Intro to Stormwreck Isle

Dragons of Stormwreck Isle is your gateway to action-packed adventures in the

cooperative storytelling game Dungeons & Dragons! Get a taste of the adventure right
now with “Voyage to Stormwreck Isle” and “Drowned Sailors”.

In addition, you’ll find five ready-to-play characters and a curated list of spells and their
descriptions for the magic users in the party.

Don’t worry if you haven’t played D&D before. This is a great place to start! To learn to
run it, watch the “Encounter Walk-Through: Drowned Sailors” video on playdnd.com—the
video explains everything you need to know. You can find plenty of other tools for both
players and Dungeon Masters at playdnd.com as well.

Overview
A D&D adventure is a collection of locations, quests, and challenges that inspire you to
tell a story. The outcome of that story is determined by the actions and decisions of the
player characters—and the luck of the dice.

Dragons of Stormwreck Isle draws the characters into the midst of an ancient war
among dragons as they explore an island that has long been a battlefield in that
conflict.

Adventure Background
The origin of Dragon’s Rest is rooted in the ancient conflict between the good metallic
dragons—gold, silver, bronze, brass, and copper—and the evil chromatic dragons—red,
blue, green, black, and white. Ages ago, metallic dragons imprisoned a rampaging red
dragon beneath the ocean floor. But the red dragon’s fury caused the undersea volcanic
activity that formed Stormwreck Isle, the island on which Dragon’s Rest stands.
MIKE SCHLEY

MAP: STORMWRECK ISLE

The imprisoned dragon’s powerful magic has left a permanent mark on Stormwreck
Isle. That magic draws other dragons to the island, making it a recurring battlefield. The
spiritual scars of dragons who have died there give rise to monsters and unpredictable
magic—and this is where the adventure begins!
Premade Characters
Dwarf Cleric
You trained as a soldier on the island of Mintarn and joined a mercenary company. You
traveled to the city of Neverwinter with your company to serve in both the army and city
watch. Over time, you grew disillusioned with many of your fellow soldiers. They
seemed to enjoy their authority at the expense of the people they’re supposed to
protect.

Recently you’ve had dreams of a shadow creeping across the sea like a shroud,
swallowing an island in darkness. Though you dismissed the dreams at first, you began
to hear a voice calling you to stand against death’s endless hunger. Certain of your
deity’s wishes, you resigned your post and set out on your quest.

Personal Goal: Banish a Shadow of Death. Researching images from your dreams
pointed you to Stormwreck Isle, not far from Neverwinter. A remote cloister there holds
a temple to the dragon god Bahamut, who is a patron of heroes and a champion of
justice. Someone at the cloister may hold the key to the impending doom your deity
wishes you to avert.
Elf Fighter
Your parents lived in the prosperous village of Thundertree, east of the city of
Neverwinter and at the edge of the Neverwinter Wood. But when nearby Mount Hotenow
erupted thirty years ago, your parents fled, perhaps carrying you in your infancy
(depending on how old you are). Your family drifted from village to village around the
region, finding work as laborers where they could.

You’ve spent the last few years in Neverwinter as a carpenter working at the city’s
bustling docks. But it’s clear to you and everyone around you that you are destined for
much more. You stood up to an abusive ship captain once, so other dockworkers look
up to you. Someday, you’ll come into your own. You’ll be a hero.

Personal Goal: Determine Your Destiny. In the remote cloister of Dragon’s Rest lives an
old sage who is supposed to possess great wisdom—or possibly supernatural insight.
The cloister holds a temple to the dragon god Bahamut, who is a patron of heroes and a
champion of justice. Maybe Elder Runara can help you determine exactly what your
heroic destiny is and set you on the right path to fulfill it, so you can become the hero
you know you’re meant to be.
Elf Wizard
Your parents identified your magical talent early in your long elven life and arranged for
you to be apprenticed to a kindly wizard in the city of Neverwinter. You excelled at your
studies and forged friendships and rivalries with other apprentices. You always had a
particular knack for wielding flashy, energetic forces, and you focused your study on the
school of evocation.

