We learn the truth about an old enemy. We watch an old friend die. Then we stumble upon an old man in an old ruin with an even older ring.

When last we left our heroes, as we were travelling to Mezro, we came upon many foe. We met a mage with seven skels and seven zeds, each with a tattoo upon their heads. Next a lady seven yards high, with seven more hid nearby. Then a lobster swam us past, seven merrow who tried to eat us fast. Wizards, undead, giants, merrow; how many were travelling to Mezro?

After we escaped the merrow, our Aldani coachman guided us in his underwater chariot to meet with his mistress, Lady Olung. We’d been waiting for this meeting for months, ever since we received a magic conch shell that told us to blow it in a certain place at an uncertain time. We had no clue what to expect, nor who had gone to such lengths to meet us or why. Yet here we are, fathoms under the deep blue sea in a magical submarine, witnessing wonders and delights that no man is meant to see. We arrived at a dazzling Pearl Palace, where we were introduced to its mesmerizing monarch, a mermaid with octopi tentacles and golden eyes. She spoke with a tremendous lilting voice, “I am Mainu, Queen of the Deep, Bara of Mezro, and Paladin of Ubtao. I’m sure you have a lot of questions for me.”

This is the Secrets get Revealed Session. For months, I have teased tantalizing tidbits about the history, legends, and lore of this mysterious, primal Land of Chult. They’ve heard about Ubtao, the creator of Chult, his holy city of Mezro, now “destroyed”, and its most infamous resident Ras Nsi, whom has caused so much chaos of late, but they don’t know how their destinies are intertwined with our heroes. That’s all about to change. But first, a little context.

In the time of myth, Ubtao, a Primordial entity (not a god), helped the true gods defeat an evil Primordial, Dendar the Night Serpent, after Dendar swallowed the sun, starting an Ice Age. Dendar was imprisoned by Ubtao in a volcanic mountain called the Peaks of Flame. As reward, Ubtao was given complete dominion over Chult, where he created all the abundant and unique life within its jungle. Ubtao created the holy city of Mezro for his human worshippers, whom are called the Tabaxi. (No relation to the race of catfolk with the same name.) Mezro is governed and protected by seven barae (singular bara) who are humans chosen by Ubtao, made nearly immortal and imbued with great power. Shortly thereafter, Ubtao stopped having direct involvement with Chult, letting nature takes it course.

130 years before the start of our adventure, the events of the novel, The Ring of Winter, occur. In it, an adventurer named Artus Cimber saved the city of Mezro from a Batiri goblin invasion. Artus Cimber is a mysterious NPC in our adventure whom several people, including a gang of Frost Giants, a wayward daughter, and our heroes, are trying to track down. About 100 years ago, a cataclysmic world-wide event called the Spellplague caused magical havoc across the globe, killing millions and altering the very landscape. During this, the city of Mezro was destroyed leaving nothing but ruins. But rumors persist that Mezro was not destroyed, but is instead “hidden”. Our heroes seek answers to this mystery as well.

But in our adventure, The Tomb of Annihilation, no one is presented who knows the truth except for the villain, Ras Nsi. Even worse, the book presents Ras Nsi as a very standard and kind of dull “Wants to destroy the world because he’s evil” bad guy. But his motivations are more sinister than that. To Ras Nsi, he is not the villain, but rather the hero, protecting his people, devoted to his duty, and on a mission from god. This makes Ras Nsi very dangerous. Every evil act he commits serves what he feels is the greater good. The means justify the end, and he will destroy the world to make that end happen. And what is that end? Only Ras Nsi knows, and he ain’t talking because he’s hidden at the end of the adventure, waiting. As usual.

So, how do I relay this deeper motivation to my players, and give them the truth they’ve earned? In my first attempt, I gave them direct access to Ras Nsi via various sending stones found during the adventure. They could talk with Ras Nsi, and he would have been (mostly) honest with them. But the word limit of the spell was too restrictive and the players spent most of the time mocking and challenging Ras Nsi instead of conversing and learning more about him. An in-person encounter would be ill-advised at this point, and likely end in a fight to the death. Better to keep him hidden, and mysterious, for now. But there is no other person in the book who can talk about Ras Nsi.

