Campaign Overview

Shadows of the Iron Lords

Three centuries ago, brave champions destroyed the mad god Thalor with the God-Relic, yet in victory fell victim to its corrupting will. Now, these fallen heroes reign as the Iron Lords—immortal tyrants whose arcane dominion extends into every mind and settlement. The world is a tapestry of illusions and spectral enforcers, ruled from a floating Citadel wreathed in storm and shadow.

In the remote borderland of Hewnvale Frontier, whispers of a daring heist ignite rebellious hearts. A coalition of master thieves, fallen mages, and exiled nobles forms an unlikely fellowship. Their audacious goal: steal the God-Relic from the impenetrable Vault of Eternity at the Citadel’s apex, shatter the Iron Lords’ immortality, and free their enslaved souls.

Journey through haunted taverns plotting rebellion and mines echoing with vengeful wraiths. Traverse the perilous Blackspire Marsh, where drowned temples and toxic bogs conceal fragments of arcane power. Cling to life on a stolen skyship assaulted by flying constructs as you ascend storm-lashed skies. Within the Citadel, master labyrinthine traps in the Hall of Mirrors, confront your deepest fears in the Chamber of Wills, and invoke the potent but perilous Shatter Invocation in the Obsidian Vault.

Allies await in secret enclaves: the Freeblade Conclave’s daring guerrillas, the Circle of Sealed Runes’ arcane scholars, and the druidic Elders of the Wildwood protecting nature’s last sanctuaries. Side quests abound—rescuing bound heroes, brewing antidotes for soul-warping toxins, and sabotaging anchors that tether the Citadel’s runic wards.

Challenges test your resolve: diplomacy under the gaze of mind probes, stealth amid spectral sentinels, puzzle-solving in shifting corridors, and brutal combat against corrupted champions. Corruption points track your resistance to the relic’s whispers—too few, and you may fall; too many, and you risk heralding a new tyranny.

Will you sever the Iron Lords’ unholy reign and reclaim the world from shadow? Or succumb to the very power you seek to destroy? The fate of the realms rests on your courage, cunning, and unbreakable will. Embark now upon the Shadows of the Iron Lords—where legends are shattered or forged anew.

Starting Location

Hewnvale Frontier

Hewnvale Frontier is a rugged borderland of rolling hills scarred by ancient battles and dotted with crumbling watchtowers. Thick pines crowd narrow passes, whispering secrets on the wind. Villagers eke out a living in isolated homesteads, ever wary of Iron Lord patrols—spectral riders on ghostly steeds who enforce obedience with inescapable vigilance. A veil of arcane surveillance stretches from the high peaks of the Citadel of Chains to every hidden valley, turning even innocent gatherings into potential acts of rebellion. Deep ravines harbor smugglers’ caches, while abandoned iron mines rattle with restless shadows. The Frontier’s people cling to hope in secret enclaves below waterfall-hidden caves, next to cryptic totems of the old pantheon. Despite constant oppression, a spark of resistance grows in taverns and back alleys, where exiled nobles, disenfranchised mages, and master thieves trade rumors of the God-Relic’s true power—power that once bound the Iron Lords and might yet enslave them again. Beneath this surface of desolation lies a network of subterranean tunnels carved centuries ago by a forgotten cult, offering a slender path to freedom—or death, should the Lords’ scrying spells detect even the faintest tremor of conspiracy.

Secrets

  • An unmarked tunnel under Raven’s Rest leads directly to a Citadel scry-pod.
  • A rebel cipher embedded in the tavern’s floorboards reveals patrol schedules.
  • Echoing Caverns’ reflective pool hides a message from the original heroes.
  • Whispering Pines fungus resists enchantments if eaten as a paste.
  • Hewnvale’s soil near the shrine grows metal-resistant plantlife useful against the Lords’ constructs.

