D&D 5E - The Rise of Tiamat

18. L o n g H a l l w a y
The walls of this long hallway seem to undulate, moving
back and forth as though the corridor is slithering in
the manner of a giant snake. This is only a permanent
illusion effect, but it is unsettling all the same.
When the characters reach the turn in the hallway, 4
lizardfolk charge from the direction of area 22, followed
by 2 yuan-ti malisons (type 1). If the characters moved
past the door to area 17 without checking that room, the
3 lizardfolk and 1 yuan-ti pureblood in that area come
charging out.
19. H a t c h e r y
The floor of this room is 20 feet below the floor of the
adjoining hallways, which are reached by tall ladders.
The walls of this yuan-ti hatchery drip with slime, and
the floor literally writhes with the room’s occupants.
Yuan-ti produce copious young, which are consumed
by their siblings so that only the strongest survive. A
swarm of these young (use the a swarm of poisonous
snakes) crawl through piles of eggs and crushed egg
shells littering the floor, and are watched over by 1
yuan-ti abomination and 3 yuan-ti purebloods.
At the first sign of the party, the yuan-ti use suggestion
as they apologize for any previous strife, stating that
their kin meant no harm to the characters. As a show
of good faith, the abomination invites the characters to
descend the ladders and join the yuan-ti for a feast.
If the characters are completely swayed, the yuan-ti
wait until they descend, then they and the swarms
attack. If the characters flee, the yuan-ti pursue. If they
are attacked from above, the yuan-ti ascend the ladders
to fight. The abomination flees any fight if reduced to
half its hit points or fewer.
20. L i z a r d f o l k D e n
This foul-smelling chamber is piled high with trash and
filth. The yuan-ti’s lizardfolk slaves are kept here. The
area is presently empty, with all its residents accounted
for in other areas.
T r e a s u r e
Hidden throughout the lizardfolk’s filthy nests are 22
gold pieces and 125 silver pieces in loose coin.
21. P ris o n
The yuan-ti use humanoid sacrifice to power the magic
of the divination pool. Their unfortunate victims are
held here until needed, but the prison is presently empty.
22. T e m p l e
The heart of the yuan-ti settlement, this huge chamber
features giant stone serpents along the east and west
walls, their open mouths guttering green flames. The
leaders of the yuan-ti are here—3 yuan-ti purebloods, 2
yuan-ti malisons (type 2), and 1yuan-ti abomination
priestess—along with any yuan-ti and lizardfolk that
retreated from previous encounters.
The yuan-ti and lizardfolk stand in the shadows
of the flickering green flames, ready to attack but
understanding that the adventurers are a serious threat
if they’ve made it this far unscathed. At the back of the
room, near an altar carved with the form of a giant
openmouthed cobra, the comatose Varram has been
beaten and bound.
D e a l i n g f o r t h e D w a r f
If the characters have made any mention of their search
for Varram during their previous battles with the yuan-ti
or lizardfolk, the yuan-ti abomination priestess holds
Varram’s dragontooth dagger to the dwarf’s neck. The
priestess has heard of the characters’ mission, though
she does not know or care why they seek the dwarf.
If the yuan-ti have no idea why the characters have
attacked, the priestess knows only that Varram has been
begging for his life by promising the yuan-ti great wealth
if he is freed. The priestess plans to bargain with the
characters by offering them the hypothetical wealth the
dwarf has promised her.
Either way, if the characters want Varram alive, the
priestess demands that the party leave the complex
without killing any more yuan-ti. She is w illing to turn
over the dwarf, but explains that his soul has been
temporarily drawn from his body by powerful yuan-ti
magic. When the characters have left the enclave, it
w ill be returned. (The priestess is lying—Varram is in
his present semiconscious state because of the brutal
treatment he’s received at the hands of the yuan-ti.)
If the characters refuse her offer, the priestess
attempts to use suggestion to sway whomever she
perceives as the party’s leader. If that fails and combat
breaks out, she slays Varram (he has only 3 hit points
remaining), then attacks with her followers.
D e v e l o p m e n t s
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check
reveals a secret space and a passage beneath one of the
serpent statues in the temple. W ithin the space is the
enclave’s treasure hoard, comprising 800 gold pieces,
100 platinum pieces, 2 cloudy emeralds worth 500 gp
each, a necklace of 22 crysoprase beads worth 20 gp
each, and 2 scrolls, one of levitation and the other of call
lightning. The passage leads to the exit the yuan-ti use
to leave the complex without passing through the crypt.
The exit is carefully hidden behind a screen of rocks
and scrub trees a hundred yards away from the plaza
entrance to the ruins.
C o n c l u s i o n
Varram remains incoherent until he receives healing
magic or finishes a long rest. Once his health is
restored, the fallen wyrmspeaker is quick to accept his
status as the party’s prisoner—if only because he knows
that Severin w ill kill him if he makes any attempt to
return to the cult. Varram can offer detailed insight into
the cult’s hierarchy and plans, and can reveal secret
sympathizers and traitors within the factions of the
Council of Waterdeep, at your discretion. Taking the
dwarf alive earns the party significant respect among
the factions, though bringing back word of his death is
nearly as impressive.