Campaign Overview
A once-bright world now lies under an unending eclipse. The tyrant Overlord Vexar has shattered kingdoms, twisted magic into instruments of oppression, and cast the land into eternal darkness. Only scattered enclaves of survivors—clinging to hope by candlelight—resist his merciless legions.
You are a band of adventurers, drawn by rumors of legendary riches beyond a mysterious portal. Upon stepping through ancient standing stones on a windswept cliff, you find yourselves stranded in this dystopian nightmare. The portal seals behind you, your only way home lost. Faced with monstrous patrols, corrupted arcana, and the pervasive despair that grips every heart, you must carve a path through ruin.
Shattered city-states riddled with mutant beasts, desert fortresses in ashen wastes, and the final Obsidian Spire—Vexar’s seat of power—stand between you and a new dawn. Along the way you will form uneasy alliances with the Lightbearers, a secretive order of divine champions; the ragged Forgotten Resistance; and even turn Vexar’s own inner circle against him. Each region poses unique challenges: stealthy forays through haunted ruins, brutal skirmishes beneath living stone, and moral crucibles where compassion clashes with necessity.
Twisted magic must be cleansed with relic shards; ancient sigils reforged to shatter impenetrable wards; and lost rituals recovered from half-destroyed catacombs. Side quests bring moral dilemmas—will you save a desperate village at the risk of alerting patrols? Steal forbidden artifacts that may corrupt you? Each choice shapes the battlefield for the final assault.
Your ultimate goal: breach the Obsidian Spire, dismantle the Heart of Darkness, and face Overlord Vexar himself. Only by harnessing shards of light, uniting disparate factions, and defying despair can you restore dawn to this world. The fate of countless souls hinges on your courage. Will you rise from the shadows, or will the fallen realm consume you forever?
Prepare your weapons, rally your allies, and step into the darkness—heroism awaits in the shadows of the fallen realm.
Starting Location
The Blighted Coast
Secrets
- A hidden smugglers’ tunnel under the docks leads to a secret cache.
- The warped oak’s roots conceal an entrance to an ancient druid shrine.
- A coded message in the catacombs points to Vexar’s next warcamp.
Key Locations
Portal Cliff
Perched on a narrow ledge above churning black waters, Portal Cliff is dominated by the shattered standing stone circle that once powered the gateway. Moss and lichen cling to carved runes, now dimly glowing with unstable magic. Lightning strikes illuminate cracks in the stone arch, and the wind carries a low hum of arcane resonance. Below, waves crash against eroded precipices, sending salty spray upward. The ground here is slick with algae, concealing deep fissures that drop into the sea. Rusted fragments of ancient machinery lie half-buried beneath wind-blown sand, hinting at a long-lost civilization’s attempt to harness planar travel. Every storm heightened by dark energy seems to breathe life into the ruins, as ghostly images flicker around the stones at twilight. Explorers claim they hear faint voices and feel unseen hands brushing their backs, urging them closer to the abyss. This perilous perch is the only known site where the portal might reopen—if its power can be reclaimed.
Additional Notes
This is the campaign’s entry point. Runes here change color with party actions. DM can tie weather to magical resonance checks.
Ruined Harbor
The remains of the harbor stretch for half a mile along the shore, broken piers leaning at odd angles and barnacled support beams jutting from the water like skeletal ribs. Rusted chains and shuttered warehouses harbor mutated rats the size of dogs, and flitting shadows hide ghoulish water-spawn. Once-prosperous fishing boats are half-submerged, their decks slick with oil and coral growth. The smell of rotting fish and brine is overwhelming, broken only by the hiss of steam venting from corroded kettles used by survivors to boil seaweed soup. A collapsed lighthouse stands at the harbor’s mouth, its beacon lantern extinguished, though occasional sparks flicker as faint wards react to moonless nights. Beneath the old warehouses lie supply caches overlooked by opportunistic scavengers, but many claim the real treasure is hidden in a sealed boathouse where the ruling families kept a mysterious “lightstone.” Locals dare not approach after dusk, when cries echo across the water—some swear it is the wail of drowned sailors, others that twisted merfolk patrol these depths.
Additional Notes
Include moving platforms of debris during a storm, forcing balance saves. Provide hooks for retrieving the “lightstone.”
