Lair Assault - Temple of the Sky God

Lair Assault is designed to challenge the most experienced and hard-core D&D players and hopefully season 6 will live up to that reputation. The gimmick this time around is that most of the adventure takes place in the air with the adventurers on the backs of flying mounts. Players who think they’re the best at D&D now have to demonstrate that mounted combat in three dimensions is something they can handle otherwise they’re in for a shock to the system and a TPK.
Lair Assault is part of Wizard of the Coast’s public play program. It’s the Top Gun of D&D where the best of the best can demonstrate just how good they are at the combat and tactical side of the game. Role-playing is practically non-existent in these adventures but that’s by design. In this case the DM is actively trying to kill the PCs. For once it really is DM vs. players.

The Challenge

High above the town of Arabel in Cormyr is a floating temple. An oracle known as the “Voice of the Wind” is said to reside there. The faithful travel to the temple by climbing to the top of nearby Windspire peak and then taking one of the flying mounts into the sky.
In recent months travelers venturing to the floating temple have not returned. The sky around the temple has become red and people who have climbed the mountain have heard howls on the wind. A local priest has grown concerned and requested you to investigate. You have been told that when you reach the top of the Windspire peak you must choose a flying mount to take you to the temple. The temple floats 5,000 feet above the earth and is concealed by the clouds. No one knows what to expect as the mounts breach the cloud-cover and arrive at the temple.

Character Creation Tips

This time around you, the adventurers, are level 7. There are absolutely no restrictions on race or class this time around. Many people may automatically think that playing a Pixie will give them a huge advantage. I’ll admit that flying is certainly helpful, but remember that a Pixie must end their turn on solid ground or 1 square above solid ground. The lair is 5,000 ft up so this essentially nerfs the Pixie’s flying advantage in most circumstances. Weigh all your options before choosing a Pixie.

The rules for equipping your characters follow the same guidelines from the DMG as the previous Lair Assaults. You get one item level 8 or lower, one item level 7 or lower, one item level 6 or lower and 1,800 gp to spend as you see fit. You can still only have a maximum of two consumables (level 7 or lower) and only one item you possess can be rare. You cannot cast rituals before or during this adventure.

You can use Fortune Cards if you want to. If you do it’s important to note that they’ve made some changes to how you can construct your deck. The deck must contain 10 cards; no more, no less. You can have up to 4 copies of the same card in your deck. This is a really big change.

The Mounts

Since the lair you’re assaulting is high in the sky your characters need a way to get up there and stay up there. The solution is that everyone gets a level 7 mount. Your DM will have 8 special mount cards. Your group may choose to review the cards and then choose your mount or your group may decide to be handed a random mount. The mounts not given out will remain back in the stable. The mounts also have a few of their own rules which players will need to become familiar with before play.

• No attacks – The mounts do not make attacks. This preserves the balance of the adventure and keeps the focus on the PCs and not the creatures they’re riding.
• Legendary traits – Each mount has a trait that it bestows upon its rider. The traits are described on the mount cards for easy access.
• Aerial rescue – All of the mounts have an encounter power that they can use once to rescue a falling PC.
• Movement - While mounted the PC uses the mounts move speed, but it requires the PC to expend a move action to do so.

(This review was mainly written by D. Myers with minor changes made.)

Please try to arrive by at least 6:00 PM. We will be trying to start as soon after 6:00 PM as possible. You are of course welcome to join in when you get here and I'm sure many will be happy to have more help arrive that is fresh and at full hit points.