. He’s eaten more than his
fair share, moving from forest to forest so that he can’t be
tracked down and killed.
In his younger years, Chuth believed he could steal elves’
immortality by devouring them. Maturity has cured him of
that ridiculous notion; now, he’s simply drawn to the sport
of hunting prominent elves, particularly those of noble or
royal descent. He passes the time learning about elf kings,
princes, and lords and hatching elaborate schemes to lure
his chosen prey into isolated corners of the wilderness,
where he ambushes and eats them.
Chuth at one point joined the Order of the Dragon, and
had agreed to become a dracolich in 1373 DR as the Rage of
Dragons of that year was expected to last forever. He
changed his mind and ate the cultists in his enclave shortly
after the Rage ended.
R EGIONAL E FFECTS
The region containing a legendary green dragon’s
lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which
creates one or more of the following effects:
• Thickets form labyrinthine passages within 1
mile of the dragon’s lair. The thickets act as
10-foot-high, 10-foot-thick walls that block
line of sight. Creatures can move through the
thickets, with every 1 foot a creature moves
costing it 4 feet of movement. A creature in the
thickets must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw once each round it’s in contact with the
thickets or take 3 (1d6) piercing damage from
thorns.Each 10-foot-cube of thickets has AC 5,
30 hit points, resistance to bludgeoning and
piercing damage, vulnerability to fire damage,
and immunity to psychic and thunder damage.
CHAPTER 25: NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS
155
 • Within 1 mile of its lair, the dragon leaves no
physical evidence of its passage unless it
C HUTH
Huge Dragon, Lawful Evil
Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 207 (18d12 + 90)
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
23 (+6) 12 (+1) 21 (+5) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 17 (+3)
Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +10, Wis +7, Cha +8
Skills Deception +8, Insight +7, Perception +12, Persuasion +8,
Stealth +6
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. Chuth’s spellcasting ability is Intelligence
(spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately
cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: Mage Hand
1/day each: Comprehend Languages, Feather Fall, Shield, Detect
Magic
2/day each: Invisibility, Suggestion
Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw,
it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then
makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is
within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a
DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute.
A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of
its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s
saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature
is immune to the dragon’s Frightful Presence for the next 24
hours.
Poison Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales poisonous
gas in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make
a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 56 (16d6) poison
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful
one.
CHAPTER 25: NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS
156
wishes to. Tracking it there is impossible
except by magical means. In addition, it
Legendary Actions
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time
and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The dragon
regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. Chuth makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. Chuth makes a tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings.
Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a
DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning
damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up
to half its flying speed.
Cast a Spell (Costs 3 Actions). Chuth casts one of its spells.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a
lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t
use the same effect two rounds in a row:
• Grasping roots and vines erupt in a 20-foot radius centered
on a point on the ground that the dragon can see within
120 feet of it. That area becomes difficult terrain, and each
creature there must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving
throw or be restrained by the roots and vines. A creature can
be freed if it or another creature takes an action to make a
DC 15 Strength check and succeeds. The roots and vines wilt
away when the dragon uses this lair action again or when the
dragon dies.
• A wall of tangled brush bristling with thorns springs into
existence on a solid surface within 120 feet of the dragon. The
wall is up to 60 feet long, 10 feet high, and 5 feet thick, and
it blocks line of sight. When the wall appears, each creature
in its area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A
creature that fails the save takes 18 (4d8) piercing damage
and is pushed 5 feet out of the wall’s space, appearing on
whichever side of the wall it wants. A creature can move
through the wall, albeit slowly and painfully. For every 1 foot
a creature travels through the wall, it must spend 4 feet of
movement. Furthermore, a creature in the wall’s space must
make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw once each round it’s in
contact with the wall, taking 18 (4d8) piercing damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Each
10-foot section of wall has AC 5, 15 hit points, vulnerability to
fire damage, resistance to bludgeoning and piercing damage,
and immunity to psychic damage. The wall sinks back into
the ground when the dragon uses this lair action again or
when the dragon dies.
• Magical fog billows around one creature the dragon can see
within 120 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC
15 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the dragon until
initiative count 20 on the next round.
• One large root or branch that is part of the lair makes a
melee attack roll against a creature within 10 feet of it. It has
a +7 bonus to hit and deals 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage on
a hit. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must
succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked
prone.
 ignores movement impediments and damage
from plants in this area that are neither
magical nor creatures, including the thickets
described above. The plants remove
themselves from the dragon’s path.
• Rodents and birds within 1 mile of the
dragon’s lair serve as the dragon’s eyes and
ears. Deer and other large game are strangely
absent, hinting at the presence of an
unnaturally hungry predator.
If the dragon dies, the rodents and birds lose
their supernatural link to it. The thickets
remain, but within 1d10 days, they become
mundane plants and normal difficult terrain,
losing their thorns.
25.8 C ULT WAGON
L EADER
These are mercenaries that drive the wagons of
the Order of the Dragon from where they’re
looted (like Greenest) to the Carnath Roadhouse
for unloading. Balthazar, Melchior, and Caspar
are such examples, found in the On the Road
chapter. These mercenaries are loyal to the cult,
C ULT WAGON L EADER
Medium humanoid (any race), neutral evil
Armor Class 17 (splint armor)
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
Skills Athletics +5, Perception +2
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Dragon Initiate. The Cult Wagon Leader has advantage on
saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
Pack Tactics. The Cult Wagon Leader has advantage on an
attack roll against a creature if at least one of their allies is
within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Actions
Multiattack. The Cult Wagon Leader makes two longsword
attacks. If it has a shortsword drawn, it can also make a
shortsword attack.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing
damage if used with two hands.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range
100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d10 + 1) piercing damage.
initially for gold, but lately having adopted their
ideologies and soon to be officially anointed into
the Order’s ranks.
25.9 C YANWRATH
Cyanwrath has some magical items that make
him a bit stronger, thus rewarding the
characters when they finally defeat him.
Cyanwrath is a half-blue dragon who serves
the Cult of the Dragon. Despite his wishes to see
chromatic dragons rise to power, he is an
honorable foe. He much prefers doing 1-on-1
combats than forcing his underlings to fight his
own battles. In fact, he respects any challenger
that offers the same kind of duel. He expects the
opponent to respect the same set of rules, and
will abide by whatever terms have been set
beforehand (for example, he can let the
underlings of a Captain leave with their lives if
their captain proposes a duel to the death).
L ANGDEDROSA C YANWRATH
Medium Humanoid (Half-Dragon), Lawful Evil
Armor Class 18 (splint armor and a Cloak of Protection)
Hit Points 57 (6d12 + 18)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)
Saving Throws Str +7, Dex +2, Con +6, Int +1, Wis +3, Cha +2
Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +3, Perception +4
Damage Resistances lightning
Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Special Equipment. Cyanwrath has a +1 Greatsword and a
Cloak of Protection.
Action Surge (Recharges on a Short or Long Rest). On his turn,
Cyanwrath can take one additional action.
Improved Critical. Cyanwrath’s weapon attacks score a critical
hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Actions
Multiattack. Cyanwrath attacks twice, either with his
greatsword or spear.
Greatsword + 1. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Lightning Breath (Recharge 5–6). Langdedrosa breathes
lightning in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in
the line must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22
(4d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one.
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157
 25.10 D RALMORRER 25.11 G ALVAN
B ORNGRAY Galvan has a few abilities from the Draconic
Sorcerer subclass, and the statblock assumes he
Borngray has higher ability scores to match his is not wearing the Blue Dragon Mask.
position as a lieutenant of Castle Naerytar.
The elf belongs to a group of supremacists
dedicated to removing humanity from Faerûn.
He believes that his island home will be safely
sheltered from the dragons’ reign. Elves on the
mainland will suffer, but that will be a small
price to pay for the terror that will fall on
humanity.
He wishes Rezmir would have elevated
lizardfolk in Naerytar’s chain of command,
instead of the repulsive Bullywugs. He tries to
teach the lizardfolk new skills such that they will
impress Rezmir.

