D&D 5E: Tomb of Annihilation Irl

The talk of the streets and taverns has all been about the so-called death curse: a wasting disease afflicting everyone who’s ever been raised from the dead. Victims grow thinner and weaker each day, slowly but steadily sliding toward the death they once denied.

When they finally succumb, they can’t be raised—and neither can anyone else, regardless of whether they’ve ever received that miracle in the past. Temples and scholars of divine magic are at a loss to explain a curse that has affected the entire region, and possibly the entire world.

The cause is a necromantic artifact called the Soulmonger, which is located somewhere in Chult, a mysterious peninsula far to the south, ringed with mountains and choked with rainforests.

Characters
Kyle - Erg, the Fighter Grung

Cody - Klink, the Rogue Kenku

Milton - Dolen, the Wizard Changeling

Carolyn - Drusilia, the Barbarian Wood Elf

Diedre - Zimiri, the Arcane Cleric Aasimar

Joe - Ari, the Druid Gnome

About the Game and Adventure Notes (Contains Possible Spoilers)
This is a game I, Shotte, ran at home with friends. We played once monthly up until this past month due to people moving away and schedule conflicts. The game ran with a total of 5 players as they crawled through the jungle of Chult.

Session 1

Four individuals: Klink, Ari, Dolen, and Erg were contacted by a mysterious benefactor, Syndra Silvane, to take on a quest to find and destroy a powerful, dark artifact known as The Soulmonger. Upon arriving in the bustling city of Port Nyanzaru the group runs into a half-orc named UndrilSilvertusk. She bashfully asks them if they will escort her to Camp Vengeance in exchange for any help they will face in the Jungle. They then meet an elderly woman, Eku, whom they saw a post as a guide into the jungle in hopes to hire her for their expedition. While talking to her she offers to wave her fee so long as the group promises her to help take care of a wicked woman by the name of Nanny Pu'Pu. The group agrees as Eku then walks away to gather the funds needed to hire her for the group for promising this task. While out doing some shopping a man bumps into them in tears and asks for help to save his husband who was wrongfully accused. He is to be executed publically in the dinosaur pit. The group promises to help the man by distracting the guards near the pit and killing off the velociraptors and stealing the husband off without the guards notice. They then go to take a well deserved rest in Kaya's Inn where they have earned a discount so long as the group's wizard, Dolen Karrink, puts on a show with his magic each night of stay.

Session 2

Waking up to a scrumptious meal made by Kaya and her staff the group sits and talks of the day of departure and what they will need. They ask Undril to get prepared for the journey and she goes off, with a little bit of force, into the city to seek supplies. Then, a horn bellows. This horn signals that the city is under attack by the undead within the jungle. Kaya insists that they go help the men of the city at Malar's Throat, the wall that sees the most attacks of all. The party then rushes off to help fight against the invasion. As they get there the outer city not protected by the wall is being swarmed by vicious undead. Some civilians do not make it to the gate in time. As the party entered the fray a newcomer, Drusilia the barbarian elf, smashes into frame. As she penetrates the undead with her trident that shines with holy light the other send volleys of magic missiles, vines, crossbow bolts and a clang of swords they eventually fend off the onslaught of the undead attack. Now with a new friend who seems to have received the same quest from Syndra days before, Drusilia joins the others to seek out this Soulmonger. The group then meets with Eku and Undril later as they then set out off one of the nearby rivers, as it is the most direct path to Camp Vengeance.

While rowing down the river the group runs across a group of Dimetrodons. Ari gets excited and asks to get close to touch one in hopes to learn how to Wild Shape into it. The group reluctantly agrees as he then talks to the very calm and nice Dimetrodon. Back on the river Erg breaks out his bagpies and begins to play..poorly. This attracts flying monkeys which manage to steal one of Undrils Potions of Healing, Klink's Disguise Kit, and Drusilia's bedroll. They then discover that Eku knows these monkeys belong to Nanny Pu'Pu.

