Tamatoa Lord of Lalotai, the Realm of Monsters by Anthony L. (DM Bahamut) DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. ©2017 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.

Tamatoa King of the Coconut Crabs, Tamatoa has been around for over 1000 years. In that time, he hadn't always been as glam, he was a drab little crab once. Now everyone knows he can be happy as a clam, because he's beautiful... baby. Tamatoa has become the unrefuted ruler of Lalotai, the Realm of Monsters. There, mortals bring tribute by way of crewless vessels in order to stave off attack by the other unruly denizens of the deep. But Lalotai is not just a monster hangout. Trade is also done with some of the other more-refined individuals, and if one is able to brave the dangers of being eaten alive, then they are able to discover a world of treasures. Storm Giants mingle with Aboleths while Kuo-Toa drop off their offerings in supplication. All of this watched over by the "Leviathan", a neutral Tarrasque who slowly makes his way around the outskirts of Lalotai. Tamatoa has taken it upon himself to direct the flow of treasures from one cache to the next, saving the very best shiny objects for himself. Gradually, the treasures stopped laying about haphazardly and are now permenantly affixed to his backside, making him shiny enough to make even a dragon blush. Overview Lalotai is a dungeon designed for characters from levels 12 to 14. It is meant to be a standalone and can be inserted into any campaign. To properly use this dungeon, the characters should have some vested interest in an object of legendary status. Through their research and questioning, they come to discover that Tamatoa, or another of the denizens of Lalotai, has possession of said artifact. The players must go out and search for the island of Lalotai and scale its cliffs. At the top, they will find entrance and see firsthand the wonders of Lalotai. As they avoid danger and search for their prize, they must also avoid the Leviathan, who will take it upon himself to discharge unwanted guests if they cause a disturbance. Placing an object of extreme power or wealth in the hoard of Tamatoa would be the most reasonable use of this dungeon, but it can also be used as a trading post, rescue operation, or as a place to find or purchase rare ingredients. Tamatoa takes pride in his treasures and will never part with things he possesses, unless faced with a greater treasure. He will most likely eat his adversary and take the prize for himself, so negotiations are usually for naught.

Lalotai Called Lalotai by the natives, the Realm of Monsters lies 300 miles southwest of Candlekeep just north of the Nelanther isles. Home to many monstrous creatures, it is also a site of tribute in order to keep those monsters at bay. The locals learn to pay tribute, or be at the mercy of Lalotai's members. Deep in the bowels of Lalotai lies its undisputed master, Tamatoa. A crab the size of a house, Tamatoa ate his way to the top and is thus far the unrefuted king of his home. His eagerness to be the biggest has been aided by his tumultuous appetite to be something else; beautiful. Tamatoa finds beauty in shiny things and likes to affix them to his body. Not only does this make him more durable and tough, it also attracts fish from above the Realm of Monsters to fall through into his cave, and his waiting mouth. Lalotai Entrance High above the seas off the Sword Coast lies a towering precipice. Hundreds of feet tall, it stands alone on an island that no other people call home. This is the entrance to the Realm of Monsters. Players must first locate the island, which is no small feat. Many avoid its location due to the severity of monster attacks that occur there. Once the island can be seen, roll on the following table every six hours for random encounters. Some of the encounter reactions will depend on the response from the party. If the party wants to try to swim, roll on this table every minute. It takes 5 minutes to swim to the bottom. Impress upon the party that it is ill-advised, either by the Captain telling them so, or knowing from a History check. Outside Realm Random Encounters 1d20 Encounter Type 1-8 Nothing 9 The "Leviathan", a neutral underwater Tarrasque pokes its head up, sniffs the air, then sinks back down into the water (play up the encounter) 10 1x Kraken attacks for two rounds before being scared off by the "Leviathan" (used only once) 11 1x Water Elemental that swims around the boat, toying with it 12 20x Sahuagin who sneak aboard and attack 13 1x Morkoth, who is angry at being turned away from an audience with the "Leviathan" 14 5x Kuo-Toa led by a Kuo-Toa Archpriest looking to give tribute.. in blood 15 1x Storm Giant looking to trade with the "small folk" 16 1x Hydra chasing a Sea Elf Scout 17 A school of harmless Dolphins 18 2x Chull who attack if they sense Legendary items 19 1x Archdruid Sea Elf in Dolphin form investigating Lalotai 20 1x Aboleth on its way to Lalotai with 4 slaves The Climb Once the characters have managed to navigate its feral waters, they may make land. There is plenty of beach for their vessels to rest on, but the random encounter checks do not stop. Roll again every six hours for crew that remains behind on the beach. If the characters flew, then disregard the checks. The climb to the top of this peak is harrowing. There are plenty of footholds, but the task itself is exhausting. Without climbing gear, have the players roll a Constitution saving throw versus a DC of 10 every 100 feet. Failure means they must stop and take a short rest or suffer a level of exhaustion. If the group is tied together and helping each other, the players have advantage on the roll. The climb itself is 750 feet. If a player climbs at 15 feet per turn, they will be able to climb the whole face of the peak in 50 turns, which is 5 minutes. Because the climb has enough foot and hand holds, it does not require an Athletics check. Instead, it has encounters. Also for every 100 feet, roll on the following table to determine what happens to a random player. There should be seven encounter and seven exhaustion rolls when all is said and done.

