Chapter 1: The Fragmented Ring
The adventure begins in Avenstoff, a bustling trade town in southern Arfalia where rumors travel faster than caravans. Word has spread of a relic from the Sunken City, drawing treasure seekers, scholars, and darker interests to the dusty market squares. The party arrives amid this fervor, each drawn by their own reasons, and quickly finds themselves entangled in a conspiracy that stretches back centuries. Before the chapter ends, they will uncover a cult thought destroyed, seal a portal tainted by the fallen king's shadow, and forge an alliance that will shape the course of the war to come.
Part 1: Arrival at Avenstoff
The road to Avenstoff winds through the rolling farmland of Arfalia, and the town greets you with the lively hum of commerce. Timber-frame buildings crowd narrow streets, their upper stories leaning toward each other like old friends sharing secrets. Elven motifs blend with human stonework along the shop fronts. The market square is packed. Merchants shout over one another, hawking everything from salted meat to dubious potions. But there is something else in the air today, a tension beneath the bustle. You catch fragments of whispered conversation as you pass: "...from the Sunken City..." and "...worth a fortune, they say..." and "...best not to touch what sleeps below..."
Avenstoff is a bustling and picturesque trade town nestled near the grand human capital of Tyralia. Known for its harmonious blend of human and elven cultures, it serves as a vibrant hub of trade and commerce, with a busy market, several taverns, and a lively mix of travelers from across Arfalia. The town's guard captain, Halvard, keeps order through reputation and a squad of dependable soldiers rather than strict enforcement.
Part 2: The Market
The market square is a riot of color and noise. Canvas stalls stretch in crooked rows, laden with everything from iron tools to bundles of dried herbs. Near the center, a wide stall draped in faded velvet catches your eye. Behind it stands a large man with gold teeth and a half-eaten pretzel in one hand. A painted sign reads: "BRAM TALLOW - RARE CURIOSITIES & ANTIQUITIES - NO REFUNDS." His table is crowded with oddities: a cracked compass that always points south, a jar of luminous beetles, a skull with too many eye sockets, and there, half-hidden beneath a piece of oilcloth, something that glints with a faint, silvery light.
Bram Tallow
Race: Human | Role: Merchant | Disposition: Neutral (Greedy)
Bram is a stout, red-faced man with a booming voice and a salesman's instinct for reading a crowd. His gold teeth flash when he grins, which is often. He wears a stained leather apron over finer clothes than a market merchant should own, and he speaks with the rolling cadence of someone who has rehearsed every pitch a thousand times. He is not malicious, but he would sell his own grandmother's teeth if the price was right.
What He Knows: Bram acquired the ring from a scavenger who pulled it out of ruins "south of here, near the old lakebed." He does not know its true nature, only that the runes glow in the dark and that several people have shown intense interest in buying it. He will happily sell it for an inflated price (he starts at 15 gold, can be haggled down to 8). He does not know about the Sunken City connection, the cult, or Draven Holt.
Roleplaying Bram: Loud, cheerful, always eating something. He calls everyone "friend" and peppers his speech with exaggerated claims. "This ring? Oh, friend, this ring is from before the Drowning. You can feel it, can't you? That tingle? That's history, that is."
The Fragmented Ring
Item: The Fragmented Ring (Half)
Type: Quest Item (Artifact Fragment)
Description: A half-broken silver ring, cleanly split as though it were always meant to be two pieces. Faint runes are etched along its outer surface. In dim light or darkness, the runes emit a pale, cold glow. Holding it produces a subtle wrongness, a sensation like hearing a familiar song played in the wrong key.
Properties: The ring glows faintly in darkness (not enough to illuminate, but visible). A character with magical sensitivity or who uses Detect Magic will sense residual enchantment, old and powerful, along with a faint taint of corruption. The Chosen One feels a sharper pull when near the ring, a tugging sensation in their chest, as though the ring recognizes them.
