Wyrm War
A Dungeons & Dragons Campaign
Player Characters
Avor
Full Name: Avor of the Ironmane Pride
Race: Leonin (male)
Background: Soldier
Class: Fighter/Barbarian
Subclass: Battle Master/Path of the Totem Warrior
Avor is a life-long warrior. He was constantly fighting on the front lines of his pride’s battles, until a Tabaxi named Beretos led a rival tribe in a vicious raid of the Ironmane village. Avor was injured in the fight and left for dead. When he came to, there were no survivors among the Ironmane pride. Vowing to return to exact revenge against Beretos, Avor left Theros in search of strength. His travels took him to the heart of Faerûn, where he met the rest of the party.
Brash, competitive, and quick to anger, Avor used his exceptional battle prowess and hearty constitution to overcome countless foes and obstacles.
Although he was no fan of the gods, Avor found himself the subject of a competition between two of them: the brothers of war, Iroas and Mogis of Theros. Eventually, Avor came to accept the support of Iroas, and he became the bearer of the Primordial Armament known as the Blade of Brass, or Ignis, the Fury of the Flame. In a twist of fate, Avor learned that to acquire Ignis, he would have to travel back to Theros and confront Beretos, whose tribe of Tabaxi had protected the sword for generations.
In a showdown for the ages, Avor faced and defeated Beretos singlehandedly. He then triumphed over the lingering spirit of Pagrios, the First Bearer of Ignis (and a Tabaxi, no less), and claimed the Blade of Brass as his own.
Sycoran
Full Name: Sycoran Moonshade of the Halassar Clan
Race: Blue Dragonborn (male)
Background: Sage
Class: Sorcerer/Warlock
Subclass: Draconic Bloodline/Fiend
Sycoran of the Halassar Clan was born of a human mother and dragonborn father. His mother Minerva was a powerful sorceress, while his father Balasar was the leader of one of a handful of secluded dragonborn villages in the Greypeak mountains. When Sycoran was young, his village was attacked by an unknown group of raiders, and his mother and father were killed. His home destroyed, all Sycoran had left was the strange compass-like amulet his mother always wore. Sycoran spent the rest of his youth trying to rebuild and maintain his home, all while learning to harness his innate magical power.
As an adult, Sycoran began to have nightmares about his mother’s amulet, and he felt as if he was being called to something. So he left the mountains behind, eventually meeting up with the other PCs.
With his calm demeanor and penchant for damaging lots of enemies at once, Sycoran was a hard-hitting fixture on the party’s backline. On his travels, Sycoran learned his mother was once a planeskeeper, and that her amulet was part of a pair that, when combined, would become an Amulet of the Planes.
Meanwhile, Sycoran struggled to reconcile his existence as a chromatic dragonborn in a world where chromatic dragons were emerging to destroy the world. He was approached by Tiamat, the evil queen of chromatic dragons, who offered to serve as a patron and grant him additional magical abilities. In exchange, Tiamat wanted Sycoran to claim Serenas, the Tranquility of the Tide, also known as the Staff of Serenity, and bring it to her, thus thwarting the planeskeepers efforts to save the world. She even sent Sycoran’s childhood friend, a black dragonborn named Talox, to try to turn him to the dark side. It almost worked too, until Sycoran discovered that Talox had been part of the raid on Sycoran’s village, and he had done so on Tiamat’s orders.
At that moment, Sycoran came to his senses, defeated Talox and the spirit of Gar Shatterkeel, the First Bearer of Serenas, and claimed the legendary staff for himself.
Thyra
Full Name: Thrya Brynhildr
Race: Aasimar (female)
Background: Noble (Knight)
Class: Paladin
Subclass: Oath of Redemption
Thanks to some long-forgotten pact, the people of the Citadel of the Raven – all faithful devotees of Tyr, the god of war and justice – are occasionally blessed with aasimar children. Thyra Brynhildr was one such child. But Thyra was doubly blessed: not only was she the daughter of Lord Bors and Lady Thorja, the rulers of the Citadel, but she was the first female aasimar to be born in generations. This was a big deal to the people of the Citadel, who take great pride in their holy order of aasimar knights, called the Knighthood of Valkyries.
In the Knighthood, the male aasimar receive minimal combat training and instead study to become scholars and priests of Tyr, while the female aasimar train to become warriors and adventurers. All aasimar in the Knighthood have the same angelic guide: Tauran, a high-ranking deva of Tyr.
