Kristivas
First Post
I'm teaching my kids to play D&D with 5e. They've been after me for awhile to learn, and I finally said "you know what, I'll give it a shot". I'd been a little worried they weren't old enough, you know? I didn't want my son in particular to play his character like a chaotic neutral Superman and just run around, trying to punch every bad thing in the face and think that would work out fine. Or, like Skyrim, where someone just walks up to a speaking NPC and ganks them at random. The first session was a training mission, where the group was put into arena-like fights to test their mettle (and to teach them combat rules in real time). It went really well. When the group entered a new area and saw a goblin with a shortbow (among other baddies), the boy made sure to target him first (being the bow-using ranger), and I'm glad to admit I was proud of his use of tactics.
So, I really started plotting out the campaign, because I want there to be a good story there. I want them to want to see it through to the end. I want them to experience some outlandish things, and a few D&D cliches, but not get too cartoony. Any tips, advice, criticisms, or suggestions are welcome.
Player and Story Summary
I'm teaching my son (11) and daughter (10) to play. My wife and brother are playing too. The boy is a bow-using Elven Ranger. Daughter is a Wood Elf Monk (going for the ninja monk, I think). The wife is playing the Dwarven Trickster Cleric. Brother went High Elf Necromancer. My best friend will probably jump into the group when he's back in 2 weeks. I think he's playing a warrior of some kind, but I don't remember.
Some of the story is a little hokey with some cliches, and a little over the top. The gold dragon, Firal's "ultimate weapon" are good examples of what I mean there. But, I'm kinda going for that.
The story centers around Thexus and Firal Angrim, descendants of a wicked dude named Acavoir Angrim. Acavoir was a good Necromancer turned bad, by a corrupting item. He was taken down by adventurers hundreds of years prior, and his Tower was lost. How do you lose a Tower, you might ask? It was sunk into the ground in the battle, without survivors to tell the tale.
Firal is the evil brother, and wants Acavoir's secrets for money and power. Thexus is the good brother, and wants to see Acavoir's Tower and the Emerald Skull (the Macguffin) destroyed, along with the leader of his group, and old man named Reinhardt that has been hunting evil for a very long time.
The PCs will join this group and thus, the fight. They'll start out as mere members and will go on to be the heroes (as long as they don't die).
Though set in Faerun/Forgotten Realms, this doesn't have much Realms Lore in it. It was just something I added. It happened in a remote location long ago, and was over so quickly, it didn't make the papers or draw Elminster or anyone other big names into it.
Most of this campaign will take place in Acavoir's Tower, like a Super Dungeon. The PCs will keep going back, clearing new areas, seeing changes. Sometimes, areas they've taken will be reclaimed by baddies, especially if they leave for a long time.
Major NPCs
Thexus Angrim - NPC "face man" of the Hidden Line. His goal is to finally infiltrate Acavoir's Tower, retrieve the Emerald Skull of Durraang, and see it destroyed. Thexus is one of two of the last living descendants of Acavoir, and has carried on his family tradition of seeing all trace of their ancestor's corruption wiped from the face of the planet.
Thexus finally traces some of his old family belongings and, using a journal found there, learns the location of Acavoir's Tower due to some keywords and an old nursery rhyme his Mother used to tell him.
Reinhardt - The name of the Great Wyrm Gold Dragon leading the secret group known as the Hidden Line. Reinhardt takes the form of a wizened old man, and is so ancient that he can sense his death approaching. He figures he has roughly another year or so before his time is up. Reinhardt has spent much of life actively hunting powerful evils along with mortal allies. Their group has been kept small and secretive, and Reinhardt has pursued this goal with a patient single-mindedness only capable of a gold dragon, with this all stemming from the murder of his mate more than five hundred years prior.
