Tyranny of Dragons [Anniversary Edition] - Flip eBook Pages 1-50 (2024)

TYRANNY OF DRAGONS . • • • • f • # • • . . • . · .. .. . ' . . • . . . . • ,. . .. . . . . .. - . . . . . . .. ,.. . . . • • . . a.- /lt(](gBOLU . � 1'S' Press . . . . . •

CREDITS KOBOLD PRESS Designers: Wolfgang Baur, Steve Winter, Alexander Winter Developer: Wolfgang Baur Editors: Miranda Horner, Scott Fitzgerald Gray Interior Illustrators: john-Paul Balmet, Nicole Cardiff, Conceptopolis, Tyler Jacobson, Guido Kuip, Marcel Mercado, Bryan Syme Cartographer: Jared Blando Art Director: Marc Radle Producer: Wolfgang Baur WIZARDS OF THE COAST D&D lead Designers: Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford Designers: Christopher Perkins, Matthew Sernett, Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson Editor: F. Wesley Schneider Art Directors: Kate Irwin, Shauna Narciso Graphic Designers: Bree Heiss, Emi Tanji Cover Illustrator: Hydro74 Concept Gallery Illustrators: David Baldeon, john-Paul Balmet, Von Caberte, Scott M. Fischer, Patrick Jensen, Kekai Kotaki, Todd Lockwood, Thom Tenery, Eva Widermann, Sara Winters Producers: Greg Bilsland, Dan Tover Project Management: Neil Shinkle, john Hay Production Services: Cynda Callaway, Jefferson Dunlap, David Gershman, Anita Williams Other D&D Team Members: Bill Benham, Bart Carroll, Pelham Greene, Trevor Kidd, Adam Lee, Ari Levitch, Chris Lindsay, Kim Lundstrom, Shelly Mazzanoble, Ben Petrisor, Hilary Ross, Liz Schuh, Nathan Stewart, Greg Tito, Laura Tommervik, Dan Tovar, Anna Vo, Kate Welch, Shawn Wood, Richard Whitters, Trish Yochum Playtesters: Melissa Bassett, Andre Begin, Mik Calow, Melanie Cote, Manon Crevier, Ben Danderson, Dave Eadie, Frank Foulis, Rodrigo Gorgulho, Pete Griffith, Liam Gulliver, Jon Harvill, Joseph Kauffmann, Yan Lacharite, Renata Landim, Rodrigo Landim, tric Leroux, Carlos Eduardo Lopes, Julia Lopes, David Muller, Claudio Pozas, Paula Pozas, Count Response, Sara Servin, Robin Stacey, Jaime Thayer, Keoki Young 620C7741000001 EN ISBN: 978 -0-7869-6697-4 First Printing October 2019 9 8 765432 1 CE: ON THE COVER The final sight of many overconfident heroes, the calamitous countenance ofTiamat, Queen of Dragons, exudes draconic majesty in this ferocious illustration by Hydro74. Disclaimer: Under no circ*mstances shall the Cult of the Dragon or its adherents, affiliates, partners, licensors, or thralls (enchanted or otherwise) be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or cataclysmic damages to the Material Plane, its features, denizens, geographies, spheres, or natural laws, arising from the acts, incarnations, servants, and ruinous whims ofTiomat, Queen of Dragons. Those seeking to avoid abject draconic annihilation should relocate to the nearest convenient afterlife or just try and stop us. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Tyranny of Dragons, Hoard of the Dragon Queen, The Rise ofTiamat, Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide, 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. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. The Kobold Press logo is a trademark of Open Design and is used by permission. Bepre$ented by· Ha$bro pe Fntree 240 1101 Printed in China. ©2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057·0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boechat 31, 2800 Delemont, CH. EE Am$terdam NL

CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................. .4 The Rise of Tiamat Running the Adventure ............................................................... 4 Ch. 9: Council ofWaterdeep ............................................... 104 Campaign Overview ................................................................... 6 Starting the Adventure ........................................................... 104 Hoard of the Dragon Queen ....................................................... 6 Back in Waterdeep .................................................................. 105 The Rise of Tiamat ....................................................................... 7 Gathering Allies ....................................................................... 105 Running the Adventure ............................................................ 10 Sessions of the Council ........................................................ 105 Campaign Villains ..................................................................... 11 Scoring the Sessions ............................................................. 109 Campaign Allies .......................................................................... 14 Ch. 10: The Sea of Moving Ice ............................................ 110 Hoard of the Dragon Queen The Sea of Moving Ice ............................................................ 111 Cb. 1: Greenest in Flames ..................................................... 22 Oyaviggaton .............................................................................. 113 Character Hooks ........................................................................ 22 Ice Caves .................................................................................... 115 The Approach ............................................................................. 22 General Features ....................................................................... 23 Arauthator's Lair ..................................................................... 122 Developments ........................................................................... 123 Wandering Encounters ............................................................ 23 Missions ....................................................................................... 24 Leaving Oyaviggaton .............................................................. 123 Arauthator's Treasure ............................................................ 123 Ch. 2: Raiders' Camp .............................................................. 29 Tracking the Raiders ................................................................ 30 TheCamp .................................................................................... 32 Rewards ....................................................................................... 35 Conclusion ................................................................................. 123 Ch. 11 and Ch. 12: Death to the Wyrmspeakers .......... 124 Varram the White .................................................................... 124 Tomb ofDiderius .................................................................... 126 Ss'tck'al ..................................................................................... 131 Ch. 3: Dragon Hatchery .......................................................... 36 Conclusion ................................................................................. 133 Rewards ....................................................................................... 43 N eronvain .................................................................................. 134 Ch. 4: On the Road ................................................................... 44 The Misty Forest ...................................................................... 134 Elturel ........................................................................................... 44 Neronvain's Stronghold ......................................................... 136 Baldur's Gate .............................................................................. 46 Conclusion ................................................................................. 139 Fellow Travelers ......................................................................... 47 Cb. 13: The Cult Strikes Back ............................................ 140 Life on the Road ......................................................................... 49 First Attack ............................................................................... 140 Random Road Events ............................................................... 50 Second Attack .......................................................................... 141 Planned Road Events ............................................................... 53 Third Attack .............................................................................. 142 Ch. 5: Construction Ahead .................................................... 55 Sequence of Events ................................................................. 143 Waterdeep ................................................................................... 55 Northbound, Again .................................................................... 56 Tracking the Load ..................................................................... 58 Grudge Match ............................................................................. 58 Cb. 14: Metallic Dragons, Arise ......................................... 144 Unlikely Ambassadors ........................................................... 144 Council of Dragons ................................................................. 145 Conclusion ................................................................................. 147 Cb. 6: Castle Naerytar ............................................................. 59 Ch. 15: Xonthal's Tower ....................................................... 148 Traveling to the Castle ............................................................. 59 The Maze ................................................................................... 149 Castle Naerytar .......................................................................... 61 The Tower ................................................................................. 155 Squaring Off Against the Cult of the Dragon ...................... 64 Approaching Castle Naerytar ................................................. 65 Outside Castle Naerytar .......................................................... 65 Dungeon .................................................................................... 157 Exiting Xonthal's Tower ......................................................... 160 Conclusion ................................................................................. 160 Inside Castle Naerytar ............................................................. 66 Ground Floor .............................................................................. 66 Ch.16: Mission to Thay ........................................................ 161 Second Floor .............................................................................. 70 The Enemy of My Enemy ....................................................... 161 Third Floor .................................................................................. 72 Conclusion ................................................................................. 163 Beneath the Castle .................................................................... 75 Ch. 17: Tiamat's Return ....................................................... 164 Rewards ....................................................................................... 77 The Well of Dragons ............................................................... 165 Ch. 7: Hunting Lodge .............................................................. 78 General Features ....................................................................... 78 Tiamat's Temple ....................................................................... 171 Enemies and Allies ................................................................. 172 Important Nonplayer Characters ........................................... 79 Victory or Defeat ...................................................................... 17 4 Through the Gate ...................................................................... 79 App. A: Backgrounds ............................................................ 176 Outside the Lodge ..................................................................... 79 Lodge Ground Floor ................................................................. 81 Lodge Upper Floor .................................................................... 84 App. B: Council Scorecard .................................................. 177 App. C: Magic Items .............................................................. 178 Traveling to Parnast. ................................................................. 87 App. D: Monsters .................................................................... 180 Ch. 8: Castle in the Clouds .................................................... 88 App. E: Concept Gallery ....................................................... 192 Skyreach Castle ......................................................................... 91 Concluding the Adventure ..................................................... 102

4 INTRODUCTION DRAGON FIRE THREATENS TO CONSUME FAERON! Do YOU dare oppose the Cult of the Dragon and resist the might of Tiamat, Queen of Dragons? Welcome to Tyranny of Dragons. This book collects two thrilling tales, Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise of Tiamat, combining them into a single campaign-spanning DUNGEONS & DRAGONS adventure. This adventure is designed for a party of four to six 1st-level characters, who should advance to approximately 15th level by the time they reach the final showdown with the goddess Tiamat herself. In the course of this adventure, you'll face an evil alliance intent on unleashing a draconic apocalypse upon Faerfin. The Cult of the Dragon, the Red Wizards of Thay, and a conspiracy of other villains plot to reshape the world, making it ready for the coming of Tiamat. As events unfold, dragons rampage across the Sword Coast, serving at the vanguard of a legion of cultists, fiends, and worse. To oppose these forces, new heroes must rise and resist them-yet they need not do so alone. Groups like the Harpers, the Lord's Alliance, and even the wicked Zhentarim might be rallied to oppose the Cult of the Dragon, but only if clever souls convince them to put aside their age-old rivalries. Will the people of the Realms stand and oppose the forces of dragonkind, or will they fall amid waves of dragon breath? Tyranny of Dragons tells the complete tale previously presented in the adventures Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise ofTiamat. The result of a collaboration with Kobold Press, those adventures comprised the first fifth edition DUNGEONS & DRAGONS campaign, launching the edition with a threat of legendary magnitude. Just as with the original works, this collection would not exist without the experience and creativity of Kobold Press's veteran designers. Now, years after Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise of Tiamat's releases, these adventures remain fan-favorite tales in the wider DUNGEONS & DRAGONS library-stories well worth revisiting. Within these pages you'll find Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise of Tiamat woven together into a complete campaign. While the original adventures remain as their own distinct sections, Tyranny of Dragons accounts for the feedback of thousands of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS players. You'll find a revised, campaign-spanning overview, as well as compiled appendices that collect the characters, magic items, and monsters from both adventures into comprehensive references. Additionally, an entirely new concept art gallery reveals a glimpse behind the scenes at the work that went into bringing several of D&D's most ferocious foes to life . . INTRODUCTION As Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise of Tiamat numbered among the first fifth edition DUNGEONS & DRAGONS products, an online supplement for these adventures can be found at DungeonsandDragons.com. This supplement's campaign-specific contents now feature within this collection's appendices. However, these digital resources also present material from the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual for ease of reference, as well as a print-ready version of the council scorecard that appears in appendix B. DMs might still find these references valuable, and as a result they are still referenced in the following pages. Together with a host of other updates, this compilation presents the definitive version of this thrilling campaign. Whether this is your first time testing your mettle against the Cult of the Dragon or you're prepared to take on Tiamat once more, Tyranny of Dragons promises a challenge like no other. Do you have what it takes to call yourself a true dragon slayer? The fate of the Realms hangs on your answer. RUNNING THE ADVENTURE To run this adventure, you need the fifth edition core rulebooks: Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. The Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide is also helpful, but not necessary. The map of the Sword Coast on the following page provides context for the majority of locations featured in the campaign. Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud or paraphrased for the players when their characters first arrive at a location or under a specific circ*mstance, as described in the text. The Monster Manual contains stat blocks for most of the monsters and NPCs found in this book. When a creature's name appears in bold type, that's a visual cue pointing you to its stat block in appendix D or in the Monster Manual. If a stat block appears in appendix D of this book, the text tells you so. Spells and nonmagical equipment mentioned in the book are described in the Player's Handbook. Magic items are described in the Dungeon Master's Guide, unless the adventure's text directs you to an item's description in appendix C.

I NTRODUCTION 5

6 CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW TYRANNY OF DRAGONS TELLS AN EPIC STORY SPANNING two adventures, Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise ofTiamat-the two tales contained within this collection. Both adventures are introduced here, outlining their backgrounds, plots, and fundamental ties, followed by details on allies and villains relevant to both adventures. Regardless of which adventure you're running, this overview provides useful information, applicable to the wider campaign and helpful for foreshadowing the threats unleashed by the Cult of the Dragon. Tyranny of Dragons is set in the Forgotten Realms on FaerO.n's western shore-the Sword Coast. A thin strip of civilization stretches down this coast, where widely spaced cities are arranged like beads on a string. Roads loosely connect the cities that stretch from Luskan in the north to Calimport in the south, passing through Neverwinter, Waterdeep, Baldur's Gate, and other ports along the way. The bulk of this adventure takes place on the stretch between Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter. Adventure Supplements. You can play this adventure with just the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS basic rules and the Tyranny of Dragons appendix online, which contains all the monsters and magic items not descriped in this book. Both of these supplements are available as free downloads on DungeonsandDragons.com. HOARD OF THE DRAGON QUEEN Tyranny of Dragons tells an epic story across two adventures, of which Hoard of the Dragon Queen is the first. Characters begin this adventure at 1st level; by the end of it they should be 7th or 8th level and ready to continue with The Rise of Tiamat. The ideal party size is four characters. If your group is larger or smaller, you can adjust the adventure's difficulty by adjusting the number of enemies in each encounter. Character Advancement. At your option, you can use the milestone experience rule. Under this rule, you pick events in the campaign that cause the characters to level up. In Hoard of the Dragon Queen, the characters gain a level after completing each chapter except chapter 5. BACKGROUND The Cult of the Dragon has been active in FaerO.n for centuries. It has focused on making undead dragons to fulfill a prophecy most of that time, but that's changing. D RAGON MASKS The new leader of the cult is a Calish*te named Severin Silrajin, who believes that real draconic knowledge and power belongs to living dragons, not undead ones. Severin's ambition amused Tiamat, so she revealed the existence of five dragon masks to him-one for each chromatic dragon color. Individually, these ancient masks allow wearers to communicate with dragons. More importantly, a person who is erudite in draconic CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW 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. With the assembled mask, the cult can release Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells. After Severin (subtly guided by Tiamat) discovered that secret, he bent all the cult's resources to finding the long-lost dragon masks in their secret hiding places. When he recovered the red mask, Severin became the first of the wyrmspeakers, but others soon followed. SECRETS The Cult of the Dragon has kept secret its goal to bring Tiamat into the world thus far. Many know of the cult's increased activity along the Sword Coast, especially in the north, but the reasons behind the resurgence are unknown. Besides his cultists, Severin has forged an alliance with a splinter faction of the Red Wizards of Thay. This small and secretive group, led by an outcast named Rath Modar, plots to unseat the lich Szass Tam from his position over the Red Wizards. Rath believes that in exchange for his help in releasing Tiamat, she will grant him the power he needs to overthrow Szass Tam. CULT ORGANIZATION The Cult of the Dragon is organized in cells, which vary in size from just a handful of members to scores. Leaders in the cult are known as Wearers of Purple, and they outrank normal cultists, but no formal grades exist within the ranks of the Wearers of Purple. Although the cult uses regalia in its rituals and its distant camps, members who operate in public places dress and act no differently from anyone else. The cult is not above hiring mercenaries when it has special jobs to fulfill. Indeed, many of the "cultists" that characters encounter in the first three chapters of this adventure are working for pay. OVERVIEW During the time covered by the first half of this adventure, the cult already has several of the five dragon masks. While the cult works to gain more, Severin initiates the second part of his plan to release Tiamat: recruiting dragons and assembling a treasure hoard worthy of the queen of evil dragons. These efforts draw the characters' attention to the cult. The action 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 Cult 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 within the Zhentarim, a shadowy organization with an unsavory history. 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 the White, 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. THE RISE OF TIAMAT The Rise of Tiamat continues the tale of Tyranny of Dragons. Characters begin this adventure at 8th level, likely having attained that level through the events of the first volume, Hoard of the Dragon Queen. By this adventure's conclusion, the characters should reach approximately 15th level. Four characters is the ideal party size. If your group is smaller than that, consider removing a few opponents from combat encounters. If the group is bigger, add opponents to the fights. Consider altering encounters for smaller groups to avoid overly tough battles. Character Advancement. This adventure uses the milestone experience rule. Under this rule, completing certain events in the campaign causes the characters to level up. See "Advancement" later in this introduction. BACKGROUND The time of dragons dawns. Calling upon ancient magic and a host of draconic allies, the Cult of the Dragon seeks to unleash Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells. By bringing the Queen of Dragons bodily into the world, the cult plans to scour away their foes and usher in a new age of draconic dominance. So far, they've gathered great stores of treasure, forged an alliance with Thay to assist with performing the required summoning ritual, gathered the five dragon masks central to the ritual (see "Dragon Masks," below), and persuaded or cajoled many of the oldest and strongest evil dragons of Faerun into supporting them. However, not everything has gone according to the cult's plans. The discovery of an alliance between the Cult of the Dragon and the Red Wizards of Thay has shaken the various factions aligned against both organizations. The Harpers view any such alliance as an abomination, as does the Order of the Gauntlet. The Lords' Alliance recognizes the obvious threat to the lands and rulers of the Sword Coast and the North, while the Emerald Enclave suspects that anything Thay promotes is likely against the natural order. Even the Zhentarim fear the union of two such powerful forces. News of the alliance has thus brought the various factions of the Sword Coast together. The leaders of those factions understand that they must gather and rally forces to fight the cult, even as the situation in Faerun grows more dire. Abductions and raids undertaken by the Cult of the Dragon increase daily, and refugees are fleeing from burned-out regions under cult attack to major cities and fortresses. Villagers have abandoned their homes, fleeing the constant predation of dragons. In many cities, all-out panic has created a growing movement in favor of agreeing to the cult's demands in the hope of winning concessions in return. It is difficult to muster troops when people are afraid they will be burned by dragonfire. This is a time for heroes to inspire the people of the Sword Coast with a great victory or two. Fortunately, the Forgotten Realms has just such a group of heroes. SECRETS In the first volume of Tyranny of Dragons, the Cult of the Dragon gathered up a hoard for Tiamat-then lost a portion of that hoard when Skyreach Castle fell. All the while, the cult kept secret its goal of bringing back Tiamat and its alliance with an exiled group of Red Wizards of Thay. The cult now needs only to gather enough sacrifices to power the ritual by which the dragon masks will open a portal to the Nine Hells, allowing Tiamat to travel to the Material Plane. These plans continue to move ahead as the Thayan exile Rath Modar and his Red Wizards bring expertise in summoning magic to the cult, preparing a tremendous blood sacrifice to empower the ritual. The alliance between wizards and cultists is fragile, however, since neither side entirely trusts the promises of the other. ALLIED FORCES This second volume of Tyranny of Dragons assumes that the factions of good-aligned adventurers and the people of the Sword Coast are aware of the threat posed by the cult. What's unclear is how to deal with it. Depending on the nature of the characters and their relationships with the factions, different groups might recommend different courses of action to the heroes. It falls to the players to figure out how they want to proceed. CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW 7

8 OVERVIEW At the start this adventure, representatives of groups and factions from across the Sword Coast meet to discuss their concern about the Cult 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 ofWaterdeep (see chapter 9 for details). 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 (nonplayer characters) 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. Events are arranged in this book in a logical sequence for staging The Rise of Tiamat, and the chapters are numbered for ease of reference. You can even add more chapters of your own devising, or which expand on ideas the players generate. OUTLINE The events of Hoard of the Dragon Queen lead directly into The Rise of Tiamat. The shape of this adventure is defined by the meetings of the Council of Waterdeep, which divide the adventure into four stages. STAGE 1 First Council ofWaterdeep. The characters are invited by NPCs they know and trust to the first session of the Council ofWaterdeep. (If you played Hoard of the Dragon Queen, Leosin Erlanthar or Ontharr Frume are likely candidates.) Varram the White. The adventurers learn the location of one of the cult's highest-ranking leaders-Wyrmspeaker Varram. After discovering that Varram is held captive by yuan-ti in the Serpent Hills, the characters can fight the yuan-ti and negotiate to take custody of the cultist. The Sea of Moving Ice. Maccath the Crimson, a tiefling sorcerer of the Arcane Brotherhood, is an acknowledged expert on the Draakhorn-an ancient relic being used by the cult to summon dragons to their cause. She disappeared three years ago in the Sea of Moving Ice, where she is presently a prisoner of the CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW white dragon Arauthator. The characters must make their way to Arauthator's iceberg lair and convince Maccath to join them. By driving away the dragon and carrying off valuable dragon lore, they deal a blow to the cult and might gain the Arcane Brotherhood as allies in the process. The Cult Strikes Back (Part 1). The cult's leaders aren't oblivious to the damage being caused by the heroes. Assassins try to stop the characters' interference, but the cultists misjudge the strength needed to complete the job. STAGE 2 Second Council ofWaterdeep. The characters regroup with the leaders of the Sword Coast's factions at the Council of Waterdeep, assessing their victories over the cult and planning the factions' next moves. Neronvain. The Emerald Enclave requests that the adventurers help them investigate the aftermath of cult raids led by a green dragon in the Misty Forest-a dragon possibly controlled by one of the cult's wyrmspeakers. That investigation leads to a showdown against the green dragon Chuth and Wyrmspeaker Neronvain, who has a surprising connection to the council. Metallic Dragons, Arise. The metallic dragons of the Sword Coast send word to the Council of Waterdeep that they wish to participate in the coming struggle. The adventurers are chosen to attend a council of dragons in the Sunset Mountains, pleading the humanoid factions' case to some of the oldest and most powerful creatures in Faerfin. The Cult Strikes Back (Part 2). After a first attempt to assassinate the heroes failed, the Cult of the Dragon tries again. With a better idea of what they're up against, they have a better chance to succeed. STAGE 3 Third Council ofWaterdeep. At the third meeting of the Council ofWaterdeep, the characters take lead roles in shaping the fight against the cult. Xonthat's Tower. The Cult of the Dragon is not without its own internal strife, as the adventurers discover when a cultist contacts them with the offer to turn over one of the dragon masks essential to Severin's plans. The characters must infiltrate a cult stronghold and claim the mask, then save a nearby village from the blue dragon that means to take the relic back. Mission to Thay. The ritual that will bring Tiamat to Faerfin is too complex for the cult's spellcasters to perform without their Red Wizard allies-all Thayan exiles. The adventurers travel to Thay to forge an alliance with the Red Wizards, whose lich lord Szass Tam hungers for revenge against the exiles. The Red Wizards of Thay are evil to the core, though, and the delegates must tread carefully as they present their case. The Cult Strikes Back (Part 3). The Cult of the Dragon now knows the adventurers' strengths and methods. If the characters don't take precautions to safeguard themselves, the cult stands a good chance of killing them all with a third attack.

