---
arc: 4
levels: 17-20
status: planning
---

# Arc 4 — Tide of Ruin

## Summary

The [[Primordial Wrath]] stirs. The [[The Hand of Ruin|Hand of Ruin]] holds the [[Citadel of Sundering]] — a floating fortress descending from the Elemental Chaos into the Material Plane. Three seals remain. The party, now level 17, must lead the combined forces of the [[Crown Concordat]], [[The Verdant Circle]], the [[Dragon Lords]], and the [[The Iron Concord|Iron Concord]] in an apocalyptic siege to breach the Citadel, destroy the Hand of Ruin's leadership, and confront the Wrath before it breaks free entirely.

The arc culminates in a battle at level 20 against a CR 26+ primordial titan — and a choice that will define the future of Aethrune.

## Story Hooks

### Hook 14: The World Council
All major factions convene in [[Freehold]] for the **World Council**. The party serves as the central coordinating force:

| Faction | Leader | Military Contribution | Demands |
|---------|--------|----------------------|---------|
| [[Crown Concordat]] | [[Duke Edric Blackthorn]] | 3,000 soldiers, siege engines | Protection of Valdris |
| [[Kethra]] | [[Queen Selara IV]] | 2,500 soldiers, naval blockade | Guarantee of sovereignty |
| [[The Verdant Circle]] | [[Archdruid Thalindor]] | 200 druids, ritual support | The seals preserved |
| [[Dragon Lords]] | [[Lythrendor, the Crystal Seer]] | 5 adult dragons | Honor restored |
| [[The Iron Concord]] | [[General Markus Crane]] | 1,500 mercenaries | 50,000 gp; loot rights |

- **Social challenge:** DC 22 Persuasion (group) to keep the alliance unified. Each failed faction check creates a complication in later battles.
- **Intelligence:** The party learns the Citadel's defenses: elemental storms, anti-magic zones, bound demon legions, and six **Heralds of Ruin** — the Hand of Ruin's elite guard.

### Hook 15: The Storming of the Citadel
The allied army launches an assault on the [[Citadel of Sundering]] — a 5-tier floating fortress.

**Tier 1 — The Outer Ramparts:**
- Elemental storms (lightning, fire, ice) deal 4d10 damage per round to anything airborne without protection.
- 20 cult soldiers, 4 ballistae manned by cultists, 2 summoned **storm giants** (CR 13)
- The party must disable the storm anchors (4 ritual circles) to let the dragon allies breach the upper tiers.

**Tier 2 — The Hall of Echoes:**
- Anti-magic zone (except artifacts). Party must rely on martial skill and artifact magic.
- [[Keeper Malachar]] returns (if not slain in Arc 3), now a CR 17 aspect. Accompanied by 6 helmed horrors.
- Defeating him drops the anti-magic field.

**Tier 3 — The Six Heralds:**
- Boss rush: six elite Hand of Ruin champions, each CR 15-18, guarding the throne approach.
- **Herald of Ash** (fire sorcerer), **Herald of Tide** (storm cleric), **Herald of Bone** (death knight), **Herald of Whispers** (shadow monk / assassin), **Herald of Iron** (warforged colossus), **Herald of Mind** (illithid arcanist).
- Party faces them in pairs or a gauntlet — DM discretion.

**Tier 4 — The Sundering Throne:**
- [[Morgra, the Ashen Matron]] (if she fled in Arc 3) + 2 adult red dragons make a last stand.
- Or, if she was slain, the **[[High Pontiff Vosseth]]**, leader of the Hand of Ruin, appears instead — a CR 20 divine sorcerer / warlock hybrid, channeling the Wrath's power.

**Tier 5 — The Seal Chamber:**
- The Primordial Wrath is visible through a planar rift — a churning mass of elemental chaos the size of a mountain.
- Three seal anchors remain, glowing with failing light.
- [[High Pontiff Vosseth]] (if not faced in Tier 4) performs the final ritual. If the ritual completes (5 rounds), the Wrath is freed.

### Hook 16: The Face of the Wrath
If the final ritual is stopped, the [[Primordial Wrath]] forces a partial breach — manifesting as a **titan of elemental chaos** (CR 26+):

**Stat block summary:**
- **HP:** ~536 (uses maximum hit dice)
- **AC:** 22 (natural + elemental barrier)
- **Speed:** 60 ft, fly 120 ft (hover)
- **Attacks:** 3 Slam (+16, 4d12+8 force) or 2 Elemental Lash (+16, 30 ft reach, 6d10 of chosen element)
- **Legendary Actions (3/round):** Elemental Shift (teleport 60 ft), Chaos Wave (60 ft cone, 8d10 random element, DC 24 DEX half), Seal Fracture (targets one seal anchor; DC 25 party check to stop)
- **Lair Actions:** Planar instability (wild magic surge in 300 ft radius), elemental absorption (heals from elemental damage)
- **Mythic Trait (unlocks at 0 HP):** The Wrath's mortal form shatters, revealing its true nature — an incorporeal **Chaos Heart** (CR 28 phase 2) that must be sealed, not slain.