Lore (Intelligence check, difficulty 3+): The runes are in an archaic script associated with the Sunken City's old library. They appear to be part of a locking mechanism or seal. The ring is incomplete; it needs its other half to function.
Pickpockets in the Crowd
As the party examines Bram's wares or negotiates for the ring, two pickpockets move through the crowd toward the stall. They are after the ring specifically, though they will grab whatever they can if the opportunity presents itself.
Encounter: Pickpockets at the Market
Setup: Two thieves work as a team. One creates a distraction (bumping into a party member, knocking over a display, starting a loud argument with a nearby vendor), while the other attempts to snatch the ring from Bram's table or from whichever character is holding it.
Detection: Characters can spot the pickpockets with a successful Wisdom or Dexterity check (difficulty 2+). The Chosen One may feel the ring "react" as the thief reaches for it, granting +1D10 on the check.
| Enemy | HP | Atk Bonus | Damage | Armor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickpocket (x2) | 8 | +2 | 1d6 (dagger) | None | Will flee if reduced below 4 HP or if one is knocked out |
Tactics: The pickpockets are not fighters. If caught, the first one tries to run. If cornered, they fight with daggers but will surrender quickly. They know very little; someone at a tavern (not the Gilded Sparrow) offered them 5 gold to steal "the silver ring from the fat merchant." They never met their employer face-to-face, only spoke through a closed door.
Scaling: For a party of 3, use 2 pickpockets as written. For 4-5 players, add a third lookout (same stats) who tries to create further chaos by cutting a tent rope or startling a horse.
Resolution: If the pickpockets escape with the ring, the party must track them through Avenstoff's alleys (a chase scene). If caught, they can be turned over to the town guard or interrogated. Either way, the ring should end up in the party's possession.
Part 3: The Gilded Sparrow
The Gilded Sparrow is the closest thing Avenstoff has to a respectable inn. Its sign, a carved wooden bird with flaking gold paint, creaks in the wind above a heavy oak door. Inside, the common room is warm and dim, lit by tallow candles and a low fire. The smell of stew and pipe smoke hangs thick. A few patrons hunch over their cups. At a corner table, alone, sits an elderly elf woman. Her silver-grey hair is pulled back in a practical knot, and her clothes are well-made but visibly worn from travel. A leather satchel rests at her feet, stuffed with scrolls and loose papers. She watches the door with the focused patience of someone who has been waiting a very long time.
Eryn Duskwhisper
Race: Moon Elf | Role: Archivist / Quest Giver | Disposition: Cautious, then Friendly
Eryn is old, even by elven standards, though her age shows more in her manner than her face. She carries herself with the careful tension of someone who has spent decades looking over her shoulder. Her eyes are sharp and restless, and she speaks in a low, measured voice, choosing each word deliberately. Her silver-grey hair frames angular features marked by faint worry lines. She wears practical traveling clothes in muted greens and browns, and her satchel is never far from her reach.
What She Knows: Eryn has spent 20 years tracking artifacts connected to the Sunken City, specifically items that serve as seals or locks against extraplanar threats. She is the one who deliberately spread the rumor about the Sunken City artifact in Avenstoff, hoping to attract capable adventurers who could help her investigate. She knows the ring is half of a seal-key. She suspects someone in town is connected to a cult she thought destroyed: Malcath's Shadows. She does not yet know about Draven Holt specifically, but she knows someone has been asking questions about the ring, and it worries her.
Roleplaying Eryn: She is cautious and does not reveal everything at once. She tests the party with questions before sharing information. She speaks as though every sentence might be overheard. If the party earns her trust (by showing the ring, mentioning the pickpockets, or demonstrating knowledge of the Sunken City), she opens up considerably. Beneath the guarded exterior, she is deeply worried and relieved to finally have allies.
Eryn's Revelation
If the party approaches Eryn (or she approaches them after observing them at Bram's stall), she invites them to sit and buys them drinks. She asks pointed questions: Why are they in Avenstoff? What do they know about the Sunken City? Have they seen anything unusual?
