The Ashen Heart Under Shadow
The Ashen Heart Under Shadow
“Hold the altar. Break the assassin. Decide who inherits a god.”
— Hook · defend
“The temple doors slam shut behind you as black light spills through the cracks ahead. At the center of the sanctum, a wounded companion begins cleansing the Ashen Heart while an assassin with a living shadow sword walks toward the altar. Seraphine grips the last remaining warding seal and says, “Protect the ritual, or let the darkness inherit a god.””
— Hook · defend
The hidden temple's inner gate has been forced open from the outside. Seraphine and Brother Caldus rush to the central altar while the party sees the Ashen Heart suspended above a basin of clear fire. The cleansing character must place the first seal against the relic, beginning the ritual. Immediately, Nhalvek steps from the largest patch of shadow, Veyr in hand, and the temple's remaining guardians awaken.
Seraphine Vale, Last Dawnkeeper
Seraphine approaches the party while carrying a cracked golden seal. She explains that the Ashen Heart can be cleansed only by a willing bearer who must remain focused at the altar while the temple is attacked. She offers sanctuary, the temple's remaining relics, and the Dawnkeepers' lasting allegiance if the party holds the line.
Rumours
d5 · table- 01The temple's bells ring whenever a traitor crosses its threshold.
- 02The Ashen Heart has rejected every cleansing attempt for three hundred years.
- 03Nhalvek cannot be seen in a mirror, but his sword can.
- 04The Dawnkeepers hid the temple because one of their own betrayed the god.
- 05The old crypt beneath the sanctum contains the names of everyone ever chosen by the relic.
If the party succeeds, the Ashen Heart becomes a source of protection against the Betayer God's return. If they fail, the enemy gains a divine power source and the surrounding region becomes vulnerable to permanent magical darkness.
Background Lore
The hidden Temple of Vael Turog was built around the Ashen Heart, a divine relic said to preserve the last uncorrupted spark of the Dawn God. Centuries ago, the assassin-priest Nhalvek betrayed his deity and bound a fragment of the god's severed shadow into a black blade called Veyr. The temple sealed both relics apart, but the recent arrival of enemy forces has broken the old wards. If the Ashen Heart is not cleansed before the assault reaches the sanctum, Veyr will consume its divine power and transform the temple into a permanent gateway for divine shadow.
The party has reached the hidden Temple of Vael Turog, where the divine Ashen Heart is being cleansed before enemy forces can corrupt it. The party must hold the sanctum, protect the cleansing character, and prevent Nhalvek the Umbral Saint from reaching the altar. The temple's wards are failing, and every delay brings the enemy closer to victory.