Climb Encounters 1d10 Encounter 1-5 Nothing happens 6 Player falls 1d4x10 feet unless they make a DEX save versus DC 12 (with Advantage if tied together) 7 Player becomes frozen with fear (frightened condition) at the height unless they make a WIS save versus DC 12 8 Player is struck with debris. +4 to attack with advantage (character is essentially prone), 1d10 bludgeoning damage 9 Player is accosted by seagulls; DC 15 Athletics check or fall 1d4x10 feet 10 Player finds easy route; skip next exhaustion and encounter roll The Top Once the characters have made it to the top of the peak, their next challenges will be ones of intelligence and strength. The entrance is concealed beneath a layer of sand that can only be cleared with a mighty gust of wind. Players can accomplish this by either casting a spell to remove the sand, or by taking six hours to sweep it away on their hands and knees, reduced by 30 minutes for each assisting player. Once the sand has been removed, the ancient runic face of the Realm-Keeper can be seen. Inscribed along the outside of his face are the directions needed to open the entrance. It is written in the Aquan dialect of Primordial and is one part of the puzzle. The directions say the words that are required to open the entrance, and how to physically do so. But the inflection on how to say the words can only be ascertained with a successful Intelligence check versus DC 15. Knowing how to properly pronounce the opening words, the players must now apply sufficient physical force. After saying the opening words, the players must strike the nose of the Realm-Keeper with a bludgeoning object and do at least 20 points of damage in one turn. If more than one player attempts to do so, they must both beat a Dexterity check versus DC 12 to time their attacks just right. Once the nose is struck with sufficient force, the mouth of the Realm-Keeper opens and remains open for 3 rounds. Players can see a swirling purple light far below, but cannot ascertain any details. The players must jump in if they are to enter the Realm of Monsters. Many normal people would be ill-pressed to jump blindly into a swirling vortex if they didn't know any better. Have the players make a History check versus DC 12 unless the group is already well-versed in what they are getting themselves in to. On a success, the player recalls that if you jump in, magic water will slow your descent much like a featherfall spell. Inside Lalotai Once players have made it inside the Realm of Monsters, they will find that their problems are just beginning. They have navigated their way through the treacherous waters, up the steep incline and past the Realm-Keeper, and they have just trusted their lesser judgement and jumped from what should be a 750 foot height. Now, the fun begins. The players will pass through the vortex of spinning purple-hazed water, which does not injure them when they splash into it. It pulls them lower and lower through the depths of the sea to what appears to be a bubble on the bottom of the ocean. The bubble protects a land portion of the Realm of Monsters and is where many legendary creatures find refuge. To swim to this depth outside the entrance would invite the surrounding monsters to swarm and attack any foolish enough to do so. At least this way, the players avoid being noticed directly. As the players fall through the bottom portion of the swirling vortex, they will find that they still have a good 60 feet to fall. Thankfully, the Realm has abundant means to slow ones fall. Each player may attempt three DC 12 Dexterity checks to reach out and grab vines or ropes that are strung up across the tops of the cavern. For each success, reduce the falling height by 20 feet. Welcome to Lalotai, the Realm of Monsters.

The Layout Once the players have successfully navigated and mitigated their fall, they begin play on one of the many "islands" inside the bubble. The islands are rooted to the seafloor, which is at varying height depending on where they are. From area 1, the players can see the majority of the other islands, but not what they possess. One of the islands is home to none other than Tamatoa himself. The following locations are identified on map 1. 1. Landing Strip

As you gather yourself from the long fall, you notice that you are standing on an island under the ocean. What appears to be a bubble surrounds the area, keeping the water from rushing in. High above and behind you, you can just make out the swimming silhouettes of the creatures of the deep. They swim around the bubble, and though you might not be an expert on ocean wildlife, you definitely notice an abundance of creatures just outside the protective sphere. Ahead of you lies a short bridge that ascends to a large column. From there, you can see that it continues in three other directions. You cannot see what is in each direction, but hear what sounds like a market coming from the north. The "landing area" is only 10 feet wide by 30 feet long, so there isn't much to explore here. The distance to the bottom of the sea floor is about 30 feet from here with what appears to be sand on the bottom.



























