After graduating from your apprenticeship, you and your peers went your separate ways
to focus on your own studies. Recently, you received a letter from one of your
colleagues, pointing you toward a source of lost knowledge. Shortly after the letter
arrived, you learned tragic news: your friend died under mysterious circumstances.

Personal Goal: Discover Lost Knowledge. The letter spoke of an arcane observatory built
on a nearby island by wizards long gone, and it hinted at powerful magic hidden there. A
small cloister known as Dragon’s Rest also resides on the island. The caretaker of the
cloister’s temple to the dragon god Bahamut, who is a patron of heroes and a champion
of justice, must have information regarding the observatory. This Elder Runara can set
you on the path to discovering the knowledge your friend never found.
Halfling Rogue
You fell in with a thieves’ guild called the Gilded Gallows at an early age. The guild has
prospered in recent years, and its influence is spreading across the Sword Coast. You
followed that expansion, hoping to find your fortune in the city of Neverwinter.
Fortunes in Neverwinter have been fair but not the fast riches you hoped for. You heard
a story from a smuggler about a high-ranking member of the Gilded Gallows who turned
traitor, killed their partner, and fled with a sovereign’s ransom in treasure. Thanks to
details you’ve picked up here and there that corroborate the story, you’re certain it’s
more than just a rumor.

Personal Goal: Find the Lost Fortune. Whoever that Gilder was who skipped out with the
gold, they’ve covered their tracks well. The trail went cold in Neverwinter, but recently
you’ve learned of a remote island cloister called Dragon’s Rest. The cloister holds a
temple to the dragon god Bahamut, who is a patron of heroes and a champion of
justice. There is also a community of hermits who live there now, the perfect place to
hide for someone wishing to escape their past. If that treasure’s there, you’ll find it.
Human Paladin
Your family is no stranger to wealth, power, and privilege. In the glory days of
Neverwinter, your parents ruled the county of Corlinn Hill, located in the hills northeast
of the city. But Mount Hotenow erupted thirty years ago, devastating Neverwinter and
erasing Corlinn Hill. Instead of growing up on an estate, you were raised in a small
townhouse in Waterdeep. As an adult, you stand to inherit only a title.

Since swearing your oath to Bahamut, you’ve returned to Neverwinter and have been a
champion to those who are overlooked by the institutions that exist to protect them.
Recently, your resolve has been shaken by corruption in the city guard and ruling
aristocrats.

Personal Goal: Rejuvenating Pilgrimage. Seeking to reinvigorate your resolve, you

learned of a remote cloister, Dragon’s Rest, on a tiny island. The cloister holds a temple
to the dragon god Bahamut. You feel drawn to contemplate your place in the world
there.
Voyage to Stormwreck Isle
LINDA LITHÉN

Before play starts, introduce yourself and welcome the players:

Hi everyone. I’m going to be running you through a quick demo on how to play D&D. I’m the
Dungeon Master, so it’s my job to tell you what’s happening in the world around you and rolling
any dice for the monster. You’re playing the heroes!

Read this text to set the scene:

Your journey has been smooth sailing so far. You left the bustling port of Neverwinter a few
days ago, heading for an island with the foreboding name of Stormwreck Isle. But you woke this
morning to a blood-red sunrise, and dark clouds overhead threaten a violent storm.

Show the players the illustration of their ship at sea.

As lightning flashes across the sky, a monster hauls itself up onto the deck!

Show the players the illustration of the merrow and adopt a different voice for it. You
can use any voice you like, but try to sound intimidating! Read this text in the merrow’s
voice:

“These waters belong to the Scaled Queen. I’m here to collect her tribute.”
Explaining the Game
Read or paraphrase this boxed text:

I’ve just told you the situation you’re in. What happens next is up to you. You’re all trained for
combat, so if you want to fight this monster, which is called a merrow, I can help you do that.
But you can also try to negotiate with the merrow, or trick it, or anything else you can imagine.

Just about anything you can think of to try will require some combination of skill, natural ability,
and luck to pull off. And the D&D game represents that by having you roll one of these 20-sided
dice and add a number from your sheet. So… what do you want to do?

Run the Encounter

Let the players take the lead! They can try anything they can imagine.

Encourage the players to tell you their ideas. Ask them to let you know what they are
thinking, and then run with it!

