TM Contents FEATURES 5 HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVANTS By Robert J. Schwalb 13 Chromatic dragons aren’t the only servants of Tiamat. 13 RIVEN JUSTICE: THE MERCYKILLERS By Robert J. Schwalb The Mercykillers return to D&D, complete with information on how your character can join their ranks. 25 LORDS OF CHAOS: MUAL-TAR By James WyattSample file 25 A new recurring feature that introduces new primordials premieres with Mual-Tar, the chained serpent featured on this issue’s cover. 35 REGIONS OF THE REALMS By Chris Tulach Whether you’re playing a Living FR campaign or not, you’ll want to take a look at these regionally inspired extras for your character. 40 BESTIARY: MONSTERS OF THE 35 DEMONWEB By Logan Bonner New monsters fresh from the newest D&D Miniatures release, presented here for inclusion in your campaign. 40 COLUMNS 4 EDITORIAL 58 CONFESSIONS OF A FULL-TIME WIZARD By Shelly Mazzanoble 50 DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT: COSMOLOGY Shelly ponders what she’d like to give the players in her By Richard Baker and James Wyatt group … and what Tabitha would like to give her fellow Rich and James discuss how the cosmology of D&D evolved aventurers. with the design of 4th Edition. 62 RPGA REPORT 53 ROLL VS. ROLE: HARBINGER OF By Chris Tulach YULE-TIDE WOE The Living FR campaign is in full swing. Learn more By Chris Sims about how to get involved! A special holiday Roll vs. Role! Some dragons stock their hordes through subtle means. Some take a more active role in their 64 AMPERSAND plundering. By Bill Slavicsek Bill previews more of the druid, and looks further ahead to another 2009 release. Sample file ON THE COVER Illustration by JP Targete 53 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, FORGOTTEN REALMS, EBERRON, DUNGEON, DRAGON, d20, d20 System, Wizards of the Coast, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., in the U.S.A. and other countries. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental. Printed in the U.S.A. ©2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission. For more DUNGEONS & DRAGONS articles, adventures, and information, visit www.wizards. com/dnd TM EDITORIAL 370 DRAGON December 2008 Ze Planes! Ze Planes! Editor-in-Chief Chris Youngs Senior Art Director Stacy Longstreet, Jon Schindehette I’m so excited, I can hardly stand it. I might sound like memorable. I decided it needed a giant pool in the Web Specialist Chris Sims a shill this month, but I’m genuinely not trying to. It’s middle, which had a connection to the Elemental Web Production Bart Carroll, Steve Winter just that this month, my favorite book of all comes out: Plane of Water (in 4th Edition terms, a connection Manual of the Planes. to a region of water in the Elemental Chaos). As the Graphic Design Bob Jordan, Breanne Miller PCs entered the room, they had to deal with yuan-ti Contributing Authors Richard Baker, Logan Bonner, In 3rd Edition, I used this book more than any other, abominations on the shore, water-walking yuan-ti Shelly Mazzanoble, Mike Mearls, except the Player’s Handbook. I used it more than my archers darting across the pool, water weirds that Stephen Radney-MacFarland, DMG, more than my Monster Manual. That’s right. attacked when the PCs drew near the water or tried to Robert J. Schwalb, Chris Sims, I dipped into Manual of the Planes more than two of get at the archers, and best of all, gouts of super-heated Bill Slavicsek, Chris Tulach, the three core books. That’s no knock on those fine steam that would geyser up occasionally to douse the James Wyatt books—it’s just that I found more inspiration, more heroes. Good times, all around. great ideas, and more adventure potential in Manual of Developers Stephen Radney-MacFarland, the Planes than anywhere else. Using planar concepts and implementing them has Peter Schaefer, Stephen Schubert, Rodney Thompson never been easier. One of the goals of 4th Edition You see, for me, there’s just nothing more intriguing was to make the planes more accessible at all levels Editors Jennifer Clarke-Wilkes, than the possibility of worlds beyond our own. It’s one of play. That’s one of the reasons we have several Miranda Horner of the things that sets D&D apart from other fantasy recurring features in Dragon devoted to the planes. Cover Artist JP Targete properties, to me. Sure, lots of fantasy novels and other The Demonomicon of Iggwilv will continue to fea- RPGs haveSample utilized the idea that file there are multiple ture prominently in the magazine, as will the Codex Contributing Artists