Once she trusts the party enough, she reveals the following:
- She spread the rumor about the artifact deliberately. She needed to draw out whoever else was looking for it, and she needed capable people she could trust.
- The ring is from the old library of the Sunken City. It is half of a key that maintains a seal, a barrier that keeps something locked away. She believes the seal is weakening.
- She has tracked similar artifacts and disturbances to a location called the Badger Caves, about a day's ride from Avenstoff, through the Dunmer Forest.
- She suspects that someone in Avenstoff is working for a group called Malcath's Shadows, a cult devoted to the fallen king Malcath. She thought they were destroyed decades ago, but recent signs suggest otherwise.
Room 4: Draven Holt's Quarters
The door to Room 4 is locked. When you get it open, the smell hits first: chalk dust, burnt candle wax, and something sharper underneath, like ozone after a lightning strike. The room is small and sparse. The bed has not been slept in; its blanket is bunched against the wall. Every surface is covered in papers, scrawled notes in a cramped, frantic hand. But it is the floor that stops you cold. The rug has been pulled aside, and carved directly into the wooden boards is a ritual circle, precise geometric lines scored deep into the grain. At its center, unmistakable even to those with no arcane training, is a sigil. It radiates a faint, sickly warmth. The window is open. Whoever was here left in a hurry.
Draven Holt (Introduction)
Race: Human | Role: Unwilling Cultist / Potential Ally | Disposition: Hostile (Frightened), potentially Friendly
Draven is a young man in his mid-twenties, gaunt and hollow-eyed with the look of someone who has not slept properly in weeks. His dark hair is unkempt, his clothes are rumpled, and his hands tremble slightly. He carries the other half of the Fragmented Ring on a cord around his neck. Despite appearances, Draven is not evil. He was contacted by Malcath through vivid, inescapable dreams and has been slowly drawn into the god's orbit. However, he has been fighting the influence and is actually attempting to renew the seal at the Badger Caves, not break it. He fled through the window because he assumed anyone breaking into his room was sent by the cult to stop him.
Roleplaying Draven: Paranoid, exhausted, desperate. He speaks quickly, often contradicting himself or trailing off mid-sentence. He flinches at sudden movements. If confronted with violence, he tries to flee or defend himself. If shown genuine mercy or understanding, he breaks down and tells the truth. He is terrified of Malcath and terrified of what will happen if the seal breaks.
Investigating the Room
The party can find the following by searching Draven's room:
- The Ritual Circle: An Intelligence check (difficulty 2+) identifies the sigil at the center as Malcath's mark, the fallen king of the Sunken City. A higher result (difficulty 4+) reveals that the circle is a protective ward, not a summoning circle. Draven was trying to shield himself from Malcath's influence, not invite it.
- Scattered Notes: Draven's handwriting deteriorates across pages, from neat script to frantic scrawl. The notes reference "the seal," "the three locks," "the portal," and "the voice that won't stop." Several pages are crossed out violently.
Item: Coded Parchment
Type: Quest Item (Document)
Description: A single sheet of parchment, folded twice and sealed with plain wax. The text is written in a substitution cipher. Once decoded (Intelligence check, difficulty 3+, or through magical means), it reads:
"The Gate has three locks. The third new moon falls in 9 days. The ring is half the key."
Implication: There is a deadline. Whatever is happening at the Badger Caves portal, it must be addressed before the third new moon, which is 9 days from the start of the adventure. This creates urgency; the party cannot afford to spend weeks preparing.
Part 4: Preparations and Departure
After investigating Draven's room and consulting with Eryn, the party should recognize the need to travel to the Badger Caves. Eryn recommends they seek escort from the town guard, as the route passes through the Dunmer Forest, which has become increasingly dangerous.
Guard Captain Halvard
Race: Human | Role: Guard Captain | Disposition: Neutral (Pragmatic)
Halvard is a broad-shouldered man in his forties with close-cropped grey hair and a jaw like a brick. He wears practical, well-maintained chainmail and carries a short sword at his hip. He speaks in clipped sentences and has no patience for exaggeration or dramatics. He has heard the rumors about the Sunken City and considers them a nuisance that attracts trouble to his town. However, he takes the threat of cult activity seriously and is willing to provide assistance if the party can convince him the threat is real.
