Kessessek Kessessek was a lizardfolk cleric of the forgotten god Essylliss who became the chieftain of the Sharptooth tribe in the Vast Swamp of Cormyr in 1374 DR . Abilities . Kessessek wielded the divine magic of a cleric , commanding the Animal and Scalykind domain s . He was strong at turning undead with strength of faith , and was very self - sufficient . History . In the Year of Lightning Storms , 1374 DR , the Sharptooths were attacked by a new tribe — the Shadowscale s , shadow - shrouded undead lizardfolk allied with the church of Shar . The Sharptooths could not resist them ; many were slain , and more were captured and carried off to a ruined keep called the Lost Refuge . Worse , those who were captured eventually came back as Shadowscales themselves , attacking their own kin . In one raid before autumn , the Shadowscales captured a number of Sharptooth lizardfolk , including Kessessek ' s mate Ashala and even the Sharptooths ' old chieftain , Gathan . They were missing and thought dead . However , the lowly Kessessek proved himself by turning away some of the Shadowscales , and the leaderless Sharptooths elected him as the new chieftain , rather than risking the old tradition of having the strongest battle for dominance . Uncomfortable and inexperienced as a chief , Kessessek adopted an aggressive but canny strategy against the mightier Shadowscales . He made an alliance between the Sharptooths and the Blackscale s and Poison Dusk s — other tribes attacked by the Shadowscales — and so they survived against further raids . Then , in early Eleint , he led a war party of Sharptooths , Blackscales , and Poison Dusks into Shadowscale territory around the Skull Staff . Kessessek hoped to slay some of their Shadowscale foes or their Shar - worshiping allies , or else capture some of the " dream walkers " — the mind - controlled petitioners of a false Temple of Mystra — that regularly passed that way to the Lost Refuge . Kessessek recognized that these dream walkers were innocents under a spell and compelled to journey to the enemy , and hoped to capture them , free their minds , and deny this resource to their shared enemy . In fact , the next group to pass that way were actually adventurers in service to Mystra investigating the false temple and the Sharrans ' activities . Kessessek eventually resolved this unfortunate misunderstanding in parlay at the Sharptooth encampment over snail - and - eel soup . Kessessek tested , treated , and spoke with them , realizing they shared a common foe and could be key to the fight against the Shadowscales . Telling what he knew of events in the Vast Swamp and about the Lost Refuge , he sought the adventurers ' aid in freeing Ashala , Gathan , and the others , promising all his treasure and magic in payment . However , he would not risk more lizardfolk lives , believing the forces inside the keep were too great . Then the camp was attacked by seven Shadowscales and a grell , who sought to slay the new Sharptooth chieftain . Kessessek was paralyzed and the Sharptooths fled , but the adventurers prevailed , for which the Sharptooths were grateful . When the adventurers rescued the captives , Kessessek would give them his magic as promised . He then had his Sharptooths take over and guard the ruins . Later , when the adventurers eventually returned from the Plane of Shadow , having ended the Shadowscale and Sharran threats , they found the Sharptooths had taken over the Lost Refuge . The Sharptooths celebrated with a feast of wild boar roasted over fire , wreathes of swamp flowers placed over the heroes ' necks , and wild dances . In the following weeks , after War Wizards investigated the Lost Refuge , the kingdom of Cormyr made an alliance with the Sharptooth tribe under Kessessek . Limited trade even began between lizardfolk and human , and the Vast Swamp lost a little of its mystery and dread in Cormyrean eyes . Relationships . Kessessek was the mate of Ashala . He was once low - placed in his tribe before becoming chief . Description . When speaking the human tongue of Common , Kessessek constantly bobbed his head , apparently need to do so to form the unfamiliar sounds . He was much weaker than a typical lizardfolk . Personality . Kessessek was unsure and inexperience in his sudden position as chief of his tribe , but was intelligent , wise , and charismatic among his kin . Possessions . Fighting with a club , Kessessek wore " bracers of armor + 1 " and a " ring of protection + 1 " , and he carried " potion s " of " barkskin " and " hide from undead " , as well as a " wand of cure light wounds " . However , he would give all this away to adventurers if they would free his kin and mate .