Character level: 3-4  

Synopsis

The party respond to a call to arms: an orc invasion of Elsir Vale is imminent. After a meeting with the Council of Overlook the party are sent on a mission to rescue monks from a monastery. All but one are dead. Returning to Overlook the party are then sent to seal the Nexus in order to prevent the orc army from breaching the defenses and sweeping unhindered into Elsir Vale.

Locations

• Overlook: a huge dwarf-built city
• Monastery of the Sundered Chain: dwarven paladins/monks
• Bordrin's Watch: a fortified mountain pass, the module assumes the party won't go here
• The Nexus: a dwarven-built underground complex with links to tunnels beneath the Stonehome Mountains

NPCs

Thoughts

With the looming threat of war this module has an epic feel throughout, with some great roleplaying hooks in Overlook. The dungeon sections are split into two and are fairly short, so fans of a less "hack and slash" style will prefer this to Rescue at Rivenroar.

Continuity Notes

• Foreshadow a caravan problem in Brindol. The Elsir Consortium caravan from Overlook is late. When the party track the orc raiding party, have them come across a sacked caravan, occupants dead with or without orcs. Include an Elsir Consortium strongbox. Your party may then return the strongbox to the Elsir Consortium office in Overlook and report on the fate of the caravan, giving them a chance to meet and befriend Bran Ironfell.
• Do a brief description of Gilgathorn (DotD) when describing the various members of the assembled masses at the council meeting. I described an elf, patch over one eye, bristling with weapons, leading to speculation that he'd put his own eye out on one of his many bristles.
• When the party discover Jen's body ensure she is clutching a sending stone. This will make the encounter with Reniss in Umbraforge make sense.
• If the party kill Iranda make sure he is carrying the brass key described in Umbraforge pg 6
• Foreshadow Captain Aerun (tTB) as gate captain as the party enter and leave the city
• Have the Orc Sergeant in V1 carry the head of Jen (Half-Elf Warlock, of the Farstriders)
• You can provide the second link to Sarshan's weapons running operation by having a PC notice that the orc horde weapons bear a trademark engraved in the steel -- a black arrow (after Sarshan's old mercenary outfit, the Black Arrow) -- and they remember seeing this same mark on the hobgoblin weapons from Rivenroar.

Side Quest Notes

• After the PCs meet Kalad in the Monastery, he tells the story of  the last encounter of 1-5-4) The Vents; so this would be the best time to run this encounter.