While the primary purpose of the Knighthood of Valkyries is to uphold the values of Tyr and share his influence with the world, they also have a secret second purpose. Only those inducted into the Knighthood know the truth: that Tauran is a fallen deva who betrayed Tyr. The Knighthood exists to discover the manner of this betrayal, and ultimately redeem Tauran and his aasimar line. With this goal in mind, Thyra set out from the Citadel, together with her distant younger cousin and squire, Sigrid. It wasn’t long before the pair met up with the rest of the party.
Belying her noble upbringing, Thyra’s a little rough around the edges when it comes to social interactions. Despite this, and the pall that hangs over her lineage, Thyra stands as a paragon of radiant, celestial power.
Her devotion to the teachings of Tyr and her desire to prove that anyone, even her own angelic guide, can be redeemed were instrumental in the absolution of Sycoran’s moral struggles, as well as those of her predecessor Vanifer, the First Bearer of Tempas, the Might of the Sky, and even Sigrid, Thyra’s own squire. However, when she learned that Tauran’s sin was a result of trickery and temptation brought about by Tiamat herself, Thyra was more than happy to put the Hammer of Storms to good use.
Sigrid (Thyra's Squire)
Full Name: Sigrid Hjorthrimul
Race: Aasimar (female)
Sidekick* Class: Warrior
*Played by Thyra’s player (5e allows those with the Noble: Knight variant background to travel with a small entourage of retainers. As DM, I wasn’t too excited about this idea, so as a compromise with Thyra’s player, we settled on a single squire. I probably should have foreseen it, but I had no idea at the time just how big an impact Sigrid would have on the story.)
Sigrid Hjorthrimul is a distant cousin of Thyra’s. As the second generational female to be born in Tauran’s aasimar line, Sig was assigned to train under Thyra as her squire. However, while Thyra’s angelic power manifested in a bright, radiant light, Sigrid’s power came from the fallen aspect of Tauran’s line. It manifested as cold, dark shadows that threatened to overcome Sigrid completely.
Admittedly, Sig grew to be way overpowered for a simple squire and sidekick, but I think, as a group, we agreed that she earned it.
Sig was not officially one of the gods’ four chosen champions and therefore did not receive a Primordial Armament (she did get a pretty wicked spear near the end). However, she was integral in not only Thyra’s character development, but that of each player character. Her efforts and struggles against the dark force welling inside her provided ample motivation for the entire party to learn the truth of Tauran’s betrayal and redeem his line. As an added bonus, she served as the perfect love interest for the (official) party’s youngest member, Zora.
Zora
Full Name: Zora Moonshade Samson
Race: Human (male)
Background: Outlander
Class: Ranger/Druid
Subclass: Drakewarden/Circle of the Moon
Although Zora grew up on a homestead in the middle of the Far Forest, away from civilization, he was always surrounded by diverse friends and family. From a young age, Zora learned the importance of helping others. His parents, Zarah and Adora Samson, weren’t the type to turn away anyone in need, regardless of race or background, and thus, their simple forest homestead grew into more of a commune of misplaced families over the years of Zora’s youth. Adora was an expert tracker and archer, and she taught Zora everything she knew, despite disappearing for weeks at a time.
Although Zora loved his home, his parents knew Zora’s destiny awaited him somewhere out in the world. So at seventeen, Zora set out on his own. Before he left, his mother gave him a necklace with a small vial, saying it contained the blood of her family’s protector, and that if he should ever find himself in a hopeless situation, he should drink it. Zora didn’t know what this meant, but he took the vial anyway.
It wasn’t long before Zora found himself in exactly such a situation. Exhausted, injured, and unable to carry on, Zora drank from the vial. When he awoke the next morning, he found he had been carried to safety by a small silver drake. On instinct, Zora instantly knew the drake’s name was Artemis, and that she was the protector about which his mother had spoken. From then on, Zora and Artemis were inseparable.
After meeting up with and adventuring with the other party members, Zora discovered the importance of Artemis and her connection to his ancestral family – that Artemis was the reborn spirit of the Silver Thane Argendra, and that Argendra owed a great debt to the Moonshade family, of which Adora and therefore Zora was a part, and who originally founded the planeskeepers during the first Wyrm War.
As Zora grew, so did his connection to nature itself. He was eventually contacted by Mielikki, the goddess of the forest. After that, Zora began to manifest the powers of a druid.
Always willing to take one or two for the team, Zora rained arrows and nature magic down upon his enemies, while also being the first to lend a healing hand when it was needed. After traveling to the Plane of Earth and defeatnig the spirit of Marlos Urnrayle, the First Bearer of Gravitas, the Will of the Earth, Zora claimed the Bow of Gravity for his own.
Basil
Full Name: Basil Bloomingtune
Race: Fairy (male)
Background: Witchlight Hand
Class: Bard
Subclass: College of Lore
You know how there’s always someone in a group project that’s absent for 90% of the work, but then shows up at the very end and inevitably takes some of the credit? Well, that’s Basil. (I kid; life is strange and we picked up a new addition to our group of players in the final months of the campaign. Rather than exclude the new player, I simply wrote a new PC that I knew they’d have fun with.)
As a native of the Feywild, Basil Bloomingtune was unaccustomed to life in the Material Plane. Before he could even get his bearings, he was rudely captured by the Inheritor’s army of Draconians. As a civilian prisoner, he was slated to become dragon chow before he was rescued by the rest of the party during the final battle at Waterdeep.
In awe of the majesty with which his rescuers carried themselves, Basil decided that he would employ his bardic inclinations to share the PCs’ stories with the rest of the world. To that end, he followed the PCs for the rest of the campaign, recording their exploits, and lending the occasional helping hand (or block of cheese) as needed.
Note: This artwork is not mine. Basil joined the party (very) late, and I never had time to create my own portrait of him. I found this art on Pinterest as a visual reference for Basil’s player and the others.
Non-Player Characters
It may go without saying, but over the course of the campaign I created countless Non-Player Characters (NPCs); some were planned well in advance and others were made up on the spot. Some NPCs were popular with the players and stuck around, while others weren’t and didn’t. The characters listed here are some of the former category and include my personal favorites.
Quick Note: From here on out, I do not own any of the character artwork shown. The character portraits were all found on Pinterest, so a lot of them are probably AI-generated. I used them as quick reference images when introducing the characters to the players, but again, I don’t own them in any way.
Alys Elderspark
Full Name: Alyssandra Elderspark
Race: Human (female)
Class: Wizard – School of Evocation
Alyssandra (Alys) Elderspark is one of the most powerful wizards in Faerûn. Her origin is a mystery, and no one, not even this humble DM, knows how old she truly is. While she often likes to take the form of a gentle, elderly woman, her “true” form is that of a beautiful red-headed woman in her early 30’s.
After making the Tower of Twilight her permanent home, she turned it into a school for mages. She taught students from all walks of life, with all levels of magical aptitude. It was as a teacher that she met Chemira Prisma, a magical prodigy whose power nearly (but not quite) rivaled Alys’ own. Chemira became an instructor at Aly’s school, and it wasn’t long before the two became lovers. However, Chemira felt that Alys should be more selective when it came to the students. This eventually led to a falling out, which culminated in Chemira trying to take over the school for herself. In the ensuing conflict, Alys permanently scarred Chemira’s face, and the two went their separate ways. Ashamed and heartbroken, Alys closed down the school and retreated from public life.
Even though they didn’t exist in the Material Plane, Alys was always obsessed with dragons. This obsession led her through her next phase of life, where she spent most of her time studying dragons and their history. It was this knowledge that caused the PCs to seek her out during their travels in Silverymoon, where Alys ran a novelty shop of dragon-related items and curios.
In a world where dragons were thought to be ancient history, it was Alys who taught the PCs everything they needed to know about dragonkind. After becoming aware of the re-emergence of dragons and the threat they posed to Faerûn and the Material Plane, Alys allowed the PCs to use the Tower of Twilight as a home base.
Though she is not an official planeskeeper, she helped the PCs whenever she could, serving as a mentor, a strategist, and an all-around badass ally.
Having reunited, fought, and reconciled with Chemira, Alys reopened her school for mages after the war.
Mortimer Grimm
Full Name: Lampridius Galinda Goodmoore IV; alias: “Mortimer Grimm”
Race: Human (male)
Class: Wizard – School of Necromancy/Cleric – Death Domain
The black sheep of the esteemed Goodmoore family of Waterdeep, Lampridius Galinda Goodmoore IV grew up with 3 younger brothers – Cornelius, Barnabus, and Darby. Unlike his brothers, he never felt comfortable among the nobles and politicians that seemed to always be loitering around the Goodmoore household. He preferred reading, especially about magic, to dealing with people. Shortly after Lampridius’ father became a Masked Lord of Waterdeep, a sickness swept through the city, killing commoners and nobles alive. It hit the Goodmoore household especially hard, killing Lampridius’ mother and all 3 of his brothers. Devastated and at a loss with his father, with whom he could never seem to get along, Lampridius turned away from public life almost entirely – he spent nearly all of his time buried in books. He discovered that the more he learned about death, the less it hurt when he thought of his mother and brothers. Before long, he began practicing necromancy. When his father discovered this, he kicked Lampridius out of the house. Wanting nothing to do with the Goodmoore name, Lampridius adopted the moniker “Mortimer Grimm”, and began soliciting his services as a necromancer to the public.
