HOARD OF THE DRAGON QUEEN IMPROVEMENTS

Synopsis:
• Episode 1: The town of Greenest is overrun by the cult and its hirelings, presenting opportunities for
heroes.
• Episode 2: Reconnaissance to the teaming cultist camp reveals a dragon hatchery cave.
• Episode 3: Revisit the now deserted camp, explore the hatchery cave, search for the towns looted
plunder.
• Episode 4: Join a communal wagon caravan that includes the cults plunder to discover its destination.
• Episode 5: Investigate a roadhouse doubling as a cult safe house and discover lizard men smuggling
plunder to a swamp.
• Episode 6: Track the stolen goods to a cult way-station with disgruntled lizard men among the
inhabitants.
• Episode 7: Teleport to a remote cult lodge where a cult leader asks you to do his dirty work.
• Episode 8: Chase the fortune to a cloud castle and its final destination.

EPISODE 1:

Screams, smoke, fires, rubble and partially eaten bodies litter town. The cult is evil and war is not pretty;
keep that in mind when running this episode. Use the Hurling Heifer (center of town) if the party needs a
respite and doesn’t head for the Keep.

The Scene (replaces p7)

As a hill is topped Greenest lies below, overrun. Flickering torches in the streets below flow towards the
distant towns keep. A massive blue dragon dives at a barracks and slaughters a hoard of emerging
guardsmen with its terrifying lightning breath. A crackling emerald ray jabs at it from atop a lofty
obsidian tower as it banks. An ancient man in violet robes and pointy hat with stars and moons stands
alone and exposed and in a mighty exertion hurls bolt after bolt of cracking emerald energy channeling
from the full moon through him and his staff to strike the dragon. The beast screeches in pain and breaths
lightning at the
tower, collapsing it to rubble, hurling the ancient sorcerer to his death and entombing him under tons of
cyclopean black stones. The dragon rises up in the air surveying the area, searching for more victims.

Throughout the burning town invaders hunt and slaughter. The screams of men and women and
cries of children carry over the night air.

The timeline happens below

2100: Characters reach town
2200: Characters are in the keep/church/mill and are given the Old Tunnel Quest
2300: Once the old tunnel is open, the characters may choose any hour to rest or leave the keep to rescue
townsfolk or capture prisoners. The Hurling Heifer falls.
0000: Dragon Attack
0100: Invasion of the Sally Port
0200: Save the Mill
0300: Sanctuary
0400: Half-Dragon Champion

For the events between midnight and three in the morning, if the characters are resting, they will have the

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request for help occur just after they begin their rest. They then have the option of taking on the activity
or finishing the rest. If they have sallied forth, they become aware of the activity while out in the town
and can continue to the site of the activity.

Wandering Town Encounters (p7 enhanced)

1. 6 Kobolds feasting on the flesh of a man they just pulled down.
2. 3 Kobolds and 1 ambush drake running down a barefoot child for fun.
3. 6 Cultists merrily pillaging a location, while singing “Rise & Shine & give Tiamat your Glory Glory!”
4. 5 Cultists ‘converting’ townsfolk and accepting ‘donations.’
5. 2 Cultists and 1 acolyte debating today’s passphrase: Hail Tiamat! or Tiamat Hail!
6. 4 Mercenaries riding down the street in an overloaded loot wagon full of furniture, singing a bawdy
song and boozing from the bar they just ‘liberated.’ Careful of the 20’ gold gilded mirror imported all the
way from Waterdeep!
7. 6 kobolds and 1 acolyte pillaging a location. The kobolds grab loot that is not valuable and the acolyte
berates them. “I don’t want a used chamberpot and neither does Tiamat!”
8. 1d8 townsfolk hiding in a location, peeking out, sobbing loudly, stifling babies, arguing best
course of action to follow.

1st Encounter (fleeing family, p8)

The Scene:
A woman and 2 children, barefoot and in tattered nightgowns, dart from an alley and frantically barrel
through the characters while a blood-curdling cry comes from the darkened alley as 2 kobolds pull down
a man and feast on his bowels while he screams in pain & terror, struggling to free himself. 6 more
kobolds emerge to gleefully pursue the family ... inexplicably ignoring the characters.

The Encounter:
The kobolds initially confuse the characters for allied cultists, which ends once attacked. The kobolds try
to pull down the women next. The man, Tom, is dead unless saved immediately and without hesitation.
Linan can relate that the only safe place is the keep.
The encountered cultist groups can be corralling/marching captured townsfolk (while merrily
singing!), pillaging a building (while merrily singing!), feeding on/converting townsfolk, or something
else or your own devising.