2. Trader's Cove

As you crest the top of this bridge, a large flat area opens up before you. Huge stalls are set up along the outside, presenting a market of sorts. But there are no foodstuffs here to sell. It appears as though it is a market in exotic wares. The view here is also the most magnificent of the entire underwater abode. From here, you can see clear waters as far as the eye can see, decorated with coral and reefs. A blast of water suddenly spouts in front of you, shooting all the way up to the "roof" of the bubble and beyond. A portly half-fish, half-humanoid with a swirl of water for legs floats over to you. "Ware the spouts fellows! Oh my, what do we have here? Mortals? In Lalotai? My word! Welcome! If you've made it this far, you deserve to see the wares of Marido!" The creature is a Marid and the primary collector of treasures. He is Chaotic Good and interested in all forms of magic and exquisite items. He can show the characters to specific stalls and lead with introductions so that the proprietors don't try to eat them. This area of Lalotai is for the DM to tweak as they see fit. If you have always wanted somewhere out of the way that might not be the easiest to get to where people buy, sell and trade magic items, then this is it. Put whatever encounters and NPC's you like here, along with treasure. Marido does warn the players not to cause trouble here, or they may face the wrath of The "Leviathan"

Legend 1 square = 10 feet

Bridges are 5 feet wide

Squares with two blue circles are geysers that erupt 1 round after a creature is within 5 feet. It will blast 2 medium or one large creature up through the bubble to the surface at a time General Features The following facts about the environment are true unless otherwise noted in a specific area description. Light. Unless noted, all areas are lit by natural light from the sun, if it is daylight. Otherwise, it is dim light at night, provided by glowing algae. Ventilation. All areas contain an adequate air supply. Leviathan. This neutral Tarrasque wanders the outskirts of Lalotai and tries to quash battles by grappling troublemakers and throwing them outside the bubble. If the players begin a battle out in the open, have it roll a Perception check of DC 10 + 1 for every 10 feet away you decide it is to see if it responds. 3. Herbalist Island

As you scale the bridge to this platform, you notice that it is a lot higher than the surrounding area and it's also a lot moister. There are huge plants hanging from a central wall that circles the middle of the island, as well as other smaller plants that hang off the edges.





















































You cannot see what is past the wall, but notice in the distance another land bridge that goes up to another large island with what looks like a giant conch shell atop it. This island is aptly named. It is here that many rare herbalist items are made and grown. This is due to the over-abundance of plant life that seems to thrive underwater, where there is constant moisture and sunlight. This island is 50 feet above the seafloor. Creature. There is a huge carnivorous plant (use the Shambling Mound stats with 10 foot range attacks) hanging from each wall between areas 3 and 4. Every 10 feet possesses one of the creatures, which attacks anything that comes within 5 feet of it on either side of area 3 or 4. There are a total of 11 of these creatures, and if one begins attacking, the neighboring ones on either side of it will join the fight if they are within reach. They will not pursue characters from their wall. These creatures only respond kindly to one person, a Storm Giant that tends to the garden. He "feeds" the plants by shooting lightning into each one of them every day. He responds to any attacks against his plants from inside area 4 within 2 rounds. Development. If the characters begin attacking the Carnivorous Plants and the Storm Giant appears, they can attempt to calm him with a successful Charisma (Persuasion) check against DC 15, as long as they stop attacking his plants. Treasure. Scattered around the area are enough herbs to fill plenty of herbalist kits. A player can also find a rare herb by succeeding on a Wisdom (Nature) check against DC 18. DM's can use this area to foment rare herbs and spices that are only grown in one place.

4. Herbalist's Hovel Here is where the Storm Giant that tends to the plants in area 3 resides. In the middle of the room, adjacent to a geyser, is a table filled with numerous bottles and salves, all covered with herbs and spices. If the characters did not attack the plants in area 3 or otherwise have drawn attention to themselves, the Storm Giant will confer peacefully with them, and may even barter for some of his herbs and salves. If any of the players wanders too closely to the edge of the wall, they are apt to be attacked by the Carnivorous Plants from area 3, which also dangle over into this area. If the players attack the plants and do not stop after the Storm Giant yells at them to, then he proceeds to attack. 5. The Aviary