What He Provides: If persuaded (a straightforward appeal to town safety works better than dramatic warnings about dark gods), Halvard lends the party horses, basic supplies (rations, rope, torches), and two of his guards as escort through the forest: Marta (crossbow) and Jorik (spear). He expects the horses returned.
Roleplaying Halvard: Blunt, skeptical, but fair. "I don't care about ancient rings or old elf legends. I care about whether something in those caves is going to come down here and cause problems for my town. If you say yes, I'll give you what you need. Don't waste it."
Part 5: The Dunmer Forest
The road narrows as you enter the Dunmer Forest, and within minutes the canopy closes overhead like a fist. The light turns grey-green, filtered through layers of leaves that should be vibrant but instead look faded, as though the color has been slowly leached away. The air is heavier here, damp and still, carrying a faint sour smell like rotting flowers. Birdsong is sparse and distant. Marta keeps her crossbow loaded. Jorik's knuckles are white on his spear. After an hour of riding, you notice the first sick trees: bark blackened in streaks, leaves curling inward, sap running dark. Something is wrong with this forest, deeply and fundamentally wrong.
The journey through the Dunmer Forest takes the better part of a day. The corruption is visible and worsening the deeper the party travels. Trees are diseased, animals are scarce, and the undergrowth has a grey, withered quality. Characters with magical sensitivity or nature-based abilities feel the wrongness acutely, a slow, persistent ache like a headache that will not fade.
The Ashborn
Midway through the forest, the party is intercepted by the Ashborn, a tribal group who have made the Dunmer Forest their home for generations. They emerge from the treeline without warning, silent and watchful.
They appear between the trees like ghosts, figures in muted earth tones with ash-marked skin and weapons held low but ready. A dozen of them, at least, though you sense more in the shadows beyond. Their leader steps forward: a tall woman with burn scars tracing one side of her face and neck, her dark hair shaved close on the scarred side and hanging long on the other. Her eyes are the color of flint, and they take the measure of your entire party in a single, unblinking look.
The Ashborn Leader
Race: Human | Role: Tribal Leader | Disposition: Wary, then Neutral
The scarred woman does not give her name immediately. She speaks plainly and with authority. Her people have watched the forest sicken over the past several months and are desperate for answers. Their children are falling ill, and their healers cannot identify or treat the sickness. She distrusts outsiders but is pragmatic enough to accept help when it is offered.
What She Wants: An explanation for what is poisoning the forest and a promise of aid. If the party acknowledges the corruption and pledges to help cleanse it, she offers safe passage and guides through the forest's most treacherous sections. If the party is dismissive, she allows them to pass but does not help; the remainder of the journey is more difficult and dangerous.
Roleplaying the Leader: Direct, proud, and deeply concerned beneath a stoic exterior. She does not beg. She states facts. "The trees are dying. Our children cough blood. Something in the deep forest is poisoning the water, the soil, the air. If you know what it is, speak. If you can help, say so. If not, pass through and do not return."
If the party makes the promise, the Ashborn guide them safely to the edge of the Badger Caves, cutting hours off the journey and avoiding the worst of the corrupted zones. The Ashborn Leader shares one final piece of information: they have seen a lone man (Draven) pass through the forest heading for the caves, moving fast and looking terrified.
Part 6: The Badger Caves
The cave mouth is a low, jagged opening in a hillside choked with dead vegetation. The earth around it is grey and powdery, and nothing grows within ten paces of the entrance. A faint vibration hums through the ground beneath your boots, steady and rhythmic, like a heartbeat. The air that drifts from the opening is cold and tastes of metal. Somewhere deep inside, you hear a sound that might be chanting, or might be the wind moving through stone. The Chosen among you feels it most acutely: a pull, insistent and deep, as though something inside the cave is calling specifically to them.
