7.7 KiB
arc, levels, status
| arc | levels | status |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 13-16 | planning |
Arc 3 — Heart of the Mountain
Summary
The Dragon Lords hold the key to reinforcing — or destroying — the seals that imprison the Primordial Wrath. The party must journey to the Elemental Plane of Earth, navigate the draconic court at the Heart of the Mountain, and win the allegiance of at least three Dragon Lords to attempt the Rite of Seven Flames. Meanwhile, the The Hand of Ruin sends its elite assassins and a fallen Dragon Lord to stop them. The arc ends with a grand ritual that either stabilizes the seals — or cracks four of them at once.
Story Hooks
Hook 9: The Obsidian Path
Khalyraxis, the Verdant Wing guides the party to the Gate of Stone, a planar portal hidden in the Ashpeak Caldera. The gate is guarded by the Stonewarden, an ancient earth elemental bound to test those who would pass.
Trial: Three tests — Strength (hold open a collapsing tunnel), Wisdom (navigate a maze of shifting illusions), and Sacrifice (give up something of personal value).
Combat (optional): If the trial is failed by violence, the Stonewarden fights as a CR 14 earth elemental myrmidon with lair actions. The gate opens regardless, but the elemental's death alerts the Hand of Ruin.
Hook 10: The Draconic Court
The Heart of the Mountain is a colossal throne-hall carved inside a floating crystal in the Plane of Earth. Five Dragon Lords sit in judgment:
| Dragon Lord | Color | Status | Disposition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurathrax, the Stormbreaker | Blue | Ancient | Skeptical — favors isolation |
| Morgra, the Ashen Matron | Red | Ancient | Hostile — cult-aligned (secret) |
| Lythrendor, the Crystal Seer | Crystal (homebrew) | Ancient | Allied — Verdant Circle ally |
| Vornak, the Deep-Root | Green | Ancient | Neutral — favors reinforcing seals |
| Silvos, the Shifting Wind | Silver | Adult | Ally — respects Khalyraxis |
- Roleplay challenge: The party must persuade at least 3 Dragon Lords to support the Rite of Seven Flames. DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) checks, modified by evidence gathered in Arcs 1-2 and party deeds.
- Morgra, the Ashen Matron is a traitor — she has been feeding the Hand of Ruin information for centuries. She will oppose the party at every turn.
Hook 11: The Crucible of Ash
To prove their worth, the Dragon Lords demand the party retrieve an artifact from the Crucible of Ash — a volcanic demiplane where a fallen Dragon Lord dwells: Ignivar, the Betrayer, a corrupted ancient red dragon who once served the Hand of Ruin.
Dungeon: Volcanic demiplane. Lava rivers, obsidian bridges, ash-storms that reduce visibility to 60 feet.
Boss: Ignivar, the Betrayer, ancient red dragon (CR 23) — but weakened by the Crucible's magic to CR 16 due to centuries of torment. He guards the Emberheart, a legendary artifact that fuels the Rite.
Lair Actions: Ash storm (blinded), lava geysers (DEX save), collapsing platforms.
Reward: Emberheart (legendary, see Items), knowledge of the Hand of Ruin's ultimate base: the Citadel of Sundering.
Hook 12: The Traitor's Gambit
After the party returns with the Emberheart, Morgra, the Ashen Matron reveals her treachery. She and her brood attack the Heart of the Mountain, attempting to destroy the other Dragon Lords and seize the ritual site.
Combat: Morgra, the Ashen Matron (ancient red dragon, CR 24), 2 adult red dragons (her brood, CR 17), and 10 cult dragonsworn. The party fights alongside Lythrendor, the Crystal Seer and Silvos, the Shifting Wind.
Environment: The battle takes place in the throne-hall — floating platforms, collapsing crystal, lair actions from allied Dragon Lords.
Outcome: Morgra flees at 25% HP (she reappears in Arc 4). The remaining Dragon Lords, now unified, agree to perform the Rite.
