Overview: A small ruin map with a sword in the middle becomes the anchor of a growing threat. The circular ruin sits on a windswept plateau; a blade fixed in a carved pedestal hums with arcane runes. The party will explore, deduce, and decide the fate of a sealed rift beneath the stones.

Setting: Hollowstead Vale— a remote frontier where a fading city-state meets untamed forests. A handful of villages rely on a trickle of trade and a druidic circle guarding the ruin. Whispers say the planar rift grows restless when the sword is touched.

Ruin Map & Mechanic: The map shows a ring of ruined walls surrounding the blade. Four pedestals around the ring must be aligned to the seasons by solving puzzles, reading inscriptions, or appeasing guardians. As the sword is drawn or awakened, walls shift, granting or denying access to deeper chambers.

Main Quest: Claim and attune the Sword of Midden. Stop a cult from reopening the sealed rift, and decide whether the sword seals the gate forever or binds it to a new guardian. The blade is both key and judge.

Side Quest: A missing caravan and a protective rune fragment hint that one pedestal holds a memory of a vanished druidic ally. Recover the fragment to gain a temporary ally and a crucial clue to the ring’s history.

Encounters & Challenges: Crumbling floors, hidden pits, ancient wards, and animated guardians stand between the party and the center. Expect rival scavengers, a wisp-haunted guardian, and environmental hazards that punish haste.

Rewards & Consequences: The Midden Sword grants +1 to attack/damage, emits light, and attunement grants a minor ward plus a sensing of danger once per long rest. Favors from the druid circle, gold, and future chapters unlocked by the blade’s fate.