Reinhardt's final goal is to see the Emerald Skull of Durraang destroyed. It was the skull's corruption that led Auria Stormshield, Fallen Paladin of Lathander, to strike down Reinhardt's mate before coming into the possession of Acavoir. As Acavoir's Tower had been lost, Reinhardt lost the trail of the Emerald Skull. It's only with the Tower's recent discovery that he has devoted all of the Hidden Line's remaining resources to ridding the world of the skull for good, before his time is up.
- Reinheardt is too old to mix it up and aid the PCs in battle, unless the evil comes to his lair.
- He will die in a climactic battle, saving the PCs and the rest of the Hidden Line as they escape from Firal Angrim's "Ultimate Weapon", though he will destroy the weapon before dying (which took a decade to build, so another will be out of the question). I feel as though I can make this death heroic enough that the characters will want to avenge him and carry on the campaign.
- Reinhardt can't simply walk into the tower and Gold Dragon the place to smithereens. It's too small for his massive body to fit in as a dragon, and every time he gets lower than the top two floors, he starts to lose control of his shapechange and revert back to gargantuan size, likely crushing himself and anyone around him, and perhaps the whole tower. This effect is due to the warding Acavoir used to protect himself from spies or assassins trying to enter the top of the tower in magical guise. Folks can still shapechange beyond the barrier (Wild Shape, etc), they just can't pass beyond a certain point shapechanged without it reverting them to their natural form. This is pretty much just to have an old Gold Dragon be the mover and shaker, but as to why he'd need PCs. Burying the Emerald Skull beneath tons of rock simply will not do, so he won't risk going in.
Firal Angrim/The Constructor - Firal Angrim has chosen the dark path of his ancestor, Acavoir. He is a mage who focuses on golemcraft, rather than Necromancy. These golems are sold to the unsavory groups of the Sword Coast, and often used to commit horrific crimes or costly robberies (and sometimes, Firal will use his own constructs to rob something particularly tempting while the guards and such are tracking whatever guild or group he sold his last batch of monsters to). Using clues found in old family belongings (learned by Scrying on Thexus), is on track to finding the Tower. He seeks to use the Emerald Skull in the head of an Iron Golem, which is just going to go *awesomely* for him when that happens.
- The PCs will defeat Firal (if they can), but he's going to escape. I kinda want that to be as frustrating as possible, like they have him at 1 hp, then shwoom. He's snatched out of death, giving them the slow-mo middle finger. When he dies, it'll be at the hands of Durraang. The PCs will find his smashed and mangled body, and will hopefully either feel robbed of getting their final vengeance, or will just be relieved he's dead. Either way, they'll have a much more deadly foe to battle.
Lore
History: Acavoir Angrim was an ancient and powerful Necromancer, who had become insane after defeating all of his rivals in the quest for an item known as the Emerald Skull of Durraang. The Emerald Skull is an intelligent item that seeks to slowly subvert and drive mad any who touch it. They are made paranoid, greedy, and consumed with a lust for power. While Acavoir had originally intended to see Necromancy used to defeat death and heal terrible maladies, he was irrevocably twisted by the effects of the Emerald Skull. His ensuing reign of his claimed dominion, though short, left a terrible mark upon the land's history.
Eventually, Acavoir's tower was raided by heroes of Faerun's past and in the ensuing battle, the entire structure sunk into the ground. As there were no survivors, it's location and details of the final battle were lost to time.
Additional History: Durraang, Scourge of the Hellscape was a Demon Lord who relished in war and combat. He was instrumental in a series of victories that once nearly swayed the Blood War in favor of the forces of Chaos before being defeated by a cabal of Devils and their servants. Rather than simply killing him, Durraang's essence was forced into the Emerald Skull and his former life was wiped from the Demon Lord's memory. After being passed around the Nine Hells as a trophy, the Skull was sent to the Material Plane to be used by the minions of Devils. Durraang's mighty will proved too much for those mortals that laid hand or eye upon the Emerald Skull. He quickly escaped the grasp of the Cabal's followers after causing them all to get themselves killed, and was unleashed upon the world, free to sow the seeds of chaos.
Acavoir's Tower
- Twelve stories tall, with two levels of basement/dungeon. It's entered from the top of the tower.
- Anything damaged in the Tower via battle, fireballs, raging monsters, whatever will repair itself to like-new conditions within 1 hour.
- Anything taken from the Tower will be teleported back into place within 1d4 hours, *unless* it is taken up through the barrier of the 3rd highest floor. The Duergar and Mind Flayers have simply given up trying to loot the place, not even having considered this possibility of going toward the surface.
- The highest two floors were formerly Acavoir's sanctuary. His bedroom and study were here, along with his personal sitting room, bathing room, and vault. Items from here have since been looted, and the Hidden Line has set up soldiers here, converting it into a barracks of sorts.
- Floors 3 (from the top, where the PCs will begin), 6, and 9 each have balconies, which each leading into a tunnel system dug into, or outward from the tower.
- Deep Gnomes had originally dug into the tunnel from Floor 6, though their clan was decimated by Duergar. These Duergar are the ones who dug the remaining tunnels, creating a labyrinth around the aforementioned floors.
- In recent years, the Duergar have been embroiled in a battle with a Collective of Mind Flayers, who can feel the magic of the Emerald Skull and covet it's power. All of the Duergar on floors 3 and 4 were wiped out. The power of the Tower has since animated these corpses and left them under the control of a particularly nasty Wraith of a former Duergar Commander, who's will was just too powerful to be extinguished.
- Floor 6 is a Mind Flayer's bastion, filled with their servants and one of their Lieutenants, and one of their pools of tadpoles, because I want to see what the group will do to/with them.
- Floor 7 are more Mind Flayers and the Duergar, fighting. The group will have to navigate all this, either trying to get to the next floor without being noticed, choosing a side, or something along those lines. Wait and mop up the victor while they're weak is an option. The Mind Flayer leader is here.
- Floor 8 and 9 are Duergar controlled. How the PCs get through here depends on how they handled things before. Either it's a massive fight, or the Duergar will allow them to pass. They can also feel the magic, and unlike the Mind Flayers, realize that it's super bad juju. While normally without scruples, one of their Gods has commanded (through their cleric) to see the Skull to the surface, so the sundwellers can all suffer the carnage of the Emerald Skull.
- Floor 10 has never been breached. Thexus will have given the PCs the key (which he's had since he came of age), so it's all unexplored territory from now on. This will be mostly clear, except for the Guardian of the library. Here's where the PCs will get the scoop on the Emerald Skull and on Reinhardt's mate. Her head will be a trophy, along with the Fallen Paladin's sword, overlooking the library.
- Floor 11 and 12 are going to just be a mass of Undead. Tons of Zombies and Skeletons, all led by mini-bosses. I'm going to throw as many different types of undead as I can logically throw here.
- The two Dungeon levels will be inhabited by Dark Elves, who have sent a few parties in after finding a way through Acavoir's warding, their attention having been drawn by the Mind Flayer/Duergar fighting. It will be quite a battle to the Skull from there.
- Acavoir is, of course, alive(ish!) and has been imprisoned with the Emerald Skull in the dungeon for centuries.
How it's going to play out (provided they don't get themselves killed, of course).
The PCs will go through character levels 1-3 proving themselves to the Hidden Line, doing good deeds while also "training" for their true mission. Once it's over, they'll be inducted as members. They'll meet Reinhardt and learn what lore he can provide. Then, they'll start dungeon delving. (I didn't have to worry about going through huge hoops of adventure hooks, they all want to adventure and are going with it nicely.)
Each time they clear a floor, Hidden Line soldiers will take and hold it. Tunnels into the Underdark will be collapsed. This will give a healing/rest/sell loot place, and is also the reason the PCs will be able to leave and return (as long as they don't stay away too long), while keeping their progress.
[If the PCs are wounded and in trouble, they can return to a Hidden Line checkpoint for aid. However, I'll only allow this twice, before they'll return to a group of baddies having killed their allies, making things even worse. I won't let it be used as a crutch, and I'll make several warnings to this.]
An alliance with the Duergar and an alliance with the Mind Flayers may give the group different benefits. Though, the Mind Flayers ultimately want the skull, and they will try to take it once it's recovered. An alliance with the Dark Elves is doomed to betrayal from their end, no matter what. The Duergar will hold up their ends, as long as the PCs agree to remove the Emerald Skull from the Underdark.
They finally get to the Emerald Skull and take it out, into the surface, after finishing up any business they have. Outside, Firal will be waiting for him with a group of constructs. It'll be a nasty defeat for sure when Reinhardt shows up to save the day. He breath weapons, claws, or bites their way to victory against many of the golems while Firal flees. They return to the lair, where Reinhardt plans to destroy the Skull once and for all.
At the lair, Firal shows up with his Ultimate Weapon. It's a freakin' titan-sized golem, something he's been working on for more than a decade. All of his dirty deeds have been for building this monstrosity in secret. Reinhardt and Firal's monster battle, and though the Great Wyrm will be able to have one last win, he is mortally wounded. Firal gets the Skull, but will have to face the PCs. If they defeat him, he'll be saved at the last instant with a contingency spell, with a smile and slow-mo middle finger-type gesture to the group the instant the teleport activates.
Back in his villanous lair, Firals wastes no time in bringing his greatest creation to life. An iron golem with the Emerald Skull inside the helm of the armor. Durraang is fully awakened by the magic of the golem, gains complete control of his "new body", and pounds Firal into a greasy stain. He seeks to return to the hells and use this metal monstrosity to wade into battle against the Devils, and find his retribution for the centuries of torture he's had to endure as part of a boss' loot table.
Opening a portal to hell, of course, would have dire consequences for the world. He'll need to be stopped, and only the PCs can do it, because they'll be the only ones to know where and how Durraang can open the portal (from Reinhardt's notes).
Climactic final battle. If the PCs win, one of Reinhardt's children show up to destroy the skull in the ritual. He will then take off, leaving the PCs to lead the Hidden Line, as they've proven themselves worthy of assuming his Father's role.
So, I really started plotting out the campaign, because I want there to be a good story there. I want them to want to see it through to the end. I want them to experience some outlandish things, and a few D&D cliches, but not get too cartoony. Any tips, advice, criticisms, or suggestions are welcome.
Player and Story Summary
I'm teaching my son (11) and daughter (10) to play. My wife and brother are playing too. The boy is a bow-using Elven Ranger. Daughter is a Wood Elf Monk (going for the ninja monk, I think). The wife is playing the Dwarven Trickster Cleric. Brother went High Elf Necromancer. My best friend will probably jump into the group when he's back in 2 weeks. I think he's playing a warrior of some kind, but I don't remember.
Some of the story is a little hokey with some cliches, and a little over the top. The gold dragon, Firal's "ultimate weapon" are good examples of what I mean there. But, I'm kinda going for that.
The story centers around Thexus and Firal Angrim, descendants of a wicked dude named Acavoir Angrim. Acavoir was a good Necromancer turned bad, by a corrupting item. He was taken down by adventurers hundreds of years prior, and his Tower was lost. How do you lose a Tower, you might ask? It was sunk into the ground in the battle, without survivors to tell the tale.
Firal is the evil brother, and wants Acavoir's secrets for money and power. Thexus is the good brother, and wants to see Acavoir's Tower and the Emerald Skull (the Macguffin) destroyed, along with the leader of his group, and old man named Reinhardt that has been hunting evil for a very long time.
The PCs will join this group and thus, the fight. They'll start out as mere members and will go on to be the heroes (as long as they don't die).
Though set in Faerun/Forgotten Realms, this doesn't have much Realms Lore in it. It was just something I added. It happened in a remote location long ago, and was over so quickly, it didn't make the papers or draw Elminster or anyone other big names into it.
Most of this campaign will take place in Acavoir's Tower, like a Super Dungeon. The PCs will keep going back, clearing new areas, seeing changes. Sometimes, areas they've taken will be reclaimed by baddies, especially if they leave for a long time.
Major NPCs
Thexus Angrim - NPC "face man" of the Hidden Line. His goal is to finally infiltrate Acavoir's Tower, retrieve the Emerald Skull of Durraang, and see it destroyed. Thexus is one of two of the last living descendants of Acavoir, and has carried on his family tradition of seeing all trace of their ancestor's corruption wiped from the face of the planet.
Thexus finally traces some of his old family belongings and, using a journal found there, learns the location of Acavoir's Tower due to some keywords and an old nursery rhyme his Mother used to tell him.
Reinhardt - The name of the Great Wyrm Gold Dragon leading the secret group known as the Hidden Line. Reinhardt takes the form of a wizened old man, and is so ancient that he can sense his death approaching. He figures he has roughly another year or so before his time is up. Reinhardt has spent much of life actively hunting powerful evils along with mortal allies. Their group has been kept small and secretive, and Reinhardt has pursued this goal with a patient single-mindedness only capable of a gold dragon, with this all stemming from the murder of his mate more than five hundred years prior.
Reinhardt's final goal is to see the Emerald Skull of Durraang destroyed. It was the skull's corruption that led Auria Stormshield, Fallen Paladin of Lathander, to strike down Reinhardt's mate before coming into the possession of Acavoir. As Acavoir's Tower had been lost, Reinhardt lost the trail of the Emerald Skull. It's only with the Tower's recent discovery that he has devoted all of the Hidden Line's remaining resources to ridding the world of the skull for good, before his time is up.
- Reinheardt is too old to mix it up and aid the PCs in battle, unless the evil comes to his lair.
- He will die in a climactic battle, saving the PCs and the rest of the Hidden Line as they escape from Firal Angrim's "Ultimate Weapon", though he will destroy the weapon before dying (which took a decade to build, so another will be out of the question). I feel as though I can make this death heroic enough that the characters will want to avenge him and carry on the campaign.
- Reinhardt can't simply walk into the tower and Gold Dragon the place to smithereens. It's too small for his massive body to fit in as a dragon, and every time he gets lower than the top two floors, he starts to lose control of his shapechange and revert back to gargantuan size, likely crushing himself and anyone around him, and perhaps the whole tower. This effect is due to the warding Acavoir used to protect himself from spies or assassins trying to enter the top of the tower in magical guise. Folks can still shapechange beyond the barrier (Wild Shape, etc), they just can't pass beyond a certain point shapechanged without it reverting them to their natural form. This is pretty much just to have an old Gold Dragon be the mover and shaker, but as to why he'd need PCs. Burying the Emerald Skull beneath tons of rock simply will not do, so he won't risk going in.
Firal Angrim/The Constructor - Firal Angrim has chosen the dark path of his ancestor, Acavoir. He is a mage who focuses on golemcraft, rather than Necromancy. These golems are sold to the unsavory groups of the Sword Coast, and often used to commit horrific crimes or costly robberies (and sometimes, Firal will use his own constructs to rob something particularly tempting while the guards and such are tracking whatever guild or group he sold his last batch of monsters to). Using clues found in old family belongings (learned by Scrying on Thexus), is on track to finding the Tower. He seeks to use the Emerald Skull in the head of an Iron Golem, which is just going to go *awesomely* for him when that happens.
- The PCs will defeat Firal (if they can), but he's going to escape. I kinda want that to be as frustrating as possible, like they have him at 1 hp, then shwoom. He's snatched out of death, giving them the slow-mo middle finger. When he dies, it'll be at the hands of Durraang. The PCs will find his smashed and mangled body, and will hopefully either feel robbed of getting their final vengeance, or will just be relieved he's dead. Either way, they'll have a much more deadly foe to battle.
Lore
History: Acavoir Angrim was an ancient and powerful Necromancer, who had become insane after defeating all of his rivals in the quest for an item known as the Emerald Skull of Durraang. The Emerald Skull is an intelligent item that seeks to slowly subvert and drive mad any who touch it. They are made paranoid, greedy, and consumed with a lust for power. While Acavoir had originally intended to see Necromancy used to defeat death and heal terrible maladies, he was irrevocably twisted by the effects of the Emerald Skull. His ensuing reign of his claimed dominion, though short, left a terrible mark upon the land's history.
Eventually, Acavoir's tower was raided by heroes of Faerun's past and in the ensuing battle, the entire structure sunk into the ground. As there were no survivors, it's location and details of the final battle were lost to time.
Additional History: Durraang, Scourge of the Hellscape was a Demon Lord who relished in war and combat. He was instrumental in a series of victories that once nearly swayed the Blood War in favor of the forces of Chaos before being defeated by a cabal of Devils and their servants. Rather than simply killing him, Durraang's essence was forced into the Emerald Skull and his former life was wiped from the Demon Lord's memory. After being passed around the Nine Hells as a trophy, the Skull was sent to the Material Plane to be used by the minions of Devils. Durraang's mighty will proved too much for those mortals that laid hand or eye upon the Emerald Skull. He quickly escaped the grasp of the Cabal's followers after causing them all to get themselves killed, and was unleashed upon the world, free to sow the seeds of chaos.
Acavoir's Tower
- Twelve stories tall, with two levels of basement/dungeon. It's entered from the top of the tower.
- Anything damaged in the Tower via battle, fireballs, raging monsters, whatever will repair itself to like-new conditions within 1 hour.
- Anything taken from the Tower will be teleported back into place within 1d4 hours, *unless* it is taken up through the barrier of the 3rd highest floor. The Duergar and Mind Flayers have simply given up trying to loot the place, not even having considered this possibility of going toward the surface.
- The highest two floors were formerly Acavoir's sanctuary. His bedroom and study were here, along with his personal sitting room, bathing room, and vault. Items from here have since been looted, and the Hidden Line has set up soldiers here, converting it into a barracks of sorts.
- Floors 3 (from the top, where the PCs will begin), 6, and 9 each have balconies, which each leading into a tunnel system dug into, or outward from the tower.
- Deep Gnomes had originally dug into the tunnel from Floor 6, though their clan was decimated by Duergar. These Duergar are the ones who dug the remaining tunnels, creating a labyrinth around the aforementioned floors.
- In recent years, the Duergar have been embroiled in a battle with a Collective of Mind Flayers, who can feel the magic of the Emerald Skull and covet it's power. All of the Duergar on floors 3 and 4 were wiped out. The power of the Tower has since animated these corpses and left them under the control of a particularly nasty Wraith of a former Duergar Commander, who's will was just too powerful to be extinguished.
- Floor 6 is a Mind Flayer's bastion, filled with their servants and one of their Lieutenants, and one of their pools of tadpoles, because I want to see what the group will do to/with them.
- Floor 7 are more Mind Flayers and the Duergar, fighting. The group will have to navigate all this, either trying to get to the next floor without being noticed, choosing a side, or something along those lines. Wait and mop up the victor while they're weak is an option. The Mind Flayer leader is here.
- Floor 8 and 9 are Duergar controlled. How the PCs get through here depends on how they handled things before. Either it's a massive fight, or the Duergar will allow them to pass. They can also feel the magic, and unlike the Mind Flayers, realize that it's super bad juju. While normally without scruples, one of their Gods has commanded (through their cleric) to see the Skull to the surface, so the sundwellers can all suffer the carnage of the Emerald Skull.
