D20 SYSTEM✦ Normal

The Valloric Gala: Blade-Forging Conspiracy

# Intrigue# Social# Dungeon

The annual Blade-Forging Gala at Valloric Manor is a glittering showcase of legendary smiths and their masterwork weapons, attended by nobles, mercenaries, and collectors. Beneath the festive dais, however, a secret passage leads to a network of tunnels used by a desperate faction to smuggle refugees. The central artifact, the 'Soul-Edge Anvil,' is not merely a trophy—it is a key to a dormant forge deep underground, sought by both the ruthless artifact hunters of the Gilded Sable and the zealous preservationists of the Anvil's Remnant. The theft of the Anvil has plunged the Gala into chaos, and the uncovered passage has exposed a hidden war. You are trapped in the manor with secrets, lies, and a choice that will determine who controls the soul of the forge.

Chronicle Prelude

The opulent Grand Hall of Valloric Manor during the height of the Gala. Crystal chandeliers illuminate masterwork weapons on display, masked guests mingle, and tension simmers beneath the courtesy. The central dais, where the Soul-Edge Anvil was displayed, is now empty and cordoned off by Valloric guards.

Environmental Traits

The Soul-Edge Anvil has been stolen from its display. In the ensuing investigation, a hidden passage beneath the dais has been revealed, leading down into ancient, unstable tunnels. Two factions—the wealthy Gilded Sable and the underground Anvil's Remnant—both believe they are the rightful custodians of the Anvil and the power it commands. The manor is on lockdown, and the tunnels are a labyrinth of old mining shafts and natural caves. The fate of the underground forge, and the people who depend on it, hangs in the balance.

Legendary Archetypes

Rayan

HP:45

STR:16

WIS: 12

CHA:11

Key Factions & Autonomous Nodes (8)

Valdar Valloric
An elderly man with a dignified, silver-streaked beard, dressed in a rich but understated velvet robe. His posture is rigid with stress, and his eyes, usually sharp with intellect, are clouded with worry and horror at the recent events within his ancestral home.
Captain Elara Voss
A woman in her forties with a severe, practical haircut and the polished, functional armor of the Valloric House Guard. Her expression is a mask of controlled fury and immense stress, constantly scanning her surroundings.
Maren Sable
A woman clad in form-fitting, dark leather armor adorned with subtle golden filigree. Her movements are economical and precise. Her eyes are a cold, calculating grey, and she carries herself with an air of absolute, professional certainty.
Kael of the Remnant
An older man with a deeply lined face and hands calloused from a lifetime of work. He wears simple, sturdy clothing and carries a staff of petrified wood. His eyes hold a weary wisdom and a fierce, protective light.
Thorn, the Mutated Miner
A grotesque, hulking figure that was once dwarven. Its skin is pallid and stretched, shot through with glowing, slag-like veins. Its eyes burn with a mad, pained light, and it moves with a jerky, powerful gait, letting out guttural, pained moans. It guards the path to the Inner Sanctum with a massive, fused pickaxe.
Lira, the Refugee Child
A small, dirty girl with wide, frightened eyes, hiding behind a stack of old crates in a damp service tunnel nook. She clutches a torn piece of cloth to her chest.
Sable Scout Corvus
A lean man in dark, hooded scout's leathers with a single golden feather pinned to his collar. He moves with a silent, confident arrogance, his eyes constantly darting to assess threats and escape routes.
Old Grenn
A grizzled, wiry old man with a crooked nose and a perpetual squint, tucked into a cleverly concealed nook in the service tunnels, surrounded by small crates and maps.

Chronicle Prelude

Environmental Traits

Legendary Archetypes

✦ Related Cases ✦

The Vault-Door Deadlock of the Dwarven Bank and the Forgotten Combination of the Custodian

The Champions' Vault: Siege of the Animated Relics