D&D 5E - The Rise of Tiamat

If the characters played through Hoard o f the Dragon
Queen, they’ve already met one of the most influential
of the Harpers: Leosin Erlanthar, a male half-elf monk
from Berdusk.
U s i n g t h e H a r p e r s
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.
N P C 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, mages, and
rogues are the most common character types in the
Harpers, but characters of every class can be found in
the organization.
R e m a l l i a H a v e n t r e e
Chaotic good female moon e lf 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—“Rem i” to her friends—is the
Harper’s leading delegate to the Council of Waterdeep.
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 w ill sway
the conservatives in her faction.
The Harpers are w illing 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.
T h e O r d e r o f t h e G a u n t l e t
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 w ill 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.
U s i n g t h e O r d e r o f t h e G a u n t l e t
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 N P C s 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.
O n t h a r r F r u m e
Law ful 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 w ill
be pressured to withhold his support. Members of the
order w ill seek proof that the party is righteous or has