Key Locations

Raven’s Rest Tavern

Raven’s Rest occupies a battered stone building under a gnarled oak. Inside, mismatched tables creak beneath the weight of stolen goods and hushed planning sessions. Lanterns cast long shadows over rough-hewn benches; the air smells of stale ale, burning tallow, and anxiety. Half a dozen regulars—hungry exiles, vengeful widows, and shady information brokers—jam the bar, always glancing toward the back door. A narrow stair leads to cramped attic rooms where fugitives hide overnight. Behind the bar, a tapestry stolen from a Citadel governor flutters over a secret panel concealing coded rebel dispatches. Every nail, every stone, seems to bear witness to whispered oaths to overthrow the Iron Lords. The proprietor, Kaiyah Dorn, claimed the lounge’s name after a spectral raven that guided her out of captivity—now its likeness appears in every illicit flyer plastered around the region.

Additional Notes

This tavern is a hub for side-quests and intel. Patrons have shifting loyalties; a barkeep might become a traitor if pressured by illusions from the Citadel. Watch for secret trapdoors under the stage where smugglers store contraband. NPCs here can be blackmailed or won with bribes. Repeated visits grant more rumors but risk detection by disguised soul-scryers hidden among the staff.

The Iron Lash Watchtower

Perched on a rocky promontory overlooking the main road, this half-ruined tower bristles with arcane antennae—crystal spires that beam mental probes across the Frontier. Its rusted iron gates serve as both obstacle and beacon to travelers, who must kneel to enchanted helm-scripts reciting loyalty oaths. Guards—hulking iron-forged constructs—patrol the ramparts, eyes glowing with otherworldly light. Below, miners’ cottages gather dust, their wells choked with debris. A desecrated shrine to Thalor stands in the courtyard, its broken statue used as a platform for public spell-castings meant to cow dissenters. In the tower’s lowest cell, a surviving cultist nursemaid tends to a child born with a fractured soul—an unintentional side effect of living too close to the Citadel’s lingering corruption.

Additional Notes

Use illusion magic to bypass its mind-probing crystals. A hidden ladder behind the statue leads to a neglected shaft to the roof. If players disable a crystal, its feedback can stun nearby constructs for one round. Guards automatically trigger an alarm glyph that summons spectral riders unless dispelled first.

Whispering Pines Mines

A tangle of collapsed tunnels and rusted rails, Whispering Pines Mines were once famed for gleaming iron ore. Now they echo with mournful groans as restless shadows drift among broken carts. Faint runic scars on the walls resonate with hysterical whispers whenever anyone speaks—echoes of miners trapped when a section caved in under a dark ritual. Luminous fungus grows near veins of corruptive ore, staining pickaxes with black ichor that seeps into the soul. The mine’s southern chamber opens onto a cliffside overlook, where a secret lookout used by rebel scouts offers brief safety.

Additional Notes

Hidden among the fungus is a small rare herb that counters illusion enchantments (grants advantage on next saving throw vs illusions). A secret cartway under rubble leads to an unmonitored exit. Shadows here can coalesce into Wraith Miners if disturbed. A Geas trap forces characters to reveal allies’ names if they utter a lie in the chamber.

Echoing Caverns

Beneath a waterfall’s roar, a vast cave system opens into a cathedral-like hollow with stalactites dripping silver water. Strange glyphs carved centuries ago by death cultists line the walls, pulsing faintly when moonlight strikes. Echoes here can mask footsteps, but also distort voices, luring wanderers into hidden abysses. Suspended rope bridges cross bubbling chasms full of pale blind fish—edible but rumored to induce prophetic visions.

Additional Notes

A secret mechanism behind a stalagmite wall reveals a narrow passage. Drinking cave water grants advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks once per day but curses visions that can’t be dispelled unless you ingest a Blessed Pearl. Rope bridges are rigged to collapse under more than 500 pounds at once. GMs can use echoing effects to confuse PCs’ location tracking.

The Hollow Shrine

Deep in the woods, an open-air shrine to the old gods stands overgrown with brambles and ivy. Stone pillars depict Thalor’s defeat; shattered chains lie at their base. Scattered around are carved runestones that emanate protective wards, now flickering. Beneath loose limestone slabs, offerings—ancient coins, dried flowers, shards of divine bone—lie undisturbed. At night, moonlight activates glyphs that guide pilgrims along safe forest paths—but also broadcast their locations to the Citadel’s soul-scryers.

