Dungeons & Dragons - A Guide to Tomb of Annihilation

For the next few weeks, I'll be adding to this guide. Hopefully, this will help you plan and prepare Tomb of Annihilation.

Links

• Buy Tomb of Annihilation here.
• Buy the Tomb of Annihilation dice here.
• Dragon+ has free maps from this adventure. 
• Xanathar's Guide to Everything.

Maps

• Mike Schley has free maps of Chult right here.

DMs Guild Adept Tie-ins

• Beasts of the Wild
• Cellar of Death
• Encounters at Port Nyanzaru
• Heart of the Wild 
• Return of the Lizard King
• Ruins of Hisari
• Ruins of Matolo
• Ruins of Mezro

Adventurers League

• City on the Edge
• Over the Edge

Reviews

• City on the Edge
• Over the Edge
• Encounters at Port Nyanzaru

I'm going to start off by listing groups of NPCs in clumps. I'll try to put all of their info right here.


List of NPC Guides

• (pg 33) Azaka Stormfang: Weretiger
• (pg 34) Faroul: Human
• (pg 35) Flask of Wine: Tabaxi
• (pg 34) Gondolo: Halfling
• (pg 34) Hew Hackenstone: Dwarf
• (pg 34) Musharib: Albino dwarf
• (pg 34) Qawasha: Chultan druid
• (pg 35) River Mist: Tabaxi
• (pg 35) Salida: (yuan-ti)

Pirate Captains

(pg 67) Elok Jaharwon: Wereboar, captain of the Dragon Fang

(pg 67) Laskilar: Human, captain of the Stirge

(pg 21) Ortimay: Female gnome, captain of the Brazen Pegasus.

• (info from pg 21-22) You can find this ship in the harbor ward (pg 21).
• You can book passage for 10 gp/day (for the whole group).
• Co-Captain Dark: gnome bandit captain (MM pg 344), clever and calm.
• 1st mate Greg Ruddell: male human veteran (MM pg 350), big guy with a heavy greyish beard.
• Crew: 6 sailors aka bandits (MM pg 343)
• (pg 67) Zaroum Al-aryak: Human, captain of the Emerald Eye

Merchant Princes

• (pg 25) Ekene-Afa: Weapons, shields, traveling gear, canoes etc. He is a famous former gladiator (see "Grand Coliseum" on pg 22).
• (pg 25) Ifan Tal'roa: Beasts
• (pg 26) Jessamine: Plants, poisons, assassinations
• (pg 26) Jobal: Guides and Mercenaries
• (pg 26) Kwayothe: Fruit, wine, perfume, tej, insect repellent
• (pg 27) Wakanga O'tamu: Magic and lore
• (pg 27) Zhanthi: Gems, jewelry, cloth, armor.

The Death Curse

• Was activated 20 days ago.
• Anyone who has previously been brought back from the dead begins to waste away.
• Their hit point max is reduced by 20, and decreases by 1 every midnight. Once at 0 hit points, they die.
• The soul of anyone who dies is trapped in the Soulmonger. An atropal eats the souls. Once it ha enough, it will become an evil god.
• Liches can't trap souls in their phylacteries.
• The spells revivify, raise dead, resurrection, and true resurrection do not work.
• The Soulmonger does not affect pre-existing ghosts and spirits. Speak with dead and other spells like it still work normally.
• When a soul is trapped in the Soulmonger, roll a d20 each day. On a roll of 1, the soul is destroyed.
• Spells like commune and divination can determine if a soul ha been destroyed yet.
• The DM decides when the atropal has enough souls to become a guide. It could be months or years.

