The Curse of Blackfang Peak
The Curse of Blackfang Peak
The heroes are summoned to investigate the ruins of an ancient temple atop Blackfang Peak, where a cursed bloodline has awakened a master vampire and her ghoul servants. As they ascend the mountain, they discover a network of blood cults led by corrupted giants and werewolf pack leaders, all bound to the vampire's will. The adventurers must uncover the source of the curse, break the pact binding the creatures, and destroy the vampire before her influence spreads across Severin.
Read Aloud
Autumn mist clings to the ancient trees of the Bloodwood Forest as you gather at the Waystone Inn, a weathered stone structure that marks the border between civilization and the wild lands of central Severin. Your patron, Archdeacon Morven of the Church of the Morning Light, arrives mud-splattered and trembling, clutching a sealed letter bearing the wax seal of House Ravenmere. The Archdeacon explains with barely concealed dread that three settlements surrounding Blackfang Peak have gone silent—livestock found drained of blood, entire families vanished, and worst of all, a hunting party returned changed, their eyes glowing amber in the darkness. The letter warns of an ancient evil awakening in the temple ruins, something that feeds on blood and spreads corruption like plague. You are tasked with ascending the Peak, discovering the source of the curse, and stopping it before Severin descends into eternal night.
Description
The Waystone Inn sits at the forest's edge, its common room filled with anxious locals. Morven has gathered intelligence: three weeks ago, livestock began disappearing. Ten days ago, the logging settlement of Thornharvest sent a messenger (who never arrived). Five days ago, a hunting party stumbled into town with hollow eyes and newfound strength—they attacked the militia before fleeing into the forest. The Church suspects corruption spreading through bites and ritual magic. Morven has procured maps showing the old mountain road to Blackfang Peak, where legend speaks of a temple dedicated to Shar before her cults were purged. He offers 500 gold pieces and a +1 holy symbol if they succeed. A local scout, Harkin, can guide them to the mountain base but refuses to go higher, claiming "the peak remembers those who climb it."
DM Notes
Establish tone: mix dread with mystery. Ask the party why they're interested in helping (motivation hooks). Harkin is a contact for later information. If the party investigates the returned hunters in the town militia's holding cells, they can learn: (1) DC 14 Insight reveals the hunters remember fragments of ritual chanting in a language that burns to hear, (2) DC 16 Medicine shows their blood has begun to change, turning slightly iridescent, (3) a fight could break out if the party tries to free them—use as an optional combat encounter. If the party ignores this, that's fine; the corruption will be revealed at the temple. Emphasize that the road to the Peak is treacherous and at least a day's journey. Weather worsens as they ascend.</an_notes> <parameter name="illustration_key">forest
Read Aloud
As you climb into the foothills, the forest thickens into a twisted maze of thorny undergrowth and gnarled roots that seem almost deliberately placed to slow your progress. By late afternoon, the road narrows into a gorge between two steep cliffs, its walls carved by some ancient cataclysm and stained with dark vertical streaks that might be rust or blood. The temperature drops sharply. Then you hear it—a long, mournful howl echoing off stone, answered by a second, then a third. Shadows move between the trees ahead and behind. The howls grow louder, more frenzied, and suddenly the undergrowth explodes as four massive lupine forms burst onto the road. Their eyes burn amber with unnatural intelligence. The largest raises its snout and speaks in a guttural, half-human voice: "The mountain calls those who bleed for it. You will join the pack, or you will feed it."
Description
Scarred Gorge is a natural choke point perfect for an ambush. The gorge narrows to about 30 feet wide, with steep cliff walls rising 40 feet on both sides, offering minimal cover except for scattered boulders and a collapsed stone bridge creating difficult terrain in the gorge's center. The werewolves are controlled by the vampire's curse and serve as the first line of defense for the mountain. They are intelligent enough to talk but are driven by hunger and compulsion. The largest, Thorkan, was once a ranger from Thornharvest—the party might recognize him if they successfully learned the hunting party's names in Scene 1. He carries a half-burned journal in his pack (DC 12 Investigation to retrieve it during combat). The journal contains cryptic entries about "the Red Sister calling," ritual words in the Dark Speech, and coordinates pointing to Blackfang Peak's summit temple.
DM Notes
Combat encounter: 4 Dire Wolves (use base stats) but they can speak Common with guttural voices. Thorkan is a Dire Wolf variant with INT 10, ability to communicate, and awareness that he's cursed but cannot break free. Terrain: Use the collapsed bridge (counts as difficult terrain, potential trap opportunity for rogue). If the party tries to reason with Thorkan, he can be asked about the curse—he'll reluctantly admit "the Red Sister" at the peak called to him during a hunt, and now his thoughts aren't entirely his own. He begs for death if overwhelmed. If the party captures or talks down the werewolves, they can be freed later with a Greater Restoration or similar magic, rewarding roleplay. The journal should hint at the vampire's true name: "Kasilda the Eternal, the Red Sister, She Who Thirsts." This is a Medium-difficulty encounter (2,500 XP), scaled by party size and abilities.</an_notes> <parameter name="illustration_key">mountain
Read Aloud
You crest a ridge and find the logging settlement of Thornharvest spread before you like the skeleton of some great beast. Wooden scaffolding for cutting logs still stands, but the buildings are dark and silent. Mist rolls through the main street. As you approach, you notice something deeply wrong: every door bears a symbol carved into the wood—a crescent moon with fangs. Fresh blood has been poured over the doorsteps in ritualistic patterns. Near the settlement's center stands what was once a meeting hall, its doors torn open. From within, you hear wet, rhythmic sounds—the snapping of bone, the slurp of feeding. Three bloated shapes hunched over dismembered bodies straighten at your approach, their lipless mouths stretching impossibly wide. These are ghouls, their skin mottled with rot and vitality, their fingers ending in claws that drip with gore.
Description
Thornharvest is a macabre crime scene. The settlement contains about 20 buildings, but only the central meeting hall is actively occupied. The ghouls are feasting on the remains of 8-10 loggers and their families. This is their feeding ground, a larder maintained by the vampire. Around the settlement, the party can find: (1) DC 14 Investigation reveals the ritual symbols are meant to sanctify the ground to their mistress, (2) a leather journal belonging to the settlement leader, Corum Blackwood, detailing his descent into madness as "the Red Sister" spoke to him through dreams, offering power in exchange for sacrifices, (3) a cellar containing 6 survivors—townspeople being kept alive for the ghouls' staggered feeding. The survivors are traumatized and malnourished but can provide information: they mention seeing a massive figure, "taller than a house," dragging bodies to the mountain in the dead of night. One survivor, a healer named Marta, reveals she was marked with the vampire's kiss—she has 1d4+1 days before she transforms unless cured.
DM Notes
Combat encounter: 3 Ghouls (CR 1, use official stats). They attack immediately when the party enters the hall. Use the hall interior for tactical variety—overturned tables, supply crates for cover, and the corpse piles create difficult terrain. This is an Easy encounter (1,250 XP), but the roleplay aftermath is crucial. After combat, role-play the survivors' trauma. Marta's condition creates urgency: she can be cured with Greater Restoration, Lesser Restoration + Remove Curse, or by destroying Kasilda before midnight three days from now. The party gains the Thornharvest journal, which adds flavor to the meta-narrative. Consider revealing that the largest figure seen was likely a Hill Giant or Ettin, corrupted by the vampire and used as her enforcer. This encounter should feel like uncovering the horror rather than ending it—there's worse to come.</an_notes> <parameter name="illustration_key">village
Read Aloud
Beyond Thornharvest, the mountain path climbs steeply toward a fortified outpost called Stone Watch—once a ranger garrison to patrol the Bloodwood. Now its courtyard is ringed with bone totems and its watchtower burns with an eerie violet flame that casts no heat. Six figures occupy the courtyard: four massive, corrupted giants—their skin mottled gray and marked with ritual scars—and two humanoid creatures that seem caught between beast and man, covered in coarse hair and bearing tusks. These are the pact-sworn: giants and were-boars, enslaved to Kasilda through infernal contracts. They wear crude armor fashioned from the remains of victims, and their breath reeks of carrion. When they see you, the largest giant—a scarred brute easily 15 feet tall—laughs with a voice like boulders grinding. "The temple's heralds arrive at last. Kasilda has been expecting you. Will you ascend in service, or in corpses?"