Additional Notes

Four hidden pressure plates around the shrine must be pressed in sequence to open the central crypt. The crypt houses a Bound Lantern that reveals invisible creatures. If the lantern is lit under an eclipse, it shows glimpses of past events tied to the Iron Lords’ origins.

Blackspire Marsh

Blackspire Marsh is a sprawling bog of ebony water and rotting reeds. Mist snakes across fetid pools where half-submerged crumbling pillars mark the ruins of a sunken city. Each night, phosphorescent will-o’-wisps gather, guiding some travelers deeper into the mire—never to emerge. Claustrophobic boardwalks twist among sinkholes laced with corrosive bogwater that eats iron in minutes. An ancient causeway leads to a cluster of moss-covered towers, the remnant temples of a cult that worshipped lurking deities older than Thalor. Mangrove roots conceal trapdoors dropping into pitch-black sacrificial chambers beneath the mud. Corpse lilies bloom under the surface; their petals drip a paralyzing toxin.

Secrets

  • A sunken vault beneath the causeway holds a shard of the God-Relic.
  • Corpse lilies’ toxin can be refined into a potent paralytic dart coating.
  • Temple murals conceal a star chart pointing to the floating citadel’s approach vector.

Key Locations

Temple of the Drowned Echo

Three moss-slick steps lead into a flooded sanctum with murals depicting submersion rituals. Water-level grooves on pillars tell of rising tides. An altar half-submerged in brackish water exudes an aura of compulsion, forcing entrants to kneel. Below, a submerged crypt houses skeletal priests clutching rune-inscribed tablets.

Additional Notes

Dispel water-level enchantment with Remove Curse or Force damage. Each tablet grants a Vision Spell (like Augury) once per tablet.

Bogheart Glade

A small island within the swamp where flora thrives. Carnivorous vines twist around stumps; giant fungus pods rise from the muck. A circle of standing stones radiates anti-magic fields, protecting a hidden portal to an under-swamp cavern network where cultists smuggle relic fragments.

Additional Notes

Anti-magic field radius 15 ft. Recognizing portal glyphs requires Arcana DC 18. Disable vines with fire-based attacks.

Shrouded Causeway

A narrow wooden path rotting under foot, connecting the forest edge to the temple heart. Tension-thorn barricades entangle intruders, and brooding detritus spells hide concealed pressure plates. At night, spectral stag illusions roam, their silent steps luring travelers off the path into waist-deep mud.

Additional Notes

Fog masks gates—Perception DC 15 or Survival DC 17 to stay on track. Pressure plates trigger darts coated in sleep toxin (save DC 13 or fall unconscious).

Citadel of Chains

The Citadel of Chains floats atop eternal stormclouds, its black spires locked in swirling arcane energy. Chain bridged terraces hover over lightning-split abyss, each anchored by runic pylons that trap souls. The Vault of Eternity sits at the very apex, sealed by seven layered wards. Corridors draped in spectral chains resonate with anguished wails, and marble floors inscribed with living runes reshape themselves to thwart intruders. Soulbound sentinels—crystalline armor animated by the Iron Lords’ enslaved spirits—patrol hallways, wielding whips of condensed magic that drain life. In the heart stands the obsidian dais where the God-Relic rests, hovering within a dome of cascading arcana. Behind it, three iron thrones house the Iron Lords themselves: twisted echoes of those who slew Thalor.

A perpetual sphere of shimmering distortion cloaks the Vault, visible only through a shattered lens in the Hall of Mirrors. Beyond lies the Chamber of Wills, where intruders’ deepest fears manifest as illusions. Surviving this leads to the Final Gate—a door carved with runic chains that respond only to the true name of the relic’s wielders. To claim the God-Relic, adventurers must sever the Lords’ immortality by invoking the Relic’s Shatter Invocation—a ritual that echoes Thalor’s banishment but risks corrupting the heroes themselves.

Secrets

  • A hidden side chamber stores the first God-Relic fragment removed by the original heroes.
  • The distorted sphere above can be tuned to replay Thalor’s final scream—disorienting enemies.
  • One iron throne holds the soul of an uncorrupted hero who can aid in the final ritual if freed.