- Floor 10 has never been breached. Thexus will have given the PCs the key (which he's had since he came of age), so it's all unexplored territory from now on. This will be mostly clear, except for the Guardian of the library. Here's where the PCs will get the scoop on the Emerald Skull and on Reinhardt's mate. Her head will be a trophy, along with the Fallen Paladin's sword, overlooking the library.
- Floor 11 and 12 are going to just be a mass of Undead. Tons of Zombies and Skeletons, all led by mini-bosses. I'm going to throw as many different types of undead as I can logically throw here.
- The two Dungeon levels will be inhabited by Dark Elves, who have sent a few parties in after finding a way through Acavoir's warding, their attention having been drawn by the Mind Flayer/Duergar fighting. It will be quite a battle to the Skull from there.
- Acavoir is, of course, alive(ish!) and has been imprisoned with the Emerald Skull in the dungeon for centuries.
How it's going to play out (provided they don't get themselves killed, of course).
The PCs will go through character levels 1-3 proving themselves to the Hidden Line, doing good deeds while also "training" for their true mission. Once it's over, they'll be inducted as members. They'll meet Reinhardt and learn what lore he can provide. Then, they'll start dungeon delving. (I didn't have to worry about going through huge hoops of adventure hooks, they all want to adventure and are going with it nicely.)
Each time they clear a floor, Hidden Line soldiers will take and hold it. Tunnels into the Underdark will be collapsed. This will give a healing/rest/sell loot place, and is also the reason the PCs will be able to leave and return (as long as they don't stay away too long), while keeping their progress.
[If the PCs are wounded and in trouble, they can return to a Hidden Line checkpoint for aid. However, I'll only allow this twice, before they'll return to a group of baddies having killed their allies, making things even worse. I won't let it be used as a crutch, and I'll make several warnings to this.]
An alliance with the Duergar and an alliance with the Mind Flayers may give the group different benefits. Though, the Mind Flayers ultimately want the skull, and they will try to take it once it's recovered. An alliance with the Dark Elves is doomed to betrayal from their end, no matter what. The Duergar will hold up their ends, as long as the PCs agree to remove the Emerald Skull from the Underdark.
They finally get to the Emerald Skull and take it out, into the surface, after finishing up any business they have. Outside, Firal will be waiting for him with a group of constructs. It'll be a nasty defeat for sure when Reinhardt shows up to save the day. He breath weapons, claws, or bites their way to victory against many of the golems while Firal flees. They return to the lair, where Reinhardt plans to destroy the Skull once and for all.
At the lair, Firal shows up with his Ultimate Weapon. It's a freakin' titan-sized golem, something he's been working on for more than a decade. All of his dirty deeds have been for building this monstrosity in secret. Reinhardt and Firal's monster battle, and though the Great Wyrm will be able to have one last win, he is mortally wounded. Firal gets the Skull, but will have to face the PCs. If they defeat him, he'll be saved at the last instant with a contingency spell, with a smile and slow-mo middle finger-type gesture to the group the instant the teleport activates.
Back in his villanous lair, Firals wastes no time in bringing his greatest creation to life. An iron golem with the Emerald Skull inside the helm of the armor. Durraang is fully awakened by the magic of the golem, gains complete control of his "new body", and pounds Firal into a greasy stain. He seeks to return to the hells and use this metal monstrosity to wade into battle against the Devils, and find his retribution for the centuries of torture he's had to endure as part of a boss' loot table.
Opening a portal to hell, of course, would have dire consequences for the world. He'll need to be stopped, and only the PCs can do it, because they'll be the only ones to know where and how Durraang can open the portal (from Reinhardt's notes).
Climactic final battle. If the PCs win, one of Reinhardt's children show up to destroy the skull in the ritual. He will then take off, leaving the PCs to lead the Hidden Line, as they've proven themselves worthy of assuming his Father's role.