Description
Stone Watch is a fortified garrison built into the mountainside. The courtyard is surrounded by 10-foot-high stone walls, with four corners watchtowers—two of which still burn with the violet flame. The NPCs here are the council of Kasilda's corruption: (1) Kraash, a Hill Giant (CR 5) with 105 HP, corrupted by a dark ritual that grants him resistance to magic damage and an unshakeable compulsion to obey Kasilda, (2-3) Two Duergar variants (using Duergar stats, CR 1 each)—named Grim and Thord, formerly of the deep holds, now enslaved through possession—they can enlarge and use dark magic, (4) Two Were-boars (use a modified Dire Wolf stat block with tusks and +2 damage on charge attacks)—named Sark and Gorlo, corrupted shamans who retain enough intelligence to negotiate. The council can be approached diplomatically: a DC 16 Charisma (Deception) check convinces them the party serves Kasilda; a DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check appeals to their fading humanity and creates a chance for them to aid the party later. Combat is not required here, but if triggered, it's the Deadly encounter designed for a full party challenge (5,500 XP or close to it). If the party convinces the council of even partial defection, Kraash reveals that Kasilda's phylactery (or anchor) is hidden in the temple sanctum, and that she feeds on fresh blood each dawn to maintain her hold over the land. The council also warns of "the General," a massive ettin warrior serving as Kasilda's champion, currently sleeping in the temple's upper vault.
DM Notes
This is a crucial scene: combat vs. roleplay. If the party fights all six, they face: 1 Hill Giant (2,000 XP), 2 Duergar (300 XP), 2 Were-boars (600 XP) = ~2,900 XP before action economy multipliers. This is Deadly for a party of 5 level 5s. However, the actual fight should feel winnable but exhausting, designed to drain resources before the finale. If the party negotiates successfully, they gain allies. Kraash is the key—he's the most powerful and the most recently corrupted, so fragments of his original personality remain. He can be moved by appeals to freedom or by mention of the ritual that bound him (which is performed fresh each dawn at the temple altar). The stone watch should feel like a dungeon checkpoint: secure location, but oppressive. The violet flame is just magical scrying—it feeds information back to Kasilda. If the party destroys it, they gain surprise for the final battle.</an_notes> <parameter name="illustration_key">tower
Read Aloud
Above Stone Watch, the mountain transforms. Snow begins to fall despite the unseasonable warmth, and the wind carries whispers that might be wind or might be voices long dead. The path winds through a natural pass where ancient stones form a staircase older than memory, each step carved with symbols that shift and writhe at the corner of your vision. The sky darkens to an unnatural twilight, even though it's barely past noon. As you climb higher, you begin to see the temple—perched atop the peak like a crown of blackened bone. Its obsidian walls catch what little light remains and swallow it whole. Two massive obelisks frame the main entrance, and between them, a figure stands motionless in the eternal shadow of the archway. It is impossibly tall and impossibly still—a creature of muscle and malice, standing 13 feet high with two distinct heads, each wearing a grimace of ancient hatred. This is the Ettin General, the vampire's chosen guardian. As your foot touches the final step, both its heads turn toward you with perfect synchronization, and it speaks: "Blood ends here. Your blood. Now."