Key Locations

Hall of Mirrors

An endless hall lined with floor-to-ceiling mirrored panels that reflect infinite corridors. Each mirror can manifest a doppelgänger that tests the party’s resolve. Hidden levers beneath the floor align reflections to open side passages when manipulated in the correct sequence. Failing to solve the mirror puzzle summons spectral duplicates of the Iron Lords’ greatest champions.

Additional Notes

Puzzle: intelligence saving throws (DC 15) uncover patterns. Doppelgängers use party stats. Mirrors are fragile (AC10, 20 HP), shattering one disrupts adjacent illusions.

Chamber of Wills

A domed chamber with a swirling vortex above, where each intruder’s fears coalesce into physical form. Seated at the base are skeletal thrones bearing the Names of the Corrupted. Pillars inscribed with runic wards absorb Will saves; those who lose become trapped as echoes. The only way forward is to quell your own illusions by confronting personal regrets—a Wisdom saving throw or a unique roleplay moment determined by the DM.

Additional Notes

Save DC 16 or suffer disadvantage on next attack. Echo traps hold you in place for 1 turn unless freed by an ally.

Obsidianshard Vault

A spherical sanctum of black glass cradling the God-Relic on a floating pedestal. Seven runic chains tether the dome to six arcane anchors. Each chain is keyed to a Virtue—Courage, Compassion, etc.—that must be attuned by channeling a corresponding emotion or magic. The Relic glows crimson, pulsating with both divine wrath and seductive whispers promising ultimate power.

Additional Notes

To unlock a chain, the party must succeed on a skill challenge (DC 17) tied to the Virtue. If a chain breaks incorrectly, it releases a shockwave: Dex save DC 15 or be stunned. The final ritual requires each PC to contribute a vow, which can lead to corruption if not monitored.

NPCs in Hewnvale Frontier

Celina Farrow

A disillusioned former Citadel scryer, graceful but haunted eyes.

Role: Quest Giver / Ally

Other Details: She espouses secret anti-Lord rituals and can disable soul-probes for a price.

Branock Shale

Gruff ex-miner with a prosthetic iron arm that doubles as a war pick.

Role: Trainer / Guide

Other Details: Knows every hidden passage but resents magic-users.

Mira Thaloris

Disgraced noblewoman in tattered finery, scheming to reclaim her title.

Role: Patron / Double Agent

Other Details: She trades rumors for favors and may betray players if the price is right.

NPCs in Blackspire Marsh

Ysaline Murkfoot

Hulking swamp witch with algae-green skin and rivulet hair.

Role: Hazard / Potential Ally

Other Details: Knows the marsh’s hidden pathways but demands a tithe of rare herbs.

Cassian Vore

Former Citadel scout shipwrecked years ago; he wears swamp-resistant gear.

Role: Guide / Informant

Other Details: Offers intel on the floating citadel but fears returning above water.

Brother Kellis

Fanatic cultist survivor; shackled hands stained with ritual blood.

Role: Antagonist

Other Details: Seeks to resurrect the Drowned Deity with relic fragments.

NPCs in Citadel of Chains

Lord Caius Ironbraid

Tall, brazen-haired veteran whose eyes glow with unholy light.

Role: Iron Lord Commander

Other Details: Wields the Chainbreaker Blade and commands spectral legions.

Lady Thessa Soulveil

Silken voice chanting endless psalms, her lips never still.

Role: High Enchanter

Other Details: Maintains the mind bonds and illusions across the Realm.

Baron Varric Nighthorn

Masked figure in black iron garb with bull horns.

Role: Chief Interrogator

Other Details: Intercepts and breaks resistant minds with a whip of pure arcane force.

Factions

The Freeblade Conclave

**The Freeblade Conclave** is a secret society of exiled nobles, master thieves, and mercenary captains united to overthrow the Iron Lords. Operating from hidden enclaves, they broker alliances between ragtag rebel cells, supply arms, and fund daring sabotage. Their operations run deep across the Frontier, into marshlands, and even aboard smuggler skyships—always just out of the Citadel’s reach.