STAGE 4 Fourth Council ofWaterdeep. At the final meeting of the council, the characters must work to unite the factions of the Sword Coast for the final battle against the Cult of the Dragon. Severin is ready to fulfill his plans, and the combined forces of the Sword Coast must strike now if the cult is to be stopped. Tiamat's Return. At the Well of Dragons, a battle unfolds that will decide the fate of Faerun. The factions of the Sword Coast fight alongside new and unexpected allies, facing off against the assembled might of the dragon cultists, flights of chromatic dragons, other monsters, and mercenaries. The adventurers choose their own role during the battle, and might rescue sacrificial prisoners, shut down the Draakhorn, or take the lead in disrupting the magical ritual that will allow Tiamat to enter the world. Tyranny of Dragons: The Rise of Tiamat was designed around the milestone system of advancement. At the start of the adventure, the characters should be 7th or 8th level. Instead of tracking specific experience awards, characters can level up at the completion of significant chapters of the adventure. The characters level up after every chapter listed below. As some chapters occur in discrete parts or might be divided up to improve the adventure's pacing, these advancements are organized in the following, optional order: • Chapter 11: Death to the Wyrmspeakers (Varram) • Chapter 10: The Sea of Moving Ice • Chapter 13: The Cult Strikes Back (First Attack) • Chapter 12: Death to the Wyrmspeakers (Neronvain) • Chapter 13: The Cult Strikes Back (Second Attack) • Chapter 15: Xonthal's Tower • Chapter 16: Mission to Thay (level gain at DM's option) • Chapter 13: The Cult Strikes Back (Third Attack) Leveling up after seven milestones should bring the characters to 14th or 15th level in time for the final battle at the Well of Dragons. ADVENTURE HOOKS For characters who have not played Hoard of the Dragon Queen, the adventure can also begin by playing out another chapter before the Council of Waterdeep. The party could be summoned by a factional leader seeking aid against the Cult of the Dragon, with the characters asked to undertake the "Varram the White" portion of "Chapter 1 1 and 12: Death to the Wyrmspeakers." Seeking to capture a high-ranking cult leader is a great step in the fight against the cult. Once they return to Waterdeep, the adventurers then become embroiled in the first session of "Chapter 9: Council of Waterdeep." RECURRING VILLAINS The Rise ofTiamat makes use of certain N PCs from Hoard of the Dragon Queen, and makes the assumption that those N PCs escaped any conflict with the adventurers. In the event that important non player characters such as Wyrmspeaker Rezmir or the Red Wizard Rath Modar were killed or captured, simply replace them with new non player characters here-or assume that they were resurrected between the previous adventure and this one. N PCs returning from the dead show the level of magical power the cult and its Red Wizard allies wield-and their dedication to seeing Severin's plans brought to fruition. ADDITIONAL ENCOUNTERS The Rise ofTiamat is an open-framework adventure designed for higher-level characters. As such, not all your game sessions need to stick to the main track of the adventure narrative. Additional events, rumors, and encounters can be used as needed or added as side treks or distractions. The following encounter seeds are meant to be used when you want to break up the narrative or if the players get off track. Each can be expanded as you like, and is meant to tie into one of the main chapters in the adventure (or to let you gently guide the players in that direction). Each additional encounter also provides a sense of the wider scope of the setting. MONSTROUS UPRISING A charismatic half-red dragon veteran leads a band of 21 kobolds and 7 lizardfolk, taking advantage of the unrest along the Sword Coast. The group might besiege a village the characters are staying at, raid and enslave another settlement, or start charging tolls along one of the trade roads of the Sword Coast. This band isn't organized enough to attack all at once and provide a significant challenge to the party. Instead, it shows the increasing anarchy of the region, and the way that Tiamat's rise has emboldened evil creatures that aren't directly serving the Dragon Queen. POWER OF THE CULT The Cult of the Dragon expands its operation in larger and bolder ways. Its leaders send diplomatic missions to Berdusk, Triel, and other settlements demanding tribute-and offering protection from dragon raids for those who comply. Cultists shake down caravans seeking protection money, and have been burning caravans that belong to the rivals of those who do pay. Less scrupulous merchants are finding it easier to do business with the cult than to fight against them. Any Zhentarim contacts of the adventurers are understandably worried about these developments. Elite bands of cultists have been charged with establishing the cult's control from the Gray Peaks to the Sunset Mountains. They seek out allies in the area, with an eye toward choosing friendly territory for a capital city and a seat of power for the cult's Inner Circle. Such bands are led by a dragonsoul defended by 4 dragonclaws and a pack of 3 guard drakes. The dragonsoul rides a warhorse, but the other cultists are on foot. See appendix D for the cultists and drakes. CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW 9

IO DEVILISH DEMANDS Though the Cult of the Dragon and the Red Wizards are making use of diabolic allies as they plan the ritual that will free Tiamat, not all devils are on their side. Some fiends not wanting to see Tiamat gain worldly power seek to break the alliance between the cult and Thay. This encounter can be used to reveal to the characters the divisions already present among the evil factions. The devils who are aligned against Tiamat send a delegation of 5 cultists and 2 cult fanatics (devil worshipers) and a bone devil named Lord Volmer to treat with the party. The cultists lead the characters to a large tent, inside which Lord Volmer awaits. Using telepathy, Lord Volmer tells the adventurers about the so-called "Thayan Resurrection" (the attempt by Thayan exiles to supplant Szass Tam), as well as the fact that Szass Tam intends to destroy Rath Modar and his splinter sect for their impudence. The bone devil assures the characters that they can earn the Red Wizards' favor by providing him with information leading to Rath Modar's capture. Lord Volmer also tells the party that the lords of the Nine Hells are divided when it comes to the matter of Tiamat's release. He tells the party that if Tiamat is prevented from escaping, the party will earn "powerful friends" in the Nine Hells. If the characters attack Lord Volmer, he and his allies retaliate. The devil is not worried about dying, since he reforms at full strength in the Nine Hells upon his demise. CAPTIVE CULTIST A group of dwarf miners has captured a high-ranking member of the Cult of the Dragon-a Wearer of Purple named Cheela Flegsteel who got a little too greedy while leading a group of cultists that was terrorizing the dwarves. Having killed Cheela's drakes and subordinates, the dwarves bring their prisoner to the adventurers hoping for a reward. Cheela has useful information about the cult's activities, which could be used to lead into any chapter of your choice. However, she also knows that a rescue party is not far behind her. The adventurers need to help the dwarves fend off an attack by 4 ogres and a half-red dragon veteran named Yggran. The dwarves are hopelessly overmatched and flee rather than fight. If her fellow cultists can't save Cheela, they might kill her rather than leave her in the adventurers' hands. CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW FALLEN HERO The adventurers meet a seriously injured elf ranger-a well-known hero named Cylanestriel. She speaks of her capture by the Cult of the Dragon and her escape from the stronghold at the caldera of the Well of Dragons. (If possible, make Cylanestriel an associate, mentor, or relative of someone in the party.) Use this encounter to make the players aware of the dangers presented by a direct assault against the Well of Dragons. The army of the cult is huge and powerful enough to have destroyed a major adventuring group. The Well of Dragons is on alert, and its defensive forces include flights of dragons that prowl the skies above the site. The characters should be made to understand that attacking with a large allied force is their only option for defeating the cult. DEATH AT THE COUNCIL During the second or third session of the Council of Waterdeep, rumors spread of an aide from Neverwinter who killed an aide from Mithra! Hall and then hanged himself. In truth, the Cult of the Dragon sent a succubus spy to Waterdeep. She charmed the Neverwinter aide into collecting information for her, but the other aide discovered their meetings. The succubus forced her victim to slay the other aide, then to kill himself. If the characters investigate, they can obtain the body to question it using speak with dead, or they might use commune to discover the spy. The succubus has gained another victim by that point-a knight of the Order of the Gauntlet who regularly goes to meet her at her slum dwelling in the Field Ward ofWaterdeep. This pattern of murder and suicide continues unless the spy's true identity is discovered. RUNNING THE ADVENTURE Tyranny of Dragons covers many levels of play and a huge swath of the Forgotten Realms. This book outlines the overall structure of the adventure and presents many chapters and events with which to challenge the characters as they investigate the nefarious plots of the Cult of the Dragon. This is not, however, a script to be read aloud with stage directions that must be followed. Tyranny of Dragons does not hold your hand and guide you step-by-step from the story's beginning to its inevitable conclusion. Instead, it presents people, creatures, locations, and situations for the adventurers to explore and interact with in a constantly changing, lively way. You, the Dungeon Master, play a vital role. The creators of Tyranny of Dragons have tried to foresee the most likely courses of action that the characters might take in the adventure. However, D&D players are curious and unpredictable, and Faerfrn is immense and filled with possibility. In a scenario as open-ended as this one, it is all but guaranteed that at some point during the adventure-and possibly at many points-the players will develop their own ideas about how to handle a situation or how to deal with the cult. And just like that, they'll be off and running in directions that aren't covered by this book. Those kinds of situations put a DM's skill to the test-but they also produce some of the greatest gaming moments and memories.

CAMPAIGN VILLAINS The plot to return Tiamat to the mortal realm has brought some of Faeriln's most sinister organizations and most powerful monsters into deadly alliance. THE CULT OF THE DRAGON The Cult of the Dragon has existed for centuries. During most of that time, its members have focused on the creation and worship of dracoliches, based on a prophecy translated by the cult's founder, Sammaster. However, those goals changed with the rise of a young cultist named Severin. Inspired by Tiamat, Severin reexamined the texts translated by Sammaster and discovered a different interpretation, believing that "naught will be left save shattered thrones, with no rulers but the dead. Dragons shall rule the world entire ... " Severin's quest to reshape the cult led him to the dragon Hoondarrh, "the Red Rage of Mintarn." The fact that Severin not only survived this encounter but befriended the dragon impressed Tiamat in her exile in the Nine Hells. As a reward and further test, she allowed Severin a scrap of knowledge regarding the existence of the five dragon masks. Severin took that bit of information and did what few others could have accomplished, searching for and finding all five masks. The task took years to complete, and it led directly to the crisis that Faerun now faces. Severin kept the red mask for himself. As other masks were found, he presented them to his closest allies in the Cult of the Dragon, granting each the power of a wyrmspeaker. Using the magic of the dragon masks, this Inner Circle of Wyrmspeakers helps Severin prepare the way for Tiamat's return. DAILY OPERATIONS The plots of the Cult of the Dragon are secret, but its existence is not. Most folk of the Sword Coast have heard of the cult, but know only that its members revere evil dragons. The cult recruits new members in major cities, and word quickly gets around. Moreover, many cultists engage in legitimate business or are assigned to ordinary academic research. Only a relative few serve as thieves, assassins, and spies. Dragon-themed symbolism and iconography pervade the cult's official regalia-black clothing that features a cape or cloak cut to resemble dragon wings, and festooned with jewelry and draconic imagery reflecting the wearer's favorite type of dragon. Masks are common at cult gatherings. Cultists avoid this regalia in public, but a character who knows what to look for can often pick an incognito dragon cultist out of a crowd. Cultists sometimes greet one another with the sign of Tiamat: right hand extended, palm forward, with all five fingers spread in imitation of Tiamat's five heads. Characters trying to pass as cultists might find this sign useful if they don't overdo it. Cult members venerate dragons as powerful icons and masters, but their worship is reserved for Tiamat. They look forward to the Dragon Queen's return, believing that she will destroy mortal civilization and usher in a glorious reign of dragons-and of those who helped bring about draconic rule. The complex plot dedicated to bring Tiamat to Faeriln has so far seen the cult recover the five dragon masks and collect an immense treasure worthy of the Dragon Queen. All that now remains is to raise her temple in the Well of Dragons, sacrifice hundreds of victims whose souls will power an ancient ritual, and then use that ritual to open a portal through which Tiamat will emerge from the Nine Hells. CULT STRUCTURE The cult has a simple hierarchical structure, consisting of initiates on the bottom, four ranks for cultists and one highest rank for "Wearers of Purple"-the ' lords, leaders, and cult masters of particular locales. The cult is ruled by a secretive inner group led by Severin and four other wyrmspeakers-a term of respect given to those whose bond with dragons is supernaturally strong. Rank in the cult is based on merit and fanaticism. As raw recruits, initiates (represented by cultists and cult fanatics) have no rank and follow the orders of their superiors. Only initiates that prove their worth are allowed to advance. A Wearer of Purple can promote an initiate along the track of dragonclaw (first rank), dragonwing (second rank), dragonfang (third rank), and dragonsoul (fourth rank). Statistics for those four ranking cultists are found in appendix D. Cult operation groups are assembled to match their assigned tasks. They vary in size, from a few low-ranking cultists operating on their own to hundreds of cultists of various ranks under the control of multiple Wearers of Purple. WEARERS OF PURPLE The Wearers of Purple stand at the top of the cult's humanoid hierarchy, and their word is law for the cultists in the cities, strongholds, and lairs they command. They are the only members of the cult to wear purple, and most are proud enough to flaunt the color. The Wearers of Purple have an affinity for talking to and negotiating with dragons-the gift of wyrmspeaking. Dozens of Wearers of Purple are spread throughout the Cult of the Dragon, and all are able to marshal the cult's resources. Only Severin's inner circle can promote a dragonsoul to a Wearer of Purple, granting that character a base of operations and funds. Most new Wearers of Purple have already developed a working relationship with a dragon as part of their power and authority. Those who do not cultivate and expand this relationship are sometimes demoted. A number of priests of Tiamat have recently been made Wearers of Purple, and have been charged with establishing temples for her open worship in Faeriln. This aspect of the cult's plans is still in the early stages, and the inner circle remains divided on how the Cult of the Dragon should interact with the faithful of Tiamat. THE INNER CIRCLE These four Wearers of Purple are the keepers of the dragon masks and Severin's most devoted servants in the effort to summon Tiamat. Each of these wyrmspeakers bears one of the dragon masks, which they never part with except under the direst circ*mstances-and CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW II

I2 then only at the request of Severin or a draconic ally. The members of the inner circle each have an affinity for a particular color of chromatic dragon. They treat with dragons of those colors to recruit more dragons to the cause, and plan cult missions that advance Severin's plots. In addition to Severin, the Red Wyrmspeaker, the members of the inner circle are: Galvan (male human), the Blue Wyrmspeaker; Neronvain (male moon elf), the Green Wyrmspeaker and son of Melandrach, King of the Misty Forest; Rezmir (female half-black dragon), the Black Wyrmspeaker; and Varram (male dwarf), the White Wyrmspeaker. If any wyrmspeakers are killed or captured in your campaign-including Rezmir, who the characters might have defeated in Hoard of the Dragon Queen-Severin appoints new followers to his inner council. DISSENT IN THE RANKS Under Severin's leadership, most cultists are devoted to Tiamat-but not all. Some of the old guard dislike the cult's new direction, and long for the established traditions and the rise of the dracoliches. A common thought among the dracolich loyalists is that Severin is being played by the fiendish Tiamat. Notable among these members of the old guard are Naergoth Bladelord, the former commander of the stronghold at the Well of Dragons, andjorgen Pawl and Iskander, two high-ranking cultists in command of Xonthal's Tower. USING THE CULT OF THE D RAGON Cultists are suitable foes for the adventurers in most situations. They keep a low profile in public, so characters are unlikely to see cultists in full regalia on the streets of Waterdeep or Scornubel. As their plots near fruition, however, the cultists grow bolder and might engage the adventurers openly. By the start of The Rise of Tiamat, the effects of the cult's activities are visible across the Sword Coast. The scorched ruins of farming communities pillaged by cultists for Tiamat's hoard are a common enough occurrence that travelers know something is amiss. RED WIZARDS OF THAY The Red Wizards hail from Thay, over two thousand miles east of the Sword Coast. A grim, dismal region spread across a towering plateau, Thay is defended by an army of undead warriors and ruled by the lich Szass Tam and the zulkirs he appoints to rule over the eight schools of magic. The Red Wizards of Thay are known across FaerO.n, and are easily recognized by their distinctive crimson robes and the arcane sigils tattooed onto their shaved heads. Because of their evil reputation, Red Wizards are arrested or killed on the spot in many lands. For that reason, they often travel in disguise, invisibly, or by magical means. For many years, Szass Tam's grip on absolute power in Thay has been weakened by internal strife. Mortal Red Wizards have risen against their undead masters, destroying some of Szass Tam's lich zulkirs and thinning the ranks of other undead. Little is known of the conflict beyond Thay's borders, however. In this quiet CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW civil war, both sides fear that too much attrition wiii make Thay a target for its long list of enemies. Szass Tam questions the allegiance of all living Red Wizards outside Thay, and has made it clear that death and worse await any who oppose him. RATH MODAR'S AMBITION One such Red Wizard exile is Rath Modar, an illusionist of great skill who long ago made the Sword Coast his home. Having a natural interest in dragons, it wasn't long before Rath Modar came into contact with the Cult of the Dragon and Severin. The young, ambitious cult leader sought powerful magic to locate the scattered dragon masks and to perform the ritual that would summon Tiamat from the Nine Hells. Rath Modar dreamed of an army that could confront and defeat Szass Tam. Out of mutual need, their alliance was born. The secret cornerstone of this union is Rath Modar's belief that once Tiamat returns, she will see that the Red Wizards are more useful allies than the devoted but

magically weak cultists. Rath Modar hopes that Tiamat will show her gratitude for the pivotal role he and his fellow Red Wizards played in her return, granting them an army of dragons with which to assault Thay. After unseating Szass Tam, Rath Modar plans to take his place at the head of all Red Wizards. Whether Tiamat will grant such a reward-or have any further use for the Red Wizards at all-remains unknown. Not all members of the Cult of the Dragon are happy about the Red Wizards' involvement in the cult's plans. Wyrmspeaker Varram foresees trouble in the cult joining forces with Rath Modar's splinter sect. He has warned Severin about the potential danger, to no avail. USING THE RED WIZARDS Red Wizards can be encountered anywhere on the Sword Coast (use mage stats if necessary), whether operating alongside cultists or on their own. They most often work alone, but two or three Red Wizards might join forces for an important assignment. In a public area where their appearance could put them at risk, Red Wizards favor deep hoods and scarves to hide their faces. Their undead wight bodyguards are usually nearbyand often invisible. Each Red Wizard specializes in a single school of magic, but all learn spells outside their specialty schools. Red Wizards don't share the cultists' fanaticism for Tiamat. For them, bringing the Dragon Queen into the world is just one stage of what they call the Thayan Resurrection-the larger plan to destroy Szass Tam and reclaim Thay. They tolerate the dragon cultists but do not acknowledge them as equals. Not every Red Wizard on the Sword Coast is working for Rath Modar or the Cult of the Dragon. Some pursue their own interests, while others are spies for Szass Tam. The adventurers might thus find themselves making uneasy alliances with characters they would normally never trust, since the easiest and surest way to eliminate a Red Wizard in service to the cult is to betray that wizard's location to an agent of Szass Tam. However, characters who get too close to Szass Tam's servants and his paranoid vendetta against the Red Wizard exiles might find themselves at the mercy of the Thayans. This possibility is explored more fully in chapter 16. HOSTS OF THE NINE HELLS Tiamat has long threatened Faerun, often appearing in lands such as Chessenta and Unther to drive mortals to worship her awesome power. Although mortals don't know it, the end of the Sundering and the Era of Upheaval also put an end to such direct meddling by the gods. Without powerful magic and mortal aid, Tiamat cannot travel from her home in Avernus into the world. Avernus is a boulder-strewn desolation where fiery comets streak across the sky and devil aristocrats rule from dismal iron fortresses. The River Styx saws a jagged course through Avernus's basalt cliffs, winds its way across ashen plains, and eventually plunges through a yawning pit into the eight levels of the Hells below. All the rivers of Avernus feed into the Styx, each one flowing red with blood beneath a roiling cloud of flies. Despite her power as ruler of the first layer of the Nine Hells, the archdevil Zariel cannot kill the dragon goddess, and she sees the summoning of Tiamat as a way to be rid of her. Zariel has directed her mortal agents to assist those who seek to free Tiamat, and her power has made it easier for the Red Wizards to summon devils and for the Cult of the Dragon to find more adherents. 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. Ordinarily, the Cult of the Dragon has nothing to do with devils. However, releasing Tiamat into the world is a massive undertaking, and Severin has called on every resource he can. Though many of his allies among the Red Wizards are well schooled in summoning and commanding devils, doing so is never a straightforward process. Devils cannot leave the Nine Hells of their own accord, and though Asmodeus can bend these laws, he seldom does. Most devils in the Material Plane were summoned there by mortal mages who expended tremendous amounts of magical power to breach the barriers that separate the Nine Hells from other planes. USING DEVILS Devils aren't numerous in The Rise of Tiamat until the final showdown at the Well of Dragons, but their presence elsewhere in the adventure (including the additional encounter "Devilish Demands") should make attentive players wonder at the connection between devils and dragons. Devils are supreme manipulators, and if the characters have the opportunity to speak with devils that aren't working for the cult, don't be afraid to offer them diabolical assistance. Such an offer should put all characters-not just those of good alignment-in a bind. Bargaining with devils is a fool's game, but if the alternative is the end of the world, it might be the adventurers' only option. Devils in the adventure should always be one step ahead of the adventurers. Characters who like to charge in and decide on strategy later will find that their diabolical foes have well-executed plans. If the characters plan two steps ahead, the devils are one step beyond that. Nothing mortals do should ever surprise them. C HROMATIC D RAGONS Severin and his supporters intend to use the ancient draconic artifact known as the Draakhorn to rally the chromatic dragons to Tiamat's cause. However, chromatic dragons are notoriously arrogant, territorial, greedy, and suspicious of any creatures begging favors-especially if those creatures might be a threat. Getting dragons to cooperate is a monumental task, even when bringing the Queen of Dragons into the world is the ultimate goal. The Cult of the Dragon has a secret weapon for dealing with chromatic dragons, in the form of the five dragon masks. Even with a dragon mask, the process of influencing a dragon remains arduous and dangerous-though the payoff is enormous. These relics give their wearers the ability to communicate with dragons, but more importantly, they impart a subtle influence CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW 13