Coming to the crest of this bridge, you immediately notice that the ground is sticky and covered in large puddles of white and black goo. In the center of this island rests a large hole that from here appears to be filled with puddles of bubbling liquid. Steam rises from some of the puddles, and each one appears to be a different color than its neighbor. Suddenly, you hear a turbulent screeching in the air as giant, black-winged bat creatures with eight eyes swoop down on you from above! The height of the island here is 50 feet. Creatures. There is one Bat-Creature (use the Vrock stats) for every player in the party, which swoops down and attacks. They will not attack players who cower in fear or go prone. They are tasked with protecting the "Alchemy Puddles" and will do so without delay. They are also mean and evil creatures who enjoy tormenting those weaker than them, but not outright killing them. Every time a player kills or seriously injures one of the creatures, roll on the Sorcerer Wild Magic Surge table, or a table like it. As the blood of the creature strikes the ground, the Wild Magic takes effect. This will come in to play in the Treasure section. Treasure. If the players defeat the Bat-Creatures and succeed on a Wisdom (Perception) check against DC 16, they notice that the blood of the creatures seems to be sprouting random things. If they additionally succeed on a Wisdom (Survival) check against DC 18, they realize that they can harvest the blood of these creatures to create "Wild Magic" items, or just throw on the ground at their enemies. For every successful roll per creature, the player can harvest 1d4 vials of blood. If a player fails by 5 or more, the blood strikes the ground and causes a Wild Magic effect. 6. Alchemy Pools As noted above, these pools each contain some sort of alchemical potion. Whether or not the players want to attempt to determine which is which is up to them. Remember the rules for mixing potions in the DMG. Ideas for this area include bottling some rare alchemical components or finding a material needed for enchanting. Either way, whenever any of the characters scales down the short decline into the "bowl", they alert the additional curators hidden there. Creatures. Again, for every player that walks down inside the bowl of area 6, one Sloth Monster spawns from the shadowy edges of the bowl to attack. Use the Shadow Demon stats and add a Multiattack action that allows it to make 4 Claw attacks per attack action. Treasure. After the characters defeat the Sloth Monsters, they discover 1d4 potions on each slain creature's body. Roll on the following chart, or place whatever specific potions you desire. Random Potions 1d100 Potion Type 1 Elixir of Health 2 Philter of Love 3-4 Potion of Animal Friendship 5 Potion of Clairvoyance 6-7 Potion of Climbing 8 Potion of Diminution 9 Potion of Fire Breath 10 Potion of Flying 11 Potion of Gaseous Form 12 Potion of Hill Giant Strength 13 Potion of Frost/Stone Giant Strength 14 Potion of Fire Giant Strength 15 Potion of Cloud Giant Strength 16 Potion of Storm Giant Strength 17 Potion of Growth 18-21 Potion of Healing 22-24 Potion of Greater Healing 25-26 Potion of Superior Healing 27 Potion of Supreme Healing 28 Potion of Heroism 29 Potion of Invisibility 30 Potion of Invulnerability 31 Potion of Longevity 32 Potion of Mind Reading 33-40 Potion of Poison 41-43 Potion of Resistance 44-45 Potion of Speed 46-47 Potion of Swimming 48 Potion of Vitality 49-50 Potion of Water Breathing 51-60 Holy Water 61-70 Alchemist's Fire 71-80 Acid 81-90 Antitoxin 91-100 Seawater

7. The Entrance

As you finally reach the final tier of this underwater refuge, you see before you a giant conch shell with a single entrance facing west. The shell itself is huge and magnificent; if you could take it with you, you're sure it would fetch a pretty penny! This is obviously the mainstay of this underwater hideaway, and looks to house quite a large creature, or an army of smaller ones. This is the entrance to Tamatoa's home. Looking inside, the players can just make out the tell-tale glimmer of gold at the far wall to the east. This is a ruse. Tamatoa is a giant Coconut Crab that affixes shiny objects to his back in order to draw unsuspecting people closer. Once the players get within 5 feet of the geyser at the entrance, they trigger its eruption one round later. This is an informal alarm for Tamatoa. He knows that when it erupts, there are creatures entering his home. The height of this island is 70 feet from the seafloor. 8. Tamatoa's Lair

