Rise of Tiamat – Prelude: The Dream of Five Maidens

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Rise of Tiamat – Prelude: The Dream of Five Maidens

Date: February 2023 DM: Lauren

Summary

In the shadow of peace hard-won, the world shifts. The fires of the Forge of Spells have cooled, but unseen forces stir once more. As the dust of Phandelver settles, a new omen takes root — heralding the dawn of the next age of dragons.

One traveler, known only as Bechamel, dreamed of five maidens seated upon a great sea rock — each garbed in a gown of a different hue: **red**, **black**, **white**, **green**, and **blue**. They faced the endless sea in silence. When called to, they turned in eerie unison. Though their mouths did not move, a single voice echoed in the traveler’s mind:

> “You are only a puppet.”

Thunder split the skies, mist engulfed the world, and from the void, ten blazing eyes appeared — eyes of fire and cruelty, slit like a dragon’s. They stared, smiling, before the dream collapsed into waking.

Bechamel awoke along the Sword Coast, drawn inexorably to Greenest, a small town whispering with rumors of cultists, treasure raids, and dragon sightings. There, destiny waits — not just for Bechamel, but for every soul soon to stand against the Cult of the Dragon.

Campaign Transition

This vision marks the beginning of the **Rise of Tiamat** arc, following the events of Lost Mine of Phandelver and the Campaign Interlude – Thurmin’s Retirement. The dream serves as a harbinger, uniting scattered heroes and introducing the draconic omens now spreading across Faerûn.

Notable Characters

  • Bechamel – The dreamer, chosen or cursed by prophetic vision.
  • Tiamat – The Five-Headed Queen of Evil Dragons, stirring in her infernal prison.
  • Cult of the Dragon – A rising faction devoted to freeing their dread goddess.
  • Thurmin (Retired) – Former adventurer turned local magnate; distant ripples of his choices still influence the region.

Locations

  • Greenest – A quiet frontier town about to become the first battlefield in a new war.
  • Sword Coast – The greater region, where omens of draconic unrest are spreading.

<details><summary>🧩 DM Notes (Spoilers)</summary>

Truth: The dream is a divine sending — not from Tiamat herself, but from a splintered fragment of her essence manifesting through the Weave. Bechamel has been marked by this echo, attracting attention from both the Cult of the Dragon and opposing celestial forces.

Foreshadowing:

  • The Five Maidens symbolize Tiamat’s chromatic aspects — each tied to a dragon of her lineage that will appear in future sessions.
  • The “You are only a puppet” line hints at Bechamel’s connection to the cult’s ritual networks, possibly as a prophetic conduit.
  • Greenest will serve as the party’s convergence point and the prologue battlefield for the Hoard of the Dragon Queen campaign.

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