This brings us back to Mainu. Though not in the Tomb of Annihilation adventure, she is in the The Ring of Winter. She is also a bara of Mezro, has known Ras Nsi for a thousand years, and she is the only other resident of Mezro who was not in Mezro when it disappeared. By mean of a magical conch shell, Mainu has summoned our heroes to her Pearl Palace under the sea. For the sake of brevity (too late), I mainly recap Mainu’s side of the story, but know that this was a full conversation held between Mainu and my players. It was still an exposition dump, but by making it a roleplay encounter, it was hopefully less boring and more engaging.

To start, my players were great and played along. “Oh, majestic Queen of the Deep. We are honored that you have granted us this audience. But why did you choose us?”

“My servants have observed you from afar ever since you arrived on Chult. You are not like the usual mercenaries and glory seekers this land attracts. You move with purpose, motivation, and character. Your compassion saving that shipwrecked sailor from those hags, your charity toward that urchin on the docks, your heroic rescue of those slaves from the Yuan-ti, and your skill at averting the massacre at Camp Vengeance, proved that you are worthy of our aid, and your commitment to Chult and her people make you the best candidates to save her.”

“Why did you not help us sooner?”

“Do not be so impudent to think that we did not. We chased away the octopus that tried to swamp your rowboat, we fought zombies on the shore of Camp Vengeance, and we contacted you weeks ago when we presented you the summoning conch. You could have arrived here much sooner than you did. But I often forget the impetuous and selfish nature of mortality. We must not hold that against you. Besides, each man must walk his own path in the maze of life. You are here now and seek answers not admonitions, so ask your questions.”

“Is Mezro truly destroyed?”

“No, Mezro is not destroyed. She is hidden away in another world. A century ago, as the Spellplague bathed the land in blue fire and drove the world mad, we seven bara managed to seal her away in a pocket dimension. There she and all her people remain safe and protected until she can return. As my home is the River Olung, I stayed behind to guard the seas, while the Exile, Ras Nsi, patrols the land.”

“Why is Ras Nsi “the Exile”? What did he do?”

“Over 4000 years ago, long before I became a bara, the Tabaxi tribe of Mezro were at war with another tribe called the Eshowe. The Eshowe summoned a demon to destroy Mezro, but they suffered a major defeat when they lost control of the demon and it turned on them, killing thousands. Mezro was willing to accept their surrender. But the overzealous Ras Nsi, in his passion to protect Mezro, decided that to keep Mezro truly safe, then he must murder every man, woman, and child of that already defeated tribe. He drove his undead army into the Eshowe territory and decimated the land, what we now call the Valley of Lost Honor. For his crimes, Ras Nsi had to be punished, yet Ubtao could not bear to destroy his beloved paladin. So, Ras Nsi was exiled, never to set foot in the city he loved and sworn to protect.”

“Is that when he swore revenge to destroy Mezro?”

“Ras Nsi does not wish to destroy Mezro, he is driven to defend her, by any means. To this day, he still protects her in his own way. Every evil act he has committed has been in the service of Mezro. Ras Nsi would call himself a pragmatist. There is no right and wrong, only what is and what must be done. This is where Ras Nsi diverges from the other barae. We condemn his evil methods and yet he chides us for being weak, soft, and foolish. To Ras Nsi, there is no act too heinous, too cruel, too villainous, if it means keeping Mezro safe. Even tricking her people to be trapped in an empty world.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mezro has a long history of hiding away from the rest of the world. In the past, we’ve used illusions, invisibility, and mind control to keep her protected. But when the Spellplague occurred, these tricks would not save us from disaster. We needed to shield or move the entire city. Ras Nsi is also well versed in teleportation magic. He proposed a way to transport all of Mezro to a small, but safe and sustainable, pocket reality, outside of our known world. Mezro would be protected there and when the danger had passed, Mezro would return.”

