This map gallery by [MENTION=6802808]MichaelArkAngel[/MENTION] has several digital maps for Storm King's Thunder:
https://www.deviantart.com/michaelarkangel/gallery/
https://www.deviantart.com/michaelarkangel/gallery/
D&D 5E Enhancing "Storm King's Thunder"
UPDATE:
My players plunder a total of 4 spiritual mounds. They nearly ended two tribes by visiting the Beorunna's Well to almost miss the relic beneath the altar. To give them the more choices, I planted here the ring from Raven Rock so they can have the localisation of Duke Zalto.
Returning to the Eye of Annam, they had 4 relics, each for a giant lord: Stone, Fire, Ice and Cloud. They already activate the Cloud at their fiirst visit. They activate after the shield for Jarl Storvald but decided to stick to their plan: confront Serissa and ask her how they can help her taking the head of the ordning.
So they went to Lyn Armaal, they had been escorted by the Castellan and faced the masked lady. They took several meetings to bargain with her, revealing some crucial informations about the Wave Echo Cave and what the forge inside can do. In the end of the negociation, Serissa agreed to give them the conch in exchange of a favor: ruining plans of one of her most dangerous rivals, the Jarl or the Duke. They chose the duke so now they'll go to Ironslag, hoping that they can irremediably prevent the construction of the Vonindod.
Quick questions:
- Is there other acces to Ironslag than the Yakfolk village? A more subtil approach?
- What are your advices to run this dungeon?
Thank you for your time fellow DMs!
My players plunder a total of 4 spiritual mounds. They nearly ended two tribes by visiting the Beorunna's Well to almost miss the relic beneath the altar. To give them the more choices, I planted here the ring from Raven Rock so they can have the localisation of Duke Zalto.
Returning to the Eye of Annam, they had 4 relics, each for a giant lord: Stone, Fire, Ice and Cloud. They already activate the Cloud at their fiirst visit. They activate after the shield for Jarl Storvald but decided to stick to their plan: confront Serissa and ask her how they can help her taking the head of the ordning.
So they went to Lyn Armaal, they had been escorted by the Castellan and faced the masked lady. They took several meetings to bargain with her, revealing some crucial informations about the Wave Echo Cave and what the forge inside can do. In the end of the negociation, Serissa agreed to give them the conch in exchange of a favor: ruining plans of one of her most dangerous rivals, the Jarl or the Duke. They chose the duke so now they'll go to Ironslag, hoping that they can irremediably prevent the construction of the Vonindod.
Quick questions:
- Is there other acces to Ironslag than the Yakfolk village? A more subtil approach?
- What are your advices to run this dungeon?
Thank you for your time fellow DMs!
Just encountered this music on iTunes and it seems like it would be a perfect fit for a SKT campaign!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/vegleitir/1433747599
Here's the link to the artist on Bandcamp: https://fuimadane.bandcamp.com
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/vegleitir/1433747599
Here's the link to the artist on Bandcamp: https://fuimadane.bandcamp.com
Anthony Winter
Explorer
So... I have been vaguely running rise of tiamat and the party diverged into storm kings thunder from the oracle to the end of it.
I have used Imyrith as the "worldly" consort oif Tiamat, adn the primary reason that giants have not been active against the cult.
The Rise of tiamat mission for the PCs to bring in the alliance of the Giants to the main battle depends on rescuing Hekaton. Its a great way to merge the two and cherry pick the best of the chapters from both.
They have rescued Hekaton and are about to enter the desert.
Thinking through Imyrith's tactics and abilities it could potentially be devastating.
eg what happens when a creature with a burrowing speed grapples a PC and moves straight down into the sand, then lets go and leaves them there!
After a few rounds of battle against the gargoles up top surely she may pop her head out of the sand and throw a breath weapon or two, diving back under to avoid retaliation.
Coupling blind sense and a burrowing speed makes for a nasty tremors experience.
I have used Imyrith as the "worldly" consort oif Tiamat, adn the primary reason that giants have not been active against the cult.
The Rise of tiamat mission for the PCs to bring in the alliance of the Giants to the main battle depends on rescuing Hekaton. Its a great way to merge the two and cherry pick the best of the chapters from both.
They have rescued Hekaton and are about to enter the desert.
Thinking through Imyrith's tactics and abilities it could potentially be devastating.
eg what happens when a creature with a burrowing speed grapples a PC and moves straight down into the sand, then lets go and leaves them there!
After a few rounds of battle against the gargoles up top surely she may pop her head out of the sand and throw a breath weapon or two, diving back under to avoid retaliation.
Coupling blind sense and a burrowing speed makes for a nasty tremors experience.
Scott Nagel
First Post
I am doing something similar: transitioning from SKT to Rise of Tiamat, blended with elements of the Scales of War AP from 4e.
Regarding Iymrith's lair, my concern was that, as written, the PCs are not only giant-sized, but accompanied by 4 storm giants (who are immune to lightning). If Iymrith stands her ground, I really can't see how she lasts more than a round or two. (I am going from memory here--is there something that prevents the storm giants from going underground? Can't remember.) So, the burrowing becomes important to her survival, but there is another way to increase the difficulty and draw things out.
Ed Greenwood wrote a 3rd-edition profile of Iymrith here: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20021120a
There is a ton of detail here, and she is called the "Dragon of Statues". SKT makes a small nod to this with all of the gargoyles, but here's the part I can't believe they left out: Iymrith makes statues of herself, and can cast spells from them.