• 14 over dragons that cannot be detected. Dragons cannot be controlled by the masks, but they can be swayed by ideas and proposals that they would not normally find persuasive. USING CHROMATIC DRAGONS The power of the chromatic dragons is a motif running through every aspect of Tyranny of Dragons: The Rise of Tiamat. As the events of the adventure unfold, more and more dragons respond to the Draakhorn's rumbling moan and journey to the Well of Dragons-a migration that inspires alarm and panic in people across FaerO.n. Characters and players should seldom be allowed to forget that the evil dragons are on the move. Whenever the adventurers are outside, they might see a dragon winging overhead in the distance. The shadow of a dragon could fall across the adventurers in the daytime, and dark draconic wings might momentarily blot out the moon at night. When the characters arrive in a settlement, they should hear stories about dragon sightings and attacks. When they travel, burned-out hamlets and demolished caravans line the road. Dragons are among the oldest, most intelligent, and most powerful monsters in FaerO.n and the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game. Chromatic dragons are evil and merciless, and every battle against these creatures should be a life-or-death struggle. No dragon should ever fall without the heroes suffering during the battle. Chromatic dragons use every possible advantage with no regard for fairness, and their chief advantage is flight. A dragon never fights on foot where enemies might hack at it when it can soar majestically out of reach and slaughter foes with its breath weapon. Only in its lair will a dragon typically engage in melee, and then only if its hoard is threatened. Characters who can tackle the challenges of this adventure are high enough level to have allies raised from the dead when those allies fall to a draconic foe. If the characters can't do so themselves, their allies in the Order of the Gauntlet or the Harpers should be willing to help out. With lifetimes of a thousand years or more to lose, chromatic dragons have no interest in dying in battle against mere humanoids, and they don't sacrifice themselves nobly for any cause-Tiamat included. A dragon caught in a losing battle takes any escape that presents itself, most often simply soaring away. This changes during the final showdown at the Well of Dragons, however, when Tiamat can be seen clawing her way through the portal from the Nine Hells. • CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW GIANTS If the characters claimed Skyreach Castle in Hoard of the Dragon Queen, they might well hear from a frost giant diplomat who shows up to reclaim it as property of the giants who built it. A frost giant named Harshnag lives on Mount Sar north ofWaterdeep, and he is sometimes called upon when the Sword Coast faces dire threats. The player characters could fly the citadel to him or-in a more dramatic interlude-he might come to a council meeting and demand the citadel's return on behalf of his kin so that he might rally them against their ancient foes. If the player characters did not claim the citadel (or crashed it), this option is not available to them. USING GIANTS Giants are unlikely to appear side by side with dragons anywhere before the final showdown at the Well of Dragons. However, characters who gain any insight into the giants' alliance with the dragons should understand its apocalyptic significance. CAMPAIGN ALLIES Several powerful organizations battle the Cult of the Dragon even as the party does. The characters are key players in the drama, but everyone in FaerO.n has a stake in the outcome of the battle against Tiamat and her allies. Each faction has a presence in the Council of Waterdeep, and all factions are ultimately on the adventurers' side-even if some of them occasionally hinder the characters more than they help. This section describes each faction's goals and driving concerns, its leading delegate or delegates to the council, and what resources it can contribute to the final battle against the Cult of the Dragon. THE HARPERS The secret society known as the Harpers has been disbanded and rebuilt several times over its long history. The latest incarnation of the group retains its focus on gathering information, keeping a close watch on the balance of power in FaerO.n, and promoting fairness and equality in quiet, unobtrusive ways. Harpers try to keep out of the public eye, preferring secrecy to fame and using knowledge to win the day over brute force. However, as the Cult of the Dragon grows more brazen and destructive, the Harpers are forced to act more openly in their opposition.

If the characters played through Hoard of the Dragon Queen, they've already met one of the most influential of the Harpers: Leosin Erlanthar, a male half-elf monk from Berdusk. USING THE HARPERS Harper agents operate most effectively alone or in small groups, much like adventurers. When on a mission, they are independent and self-reliant. The ideal Harper is a keen observer, persuasive, and able to go almost anywhere without arousing suspicion. NPC Harpers are the kinds of characters who consistently pop up when they're least expected and most useful. If the characters need a safe house in a strange city, are unable to locate an elusive foe, or have been captured by the cult and need inside help to escape, a Harper can offer up a secure hideout, a whispered clue, or a smuggled knife. Bards, rogues, and wizards are the most common character types in the Harpers, but characters of every class can be found in the organization. REMALLIA HAVENTREE Chaotic good female moon elf fighter Ideals: Freedom, respect ("Our failure would spell an end to all beautiful and honest things.") Interaction Traits: Honest, friendly Pledged Resources: Harper mages and scouts The elf noble Remallia-"Remi" to her friends-is the Harper's leading delegate to the Council ofWaterdeep. She is quiet, speaking only after others have had their turn, and is content to let events unfold until she feels a need to offer intervention and guidance. This embodies her attitude about combating the cult as well. Remi is convinced that the rumors of Tiamat's return are true, and she is frustrated by the unwillingness of the other Harpers to commit to fighting the Cult of the Dragon. She understands their hesitation, however. The Harpers' have only recently been reformed, and the cause of their near-destruction was the decision to act more openly and aggressively. The Harpers measure success in the value and quantity of intelligence gained by a course of action, as well as how that knowledge can be used to leverage an enemy into submission. Remallia wants the party to succeed using such tactics, knowing that this will sway the conservatives in her faction. The Harpers are willing to cooperate with unsavory types and leverage evil assets, but not if doing so endangers others unnecessarily. They can respect the deftness and skill needed to make such an arrangement, even if they do not like the arrangement itself. The Harpers are always dissatisfied if the characters kill important cultists rather than capturing them-or at least trying to ' extract information from them beforehand. \ THE ORDER OF THE GAUNTLET The Order of the Gauntlet shares the Harpers' dedication to justice and equality, but their methods and attitude are quite different. Bearers of the gauntlet are holy warriors on a righteous quest to crush evil and promote justice, and they never hide in the shadows. Evil must be opposed openly and vanquished in the light of day, so that all can see and be emboldened by its destruction. Members of the order are driven by religious fervor and by devotion to the principle of justice for all. Whether a member places more emphasis on one or the other of those ideals is an individual choice. Camaraderie and esprit de corps run high within the order, and an individual member will risk anything to save a fellow member or to complete an important mission. The Order of the Gauntlet is a young organization, and it is eager and restless for action. It does not take orders from any government or temple, although the opinions of holy figures are greatly esteemed within the order. When evil threatens, the gauntlet strikes. USING THE ORDER OF THE GAUNTLET The Order of the Gauntlet is an invaluable asset at the final showdown at the Well of Dragons. No other faction can muster more paladins and priests to heal the wounded and combat Severin's devil allies directly. Before the final battle, members of the order make interesting NPCs for roleplaying encounters because of their outgoing ways and strong opinions. Sharing a roadside inn with twenty paladins from the Order of the Gauntlet, or joining their march for a few days when headed in the same direction, should be a memorable experience. Clerics, paladins, and monks make up the majority of the Order of the Gauntlet, but any character of a righteous mind is welcome in the order's ranks. ONTHARR F RUME Lawful good male human paladin Ideals: Responsibility, greater good ("The strong must defend the weak, whatever the cost.") Personality Traits: Friendly, hot-tempered Pledged Resources: Paladins and healing clerics to support the fight against Tiamat's forces Boisterous and gregarious to a fault, Ontharr is the leading delegate for the Order of the Gauntlet. He has all the justification he needs to support the party (especially if the characters played through Hoard of the Dragon Queen). However, the rest of the order is not yet convinced. In particular, the order does not tolerate evil, and if the characters are known to have committed acts of a dubious moral nature, Ontharr Frume will be pressured to withhold his support. Members of the order will seek proof that the party is righteous or has divine CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW 15

16 guidance, for it is only with the blessing of Torm and the other gods that Tiamat can be defeated. Just as good deeds must be performed in the light for all to see, evil must be shunned and fought at every turn. Members of the order can be won over by heroic and righteous deeds, but they will turn against characters who cooperate with or tolerate evil. The order can best be swayed by actions that demonstrate heroism and divine providence-uniting the metallic dragons to fight Tiamat's brood, for example. Slaying a wyrmspeaker will also serve the party well, while capturing and delivering such a villain to justice will raise them even higher in the order's sight. Ontharr Frume's dedication to heroic justice creates a strong connection between him and the paladin Sir Isteval. However, Ontharr has difficulty reconciling the heroic Isteval of legend with the diplomatic and retiring figure of the Council ofWaterdeep. It's incomprehensible to him why Sir Isteval does not take to the field himself in this great conflict. The Emerald Enclave is dedicated to maintaining balance in the natural order and combating the forces that threaten that balance. Members of the enclave live in the wilderness or in small communities, and the order has almost no representatives in towns and cities. They are not opposed to civilization, however. Rather, they seek to prevent civilization and wilderness from harming one another. Those who serve the Emerald Enclave are masters of survival and living off the land, of navigating through the wilderness, and of reading the signs that indicate approaching weather, the passage of creatures, and the general weal of the natural world. Severin's plan to release Tiamat from the Nine Hells represents a grave threat to the natural order. The Dragon Queen's reign and the ascendancy of chromatic dragons would trigger a continent-wide catastrophe that the Emerald Enclave cannot allow. USING THE EMERALD ENCLAVE Members of the Emerald Enclave operate alone or in small groups. Their primary focus is places where the natural world and civilization intersect, because that's where the natural order is most easily upset. Humanoids and monsters alike can become a threat to nature when they are thrown out of balance with their environment or their role in the world. Whenever characters are traveling through the wilderness-and especially if they get into trouble in a remote area-they can encounter agents of the Emerald Enclave. If the adventurers need someone to guide them safely across a mountain range or lead them through trackless, monster-infested forest, there is no better choice than a member of the order. CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW Druids, rangers, and barbarians make up most of the Emerald Enclave, but any character with a strong affinity for nature can find a place in the order. DELAAN WINTERHOUND Neutral good male half-elf ranger Ideals: Balance, life ("In all good hearts is a spot of darkness, and in all tragedy is a glimmer of light.") Interaction Traits: Quiet Pledged Resources: Druids, treants, and good- and neutral-aligned lycanthropes Delaan has come to the Council of Waterdeep as the lone representative of the Emerald Enclave. Even his regular companion, a winter wolf named Loska, remains on patrol outside the city. Delaan spends much of his time wandering the northern wilderness, and although he visits friends in Nesme once a year, he otherwise shies away from large settlements. He is clearly uncomfortable in Waterdeep. There is no question that Tiamat must be stopped, but the Emerald Enclave wants to see the world restored to order. This sometimes means taking a middle ground in battles between good and evil. Delaan is acutely aware of the destruction accompanying the recent activities of the Cult of the Dragon. He knows the cult must be destroyed for upsetting the balance of nature, and he knows that many dragons supporting the cult will die before the end. He would rather not kill unnecessarily, however. Delaan is initially reserved in his support of the party. To earn his respect, the characters must recognize that their battle is not just to save civilization but to preserve the natural order. He thus objects to many actions that good or neutral characters might not think twice aboutincluding destroying chromatic dragon eggs and other acts that disrupt the natural cycle. Delaan's oldest friend and mentor is a mighty treant named Turlang who resides in the High Forest. With Delaan's support, many treants will join the fight against Tiamat. THE LORDS' ALLIANCE "The Lords' Alliance" is not a metaphor. This organization was created and is led by leaders and nobles from across Faerun. Although many of its members have conflicting goals and long-standing rivalries outside the alliance, they band together in the face of events that are too big for any of them to handle on their own. The rulers ofWaterdeep, Silverymoon, Baldur's Gate, and other cities, families, and trading houses of the Sword Coast might never set aside their differences, but they can pull together when the survival of all depends on it.

The Lords' Alliance represents the richest interests and the most powerful armies on the Sword Coast. The order controls wealth that can hire mercenaries, ensure the loyalty of wavering princes, and possibly even bribe a few chromatic dragons to switch sides or break from Tiamat's cause. Without the help of the alliance against the Cult of the Dragon, the Dragon Queen's victory might be assured. USING THE LORDS' ALLIANCE Even while they are working together, members of the Lords' Alliance are always advancing their own interests. Everyone knows and expects it-it's a fact of dealing with the alliance. That doesn't mean member cities don't cooperate and help each other in times of crisis. But if a crisis rearranges the power structure of the Sword Coast, all the players involved hope that the new order leaves them better off. For anyone to move up, someone else must move down. Whenever a military campaign is underway, the Lords' Alliance is likely to be in command. Even if it isn't, alliance representatives will be on hand to observe and advise. If the characters find themselves in legal trouble, a councilor might come to the party's aid with a writ of pardon. Fighters and sorcerers are plentiful in the Lords' Alliance, but the order takes on any character who feels at home in civilized lands. Barbarians, rangers, and druids are seldom involved with this faction, which sometimes leads to strained relations with the Emerald Enclave. ON THE C OUNCIL Because the Lords' Alliance is a confederation, the order sends seven delegates to the Council of Waterdeep, each effectively representing his or her own faction. Their diverse character, motivations, and obligations ensure that they are not in agreement about the current threat facing Faerfin. Moreover, the standing of certain delegates changes from one council to the next. Although it is not necessary for all delegates to back the adventurers, without at least some support from the Lords' Alliance, there is almost no way for the party to marshal enough forces to win the day. LADY LAERAL SILVERHAND Chaotic good female human wizard Ideals: Creativity, respect ("We cannot stop what we do not understand.") Interaction Traits: Quiet, curious Pledged Resources: Waterdeep's army and conscript troops Lady Laeral is present starting with the second council, at which point she becomes the Open Lord of Waterdeep. She is one of the Seven Sisters-legendary, nigh-immortal figures known to have been blessed by Mystra. (Some even say they are the goddess's daughters.) Her spellcasting ability is impressive but is beginning to wane, and she focuses more on political power than on the arcane these days. The Masked Lords of Waterdeep choose her as the successor to Dagult Neverember between the first and second sessions of the Council of Waterdeep, making her the leader of the Lords' Alliance. Laeral Silver hand brings centuries of leadership experience and an impressive reputation to the negotiations. A consummate diplomat, she can wield words that wound or soothe with equal ease. As the Open Lord of Waterdeep, she holds great sway with all the delegates except Dagult Neverember, who believes that she engineered his removal from the position of Open Lord. Laeral's primary concern is keeping all parties at the negotiating table, and making sure that concrete actions result from each council's discussions. However, she is leery of committing troops to battle. No stranger to the horrors of war, she is keenly aware that the lands represented by the Lords' Alliance need their soldiers for the protection of their own people. Only when convinced that the Cult of the Dragon is likely to succeed in summoning Tiamat does she change her mind. However, she doesn't trust the adventurers with leadership unless their deeds in the field and at the negotiating table have impressed her. If the adventurers sway Laeral to their side, she speaks highly of the party in the periods between council sessions. Having the support of the leader of the Lords' Alliance increases the party's stature in the eyes of all other factions, granting additional bonuses. See "Chapter 9: Council of Waterdeep" and the Council Scorecard (appendix B) for more information. LORD DAGULT NEVEREMBER Lawful neutral male human fighter Ideals: Moderation, responsibility ("The commoners need strong leaders to protect them-and to do what must be done even when it is distasteful.") Interaction Traits: Honest Pledged Resources: Neverwinter conscript troops, and mercenaries from around the world Lord Neverember holds many titles and wears several crowns. During the first council, he is the Open Lord ofWaterdeep, the Lord Protector of Neverwinter, and leader of the Lords' Alliance. He looks the part of such an impressively titled figure: tall and broad-shouldered, with a thick beard, a wild mane of hair, and a forceful manner. Rarely seen without his hand around a glass of strong spirits, he is a master manipulator and looks and behaves as a king should. Strong and decisive, Dagult acts always for the good of his subjects and realm-and in doing so, has consistently built up his own power and wealth. Unfortunately for him, the Masked Lords of Waterdeep have recently chosen to replace him as Open Lord. Laeral Silverhand, his successor, claims her title in the second council meeting. Dagult demands order and rewards discipline, but he is pragmatic and driven by results above all else. He knows that nothing comes without effort, and sacrifices must be made when necessary. Tireless in his actions, he never stops until he has achieved his goals. He will use any means at his disposal, as long as those means are legally justifiable-even when such justification must be "rediscovered" from long-forgotten or ignored laws. \ CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW 17

18 In the first council meeting, Lord Dagult's resources have been spread thin between the massive investments he's made in rebuilding Neverwinter and in maintaining dominance in Waterdeep. He strongly supports the members of the Lords' Alliance pooling resources, because he worries that neither of his investments can survive the coming catastrophe without assistance. This changes by the second council. Though losing Waterdeep allows him to consolidate his strength, Dagult resents Laeral for taking his position. He avoids letting his feelings cloud his judgment, however, intent on showing that he is a more fitting leader by backing the adventurers and taking a firm leadership role in the council. AMBASSADOR CONNERAD BRAWNANVIL Lawful good male shield dwarf lighter Ideals: Honor, respect ("A sturdy axe, a strong hand to hold it, and a straight fight are all we dwarves need to end this little problem.") Personality Traits: Hot tempered, suspicious Pledged Resources: Dwarf soldiers and dwarf-forged armaments and siege weapons Son of Banak Brawnanvil and a former king of Mithra! Hall, Connerad has made the long journey from Mithra! Hall to act as the Lords' Alliance delegate for the dwarves of the North, including Citadel Adbar and Citadel Felbarr. Even though Connerad hates dragons, devils, and cultists alike, he is as stubborn as a mule about committing troops anywhere but his homeland. The dwarven kingdoms in the North have lost many people in recent years, and the dwarves that remain are struggling to retain ancient lands only recently reclaimed. He knows the adventurers only by reputation, and desires tangible proof that they have the mettle and wits to lead soldiers and dwarves before he'll make a serious commitment. Like Ontharr Frume of the Order of the Gauntlet, Connerad responds well to bold demonstrations of heroism. However, he is personally and deeply insulted by any slight against dwarves or intrusions by the characters into dwarven affairs. His reactions to the adventurers' exploits determine how he votes in the fourth council. MARSHAL ULDER RAVENGARD Lawful neutral male human fighter Ideals: Responsibility, glory ("I am trusted with protecting thousands of lives, and I will not betray that trust no matter what my personal desires.") Interaction Traits: Honest Pledged Resources: Flaming Fist warriors and expert advisers to train conscript troops Ulder Ravengard is the leader of the Flaming Fist-the military might of Baldur's Gate. He has the greatest martial acumen of anyone at the council (and probably in the whole Lords' Alliance). He can also muster more soldiers than any other delegate, and he is not bashful about saying so. His place is at the head of the war council and the front of the battle-but he will take that place only if the party proves worthy of his trust. Ravengard is a stern warrior dedicated to discipline and results. Having risen through the ranks of the FlamCAMPAIGN OVERVIEW ing Fist by the might of his blade and the sharpness of his wits, he sometimes lacks sophistication and tact, but he possesses an unwavering commitment to the law. More comfortable working with soldiers than adventurers, Ravengard is used to giving orders and having them obeyed without question. Though Baldur's Gate is still recovering from the havoc caused by the resurrection within the city of Bhaal, god of murder, the metropolis remains one of Faerun's most populous, wealthy, and powerful cities. Ravengard recognizes his duty to protect the city above all else, and the Flaming Fist's tired reserves are desperately needed for reconstruction and policing. However, he would love to see the Flaming Fist take a leading role in the fight against the Cult of the Dragon, if only to give the defenders of Baldur's Gate a stature befitting the greatest city in Faerun. This opportunity for glory makes Ravengard receptive to the adventurers' overtures, as long as their plans and decisions promise stability and discipline. KING MELANDRACH Neutral male wild elf fighter/druid Ideals: Balance, nation ("We elves were once the greatest civilization to grace Faerun, and my people are heir to that history. I will not squander our waning strength.") Interaction Traits: Quiet, arrogant Pledged Resources: Elven eldritch knights The King of the Misty Forest is the delegate for the elves of both the Misty Forest and the High Forest. Whereas his sons Alagarthas and Neronvain always rushed headlong into their own pursuits, Melandrach is more circ*mspect. He has led the elves of the Misty Forest since before most of their kind abandoned their lands in the Retreat. Despite the years of discussion and meditation that preceded it, Melandrach considered the Retreat a rash decision, and he is understandably hesitant to commit to any sudden course of action. During meetings of the council, Melandrach consistently argues for caution and more information, and nothing the adventurers say seems to make any difference. That changes when it is revealed that his lost son Neronvain has become the cult's Green Wyrmspeaker. TAERN "TuUNDERSPELLS" HORNBLADE Lawful good male human wizard Ideals: Logic, greater good ("Calculated risks are necessary to win this war, and no one is likely to emerge unscathed.") Interaction Traits: Ponderous, curious Pledged Resources: The army of Silverymoon (the Knights in Silver) and Silverymoon conscript troops Taern Hornblade has lived an unnaturally long life by consuming potions of longevity. The wizard led Silverymoon for many years as high mage, but eventually ceded control to Methrammar, leader of the city's army and son of its most famous ruler, Alustriel. Though Methrammar remains leader of Silverymoon and a member of the Lords' Alliance, he is too forthright and earnest