Whatever the characters try and whatever their die rolls indicate, use vivid descriptions
to keep things exciting.

Here are some of the most likely approaches.

Negotiate with the Merrow

The players might agree to pay tribute to the Scaled Queen. The merrow initially
demands a payment of 400 gold pieces (gp) or its equivalent in goods. This is the value
of all the goods in the hold. The characters can use Charisma checks
(applying Persuasion, Intimidation, or perhaps Deception skills, as appropriate) to get it
to accept a lower amount; each successful DC 15 check reduces the amount he asks
for by 100 gp.

If the players ask about the Scaled Queen, the merrow says that she is a huge, two-
headed merrow who carries the special blessing of the Prince of Demons, Demogorgon.

Attack the Merrow

Lots of players will attack first. Other players will decide their characters attack if other
approaches fail. When a player decides that their character attacks, their character acts
first in combat. Then play passes to the right. Take the merrow’s turn when it passes
around to you.

On each player’s turn, talk through the different actions their character can take, such as
attacking with weapons and casting spells. Explain the character’s different weapons
and spell attacks.

This merrow looks fearsome but doesn't present too much of a threat to the characters.
They should be able to defeat it in 1–2 rounds.
MERROW EXTORTIONIST
Large Monstrosity, Typically Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 30 (4d10 + 8)

Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR
16 (+3)
DEX
10 (+0)
CON
15 (+2)
INT
8 (−1)
WIS
10 (+0)
CHA
9 (−1)
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10

Languages Abyssal, Aquan, Common

Challenge 1 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

Amphibious. The merrow can breathe air and water.

Actions

Multiattack. The merrow makes two Rend attacks.

Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Shenanigans
The players might think of creative ideas for dealing with the merrow:

• Can I roll a barrel to push the merrow overboard?

• Can I drop a sail on it so it can't see?

• Can I persuade the crew to rush it?

• Can I...

Whatever the players ask, the answer should (almost) always be something like, “You
can try!” If a character has a specific spell or ability that will let them accomplish what
they want to do, help the player use that spell or ability. Otherwise, ask the player to
make a ability check that's appropriate to their character's tactics, such as a Strength
(Athletics) check for trying to roll the barrel at the merrow, a Dexterity check to fling a
sail over it, or a Charisma (Intimidation) check to convince it that the crew is about to
attack.

Wrap Up
When the characters have dealt with the merrow, one way or another, read this text to
wrap up:

With a splash, the merrow disappears into the ocean deeps and the ship continues on its way. The
sailors raise a cheer, and the storm brewing overhead seems not quite so threatening now.

And that brings us to the end of your first taste of adventure.

Welcome to Dragon’s Rest

The adventure continues at a tiny cloister on Stormwreck Isle called Dragon’s Rest, a
haven where world-weary people come to seek peace, reconciliation, and
enlightenment. There, the characters learn about the dangers facing Stormwreck Isle.

Each character has a specific reason for coming to the cloister, as shown on the
character sheets. You can also let players invent their own reasons for their characters
to seek out the wisdom and assistance of Elder Runara, who runs the cloister.

Read the following text when you’re ready to start:

Stormwreck Isle—now visible off the bow—promises rare wonders. Seaweed shimmers in
countless brilliant colors below you, and rays of sunlight defy the overcast sky to illuminate the
lush grass and dark basalt rock of the island. Avoiding the rocks jutting up from the ocean, your
ship makes its way toward a calm harbor on the island’s north side.

A large, open-air temple comes into view, perched on the edge of a cliff high above you. The
ship drops anchor at the mouth of the harbor, and two sailors row you ashore. You have plenty of
time to admire the towering statue at the center of the temple, depicting a wizened man
surrounded by seven songbirds. A long path winds up the side of the cliff to the temple, dotted
along the way with doorways cut into the rock.
The sailors set you ashore on a rickety dock, where a large rowboat is neatly tied. They point to
the base of the path and wish you good luck before they row back to the ship. Your visit to
Dragon’s Rest begins!
Before continuing with the adventure, encourage the players to introduce their
characters to each other if they haven’t done so already. They might want to discuss
their reasons for visiting Dragon’s Rest, or they might prefer to keep their reasons secret
for now.