Goals

- Overthrow Iron Lord tyranny
- Recover divine relics to restore mortal rule
- Reestablish a council of free cities

Relationships

With Other Factions
They clash with the Circle of Sealed Runes over methods but cooperate with the Elders of the Wildwood for resources. Distrust the Scryer’s Syndicate due to mind-control tech.
With Players
They are official patrons; players earn favor by completing main quests and can call on their safehouses and contacts.

Circle of Sealed Runes

**Circle of Sealed Runes** consists of disillusioned mages and ritualists who once served the Citadel. They guard arcane secrets and view any direct conflict as reckless. Instead, they seek to seal the God-Relic away from all mortal hands. They study ancient texts in underground libraries, hoping to discover a spell that can permanently imprison corrupt artifacts.

Goals

- Secure and neutralize all divine relic fragments
- Prevent misuse of powerful magic
- Restore balance between magic and mortal will

Relationships

With Other Factions
Often at odds with the Freeblade Conclave’s direct tactics; share uneasy truce with the Elders of the Wildwood. They despise the Scryer’s Syndicate for perverting magic.
With Players
Offer knowledge and spells in exchange for relic shards. May withhold support if they suspect players intend to wield relic power.

Elders of the Wildwood

**Elders of the Wildwood** are a druidic circle protecting ancient nature ley-lines threatened by the Citadel’s arcane surveillance. They dwell in hidden groves and use primal magic to cloak their forests. The Wildwood’s druids value harmony and recoil at both brute force revolutionaries and arcane fanatics.

Goals

- Safeguard nature sites corrupted by Iron Lord magic
- Heal the land’s wounds from relic fallout
- Ally with other factions to topple the Citadel’s mechanical grasp

Relationships

With Other Factions
Cooperate with Freeblade Conclave on guerrilla strikes, share information with the Circle of Sealed Runes on relic locations. Remain neutral toward Scryer’s Syndicate.
With Players
Provide healing sanctuaries and nature-based aids. Demand service in restoring corrupted groves.

Main Questline

Spark of Rebellion

Given by:

Celina Farrow

Celina tasks the party with uncovering evidence of the Iron Lords’ corruption to rally the Frontier’s factions. You must infiltrate Raven’s Rest, gather witness testimonies, and recover a stolen ledger from the Iron Lash Watchtower to reveal the tyrants’ crimes.

Goals

• Acquire witness accounts
• Steal the stolen ledger from the Watchtower

Reward

- Rebel Emblem (grants safe passage among resistance cells)
- 300 gp split
- Leads to next mission

Secrets

  • Ledger suggests the floating citadel’s route.
  • Branock’s brother works under the Lords as a forgemaster.

DM Notes

Use social skill checks; encourage creative infiltration methods.

Shards of the Past

Given by:

Mira Thaloris

With the ledger’s details, Mira directs you to the Whispering Pines Mines to retrieve a shard of the God-Relic removed by the original adventurers. Guarded by wraiths, this shard can dispel the illusion wards concealing the Vault’s access vector.

Goals

• Defeat the wraith guardians
• Secure the Relic shard

Reward

- Shard of Relic (removes illusion field)
- Potion of Mind Shield
- Unlocks Marsh passage

Secrets

  • Wraith leader was the original hero’s lieutenant.
  • Shard hums louder near the floating citadel.

DM Notes

Provide environmental hazards; players can learn shard’s resonance.

Marsh of Despair

Given by:

Cassian Vore

Using the shard, Cassian guides you to break the arcane anchors in Blackspire Marsh. You must sabotage six runic pylons while navigating acid bogs and cult ambushes, weakening the citadel’s wards enough to permit approach by air.

Goals

• Destroy all arcane anchors
• Reach the makeshift dock at dawn

Reward

- Airship passage from smuggler crew
- 500 gp compensation
- Leads to Citadel entry

Secrets

  • Cultists scatter fragments to other regions.
  • Sabotaging anchors can summon a minor storm elemental.

DM Notes

Include dynamic hazards: acid bog, shifting ground.

Stormbound Ascent

Given by:

Smuggler Captain Elira Stormwind

The ragtag smuggler crew boards an old skyship to ascend through tempestuous skies to the Citadel of Chains. The party must defend the deck against aerial sentinels, repair hull breaches, and re-align the ship’s mana rudders, all while the Iron Lords’ arcane storms threaten to tear you apart.