to succeed as a diplomat. As such, Taern was sent to the Council ofWaterdeep in his stead. Silverymoon has a large army and many wizards who would greatly assist in the coming battle, but Taern has not lived this long by being rash. He is one of the most cautious delegates, knowing that Silverymoon's great wards of protection have stood against dragons before. Fearing that committing soldiers to the effort against the Cult of the Dragon might leave the city weakened, Taern needs to know that the party will protect any troops he lends to the coalition. As such, he seeks to gather as much information as possible about the adventurers and other potential allies. SIR lSTEVAL Lawful good male human paladin Ideals: Tradition, honor ("Against Tiamat, we either stand together or fall alone. Who will stand with Cormyr?") Interaction Traits: Honorable, wise, dour Pledged Resources: The might of Cormyr, including Purple Dragon Knights and War Wizards Sir Isteval is a former adventurer and Purple Dragon Knight of Cormyr. Though not an actual member of the Lords' Alliance, he is present at the Council of Waterdeep as the alliance's nominal representative for Daggerford. That small settlement can contribute little to the effort to defeat the Cult of the Dragon, however, and in truth, Isteval has been drafted by Cormyr to gain insight into what looks to be a war brewing on its western border. Isteval has too much respect for the other delegates to hide this information from them, and he assures those present that his loyalties-to Daggerford, to Cormyr, to the Lords' Alliance, and to all good folk-are not at cross-purposes. This forthright approach nevertheless causes an uproar among other delegates, and the adventurers must take a hand in insuring that Isteval is not expelled from the council meetings. A veteran dragon slayer, Isteval bears a wound in his leg that resists magical healing, and he walks with a cane made from a bone of the green dragon that dealt him the injury. The paladin can be a helpful source of dragon lore, but his advice is always guarded. He sees his infirmity as a reminder from his god Lathander of the dangers of hubris. As befits his deity's ethos, Isteval has chosen to treat his injury as a reason to encourage the heroics of others even as his own legend fades. Still, at times like these when the world needs heroes, he doesn't like being reminded that he must watch the fight from the sidelines. Isteval believes in heroes as the spark that can ignite the flames of righteousness in others and the light that chases away the darkness of evil. Seeing this spark in the adventurers makes the paladin one of the party's strongest advocates at the Council of Waterdeep, as long as they pursue a principled path. Sir Isteval has much in common with Ontharr Frume of the Order of the Gauntlet. The two are potential allies in all things, which worries some of the other Lords' Alliance members. TH E ZHENTARIM The Zhentarim-also known as the Black Network-is a loose affiliation of merchants, mercenaries, and malefactors. Common folk know the Zhentarim as the people to talk to when you need the best guards or mercenaries money can buy. And if the cargo is shady or the cause you're fighting for is questionable or even unjust, the Zhentarim don't mind. Affiliation with the Zhentarim can be profitable to sellswords, thieves, and rogues of every stripe. It's plausible that adventurers in your campaign might become members of the organization-but like most residents of FaerO.n, they won't know the full extent of the Zhentarim's operations and goals. Unknown to all but a few, the heart of the Zhentarim is a cabal of evil and sometimes monstrous leaders who seek to extend the Black Network's blood-soaked reach into every assassination, black market, and illegal deal that happens in Faerfin. The order's criminal connections burrow into every major city and thieves' guild in the Western Heartlands and along the 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 the Zhentarim are involved. However, engaging in mainstream corruption and wanting to see Tiamat ascendant are two different things. The Zhentarim have no illusions about what the Dragon Queen's return would mean for their plans. Wanting to secretly rule the world from the shadows for themselves, the leaders of the Black Network have no desire to become agents and errand-runners for some petty god and her dragon cohorts. This viewpoint makes the Zhentarim an interesting addition to the characters' possible allies. Under normal circ*mstances, the Harpers, the Lords' Alliance, the Order of the Gauntlet, and the Emerald Enclave would shun ties to the Black Network-and possibly arrest its emissaries. However, the crisis created by the Cult of the Dragon is unprecedented. Every resource that can be mustered will be needed in the final showdown against the cult, and the Zhentarim's network of spies, assassins, and mercenary armies cannot be ignored. Even with the fate of the world and the Zhentarim's own future hanging in the balance, the order demands payment for services-and where need and risk are greatest, the pay is expected to be equally great. This mercenary attitude does not sit well with the Lords' Alliance, however, and they are the only group with the resources to pay the Black Network's price. The heroes can attempt to sway the opinions of the other factionsand have a chance to buy the Zhentarim's allegiance outright in the follow-up to chapter 15. CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW 19

20 In the end, too much is at stake to sit this fight out, and the Zhentarim pitch in against the cult regardless of whether their price is paid. However, if the other factions want a voice in how the Zhentarim go to war against the cult, it will cost them. If the Zhentarim fight on their own, they strike when and how they choose. At least one Black Network mission is carried out regardless of payment. Without the knowledge of anyone outside the Zhentarim, one of their agents has infiltrated the cult and gets close enough to Wyrmspeaker Varram to steal the White Dragon Mask. This theft sets off a sequence of events that culminates in Varram's portion of the "Death to the Wyrmspeakers" chapter. USING THE ZHENTARIM Black Network agents are useful NPCs that you can introduce at appropriate times during the adventure. Characters who played Hoard of the Dragon Queen have already met one member of the Black Network-the female gnome jamna Gleamsilver. If the characters need information or gear they can't obtain any other way, seeking out or being approached by a Zhentarim agent is an easy way for you to provide it. A typical Black Network agent is a highly capable adventurer with no scruples. Some Zhentarim have winged snake companions that carry messages on scrolls as they fly, allowing agents to keep in contact with one another. Although the Zhentarim as a whole oppose the cult's plans, not everyone in the Black Network shares that view. A number of Zhentarim agents believe that the cult's victory is inevitable, and that by standing against the cult, the Zhentarim risk losing everything. If events are going too smoothly for the heroes, you can introduce a few rogue Black Network agents to throw a wrench into the characters' plans at the worst possible moment. RIAN NIGHTSHADE Lawful evil female tiefling warlock Ideals: Logic, greed ("I'm certain we can come to an agreement that all parties will favor. But if not, we have other means of settling the issue.") Interaction Traits: Polite, mercantile, ruthless Pledged Resources: Assassins and mercenaries Rian is a member of the Zhentarim and the Black Network's envoy during the third Council ofWaterdeep. She is seated at the table as a special adviser to Lord Neverember, and her affiliation with the Zhentarim will not be mentioned. However, neither she nor Lord Neverember try to deny or conceal that affiliation if the characters question why Rian is present. The Black Network backs any plans that increase the likelihood of defeating the cult. Any and all alliances are fine, as are any outcomes that add to the council's strategic resources. Rian doesn't have any particular interest in morality, and dark acts have no impact on her attitude toward the party. She disapproves of taking any wyrmspeakers alive, though, fearing the power of such dangerous figures and questioning the chance of success for attempts to turn or interrogate them. She favors discreet execution, interrogation of the corpse with apCAMPAIGN OVERVIEW propriate rituals, and destruction of the body to prevent resurrection. The Black Network remains uncommitted until the final council when pledges are made. If the party has earned the Zhentarim's respect, they provide their services at only a nominal cost. However, such action almost certainly alienates most of the other factions from the adventurers. Unlike the other factions, the Zhentarim's loyalty can be purchased regardless of their respect for the characters, if the party can negotiate terms to be paid by the other factions. METALLIC D RAGONS The good dragons of Faerun hear the Draakhorn's call and know what it portends. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the good dragons will take action to oppose the return of Tiamat. However, it remains to be seen whether they do so in concert with the humanoid factions of the Sword Coast, or whether they strike on their own with no thought or concern for the fate of the lesser races. USING METALLIC D RAGONS The metallic dragons will strike against the cultists at the Well of Dragons, but they are much more effective if their attacks are coordinated as part of the overall plan of battle. Moreover, if they can be brought into the alliance represented by the Council of Waterdeep, they can help defend humanoid territories from the cult's devastating raids. This is covered in greater detail in chapter 14. GIANTS Though many giants have thrown their lot in with the Cult of the Dragon, most remember the ancient dragon-giant wars with bitterness and hatred. Tales of feuds, bloodletting, and death fuel the giants' hatred of dragons, but the giant races are their own masters. As such, they don't easily cooperate with the small races. Even when good giants see the need and wisdom in joining forces with lesser folk, they often resist the idea out of pride until someone or something can command their respect. USING GIANTS Engaging the giants in an alliance against the Cult of the Dragon can be handled by NPCs (most likely by members of the Harpers or the Emerald Enclave). If the characters completed Hoard of the Dragon Queen in possession of Skyreach Castle, offering to return it to the giants (either behind the scenes or in a side trek chapter of your own creation) is sure to guarantee their support of the factions against the Cult of the Dragon. The presence of giants at the final showdown will be an enormous advantage for the forces fighting against the cult.

T Y R A N N Y 0 F D R A G 0 N S'" HOARD OF THE DRAGON QUEEN. BY STEVE WINTER AND ALEXANDER WINTER

CHAPTER 1: GREENEST IN FLAMES �$ 22 HE TOWN OF GREENEST WAS FOUNDED by the halfling Dharva Scatterheart, a rogue who fancied herself the queen of the Greenfields. Scatterheart passed away without ever achieving that level of eminence, but her town grew into a thriving community. Its success isn't surprising, since Greenest is the only town of any size astride the Uldoon Trail, the most direct road between the eastern cities of the Dragon Coast, Cormyr, and Sembia with the Coast Way running south to the great cities of Arnn, Tethyr, and far Calimshan. The trade caravans that pass through Greenest bring gold to the town's merchants and craftsfolk, and Governor Nighthill runs the town at the behest of the inhabitants. The adventurers might be on the road from one town to another or returning to their homes after a trip away. Alternatively, they could be accompanying a merchant or wealthy traveler as bodyguards. Many restless young people of FaerO.n have had their first taste of travel and adventure as caravan guards. You can adapt Tyranny of Dragons to different regions of the Realms or to a different setting with a bit more preparation on your part. Change the names and locations to suit your campaign. CHAPTER 1 I GREENEST IN FLAMES CHARACTER HOOKS To tie the characters' backstories to the Tyranny of Dragons campaign more closely, see appendix A. THE APPROACH As characters approach Greenest, they see that a blue dragon and its Cult of the Dragon allies are attacking the town. The cultists seek to collect treasure that they hope to present to Tiamat upon her arrival in the world. The cult has assembled a powerful force for this raid by gathering bandits, kobolds, sellswords, and other mercenary types into a small army. A monk named Leosin Erlanthar was also in town. Through diligent research and interviews conducted during his travels between Berdusk and Candlekeep, Leosin became convinced that the cult is engaged in a big operation, but he doesn't yet know what it is. Leosin uses the raid as an opportunity to infiltrate the cult so that he can learn more about the cult's plans. He is discovered and captured, however, and needs the characters' help to escape from captivity. Characters can engage in several encounters while cultists and kobolds rampage through Greenest.

For the past several days, you have been traveling a road that winds lazily across the rolling grasslands of the G reenfields. Sundown is approaching when you top a rise and see the town of Greenest just a few short mi les away. But instead of the pleasant, welcoming town you expected, you see columns of black smoke rising from burning buildings, running figures that are little more than dots at this distance, and a dark, winged shape wheeling low over the keep that rises above the center of the town. G reenest is being attacked by a dragon! The sequence of events that follow is up to you and the characters. You can present them with as many of the encounters as you want, in any order. The only exception is "Seek the Keep," which should be the first encounter after characters enter Greenest. GENERAL FEATURES The sun has set by the time characters reach the edge of town (the area shown on the Greenest map). Light. Burning buildings and a half moon provide dim light throughout the town. The inside of the keep is brightly illuminated. Fires. The cultists tried to set buildings ablaze as they moved through town, but thatch isn't as flammable as it looks. When characters arrive, most of the flames come from haystacks and barns, not from homes or shops. The Stream. The stream that flows past Greenest is shallow (seldom more than 3 feet deep) with a gravel bottom, so characters can move along it without difficulty. Where the banks are clear, the stream is easy to get into or out of. Brush by the stream is dense, and the banks are steep where brush grows. Characters can move only 5 feet per turn through the brush. IMPORTANT C HARACTERS Some of the most prominent personalites in Greenest include the following characters: GOVERNOR NIGHTHILL The man who runs Greenest is Tarbaw Nighthill, a human male of sixty years. If characters ask who's in charge, they are directed to Nighthill. He is pacing atop the parapet of the keep when the sky is clear, or inside the keep if the dragon is attacking. If the characters don't seek out the governor when they reach the keep, he finds them. Either way, Nighthill welcomes them and takes them to the parapet. From there, they have the best view of Greenest. The right side of Nighthill's face and head are bandaged, his right arm hangs in a sling, and his light blue tunic is stained with his own blood. He received these wounds during the early stages of the attack and hasn't spared the time for more than cursory first aid. CASTELLAN ESCOBERT THE RED Escobert is a shield dwarf with knotted, tangled, bright red hair. As master of the keep, Escobert is in charge of its defense and is the best source of information on STOLEN TREASURE The cultists and their kobold lackeys are in the midst of looting G reenest and collecting the spoils for transport back to their camp (see chapter 2). Any marauding group that the party encounters has a 50 percent chance of having stolen treasure in its possession. Roll a d6 and multiply the result by 10 to determine the total value of the stolen items, in gold pieces (gp). the tunnel and the sally port (see "The Old Tunnel" and "The Sally Port" below). He carries an enormous ring of iron and brass keys to the many locks in the keep. WANDERING ENCOUNTERS The streets of Greenest are overrun by forces consisting of cultists and acolytes accompanied by monstrous allies: kobolds with ambush drakes (see appendix D) and giant lizards. These raiders move through town without fear, pillaging as they go. As characters travel through the embattled village, they can run into raiders and townsfolk. Use these guidelines to determine if characters have an encounter. If characters use cover and stealth to avoid encounters, have each character attempt a DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check. For every two individual checks that fail, the characters have one encounter on the way to their destination. Roll a d8 on the Chapter 1 Encounters table to determine each encounter. If characters use the stream bed for cover for most of the trip, these characters have advantage on their Dexterity checks. If characters don't use cover and stealth to avoid encounters, roll a d8 for every 100 feet they move in town. If the roll is 4 or lower, they didn't attract attention with that move. If the roll is 5 or higher, they run into something; roll a d8 again and check the Chapter 1 Encounters table to see what the characters meet. CHAPTER 1 ENCOU NTERS d8 Encounter 6 kobolds 2 3 kobolds and l ambush drake (see appendix D) 3 6 cultists 4 4 cultists and l guard 5 2 cultists and l acolyte* 6 3 guards and l acolyte* 7 l d6 townsfolk being hunted by raiders (roll a d6 to determine the raiding group) 8 ld6 townsfolk hiding *Acolytes have command prepared instead of sanctuary. Most of the cultists, guards, and acolytes are human. You can include a few dwarves, half-elves, half-ores, or halflings without altering any game statistics. SEEK THE KEEP Characters have random encounters with raiders when they enter Greenest, but this one should be their first mission of the chapter. It begins when a terrified human family (father, mother, and three young children) dash across their path, hounded by seven kobolds. CHAPTER 1 I GREENEST IN FLAMES 23

Without warning, five humans dash out from between two buildings on you r left. A limping man and three young chi ldren race across the street into more shadows, and a woman carrying a round shield and a broken spear turns and faces back in the direction from which they came. Eight kobolds stream out of the al ley on the family's heels and fan out around the woman, who looks determined to delay the creatures for as long as possible. The woman is Linan Swift, and her husband is Cuth. Linan is a commoner but with 8 hit points. Her attack with the spear is +2 to hit for ld6 piercing damage. Her husband is down to 2 hit points from an earlier fight. The children move at speed 20. They can be carried, but a character carrying a child has disadvantage on attack rolls and cannot wield a two-handed weapon. Unless characters interfere, the kobolds assume the characters are cultists and ignore them. Assuming characters intervene and save the family, Linan explains that they must make their way to the keep (area 1); it's the only safe place in Greenest. The raiders haven't set up an effective cordon around the keep, so it's still possible to move through the front gate-but not for long. To reach the keep, the characters must make it past three groups of raiders. A group consists of ld6 kobolds and ld4 cultists. If the group contains six kobolds, one is a winged kobold (urd). Characters can fight these enemies, sneak past them, retreat to avoid them entirely, or try something clever such as bluffing. If they fight, run the combat normally. When enemies must make a check to notice sneaking or bluffing, make a check with advantage for the group. Each time the party retreats from an enemy group, they run into ld6 more townsfolk headed for the keep. For every four townsfolk in tow, the group must move past one more enemy group to reach the keep. At the keep, the characters are the last group through the gate before it is closed and barred. After characters enter the keep, raiders encircle it in increasing numbers. REWARDS Besides earning experience points (XP) for raiders fought on the way to the keep, characters earn a bonus of 50 XP per nonplayer character (NPC) brought alive into the keep. Divide this bonus equally among the party members. Alternatively, if you are using the milestone experience rule, the characters reach 2nd level once they arrive at the keep. MISSIONS Events in Greenest are divided into missions. Missions don't need to involve combat, but most do. The characters reach the town at sundown, or about 9 p.m. The sun comes up again at 6 a.m. the next morning, but the last of the raiders are gone by 4 a.m. For time-keeping purposes, assume that each mission takes an hour. Time during the hour that isn't spent fighting or slipping through town is spent tending gear, bandaging minor wounds, patrolling the keep's walls, C HAPTER I I GREENEST IN FLAMES briefing Nighthill on the situation, and other mundane tasks. If characters take a short rest, they can't undertake any other mission that hour. If players need guidance, Governor Nighthill can give the characters a quick briefing on the tactical situation. The raiders have isolated the keep from the town with encircling groups of guards, but they haven't organized an attack. Nighthill thinks the raiders don't intend to attack the keep; they seem interested only in loot. The real danger is to the town and to those people who didn't make it into the keep before it was cut off. Nighthill wants the characters to slip back into the town and help people who are cut off or harass the raiders. A stealthy group can make it out of the keep and back in again without drawing the raiders' attention. THE OLD TUNNEL A narrow tunnel runs from the cellar beneath the keep to the bank of the stream (area 2). The tunnel is wide enough to allow warriors to pass through it in single file. In the keep, the tunnel is sealed with a locked ironbound door, and the stream exit is covered with a locked iron grate made to look like a sewer outlet. The tunnel's main function was as a secret means of collecting water from the stream during a siege, but it can double as a sally port. Since the keep has never been besieged, the old tunnel has never been used. Barrels and crates are piled in front of the door. The keys for the locks are on the ring that Escobert carries with him everywhere. At some point, Escobert recommends the tunnel as a means of sneaking townsfolk into the keep without running the gauntlet of attackers watching the gates. LOCKS Characters can clear the cellar door with a few minutes' work. The lock is stiff but opens with the key; without the key, the character can open the lock with a successful DC 10 Dexterity check and a set of thieves' tools. The disused tunnel is choked with webs but is otherwise clear. A few yards inside the stream end is a nest of two swarms ofrats. The rats attack when disturbed, and the surviving rats flee when half their number die. Years of exposure and neglect have corroded the lock on the exit grate. Even with the key, a successful DC 10 Dexterity check is needed to open the lock. Without the key, the DC increases to 20. If the roll misses by 5 or more, the key or thieves' tools break off in the lock so that unlocking it becomes impossible. Then only a successful DC 15 Strength check can force the grate open. FOES A group of cultists is searching the stream banks for hiding townsfolk when the characters emerge from the tunnel. If characters open the lock with the key or with thieves' tools, the first one to exit notices the raiders approaching without being spotted in return; the characters can keep out of sight in the tunnel or try to ambush the raiders after they pass. If the check fails, the raiders spot the character; roll initiative and proceed with combat. If the grate had to be broken open with a Strength check, the raiders hear the noise and find cover; they wait for the characters to exit the tunnel, then gain a

surprise round. The raiders' group consists of two cultists and six kobolds. If any cultists are still alive at the beginning of the fourth round of the fight, one of them runs to fetch help. Ten minutes later, two cultists, ten kobolds, and one ambush drake (see appendix D) arrive to guard the tunnel. REWARDS Award standard XP for defeated foes. Aside from that, the chief reward for this mission is the tunnel itself. As long as it remains secret, characters can use it to enter and exit the keep safely. Each time they use the tunnel exit, roll a d6. On a l, raiders see and attack the characters (use the Chapter 1 Encounters table). On a 2, they are seen but not attacked. Instead, the raiders set an ambush and attack the next time the characters return to the tunnel exit. THE SALLY PORT The keep has a sally port along the west wall for counterattacking foes who bring a battering ram against the gates. During the night while characters are in the keep, raiders approach the old gate, force it open, and rush through. Escobert discovers them and races into the courtyard to sound the alarm ahead of the infiltrators. Enough defenders are available to deal with the immediate threat from raiders loose in the keep, since it's more a probe that got out of hand rather than a full-scale assault. Escobert is most concerned about resealing the sally port, and he seeks out the characters for that job. To secure the sally port, characters must battle through two groups of foes. The first fight occurs against three acolytes, three kobolds, and one ambush drake (see appendix D), which are guarding the sally port's 10-foot-by-20-foot ready room against exactly this type of counterattack. After characters seize the room, they discover that the door is heavily damaged. The fastest repair is with five castings of mending (taking 5 minutes). If none of the characters can do this, an NPC in the keep knows the cantrip. Someone must find and fetch her to the ready room. Before the door can be repaired, a second group of raiders consisting of two guards, three cultists, and three kobolds attacks. These foes can come from outside the keep, or they might be a group of infiltrators trying to fight its way back outside. If characters barricade the door with barrels or other heavy objects while awaiting repairs, they might hold off attackers until the repairs are finished and avoid this fight entirely. REWARDS Award standard XP for defeated foes. D RAGON ATTACK The adult blue dragon Lennithon accompanied this raid but is not an enthusiastic participant. His chief contribution has been his Frightful Presence, but that becomes less effective as the night wears on and defenders overcome their fear. Shortly before midnight, the dragon launches a final assault against the citadel. Frulam Mondath orders the attack, knowing that the adventurers are in the keep at the time. Lennithon doesn't consider this to be his fight, and he isn't keen on tangling with adventurers for another's benefit. During this attack, Lennithon flies over the keep and uses his breath weapon without moving closer than 25 feet from the parapet. The defenders on the walls have mastered their fear of the dragon's Frightful Presence from earlier attacks. There are twenty NPC defenders on the walls at the beginning of the mission, and more can arrive between attacks to take the place of those who fall. The dragon doesn't target the adventures at first, and every breath attack not directed at them kills ld4 NPC defenders and injures ld6 more. Adventurers who happen to get caught in the area make normal saving throws and take standard damage. The NPCs' attacks are ineffective against Lennithon. Bear in mind that the dragon's breath weapon will kill a 1st-level character outright, so be sure to demonstrate its destructive power to the players before turning the dragon against the party. After each attack, Lennithon swoops away until his breath weapon recharges, then swings in for another attack. He repeats this pattern until he has taken 24 damage or more, or a single critical hit. After that happens, Lennithon leaves for good. REWARDS Characters earn 50 XP each for driving away Lennithon, but reduce that award to 25 XP if 10 or more defenders were killed during the attack. For their role in driving off the dragon, the characters receive four potions of healing from the grateful Governor Nighthill. PRISONERS Governor Nighthill would like to interrogate some of the raiders. I "I'd give anything to know what we're up against, and why. For that, we need prisoners. A commander, even a low-ranking one, is best." If the characters haven't run into any cult leaders yet, Nighthill takes them onto the parapet and points out what he means. This is an ideal time for everyone to catch a glimpse of Frulam Mondath (see appendix D) in her purple robes, accompanied by a dozen guards. Even the governor cautions characters against attacking such a formidable force, especially when any lower-level officer can answer his questions. Leaving the keep through the front gate is out of the question-too many raiders watch it. Other options are waiting for a cloud to cover the moon before climbing down ropes tossed over the back wall of the keep, or using the old tunnel that exits into the stream bed. This mission can be combined with another mission, such as saving the mill or rescuing villagers from the temple of Chauntea. All characters need to do is bring a live cultist or Cult of the Dragon initiate back to the keep. Or characters can go into the town hunting for one specifically. CHAPTER 1 I GREENEST IN FLAMES 25