Following the death of his father during the Razing of Waterdeep, Mort felt even more lost than before. After losing an eye and being captured by the Inheritors, he did something he’d never done before – he prayed. To his surprise, Kelemvor, the god of death, answered him.
After the Wyrm War, Mortimer Grimm went back to Waterdeep, where he took up public service in order to help rebuild the city.
Of all the NPCs, Mort underwent the most change throughout the campaign. Originally a rakish but well-intentioned necromancer-for-hire, the losses he experienced turned him into an emo priest of the dead – still well-intentioned, just with a lot more angst.
Pictured Top: How it started
Pictured Bottom: How it’s going
Wick & Gibbous
Full Name: Pilwicken Zanybar Tarkelby Tippletop; alias: “Wick”
Race: Forest Gnome (male)
Class: Sorcerer – Draconic Bloodline
Full Name: Gibbous/Fizban/Bahamut
Race: Barn owl/Human (male)/Platinum dragon
Class: a god
As a non-verbal orphan, Pilwicken spent most of his youth running from bullies. During his countless days of hiding away from society, he discovered that he had an innate affinity for magic.
On one fateful afternoon, Wick was being chased through the forest by a particularly nasty gang of street urchins when he stumbled into a fissure in the ground. He found himself in a cavern larger than any building he’d ever seen. Right in the center of that cavern was a gargantuan dragon, it’s platinum scales catching the thin rays of light that managed to reach down through the cracks in the earthen ceiling. The ruckus caused by Wick’s fall caused the dragon to stir, and before he knew what was happening, Wick found himself face to face with none other than Bahamut, the righteous god of metallic dragons.
Bahamut didn’t need words to communicate. He peered into Wick’s soul and after getting a sense of his character, the dragon knew he liked the young gnome. After the events of the first Wyrm War, Bahamut had gone into hiding, and he’d been slumbering in this cavern for several centuries. He decided it was time to see the world again, but didn’t want to do so as a dragon. So he turned himself into a barn owl named Gibbous and traveled alongside Wick, serving as a constant companion and interpreter for the young sorcerer.
Before too long, Bahamut convinced Wick to seek out and join the planeskeepers, which allowed the god to keep a watchful eye on the state of the realms in secret. Consequently, the odd pair was in a helpful and actionable position when the Inheritors made their first move.
Due to his overpowered nature as an actual god, once the ball got rolling on the war with the Inheritors, Bahamut was often absent, working on his own leads elsewhere to aid the planeskeepers. But he did still make the odd appearance – sometimes as Gibbous, other times as an old human man named Fizban – to help out, share information and advice, and kick the occasional ass.
For his part, Wick was a steadfast companion capable of enormous magical feats. When he wasn’t aiding the PCs on a quest, he stayed at the Tower of Twilight, aiding Alys in her research and helping Ioanna maintain the Tower.
Gathok
Full Name: Gathok Uganatho; alias: Frightguard
A large man, even for a goliath, Gathok became the acting captain of the Waterdeep city watch after the previous captain was killed during the Razing of Waterdeep. Despite his towering figure and matter-of-fact demeanor, Gathok was a genial and personable member of the city guard, and he was well-respected among the citizens and his fellow watchmen. Before the events of Wyrm War, he already knew Alys Elderspark as an old family friend.
When Waterdeep fell under the control of Merrick Voyde and the Inheritors, Gathok was relieved of his captaincy and dismissed from the watch entirely. Before the Inheritors could silence him for good, Gathok disappeared into the underbelly of Waterdeep and started an underground resistance. He was instrumental in the PCs’ efforts to oust the Inheritors and retake Waterdeep. Unfortunately, Gathok was killed by Pyrozax during the last great battle to seize the city.
Other Notable NPC Allies
Favonius Flywind
In order to navigate around the Plane of Water, the PCs needed a ship. Enter Favonius Flywind, captain of the Soggy Mistake.