D RALMORRER B ORNGRAY
Medium Humanoid (High Elf), Neutral Evil

Armor Class 17 (studded leather, shield)

Hit Points 105 (14d10 + 28)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

18 (+4) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)

Saving Throws Str +7, Con +5

Skills Arcana +7, Deception +3, Insight +4, Perception +4,
Religion +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Bullywug, Draconic, Elvish, Goblin, Sylvan
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Fey Ancestry. Dralmorrer has advantage on saving throws
against being charmed, and magic can’t put him to sleep.
Spellcasting. Dralmorrer is a 3rd-level spellcaster. His
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with
spell attacks). He has the following Wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, prestidigitation, shocking grasp
1st level (4 slots): longstrider, magic missile, shield, thunderwave
2nd level (2 slots): magic weapon, misty step
War Magic. When Dralmorrer uses his action to cast a cantrip,
he can also take a bonus action to make one weapon attack.
Weapon Bond. Provided his longsword is on the same plane
Dralmorrer can take a bonus action to teleport it to his hand.
Actions
Multiattack. Dralmorrer attacks twice, either with his longsword
or dagger.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage.
Figure 25.3: Wyrmspeaker Galvan. By Wizards
of the Coast.
He has a dragon curse upon him that prevents
him from spilling any secret information about
the Order. The curse can be broken by a
7th-level Remove Curse. If he reveals any
information (even if inadvertently), a fractal
tattoo grows from his chest across his entire
skin and kills him.
He carries a Dragontooth Dagger and a
Dragon-Touched Focus.
WAKENED D RAGON -T OUCHED F OCUS
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement by
a spellcaster)
This amulet incorporates imagery of dragons’
wings and scales.
You have advantage on initiative rolls. While
you are holding the focus, it can function as a
spellcasting focus for all your spells.
Whenever you use a spell slot to cast a spell
that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison
damage, roll a d6, and you gain a bonus equal to
the number rolled to one of the spell’s damage
rolls.
While you are holding a Wakened focus, you
can use it to cast hold monster and Rime’s

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158
G ALVAN
Medium Humanoid (Human), Neutral Evil
Armor Class 17 (Draconic Resilience)
Hit Points 141 (22d8 + 42)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (–1) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 20 (+5)
Saving Throws Con +6, Wis +5, Cha +9
Skills Acrobatics +9, Arcana +8, Deception +10, Initimidation
+10, Perception +6, Persuasion +10
Damage Immunities lightning
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Special Equipment. Galvan has willingly parted with the Blue
Dragon Mask. When Galvan is reduced to 0 hit points, the
Dragon Mask is not teleported anywhere.
Galvan also carries a Wakened Dragon-Touched Focus
(Chromatic). This provides him with the following:
• Initiative Advantage on initiative rolls.
• Elemental Damage Galvan adds an additional d6 to any
spell damage roll that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison
damage.
• Spells Galvan can cast Hold Monster and Rime’s binding ice
once per day.
Finally, Galvan carries a Dragontooth Dagger.
Spellcasting. Galvan is a 14th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting
ability is Charisma (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks).
He has the following Sorcerer spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): Lightning Lure, Shocking Grasp, Thunderclap
1st level (4 slots): Absorb Elements, Detect Magic, Disguise Self,
Magic Missile, Shield
2nd level (3 slots): Blur, Hold Person
3rd level (3 slots): Lightning Bolt, Thunder Step
4th level (3 slots): Raulothim’s Psychic Lance
binding ice. Once the item is used to cast a
given spell, it can’t be used to cast that spell
again until the next dawn.
The focus can evolve into an Ascendant
Dragon-Touched Focus if nurtured by any
dragon for a year. It can then be attuned by
someone considered worthy by the dragon (over
level 15 and with similar alignment).
A SCENDANT D RAGON -T OUCHED F OCUS
Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement
by a spellcaster)
The Ascendant Dragon-Touched Focus has the
same properties as a Wakened Dragon-Touched
Focus, and the following additional feature.
When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher
while holding this focus, you can treat the spell
as if it were cast using a 9th-level spell slot.
5th level (2 slots): Synaptic Static
6th level (1 slot): Chain Lightning
7th level (1 slot): Finger of Death
Metamagic. When Galvan casts a spell, he can twist his spells to
suit his needs.
• Distand Spell (3/day) The spell’s range doubles.
• Quick Spell (2/day) The casting time of the spell changes
from 1 action to 1 bonus action.
• Heightened Spell (1/day) One target of the spell has disadvantage
on the first saving throw against the spell.
Elemental Affinity. When Galvan deals lightning damage, he
can add his Charisma modifier to the damage roll.
Dragon Wings. Galvan can sprout a pair of dragon wings from
his back, gaining a flying speed equal to his current speed. He
can create these wings as a bonus action on his turn. They last
until he dismisses them.
Actions
Dragontooth Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to
hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d4 + 6)
piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage.
Eldritch Arrow. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, range 120 ft., one
target. Hit: 11 (2d10) force damage plus 9 (2d8) lightning damage.
Storm Sphere (2/Day). A storm fills a 20-foot-radius sphere
centered on a point Galvan can see within 150 feet of him,
mimicking the effects of a 5th level Storm Sphere spell.
Legendary Actions
Galvan can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Galvan regains
spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Cast a Spell (Costs 3 Actions). Galvan casts one of his spells
of 5th level or lower.
Cantrip. Galvan cast one of his cantrips.
Hide. Galvan takes the Hide action.
Once this property is used, it can’t be used again
until the next dawn.
25.12 G LAZHAEL
The dragon at Skyreach Castle is a
dumber-than-usual Young White Dragon.
Cover Page
The cover of Hoard of the Dragon Queen represents
Glazhael freezing the characters with a cold breath attack.
The smallest, least intelligent, and most
animalistic of the chromatic dragons, white
dragons dwell in frigid climes, favoring arctic
areas or icy mountains. They are vicious, cruel
reptiles driven by hunger and greed, and
Glazhael is no exception.
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159
 The young dragon has feral eyes, a sleek
profile, and a spined crest. His scales glisten
pure white, and it covets the treasure it protects
on Skyreach Castle. In his mind, Glazhael has a
vague idea the treasure isn’t his, but for now, it
is, and it will defend it with its life. If Skyreach
Castle crashes to the ground, Glazhael will
believe the treasure is lost under all the rubble,
and run away while crying.
Glazhael consumes only food that has been
frozen, devouring creatures killed by its breath
weapon while they are still stiff and frigid. It
encases other kills in ice or buries them in snow
near its lair, and finding such a larder is a good
indication that a white dragon dwells nearby.
For most white dragons, their flawless memory
means that they know how they came to possess
every coin, gem, and magic item in their hoard.
For Glazhael, however, unless a huge amount of
treasure suddenly vanished, he would just get
confused and assume he had imagined more
treasure than he actually had.
G LAZHAEL
Large Dragon, Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 133 (14d10 + 56)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 6 (–2) 8 (–1) 12 (+1)
Saving Throws Dex +3, Con +7, Wis +2, Cha +4
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +3
Damage Immunities cold
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Ice Walk. The dragon can move across and climb icy surfaces
without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult
terrain composed of ice or snow doesn’t cost it extra
movement.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks: one with its bite
and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) cold damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Cold Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales an icy blast in
a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15
Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) cold damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
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160
25.13 G OBLIN
S HAMAN
A Golbin Shaman is a Goblin that uses his faith
to gain divine powers from evil lower deities.
Shamans bring the teachings of their gods to
the common goblins. They are the spiritual
leaders of their tribes and often hold positions of
influence. Most of their teachings are completely
made-up, having been imagined by the shaman
sometimes on purpose (something that would be
helpful for the goblin), sometimes by accident
(something banal happened that was interpreted
as a sign from the gods).
A shaman typically has one or more acolytes to
help with religious ceremonies and other unholy
duties. Rituals often involve life sacrifices to
their gods.
G OBLIN S HAMAN
Medium humanoid (Goblinoid), chaotic evil
Armor Class 13 (chain shirt)
Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1)
Skills Medicine +7, Persuasion +3, Religion +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Goblin
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Divine Eminence. As a bonus action, the shaman can expend a
spell slot to cause its melee weapon attacks to magically deal an
extra 7 (2d6) radiant damage to a target on a hit. This benefit
lasts until the end of the turn.
Spellcasting. The shaman is a 1st-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with
spell attacks). It has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): light, thaumaturgy
1st level (2 slots): cure wounds, guiding bolt
Actions
Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
25.14 G RIFFON
C AVALRY
R IDER
Taken from Waterdeep: Dragon Heist.
The Griffon Cavalry is a special branch of
Waterdeep’s City Guard, whose members are
veteran soldiers trained to fly griffon mounts.
 The City Guard is Waterdeep’s army, charged caster, then the pyx and any creature who holds
with protecting the city’s walls and gates, it are under a permanent nondetection spell.
government buildings, harbor, and officials. The Undead creatures cannot approach within 10
City Guard also patrols the roads to Amphail, feet of the pyx, nor can they charm, frighten, or
Goldenfields, and Daggerford. possess creatures within that area. If the pyx is
used to power magical wards, it drains 1 hit die
per day from one of the divine casters trapped
G RIFFON C AVALRY R IDER within, determined randomly. Once a soul loses
Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment all their hit dice, they are consumed forever and
cannot be resurrected, not even by True
Armor Class 17 (half plate armor)
Resurrection.
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft. In addition to powering magical wards, the
radiant magic stored in the pyx can also be used
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA as a weapon. For a smite attack, each hit die
14 (+2) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) that is expended from the pyx’s captive souls
does 4 (1d8) radiant damage; there is no limit on
Skills Animal Handling +3, Athletics +4, Perception +3 how many hit dice may be drained. Treat the pyx
Senses passive Perception 13 as a simple weapon for the purposes of smite
Languages any one language (usually Common)
attacks.
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
For a burst attack, each additional hit die
expended beyond the damage dice increases the
Actions radius of the attack by 5 feet. The burst is
Lance. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. always centered on the pyx. Each creature in the
Hit: 8 (1d12 + 2) piercing damage, or 11 (1d12 + 5) piercing damage area of effect must make a DC 20 Constitution
piercing damage while mounted. saving throw, taking full damage on a failed save,
Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. or half as much damage on a successful one. A
Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. creature reduced to 0 hit points by the pyx is
disintegrated and turned to ash.
Reactions After the murder of Eseldra Yeth, the pyx of
Feather Fall. The rider wears a magic ring with which it can Nethwatch Keep has 6 souls and 46 hit dice
cast the feather fall spell on itself once as a reaction to falling. remaining, enough for a 30 foot radius 40d8
After the spell is cast, the ring becomes nonmagical. explosion that could wipe out the entire keep.
Any character of good alignment who touches
the pyx can feel the souls trapped inside it, and
any character capable of casting divine magic
25.15 K HANDUR can commune with them at will. Characters who
study the pyx can make a DC 15 Intelligence
U LMARIK (Arcana) check to open it and release the souls
Khandur Ulmarik has the statblock of a safely. Releasing the catches in the proper
Necromancer with the following changes: sequence bathes the area in warm golden light
and frees the souls forever.
• 10 Strength and 8 Charisma
• Knows Common, Thayan, Rashemi, Infernal
He has been poisoned for the last few days 25.16 K ING H EKATON
with a torpor concoction, and has disadvantage Taken from Storm King’s Thunder.
on all Wisdom saving throws. Hekaton, also known as the Storm King, is the
ruler of the storm giants and of all giantkind. He
P YX OF S OUL C APTURE is a contemplative seer that lives in places far
Wondrous item, very rare removed from mortal civilization.
This small round receptacle appears to have With his pale purple-gray skin and hair, and
been carved from ivory or bone. It has been glittering emerald eyes, King Hekaton wields
engraved with necromantic symbols and fitted respect and fear as his primary means to uphold
with ten small gems. the ordning - the social structure of all giantkind
The Pyx can trap the souls of victims who are - and keep the lesser giant races in line. His
slain in a ritual sacrifice; if those victims were command over them is bolstered by the
capable of casting divine magic, it can also drain numerous powerful artifacts he wields.
their souls to fuel powerful guards and wards. Hekaton does not much like the small folk of
The pyx can hold up to ten souls (one for each the Realms, though wis wife, Queen Neri, is
gem). If even one of those souls was a divine quite fond of them. While Hekaton initially

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161
 K ING H EKATON
Huge Giant, Chaotic Good

Armor Class 16 (scale mail)

Hit Points 230 (20d12 + 100)
Speed 50 ft., swim 50 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

29 (+9) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Str +14, Con +10, Wis +9, Cha +9

Skills Arcana +8, Athletics +14, History +8, Perception +9
Damage Resistances cold
Damage Immunities lightning, thunder
Senses passive Perception 19
Languages Common, Giant
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)

Amphibious. Hekaton can breathe air and water.

At will: detect magic, feather fall, levitate, light
3/day each: control weather, water breathing
Figure 25.4: King Hekaton. By Wizards of the
Innate Spellcasting. The giant’s innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 17). It can innately cast the following
Coast.
spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, feather fall, levitate, light 25.17 L AERAL
3/day each: control weather, water breathing
S ILVERHAND
Actions Anamanué Laeral Silverhand was born in the
Multiattack. Hekaton makes two broken chain attacks. Year of the Cowl (765 DR), the fifth of seven
Broken Chain. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., daughters of the goddess Mystra. Each of the
one target. Hit: 19 (3d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage. Seven Sisters is a powerful and ageless beauty
with a penchant for arcane magic.
Broken Chain. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480
ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d10 + 2) piercing damage.
Lightning Strike (Recharge 5–6). Hekaton hurls a magical
lightning bolt at a point he can see within 500 feet of it. Each
creature within 10 feet of that point must make a DC 17
Dexterity saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) lightning damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Thunderous Stomp (Recharge 6). Hekaton stomps the ground,
triggering a thunderclap. All other creatures within 15 feet of
him must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take
33 (6d10) thunder damage and be deafened until the start of
Hekaton’s next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half
as much damage and isn’t deafened. The thunderclap can be
heard out to a range of 1,200 feet.

disapproved of Neri’s forays into the world of the

small folk, he became more tolerant of them as
time went on. He even accompanied her on a few
of these visits, and is willing to collaborate with
the small folk in time of need. Figure 25.5: Laeral Silverhand. By Wizards of
the Coast.
The king does not fully trust his elder
daughters, believing them unfit to lead the storm
Long ago, Laeral ruled a kingdom called
giants. Beyond his wife, he only fully trusts his
Stornanter and held the title of Witch-Queen of
youngest daughter, Princess Serissa, and his
the North. After that, she led a band of
younger brother, Imperator Uthor.
adventurers called the Nine. She met and
married Khelben Arunsun, who would later

