Sunset is Nigh's Lair

Start-class article · First seen: s3 · Last seen: s3
Sunset is Nigh's Lair
the dragon cave · Death-at-Sunset's lair · the cave east of the grove
Portrait of Sunset is Nigh's Lair.
Location
StatusAbandoned
First seens3
Last seens3

Sunset is Nigh’s Lair is the cave system across the poisoned stream from the Corrupted Redwood Grove, where the ancient green dragon Death-at-Sunset lay dead and her wyrmling son Sunset is Nigh guarded the hoard. In session 3 the party fought through it, killed the wyrmling and a yuan-ti woman, and lost Cholmondeley, the campaign’s first player-character death, to her double bite [7]. The egg then absorbed the hoard’s essence and turned fully green [8].

Overview

Sunset is Nigh’s Lair is the cave system where the ancient green dragon Death-at-Sunset lies dead and her son, the wyrmling Sunset is Nigh, guarded her hoard. The party reached it across the poisoned stream beyond the burial mound in session 3 [6], fought through it, and lost Cholmondeley there, the campaign’s first player-character death [7]. The egg absorbed the hoard’s essence on the spot and turned fully green [8]. It was the campaign’s first dungeon.

Geography and appearance

Caelumn’s vision on the burial mound showed the dragon’s enormous corpse in an underground cave whose entrance lay across the stream [6]. From the mouth a tunnel leads down into a dank, sprawling cavern walled with dirt and twisting roots, its walls marred by enormous claw marks [9][10]. Beyond lies a vast chamber with a thin pale green fog hanging over the dragon’s skeleton [11]. While the lair was occupied the air was thick with the grove’s corruption, and the potions Gwen Homora had given the party made it feel lighter [12].

Layout

  • Cave mouth: across the poisoned stream, where the party met Armin Whisperwind; an arrow whizzed past Caelumn’s ear as a warning, and Armin chose to wait outside [13][14][15].
  • Entry cavern: the dirt-walled cavern with the claw marks, where four broken elves came out of the shadows with spears; Hugo beheaded one and the rest were driven off [9][16][17].
  • Dragon chamber: the vast chamber holding the skeleton, with movement inside its skull and the treasure visible beyond it [11][18]. Sunset is Nigh spoke from the skull here, and the main fight took place [19][20].
  • Snake pit: a pit about three feet deep beside the fight, full of hissing snakes that were not hostile [21][22][23].
  • Hoard: a small chamber piled with thousands of gems and coins, a rune-edged sword and a dead looter clutching a pistol [24].
  • Side passage of roots and vines: where creatures of twig and vine burst out as the party searched afterwards [25][26].
  • The yuan-ti woman’s room: past the snake pit, with a small desk, books and a wardrobe, and nothing of interest in it [27].

Inhabitants

Notable features

The hoard held a magnificent rune-edged sword, later identified as the Dragonslayer Longsword, and a dead looter’s pistol that Vasquez took in its place [32][33]. The lair’s magic was muted once the egg had drawn the hoard’s essence [34].

History in the campaign

Session 3: The Lair of Sunset is Nigh and the Death of Cholmondeley

Main article: Session 3

A vision on the burial mound showed Caelumn the cave across the stream, and the party crossed it protected by Gwen’s potions [6][35][13]. At the mouth Armin fired a warning arrow, was talked down on a Persuasion of 23, and stayed outside [36]. Inside, four broken elves were routed before Sunset is Nigh spoke from the skull and a yuan-ti woman joined the fight. She killed Cholmondeley with a double bite, and his last words were “I hate you all” [37]. Vasquez beheaded the wyrmling and then stabbed the yuan-ti woman in the back [28][29]. The egg absorbed the poison and the hoard’s essence [8], and the party carried Cholmondeley’s body out into a clean grove [38].

Status

As of session 23. Cleansed and abandoned. As the party left, the DM described the lair’s opening as “dark now” and “not evil, just empty” [38]. The party has not returned.

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 3, line 294-298: Cave entrance located via Caelumn's vision on the burial mound.
  2. ^ Session 3, line 490-582: Armin Whisperwind at the cave mouth.
  3. ^ Session 3, line 584-1380: The entry cavern, the dragon chamber and the fight; Cholmondeley killed by the yuan-ti woman's natural-20 double bite (L1210-1260); Vasquez beheads the wyrmling (L1290) and stabs the yuan-ti woman (L1364-1376).
  4. ^ Session 3, line 1526-1548: The egg absorbs the poison and the hoard's essence and turns fully green; the hoard.
  5. ^ Session 3, line 1662-1928: The snake pit, the side passage of roots and vines, the yuan-ti woman's room; the party leaves.
  6. ^ Session 3, line 298: Inline citation.
  7. ^ Session 3, line 1214-1260: Inline citation.
  8. ^ Session 3, line 1532-1540: Inline citation.
  9. ^ Session 3, line 584: Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 3, line 788: Inline citation.
  11. ^ Session 3, line 796: Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 3, line 350-354: Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 3, line 390-470: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 3, line 492: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 3, line 534-540: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 3, line 610-626: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 3, line 684-716: Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 3, line 854-856: Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 3, line 852: Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 3, line 908-912: Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 3, line 1086: Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 3, line 1422: Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 3, line 1670: Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 3, line 1548: Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 3, line 1784-1792: Inline citation.
  26. ^ Session 3, line 1862: Inline citation.
  27. ^ Session 3, line 1884-1916: Inline citation.
  28. ^ Session 3, line 1290: Inline citation.
  29. ^ Session 3, line 1364-1376: Inline citation.
  30. ^ Session 3, line 690: Inline citation.
  31. ^ Session 3, line 716: Inline citation.
  32. ^ Session 3, line 1548-1554: Inline citation.
  33. ^ Session 3, line 2066: Inline citation.
  34. ^ Session 3, line 1588: Inline citation.
  35. ^ Session 3, line 350: Inline citation.
  36. ^ Session 3, line 492-540: Inline citation.
  37. ^ Session 3, line 1210-1260: Inline citation.
  38. ^ Session 3, line 1928: Inline citation.