Description
The climb to the temple interior is both physical and psychological. The party can attempt DC 14 Constitution saves to resist exhaustion from the altitude and supernatural cold (or gain 1 level of exhaustion per failed save, removed after a long rest once they leave the peak). The obelisks flanking the entrance are carved with the full history of Kasilda's curse—a DC 18 Arcana or Religion check allows a character to read them and learn: (1) Kasilda was a high priestess of Shar who tried to achieve lichdom through a forbidden ritual, (2) the ritual failed and cursed her bloodline, trapping her between life and undeath, (3) every 200 years, when the curse's power peaks, she awakens and must feed on the lifeblood of a region to sustain herself, (4) breaking the curse requires either destroying her phylactery or performing a ritual of unbinding with her willing participation (impossible, as she's mad with hunger). The temple entrance is 60 feet wide and 40 feet tall, carved from jet-black stone that seems to absorb sound. The Ettin General, named Morghul, blocks the passage. He is an Ettin (CR 4, use official stats) but enhanced with dark magic—he has 100 HP instead of 85, gains advantage on saves against magic, and his weapons deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage (from Kasilda's boon). Combat is likely here, and this is designed as a Hard encounter (3,750 XP) to drain the party before facing the vampire herself.
DM Notes
Morghul is a fierce but honorable guardian—he will not use tactics beyond his normal combat abilities. If the party attempts to negotiate, he refuses, as his two heads are too fractured by the vampire's influence. However, if the party has convinced Kraash and the council to rebel, Kraash can appear at the final moment and provide a surprise aid action or distraction. Combat: Ettin with two heads means two initiative counts might be used (if you want to complicate action economy), but the standard stat block assumes one creature. Use the temple entrance architecture: the massive columns and narrow gates create chokepoints. Morghul will use his reach to pin melee combatants while using his ranged javelin attack against spellcasters. This is the final gauntlet before the inner sanctum. After defeating Morghul, the temple's great doors swing open with a sound like a funeral bell, revealing the central chamber where Kasilda waits.</an_notes> <parameter name="illustration_key">tower
Read Aloud
You push through the obsidian doors into a vast chamber that should not fit within the mountain. Its ceiling soars 80 feet overhead, supported by fluted columns of black stone. The floor is a checkerboard of marble and obsidian, and at its center lies a massive circular pool of blood—actual blood, perfectly still and reflecting no light. Around the pool's edge, thirteen stone altars form a pattern, each carved with names and dates. You recognize some: "House Ravenmere," "The Thornharvest," "Village of Millbrook," dates spanning two centuries. At the pool's far end, on a throne of woven bone and sinew, sits a woman of terrible beauty. She has skin pale as moonlight, lips stained crimson, and eyes that burn with the amber hunger of the vampire who has finally awakened. This is Kasilda. She smiles when she sees you, and her voice is like silk stretched over broken glass: "My beloved heralds. At last, the time of feeding begins anew. Will you not offer your veins to immortality?"
Description
The Sanctum is the climactic battlefield. The circular blood pool serves multiple mechanical purposes: (1) any creature that ends its turn in the pool takes 2d6 necrotic damage and must make a DC 15 Strength save or be restrained, (2) Kasilda gains +2 AC and advantage on saves while within 10 feet of the pool, (3) the pool is connected to all the altars—if the party can identify and destroy the ritually charged altars (DC 14 Arcana to recognize their purpose, DC 16 Strength to destroy one), Kasilda loses power (reduce her effective HP by 15 per altar destroyed). The thirteen altars represent her phylactery in disguised form—she has no traditional lich phylactery but instead draws power from the accumulated blood sacrifice of 13 villages. Destroying all 13 weakens her enough to be permanently killed. Around the chamber, six pillars create cover. The throne sits on a dais elevated 5 feet above the main floor. Kasilda is not alone: she is attended by six Ghouls (CR 1 each), her spawn-servants, who circle the pool and guard the altars. The air in the sanctum is thick with the stench of old blood and feels oppressively cold. The party should feel the weight of centuries of suffering in this place. Kasilda's true vulnerability comes from the simultaneous destruction of the altars and a final confrontation with her. If the party attempts to negotiate, Kasilda is willing to speak—she's been alone for decades and is driven by hunger and madness, but she remembers being human. A DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check, supported by knowledge of her true name and her origin (learned from the obelisks in Scene 5), can momentarily break her concentration, providing an advantage on the final combat round. Alternatively, if the party has befriended Kraash and he fights beside them, he can sacrifice himself to disrupt the blood pool's magic for one round, preventing Kasilda from using it as a defensive tool.
