HOLLOW THRESHOLD 1: THE TEMPEST GATE

Plane Connection: Material Plane ↔ Elemental Plane of Air

ARENA LAYOUT

A 50-foot diameter circular platform of black stone floats in howling winds. Lightning crackles between three towering storm-spires (20ft tall, 5ft wide) arranged in a triangle around the center. The Tempest Egg hovers 10 feet above the platform’s center, wreathed in electrical energy. A shimmering portal to the Material Plane sits at the platform’s edge (south), while violent winds from the Air Plane tear through an unstable rift (north).

Elara led them down a narrow stone staircase hidden behind her forge’s hearth, each step humming with a subtle warmth. The walls themselves seemed to glow with life, veins of feint golden leyline energy pulsing beneath translucent crystalline stone, illuminating their descent.

At the bottom, the air opened into a vast subterranean chamber. Water trickled in quiet streams along mossy rock ledges, pooling into a crystalline basin at the chamber’s center. Faint motes of golden light drifted lazily above the forge like fireflies caught in an unseen breeze. In the center of it all stood an ancient anvil, its surface etched with spiraling elven runes that flickered with the pulse of the leyline energies below.

Forge below Elara’s workshop where her truly magical artifacts are created. Here she can tap into the leyline energies to enhance her creations and give her the ability to breath life back into sentient artifacts, like Summer’s Edge (orig).

The Reforging of Summer’s Edge

Elara led them down a narrow stone staircase hidden behind her forge’s hearth, each step humming with a subtle warmth. The walls themselves seemed to glow with life, veins of feint golden leyline energy pulsing beneath translucent crystalline stone, illuminating their descent.

The Blade of Dawning Light
Weapon (longsword), rare (requires attunement by a good-aligned creature)

[!tip] Legends Speak… “As long as Summer’s Edge shines, the night shall never truly fall.”
— Inscription on the sword’s original scabbard

Forged in ages past by the smiths of the Summer Court, Summer’s Edge was once the blade of Sir Eirik, Champion of the Summer Court and Captain of the Order of Seasons. It gleamed with the light of the midday sun and cut down countless horrors in the battle against the undead. Though broken during the final stand at the Gates of Season’s End, the blade has been reforged—and its light is rising once again.

Here is a structured plan to integrate Slumpet’s espionage thread based on his player’s responses, while keeping it subtle, impactful, and world-coherent:

🎭 Key Takeaways from Player Feedback

• Yes, Slumpet is conducting espionage.
• He uses Thieves’ Cant to contact a comrade for message drops.
• He was “brainwashed” in prison to work with the dwarves.
• The dwarves are likely a splinter group rather than an official kingdom faction.
• He doesn’t want a solo side quest but does want an opportunity to get a message out.

🔧 Narrative Integration Plan

1. Establish Context Subtly In-World

Since the party doesn’t know about Slumpet’s espionage, introduce it via environmental or NPC prompts: