This adventure has four distinct parts， with various side treks and resting points scattered throughout. The four parts are Zvomarana， Citadel of the Raven Queen， Death’s Reach， and the Reliquary of Timesus.
After a mysterious attack and summons ，the adventures must seek out Letherna through Zvomarana， the Temple of Temples where powerful servants of the Raven Queen dwell. The adventures arrive to find terrible forces laying to the temple grounds-the spiritual tests they would have undertaken become a serious of brutal battles against Orcus’s elite.
If the characters break the siege， they have the opportunity to speak with the Raven Queen among the sky-piercing icy mountains of Letherna， where souls of the world’s dead congregate to learn their fates.
The Raven Queen provides a method for the adventurers to travel into Death’s Reach. A soul gate is one of the few passages to that dark place left open by gods. If the adventurers manage to traverse this perilous route not meant to be used by living creatures， they arrive in a vast crater filled with the debris of the Dawn War. Charged with finding and stopping the intruders that have invaded this place， the adventurers must make their way through a blasted landscape punctuated by horrifying undead， relics of an earlier ages， mighty servants of Orcus， and secretive servants of another power who has an interest in this conflict-Vecna. Upon reaching Nerull’s Gate and liberating it from its guardians， the adventurers summon the Raven Queen’s aspect to point them further along their way. It is then they discover that they have roused the wrath of Orcus!
Following their divine patron’s direction， the adventurers find and explore the Reliquary of Timesus， the place where the interlopers are making their greatest discoveries. The Reliquary， a necropolis complex that contains many surprised， is the prison of the primordial known as the Black Star. Timesus was imprisoned in Death’s Reach with his terrible blackstar host. In an ancient lair of death and incarceration， among many ancient horrors， the adventurers must defeat Orcus’s greatest worldly servant， the self-proclaimed exarch Elder Arantham. The adventurers can find a measure of victory by vanquishing Arantham. However， the triumph is darkened by the discovery that Timesus is no longer imprisoned here.
This section provides a serious of adventure hooks that you can use to involve the player characters in the events that are about to unfold. The minor quests are tied to epic destinies， and one or more of them can be distributed among the characters. If a character has an epic destiny other than the ones presented below， use these to model a new hook more in keeping with the specific epic destiny.
HOOK: STUDIES OF THE ARCHMAGE
Provide a character with the Archmage epic destiny the following quest， playing it out as the character performs a ritual.
Instead of the result you expected， as the ritual is completed the image of a cloaked skulls appears before you. In a cracked voice reverberating with veiled power， the figure speaks:
“Pay heed， mortal.I sense great potential in you . It would please me to witness such potential come to fruition， so mark my words well.”
“A secret place exists that contains relics of primordial vintage. This place has been walled away from creation since the elder gods willed it so， but its walls have been breached. Even now， fell creatures loot this ancient trove of its treasures. If you would secure any of its wonders before they are all carted away to serve an abyssal master， seek the Raven Queen in Letherna. Claim for yourself and yours a relic of the dawn time， see a place lost since the first days， and move closer to unlocking the secrets of reality. In doing so， you help many besides yourself … including me.”
This arcane vision is sent directly by Vecna， though the god is able to cover his tracks well enough that determining its origin is impossible. The PC recognized that the message wasn’t unlike a Sending ritual， though vastly more powerful ， and vastly more significant.
Quest XP: 3，200 XP (minor quest) for traveling to Death’s Reach and claiming any artifact within.
這道神秘的幻象其實是威可那直接傳送過來的訊息，然而這位神祇能夠妥善地掩蓋祂的足跡，足以讓追蹤這道幻象的來源成為一件不可能辦到的任務。該名PC會察覺到這個訊息和一道傳送儀式並沒有什麼不同之處，然而卻更加強大、也更加地講究。
探索XP: 給予旅行至死亡岬並從那裡取回任何一件神器的角色3，200 XP (次要探索)。
HOOK: A DEADLY TRICKSTER’S REWARD
Provide a character with the Deadly Trickster epic destiny the following quest， playing it out as the character wanders around any settlement.