DM Notes
This is the Deadly encounter (5,500 XP budget). Kasilda is designed using the Vampire stat block as a base but modified for difficulty. Use a custom stat block: AC 16, HP 144 (uses the pool for regeneration), and the following abilities: (1) Multiattack—she makes two attacks per turn (bite and claw, using standard vampire mechanics), (2) Regeneration—she regains 10 HP at the start of her turn if she's in the blood pool; this doesn't work if she's more than 10 feet from the pool, (3) Dominating Presence (Recharge 5-6)—one humanoid she can see within 30 feet must make a DC 16 Charisma save or be charmed and unable to attack her until the end of her next turn, (4) Blood Drain (1/Turn)—a creature grappled by her must make a DC 15 Constitution save or take 7 (2d6) necrotic damage and lose 1d4 maximum HP, which doesn't come back until they finish a long rest. The Ghouls use the official stat block (3 attacks each, DC 12 Dexterity save on hit or be paralyzed). Tactics: Kasilda uses hit-and-run tactics through the pillars, relying on the Ghouls for frontline combat. She attempts to grapple the Paladin or monk (highest HP or AC), using Blood Drain to whittle them down. She uses Dominating Presence on spellcasters. As the altars are destroyed, her HP effectively decreases by 15 each (you can track this by reducing her max HP or by marking her as "weakened" and giving disadvantage on saves). Once three altars are destroyed, she becomes desperate and attempts to retreat to the throne, making a stand there. If the party is struggling, Kraash (if alive and loyal) appears and uses his attacks against the Ghouls or Kasilda. The battle should last 3-4 rounds if the party is effective, 5-6 if they're struggling. The combat should feel climactic and dangerous, with characters dropping into single digits HP or taking serious damage. If Kasilda is defeated before all altars are destroyed, the curse weakens but doesn't fully break—the party can finish the ritual at the altars afterward, or they can attempt a DC 18 Religion check to perform a ritual of unbinding using Kasilda's corpse (which takes 10 minutes and requires a willing ally to guide the magic). If all altars are destroyed before Kasilda falls, she becomes vulnerable and can be killed with significantly less effort, turning the final round into a race to finish her.</an_notes> <parameter name="illustration_key">temple
Read Aloud
As Kasilda's corpse crumbles into ash and shadow, the chamber shudders. The blood pool suddenly boils, releasing a wave of steam and releasing a piercing wail that echoes through the mountain—a sound of agony and release mingled together. The violet flames that burned throughout the region extinguish simultaneously. The stone of the temple groans, and hairline fractures spider across the ceiling. But something changes in the air. The oppressive weight lifting from your shoulders tells you that the curse has broken. If Marta or any other marked survivors remain, they collapse suddenly, gasping for breath—the vampire's mark upon their skin fades like ink washing away. Far below, in Stone Watch and across the territories you've traveled, the corrupted creatures experience sudden clarity. Some weep. Some rage. Some, like Kraash, simply kneel, freed from compulsion for the first time in weeks. A new silence falls over Blackfang Peak—not the silence of hunger, but of peace reclaimed. Yet the mountain has been forever changed by the evil that dwelt here. The temple remains, a scar on the land, a reminder of the price of darkness. You stand among the thirteen altars, each now dark and inert, and you have a choice: leave the temple to collapse naturally, perform a final ritual to truly sanctify the ground, or claim whatever power remains for yourselves.
Description
The aftermath of Kasilda's defeat unfolds across multiple timelines. In the immediate chamber: (1) her corpse leaves behind a final gift—the Crimson Crown, a magic item of dangerous power (detailed in Treasure), (2) the blood pool drains into the stone itself, leaving behind thirteen gemstones of deep purple, each worth 250 gold and usable as spell foci for dark magic (morally ambiguous treasure), (3) the sanctum's archives—a series of stone tablets carved with the names, bloodlines, and ritual formulas behind the curse, allowing a DC 16 Religion or Arcana check to understand that breaking the curse permanently requires the party to either destroy the temple's foundations or perform a sanctification ritual. Over the next hour, as the party explores and rests: (1) Kraash arrives (if alive), broken and grateful, asking for death or redemption—the party can offer him either, (2) messengers from the distant villages begin arriving, reporting that the corruption has lifted—the werewolves transform back into humans, the ghouls collapse as corpses, the possessed giants awaken in confusion, (3) the Archdeacon's representative appears with news: the three missing settlements have sent word that the nightmare has ended, and the party is hailed as saviors, (4) a final revelation: searching Kasilda's throne yields a journal dating back 200 years, revealing that she was originally bound by a paladin of the old kingdom, and her curse cycles every two centuries—the party has prevented catastrophe, but the curse sleeps again, waiting for the next awakening in 200 years. This is both victory and a reminder of impermanence.