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162
L AERAL S ILVERHAND
Medium Humanoid (Human), Chaotic Good
Armor Class 18 (robe of the archmagi)
Hit Points 228 (24d8 + 120)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 17 (+3) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 19 (+4)
Saving Throws Int +11, Wis +11
Skills Arcana +17, History +17, Insight +11, Perception +11,
Persuasion +10
Damage Resistances fire
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 21
Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarvish, Elvish, Giant, Infernal
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
Special Equipment. Laeral wears a white robe of the archmagi
(accounted for in her statistics). She wields a flame tongue
longsword. While wearing her robe of the archmagi, Laeral has
advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical
effects.
Spellcasting. Laeral is a 19th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting
ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit with spell
attacks). Laeral has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): light, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation,
ray of frost
1st level (4 slots): detect magic, disguise self, magic missile, shield
2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, misty step
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fly, sending, tongues
4th level (3 slots): banishment, greater invisibility, Otiluke’s
resilient sphere
5th level (2 slots): cone of cold, geas, Rary’s telepathic bond
6th level (2 slots): globe of invulnerability, mass suggestion
7th level (1 slot): prismatic spray, teleport
7th level (1 slot): feeblemind, power word stun
7th level (1 slot): time stop
become the Blackstaff, the Lord Mage of
Waterdeep. After Khelben died, Laeral retired
from public life. She resurfaced after the
Spellplague and the Sundering, weakened by
Mystra’s death, rebirth, and withdrawal from the
world.
Laeral’s magic isn’t as great as it once was,
though she does her utmost to hide this fact.
Only Elminster, her trusted friend and advisor,
knows the extent of her decline. Despite her
diminished abilities, Laeral remains a
formidable, clear-headed wizard with plenty of
magic at her disposal.
In the beginning of this campaign, she is part
of the Masked Lords, the ruling council of
Waterdeep, whose members remain anonymous
from the general public. By the end, however,
Actions
Multiattack. Laeral makes three attacks with her silver hair
and flame tongue, in any combination. She can cast one of her
cantrips or 1st-level spells before or after making these attacks.
Silver Hair. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (2d6) force damage, and the target must succeed
on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1
minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of
each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Flame Tongue. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) slashing damage, or 6 (1d10 + 1) slashing
damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack, plus 7
(2d6) fire damage.
Spellfire (Recharges after a Long Rest).
Magical, heatless, silver fire harmlessly erupts from Laeral
and surrounds her until she is incapacitated or until she uses an
action to quench it. She gains one of the following benefits of
her choice, which lasts until the silver fire ends:
• She can breathe underwater.
• She can survive without food and water.
• She is immune to magic that would ascertain her thoughts,
truthfulness, alignment, or creature type.
• She gains resistance to cold damage, and she is unharmed by
temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the silver fire is present, she has the following additional
action options:
• Cast the cure wounds spell. The target regains 1d8 + 5 hit
points. After Laeral takes this action, roll a d6. On a roll of 1,
the silver fire disappears.
• Cast the revivify spell without material components. After
Laeral takes this action, roll a d6. On a roll of 1-2, the silver
fire disappears.
• Release a 60-foot line of silver fire that is 5 feet wide or a 30-
foot cone of silver fire. Objects in the area that aren’t being
worn or carried take 26 (4d12) fire damage. Each creature in
the area must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw,
taking 26 (4d12) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one. After Laeral takes this action,
roll a d6. On a roll of 1-3, the silver fire disappears.
the Open Lord of Waterdeep is ousted, and
Laeral reluctantly steps into the vacancy at the
request of the other Masked Lords. Initially
overwhelmed by the demands of the nobles and
guildmasters, she settles nicely into her new role.
She uses her magic sparingly and relies on
trusted advisors and deputies. As time allows,
she likes to venture outside the Palace of
Waterdeep in disguise, just to clear her head or
check up on old friends (and enemies).
Laeral’s relationship with Vajra Safahr, the
current Blackstaff, has its challenges. For one
thing, Laeral is much older, much wiser, and
much more powerful than Vajra, whom she
views as an insecure child. In addition, Vajra
wields the Blackstaff, which has Khelben
Arunsun’s soul and the souls of all the other
CHAPTER 25: NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS
163
 Blackstaffs bound inside it. Laeral covets the
staff, because it contains all that’s left of her
husband. Not surprisingly, the two mages avoid
each other as much as possible.
In times of great need, Laeral can command
Vajra to unleash Force Grey (the army rules by
the Blackstaff of Waterdeep). Until that order is
given, Force Grey isn’t allowed to conduct
operations in Waterdeep, though Laeral’s spies
tell her that Vajra has secretly activated
members of the elite order and sent them on a
number of unauthorized missions. Laeral is
reluctant to confront Vajra on the matter, and
rationalizes her inaction by framing it as a test of
Vajra’s competence.
25.18 L ENNITHON
Lennithon has the statblock of a typical Adult
Blue Dragon.
It’s unlikely the characters face Lennithon at
one of its lairs, so I omitted lair actions and
regional effects. Lennithon is a bit of a lazy or
cowardly dragon. He doesn’t enjoy fighting too
often, although he supports bringing back the
Dragon Queen. He flees Greenest because of his
laziness, and flees Xonthal’s Tower because of
his cowardice. At the Well of Dragons, he will
also flee if the fight doesn’t look favorable and
L ENNITHON
Huge Dragon, Lawful Evil
Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 225 (18d12 + 108)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 30 ft., fly 80 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
25 (+7) 10 (+0) 23 (+6) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 19 (+4)
Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +11, Wis +7, Cha +9
Skills Perception +12, Stealth +5
Damage Immunities lightning
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw,
it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then
makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) lightning damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
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164
the other chromatic dragons don’t seem to be
paying him too much attention.
As most other blue dragons, he is vain and
territorial. He is often seen soaring through the
skies over deserts, preying on caravans and
plundering herds and settlements in the verdant
lands beyond the desert’s reach.
Lennithon is recognized by its dramatic frilled
ears and the massive ridged horn atop its blunt
head. Rows of spikes extend back from its
nostrils to line its brow, and cluster on its jutting
lower jaw. His scales are a deep indigo, polished
to a glossy finish by the desert sands. Its hide
hums and crackles with static electricity, an
effect that intensifies when Lennithon is angry or
about to attack, giving off an odor of ozone.
25.19 M ONSTROUS
P ERYTON
Taken from Ghosts of Saltmarsh.
The peryton is a bizarre creature that blends
the body and wings of a bird of prey with the
head of a stag. Its strangest feature is its
shadow, which appears humanoid rather than
reflecting the creature’s physical form.
Sages postulate that the first perytons were
humans transformed by a hideous curse or
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is
within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a
DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute.
A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of
its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s
saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature
is immune to the dragon’s Frightful Presence for the next 24
hours.
Lightning Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales lightning
in a 90-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line
must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10)
lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one.
Legendary Actions
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time
and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The dragon
regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. Lennithon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. Lennithon makes a tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). Lennithon beats its wings.
Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a
DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning
damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up
to half its flying speed.
magical experiment, but bards tell a different
tale of a man whose infidelity caused his scorned
wife to cut out the heart of her younger, more
beautiful rival and consume it in a ritual
intended to forever win her husband’s heart. The
ritual succeeded until the woman’s villainy was
exposed. She was hanged for her crime, but the
lingering magic of her foul ritual caused the
carrion birds that feasted on her corpse to
transform into the first perytons.

M ONSTROUS P ERYTON
Large Monstrosity, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 144 (17d10 + 51)
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

19 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 9 (–1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)

Saving Throws Str +8, Dex +6, Wis +6

Skills Perception +6 Figure 25.6: Mortlock Vanthampur. By Wizards
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 of the Coast.
Languages understands Common and Elvish but can’t speak
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)

Flyby. The peryton doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it M ORTLOCK VANTHAMPUR
flies out of an enemy’s reach. Medium Humanoid (Human), Lawful Evil

Keen Sight and Smell. The peryton has advantage on Wisdom Armor Class 12
(Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell. Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 36)
Speed 30 ft.
Actions
Multiattack. The peryton makes three attacks: one with its STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
gore and two with its talons. 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 13 (+1)

Actions Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +5

Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage.
Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) slashing damage.
Warp Shadow. The peryton chooses up to three creatures
within 60 feet of it that it can see. Each creature must succeed
on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become cursed. While
cursed, whenever the creature makes an attack roll, an ability
check, or a saving throw, it must roll a d4 and subtract that
number from the roll. A cursed creature can repeat this saving
throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself
with a success. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is
immune to this peryton’s Warp Shadow for 24 hours.
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Common
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Indomitable (2/Day). Mortlock can reroll a saving throw that he
fails. He must use the new roll.
Actions
Multiattack. Mortlock makes two attacks with his greatclub.
Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 5 (2d4)
bludgeoning damageif Mortlock has taken any damage since his
last turn.
Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage.

25.20 M OR TLOCK
he was a child, and his disfigurement gives him
VANTHAMPUR a fearsome countenance.
Taken from Descent into Avernus. He is tolerated by his mother, and despised by
Mortlock is the child of Duke Thalamra his older brothers, Thurstwell and Amrik, who
Vanthampur, one of the rulers of Baldur’s Gate. view him as a simpleton and an abomination.
Half of Mortlock’s face was scarred by fire when

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165
 25.21 M YRKUL ’ S M ASTER OF S OULS
C ULTISTS Medium Humanoid (Human), Neutral Evil

Those who follow Myrkul are either wizards or Armor Class 12

those who seek to master the necromantic arts. Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft.