The Hurling Heifer

Synopsis:

The Heifer is the worst bar in town and a perfect spot to introduce as an alternate base if the players are
having a rough time, haven’t made it to the keep or church, are lost, or are just looking for a quick drink
in the middle of the chaos.
The Scene:

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 A dragonclaw up ahead peers in a darkened doorway. Suddenly a hairy arm reaches out and
yanks him in, followed by a gurgling reptilian cry of agony. The sign swinging over the doorway is a
grossly obese man in a loincloth puking, and a couple of broken steps leading down to a dirt floor.
Standing in a blood pool and pulling a longknife from the dragonclaw’s bowels is a runty halfling. Behind
him is a rancid bar with townspeople huddled in darkened corners and a few rough folk at tables with
mugs in front of them. The halfling looks up, a murderous gleam in his eyes as he licks the knife clean.
He bows sardonically ...
“Welcome to The Hurling Heifer m’lord.”
The Encounter:
The Heifer regulars skew towards Morally Dubious, with some having good tendencies and some
being quite nasty. Thieves, ruffians, murder hobos, hookers and other low-lifes congregate here. About 20
scared middle-class and lower-class folk have sought shelter here as well as a couple of respectable folk.
Elmo is giving the little-ones brown bread soaked in liquor to keep them quiet, taking pity on refugees as
he sees fit with free booze & food, and charging everyone else normal rates, especially the regulars.
Elmo is in charge. A couple of the more trustworthy regulars have elected themselves to a couple
of areas. Myra is trying to keep the townsfolk quiet with slap and threats with Elmo intervening
sometimes when a softer touch is required. Several of the male & female hookers, partial to children, try
to help with the kids with varying degrees of success. Redlegs has elected himself bouncer, tending to the
“ruthlessly pragmatic” side of the moral spectrum, although everyone defers to Elmo. Privately, Elmo is
worried. The Heifer’s alley door is weak and only a heavy dirty curtain serves for a front door. The
building is dry kindling, it houses many scared people, and he knows they can’t stay here forever but is
trapped, ethically, over what to do. He can give the players missions and, just as in Sanctuary, is
interested in getting to someplace safe ... with the townsfolk. After all, he runs a respectable joint.
The cult eventually breaks in, kill some, and burn alive everyone still in the place, killing those
running out of the flames. Two hookers, a middle-aged woman and a teen boy, escape to the keep. They
report Redlegs went down last, protecting a group of children and hookers at his back, and not before he
took down a half-dozen of the bastards. If the party makes a stand here, throw double the monsters from
the Sanctuary (p11) encounter here.

Important People

Governor Tarbaw Nighthill:

60 years of age. Wounded->(Broken Right arm, bleeding from face). Adding the trait of "Swears
Dramatically" and the personality of calm and pontificating. Short list of swears:
 "By the shadows of Mask's ass!"
 "By the black hand of Bane!
 "What in the ass of the abyss are/is. . . "
 "I'll be smacked with the c*&k of Tempus!"
 "By the hairy pair of Moradian. . ."
 "Great stinking balls of Tempus!"
 "By Mystra's ice-cold brass tits!"
 Expletives
o "Tymora's Tits!
o "Orcsucker!"

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 o "Smoke and ashes!"

He says these in a completely calm conversational tone (calm) and goes on about the greatness of
the players and his plan and the need for their help (Pontificating)

Castellan Escobert the Red Shield Dwarf.

His noted Iron Ring is eight inches in circumference and nearly three feet tall, worn on his back.
The Keys are also consipicuously large and stubby. Adding the trait of "Charismatic, well liked,
severe drug problem". He's addicted to traveler's dust, having bright red in his eyes. While talking
with the players, he pulls out a few grains and doses himself.

Sergeant Markguth:
Most competent of the guards and a genuinely nice man with a wife (Cerella) and two kids ages 6
and 7 (Chani and Robern). Once in this episode he can take a hit for a PC but his left arm will be
mangled. He refuses healing, telling them to save it for those who need it more.

The Old Tunnel (p8)

The Scene: “There is a better way to get into town.” says Escobert, “Follow me.” Two guardsmen use
crowbars to pry open the bars from a cistern while Escobert waves a smoky torch in to the darkness below
the brick lip. “This leads to the stream, providing water during a siege, but is dry two years now. You can
get out that way.” He hands you a massive iron key, almost pitted completely through with rust. “This
opens the grate at the stream. Good luck!”

The sweet sounds of singing and sobbing come through the grate. On the stream-bank nearby, cultists and
kobolds ‘save’ apostate townspeople by cleansing them through drowning and sweet hymns to Tiamat.
The kobolds then feast, turning the stream red by the grate. 2 cultists and 6 kobolds ‘save’ 6 terrified
townspeople. Otherwise, run as per p8.

The Sally Port

An attack in the keep, during the night. The characters are requested to repair the breach and face a
combat with reinforcements. The biggest issue with this is that it's a boring combat. Let's address that.
 Round 1: The characters enter and see 1 Acolyte and two Dragon-Dogs.
 Round 2: The Acolyte says, "RELEASE THE DRACO-GOD SPAWN!!". The other two Dragon-
Dogs bring in the Ambush Drake. 
 Round 3-6: Nothing. If the players win combat, ask them what they are doing. Barricading the
door can prevent the second ambush. Allow them to take 1 substantial action per round they end
the combat early (i.e. don't enforce-six second rounds).
 Round 7: Reinforcements arrive. If the opening is blocked off, they can't get through.
 Round 8: The parapets shake and debris falls in the room.
o If the characters are in combat in the room with cultists, have everyone make a DC 10
Dexterity Check or take 2d6 damage. The sally port can then be sealed after the combat.
o If the Cultists are outside the door, have the sally port collapse on them, killing them
instantly and smashing the door, closing off the tunnel entrance.