Prisoners brought back to the keep are interrogated by Governor Nighthill and a few of his picked guards. Characters can participate if they want to. Captured kobolds are terrified; they say whatever they think the questioner wants to hear. They know that they're working for the Cult of the Dragon and for the "dragon lady" (Rezmir), and that they're after loot. Captured mercenaries or bandits talk freely; they have no special loyalty to the Cult of the Dragon. They reveal that they've been raiding communities around the Greenfields for loot, and they've heard rumors in the camp about dragon eggs. Cultists and initiates are the most tight-lipped. A successful DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) or DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check is needed to cause cultists to reveal that they are members of the Cult of the Dragon and that they are collecting loot "for the great hoard that will usher in the reign of the Queen of Dragons." They know that the cult has a clutch of dragon eggs under heavy guard in a cave at the camp. REWARDS If characters capture a prisoner, award each of them 25 XP. To collect that award, the prisoner must be brought to the governor. Interrogating the prisoner independently and bringing the information to the governor doesn't count. The characters also receive standard XP for any monsters they defeat along the way. C HAPTER 1 I GREENEST IN FLAMES SAVE THE MILL From the parapet of the keep, someone spots a group of raiders trying to set fire to the town mill (area 4). Governor Nighthill quickly approaches the adventurers. "The guards have spotted a new threat. Raiders are trying to set fire to the town's mill. lfit burns, we'll lose our stockpile of flour and we won't be able to grind more for months. I'm trying to assemble enough defenders from here in the keep to defend it through the rest of the night, but that will take time. You'd do us a great service if you could get to the mill quickly and drive away the raiders before they can set it aflame. You'll need to defend it until our force arrives to take over, but it shouldn't be more than fifteen minutes behind you." The mill is about 500 feet from the keep. The distance is doubled if characters use the secret tunnel and follow the stream to stay hidden. Roll a d6 on the Chapter 1 Encounters table to determine the strength of the raiders that are trying to set fire to the mill. Any kobolds in this force run away as soon as two or more raiders are killed. If characters observe the mill for a minute or more before attacking, allow them to attempt DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) or Charisma

(Performance) checks. If successful, a character realizes that the raiders are making a demonstration of starting a fire, but it's for show. A few fires are burning around the building, but they could be extinguished easily. This act of burning the mill is a ruse. Mondath has been informed that heroes are aiding the town, and she wants to lure them into an ambush. More raiders-one cultist and one guard per character-are hiding inside the mill, waiting for the characters to show up. The mill is a simple rectangular barn, about 40 feet long and 20 feet wide, with an attached, exterior office. The long side of the building away from the stream has barn doors and a two-part door, and the two short walls have windows. All these openings are closed, but none are locked or barred. Inside, the main floor is dominated by a massive stone grinding wheel driven by a water wheel in the stream. The mill was operating late when the raid began and the millers fled without disengaging the wheel, so it still turns noisily. The upper half of the barn is a loft where milled flour is stored. The loft can be reached by wooden stairs along the east wall or by using the ropes and pulleys that hoist bags of flour up and down through large openings in the loft floor. The ambushers are waiting in the loft for heroes to enter the mill. When the heroes are inside, the guards launch a volley of spears from above, then leap down to fight hand-to-hand. The ambushers have a good chance to gain a surprise round for their spear volley; a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check is needed to notice them before the attack. Characters who scan the loft for hidden enemies upon entering the mill have advantage on the check. Ten minutes after the second fight ends, a dozen bloody but basically healthy defenders arrive from the keep with orders to relieve the characters and defend the mill. They tell the characters to go back to the keep quietly while they remain behind at the mill. REWARDS Award standard XP for defeated foes. If characters realized they were walking into a trap, give each a SO XP bonus. If they didn't deduce that it was a trap but spotted the ambushers in time to prevent a surprise round, give each character a 2S XP bonus. SANCTUARY Dozens of townsfolk have barricaded themselves inside the temple to Chauntea (area 3), which is surrounded by raiders. The attackers tried setting fire to the stout structure but had little success. Now they've deployed an improvised battering ram. It's only a matter of time, possibly minutes, before the temple's main doors crumple under the assault, leaving the people inside helpless. The temple is a large building, made of fieldstone with a peaked slate roof, and square in shape. It is taller than most other buildings in town. Inside, the altar occupies the middle of the temple, with other worship areas arranged around it. FOES The force outside the temple is split into three groups. One (A) is battering at the front doors, another (B) is circling the temple in a screeching mob, and the third (C) is heaping burning straw against a rear door. All these groups together would overwhelm 1st-level characters, but characters can devise a plan that gets them inside the temple by dealing with one group. Group A consists of one dragooclaw (see appendix D), two cultists, and six kobolds. The cultists are handling the ram while the kobolds stand guard in case the town militia mounts a counterattack. The dragonclaw is in charge. The kobold guards are alert, but they are distracted when Group B passes in front of the temple. Group B consists of three cultists, ten kobolds, and two ambush drakes (see appendix D) strung out in a mob that stretches SO feet. This procession with leaping and whirling kobolds completes one circuit around the temple approximately every eight minutes (two minutes per side). Group C consists of four cultists and four kobolds clustered tightly around the temple's back door. Their meager fire produces little flame, instead creating prodigious clouds of thick smoke that engulf the back of the temple and blanket the surrounding 30 feet of ground. Everything in the smoke is lightly obscured, and objects or creatures that are seen through more than lS feet of smoke are heavily obscured. Characters can sneak up on these raiders and gain a surprise round against them, as long as they avoid Group B in the process. ARRANGING A RESCUE The heroes' best shot at rescuing the townsfolk is to overpower Group C and take control of the back door. In the temple, they can arrange a distraction to keep Groups A and B occupied at the front while the citizens of Greenest slip out the back and race for the keep or for the old tunnel-if characters have opened it already. That's only one possibility; clever players can come up with different solutions. The townsfolk in the temple are near panic, however, and they won't take orders from strangers unless someone makes a successful DC lS Charisma (Persuasion) check. Otherwise, characters need to locate the priest of Chauntea, Eadyan Falconmoon, a level-headed half-elf. He's easy to spot, being the only calm person they can find in the temple, and he is elated to see them. He looks to the characters for a plan. Time is pressing. While characters are inside the temple, remind them of the booming blows of the battering ram against the front doors and the frightened townsfolk. How much time you allow before the doors burst open depends on your group. What's important is that players feel pressed. To create a sense of pressure, give the front doors 30 hit points and let each thud of the battering ram deal ld6 bludgeoning damage. When the doors reach 20 hit points, they have cracks large enough to see through. At 10 hit points, the doors sag in their hinges. At S, they could collapse at the next impact. How frequently you roll the die is up to you! One roll every lS-20 seconds is a good target for an average group. Be flexible, judge the players' level of tension, and don't let anyone relax. If the doors burst open before the temple is evacuated, this scene turns into an ugly melee against Group A. The kobolds in that group prefer to attack unarmed villagers instead of lethal adventurers. Each kobold CHAPTER I I GREENEST IN FLAMES 27

automatically kills one villager each round unless characters attack the kobolds, cut them off from their victims, or interfere some other way. If townsfolk have already evacuated the temple through the back door, or that process is well along before the front doors split apart under the ram, then characters can conduct a fighting withdrawal through the temple. After everyone gets into the smoke outside, they can close and brace the back door, then sprint for the keep or the tunnel in the stream bank with enough of a head start to get away safely. REWARDS Rescuing people from the temple earns each character 100 XP in addition to the points for killing monsters. If more than ten villagers died during the rescue, reduce that award to 50 XP. HALF-D RAGON C HAMPION Before all the raiders depart, their champion challenges the town's best warrior. From the darkness, a creature strides into the dim light of the dying fires around the keep. Although it is shaped roughly like a human, it is at least seven feet tall, its skin is covered in blue scales, its fingers bear wicked claws, and its face has the muzzle and repti lian eyes of a dragon. The creature stops about eighty yards from the main gate of the keep and scans the walls. A line of kobolds fans out behind it. With their spears, they prod four human prisoners i nto the dim light. You can make out a woman, a teenage boy in a blood-soaked tunic, and two children. Then the half-dragon creature hails the keep. "Defenders of Greenest! This has been a successful night, and I am feeling generous. Do you see these four pitiful, useless prisoners? We have no need for them, so I will trade them back to you. Send out your best warrior to fight me, and you can have these four in exchange." The speaker is Langdedrosa Cyanwrath (see appendix D for statistics), a half-blue dragon who serves the Cult of the Dragon. Cyanwrath has a personal troop of sixteen kobolds. A character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Nature) check recognizes the creature as a half-dragon. One of the defenders in the keep, Sergeant Markguth, recognizes the prisoners as his sister and her children, and he is ready to rush out into battle with the halfdragon. Escobert the Red and a few other defenders restrain him while Nighthill approaches the characters. " My friends, you've demonstrated your prowess all through this frightful night. I realize this is an awful burden to ask you to bear, but any of you has a better chance to defeat that horror than my militia have." C HAPTER 1 I GREENEST IN FLAMES If no one steps forward, Nighthill is disappointed but says he understands, and their refusal in no way diminishes what they've done so far. In that case, the woman's brother goes out to face the half-dragon. He is a human guard. Select one of the players to control Sergeant Markguth for this fight or just narrate its result. Cyanwrath is pleased to see a champion step forward. He agrees to these terms for the combat: The three children will be set loose immediately, but his kobolds will continue to stand guard over the woman, and they will kill her if anyone interferes in the fight-for example, if archers in the keep let fly at him. Regardless of who wins, the woman will be released when the fight is over; and the victor will be the last one standing. Governor Nighthill holds his troops in the keep during the combat. Adventurers can go out if they want, but the half-dragon insists that they keep their distance and stay between him and the fortress. If characters try to surround him or to edge into position for an ambush, he warns them that his kobolds won't hesitate to kill the hostages if they see signs of treachery. The half-dragon is evil, but he has a deep sense of honor about one-onone combat. He doesn't intend any shenanigans, and he won't allow any from his kobolds. Cyanwrath is the likely winner of this match, whether he's fighting Sergeant Markguth or a character. When his foe drops, he strikes one more time; the last blow kills Markguth or inflicts one death roll failure on a character. If Cyanwrath loses the fight, the kobolds immediately jump in to protect his body and carry it away. (Cyanwrath will recover from his wounds and be encountered again later.) If by some mischance Cyanwrath is killed or captured, his place in the dragon hatchery (chapter 3) is taken by another half-dragon. With the fight over, the last of the raiders retreat en masse from the town into the darkness, marching away toward the southeast. REWARDS If a character steps up to the challenge and fights Cyanwrath, each party member earns 50 XP. If not, characters receive nothing for this encounter. A team of healers with healer's kits and +4 bonuses to Wisdom (Medicine) checks attend to the wounded or dying character, and Governor Nighthill gratefully offers two potions of healing to the wounded character. If characters do something that costs the life of a hostage, Governor Nighthill is furious with them and offers no more help. DEVELOPMENTS It's assumed that when characters first see the fighting in Greenest, they will rush to its defense. If they don't, and they're traveling with others, then the NPCs they're traveling with suggest that an immediate attack might turn the tide or at least save many lives. If characters still sit out this fight, they see about half of the attackers leave around midnight, with the rest retiring in small groups over the next few hours. When the sun comes up, even a quick inspection shows that over half of the buildings are heavily damaged and much of the town's wealth was carried away. Hundreds of injured people are crowded into the keep or are found hiding in cellars, but most of them will survive.

I N THE WARM LIGHT OF DAY, GOVERNOR NIGHTHILL and other leaders want to know who was behind the attack on Greenest, and why the town was a target. The raiders retreated toward the southeast, and their trail is easy to spot. A small, stealthy group could follow the trail to the raiders' camp and gather information. Governor Nighthill approaches the characters with a proposal: If they locate the raiders' camp and find out certain information, he offers to pay them 250 gp apiece. He wants to know where the camp is sited, how many raiders are there, who their leaders are, what's motivating these attacks, and where they plan to strike next. If characters recover valuables that were stolen from the town, he would like them returned, but he does his best to arrange a reward from what's left of the town treasury. Recovering treasure, however, is a lesser goal when compared to the other objectives he brings up. Any gear or supplies the characters need for the trip are furnished by the town. As characters prepare to set off on this mission (or to leave town if they turn down the mission), though, an injured monk approaches. A young man walks up to you, limping heavily on his bandaged left leg. "I hear that you intend to follow the raiders and see where they've gone. I'd like nothing better than to come with you, but in this condition, I'd slow you down. In the midst of all this tragedy, there's no reason you would have heard about the fate of my master, Leos in Erlanthar, but it's important you know. He is a monk from Berdusk. He disappeared last night, after we fought a particularly savage battle against raiders. A few others and I fought our way to the keep, barely. Leosin didn't make it at all. We went back this morning to look for him, but all we found was his broken staff and this choker, which he always wore." The monk's name is Nesim Waladra. After introductions are made, he continues: C HAPTER 2 I RAIDERS' CAMP 29

" Leosin has been investigating these raiders for months. I fear that he might have tried to infiltrate their group when they retreated, or worse, was captured and carried away as a prisoner. No one understands these bandits better than he does, and his knowledge will be invaluable against them. When you find their camp, please look for any sign that Leosin is there. One of my brothers has already departed for Berdusk to bring back help, but it will be many days before help arrives. Anyth ing you can do before then would be a godsend." Nesim answers the characters' questions to the best of his ability, but he also urges them to move quickly. The monks were returning to Berdusk from the great library at Candlekeep, where Leosin was consulting the librarians and researching ancient writings on dragon folklore. Dragon cults are his special interest. The broken staff is nothing special. The choker is a braided leather neckband with a silver dragon design chased into the leather. The ends are ragged, as if it was roughly torn off. TRACKING THE RAIDERS The raiders' path is easy to follow across the rolling grassland of the Greenfields. A wide swath of grass is trampled down, but it's impossible to determine the raiders' numbers precisely. The path only confirms what characters already know: there were a lot of them, and they were a mix of humans, kobolds, and trained reptiles. One bit of information can be gleaned with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check: many of the beasts' footprints are deeper on the retreat than they were on the approach march. They were weighed down with loot on the homeward-bound trip, but let players reach that conclusion on their own. It's not possible to tell from the confusing jumble of prints whether any specific footprints are those of prisoners. ... CULT OF THE DRAGON RAN KS The Cult of the Dragon has an active recruiting process, accepting initiates from a young age. An initiate (use the cultist stat block) trains for months or years before gaining any rank within the organization, and many trainees don't survive the tests. An initiate who passes the tests must choose an affinity to a particular color of dragon: black, blue, green, red, or white. He or she is then welcomed into the ranks as a dragonclaw. The higher ranks of the cult, in ascending order, are dragonclaw, dragonwing, dragonfang, dragonsoul, and wyrmspeaker. There are only five wyrmspeakers, one per color of chromatic dragon. The current wyrmspeakers are Severin (red), Galvan (blue), Neronvain (green), Rezmir (black), and Varram (white). Most of the cult's operations are overseen by local leaders called Wearers of Purple for the ceremonial robes that they wear. All of the wyrmspeakers are Wearers of Purple, as are lower-ranking cultists appointed by the wyrmspeakers to preside over cult enclaves. C HAPTER 2 J RAIDERS' CAMP .. The trail leads south about twelve miles, to a more rugged region where steep-sided, rocky plateaus replace the gently rolling hills. The land between the plateaus is largely flat, broken only by outcroppings and wandering streams in steep-sided gullies. The plateaus jut fifty to one hundred feet above their surroundings and are difficult to climb except where rock falls and subsidence created natural ramps. The crumbling sides of the plateaus are dotted with caves and tumbled boulder fields. Characters can have two encounters during this trip. The first is with a group of raiders who have straggled behind the main body. They are disorganized and quarrelsome, and they should be easy prey for alert adventurers. The second group is an organized rearguard watching specifically for pursuers from the town. They present a much graver threat. STRAGGLERS Characters spot this group's cooking fire smoke from several miles away, because the stragglers stopped to roast a few prairie hens for a meal. They sought shelter in a low spot between surrounding hills, where tall boulders have rolled into a loose jumble. In fact, the surroundings offer no protection while making it easier for enemies to sneak up on the site. By observing for a few minutes, characters can discern that there are four human cultists and eight kobolds in the group. The kobolds and humans distrust each other, and although the cultists act as if they're the bosses, their leadership amounts to nothing more than ineffectual bullying. The humans' weapons are stacked against a rock, out of easy reach. The kobolds have their weapons on their belts. If the group is left alone, the kobolds grab their share of the half-cooked lunch and move about fifty yards away to eat, while the humans continue squabbling over how to cook a hen and the uselessness of kobolds as allies. If characters choose to bypass this group, a detour can get them around it with no difficulty. They could run into these stragglers again on their way back to Greenest. If characters attack, then unless they give away their presence on purpose (by hailing the camp, for example), they gain a surprise round. The humans spend their first turns retrieving their weapons and shields. The kobolds drop their food and scatter, then regroup and counterattack on round four, using their slings as much as possible. They stick around and fight only as long as any of their human allies are still fighting. As soon as the humans are all defeated, the remaining kobolds slink away into the hills and aren't seen again. REWARDS Award standard XP for defeated foes, including kobolds that ran away. If any cultists are questioned, they refuse to talk unless someone succeeds at a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check. They know it's standard practice for a raiding party to leave behind a rearguard. They don't know how strong the rearguard will be, but they expect it is sited about a mile ahead where the path passes between rocky bluffs. They also can describe the raiders' camp and its location, plus they know some prisoners were taken from the town but not how many or whether they include a half-elf monk. They know the

raid was for loot, because they were told to look specifically for gold, gems, and other valuables and were forbidden to do any looting for themselves. Cultists know they are preparing "the great hoard to honor the Dragon Queen." Captured kobolds talk freely, but most of what they say is lies. That's not because they try to mislead enemies, but because they will say anything, no matter how outlandish, if it might gain them their freedom. The cultists have 28 sp among them, besides their cheap weapons. The kobolds, who looted despite their orders, have a sack containing pewter candlesticks, some silver serving dishes, and a few religious carvings of Chauntea taken from a home shrine. REARGUARD If the characters learn of the camp location and probable site of the rearguard from the stragglers, they can use that information to bypass this encounter entirely. In fact, that would be the smart thing to do, both because it negates a damaging fight and because if the rearguard is wiped out, leaders in the cult will wonder why it never reported back. The best result for the characters is if the outpost checks in at the correct time with an "all clear." The rearguard consists of one veteran, six cultists, and two acolytes. The guard and cultists have spears for both ranged and melee combat. They are positioned in an area where the trail winds through a gap between two outcrops. The ambushers are hidden in the rocks, 12 to 15 feet above ground level. Characters might detect the ambush, with the odds depending on what they know and how they approach the area. • If stragglers described the likely ambush spot to characters, it can be recognized from 200 yards away with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. • If stragglers mentioned the rearguard but didn't describe the spot, it is recognized as a good spot for an ambush from 100 yards away with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. • If characters haven't been warned about the rearguard, someone spots a face peering down from above with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check, but not until the characters are within 20 yards. • If players state that they're watching for potential ambush spots, give them advantage when making these checks. The rearguard has a twofold mission. It must stop any small party of intruders coming up the trail, or harass and delay a larger group while sending word to the camp that trouble approaches. The veteran decides that he has enough of an advantage against a party of five or six adventurers to deal with the problem on the spot, provided he doesn't weaken his force by sending a runner to Frulam Mondath. If the adventuring group contains seven or more characters, you can either have the veteran harass the enemy and dispatch a runner to the camp, or you can add cultists until they outnumber the characters by two or three, then let the cultists make a stand. If characters walk into the trap, the cultists tumble boulders onto them. Each character must succeed on a FRULAM MoNDATH DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d12 bludgeoning damage from falling rocks (half as much damage on a successful save). The boulder attack constitutes the cultists' surprise round. After that, they use ranged attacks until they are out of ammunition or the heroes force them into melee. Because they are positioned in the rocks above the characters, the cultists have three-quarters cover against attacks from below. To reach the foes, characters must scramble up the rocks. The distance is only 10 to 15 feet and no ability check is required, but the rocks are difficult terrain. DEVELOPMENTS These raiders are distinctly different from the earlier stragglers. All are dressed in similar (but not identical) black leather tunics with flared, black mantles. These are dedicated cultists. If captured, nothing less than a successful DC 20 Charisma (Intimidation) check can pry any information from them. Even with that, all they reveal is that they are initiates in the Cult of the Dragon, the names of their leaders (Rezmir, Frulam Monda th, and Langdedrosa Cyanwrath), and that the raid on Greenest was to collect treasure for dragons. Rezmir outranks the other leaders. C HAPTER 2 I RAIDERS' CAMP 31

32 REWARDS Award standard XP for defeated foes. The cultists have no treasure, but their Cult of the Dragon outfits and weapons could be invaluable when characters try to get into the raiders' camp. THE CAMP The cultists have set up their camp in the hollow of a rocky plateau that's shaped roughly like a horseshoe. The lower portion of the plateau rises gently from the surrounding land, but it quickly steepens and ascends to a height of 150 feet above the landscape. Boulders form jumbled heaps at the bases of the cliffs. The level shelves and top of the plateau are covered in long grass, and brush and scrubby trees grow in patches. GENERAL FEATURES Boulders. The boulders are difficult terrain and provide three-quarters cover. Brush. The brush around the site grows to a height of 4 to 6 feet. It is tough and dense, making it difficult terrain and providing three-quarters cover to targets sheltering among it. Caves. The steep sides of the plateau are dotted with shallow caves. Boulders or brush conveniently conceals many of the cave mouths. Characters who need to take a long rest can easily find a secure cave in which to hide. C HAPTER 2 j RAIDERS' CAMP Guard Towers. The cultists have built two guard towers at the camp, one at the entrance to the hollow and one atop the plateau. These towers are 20 feet high and made from rough timbers lashed together with rope. They are large enough for a few lookouts. The tower at the mouth of the hollow is manned by kobolds, while warriors man the one above. The guards have horns to blow when they must sound an alarm. Prisoners. The cultists' prisoners are kept at area 1. Currently, only eight prisoners are in the camp, not counting Leosin. During the day, they are put to work under guard by four dragonclaws (see appendix D). At night, they are shackled to a post in their hut to prevent escape. The shackles are secured by a single chain and lock that can be opened with a key carried by one of the guards or with thieves' tools and a successful DC 10 Dexterity check. The chain can be broken with a successful DC 20 Strength check. Five of the prisoners are from Greenest, and the other three are from earlier raids against hamlets and small farming villages to the south and east. There were more prisoners at one time, but many have died from overwork and mistreatment. If a situation develops where released prisoners must fight, use commoner stats for them. Slopes. The sides of the plateau rise sharply, while the floor of the hollow slopes up gradually toward the east. A long ladder is lashed to the cliff so guards can reach the upper guard tower.