“With no time to consider other plans, we performed the rituals and Mezro was moved to this new reality. Mezro was safe. I know that Mezro still exists. As a bara, I can still feel my connection to the city. Mezro was supposed to return within a few years, but Ras Nsi had other plans.

He worded the spell such that “Mezro will return when all dangers to her are gone.” Then with Mezro “safe” on a barren world, Ras Nsi went on a crusade to make Chult so inhospitable, so unsafe, that Mezro would never return to our world and stay safe, thus fulfilling his duty. He fostered war between Amn and Baldur’s Gate for control of this land. He aided the Batiri with weapons and magics to better wage war on the humans. He desecrated every shrine he could find to curse the land. And worse, he created so much undead that Chult is the deadliest land in all Toril. But still it was not enough.”

“Heroes such as yourselves could arrive and undo his plans. So now, Ras Nsi is on a mission to destroy the world. If Mezro has no world to return to, then it will forever be safe in its current location. That is the logic of Ras Nsi. He threw his lot in with the Yuan-ti, undergoing the foul rituals to become one of their own. Presumably, he intended to bring about the end of the world, using the prophesy of Dendar to swallow the sun. Now, I fear, he is involved with this Death Curse. But this magic is beyond even him. Who he is working with, I cannot say.”

“Ras Nsi has made it his mission to destroy the world. Whether by undead, Yuan-ti prophesies, or death plagues, he does not care. He does not care about Port Nyanzaru, or Chult, or the world, or the millions of innocent lives he would sacrifice to achieve his goals. To Ras Nsi, the ends always justify the means. Thus, Ras Nsi, Mezro’s greatest protector has now become her greatest threat, and he must be stopped. I had hoped that Ras Nsi could be swayed, that he would turn away from this path of madness. It pains me to say, but Mezro can never return until Ras Nsi is dead.”

“Can Ras Nsi even be killed? Aren’t you all immortal? And how old is Ras Nsi? How old are you? Is Ras Nsi human or Yuan-ti?

“We barae are immortal, but we can be killed in combat. Ras Nsi is one of the first bara from the dawn of Mezro. He is also the last of the original seven and is over 6000 years old. As for me, it is improper to ask a lady how old she is. I am not nearly as old as Ras Nsi, yet I do come from a time before your ancestors were born. When I last saw Ras Nsi, he was human. But now he is fully Yuan-ti. I feel sorry for Ras Nsi. His twisted devotion to his duty has cost him everything; his home, his humanity, and now I fear his very soul.”

“Is there nothing you can do? Is there no way you can help us?”

“The barae are forbidden from attacking each other. I cannot move directly against him. I can aid others such as you, but my power is limited to the waterways of Chult. Ras Nsi wisely stays away from them and has moved inland, probably near the Peaks of Flame or other desolate region infested with Yuan-ti. I see you have a map of Chult (bara have truesight). Here let me mark all the rivers and swamps of Chult. This should aid your search. At least you’ll know where Ras Nsi is not. When you do find Ras Nsi, if he is near water, blow the conch again. My Aldani will arrive as soon as they’re able to assist you. I can even give you one of my submarine chariots. It can only carry five, but it travels faster than any ship, and will help you navigate the peninsula better, Do you have any other questions?”

“What can you tell us about the pirates and Fort Beluarian? Where is their hideout? What do you know about Aremag?” My group was immediately thinking about taking that chariot down to his undersea lair and robbing it blind.

“The pirates are holed up in a small port on the southern tip of the island called Jakarta Anchorage. Let me mark your map.” I love that my group had this elaborate plan to find this location, and now they just have it, but still have to go through with the scheme. “As for Aremag, we leave him alone and avoid him. He is just a beast following the chaotic order of nature. Who are we to interfere with that? And only a fool would walk the path to confront it.”

“One last thing. There is a man named Artus Cimber. He is somewhere in Chult. We don’t know why. A group of Frost Giants are hunting this man and want him dead. There is also a girl who claims to be his daughter looking for him. We know he was in Mezro during the Batiri invasion. Do you know him? Do you know where he is?”