The Plot

• The group is in Baldur's Gate. Their friend, Syndra Silvane, has the death curse. She asks the group to go to Chult to find the Soulmonger.
• Syndra will be dead in 79 days. That's how long the group has to get this done.
• The Soulmonger is in the Tomb of the Nine Gods, which is located in Omu.
• Ras Nsi and the yuan-ti are in Omu, trying to end the world.
• Also in Omu are the trickster gods and their shrines. Each shrine holds a puzzle box that is a key to getting into the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
• The Soulmonger is feeding soul to an atropal. Once it has enough, it will transform into an evil god.
• If the heroes destroy the Soulmonger, the death curse is ended.
• Acererak will attack the heroes. The trickster gods will aid the adventurers in their battle against him

Summary and Leveling Guide

• (level 1) The heroes explore Port Nyanzaru.
• (levels 1-6) They explore the jungles of Chult.
• (levels 5-8) They find the ruins of Omu.
• (levels 7-9) In Omu, they will battle the yuan-ti.
• (level 9) Then they will make their way through the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
• The book says the group will be around 11th level at the end. The tomb is very big.

Meatgrinder Mode: If you want, you can say that the Soulmonger make it so that you only pass a death save on a roll of 15+ instead of 10+.

If a Character Dies: They can't be raised. They need to use a new character.

Who is Ubtao?

• Ubtao was a god who lived among the people of Chult.
• The constant warring between tribes eventually led to Ubtao deserting them in disgust.
• The Chultans have made peace in the 100 years since, but Ubtao has not returned.
• Dinosaurs are revered as Ubtao's sacred children.

Chapter 1: Port Nyanzaru


When the group arrives, Syndra Silvermane will be staying at Wakanga's place. The two main choices for the group are the Thundering Lizard or Kaya's House of Repose.

Side Quests: Here's a super-short version of all this stuff:

1. Collect a Debt: Beat up a gladiator
2. Create a Distraction: Escort a spy to a jungle fort and create a distraction while the spy steals information.
3. Escort a Priest: Escort a priest to Camp Vengeance.
4. Explore the Aldani Basin: Go see if there is a base full of wizards here.
5. Find Artus Cimber: The daughter of Artus wants the group to find Artus, but there's more to this than it seems.
6. Help a Dyeing Man: The group has 10 days to kill a certain dude.
7. Help the Lords' Alliance: If the group can make an accurate map of the locations of two ruins, they get a sailing ship.
8. Hunt Pirates: Take out 3 pirate ships and capture the captains.
9. Save an Innocent Man: Help a guy survive a public fight with 2 velociraptors without being noticed by the crowd.
10. Seek Wisdom at Orolunga: The group is mysteriously directed to speak to a seer who lives south of Mbala.

The Locations in Port Nyanzaru

The city is divided into sections, some of which are outside the city walls.

Old City: This area has 3 ruined ziggurats and people living in bamboo huts.

1. Beggars' Palace (pg 18): There are shops and bamboo tenements on the two larger ziggurats.

2. Executioner's Run (pg 18): Criminals are thrown in this dinosaur pit. Those who escape win their freedom. Crowds gather and bet on these events.

In Encounters in Port Nyanzaru, there is a scenario where a dude falls in and the group has to save him.

3. Refuse Pit (pg 20): People throw their garbage in here. There are otyughs (MM pg 248) at the bottom.

In Encounters in Port Nyanzaru, there's a scenario set here involving an otyugh that is tricking people into coming into the pit.

Merchants' Ward (pg 20): Upper class area full of shops.

4. Goldenthrone (pg 20): Guarded by 8 gladiators (MM pg 345). The Merchant Princes run Port Nyanzaru from this place. If you show up to meet with a prince, there is a 1 in 6 chance they are there. If they are, you'll have to wait d3 hours to meet them.

5. Merchant Prince's Villa (pg 20): There are details on each individual villa on pg 27. Here they are:

• Ekene-Afa: Lots of caged squawking parrots. Paintings, shields and weapon hanging on the walls.
• Ifan Talro'a: Flying snakes swoop around freely.  Displays of relics obtained from ruins.
• Jessamine: Walls and pillars painted with colorful serpents, decorative serpent-themed fountains.
• Jobal: Silk draperies, mounted heads of beasts.
• Kwayothe: Reeks of perfume. There are bowls of fruit for you. Oil lamps and braziers are always lit.
• Wakanga: Lit with continual flame spells. Magic music plays throughout (easy listening?). Doors are arcane locked (PH pg 215. Flying swords (MM pg 20) and rugs of smothering (MM pg 20) abound.
• Zhanthi: Standing suit of gold-plated armor, bejeweled skulls of Zhanthi's ancestors. 