Mill

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“They’re burning the mill!” comes the cry from the walls. The Governor limps on his mangled leg: “If it
burns we’ll loose our wheat and without a mill this winter will be worse than the raid. There don’t look to
be many. Can you cut a path through and stop them?”

"A cultist looks around into the night waving his torch back and forth, cackling evilly as Dragon-Dogs
stack kindling up against the door. He moves towards it for a second, and then back, waving his torch
around! What do you do?"

The Dragon (p9)

Be forthright about the situation.

The Governor, battered and bloody, steely surveys by the full moon the carnage taking place below in
town, directing his troop’s fire, and barking orders. “Jamis, get the kitchen maids and put water on the
north tower till the fire is out. Fronkin! Direct your archers at ...!” ... a shadow passes over the full moon
as lightning and ozone crackles, burning Fronkin and his two archers to a crisp. The sickening smell of
burnt flesh and hair hangs heavy over their blackened bodies as an enormous blue metallic dragon with
razor sharp fangs and claws banks up and readies itself to make another pass at the walls. The dragon is
overly cautious despite its terrifying presence, avoiding drawing near the walls and picking off guards as
it can with only its deadly breath. A stray arrow shot goes near and the dragon instinctively shies away,
unwilling to risk its own skin, but it soon returns. The few bowmen left cower, afraid to show themselves.
If not driven off, the dragon will be content to trap the guards on the walls as the hundreds of townsfolk
below are being slaughtered by the Cult.

Then track 1 minute of real world time, having a round pass if no one takes an action, with the dragon
killing more guards.

Sanctuary (the church)

Synopsis:
Dozens of folk have barricaded themselves in the temple of Chauntea, blessed be her name. Cultists burn
it down and batter the doors open.
The Scene:
“The temple bells are ringing! They are being burned out!” By the full moon and through thick
smoke you see cultists piling up hay and wood against the temple walls as another group have a large
timber battering the massive wooden doors. The bell-tower houses a chaotic mob of women and children
wailing frantically as the black smoke grows thicker! A women leaps out with her baby, terrified, and
crashes to the ground below. The kobolds mob her and the baby, feeding while they yet live!

Champion

The gates EXPLODE as a huge hulking horror strides through the smoke & dust of the rubble. Eight foot
tall and muscles rippling through his cobalt blue dragon-scale skin, dripping bloody heads of women and
children hang from his belt and are sewn together on his back as crude armor. 16 of the smaller reptilian
creatures skulk through behind him, prodding five bloodied and terror-stricken people: an old man in a
blood-soaked ragged tunic, a shrieking and sobbing woman with bloodied and barefoot feet and two dirty
children, naked, crying, with bloody streaks running down their dirt-encrusted bodies. The dragon-man
casually tosses aside a large chunk of the gates. He shouts at the walls:

“Defenders of Greenest! This has been a good night and I feel generous! See you these pathetic
prisoners? I give them to you if you but send a single champion to fight me!”

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He picks up the man and tears into his belly, the man’s organs spilling below as he screams in terror and
pain. He then rips his head off, adding it his belt. Someone nearby you hoarsely whispers “Vernon,
bastard killed Vernon.”
“I kill one prisoner every five minutes until you FACE ME!” Sgt Markguth turns to you and
hoarsely whispers, his face white with terror ... “Helm grant me mercy ... that’s my
family!”

If Markguth must fight: He ties his shield to his mangled left arm, pick up his worn shortsword, and
resolutely walks through the gate to face his doom. He ignores his family as they rush past him, eyes
firmly fixed on Langedrossa, who towers over him. He is not a religious man, but he knows he will soon
gaze at the light of Helm and that his wife & children are safe. Langedross toys with him a bit, then
slaughter him, adding his head to his breastplate. The kobolds then feed on his body, and drag it off along
with all of the possessions and all that was Markguth.

Langdrossa is arrogant, condescending, blood-thirsty ego-maniac and totally evil. He is completely sure
of victory. His minions, enthralled, watch him in action. Both are therefore more susceptible to some
kooky deception/plan: give them advantage on any bizarre stunts they pull to cheat. Landrossa taunts his
opponent, toy with them, and then mercilessly kill them. He then bends down and rips out a large hunk of
flesh with his maw, howls at the moon, noisily chews it and gulps it down, prior to stalking off. A PC can
then be stabilized, having failed 1 death save through the flesh-gulping. If defeated, the kobolds stand
speechless. If intimidated even SLIGHTLY they drop their weapons and flee noisily in abject terror and
horror, totally demoralized. Otherwise they attempt to retrieve the corpse, where it is displayed as a hero
of the cult at camp in episode 2.

Consequences
Each of the missions will have consequences for failure or bonuses for success. They are listed below.
Changes, theory, and issues with the actual missions are listed following that.