Ashen Village
Set in the lee of the cliffs, Ashen Village is a cluster of soot-black thatched huts and decaying stone cottages. Every roof and fence is coated in a fine layer of ash carried on the relentless winds, muffling footsteps and dulling color. A stagnant stream runs through the village, its waters tinted rust-red from iron deposits and toxic runoff. The villagers—gaunt survivors wrapped in ragged cloth—eye strangers warily, clutching crude weapons made from driftwood and scavenged metal. They whisper furtively of “the Harvester,” a monstrous creature that slinks through alleyways at night, snatching livestock and occasionally villagers. In the center stands a well, dry and cracked, where a cursed spirit is said to slumber; its farewell cries once awakened, it promises to grant a boon or curse in return. Old tattered signposts point to distant family homesteads, now reduced to smoking ruins. The moans of the wind through broken shutters resemble distant lamentations, and many adventurers have reported fleeting glimpses of pale apparitions drifting between houses after midnight.
Additional Notes
The Harvester can be a recurring threat. The well’s spirit offers a moral choice: power or release.
Hidden Enclave
Tucked beneath the overhangs of a collapsed cliffside warehouse, the Hidden Enclave serves as a clandestine refuge for resistance fighters. Wooden platforms and canvas awnings perch precariously over sunken stone floors, connected by rope bridges that sway over shadowy chasms. Soot-blackened walls are lined with maps and hastily scribbled plans, illuminated by lanterns fueled with alchemical phosphor. A low hum of whispered strategy drifts through corridors, and the scent of gunpowder mingles with the brine-tinged air. Makeshift workshops craft everything from crude crossbows to mutated beast traps, while supply crates from fallen caravans are sorted and rationed. At its heart, a warped tree trunk anchors the hideout—an ancient oak infused with corrupted mana that glows faint purple. Here, hopes for rebellion are nurtured, even as trust is precious and betrayal common. Secret doors lead deeper into natural caves below, rumored to house an artifact stolen from Overlord Vexar’s army. Only those proven loyal may descend.
Additional Notes
This safehouse can serve as a recurring base. The warped oak grants mysterious boons and risks.
Corrupted Grove
A small wood of gnarled trees stands south of the village, each trunk blackened and twisted by dark magic. The ground is slick with oily sap that glows sickly green beneath moonlight, and mutated creatures—a blend of forest animals and shadow—skulk between the undergrowth. Tangled roots form natural traps that ensnare the unwary, and phosphorescent fungus glows on fallen logs. Birdsong is absent; instead, an eerie silence presses in, broken only by distant croaks of unseen amphibians. Ancient standing stones lie half-submerged in moss, their carvings eroded but still pulsing with malignant energy. A clear pool at the grove’s center reflects an impossible sky, not the perpetual gloom above but a shimmering twilight—portal echoes or illusions, none know. Druids who once guarded this grove have vanished, and now only their hollow hollows remain, inhabited by furtive ghost-sprites. Some say if you drink from the tainted pool, you glimpse your darkest fears made manifest.
Additional Notes
Random shadow-mutated beasts patrol. Grove can shift its layout each day.
Forgotten Catacombs
Beneath the ash-dusted churchyard at the village’s edge lies the entrance to the Forgotten Catacombs, long sealed by iron grates and wards. The stone steps descend into labyrinthine tunnels lit by dripping bioluminescent fungi that cast unsettling shadows on vaulted ceilings. Rusted skulls of fallen crusaders and broken tomb slabs line the corridors. Stagnant pools of foul water block some passages, home to bloated rat-king horrors. Acidic drips from overhead stones form shallow craters in the flagstones, and the air grows thick and metallic. At the lowest level, a sealed chamber contains the sarcophagus of a once-mighty paladin whose restless spirit is said to guard a fragment of “Light’s Heart,” a shattered divine relic. Intricate traps—pressure plates and whirling blades—protect the inner vault. Cryptic glyphs warn of unleashing shadow-wraiths if the seal is broken. Few dare delve these depths without precise knowledge, and those who return speak of haunted screams echoing behind them.
Additional Notes
Use dynamic lighting to simulate phosphorescence. Trap reset timers encourage speed.
Ashfall Desert
Secrets
- A hidden channel beneath the brazier in Ember Citadel holds ritual notes.
- Nomad elders know a safe wind corridor through Cinderwind Pass.
- A smuggler marked one vertebra with a secret compass symbol.
