As they finish their rest, the party hears movement from the tunnels outside. Malkior sends his familiar to investigate and finds that another group of cultists has come to re-take the prisoners! They separate a half-dozen prisoners and begin to lead them away, leaving two guards for the others. The adventurers deal quickly with the remaining guards, but one is able to shout a warning. Rather than turn back to help their fellows, though, the cultists accelerate with their half-dozen prisoners and quickly disappear down the tunnel. The adventurers carefully follow through the tunnel, which slopes upward to an exit. Here they peer out into a huge open space - the Temple of Tiamat! The temple is a huge, hollow, 5-sided structure. Each of the five sections is stained with one of the chromatic dragon colors, and within each is two Red Wizards - one floating near the ground and another 50 feet in the air. Each is casting a ritual of some kind. One wizard in particular is familiar - this is Rath Modar, who the party had encountered back on Skyreach Castle, and who the Thayan Red Wizards had particularly called out as a traitor. In the center of the temple, also 50 feet up, a portal shimmers, with glimpses of the hellscape of Avernus occasionally flashing on its surface. Another 50 feet above that, at the very top of the temple, floats Severin, the leader of the Cult. He wears a dragon mask with four heads - all but the blue dragon! The cultists leading prisoners are moving quickly across the temple floor to the northern section where a door stands open. Outside that door stand a group of five huge dragons, one of each chromatic color, their claws already red with the blood of prior victims! The party quickly formulates a plan of attack, and leaps forward! Malkior casts a mighty spell of disintegration at Rath Modar, instantly reducing him to a pile of dust! Ulrik pursues the prisoners, while Lariat brings a quick end to the nearest wizard with her mighty axe. But this draws the attention of the other wizards near the ground, and along with the rearguard of the prisoner escorts, they attack! At the same time, Severin sees the disruption and flies down to join the battle as well! A running battle ensues as the adventurers fight toward the prisoners. Malkior is able to get close enough to block the door with a wall of force, but a mighty blow from a cultist causes him to lose his concentration and the blockade fails. The party inflicts many casualties, taking out several more cultists and wizards, but are unable to reach the prisoners. As soon as they are outside the doors, the dragons leap and slaughter them without mercy! As the dragons dismember these sacrifices, and the five wizards still floating above the temple floor continue their ritual, the portal glows brighter. Soon the adventurers can see dragon heads appearing in portal. Time is short! But the party is still locked in battle with the remaining wizards and Severin himself. Suddenly, the tide of battle shifts with the arrival of five more Red Wizards - but these are from Thay! With Rath Modar's death, the magical barrier around the Well of Dragons was dispelled, and these wizards were able to teleport inside. Some fall quickly to Severin, but the others are able to attack their traitor brethren. Soon the ground is clear, and Severin is forced to retreat upwards once more. But the ritual continues with the other wizards hovering in the air, and Tiamat has nearly entered the portal! Using Malkior's flying broom, Lariat follows the cult leader into the air, while her companions fire spells at the hovering wizards. Several are quickly dispatched and the portal wavers! Severin and the remaining wizards are able to stabilize it...but only temporarily. Lariat reaches the cult leader and smites him mightily, ending his life! His body continues to hover, but then she also pulls the dragon mask from him, while the others continue to disrupt the other wizards. Moments later, the portal shimmers and vanishes! Lariat returns to the ground, landing near her companions, while the Thayan and cult Red Wizards continue to battle one another. But the danger has not passed! The five dragons from outside the temple, freed from their participation in the ritual, move into the temple in search of those who disrupted the return of their goddess! Lariat quickly adds the blue dragon mask to complete the full Mask of the Dragon Queen and dons it. She rebukes the dragons, and with the authority of the mask they are momentarily taken aback. But these are mighty dragons, and they quickly overcome this reluctance and continue to advance. The green dragon offers to allow the adventurers to leave safely, if only they will return the dragon mask. Lariat and Malkior are nearly convinced, but Ulrik's wisdom sees through this deception. He prays for guidance, and is answered...but not by his own god, but by the dragon god Bahamut! The entire volcano shakes, causing everyone a moment of fright. Several of the dragons even step back toward the exit. But the green dragon is not cowed, and he steps forward and strikes Lariat down with his mighty claws! The dragon mask rolls free, but Malkior picks it up...only to be struck down in his turn! Ulrik is able to revive his companions, but their situation remains dire as the ground continues to shake. Suddenly there is a shift in the air - the sound of the Draakhorn has stopped! This shakes the resolve of the dragons, and most of them turn and retreat from the temple. But the green dragon has the dragon mask in his sight, and will not be dissuaded! Huddled together, standing over the mask, the party faces down the mighty green dragon. He beats his great wings, knocking them down, and crouches for the kill! But then the strongest tremor yet shakes the entire volcano, and the whole temple collapses! Falling rock buries the adventurers, and they know no more... An indeterminate time later, the party awakes, in a healer's tent. Around them stand many of the Council, overjoyed to see that they have survived. From these, the adventurers learn what took place. The Council's armies were on the verge of defeat, as the Draakhorn -driven Cult forces advanced. But then a flash of light came from the caldera of the volcano, and the Council's wizards realized that the magical barrier had been dispelled! Within moments, several Thayan Red Wizards had teleported inside to help, and shortly thereafter another flash heralded the end of the ritual and closing of the portal. Despite this, the Cult forces continued to fight with berserk rage. But then the very ground began to shake, and a wonder appeared - the translucent form of a mighty red dragonborn paladin, standing dozens of feet tall! Loremasters recognized this as Drice, an ancient champion of Bahamut. The image appeared insubstantial, but nonetheless swung his mighty weapon, and at each pass the ground shook even harder. In moments, the Draakhorn ceased to sound! Without the Draakhorn , the Cult forces lost all morale, and scattered before the Council armies. Drice swung his weapon once more, and the entire Temple of Tiamat collapsed! Then the image disappeared, and all was still. Though they held little hope, the Council forces still climbed into the caldera to search the rubble for survivors. And they were rewarded, finding the three adventurers unconscious but alive! The power of Bahamut had protected them, even as it destroyed the cult and all its members that were still within the Well of Dragons. Of the Draakhorn and the Mask of the Dragon Queen, no sign was found...Bahamut had buried those dangerous artifacts deep in the earth. Thanks to the adventurers, and the intervention of Bahamut, the day was won! The remaining Cultists, leaderless and defeated, scatter across the land. Someday they might rise again, but for now, the land is safe.