 Old Tunnel: Failing to open the old tunnel will not allow the players to leave the keep. +200
survivors if opened.
 Invasion of the Sally Port: The two level 3 clerics in the keep (which I just added) die, and can
no longer heal the party. +60 survivors.
 Dragon Attack: Succeeding in driving off the dragon before 10 defenders are killed,
causes Langdedrosa Cyanwrath to have 10 fewer hit points. Driving him off after 10 guards are
killed does nothing. Skipping the encounter grants Langdedrosa Cyanwrath +10 temporary hit
points. +200 survivors minus guards killed.
 Save the Mill: Successfully taking out the raiders removes 5 hit points from Langdedrosa
Cyanwrath. Recognizing the trap grants the character who fights him +10 temporary hit points in
the champion fight. +30 survivors
 Prisoners: In addition to the bonus experience, every prisoner successfully returned alive and
interrogated grants any character in the party one automatic success on a future social interaction
roll with the cult during this adventure path.
 Sanctuary: Successfully rescuing the temple with less than 10 people dying allows Eadyan
Falconmoon to return to the keep as a level 5 cleric to cast Protection From Energy (Electricity)
against a character in the final fight, in addition to his services as a level 5 cleric. Having more
than 5 townspeople die provides no extra bonus or penalty. Ignoring the church grants
Langdedrosa Cyanwrath +10 temporary hit points. +50 survivors.
 Half-Dragon Champion: In addition to the listed bonuses, winning this fight grants an extra
share of experience to the person fighting it. (He's worth 1,100. If defeated, the party gets 275,
and the person killing him gets 550.) -1 survivor per execution.

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Thus, if the players are successful at the missions, the final fight and success at the rest of the adventure
becomes more likely. Failing a lot of the missions just returns you to the default state of auto-losing the
final battle. This way, players can affect their fates. 

Casualties
Greenrest, being a small town, has a population of between 901-2,000. The map provided shows about
100 houses. You can assume an equal amount to that in the surrounding area. Being a fairly wealthy area,
we can estimate between 5-7 people on average, per household, for a total of about 1,200 people. With no
intervention 1,000 die. Each cultist/kobold/mercenary killed saves 5 people, each ambush
drake/urd/dragonclaw killed saves 10 people, each mission saves the amount listed above. Each townsfolk
rescued saves another person. Grant an additional 1 experience at the end for every one of the 1,000 dead
that is saved by the party to each player character. It is totally possible to save the entire town if the party
is heroic & violent enough!

Aftermath
 “Valuable items” can be sold, but the fence/buyer recognizes it as stolen during the raid and nasty
rumors spread about the town. Heroes no more!
 Between encounters townsfolk, guards, etc thank the characters: shaking hands, warmly thanking
them, trying to offer their meager food or what few coins they have, a woman giving birth in the
keep names her child after a dragonborn PC, etc.
 Nighthill/Elmo/Falconmoon respects the characters more and more as they go on additional
missions and save more people. They are quite sincere and solemn in their gratitude.
 Random Guard: “Thanks for the assist man, I would have been a goner, like Rudy, without you
up on the walls with us! Have a swig!”

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EPISODE 2, Raider’s Camp

“Great stinking balls of Tempus!” Nighthill roars. “I want to know who was behind this and why!”
Escobert shrugs “The scouts report their trail is easy to follow, but the why is a mystery. Greenest has no
real strategic value, but there’s a monk from Berdusk who claims he might know.”

(Introduce Nasim as per p13). “My master Leosin Erlanthar has been studying various cults and
organizations. He insisted I come with him to Greenest and stated, and I quote “the patterns are there.
Greenest is likely the next target.” Target of what, I asked, and he did not reply.”

Nighthill snorts. “If your master had an ass’s itch of what was going to befall my people and kept quiet,
I’ll hang him by his balls. With that said, where is your master?”

Nasim bows his head. “He was taken, I believe. My brothers and I ran into raiders on our way to the Keep
and became separated from Leosin. We could not find his body the next morning, though I did find his
staff, broken, and his choker, which he always wore.”

Nighthill turns to you. “I got 250gp that says you stick around here and find these raiders, find out what
they’re up to. I don’t have the troops to face them, but once we find out more, maybe we can do
something. We need to know:
 Where the camp is
 How many raiders are there
 Who leads them
 Why they chose Greenest
 Where’s their next target
 If they have any of our people or treasures

” He eyes Nasim. “And if we find out where they’re striking next, we’ll tell that town in advance.”

Nasim will ask to speak to the players in private, revealing on page 14 what he knows.

Stragglers
The cultists chuckle about the audacity of the kobolds. “See that one, he, she or it, however they
tell themselves apart, ate the face right off of the butcher in town. Ain’t that ironic? Heh?” Another
mumbles “shoulda been allowed to have my way with da prisoners, they still talk and good for sale
afterwards, right?” [They were forbidden, as p15, from doing anything but looting and taking prisoners.]

Rearguard
These are Black Wing of Tiamat followers as below.

Camp
[If the champion was somehow defeated and body retrieved, it is displayed at the main tent.]

"From what you can see, the camp appears disorganized and chaotic, a mix of humanoids and kobolds.
Morale seems high and security lax as the raiders celebrate. The camp has a lot of people in it, perhaps
a few hundred. None of the humanoids wears recognizable uniforms and no one is making a concerted
effort to put up sentries.

