Darkness Rising (D&D5e 2024, Ice Winddale)

About the adventure

First Session is Free. A marauding dark dragon of purple flame has laid waste to some of ten towns, devouring some residents while displacing others. Termalaine, Brenmen, Targos, and Caer-Koing are all ruined. It strikes without mercy. No one knows where it came from, where it lairs, or how long it intends to terrorize the realm. The worse part is that the endless winter still plagues icewind dale and pig headed orcs from the spine of the world mountains have came and taken over the ruins. Erecting strange totems and pillars of black stone with a purple light stop. Many believe the orcs worship the dragon as their god. But there is hope. Long ago, Kivela Wolfheart a Knight of great valor in service to Talos the strom lord; used her wealth to raise a bastion at the edge of the wilderness. This castle had the power to generate a lightning shield around itself—a shield powerful enough to break sieges and keep monsters at bay. The castle was abandoned shortly after the knight passed away. By then, the endless winter had set in and the inhabitants couldn't afford to upkeep the stronghold with dwindling food, and mysterious disappearances. The villagers of ten towns displaced by the dragon ask you to travel to Tempest Keep and rid it of any threats. Rumor has it the lightning shield is powered by six magical lightning rods. If you can find these rods, perhaps the lightning shield could be reactivated, allowing refugees fleeing the dragon to use the keep as a sanctuary. Instead of random caves that occasionally have monsters. With your help, once the refugees have a safe place to go. The task at hand may be daunting. The wilderness of icewind dale is harsh. The monsters hunger, the people hunger, and their offerings to the goddess of winter Auril seem to have not appeased her.