The Badger Caves are a network of natural tunnels that wind into the hillside. The party must leave their horses with Marta and Jorik at the entrance and proceed on foot. The caves are dark, cold, and increasingly suffused with a sense of wrongness as the party descends toward the portal chamber.
The Portal Chamber
The tunnel opens into a vast natural chamber, far larger than you expected. The ceiling arches high overhead, lost in shadow. At the chamber's center stands a stone archway, ancient and covered in the same runes as the ring. Between the pillars of the arch, the air shimmers and writhes, a membrane of darkness that is not quite solid and not quite empty. It pulses with that same heartbeat rhythm you felt at the entrance, and looking at it too long makes your eyes water. Before the arch, kneeling on the stone floor, is a young man. His hands are raised and shaking. Around his neck, on a frayed cord, hangs the other half of the silver ring. He is chanting in a language you do not recognize, and tears are streaming down his face. He does not look like a conqueror. He looks like someone who is losing.
Encounter: The Misunderstanding
Encounter: Draven Holt (Potential Combat)
Setup: When the party enters, Draven panics. He does not know who they are and assumes they are agents of the cult or the dark influence that has been pursuing him. He scrambles to his feet, clutching the ring half defensively.
| Enemy | HP | Atk Bonus | Damage | Armor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draven Holt | 14 | +1 | 1d6 (knife) | None | Frightened; will surrender if reduced below 6 HP or if calmed |
Resolution Paths:
- Combat: Draven fights defensively and poorly. He is not a warrior. After taking significant damage or being restrained, he cries out: "I'm trying to fix it! The seal - I'm trying to renew the seal! Please, you have to listen!"
- Diplomacy: A character who attempts to speak calmly to Draven (Wisdom or Force of Will check, difficulty 2+) can get him to lower his weapon. He is so desperate for help that even a minimal gesture of good faith breaks through his panic.
- Observation: A character who hangs back and watches (Wisdom check, difficulty 3+) may notice that Draven's chanting was protective in nature, similar to the ward in his room. He is clearly terrified, not triumphant.
Scaling: Draven is not meant to be a serious threat. Do not increase his stats for larger parties. The tension here is narrative, not mechanical.
The Cave Guardian
Whether the party is fighting Draven or speaking with him, the portal pulses violently and disgorges the Cave Guardian, a creature corrupted by Malcath's magic. This is the chapter's primary combat encounter.
The portal flares with sickly purple light, and the heartbeat rhythm in the chamber accelerates to a hammering pulse. Something moves behind the membrane of darkness, something large. Then it tears through. The creature that emerges is massive, a hunched, vaguely humanoid shape of stone and shadow. It might once have been a guardian of this place, carved or conjured to protect the seal. But its form is warped now, cracked stone laced with veins of dark energy, and its eyes burn with a cold, violet light that holds no recognition or mercy. It roars, a sound like grinding boulders, and charges.
Encounter: Cave Guardian (Corrupted)
Setup: The guardian emerges from the portal and attacks the nearest living creature. It does not distinguish between party members and Draven. It is not intelligent; it is a corrupted construct driven by Malcath's residual magic.
| Enemy | HP | Atk Bonus | Damage | Armor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cave Guardian | 30 | +3 | 1d10+2 (slam) | Stone Hide (reduce incoming physical damage by 2) | Large; resistant to non-magical physical attacks; vulnerable to magic |
Special Abilities:
- Corrupted Pulse (Recharge: every 3 rounds): The guardian releases a wave of dark energy in a short radius. All creatures nearby must make a Force of Will check (difficulty 2+) or take 1d6 damage and suffer 1 level of Weakened.
- Stone Hide: Physical weapon attacks deal 2 less damage (minimum 1). Magical attacks bypass this reduction entirely.
- Crumbling: When reduced below 15 HP, chunks of stone fall from the guardian's body. It loses Stone Hide, and its attack bonus drops to +2. It becomes more erratic and dangerous, attacking twice per round but at reduced accuracy.