As you enter the inside of the giant conch shell, you see gold glimmering in piles everywhere. You also notice to the north a short ramp that goes up to a second level. The second level appears to be a 10 foot ledge, because you can make out the wall of the ledge from the ground level. Tamatoa is actually one of the treasure piles inside the conch shell. While he is motionless, he appears to be a normal pile of treasure. Once a player gets within 5 feet of him or any of his treasure piles, he rises to "greet" his visitors. Creature. The huge Coconut Crab Tamatoa begins attacking the creatures in its lair unless they succeed on a DC 15 Charisma check to talk to him. Even if they get him to talk about himself, he begins attacking in 2 rounds unless the players barter. If they were able to not cause the geyser to erupt and are trying to remain silent, they may not immediately wake him from his slumber. Tamatoa has an almost innate sense when someone takes any of his treasure. If any creature touches his treasure, have Tamatoa roll a Wisdom (Perception) check with advantage against the creature's Dexterity (Stealth) check. Tamatoa will chase creatures that steal from him outside his cave, but if they run away without any loot, or leave something of value behind that he may consider a fair trade, he will not pursue. Development. Tamatoa is a two-phase encounter. If the players find that he is too much of a challenge, they always have the option of running away. If the players beat Tamatoa, either allow them the luxury of looting his piles of treasure, or cause the conch shell around them to start collapsing. This will definitely draw the attention of the Leviathan, who will not be very happy that the characters killed Tamatoa. Fortunately, Marido has some potions and scrolls that will allow Tamatoa to be brought back to life after the characters get their loot and leave. If the characters ever return, Tamatoa will be gargantuan-sized and missing a leg as a result of their previous encounter. Update all of Tamatoa's stats to equal that of an Ancient Bronze dragon, and he will be hesitant to engage them in battle again. At that point, he will be more cordial and willing to trade for any items he might have gathered in the time since they last met. Tamatoa won't forget that the players injured him and may stride to exact revenge depending on their stature and association with other factions. DM's can use him as a recurring villain or as a NPC if they need a person or place to trade their goods. Treasure. This is where a DM can place any sort of hard-to-find magical items. The item may be affixed to Tamatoa's back or be buried in one of his piles of treasure.

Tamatoa Huge monstrosity, chaotic good Armor Class 19 (natural armor)

19 (natural armor) Hit Points 212 (17d12 + 102)

212 (17d12 + 102) Speed 40 ft., swim 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 25 (+7) 10 (+0) 23 (+6) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) Saving Throws Str +12, Con +11, Cha +9

Str +12, Con +11, Cha +9 Skills Athletics +12, History +8, Performance +14, Stealth +5

Athletics +12, History +8, Performance +14, Stealth +5 Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons

cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 12

blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages Aquan, Common

Aquan, Common Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) Amphibious. Tamatoa can breathe air and water. False Appearance. While Tamatoa remains motionless and hidden in his shell, he is indistinguishable from a pile of treasure. Shell. Tamatoa can use a bonus action to retract into or emerge from its shell. While retracted, Tamatoa gains a +4 bonus to AC, and it has a speed of 0 and can't benefit from bonuses to speed. Actions Multiattack. Tamatoa can use its Shiny Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) piercing damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage, and if the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. Tamatoa has two claws, each of which can grapple only one target. Shiny Presence. Each creature that is within 60 feet of Tamatoa and can see him must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or become blinded until the end of its next turn. Legendary Action Tamatoa can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Tamatoa regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Claw Attack. Tamatoa makes a claw attack. Singing Distraction. Each creature within 60 feet of Tamatoa that can hear him must contest its Wisdom (Insight) check against Tamatoa's Charisma (Performance) check. If Tamatoa wins, a losing creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws until the end of their next turn. Slam Attack (Costs 2 Actions). Tamatoa slams a creature he is grappling into a wall. The grappled creature takes 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage. Tamatoa then moves up to half his speed. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Tamatoa takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects. If during Phase 1, Tamatoa flips a coin up through the open hole in the ceiling. 5 (1d8) Medium-sized fish fall through the ceiling, landing in a random space in the lair, chosen by rolling 1d8 for each fish (see map for location). If a fish lands in Tamatoa's spot, he eats it and regains 5 hit points. If a fish lands in another creature's space, they must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage from the fish falling 40 feet. If during Phase 2, Tamatoa flings bioluminescent algae around him, which spreads to everyone in the cavern. Each creature other than Tamatoa must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be affected as if by a faerie fire spell for 1 minute. A creature that failed can use an action to remove the algae, ending the effect on itself on a success. Two-Phase Encounter After Tamatoa takes 100 points in damage or after 10 rounds, as a reaction, he slams his claw against the side of his home, causing the roof to close. The room becomes dimly lit. When Tamatoa uses his Shiny Presence, he lights up with bioluminescence, still causing the blinding condition. Otherwise, ranged attacks and Wisdom (Perception) checks have disadvantage against creatures in the cave. During phase 2, Tamatoa has access to the following action option: When Tamatoa grapples a creature, he can choose instead to throw them into one of the bone cages along the outer rim of his home. The creature must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling in the cage and taking 8 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. If the creature saves, they fall outside the cage and take half damage. If the creature fails, they fall inside the cage, which requires a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to escape from.