Normally very friendly and genial, Flywind is unquestionably a great captain – assuming he has enough alcohol in his system. Truth be told, his favorite state of being is passed out with a mug in hand. If he starts to sober up, he becomes addled, confused, and grumpy. But after a bottle or two, his mind is sharp as ever and he is ready for action. Just don’t ask him to remember which of his (two, functioning) eyes gets covered by the eyepatch.
After the Soggy Mistake meets her end in the Plane of Water, Flywind ends up back at the Tower of Twilight, where he becomes a permanent fixture at the bar.
Ioanna Nystra
In life, Ioanna Nystra was an elven mage who used her exceptional beauty and power to accumulate even more beauty and power.
The Tower of Twilight was originally her creation. She lived there alone, gathering more wealth and power, until the Spellplague caught up with her. Yet Ioanna refused to die. After years of constant suffering, her body, scarred and no longer beautiful, gave out. But her spirit remained on the Material Plane in the form of a banshee.
She haunted the Tower of Twilight for centuries, lamenting the loss of her life and beauty. Eventually, Alys Elderspark discovered the Tower, and over time, her influence caused Ioanna’s spirit to soften.
Now, Ioanna spends most days as a mild-mannered ghost, serving as the Tower’s caretaker and occasional advice-giver. If she is ever reminded of her life and her mistakes, she reverts to her true form as a hideous banshee. When this happens, Alys is the only one that can console her and bring her back.
Gerald Ashwood
Affectionately called Jerry by the PCs, Gerald Ashwood is just a run-of-the-mill city watchman who stepped up when the situation called for it.
Jerry is one of the many watchman who remained loyal to Gathok and Waterdeep when the Inheritors took over the city. Consequently, he was imprisoned and left to rot in Smuggler’s Bane Tower. When the PCs staged a jailbreak to release Gathok’s loyal men, Jerry led the other prisoners to safety. As a testament to his loyalty and bravery, Jerry becomes Gathok’s second-in-command of the rebel forces, eventually assuming full command when Gathok dies in battle.
Brandur Boreheart
Brandur Boreheart is a dwarven archdruid serving as the planeskeeper’s contact on the Plane of Earth.
Normally one to prefer the company of nature over people, his years of living alone in the Forest with No Name made him lonely, and he was overjoyed when he finally made contact with the PCs. He was more than happy to host them during their visit to the Plane of Earth, and he served as their guide through the City of Jewels and the Great Dismal Delve as they sought out the Primordial Arm of Earth.
Eione
Eione is a naiad Tempest Cleric. She serves as a priestess of Umberlee and works as the point of contact for the planeskeepers in the Plane of Water’s City of Glass.
Eione is the daughter of Achiros and Cyrene, both active planeskeepers who fought alongside Bastien Moonshade during the first Wyrm War. Brought up to be a planeskeeper, Eione has also spent her life in service to the sea goddess, Umberlee. Like her parents before her, Eione does not approve of Umberlee’s evil ways. Instead, she sees herself as more of a shield standing between Umberlee and everyone else. She does what needs to be done to appease the goddess and protect mortals from her wrath. Eione struggled a long time with the idea of serving an evil goddess, but eventually came to terms with her role.
Taranika Reginos
Tarankia Reginos is the fierce general of the mighty Akran army in Theros. She also happens to be the niece and only living heir of King Anax and Queen Cymede of Akros in Theros.
Due to her ruthlessness and thirst for glory and power, she is initially suspected to have led the Inheritor’s army to the doorstep of Akros in a move to gain the throne for herself. However, though she is not shy about expressing her displeasure with what she feels are weak policies, she would never stoop so low as to invite such a catastrophe upon her own city. Together with her pet Irre (a terrifying chimera with the heads of a lion, a red dragon, and a bull, as well as a constricting snake for a tail), Taranika helps the PCs uncover the true traitor – an archmage in service to Merrik Voyde – while also leading the charge against the invading army of Inheritors.
The Metallic Thanes of Bahamut
Together, the Thanes of Bahamut are a court consisting of the most powerful metallic dragons. These Thanes remained hidden throughout most of the campaign and, with a couple of exceptions, only really appeared in full force during the final battle.
As you can probably guess, these Thanes are led by the god Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon.
- Thane of Brass: Flarignir, the Gregarious
- Thane of Bronze: Gaurthanach, the Shield
- Thane of Copper: Vandavar, the Merry
- The PCs met Vandavar (or Vandy, as the players called him) when they found him imprisoned in Avernus.