Goals

• Repel 3 waves of skyborn constructs
• Stabilize the ship’s rudder array

Reward

- Safe Arrival to Citadel Platform
- Magical harness grants flight for short bursts
- Readies final infiltration

Secrets

  • Stormwind betrays if she’s not paid enough.
  • A hidden compartment carries a second Relic shard.

DM Notes

Use aerial combat rules and environmental hazards like lightning strikes.

Vault of Eternity Infiltration

Given by:

Overheard Citadel Herald

You arrive at the Citadel’s outer terraces. Using old scrolls, smuggled keys, and shard resonance, bypass wards to reach the Vault’s apex. Confront spectral guardians, solve the Hall of Mirrors puzzle, endure the Chamber of Wills, and invoke the Shatter Invocation at the Obsidianshard Vault to claim the God-Relic and end the Iron Lords’ tyranny.

Goals

• Navigate all three Vault layers
• Perform the Shatter Invocation
• Withstand Relic’s corruptive backlash

Reward

- God-Relic (campaign finale item)
- Title: Breakers of Chains
- Epilogue determined by corruption checks

Secrets

  • Relic whispers can seduce PC wills.
  • The shattered chains echo Thalor’s voice for final roleplay twist.

DM Notes

Epic final battle; track corruption points and allow redemption or downfall endings.

Side Quests in Hewnvale Frontier

Mine the Corrupted Vein

Given by:

Branock Shale

Branock begs you to delve into the Whispering Pines Mines and extract a sample of the black ichor ore. He believes alchemists can nullify the Iron Lords’ enchantments with it but lacks the courage to collect it himself. Beware of wraiths that arise when the ore is disturbed, and avoid tunnels marked by ancient cult runes.

Goals

• Harvest 3 vials of corrupted ore
• Escape the mine without triggering the spectral guardians

Reward

• 500 gp worth of ore; 2 potions of advantage on Insight saves
• Brannock’s personal guide for one additional travel day

Secrets

  • The wraiths guard a hidden cache of rebel supplies
  • The mine’s depths hide a journal by the original adventurers

DM Notes

Scale spectral wraiths to party level. Allow players to discover ore’s secondary properties through experimentation.

Smuggler’s Run

Given by:

Mira Thaloris

Mira hires the party to escort a clandestine caravan from Raven’s Rest to the Echoing Caverns, delivering medical supplies to hidebound priests. The route is patrolled by Iron Lash constructs, and the caverns’ acoustics can betray your position. Timing and stealth will be paramount, and locals may assist—if you pay.

Goals

• Deliver 5 crates intact
• Avoid construction patrols or disable them silently

Reward

• 300 gp
• A map to an unguarded Citadel waste chute

Secrets

  • One crate contains illegal runes Mira plans to sell
  • A young priest knows a counter-spell against the Citadel’s gaze

DM Notes

Consider random patrol checks; allow creative use of environmental noise to distract constructs.

Pilgrimage of the Moonlit Path

Given by:

Celina Farrow

Celina covertly leads you to the Hollow Shrine under a full moon. She needs you to reactivate the moon-glyphs, but fears the Citadel’s watchers may detect the ritual. The shrine is warded by old magic; deciphering the runes and lighting the correct lantern will shield the region from scrying for one night.

Goals

• Translate 5 lunar runes
• Complete the ritual without detection

Reward

• Token of shielding (grants once-per-day immunity to divination)
• Celina’s scryer’s veil (a cloak of advantage vs mind probes)

Secrets

  • A hidden ledger in the shrine details Thalor’s final invocation
  • Lantern fuel must be mixed with certain herbs to avoid backlash

DM Notes

Use skill challenges for the ritual; adjust DCs for translation and stealth checks.

Broken Chains

Given by:

Branock Shale

In Raven’s Rest attic, a chained prisoner begs to be freed. She claims to be a descendant of a god and holds secrets about the original adventurers. However, she’s bound by a Will-Specific enchantment that compels obedience to the Iron Lords. You must find the binding spell’s components hidden in the Iron Lash Watchtower and release her without alerting the constructs.

