Tyranny of Dragons was the first full D&D 5e campaign I ran, starting back in 2015. Here’s the write up from the 23rd session in which we continued with The Rise of Tiamat.
I introduced a random table for call woodland beings this session as I didn’t want Gwastdyn summoning 8 pixies every time he cast the spell! Azza gremlins are from Tome of Beasts.
Begin here with Session 1 – Greenest in Flames.
29th Marpenoth (contd.)
As the characters rest inside Leomund’s tiny hut, dozens of snakes pour from the holes in the walls and surround the magical shelter. Rosie lights a campfire inside the hut, and Turin gets ready to cast compulsion when the warlock dispels the spell.
But the adventurers hadn’t noticed their enemies sneaking up on them. As the hut vanishes, the door swings open and a yuan-ti nightmare speaker casts hunger of Dendar plunging the room into unnatural darkness. Fortunately, Turin is able to dispel it, then Rosie casts counterspell to foil the yuan-ti’s next spell.
Battle is joined – the adventurers are surrounded by lizardfolk, yuan-ti and swarms of poisonous snakes. Crake skips out of the circle to duel the nightmare speaker and one of the malisons. Gwastdyn turns into a bear and Turin casts compulsion in an attempt to force their foes out of the room and over the slippery chasm bridge. He manages to move the nightmare speaker into the corridor before losing concentration, but this allows Ug to use his misty step and take her on in single combat. The paladin kills the yuan-ti just after she takes down Rosie with her eldritch blasts. Meanwhile, Gwastdyn has been forced out of bear form. He casts call woodland beings, summoning 8 azza gremlins, and swings his shillelagh into one of the malisons, crushing his skull. Turin’s healing word brings round the unconscious Crake who has succumbed to the poisonous snakes.
Finally, the characters are victorious, and they’ve managed to take one of the lizardfolk alive. Draconic-speaker Turin interrogates their captive who tells them he is the only survivor of the yuan-ti’s lizardfolk slaves. They let him go.
After briefly checking out the yuan-ti sleeping quarters behind the door, they all get some much needed healing from Ug. Rosie casts Leomund’s tiny hut again and the characters hole up for a long rest.
30th Marpenoth
An invisible Crake scouts ahead and finds the yuan-ti temple. Rosie communicates with the rogue via message and the others attempt to sneak up to join him. Ug and Gwastdyn are as noisy as usual and the yuan-ti inside the temple are alerted. The abomination priestess is holding a dragontooth dagger to Varram’s neck. She calls out to the characters, telling them she is prepared to negotiate. True to form, Ug charges in and the priestess cuts Varram’s throat.
Turin follows Ug into the temple, casting shatter and then fear, with Crake hot on his heels. Gwastdyn summons a pack of wolves, then retreats to the corridor to join Rosie. A second abomination enters the corridor to attack the dwarf who wild shapes into a rhinoceros.
After a fast and furious battle, there is just one yuan-ti malison left standing. He surrenders to the characters. Ug grabs the priestess’ circlet of seven serpents – this is the magic item he needs to bring back to the House of Wonder in Waterdeep.
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Tiamat image by Michael Komarck
Richard Green | Game Designer 