Key Locations
Ember Citadel Ruins
At the heart of Ashfall Desert loom the crumbling remains of the Ember Citadel, an obsidian fortress scarred by flame and corruption. Torrents of smog pour from shattered ramparts, and glowing cracks ooze molten mana, forming pools of fiery sludge. Stalwart towers have collapsed inward, creating chokepoints filled with jagged debris. Within the central keep, a massive brazier once fueled elemental portals; now its inverted runes pulse with malevolence, summoning flame wraiths into the night. The throne room’s floor is fractured, revealing glowing lava flows beneath—daring intruders risk fiery falls. In one hall, blackened tapestries depict Vexar’s rise, hinting at a hidden vault under the throne dais. Heat-bent mirrors in the courtyard once projected illusions of grandeur, but now reflect scorching rays back onto foes. Exploring the Citadel demands extreme caution: molten traps, animated armors scorched by cursed fire, and shifting walls that realign to trap invaders. Yet survivors speak of a sealed vault containing a corrupted sigil fragment vital to weakening Vexar’s defenses.
Additional Notes
Use dynamic heat zones causing exhaustion. The shifting walls create a mini-maze.
Obsidian Oasis
Amid black dunes stands a rare pool of inky water, its surface broken by petrified tree roots jutting like claws. The Oasis is ringed by high ridges of volcanic glass that shimmer at dawn. Drinking its water grants temporary vision through illusions, but prolonged exposure poisons the mind—dreamlike hallucinations of past tragedies. Beneath the glass shards live crimson skitters—mutation-ridden crustaceans that guard the pool. Legend tells of a hidden grotto beneath the oasis floor, reachable only when its waters recede under a blood moon. Inside is a petrified statue of an ancient druid queen, clutching a staff rumored to harness cleansing rains. Recovering that staff could help purge corrupted magic elsewhere, but the Oasis’s defenses include elemental water mephits and illusive shadow serpents. Guides among the dune nomads can provide insights into safe approach patterns.
Additional Notes
Hallucinatory effects require Wisdom saves. Grotto emerges only under specific lunar conditions.
Cinderwind Pass
This narrow canyon cuts through a field of jagged basalt spires, where scorching winds funnel between walls to create scorching gusts and dust devils. Beneath the swirling ash lies an old trade route, partially visible through crumbling waystones carved with ancient runes. Travelers can take cover in wind-eroded alcoves, but these often contain vents of sulfurous gas that leave victims coughing and blind. Bandit clans—descendants of caravaneers—ambush merchants here, using illusions cast by residual portal magic to disorient targets. A half-collapsed bridge of obsidian spans a chasm, offering the only crossing, but its supports creak under weight. At the pass’s entrance stands a monolithic statue of a forgotten god, its eyes missing; some believe the missing gems lie hidden nearby. Surviving nomads speak of ghost caravans re-appearing in the wind storms before vanishing into the sands, dragging new travelers with them.
Additional Notes
Obsidian bridge collapse can be triggered. Gas vents require Perception to avoid.
Scorchbone Carapace
A colossal sand wyrm’s fossilized skeleton—half-buried in dunes—creates a natural fortress. Its rib bones arch overhead, protecting a hollow where refugees once sheltered during storms. Within, makeshift tents cling to bleached bones, and a small bazaar hawks trading goods between nomad tribes. At night, bioluminescent lichen glows along vertebrae, illuminating secret passageways that lead deeper into the skeleton’s skull. These caves hold rare mushroom spores prized by alchemists and a half-broken steampunk transmitter once used by a Resistance splinter cell. However, wild flame fiends use the tunnels to enslave local ghouls, and mutated wyrm-spawn prowl the outer slopes. Capturing this site could secure a vital waypoint across the desert.
Additional Notes
Lichen requires stealth. Fiendish creatures patrol by scent.
Obsidian Spire
Secrets
- An ancient escape tunnel runs from Gate of Midnight to the coast.
- Labyrinth rune keys can be found in the Prison of Echoes.
- The Heart of Darkness houses a benevolent shard at its core.
Key Locations
Gate of Midnight
The northern gate is a colossal obsidian arch carved with writhing reliefs of chained souls. Two massive doors studded with glowing runes bar entry, and twin sulfurous braziers flank the portal. Wraith-knights stand guard on elevated platforms, while shadowy sentinels patrol the dry moat below. A bridge of living darkness retracts and extends on command, controlled by arcane symbols above the gate. Siege engines powered by soul-ether pulse behind the walls, ready to repel any assault. Pressure plates buried in the approach trigger ports that unleash poisonous mists. Rumor holds that one of the guard captains once fell in love with a captive priestess; his lair beneath the gate hides secret tunnels into the fortress. Only by defeating him and claiming his sigil badge can the bridge controls be overridden.