Goals

• Locate ritual components in the Watchtower
• Free the prisoner and escort her to Raven’s Rest

Reward

• Blessed Pendant (+1 AC vs spell attacks)
• The prisoner’s gratitude: future safe haven in exchange for info

Secrets

  • The Watchtower chapel stores a holy relic
  • The prisoner can commune with Thalor’s lingering essence

DM Notes

Include traps in the Watchtower chapel and a moral dilemma about trusting the prisoner.

Fungal Antidote

Given by:

Celina Farrow

A rare medicinal mushroom growing near Whispering Pines (not the corruptive fungus) could cure villagers driven mad by the Citadel’s mental probes. Celina needs fresh samples—yet the corrupted fungus spreads aggressively. You must identify and harvest the antidote mushroom without contamination, then craft an extract in time for a secret midnight distribution.

Goals

• Harvest 6 antidote mushrooms
• Brew 3 doses by midnight

Reward

• 2 potions of Mind Shield (advantage on saving throws vs charm)
• Celina’s personal favor (to be called in later)

Secrets

  • The antidote double-cures lycanthropy for one moon cycle
  • A hidden druid circle safeguards the mushrooms

DM Notes

Use nature checks to differentiate fungi; consider time pressure for brewing.

Side Quests in Blackspire Marsh

Rite of the Mudfall

Given by:

Brother Kellis

Kellis claims a ritual under the bog lilies will break the Iron Lords’ mental chains. He needs a purified vial of lily toxin and a singing shell to call forth ancestral voices. The toxin must be collected at dusk when the lily petals open; the shell, mortared into a sunken statue, emits a low hum that draws out buried memories.

Goals

• Harvest toxin from 4 lilies at dusk
• Retrieve singing shell without alerting the statues

Reward

• Lilly’s Vial (1 charge of paralysis poisons)
• Kellis’s cult robes (+1 stealth in swamp conditions)

Secrets

  • The shell summons actual spirits that can be bargained with.
  • Kellis intends to use the ritual to bind new followers, not free minds.

DM Notes

Allow social skill checks to negotiate with statues or resist poisonous spores.

Mangrove Ambush

Given by:

Cassian Vore

Cassian fears ghoulish amphibious creatures breeding in the mangrove roots are preparing to swarm the Frontier villages. He hires you to cull their numbers by destroying three breeding nests submerged under mud and vines, but warns that each nest drips acid capable of melting armor.

Goals

• Destroy 3 nests
• Optional: slay the queen in the central sinkhole

Reward

• 200 gp
• Cassian’s Salvager’s Hook (grants advantage on climbing checks near water)

Secrets

  • One nest hides a drowned pirate captain’s cursed sword.
  • The creatures retreat if their queen is slain, visible deep in a central sinkhole.

DM Notes

Nests emit acid splash (Dex save DC14). Queen is a Swamp Hag (use coven stats).

Side Quests in Citadel of Chains

Liberation of the Lost Hero

Given by:

Baron Varric Nighthorn

An imprisoned soul of the original hero waits beneath his throne. He can guide you to the Relic’s true name but is bound by arcane fetters that feed on hope. You can either free him—at risk of strengthening the Lords—or exploit him to uncover vault secrets with dark magic.

Goals

• Locate the hidden cell under Varric’s dais
• Break or exploit the fetters without alerting sentinels

Reward

• Hero’s Guidance (advantage on final ritual roles)
• A shard of the God-Relic (partial immunity to corruption)

Secrets

  • Freeing him also shatters part of the soul chain protecting the Vault.
  • Binding him to new wills grants bonus control spells.

DM Notes

Present moral dilemma; choices affect final battle reinforcement.

Upper Deck Sabotage

Given by:

Lord Caius Ironbraid

Sabotage the arcane anchors on mid-level platforms to weaken the Vault’s wards. You must plant explosive charges at six anchor points while evading patrolling soulbound sentinels. Timing with the storm above can amplify the charges’ shockwaves, possibly collapsing the citadel’s western wing.