“That is a name I’ve not heard in a long time. Artus Cimber is a very… complicated man. He is a very private man and one who won’t be found unless he wants to be found. As to why the giants want him, that’s not for me to say. You’ll have to ask him if you find him. The presence of this daughter disturbs me more. I know human love is fickle and filled with infidelities, but I doubt she is telling the truth. Artus Cimber’s wife is Alisanda Rayburton, one of the seven bara of Mezro, and she has been trapped with the city for over 100 years! I suspect that Artus is in Chult now trying to find a way to bring Alisanda home. For all your human flaws, I know Artus to be a faithful and loyal man. I highly doubt he sired a daughter in some fleeting dalliance while his heart pines for his true love.”

After a few more pleasantries, platitudes, and appreciation for all her help, our party bid farewell to Mainu, Queen of the Deep. They tried to gain more knowledge about the Death Curse and the forces behind it. But even Mainu was unable to shed any light on the matter. I still have to maintain some secrets to tease my players with. But the main purpose of the encounter was a success: to give my players a greater understanding of Ras Nsi and to subvert their expectations about him.

Before moving on, our heroes spent the night as guests in the Pearl Palace and for the first time in forever they had a full night’s rest. (Trust me, they’re gonna need it for what comes next). Unfortunately, the rest was ruined by yet another Death Curse dream, and this one was the most heart-wrenching of all. Because it was all Gwen’s fault.

“You are standing in a jungle camp with several tents nearby, but no fire is lit, so as not to betray your position. With you is a tiefling rogue preparing a cold soup for dinner and two tabaxi guides acting as lookouts. You recognize these three as Miche, Flask of Wine, and Rivermist. Oh, no! You know who you are. You are the half-orc cleric, Undril Silvertusk; friend, ally, and companion, who accompanied your group on your very first expedition. No, no, no! I don’t want to do this dream!

Suddenly, the camp is overrun with Yuan-ti. Snake folk of all shapes and sizes are attacking all at once. You call upon your god Helm to smite these abominations and two of them are destroyed by heavenly fire where they slither. Another falls to the arrows of the Tabaxi and the daggers of the thief. But there too many of them. You fall back to the edge of the jungle, as a new wave of snake men advances upon you. You order the others to run while you hold off the Yuan-ti to give your friends a chance to escape.”

“You put up a valiant fight and two more fall to your axe and spells. Then you feel the prick of an arrow pierce your side, and you know immediately that you have been poisoned. Your muscles seize up and you fall to the dirt as the paralysis takes hold. In excruciating pain, you feel the venom coursing through your veins, killing you. The Yuan-ti laugh and spit at you as they chase after your companions while you die a slow, agonizing death. You hold on to life for as long as you can, but it’s only a matter of time. As you close your eyes in eternal sleep, you hear friendly voices calling your name.

You open your eyes to find yourself flying over an idyllic forest with an enormous mountain in the distance. A cool, refreshing breeze rejuvenates your soul. You are flying toward a huge watchtower and know in your heart that this is Everwatch, the heavenly, Celestial home of your god, Helm. Suddenly, you hear a voice calling you back. You stop flying and begin falling, faster and faster toward the hard earth. You slam into the hard ground with a gasp and are back in the steaming jungle of Chult. The novice cleric, Gwen, is reading from a scroll, relieved to see you come back from the dead. A new, grave voice rings in your head. “You escaped my grasp once with the help of your friends. But now your soul is mine! See you soon.””

Disturbed by these soul-sucking visions, our heroes vow the redouble their efforts to end this Curse and avenge their friend. Sure, by next session, they will be distracted by other things, but right now, they really meant it. But right now, they need to get out of this underwater paradise. Dari is on hand to escort them to dry land once more and he can take them straight to the shore of Mezro, where our heroes can reunite with the rest of the party, confront Xandala and force her to tell them the truth. (Sadly, this opportunity will never arise.)