Additional Notes
This gate serves as first battle. Include siege-style obstacles and sigil puzzle.
Shadow Labyrinth
Within the outer walls, a twisted hedge maze of obsidian walls and shifting corridors confounds intruders. Phased shadows drift through the halls, sometimes merging with party members to hinder progress. Light sources behave erratically, flickering or extinguishing entirely. The maze has three known exit shrines, each requiring a different rune key found elsewhere. Hallucinations manifest—visions of fallen companions or false doors luring explorers into traps below. Animated statues of knights challenge interlopers to tests of honor, offering clues if bested in duel. Hidden alcoves hold supply caches or prisoner cells slashed open by crazed wraiths. Only those who decipher the labyrinth’s pattern of runes can navigate to the inner sanctum.
Additional Notes
Use illusion spells and shifting hallway mechanics to disorient players.
Prison of Echoes
Beneath the spire, this dungeon of steel bars and echoing chambers holds the souls and bodies of Vexar’s enemies. Dark energy flows through filament veins in the walls, generating oppressive psychic pressure. Cells contain half-mad prisoners who murmur secrets or hiss warnings. The specter of the paladin Sariel haunts the deepest level, offering cryptic guidance in exchange for release. Trap-riddled corridors include sonic disruptors that fracture spells and soul-leech wards that sap strength. Keys are crafted from crystallized misery and must be shaped on-site by freeing lesser spirits from torture chambers. Portions of the prison are flooded with acidic slime, and goo-soaked zombies roam randomly. Rescuing allied souls can grant temporary buffs but risks awakening the prison’s warden: a massive shadow golem animated by thousands of voices.
Additional Notes
Long corridors encourage resource management. Psychic traps require creative solutions.
The Throne Hall
Atop the Obsidian Spire, a massive chamber crowned by stained-glass windows depicting Vexar’s conquests. The floor is a mosaic of shattered mirrors that reflect and multiply magic, empowering spells cast here. Four colossal pillars of obsidian flank the room, channeling planar energy into a central dais where the Heart of Darkness—a black crystal pulsing with raw corruption—hovers in chains. Vexar draped in shadow and plate stands before it, flanked by high priests and elemental guardians. Corridors behind the dais lead to supply caches and fallback points. Floating platforms orbit the dais, requiring dextrous movement or flight. Breaking the Heart destabilizes the entire spire, triggering collapse protocols. The final battle demands tactical positioning, disruption of dark pillars, and direct confrontation with Vexar’s true form: a shadow-infused titan of despair.
Additional Notes
Epic boss room: multiple phases, terrain hazards, collapsing floor.
NPCs in The Blighted Coast
Alira Moonshadow
A silver-haired ranger and leader of the local resistance cell, Alira is stoic, resourceful, and haunted by past failures.
Thorne Blackmarrow
A grizzled former sailor with an iron peg leg, Thorne trades in contraband supplies and secrets.
Brother Kaelin
A broken cleric of the Lightbearers, he seeks redemption in these dark times and still carries divine whispers.
Mirabel Ashbane
An exiled noblewoman who lost her lands to Vexar’s forces and now works as a spy.
Rorin Ironfist
A dwarven blacksmith turned weaponsmith for the resistance, forging crude but effective arms.
Lysandra Vell
A mysterious sorceress with shifting eye colors, found wandering after escaping a labor camp.
NPCs in Ashfall Desert
Sahira Dustwalker
A fierce nomad chieftain who commands respect across clans, Sahira rides atop a sand steed and negotiates passage through Ashfall’s treachery.
Korrin the Blade
A burned veteran of the Ember Citadel siege, now a bounty hunter seeking Vexar’s lieutenants.
Zellem Orr
A hermit alchemist seeking obsidian glass to craft a protective elixir.
Ruqia Waveglass
A Water Genasi exile who studies corrupted oases and hopes to restore pure springs.
Garris Stormhand
A dwarven trapmaster who sold his clan’s forge to mercenaries and now hides in Scorchbone Carapace.
NPCs in Obsidian Spire
High Priestess Selwyn
Vexar’s chief ritualist, clad in midnight robes. Selwyn channels planar magic to sustain the Heart but secretly doubts her master’s cause.