Tactics: The guardian is not strategic. It attacks the closest or most aggressive target. It uses Corrupted Pulse when surrounded. It does not retreat or surrender; it fights until destroyed, collapsing into rubble and dissipating dark energy when defeated.
Scaling:
- 3 Players: Reduce HP to 22. Remove the Corrupted Pulse ability. Stone Hide reduces damage by 1 instead of 2.
- 4 Players: Use stats as written.
- 5 Players: Increase HP to 38. Add a second, smaller guardian (HP 12, +2 atk, 1d6 slam, no special abilities) that emerges one round after the first.
Victory: When the guardian is destroyed, the portal's pulsing slows but does not stop. The seal is still weakening. The party must complete the sealing ritual to finish the job.
Part 7: The Three Locks
With the guardian defeated, the party must seal the portal. This is where Draven's knowledge (or the party's own investigation, if Draven is dead) becomes critical.
Draven's Explanation
If Draven is alive and the party has shown him mercy, he explains the mechanism. He is still shaking and exhausted, but relief at having allies steadies him enough to speak clearly.
Draven sits against the cave wall, pressing his palms against his eyes. When he speaks, his voice is hoarse. "The gate has three locks. I learned that much from the dreams, before I realized what was sending them. Three things hold it shut. First, the ring. Both halves, placed together in the slot at the base of the arch. Second, the runestone." He points to a flat, rune-carved stone set into the floor before the portal. "It needs magic, real magic, channeled through it. Enough to activate the old nodes in the walls. And third..." He swallows. "Blood. Freely given. Not taken, not stolen. Someone has to give it willingly. All three, and the seal renews. I had two of the three. I couldn't do the magic. That's why I was failing."
The Sealing Ritual
The ritual requires three actions performed in sequence:
Lock 1: The Ring. Both halves of the Fragmented Ring must be placed in a slot at the base of the stone arch. When united, the runes flare with bright silver light and the ring fuses into a single, whole piece. This is straightforward; any character can do it.
Lock 2: The Runestone. A character must channel arcane energy through the runestone to activate seven nodes embedded in the chamber walls. The Chosen One feels the strongest pull, but any character with magical ability can lead the channeling. The process requires concentration and sustained effort from the entire group.
Ritual Challenge: Activating the Nodes
The lead channeler makes a series of Arcana checks to push energy through the runestone and light the seven nodes in the chamber walls. The Chosen One has a natural affinity for this task, but a mage, druid, or any magically trained character can take the lead. This is a progressive challenge:
- Nodes 1-3: Difficulty 2+. The first few nodes light easily, responding to the channeler's magic with a warm, resonant hum.
- Nodes 4-5: Difficulty 3+. The resistance increases. The channeler feels a counter-pressure, something pushing back against their will. The air grows colder. A second party member must place their hands on the runestone alongside the lead channeler and make a Force of Will check (difficulty 2+) to anchor the connection. Without this anchor, the difficulty increases by 1.
- Nodes 6-7: Difficulty 4+. Malcath's influence actively fights back. The channeler hears a voice in their mind, cold and vast, whispering temptations and threats. They must succeed on a Force of Will check (difficulty 3+) in addition to the Arcana check. Failure on the Will check costs 1 Willpower, whether or not the Arcana check succeeds. Meanwhile, the remaining party members must physically shield the channelers from portal backlash: Dexterity or Strength check (difficulty 2+) to deflect pulses of dark energy.
If the lead channeler fails an Arcana check: The node does not light. They may try again on their next turn, or another character can take over the lead. Each failure causes a pulse of dark energy from the portal (1d6 damage to all within the chamber unless the shielding party members succeed on their checks).
Switching the lead channeler: If the Chosen One is struggling, another character with magical ability can take over without restarting the sequence. The nodes already lit remain active. This flexibility means a party with multiple casters can share the burden.