S KULL L ASHER OF M YRKUL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

Medium Humanoid (Human), Neutral Evil 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 19 (+4) 14 (+2) 13 (+1)

Armor Class 12 Saving Throws Wis +4

Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10) Skills Arcana +6, Religion +6
Speed 30 ft. Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)
Grave Magic. When the master of souls cast a spell that deals
Saving Throws Wis +3 damage, it can change the spell’s damage type to necrotic.
Skills Arcana +5, Religion +5
Senses passive Perception 11 Spellcasting. The master of souls is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its
Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with
Challenge 1 (200 XP) spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, mage hand, message, prestidigitation
Spellcasting. The skull lasher is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Its 1st level (4 slots): burning hands, detect magic, ray of sickness,
spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with shield
spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared: 2nd level (3 slots): darkness, misty step, scorching ray
3rd level (2 slots): animate dead, fireball
Cantrips (at will): mage hand, message, prestidigitation
1st level (4 slots): detect magic, protection from evil and good, ray Actions
of sickness, shield
2nd level (2 slots): darkness, misty step Multiattack. The master of souls attacks twice with its flail.
Iron Skull Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Actions target. Hit: 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic
Multiattack. The skull lasher makes two attacks with its flail. damage, and the target has disadvantage on all saving throws
until the end of the master of souls’ next turn.
Iron Skull Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic
damage, and the target has disadvantage on all saving throws • Delvers into Lore: Cultists of Myrkul study
until the end of the skull lasher’s next turn. rituals that allow them to force the souls of the
dead into service, compelling them to answer
questions and share forgotten lore. They seek
out arcane secrets in ancient ruins, and
attempt to steal spellbooks and other tomes
from wizards outside of the cult.
• Cult Ranks: A follower of Myrkul wields a flail
that has a skull replacing the normal flail’s
striking head. Necromites are initiates who
have not yet mastered arcane magic and rely
on their flails in battle. Skull lashers are
spellcasters who use magic to augment their
combat abilities. The Masters of Souls delve
deep into Myrkul’s secrets, allowing them to
animate the dead and perform other grave
magic.

25.22 N ERONVAIN
Neronvain has a few abilities from the Eldritch
Knight Fighter subclass, and the statblock
Figure 25.7: Myrkul followers. By Wizards of the assumes he is wearing the Green Dragon Mask
Coast. (as he should).
He has a dragon curse upon him that prevents

CHAPTER 25: NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS

166
N ERONVAIN
Medium Humanoid (Wild-Elf), Neutral Evil
Armor Class 20 (Green Dragon Mask)
Hit Points 117 (18d8 + 36)
Speed 35 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (–1) 20 (+5) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 18 (+4)
Saving Throws Str +4, Con +6, Wis +5
Skills Acrobatics +10, Arcana +8, History +8, Perception +6,
Persuasion +9, Stealth +10
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Draconic, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)
Special Equipment. Neronvain has the Green Dragon Mask.
This provides him with the following:
• Damage Absorption Immunity to poison damage and the
poisoned condition.
• Draconic Majesty Neronvain adds his Charisma bonus to his
Armor Class.
• Dragon Sight Additional darkvision. Once per day, Neronvain
can gain blindsight out to 30 feet for 5 minutes.
• Dragon Tongue Neronvain can speak and understand
Draconic. Neronvain also has advantage on any Charisma
check he makes against Green Dragons.
• Legendary Resistance (1/Day) See below.
• Water Breathing Neronvain can breathe underwater.
When Neronvain is reduced to 0 hit points, the Dragon Mask is
teleported to the Well of Dragons, in the hands of Severin.
Neronvain also carries a Corrupted Moonblade.
Fey Ancestry. Neronvain has advantage on saving throws
against being charmed, and magic can’t put Neronvain to sleep.
Spellcasting. Neronvain is a 13th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting
ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell
attacks). He has the following Wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): green flame blade, mending, message
1st level (4 slots): absorb elements, detect magic, protection from
evil and good, shield
him from spilling any secret information about
the Order. The curse can be broken by a
7th-level Remove Curse. If he reveals any
information (even if inadvertently), a fractal
tattoo grows from his chest across his entire
skin and kills him.
He also has a 2-rune Corrupted Moonblade.
C ORRUPTED M OONBLADE
Weapon (longsword), legendary (requires
attunement by an elf or half-elf that worships
Tiamat)
A moonblade passes down from parent to child.
The sword chooses its bearer and remains
bonded to that person for life. If the bearer dies,
2nd level (3 slots): misty step, scorching ray, shatter
3rd level (2 slots): glyph of warding, haste, Melf’s minute meteors
War Magic. When Neronvain uses his action to cast a cantrip,
he can also take a bonus action to make one weapon attack.
Arcane Charge (1/short). On Neronvain’s turn he can take one
additional action on top of his regular action and bonus action.
Before or after he does so, he can teleport up to 30ft to an
unoccupied space he can see.
Indomitable (2/day). When Neronvain fails a saving throw, he
can reroll that saving throw, and must take the new roll.
Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If Neronvain fails a saving throw,
he can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. Neronvain makes two attacks, either with his
rapier or Eldritch Arrow.
Moonblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) slashing damage plus 13 (3d8) poison
damage.
Eldritch Arrow. Ranged Spell Attack: +8 to hit, range 120 ft., one
target. Hit: 11 (2d10) force damage plus 9 (2d8) poison damage.
Poisonous Cloud (2/Day). Poison gas fills a 20-foot-radius
sphere centered on a point Neronvain can see within 50 feet
of him. The gas spreads around corners and remains until the
start of Neronvain’s next turn. Each creature that starts its turn
in the gas must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw
or be poisoned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving
throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself
on a success.
Legendary Actions
Neronvain can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action option can be used
at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn.
Neronvain regains spent legendary actions at the start of his
turn.
Cast a Spell (Costs 3 Actions). Neronvain casts one of his
spells.
Melee Attack. Neronvain makes one melee attack.
Hide. Neronvain takes the Hide action.
another heir can claim the blade. If no worthy
heir exists, the sword lies dormant. It functions
like a normal longsword until a worthy soul
finds it and lays claim to its power.
This moonblade’s owner was killed by
Hoondarrh, and the weapon was taken to its
hoard. Over the centuries, the dragon corrupted
it, so that it would serve elves that wanted to
further the goals of chromatic dragons. Its
attunement process now requires a special ritual
in a chromatic dragon’s lair.
The weapon has two runes on its blade, one
for each master it has served. The first rune
always grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage
rolls made with this magic weapon. The second
CHAPTER 25: NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS
167
 rune grants it the finesse property.
The moonblade can be cleansed if purified for
a year at an elven altar. After this, it can attuned
to by a good-aligned elf over level 15.
25.23 N YH I LMICHH
Nyh Ilmichh is a Thayan Enchanter.
She is quite the smart pupil, but her mentor is
a traitor to Szass Tam, the leader of Thay, and
he is hindering her progress and often
manipulating her actions and memories. She
has had heavy migraines for the last few weeks,
because of the frequent abuse. She is worried
about it, but the Thayans don’t like to show
weakness, so she is trying to tough it out on her
own.
25.24 P HARBLEX
S PATTERGOO
Pharblex has a custom statblock, making him
stronger, smarter, more durable, and having a
4th-level spell slot (although he hasn’t managed
to learn any 4th-level spell).
The shamanistic bullywug’s "religion" changes
constantly, today’s bad omens are tomorrow’s
signs of hope. This constant chaos make all the
other bullywugs look to him as if only Pharblex
could lead them into the light.
P HARBLEX S PATTERGOO
Medium Humanoid (Bullywug), Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 16 (+1 studded leather, shield)

N YH I LMICHH Hit Points 115 (10d12 + 50)
Medium Humanoid (Human), Lawful Evil
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
Hit Points 55 (10d8 + 10) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Speed 30 ft. 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 7 (–2)