As they settle for the night they are approached by a group of Zhentarim scouts, who ask to share the camp with them. However, with Ari's knowledge of the faction he advises they go elsewhere. They leave, but now with the suspicion of the scouts. At the new camp Eku decides to ask Drusilia, a new person to her, some questions. Once they find out they have a similar task Eku is put at ease and calls it a night. That night, Drusilia in her trance state enters a new place than usual. She enters an area with a zigguraut surrounded by beautiful flowers and a crumbling structure. A small black creature with a white ,tribal mask walks by her and notions her to follow. Stepping forth on the steps she steps on a thorn which then wakes her from her trance.

Session 3

The next morning Eku realizes she had lead the party down the wrong tributary and they must make their way back up the river, taking half the day. Ari notices a school of quippers swimming along side the boat, which he is eager to touch. Eku advises against touching these dangerous fish, as do the rest. Ari attempts to grab one anyway but misses and pulls his hand out just in time. Upon reaching the fork from before they go down the correct path. While floating down this path they see ashore a small statue of a Chultan King. Ari discovers that this was in fact a representation of Ubtao, patron god to Chult. Klink searches the base to find an ornate spyglass, which the kenku quickly grabs. Hoping it holds some magic he asks, but keeps hold of the entire time, Dolen to perform a detect magic on. He finds that the spyglass is simply just that. But he learns that the rings which Klink stole from a mansion weeks before contain magic.

Finding camp for the night, Drusilia searches for any dangers in the trees only to discover a large constrictor snake sitting in the tree tops. Ari attempts to talk to the snake but learns it hungers for food then strikes. With a quick tussle, Klink from the boat aims and fire a bolt right into the snake's head killing it instantly. He then takes the remainders of the snakes head and skull as a trophy. Drusilia then notions that dinner is snake steak for the night. As night comes Klink and Drusilia keep watch together and come across huge, dinosaur feathers and large three toed footprints.

The next morning the group floats down the river some more to discover the bank ferns covered in blood, burned bushes and frozen flecks. Klink uses his newfound spyglass to see that the bodies are some of the Zhentarim scouts from the other night. they keep rowing past wanting to get away from whatever caused the carnage. Another fork comes and Eku decides to head away from the Mistcliffs, however, it brings them to a dead. After a few minutes of accusing Eku for drinking fermented coconut juice the group decides to cut through the small thicket of the jungle to reach the main river. Ari scouts ahead as a deer as the others carry the canoe through the jungle. Ari then finds a group of starving and dehydrated explorers. One of the explorers see the deer as possible food and chucks a spear at Ari, causing him to transform back into his true form.

Ari then introduces himself to the group leader, Moltyn, the Triton merchant. She asks for aide then Ari leaves to fetch his allies to help the lost group. They reach the group and agree to help then but they need to make camp by the river edge. The group follows them and makes camp. That night as Erg and Drusilia talks a cloud of pink, fuzzy, proboscis creatures rain from the trees and attach themselves to Erg and Drusilia. Finally ridding the pests the group finds solace in the night once more.

Session 4

As the group prepared to depart Ari decided that he would rather see the safety of the merchant group back to the city. After their goodbyes, they set off back on the river. As they continued down the river they carefully watched Eku sipping her "coco juice" and talked of what to do next. While talking, a giant crocodile lurked and surfaced behind the boat, snapping its massive jaws at it. Eventually capsizing the canoe, the party fought for their lives in the water. The crocodile proved to be a worthy opponent in its favored environment. With Dolen thinking fast sends a cloud of daggers that swarm the river slashing the crocodile, ending the struggle the group had. However, the canoe did not survive the attack. The group was now on foot. Dolen sends his familiar hawk out to scout for a good place to sleep. They find a fire in the jungle that seems to be conforting the Zhentarim group they had once left in the cold. Upon stumbling on the Zhent camp they Zhent go on the defensive. Drusilia, Eku and Dolen talk to them to calm them, the Zhent realize it is the adventurers from before. This time, however, the Zhent are much lower in numbers and very bloodied and bruised.