The cliffs have handholds and footholds for climbing, so no die roll is needed under normal circ*mstances. If characters are in a hurry, a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check is needed to make the climb without falling. If characters are concerned about keeping quiet, then a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check ensures that no rocks break loose and rattle down. Tents. The raiders live in circular huts made from closely spaced wooden or bone poles covered in hide, mud, and sod. Huts vary in diameter from 10 feet to 25 feet, and in height from 5 feet to 10 feet. (Symbols on the map represent clusters of tents.) Those in the mouth of the hollow (level 1 on the map) are crudely built and decorated with animal skulls. These are occupied by kobolds. Cultists occupy the huts on level 2, which are sturdier, cleaner, and decorated with painted designs representing dragons. A few tents on level 2 are set aside for prisoners. The large tent at area 2 is set apart from the others by an open space. It is reserved for Rezmir, Frulam Mondath, Langdedrosa Cyanwrath, and AzbaraJos. An honor guard of four veterans and four guard drakes (appendix D) keeps watch around this tent day and night. They don't sleep at their posts, they don't fall for tricks, and they don't listen to stories or pleas. Their job is to keep everyone away from the tent, and they are fanatical about it. Only acolytes and adepts the veterans know by sight and by voice are allowed to approach. CAMP ALERTNESS ����������� For the first day following the raid, the cultists are both elated with the outcome and exhausted. Rezmir doesn't expect a serious challenge from the town, and slower members of the raiding party and walking wounded straggle into camp all through the day after the raid. The situation at the camp is confused, and security is lax. Most of these raiders are mercenaries and bandits, and not even the dedicated cultists wear recognizable uniforms on raids. No one challenges latecomers for passwords or security signals. Put simply, the raiders are confident that no enemies followed them this far. Characters can walk straight into the camp without having their identities seriously challenged. In fact, the bolder they are, the more likely they are to blend right in. Players may be tempted to have characters seek cover and observe during the day and not attempt to enter the camp until nightfall. This can work, too, but sneaking around in the dark is more likely to attract suspicion than simply walking in as if they belong in the camp. The chief risk is that someone might recognize the characters from the fighting at Greenest. Have each character make a DC 5 Charisma check. Success means no one remembers the character's face, but failure means that at some time (not necessarily immediately, but when recognition would be the most dramatic), someone in the camp recognizes the character. If characters are wearing Cult of the Dragon regalia taken from the rearguard, the characters have disadvantage on this roll because no one returning to camp at this time should be in uniform. The character who faced LANGDEDROSA CvANWRATH Cyanwrath one-on-one, however, has a -4 penalty to the roll. If that character ever comes face-to-face with the half-dragon, recognition is automatic. As the day wears on and the commotion winds down, the camp becomes calmer and better organized. Guards resume their normal routines. If characters haven't entered the camp before sundown of the first day, they find it more difficult, since there's very little traffic in and out of the camp on a normal day. They'll need a good story and a successful DC 10 Charisma (Deception) check to walk past a guard station of five guards. This check can be made only once for the group; they can't talk their way out of a failure. After the initial opportunity to enter the camp has passed, characters need to resort to stealth or subterfuge to get in. For example, characters scaling the plateau from the east could use brush for cover right up to where the cliff overlooks the camp. From there, they could observe or climb down the rocks under cover of darkness. The camp goes on alert if the bodies of murdered sentries or cultists are discovered. One dead kobold won't cause much alarm, but many dead kobolds will. If the camp goes on alert, every character must make a DC 15 Charisma check. A failure means the character has been spotted as a stranger and an infiltrator. Someone raises C HAPTER 2 j RAIDERS' CAMP 33

34 the hue and cry, which quickly draws a crowd. A roll of 10 or lower means someone has recognized the character from the fight in Greenest. The characters have a chance to get away if they immediately go on the attack and begin cutting their way out of camp, but if they delay or spin tales, a crowd of cultists that outnumbers them five to one surrounds them. If characters try to estimate numbers in the camp, they count roughly one hundred kobolds and a mix of bandits, guards, and cultists totaling about eighty-effectively an unlimited supply if characters get the idea of fighting them all. CAPTURED! If caught, characters are disarmed, their hands are tied, and they are brought before Frulam Mondath for judgment. One by one, she asks them who they are, where they came from, and what they're doing in her camp. • If anyone was recognized from the fighting in Greenest, it doesn't matter what the characters say. Mondath sentences all of them to be executed on the morrow, after spending the night tied to posts alongside the monk Leosin. Characters have one night to escape this fate. They might wriggle out of their bonds, bribe or charm a cultist to set them free, or come up with a clever use for a cantrip. If all else fails, Leosin reveals that he has a hidden knife with which they can cut themselves free. • If characters admit they came from Greenest and are enemies of the cult, the effect is the same as if they'd been recognized. • If characters lie to Mondath-claiming they are new recruits and this is all a mistake, for example, or that they are studying the cult before deciding whether to join-then compare their Charisma (Deception) checks to Mondath's Wisdom check to determine whether she believes them. You can allow advantage or disadvantage on the roll when someone's lies are especially plausible or implausible. Match die rolls individually-for every character. Those who Mondath believes are set free, but watched and stopped if they try to leave the camp. Those who Mondath does not believe are sentenced to die as above. EXPLORING THE CAMP Characters can learn much from poking around in the camp. If the characters pose as cult members, they can speak to other cultists and question them (carefully) about the cult's plans and long-term goals. Most cultists should be treated as indifferent when determining reactions or trying to gain a favor. Kobolds are less helpful and should be considered hostile when characters make Charisma checks to gauge their reaction. Characters can learn the following information through observation and questioning. They need to be careful, however, not to attract attention for asking too many questions or poking their noses into things that are none of their business. Any time they come off as "too nosy," feel free to call for another Charisma check to see whether someone recognizes them from Greenest. C HAPTER 2 I RAIDERS' CAMP • This is a camp of the Cult of the Dragon-praise Tiamat's glory! • Not everyone here is a full-fledged member of the cult. Many are new initiates working toward full acceptance, and many others are simple mercenaries, hired to flesh out the camp's strength during raids or if it should come under attack. • The kobolds are here because their worshipful attitude toward dragons makes them easy for Rezmir and other high-ranking cultists to manipulate, but they are not well liked or trusted by the other races. • Hunters who bring in antelope and other large game from the grasslands feed the camp. The cultists and their allies eat most of it, but some is stored in the cave to feed the hatchlings. • The cult has been ranging far and wide on small raids to collect treasure. Greenest was the closest target to the camp, the biggest of all the towns they've attacked, and the most profitable-praise Tiamat's glory! • Prisoners are used for manual labor. In the past, a few have "converted" and become loyal members of the cult, but most die eventually of overwork and undernourishment. Then they are fed to the drakes or taken into the cave to feed the hatchlings. • The cave at the back of the camp (area 4) is off-limits to all but those who've been cleared by Mondath and Rezmir, which includes a handful of guards and kobolds. It's known around camp as "the nursery," and it's an open secret that Rezmir plans to hatch a clutch of dragon eggs there. • The half-black dragon Rezmir came to the area a few months ago, and she set up the camp. Mondath handles everyday operations. • The half-blue dragon Cyanwrath is Mondath's right hand and is seldom far from her side. He has a rigid sense of honor, but you don't want to make him angry. • The mother of dragons-praise Tiamat's glory-shall return, and when that day comes, all the nations of the world shall tremble before her majesty! • The monk is of special interest to Rezmir. Why else would she keep the creature alive that way? What Rezmir hopes to learn from him is anyone's guess, but you wouldn't want to be in that half-elf's skin-or what's left of it-when the questioning gets serious. • The plunder from nearby settlements is stored in the cave. No one but Rezmir knows how much is there altogether, but it must be a big pile by now. Aside from being recognized, the chief risk of spending time in the cultist camp is getting roped into a work detail. Characters might be selected by an officer to spend a few hours helping with food preparation, standing guard in a tower, practicing weapon drill, or even cleaning up after animals (a job usually reserved for prisoners, but currently the number of prisoners in the camp is low). LEOSIN ERLANTHAR The monk is tied to a stake at the back of the camp (area 3). He has been severely beaten, and he has been denied food and water in an effort to break his spirit. Rezmir knows from informants across the Sword Coast that Leosin has been researching the cult's history and

recent activity. The wyrmspeaker wants to know how much Leosin has learned and with whom he shared his information. Rezmir considered it an amazing stroke of luck that Leosin was captured during the raid. In fact, it wasn't luck at all, at least not for Rezmir. Leosin had studied their previous attacks and concluded that the time was right for the cult to strike a bigger target, and he knew that Greenest was prosperous yet poorly defended, making it the most likely next target. So, when he deemed the time was just about right, he visited the town with the intent of staying until something happened. His observations paid off, and Leosin separated from his people during the night and fell in with the raiders when they retreated, hoping to learn more about the cult's plans and the location of their camp. Rezmir spotted him after the sun came up, and the monk was quickly overpowered and captured. That portion of Leosin's scheme has worked reasonably well. He now knows most of the information listed above under "Exploring the Camp." Unfortunately for him, captivity has been more brutal than he expected, and although his mind and will are still strong, he's in a very poor physical state. Despite the danger, Leosin isn't entirely happy about being rescued if characters come to set him free. He believes he can learn more, and he's willing to take the risk. He's too weak to resist, however, so characters can easily take him away against his will if that's what they want to do. He can move without aid at a speed of 20 feet and fights as a commoner with disadvantage on attack rolls. If characters don't bring him out of the camp, Leosin breaks away on his own. He refuses to talk about it later. If characters are captured and imprisoned alongside Leosin and their attempts to escape fall through, he reveals that he has a small knife hidden in his boot. They can use it to cut their bonds. Leosin's absence is noticed within five minutes if he is taken away, and an alarm goes up throughout the camp. Rigging up a dummy in his place delays the discovery by twenty minutes. Tying up a dead or unconscious cultist (preferably a half-elf) in his place assures the intruders a two-hour head start before the escape is noticed. REWARDS Award standard XP for defeated foes. This chapter does not involve many fights, but it does present many challenges, and characters should be rewarded for overcoming them. The awards listed below are just recommendations; adjust them and add to them as you see fit. Characters can reach 3rd level if they act prudently and capitalize on all the opportunities the camp offers, but it's not essential that they do. • If you are using the milestone experience rule, the characters reach 3rd level when they complete this chapter. • For getting into and out of the cultists' camp without causing an alarm or being caught: 100 XP per character. LEOS IN ERLANTHAR • For getting into and out of the cultists' camp without stirring any suspicion: an additional 100 XP per character. • For rescuing Leosin: 250 XP per character. • For leaving a dummy or decoy in Leosin's place: an additional 50 XP per character. • For rescuing other prisoners: 25 XP for each prisoner brought out of the camp alive. • For each piece of information listed under "Exploring the Camp" that characters learn on their own (not from Leosin): 25 XP per character. When the characters arrive safely back at Greenestpresumably with Leosin in tow-he can fill them in on any details they missed during their investigation of the cult's camp. The monks who accompanied him are delighted to see him alive, and the families of any other released prisoners are equally grateful for the return of their loved ones. Governor Nighthill pays the characters their promised 250 gp each and publicly praises their courage and daring. C HAPTER 2 \ RAIDERS' CAMP 35

�<::> H� TER 3: DRAGON HATCHERY FTER HIS EXPERIENCE IN CAPTIVITY, LEOSIN needs several days to recover. When he's healthy again, he intends to travel north to Elturel to convey what he's learned to Ontharr Frume, a paladin of Torm who shares his concern over the Cult of the Dragon's recent surge in activity. He has a favor to ask of the characters. "After all you've done already for me personally and for the people of G reenest, I hate to ask anything more from you. But the need is great, and I dare to hope that you can aid me one time more. I need you to return to the cultists' camp. You know your way around it now. If the cultists are preparing to conduct another raid, or a large body of them marches away, or if anyth ing substantial is carried into or out of that cave, I need to know. If you have a chance to get into the camp and look arou nd again, that would be the ideal way to spot anything that's changed. "I don't recommend letting yourselves get captured," he adds with a wry smile. CHAPTER 3 I DRAGON HATC HERY If the characters were working as caravan guards, Leosin offers to match whatever their previous employer was paying them plus 20 percent. If they are currently unemployed, he offers them 150 gp apiece. He's willing to haggle; this mission is important, and no one else is capable of handling it. If the characters accept, Leosin tells them to find him at the city of Elturel afterward, both to report and to collect their pay. If he has moved on before they reach the city, they can speak to the paladin Ontharr Frume instead. The monk doesn't believe it's essential that the characters head back to the camp immediately. He doesn't expect the cultists to make any sudden changes in their plans or mode of operation. Leosin is wrong about this, because he doesn't realize how much his presence in Greenest alarmed the wyrmspeaker. Rezmir knows that Leosin is investigating the Cult of the Dragon, but she doesn't know whether the monk's appearance in Greenest was a coincidence, a good guess, or a sign that the cult's whole plan has been compromised. She isn't willing to take chances: she's heading north with the accumulated treasure immediately. ABANDONED CAMP When characters return to the camp area, they find it mostly abandoned. (If they stayed, they witnessed the

rapid packing up and abandonment of the camp.) The stinking huts of the kobolds (those on level 1) have been burned, but the level 2 huts and both guard towers remain. Anyone can determine from tracks that the cultists trekked away in small groups in all directions. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that most of the camp's wagons and pack animals moved in a train toward the west. Still left in the camp are some hunters, the kobolds who tend the dragon nursery in the caves, Frulam Mondath, her guards, and Langdedrosa Cyanwrath. Only the hunters still use the huts. All others live in the hatchery cave. The activity and guards around the cave mouth should be the top draw on the characters' attention. On most mornings, hunters fan out onto the grassland to hunt for antelope and other large game. They travel on horseback and bring along an extra horse to pack the field-dressed game back to the camp. Hunters don't necessarily return to the camp every evening. They stay out until they have a load of meat to bring back. Hunting on the Greenfields is good, so they seldom need to spend more than a night or two away. Four scouts act as hunters; roll a d4 to determine how many are in the camp when characters arrive. They are not dedicated cultists, so they won't challenge characters who enter the camp, attack them, or even alert the cultists. They consider standing guard to be beneath them. They are a taciturn bunch, so they won't be much help to inquisitive characters. They converse more freely with rangers, but to most strangers they merely nod, point, shake their heads, scowl, and utter one- or two-word answers. If characters converse with them, these hunters can relate how the camp dissolved within hours after the discovery of the captured half-elf's escape. Crates carried from the cave were loaded onto wagons or animals and hauled to the west. A few raiders remain in the cave: the Wearer of Purple (Mondath), the "dragon-man" (Cyanwrath), the better warriors, and the "dragon-dogs" (kobolds). As long as the cultists pay well for fresh meat, the trackers continue hunting for them. Whatever else the cave holds is none of their concern. A thorough search of the camp takes about ten manhours. Allow characters to make a Wisdom (Perception) check after the first hour. A successful roll means the character realizes that while quite a bit of material has been left behind, it's all trash: cracked pottery, rusty knives, soiled clothing and bedding, cheap cookware, and wine that's gone to vinegar. Some of it might be of use to the people of Greenest who lost everything in fires, but it has no value as treasure. DRAGON HATCHERY The only thing of interest remaining in the camp is the cave itself (area 4 on the map of the camp). There, characters find the cultists who stayed behind, a clutch of dragon eggs, the special cadre of kobolds who tend the eggs-and the many traps the kobolds set to defend their home. These eggs are important to the cult, but they were deemed too near to hatching to be moved safely. Rezmir left them with what he believed was an adequate guard force under Frulam Mondath and Langdedrosa Cyanwrath. GENERAL FEATURES Ceilings. Cavern ceilings are 15 feet high. Ceilings in the humans' chambers (areas 1 1, 12, and 13) are 10 feet high. Light. During daytime, areas 1 and 2 are brightly lit, and areas 3 and 4 are dimly lit by outside light. All other areas are in darkness unless the area notes otherwise. Sound. The caverns are filled with faint sounds: dripping water, scratching rodents, scrabbling lizards, wind moaning across the entrance. These normal underground sounds camouflage the clanks, thuds, coughs, and speech of the kobolds and cultists. Sound echoes well along the main chamber (areas 1-5), so a fight in any of these can be heard in the others. Elsewhere, normal sounds echo confusingly and are lost in the background noise. The sound of a scream carries a long distance, however, and the sound of a fight travels through 30 feet of tunnel and attracts attention if the fight lasts more than 3 rounds. WANDERING MONSTERS Kobolds move freely through the caverns, going about their business. Characters have a chance to randomly encounter these wandering kobolds. Roll a d6 every time characters enter or re-enter areas 3 to 10. On a roll of 1, monsters are present. Roll on the Chapter 3 Encounters table to determine what they meet. These randomly encountered monsters are added to any creatures mentioned in the area description. Be sure to make this roll before characters enter the area, because both groups have a chance to gain surprise. CHAPTER 3 ENCOUNTERS d6 Encounter 4 kobolds 2 6 kobolds and 2 winged kobolds 3 3 winged kobolds 4 5 winged kobolds 5 2 winged kobolds and 1 guard drake (appendix D) 6 2 ambush drakes (appendix D) 1. CAVE ENTRANCE The entrance to the cave is broad and tall, but the ceiling quickly lowers to a height of 15 feet. Standing guard inside the entrance are two dragonclaws (see appendix D). They position themselves about 30 feet inside the cave and stay near the walls and the column, so that while they aren't hidden, they aren't conspicuous, either. Characters who observe the cave from a distance-from the area of the plateau where the steps ascend from level 1 to level 2, for example-spot one of the dragonclaws. If characters approach openly through the camp, the dragonclaws spot them automatically and retreat toward area 2 in the cave, to set up an ambush. If characters approach the cave quietly from the sides, they won't be spotted. They then have a chance to surprise the dragonclaws. C HAPTER 3 I DRAGON HATCHERY 37

2. C ONCEALED PAS SAGE If the guards at the entrance spotted the characters' approach, they wait here until the characters come into view, then try to spring an ambush. Determine surprise normally. The passage at the end of this alcove is deeply shadowed and hidden by a cleverly cut fold in the rock. It's obvious to anyone who walks to the end of the alcove, but from elsewhere in the cavern, it can be spotted only with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. The stairs down to area 3 are trapped. See that area's description for details. 3. FUNGUS GARDEN The kobolds cultivate fungus in this cavern to supplement the meat brought in by the hunters. Mixed in among the mundane fungi are violet fungi. The dropoff from area 2 is 10 feet high. The stairs are trapped; see below. The entrance to the cave ends here at a 1 0-foot drop-off. To your right, broad steps are roughly hewn into a natural stone ramp. The cavern below is carpeted with a profusion of fungi ranging from a few inches h igh to nearly as tall as a human adult. Two paths lead through the fungi: one on the right and one on the left. Nothing distinguishes the paths to casual inspection. The path on the right is flanked by four violet fungi, while the path on the left is free of these dangerous growths. The violet fungi can be spotted among all the other mushrooms with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check, but only from the base of the steps, not from atop the ledge. Likewise, a careful inspection of the path reveals that only the left trail sees heavy use. TRAPPED STAIRS The stairs are constructed so that the lowest steps collapse into a ramp that dumps a character right at the base of the violet fungi. Roll any die as each character descends the steps; on an odd roll, the character triggers the trap. A character who is actively looking for a trap on the stairs can find the trapped step with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. The kobolds and guards know where to avoid stepping, of course. 4. STIRGE LAIR Some fungus from area 3 dots this area, but chiefly it is the lair of a colony of bats. Hidden among the bats are ten stirges. The bats are present only from sunrise to sundown, but the stirges are always here. Normally the stirges prey on the plentiful bats and leave the cave's other residents alone, but not always. Characters notice dead bats on the floor (victims of the stirges). If that causes someone to look up, describe how the ceiling is covered with bats with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. To avoid startling the bats, characters must proceed very quietly. This requires a successful DC 10 group Dexterity (Stealth) CHAPTER 3 I DRAGON HATCHERY check. If more characters fail the check than succeed, the bats are alarmed by the noise, drop from the ceiling, and fly through the cavern in a blinding cloud of flapping and squeaking rodents. The bats present no danger, but their racket drowns out other noise and makes it impossible to see more than 5 feet. It also alerts the stirges, and the opportunistic bloodsuckers attack in the confusion. The stirges gain a +2 bonus to AC in the bat storm. The bats calm down and return to their roosts on the ceiling after five minutes of quiet in area 4. A spear with a pitted blade lies on the floor near the top of the steps leading to area 6. Kobolds use this to bypass the trap at the bottom of the steps (see area 6). 5. TROGLODYTE INCURSION The floor drops down 10 feet at each ledge. Kobolds use this portion of the cave as a trash dump. Along with normal sorts of refuse, such as broken pottery, rotted baskets, and mouse-chewed rope, they've also thrown out items that appear useful from a distance: discarded clothes, worn boots, tattered books, cracked lamps, and so forth. Some of these items came from prisoners who died, and others were taken in treasure raids and later deemed to be unworthy of Tiamat. Characters viewing this area from the ledge see tantalizing glints of metal (belt buckles without belts) and parchment (books rendered illegible by water damage). A strong, foul smell hangs in the air. Troglodytes that live deeper beneath the ground have made incursions into the cave through narrow crevices (not displayed on the map). If characters give this area a cursory look and then leave, nothing happens here. If they spend time searching, then four troglodytes attack. The crevices are a potential area for characters to explore if you'd like to expand this dungeon for further adventures. If not, then declare that they're too tight for characters to squeeze through, or eliminate them and the troglodytes entirely. TREASURE A thorough search of the trash heap, taking 10 minutes, does find one worthwhile item: an overlooked pouch of six ornamental gems worth 10 gp each and eight semiprecious gems worth 50 gp each. The troglodytes have nothing that anyone would want near them. 6. MEAT LOCKER The curtain across the entrance to this cavern is trapped. See "Trapped Curtain" below for details. At the base of these steeply descending steps, a curtain hangs across the passage. It is made from hundreds of heavy leather strips, each about the width of a human hand. The strips are fixed to the cei ling and are long enough to drag on the floor. The curtain extends from wall to wall. The leather comes from a variety of local animals and is badly cured. The curtain is several layers thick with no gaps, so you can't see through it at all.