Saving Throws Str +6, Con +7

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (–1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +6, History +6
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Thayan, Rashemi, Mulhoran
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Spellcasting. Nyh Ilmichh is a 9th-level spellcaster. Her
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with
spell attacks). She has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, mending, message
1st level (4 slots): charm person, mage armor, magic missile
2nd level (3 slots): hold person, invisibility, suggestion
3rd level (3 slots): fireball, haste, tongues
4th level (3 slots): dominate beast, stoneskin
5th level (2 slots): hold monster, teleportation circle
Actions
Quarterstaff. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5
ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d8 – 1) bludgeoning
damage.
Reactions
Instinctive Charm (Recharges after the Enchanter Casts an
Enchantment Spell of 1st level or Higher).
Nyh Ilmichh tries to magically divert an attack made against
her, provided that the attacker is within 30 feet of her and
visible to her. Ilmichh must decide to do so before the attack
hits or misses.
The attacker must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a
failed save, the attacker targets the creature closest to it, other
than the enchanter or itself. If multiple creatures are closest,
the attacker chooses which one to target.
Skills Perception +7, Religion +3, Stealth +4
Senses passive Perception 17
Languages Common, Bullywug
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Special Equipment. Pharblex has a +1 Studded Leather
Armor.
Amphibious. Pharblex can breathe air and water.
Poison Strike (3/Day). Once per turn, when Pharblex hits with a
melee attack, he can expend a use of this trait to deal an extra
9 (2d8) poison damage.
Spellcasting. Pharblex is a 7th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting
ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks).
He has the following Druid spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, guidance, poison spray
1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, entangle, healing word,
thunderwave
2nd level (3 slots): beast sense, spike growth
3rd level (3 slots): plant growth, water walk
4th level (1 slot):
Standing Leap. As part of his movement and without a running
start, Pharblex can long jump up to 20 feet and high jump up to
10 feet.
Swamp Camouflage. Pharblex has advantage on Dexterity
(Stealth) checks made to hide in swampy terrain.
Actions
Multiattack. Pharblex attacks twice. Once with his bite and
once with his spear.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

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168
 when Tiamat re-entered the world, she would
25.25 R ATH M ODAR help him with his goals as a reward.
I gave Rath Modar decent stats for a tier 3 boss.
He also is tougher through his HP and better
Illusory Self ability.
25.26 R EMALLIA
H AVENTREE
R ATH M ODAR Taken from Waterdeep: Dragon Heist.
Medium Humanoid (Human), Lawful Evil Remallia (Remi to her friends) is the lady of
House Ulbrinter and a guiding light for the
Armor Class 15 (18 with mage armor) Harpers in Waterdeep.
Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA R EMALLIA H AVENTREE

10 (+0) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +7
Skills Arcana +9, Deception +6, Insight +6, Perception +6,
Stealth +9
Senses passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal, Primordial, Thayan
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)
Special Equipment. Rath Modar has a staff of fire, and scrolls of
dimension door and feather fall.
Spellcasting. Rath is an 11th-level spellcaster who uses
Intelligence as his spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit
with spell attacks). Rath has the following spells prepared from
the wizard spell list:
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, minor illusion, prestidigitation, shocking
grasp
1st level (4 slots): burning hands (SoF), chromatic orb, color spray,
mage armor, magic missile
2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, mirror image, phantasmal
force
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, fireball (SoF), major image
4th level (2 slots): confusion, greater invisibility, wall of fire (SoF)
5th level (1 slot): mislead, seeming
6th level (1 slot): globe of invulnerability
Actions
Staff of Fire. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage.
Reactions
Illusory Self (3/day). When a creature Rath can see makes an
attack roll against him and hits, he can interpose an illusory
duplicate between the attacker and him. The attack
automatically misses Rath, then the illusion dissipates.
Rath was a Red Wizard of Thay who wanted to
become the Zulkir of Illusion, but was instead
exiled to the Sword Coast because of suspicions
that he was involved with the Thayan
Resurrection, a splinter cell plotting to retake
Thay from Szass Tam.
Because of his exile, he wanted to take revenge
by taking an army of dragons to Thay and
conquering it for himself. He forged the alliance
with the Order of the Dragon and planned that
Medium Humanoid (Elf), Chaotic Good
Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 17 (+3)
Saving Throws Int +8, Wis +6
Skills Arcana +8, Deception +7, History +8, Persuasion +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarvish, Elvish, Halfling
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Special Equipment. Remallia has a figurine of wondrous power
(silver raven).
Arcane Ward. Remallia has a magical ward that has 30 hit
points. Whenever she takes damage, the ward takes the
damage instead. If the ward is reduced to 0 hit points, Remallia
takes any remaining damage. When Remallia casts an
abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, the ward regains a number
of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell. This applies to
any of the following spells she casts: alarm, mage armor, shield,
arcane lock, counterspell, dispel magic, banishment, stoneskin,
globe of invulnerability and symbol.
Fey Ancestry. Remallia has advantage on saving throws against
being charmed, and magic can’t put her to sleep.
Spellcasting. Remallia is a 13th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting
ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell
attacks). She has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, mage hand, mending, message,
ray of frost
1st level (4 slots): alarm, mage armor, magic missile, shield
2nd level (3 slots): arcane lock, invisibility
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, dispel magic, fireball
4th level (3 slots): banishment, stoneskin
5th level (2 slots): cone of cold, wall of force
6th level (1 slot): flesh to stone, globe of invulnerability
7th level (1 slot): symbol, teleport
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
She became an active force for good in the city
after assassins killed her husband and destroyed

CHAPTER 25: NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS

169
 his remains. A sun elf, she has two adult
children and retains a handful of loyal servants
and spies.
Remallia handles the Harper faction in
Waterdeep, and holds secret Harper meetings in
her villa, which is warded by all manner of spells.
She uses a figurine of wondrous power (silver
raven) to deliver messages to Harper spies
scattered throughout the city.

25.27 R EZMIR
Rezmir was given a bit more Charisma and AC,
and the statblock assumes she is wearing the
Black Dragon Mask (as she should).
She has a dragon curse upon her that
prevents her from spilling any secret information
about the Order. The curse can be broken by a
Figure 25.8: Remallia Haventree. Unknown 7th-level Remove Curse. If she reveals any
author. information (even if inadvertently), a fractal
tattoo grows from her chest across her entire

R EZMIR
Medium Humanoid (Half-Black Dragon), Neutral Evil Immolation. When Rezmir is reduced to 0 hit points, her body
disintegrates into a pile of ash.
Armor Class 16 (Black Dragon Mask)
Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If Rezmir fails a saving throw, she
Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 36)
can choose to succeed instead.
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Actions

18 (+4) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +5, Stealth +9
Damage Immunities acid
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal, Giant, Netherese
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Special Equipment. Rezmir has the Black Dragon Mask. This
provides her with the following:
• Damage Absorption Immunity to acid damage.
• Draconic Majesty Rezmir adds her Charisma bonus to her
Armor Class.
• Dragon Breath Rezmir’s Acid Breath now recharges on a (5-
6) roll.
• Dragon Sight Additional darkvision. Once per day, Rezmir
can gain blindsight out to 30 feet for 5 minutes.
• Dragon Tongue Rezmir can speak and understand Draconic.
Rezmir also has advantage on any Charisma check she makes
against Black Dragons.
• Legendary Resistance (1/Day) See below.
• Water Breathing Rezmir can breathe underwater.
When Rezmir is reduced to 0 hit points, the Dragon Mask is
teleported to the Well of Dragons, in the hands of Severin.
Rezmir also carries the Hazirawn, and an Insignia of Claws.
Dark Advantage. Once per turn, Rezmir can deal an extra 10
(3d6) damage when she hits with a weapon attack, provided
Rezmir has advantage on the attack roll.
Greatsword (Hazirawn). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach
5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6)
necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it can’t regain hit
points for 1 minute. The target can make a DC 15 Constitution
saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending this effect
early on a success.
Caustic Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +8 to hit, range 90 ft., one
target. Hit: 18 (4d8) acid damage.
Acid Breath (Recharge 5–6). Rezmir breathes acid in a 30-foot
line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a
DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) acid damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Legendary Actions
Rezmir can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options
below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Rezmir regains
spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
Darkness (Costs 2 Actions). A 15-foot radius of magical
darkness extends from a point Rezmir can see within 60 feet
of her and spreads around corners. The darkness lasts as
long as Rezmir maintains concentration, up to 1 minute. A
creature with darkvision can’t see through this darkness, and
no natural light can illuminate it. If any of the area overlaps
with a area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower,
the spell creating the light is dispelled.
Melee Attack. Rezmir makes one melee attack.
Hide. Rezmir takes the Hide action.