- Thane of Gold: Gildaras, the Just
- Thane of Silver: Argendra, the Gracious
- Argendra was killed in the first Wyrm War, but her spirit was reborn as Zora’s faithful dragon companion, Artemis.
Azuran
Full Name: Azuran Shadoroth
As a Sapphire Dragonborn, Azuran Shadoroth was obsessed with the idea of recovering Sardior, the Ruby Dragon and god of the gem dragons. While legend of the first Wyrm Warm claims that Sardior was destroyed, body and soul, with no remains, Azuran was of the firm belief that Sardior was actually alive somewhere in the multiverse. It was his life’s mission to find Sardior and bring him back to his former glory. Not necessarily an evil endeavor, but his zealousness was easily manipulated by the Inheritors, who gave Azuran the resources and free reign to search for any trace of the lost dragon god, as long as he acted according to their interests. They also gave him the title of Dragonborn of Sardior, granting him the status of one chosen especially by the Ruby Dragon himself.
Azuran was a genius tactician and formidable fighter, as befitting a descendant of his namesake, the ancient greatwyrm and Sapphire Thane Azurath. His relentless search of the Ruby Dragon yielded traces of something called the Heart of Sardior. While searching for the Heart, Azurath encountered the PCs many times, and eventually came to harbor a personal grudge against them for constantly getting in his way.
Beretos
Full Name: Beretos of the Burning Sun Clan
Beretos was the chief warrior among the Burning Sun Clan, a tribe of proud tabaxi warriors settled in the Oreskos region of Theros. As descendants of Pagrios, the First Bearer of Ignis, the Blade of Brass, the Burning Sun clan held the responsibility of guarding the sword until its next worthy bearer appeared, a duty which they took to with almost fanatical devotion for generations. Among the Burning Suns, it was a coming-of-age tradition to undertake the sword’s trial, that someone worthy would finally be able to claim the sword. However, no one had been able to claim the sword since Pagrios himself.
In his youth, Beretos was a generational talent when it came to fighting and leadership. It wasn’t long before the tabaxi of the Burning Sun clan began to eagerly await the day for Beretos to take the trial and win the sword. Beretos himself became convinced that the sword was rightfully his.
However, when that day did come, Beretos was as unsuccessful as his predecessors had been. Most of the tabaxi shrugged it off; after all, no one had claimed the sword in centuries, so this was really just par for the course for them. Even if the sword wasn’t meant to be his, the other tabaxi believed Beretos was the strongest warrior among them, and he was unanimously named chief.
But Beretos was not used to failure. It turned him bitter and jealous. He decided that if he could not have Ignis, then no one else would have it either. Using his authority as chief, Beretos took his rage out on neighboring clans. Most submitted to the Burning Suns after a skirmish or two. But there was one village that refused to submit: the Ironmane Pride.
Through their many battles, Beretos became aware of a leonin warrior named Avor. Though Avor was still young, Beretos could sense his potential to become a formidable foe. He could also see how much faith Avor’s battle prowess inspired in the other leonin. So Beretos took it upon himself to stamp out the threat. During a particularly heated battle, he confronted young Avor himself and soundly defeated him. With Avor presumed dead, Beretos and his tabaxi were able to overpower the rest of the Ironmane. They left none alive.
Chemira
Full Name: Chemira Prisma
At one time, Chemira Prisma, a high elf from a noble elven family, was a student prodigy at Alys Elderspark’s school for mages. It wasn’t long before she became an instructor at the school. Chemira and Alys saw eye-to-eye on nearly everything when it came to magic, and the two eventually became lovers. However, Chemira’s philosophy differed from Alys’ in one major way: While Alys believed in giving every student a fair shot, no matter their upbringing or natural affinity for magic, Chemira believed Alys was wasting time and resources trying to train students with less-than-stable finances or low magical aptitude. She thought they should be focusing their efforts on only the most elite students, like herself.
Over time, this difference in opinion formed a rift between the two mages. After years became decades, Chemira planned and staged a coup of sorts to wrest control of the Tower of Twilight and it’s magic school away from Alys. The ensuing conflict left many students on both sides gravely injured. In the end, Alys emerged victorious, but only after permanently scarring one half of Chemira’s face. After the battle, the two mages went their separate ways, and Alys closed the school.