Goals

• Place charges on all anchors
• Detonate synchronously with an arcane storm

Reward

• 400 gp explosive materials
• Caius’s honorary Chain of Valor (+1 to initiative)

Secrets

  • Anchors can be re-tuned to weaken the Lords’ immortality pool.
  • One charge can be rerouted to open a side door to the Hall of Mirrors.

DM Notes

Use skill challenge for stealth; storm timing is a 1-in-4 random roll.

Encounters

Wraith Ambush

Medium

Suggested Level: 4-6

In the Whispering Pines Mines, a trio of wraith miners emerges from walls.

Creatures

  • 3 Wraiths

Terrain Features

Narrow tunnels with loose rails causing difficult terrain.
Chambered echos that disorient ranged attacks.

Treasure

100 gp hidden in a collapsed tunnel.

DM Notes

Scale number of wraiths if party is large. Use darkness to advantage.

Will-O’-Wisp Swarm

Hard

Suggested Level: 5-7

On the Blackspire boardwalk, 5 will-o’-wisps lure party off the path.

Creatures

  • 5 Will-o’-wisps

Terrain Features

Slippery moss, waist-deep mud on either side.

Treasure

A pouch of phosphorescent mushrooms (used as torches).

DM Notes

Wisps target lone characters. Allow Nature checks to ward them off.

Skybound Construct Raid

Deadly

Suggested Level: 6-8

Aboard the smuggler skyship, flying sentinels attack the deck.

Creatures

  • 4 Arcane Sky Sentinels (homebrew)

Terrain Features

Open deck with torn sails causing disadvantage to stealth.

Treasure

Magic harness components for flight bursts.

DM Notes

Use aerial combat rules; wind gusts can knock players prone.

Mirror Doppelgängers

Hard

Suggested Level: 7-9

In the Hall of Mirrors, each PC faces a doppelgänger.

Creatures

  • Party doppelgängers

Terrain Features

Reflective panels, illusions hide real doppelgängers.

Treasure

Mirror shard that acts as a one-use dispel magic.

DM Notes

Challenge players to distinguish reflections; Int or Investigation DC 15.

Spectral Riders

Easy

Suggested Level: 3-5

Outside Raven’s Rest, two spectral knights patrol the lane.

Creatures

  • 2 Spectral Knights

Terrain Features

Fog reduces visibility to 20 ft.

Treasure

An enchanted bridle that tames spectral mounts.

DM Notes

Knights retreat if reduced below half HP, calling reinforcements.

Magic Items

Rebel Emblem

Rare
A brooch symbolizing resistance, grants immunity to scrying and divination.

Location

Reward from Main Quest 1

Attunement

True—must swear an oath to the rebellion

Shard of the Past

Very Rare
A fragment of the God-Relic that negates illusion magic within 30 feet.

Location

Whispering Pines Mines

Attunement

True—absorbs arcane signatures

Airship Harness

Uncommon
Allows wearer to fly 30 ft for one minute, recharges after short rest.

Location

Smuggler’s Run side quest

Attunement

False

Cloak of the Scryer’s Veil

Rare
Grants advantage on saves vs mind probes and illusions.

Location

Pilgrimage of the Moonlit Path

Attunement

True—worn under headgear

Bound Lantern

Uncommon
Reveals invisible and ethereal creatures within 60 ft when lit.

Location

Hollow Shrine crypt

Attunement

False

Chainbreaker Blade

Very Rare
+1 longsword that deals an extra 2d6 radiant damage to constructs.

Location

Held by Lord Caius Ironbraid

Attunement

True—requires oath against tyranny

Soulveil Whip

Rare
On hit, target must succeed on Wisdom save or be charmed for 1 turn.

Location

Used by Baron Varric Nighthorn

Attunement

False

Phosphorescent Mushrooms

Common
When thrown, emit bright light in 20 ft radius for 10 minutes.

Location

Encounter Treasure: Will-o’-Wisp Swarm

Attunement

False

Blessed Pendant

Rare
+1 AC against spell attacks and wards one divination per day.

Location

Broken Chains side quest

Attunement

True

Obsidianshard Amulet

Legendary
Protects wearer from one corruptive influence ; expendable on final ritual.

Location

Hidden in Vault side chamber

Attunement

True—binds to the God-Relic

Player Characters

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