Rob Alexander, Ryan Barger, worlds out there, each crazier than the one before. But of Betrayal. This month, we’re introducing Lords of Eric Belisle, Wayne England, D&D took that concept and dialed it up so high, we Chaos, which will detail new primordials, beginning David Griffith, Ralph Horsley, broke the knob. with Mual-tar the Thunder Serpent. And coming soon, Howard Lyon, Jim Nelson, we’ll bring you the Court of Stars series, which will William O’Connor, Beth Trott, Back in the 2E days, we did it with Planescape, pro- detail new archfey. Eva Widermann, Eric L. William, posing infinite planes, each infinitely large. In 3E James Zhang we made that cosmology the core. And then in 4th So yes, I’m excited. I plan to spend some quality time Cartographers Rob Lazzaretti Edition, we took that concept and refined it. Rather with the Manual of the Planes in the coming weeks. than infinite planes, we have just five (well, six if you But what about you? What’s your favorite supplement Web Development Mark A. Jindra include the Far Realm), but each one of those—and of all time, in any edition? And what’s your favorite D&D Creative Manager Christopher Perkins especially the Astral Sea and the Elemental Chaos— extraplanar adventure story? Send us your favor- Executive Producer, has as much, if not more, adventure potential than ites at [email protected]. And send us your D&D Insider Ken Troop before. submissions for new articles in our planar series to [email protected]. Director of RPG R&D Bill Slavicsek Anything is possible out there in the planes. Anything! Special Thanks I remember one instance in particular. My PCs were Richard Baker, Greg Bilsland, Logan Bonner, Michele Carter, Jennifer running through a dungeon of yuan-ti cultists, and Clarke Wilkes, Andy Collins, Bruce R. Cordell, Jeremy Crawford, Rob Heinsoo, Peter Lee, Julia Martin, Mike Mearls, Kim Mohan, David I wanted to make one of their worship rooms more Noonan, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Peter Schaefer, Stephen Schubert, Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson, Rob Watkins, James Wyatt Sample file HROMATIC DRAGONS are the greatest of Tiamat’s mortal servants, but they are by no means the only ones who venerate the Her Majesty’s C Dark Lady of Avarice. This article presents new villainous servants dedicated to Tiamat, all shar- ing the same greed and evil found in the goddess’s most vile thralls. Secret Servants: Each entry includes a description of the villain; his or her background, immediate goals, and underlying motivation; and tips for incorporating the villain’s Agents of Tiamat plot into your games. None of these characters are by Robert J. Schwalb equipped with magic items, though you can add such as needed, using items from the expected treasure for illustrations by Eva Widermann encounters featuring these characters. TM & © 2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. December 2008 | DRAGON 370 5 Her Majesty’s Secret Servants Andred Wormblade leader and how the commander had cheated them edge when dealing with prospective employers to out of their fair share. Before long, Andred gathered ensure that he receives the best pay possible. “Do what you want with the prisoners, but everyone gets an a group of bitter followers who saw in the charismatic equal share of the plunder.” young officer a chance to get the revenge they craved. Values and Motivations When he felt sure he had the numbers on his side, The acquisition of wealth drives Andred. He doesn’t The Red Wyrm Company has a checkered history. Andred and a select few soldiers crept into the tents of have a particular love for coin, but he sees it as proof No one denies its military might or refutes the tactical the other officers as they slept and stabbed them with of his success. Heaps of gold and treasure show his genius of its commander. However, Andred and poisoned blades. This act of skulking treason earned worth and his skill at arms, putting tangible value on his followers despoil the battlefield after winning, Andred his moniker of Wormblade. his place in the world. Andred respects the wealthy, coloring the company’s reputation such that even With the leaders removed, Andred took charge of but only if they deserve the trappings they enjoy. desperate rulers are reluctant to sign the company on. the Red Wyrms. He declared that each member of Those who cannot hold onto their riches certainly The Red Wyrms take “to the victor go the spoils” to the company should receive an equal share of pay for don’t deserve to keep them.