Captain Vaelgrim
Leader of the Wraith Knights, bound by iron will. Vaelgrim hunts the resistance across the fortress.
Sariel, Wraith Paladin
A fallen champion whose spirit haunts the prison. Sariel offers guidance if freed.
Vorun Blacksteel
A war-forged golem smithing weapons in the depths, torn between duty and emerging self-awareness.
Eloise the Chronicler
A captive historian forced to record Vexar’s deeds. She knows choke points and secret passages.
Factions
Lightbearers
Goals
- Secure and restore fragments of Light’s Heart to rebuild the Great Beacon.*
- Train new acolytes in lost rites to cleanse corruption.
Relationships
With Other Factions
The Lightbearers are uneasy allies of the Forgotten Resistance, providing divine support but clashing over strategy. The Umbral Court seeks to destroy them outright.With Players
Often grant quests for relic retrieval and offer boons; view the party as potential initiates or champions.Umbral Court
Goals
- Crush all pockets of resistance and secure ritual sites.*
- Enhance Vexar’s reach by conquering unaligned regions.
Relationships
With Other Factions
They persecute the Lightbearers and clash with Umbral warlords for spoils. They view the Forgotten Resistance as pests to be exterminated.With Players
Primary antagonists; the party will encounter their agents and can sow discord among them.Forgotten Resistance
Goals
- Unite disparate cells under one banner to coordinate a final assault.*
- Gather magical artifacts to weaken the Obsidian Spire’s defenses.
Relationships
With Other Factions
Closely allied with the Lightbearers, though some factions distrust divine orders. They are targeted mercilessly by the Umbral Court.With Players
Welcome allies, offering side quests and safe passage. They can become permanent comrades or fall to betrayal if mishandled.Main Questline
Through the Dark Gate
Given by: Alira Moonshadow
Goals
→ Investigate runes → Gather reagents → Complete ritual to partially open portalReward
• Portal Activation Key • 300 XPSecrets
- Portal circle has hidden power nodes.
- A failed channel draws coastal wraiths.
DM Notes
Introduce dark portal mechanics and tension of success vs. loss.The Echoes of Ruin
Given by: Brother Kaelin
Goals
→ Delve catacombs → Defeat undead threat → Secure shardReward
• Shard of Light’s Heart • 500 XPSecrets
- Spirit knows hidden passage.
- Catacomb glyphs foretell Vexar’s origin.
DM Notes
First large-scale dungeon crawl; foreshadow main antagonist.Resistance Rekindled
Given by: Sahira Dustwalker
Goals
→ Infiltrate Ember Citadel → Rescue clan council → Retrieve cleansing staffReward
• Staff of Cleansing Rains (+spellcasting focus) • 700 XPSecrets
- Citadel vault holds nomad hostages.
- Oasis staff also dispels shadow illusions.
DM Notes
Combine combat, social, and environmental challenges.The Shattered Sigil
Given by: Eloise the Chronicler
Goals
→ Recover all three fragments → Reforge the sigil at Gate of MidnightReward
• Sigil of Sundering • 900 XPSecrets
- One fragment in Gate of Midnight guardtower.
- Another fragment in Shadow Labyrinth exit shrine.
DM Notes
Quest shifts campaign tone toward siege planning.Assault on Nightmar’s Hold
Given by: High Priestess Selwyn
Goals
→ Deactivate outer wards → Clear Shadow Labyrinth → Secure inner gateReward
• Command of the Resistance Forces • 1,200 XPSecrets
- Reinforcements arrive from the desert.
- Selwyn may betray unless persuaded otherwise.
DM Notes
Large-scale battle; manage allied NPCs.Final Confrontation at Vexar’s Obsidian Spire
Given by: Vision of the Standing Stone
Goals
→ Destroy or disable pillars → Defeat Vexar’s minions → Confront and slay VexarReward
• Heart of Light Relic • 2,500 XP • Restoration of the realm’s dawnSecrets
- Vexar’s true form vulnerable to radiant magic.
- A hidden shard in the Heart can permanently banish him.
DM Notes
Multi-phase boss fight; stakes highest possible.Side Quests in The Blighted Coast
The Lost Supplies
Given by: Thorne Blackmarrow
Goals
→ Infiltrate the ruined lighthouse → Defeat or bargain with the bandit leader → Secure and deliver the suppliesReward
100 gp and Antitoxin PotionSecrets
- The bandits work for a rival faction.