The seventh node flares to life, and for a moment the entire chamber blazes with silver-white light. The runes on the walls, the floor, the arch itself, all connected in a single, brilliant circuit. The portal's darkness screams, a sound that is not heard with the ears but felt in the bones, and recoils.
Lock 3: Freely Given Blood. The final lock requires blood given willingly. This cannot be taken by force or deception. A character must consciously choose to offer their blood and press their hand against the runestone. A small amount is sufficient; a cut palm pressed to the stone. Eryn Duskwhisper, if present, volunteers.
Eryn steps forward without hesitation. She draws a small knife from her belt, cuts her palm with a steady hand, and presses it flat against the runestone. The blood seeps into the carved runes and glows, briefly, with a deep crimson light. "I have been waiting twenty years for this," she says quietly. "This is freely given."
The Seal Renewed
The three locks engage. The ring, whole and blazing with silver light, sinks into the slot at the arch's base. The seven nodes pulse in unison with the runestone. The blood glows and fades. For a single, breathless moment, everything is still. Then the portal collapses inward with a sound like a thunderclap. The membrane of darkness shreds and dissolves, replaced by solid stone. The archway stands empty, inert, its runes dark but whole. The heartbeat vibration that has thrummed through the caves since you arrived, stops. The silence that follows is vast and ringing.
The Chosen collapses. Not from injury, but from sheer, total exhaustion. The effort of channeling that much energy through the runestone has taken everything they had. They are conscious but barely, their eyes unfocused, their body limp. The ring, now fused and complete, sits in its slot, cool and dark. The seal is renewed.
Part 8: The Poisoned Forest
With the portal sealed, the party exits the Badger Caves. The immediate threat is resolved, but the Dunmer Forest's corruption remains. On the return journey, the party can investigate further.
The forest feels different on the way back, or perhaps you feel it differently, now that you have touched the source. The corruption is still here, threaded through the soil and the roots and the water. But it feels less like an active assault and more like a wound, something that was done to this place and has not yet healed. The Ashborn children you pass are thin and pale, with dark circles under their eyes. They watch you with a hope that is almost harder to bear than accusation.
If a character uses Detect Magic or a similar ability in the forest, they learn the following:
- The forest is poisoned by residual Malcath energy, corruption that leaked through the weakened portal over months or years.
- The corruption is most concentrated deep in the forest's heart, where there is a natural source of life energy (a spring, a great tree, or a nexus point).
- The natural source is still alive but suppressed. A druid or character with nature-based magic could potentially strengthen it enough to begin purging the corruption, but it would be a significant undertaking.
- The Ashborn children's sickness is directly caused by this corruption. Healing them requires addressing the root cause, not treating symptoms.
Part 9: Alliance Formed
The chapter's final scene takes place either at the Ashborn camp or back in Avenstoff, depending on where the party chooses to rest. Eryn gathers the party for a serious conversation about what they have learned and what comes next.
The fire crackles low, casting long shadows. Eryn sits across from you, her satchel open, papers spread between her boots. She looks tired but more alive than you have seen her, as though sealing the portal lifted a weight she had carried for decades. She looks at each of you in turn before she speaks.
"I owe you the truth. All of it. The cult that Draven was touched by, they are called Malcath's Shadows. A century ago, they nearly tore this world apart. They were destroyed, or so we believed. What happened at the Badger Caves tells me they are not destroyed. Someone is rebuilding them. Someone on this side of the sealed gates is channeling Malcath's voice, reaching into the minds of vulnerable people like Draven, finding the old seals, and working to undo them."
She pauses, letting that settle. "The Badger Caves portal is one seal. There are others. And if Malcath's Shadows are active again, they will be targeting all of them. I have spent twenty years researching this alone. I cannot do it alone anymore." She meets your eyes. "I am asking for your help."
This is the moment the party formally allies with Eryn and commits to the larger campaign. Eryn shares the following information:
- Malcath's Shadows was a cult devoted to the fallen king Malcath. They sought to break the seals that keep Malcath's influence contained and allow him to extend his reach into the mortal world. They were thought to have been eradicated in a purge roughly a century ago.