DM Notes
This scene is largely roleplay and reward, though it offers opportunities for moral choices. If the party wants to sanctify the temple, they can perform a ritual requiring 1 hour, a DC 16 Religion check, and the participation of any morally upright party member (particularly the Paladin). Success purges the remaining corruption and renders the temple safe. Failure means the sanctification is incomplete, and dark whispers continue to emanate from the peak—but it's not mechanically threatening. If the party attempts to claim the Crimson Crown or use the dark gemstones, plant seeds for future corruption. Kraash's presence offers a redemption arc: if he fought beside them, he might become an NPC ally for future sessions. If he died, his death should feel meaningful. The journal should reference "the Pact of the Thirteen," a ritual that can theoretically be broken by a worthy seeker of justice, hinting that in 200 years, another hero may need to rise. Allow the party to rest fully here, regain all hit points and spell slots, and reflect on their victory. They've saved Severin from a 200-year darkness. Let them feel that weight and that glory.</an_notes> <parameter name="illustration_key">temple
Read Aloud
As you descend Blackfang Peak three days later, the world feels different. The Bloodwood Forest is no longer twisted and hungry—the trees seem lighter somehow, less watching. The sky is bright with honest daylight. At Stone Watch, you find Kraash (if he survived and has chosen redemption) helping the Duergar—Grim and Thord—rebuild their minds and negotiate terms with the surrounding villages for mercy rather than vengeance. The were-boars, Sark and Gorlo, have transformed back into their humanoid forms and wander in a daze, seeking forgiveness they're not sure they deserve. The former hunting party from Thornharvest, led by Thorkan (if spared), offers to serve the party as rangers—they feel bound to those who broke the curse. When you reach Thornharvest, Marta and the other survivors greet you with tears and gratitude, and the settlement begins the grim work of reclaiming their homes and burying their dead. Finally, at the Waystone Inn, Archdeacon Morven receives you with formal ceremony. The Church of the Morning Light presents you with official recognition, and word spreads quickly through Severin's towns and villages: the darkness has been lifted, and hope returns to the northern lands. Yet Morven shares one final secret—a sealed letter from Kasilda's archives, opened only in case of her death. It addresses "the worthy ones," warning that the curse she bore was inflicted by powers older and deeper than any mortal understanding, and that while she is destroyed, the darkness that created her still moves in the world beyond Severin.
Description
The descent is a victory lap with subtle hooks for future adventure. The Bloodwood transforms from horror to merely wild—a place of natural beauty again. The corrupted creatures the party encountered earlier now offer potential allies or complications: (1) Kraash can become a loyal ally, particularly valuable for a future arc involving giants or redemption themes, (2) Thorkan and the hunting party survivors offer a ranger-focused contact, useful for information gathering or wilderness encounters, (3) the Duergar, if treated with respect, might become contacts in future dealings with the deep holds. The party receives healing and rest at each settlement, allowing them to regain any lost hit points and recover from exhaustion. In Thornharvest, they learn that the destruction of the altars has freed the land—no more permanent death, no more spreading curse. At the Waystone Inn, the Archdeacon offers them a place in the Church's order (honorary members, not requiring vows), opening doors to Church contacts and resources. The letter from Kasilda is a narrative hook: it mentions a being called "the Devourer Below," hinting at an elder entity in the Underdark that sent its curse through bloodline magic. This is deliberately vague and designed for a future campaign arc. The party should feel victorious but aware that the world is larger and more dangerous than they initially believed.