Chemira didn’t see Alys for many years, and but she never forgot the humiliation and heartbreak of her defeat at Alys’ hands. She spent most of her waking hours seeking ways to gain enough power to take revenge on her former lover. It became her obsession, and before long, Chemira was delving into dark magic that should never see the light of day. Her exploits earned her a reputation among the underground black magic market. Eventually, Chemira was approached by an emissary of Merrik Voyde and she was recruited to join the Inheritors’ cause.
In truth, Chemira never cared for the Inheritors or their mission. She just wanted the backing and resources that came with joining the organization to help her defeat Alys.
Merrik
Full Name: Merrik Voyde
Ah, what can I say about Merrik Voyde that hasn’t already been said by members of the party? Let’s play two truths and a lie:
- He was the leader of the Inheritors’ forces on the Material Plane.
- He was the one responsible for bringing Pyrozax back to the Material Plane, thus kickstarting the second Wyrm War.
- He was a mortal aspect of Asmodeus, the Supreme Ruler of the Nine Hells.
So, which is the lie? Trick question. These statements are all true. I know, I know, that wasn’t very nice of me. But if you think that was mean, you probably don’t want to run into Merrik Voyde.
Yes, in a mind-blowing twist that is being ruined for you now, Merrik Voyde was actually the mortal aspect of Asmodeus, and he was constantly working to wipe the Material Plane clean on behalf of his (not-so) beloved bride and fellow resident of the hells, Tiamat. I won’t go into the nature of their relationship or that of Asmodeus himself, since a lot of that is documented canon published by the D&D folks at Wizards of the Coast. The only change of note that I made is that despite her status as a prisoner, Tiamat’s influence is so strong that even Asmodeus is willing to do her bidding – though, he might not see it that way.
But Merrik Voyde was my own creation, and he was a fun one at that. It seemed like any time the PCs were hindered, thwarted, or otherwise inconvenienced, Merrik somehow had a hand in it.
It was indeed Merrik Voyde who headed the ritual to summon Pyrozax the Dreadfire back to the Material Plane, initiating the second Wyrm War. If that wasn’t enough, he then faked his death at Zora’s hands, a trick which Zora may have taken a bit personally.
After the Razing of Waterdeep, which ultimately resulted in the Inheritors taking control of the city, Merrik took the throne for himself, along with full command of Waterdeep’s martial forces, which he corrupted and used to stamp out any resistance.
Despite his uncanny knack for spreading evil and escaping punishment, Merrik was eventually cornered by the PCs in the throne room of Castle Waterdeep. A multi-phase, multi-session battle then ensued, resulting in Merrik’s defeat and the aspect of Asmodeus being sent back to the hells for a long, long time.
Pyrozax
Full Name: Pyrozax, the Dreadfire – Red Thane of Tiamat
Race: Red Dragon, Greatwyrm
Pictured: Human form
The Leader of the Chromatic Dragons and top general of the armies of the Inheritors of the First World, Pyrozax, the Dreadfire, was one of the main villains of the Wyrm War campaign. At the end of the very first session, Pyrozax became the first dragon to be summoned back to the Material Plane.
The strongest of all the chromatic thanes, it was Pyrozax that delivered the killing blow to Sardior, the Ruby Dragon, during the first Wyrm War. While Merrik Voyde may have technically outranked Pyrozax when it came to strategy and decision-making, Pyrozax was the one who led from the frontlines of battle.
Talox
Full Name: Talox of the Zorghull Clan
Race: Black Dragonborn, turned fiend
Talox of the Zorghull Clan was a childhood friend of Sycoran’s. Though they were from neighboring villages, Talox and Sycoran were both sons of their respective village leaders, and therefore saw each other often as their fathers would meet to discuss inter-village relations.
As a kid, Talox was always causing trouble. Because Talox was bigger and a couple of years older, Sycoran often went along with his antics. But Talox seemed to have a natural talent for avoiding consequences. No matter what mischief Talox created, Sycoran always took the brunt of the blame, while Talox appeared to be an innocent bystander. After Sycoran lost his parents, Talox and his father stopped visiting the village, and the two dragonborn fell out of touch.
As an adult, Talox’s penchant for trouble-making led him to a life of crime. One day, Talox was carrying out a job in Waterdeep when he heard a woman’s voice in his head. Thanks to his upbringing in a small dragonborn village, Talox knew immediately who was speaking to him. He also knew that if Tiamat herself was contacting him, he should follow her without question. She instructed him to turn himself in to the authorities in Waterdeep, and that by doing so, he’d end up at the Smuggler’s Bane Tower prison situated in Waterdeep’s Great Harbor.