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[If the party watches long enough, they see stragglers and wounded making their way back. Many of the
raiders segregate into smaller groups, tending to wounds, drinking, and sharing stories. There are
halflings and gnomes even mixed into the raiding group, and all congregate together except the kobolds,
who travel as packs as they weave around the camp.]

The Factions

Kobolds

The Dragon-Dogs travel in packs, and are disturbingly like snakes, crawling all over each other when
they talk to someone as a group. They have poor boundaries of personal space.
 Fresh meat is delicious! 'Pink worm filth suitable only for food'—meat is delectable. Huge fatty
sacks on the female 'pink worm filth suitable only for food' are the best!
 Dragons are the best!
 Everything is terrible but Tiamat is coming and we will be the favored people over all the people.
 Tiamat is like the best god, because she's five awesome gods. HAIL TIAMAT!
 No, no, every egg can be favored by a certain head based on birth order and surface color.
 I like to take things apart. We all like to take things apart. We can put them back together to hurt
people and that's the best!
 If dragons breath on your eggs, your eggs will be blessed and grow to be strong like dragons.
 Did you see how wonderful Lennithon was? I've never been near something so awesome.
 How does it feel knowing that your kind will be flesh eating parts for us?
 Dragons are far superior to 'pink worm filth suitable only for food'. How does that make you feel
'pink work filth only suitable for food'?

Red Dragon Cultists (The Red Hand of Tiamat)

 Are blue or white dragon cultists the worst cultists?
 No, the blood of children tastes different, somehow more pure then the blood of adults.
 Hey, recruit, come here! Have you be through your cutting? (Hazing, there is no cutting initiates
have to go through, but the cultist will certainly cut the player character if they are allowed to).
 How did you get stuck here working for Cyanwrath and these impure blues?
 It's like some sort of energy builds up. Murdering all those people last night was a release, but it's
not nearly enough you know? Like scalping someone and then watching them die. That's
satisfying in a whole different way.
 Blood is inside you and me and everyone. That's the crazy part about it! And it's such a great
lubricant. It's like She thought of everything! HAIL TIAMAT!
 It wouldn't be nearly as bad working with those blue freaks if there weren't all these damned
mercenaries around. 
 Why are we keeping that stupid monk alive? Rezmir should just flay him alive and let his
screams lead Tiamat into this world.
 Hey! You! Have you been marked yet? If you want to join the reds, I've got your opportunity
right here! (Offers the characters an opportunity to torture and kill an innocent townsperson).
 The hunters are just killing this food, you know? And if it doesn't die when they bring it down,
they just cut the jugular, wasting the blood and killing it in seconds. I don't understand what's
wrong with people, you know? It could suffer so much more before I turn it into shit—we could
even be keeping it alive while we eat it. It's just, I don't understand! It doesn't make any sense to
me.
 I get that we're collecting treasure for the Dragon Queen, but why can't we have some to spend in
the towns before we sack them?
 I just think Awan is so brutal, you know. It kind of makes me wonder if he's showing off, or
what?

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Blue Dragon Cultists (The Cobalt Claw of Tiamat)
 Yeah, you know, what brought me here is that I've never felt that what I am is represented by
what I am, you know? I'm just driven by some force to make things the way I think they should
be.
 What's really frustrating is that you can't screw your way into a new form. If you want to
crossbreed with someone you're already here, you know? You either got to mutate or, you know,
wait till Tiamat gets back.
 Frulam Mondath wears the purple, and she's the right one to do it. Anyone who can inspire the
loyalty of Langedrosa Cyanwrath is someone I'm willing to follow, black wing of Tiamat or no.
 This constant raiding communities suits the red and black, but what are they doing for us? How
many creatures are we capturing to bring glory to tiamat? It's all piles of treasure. 
 I don't think the reds really have their heart in the ritual chanting. It's the best part!
 Working with Lennithon was a great honor.
 I wouldn't say anything to Frulam, but I got the impression that Lennithon was less than
enthusiastic to be helping.
 Come sing with me! 
 I'll tell you what. The best sex I ever had was with a doppleganger. This cult, what they are trying
to do, it's a beautiful thing man.
 There aren't enough prisoners any more to experiment on, even after Greenest. All the ones that
are left we're just going to feed to the hatchlings. 

Black Dragon Cultists (The Black Wing of Tiamat)

 All hail the great work! HAIL TIAMAT!
 Come, we must form the spiritual temple. (Rounds characters up to perform ritual)
 Come, let us meditate on the coming terror and the heinous fate that will befall us once her
majesties returns.
 Don't let those guys know, but I'm only here because these guys are more laid back than those
other ones. Want to come do some Dreammist?
 We have the twelve Frost Giants of hate on our side. The ancient enemies of dragons have joined
our holy cause! Can there be any doubt to our worth?
 Rezmith leads us, as the black should. Though it has been months since he has been here. 
 We should spend less time gathering the energies of suffering for the black temple, and more time
recruiting these mercenaries to our cause! Every falcon we give them is one that slips from the
claw of the queen.
 Aye, the half-elf monk lives. It's by the order of Rezmir. She wants something from him, though I
don't know what and I wouldn't want to be him.
 Greenest was our most profitable venture yet! 

prisoners
 *Weeping*
 *lying dead*
 Don't talk to me, you'll get me killed!
 Don't hurt me sir!
 They will work us till we die, and feed us to whatever monsters are in those caves. All the sooner
if you keep speaking to me.
 Take me from here! I'm a rich noble from Waterdeep! I'll pay you. *lashed by the guards*
 *Interrupted by their attempt to talk by mercenaries assaulting the prisoners.*
 Tell them I praise Tiamat. I want to join! It's not too late! Let me join!
 The only way into that cave for me is as a corpse.