Ask the players to give you the party’s marching order as they start toward the cloister.
Who’s in front, and who’s bringing up the rear? Make a note of this marching order.

When you’re ready, continue with the “Drowned Sailors” section.

Drowned Sailors
Read the following text to start the encounter:

As you’re about to leave the beach and start your climb, you hear a ruckus of splashing and a
wet, gurgling moan behind you. Three figures are shambling up from the water’s edge, about
thirty feet away. They’re dressed as sailors, but their skin is gray and they look drowned. Sea
water drools from their slack mouths as they lurch toward you.

The three shambling sailors are zombies, the animated corpses of sailors who died in a
recent shipwreck. The characters face a choice: they can turn and fight the zombies, or
they can continue up the path and leave the slow, shambling zombies behind.

If the characters turn and fight, this is the first combat encounter in the adventure. Here
are the steps you should follow to run it:

1. Review the zombie stat block below.

2. Use the initiative rules to determine who acts first, second, third, and so on. Keep
track of everyone’s initiative count on your notepad.

3. On the zombies’ initiative count, they move toward the characters. If they get close
enough, they make melee attacks. The zombies’ stat block contains the information
you need to resolve these attacks.

4. On each character’s initiative count, the character can choose from the actions on
their character sheet.

5. The zombies fight until they’re all defeated.

Tip: Undead Fortitude. The zombies’ Undead Fortitude trait reflects how hard it is to kill
these walking corpses. When this trait prevents a zombie from dying, give the players a
hint about what happened. You might say, “That should have finished the creature off,
but it refuses to stop moving!” On the flip side, any time a zombie takes radiant
damage (such as from the cleric’s sacred flame cantrip), you might describe the
creature howling in agony. This can help the players realize that radiant damage is a
way to get around Undead Fortitude. If the players ask whether their characters know
anything about fighting zombies, have them make DC 10 Intelligence checks. Those
who succeed might recall that a particularly powerful blow (a critical hit) or radiant
damage can help finish off a zombie.

Runara’s Aid. In the unlikely event that the zombies defeat the adventurers, Elder Runara
comes to their rescue. The characters wake up in a temple in Dragon’s Rest. Runara
explains that she heard the sounds of combat and arrived just in time to prevent the
zombies from dragging the characters into the sea.

Avoiding the Zombies. If the characters are faring poorly against the zombies or decide
not to fight them, the characters can easily escape from the slow, shambling monsters.
The zombies don’t follow them up the path toward Dragon’s Rest.
ZOMBIE
Medium Undead, Typically Neutral Evil

Armor Class 8

Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9)

Speed 20 ft.

STR
13 (+1)
DEX
6 (−2)
CON
16 (+3)
INT
3 (−4)
WIS
6 (−2)
CHA
5 (−3)
Saving Throws Wis +0

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8

Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speak

Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it makes a Constitution saving throw
with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success,
the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.

Unusual Nature. The zombie doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Actions

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
There’s More To Explore!
Continue the story with the D&D Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle, which is
available now! The boxed set contains the essential rules of the game plus everything
you need to play heroic characters caught up in an ancient war among dragons as they
explore the secrets of Stormwreck Isle. Get ready for hours of epic adventure!

Find additional tips, tools, and video walk-throughs to help you get started
at playdnd.com.
Credits
Lead Designer: James Wyatt

Designers: Sydney Adams, Makenzie De Armas, Dan Dillon

Rules Developers: Jeremy Crawford, Ben Petrisor

Art Director: Kate Irwin

Graphic Designers: Matt Cole, Bob Jordan, Trish Yochum

Cover Illustrator: Karl Kopinski

Cartographer: Mike Schley

Interior Illustrators: Conceptopolis, Linda Lithén, Jenn Ravenna

Character Sheet Illustrators: Richard Whitters, Shawn Wood

Editors: Judy Bauer, Michele Carter

Product Manager: Natalie Egan

Producer: Rob Hawkey

D&D Beyond Product Manager: Jeff Turriff

D&D Beyond Digital Design Team: Jay Jani, Adam Walton, Sean Stoves