D&D 5E - The Rise of Tiamat

When the characters arrive in this area, 8 kobolds are
working in the chamber, polishing and maintaining the
ice. If they recognize the characters as intruders, they
try to keep away from them in the fog, then slip out of
the chamber when they can.
8. T r o p h y H a l l
Trophies of Arauthator’s many battles are displayed
in this chamber. Visibility is 45 feet, so the characters
won’t be able to see much from the doorway. Among the
creatures frozen here in death are two remorhazes, a
trio of behirs, five abominable yetis, and a giant squid
of jaw-dropping size. A complete longship with sail
raised is also on display here. The ship clearly w ill
not fit through any of the iceberg’s entrances; it was
painstakingly disassembled outside and reassembled
here by the kobolds. Characters who know ships can
see mistakes in the rigging and hull planking, but it’s
passably good work for a display.
O f more immediate interest is the open chest of gold
and jewels sitting on the ship’s deck. The chest contains
375 gp, 1,480 ep, and 495 sp, plus jewelry and precious
objects worth another 225 gp. A character examining
the chest without disturbing it or the contents can
estimate its value at between 1,000 and 1,500 gp with a
successful DC 10 Intelligence check.
If the chest or any of the treasure it contains—even
a single coin—is removed from the ship, Arauthator
senses it immediately and dispatches 2 ice trolls (see
area 12) to investigate.
9. U n u s e d C h a m b e r
This chamber is empty, awaiting the day when
Arauthator’s collection of trophies overflows
areas 7 and 8.
10. M a c c a t h t h e C r i m s o n
If Maccath the Crimson hasn’t been encountered
elsewhere in Oyaviggaton, the characters meet her here.
At the top of the ramp from area 9, 1 ice troll (see
area 12) stands guard over this cavern. It positions itself
around the corner so it can’t be seen until intruders
reach the top of the ramp.
The empty ice floor o f this chamber holds a most
unexpected sight. A large shelter is seemingly built of
scraps, and in the style o f the tents used by the desert
nomads o f Calimshan, some two thousand miles
to the south.
Maccath’s shelter is made from huge tapestries and
carpets draped across a frame of whale ribs, and stands
8 feet tall, 20 feet wide, and 30 feet long. The bottoms
of the walls drape down onto the ground, leaving no
gaps underneath. The tent has no obvious entrance,
but a character can slide between any two overlapping
tapestries to emerge inside the shelter.
When the characters step inside, read or paraphrase
the following.
The interior o f the shelter is surprisingly warm, thanks to
a small stove and simple lamps burning aromatic whale
oil. Carpets are heaped on the floor in thick layers, and
tapestries from every culture in Faerun hang suspended
from a sturdy frame o f whale ribs.
Books and scrolls are stacked neatly on tables and
reading stands made o f hide and whalebone. The only
furnishings in the shelter not made from these natural
materials are the carpets and tapestries, and a portable
writing desk that appears to have been taken from a
sailing ship.
If this is the characters’ first meeting with Maccath the
Crimson, add:
Seated at the writing desk is a female tiefling wearing
a blazing crimson cloak over tailored furs. The cloak is
fastened with a silver-and-ivory brooch bearing a design
reminiscent o f a stylized, branching tree— the symbol
o f the Arcane Brotherhood. Two kobold attendants
stand nearby, glancing nervously between you and the
tiefling. After a few moments, the tiefling looks up with
an expression o f pale disinterest and asks, “ Have you
come to save me or kill me? Not that there will be much
difference between the two.”
When Maccath arrived at Oyaviggaton three years ago,
Arauthator would normally have killed her without a
second thought. However, the brooch of the Arcane
Brotherhood she wore suggested to Arauthator that the
tiefling might present a solution to two problems. First,
the dragon possessed numerous items and writings
stolen from the Arcane Brotherhood, some of which
defied his understanding even after decades of study.
Second, Arauthator had long sought a way to help his
mate Arveiaturace overcome her grieving over the death
of the wizard she once served. Replacing that dead
wizard with a living one—and a member of the Arcane
Brotherhood at that—seemed a perfect solution.
Maccath was smart enough to convince the dragon
that his offer had won her over, expecting that she
would eventually be able to seek a means of escape
from the iceberg. However, she has so far been thwarted
by Arauthator’s potent magic—including spells and
rituals stolen from the Arcane Brotherhood—which
have kept her sealed and helpless in Oyaviggaton,
invisible to scrying and unable to use sending to call
for help. Before he turns Maccath over to Arveiaturace,
Arauthator has had the tiefling deciphering his stolen
writings, though the work has gone slowly thanks to
the inherent complexity and danger of the material.
Maccath is studying one of the stolen scrolls when the
characters walk in.
If the characters announced their presence by fighting
the ice troll, the 2 kobolds w ill be visibly agitated, even
though Maccath shows little concern. The kobolds have
been directed to stay with the tiefling and follow her