- The cached herbs are laced with a truth-serum ingredient.
DM Notes
Encourage stealth and moral negotiation. The lighthouse bell can be triggered as alarm.Survivor’s Heirloom
Given by: Mirabel Ashbane
Goals
→ Enter the mayor’s ruined house → Outmaneuver or slay the Harvester → Bargain with or pacify the well spiritReward
Family heirloom (worth 500 gp) and Advantage on future noble interactionsSecrets
- The locket contains a hidden map fragment.
- The well spirit remembers the former noble house’s downfall.
DM Notes
Allow roleplay with the well spirit; multiple outcomes possible.Befriending the Smith
Given by: Rorin Ironfist
Goals
→ Locate and enter the submarine wreck → Recover at least 50 lbs. of iron ore → Return safely to Rorin’s forgeReward
Masterwork weapon upgrade (+1 to one weapon)Secrets
- The wreck’s hull hides smuggler contraband.
- A trapped merfolk device grants control of sea shades.
DM Notes
Include environmental hazards: toxic water, collapsing tunnels.The Smuggler’s Path
Given by: Thorne Blackmarrow
Goals
→ Clear the collapsed tunnel → Defeat tunnel predators → Escort mule and crate backReward
Demolition Charges and Safe harbor in future infiltrationsSecrets
- Crate contains both charges and rebel propaganda.
- The mule wears a bracer etched with a secret faction symbol.
DM Notes
Use cave-in mechanics to create tension and urgency.Cleansing the Grove
Given by: Brother Kaelin
Goals
→ Gather 5 moonflowers → Set up the ritual circle → Defend Kaelin until ritual completesReward
Blessing of Light (temporary resistance to necrotic damage)Secrets
- Moonflowers bloom only when shadow-knights patrol nearby.
- The ritual may awaken a sleeper druid spirit.
DM Notes
Ceremony can be interrupted, leading to spawning wraiths.Unholy Catacombs
Given by: Alira Moonshadow
Goals
→ Navigate to the inner vault → Bypass or disable traps → Retrieve the Light’s Heart fragmentReward
Shard of Light’s Heart and Experience 500 XPSecrets
- The shard is one of several.
- The paladin’s spirit can join as temporary ally.
DM Notes
Design undead waves scaling with party size.Side Quests in Ashfall Desert
Guardian of the Glass
Given by: Ruqia Waveglass
Goals
→ Reach Oasis at night → Place protective wards → Collect water and returnReward
Water of Clarity (removes charm effects)Secrets
- Grotto door opens only at high tide.
- Crimson skitters guard a hidden rune stone.
DM Notes
Manage environmental madness effects.Echoes of the Past
Given by: Zellem Orr
Goals
→ Clear skull tunnels → Harvest 10 spores → Return safelyReward
Flame-Ward Elixir (resistance to fire 1 hour)Secrets
- Spore cloud hides an obsidian shard.
- Ghouls worship a flame prophet.
DM Notes
Include stealth vs. ghouls for varied play.Whispers in the Wind
Given by: Sahira Dustwalker
Goals
→ Investigate statue → Recover both gem eyes → Escape illusionsReward
Gem-encrusted Dagger (+1, bonus to illusions)Secrets
- Gem eyes spellknit a protective ward.
- Voices belong to trapped caravan spirits.
DM Notes
Use illusion terrain to confuse players.Searing Embers
Given by: Korrin the Blade
Goals
→ Set up ambush at beacon tower → Capture or slay wraith → Return with proofReward
Tracker’s Net and Personal favor from KorrinSecrets
- Wraith craves elemental shards.
- Beacon tower mechanism can bind spirits.
DM Notes
Ambush mechanics with lure and trap timing.Side Quests in Obsidian Spire
Sigil of the Betrayer
Given by: High Priestess Selwyn
Goals
→ Infiltrate Gate of Midnight → Steal ritual knife → Deliver to Selwyn undetectedReward
Favor of Selwyn (assistance in the Throne Hall)Secrets
- Knife hilt holds a confession scroll.
- Captain’s lair has tunnel to labyrinth.
DM Notes
Stealth mission inside main fortress.Echoes of Freedom
Given by: Sariel, Wraith Paladin
Goals
→ Locate and free 5 souls → Survive the warden’s assault → Return to Throne HallReward
Saint’s Boon (one divine intervention)Secrets
- One prisoner is a Lightbearer prophet.