This cavern is naturally cold. It hovers a few degrees above freezing year round, regardless of the season. Much of the meat brought in by the hunters feeds the cultists and the kobolds, but the extra is stored here for eventual use when the dragon eggs hatch and the ravenous hatchlings emerge. The carcasses range from very fresh to several months old. The meat is only cold, not frozen, so the older items are slowly going bad. The smell of old blood assaults your nose. The floor is covered with dried puddles of it. Four floor-to-ceiling columns are spaced across the chamber, and chains have been strung between them like clothesline. Animal carcasses hang on hooks from the chains. You see gutted and skinned antelope, deer, goats, what might be big cats, and even a few small bears. Some of this meat has been here for a while if the smell is a reliable indicator. This cave contains nothing of value. TRAPPED CURTAIN Hidden amid the leather strips of the curtain are hundreds of metal barbs coated with poison. Anyone who brushes through the curtain must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (ldlO) poison damage, and the target's hit point maximum is reduced by 5. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. A careful inspection of the leather strips coupled with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check finds barbs; they can't be noticed otherwise. When kobolds use this stairway, they bring the ruined spear that's kept in area 4. With it, they sweep the leather strips to the left side of the corridor and wedge the end of the spear shaft into an angled socket in the floor just inside area 6. This holds the leather strips safely out of the way while they move in and out of the chamber. 7. D RAKE NURSERY The short, wide passage between areas 4 and 7 is trapped. See "Spike Trap" below for details. Simple oil lamps provide dim, flickering light. This chamber contains four kobolds and one winged kobold. These creatures are in the upper part of the chamber. The lower area is where cultists conducted the rituals to create their guard drakes and then housed the creatures. The ledge is a sharp 10-foot drop-off. Wooden stairs descend at the right end of the ledge. A stout cage made of iron bars surrounds these steps to a height of 10 feet to prevent untrained drakes from escaping up the steps. A key hangs on a peg at the top of the steps; it opens the locked gate at the bottom. A rack along the southwest wall holds implements used in training the drakes: long poles with lassos at the end, used for snaring and controlling young drakes; leashes and collars; sharp prods; mock weapons made of wood; human-sized dummies stitched out of sailcloth C HAPTER 3 I DRAGON HATCHERY 39

and stuffed with straw, with ridiculous expressions painted on their faces. The lower area is heavily shadowed. Currently it holds three guard drakes (see appendix D) that are near the end of their training. Being not quite fully developed, they have only 33 hit points each. Spotting these drakes from the ledge requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check; sweeping the pit with a bullseye lantern grants advantage on this check. If characters bring some raw meat to the ledge, the drakes think they're about to be fed and advance into the light. If characters enter the pit, either by descending the steps or climbing down the ledge, the drakes attack. If the drakes are spotted and attacked by characters on the ledge, they set up a howl that draws six kobolds and three winged kobolds from area 8. At least one of these try to get past the characters and unlock the gate at the bottom of the steps, letting the guard drakes join the battle as they've been trained to do. SPIKE TRAP A portion of the floor between areas 4 and 7 has been replaced with a sheet of parchment cleverly painted to resemble the surrounding stone. It can be spotted with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, or automatically by someone who is systematically tapping the floor ahead with a pole or other tool. Beneath the parchment sheet is a shallow pit (about 2 feet deep) lined with poisoned spikes. Each time a character moves between areas 4 and 7, roll a dlO. On a roll of 1 or 2, that character's foot has gone through the trap. The character takes ld4 piercing damage from the spikes and must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw against poison. On a failed save, the character is affected as by a confusion spell for one minute (10 rounds). On a successful save, the character is affected as by a confusion spell for 1 round. The effect is not magical. 8. KOBOLD BARRACKS The steps down from area 7 are trapped; see "Collapsing Trap" below for details. Area 8 is the kobolds' living quarters. It was a natural cavern, but it has been enlarged and smoothed in a crude manner. Unless they already responded to noise in area 7, this area contains six kobolds and six winged kobolds. They are off duty, so they aren't being especially alert. Use their passive Wisdom (Perception) scores to determine whether they react to noises. Flickering oil lamps provide dim illumination. Th in mattresses of straw covered with badly cured furs form small beds that are haphazardly positioned around the chamber. Rats and small lizards scurry through the food scraps, and moldy wine skins littering the floor. COLLAPSING TRAP The top step is rigged to drop a portion of the ceiling in area 7. As each character enters the staircase, roll any die. On an odd roll, the character steps in the wrong C HAPTER 3 I D RAGON HATC HERY spot and triggers the trap. The ceiling collapses above the next character in line (the one behind the character who triggered the trap). That character takes 4d4 bludgeoning damage from falling rocks; the damage is halved if the character makes a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Every other character within 5 feet takes 2d4 bludgeoning damage, or half as much damage with a successful saving throw. A character who is actively looking for a trap on the stairs can find the trapped step with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. The collapsible ceiling is spotted incidentally with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. The kobolds in areas 8 and 9 hear the commotion if the trap is set off. TREASURE A search of the room takes 10 minutes and turns up 38 gp, 152 sp, and 704 cp sorted into eighty-eight stacks of exactly eight copper coins each. Dozens of dragon-themed talismans and amulets are carved from bone, soapstone, wood, and ivory. The workmanship on most of them is terrible, but four have a unique, if savage, artistic flair. These are worth 50, 60, 70, and 100 gp respectively if sold to a collector of artistic oddities. To any other merchant, they are worth 10 gp each. 9. D RAGON SHRINE This cave is a shrine to Tiamat, but with an emphasis on her black dragon head and on black dragons in general. It also contains many Cult of the Dragon icons and a devious trap for the unwary; see "Acid Trap" below. Flickering oil lamps provide dim light. Langdedrosa Cyanwrath (see appendix D) occupies the shrine, and he is joined by two human berserkers. (If the adventuring party contains more than four characters, add one more berserker for each additional character. If Langdedrosa was killed, then replace him with another half-dragon with the same statistics.) If Cyanwrath fought any of the characters one-on-one in Greenest, he immediately singles out that person to address as follows. I "You survived! I don't know whether to be disappointed I or pleased. It's a mix of both, I think." If the character beat the odds in Greenest and won the fight, you can paraphrase to reflect that. As soon as he finishes speaking, he attacks. As long as none of the characters intervene, Cyanwrath's group knows better than to interfere in his one-on-one matches. If the characters gang up on Cyanwrath or one of his guards, or try to leave the chamber, the guards attack. If none of the characters fought Cyanwrath during the raid but spent time in the cultists' camp, read this. I "You look familiar ... I've seen you around the camp. If I you came looking for trouble, I am the trouble you seek."

Then he attacks, and his guards join in immediately. The creatures in area 10 are not drawn to this fight. They hide and wait to see who wins. When the fight is over, characters have time to investigate the room. This chamber has been enlarged and reshaped from its original form. The floor and three of the walls are smooth, and stalactites and stalagmites have been polished i nto gleaming columns. Every surface glistens with moisture, and the air is warm and humid. The flat walls of the chamber are decorated with shal low abstract carvings of dragons. Dragons' tails coil into i ntricate patterns and knots that flow across the walls. The creature portrayed in the northwest corner stands out: a five-headed dragon, rising from an erupting volcano. Other dragons, which seem dwarfed by the five-headed monstrosity, flock to its side. A small, wooden chest with silver and mother-of-pearl inlays sits on the floor in the corner, in front of the monstrous dragon carving. The five-headed dragon is Tiamat, and the volcano is the Well of Dragons, where the Cult of the Dragon intends to bring Tiamat into the world. The Well of Dragons is located at the northern extreme of the Sunset Mountains. Most characters should recognize Tiamat from folktales and know she was banished to the Nine Hells long ago and remains imprisoned there. There is no way to tell from the carvings where the volcano is located, or to know if it's meant to be a prediction of events to come or just a birth metaphor for the queen of evil dragons. The chest is locked and trapped; see "Acid Trap" below for details. Characters can open it with the key from area 11, or the lock can be picked with thieves' tools and a successful DC 10 Dexterity check. Unless the Dexterity roll is 15 or higher, however, it sets off the trap when the chest opens. If characters spend 10 minutes or more studying the carvings, they can learn two things. First, black dragons are overrepresented. Almost half the dragons shown appear to be black dragons. Wyrmspeaker Rezmir favors them over all other types. Second, a detailed search coupled with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check spots that many of the black dragon carvings have holes in their mouths. A passage in the southwest corner of the shrine chamber leads to a chute that rises 30 feet up to area 11. A rope ladder is fixed at the top; a rug covers the opening. ACID TRAP The holes in the dragons' mouths are nozzles for a trap that sprays acidic mist. The trap has two triggers. The first is under the chest in the northwest corner. If the chest is moved, the trap goes off. The second is in the chest. If it is forced open, or if the lock is inexpertly picked (a Dexterity result of 14 or less), the trap goes off. You hear a snap from beneath the chest, followed by a hissing sound like dozens of angry snakes-or like liquid moving through open tubes. A moment later, liquid sprays out from dozens of tiny holes in the walls and ceiling. Wherever it splashes onto the floor, the moisture on the stone bubbles and smokes. With in moments, the chamber is filled with acidic mist. Everyone in the chamber must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage from the acid sprayed onto them (half as much damage on a successful saving throw). The real danger from the acid is not to the characters' skin, however, but to their lungs. Everyone must also succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take an extra 2d8 acid damage. Players who declare immediately that their characters are covering their faces and getting out of the chamber as quickly as possible, and are trying to not inhale the vapor, have advantage on their Constitution saving throws. TREASURE The chest contains a few of the choicest items seized during the cult's recent treasure raids. Mondath persuaded Rezmir to let her keep them, and she promised to bring them with her when she travels north for the ceremony at the Well of Dragons. In truth, she wanted something to fall back on if everything went sour (she never mentioned that last part to Rezmir). Inside are a string of pearls (300 gp), a gold-and-sapphire ring (900 gp), and a pouch containing a half-dozen masterfully cut and polished precious stones (100 gp each). The ring and the pearls were taken from Greenest and would be recognized by anyone from there, but the stones came from elsewhere and would be difficult to identify. If the items from Greenest are returned, their owners will pay a reward worth 25 percent of their value (300 gp). 10. DRAGON HATC HERY This chamber holds three eggs that Rezmir hoped to hatch into a new brood of dragons. They have not hatched yet but they will very soon, which is why Rezmir was unwilling to move them when the camp packed up and left. Instead, she left them under the care of Mondath and the kobolds. The chamber is dark; the kobolds extinguished their lights when they heard fighting in area 9. The chamber that opens at the bottom of the stairs is immense. A wide ledge runs along the left wall and drops away to a pit on the right. Many stalactites descend from the ceiling, and the sound of dripping water echoes continuously. The lower portion of the room (lOA) is 15 feet below the ledge. Wooden steps have been built down to the lower floor. As in room 7, the steps are enclosed in a stout iron cage with a gate at the bottom. The key to the gate hangs C HAPTER 3 I DRAGON HATCHERY

42 on a wall peg opposite the top of the stairs. As soon as characters advance into the room as far as the top of the stairs, they come under attack from the kobolds hiding in lOB. See that description for details. From the ledge, characters can just make out the shapes of large eggs (each egg is nearly three feet tall) in the darkness below. The cavern extends into darkness beyond the range of their light. They need to go down the stairs and explore the area directly to discover its full extent. Characters standing along the ledge can discern many large, dark stains on the rough floor at the base of the ledge, but what caused them is not apparent. l OA. BLACK DRAGON EGGS This area is warm and humid. After characters look closely at the f\.oor, they can determine that the stains are blood, and some of them are fresh. They come from the meat the kobolds toss down here. Huddled in the shadows at the far edges of the room or behind the natural columns are two guard drakes (see appendix D) trained to protect the dragon eggs. They don't attack as soon as characters come through the gate but wait until the characters have moved into the chamber. The drakes' first priority is to protect the eggs. Their second priority is to get between the intruders and the steps to prevent them from escaping. Unless characters climb down into lOA without using the stairs, they trigger the kobolds' attack before exploring this area. Mixed in among the stalactites near the southeast corner of the room is an unusual roper that can speak Common. It doesn't attack the kobolds or guard drakes because the kobolds feed it spoiled meat that the guard drakes won't eat. If attacked, it fights back (and it's very dangerous to 3rd-level characters!). It can reach anywhere in area 10 with its tentacles, and it can also move at speed 10. It is currently full and curious about strangers, however, so it's not averse to talking. Its only real concern is food. If told about the supply of meat in area 6 and brought some as proof, it leaves the characters alone while it creeps away to investigate the larder. A total of three dragon eggs are spread throughout the area. Each is about three feet tall and weighs 150 pounds. Two of them are easy to spot just by walking through the room with a light source. The third is tucked into a pile of similar-colored stones behind one of the columns, making it easy to miss. When characters search the room, have everyone make a Wisdom (Perception) check. Only a character who gets a 15 or higher notices the egg in its camouflaged nest. Looking at a dragon egg, a character can determine the color of dragon with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Nature) check. CHAPTER 3 I DRAGON HATCHERY If the eggs are left here, they hatch in less than a week. If they are taken away, whether they hatch depends on how they are stored and treated. Away from a warm, humid environment such as this chamber, their progress halts until they are again in a suitable incubator. The dragons can be killed easily if the eggs are smashed, crushed, or stabbed. If an egg is simply cracked open, the infant dragon struggles for breath, cries and squirms like a human baby for a few minutes, and then dies. lOB. KOBOLDS IN HIDING The floor of this area is about 10 feet below the ledge. The four kobolds who tend the eggs hid in this depression when they heard the fight break out in area 9. When characters approach within 25 feet of the ledge overlooking lOB (when they come in line with the top of the stairs to lOA), two kobolds toss glue bombs and the other two toss fire bombs. They do the same thing on the next round. Then they wait a round or two, if possible, while the roper in area lOA drags characters into its tentacles, bites them, or drops them 20 feet to the guard drakes. If all else fails, the kobolds scramble up their makeshift ladder and attack with their shortswords. Glue Bomb. Each creature within 10 feet of the bomb's target point must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained. The target or another creature within reach of it can use an action to make a DC 11 Strength check; if the check succeeds, the effect on the target ends. Fire Bomb. Each creature within 10 feet of the bomb's target point must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take 4 (ld8) fire damage (half as much damage on a successful saving throw). GUARD D RAKE

11. FRULAM MONDATH'S CHAMBER Frulam Mondath (see appendix D) moved into this comfortable chamber when the camp was abandoned. If no fight has occurred with the guards in area 12 and characters enter this chamber from area 9, then Mondath is here when they arrive. Guards in area 12 hear whatever happens in this chamber and respond dutifully. The chamber contains a writing desk and stool, several tables with books and papers, and a mirror on a floor stand. Light comes from two oil lamps. Thick rugs completely cover the floor, including an open chute that drops down to area 9. A rope ladder is fixed in the chute for climbing up and down, but nothing marks the position of the open, 3-foot-wide hole when it is covered by rugs. The slight depression it causes in the rug can be noticed with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. If someone steps on the chute without knowing it's there, the character must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. Success means the character hops off the rug before it collapses through the hole, or grabs the top of ladder as he or she falls; failure means the character plunges 30 feet down the chute into area 9, taking 3d6 bludgeoning damage from the fall. Spread open on one of the tables is a simple map of the G reenfields area showing the villages the cult attacked and looted. An arrow is sketched in from the Greenfields toward the west and the town of Beregost on the Trade Way, where the arrow turns north. A separate sheet of paper that is covered with numerals in columns contains the note, "Everything must be freighted north to Naerytar. Rezmir al lowed us to keep some pearls, a ring, and a handful of small stones." Other papers are of less interest; most of them have bad poetry about dragons. The smaller chamber off the main one contains a bed, a trunk containing Mondath's clothes, and a second trunk containing Mondath's Cult of the Dragon regalia and a key to the chest in area 9. With this regalia, one person can be outfitted as a Wearer of Purple. It's worth noting that each Wearer of Purple's regalia is similar but unique, so high-ranking cult members are likely to recognize this regalia as Mondath's. When they see that the person wearing it is not Monda th, or if they know she is dead, alarm bells are guaranteed to go off. DEVELOPMENTS If a fight breaks out in area 12 and four of the guards from that chamber retreat here to defend Mondath, her response is up to you. If the fight in the barracks takes a heavy toll on the characters, she might decide to confront them here. If the attackers plow through her forward guards, Mondath might retreat down the chute to area 9 and join forces with Cyanwrath or even flee from the cave. She has dedicated her life to the Cult of the Dragon, but she isn't eager to die for the cult. Mondath knows that the cult is amassing treasure in the north and that Rezmir spoke often of Tiamat, but that is the extent of her knowledge of the larger plan. 12. GUARD BARRAC KS The guards who remained behind with Mondath use this chamber as their barracks. They maintain a two-person watch at the entrance (area l); two dragonclaws are currently on duty in that area, and the others-three guards and eight cultists-are here, asleep or relaxing. If fighting against the dragonclaws from area 1 pushes near the passage to area 12, roll a d20; the guards here investigate the sound on a roll of 12 or higher. Otherwise they stay here, mostly oblivious to what's going on elsewhere. If characters enter this chamber from area 2, the guards react quickly. Two of the guards and five of the cultists fight the characters here while one guard and three of the cultists retreat to area 11 to protect Frulam Mondath. TREASURE The guards' scabbards are decorated with dragon motifs. They are worth about 5 gp each. They are not part of a Cult of the Dragon "uniform," but wearing one of these scabbards could buy a character credibility when trying to pose as a cultist. For example, you might grant a + 1 bonus to Charisma checks made to fool or influence cultists. Aside from their gear, the guards have coins and small gems worth a total of 120 gp. 13. TREASURE STORAGE This chamber is now mostly empty, except for a few overturned boxes, broken items, scattered coins, small gems that were dropped during the hasty evacuation, and one cultist who is sleeping soundly on the floor after consuming several bottles of wine. He won't wake up from anything less than vigorous shaking, and it will be several hours before he is coherent. All the dropped items left in this room have a total value of only 16 gp. REWARDS Award standard XP for defeated foes. This chapter includes many challenges other than fights, and characters should be rewarded for overcoming them. The awards listed below are just recommendations; adjust them as you see fit. Characters might reach 4th level by the end of this chapter, but it's not essential that they do. • If you are using the milestone experience rule, the characters reach 4th level. • For locating and disarming traps: 100 XP per trap. • For offering the roper meat instead of fighting it to the death: 1,800 XP (the roper's standard XP value). • For each dragon egg destroyed or taken: 250 XP. With the dragon hatchery destroyed and the cultists all gone, characters should head for Elturel and their rendezvous with Leosin Erlanthar and Ontharr Frume. They might choose to follow the wagon tracks instead. The wagons followed the course roughly laid out on the map in Mondath's chamber: west to Beregost, then north along the Trade Way. They have at least a full day's head start on the characters, and possibly more, depending on how much time characters spent in Greenest before returning to the plateau. C HAPTER 3 I DRAGON HATCHERY 43