DM Notes
This scene wraps the narrative thread while opening the door to future adventures. Use it to establish recurring NPCs and factions: (1) Kraash as a friendly Giant contact, (2) Marta as a healer contact in Thornharvest, (3) Archdeacon Morven as a quest giver in the Church, (4) Thorkan as a wilderness guide. Let the party take time to interact with these characters, to roleplay their gratitude and alliance. If the party wants to pursue the "Devourer Below" hook immediately, you can offer it as a path to deeper quests. Otherwise, leave it as flavor—something whispered about but not pressing. The session ends with the party resting in the Waystone Inn, the wilderness once again safe, and the knowledge that they've made a real difference in the lives of thousands. Allow time for reflection, for character development moments, and for each player to narrate their own epilogue (a custom scene they'd like to play out). This is the "quiet after the storm" moment that makes victories feel earned.</an_notes> <parameter name="illustration_key">tavern
Monsters
Tactics
The werewolves use the terrain to their advantage, attempting to flank the party and separate spellcasters from melee combatants. Thorkan, the largest werewolf, targets the Paladin or Cleric, attempting to use his teeth and claws to inflict maximum damage. The other three wolves spread out along the gorge, using the collapsed bridge's difficult terrain to their benefit. They will not retreat unless Thorkan is defeated or they suffer three casualties. If the party attempts to reason with them, Thorkan will parley briefly before attacking, giving a final warning: "The mountain calls those who bleed for it." The werewolves will focus fire on the lowest-AC opponent, attempting to grapple and drag them away from the group. They are intelligent enough to use hit-and-run tactics if the party is much stronger than expected, harrying them from range rather than committing to direct combat.
Terrain
Scarred Gorge is a narrow mountain pass, 30 feet wide at its widest, with cliff walls rising 40 feet on both sides. A collapsed stone bridge in the center creates difficult terrain (ruins, rubble, unstable stones). The gorge is dimly lit by overcast sky, giving creatures with darkvision an advantage. The walls are smooth stone with occasional handholds, requiring a DC 14 Athletics check to climb. A creature that falls from the bridge (from 15 feet up) takes 5d6 falling damage. The gorge echoes, making it nearly impossible to surprise creatures positioned on the far side of the bridge. The Dire Wolves can move through this terrain easily due to their climbing abilities and Keen Hearing and Smell trait, allowing them to navigate by sound alone if visibility is reduced.
Monsters
Tactics
If combat is initiated, the council fights with tactical coordination: Kraash uses his greatclub to control the center of the courtyard, while the Duergar use Enlarge on themselves and attack from elevated positions on the watchtowers (requiring Athletics DC 14 to reach them). The were-boars charge melee combatants, using their tusks and tusks to deal extra damage on attacks. They target the Paladin first, attempting to exploit any weakness. However, this encounter is designed to be more negotiation than combat. If the party uses Charisma-based skills (Persuasion, Deception, or Insight), they can convince these creatures to refuse Kasilda's orders temporarily. A successful DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check allows the party to appeal to the creatures' fading humanity and create an alliance. A successful DC 18 check makes them outright rebellious. If combat occurs, use the creatures strategically—Kraash and the Duergar can be used to surround and press the party, but they should feel like beatable opponents with decent action economy rather than an overwhelming force. The Duergar can cast Invisibility to escape, suggesting they're not committed to the fight if they begin losing.
Terrain
Stone Watch is a fortified garrison built into the mountainside. The courtyard is roughly 120 feet by 80 feet, surrounded by 10-foot-high stone walls on three sides and the mountain face on the fourth. Four corner watchtowers rise an additional 20 feet, connected by narrow walkways. The center of the courtyard contains a stone well (non-functional, filled with old bones) and scattered debris. A large stone statue of a forgotten general stands in one corner, providing cover. Violet flames burn in braziers at each watchtower, providing eerie illumination. If the party destroys the violet flames, Kasilda loses scrying on the area for the session's final battle, gaining surprise (DC 10 Stealth vs. Kasilda's passive Perception 16—difficult but possible). The courtyard is open and relatively flat, favoring large creatures like Kraash but providing cover for ranged combatants.