After a brief and uneventful cruise under the waves of the Olung River, our party surfaces on the beach in front of an enormous ruin. This is all that remains of the great city of Mezro. An outer ring of rubble, tells of a large circular wall that once encompassed this massive mecca. Remnants of a gate lead into the city from the beach. And hints of a wide boulevard lead straight into the heart of the abandoned city. There is no sign of the rest of their group, but it is very likely that our heroes arrived here before they did. Our heroes smell the faint smoke of a campfire, but they fail to discern where it is coming from. They hope it is their allies, but it is not, as they’ll find out soon enough. Without a clue as to what they are looking for, the group brazenly walks down the main boulevard toward their destiny.

As the group heads toward the center of town, a few things are readily apparent. The city was once over two miles in diameter, or about sixteen times as large as Port Nyanzaru. These wide boulevards seem to divide the city into four equal quarters. In its current state, it is impossible to tell what each section was used for, but the one to the right was probably agricultural since there is little evidence of any buildings on it. The last thing they realize is that despite the abundance of rubble, there isn’t enough to reflect a city the size and scale that Mezro allegedly was. There are no foundations, no structures, and except for these roads, no evidence that this was even a city. It’s as if someone dropped a bunch of rocks in a field and said, “Yeah, that looks like a ruined city.” It looks staged, and our heroes know that this is all a ruse. Sticking to the road, the ruins seem eerily empty.

Our heroes finally reach the center of town where the four boulevards meet, each one radiating out, perfectly aligned with the compass points. The streets widen to create a perfect circle in the center of Mezro. As big as it is, it still didn’t seem big enough. An enormous step pyramid was supposed to once sit here and this area is not nearly big enough to encompass something so large. At least the rubble here is sufficient enough to have once been some sort of building. A single structure remains surrounded by debris. It is a stone building about 15 feet square and on the far side there is a doorway that leads inside. The party can smell a mix of honeysuckle and ham. The party has smelled this curious scent before. Excitedly, the group bursts into the room…

Only to comes face to face with two serious and determined warriors with their weapons drawn in challenge to our heroes. They were a decidedly odd duo. One is a surprisingly squat, barely 4 feet tall, biped that was equal parts lizard, dragon, and human and yet none of those things at the same time. Its size and appearance are almost comical. But what isn’t funny is the massive greatsword it wields deftly in its hands. The sword was taller than the thing holding it, yet you can tell that this thing knows how to use it. More ominously, the sword glows with a divine light. This creature now has an unmistakable scent of smoke and violets and his face reflects a curious mix of fear for and devotion to the man standing next to it.

In contrast to this strange and enigmatic creature, the man is plain in comparison. Of average height and build with hazel eyes, ruddy brown hair, and unremarkable features, there is nothing distinctive about the man except for one thing: a slight hint of frost that seems to preternaturally cling to his clothes and hair. He holds a strange curved dagger in his hand and his face belies a weary expression, as if he bears the weight of the world on his shoulders. Despite his haggard appearance, you recognize him immediately from his wanted poster. This is Artus Cimber.

Before our heroes can speak, he demands, “Be you friend or foe? Who are you and what are you doing here?” Before our heroes can answer, I end the session. They were dying to play more. They had finally found what they’ve been seeking for months. But the “chat” with Mainu took way longer than I anticipated, and I was tired. It felt weird having a session with zero combat, but that’s okay, everyone was engaged with the roleplay. Plus, I know what’s coming next. It is a doozy that will take up an entire 4-hour session. We just can’t start this now. But now my players have a week to think about what they want to ask the most anticipated NPC aside from the villain, and we just got his whole story. Always leave ‘em wanting more.

Next week, It’s the Battle of Ten Armies, with new friends, new enemies, betrayal, salvation, and we nearly break the campaign.

As always, remember to subvert expectations and Game On!

To Ras Nsi, he is the hero and you are the villains he’s trying to stop. – Mainu, Queen of the Deep, dropping some morality bombs on our “heroes”.

Don’t forget to check out my Tomb of Annihilation Resources Page, filled with all the stuff I use to make this epic campaign even more epicier: My full Campaign Diary, plus Handouts, Maps, Charts, PDFs, Images, and more to use, abuse, or ignore at your peril.

And written specifically for this adventure, read my Explorer’s Guide to Chult to delve into all the legands, lore, history, religion, and culture that I used to bring even more life to this adventure.