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Hunters
 *Quiet stare*
 I don't want any part of your sick cult.
 Uh, I'd be interested maybe in talking some more about your majesties? 
 Nods
 Points
 Shakes head
 Scowl
 Taciturn answers

Mercenary companies
There are several different mercenary groups, including ones active in the area, such as the Blacktalons,
The order of the Blue boar, and other less well known mercenary companies.

Blacktalons
The Blacktalons are a large and well armed group. They wear armor painted black, but badly battle worn,
with a splash of white across the chest. 
 I don't much care, as long as we get paid.
 You with the Blue Boars?
 There's no better way to make money!
 The only thing that bothers me about this job is that we're making a name for that cult, not the
Blacktalons.
 They don't let anyone in the caves back there. Probably raising dragons or some non-sense. Who
cares? It'll be a score of ten-years before they even become a problem.
 I wouldn't recommend joining the cult. Not likely they'll be successful in their plan. Though the
profit from the raid should be enough to pay for our services. 

Blue Boar
A group of veteran mercenaries that charge a high price for their services. Their badge is a grizzled
razorback boar, rampant on a red, russet, or silver field. Their uniform is a dark blue shirt with gold
buttons, stiff collar, dark blue trousers and black calf-high boots.
 Why are you talking to me?!
 You can't afford what it would cost for me to answer that question.
 I hope your skill with arms is good enough to back up being stupid enough to bother me!
 With what they took from the last raid, they should be able to afford us.
 I don't care what they have in that cave and you shouldn't either. 

Sample Cultists:

UATHAS, absentminded and toothless, is eating. Joined to make off with its loot and disappear. Wants to save
someone. Cultist notably believes absolutely without wavering. Useful because knows the best time to infiltrate a
location. Reaction: goading, wants to fight.
----
SHULHORIS, creepily smiley and jaw protruding like some fish from the deepest dark, is playing instrument.
Joined for money to build a keep, ruling the fief according to whims. Wants to be forgiven by someone. Cultist
notably makes artfully styled maps of everywhere traveled. Useful because knows the location of a dragon hatchery.
Reaction: tells you to go get some coffee.
----
ABISHAG, flamboyant and six fingers/toes, is starting stories with "remember that time..." followed by something

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ridiculous and/or awkward. Joined for money to buy a boat and just hit the sea, man. Wants to save someone. Cultist
notably racked with chronic pain, barely masked, screams when no one can hear. Useful because knows the location
of a cult camp. Reaction: tells you to go get some coffee.
----
ADONIRAM, country and missing an arm, is exercising. Joined for money to buy a boat and just hit the sea, man.
Wants to kill someone. Cultist notably wonderful singing voice. Useful because knows identity of extorted merchant
or noble unwillingly funding the cult. Reaction: asks for opinion/advice.
----
MELSHAS, quarrelsome and eyebrows like chalkboard erasers, is obliviously pondering. Joined to be feared after
fearing much in life. Wants to be forgiven by someone. Cultist notably can read people uncannily (GM asks you
what he wants to know, answer honestly). Useful because knows identity of low level sleeper agent. Reaction: asks
you to go / tries to hang out.
----
RAMAN, sycophantic and missing an arm, is playing game. Joined to restore primeval purity. Wants to be healed.
Cultist notably oppressed with guilt at inadequacy of service to goddess (+XP if you get confession about why
character is weeping). Useful because is incredibly charming (+3 to reaction rolls). Reaction: goading, wants to
fight.
----
YOMADAN, critical and won't look you in the eye, is studying. Joined for money to buy a boat and just hit the sea,
man. Wants to save someone. Cultist notably cares for invalid relative (sibling, sibling's child, parent, grandparent,
cousin, cousin's parent). Useful because can forge beautiful weapons, armor, and jewelry. Reaction: asks about you
as a person, where you've been, what you want.
----
RALISHUUL, quarrelsome and deaf-mute, is exercising. Joined to carry on the family tradition. Wants to put
doubts to rest. Cultist notably brilliant (2/3 chance to know anything reasonable; if doesn't know, can find out soon).
Useful because knows the location of a sacred site. Reaction: meh.
----
OLISHIA, wild and lame, is zoning out. Joined to see the world wiped clean after finding it does not satisfy
particular longings. Wants to be at peace. Cultist notably cares for animals. Useful because speaks a ton of
languages. Reaction: coming at you, RIGHT NOW.
----
GURSU, dumb and ink-black, is advancing an obviously incorrect position without relenting. Joined for money to
escape hereditary poverty. Wants to be at peace. Cultist notably brilliant (2/3 chance to know anything reasonable; if
doesn't know, can find out soon). Useful because has offended a peer and fears for life. Reaction: asks for
opinion/advice.
----
UR, cruel and eyebrows like chalkboard erasers, is singing/humming. Joined because the cult is blackmailing the
family. Wants to possess someone. Cultist notably constantly drunk/high. Useful because knows the location of a
dragon hatchery. Reaction: shares secrets with you.
----
AKKAD, rude and stammers, is smoking/drinking. Joined because cult gives respect and commands it. Wants to
know the truth. Cultist notably believes absolutely without wavering. Useful because knows the identity of a cult
front in the nearest city. Reaction: asks you to pitch in on dressing this hog.
----
SHESHAI, wants to be punished and limping, is pacing. Joined for money to empower family, clan, or race. Wants
to have the love of someone. Cultist notably enthralling raconteur (+proficiency bonus temp hp for listening in).
Useful because knows the location of a sacred site. Reaction: asks you to go / tries to hang out.
----
MELSHAS, zany and nose like a squid, is zoning out. Joined because the cult is blackmailing the family. Wants to
fulfill duty. Cultist notably constantly drunk/high. Useful because has had a change of heart and wants out.
Reaction: asks for opinion/advice.
----
MEPHIBOSHETH, nervous and bone-white, is social climbing. Joined because the race will be pure when its weak
are culled. Wants to possess someone. Cultist notably cares for animals. Useful because knows identity of low level
sleeper agent. Reaction: goading, wants to fight.
----