### Hook 17: The Final Choice
With the Wrath's form shattered and the **Chaos Heart** exposed, the party faces the ultimate decision:

| Choice | Method | Consequence |
|--------|--------|-------------|
| **Re-Seal** | Perform the Rite of Seven Flames one last time (using the [[Emberheart]]) | The Wrath is bound again — but the Elder Dark remains imprisoned. World returns to normal. **Standard ending.** |
| **Destroy** | Feed the Chaos Heart into the [[Emberheart]], annihilating both | The Wrath is destroyed. The Elder Dark's prison cracks — a greater threat looms in the future. **Bittersweet ending.** |
| **Ascend** | One party member merges with the Chaos Heart, becoming the new seal | That character becomes an eternal guardian, a new Dragon Lord of cosmic scale. Their legend echoes forever. **Sacrifice ending.** |
| **Unmake** | Unleash the Elder Dark deliberately | The party becomes the new Hand of Ruin. The world is unmade and remade. **Corruption ending (DM toolbox for sequel).** |

**DC 25 Arcana / Religion / Persuasion** checks required for Re-Seal or Destroy. Ascend requires a willing character and a DC 25 Charisma save to survive the merger (on failure, the character is consumed and the Wrath is freed).

## Key NPCs This Arc

| NPC | Role | Fate |
|-----|------|------|
| [[Duke Edric Blackthorn]] | Crown Concordat leader | Rally or betray? |
| [[Queen Selara IV]] | Kethran commander | Allied or hostile? |
| [[Archdruid Thalindor]] | Verdant Circle leader | Ritual support |
| [[Lythrendor, the Crystal Seer]] | Lead Dragon Lord | Final battle ally |
| [[Khalyraxis, the Verdant Wing]] | Dragon ally | Companion or casualty |
| [[High Pontiff Vosseth]] | Hand of Ruin leader | Final boss (or pre-boss) |
| [[Morgra, the Ashen Matron]] | Traitor Dragon Lord | May appear if not slain |
| [[General Markus Crane]] | Iron Concord commander | Mercenary ally |
| [[Primordial Wrath]] | The imprisoned chaos being | Final boss, mythic |

## Key Locations

- [[Freehold]] — World Council site
- [[Citadel of Sundering]] — 5-tier floating fortress, final dungeon
- The Seal Chamber — planar rift room
- The Void Between — the space beyond the rift (for mythic phase 2)

## Quest Chains

| Quest | Hook | Outcome | XP |
|-------|------|---------|-----|
| The World Council | Hook 14 | Alliance unified | 3,000 |
| The Storming (Tier 1) | Hook 15 | Outer defenses breached | 5,000 |
| The Hall of Echoes (Tier 2) | Hook 15 | Anti-magic field down | 4,000 |
| The Six Heralds (Tier 3) | Hook 15 | Elite guard defeated | 8,000 |
| The Sundering Throne (Tier 4) | Hook 15 | Leadership slain | 5,000 |
| The Face of the Wrath | Hook 16 | Wrath's physical form shattered | 10,000 |
| The Final Choice | Hook 17 | Campaign resolution | Milestone → 20 |

## Treasure & Rewards

- **Citadel Vault:** 50,000 gp, 12 rare magic items, 4 very rare, 2 legendary (DM choice)
- **[[Primordial Heart Shard]]** — legendary artifact (if Re-Seal ending). Grants *primordial ward* 1/day (immunity to one element for 1 minute) and *plane shift* 1/day to any elemental plane.
- **[[Crown of the Sundered]]** — legendary (if Destroy ending). Crown worn by Vosseth; grants +2 spell save DC, advantage on saves against aberrations, 1/day *wish* (limited to replicating 8th-level or lower spells).
- **[[Seal-Warden's Blessing]]** — permanent +2 to one ability score for all party members (any ending).
- **Keep and Lands:** The Crown Concordat grants the party a fortress and noble titles. The party retires as legendary heroes or continues adventuring.

## Epilogue

The campaign ends with the party at level 20, recognized as the saviors of Aethrune. Each character's epilogue is determined by their choices:

- Did they re-seal the Wrath? The status quo returns — but wisdom is gained.
- Did they destroy it? A new age of uncertainty dawns.
- Did one ascend? Legends are written.
- Did they unmake the world? The sequel campaign begins.