Tiamat
Tiamat, the Dragon Queen, is the central antagonist of the campaign. Her fragmented soul drives the overarching conflict, and her influence reaches across planes and centuries.
The Calamity
During The Calamity, Tiamat was defeated through the combined might of Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon, and Pelor the Dawnfather. Rather than being destroyed outright, her soul was split in two. One fragment was cast into Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells, where it was forged into five powerful rings. The rings were then scattered across continents to prevent their reunion.
Unknown to most, Tiamat did not fight alone during the Calamity. Falazure, the draconic god of death and decay, secretly assisted her in the battle against Bahamut.
The Five Rings
Each of the Five Rings contains a portion of Tiamat’s essence. The rings grant their wearers the ability to transform into a dragon, channelling Tiamat’s own power. However, the wearer’s soul is gradually consumed by the ring. Prolonged use leads to corruption, madness, and eventual domination by Tiamat’s will.
The rings were distributed as a safeguard:
- 3 rings were hidden across Tal’Dorei
- 1 ring was entrusted to the Cobalt Soul
- 1 ring was secured within Vokarth Academy
Agents and Manipulation
Vespin Chloras
From her prison, Tiamat reached out to Vespin Chloras, a powerful post-Calamity mage, promising him unimaginable power in exchange for reuniting the five rings to resurrect her. Vespin was ultimately defeated by Moelwyn, Ishanah, and Kallum.
Kallum
Kallum, one of the heroes who defeated Vespin Chloras, fell to the corruption of one of the rings. He now wields at least two of the Five Rings and has destroyed Rexxentrum with a flight of dragons. He was last seen in Avernus, hunting Brennan for the “final key.”
The Dragon Mask
The Dragon Mask of the Queen is a lost artifact tied to Tiamat’s power. The party has speculated it could become Kallum’s next target as an alternative path to increasing his strength.
Current Status
Tiamat remains imprisoned, her soul fragmented across the Five Rings. So long as the rings exist, her resurrection remains possible. The party has encountered her power firsthand during Kailas’s vestige awakening ritual, where he briefly wore one of the rings and felt an unnatural pull from Tiamat before the party intervened.
Connections
- The Five Rings of Tiamat — Forged from her soul
- The Calamity — The conflict in which she was defeated
- Bahamut — Defeated her alongside Pelor
- Pelor — Defeated her alongside Bahamut
- Falazure — Secretly aided her during the Calamity
- Vespin Chloras — Manipulated into attempting her resurrection
- Kallum — Corrupted by her rings; currently her most dangerous agent
- Brennan — Son of Vespin Chloras, hunted by Kallum
- Dragon Mask of the Queen — A lost artifact connected to her power