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BET, pensive and head half as large as should be, is giving someone a massage. Joined because the goddess will
bring universal equality under her rule. Wants to do something meaningful before death. Cultist notably makes
artfully styled maps of everywhere traveled. Useful because speaks a ton of languages. Reaction: meh.
----
IRARUM, thinks everything is quaint and hunched, is pontificating (philosophy, people, racism, religion, shop,
fashion). Joined to see chaos after being stifled by law. Wants to gain courage to do what is necessary. Cultist
notably keeps gorgeous miniature paintings on person. Useful because has had a change of heart and wants out.
Reaction: thinks you look ridiculous.
----
SHARRUM, falling asleep and ridiculously made up, is playing game. Joined for the thrill of doing something
people will remember. Wants to be famous. Cultist notably mercilessly mocks the weakest until limit break. Useful
because knows identity of extorted merchant or noble unwillingly funding the cult. Reaction: meh.
----
FEILACI, quarrelsome and giant, is zoning out. Joined for money to pay off debt. Wants to be famous. Cultist
notably keeps gorgeous miniature paintings on person. Useful because knows the identity of a cult front in the
nearest city. Reaction: shares secrets with you.
----
SHAMURA, country and thick teeth, pushing out the lips, is eating. Joined for money to buy noble title from the
nearest city-state. Wants to possess a treasure. Cultist notably can read people uncannily (GM asks you what he
wants to know, answer honestly). Useful because knows the location of a sacred site. Reaction: asks you to pitch in
on dressing this hog.
----
ZOMAYA, impassive and skeletal, is fixing hair. Joined to be with cult member lover. Wants to be wealthy. Cultist
notably remarkable athlete. Useful because is incredibly charming (+3 to reaction rolls). Reaction: tells you to go get
some coffee.
----
UNZI, sarcastic and exaggerated/absent gender characteristics, is pitching get rich quick scheme. Joined because the
cult holds hostage a loved one. Wants to beat rival. Cultist notably can read people uncannily (GM asks you what he
wants to know, answer honestly). Useful because knows the location of a sacred site. Reaction: goading, wants to
fight.

LEOSIN

Per p19, he believes he can learn more and the cult doesn’t intend to kill him because they would have
done so already. [He is wrong. If he stays, he is executed. Substitute Nasim for him in the next Episode.]

The Tent (#2): Rezmir rests here, and if the party is foolish enough to attack, she will attack, subduing
prisoners. If somehow slain, cultists will arrange for her resurrection.

The Nursery: If the party can get in without raising an alarm, proceed to episode 3 though the camp
being alerted may result in their capture or deaths.

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EPISODE 3, DRAGON HATCHERY

After yelling at Leosin for close to an hour, Nighthill’s fury ends and he concedes the monk know no
better than anyone else what the cult would do. Nighthill invites the party to a war council to discuss what
can be done next.

“Mystra’s tits, we don’t have the guards to scratch them, and if they want to attack, we’re done for. I can
only hope they took what they wanted and won’t risk coming back. Ideas? I don’t relish anyone else
running afoul of them.”

 Leosin offers to travel to Elturel to beseech the order of Torm per p20.
 Nighthill wants to know where the cult is moving next and considers abandoning town
 Escobert suggests the party scout the camp and see if there’s a way to strike at the nursery.
Maybe they’ll leave if the eggs are destroyed.

Abandoned Camp

Most of the facts here as noted in the module are fine. The issue comes that there is absolutely nothing
interesting going on in the abandoned camp. Oh, except some scouts, who don't talk to anyone, unless
they do, and then they say as little as possible. 