While camping with the Zhentarim, they ask the party if they know of a man known as Artuc Cimber. The group does not and the Zhent go on to tell them of his nefarious deeds. The Zhent scouts are on a mission to find this man to justice and bring back the artifact he stole, the Ring of Winter. They promise the party if they find him or have any information on this man to send him or the info to Fort Belaurian, where they are based. The leader, Piersym, gifts the party as a thank you for the healing and company with a some gold and a potion. Meanwhile Klink sees a flicker of light in the woods and seeks it out. It turns out to be his own jewels being stolen by a small black creature with a white, tribal mask. In exchange he gives the creature a jewel as the creature bestows a ball of light that envelopes Klink with some magical energy.

The next day while walking down the river they find something very odd, snow. They see that the snow falls in a spherical radius. Upon studying this phenomenon Dolen rules it to be about a powerful spell known as ''Winterscape. ''They venture through the winter wonderland to find a small abandoned campsite with large apelike bodies lying about. Rooting around they find a small assortment of items they could use. However, they stayed too long as the large bodies arise. The girallon zombies attack the group. Klink soaks one ape in oil as Dolen sets it ablaze killing it and a radiant strike from Drusilia's blade obliterates the other. They switfly leave as they see other bodies lying about burning any other that remain.

They make it out of the Winterscape quickly and find themselves back in the forest they became accustomed to. Night drew near as they looked for a place to camp. They walked further and stumbled upon huts and walkways built into the treetops. Small koala like creatures stand by the rails and snarl at the party. Out of nowhere they hear a woman cry from the top, "Help me please! Get me out of here!"

Session 5

After hearing the cry of the woman they party springs into action looking for a way up. The Zorbo tribe growls and snarls as they signal a pully to be drawn. This lets out on the ground floor two owlbears. The owlbears attack the party as Zimiri, the woman in the hut, finds the energy to get up and run. Letting out a radiant light from her being she bursts with energy that burns those nearby. Felling the owlbears the group slowly makes their ascent on the ladders to the wooden floors above. Dolen lets out a cloud of daggers that halt the Zorbo and hurting them as well. Zimiri, finds no other way down and jumps off the side of the railing. Finally killing the tribe of Zorbo, Zimiri introduces herself. She was one of the parties that Syndra had sent out months before to seek the Soulmonger. Her party had come across the empty huts and sought refuge from the rain. This was a fatal mistake as the Zorbo ambushed the group in their exhausted slumber. Making meals of her party, where she was surely next. thanking them for saving her she gave them her allies supplies and items as they could serve the group purpose they couldn't before. Giving off a prayer to her fallen comrades she bid a farewell to their graves and went with the new group to seek this unholy artifact.

A few days pass as the rain thickens. They swap info of the quest at hand and stories from their past and plans for the future. Comforting Zimiri for her lost comrades they attempt to show her a warm welcome into the cohort. Seeking some shelter from the rain at the behest of Eku, they find a small cavern. From it they manage to escape from the rainstorm. However, they are not alone in the cave. A voice echoes from the depths as a light is shone upon a man mid transformation into a Wereboar. They defend themselves as he surrenders. He pleas for mercy, however, with the war hardened Drusilia she strikes him down saying he will attack them while their backs are turned. They explore the alcove a little more to find two old chest, presumably the man's and what he had as belongings. Opening one chest they find a vial of serpent venom. Opening the other they find it opens back and bites. This chest shows its true form and attacks the group. They make quick work of it ending its life. They rest in the cave for the night as they hear the story of the man and the Crocodile from Eku.

Morning comes and the rain has let up only very slightly. With a deep sigh Eku says they must push on regardless if the rain. Many days pass as the rain pelts them to exhaustion. Though they finally reach the first stop they had planned when they lost their canoe, Camp Righteous.