0ne of your many contacts approaches you and nonchalantly offers the following tale:
“As sly-fingered and silver-tongued as you are， I’m surprised you didn’t already know this. Something big is going down. Mauglurien the Black Dragon， dwarven leader of the Ebon Riders hasn’t been seen for months. A one-eyed stranger whispered this secret while we drained tankards at the Broken Sword. Word is，Mauglurien is leading a force against Zvomarana， the Raven Queen or her exarchs would give much to learn about this plot . Of everyone I deal with， I believe you can best work this news to your advantage. Perhaps you can even procure a favor from Fate herself.”
The PC who receives this message can begin to investigate this rumor， with the help of the other PCs (see page 6).
Minor Quest: 3，200 XP (minor quest) for bringing whatever the character discovers of this plot to the Raven Queen and successfully bargaining for a favor in return.
獲知該消息的PC可以在藉由其他PC的幫助下開始去調查這則流言。
次要探索XP: 給予帶回任何與鴉后的計畫之間有所關連的發現，並在返回時與他進行了一次成功的交涉以取得其支持之角色3，200 XP (次要探索)。
HOOK: ASCENSION OF A DEMIGOD
Provide a character with the Demigod epic destiny the following quest， playing it out as the character prepares to take an extended rest.
As sleep closes in on you， you suddenly become aware of a presence. Sitting beside you is a figure with glowing golden flesh and a divine aura that you know you will someday share. It takes a moment and then you realize that this divine visitor looks just like you. The visitor smiles at you realization and says:
“You might one day achieve what I represent， but your destiny is by no means certain. Challenges lie before you， some of with may seem ， at first glance， beyond your power and skill to deal with. Perhaps you will succeed， perhaps not. Either way， one task is surely set before you， a deed all who seek godhood must do. You must petition the Raven Queen to acknowledge your destiny and relinquish her claim on the ultimate disposition of your soul. Seek out the Raven Queen at Zvomarana， the Temple of Temples.”
A PC who receives this vision knows that it is true， and that it comes from a being that transcends time—a being the character might soon become. The character should begin to seek knowledge about Lethema， the Raven Queen’s dominion， and the Temple of Temples， before the adventure begins.
Minor Quest: 3，200 XP (minor quest) for traveling to Letherna and convincing the Raven Queen to relinquish her power over the potential Demigod’s soul.
次要探索XP: 給予動身前往Letherna、並說服鴉后讓出祂對於這位潛在半神靈魂的所有權之角色3，200 XP (次要探索)。
HOOK: THE ETERNAL SEEKER’S PATH
Provide a character with the Demigod epic destiny the following quest， playing it out as the character prepares to take an extended rest.
An ominous dream comes to you in flashes as you sleep.
You see a temple on a mist-covered mountain， where thousands of ravens circle above its slender spires.
The scene shifts to inside， where a knight in black armor atop a black steed pounds on a doorway beyond a mirrored alter. His crimson shield is adorned with the head of a black dragon.
The scene shifts， and you see yourself and your companions locked in battle with an ebony dragon as ghosts wail in agony and the dragon cuts you down one by one.
The scene shifts， and you are alone in an endless darkness. After long moments， you spot a dimly lit corridor containing a succession of seven locked gates. You try to open the first gate and the scene shifts.
Now you are on a wide， desolate plain， watching helplessly as a great black rock the size of the moon hurtles out of the sky. It strikes the land with a world-shattering impact.
Sweat soaked， you awaken， these scenes of future doom still bouncing within your mind.
The PC can investigate the visions. Certain rituals， such as Consult Oracle， are effective， as is finding a sage to explain the dream symbols (see page 6).
Minor Quest: 3，200 XP (minor quest) if the PCs successfully discover the meaning of the dream and its disturbing symbology， and if they learn the great black rock is the primordial Timesus.
該PC可以對這個夢境進行調查，確切來說像是Consult Oracle等的儀式，或是藉由去尋找一位賢者來解釋這個夢境所蘊含的意義也都是有效的。(參見P.6)
次要探索: 如果PC們成功地發現這個夢境和它前來擾亂所象徵的意義，並了解到那塊巨大的黑色岩石就是原初者Timesus的話，就給予他們3，200 XP (次要探索)。
HOOK: DEATH CALLS
Regardless of other options， the exploits of the adventurers have garnered the attention of the Raven Queen. She sends a representative to summon the adventurers to an audience in order to offer them an opportunity to perform a service for the spinner of fate and the patron of winter. As this encounter unfolds， the Ebon Riders attack.
See Encounter A1: Death Calls on page 8 for details.
发表于 2010-8-23 14:13:42