Here's a table of interesting things going on in the abandoned camp:

 Two of the scouts are fighting over a tied up village woman named Darla (washer).
 A lone Dragon-Dog is furiously digging somewhere in the rear of the camp.
 A single cultist is painting a large wooden signboard with the phrase "Free Couch" and an arrow.
He thinks this is hilarious.
 A group of three cultists stands on the north side of camp arguing about which way to go as they
caught up to the main force too late.
 1d4 of the scouts are standing around cutting meat.

None of these people are actively hostile to the players, none of them care much about what's going on in
the cave. 

Room 1: Cave Entrance

There are several nude corpses in this room. These are cultists who have taken the worm unsuccessfully
(a ritual by which immature dragon egg worms can be ingested by humans and live in the intestines,
causing them periodically to hack up soft eggs; these eggs are bathed in fresh animal blood and will hatch
into kobolds that advance to adulthood in months). Sometimes (quite frequently in fact) the kobolds burst
from the gut and chest of the bearer, after eating their way out. All the players can tell is that the corpses
in this room look like they have exploded from the inside out. The dragonclaw guards hide as normal.
Chapter II: In Chapter II, there are triple as many guards (6 instead of 2), and several of the cultists have
yet to die, but are weakly moaning as they are eaten from the inside out. Instead of attacking, they call for
reinforcements. Note that if the players a subtle, they could possibly sneak in this room and
charm/sleep/alpha strike this group before an alarm is sounded.

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Room 2: Concealed Passage
Other than the detritus of the dragonclaws "readiness", this area is unchanged. The DC 20 perception
check should be made into a DC 20 passive perception check and should be automatic (as noted) for
anyone who actually walks into the darkness.

Room 3: Fungus Garden 

Oh, you keep the violet fungi, but on a successful attack or if the characters fall into the fungus patch,
require DC 10 Constitution saves. On a failure, the character begins to hallucinate

1. Everyone the character sees turns melty and then is replaced by a reptillian doppelganger.
2. Bugs start swarming out of the walls and floor and are covering the character's hands and arms. 
3. The walls and room catch fire and you are unbearably hot, willing to do anything to cool off.
4. A monkey ran up and stole you Macguffin, and then hid in random team-mates backpack. Once
you find him he only steals something else and runs away. If anyone tries to reassure you, they
must be in on it.
5. You feel sick and the walls are closing in and you know you are going to die any minute.
6. Everything is just, really, really, funny. Laugh out loud funny. Ringing echoing laughs.

Also, there is now a halfling named Tom Haverford who is naked and hanging upside down from the
ceiling. He's lazy and obsessed with looking dapper. Rescuing Tom puts you in range of the fungus. He is
awake or unconscious as you desire.   
Traps: Stair Trap: Passive Wisdom (perception) 20, Active Wisdom (Perception) 15. Automatic if
inspecting the stairs before going down. 
Violet Fungus: Intelligence (Investigation) DC 15 to spot the correct path through the fungus or
Intelligence (Nature) 15 to spot the fungus.  

Avoidance: Cultists know where not to walk.

Room 4: Stirge Lair

So, you have to avoid cat-sized deadly mosquitoes to get something to eat? No. Just no.

The bat storm is a nice idea, but the thought of every cultist needing to make a DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth)
check just to eat or go get a lizard is a bit far-fetched. What is this room now?

Empty. A big, creepy, empty room that echoes and casts shadows everywhere. It's hollow and it echoes
and it's a bit creepy, and every time the players enter it, you roll a random encounter check because it's
the center of the complex.

Be sure to mention the spears leaning against the east exit by the stairs.

Room 5: Troglodyte Incursion

A real opportunity is missed here. The room setup and the player skill focus is good. Troglodytes attack is
dull. Here are some other options for Troglodyte interactions.

1. Busy inscribing religious pictograms on the wall, plenty eager and polite to acquire new
worshipers, centered around sexual acts and giving birth. 
2. Torturing an unlucky cultist, who is eager to be rescued. Troglodytes not hostile to party, believe
that they are making him very happy due to his mouth noises.
3. Room seems like a convenient place for sexual activity.
4. Busy holding off an underdark invasion of driders
5. Trying to scrape together enough dope for a second bowl
6. Just looking to hang out and have a beer like excellent dude bros. All around good guys, just
waiting for their dark god to destroy the world. 

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No matter what happens, they think the party is a bunch of real jerks and aggressive pricks if they attack
them. During the fight they constantly complain about how mean they are and want to know why they are
so hostile.

Room 6: Meat Locker 

So the trap is foreshadowed well by the placement of the spears above.  Them leaning against the
staircase provides the clue and explanation needed for the larder trap. The room is empty otherwise,
which is fine, though I'm a fan of rot grubs being around in old meats.
Traps: Poisoned Hooks: Passive Wisdom (Perception) 20, Intelligence (Investigation) DC 15; The book
makes it sound as if the hooks aren't visible, leading to the conclusion that it can't be perceived, but it can
be investigated. Of course, specifically inspecting the curtain for traps will automatically discover the
hooks.
Avoidance: Planting one of the spears in the ground to push the curtain aside.

16