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skin and kills her.
Rezmir carries a legendary greatsword.
H AZIRAWN
Weapon (greatsword), legendary (requires
attunement)
A sentient (neutral evil) greatsword, Hazirawn
is capable of speech in Common and Netherese.
Once a successful military commander for the
Netherese empire, Lord-General Hazirawn led
numerous skirmishes and rarely suffered a loss.
He was eventually taken to a Netherese black
site and pressed into the greatsword. He felt
greatly betrayed but his value needed to be
preserved for the Netherise Empire.
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage
rolls made with this weapon, and you deal an
extra 1d6 necrotic damage when you hit with it.
Hazirawn can only be attuned to by characters
over level 15 that have wielded it for at least a
year. If attuned, Hazirawn grants an additional
set of features.
Its bonus on attack and damage rolls
increases to +2, and a hit deals an extra 2d6
necrotic damage (instead of 1d6).
Hazirawn has 4 charges to cast spells. While
holding it in your hand, you can cast detect
magic (1 charge), detect evil and good (1 charge),
or detect thoughts (2 charges). Each night at
midnight, Hazirawn regains 1d4 expended
charges.
Any creature that you hit with Hazirawn can’t
regain hit points for 1 minute. The target can
make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the
end of each of its turns, ending this effect early
on a success.
25.28 T HOSS T AREK
Thoss Tarek is the grand inquisitor of Nethwatch
Keep, a Thayan outpost. To Szass Tam, he is a
dutiful and diligent inquisitor, tasked with
interrogating enemies. Secretly, however, he is
working for Rath Modar as a spy, and is the
highest-ranked member of the Thayan
Resurrection in Thay.
He is currently mentoring Nyh Ilmichh, who
has found out several times about his betrayal.
Every time, though, Thoss Tarek bewitches her
and erases her memories. He is not gentle, and
this has happened so often that Ilmichh is
developing severe migraines from the abuse.
Thoss Tarek is a harsh and rude man, and
feels no remorse for his cruel actions. His lisp
makes him sounds comical, so he often has
others speak for him during interrogations. He
sees no problems with inflicting pain, mutilating,
or otherwise hurting his prisoners to extract
whatever information he is after.
T HOSS TAREK
Medium Human, Lawful Evil
Armor Class 17 (robe of the archmagi)
Hit Points 82 (15d8 + 15)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +8
Skills Arcana +9, Deception +8, Persuasion +8, Stealth +7
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Thayan, Draconic, Infernal
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Special Equipment. Thoss Tarek wears a robe of the archmagi
underneath his Red Wizard’s raiment. His armor class is 17, he
has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical
effects, and his spell save DC and spell attack bonus are
increased.
Thoss Tarek also carries a dagger of venom and wears a
ring of spell storing with a stored teleportation circle.
Spellcasting. Thoss Tarek is a 15th-level spellcaster. His
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit
with spell attacks). He has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, message, vicious mockery
1st level (4 slots): charm person, magic missile, shield, Tasha’s
hideous laughter
2nd level (3 slots): hold person, Nystul’s magic aura, suggestion
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, haste
4th level (3 slots): charm monster, confusion, Leomund’s secret
chest
5th level (2 slots): dominate person, geas, modify memory
6th level (1 slot): mass suggestion
7th level (1 slot): prismatic spray
8th level (1 slot): dominate monster
Actions
Dagger of Venom. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit,
reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing
damage. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution
saving throw or take 11 (2d10) poison damage and become
poisoned for 1 minute..
Reactions
Instinctive Charm (Recharges after Thoss Tarek Casts an
Enchantment Spell of 1st level or Higher). Thoss Tarek tries to
magically divert an attack made against him, provided that the
attacker is within 30 feet of him and visible to him. He must
decide to do so before the attack hits or misses. The attacker
must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the
attacker targets the creature closest to it, other than Thoss
Tarek or itself. If multiple creatures are closest, the attacker
chooses which one to target.
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 25.29 U LDER
R AVENGARD
Ulder Ravengard is a fearless soldier who rose
up through the ranks of the Flaming Fist (the
army of Baldur’s Gate) to become its supreme
marshal. Ravengard used his military position
and influence to secure for himself a seat on the
Council of Four, and eventually became the city’s
grand duke.
Figure 25.9: Ulder Ravengard. By Wizards of the
Coast.
Upon ascending to the highest position in the
city government, Ravengard refused to
relinquish command of the Flaming Fist, making
him the most powerful figure in the city by far.
This decision has not endeared him to anyone,
but Ravengard could care less about his
popularity. His only concerns are the stability
and prosperity of Baldur’s Gate, and he doesn’t
trust any of the other dukes or anyone in the
Parliament of Peers to put the city’s interests
before their own.
Ravengard rose to grand duke on a platform
largely backed by idealistic commoners and
enemies of the other established dukes. While he
won election handily, Ravengard has struggled in
performing his duties, finding his hands tied at
every turn by both overt and invisible
bureaucracy. Despite this, he’s been a voice of
reason and common sense on the Council of
Four - if not the egalitarianism some hoped. He’s
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172
U LDER R AVENGARD
Medium Humanoid (Human), Neutral
Armor Class 20 (plate armor, shield)
Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45)
Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 17 (+3)
Saving Throws Con +6, Wis +3
Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +6, Perception +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages Common
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Actions
Multiattack. Ulder makes three melee attacks, only one of
which can be with his shield.
+1 Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing
damage slashign damage when used with two hands.
Shield. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) blugeoning damage, and Ulder pushes the target
5 feet away from him. Ulder then enters the space vacated by
the target. If the target is pushed to within 5 feet of a creature
friendly to Ulder, the target provokes an opportunity attack
from that creature..
Reactions
Guardian Strike. If an enemy within 5 feet of Ulder attacks a
target other than him, Ulder can make a melee attack against
that enemy.
also proven largely resistant to scandal and
corruption, though many of his fellow dukes and
those in the Parliament of Peers still regularly
outmaneuver him politically.
25.30 VARRAM
Varram was given the stats of a dwarf
Dragonsoul.
He has a dragon curse upon him that prevents
him from spilling any secret information about
the Order. The curse can be broken by a
7th-level Remove Curse. If he reveals any
information (even if inadvertently), a fractal
tattoo grows from his chest across his entire
skin and kills him.
Despite becoming a Wyrmspeaker, Severin is
aware that Varram is fairly incompetent, and has
not trusted him with any legendary weapon to
wield.
In fact, just wielding the White Dragon Mask
left Severin uneasy. His fears are proven correct
when Varram allows the mask to be stolen by a
Zhentarim agent. His tries to use a Divination
site to find out where it is a recover it before

