Plot Hook:
Deep in the mist-cloaked Briarhollow Woods, nestled atop a crumbling cliffside, lies the forsaken Eldwynd Keep—a ruin of shattered stone and whispered curses. Once the seat of an ancient line of warrior-kings, it has long been abandoned, its halls echoing only with the howls of the wind and the murmurs of the dead. Yet now, after centuries of silence, a fell light glows from its highest tower, and travelers speak of eerie figures roaming its broken battlements.
Rumors abound: some claim the last king of Eldwynd Keep, Aedric the Hollow, has risen from his grave to reclaim his lost crown. Others whisper that something far worse now dwells within—the remnants of an old, forgotten god, seeking a vessel to walk the world once more.
A wealthy scholar of the Arcane Collegium, Master Iorvan Tallowmere, seeks brave adventurers to investigate the keep and retrieve the legendary Hollow Crown—an artifact of unknown power said to have been the doom of Aedric’s bloodline. The reward is great, but so are the perils that lurk within the keep’s shadowed depths.
The Dungeon:
The adventure spans multiple levels within Eldwynd Keep, each filled with secrets, horrors, and ancient relics.
- The Cursed Courtyard – Overgrown with thorny vines, the courtyard is patrolled by spectral knights and animated suits of armor, cursed to defend the ruin for eternity. A colossal iron gate bars entry to the keep, requiring a puzzle or key to bypass.
- The Hall of Echoes – Inside, broken chandeliers and faded banners hang like ghosts of the past. Phantom whispers fill the air, and illusions twist reality. A grand, dust-covered banquet table bears a feast that will ensnare those who dare to partake.
- The Catacombs of the Hollow Kings – A labyrinth of burial chambers where the long-dead monarchs of Eldwynd lie. But some do not rest easy—twisted wraiths and skeletal lords rise to challenge intruders. A hidden passage leads to the keep’s deepest secret: the throne room of the Hollow King.
- The Throne of Aedric the Hollow – At the heart of the ruin, beneath a great obsidian arch, sits the skeletal remains of King Aedric, his bony fingers still clutching the Hollow Crown. But when the crown is disturbed, the tormented spirit of Aedric awakens, possessed by an eldritch force. The final battle determines whether the adventurers claim the artifact or become part of the legend of Eldwynd Keep themselves.
Twist:
The Hollow Crown is not a mere treasure, but a prison. It binds an ancient, malevolent entity—the Void-Caller—that once sought dominion over the mortal realm. If the crown is taken from the keep, the seal will break, unleashing the entity upon the world once more. Do the adventurers risk the world’s safety for wealth and power, or do they sacrifice their reward to prevent a catastrophe?
What fate will they choose? And more importantly—will they escape Eldwynd Keep alive?
Npc
NPC: Iorvan Tallowmere – Scholar of the Arcane Collegium
Background:
Master Iorvan Tallowmere is an aged but astute scholar of the Arcane Collegium, an order of scholars and mages who dedicate their lives to the study of ancient artifacts and forgotten mysteries. He is a man of great intelligence but also of deep secrets. His fascination with the Hollow Crown is more than just academic – he has spent years searching for its hiding place and is now willing to hire adventurers to complete his life’s research.
But why? Is it purely scientific curiosity that drives him, or does he know more about the artifact’s dangers than he lets on?
His gaunt figure is wrapped in dark blue robes with silver embroidery, and his thin face is framed by a wreath of white hair. His sharp eyes glow with a strange fire when he speaks of Eldwynd Keep, as if something more than academic ambition burns within him.
NPC: Seraphine ”Sindra” Duskrun – The Lost Shadowhunter
Background:
Seraphine, or Sindra as she calls herself, was once one of the foremost Shadowhunters in the kingdom—tracker, assassin, and monster hunter all in one. She was sent to Eldwynd Keep to investigate its curse but never returned… at least not as herself.
Now a shadow of her former self, a woman haunted by whispering voices and invisible hands closing around her soul. She was found wandering on the edge of Briarhollow Woods, halfway between life and death, her memories torn like parchment in a storm.
Now she seeks guidance—and revenge—against the thing that took her mind. But can she really trust herself anymore?