Talox did as Tiamat commanded him. Once he was imprisoned, she laid out a plan for him to befriend and corrupt Sycoran, to bring the blue dragonborn over to their side.
Some time after Talox was imprisoned, the Razing of Waterdeep occurred. While the city was largely destroyed and in ruins, the prison tower remained untouched.
Shortly thereafter, Sycoran and the other PCs staged a jailbreak at Smuggler’s Bane Tower to free Gathok’s men. Much to Sycoran’s surprise, he found Talox among the prisoners. Despite misgivings from the other party members, Sycoran freed his old friend and brought him along with them.
Although Talox ultimately failed to get Sycoran to turn sides, he became one of Tiamat’s loyal Abishai after death.
Tiamat
Yes, perhaps it’s cliché at this point, but Tiamat, the Queen of Evil Dragonkind, the Dark Lady herself, was the ultimate BBEG for the Wyrm War campaign. Tiamat was the instigator of not only the second Wyrm War, but the first one as well.
To be honest, I didn’t need to change much of anything when it came to Tiamat and her character. She’s already my favorite D&D villain and she’s perfect just the way she is.
Throughout the campaign, she often appeared in visions or dream sequences in her human form (it’s much easier than trying to manage five talking heads at once), but there were a few moments where all five heads were vying for the leading role.
Anyway, if you’re unfamiliar with Tiamat, I recommend reading up here.
Other Notable NPC Foes
Venomourn, the Corruption
Pictured: Human form
Venomourn, the Corruption was a green greatwyrm and the Green Thane of Tiamat. He was charged with finding where Gravitas, the Bow of Gravity, was hidden on the Plane of Earth. After the PCs defeated his aspect on the Plane of Earth, Venomourn lost his Dragonsight, as well as the coveted ability to reach apotheosis.
It was in a battle with Venomourn that Gibbous revealed his true form as Bahamut by stepping between the greatwyrm and the PCs, allowing the PCs to escape an encounter they were not prepared for at the time.
Galvoloth, the Direstorm
Pictured: Human form
Galvoloth, the Direstorm was a blue greatwyrm and the Blue Thane of Tiamat. He was meant to recover Serenas, the Staff of Serenity, from the Plane of Water. The PCs encountered his aspect in the Plane of Water, and their ship, The Soggy Mistake, was destroyed in the conflict.
Thanaxaeros, the Ruination
Pictured: Human form
Thanaxaeros, the Ruination, was a black greatwyrm and the Black Thane of Tiamat.
Glacyliam, the Freezefiend
Pictured: Human form
Glacyliam, the Freezefiend, was a white greatwyrm and the White Thane of Tiamat. Glacyliam was less interested in the political and strategic elements of the Inheritors’ plans. His primary interests were killing, freezing, and eating.
Glacyliam was the first greatwyrm to be defeated by the PCs.
Azurath, the Martial Architect
Azurath, the Martial Architect, was a Sapphire greatwyrm and the former Sapphire Thane of Sardior. He was the only gem dragon that was truly sided with the Inheritors. After Sardior’s death during the first Wyrm War, Azurath felt that Sardior wasn’t worthy of his station as a god, so he cut his ties with the Ruby dragon and the other gem thanes.
Azurath saw the second Wyrm War as most of the chromatic dragons did: it was their right as dragons, as superior beings, to claim and rule the world as their own.
Hammit’s Goat
Endlessly mysterious and frustratingly elusive, Hammit’s Goat is a creature not of this world. It haunts the dreams of all who seek it. Any who claim to see it are lying, mostly to themselves. The Goat chooses when to be seen and when to be hidden. To this day, Hammit’s Goat has yet to be found. Although, some claim it’s always right behind you, lurking just beyond the edge of your vision.
Enduskad, the Melancholy Recluse
Enduskad, the Melancholy Recluse is a topaz greatwyrm and the Topaz Thane of Sardior. Unlike Azurath, who abandoned Sardior after his death, Enduskad mourned the loss of the Ruby Dragon.
Despite his pessimistic disposition, Enduskad never completely gave up hope that Sardior was out there somewhere. It was this hope that the Inheritors used to convince Enduskad to join with them. And it was this same hope that then allowed the PCs to convince Enduskad to give them a chance to bring Sardior back. For this reason, Enduskad did not participate on one side or the other of the final battle.