For Dungeon Masters
DM Preparation
You have creative freedom to craft your theater's story. Here's what you need to know.
Your Role
As a DM for Operation Golden Sword, you're commanding one theater of a larger battle. Your table's successes and failures will ripple across the entire event.
You have complete creative freedom over how your theater plays out. Design your own encounters, NPCs, and dramatic moments. The only requirement is that your session drives toward your theater's objectives.
The Golden Rule
Hit your objectives and have fun. Everything else is yours to create.
Campaign Setting
Setting
Forgotten Realms, Sword Coast, late 1480s to mid-1490s DR. The entire kingdom of Amn has been captured, though pockets of resistance remain.
Player Characters
Level 7 characters using official 5e content including Unearthed Arcana, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, and Explorer's Guide to Wildemount. Point buy is preferred.
Your Authority
You guide players through shared objectives and decide what can happen, what enemies they face, and whether they succeed. You have free license to introduce whatever challenges you see fit against the adventurers.
Theater Objectives
Each theater has objectives across two acts. Act II is the initial landing; Act III is the convergence on the Pegasus Bridge. Report outcomes at each checkpoint—they affect other tables.
Theater 1 — Juno Beach (General Assault)
Act II — Storm the Beach
- • Break shoreline defenses
- • Draw enemy attention from Siege Train
- • Reach the road toward the Orn River
Act III — Break the Line
- • Breach fortified positions inland
- • Clear the road for the Siege Train
- • Link up at the bridge
Theater 2 — Gold Beach (Siege Train)
Act II — Land the Engines
- • Land catapults and trebuchets
- • Protect from enemy fire
- • Begin moving inland
Act III — Climb the Bluffs
- • Haul engines up sandy terrain
- • Get creative (winches, magic, brute force)
- • Cross the bridge to the Keep
Theater 3 — Watch Tower (Portals & Bridges)
Act II — Secure Landing Zone
- • Emerge from portal at watchtower
- • Eliminate patrols quietly
- • Move toward the bridge
Act III — Disarm the Bridge
- • Assault demolition platoon
- • Disarm explosive charges
- • Hold until reinforced
Theater 4 — Contested Airspace (Sky Control)
Act II — Win the Sky
- • Achieve air superiority
- • Intercept wyverns and gyrocopters
- • Protect ground forces
Act III — Block the Road
- • Land beyond the bridge
- • Block Keep reinforcements
- • Hold until beach forces arrive
Preparation Guidelines
Encounters
Design 3-4 combat encounters scaled for level 7 characters. Include at least one setpiece battle that feels cinematic and high-stakes.
Pacing
Plan for the session length. Build in flexibility—if players are ahead, add complications. If behind, let them find shortcuts.
NPCs
Create a few memorable allied NPCs and enemy commanders. Give players someone to root for—and someone to hate.
Consequences
Make success feel earned and failure feel meaningful. The stakes are real— communicate that through the narrative.
Cross-Table Coordination
At key moments during the event, we'll pause to share outcomes between tables. Your theater's results will be announced, and you'll learn how other theaters are faring.
Use this information narratively. If the Air Battle is failing, describe wyverns strafing your positions. If the General Assault succeeds, mention enemy forces being pulled away.
What to Report
- • Primary objective status (success/failure/partial)
- • Any secondary objectives completed
- • Notable moments worth sharing with other tables
Resources
Review these pages for campaign context and enemy details:
External tools for encounter building and reference: