D&D 5E - The Rise of Tiamat

west and 100 feet north from the temple gate, and is
the scene of horrendous slaughter during the sacrifice
ritual. Prisoners are ushered from the temple into the
plaza, where five waiting dragons (one of each color,
and of any age category you choose) tear into them with
teeth and claws.
Though these exits are not normally guarded, during
the prisoner sacrifice, the each tunnel is blocked by
2 barbed devils and 4 guard drakes (see appendix
A). The devils’ attention is focused toward the plaza,
however, not down the tunnels or on what the guard
drakes do. The guard drakes might notice approaching
characters before the devils do, but they attack only if
the fiends give the order. Therefore, the party might get
the drop on these guards.
For characters who move beyond the cleared plaza, or
who approach this area from the sinkhole, the piles of
bones are difficult terrain.
24. T e m p l e E x i t
The main lava tunnel of the southern warrens exits
inside the black chapel (area 5) of Tiamat’s temple.
Prisoners intended for sacrifice are brought up to the
black chapel, marched to the temple entrance, and
forced out into the plaza for the waiting dragons to feast
on. This exit is unguarded.
T i a m a t ’s T e m p l e
The temple in the caldera of the Well of Dragons is the
same temple that marks the center of Tiamat’s realm
on Avernus. The Red W izards’ ritual has brought it
here to act as a beachhead and beacon for the Dragon
Queen, melding it into the caldera floor in the process.
The main gate into area 1 (the blue chapel) is the only
apparent entrance, but a lava tube corridor from the
cult’s subterranean warrens leads into area 5 (the
black chapel).
When the ritual begins, the temple is the focus of the
cult’s activity, with Severin’s Red Wizard allies (use
mage statistics) at the center of the action. The souls of
sacrificed prisoners are sent to Avernus to provide the
magical power that w ill open a pathway between the
Nine Hells and the Material Plane. The Red Wizards
w ill then guide Tiamat as the Queen of Dragons claws
her way back into the mortal realm.
T e m p l e L a y o u t
The interior of the temple is a single open expanse.
Though divided into distinct areas, the cathedral-like
space has no interior walls or upper floors. Five chapels
are devoted to one of the five aspects of Tiamat and the
matching branch of chromatic dragons, all surrounding
a central apse. The apse and all five chapels rise into
separate spires, culminating in the sanctuary at the
pinnacle of the central spire. Level 2 as shown on the
map is a zone 50 feet above ground level; level 3 is a
zone 100 feet above ground level, both of which can be
reached only by flying.
Once your eyes adjust to the stunning chaos o f Tiam at’s
Temple, you see that its interior is a single, cathedrallike
space that towers far overhead. Five distinct vaults
branch off the central gallery. Though the overwhelming
color o f the place is a lifeless, ashen gray, each o f the
side vaults shimmers dimly blue, green, red, white, or
black— the hues o f the evil dragons and their worldconsuming
queen.
Red Wizards stand in each o f the five vaults, chanting
and channeling magical force into the central apse. There,
a kaleidoscopic whorl o f arcane energy rises above the
blackened floor, stretching up into the twisting recesses of
the tem ple’s central spire.
The numbered areas on the map are identified in the
table below, which also identifies key N P C s during the
ritual that w ill bring Tiamat to the Well of Dragons.
K e y t o T i a m a t ’ s T e m p l e
# Name
Occupant and Activity
during Ritual
1 Entrance/blue chapel Red Wizard performing ritual
2 Least apse
3 White chapel Red Wizard performing ritual
4 Green chapel Red Wizard performing ritual
5 Black chapel Red Wizard performing ritual;
also the exit from the warrens
6 Red chapel Rath Modar performing ritual
7 Great apse Portal through which Tiamat
emerges from Avernus
8 Blue spire Red Wizard (flying)
performing ritual
9 White spire Red Wizard (flying)
performing ritual
10 Green spire Red Wizard (flying)
performing ritual
11 Black spire Red Wizard (flying)
performing ritual
12 Red spire Red Wizard (flying)
performing ritual
13 Sanctuary Severin (levitating) wearing the
Mask o f the Dragon Queen
Any free wyrmspeakers the characters have previously
interacted with can be present in their respective
chapels in the temple if you wish, but their presence isn’t
required. Wyrmspeakers not here are outside leading
the Well of Dragons’ defense.
P e r f o r m i n g t h e R i t u a l
To successfully bring Tiamat from the Nine Hells into
the world, the Red W izards must successfully focus the
summoning ritual for 10 rounds after the adventurers
enter the Temple of Tiamat. Each round, at least five