6. Grand Souk (pg 20): You can buy almost anything in the PH here. No elephants. Heavy armor is rare. Check out page 31, "Buying Special Items". Heavy armor costs 3x the normal price. If the character makes a DC 15 persuasion check, it's 2x. Armor prices are on PH pg 145.

7. Temple of Savras (pg 20): Savras is a god of wizards/fortune tellers.

Head Priest: Grandfather Zitembe (priest MM pg 348)

When the group first meets Zitembe, he is arguing with three members of the Zhentarim (assassins MM pg 343). Zitembe shoos them away. Zitembe can use his magic to locate Omu.

8. Temple of Gond (pg 21): Popular among crafters. There is a huge fountain here that has water jets that create amazing shapes.

9. Temple of Sune (pg 21): Accessible by boat or causeway, an illusion make it look like the roof hovers in the air. When you first go there and meet the clergy, make a Cha check DC 15. Success: You're accepted. Fail: You get pity for being unattractive.

10. Jewel Market: Sells jewels and luxury items. Lots of guards (MM pg 347) and spies (MM pg 349).

Harbor Ward: You can book passage on the Brazen Pegasus for 10 gp/day (for the whole group).

11. Royal Docks (pg 22): Exclusively used by the rich and fabulous.

12. Statue (pg 22): This is Na N'buso, an "ancient king". The statue was made 5 years ago and it is meant to impress outsiders.

13. Harbormaster's Office (pg 22): Outside of this building is a bulletin board that lists the available guides (see pg 33). Zindar is a half-gold dragon who watches over the harbor. His stats are on page 239.

14. Lighthouse (pg 22): It can make colored smoke that can be seen from far away.

15. Fort Nyanzaru (pg 22): It has a chain that can block the harbor. It's got stuff:

• 2 ballistas: Ballista: +6 to hit, 16 (3d10) damage. It takes an action to load, an action to aim, and an action to fire.
• 1 noble (MM pg 348).
• 4 veterans (MM pg 350).
• 40 guards (MM pg 347).

16. Warehouse District (pg 22): Ships are towed by dinosaurs.

17. Dry Dock (pg 22): Ships get repaired here. Dinosaurs pull ships out of the water.

Market Ward: Middle class area with shops and tradesfolk.

(pages 31-32) Special Items:

• Canoe 50 gp
• Insect Repellent 1 gp for 20 doses
• Rain Catcher 1gp
• Tej (fermented honey) A mug costs 4 cp, 1 gallon cask is 2 sp.
• Ylkwa (a type of spear that does d8 dmg) 1 gp

18. Red Bazaar (pg 23): You can buy dinosaur meat (!), vegetables, fruit, tej (fermented honey), insect repellent, rain catchers, etc.

Inns:

• The Thundering Lizard: 5 sp/night, raucous clientele.
• Kaya's House of Repose: 1 gp/night, nice place, quiet.

19. Fish Market (pg 23): Prices are higher in the morning.

20. Grand Coliseum (pg 23): Statues of legendary gladiators line tops of the walls. There are events every day. There are some awesome events detailed in City on the Edge.

21. Hall of Gold (pg 23): Temple to Waukeen, goddess of trade and wealth. It is also a major bank. Run by Sibonseni, Mother of Prosperity (priest MM pg 348) she is very popular. When she travels in the streets, she's carried in a sedan chair and accompanied by drummers and dancers.

22. Public Bathhouse (pg 24): Run by priests of Sune. There is no charge, but a donation is requested. A masseuse costs 2d10 sp.

Malar's Throat: Buildings on either side of a ravine, connected by rope bridges.

24. Temple of Tymora (pg 24): This is where the people of Malar's Throat flee to when zombies attack.

Tiryiki Anchorage: Home to animal trainers, river folk and unsavory types. This is where most dinosaurs are trained.

25. Dinosaur Pens: Dinosaurs trained for street racing are stabled here.

I'll do more tomorrow!