- A freed soul whispers a secret pillar code.
DM Notes
Scale warden difficulty by number of freed souls.Encounters
Forsaken Guard Patrol
MediumSuggested Level: 3–5
Creatures
- 5 Wraith Knights
Terrain Features
Broken cliff edge gives cover, gusting wind imposes disadvantage on ranged attacks.
Treasure
Each knight carries 25 gp and a Darksteel Dagger (uncommon).
DM Notes
Scale knight HP by party size; use wind gust checks.
Mutated Dire Wolf Pack
EasySuggested Level: 2–4
Creatures
- 3 Mutated Dire Wolves
Terrain Features
Rocky slopes and narrow ledges; one slip can cause 10 ft. fall.
Treasure
One wolf pelt can be crafted into Corrupted Hide Armor (requires vial of purifying oil).
DM Notes
Encourage creative use of environment to flank.
Twisted Treants
HardSuggested Level: 4–6
Creatures
- 2 Treants
- 4 Animated Roots
Terrain Features
Dense undergrowth counts as difficult terrain; rolling logs can inflict 1d6 bludgeoning.
Treasure
Treant heartwood core valued 200 gp, used in powerful ward construction.
DM Notes
Use grapple and area control tactics.
Shadow Wraith Ambush
DeadlySuggested Level: 6–8
Creatures
- 4 Shadow Wraiths
Terrain Features
Narrow hallways block melee multiples; darkness prevents darkvision.
Treasure
Wraith ectoplasm yields Cloak of Shadowstep blueprint.
DM Notes
DM can add a wraith if party is large.
Nightmar’s Gate Siege
DeadlySuggested Level: 7–9
Creatures
- 10 Soul Militia
- 1 Siege Golem
Terrain Features
Moat of necrotic sludge surrounds gate; partial cover available.
Treasure
Militia carry 50 gp each; golem core yields Alloy Shard used for magical forging.
DM Notes
Allow siege engines use by party if they seize controls.
Obsidian Spire Sentinels
HardSuggested Level: 8–10
Creatures
- 4 Gargoyles
Terrain Features
High ledges allow dive-bomb attacks; crumbling floor sections risk collapse.
Treasure
Each gargoyle guard wields an Obsidian Shard Spear (+1).
DM Notes
Encourage use of flight or ranged to engage gargoyles.
Vexar’s Elemental Ward
DeadlySuggested Level: 9–11
Creatures
- 1 Fire Elemental
- 1 Water Elemental
- 1 Earth Elemental
- 1 Air Elemental
Terrain Features
Elemental aura zones inflict status effects: burning, drowning, immobilizing, and deafening.
Treasure
Destroyed pillars drop Elemental Core crystals used in powerful enchantments.
DM Notes
Use phase-based tactics: divide and conquer.
The Final Duel with Vexar
DeadlySuggested Level: 10–12
Creatures
- Vexar, Shadow Titan
Terrain Features
Shattered mirror floor reflects spells unpredictably; rotating platforms move every round.
Treasure
Heart of Darkness shards can be reforged into Relic of Dawn.
DM Notes
Five phases: strategic removal of pillars, personal vulnerabilities.
Magic Items
Stone of Dawn
RareLocation
Recovered from Forgotten Catacombs
Attunement
Yes, requires devotion to Lightbearers
Shard of Light’s Heart
Very RareLocation
Forgotten Catacombs
Attunement
Yes, by a character of good alignment
Blade of the Fallen Star
Very RareLocation
Ashfall Desert treasure vault
Attunement
Yes, requires exposure to planar light
Cloak of Hidden Path
UncommonLocation
Hidden Enclave supply cache
Attunement
No
Holy Emblem of Selwyn
LegendaryLocation
Selwyn’s private sanctum
Attunement
Yes, by a spellcaster
Resistance Talisman
UncommonLocation
Hidden Enclave armory
Attunement
No
Rune-Etched Gauntlets
RareLocation
Obsidian Oasis grotto
Attunement
Yes, by a caster
Vial of Pure Essence
Very RareLocation
Scorchbone Carapace merchant trader
Attunement
No
Key of the Black Spire
RareLocation
Captured from Gate of Midnight captain
Attunement
No
Lantern of the Lost Crossing
UncommonLocation
Throne Hall treasure chest
Attunement
Yes, by a ranger or rogue
Player Characters
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