Foreword - Tomb of Annihilation

Foreword. Tomb of Annihilation is a story about death and the lengths individuals go to avoid it. As is true with many D&D adventures, it's bound to be funny, not so much in the words and pictures, but in the experience of playing it. Every bad player decision, unfortunate die roll, plan gone awry, silly voice, dorky monster, and ill-timed character death has the potential to make us laugh. Like clowns in a rodeo, adventurers will often do hilarious things to survive and succeed. This adventure is much more than a deadly dungeon. To make it fun, we turned to Pendleton Ward, creator of the D&D-inspired animated series Adventure Time. Pen is a master storyteller who knows how to craft a meaningful narrative around humorous characters and trappings, and he understands that D&D players can create their own hilarity when given fun toys to play with. With Pen's help, we've tried to craft a tale filled with classic D&D tropes and odd twists that will make you and your players laugh, even as things are looking grim for the heroes. If the dancing monkey fruit doesn't do it for you, maybe the catapulting goblin village or the zombie-spewing undead tyrannosaurus will. There's also the tomb itself, which will hopefully illicit chuckles and screams of laughter with its murderous ingenuity. To our playtesters, I offer my heartfelt gratitude. You helped make Tomb of Annihilation a more fun experience for everyone. Your feedback-as brutal as any trap found herein-was tremendously valuable. Rest assured, your characters didn't die for nothing. Dramatis Personae The main members of the adventure's cast of characters are listed here in alphabetical order for easy reference. Acererak ah-SAIR-ak Archlich and evil creator of the Soulmonger Artus Cimber AR-tus SIM-ber Human explorer wearing the Ring of Winter Asharra ah-SHAR-ah Aarakocra elder at Kir Sabal Azaka Stormfang ah-ZAH-kah Weretiger guide in Port Nyanzaru Bag of Nails - Unhinged tabaxi hunter in Omu Dragonbait - Saurial palad...