REASURE LOOTED FROM THE GREENFIELDS is headed north on the Trade Way, hidden in unmarked freight wagons that are part of the regular merchant traffic of that well-traveled road. The heroes must find out where all that loot is going, which means taking a long, danger-filled trip northward. The characters should travel from the abandoned cult camp southeast of Greenest to the city of Elturel on the River Chionthar. Their route takes them back through Greenest, where they can return any stolen goods that they recovered from the cult and recuperate from their wounds. Nighthill greets the characters with delight and respect. He tells them that before Leosin Erlanthar left town, he bought horses and riding gear for the characters to speed their journey to Elturel. The horses are being kept at the dealer's stables until the characters are ready to leave for Elturel; all their costs are paid for. On horseback, characters can travel the 200 miles from Greenest to Elturel in about six days. They make the journey without incident, unless you throw an encounter or two at them to spice up the trip or to increase their XP totals. Encounters with bandits, humanoid clans, and roving monsters are appropriate in the untamed expanses of the Greenfields. C HAPTER 4 I ON THE ROAD ELTUREL Elturel, a large, orderly city overlooking the River Chionthar, is filled with merchants, river traders, and farmers' markets. Its most distinguishing feature is a brilliant magical light that hovers above it, illuminating it day and night. This light is painful to undead and is visible from almost every corner of Elturgard (of which Elturel is the capital), appearing from afar as a star or distant sun. When the characters meet Ontharr Frume, they find him to be a good-natured paladin of Torm, the god of heroics and bravery. He is a man of action who loves jokes and pranks, a stiff drink, and a friendly scuffle. If characters ask for Leosin Erlanthar when they arrive in Elturel, none of the locals know him. If they ask for Ontharr Frume, anyone can direct them to the "headquarters" of Frume's faction, the Order of the Gauntlet, at a tavern called A Pair of Black Antlers. If the characters arrive within a tenday of Erlanthar's departure from Greenest, then the monk is still there with his handful of disciples, too. You can spend as much or as little time on interactions in Elturel as you and your players want. Characters are guaranteed to have a good time in Frume's company, provided they consider continual drinking, arm-wrestling, horseback riding contests, sparring, and weapon training to be a good time. If the players don't

realize it, Erlanthar finds a quiet moment to be sure the characters understand that impressing Frume with their prowess, their honesty, and their drive is in their longterm interest. The characters can make a positive impression on Frume by winning a few contests (resolved quickly with opposed skill or ability checks) or sparring matches against his troopers or by telling entertaining tales of their exploits during the Greenest raid, in the raiders' camp, and in the dragon caves. TH E ORDER OF THE GAUNTLET Late in the evening, after a day when Frume has been suitably impressed by the characters, he sends one of his squires to summon them to a private room in the tavern. Frume's squire shows you to a private space off the tavern's common room and closes the door when he leaves. Waiting for you in the room are the broad-shouldered human paladin, the monk Leosin, and many pitchers of dark red wine. The paladin's face wears a serious expression, unl ike its usual open countenance. " My friends, we have important business to discuss. At this poi nt, you know almost as much about it as we do, and thanks to you, we know twice as much today as we did a tenday ago. Someth ing rotten is afoot. We have no formal organization to oppose these rascals-not yet anyway. We're working on that. And we need people like you, who know how and when to fight, and how and when to keep their heads down and observe. We can't promise you anything except long days filled with danger and stress-but what could be better than that, eh?" Ontharr Frume and Leosin Erlanthar, along with a handful of other concerned leaders and scholars along the Sword Coast, are in the early stages of organizing against the Cult of the Dragon. Erlanthar's organization is the Harpers. Characters might have heard of the older Harpers, but they're unlikely to know much about the secretive group beyond what is generally rumored: that the Harpers are dedicated to furthering equality and justice and to keeping power out of the hands of those who don't deserve it. Erlanthar explains that the Harpers are loosely organized; agents are allowed wide freedom of action. Ontharr Frume represents the Order of the Gauntlet. His order shares many of the Harpers' principles, but the two organizations are very different. The Order of the Gauntlet emphasizes faith, vigilance, and constant struggle against threats of evil. Many of its members are clerics and paladins, but the order welcomes anyone who shares its ideals. Discipline is key, and the order is distinctly more structured and hierarchical than the Harpers. The top concern of both groups is the Cult of the Dragon. In the past, the cult was more active to the east and it was focused on creating dracoliches. Its shift to the Sword Coast and new emphasis on living dragons and on Tiamat are cause for concern. The cult is on the move and it's up to something big; the Order of the Gauntlet, the Harpers, and a third allied group known as the Emerald Enclave want to thwart the cult's plans. In this meeting, Frume and Erlanthar are offering the characters the chance to join their factions. At this early stage, there is no pay for members and there are no ranks. What they can offer is help and support from other members and allies, who are spread from Nashkel and Candlekeep in the south to Neverwinter and Mirabar in the north. The horses that Erlanthar arranged for the characters are just one small example of the aid the Harpers and the Order of the Gauntlet can provide. Harpers can be recognized by the group's symbol: a silver harp nestled between the horns of a crescent moon. Some people wear the symbol openly, and others keep it concealed. Erlanthar wears his as a medallion around his neck when he is certain that he's not heading into a potential captive situation-sometimes openly and sometimes tucked away. Members of the Order of the Gauntlet wear their holy symbols openly. (Frume's is the right-handed gauntlet of Torm.) The order's universal symbol is a gauntlet grasping a sword by the blade. Frume wears such a symbol on a pendant around his neck, hidden below his flowing beard. Characters don't need to join either faction, but there are advantages to doing so and no real drawbacks. Even if characters don't agree to join, Frume and Erlanthar try to enlist their aid in tracking the cult's shipments. ONTHARR FRUME CHAPTER 4 I ON THE ROAD 45

THE MISSION Thanks to the characters, the Harpers now know that the cult is amassing treasure and shipping it north. Where exactly this treasure is going and what the cult plans to do with it are the next two questions that need answering. Frume and Erlanthar would like the characters to join the cult's caravan and accompany it on the journey. They could get themselves hired as guards-if not by the cult's wagon masters, then by other merchants who are traveling in the same direction at the same ti.me. Merchants from different companies commonly join together to form larger trains for protection. Frume has contacts among the many merchants of the region and is certain he can arrange a job. Timing is an issue. The tracks leaving the cultists' camp and the map from Mondath's chamber both indicate that the wagons were heading west to pick up the Coast Way road, where they would turn north to Beregost and Baldur's Gate, a journey of about 550 miles. The wagons would take twenty-five to thirty days for that trip, depending on conditions. The wagons pulled out at least a day ahead of the characters' return to the camp, and the characters probably spent a day exploring the abandoned camp and clearing out the dragon hatchery. Returning to Greenest, resting, and traveling to Elturel account for eight to ten more days. Unless the characters walked to Elturel or lounged for days in Greenest before coming north, they should have at least ten to fifteen days before the cult's wagons reach Baldur's Gate. The River Chionthar flows directly from Elturel to Baldur's Gate. A sailing vessel can make that trip downstream in about three days if it ties up overnight for safety, or two if it risks pushing on through the night by lamplight. Frume has already arranged for such a boat to leave at dawn the next morning. They are also provided with 50 gp each to cover expenses on the trip. If the characters turn down this mission, Frume makes some remarks about how they aren't the people he thought they were, and he leaves the meeting more than a little bit angry. Erlanthar stays and makes one more appeal to their sense of honor and duty. If the characters still turn him down, he reaches into his tunic and pulls out a soft leather pouch, which he hands to one of the characters. Inside is a magnificent ruby worth 1,200 gp. He explains that if they take the mission, this ruby will be waiting for them in the hands of a Harper agent in Waterdeep. That night, Frume sees that the characters are all equipped with new clothing and gear, and even new weapons if they want. He suggests that they change their appearance as much as they can in simple ways, to reduce the odds of anyone they might have met at the cult camp recognizing them. The trip downriver to Baldur's Gate is uneventful, regardless of whether it takes three days or two. The characters can bring their horses along on the boat if they wish. The horses won't like it, but they'll manage. CHAPTER 4 I ON THE ROAD BALDUR's GATE Baldur's Gate is a bustling center of trade, with goods coming from north and south by wagon along the Trade Way and by ship on the Sea of Swords, and from the east along the River Chionthar and from Cormyr and Sembia. Baldur's Gate is situated on a prominent bluff next to the river, overlooking an excellent natural harbor. It is divided into three distinct segments: the Upper City where the richest and most influential citizens live and where the city's marketplace (the Wide) is located; the Lower City, which surrounds the harbor and where most of the city's merchants live and conduct their business; and the Outer City, which lies outside the walls and where most of the city's laborers reside in conditions that vary from crowded but clean to squalid. Depending on timing, characters might have just a few days to wait in Baldur's Gate, or up to a tenday. Most of that time should be spent contacting a merchant recommended by Frume and arranging affairs so they can spot the cult wagons when they arrive. Frume's contact is a human trader named Ackyn Selebon. He operates an equipage business in the Outer City north of the city wall, in a district called Blackgate. There he sells all the material needed for long-distance freight hauling: wagons, rope, netting, grease, chains, wheels, and so on. His shop also repairs wagons. He is not directly involved in the hiring of guards for caravans, but he knows people who are. With him to vouch for the characters, they should have no trouble getting hired on as guards for a northbound caravan, but he can't give them work with a specific merchant. HIRING OUT Baldur's Gate doesn't allow wagons, pack animals, horses, or even dogs into the city. The streets are so narrow, steep, and slick from frequent rain that heavy wagons would be a menace. This is actually one of the reasons why Baldur's Gate is such a bustling commercial hub: for goods to pass through the city from south to north, for example, they must be unloaded in the Outer City east of the wall, carried through the city by porters on foot, and reloaded onto different wagons north of the city for the rest of their journey. No road conveniently bypasses the city-a situation that the gate's profiteering intermediaries work hard to maintain. Most merchants find it easier to sell their loads to those intermediaries and consignment dealers when they reach Baldur's Gate, buy a new load of exotic goods from somewhere far away, and turn around and head back home, where they can again sell the new goods at a profit. Along with wagons, guards seldom make a continuous journey through Baldur's Gate. Guards for northbound caravans are typically hired in Blackgate where northbound wagons begin their journey. Selebon tells the characters that if they hang around any of the taverns or tent saloons near his shop, they are sure to see all the northbound traffic. They shouldn't hesitate to use him as a reference if a potential employer asks for one. The northbound journey from Baldur's Gate is arduous, so merchants travel together for safety. Each merchant hires guards independently, but the common

belief is that if everyone hires two or three and enough wagons travel together, the caravan is well protected. Within a few days (the wait is up to you and the timing you've worked out for the cargo's arrival from the camp), characters spot people they recognize from the cult's camp on the plateau. Rezmir, being a half-dragon, can't travel openly in Baldur's Gate; she'd be attacked by a mob. The city's wealthy elite, however, often travel the streets in screened or curtained palanquins for both comfort and privacy. Rezmir does the same. When characters spot familiar faces from the cult camp, the cultists are carrying or accompanying a palanquin where Rezmir rides. They might catch a glimpse of her through a briefly parted curtain if they're observant. Rezmir and her bodyguards come to Selebon's yard to purchase five wagons and supplies (having sold the other wagons south of the city). Once they are equipped, local porters pack merchandise and supplies onto the wagons, cover them in canvas, and lash them down. After the characters have identified the cultists' wagons and seen their arrangements, they should have an easy time getting hired as guards. They can apply to the cultists if they feel like being reckless, but other merchants are making the same preparations to leave on the morrow. Select anyone from the list of merchants and travelers to be a potential employer. Each character makes a Charisma (Persuasion) or Strength (Athletics) check, whichever they prefer. Check the results below. H IRING OUT Check Result Role in the Caravan 0-5 No one is interested in h iring the character, but he or she can tag along as a traveler. Guards sometimes quit or die on the road, and a replacement has a chance to find employment. 6-10 Hired as a basic guard for 5 gp per tenday, plus food and living expenses on the road. 1 1-1 5 Hired as a sergeant for 8 gp per tenday, plus food and living expenses on the road. 1 6+ Hired as a bodyguard for the merchant at 10 gp per tenday, plus food and living expenses on the road. All hires are for the journey to Waterdeep. Sergeants are expected to manage two to five other guards. Bodyguards are expected to stick close to their employer and protect him or her against harm. FELLOW TRAVELERS During the course of this journey, the characters have opportunities to meet a range of people from across Faerfin. Merchants, mercenaries, pilgrims, scholars, thieves, and explorers all mingle on the great Trade Way. KEY NONPLAYER CHARACTERS Two NPCs who join the caravan partway through the trip are especially important: Azbarajos andjamna Gleamsilver. Both join the caravan at Daggerford, about 120 miles south ofWaterdeep and the last place where the caravan takes a day-long rest. They are not traveling together; being in Daggerford at the same time is coincidental. Azbarajos (see appendix D for statistics) is a male human and a Red Wizard of Thay. Red Wizards are widely disliked and mistrusted, so he takes some pains to disguise his membership in that group by always 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 notice the edges of the tattoos peeking out from under the cap. Many Thayans have shaved, tattooed heads, however, but only a few are Red Wizards. Countless Thayans fled their country when the lich Szass Tam seized control, so they are not entirely strange on the Sword Coast. If questioned,Jos claims to be just another Thayan expatriate trying to find refuge while his country is controlled by undead monsters. In fact, other than the denial that he's a Red Wizard, this is all true. Jos buys space aboard one of the cult wagons, although they turned away everyone else who sought passage earlier in the journey. He does not mingle with the other travelers and seldom speaks to anyone except the man who seems to be the leader of the cultists. jamna Gleamsilver (see appendix D for statistics) is a female gnome and a member of a secretive organization called the Black Network, also known as the Zhentarim. Outwardly, the Black Network provides mercenaries and other forms of muscle for hire. Informally, it is known as a criminal society akin to a widespread thieves guild. Secretly, its leaders seek to extend their shadowy fingers into every throne room and ruling council chamber in Faerfin. Like the Harpers, the Zhentarim too are aware that the Cult of the Dragon is on the move, and they need to know the cult's plans so they can prevent them from interfering with the Zhentarim's own plans, plus perhaps take advantage of the plunder possibilities. That's why Gleamsilver joins the caravan. The Black Network's spies learned that the cult is moving freight northward, and, like the characters, she was tasked with finding out what they're hauling and where it's headed. Those above her seriously considered wiping out the caravan with mercenaries disguised as bandits, ransacking the wagons, and torturing cult members for the desired information. Fortunately for the characters, Gleamsilver persuaded her superiors to give her a shot at uncovering the truth in a less bloody fashion. If she hasn't come up with something useful by the time the caravan reaches Waterdeep, she will put plan B-the one involving mass murder-into action. Despite the vast gulf between their outlooks, the Black Network and the Harpers have a common enemy, and that is pushing them into an unlikely alliance. Gleamsilver is the antithesis of a hero-she is self-serving, a skilled thief and liar, and willing to murder anyone who stands between her and her goal. OTHER NONPLAYER CHARACTERS This list of twenty NPCs is provided for when you need one quickly. You can, of course, change any details about CHAPTER 4 I ON THE ROAD 47

them that you wish. Use them to flesh out the caravan, to spice up the journey, to help bring the trip to life, and to give characters people to like and protect, or dislike and quarrel with, along the way. Achreny Ulyeltin (Male Human Merchant). Ulyeltin is an independent wagon master with two wagons in this caravan. Both are hauling cured furs and uncured hides. He is a boorish man without a trace of civilization about him. He's not unfriendly-just smelly, vulgar, and utterly without manners. His second wagon driver and two laborers, on the other hand, are perfectly pleasant. Aldar Urnpoleshurst (Male Human Lawyer). A lawyer by training but a skunk by inclination, Urnpoleshurst is relocating from Baldur's Gate to anywhere that isn't Baldur's Gate. Gossip around the caravan is that he was driven out by a scandal, and that's hard not to believe. He is suspicious of everyone and makes outrageous accusations at the drop of a hat. Beyd Sechepol (Male Half-Elf Merchant). Ale and beer are so common that not much money can be made hauling them long distances. But that's what fills Sechepol's wagon. He will make his money on the road, selling his stock to his fellow travelers in the caravan. He is diplomatic and has a gift for defusing arguments to everyone's satisfaction before they escalate to violence, but he is careless about gear and horses-a fault that can cause friction with those who hate to see a horse mistreated through thoughtlessness. Edhelri Lewel (Female Moon Elf Merchant). 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. She is the exact opposite of Beyd Sechepol in temperament: impatient with people but exacting about her wagon and doting on her animals. Eldkin Agetul (Female Shield Dwarf Guard). Agetul has made this trip several times before and never hesitates to wave that experience in others' faces. She is a perfectionist, and she wants others to know it. Enom Tobun (Male Lightfoot Ha/fling Teamster). Tobun has driven freight wagons across Faerfin for the past forty years, from Waterdeep to Calimport and from Baldur's Gate to Hillsfar. He is a font of stories and legends, but it's impossible to tell the truth from fiction in his tales. If anyone challenges him on the truth of a story, he grows argumentative, then sullen and vengeful. As long as a traveler stays on his good side, Tobun is a wonderful traveling companion. Green lmsa (Female Human Traveler). The reason behind 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 she is traveling to Waterdeep in search of a remedy for her condition. The coloration doesn't seem to bother her, but she becomes flustered if anyone asks how she came to be this way. She is friendly, if somewhat quiet, as long as the conversation stays away from her past. Lai Angesstun (Male Gold Dwarf Merchant). This ambitious merchant is hauling scented cooking oil and perfumes from Arnn, hoping to make a huge profit from the aristocrats and dandies ofWaterdeep. He talks about money constantly: how much he intends to make, C HAPTER 4 I ON THE ROAD how he will spend it, and how others will envy him for it. He will not spend a single copper buying anyone else a drink or a roasted turnip during the entire trip. Lasfelro the Silent (Male Human Merchant). From time to time, Lasfelro inexplicably breaks into merry songs and short stretches of joke-telling. His voice is a fine tenor and his jokes are hilarious. But these gregarious moods are always short. The rest of the time, he is silent as the grave, staring sullenly at the road ahead, barely moving on the seat of his wagon, seeming hardly to breathe. No one knows what he transports in his wagon, but it is guarded by a brooding gargoyle that is tethered to the wagon by a slim, silver chain. Leda Widris (Female Human Guard). Widris is as honest and courageous as mercenaries come. She has spent many years in the south and now wants to see the snows and frozen seas of the far north and experience what a truly cold wind feels like. Losvius Longnose (Male Lightfoot Ha/fling Teamster). Although Losvius'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, and especially other people's embarrassing secrets. Losvius doesn't poke his nose where it's not wanted in a search for blackmail material. He is just overpoweringly curious about what other people don't talk about. If he is along, there's a good chance one or more of the characters

will find him nosing through their belongings when he thought their backs were turned. Noohar Serelim (Male Moon Elf Merchant). Noohar and his mute brother, Selvek, are hauling exquisite wooden carvings made by the elves of Cormyr. Where his brother communicates only through sign language, Noohar may be the most articulate person the characters have ever met. Speech springs from him like music from the harp of Milil. The fact that he seldom has anything to say never seems to stop him from talking or others from listening. Nyerhite Verther (Male Human Merchant). A load of Calish*te silk will make Nyerhite Verther a rich man in Waterdeep, or so he believes. Sadly, he did not inspect his silk carefully when he bought it, and it's infested with worms. If anyone spots them and points them out to Verther during the trip, he becomes unhinged in his anger and grief. Orvustia Esseren (Female Human Guard). Esseren grew up in the farmland outside Baldur's Gate, and this is her first trip more than two miles away from home. She is smart, tough, and talented with both spear and bow, but she knows nothing of the world beyond her aunt's farm or of people who deal dishonestly. Her aunt, a wise woman, believes this trip will be good for her. Oyn Evenmor (Male Human Merchant). Evenmor is an independent wagon master hauling exotic birds to the lucrative markets in Waterdeep. He is a stubborn, argumentative man with strong opinions about almost everything, but he is generous when it comes to pouring drinks for those who will sit and argue with him endlessly. Radecere Perethun (Male Rock Gnome Traveler). No one knows where Perethun is ultimately headed or why. He eats alone, seldom speaks, and always rides in the back of the wagon, staring wistfully at the road gone by. The only thing that brings him out of this shell is a game of chance. He gambles boisterously and well. Samarda; the Hoper (Male Human Merchant). 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's world, the sky is always blue, the weather is always fine, and the outlook for tomorrow is always bright. Odds are he would be a wealthy man if he hung onto his money, but he is a soft touch for every urchin and hard-luck story that crosses his path. Sulesde; the Pole (Male Human Guard). Among his tribe in his homeland of the Shaar, Sulesdeg's name means "tall as a lodge pole." On the Sword Coast, he is just known as "the Pole." At 7 feet 5 inches in height, he probably is the tallest human the characters or anyone else in the caravan has ever seen. He doesn't talk much, but when he does, people generally listen. Tyjit Skesh (Female Shield Dwarf Guard). It won't take long before everyone in the caravan knows to steer clear of Tyjit Skesh. She is quick to anger and quicker to resort to her blades when something sets her off. She is honest to a fault and never fails to let people know why she was angry, so they can correct their behavior in the future. She will not tolerate bullying. Werond Torohar (Female Human Teamster). Quiet, unassuming Werond Torohar can handle a team of horses or mules better than anyone on the Trade Way. She has an uncanny knack for making animals understand what she wants from them with only a twitch on the reins, a whistle, and a snap of her whip. Mud, stones, and ice seem to not be obstacles at all when Torohar is handling the team. She is a starry-eyed romantic at heart, and she can bring strong men to tears with her tales of long-ago lost loves and thwarted passion. LIFE ON THE ROAD The stretch of road from Baldur's Gate to Waterdeep is a journey of 750 miles. Horse-drawn or mule-drawn freight wagons cover 15 miles per day, depending on conditions. The animals need one day off after every six days of hauling to recover from their work. All things considered, the trip is expected to take two months. The caravan leaving Baldur's Gate contains the three wagons of the Cult of the Dragon plus 2d4 more. Not all travelers are merchants. A wagon might carry a family relocating to the north or a diplomat on a mission to Waterdeep. People and wagons join the caravan along the way, and others leave according to the dictates of business and fortune. Some travelers ride horses, some walk beside the wagons, and some pay the merchants to ride aboard their wagons. On several occasions, characters notice the cult teamsters turning away passengers even though they have spare room on their wagons. Nothing identifies the cult's wagons as anything but typical merchants hauling northbound freight. They don't bunch up during the day or camp together at night. As far as anyone else knows, their only connection is that they're part of this caravan. Rezmir and eight of her guards leave Baldur's Gate secretly ahead of the caravan and ride north at a fast clip. They are headed for Castle Naerytar in the Mere of Dead Men and won't be seen again until chapter 6. She leaves twelve guards behind. One travels with each wagon, acting as a guard and assistant to the teamster. The other nine are cloaked as private travelers in two distinct groups, seeking company and protection in the caravan for their journey. The wagons travel for about eight hours per day, with a few stops to feed and water the horses and mules. Many nights are spent camping along the road. Most small towns have roadside inns if travelers want more comfort, and walled hostelries catering to wagon caravans are spread a few days apart. Animals and travelers can rest comfortably at these walled compounds while wagons are safely locked inside. The map for chapter 5 shows a structure that once served that purpose. It can be used as the model for a typical hostelry if needed. The most difficult part of the journey is near the beginning. A few days' travel north of Baldur's Gate brings the caravan into a countryside known as the Fields of the Dead. The road twists and wanders through hills dotted with ancient battlefields, dolmens, and barrow mounds. Common wisdom holds that it's a very bad idea to light a fire on a hilltop at night in the Fields of the Dead, because the light attracts monsters from miles around. Crossing this territory takes several days, during which everyone will be edgy and on watch. CHAPTER 4 I ON THE ROAD 49