D&D 5E - The Rise of Tiamat

T r e a s u r e
The contents of Xonthal’s library are as valuable as they
are voluminous. The wizard’s collection includes nearly
five thousand books, pamphlets, folios, quartos, scrolls,
and tablets with a combined weight of more than a ton.
The entire collection would be worth 50,000 gp if it
could be moved. Alternatively, the characters can pick
out a few especially valuable volumes.
A character trained in one of the following skills can
make a check to search the library for a work on that
subject: Anim al Handling, Athletics, Arcana, History,
Medicine, Nature, Performance, Persuasion, Religion,
or Sleight of Hand. Multiply the total of the check by
10 to get the gp value of the single most valuable book
a character can find on that subject. Each skill check
takes 10 minutes, but many characters can be searching
at the same time. Characters who search for more books
take a cumulative -10 penalty to subsequent checks.
The map shows the region of the Elemental Plane
of Fire surrounding the fabled City of Brass. The map
cannot be harmed by fire, and is worth 500 gp to a
planar scholar or explorer.
19. O b s e r v a t i o n R o o m
The floor of this room is 10 feet higher than the floor
of area 18.
A circular pane o f crystal ten feet in diameter hangs
vertically in this chamber, anchored to the ceiling, walls,
and floor by chains. A scene o f roiling fire can be glimpsed
within the crystal. In front o f the crystal, an ornate rod is
set into the floor.
The scrying crystal allowed Xonthal to peer into other
planes, and is currently set to view the Elemental Plane
of Fire. The view is controlled by the rod set into the
floor, and moving it shifts the scene. Doing so properly
is challenging, however. A character can attempt a
D C 20 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to move the
rod. Success indicates that the crystal displays a brief
glimpse of a stunning fiery vista near the City of Brass.
Failure indicates that the crystal shows only flames.
20. Sp e l l b o o k St u d y
A large, simple desk with several ink pots, quill pens,
and a single chair occupy the center o f this otherwise
empty room.
Xonthal used this room for writing his spellbooks, but
those books went with him when he vanished. The ink
pots are dried up, but any character trained in Arcana
w ill recognize the specific type of ink used for magical
writing. The quill pens are exquisitely fashioned and
still usable.
21. St o r a g e C l o s e t
This area is lined with shelves holding hundreds of
mundane and exotic reagents and components used by
Xonthal in his experiments. Most of the supplies have
evaporated, congealed, or decayed over long years, but
any spellcasting characters can find enough useable
materials here to replenish their material components
if necessary.
22. T a r a z t h e Fa i r
Where the hallway bends to the northeast, it once again
takes on the appearance of a stone corridor.
Light shines out ahead as the corridor opens into a room
set with comfortable-looking oversized furnishings. In the
center o f the room, a red-skinned creature wearing armor
o f flame, bronze, and volcanic stone sits cross-legged on
the floor, studying a chessboard.
The creature is an efreeti named Taraz the Fair. The
name has nothing to do with his sense of justice or fair
play, however, but refers to the light hues of his fiery
hair. Xonthal trapped Taraz and was trying to bend or
trick the efreeti into service when he disappeared. The
trapped creature has had over a century of solitude to
rue its fate.
Taraz is held in this area by a thin line of magical
salt. Imbued with potent wards by Xonthal, the salt
rings the bases of all four walls and extends across
the doorway in the joints between paving stones. A
character with a passive Perception of 18 or higher
notices the salt automatically. Otherwise, a character
who looks carefully spots the salt with a successful DC
12 Intelligence (Arcana or Investigation) check.
Taraz greets the adventurers with a fiery smile. He
assumes correctly that the characters’ arrival so soon
after Iskander's appearance is no coincidence, and
he uses the missing mage as leverage for negotiating.
Taraz’s only concern is escape, and he w ill do anything
to win his freedom.
Taraz’s conversation with the adventurers covers the
following points—many of which are utter lies designed
to help him gain the characters’ trust:
• Xonthal stripped Taraz's power to grant wishes when
he trapped the efreeti here, to prevent him from escaping.
He w ill recover his power only when he is freed.
(Both false.)
• Xonthal warded the chamber to prevent the efreeti
from harming anyone, so that the wizard and the
genie could play chess. Xonthal promised to set Taraz
free if he ever won a match. (False on all counts.
Xonthal never entered this area, because Taraz can
and w ill harm creatures in his chamber.)
• The characters are perfectly safe in the corridor.
(True, as long as Taraz is confined to area 22.)
• Taraz has no desire to harm the characters, and
couldn’t even if he wanted to, thanks to Xonthal’s
protective magic. (False. Xonthal’s wards confine the
efreeti and its magic to area 22, but they don’t protect
other creatures in that area.)