Here's the relevant passage:
Now, I don't believe dragons include spells in their stat blocks in 5e, but MY Iymrith is going to have some, and she will also be able to use her breath weapon while she inhabits a statue--oh, and probably taunt them.
An important part of this approach is that it's a dial that can be turned up or turned down. If the PCs are having a hard time, the statues can just be moving around and messing with their heads. If things get too easy, the statues can really start blasting them. Either way, the statues, combined with the burrowing, can change the encounter from a possible two-round anticlimax, into a terrifying game of cat-and-mouse, which is exactly what the lair of an ancient dragon should look like.
EDIT: I should emphasize that I haven't tried any of this. In my campaign, Iymrith has killed Hekaton, Maelstrom has fallen, and the players don't seem too concerned with tracking Iymrith down. I've got it in my back pocket, though.
Regarding Iymrith's lair, my concern was that, as written, the PCs are not only giant-sized, but accompanied by 4 storm giants (who are immune to lightning). If Iymrith stands her ground, I really can't see how she lasts more than a round or two. (I am going from memory here--is there something that prevents the storm giants from going underground? Can't remember.) So, the burrowing becomes important to her survival, but there is another way to increase the difficulty and draw things out.
Ed Greenwood wrote a 3rd-edition profile of Iymrith here: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20021120a
There is a ton of detail here, and she is called the "Dragon of Statues". SKT makes a small nod to this with all of the gargoyles, but here's the part I can't believe they left out: Iymrith makes statues of herself, and can cast spells from them.
Here's the relevant passage:
Now, I don't believe dragons include spells in their stat blocks in 5e, but MY Iymrith is going to have some, and she will also be able to use her breath weapon while she inhabits a statue--oh, and probably taunt them.
An important part of this approach is that it's a dial that can be turned up or turned down. If the PCs are having a hard time, the statues can just be moving around and messing with their heads. If things get too easy, the statues can really start blasting them. Either way, the statues, combined with the burrowing, can change the encounter from a possible two-round anticlimax, into a terrifying game of cat-and-mouse, which is exactly what the lair of an ancient dragon should look like.
EDIT: I should emphasize that I haven't tried any of this. In my campaign, Iymrith has killed Hekaton, Maelstrom has fallen, and the players don't seem too concerned with tracking Iymrith down. I've got it in my back pocket, though.
Last edited:
pukunui
Legend
Perhaps she lost the ability to do this during the Spellplague. I use that as a justification whenever I come across a creature or NPC that had more abilities in previous editions than its 5e version has.
Not by default, but Iymrith has some innate spells added to her statblock. Klauth and Claugiyliamatar are both spellcasting dragons as well.
Anthony Winter
Explorer
I like the statues of Iymrith idea and will definately incorporate two life sized statues of her at either end of the colleseum.
The tactic of the gargoyles (50 of them). Is to swarm a single huge sized model per turn.
50 gargoyles put 100 attacks on a 25 ft tall storm giant.
with +4 to hit they will hit the scale armoured giants with about 40 times.
This will average 207 hp damage per round.
If there is a lead giant scouting ahead they could be torn apart in a surprise round.
To make it less black and white I am going to have 100 gargoyles take flight and attack but only 30 of them get to the party in a round due to distance around the amphitheatre.
This creates a bit of a zulu dawn scene with the party and giants flinging powerful ranges attacks but not able to take out a swarm coming from all sides.
[video=youtube;x63TZUu6mzg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x63TZUu6mzg[/video]
If Imryth transfers to a statue to Observe for 2 rounds then back to her own body to burrow up and start either popping up and breathing or grappling and pulling a character below once every second round.
If the PCs stay small up top
Anthony Winter
Explorer
Just had an epic conclusion to storm kings thunder. The party was quite powerful so I eliminated the HP bonus of the potions.
I also increased the gargoyles scattered around to 50. This meant the while party was still relatively safe if the gargoyles flocked a giant they could kill one in a surprise plus standard round.
200 attacks where approximately 50% hit and each does 1d6+2, so avg 225dmg/round to a huge sized creature.
I added a life sized statue of Iymryth that she could posses. it lacked flight and a breath weapon, and wasnt in its lair but otherwise had identical stats to Imyryth. this gave the giants and PCS something to have fun beating to a pulp.
Underground the dragon attacked by splitting the party with a collapsed tunnel and then attacking giants and grappling with the bite, then moving 40ft underground. If the giant didnt break the grapple the dragon would dash a further 80 ft down and leave it there, waiting for its breath to recharge and attacking again, using blind sense to determine where the party are and burrowing underneath to pick a sweet spot. It was a terrifying 'Tremors/Jaws moment' with all the party readying actions and standing back to back, levitating or clinging to high points.
I also increased the gargoyles scattered around to 50. This meant the while party was still relatively safe if the gargoyles flocked a giant they could kill one in a surprise plus standard round.
200 attacks where approximately 50% hit and each does 1d6+2, so avg 225dmg/round to a huge sized creature.
I added a life sized statue of Iymryth that she could posses. it lacked flight and a breath weapon, and wasnt in its lair but otherwise had identical stats to Imyryth. this gave the giants and PCS something to have fun beating to a pulp.
Underground the dragon attacked by splitting the party with a collapsed tunnel and then attacking giants and grappling with the bite, then moving 40ft underground. If the giant didnt break the grapple the dragon would dash a further 80 ft down and leave it there, waiting for its breath to recharge and attacking again, using blind sense to determine where the party are and burrowing underneath to pick a sweet spot. It was a terrifying 'Tremors/Jaws moment' with all the party readying actions and standing back to back, levitating or clinging to high points.