Hook 13: The Rite of Seven Flames
The ritual to reinforce the seals requires all surviving Dragon Lords, the Emberheart, and the party's protection while the ritual is performed. The Hand of Ruin launches a desperate assault during the ritual.
Combat (waves):
- Wave 1: 8 cult assassins, 2 cult mages
- Wave 2: 4 summoned elementals (1 of each type), 2 bone devils
- Wave 3: Keeper Malachar, the Hand of Ruin's high executioner (CR 15 warlock), and 2 glabrezu demons
Mechanic: The ritual takes 10 rounds. Each Dragon Lord channeling reduces the seal's instability by 2 points (starting at 10). Every round a cultist or demon occupies a ritual circle, instability increases by 1. The party must protect the circles.
Outcome: The seals are reinforced — temporarily. But the Hand of Ruin has already cracked four of seven. The Primordial Wrath stirs. Arc 4 begins.
Key NPCs This Arc
| NPC | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Khalyraxis, the Verdant Wing | Guide, ally | Party companion |
| Aurathrax, the Stormbreaker | Ancient blue Dragon Lord | Persuadable |
| Morgra, the Ashen Matron | Ancient red Dragon Lord | Traitor |
| Lythrendor, the Crystal Seer | Ancient crystal Dragon Lord | Ally |
| Vornak, the Deep-Root | Ancient green Dragon Lord | Neutral |
| Silvos, the Shifting Wind | Adult silver Dragon Lord | Ally |
| Ignivar, the Betrayer | Fallen red dragon, Crucible guardian | Enemy |
| Keeper Malachar | Hand of Ruin high executioner | Enemy |
| Stonewarden | Planar gate guardian | Neutral |
Key Locations
- Ashpeak Caldera — surface volcano, planar gate
- Gate of Stone — portal to Elemental Plane of Earth
- Heart of the Mountain — Draconic Court, floating crystal throne-hall
- Crucible of Ash — volcanic demiplane, Ignivar's prison
- Citadel of Sundering — revealed but not yet visited
Quest Chains
| Quest | Hook | Outcome | XP |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Obsidian Path | Hook 9 | Gate opened, plane reached | 3,000 |
| The Draconic Court | Hook 10 | Alliance secured or fractured | 2,000 |
| The Crucible of Ash | Hook 11 | Emberheart retrieved | 5,000 |
| The Traitor's Gambit | Hook 12 | Morgra routed, ritual site secured | 6,000 |
| The Rite of Seven Flames | Hook 13 | Seals partially stabilized | 4,000 |
| Arc Milestone | — | Arc climax resolved | Milestone → 14 |
Treasure & Rewards
- Emberheart — legendary artifact. Grants fire resistance, fireball at 5th level 3/day, and 1/day investiture of flame. Channels the Rite of Seven Flames.
- Scale of the Dragonsworn — very rare. Attunement. Gain resistance to one dragon element (chosen at dawn). 1/day, summon a draconic spirit (CR 5 guard drake with breath weapon) for 1 hour.
- Favor of the Verdant Wing — Khalyraxis grants the party a permanent blessing: advantage on Charisma checks against dragons.
- Each surviving Dragon Lord grants a dragon's favor — typically a rare or very rare magic item from their hoard.
Arc Climax
The Rite of Seven Flames succeeds — but only partially. Four seals are shattered; three hold. The Primordial Wrath begins to stir. The Hand of Ruin retreats to its final stronghold: the Citadel of Sundering, a floating fortress drifting into the Material Plane from the Elemental Chaos. The Crown Concordat and Kethra (allied or not) brace for apocalypse.
Transition to Arc 4
The world is now aware of the threat. Nations mobilize armies. The Verdant Circle summons all allies. The party, level 16, must lead the final assault on the Citadel of Sundering to stop the Hand of Ruin from shattering the final three seals — and confront the Primordial Wrath itself to decide the fate of Aethrune.