VARRAM
Medium Humanoid (Mountain Dwarf), Neutral Evil
Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
Hit Points 110 (17d8 + 34)
Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Wis +4
Skills Deception +6, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances cold, poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal, Dwarvish
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Dragon Fanatic. Varram has advantage on saving throws against
being charmed or frightened. While Varram can see a dragon or
higher-ranking Cult of the Dragon cultist friendly to it, Varram
ignores the effects of being charmed or frightened.
Dwarven Resilience. Varram has advantage on saving throws
against poison, and has resistance against poison damage.
Fanatic Advantage. Once per turn, if Varram makes a weapon
attack with advantage on the attack roll and hits, the target
takes an extra 10 (3d6) damage.
Limited Flight. Varram can use a bonus action to gain a flying
speed of 30 feet until the end of its turn.
Pack Tactics. Varram has advantage on an attack roll against a
creature if at least one of Varram’s allies is within 5 feet of the
creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Actions
Multiattack. Varram attacks twice with its shortsword.
Shortsword + 1. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) cold
damage.
Orb of Dragon’s Breath (3/Day). Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit,
range 90 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (6d8) cold damage.
anyone finds out, but his plan goes very wrong.
25.31 V OARAGHAMAN -
THAR
Voaraghamanthar has the stats of an Adult
Black Dragon, and carries a Ring of Fire
Resistance and a Ring of Invisibility.
He visibly carries the Twinned Crown of
Yarlith on his head (one of the Twin Crowns of
Myrmoran). It was given to him by the Order of
the Dragon, in exchange for his assistance in
finding the lost Uthtower and the temple therein
that was rumored to contain the remains of the
dracolich Chardansearavitriol. This was before
the Order’s new Tiamat-oriented goals.
Finally, once per day, he can use his Blood to
Acid ability, which deals 26 (4d12) acid damage
and 14 (4d6) force damage to a creature within
30ft, if it fails a DC 18 Constitution saving throw,
or half that damage on a success. On a failure,
the creature also takes 26 (4d12) acid damage at
the beginning of each of their turns, and can
repeat the saving throw at the end of their turns.
The dragon has a secret twin,
Waervaerendor*, no one knows about, and they
swap places often. This is the reason he has
gained to reputation of being so fast he can
almost be in two places at once.
T WINNED C ROWN OF YARLITH
Woundrous item, legendary (requires attunement)
The Crown of Yarlith grants you a +2 AC
bonus.
While wearing it, you are immune to magic
that allows other creatures to read your
thoughts, determine whether you are lying, know
your alignment, or know your creature type.
Creatures can telepathically communicate with
you only if you allow it.
You have resistance to psychic damage, and
advantage on saving throws you make to avoid
or end the charmed or stunned condition on
yourself.
You can establish an empathic link with the
wearer of the Twinned Crown of Uthtower, if
the other wearer also wishes to. This link allows
the both of you to sense the emotional state of
the other and communicate telepathically as
long as you’re on the same plane of existence.
If the wearer of the Twinned Crown of
Uthtower is your identical twin, you form an
even stronger bond. You can reach into the mind
of the other and cast spells the other has
memorized, or have spells that you cast upon
yourself affect your twin instead. You can also
activate your twin’s held magical items at a
distance.
25.32 WAERVAERENDOR
Waervaerendor has the stats of an Adult Black
Dragon, and carries a Ring of Cold Resistance
and a Ring of Invisibility.
He wishes to find and carry the Twinned
Crown of Uthtower on his head (one of the Twin
Crowns of Myrmoran). To do so, he needs a third
Ring of Myrkul, as he and his brother have two
already in their hoards.
The dragon has a secret twin,
Voaraghamanthar*, no one knows about, and
they swap places often. They both go by his
brother’s name, so his real name Waervaerendor
is rarely recognized.
T WINNED C ROWN OF U THTOWER
Woundrous item, legendary (requires attunement)
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 The Crown of Uthtower grants you a +2 AC
bonus.
While wearing it, you are immune to magic
that allows other creatures to read your
thoughts, determine whether you are lying, know
your alignment, or know your creature type.
Creatures can telepathically communicate with
you only if you allow it.
You have resistance to psychic damage, and
advantage on saving throws you make to avoid
or end the charmed or stunned condition on
yourself.
You can establish an empathic link with the
wearer of the Twinned Crown of Yarlith, if the
other wearer also wishes to. This link allows the
both of you to sense the emotional state of the
other and communicate telepathically as long as
you’re on the same plane of existence.
If the wearer of the Twinned Crown of Yarlith
is your identical twin, you form an even stronger
bond. You can reach into the mind of the other
and cast spells the other has memorized, or have
spells that you cast upon yourself affect your
twin instead. You can also activate your twin’s
held magical items at a distance.

R ING OF M YRKUL
Woundrous item (ring), legendary (requires
attunement)
A Ring of Myrkul is a relatively thick gold band
painted black adorned with an image of a white
flaming skull (the symbol of Myrkul). Evil,
intelligent creatures who pass within 30 feet of a
Ring of Myrkul are drawn to it.
Rings of Myrkul serve as keys for priests of
Myrkul to enter a temple of Myrkul safely. They
also allow the wearer the ability to walk among
the undead without being attacked (unless the
wearer attacks the undead). Additionally, the
ring allows the wearer to cast Chill Touch at
will, and Inflict Wounds, Vampiric Touch, and
Contagion, each once per day. The spellcasting
ability for these is your choice between Wisdom,
Intelligence, or Charisma.
During an astronomical event known as "the
Eye of Myrkul", when a new moon passes
through a ring of stars associated with the
symbol of Mystra, a Ring of Myrkul manifests the
power to raise the Uthtower from the swamps of
the Mere of Dead Men. Three such rings are
required to be within five miles of the tower to
raise it, and the rings are able to magically guide
a wearer toward the tower if so desired. While
within the Uthtower, the ring’s powers to affect
the undead and cast necromantic spells are
enhanced: all spells are cast at 9th-level, and
the undead obey the wearer.

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C HAPTER 26: M APS
This chapter contains full page images and maps of many parts of the campaign. Many of these have a
Player and a DM version in the attached files.

26.1 G REENEST IN F LAMES

Figure 26.1: Greenest. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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 26.2 R AIDER ’ S C AMP

Figure 26.2: The Raider’s Camp mission (inside). By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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26.3 H ATCHERY

Figure 26.3: The Raider’s Camp (after the cultists have left). Originally by Patreon’s DM Oaky.

Figure 26.4: The Raider’s Camp (inside, after the cultists have left). Originally by Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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 26.4 E LTUREL

Figure 26.5: Elturel City map. By Reddit’s u/PinkFlumph.

Figure 26.6: The Pair of Black Antlers inn. By Reddit’s u/_PogS_.

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Figure 26.7: The Mine puzzle.

Figure 26.8: Damien’s Manor. By Wizards of the Coast.

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 26.5 B ALDUR ’ S G ATE

Figure 26.9: Baldur’s Gate. By Wizards of the Coast.

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26.6 O N THE R OAD

Figure 26.10: Daggerford, after being attacked. Originally by Wizards of the Coast.

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 26.7 WATERDEEP AND C ARNATH R OADHOUSE

Figure 26.11: Waterdeep. By Wizards of the Coast.

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26.8 M ERE OF THE D EAD M EN

Figure 26.12: Lair of Voaraghamanthar. By Reddit’s u/Canid_Red.

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 Figure 26.13: Castle Naerytar (ground level). By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

Figure 26.14: Castle Naerytar (first floor). By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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Figure 26.15: Castle Naerytar (second floor). By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

Figure 26.16: Castle Naerytar (dungeon). By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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 26.9 P ARNAST AND S KYREACH C ASTLE

Figure 26.17: The Hunting Lodge, ground floor. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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Figure 26.18: The Hunting Lodge, floor 1. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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 Figure 26.19: Parnast Village. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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Figure 26.20: The Skyreach Castle, lower courtyard and ice tunnels. Originally by Patreon’s DM Oaky.

Figure 26.21: The Skyreach Castle, upper courtyard. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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 Figure 26.22: The Skyreach Castle, rooftops. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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26.10 C OUNCIL OF WATERDEEP

Figure 26.23: The Council Chambers. By Reddit’s u/samma_jamma.

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 26.11 D EATH TO THE W YRMSPEAKERS : VARRAM

Figure 26.24: The Boareskyr encampment. By Reddit’s u/Fatefulforce, with assets from 2-Minute
Tabletop.

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26.12 S EA OF M OVING I CE

Figure 26.25: Oyaviggaton’s Ice Caves, upper level. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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 Figure 26.26: Oyaviggaton’s Ice Caves, lower level. By Patreon’s DM Oaky.

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26.13 C OUNCIL OF WATERDEEP

Figure 26.27: Waterdeep, after being attacked by Dragons. Originally by Wizards of the Coast.

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 26.14 X ONTHAL ’ S T OWER

Figure 26.28: Xonthal’s Tower, village from above. By Reddit’s u/Agnati.

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Figure 26.29: The floors of Xonthal’s Tower. By Reddit’s u/RQviiist.

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 Figure 26.30: The dungeon of Xonthal’s Tower. By Reddit’s u/RQviiist.

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Figure 26.31: The Cosmic Hallway (X17). By Reddit’s u/Immortalstar01.

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 26.15 N ETHWATCH K EEP

Figure 26.32: Nethwatch Keep: Grounds. By Reddit’s u/Human-Bee-3731.

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Figure 26.33: Nethwatch Keep: Ground Floor and Great Hall. By Reddit’s u/Human-Bee-3731.

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 Figure 26.34: Nethwatch Keep: Apartments. By Reddit’s u/Human-Bee-3731.

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Figure 26.35: Nethwatch Keep: Cellars. By Reddit’s u/Human-Bee-3731.

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 26.16 R ISE OF T IAMAT

Figure 26.36: The Well of Dragons, from above. By DeviantArt’s MichaelArkAngel.

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Figure 26.37: The Well of Dragons, south. By Fiverr’s Rupert Walker.

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 Figure 26.38: The Well of Dragons, northeast. By Fiverr’s Rupert Walker.

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Figure 26.39: The Well of Dragons, northwest. By Fiverr’s Rupert Walker.

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 Figure 26.40: The Temple of Tiamat. By Fiverr’s Rupert Walker.

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