D&D 5E A DM in need of assistance: the Interior of Tiamat's Temple

[evan]

Hail fellow DMs. I'm in need of some assistance in interpretation. I wanted to try and post this on the WoTC forums, but alas, their new account system rebuffs my every login attempt.

The issue I have is with the layout of Tiamat's Temple in the Rise of Tiamat. I can't seem to wrap my head around it. The text seems to contradict itself.

The interior of the temple is a single open expanse. Though divided into distinct areas, the cathedral-like space has no interior walls or upper floors. Five chapels are devoted to one of the five aspects of Tiamat and the matching branch of chromatic dragons, all surrounding a central apse. The apse and all five chapels rise into separate spires, culminating in the sanctuary at the pinnacle of the central spire. Level 2 as shown on the map is a zone 50 feet above ground level; level 3 is a zone 100 feet above ground level, both of which can be reached only by flying.

Picture of Tiamat's Temple.

So it is a single open expanse, but the apse and all five chapels rise into separate spires? And if it has no interior walls or upper floors...

To add to the confusion, the shape of the spires in Level 2 are overlaid on Level 1. This makes no sense to me.

My brain can't visualize this. If anyone can lend me theirs for a moment, I would be appreciative.

 

[SirAntoine]

I recommend scrapping that and starting over. Just redraw it how you want because it's senseless. The map even makes it worse.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

That's...not particularly well written. Think of it as a single room with areas in the ceiling (the "spires") that open upward separately. Like if you used several different funnels as a roof over a single, central room. There aren't upper "floors" per se...just open spaces within the individual spires above the giant room below.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Pretty much empty spaces in the air.

 

[Wolfskin]

IMO, the "chapels" are protrusions on the top portion of the ceiling, so you'd need to be flying the reach them.

That said, I think this should've been Tiamat's temple description.

 

[was]

2nd level is 50' up, 3rd level is 100' up..jagged holes allow the dragons to fly through to higher levels

 

[SirAntoine]

IMO, the "chapels" are protrusions on the top portion of the ceiling, so you'd need to be flying the reach them.

That said, I think this should've been Tiamat's temple description.

That's a great painting. Who is the artist?

 

[pemerton]

I don't have the module, but from the quoted text I agree with others - it is a single room, with six spires (five on the rim, one in the centre that is higher than the others).

 

[trentonjoe]

So it is a single open expanse, but the apse and all five chapels rise into separate spires? And if it has no interior walls or upper floors...

That's what I think. Big room, no walls, the middle column goes up 100' the outer spires go up 50'. Perfect setting for an ariel battle. Things in one spire have total cover from things in the other.

 

[evan]

Steve Winter answered this for me over at the WoTC forums! LINK