Chartreuse – Still being hunted by Hawkwind. Where is he?
Eldrox – There is power here older than much of civilization – where did these artifacts come from?
Helm Hobbs – Valentin Ironwolf was a follower of St. Cuthbert.
Radon – Carrying Voxi's stuff. What does he think of this place compared to his homeland?
Voxi – Uncle Fiddlegibble built this place and hid the key here. What did he fear?
Zaffre – There is an alternative to the horror of undeath of Orcus – is she on the verge between these two views?
Strong Start
A dark camp in the cold – a full rest achieved – Dioz Brightblade the goblin paladin and Firean Firebrand bandit leader of the Firebrands come to the camp with twelve bandit veterans. What's the plan?
Scenes
Assault on the Shadowed Keep.
Entry into the keep
Goal: Find Fiddlegibble's key. Find the obelisk. Disable it.
Secrets and Clues
Uncle Fiddlegibble and Valentin Ironwolf hid the key in a secret vault inside the Shadowed Keep. The vault is very heavily guarded.
World-eater Goblinoids lurk in the lower tunnels. They have found the obelisk but do not know how to activate it.
Black Harbinger cultists and World-eater goblinoids have been at war with one another. The goblinoids are very strong – empowered by their proximity to the obelisk.
Someone is murdering black harbinger cultists within the keep.
Brother Navros (the Dreamwhisper) of the Black Harbingers is actually a priest-assassin of the Dead Night. He knows his lord's true name – Aameul.
The mercenary captain Radine Hawkblade rules over the Iron Drakes in and around Valentin's Folly.
Valentin's eldest son Einar Ironwolf (now a Revenant) found the caves beneath the stronghold and began to explore. He found the obelisk and showed it to his father and Gaven.
The two adventurers were befuddled by the device and its power – a splinter between worlds and likely one of many. Gaven found an item with it held in the hand of a primeval priest dead for millennia. He called it the Key – Fiddlegibble’s Key +2 All-Purpose Tool.
Einar knows about the secret vault and the key held within.
Soon goblins and orcs and worse attacked from the outside and from below – strange goblins with swirls and tentacles and sallow skin. Orcs and undead alike. They all wanted the monolith and the key.
Valentin and Fiddlegibble hid the key in a secret vault within the chambers of Valentin's folly. Gaven went missing, Valentin died defending his family.
Valentin used a powerful guardian to protect the key but the guardian won't last forever – eventually the agents of the Black Harbinger will find it and collect it if it is not collected first.
Zaltor Darkthrone wants the key but does not require it. Instead, he can sacrifice a great many followers to open the doors of the Black Cathedral.
Kaarina Ironwolf, Valentin's wife, was an accomplished wizard and adventurer herself.
Something is murdering Iron Drakes and Black Harbinger cultists in the deeper caves and chambers. They're found eviscerated or crushed or choked to death. Cultists of the Black Harbinger think its assassins of the Dead Night.
Monsters
Iron Drake Veteran CR 3 AC/DC 13 HP 65 Atk/Prof +5 DPR 23 Atks 2 × 1d6 + 9
Iron Drake Bladesman CR 1 AC/DC 12 HP 33 Atk/Prof +5 DPR 12 Atks 2 × 1d6 + 3
Black Harbinger Cultist CR 2 AC/DC 13 HP 45 Atk/Prof +5 DPR 17 Atks 2 × 1d6 + 6
Black Harbinger Priest CR 4 AC/DC 14 HP 84 Atk/Prof +6 DPR 28 Atks 2 × 1d6 + 11
Brother Navros the Dreamwhisper CR 7 AC/DC 15 HP 130 Atk/Prof +7 DPR 47 Atks 3 × 1d6 + 13
Fire elementals CR 5 AC/DC 15 HP 95 Atk/Prof +7 DPR 35 Atks 3 × 1d6 + 9
World Eater Goblin CR 1 AC/DC 12 HP 33 Atk/Prof +5 DPR 12 Atks 2 × 1d6 + 3 + advantage in the keep.
World Eater Bugbear CR 4 AC/DC 14 HP 84 Atk/Prof +6 DPR 28 Atks 2 × 1d6 + 11
World Eater High Priest CR 7 AC/DC 15 HP 130 Atk/Prof +7 DPR 47 Atks 3 × 1d6 + 13
Treasure
380 sp, 2,574 gp, 121 pp (3,822gp), 250 gp giant five 1-pound gold bars of Heironeous (Lightning bolt, Lawful Good – God of chivalry, justice, honor, war, daring, and valor.), Stone of Good Luck (Luckstone), Potion of Poison, Ring of Jumping
Game Notes
Met Rufus Ratcatcher – the doppleganger firebrand
Ended the game with the characters getting ready to attack a large group of black harbingers, iron drakes, and zombies in the central courtyard of the Shadowed Keep.