- The cult's resurgence means that someone is leading them, someone with knowledge of the old seals and the power to channel Malcath's voice. Eryn does not know who this person is.
- The Fragmented Ring, now whole and embedded in the Badger Caves seal, is one of several artifacts tied to the seals. Others exist, and the cult will be looking for them.
- The party's actions at the Badger Caves have bought time but not victory. The larger war is just beginning.
Alliance: Eryn Duskwhisper
Eryn formally becomes an ally and recurring NPC. She will not travel with the party at all times, but she serves as a research contact, a source of lore and history, and a quest giver for the larger campaign arc. She can be reached by messenger or at predetermined meeting points.
If Draven survived: He is shaken but grateful. He asks to accompany Eryn, wanting to use what he learned from Malcath's dreams to help fight the cult. He is a fragile but potentially valuable ally, someone who has heard the enemy's voice and can recognize its influence. Eryn is cautious but agrees to keep him close.
If Draven died: Eryn mourns the loss quietly. She notes that the cult's ability to reach and manipulate ordinary people makes them especially dangerous. The party has lost a potential source of intelligence, and Eryn expresses hope that they will show more restraint in the future.
Chapter Summary
Key Decisions and Their Consequences
| Decision | Outcome | Future Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Draven spared | Draven becomes an ally; provides intelligence about Malcath's methods | He appears in later chapters as a recurring NPC with unique insight into the cult's operations |
| Draven killed | The party loses a source of cult intelligence; Eryn is disappointed | The party must find other ways to learn about Malcath's Shadows; some information is permanently lost |
| Promise to the Ashborn | The Ashborn grant safe passage and guides through the forest | The party is expected to return and help cleanse the forest; breaking this promise earns the Ashborn's enmity |
| No promise to the Ashborn | The party must navigate the forest without guides; travel is harder | Future passage through the Dunmer Forest is more dangerous; the Ashborn are distrustful |
| Who gave blood for the third lock | The blood-giver has a faint connection to the seal | In later chapters, that character may sense when other seals are threatened or weakened |
| Chosen One lost Willpower | The Chosen One has 1 less Willpower until restored | This Willpower can be recovered through rest, spiritual practice, or specific quest rewards in future chapters |
Threads for Future Chapters
- Malcath's Shadows: The cult is active and has a leader. Who is channeling Malcath's voice? Where are they operating?
- The Other Seals: The Badger Caves portal was one of several. The cult will target the others. The party must find and protect them.
- The Dunmer Forest: The forest remains corrupted. The Ashborn are counting on the party's promise. A druid or nature-based solution is needed.
- Draven's Dreams: If alive, Draven still hears Malcath's whispers. Can this connection be severed, or can it be used against the cult?
- The Fragmented Ring: Now whole and part of the Badger Caves seal. Are there similar artifacts tied to other seals?
- The Pickpockets' Employer: Who hired the thieves to steal the ring? A cult agent? An independent collector? This thread can be picked up whenever the DM needs a side quest or additional intrigue.
Experience and Rewards
Chapter 1 Rewards
Experience: Award XP based on the following:
- Defeating the pickpockets or recovering the ring: 50 XP per character
- Investigating Draven's room and decoding the parchment: 50 XP per character
- Successfully negotiating with the Ashborn: 75 XP per character
- Defeating the Cave Guardian: 150 XP per character
- Completing the sealing ritual: 100 XP per character
- Sparing Draven and learning the truth: 75 XP per character (bonus)
Total Possible XP: 425-500 per character
Gold and Items:
- Whatever the party negotiated with Bram (they may have spent gold on the ring)
- Halvard's loaned supplies (must be returned, but the party keeps any unused rations)
- The pickpockets carry 2 gold and 8 silver between them, plus two daggers
- Eryn provides 10 gold to each character as thanks and initial funding for the alliance's work
Quest Items: The Fragmented Ring is now embedded in the Badger Caves seal and cannot be removed. The Coded Parchment remains with the party as a reference.