Monsters
Tactics
Morghul is a skilled warrior with two heads, allowing him to use both his battleaxe and morningstar in coordinated attacks. He fights with tactical awareness, using his reach (5 feet) to control the battlefield and prevent the party from approaching too closely. He will target the frontline combatant (Paladin or Fighter) with his most damaging attacks while using ranged javelins against spellcasters attempting to hang back. His Wakeful trait means he is extremely difficult to surprise and will react optimally to the party's positioning. Morghul does not use sophisticated tactics—he relies on his superior AC (12), HP (100), and damage output to overwhelm opponents. He will not retreat or surrender, as the vampire's influence is too strong. However, if Kraash appears during the fight, Morghul hesitates for one round, distracted by the sight of his former companion. Kraash can be used to distract Morghul, allowing the party an advantage on attack rolls for one round. Morghul's necrotic damage enhancement (from the vampire's boon) adds 1d6 additional damage to his melee attacks, making him particularly dangerous to characters with low HP pools.
Terrain
The temple entrance is a grand archway carved from jet-black stone, 60 feet wide and 40 feet tall. Two massive obelisks frame the entrance, each 20 feet tall and 5 feet wide, providing limited cover. The ground in front of the entrance is paved with obsidian tiles, smooth and slippery (no mechanical penalty, but evoking danger). Morghul stands in the archway, his two heads silhouetted against the violet light spilling from within the temple. The area immediately in front of the entrance is open, roughly 40 feet deep before the canyon narrowing prevents further advancement. Behind the party, the mountain path descends steeply, and a creature pushed off the path takes 3d6 falling damage. If the party attempts to use the obelisks for cover, they can gain partial cover (+2 AC) but risk damaging the obelisks. Destroying an obelisk (AC 19, 30 HP) causes a partial collapse, creating difficult terrain in a 15-foot radius (DC 15 Dexterity save to avoid being knocked prone).
Monsters
Tactics
Kasilda uses her undead nature and magical prowess to devastating effect. She opens combat by using Dominating Presence on the party's primary spellcaster, removing them from the fight for one round. She then focuses on grappling the Paladin or highest-HP melee combatant, using Blood Drain to whittle them down over time. Her regeneration (10 HP per turn) makes her exceptionally difficult to wear down, but this only works while she's in or near the blood pool. The Ghouls act as a screen, attacking the party's frontline while Kasilda executes her strategy. If three altars are destroyed, Kasilda becomes desperate and attempts to retreat to her throne, making a final stand there. Her tactics shift to hit-and-run if she realizes she's outmatched, using her superior movement to kite the party. As her HP drops below 50%, she becomes increasingly frenzied, using all her attacks and abilities aggressively. The Ghouls, if reduced to half their total (11 HP each), begin attempting to flee, abandoning their mistress, revealing that her control is not absolute.
Terrain
The sanctum is the largest encounter space: 120 feet long, 80 feet wide, with an 80-foot ceiling. The circular blood pool dominates the center, roughly 40 feet in diameter and 5 feet deep. Walking into the pool requires a DC 15 Strength save to avoid being restrained; creatures inside take 2d6 necrotic damage at the end of their turn. Surrounding the pool are thirteen stone altars, arranged in a circle at the pool's edge, each 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide (AC 19, 20 HP each—destroying one weakens Kasilda). Six massive pillars (20 feet tall, 5 feet diameter) provide cover and create line-of-sight complications. Kasilda's throne sits on a dais elevated 5 feet above the main floor at the far end of the chamber. A flight of stone steps leads up to the throne, and Kasilda will retreat there if pressured. The sanctum is lit by a sickly bioluminescent glow from the blood pool, providing enough light to see normally but creating eerie shadows. The party can use the pillars and altars for cover (+2 AC) but cannot fully hide behind them given Kasilda's superior perception and ability to move through difficult terrain. If the party destroys altars (requiring STR-based checks—DC 16 to damage, DC 18 to destroy in a single action), Kasilda loses effectiveness and desperation sets in.
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