D&D 5E - The Rise of Tiamat

P l a n o f A t t a c k
This encounter should challenge the adventurers in
every way. The characters should be no easy match for
the attacking force, such that retreat and escape might
be their best option if they hope to survive. However,
if the characters haven’t made escape plans ahead of
time, the attackers w ill have taken steps to make retreat
impossible. The specifics are up to you, but should be
based around any obvious features of the encounter
area. Standard escape paths such as back doors and
known sewer entrances w ill be watched, and tactics
the characters have used before w ill be known. Only a
special escape route—a secret passage known only to
a palace’s most trusted servants, for example—should
come as a surprise to the cultists and Red Wizards.
F ro n ta l Assault. Because clever ruses and ambush
have failed in previous attacks, the cult’s third assault
opts for overwhelming force. The dragons attack the
characters from the air, attempting to draw them
outside if they are indoors. When they finally face off
against the adventurers, the attackers fight to kill. If
the characters try to stay inside and under cover, the
dragons attack whatever building they hide in, setting
it ablaze. Half-dragons, cultists, and mages watch all
known exits, including underground ones, to prevent the
characters from slipping away.
Se q u e n c e o f E v e n t s
Depending on how the adventure unfolds, feel free
to alter the forces and tactics in the second and third
attacks as you see fit. For example, you might want to
hold off with the yugoloths until the third attack, or you
might want Red W izards showing up in the second
attack rather than the third.
D e v e l o p m e n t s
This battle w ill likely be a challenge to run. It is
designed to create an emotional low spot in the
adventure, during which overall defeat for the forces
of good looks like a real possibility. Character death-
even if temporary—can crush some players’ spirits.
For those players, don’t make this battle just a
relentless slog toward death. Give the adventurers
opportunities to save innocent townsfolk from
being slaughtered and turn dragons away from
fleeing crowds. The characters can clear burning
buildings, use magic to douse flames or save the
dying, and stand up for those who cannot defend
themselves. Let their sacrifice during this fight
mean something.
C o n c l u s i o n
Great heroes rebound from losses to fight even
harder for the cause they believe in. Thanks to raise
dead, a lost battle is a setback, not a defeat. It’s a
wake-up call to any players who assumed that the
characters’ victory was assured. The Cult of the
Dragon is committed to its goal and w ill stop at
nothing to achieve it. The characters must be
even more committed to theirs.
The characters gain a level at the end
of this event.